---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What this country needs is a man who…"
description: "\"What this country needs is a man who knows God other than by heresay.\" — Thomas Carlyle"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3af/thomas-carlyle-207_country_what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-kno_870003.png"
---

#  What this country needs is a man who knows God other than…

![“What this country needs is a man who knows God other than by heresay.” quote by Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3af/thomas-carlyle-207_country_what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-kno_870003.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3af/thomas-carlyle-207_country_what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-kno_870003.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3af/thomas-carlyle-207_country_what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-kno_870003.png)

> “What this country needs is a man who knows God other than by heresay.”

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A leader should know God through personal experience, not just hearsay, to guide the nation wisely.

**In simple terms:** Know God personally, not just by rumor.

Key Takeaway

Seek personal spiritual insight.

Themes

leadership faith authenticity

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

philosophical historical

When to use this quote

- political leadership
- public speaking
- ethical decision‑making

Key Concepts

personal conviction moral authority

Questions to Reflect On

- How does personal faith influence leadership?
- Can leaders separate faith from governance?

A Different Perspective

Personal faith may not translate to policy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Knowing god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-god/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/)

## Related quotes

> [A woman needs a man that knows how to take over at the right time not one she can run over anytime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-woman-needs-a-man-that-knows-how-to-take-over-at-the-right-time-not/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [A great man knows he is not God, and the greater he is the better he knows it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/a-great-man-knows-he-is-not-god-and-the-greater-he-is-the-better-he/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Whoever knows himself knows God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-muhammad/whoever-knows-himself-knows-god/)

[Elijah Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-muhammad/)

> [A man may go into the field and say his prayer and be aware of God, or he may be in Church and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/a-man-may-go-into-the-field-and-say-his-prayer-and-be-aware-of-god-or/)

[Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/)

> [A man of God would never burn or harm a temple of any kind -- regardless of religion. A true man of God would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/a-man-of-god-would-never-burn-or-harm-a-temple-of-any-kind-regardless/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [Only God is love, and for this love to be fully realized self must step aside. And not only do we not need a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernadette-roberts/only-god-is-love-and-for-this-love-to-be-fully-realized-self-must/)

[Bernadette Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernadette-roberts/)

> [A fear-stricken person can never know God, and one who knows God will never fear a mortal man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-fear-stricken-person-can-never-know-god-and-one-who-knows-god-will/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“Whoever knows God, depart from evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whoever-knows-god-depart-from-evil/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [Anyone who knows God cannot describe Him. Anyone who can describe God does not know Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/anyone-who-knows-god-cannot-describe-him-anyone-who-can-describe-god/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [The man who knows God but does not know his own misery, becomes proud. The man who knows his own misery but does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-man-who-knows-god-but-does-not-know-his-own-misery-becomes-proud/)

[Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/)

> [Since love of God is the highest felicity and happiness of man, his final end and the aim of all his actions, it follows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/since-love-of-god-is-the-highest-felicity-and-happiness-of-man-his/)

[Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/)

> [The heart that knows God can find God anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-heart-that-knows-god-can-find-god-anywhere/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [The higher a man's conception of God, the better will he know Him. And the better he knows God, the nearer will he draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the-better-will-he-know-him-and/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [Regardless of the source of our pain, we must accept that God knows, God loves, and God is at work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/regardless-of-the-source-of-our-pain-we-must-accept-that-god-knows/)

[Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/)

> [The picture of fallen man as given in Scripture is that he knows God but does not want to recognize Him as God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/the-picture-of-fallen-man-as-given-in-scripture-is-that-he-knows-god/)

[Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/)

## More by Thomas Carlyle

> [O thou that pinest in the imprisonment of the Actual, and criest bitterly to the gods for a kingdom wherein to rule and create,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/o-thou-that-pinest-in-the-imprisonment-of-the-actual-and-criest/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [Whose school-hours are all the days and nights of our existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/whose-school-hours-are-all-the-days-and-nights-of-our-existence/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness than disbelief in great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-sadder-proof-can-be-given-by-a-man-of-his-own-littleness-than/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [The sincere alone can recognize sincerity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-sincere-alone-can-recognize-sincerity/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [The glory of a workman, still more of a master workman, that he does his work well, ought to be his most precious possession;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-glory-of-a-workman-still-more-of-a-master-workman-that-he-does/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [All human things do require to have an ideal in them; to have some soul in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/all-human-things-do-require-to-have-an-ideal-in-them-to-have-some/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [Insurrection, never so necessary, is a most sad necessity; and governors who wait for that to instruct them are surely getting into the fatalest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/insurrection-never-so-necessary-is-a-most-sad-necessity-and-governors/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [What is philosophy but a continual battle against custom?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-is-philosophy-but-a-continual-battle-against-custom/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [Let Time and Chance combine, combine! Let Time and Chance combine! The fairest love from heaven above, That love of yours was mine, My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/let-time-and-chance-combine-combine-let-time-and-chance-combine-the/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [Thought will not work except in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/thought-will-not-work-except-in-silence/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [The public is anold woman.Let her maunderand mumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-public-is-anold-woman-let-her-maunderand-mumble/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [Does not every true man feel that he is himself made higher by doing reverence to what is really above him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/does-not-every-true-man-feel-that-he-is-himself-made-higher-by-doing/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [The press is the fourth estate of the realm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-press-is-the-fourth-estate-of-the-realm/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

[Explore all 917 Thomas Carlyle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

## More Country quotes

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/)

[Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/)

> [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/)

[Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/)

[Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/)

> [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/)

[Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/)

> [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/)

[Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/)

> [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/)

[Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/)

> [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/)

[Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/)

[Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What this country needs is a man who knows God other than by heresay.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Thomas Carlyle"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-knows-god-other-than-by-heresay/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Country"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-knows-god-other-than-by-heresay/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3af/thomas-carlyle-207_country_what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-kno_870003.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3af/thomas-carlyle-207_country_what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-kno_870003.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3af/thomas-carlyle-207_country_what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-kno_870003.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What this country needs is a man who knows God other than by heresay.” — Thomas Carlyle",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Thomas Carlyle",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What this country needs is a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-knows-god-other-than-by-heresay/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-knows-god-other-than-by-heresay/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
