--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Missionaries, whether of philosophy or…" description: "\"Missionaries, whether of philosophy or religion, rarely make rapid way, unless their preachings fall in with the prepossessions ofthe multitude of shal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/651/thomas-huxley-1183_aim_missionaries-whether-of-philosophy-or-re_2633787.png" --- # Missionaries, whether of philosophy or religion, rarely… ![“Missionaries, whether of philosophy or religion, rarely make rapid way, unless their preachings fall in with the prepossessions ofthe multitude of shallow thinkers, or can be made to serve as a stalking-horse for the promotion of the practical aims of the still larger multitude, who do not profess…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/651/thomas-huxley-1183_aim_missionaries-whether-of-philosophy-or-re_2633787.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/651/thomas-huxley-1183_aim_missionaries-whether-of-philosophy-or-re_2633787.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/651/thomas-huxley-1183_aim_missionaries-whether-of-philosophy-or-re_2633787.png) > “Missionaries, whether of philosophy or religion, rarely make rapid way, unless their preachings fall in with the prepossessions ofthe multitude of shallow thinkers, or can be made to serve as a stalking-horse for the promotion of the practical aims of the still larger multitude, who do not profess to think much, but are quite certain they want a great deal.” [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Missionaries succeed when their messages align with popular shallow beliefs or serve broader practical agendas. **In simple terms:** Missionaries thrive by fitting popular ideas or serving larger goals. Key Takeaway Critically assess underlying motives. Themes religion philosophy influence Mood critical analytical Type sociological philosophical When to use this quote - education reform - community outreach - policy advocacy Key Concepts social engineering cultural transmission political utility Questions to Reflect On - What drives missionary success? - How can genuine belief be distinguished from utility? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [Missionaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missionaries/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Promotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promotion/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Stalking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stalking/) [Thinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinker/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Religion is rarely mentioned in current prime-time dramas or sitcoms that supposedly reflect the way we live now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wakefield/religion-is-rarely-mentioned-in-current-prime-time-dramas-or-sitcoms/) [Dan Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wakefield/) > [The greater part of mankind may be divided into two classes; that of shallow thinkers who fall short of the truth; and that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-greater-part-of-mankind-may-be-divided-into-two-classes-that-of/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [A particularly fine head on a man usually means that he is stupid; particularly deep philosophers are usually shallow thinkers; in literature, talents not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/a-particularly-fine-head-on-a-man-usually-means-that-he-is-stupid/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [My missionaries in a foreign field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coldplay/my-missionaries-in-a-foreign-field/) [Coldplay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coldplay/) > [“...During my first few hours in Loja, I had good fortune to run into two young Mormon missionaries who let me sleep one night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meegan/during-my-first-few-hours-in-loja-i-had-good-fortune-to-run-into-two/) [George Meegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meegan/) > [Missionaries never give up on their dream of peace, even when they experience difficulties and persecution, which makes their presence strongly felt today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/missionaries-never-give-up-on-their-dream-of-peace-even-when-they/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I began filming 'God Loves Uganda' by first meeting some of the Ugandan and American missionaries who have helped create Uganda's evangelical movement. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-began-filming-god-loves-uganda-by-first-meeting-some-of-the-ugandan/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Children are arrows in a quiver, and they are to be trained as missionaries and shot at the Devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-elliot/children-are-arrows-in-a-quiver-and-they-are-to-be-trained-as/) [Jim Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-elliot/) > [I thank all missionaries, men and women who quietly work hard for the Lord and their brothers and sisters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-thank-all-missionaries-men-and-women-who-quietly-work-hard-for-the/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-saint/and-people-who-do-not-know-the-lord-ask-why-in-the-world-we-waste-our/) [Nate Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-saint/) > [After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“When the Missionaries arrived, the Africans had the land and the Missionaries had the Bible. They taught how to pray with our eyes closed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jomo-kenyatta/when-the-missionaries-arrived-the-africans-had-the-land-and-the/) [Jomo Kenyatta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jomo-kenyatta/) > [People have the idea of missionaries as going out with the Bible and hitting natives with it. It's not really what they were doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/people-have-the-idea-of-missionaries-as-going-out-with-the-bible-and/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [“And so Mr. Brown came to be respected even by the clan, because he trod softly on its faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/and-so-mr-brown-came-to-be-respected-even-by-the-clan-because-he-trod/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Please dont say you dont miss him. Just to pity me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-yap/please-dont-say-you-dont-miss-him-just-to-pity-me/) [William Yap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-yap/) ## More by Thomas Huxley > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [There is nothing of permanent value (putting aside a few human affections) nothing that satisfies quiet reflection--except the sense of having worked according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/there-is-nothing-of-permanent-value-putting-aside-a-few-human/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Economy does not lie in sparing money, but in spending it wisely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/economy-does-not-lie-in-sparing-money-but-in-spending-it-wisely/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [It is not to be forgotten that what we call rational grounds for our beliefs are often extremely irrational attempts to justify our instincts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/it-is-not-to-be-forgotten-that-what-we-call-rational-grounds-for-our/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Only a scientific people can survive in a scientific future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/only-a-scientific-people-can-survive-in-a-scientific-future/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Our reverence for the nobility of manhood will not be lessened by the knowledge that man is in substance and in structure, one with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/our-reverence-for-the-nobility-of-manhood-will-not-be-lessened-by-the/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [In science, as in art, and, as I believe, in every other sphere of human activity, there may be wisdom in a multitude of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/in-science-as-in-art-and-as-i-believe-in-every-other-sphere-of-human/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Science is simply common sense at its best, that is, rigidly accurate in observation, and merciless to fallacy in logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/science-is-simply-common-sense-at-its-best-that-is-rigidly-accurate/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Oh devil! truth is better than much profit. I have searched over the grounds of my belief, and if wife and child and name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/oh-devil-truth-is-better-than-much-profit-i-have-searched-over-the/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Let us have "sweet girl graduates" by all means. They will be none the less sweet for a little wisdom; and the "golden hair"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/let-us-have-sweet-girl-graduates-by-all-means-they-will-be-none-the/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [In matters of the intellect, do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable. That I take to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/in-matters-of-the-intellect-do-not-pretend-that-conclusions-are/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [And you very soon find out, if you have not found it out before, that patience and tenacity of purpose are worth more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/and-you-very-soon-find-out-if-you-have-not-found-it-out-before-that/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [No one who has lived in the world as long as you & I have, can entertain the pious delusion that it is engineered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/no-one-who-has-lived-in-the-world-as-long-as-you-i-have-can-entertain/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Mix salt and sand, and it shall puzzle the wisest of men, with his mere natural appliances, to separate all the grains of sand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/mix-salt-and-sand-and-it-shall-puzzle-the-wisest-of-men-with-his-mere/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [What are the moral convictions most fondly held by barbarous and semi-barbarous people? They are the convictions that authority is the soundest basis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/what-are-the-moral-convictions-most-fondly-held-by-barbarous-and-semi/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) [Explore all 278 Thomas Huxley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Missionaries, whether of philosophy or religion, rarely make rapid way, unless their preachings fall in with the prepossessions ofthe multitude of shallow thinkers, or can be made to serve as a stalking-horse for the promotion of the practical aims of the still larger multitude, who do not profess to think much, but are quite certain they want a great deal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Huxley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/missionaries-whether-of-philosophy-or-religion-rarely-make-rapid-way/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/missionaries-whether-of-philosophy-or-religion-rarely-make-rapid-way/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/651/thomas-huxley-1183_aim_missionaries-whether-of-philosophy-or-re_2633787.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/651/thomas-huxley-1183_aim_missionaries-whether-of-philosophy-or-re_2633787.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/651/thomas-huxley-1183_aim_missionaries-whether-of-philosophy-or-re_2633787.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Missionaries, whether of philosophy or religion, rarely make rapid way, unless their preachings fall in with…” — Thomas Huxley", "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 Huxley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Missionaries, whether of philosophy or religion,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/missionaries-whether-of-philosophy-or-religion-rarely-make-rapid-way/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/missionaries-whether-of-philosophy-or-religion-rarely-make-rapid-way/#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 } } ] } ```