The forces of piety have always and everywhere been the sworn enemy of the open mind and the open book.

The two of them kept an eye open for every tree or temple we passed by, and turned to me for a reaction of piety which I gave them, of course, and with growing elaborateness: first just touching my eye, then my neck, then my clavicle, and even my nipples.  They were convinced I was the most religious servant on earth.

The consciousness of Divine friendship in devotion, so far from being impaired, is deepened by holy veneration. The purest and most lasting human friendships are permeated with an element of reverence; much more this friendship of a man with God.

Belief must be something different from a mixture of opinions about God and the world, and of precepts for one life or for two. Piety cannot be an instinct craving for a mess of metaphysical and ethical crumbs.

He was very religious he believed that he had a secret pact with God which exempted him from doing good in exchange for prayers and piety.

Goodness without wisdom always accomplishes evil.

Live with men as if God saw you: speak to God as if men heard you.

Religion in its humility restores man to his only dignity, the courage to live by grace.

It is rash to intrude upon the piety of others: both the depth and the grace of it elude the stranger.

Experience makes us see an enormous difference between piety and goodness.

Piety with some people, but especially with women, is either a passion, or an infirmity of age, or a fashion which must be followed.

A devout man is he who would be an atheist if the king were.

Love of God is not always the same as love of good.

Piety, like nobility, has its aristocracy.

The best way to see divine light is to put out thy own candle.

Fear God, and where you go men shall think they walk in hallowed cathedrals.

At the first sound of the priest's voice in the vestar-ium she was on her feet and she fired out her amens and her mercies in a stern and resonant voice, timed well ahead of the rest of the congregation as if she were involved in a sort of ecclesiastical footrace.

The strength of a man consists in finding out the way in which God is going, and going in that way too.