“Churches thrive on martyrdom and persecution.”

“Let us not forget: we are a pilgrim church, subject to misunderstanding, to persecution, but a church that walks serene, because it bears the force of love.”

“Persecution produced its ordinary effect. The people courted martyrdom. They came from all parts to deride Zouloulou, whom nothing disconcerted - and to get their heads cut off. (“The Story of Prince Alasi and the Princess Firouzkah”)”

“Persecution is an enemy the Church has met and mastered many times. Indifference could prove to be a far more dangerous foe.”

“If today's churches, companies and organizations want to be thriving tomorrow, they have an obligation to coach and mentor the new generation of leaders.”

“If we look back into history for the character of present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in the Pagans, but practised it on one another. The first Protestants of the Church of England, blamed persecution in the Roman church, but practised it against the Puritans: these found it wrong in the Bishops, but fell into the same practice themselves both here and in New England.[Letter to the London Packet, 3 June 1772]”