He who endeavors to serve, to benefit, and improve the world, is like a swimmer, who struggles against a rapid current, in a river lashed into angry waves by the winds. Often they roar over his head, often they beat him back and baffle him. Most men yield to the stress of the current... Only here and there the stout, strong heart and vigorous arms struggle on toward ultimate success.
Albert PikeDoubt, the essential preliminary of all improvement and discovery, must accompany the stages of man's onward progress. The faculty of doubting and questioning, without which those of comparison and judgment would be useless, is itself a divine prerogative of the reason.
Albert PikeThe unconsidered act of the poorest of men may fire the train that leads to the subterranean mine, and an empire be rent by the explosion.
Albert PikeA man should live with his superiors as he does with his fire: not too near, lest he burn; nor too far off, lest he freeze.
Albert PikeOur adversaries, numerous and formidable, will say, and will have the right to say, that our Principe Crรateur is identical with the Principe Gรnรrateur of the Indians and Egyptians, and may fitly be symbolized as it was symbolized anciently, by the linage...To accept this in lieu of a personal God is to abandon Christianity and worship of Jehovah and return to wallow in the styles of Paganism.
Albert Pike