James W. Alexander Quotes on Family Worship, Faith and Preaching
James Waddel Alexander was a Presbyterian pastor in New York City and a professor at Princeton until his death in 1859. He wrote with a scholar's care and a pastor's warmth, and his short sentences on family prayer and on preaching are still passed around by parents and pastors. He also translated the hymn "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded."
Quotes from "James Alexander" online are often mixed up with those of his father, Archibald Alexander, or his brother, Joseph Addison Alexander. Every quotation below is copied exactly from James W. Alexander's own books in TheWay Library, with the book and chapter it comes from, so you can read each one in its setting. For his life story, see who was James W. Alexander. For a guide to all his books, see James W. Alexander books.
On family worship
These come from Thoughts on Family Worship, his call to Christian households to pray, read and sing together every day.
There is an irresistible impulse to pray for those whom we love; and not only to pray for them, but with them.
Thoughts on Family Worship, The Nature, Warrant, and History of Family-Worship
The children look more deeply into the parents' heart by the medium of family-prayer.
Thoughts on Family Worship, Influence of Family-Worship on Children
Praying together is a certain means of attachment; those who pray for one another cannot but love.
Thoughts on Family Worship, Influence of Family-Worship on Children
A psalm, rightly chosen, and sung with the spirit and understanding, may bear up all hearts to God.
Thoughts on Family Worship, Influence of Family-Worship on Individual Piety
A Christian family is brought daily to the fountain of all truth.
Thoughts on Family Worship, The Influence of Family-Worship in Perpetuating Sound Doctrine
Such children ought to grow up in the midst of prayers which may teach them how to pray.
Thoughts on Family Worship, Influence of Family-Worship on the Church
Truth is thus gently pressed upon the heart of infancy and youth, at a time when that heart is most ductile, and when it takes its most lasting mould.
Thoughts on Family Worship, The Reading of Scripture as a Part of Family-Worship
The best hymns are those which are oftenest sung, and which every one knows by heart; and those will have the largest stock in remembrance who have praised God all their lives at home.
Thoughts on Family Worship, Psalmody, as a Part of Family-Worship
Family-prayer is a duty of every householder, binding on him every day of his life.
Thoughts on Family Worship, The Householder Exhorted to the Duty of Family-Worship
Unless men will lose their own souls, and jeopard the souls of their children, they must take time for God.
Thoughts on Family Worship, Difficulties and Objections; Conclusion
On faith
Alexander's sermons on Faith keep turning the reader's eyes away from his own believing and toward Christ, the one believed.
Learn the true excellency of faith, and it is enough, it receives Christ, it makes Christ thine.
Faith, Treated in a Series of Discourses, Faith Considered as Justifying
Your title to believe is the infinite veracity of God in offering Christ and his salvation to the chief of sinners.
Faith, Treated in a Series of Discourses, The Righteous Advocate for Sinners
Dare you make a venture, on God's word in promise, and Christ's heart in pledge?
Faith, Treated in a Series of Discourses, The Righteous Advocate for Sinners
Here we see the infinite importance of union with Christ.
Faith, Treated in a Series of Discourses, Justification by Faith
Establish it as the law of progress forever, that your joy is to be all in God.
Faith, Treated in a Series of Discourses, Joy in Believing
Fall on your knees before the Cross of Christ, and remain there, looking and praying, and you cannot but see a glory, a beauty, and a grace, which will end in faith.
Faith, Treated in a Series of Discourses, Faith and Baptism
To young people afraid to come to the Lord's table, he said the same thing more simply:
The profession which you here make, is of faith in Christ, and not of assurance of hope.
Plain Words to a Young Communicant, Section XIII: May Doubting Souls Come?
On Christ and the cross
The man who translated "O Sacred Head" preached the cross at every communion. These lines are mostly from his Sacramental Discourses.
The great efficacy of the cross, indeed, towards God, is in the way of expiation; but its great efficacy towards us is as proof of love.
Sacramental Discourses, God's Great Love to Us
The throne of God becomes the throne of grace, when we behold there, seated in benignant power, one who is very man as well as very God.
Sacramental Discourses, The Two Natures of Christ
As you hold the soul, by loving contemplation, in these beams, the pencil of heavenly light is drawing Christ's image within you.
Sacramental Discourses, The Two Natures of Christ
Look simply and directly and instantly at one object — at Christ bearing your sin in his own body.
Sacramental Discourses, Christ Bearing Our Sins
The multitude, the copiousness of Divine grace and mercy must be sought in the person of the Lord Jesus.
Sacramental Discourses, Plenteous Redemption
We cannot in any way so intelligently love God, as when we love Christ.
Discourses on Common Topics, The Incarnation
On God's love and Christian joy
No man ever so loves as when he beholds this love of God to himself most clearly.
Discourses on Common Topics, Love Casting Out Fear
Good men loved him then, and good men fear him now; but Old Testament love was much like fear, and New Testament fear is much like love.
Discourses on Common Topics, Love Casting Out Fear
When Jesus speaks pardon and love to the soul, he gives cheerfulness and joy.
Discourses on Common Topics, Mirth
On suffering and comfort
Consolation is a book of sermons written for the disheartened. Alexander knew grief well; four of his seven children died young.
It is only in the Word of God that we learn to consider affliction as a blessing.
Consolation, Consolation Derived from the Uses of Chastisement
Whatever may be the cause of disquietude, immediate peace is found, when the soul reposes itself on God.
Consolation, God's Everlasting Mercy a Source of Consolation
Let the troubled soul consider, that in all the diffusion of his omnipresence, God is everywhere merciful.
Consolation, God's Everlasting Mercy a Source of Consolation
One of the greatest consolations of old age is to spend what remains of life in honouring God.
Consolation, The Aged Believer Consoled by God's Promise
On preaching and ministry
Friends gathered these from his journals and essays after his death as Thoughts on Preaching. They're written to young ministers, but most of them speak to any Christian who serves.
Forget yourselves so as to behold nothing but the glory of God, and the salvation of your hearers.
Thoughts on Preaching, On Extemporaneous Preaching, Concluded
Feel your own incompetency for any part of labour, and own your obligation to grace for every measure of success.
Thoughts on Preaching, Miscellaneous Paragraphs
Form the habit of contemplating all your study as the study of the word of God.
Thoughts on Preaching, How to Find Time for Learning
It is especially love that moves the souls of hearers, and love, in its very nature, gives happiness.
Thoughts on Preaching, The Happiness of Christ's Ministry
In preaching Christ, we simply preach God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses.
Thoughts on Preaching, The Matter of Preaching
It is unworthy of the minister of Jesus Christ to be always in search of fragments which have never before been handled.
Thoughts on Preaching, Expository Preaching
Jesus Christ is still present by his Spirit where broken hearts are to be bound up.
Thoughts on Preaching, Homiletical Paragraphs
The Christian sees in the glories of nature not merely the effect of God's hand, but its presence; not only God's work, but God working.
Thoughts on Preaching, Miscellaneous Paragraphs
His charge to a young pastor, printed with his letters, says where a preacher's strength comes from.
strive to keep the fountain full, rather than to multiply the streams; cultivate the graces of the closet, in order that you may come forth in public and private, fresh from divine communications.
Forty Years' Familiar Letters, Volume 2, Appendix: Presbyterial Charge
And during the revival of 1857–58 he urged every believer to the same work:
To be the instrument of converting a single soul, is so great a blessing and honor, that if there were no other way to accomplish it, any true Christian would be willing to lay down his life.
The Revival and Its Lessons, Chapter II: Seek to Save Souls
Read them in context
These lines are best read with the pages around them. Start with Thoughts on Family Worship, then turn to Faith or Consolation. All his books are on the James W. Alexander author page.