Harry Emerson Fosdick said this quote

The most extraordinary thing about the oyster is this. Irritation gets into his shell. He does not like them. But when he cannot get rid of them he uses the irritation to do the lovelist thing an oyster ever has the chance to do. If there are irritations in our lives today, there is only one prescription: make a pearl. It may have to be a pearl of patience, but…make a pearl.-In the Treasure Chest, ed. Charles L. Wallis

~ Harry Emerson Fosdick

Christians are supposed not merely to endure change nor even to profit by it but to cause it.

~ Harry Emerson Fosdick

Fear imprisons faith liberates fear paralyzes faith empowers fear disheartens faith encourages fear sickens faith heals fear makes useless faith makes serviceable.

~ Harry Emerson Fosdick

I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it.

~ Harry Emerson Fosdick