What victory would the Devil have to win a soul already bad? It is the best the Devil wants, and who is better than the minister." - Rev. John Hale

Arthur Miller
What victory would the Devil have to win a soul...
About This Quote

The quote, “What victory would the Devil have to win a soul already bad? It is the best the Devil wants, and who is better than the minister.” in Rev. John Hale’s sermon, “The Goodness of God and the Evils of Mankind,” in 1775 is believed to be an allusion to Rev. Hale’s own experiences as a tutor for one of Lord Mansfield’s sons. During his tutoring sessions (which were often interrupted by drunken parties at the house), Hale was forced to discipline his charges many times.

Some of his charges were disrespectful to their parents and their tutor, and he had to tell them off time and again. He got annoyed with them and called them “evil children” and “bad children.” This is where he got the phrase, “What victory would the Devil have to win a soul already bad?”

Source: The Crucible

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