Lyman Abbott Quotes

Many people despise wealth, but few know how to give it away.

There is one way whereby we may secure our riches, and make sure friends to ourselves of them,--by laying them out in charity.

Surplus wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound to administer in his lifetime for the good of the community.

I account the office of benefactor, or almoner, to which God appoints all those whom he has favored with wealth, one of the most honorable and delightful in the world. He never institutes a channel for the passage of His bounties that those bounties do not enrich and beautify.

On why he has donated $600 million to selected charities. I simply decided I had enough money.

I don't know how many millions I'll make, so I have to give some back to charity. God blesses me with the money, but only if I give some away.

What do you think God gave you more wealth than is requisite to satisfy your rational wants for, when you look around and see how many are in absolute need of that which you do not need? Can you not take the hint?

I didn't want my epitaph to read 'Here lies John Caudwell, billionaire.' I knew that wasn't enough. I've had a charitable instinct all my life, but working gave me no time for it.

I believe in two things: One, Andrew Carnegie said, 'He who dies with wealth dies in shame.' And someone once said, 'He who gives while he lives also knows where it goes.'

I think that people who make a lot of money - and I do - should certainly give a considerable amount of it away.

I hope that by joining The Giving Pledge, it will encourage others to do the same.

Anyone who has been as successful as I have should want to share those resources. Why not give some of it to charity?

With wealth, one is in a position of responsibility. You must try to help others. It is as simple as that.

If you have more money than you need, you have to give it away. It's a duty. I get to choose whom to sponsor, and I like to give to the areas that I know something about.

I do think that being a sort of celebrity and being well off does give me some responsibility. I think that people who make a lot of money - and I do - should certainly give a considerable amount of it away.

I'm giving away 2 percent of my net income every month. I don't think Bill Gates is doing that.

I made a lot of money, and I want to give something back to my country.

If money help a man to do good to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better.

More money gives me the chance to help more people, to give something back.

Once you have money you're gonna want to give back. And it's the best, best feeling.

A lot of people making a lot of money, billion, billions of dollars accumulating. Why are they coming for, finally, for philanthropy? Why the need for accumulating money, then doing philanthropy? What if one decided to start philanthropy from the day one?

I wish people would go and just read about this man's life - about David Koch's life... Of the literally hundreds of millions of dollars that he has given to a variety of different hospitals.

I did commit to giving my first billion away.

I have always been generous because I know that I have done well in life and I believe it is part of my duty to give back. So I am always been philanthropic.

My father used to say, 'You can spend a lot of time making money. The tough time comes when you have to give it away properly.' How to give something back, that's the tough part in life.