How we cite our quotes: (Letter.Section.Paragraph)
Quote #1
I don't know how many times people have asked me what death is like, sometimes when they were only an hour or two from finding out for themselves. (1.1.3)
Here is an interesting observation about religion: the devout often ask their pastors unanswerable questions, expecting them to know what no human can know from experience. The living cannot be expert witnesses of death. But people want to know, and the preacher seems like the person to ask about it.
Quote #2
It's humiliating to have written as much as Augustine, and then to have to find a way to dispose of it. (1.2.86)
Ames has written thousands and thousands of pages, but like him, these words will pass away. Some may outlive him, but they too are eventually mortal.
Quote #3
I know they're planning to pull it down. They're waiting me out, which is kind of them. (1.5.39)
Ames's congregation wants to build a new church, but they know the sight of the current church's destruction would destroy Ames, so they've opted to wait to build the new one until after Ames has passed on.