p. 317 | Untitled article by S. E. Lindsley

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, November 5, 1867

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. XXX, No. 21

AN EXAMPLE OF PERSEVERANCE.

By S. E. Lindsley

We find that those individuals who have become eminent and distinguished in any direction of usefulness, have possessed perseverance in a very large degree. I was forcibly reminded of this fact a short time since, while reading something of the early life of John Kitto, author of Kitto’s Encyclopedia, from which we derive so much valuable information on Bible subjects. Perhaps a little sketch of the same will not be uninteresting to the young readers of the Review. I write merely from memory, not having the book at hand.

He was born in Plymouth, England, in the year 1804. He was cradled in the lap of penury, and still worse, his father was the victim of intemperance. Happily, in the tenderest years of childhood, his good old grandmother took him to live with her. She gave him much good instruction, and he clung to her with all the ardor of his youthful affections. In childhood he evinced the strongest love of learning, and spent all his pennies for books. Not being able to buy such, or as many as he wished, he borrowed of his friends. Ashamed to continue to beg such favors, he modestly stated his request in writing, and sent it where his delicate feelings forbade his asking in any other way. He had little relish for the sports which other boys of his age engaged in, but was content to spend his spare time in reading. Thus at an early age he acquired much useful knowledge.

After a few years had passed away quite pleasantly, his grandmother’s health failed. She was stricken with paralysis, and, with John, was obliged to become dependent on his father for support. His condition was then very miserable. He was obliged to work very hard, and suffered much unkind treatment from his father. Still his thirst for learning was unabated. He chose the garret, being more secluded for his sleeping place, furnished it with a stand, and a pine torch for a light, and here he spent his leisure, and many of his sleeping hours in his favorite occupation.

But a severe calamity awaited him. He was at work with his father upon the roof of a building, and was at that moment thinking with a sense of dread of the sudden death of a young friend, when his foot slipped, and he fell a distance of thirty-five feet. He was insensible for two weeks, and when consciousness returned, it was found that he was entirely deaf. This occurred when he was thirteen years of age. He could now do little to help his father, and a short time afterward was sent to the workhouse for support. This was a great trial to him. But even there he was just as eager for learning, and as a means of self-improvement, and of spending his spare moments, he commenced keeping a journal, which practice he continued as long as he lived.

Let us reflect for a moment! A poor deaf boy, whose father was a drunkard—himself a pauper in a workhouse—keeping a journal! Who ever heard of such a thing! An extract from it at this time reads, “Jan. 14. Gained the idea that I had better sometimes be imposed upon than never to trust.” Certainly a bright idea for one so young to record. Three or four years after he went to the workhouse his grandmother died. In his journal he describes his feelings at that time in the most pathetic language. I took some note, and will give a portion of it as nearly as I can, on account of its high tone and excellent character. He obtained leave to visit home, hoping to see her alive. He says: “I ascended the stairs with noiseless tread, that I might not disturb her. Useless precaution. She was dead! Think you I wept? I did not weep. Tears are far less sorrows. The sluices of my eyes were dried. I remember that I have sometimes wept for childish sorrows, then why not for this great affliction. But God forbid that tears should be the test; for I felt insupportable agony. When I saw that the hands which had so often fed and caressed me were stiff and motionless forever;—guess my feelings, for I cannot describe them. Born to be the sport of fortune, to find sorrow where I hoped for bliss, to be a mark for the giddy and gay to shoot at; what I felt at the loss of my almost only friend, is beyond description. Gone forever! This is a word of agonizing poignancy! Yet not forever. I may hope to meet her again. This is my consolation. Already I anticipate the moment when, putting on the robe of immortality and celestial splendor in the presence of our God, we shall meet again, never to part. Accursed be the atheist, who seeks to deprive man of his noblest privilege; of his hope of immortality, and degrade him to a level with the beast which browses the grass of the field. What were man without this hope?”

Thus wrote young Kitto. How many youth at the present time would be ashamed to manifest emotions of grief at the death of so aged a friend. Six months after this, through the influence of some who had interested themselves in his behalf, he was apprenticed to a shoemaker. This man proved to be a cruel wretch, and often treated him in a barbarous manner. At this time so intense was his grief that he even contemplated suicide. Unable to endure it longer, he prepared a complaint in writing, and sent it to those gentlemen who were interested for him. They saw in him material for future usefulness, and kindly provided him a home where he had access to a large library, and the command of his time. He proved his gratitude to his benefactors by improving well these privileges, and cheerfully yielding to their counsel. He practiced addressing letters of advice to himself, particularly on each returning birthday. The following extract is a specimen: “Enjoy the present. Make the most of the opportunities you now possess, and leave the future to itself and to God. The present only is your own; both the future and the past is beyond our power. It is therefore the mark of a little mind, to suffer fears of futurity or regrets for the past to embitter our present moments, and to cool our exertions in the pursuits and duties in which we are engaged.”

These were the beginning of better days for the poor deaf boy. He afterward learned the art of dentistry, and of printing. He was an earnest student of the Bible, and gave evidence of being a sincere Christian. He became the author of several valuable works on Biblical History, and thus rendered himself a blessing to the world. Without a large amount of perseverance he would probably never have risen above the capacity of a servant in the workhouse. With it, he made great attainments in learning and usefulness.

Now, my youthful friends, let us learn a lesson from the life of this good man. Were his aspirations high? Ours are higher. His object was to become an educated and useful man in the world. Ours is to become fit for the society of Heaven. He met with obstacles. So do we. If he needed much perseverance, surely we need a double portion. We need it in correcting our wrong habits, in fulfilling our vows to the Lord, in short, in performing every duty, which if we do, we well know will render us so peculiar from the world around us.

But let us never lose sight of the object we would gain.—Eternal life in the kingdom of God, a home and a mansion in our Father’s house. And this so soon to be realized! Oh! then let us persevere. It is not enough that we keep our good resolution a day, a week, or a month. If we then relapse into carelessness and indifference, we do not persevere. “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Blessed promise! I feel the necessity of cultivating this virtue. We have no time to lose. Heaven will help us if we help ourselves.

S. E. LINDSLEY.

New Haven, N. Y., Oct., 1867.