The Courage to Live

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Mar 28, 1878

The Courage to Live.

We need not preach the courage to die—that is common enough—but the courage to live; to be honest in spite of poverty and neglect; to be true though all is dark except where God shines in; to be faithful though the heavens fall and hearts break and friendships turn to gall. Yes, we must teach men to be unpopular, to be misapprehended, to be ahead of the times, to follow the voice of God, though it leads into the wilderness; to tell the devil to his face that he lies; and also to give him his dues—an act which requires the supremest courage at times.

I wouldn't give a farthing for the triumphant faith of the death hour, unless it comes from the triumphant faith that makes our life full of noblest daring, that is ready to fling aside honor, wealth, the praise of friends, rather than impair for a moment the soul's integrity. Oh, for such a courage, the courage to think, to act, to tell the harsh truths, to overthrow splendid falsehoods, to disown sweet lies and to banish tender associations rather than check in the least the free movement of the sovereign soul. We all must die with more or less equanimity, but we cannot live in the full splendor of our being except by courage and determined exertion.—Auburn Journal.