Courage | AdventAI

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 28, 1859

Courage.

We are too prone to cast our eyes upon the dark side of the picture, and to keep them there. We gaze so fixedly upon the discouragements that lower around us, that we lose sight of the bright light that shines beyond. Oh! how much more reasonable, how much more strengthening, to fill our sphere of vision with all that we can cluster together of the bright and hopeful. By bringing discouragement, with all her black crew so conspicuously in the foreground, the heart loses its stamina, and the arm becomes paralyzed. Whereas did we but keep in view the spiritual greatheart that walks close beside us—did we but remember that Emmanuel and we are co-workers—did we but keep faith's eye steadily fixed on those gates of pure pearl that shine so luringly before us—the lions might roar, without causing our hearts to quake; and the very obstacles that cross our way, the arch fiend's barricades to hedge up our pathway to the skies, would only serve us as stepping stones to help us on to victory. In such an enterprise as we engage in, we should expect difficulty and discouragement. Aim and effort to secure that aim, must ever be commensurate; and difficulties crowd and hedge up the way to the very boldest climber. The nature of our work is in itself a pledge that we shall have much to contend with. The higher we choose our degree along the scale of purpose, the more nerve and stout-heartedness do we require to reach it.—Sel.