Value Of Perseverance.


I know of nothing more essential than 

perseverance, for without it we may despair

of success in any undertaking here or hereafter.

This qualification is not so much

needed where everything is inviting us forward,

 but rather, where something at every step 

arrays itself to oppose, and drive us from our

 purpose. To illustrate I will tell you of a little 

girl away down among the hills and valleys of

 Ohio, who I think possessed this trait of 

character to some degree, at least.

Her mother had been sent for upon an occasion

of sickness or death, and as the journey was to

 be performed on horse-back, the little girl was

 mounted on "old Bol," and dispatched to the

 neighbors for a side-saddle. She had proceeded

 but a little way when down went Bolly flat to the

 ground; however the child was fortunate enough

 to alight on her feet, and she stood holding the 

bridle, hardly knowing whether he had killed 

himself or not, he lay so motionless. To assure

 herself on this point,, she tried the effect of

 whipping him, saying, "Get up Bolly!" and after

 quite a struggle and many efforts, he arose to 

his feet all right. She knowing the reason he fell

 down, feared to get on his back again, and so

 went on leading him. He was an unprofitable

animal at best, not even earning his

board, much less his shoes consequently was

unshod, which made it very difficult standing on

 the icy hillside, for the road was everywhere a

 glare of ice.

Presently she came to another difficulty worse

than the first, which, for the time, seemed to

baffle her completely. A brook ran across the

road, which had spread some width from the

 recent rain, then froze over before it ran away, 

leaving a covering of ice which must have been 

disagreeable to the bare feet of the animal. When

 he was led to its edge he absolutely refused to

 go any further, and when urged to proceed, 

would pull back with great violence. Her efforts

 to get the horse over were repeated again and 

again to no purpose, and not knowing what next

 to do, she burst into tears. She thought how her

 mother would be disappointed if she failed of

 getting the saddle. While in this dilemma, it

 occurred to her mind that there was one means

 yet untried. Quick as thought she whirled him

 round as if intending to urge him in an opposite

 direction; but he with his obstinate 

perseverance kept pulling back as before, and 

ere he was aware had backed himself over the 

difficult place.

It can truly be said of this brave little girl, who

had exhibited in this instance the wisdom of the

serpent, that she went on her way rejoicing, did

 her errand, and returned home without any more

 trouble.  So much for her perseverance.

That little girl has since grown up, and is trying

to be a Christian, and it is by the continued 

exercise  of perseverance that she hopes to 

overcome and thwart all the provoking and 

obstinate attempts of Satan to hinder her from

 pursuing her journey through the narrow, rugged

 and slippery way which leads to life eternal; and

 I have often heard her say she was thankful for

 the perseverance she acquired even in 

childhood. 





E. J. W.