24 Sermon Illustrations on Perseverance

What does the criticism of others do to our inner self? Take the case of Col. George Washington Goethals. While contending with the manifold problems of geography and climate in the building of the Panama Canal, he had to endure the carping criticism of countless busybodies back home who freely predicted he would never complete his task. But he pressed steadily forward in his work and said nothing. "Aren't you going to answer your critics?" a subordinate inquired. "In time," Goethals replied. "How?" The great engineer smiled. "With the canal," he said. A Mirrored Image The story is told of a man and an angel who were walking along together. The man was complaining about his neighbors. "I never saw such a wretched set of people," he said, "as are in this village. They are mean, greedy, selfish, and careless of the needs of others. Worst of all, they are forever speaking evil of one another." "Is it really so?" asked the angel. "It is, indeed," said the man. "Why, only look at this fellow coming toward us! I know his face, though I cannot remember his name. See his little shark-like, cruel eyes, darting here and there like a ferret's, and the lines of hardness about his mouth! The very droop of his shoulders is mean and cringing, and he slinks along instead of walking." "It is very clever of you to see all this," said the angel, "but there is one thing that you did not perceive-that is a mirror we are approaching."

Two boys were apprentices in a carpenter's shop. One determined to make himself a thorough workman; the other "didn't care." One read and studied, and got books that would help him to understand the principles of his trade. He spent his evenings at home, reading. The other liked fun best. He often went with other boys to have a good time. "Come," he often said to his shopmate, "leave your old books; come with us. What's the use of all this reading?"—"If I waste these golden moments," answered the boy, "I shall lose what I shall never make up." While the boys were still apprentices, an offer of two thousand dollars appeared in the newspapers for the best plan for a state house, to be built in one of the Eastern States. The studious boy saw the advertisement, and determined to try for it. After a careful study, he drew out his plans and sent them to the committee. We suppose he did not really expect to gain the prize; but still he thought, "There is nothing like trying." In about a week afterwards, a gentleman arrived at the carpenter's shop, and inquired if an architect by the name of Washington Wilberforce lived there. "No," said the carpenter, "no architect; but I've got an apprentice by that name."—"Let's see him," said the gentleman. The young man was summoned, and informed that his plan had been accepted, and that the two thousand dollars were his. The gentleman then said that the boy must put up the building; and his employer was so proud of his success, that he willingly gave him his time and let him go. The studious young carpenter became one of the first architects in our country. He made a fortune, and stands high in the estimation of everybody; while his fellow-apprentice can hardly earn food for himself and family by his daily labor.

A noble saying is on record of a member of the British House of Commons, who, by his own industry and perseverance, had won his way to that high position. A proud scion of the aristocracy one day taunted him with his humble origin, saying, "I remember when you blacked my father's boots."—"Well, sir," was the noble response, "Did I not do it well?"

It is not tools that make the workman, but the trained skill and perseverance of the man himself. Indeed, it is proverbial that the bad workman never yet had a good tool. Some one asked Opie by what wonderful process he mixed his colors. "I mix them with my brains, sir," was his reply. It is the same with every workman who would excel. Ferguson made marvellous things — such as his wooden clock, that accurately measured the hours — by means of a common penknife, a tool in everybody's hand; but then everybody is not a Ferguson. A pan of water and two thermometers were the tools by which Dr. Black discovered latent heat; and a prism, a lens, and a sheet of pasteboard enabled Newton to unfold the composition of light and the origin of color. An eminent foreign savant once called upon Dr. Wollaston, and requested to be shown over his laboratories, in which science had been enriched by so many important discoveries; when the doctor took him into a little study, and, pointing to an old teatray on the table, containing a few watch-glasses, test-papers, a small balance, and a blow-pipe, said, "There is all the laboratory I have." Stothard learned the art of combining colors by closely studying butterflies' wings: he would often say that no one knew what he owed to these tiny insects. A burnt stick and a barn-door served Wilkie in lieu of pencil and canvas. Bewick first practised drawing on the cottage-walls of his native village, which he covered with his sketches in chalk; and Benjamin West made his first brushes out of the cat's tail. Franklin first robbed the thundercloud of its lightning by means of a kite made with two cross-sticks and a silk-handkerchief. Watt made his first model of the condensing steam-engine out of an anatomist's old syringe. Gifford worked his first problem in mathematics, when a cobbler's apprentice, upon small scraps of leather, which he beat smooth for the purpose; whilst Rittenhouse, the astronomer, first calculated eclipses on his plough-handle.

The secret of every successful life—of Sir Isaac Newton, Columbus, Washington, Wellington, Wilberforce, Stephenson, Morse, Grant, and Stewart—is PERSEVERANCE.

One told Socrates, that he would fain go to Olympus; but he distrusted his sufficiency for the length of the journey. Socrates told him, "Thou walkest every day, little or much, continue this walk, forward thy way, and a few days shall bring you to Olympus." Every day every man takes some pains. Let him bestow that measure of pains in travelling to heaven; and the farther he goes the more heart he gets, till at last he enter through the gates into the city. T. Adams.

A traveler after a long journey, when he is weary and faint, and sits down, if he see the town before him, it puts life into him, and he plucks up his feet, and resolves not to be weary till he be at his journey's end. Oh! look at the crown and white robe set before you, and faint if you can; get on the top of Mount Nebo; look on the land of promise, — those good things set before you!

Audubon, by years of labor, completed a set of drawings of birds made in their native haunts. These he intrusted to a friend for safe-keeping; but, when he called for them, it was discovered, to his dismay, that they had been destroyed by rats. Again he plunged into the forest, and, after three years' incessant labor, repaired the loss, and laid the foundation of a lasting fame.

After a great snow-storm, a little fellow began to shovel a path through a large snow-bank before his grandmother's door. He had nothing but a small shovel to work with. "How do you expect to get through that drift?" asked a man passing by. "By keeping at it," said the boy cheerfully.

A hare and tortoise engaged to run a race; but the hare, depending on the swiftness of his foot, delayed so long that the tortoise reached the goal, and won the prize.

There was, according to fable, a woodman in a forest cutting down trees, when he heard a band of robbers approaching, and saw a long train of horses come winding over the hills where he was. He quickly climbed into one of the trees, where he could watch their motions without being seen. They rode up on their horses till they came to a great rock, where, dismounting, the captain of the band walked up to the rock, and said, "Open Sesame!" The very moment this word was spoken, a great door flew open; and they all went in, and stowed away their plunder in the cave. The woodman watched in great surprise while all this was going on. He remembered the wonderful word "Sesame," which opened the door. So he remained quiet until the robbers were gone. As soon as they were out of sight, he came down from the tree, and went up to the rock, and cried out, "Open Sesame!" Instantly the door flew open, and he went in. Then he gazed in wonder on all the precious things which were gathered together. He filled his panniers, or donkey-baskets, with gold and silver, as much as the animals could carry, and went home a rich man. He was made rich by the power of the word "Sesame." Our key to wealth is labor and perseverance.

The president of a well-known college in Kentucky, was one morning, while sitting in his study, astonished by the entrance of a single visitor.

The visitor was a boy of some seventeen years, rough and uncouth in his appearance, dressed in coarse homespun, with thick clumsy shoes on his feet, an old tattered felt hat on his head, surmounting a mass of uncombed hair, which relieved swarthy and sunburnt features, marked by eyes quick and sparkling, but vacant and inexpresfrom every judge, and let the most culpable of the two be made an example by the rigor of the law. I am resolved that this barbarous custom, which is worthy of the age of Tamerlane and Bajazet, and which is so often fatal to the peace of families, shall be punished and suppressed, though it should cost me half my officers. There will be still left men who can unite bravery with the duties of a faithful subject. I wish for none who do not respect the laws of the country. JOSEPH."

"Vienna August, 1711."