Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-03-09
From Defeat to Victory,

DEFEATS are generally very painful,
and always unpleasant Every person
breads them. Sometimes death is pre-
ferred to defeat, so terribly do men under
certain circumstances fear it. And yet it
IS part of the experience of every per-
sons life; sometimes exceedingly painful,
but not always either dangerous or disas-
trous, yet seldom failing to be very an
noying and humiliating-
The plans we thought had been so we'll
laid and skillfully executed; and we had
expected such rich returns for our labor
and outlay; and we were calculating, it
may be, on the smiles of gladness, express
slonS OF appreciation, or, perhaps, graft
tude that would greet the success of our
enterprise by the delighted ones for whom
we labored. So with good degree of
satisfaction and self cOmplacency we
awaited the greetings and gratitude that
our imagination had created, and our hope
full hearts expected The idea of a fail
ure in that enterprise had not entered our
minds, 1t must, it certainly would, sue
coed; we were perfectly sure of that. 1t
was the Lords work, too, and He would
understand and appreciate it; and success
was certain.
But, alas for poor human short sighted
ness! If everybody could only see these
things as we see them, and put the same
value upon them that we do, things might
be different. But, there it is: people can
not, or will not, all see alike; nor agree
upon the value especially our value) of
our efforts. Indeed, they often consider
them of no value at all, although they
were our ideals of Christian effort, and
cherished schemes of usefulness. Then
comes our defeat The work is pronounced
faulty, untitled for the place claimed for
it; unwieldy, entirely inadequate, re-
jected-and down goes our well-meant en-
deavor fiat
Now, that is little disheartening, if
not provoking. And we are disposed to
say some sharp and severe things about
the intelligence of our critics. But hap
Ply is the man who can keep the brakes
down tight at such times. & would not
care so much, if so many people did not
know about it." perhaps we say. "Ah,
there's the rub''-our pride is wounded.
With some, this serves to drive them from
the field of effort entirely; others may re-
tire into state Of dormancy until the win
ter Of their discomfort passes by; while
some may indulge in a sort of saltwater
effervescence which sparkles and foams
for awhile and then-sours But the wisest
way is to take the dead body of our enter
prise, hold a p0st-mortem examination over
it, and discover if possible what killed
the patient.
BY this method of procedure we shall
learn that We do not know everything,
and thus take some of the conceit out of
us that was doing US no little injury. We
shall learn to be more particular in select
ing methods and material for work in
order to success hereafter. We may find
that God and His Word did not have
much place in our defeated plan; that it
was pretty much all self; and it mihgt
also appear that the former plan lacked
earnestness and energy. Having discov-
cred the cause of our recent, pride grind
ing defeat, we may now resolve, with our
Heavenly Fathers assistance, to make
that failure to US a blessed teacher, a
remedial agency, stepping-stone to
future success. We will redeem our for
mer defeats by future triumphs; We will
organize victory out of failure.
The greatest workers God has ever mad
in the world have passed through this
kind of discipline; it seems necessary 10
fallen humanity.
So, my dear reader, if you are suffer
ing the sting of recent defeats, don't sit
down and whine and pout about it, and
say you will never try any more; but
pluck up courage and try again! Per
haps that very defeat was necessary for
you, to humble your pride, to stir up
your stagnant energies, to drive you TO
greater efforts, TO draw you to throne Of
grace. pray and pull" and you will
make the shore. Don't gire up, but get
up and go-to victory.-Reo. ". II. Jor-
dan, in Sunday School Times.