The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-02-16
By WILLIAM T.. ELLIS.

A man and his wife had been pre-
pairing several years for Missionary
work in China. At last, after an ex-
nensive Journey, they reached that
great empire. But h sights anu
sounds and smells were too much Tor
them, and, without even visiting the
particular field to which they WGIe
bound, they returned home. Like
Runyan's Pliable and Christian. they
were early engulfed in the Slough OF
espond. Like Pliable they scram,
bled but on the homeward slde' anu
gave up their noble journey. Inc
travel world is full of such Ok Inc
f1eas of Japan, the NTH OF ollila. az
poor hotels of Korea. the s~eas1ckness
on the China Sea DetWeen Hong Kong
and Manila, the heat OF ana
Colombo, the heat and disease OF IN
dia-such tri1es as these turn them
from their goals, or else make thelf
iourneyings miserable. Now it may
be written down as inevitable that
whoever would tr1Lvel to any p
may expect tribulations by the way.
But the good traveller Will never give
M. No rOubleS will be allowed TO
engulf him. He will persevere to the
end. In the log of Christopher Co
Iumbus, it is said, was this entry, re-
neated dav after day, This day we
allied on Doubt, encouragement
and open mutiny aboard ship, as he
sailed those uncharted seas: but This
day we sailed on 1t may even be
said that only they are worthy Of
! their goal who dare to sail on IN
spite of all hisdrances. CHRISTIAN had
his ups and downs, and his dire be-
setments, but he continued until he
reached the City.
The goal justifes the journey, what
ever he hardships by the way,
49, e. j ;~@, +Io SIo,,ob
of DesDond is sure to emerge ''griev-
ously debauched with the dirt even
though he does come out on the right
side.
Somebody long ago said that the
membership of the churches could be
divided into three classes: the Jerk
ers, the shirkers and the workers.
Piiable, Christians cOmrade for a
time. was in the first class. His en-
thusiasm was easily enkindled, and it
slowed BRIGHTLY for a while, but it
was dOused to extinction by the first
difficulty. In the midst Of his ear
liest r~hapsOdies, he plnged head first
into the Slough OF DeSpOnd. Enough
for him; he wanted no more Of that
Way. AS soon as he could scramble
out, at the same spot where he had
fallen in. he mad straight for the
City of Destruction. where his neigh
bors received him with praise or
o&OAis 80 - ~ oSot ~
mind.
If it We're not for the Sloughs OF
Despond, and other hindrances by the
way, the Kingdom of Heaven might
be full of persons ~nuualife for cit
izenship therein.
OF all the black spirits Of the pit
that clutch the heart of man, the
spirit OF Despair is the most dread
ful and malignant. 1t STILES his hope
and his peace, binders his vision, suf-
locates his powers, impairs perma-
nently his souls resiliency, and sends
MN through life hideOusly Scared
me daily prayer Of everybody may
good Lord. deliver U.S."
Some perosns, like Christian. have
thelr eyes so. fixed on a distant scene
tnat tne1r feet stumble. Life withou-
VISION is lntolerable. but vision shoulf
never hl1der progress, but rather ac.
celefate 1t. of the enraDtur.
ing prospect toward which he is trav.
ellng, the pilgrim should give esDecia
need to his steps.
The soul that keeps close 20 =.
Gu1ue is sure to escape the Slough -
Despond. =
Despair is the, child of Fearfn,nass
whose father. in turn, is Faithless,
ness.
/ mat bunyan's pilgrim truly deserv
| ta ms name Christian is proved b,
thn ven though he stumbled int,
. the Slough of DesDond. he still Lan
ms race toward h Celestial Ci+,
soahe.iines it signifies less where ",
are than whittier we are going Th,
i &c spirit. amid all adversities' cling
t. it sti,g rea. Mired and weary
IL III StI1SQtaS m ~ -
: me Pliahles climb out of their dif
nculties on the homeward side an,
md themselves no farther On :, ~
e eha; "a the Christians grimly worr,
y - the SIDE nearest their goa
me difference between a chr;s+ia,