Recovering from Disaster

Recovering From Disaster

Thomas Carlyle was a 19 th century Scottish philosopher, historian and teacher.
The following quote is attributed to him:
“Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles,
discouragements, and impossibilities: it is this that in all things
distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.”
Those words have special meaning when one considers one of the most
memorable events in his life.
Carlyle is famous for his history of the French Revolution. He worked on it with
passion and diligence late into the nights throughout 1834. When he had
completed Volume One, he sent it to his friend, John Stuart Mill, for him to
review it. There was only that one hand-written copy.
On the evening of the March 6, 1835, Mill turned up at Carlyle’s house. Carlyle
later described him as looking like “the very picture of desperation.” A household
maid, not realizing what it was, had used the manuscript to light a fire, and all
that was left were a few charred leaves. Mill was beside himself with grief and
guilt.
Rather than showing hysteria or retribution, Carlyle spent that evening in an
effort to comfort him. When Mill finally left, Carlyle’s first words to his wife
were: “Mill, poor fellow, is terribly cut up. We must endeavor to hide from him
how very serious this business is for us.” And it was serious - they had no money.
To add to the tragedy, Carlyle had destroyed all of his notes. After much anguish
and tribulation he set about attempting to rewrite it. In 1837 the lost material
was finally restored, and the monumental 3-volume work was completed and
published!
That story contains several lessons that we would do well to imitate:
 kindness
 sympathy
 consideration for the feelings of others
 forgiveness
 perseverance
 overcoming tragedy
I wonder what I would have done if it had been me facing such a dreadful
situation.
- Leonard White

______
True Commitment

Dr. James Dobson’s father once told him, “Before your mother and I got married
forty-two years ago I made a commitment to her as to what our lives would be
like together.” The following letter is what he had written to his fiancé:
I want you to understand and be fully aware of my feelings considering
the marriage covenant which we are about to enter. I have been taught

at my mother’s knee and in harmony with the Word of God, that the
marriage vows are inviolable, and that by entering into them I am
binding myself absolutely and for life. The idea of estrangement from
you through divorce for any reason at all (although God permits one,
infidelity) will never at any time be allowed to enter into my thinking.
I’m not naive in this. On the contrary, I’m fully aware of the possibility,
unlikely as it now appears, that mutual incompatibility or other
unforeseen circumstances could result in extreme mental suffering. If
such becomes the case, I am resolved, for my part, to accept it as a
consequence of the commitment that I am now making and to bear it, if
necessary, to the end of our lives together.
I have loved you dearly as a sweetheart and I will continue to love you
as my wife. But over and above that love, over and above the feeling, I
love you with a Christian love that demands that I never react in any
way toward you that would jeopardize our prospects of entering
heaven, which is the supreme objective of both our lives. I pray that
God Himself will make our affection for one another perfect and
eternal.
What a profound effect it would have on our world if every young man (and
young woman) would have that attitude as they approach marriage.
- Leonard White

______

Horses (and People)

A man traveling a country road drove his car into the ditch. A local farmer
stopped and asked, “Would you like for my horse Buddy to pull you out?” “I sure
would, thanks,” the man replied.
The farmer hitched his horse to the car and yelled, “Pull, Nellie, pull!” - Buddy
didn’t move. Next the farmer hollered, “Pull, Buster, pull!” - Buddy still didn’t
respond. Finally the farmer said, “Pull, Buddy, pull,” and the horse dragged the
car out of the ditch.
The motorist was most appreciative but very curious, “Why did you call your
horse by the wrong name two times?”
The farmer smiled and explained, “Well, old Buddy’s blind, and if he thought he
was the only one pulling he wouldn’t even try.”
It’s the same with us - how encouraging it is to have the support of others to help
us as we strive to serve the Lord !
(anonymous)



Contentment makes poor men rich,
discontent makes rich men poor.

Be happy with what you have while working

for what you want. - Helen Keller

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