Don't Give Up

Don’t Give Up

Winston Churchill (30 November 1874– 24 January 1965) perhaps England’s greatest Prime Minister was well known for his great ability as an orator. This week we celebrated his famous “Iron Curtain” speech made on March 5, 1946 at Fulton Missouri. As a young boy, he was a student at Harrow school in England. He is probably the most famous student and he was asked to come back and make an address, the faculty and students were thrilled to have him on the platform. He went to the rostrum and made his shortest speech in history. He said, “Don’t give up, don’t give up” and then he roared again “don’t ever give up”. Then he sat down. But, he had said it all for the 1,000’s of Britain’s defending their homelands, for the 1000’s of world citizens who faced the daily trials of just living, and certainly, for the millions of disabled and handicap citizens who are challenged everyday, mentally and physically, “not to give up”.

One of my mothers sisters (long dead) never tired of telling me about one of my first speaking engagements, because she was there and strange enough, I still remember the event. It was a large county Sunday school convention and I was about five years of age. I don’t remember how I was dressed, I only remember the poem, but she said I had on a white suit with short white trousers wearing a red neck tie. I gave the poem, “keep on keepin’ on”

Keep On Keepin' On

If the day looks kinder gloomy
And your chances kinder slim,
If the situation's puzzlin'
And the prospect's awful grim,
If perplexities keep pressin'
Till hope is nearly gone,
Just bristle up and grit your teeth
And keep on keepin' on.

Frettin' never wins a fight
And fumin' never pays;
There ain't no use in broodin'
In these pessimistic ways;
Smile just kinder cheerfully
Though hope is nearly gone,
And bristle up and grit your teeth
And keep on keepin' on.

There ain't no use in growlin'
And grumblin' all the time,
When music's ringin' everywhere
And everything's a rhyme.
Just keep on smilin' cheerfully
If hope is nearly gone,
And bristle up and grit your teeth
And keep on keepin' on.

(author Unknown)

Now this was 75 years ago but as a totally blind, 100% disabled service connected veteran of the Korean war, still meeting the daily struggles of life, the words which I could not have possibly known would apply 75 years ago, still refreshes me. It was sad to learn this week that four athletes, deep sea fishing, 40 miles from shore experienced the awful tragedy of a capsized boat. Millions of dollars were spent in a rescue effort. Only one hung on to the boat and was rescued. He said, “the others just gave up and floated out to sea”. One would think with their athletic prowess they would have hung on a while longer. Few apposing athletic teams just give up when the score is against them and just go home.

A school or a country takes pride in any athletic event or military exercise, when their team continues to fight in spite of everything. This is the one thing I could not understand in the recent political scene when we had so many liberal politicians and liberal voters, in an almost impossible military situation, who just promoted and promised to just “pull out and come home“.

Never in the exemplary political history of this nation have we even considered retreat as General MacArthur told the joint sessions of congress after the Korean stalemate, “there is no substitute for victory”. I have actually had relatives and others say to my face, “ I would rather be dead than in your condition”. My message has always been “don’t give up whether it is sickness, disability, financial problems, or even almost impossible school work”.

John Paul Jones in his engagement with Serapis said, “I have not yet begun to fight”.

When I was a child, on the farm, one night the barn burned with the farming implements and much of the produce of the farm. It was a sorrowful experience and I watched my parents to see how much it would shake their Christian faith. They began building another barn, the farm work never slowed down, nor did their commitment to their church and their faith. “Doubters never win and winners never doubt”.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD”. (Psalms 27)

Anytime, in London, I always attended the church where Charles Haden Spurgeon was pastor. Although he had cripple feet, his wife was confined to a bed most of her life (we have his messages because she wrote them all down). He preached to 1,000’s and his sermons were so great they were published in the British newspapers. He made many great statements, but perhaps the one that inspires me the most, “Anything that causes a man to get down on his knees to God, is gain to him”. To those who are dismayed and disabled in these critical times, “Don’t Give Up”.