In the middle of WWII on October 29, 1941 Winston Churchill delivered a short address at the Harrow School. England had been through some of its darkest days. But Churchill was equal to the task. He said to the students: You cannot tell from appearances how things will go. Sometimes imagination makes things out far worse than they are; yet without imagination not much can be done. Those people who are imaginative see many more dangers than perhaps exist; certainly many more than will happen; but then they must also pray to be given that extra courage to carry this far-reaching imagination. But for everyone, surely, what we have gone through in this period - I am addressing myself to the School - surely from this period of ten months this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood all alone a year ago, and to many countries it seemed that our account was closed, we were finished. All this tradition of ours, our songs, our School history, this part of the history of this country, were gone and finished and liquidated. [Churchill continues:] Very different is the mood today. Britain, other nations thought, had drawn a sponge across her slate. But instead our country stood in the gap. There was no flinching and no thought of giving in; and by what seemed almost a miracle to those outside these Islands, though we ourselves never doubted it, we now find ourselves in a position where I say that we can be sure that we have only to persevere to conquer. The church at times forgets that this is also Gods message. God has promised never to give up on us. Old Testament and New Testaments together, are a record of how God never, never, never, gave up. - Adam and Eve disobeyed the very First Rule. But God never gave up. - Abraham wandered, and Sarah laughed. But God never gave up. - Moses hid and shook with fear. But God never gave up. - Saul went insane. But God never gave up. - David plotted against Uriah. But God never gave up. - Ahaz sold out to Assyria. But God never gave up. - Israel fell into pieces. But God never gave up. - The Jewish people became exiles. But God never gave up. - John the Baptist was beheaded. But God never gave up. - Peter denied he even knew him. But God never gave up. - The disciples all ran away. But God never gave up. God never, never, never gave up and he has not given up today!
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 20:50:31 +0000
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