DISCOURAGEMENTS 41 



that it will in a short time throw off our depres- 

 sion, and will bring us into the sunlight of hope 

 and good cheer. And we will then be the men and 

 women God intended we should be. 



When man or woman is under the environment 

 of discouragement, then the Devil is reaping his 

 best harvest, for to give way to the wiles of dis- 

 couragement is but seeking the courts of the 

 Devil where we become easy prey to the multi- 

 plicity of temptations there abounding, the yield- 

 ing to which brings misery and death. 



In periods of sunshine we should avoid the do- 

 ing of those things that are apt to bring about 

 conditions that surely lead to discouragements. 

 But when the trials of life do o'er take us, we 

 must be bigger than our troubles and rise to the 

 heights of human courage. Hard, do you say! 

 Yes, if we allow ourselves to get the grouch habit. 

 But if we cultivate the spirit of thankfulness and 

 contentment, try to be satisfied with our lot in 

 life, if there is no legitimate way to improve it, 

 we can find much, even in the trials and sorrows 

 of life, for which to be thankful, and much for 

 encouragement. At least we would see success 

 where we now see failure, or would see opportuni- 

 ties upon which we could lay our hold and ham- 

 mer out from them success and fortune. 



The farmer in the vast majority of cases has 

 the least cause to be discouraged with his busi- 

 ness. It always affords him shelter and some- 

 thing to eat and wear. He is more independent 

 of strikes, business depression, or panics, or other 

 disturbances in the business world than any other 

 business or profession. So there is little excuse 



