Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Was 21 Years Of Age

Chapel Talk by H. Leo Boles at D.L.C., Spring, 1928.
Taken from, A Word Fitly Spoken, by John D. Cox.

Much trouble and worry come about because we didn't know - didn't think. Many know and preach, but don't practice. The following is the results of a questionnaire from successful men.

I Wish I Had Known ...

1. What I was to make my life work.
2. That my health after thirty years of age depended largely upon what I ate before reaching the age of twenty-one.
3. How to take care of money.
4. The commercial asset of going neatly and sensibly dressed.
5. That habits are hard to change after twenty-one years.
6. A harvest depends upon the seed sown.
7. Things worthwhile require time, patience, and work.
8. That I can't get something for nothing.
9. That the world will give me what I deserve.
10. That by the sweat of my brow I must earn my bread.
11. That a thorough education brings the best of everything
12. That honesty is the best policy for right.
13. The value of truth in everything.
14. The folly of not taking the advice of older people.
15. What it really means to parents to rear their children.
16. What hardships and disappointment leaving home against parent's will brings.
17. More of the Bible.
18. The value of the opportunity of serving my fellow-man.
19. That Jesus is with me always.
20. hat God's relationship to me is as good as that of a shepherd to his sheep.

January 13 – May 14, 2006 A dramatic exhibition of authentic Dead Sea Scroll fragments, manuscripts and rare Bibles gathered from around the world to tell the story of the most printed book in history—the Bible in English. The exhibit, known officially as Ink & Blood: Sacred Treasures of the Bible, contains authentic fragments from the Dead Sea Scrolls (right), including portions of Genesis and Isaiah, and numerous Bibles including a medieval manuscript Wyclif Bible (below) from the 15th Century, the first translation of the Holy Book into English. Some of the other rare items in- clude several 5,000-year-old pictographic clay tablets from ancient Mesopotamia, the earliest form of writing in history, and a 2,600-year-old scroll containing the oldest known Hebrew writing on papyrus in the world and the earliest known written example of the Hebrew name for God, Elohim. The exhibit also features a working replica of Gutenberg's press, the greatest invention of the millennium, as well as on-site historians, multimedia presentations and scheduled lectures given by visiting scholars. Florida Museum 244 Second Ave N St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 727-341-7900 www.inkandblood.com

Friendly Persuasion

Alexander Campbell (1830)

If, indeed, all mankind were equally in love with truth, we might have only to propose a change for the better, and all would embrace it. But just the reverse of this is the true history of society. The more clearly and forcibly an unpopular truth is argued, the greater will be the dislike to it by all who are interested in representing it to be error.

Pride, ambition, and selfishness are all powerful allies of error. The pride of the understanding is the most Invincible of all sorts of pride, especially when religion is the problem. And as long as there are conflicting creeds, sects, and divisions among religionists, so long will it be our duty to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.

Never was there so much need to study as in the defense of the truth. We must conciliate the passions, while we besiege the understanding. We are not to suppose all our opponents to be knaves and impostors to be disinterested and obstinate. We must remember that in this world of weakness and error, the good and virtuous are often enlisted under the banners of error. There are honest differences of opinion, and men equally sincere on both sides of many questions.

Friendly and persuasive were the words and arguments of the prophets, apostles and our Savior to these who appeared honest in their convictions, but severe and tart were their reproofs to such as appeared obstinate in error. Courtesy and kindness will be our best guides, and a good example will often achieve more than a thousand arguments.

• Mar 19: YOUTH - CYF @ Bartow
• Mar 19: Fellowship Meal
• Mar 23: Ladies Class @ 10:15
• Mar 26: Song Service @ 6:00
• Apr. 3: Trip to Florida Museum
• Jul 6-29: Ghana Campaign

The nice thing about apathy is you don’t have to exert yourself to show you’re sincere about it.