"Let us not become weary in doing good: for in due season we will reap, if we
don't faint." St. Paul (Galatians 6:9)
Had Thomas Edison not been a man of faith, perseverance and determination, we
may still be working by gaslight or at least, it may have been many years before
the first electric light was seen. It has been reported that Edison failed over
6,000 times before perfecting the first electric light bulb.
On one occasion a young journalist challenged Edison saying to him, "Mr. Edison,
why do you keep trying to make light by using electricity when you have failed
so many times? Don't you know that gas lights are with us to stay?"
To this Edison replied, "Young man, don't you realize that I have not failed but
have successfully discovered six thousand ways that won't work!"
Because Edison believed an electric light was possible, he refused to give up.
He tried countless types of material in his search for a filament that would
work. He sent men to China, Japan, South America, Asia, Jamaica, Ceylon and
Burma to search for fibers to test in his laboratory--all to no avail.
On October 21, 1879, after thirteen months of repeated failures, Edison finally
succeeded in finding a filament that would work. While experimenting the thought
came to him, "Why not try a carbonized cotton fibre?"
After going through two spools of cotton, he eventually perfected a strand only
to break it while trying to place it in a glass tube. He refused to give up and
persevered with this idea for two more days and nights without sleep. Finally he
succeeded in placing a carbonized thread into a vacuum-sealed bulb! Eureka! It
worked.
Perseverance pays.
By Dick Innes, Daily Encounter
www.actsweb.org/detoday . Used by permission.
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.