Years ago in Illinois, a young man with
six months schooling to his credit ran for an office in the legislature. As
might have been expected he was beaten. Next he entered business but failed in
that too, and spent the next seventeen years paying the debts of his worthless
partner. He fell in love with a charming lady and became engaged –and she
died. He had a nervous breakdown. He ran for congress and was defeated. He then
tried to obtain an appointment to the U.S. land office, but didn’t succeed. He
became a candidate for the Vice-Presidency and lost. Two years later he was
defeated for Senator. He ran for office once more and was elected. That man was
Abraham Lincoln. It took Winston Churchill three years to get through the
eight grade, because he couldn’t pass English -of all things! Ironically, he
was asked many years later to give the commencement address at Oxford
University. His now famous speech consisted of only three words: “Never give
up!”