“When four rowers are in a boat, with their backs to the bow, their simple office is to pull the oars. The steersman's office is to look ahead and work the helm. The moment that the rower turns steersman, and tries to look over his shoulder or outpull his fellow oarsman, the boat loses headway. So you and I are placed with our backs to the future. In our hands are the oars of Christian endeavor. Let God steer the boat, and let us attend to the oars.”

Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 125.

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Theodore L. Cuyler 41
American minister 1822–1909

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