Water of Life
About this episode
The episode discusses the perseverance of Frederick Tudor and Noah in the face of skepticism, linking their stories to the spiritual message of Jesus.
If you are cooling off in the latest heatwave with an ice-cold drink, you might want to raise a glass to Frederick Tudor. Tudor lived in New England in the early 19 th century and one day hit upon the idea of selling ice to people in countries where it was hot. Everyone thought he was mad. Firstly, there was no demand and secondly, all the ice was sure to melt before it reached its destination. But he didn’t give up and gradually persuaded people that cold drinks were a good idea. He also worked out how to insulate the ice in transit, using sawdust and wood shavings. One shipment left Boston carrying 180 tons of ice and arrived months later in Calcutta with 100 tons left. It turned out that he was genius and not a fool. Someone else who was considered a fool but to whom we should be similarly grateful is Noah. One day he hit upon the idea of building a boat. But he lived in a desert where it hadn’t rained for years. Like Tudor, everyone laughed. But he was convinced he was right and no matter how much he was mocked he kept going, and in the end was proved right. Tudor’s perseverance led to the widespread availability of cold drinks. Noah’s would one day lead to the…
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