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Title:AcresofDiamonds

Author:RussellH.Conwell

ReleaseDate:June29,2008[EBook#368]

LastUpdated:November3,2016

Language:English

***STARTOFTHISPROJECTGUTENBERGEBOOKACRESOFDIAMONDS***

ProducedbyCharlesKellerandDavidWidger

ACRESOFDIAMONDS

ByRussellH.Conwell

FounderOfTempleUniversityPhiladelphia

HisLifeAndAchievementByRobertShackleton

WithanAutobiographicalNote

CONTENTS

ANAPPRECIATION

ACRESOFDIAMONDS

HISLIFEANDACHIEVEMENTS

I.THESTORYOFTHESWORDII.THEBEGINNINGATOLDLEXINGTONIII.STORYOFTHEFIFTY-SEVENCENTSIV.HISPOWERASORATORANDPREACHER

V.GIFTFORINSPIRINGOTHERSVI.MILLIONSOFHEARERSVII.HOWAUNIVERSITYWASFOUNDEDVIII.HISSPLENDIDEFFICIENCYIX.THESTORYOFACRESOFDIAMONDS

FIFTYYEARSONTHELECTUREPLATFORM

ANAPPRECIATION

THOUGHRussellH.Conwell’sAcresofDiamondshavebeenspreadallovertheUnitedStates, timeandcarehavemade themmorevaluable,andnowthattheyhavebeenresetinblackandwhitebytheirdiscoverer,theyaretobelaidinthehandsofamultitudefortheirenrichment.In the same casewith these gems there is a fascinating story of theMaster

Jeweler’s life-work which splendidly illustrates the ultimate unit of power byshowing what one man can do in one day and what one life is worth to theworld.AshisneighborandintimatefriendinPhiladelphiaforthirtyyears,Iamfree

to say that Russell H. Conwell’s tall, manly figure stands out in the state ofPennsylvaniaas its firstcitizenand“TheBigBrother”of itssevenmillionsofpeople.FromthebeginningofhiscareerhehasbeenacrediblewitnessintheCourt

of Public Works to the truth of the strong language of the New TestamentParablewhereitsays,“Ifyehavefaithasagrainofmustard-seed,yeshallsayunto this mountain, ‘Remove hence to yonder place,’ AND IT SHALLREMOVEANDNOTHINGSHALLBEIMPOSSIBLEUNTOYOU.”As a student, schoolmaster, lawyer, preacher, organizer, thinker and writer,

lecturer,educator,diplomat,andleaderofmen,hehasmadehismarkonhiscityand state and the times inwhichhehas lived.Amandies, buthisgoodworklives.Hisideas,ideals,andenthusiasmshaveinspiredtensofthousandsoflives.A

bookfullof theenergeticsofamasterworkmanis justwhateveryyoungmancaresfor.1915.{signature}

ACRESOFDIAMONDS

Friends.—Thislecturehasbeendeliveredunderthesecircumstances:Ivisitatown or city, and try to arrive there early enough to see the postmaster, thebarber,thekeeperofthehotel,theprincipaloftheschools,andtheministersofsomeofthechurches,andthengointosomeofthefactoriesandstores,andtalkwiththepeople,andgetintosympathywiththelocalconditionsofthattownorcityandseewhathasbeentheirhistory,whatopportunitiestheyhad,andwhattheyhadfailedtodo—andeverytownfailstodosomething—andthengotothelectureandtalktothosepeopleaboutthesubjectswhichappliedtotheirlocality.“AcresofDiamonds”—theidea—hascontinuouslybeenpreciselythesame.Theideaisthatinthiscountryofourseverymanhastheopportunitytomakemoreofhimselfthanhedoesinhisownenvironment,withhisownskill,withhisownenergy,andwithhisownfriends.RUSSELLH.CONWELL.

ACRESOFDIAMONDS1

WHENgoing down theTigris andEuphrates riversmany years agowith aparty of English travelers I found myself under the direction of an old Arabguidewhomwehired up atBagdad, and I have often thought how that guideresembledourbarbers in certainmental characteristics.He thought that itwasnotonlyhis duty toguideusdown those rivers, anddowhathewaspaid fordoing, but also to entertain us with stories curious and weird, ancient andmodern, strangeand familiar.Manyof them Ihave forgotten, and I amglad Ihave,butthereisoneIshallneverforget.The old guidewas leadingmy camel by its halter along the banks of those

ancientrivers,andhetoldmestoryafterstoryuntil Igrewwearyofhisstory-tellingandceasedtolisten.IhaveneverbeenirritatedwiththatguidewhenhelosthistemperasIceasedlistening.ButIrememberthathetookoffhisTurkishcapandswungitinacircletogetmyattention.Icouldseeitthroughthecornerofmy eye, but I determined not to look straight at him for fear hewould tellanotherstory.ButalthoughIamnotawoman,Ididfinallylook,andassoonasIdidhewentrightintoanotherstory.Saidhe,“IwilltellyouastorynowwhichIreserveformyparticularfriends.”

Whenheemphasizedthewords“particularfriends,”Ilistened,andIhaveeverbeengladIdid.Ireallyfeeldevoutlythankful,thatthereare1,674youngmenwhohavebeencarried throughcollegeby this lecturewhoarealsoglad that Idid listen. The old guide toldme that there once lived not far from theRiverIndus an ancient Persian by the name of Ali Hafed. He said that Ali Hafedownedaverylargefarm,thathehadorchards,grain-fields,andgardens;thathehadmoneyatinterest,andwasawealthyandcontentedman.Hewascontentedbecausehewaswealthy,andwealthybecausehewascontented.OnedaytherevisitedthatoldPersianfarmeroneoftheseancientBuddhistpriests,oneofthewisemenoftheEast.Hesatdownbythefireandtoldtheoldfarmerhowthisworldofourswasmade.Hesaidthatthisworldwasonceamerebankoffog,andthattheAlmightythrustHisfingerintothisbankoffog,andbeganslowlytomoveHisfingeraround,increasingthespeeduntilatlastHewhirledthisbankoffogintoasolidballoffire.Thenitwentrollingthroughtheuniverse,burningitswaythroughotherbanksoffog,andcondensedthemoisturewithout,untilitfellinfloodsofrainuponitshotsurface,andcooledtheoutwardcrust.Thenthe

internal fires bursting outward through the crust threw up the mountains andhills,thevalleys,theplainsandprairiesofthiswonderfulworldofours.Ifthisinternal molten mass came bursting out and cooled very quickly it becamegranite;lessquicklycopper,lessquicklysilver,lessquicklygold,and,aftergold,diamondsweremade.Saidtheoldpriest,“Adiamondisacongealeddropofsunlight.”Nowthatis

literallyscientificallytrue,thatadiamondisanactualdepositofcarbonfromthesun. The old priest toldAliHafed that if he had one diamond the size of histhumbhecouldpurchasethecounty,andifhehadamineofdiamondshecouldplacehischildrenuponthronesthroughtheinfluenceoftheirgreatwealth.AliHafedheardallaboutdiamonds,howmuchtheywereworth,andwentto

hisbedthatnightapoorman.Hehadnotlostanything,buthewaspoorbecausehewasdiscontented,anddiscontentedbecausehefearedhewaspoor.Hesaid,“Iwantamineofdiamonds,”andhelayawakeallnight.Early in themorning he sought out the priest. I know by experience that a

priestisverycrosswhenawakenedearlyinthemorning,andwhenheshookthatoldpriestoutofhisdreams,AliHafedsaidtohim:“WillyoutellmewhereIcanfinddiamonds?”“Diamonds! What do you want with diamonds?” “Why, I wish to be

immenselyrich.”“Well,then,goalongandfindthem.Thatisallyouhavetodo;goand find them,and thenyouhave them.”“But Idon’tknowwhere togo.”“Well, if you will find a river that runs through white sands, between highmountains, in those white sands you will always find diamonds.” “I don’tbelievethereisanysuchriver.”“Ohyes,thereareplentyofthem.Allyouhavetodoistogoandfindthem,andthenyouhavethem.”SaidAliHafed,“Iwillgo.”So he sold his farm, collected his money, left his family in charge of a

neighbor,andawayhewent in searchofdiamonds.Hebeganhis search,veryproperlytomymind,attheMountainsoftheMoon.AfterwardhecamearoundintoPalestine,thenwanderedonintoEurope,andatlastwhenhismoneywasallspent andhewas in rags,wretchedness, andpoverty,he stoodon the shoreofthatbayatBarcelona,inSpain,whenagreattidalwavecamerollinginbetweenthepillars ofHercules, and thepoor, afflicted, suffering, dyingman couldnotresist theawful temptationtocasthimself into that incomingtide,andhesankbeneathitsfoamingcrest,nevertoriseinthislifeagain.WhenthatoldguidehadtoldmethatawfullysadstoryhestoppedthecamelI

was riding on andwent back to fix the baggage thatwas coming off another

camel, and I had an opportunity tomuse over his storywhile hewas gone. Iremember saying tomyself, “Whydid he reserve that story for his ‘particularfriends’?”There seemed tobenobeginning, nomiddle, no end, nothing to it.ThatwasthefirststoryIhadeverheardtoldinmylife,andwouldbethefirstoneIeverread,inwhichtheherowaskilledinthefirstchapter.Ihadbutonechapterofthatstory,andtheherowasdead.Whentheguidecamebackandtookupthehalterofmycamel,hewentright

aheadwith thestory, into thesecondchapter, justas though therehadbeennobreak.ThemanwhopurchasedAliHafed’sfarmonedayledhiscamelintothegarden to drink, and as that camel put its nose into the shallowwater of thatgarden brook,Ali Hafed’s successor noticed a curious flash of light from thewhite sands of the stream.Hepulled out a black stone having an eye of lightreflectingallthehuesoftherainbow.Hetookthepebbleintothehouseandputitonthemantelwhichcoversthecentralfires,andforgotallaboutit.Afewdays later thissameoldpriestcame in tovisitAliHafed’ssuccessor,

andthemomentheopenedthatdrawing-roomdoorhesawthatflashoflightonthemantel, andhe rushedup to it, and shouted: “Here is a diamond!HasAliHafedreturned?”“Ohno,AliHafedhasnotreturned,andthatisnotadiamond.Thatisnothingbutastonewefoundrightouthereinourowngarden.”“But,”saidthepriest,“ItellyouIknowadiamondwhenIseeit.Iknowpositivelythatisadiamond.”Then together they rushed out into that old garden and stirred up thewhite

sandswiththeirfingers,andlo!therecameupothermorebeautifulandvaluablegemsthanthefirst.“Thus,”saidtheguidetome,and,friends, it ishistoricallytrue, “was discovered the diamond-mine of Golconda, the most magnificentdiamond-mineinall thehistoryofmankind,excellingtheKimberlyitself.TheKohinoor,andtheOrloffofthecrownjewelsofEnglandandRussia,thelargestonearth,camefromthatmine.”WhenthatoldArabguidetoldmethesecondchapterofhisstory,hethentook

offhisTurkishcapandswungitaroundintheairagaintogetmyattentiontothemoral. Those Arab guides have morals to their stories, although they are notalwaysmoral.Asheswunghishat,hesaidtome,“HadAliHafedremainedathomeanddug inhisowncellar,orunderneathhisownwheat-fields,or inhisown garden, instead of wretchedness, starvation, and death by suicide in astrangeland,hewouldhavehad‘acresofdiamonds.’Foreveryacreofthatoldfarm,yes,everyshovelful,afterwardrevealedgemswhichsincehavedecoratedthecrownsofmonarchs.”Whenhehadadded themoral tohisstoryIsawwhyhereserved it for“his

particular friends.”But I did not tell him I could see it. Itwas thatmean oldArab’swayofgoingaroundathinglikealawyer,tosayindirectlywhathedidnotdaresaydirectly,that“inhisprivateopiniontherewasacertainyoungmanthentravelingdowntheTigrisRiverthatmightbetterbeathomeinAmerica.”IdidnottellhimIcouldseethat,butItoldhimhisstoryremindedmeofone,andItoldittohimquick,andIthinkIwilltellittoyou.I toldhimofamanout inCalifornia in1847whoownedaranch.Heheard

theyhaddiscoveredgoldinsouthernCalifornia,andsowithapassionforgoldhe sold his ranch to Colonel Sutter, and away he went, never to come back.ColonelSutterputamilluponastreamthatranthroughthatranch,andonedayhislittlegirlbroughtsomewetsandfromtheracewayintotheirhomeandsiftedit throughher fingersbefore the fire, and in that fallingsandavisitor saw thefirstshiningscalesofrealgoldthatwereeverdiscoveredinCalifornia.Themanwho had owned that ranchwanted gold, and he could have secured it for themeretaking.Indeed,thirty-eightmillionsofdollarshasbeentakenoutofaveryfewacressincethen.AbouteightyearsagoIdeliveredthislectureinacitythatstandsonthatfarm,andtheytoldmethataone-thirdownerforyearsandyearshadbeengettingonehundredandtwentydollarsingoldeveryfifteenminutes,sleepingorwaking,withouttaxation.YouandIwouldenjoyanincomelikethat—ifwedidn’thavetopayanincometax.But a better illustration really than that occurred here in our own

Pennsylvania.IfthereisanythingIenjoyaboveanotherontheplatform,itistogetoneof theseGermanaudiences inPennsylvaniabeforeme,andfire thatatthem,andIenjoyitto-night.TherewasamanlivinginPennsylvania,notunlikesomePennsylvaniansyouhave seen,whoowneda farm, andhedidwith thatfarmjustwhatIshoulddowithafarmifIownedoneinPennsylvania—hesoldit.Butbeforehesoldithedecidedtosecureemploymentcollectingcoal-oilforhiscousin,whowasinthebusinessinCanada,wheretheyfirstdiscoveredoilonthiscontinent.Theydippeditfromtherunningstreamsatthatearlytime.SothisPennsylvania farmer wrote to his cousin asking for employment. You see,friends,thisfarmerwasnotaltogetherafoolishman.No,hewasnot.Hedidnotleavehisfarmuntilhehadsomethingelsetodo.*OfallthesimpletonsthestarsshineonIdon’tknowofaworseonethanthemanwholeavesonejobbeforehehas gotten another. That has especial reference tomy profession, and has noreferencewhatevertoamanseekingadivorce.Whenhewrotetohiscousinforemployment, his cousin replied, “I cannot engage you because you knownothingabouttheoilbusiness.”Well, then the old farmer said, “Iwill know,” andwithmost commendable

zeal (characteristic of the students ofTempleUniversity) he set himself at thestudy of the whole subject. He began away back at the second day of God’screationwhen thisworldwascovered thickanddeepwith that richvegetationwhichsincehasturnedtotheprimitivebedsofcoal.Hestudiedthesubjectuntilhefoundthatthedrainingsreallyofthoserichbedsofcoalfurnishedthecoal-oilthat was worth pumping, and then he found how it came up with the livingsprings.Hestudieduntilheknewwhat it lookedlike,smelledlike, tastedlike,andhowtorefineit.Nowsaidheinhislettertohiscousin,“Iunderstandtheoilbusiness.”Hiscousinanswered,“Allright,comeon.”Sohe soldhis farm,according to thecounty record, for$833 (evenmoney,

“nocents”).Hehadscarcelygonefromthatplacebeforethemanwhopurchasedthespotwentouttoarrangeforthewateringofthecattle.Hefoundthepreviousownerhadgoneoutyearsbeforeandputaplankacross thebrookbackof thebarn,edgewise into the surfaceof thewater just a few inches.Thepurposeofthat plank at that sharp angle across the brookwas to throwover to the otherbank a dreadful-looking scum through which the cattle would not put theirnoses.Butwiththatplanktheretothrowitallovertooneside,thecattlewoulddrink below, and thus that man who had gone to Canada had been himselfdamming back for twenty-three years a flood of coal-oil which the stategeologistsofPennsylvaniadeclaredtoustenyearslaterwaseventhenworthahundred millions of dollars to our state, and four years ago our geologistdeclared thediscovery tobeworth toour state a thousandmillionsof dollars.Themanwhoowned that territoryonwhich the cityofTitusvillenowstands,andthosePleasantvillevalleys,hadstudied thesubject fromtheseconddayofGod’s creation clear down to thepresent time.He studied it until he knewallaboutit,andyetheissaidtohavesoldthewholeofitfor$833,andagainIsay,“nosense.”ButIneedanother illustration. I foundit inMassachusetts,andIamsorryI

did because that is the state I came from. This young man in Massachusettsfurnishesjustanotherphaseofmythought.HewenttoYaleCollegeandstudiedminesandmining,andbecamesuchanadeptasaminingengineerthathewasemployedbytheauthoritiesoftheuniversitytotrainstudentswhowerebehindtheirclasses.Duringhissenioryearheearned$15aweekfordoingthatwork.Whenhegraduatedtheyraisedhispayfrom$15to$45aweek,andofferedhimaprofessorship,andassoonastheydidhewentrighthometohismother.*If theyhadraised thatboy’spay from$15 to$15.60hewouldhavestayed

andbeenproudoftheplace,butwhentheyputitupto$45atoneleap,hesaid,“Mother,Iwon’tworkfor$45aweek.Theideaofamanwithabrainlikemine

workingfor$45aweek!Let’sgooutinCaliforniaandstakeoutgold-minesandsilver-mines,andbeimmenselyrich.”Said hismother, “Now,Charlie, it is just aswell to be happy as it is to be

rich.”“Yes,”saidCharlie,“butitisjustaswelltoberichandhappy,too.”Andthey

werebothrightaboutit.Ashewasanonlysonandsheawidow,ofcoursehehadhisway.Theyalwaysdo.TheysoldoutinMassachusetts,andinsteadofgoingtoCaliforniatheywent

toWisconsin,where hewent into the employ of the Superior CopperMiningCompanyat$15aweekagain,butwiththeprovisoinhiscontractthatheshouldhaveaninterestinanyminesheshoulddiscoverforthecompany.Idon’tbelieveheeverdiscoveredamine,andifIamlookinginthefaceofanystockholderofthat copper company you wish he had discovered something or other. I havefriendswhoarenotherebecause theycouldnot afforda ticket,whodidhavestock in that company at the time this young man was employed there. Thisyoungmanwentoutthere,andIhavenotheardawordfromhim.Idon’tknowwhatbecameofhim,andIdon’tknowwhetherhefoundanyminesornot,butIdon’tbelieveheeverdid.ButIdoknowtheotherendoftheline.Hehadscarcelygottenoutoftheold

homesteadbeforethesucceedingownerwentout todigpotatoes.Thepotatoeswere already growing in the groundwhen he bought the farm, and as the oldfarmerwas bringing in a basket of potatoes it hugged very tight between theends of the stone fence. You know inMassachusetts our farms are nearly allstonewall.There you are obliged to be very economical of front gateways inordertohavesomeplacetoputthestone.Whenthatbaskethuggedsotighthesetitdownontheground,andthendraggedononeside,andpulledontheotherside,andashewasdraggingthatbasketthroughthisfarmernoticedintheupperandoutercornerof thatstonewall,rightnext thegate,ablockofnativesilvereightinchessquare.Thatprofessorofmines,mining,andmineralogywhoknewsomuchaboutthesubjectthathewouldnotworkfor$45aweek,whenhesoldthathomesteadinMassachusettssatrightonthatsilvertomakethebargain.Hewasbornonthathomestead,wasbroughtupthere,andhadgonebackandforthrubbingthestonewithhissleeveuntilitreflectedhiscountenance,andseemedtosay,“Hereisahundredthousanddollarsrightdownherejustforthetaking.”Buthewouldnottakeit.ItwasinahomeinNewburyport,Massachusetts,andtherewasno silver there, all awayoff—well, I don’t knowwhere, andhedidnot,butsomewhereelse,andhewasaprofessorofmineralogy.Myfriends, thatmistake isveryuniversallymade,andwhyshouldweeven

smileathim.Ioftenwonderwhathasbecomeofhim.Idonotknowatall,butIwill tell youwhat I “guess” as aYankee. I guess that he sits out there by hisfiresideto-nightwithhisfriendsgatheredaroundhim,andheissayingtothemsomething like this: “Do you know that man Conwell who lives inPhiladelphia?”“Ohyes,Ihaveheardofhim.”“DoyouknowthatmanJonesthatlivesinPhiladelphia?”“Yes,Ihaveheardofhim,too.”Thenhebeginstolaugh,andshakeshissidesandsaystohisfriends,“Well,

theyhavedonejustthesamethingIdid,precisely”—andthatspoilsthewholejoke,foryouandIhavedonethesamethinghedid,andwhilewesithereandlaughathimhehasabetterrighttositoutthereandlaughatus.IknowIhavemade the same mistakes, but, of course, that does not make any difference,becausewedon’texpectthesamemantopreachandpractise,too.AsIcomehereto-nightandlookaroundthisaudienceIamseeingagainwhat

throughthesefiftyyearsIhavecontinuallyseen-menthataremakingpreciselythatsamemistake.IoftenwishIcouldseetheyoungerpeople,andwouldthatthe Academy had been filled to-night with our high-school scholars and ourgrammar-schoolscholars,thatIcouldhavethemtotalkto.WhileIwouldhavepreferred such an audience as that, because they aremost susceptible, as theyhavenotgrownupintotheirprejudicesaswehave,theyhavenotgottenintoanycustomthattheycannotbreak,theyhavenotmetwithanyfailuresaswehave;andwhileIcouldperhapsdosuchanaudienceasthatmoregoodthanIcandogrown-uppeople,yetIwilldothebestIcanwith thematerial Ihave.Isaytoyouthatyouhave“acresofdiamonds”inPhiladelphiarightwhereyounowlive.“Oh,” but youwill say, “you cannot knowmuch about your city if you thinkthereareany‘acresofdiamonds’here.”Iwas greatly interested in that account in the newspaper of the youngman

whofound thatdiamond inNorthCarolina. Itwasoneof thepurestdiamondsthat has ever been discovered, and it has several predecessors near the samelocality.Iwenttoadistinguishedprofessorinmineralogyandaskedhimwherehe thought those diamonds came from. The professor secured themap of thegeologic formations of our continent, and traced it. He said it went eitherthrough the underlying carboniferous strata adapted for such production,westward through Ohio and the Mississippi, or in more probability cameeastwardthroughVirginiaanduptheshoreoftheAtlanticOcean.Itisafactthatthediamondswerethere,fortheyhavebeendiscoveredandsold;andthattheywere carried down there during the drift period, from some northern locality.NowwhocansaybutsomepersongoingdownwithhisdrillinPhiladelphiawillfindsometraceofadiamond-mineyetdownhere?Oh,friends!youcannotsay

thatyouarenotoveroneofthegreatestdiamond-minesintheworld,forsuchadiamond as that only comes from themost profitablemines that are foundonearth.Butitservessimplytoillustratemythought,whichIemphasizebysayingif

youdonothavetheactualdiamond-minesliterallyyouhaveallthattheywouldbe good for to you. Because now that the Queen of England has given thegreatestcomplimenteverconferreduponAmericanwomanforherattirebecauseshedidnotappearwithanyjewelsatallatthelatereceptioninEngland,ithasalmost done awaywith the use of diamonds anyhow.All youwould care forwouldbe the fewyouwouldwear if youwish tobemodest, and the restyouwouldsellformoney.Now then, I say again that the opportunity to get rich, to attain unto great

wealth, ishere inPhiladelphianow,within the reachofalmosteverymanandwomanwho hearsme speak to-night, and Imean just what I say. I have notcometothisplatformevenunderthesecircumstancestorecitesomethingtoyou.IhavecometotellyouwhatinGod’ssightIbelievetobethetruth,andiftheyearsoflifehavebeenofanyvaluetomeintheattainmentofcommonsense,Iknow I am right; that themen andwomen sitting here,who found it difficultperhaps to buy a ticket to this lecture or gathering to-night, havewithin theirreach“acresofdiamonds,”opportunitiestogetlargelywealthy.ThereneverwasaplaceonearthmoreadaptedthanthecityofPhiladelphiato-day,andneverinthehistoryoftheworlddidapoormanwithoutcapitalhavesuchanopportunitytogetrichquicklyandhonestlyashehasnowinourcity.Isayitisthetruth,andIwant you to accept it as such; for if you think I have come to simply recitesomething,thenIwouldbetternotbehere.Ihavenotimetowasteinanysuchtalk,buttosaythethingsIbelieve,andunlesssomeofyougetricherforwhatIamsayingto-nightmytimeiswasted.Isaythatyououghttogetrich,anditisyourdutytogetrich.Howmanyof

my pious brethren say tome, “Do you, aChristianminister, spend your timegoing up and down the country advising young people to get rich, to getmoney?” “Yes, of course I do.” They say, “Isn’t that awful! Why don’t youpreachthegospel insteadofpreachingaboutman’smakingmoney?”“Becausetomakemoneyhonestly is topreach thegospel.”That is the reason.Themenwhogetrichmaybethemosthonestmenyoufindinthecommunity.“Oh,”butsayssomeyoungmanhere to-night,“Ihavebeen toldallmy life

thatifapersonhasmoneyheisverydishonestanddishonorableandmeanandcontemptible.”My friend, that is the reasonwhy you have none, because youhavethatideaofpeople.Thefoundationofyourfaithisaltogetherfalse.Letme

sayhereclearly,andsayitbriefly,thoughsubjecttodiscussionwhichIhavenottime forhere,ninety-eightoutofonehundredof the richmenofAmericaarehonest.Thatiswhytheyarerich.Thatiswhytheyaretrustedwithmoney.Thatiswhy they carry on great enterprises and find plenty of people toworkwiththem.Itisbecausetheyarehonestmen.Saysanotheryoungman,“Ihearsometimesofmenthatgetmillionsofdollars

dishonestly.”Yes,ofcourseyoudo,andsodoI.Buttheyaresorareathinginfact that thenewspapers talkabout themall the timeasamatterofnewsuntilyougettheideathatalltheotherrichmengotrichdishonestly.My friend, you take and drive me—if you furnish the auto—out into the

suburbsofPhiladelphia,and introduceme to thepeoplewhoown theirhomesaround this great city, those beautiful homes with gardens and flowers, thosemagnificenthomessolovelyintheirart,andIwillintroduceyoutotheverybestpeopleincharacteraswellas inenterprise inourcity,andyouknowIwill.Amanisnotreallyatruemanuntilheownshisownhome,andtheythatowntheirhomesaremademorehonorableandhonestandpure,andtrueandeconomicalandcareful,byowningthehome.Foramantohavemoney,eveninlargesums,isnotaninconsistentthing.We

preachagainstcovetousness,andyouknowwedo,inthepulpit,andoftentimespreachagainstitsolongandusethetermsabout“filthylucre”soextremelythatChristiansgettheideathatwhenwestandinthepulpitwebelieveitiswickedforanyman tohavemoney—until thecollection-basketgoesaround,and thenwe almost swear at the people because they don’t givemoremoney. Oh, theinconsistencyofsuchdoctrinesasthat!Money is power, and you ought to be reasonably ambitious to have it.You

oughtbecauseyoucandomoregoodwithitthanyoucouldwithoutit.MoneyprintedyourBible,moneybuildsyourchurches,moneysendsyourmissionaries,andmoneypaysyourpreachers,andyouwouldnothavemanyofthem,either,ifyou did not pay them. I am always willing that my church should raise mysalary,becausethechurchthatpaysthelargestsalaryalwaysraisesittheeasiest.Younever knewan exception to it in your life.Themanwhogets the largestsalarycandothemostgoodwiththepowerthatisfurnishedtohim.Ofcoursehecanifhisspiritberighttouseitforwhatitisgiventohim.Isay,then,yououghttohavemoney.Ifyoucanhonestlyattainuntorichesin

Philadelphia,itisyourChristianandgodlydutytodoso.Itisanawfulmistakeofthesepiouspeopletothinkyoumustbeawfullypoorinordertobepious.Somemensay,“Don’tyousympathizewiththepoorpeople?”OfcourseIdo,

orelseIwouldnothavebeen lecturing theseyears. Iwon’tgive inbutwhatIsympathizewith the poor, but the number of poorwho are to be sympathizedwithisverysmall.TosympathizewithamanwhomGodhaspunishedforhissins,thustohelphimwhenGodwouldstillcontinueajustpunishment,istodowrong, no doubt about it, and we do that more than we help those who aredeserving.While we should sympathize with God’s poor—that is, those whocannot help themselves—let us remember there is not a poor person in theUnited States who was not made poor by his own shortcomings, or by theshortcomingsofsomeoneelse.Itisallwrongtobepoor,anyhow.Letusgiveintothatargumentandpassthattooneside.Agentlemangets upback there, and says, “Don’t you think there are some

thingsinthisworldthatarebetterthanmoney?”OfcourseIdo,butIamtalkingaboutmoneynow.Ofcoursetherearesomethingshigherthanmoney.Ohyes,Iknowbythegravethathasleftmestandingalonethattherearesomethingsinthisworld that are higher and sweeter and purer thanmoney.Well do I knowtherearesomethingshigherandgranderthangold.LoveisthegrandestthingonGod’searth,butfortunatetheloverwhohasplentyofmoney.Moneyispower,moneyisforce,moneywilldogoodaswellasharm.Inthehandsofgoodmenandwomenitcouldaccomplish,andithasaccomplished,good.Ihatetoleavethatbehindme.Iheardamangetupinaprayer-meetinginour

city and thank theLordhewas“oneofGod’spoor.”Well, Iwonderwhathiswifethinksaboutthat?Sheearnsallthemoneythatcomesintothathouse,andhe smokes a part of that on the veranda. I don’twant to see anymore of theLord’spoorof thatkind, and Idon’tbelieve theLorddoes.Andyet there aresome people who think in order to be pious you must be awfully poor andawfullydirty.Thatdoesnotfollowatall.Whilewesympathizewiththepoor,letusnotteachadoctrinelikethat.YettheageisprejudicedagainstadvisingaChristianman(or,asaJewwould

say,agodlyman)fromattaininguntowealth.Theprejudiceissouniversalandtheyearsarefarenoughback,Ithink,formetosafelymentionthatyearsagoupat Temple University there was a young man in our theological school whothought he was the only pious student in that department. He came into myofficeoneeveningandsatdownbymydesk,andsaidtome:“Mr.President,Ithink it ismy duty sir, to come in and laborwith you.” “What has happenednow?” Said he, “I heard you say at the Academy, at the Peirce Schoolcommencement,thatyouthoughtitwasanhonorableambitionforayoungmantodesiretohavewealth,andthatyouthoughtitmadehimtemperate,madehimanxioustohaveagoodname,andmadehimindustrious.Youspokeaboutman’s

ambitiontohavemoneyhelpingtomakehimagoodman.Sir,IhavecometotellyoutheHolyBiblesaysthat‘moneyistherootofallevil.’”ItoldhimIhadneverseenitintheBible,andadvisedhimtogooutintothe

chapelandgettheBible,andshowmetheplace.SoouthewentfortheBible,andsoonhestalkedintomyofficewiththeBibleopen,withallthebigotedprideof the narrow sectarian, or of one who founds his Christianity on somemisinterpretationofScripture.HeflungtheBibledownonmydesk,andfairlysquealedintomyear:“Thereitis,Mr.President;youcanreaditforyourself.”Isaid tohim:“Well,youngman,youwill learnwhenyouget a littleolder thatyoucannottrustanotherdenominationtoreadtheBibleforyou.Youbelongtoanother denomination.You are taught in the theological school, however, thatemphasisisexegesis.Now,willyoutakethatBibleandreadityourself,andgivetheproperemphasistoit?”He took theBible, andproudly read, “‘The loveofmoney is the rootof all

evil.’”Thenhehaditright,andwhenonedoesquotearightfromthatsameoldBook

he quotes the absolute truth. I have lived through fifty years of themightiestbattle thatoldBookhasever fought,andIhave lived tosee itsbanners flyingfree; for never in the history of this world did the great minds of earth souniversallyagreethattheBibleistrue—alltrue—astheydoatthisveryhour.So I say thatwhen he quoted right, of course he quoted the absolute truth.

“The love ofmoney is the root of all evil.”Hewho tries to attain unto it tooquickly,ordishonestly,willfallintomanysnares,nodoubtaboutthat.Theloveofmoney.What is that? It ismaking an idol ofmoney, and idolatry pure andsimpleeverywhereiscondemnedbytheHolyScripturesandbyman’scommonsense.Themanthatworshipsthedollarinsteadofthinkingofthepurposesforwhich itought tobeused, themanwho idolizes simplymoney, themiser thathordeshismoneyinthecellar,orhidesitinhisstocking,orrefusestoinvestitwhere itwill do theworldgood, thatmanwhohugs thedollar until the eaglesquealshasinhimtherootofallevil.IthinkIwillleavethatbehindmenowandanswerthequestionofnearlyall

ofyouwhoareasking,“IsthereopportunitytogetrichinPhiladelphia?”Well,now,howsimpleathingitistoseewhereitis,andtheinstantyouseewhereitisitisyours.Someoldgentlemangetsupbackthereandsays,“Mr.Conwell,haveyoulivedinPhiladelphiafor thirty-oneyearsanddon’tknowthat thetimehasgone bywhen you canmake anything in this city?” “No, I don’t think it is.”“Yes,itis;Ihavetriedit.”“Whatbusinessareyouin?”“Ikeptastoreherefortwenty years, and never made over a thousand dollars in the whole twenty

years.”“Well,then,youcanmeasurethegoodyouhavebeentothiscitybywhatthis

cityhaspaidyou,becauseamancanjudgeverywellwhatheisworthbywhathereceives;thatis,inwhatheistotheworldatthistime.Ifyouhavenotmadeover a thousand dollars in twenty years in Philadelphia, it would have beenbetterforPhiladelphiaiftheyhadkickedyououtofthecitynineteenyearsandninemonthsago.AmanhasnorighttokeepastoreinPhiladelphiatwentyyearsandnotmakeatleastfivehundredthousanddollarseventhoughitbeacornergroceryup-town.”Yousay,“Youcannotmake five thousanddollars ina storenow.”Oh,myfriends,ifyouwilljusttakeonlyfourblocksaroundyou,andfindoutwhatthepeoplewantandwhatyououghttosupplyandsetthemdownwithyourpencil and figureup theprofitsyouwouldmake ifyoudid supply them,youwouldverysoonseeit.Thereiswealthrightwithinthesoundofyourvoice.Someonesays:“Youdon’tknowanythingaboutbusiness.Apreachernever

knows a thing about business.”Well, then, I will have to prove that I am anexpert.Idon’tliketodothis,butIhavetodoitbecausemytestimonywillnotbetakenifIamnotanexpert.Myfatherkeptacountrystore,andifthereisanyplaceunder thestarswhereamangetsallsortsofexperienceineverykindofmercantile transactions, it is in the country store. I am not proud of myexperience, but sometimes when my father was away he would leave me inchargeofthestore,thoughfortunatelyforhimthatwasnotveryoften.Butthisdidoccurmanytimes,friends:Amanwouldcomeinthestore,andsaytome,“Do you keep jack knives?” “No,we don’t keep jack-knives,” and Iwent offwhistlingatune.WhatdidIcareaboutthatman,anyhow?Thenanotherfarmerwouldcomeinandsay,“Doyoukeepjackknives?”“No,wedon’tkeepjack-knives.”Then Iwentawayandwhistledanother tune.Thena thirdmancamerightinthesamedoorandsaid,“Doyoukeepjack-knives?”“No.Whyiseveryone around here asking for jack-knives?Do you supposewe are keeping thisstoretosupplythewholeneighborhoodwithjack-knives?”DoyoucarryonyourstorelikethatinPhiladelphia?ThedifficultywasIhadnotthenlearnedthatthefoundationofgodlinessandthefoundationprincipleofsuccess inbusinessareboth the same precisely. Themanwho says, “I cannot carrymy religion intobusiness” advertiseshimself either asbeing an imbecile inbusiness, or on theroadtobankruptcy,orathief,oneofthethree,sure.Hewillfailwithinaveryfewyears.Hecertainlywillifhedoesn’tcarryhisreligionintobusiness.IfIhadbeencarryingonmyfather’sstoreonaChristianplan,godlyplan,Iwouldhavehad a jack-knife for the third man when he called for it. Then I would haveactuallydonehimakindness,andIwouldhavereceivedarewardmyself,which

itwouldhavebeenmydutytotake.Therearesomeover-piousChristianpeoplewhothinkifyoutakeanyprofit

on anything you sell that you are an unrighteous man. On the contrary, youwouldbeacriminaltosellgoodsforlessthantheycost.Youhavenorighttodothat.Youcannottrustamanwithyourmoneywhocannottakecareofhisown.You cannot trust a man in your family that is not true to his own wife. Youcannottrustamanintheworldthatdoesnotbeginwithhisownheart,hisowncharacter,andhisownlife.Itwouldhavebeenmydutytohavefurnishedajack-knife to the thirdman, or the second, and to have sold it to him and actuallyprofitedmyself. Ihavenomoreright tosellgoodswithoutmakingaprofitonthemthanIhavetooverchargehimdishonestlybeyondwhattheyareworth.ButIshouldsoselleachbillofgoodsthatthepersontowhomIsellshallmakeasmuchasImake.Toliveandlet liveis theprincipleofthegospel,andtheprincipleofevery-

daycommonsense.Oh,youngman,hearme;liveasyougoalong.Donotwaituntilyouhavereachedmyyearsbeforeyoubegintoenjoyanythingofthislife.IfIhadthemillionsback,orfiftycentsofit,whichIhavetriedtoearnintheseyears, itwould not dome anything like the good that it doesme now in thisalmostsacredpresenceto-night.Oh,yes,Iampaidoverandoverahundredfoldto-night for dividing as I have tried to do in some measure as I went alongthroughtheyears. Ioughtnotspeak thatway, itsoundsegotistic,but Iamoldenoughnowtobeexcusedforthat.Ishouldhavehelpedmyfellow-men,whichIhavetriedtodo,andeveryoneshouldtrytodo,andgetthehappinessofit.Themanwhogoeshomewiththesensethathehasstolenadollarthatday,thathehas robbed aman ofwhatwas his honest due, is not going to sweet rest.Hearisestiredinthemorning,andgoeswithanuncleanconsciencetohisworkthenext day. He is not a successful man at all, although he may have laid upmillions. But the man who has gone through life dividing always with hisfellow-men, making and demanding his own rights and his own profits, andgiving to everyothermanhis rights andprofits, lives everyday, andnotonlythat, but it is the royal road to great wealth. The history of the thousands ofmillionairesshowsthattobethecase.The man over there who said he could not make anything in a store in

Philadelphiahasbeencarryingonhisstoreonthewrongprinciple.SupposeIgointo your store to-morrowmorning and ask, “Do you know neighborA,wholivesonesquareaway,athouseNo.1240?”“Ohyes,Ihavemethim.Hedealshere at the corner store.” “Where did he come from?” “I don’t know.” “Howmanydoeshehaveinhisfamily?”“Idon’tknow.”“Whatticketdoeshevote?”

“I don’t know.” “What churchdoeshego to?” “I don’t know, anddon’t care.Whatareyouaskingallthesequestionsfor?”IfyouhadastoreinPhiladelphiawouldyouanswermelikethat?Ifso,then

you are conducting your business just as I carried onmy father’s business inWorthington,Massachusetts.Youdon’t knowwhereyourneighbor came fromwhenhemovedtoPhiladelphia,andyoudon’tcare.Ifyouhadcaredyouwouldbearichmannow.Ifyouhadcaredenoughabouthimtotakeaninterestinhisaffairs, to find out what he needed, you would have been rich. But you gothrough theworld saying, “No opportunity to get rich,” and there is the faultrightatyourowndoor.But another youngman gets up over there and says, “I cannot take up the

mercantile business.” (While I am talking of trade it applies to everyoccupation.) “Why can’t you go into the mercantile business?” “Because Ihaven’t any capital.”Oh, theweak and dudish creature that can’t see over itscollar! It makes a person weak to see these little dudes standing around thecorners and saying, “Oh, if I had plenty of capital, how rich I would get.”“Youngman, do you think you are going to get rich on capital?” “Certainly.”Well,Isay,“Certainlynot.”Ifyourmotherhasplentyofmoney,andshewillsetyouupinbusiness,youwill“setherupinbusiness,”supplyingyouwithcapital.Themoment a youngman orwoman getsmoremoney than he or she has

growntobypracticalexperience,thatmomenthehasgottenacurse.Itisnohelpto a youngman orwoman to inheritmoney. It is no help to your children toleavethemmoney,butifyouleavethemeducation,ifyouleavethemChristianandnoblecharacter,ifyouleavethemawidecircleoffriends,ifyouleavethemanhonorablename,itisfarbetterthanthattheyshouldhavemoney.Itwouldbeworseforthem,worseforthenation,thattheyshouldhaveanymoneyatall.Oh,youngman,ifyouhaveinheritedmoney,don’tregarditasahelp.Itwillcurseyouthroughyouryears,anddepriveyouoftheverybestthingsofhumanlife.Thereisnoclassofpeopletobepitiedsomuchastheinexperiencedsonsanddaughtersoftherichofourgeneration.Ipitytherichman’sson.Hecanneverknowthebestthingsinlife.Oneof thebest things inour life iswhenayoungmanhas earnedhisown

living,andwhenhebecomesengagedtosomelovelyyoungwoman,andmakesuphismind tohaveahomeofhisown.Thenwith that same lovecomesalsothatdivineinspirationtowardbetterthings,andhebeginstosavehismoney.Hebeginstoleaveoffhisbadhabitsandputmoneyinthebank.Whenhehasafewhundreddollarshegoesout in thesuburbs to look forahome.Hegoes to thesavings-bank, perhaps, for half of the value, and then goes for his wife, and

whenhetakeshisbrideoverthethresholdofthatdoorforthefirsttimehesaysin words of eloquence my voice can never touch: “I have earned this homemyself. It is allmine, and I dividewith thee.”That is the grandestmoment ahumanheartmayeverknow.But a rich man’s son can never know that. He takes his bride into a finer

mansion,itmaybe,butheisobligedtogoallthewaythroughitandsaytohiswife,“Mymothergavemethat,mymothergavemethat,andmymothergavemethis,”untilhiswifewishesshehadmarriedhismother.Ipitytherichman’sson.The statistics ofMassachusetts showed that not one rich man’s son out of

seventeen ever dies rich. I pity the richman’s sonsunless theyhave thegoodsenseof theelderVanderbilt,whichsometimeshappens.Hewent tohis fatherandsaid,“Didyouearnallyourmoney?”“Idid,myson.Ibegantoworkonaferry-boatfortwenty-fivecentsaday.”“Then,”saidhisson,“Iwillhavenoneofyourmoney,”andhe,too,triedtogetemploymentonaferry-boatthatSaturdaynight.Hecouldnotgetonethere,buthedidgetaplaceforthreedollarsaweek.Ofcourse, ifa richman’ssonwilldo that,hewillget thedisciplineofapoorboythatisworthmorethanauniversityeducationtoanyman.Hewouldthenbeabletotakecareofthemillionsofhisfather.Butasaruletherichmenwillnotlettheirsonsdotheverythingthatmadethemgreat.Asarule,therichmanwillnotallowhissontowork—andhismother!Why,shewouldthinkitwasasocialdisgraceifherpoor,weak,littlelily-fingered,sissysortofaboyhadtoearnhislivingwithhonesttoil.Ihavenopityforsuchrichmen’ssons.IrememberoneatNiagaraFalls.IthinkIrememberoneagreatdealnearer.I

thinktherearegentlemenpresentwhowereatagreatbanquet,andIbegpardonof his friends. At a banquet here in Philadelphia there sat beside me a kind-heartedyoungman,andhesaid,“Mr.Conwell,youhavebeensick for twoorthreeyears.Whenyougoout,takemylimousine,anditwilltakeyouuptoyourhouseonBroadStreet.” I thankedhimverymuch, andperhaps Ioughtnot tomentiontheincidentinthisway,butIfollowthefacts.Igotontotheseatwiththe driver of that limousine, outside, andwhenwewere going up I asked thedriver,“Howmuchdidthis limousinecost?”“Sixthousandeighthundred,andhehad topay thedutyon it.”“Well,” I said,“does theownerof thismachineever drive it himself?” At that the chauffeur laughed so heartily that he lostcontrolofhismachine.Hewassosurprisedatthequestionthatheranuponthesidewalk,andaroundacornerlamp-postoutintothestreetagain.Andwhenhegotoutintothestreethelaughedtillthewholemachinetrembled.Hesaid:“Hedrivethismachine!Oh,hewouldbeluckyifheknewenoughtogetoutwhen

wegetthere.”Imust tell you about a richman’s son atNiagaraFalls. I came in from the

lecture to the hotel, and as I approached the desk of the clerk there stood amillionaire’s son from New York. He was an indescribable specimen ofanthropologicpotency.Hehadaskull-capononesideofhishead,withagoldtasselinthetopofit,andagold-headedcaneunderhisarmwithmoreinitthaninhishead.It isaverydifficult thingtodescribethatyoungman.Heworeaneye-glass that he could not see through, patent-leather boots that he could notwalk in, and pants that he could not sit down in—dressed like a grasshopper.This human cricket cameup to the clerk’s desk just as I entered, adjusted hisunseeing eye-glass, and spake in thiswise to the clerk.You see, he thought itwas“Hinglish,youknow,” to lisp.“Thir,willyouhave thekindness tosupplymewiththomepapahandenwelophs!”Thehotelclerkmeasuredthatmanquick,andhepulled the envelopes andpaperoutof adrawer, threw themacross thecountertowardtheyoungman,andthenturnedawaytohisbooks.Youshouldhave seen thatyoungmanwhen thoseenvelopescameacross that counter.Heswelled up like a gobbler turkey, adjusted his unseeing eye-glass, and yelled:“Come rightbackhere.Now thir,will youorder a thervant to take thatpapahand enwelophs to yondah dethk.” Oh, the poor, miserable, contemptibleAmerican monkey! He could not carry paper and envelopes twenty feet. Isuppose he could not get his arms down to do it. I have no pity for suchtravestiesuponhumannature.Ifyouhavenotcapital,youngman,Iamgladofit.Whatyouneediscommonsense,notcoppercents.ThebestthingIcandoistoillustratebyactualfactswell-knowntoyouall.A.

T.Stewart,apoorboyinNewYork,had$1.50tobeginlifeon.Helost871/2centsofthatontheveryfirstventure.Howfortunatethatyoungmanwholosesthefirsttimehegambles.Thatboysaid,“Iwillnevergambleagaininbusiness,”andheneverdid.Howcamehetolose871/2cents?Youprobablyallknowthestoryhowhe lost it—becauseheboughtsomeneedles, threads,andbuttons tosellwhichpeopledidnotwant,andhadthemleftonhishands,adeadloss.Saidtheboy,“Iwillnotloseanymoremoneyinthatway.”Thenhewentaroundfirsttothedoorsandaskedthepeoplewhattheydidwant.Thenwhenhehadfoundoutwhat theywantedhe investedhis621/2cents tosupplyaknowndemand.Study it wherever you choose—in business, in your profession, in yourhousekeeping,whatever your life, that one thing is the secret of success.Youmust firstknow thedemand.Youmust firstknowwhatpeopleneed, and theninvestyourselfwhereyouaremostneeded.A.T.Stewartwentonthatprincipleuntilhewasworthwhatamountedafterwardtofortymillionsofdollars,owning

theverystoreinwhichMr.WanamakercarriesonhisgreatworkinNewYork.Hisfortunewasmadebyhislosingsomething,whichtaughthimthegreatlessonthat hemust only invest himself or hismoney in something that people need.Whenwillyousalesmen learn it?Whenwillyoumanufacturers learn thatyoumustknowthechangingneedsofhumanityifyouwouldsucceedinlife?Applyyourselves,allyouChristianpeople,asmanufacturersormerchantsorworkmentosupply thathumanneed. It isagreatprincipleasbroadashumanityandasdeepastheScriptureitself.ThebestillustrationIeverheardwasofJohnJacobAstor.Youknowthathe

madethemoneyoftheAstorfamilywhenhelivedinNewYork.Hecameacrosstheseaindebtforhisfare.ButthatpoorboywithnothinginhispocketmadethefortuneoftheAstorfamilyononeprinciple.Someyoungmanhereto-nightwillsay,“WelltheycouldmakethosefortunesoverinNewYorkbuttheycouldnotdoitinPhiladelphia!”Myfriends,didyoueverreadthatwonderfulbookofRiis(hismemory is sweet to us because of his recent death),wherein is given hisstatisticalaccountoftherecordstakenin1889of107millionairesofNewYork.Ifyoureadtheaccountyouwillseethatoutofthe107millionairesonlysevenmade theirmoney inNewYork.Outof the107millionairesworth tenmilliondollars in real estate then,67of themmade theirmoney in townsof less than3,500 inhabitants.The richestman in this country to-day, ifyou read the real-estatevalues,hasnevermovedawayfromatownof3,500inhabitants.Itmakesnotsomuchdifferencewhereyouareaswhoyouare.ButifyoucannotgetrichinPhiladelphiayoucertainlycannotdoitinNewYork.Now John Jacob Astor illustrated what can be done anywhere. He had a

mortgageonceonamillinery-store,and theycouldnot sellbonnetsenough topaytheinterestonhismoney.Soheforeclosedthatmortgage, tookpossessionof thestore,andwent intopartnershipwith theverysamepeople, in thesamestore,withthesamecapital.Hedidnotgivethemadollarofcapital.Theyhadtosellgoodstogetanymoney.Thenheleftthemaloneinthestorejustastheyhadbeenbefore,andhewentoutandsatdownonabenchintheparkintheshade.WhatwasJohnJacobAstordoingoutthere,andinpartnershipwithpeoplewhohadfailedonhisownhands?Hehadthemost importantand, tomymind, themostpleasantpartofthatpartnershiponhishands.ForasJohnJacobAstorsatonthatbenchhewaswatchingtheladiesastheywentby;andwhereisthemanwhowouldnotgetrichatthatbusiness?Ashesatonthebenchifaladypassedhimwithhershouldersbackandheadup,andlookedstraighttothefront,asifshedidnotcareifalltheworlddidgazeonher,thenhestudiedherbonnet,andbythetimeitwasoutofsightheknewtheshapeoftheframe,thecolorofthe

trimmings,andthecrinklingsinthefeather.Isometimestrytodescribeabonnet,butnotalways.Iwouldnottrytodescribeamodernbonnet.Whereisthemanthatcoulddescribeone?Thisaggregationofallsortsofdriftwoodstuckonthebackofthehead,orthesideoftheneck,likearoosterwithonlyonetailfeatherleft. But in John Jacob Astor’s day there was some art about the millinerybusiness,andhewenttothemillinery-storeandsaidtothem:“Nowputintotheshow-window just such a bonnet as I describe to you, because I have alreadyseen a lady who likes such a bonnet. Don’t make up any more until I comeback.”Thenhewentoutandsatdownagain,andanotherladypassedhimofadifferent form, of different complexion, with a different shape and color ofbonnet.“Now,”saidhe,“putsuchabonnetasthatintheshowwindow.”Hedidnotfillhisshow-windowuptownwithalotofhatsandbonnetstodrivepeopleaway, and then sit on the back stairs and bawl because people went toWanamaker’s to trade.Hedidnothaveahatorabonnet in thatshow-windowbut what some lady liked before it was made up. The tide of custom beganimmediatelytoturnin,andthathasbeenthefoundationofthegreateststoreinNewYorkinthatline,andstillexistsasoneofthreestores.Itsfortunewasmadeby John JacobAstor after theyhad failed inbusiness,notbygiving themanymoremoney, but by finding outwhat the ladies liked for bonnets before theywasted anymaterial inmaking themup. I tell you if aman could foresee themillinerybusinesshecouldforeseeanythingunderheaven!SupposeIweretogothroughthisaudienceto-nightandaskyouinthisgreat

manufacturing city if there are not opportunities to get rich inmanufacturing.“Ohyes,”someyoungmansays,“thereareopportunitiesherestillifyoubuildwithsometrustandifyouhavetwoorthreemillionsofdollarstobeginwithascapital.”Youngman, thehistoryof thebreakingupof the trustsby thatattackupon “big business” is only illustrating what is now the opportunity of thesmallerman.The timenevercamein thehistoryof theworldwhenyoucouldgetrichsoquicklymanufacturingwithoutcapitalasyoucannow.But you will say, “You cannot do anything of the kind. You cannot start

withoutcapital.”Youngman,letmeillustrateforamoment.Imustdoit.Itismyduty to every youngman andwoman, becausewe are all going into businessvery soon on the same plan.Youngman, remember if you knowwhat peopleneedyouhavegottenmoreknowledgeofafortunethananyamountofcapitalcangiveyou.There was a poor man out of work living in Hingham,Massachusetts. He

loungedaroundthehouseuntilonedayhiswife toldhimtogetoutandwork,and,ashelivedinMassachusetts,heobeyedhiswife.Hewentoutandsatdown

ontheshoreofthebay,andwhittledasoakedshingleintoawoodenchain.Hischildren that evening quarreled over it, and hewhittled a second one to keeppeace. While he was whittling the second one a neighbor came in and said:“Why don’t youwhittle toys and sell them?You couldmakemoney at that.”“Oh,”hesaid,“Iwouldnotknowwhattomake.”“Whydon’tyouaskyourownchildrenrighthereinyourownhousewhattomake?”“Whatistheuseoftryingthat?” said the carpenter. “My children are different from other people’schildren.” (I used to see people like thatwhen I taught school.) But he actedupon the hint, and the nextmorningwhenMary came down the stairway, heasked, “Whatdoyouwant for a toy?”Shebegan to tellhimshewould likeadoll’sbed,adoll’swashstand,adoll’scarriage,alittledoll’sumbrella,andwentonwithalistofthingsthatwouldtakehimalifetimetosupply.So,consultinghisownchildren,inhisownhouse,hetookthefirewood,forhehadnomoneytobuylumber,andwhittledthosestrong,unpaintedHinghamtoysthatwereforsomanyyearsknownallovertheworld.Thatmanbegantomakethosetoysforhisownchildren,andthenmadecopiesandsoldthemthroughtheboot-and-shoestorenextdoor.Hebegantomakealittlemoney,andthenalittlemore,andMr.Lawson, in his Frenzied Finance says that man is the richest man in oldMassachusetts, and I think it is the truth. And that man is worth a hundredmillionsofdollarsto-day,andhasbeenonlythirty-fouryearsmakingitonthatoneprinciple—thatonemustjudgethatwhathisownchildrenlikeathomeotherpeople’s childrenwould like in their homes, too; to judge the humanheart byoneself, by one’swife or by one’s children. It is the royal road to success inmanufacturing.“Oh,”butyousay,“didn’thehaveanycapital?”Yes,apenknife,butIdon’tknowthathehadpaidforthat.IspokethustoanaudienceinNewBritain,Connecticut,andaladyfourseats

backwenthomeandtriedtotakeoffhercollar,andthecollar-buttonstuckinthebuttonhole. She threw it out and said, “I amgoing to get up something betterthan that to put on collars.” Her husband said: “After what Conwell said to-night, you see there is a need of an improved collar-fastener that is easier tohandle. There is a human need; there is a great fortune. Now, then, get up acollar-buttonandgetrich.”Hemadefunofher,andconsequentlymadefunofme,andthatisoneofthesaddestthingswhichcomesovermelikeadeepcloudofmidnight sometimes—although I haveworked sohard formore thanhalf acentury,yethowlittleIhaveeverreallydone.Notwithstandingthegreatnessandthehandsomenessofyourcomplimentto-night,Idonotbelievethereisoneintenofyou that is going tomake amillionofdollars becauseyou arehere to-night;butitisnotmyfault,itisyours.Isaythatsincerely.Whatistheuseofmy

talkingifpeopleneverdowhatIadvisethemtodo?Whenherhusbandridiculedher, shemadeuphermindshewouldmakeabettercollar-button,andwhenawomanmakesuphermind“shewill,”anddoesnotsayanythingabout it, shedoes it. Itwas thatNewEnglandwomanwho invented the snapbuttonwhichyou can find anywhere now. It was first a collar-button with a spring capattachedtotheouterside.Anyofyouwhowearmodernwaterproofsknowthebuttonthatsimplypushestogether,andwhenyouunbuttonityousimplypullitapart.ThatisthebuttontowhichIrefer,andwhichsheinvented.Sheafterwardinvented several other buttons, and then invested inmore, and thenwas takenintopartnershipwithgreat factories.Nowthatwomangoesover theseaeverysummer inherprivate steamship—yes, and takesherhusbandwithher! Ifherhusbandwere todie,shewouldhavemoneyenough leftnowtobuya foreigndukeorcountorsomesuchtitleasthatatthelatestquotations.Nowwhatismylessoninthatincident?Itisthis:Itoldherthen,thoughIdid

notknowher,whatInowsaytoyou,“Yourwealthistooneartoyou.Youarelookingrightoverit”;andshehadtolookoveritbecauseitwasrightunderherchin.Ihavereadinthenewspaperthatawomanneverinventedanything.Well,that

newspaperoughttobeginagain.Ofcourse,Idonotrefer togossip—Irefer tomachines—and if I did Imight better include themen.That newspaper couldneverappearifwomenhadnotinventedsomething.Friends,think.Yewomen,think!Yousayyoucannotmakeafortunebecauseyouareinsomelaundry,orrunningasewing-machine,itmaybe,orwalkingbeforesomeloom,andyetyoucanbeamillionaireifyouwillbutfollowthisalmostinfallibledirection.When you say a woman doesn’t invent anything, I ask,Who invented the

Jacquard loom thatwove every stitch youwear?Mrs. Jacquard. The printer’sroller, the printing-press, were invented by farmers’ wives.Who invented thecotton-gin of theSouth that enrichedour country so amazingly?Mrs.GeneralGreeneinventedthecotton-ginandshowedtheideatoMr.Whitney,andhe,likeaman,seizedit.Whowasitthatinventedthesewing-machine?IfIwouldgotoschoolto-morrowandaskyourchildrentheywouldsay,“EliasHowe.”HewasintheCivilWarwithme,andofteninmytent,andIoftenheardhim

say thatheworkedfourteenyears togetup that sewing-machine.Buthiswifemade up her mind one day that they would starve to death if there wasn’tsomethingorother inventedpretty soon,andso in twohours she invented thesewing-machine.Ofcoursehetookoutthepatent inhisname.Menalwaysdothat. Who was it that invented the mower and the reaper? According to Mr.McCormick’sconfidentialcommunication,sorecentlypublished,itwasaWest

Virginiawoman,who,afterhisfatherandhehadfailedaltogetherinmakingareaperandgaveitup,tookalotofshearsandnailedthemtogetherontheedgeofaboard,withoneshaftofeachpairloose,andthenwiredthemsothatwhenshepulled thewireoneway it closed them,andwhen shepulled thewire theother way it opened them, and there she had the principle of the mowing-machine.Ifyoulookatamowing-machine,youwillseeitisnothingbutalotofshears. If a woman can invent a mowing-machine, if a woman can invent aJacquard loom, if awoman can invent a cotton-gin, if awoman can invent atrolleyswitch—asshedidandmadethetrolleyspossible;ifawomancaninvent,asMr.Carnegiesaid,thegreatironsqueezersthatlaidthefoundationofallthesteel millions of the United States, “we men” can invent anything under thestars!Isaythatfortheencouragementofthemen.Whoarethegreatinventorsoftheworld?Againthislessoncomesbeforeus.

Thegreatinventorsitsnexttoyou,oryouarethepersonyourself.“Oh,”butyouwill say, “I have never invented anything in my life.” Neither did the greatinventorsuntiltheydiscoveredonegreatsecret.Doyouthinkitisamanwithaheadlikeabushelmeasureoramanlikeastrokeoflightning?Itisneither.Thereallygreatmanisaplain,straightforward,every-day,common-senseman.Youwouldnotdream thathewasagreat inventor ifyoudidnot see somethinghehad actually done. His neighbors do not regard him so great. You never seeanythinggreatoveryourbackfence.Yousaythereisnogreatnessamongyourneighbors.Itisallawayoffsomewhereelse.Theirgreatnessiseversosimple,soplain,soearnest,sopractical,thattheneighborsandfriendsneverrecognizeit.Truegreatnessisoftenunrecognized.Thatissure.Youdonotknowanything

about the greatest men and women. I went out to write the life of GeneralGarfield, and a neighbor, knowing Iwas in a hurry, and as therewas a greatcrowd around the front door, tookme around toGeneralGarfield’s back doorandshouted,“Jim!Jim!”Andverysoon“Jim”cametothedoorandletmein,andIwrotethebiographyofoneofthegrandestmenofthenation,andyethewas just the same old “Jim” to his neighbor. If you know a great man inPhiladelphiaandyoushouldmeethimto-morrow,youwouldsay,“Howareyou,Sam?” or “Goodmorning, Jim.”Of course youwould. That is just what youwoulddo.OneofmysoldiersintheCivilWarhadbeensentencedtodeath,andIwent

uptotheWhiteHouseinWashington—sentthereforthefirsttimeinmylifetoseethePresident.Iwentintothewaiting-roomandsatdownwithalotofothersonthebenches,andthesecretaryaskedoneafteranothertotellhimwhatthey

wanted.Afterthesecretaryhadbeenthroughtheline,hewentin,andthencameback to the door and motioned for me. I went up to that anteroom, and thesecretarysaid:“ThatisthePresident’sdoorrightoverthere.Justraponitandgorightin.”Ineverwassotakenaback,friends,inallmylife,never.Thesecretaryhimselfmade itworse forme, becausehehad toldmehow togo in and thenwentoutanotherdoor to the leftandshut that.ThereIwas, in thehallwaybymyselfbefore thePresidentof theUnitedStatesofAmerica’sdoor.Ihadbeenon fields of battle, where the shells did sometimes shriek and the bullets didsometimeshitme,butIalwayswantedtorun.Ihavenosympathywiththeoldmanwhosays,“Iwouldjustassoonmarchuptothecannon’smouthaseatmydinner.”Ihavenofaithinamanwhodoesn’tknowenoughtobeafraidwhenheis being shot at. I never was so afraid when the shells came around us atAntietamasIwaswhenIwentintothatroomthatday;butIfinallymusteredthecourage—Idon’tknowhowIeverdid—andatarm’s-lengthtappedonthedoor.Themaninsidedidnothelpmeatall,butyelledout,“Comeinandsitdown!”Well, Iwent in and sat down on the edge of a chair, andwished Iwere in

Europe, and theman at the table did not look up.Hewas one of theworld’sgreatest men, and was made great by one single rule. Oh, that all the youngpeopleofPhiladelphiawerebeforemenowandIcouldsayjustthisonething,andthattheywouldrememberit.Iwouldgivealifetimefortheeffectitwouldhaveonourcityandoncivilization.AbrahamLincoln’sprincipleforgreatnesscanbeadoptedbynearlyall.Thiswashisrule:Whatsoeverhehadtodoatall,heputhiswholemindinto itandheld itall thereuntil thatwasalldone.Thatmakesmengreatalmostanywhere.Hestucktothosepapersatthattableanddidnotlookupatme,andIsattheretrembling.Finally,whenhehadputthestringaroundhispapers,hepushedthemovertoonesideandlookedovertome,andasmilecameoverhiswornface.Hesaid:“Iamaverybusymanandhaveonlyafewminutes tospare.Nowtellmein thefewestwordswhat it isyouwant.”Ibegantotellhim,andmentionedthecase,andhesaid:“Ihaveheardallaboutitandyoudonotneedtosayanymore.Mr.Stantonwastalkingtomeonlyafewdaysagoaboutthat.YoucangotothehotelandrestassuredthatthePresidentneverdidsignanordertoshootaboyundertwentyyearsofage,andneverwill.Youcansaythattohismotheranyhow.”Thenhesaidtome,“Howisitgoinginthefield?”Isaid,“Wesometimesget

discouraged.”Andhesaid:“Itisallright.Wearegoingtowinoutnow.Wearegettingverynearthelight.NomanoughttowishtobePresidentoftheUnitedStates, and Iwillbegladwhen Iget through; thenTadand I aregoingout toSpringfield, Illinois. Ihaveboughta farmout thereand Idon’tcare if I again

earn only twenty-five cents a day. Tad has amule team, andwe are going toplantonions.”Then he askedme, “Were you brought up on a farm?” I said, “Yes; in the

BerkshireHillsofMassachusetts.”Hethenthrewhislegoverthecornerofthebigchairandsaid,“Ihaveheardmanyatime,eversinceIwasyoung,thatupthere in thosehills youhave to sharpen thenosesof the sheep inorder togetdown to the grass between the rocks.” He was so familiar, so everyday, sofarmer-like,thatIfeltrightathomewithhimatonce.He then took hold of another roll of paper, and looked up atme and said,

“Goodmorning.”Itookthehintthenandgotupandwentout.AfterIhadgottenoutIcouldnotrealizeIhadseenthePresidentoftheUnitedStatesatall.Butafewdayslater,whenstillinthecity,IsawthecrowdpassthroughtheEastRoombythecoffinofAbrahamLincoln,andwhenIlookedattheupturnedfaceofthemurderedPresidentIfeltthenthatthemanIhadseensuchashorttimebefore,who,sosimpleaman,soplainaman,wasoneofthegreatestmenthatGodeverraiseduptoleadanationontoultimateliberty.Yethewasonly“OldAbe”tohisneighbors.Whentheyhadthesecondfuneral, Iwas invitedamongothers,andwentouttoseethatsamecoffinputbackinthetombatSpringfield.AroundthetombstoodLincoln’soldneighbors,towhomhewasjust“OldAbe.”Ofcoursethatisalltheywouldsay.Didyou ever see amanwho struts around altogether too large to notice an

ordinary working mechanic? Do you think he is great? He is nothing but apuffed-upballoon,helddownbyhisbigfeet.Thereisnogreatnessthere.Whoarethegreatmenandwomen?Myattentionwascalledtheotherdayto

thehistoryofaverylittlethingthatmadethefortuneofaverypoorman.Itwasanawful thing,andyetbecauseof thatexperiencehe—notagreat inventororgenius—inventedthepinthatnowiscalledthesafety-pin,andoutofthatsafety-pinmadethefortuneofoneofthegreataristocraticfamiliesofthisnation.ApoormaninMassachusettswhohadworkedinthenail-workswasinjured

atthirty-eight,andhecouldearnbutlittlemoney.Hewasemployedintheofficetoruboutthemarksonthebillsmadebypencilmemorandums,andheusedarubberuntilhishandgrewtired.Hethentiedapieceofrubberontheendofastickandworkeditlikeaplane.Hislittlegirlcameandsaid,“Why,youhaveapatent,haven’tyou?”The fathersaidafterward,“Mydaughter toldmewhenItookthatstickandputtherubberontheendthattherewasapatent,andthatwasthefirstthoughtofthat.”HewenttoBostonandappliedforhispatent,andeveryoneofyouthathasarubber-tippedpencilinyourpocketisnowpayingtributetothemillionaire.Nocapital,notapennydidheinvest in it.Allwasincome,all

thewayupintothemillions.Butletmehastentooneothergreaterthought.“Showmethegreatmenand

womenwholiveinPhiladelphia.”Agentlemanovertherewillgetupandsay:“Wedon’thaveanygreatmeninPhiladelphia.Theydon’t livehere.TheyliveawayoffinRomeorSt.PetersburgorLondonorManayunk,oranywhereelsebuthereinourtown.”Ihavecomenowtotheapexofmythought.Ihavecomenowtotheheartofthewholematterandtothecenterofmystruggle:Whyisn’tPhiladelphia a greater city in its greater wealth? Why does New York excelPhiladelphia?Peoplesay,“Becauseofherharbor.”WhydomanyothercitiesoftheUnitedStatesgetaheadofPhiladelphianow?Thereisonlyoneanswer,andthat is because our own people talk down their own city. If there ever was acommunityonearththathastobeforcedahead,itisthecityofPhiladelphia.Ifwearetohaveaboulevard,talkitdown;ifwearegoingtohavebetterschools,talk themdown; ifyouwish tohavewise legislation, talk itdown; talkall theproposedimprovementsdown.ThatistheonlygreatwrongthatIcanlayatthefeetof themagnificentPhiladelphia thathasbeen souniversallykind tome. Isayitistimeweturnaroundinourcityandbegintotalkupthethingsthatareinourcity,andbegintosetthembeforetheworldasthepeopleofChicago,NewYork,St.Louis,andSanFranciscodo.Oh, ifweonlycouldget thatspiritoutamongourpeople,thatwecandothingsinPhiladelphiaanddothemwell!Arise,yemillionsofPhiladelphians,trustinGodandman,andbelieveinthe

greatopportunitiesthatarerightherenotoverinNewYorkorBoston,buthere—forbusiness,foreverythingthatisworthlivingforonearth.Therewasneveranopportunitygreater.Letustalkupourowncity.Buttherearetwootheryoungmenhereto-night,andthatisallIwillventure

tosay,becauseitistoolate.Oneovertheregetsupandsays,“ThereisgoingtobeagreatmaninPhiladelphia,butneverwasone.”“Oh, is thatso?Whenareyou going to be great?” “When I am elected to some political office.”Youngman,won’tyou learna lesson in theprimerofpolitics that it is aprima facieevidenceof littleness toholdofficeunderourformofgovernment?Greatmengetintoofficesometimes,butwhatthiscountryneedsismenthatwilldowhatwe tell them to do. This nation—where the people rule—is governed by thepeople, for the people, and so long as it is, then the office-holder is but theservantofthepeople,andtheBiblesaystheservantcannotbegreaterthanthemaster.TheBible says, “He that is sent cannot be greater thanHimwho sentHim.”Thepeoplerule,orshouldrule,andiftheydo,wedonotneedthegreatermeninoffice.IfthegreatmeninAmericatookouroffices,wewouldchangetoanempireinthenexttenyears.

Iknowofagreatmanyyoungwomen,nowthatwoman’ssuffrageiscoming,whosay,“IamgoingtobePresidentoftheUnitedStatessomeday.”Ibelieveinwoman’ssuffrage,andthereisnodoubtbutwhatitiscoming,andIamgettingout of the way, anyhow. I may want an office by and by myself; but if theambitionforanofficeinfluencesthewomenintheirdesiretovote,Iwanttosayright here what I say to the youngmen, that if you only get the privilege ofcasting one vote, you don’t get anything that is worth while. Unless you cancontrol more than one vote, you will be unknown, and your influence sodissipatedaspracticallynottobefelt.Thiscountryisnotrunbyvotes.Doyouthinkitis?Itisgovernedbyinfluence.Itisgovernedbytheambitionsandtheenterpriseswhich control votes.Theyoungwoman that thinks she is going tovoteforthesakeofholdinganofficeismakinganawfulblunder.

Thatotheryoungmangetsupandsays,“Therearegoingtobegreatmeninthis country and in Philadelphia.” “Is that so?When?” “When there comes agreatwar,whenwegetintodifficultythroughwatchfulwaitinginMexico;whenwegetintowarwithEnglandoversomefrivolousdeed,orwithJapanorChinaorNew Jersey or some distant country. Then Iwillmarch up to the cannon’smouth;Iwillsweepupamongtheglisteningbayonets;Iwillleapintothearenaandteardowntheflagandbearitawayintriumph.Iwillcomehomewithstarsonmy shoulder, and hold every office in the gift of the nation, and Iwill begreat.”No,youwon’t.Youthinkyouaregoing tobemadegreatbyanoffice,but remember that ifyouarenotgreatbeforeyouget theoffice,youwon’tbegreatwhenyousecureit.Itwillonlybeaburlesqueinthatshape.We had a Peace Jubilee here after the Spanish War. Out West they don’t

believe this, because they said, “Philadelphia would not have heard of anySpanishWar until fifty years hence.” Some of you saw the procession go upBroadStreet.Iwasaway,butthefamilywrotetomethatthetally-hocoachwithLieutenant Hobson upon it stopped right at the front door and the peopleshouted,“HurrahforHobson!”andifIhadbeenthereIwouldhaveyelledtoo,becausehedeservesmuchmoreofhis country thanhehas ever received.ButsupposeIgointoschoolandsay,“WhosunktheMerrimacatSantiago?”andiftheboysanswerme,“Hobson,” theywill tellmeseven-eighthsofa lie.Therewere seven other heroes on that steamer, and they, by virtue of their position,werecontinuallyexposedtotheSpanishfire,whileHobson,asanofficer,mightreasonably be behind the smoke-stack. You have gathered in this house yourmostintelligentpeople,andyet,perhaps,notoneherecannametheothersevenmen.Weoughtnot tosoteachhistory.Weoughttoteachthat,howeverhumblea

man’s stationmaybe, if hedoeshis full duty in that placehe is just asmuchentitledtotheAmericanpeople’shonorasisthekinguponhisthrone.Butwedonot so teach. We are now teaching everywhere that the generals do all thefighting.Irememberthat,afterthewar,IwentdowntoseeGeneralRobertE.Lee,that

magnificentChristiangentlemanofwhombothNorthandSoutharenowproudasoneofourgreatAmericans.Thegeneraltoldmeabouthisservant,“Rastus,”whowasanenlistedcoloredsoldier.Hecalledhim inoneday tomake funofhim,andsaid,“Rastus, Ihear thatall the restofyourcompanyarekilled,andwhyareyounotkilled?”Rastuswinkedathimandsaid,“‘Causewhenthereisanyfightin’goin’onIstaybackwiththegenerals.”Irememberanotherillustration.Iwouldleaveitoutbutforthefactthatwhen

yougotothelibrarytoreadthislecture,youwillfindthishasbeenprintedinitfortwenty-fiveyears.Ishutmyeyes—shutthemclose—andlo!Iseethefacesofmyyouth.Yes, they sometimes say tome,“Yourhair isnotwhite;youareworking night and day without seeming ever to stop; you can’t be old.” ButwhenIshutmyeyes, likeanyothermanofmyyears,oh, thencome troopingbackthefacesofthelovedandlostoflongago,andIknow,whatevermenmaysay,itisevening-time.IshutmyeyesnowandlookbacktomynativetowninMassachusetts,andI

seethecattle-showgroundonthemountain-top;Icanseethehorse-shedsthere.I can see the Congregational church; see the town hall and mountaineers’cottages;seeagreatassemblyofpeopleturningout,dressedresplendently,andIcanseeflagsflyingandhandkerchiefswavingandhearbandsplaying.Icanseethat company of soldiers that had re-enlistedmarching up on that cattle-showground.Iwasbutaboy,butIwascaptainofthatcompanyandpuffedoutwithpride.Acambricneedlewouldhaveburstmealltopieces.ThenIthoughtitwasthegreatesteventthatevercametomanonearth.Ifyouhaveeverthoughtyouwouldliketobeakingorqueen,yougoandbereceivedbythemayor.Thebandsplayed,andall thepeople turnedout to receiveus. Imarchedup

thatCommonsoproudat theheadofmytroops,andweturneddowninto thetownhall.ThentheyseatedmysoldiersdownthecenteraisleandIsatdownonthefrontseat.Agreatassemblyofpeopleahundredortwo—cameintofillthetownhall,sothattheystoodupallaround.Thenthetownofficerscameinandformedahalf-circle.Themayorofthetownsatinthemiddleoftheplatform.Hewasamanwhohadneverheldofficebefore;buthewasagoodman,andhisfriendshavetoldmethatImightusethiswithoutgivingthemoffense.Hewasagoodman,buthethoughtanofficemadeamangreat.Hecameupandtookhisseat, adjusted his powerful spectacles, and looked around, when he suddenlyspiedmesittingthereonthefrontseat.Hecamerightforwardontheplatformandinvitedmeup tositwith the townofficers.Notownofficerever tookanynoticeofmebeforeIwenttowar,excepttoadvisetheteachertothrashme,andnow I was invited up on the stand with the town officers. Oh my! the townmayorwasthentheemperor,thekingofourdayandourtime.AsIcameupontheplatformtheygavemeachairaboutthisfar,Iwouldsay,fromthefront.WhenIhadgotseated,thechairmanoftheSelectmenaroseandcameforward

to the table, and we all supposed he would introduce the Congregationalminister,whowastheonlyoratorintown,andthathewouldgivetheorationtothereturningsoldiers.But,friends,youshouldhaveseenthesurprisewhichranovertheaudiencewhentheydiscoveredthattheoldfellowwasgoingtodeliver

thatspeechhimself.Hehadnevermadeaspeechinhislife,buthefellintothesameerrorthathundredsofothermenhavefalleninto.Itseemssostrangethatamanwon’tlearnhemustspeakhispieceasaboyifhein-tendstobeanoratorwhenheisgrown,butheseemstothinkallhehastodoistoholdanofficetobeagreatorator.So he came up to the front, and brought with him a speech which he had

learnedbyheartwalkingupanddownthepasture,wherehehadfrightenedthecattle.Hebroughtthemanuscriptwithhimandspreaditoutonthetablesoastobe sure he might see it. He adjusted his spectacles and leaned over it for amomentandmarchedbackonthatplatform,andthencameforwardlikethis—tramp, tramp, tramp.Hemusthave studied the subject agreatdeal,whenyoucome to think of it, because he assumed an “elocutionary” attitude.He restedheavilyuponhisleftheel,threwbackhisshoulders,slightlyadvancedtherightfoot, opened the organs of speech, and advanced his right foot at an angle offorty-five.Ashestoodinthatelocutionaryattitude,friends,thisisjustthewaythatspeechwent.Somepeoplesaytome,“Don’tyouexaggerate?”Thatwouldbeimpossible.ButIamhereforthelessonandnotforthestory,andthisisthewayitwent:“Fellow-citizens—”Assoonasheheardhisvoicehisfingersbegantogolike

that, his knees began to shake, and then he trembled all over.He choked andswallowed and came around to the table to look at the manuscript. Then hegatheredhimselfupwithclenchedfistsandcameback:“Fellow-citizens,weareFellow-citizens,weare—weare—weare—weare—weare—weareveryhappy—weareveryhappy—weareveryhappy.Weareveryhappytowelcomebackto theirnative town these soldierswhohave fought andbled—andcomebackagain to their native town. We are especially—we are especially—we areespecially.Weareespeciallypleasedtoseewithusto-daythisyounghero”(thatmeantme)—“thisyoungherowho in imagination” (friends, rememberhe saidthat;ifhehadnotsaid“inimagination”Iwouldnotbeegotisticenoughtoreferto it at all)—“this young herowho in imaginationwe have seen leading—wehave seen leading—leading.Wehave seen leadinghis troopson to thedeadlybreach.Wehaveseenhisshining—wehaveseenhisshining—hisshining—hisshining sword—flashing.Flashing in the sunlight, as he shouted to his troops,‘Comeon’!”Oh dear, dear, dear! how little that good man knew about war. If he had

knownanythingaboutwaratallheoughttohaveknownwhatanyofmyG.A.R.comradeshere to-nightwill tellyou is true, that it isnext toacrimeforanofficerof infantryever in timeofdanger togoaheadofhismen. “I,withmy

shining sword flashing in the sunlight, shouting to my troops, ‘Come on’!” Ineverdidit.DoyousupposeIwouldgetinfrontofmymentobeshotinfrontbytheenemyandinthebackbymyownmen?Thatisnoplaceforanofficer.Theplacefortheofficerinactualbattleisbehindtheline.Howoften,asastaffofficer,Irodedowntheline,whenourmenweresuddenlycalledtothelineofbattle,andtheRebelyellswerecomingoutofthewoods,andshouted:“Officersto the rear! Officers to the rear!” Then every officer gets behind the line ofprivatesoldiers,andthehighertheofficer’srankthefartherbehindhegoes.Notbecauseheisanythelessbrave,butbecausethelawsofwarrequirethat.Andyet he shouted, “I, with my shining sword—” In that house there sat thecompanyofmysoldierswhohadcarriedthatboyacrosstheCarolinariversthathe might not wet his feet. Some of them had gone far out to get a pig or achicken. Some of them had gone to death under the shell-swept pines in themountains of Tennessee, yet in the good man’s speech they were scarcelyknown.Hedidrefertothem,butonlyincidentally.Theheroofthehourwasthisboy.Didthenationowehimanything?No,nothingthenandnothingnow.Whywashethehero?Simplybecausethatmanfellintothatsamehumanerror—thatthis boy was great because he was an officer and these were only privatesoldiers.Oh,IlearnedthelessonthenthatIwillneverforgetsolongasthetongueof

thebelloftimecontinuestoswingforme.Greatnessconsistsnotintheholdingofsomefutureoffice,butreallyconsists indoinggreatdeedswithlittlemeansand theaccomplishmentofvastpurposes from theprivate ranksof life.Tobegreatatallonemustbegreathere,now,inPhiladelphia.Hewhocangivetothiscitybetter streetsandbetter sidewalks,better schoolsandmorecolleges,morehappiness andmore civilization,moreofGod, hewill begreat anywhere.Leteverymanorwomanhere,ifyouneverhearmeagain,rememberthis,thatifyouwish to be great at all, you must begin where you are and what you are, inPhiladelphia, now.He that can give to his city any blessing, hewho can be agoodcitizenwhileheliveshere,hethatcanmakebetterhomes,hethatcanbeablessingwhetherheworksintheshoporsitsbehindthecounterorkeepshouse,whateverbehislife,hewhowouldbegreatanywheremustfirstbegreatinhisownPhiladelphia.

HISLIFEANDACHIEVEMENTS

ByRobertShackleton

I.THESTORYOFTHESWORD2

ISHALLwriteofaremarkableman,aninterestingman,amanofpower,ofinitiative,ofwill,ofpersistence;amanwhoplansvastlyandwho realizeshisplans;amanwhonotonlydoes thingshimself,butwho,evenmore importantthan that, is the constant inspiration of others. I shall write of Russell H.Conwell.Asafarmer’sboyhewastheleaderoftheboysoftherockyregionthatwas

hishome;asaschool-teacherhewondevotion;asanewspapercorrespondenthegainedfame;asasoldierintheCivilWarherosetoimportantrank;asalawyerhedevelopedalargepractice;asanauthorhewrotebooksthatreachedamightytotalofsales.He left the lawfor theministryand is theactiveheadofagreatchurch that he raised fromnothingness.He is themost popular lecturer in theworldandyearlyspeakstomanythousands.Heis,sotospeak,thediscovererof“Acres of Diamonds,” through which thousands of men and women haveachieved success out of failure.He is the head of two hospitals, one of themfoundedbyhimself,thathavecaredforahostofpatients,boththepoorandtherich,irrespectiveofraceorcreed.Heisthefounderandheadofauniversitythathasalreadyhadtensofthousandsofstudents.HishomeisinPhiladelphia;butheisknownineverycornerofeverystateintheUnion,andeverywherehehashostsoffriends.Allofhislifehehashelpedandinspiredothers.Quite by chance, andonly yesterday, literally yesterday andby chance, and

withno thought at themomentofConwell althoughhehadbeenmuch inmymindforsometimepast,IpickedupathinlittlebookofdescriptionbyWilliamDeanHowells,and,turningthepagesofachapteronLexington,oldLexingtonoftheRevolution,written,soHowellshadsetdown,in1882,Inoticed,afterhehadwrittenofthetownitself,andofthelong-pastfightthere,andofthepresent-dayaspect, thathementionedthechurchlifeof theplaceandremarkedonthestrikingadvancesmadebytheBaptists,whohadlately,asheexpressedit,beenreconstitutedoutofveryperishingfragmentsandmadestrongandflourishing,undertheministrationsofalaypreacher,formerlyacolonelintheUnionarmy.And it was only a few days before I chanced upon this description that Dr.Conwell, the former colonel and former lay preacher, had told me of hisexperiencesinthatlittleoldRevolutionarytown.

Howells went on to say that, so he was told, the colonel’s success wasprincipally due to his making the church attractive to young people. Howellssaysnomoreofhim;apparentlyhedidnotgotohearhim;andonewondersifhehaseverassociatedthatlaypreacherofLexingtonwiththefamousRussellH.Conwelloftheserecentyears!“Attractivetoyoungpeople.”Yes,onecanrecognizethatto-day,justasitwas

recognizedinLexington.Anditmaybeaddedthatheatthesametimeattractsolder people, too! In this, indeed, lies his power. He makes his churchinteresting, his sermons interesting, his lectures interesting. He is himselfinteresting! Because of his being interesting, he gains attention. The attentiongained,heinspires.Biography ismore thandates.Dates, after all, arebutmile-stonesalong the

roadoflife.AndthemostimportantfactofConwell’slifeisthathelivedtobeeighty-two,workingsixteenhourseverydayforthegoodofhisfellow-men.HewasbornonFebruary15,1843—bornofpoorparents,inalow-roofedcottageintheeasternBerkshires,inMassachusetts.“Iwasborninthisroom,”hesaidtome,simply,aswesattogetherrecently3

infrontoftheoldfireplaceintheprincipalroomofthelittlecottage;forhehasboughtbacktherockyfarmofhisfather,andhasretainedandrestoredthelittleoldhome.“Iwasborninthisroom.Itwasbedroomandkitchen.Itwaspoverty.”Andhisvoicesankwithakindofgrimnessintosilence.Thenhespokealittleofthestrugglesofthoselong-pastyears;andwewent

outontheporch,astheeveningshadowsfell,andlookedoutoverthevalleyandstreamandhills of his youth, andhe told of his grandmother, andof a youngMarylanderwhohadcometotheregiononavisit;itwasataleoftheimpetuousloveofthosetwo,ofrashmarriage,oftheinterferenceofparents,ofthefiercerivalry of another suitor, of an attack on theMarylander’s life, of passionatehastiness, ofunforgivablewords, of separation,of lifelong sorrow. “Whydoesgrandmothercrysooften?”heremembersaskingwhenhewasalittleboy.Andhewastoldthatitwasforthehusbandofheryouth.Wewentbackintothelittlehouse,andheshowedmetheroominwhichhe

firstsawJohnBrown.“Icamedownearlyonemorning,andsawahuge,hairymansprawleduponthebedthere—andIwasfrightened,”hesays.But JohnBrowndidnot long frightenhim!Forhewasmuchat theirhouse

after that, andwas so friendlywithRussell and his brother that therewas nochance for awe; and it gives a curious side-light on the character of the sternabolitionist that he actually,with infinite patience, taught the old horse of the

Conwells togohomealonewith thewagonafter leaving theboysat school,amileormoreaway,andatschool-closingtimetotrotgentlyoffforthemwithoutadriverwhenmerelyfacedinthatdirectionandtoldtogo!Conwellremembershow John Brown, in training it, used patiently to walk beside the horse, andcontrolitsgoinganditsturnings,untilitwasquitereadytogoandturnentirelybyitself.TheConwell housewas a stationon theUndergroundRailway, andRussell

Conwell remembers,whena lad,seeing theescapingslaves thathis fatherhaddriven across country and temporarily hidden. “Those were heroic days,” hesays, quietly. “Andonce in awhilemy father letmegowith him.Theywerewonderful night drives—the cowering slaves, the darkness of the road, thecaution and the silence and dread of it all.” This underground route, heremembers,wasfromPhiladelphiatoNewHaven,thencetoSpringfield,whereConwell’s father would take his charge, and onward to Bellows Falls andCanada.Conwelltells, too,ofmeetingFrederickDouglass, thecoloredorator, inthat

littlecottagein thehills.“‘Ineversawmyfather,’Douglasssaidoneday—hisfatherwasawhiteman—‘andIrememberlittleofmymotherexceptthatonceshetriedtokeepanoverseerfromwhippingme,andthelashcutacrossherownface,andherbloodfelloverme.’“WhenJohnBrownwascaptured,”Conwellwenton,“myfathertriedtosell

thisplacetogetalittlemoneytosendtohelphisdefense.Buthecouldn’tsellit,andonthedayoftheexecutionwekneltsolemnlyhere,fromeleventotwelve,justpraying,prayinginsilenceforthepassingsoulofJohnBrown.Andasweprayedwe knew that otherswere also praying, for a church-bell tolled duringthatentirehour,anditsawesomeboomwentsadlysoundingoverthesehills.”Conwellbelieves thathis real lifedatesfromahappeningof the timeof the

CivilWar—ahappeningthatstillloomsvividandintensebeforehim,andwhichundoubtedlydiddeepenandstrengthenhisstronganddeepnature.YettherealConwellwas always essentially the same.Neighborhood tradition still tells ofhisbraveryasaboyandayouth,ofhisrecklesscoasting,hisskillasaswimmerand his saving of lives, his strength and endurance, his plunging out into thedarkness of awildwinter night to save a neighbor’s cattle.His soldiers camehomewithtalesofhisdevotiontothem,andofhowhesharedhisrationsandhisblankets and bravely risked his life; of how he crept off into a swamp, atimminent peril, to rescue one of his men lost or mired there. The presentConwellwas alwaysConwell; in fact, hemay be traced through his ancestry,too, for in him are the sturdy virtues, the bravery, the grimdetermination, the

practicality, of his father; and romanticism, that comes from his grandmother;and the dreamy qualities of his mother, who, practical and hardworking NewEngland woman that she was, was at the same time influenced by an almoststartlingmysticism.AndConwellhimselfisadreamer:firstofallheisadreamer;itisthemost

importantfactinregardtohim!Itisbecauseheisadreamerandvisualizeshisdreams that he can plan the great things that to other men would seemimpossibilities; and then his intensely practical side his intense efficiency, hispower, his skill, his patience, his fine earnestness, his mastery over others,develophisdreams into realities.Hedreamsdreamsandseesvisions—buthisvisionsarenevervisionaryandhisdreamsbecomefacts.Therockyhillswhichmeantadoggedstruggleforveryexistence,thefugitive

slaves,JohnBrown—whataschoolforyouth!Andtheliteralschoolwasatinyone-roomschool-housewhereyoungConwellcameunderthecareofateacherwhorealizedtheboy’sunusualcapabilitiesandwasabletogivehimbroadandunusual help. Then a wise country preacher also recognized the unusual, andurged the parents to give stillmore education,whereupon supreme effortwasmadeandyoungRussellwassenttoWilbrahamAcademy.Helikestotellofhislife there, and of the hardships, ofwhich hemakes light; and of the joywithwhichweek-endpiesandcakeswerereceivedfromhome!Hetellsofhowhewentoutontheroadssellingbooksfromhousetohouse,

andofhoweagerlyhedevouredthecontentsofthesamplebooksthathecarried.“Theywereafoundationoflearningforme,”hesays,soberly.“Andtheygavemeabroadideaoftheworld.”HewenttoYalein1860,buttheoutbreakofthewarinterferedwithcollege,

andheenlistedin1861.Buthewasonlyeighteen,andhisfatherobjected,andhewentbacktoYale.Butnextyearheagainenlisted,andmenofhisBerkshireneighborhood,likewiseenlisting,insistedthathebetheircaptain;andGovernorAndrews, appealed to, consented to commission the nineteen-year-old youthwhowas so evidently a natural leader; and themen gave freely of their scantmoneytogetforhimasword,allgayandsplendidwithgilt,andupontheswordwasthedeclarationinstatelyLatinthat,“Truefriendshipiseternal.”And with that sword is associated the most vivid, the most momentous

experienceofRussellConwell’slife.Thatswordhangsat theheadofConwell’sbed inhishomeinPhiladelphia.

Manofpeacethatheis,andministerofpeace,thatsymbolofwarhasforoverhalfacenturybeenofinfiniteimportancetohim.

Hetoldmethestoryaswestoodtogetherbeforethatsword.Andashetoldthestory,speakingwithquietrepression,butseeingitallandlivingitalljustasvividlyas if ithadoccurredbutyesterday,“That swordhasmeant somuch tome,”hemurmured;andthenhebeganthetale:“AboyupthereintheBerkshires,aneighbor’sson,wasJohnRing;Icallhim

aboy,forweallcalledhimaboy,andwelookeduponhimasaboy,forhewasunder-sizedandunder-developed—somuchsothathecouldnotenlist.“Butforsomereasonhewasdevotedtome,andhenotonlywantedtoenlist,

buthealsowantedtobeintheartillerycompanyofwhichIwascaptain;andIcouldonlytakehimalongasmyservant.Ididn’twantaservant,butitwastheonlywaytotakepoorlittleJohnnieRing.“Johnniewasdeeplyreligious,andwouldreadtheBibleeveryeveningbefore

turningin.InthosedaysIwasanatheist,oratleastthoughtIwas,andIusedtolaughatRing,andafterawhilehetooktoreadingtheBibleoutsidethetentonaccount of my laughing at him! But he did not stop reading it, and hisfaithfulnesstomeremainedunchanged.“Thescabbardoftheswordwastooglitteringfortheregulations”—theghost

ofasmilehoveredonConwell’slips—“andIcouldnotwearit,andcouldonlywearaplainoneforserviceandkeepthishanginginmytentonthetent-pole.JohnRing used to handle it adoringly, and kept it polished to brilliancy.—It’sdullenoughthesemanyyears,”headded,somberly.“ToRingitrepresentednotonlyhiscaptain,buttheverygloryandpompofwar.“One day the Confederates suddenly stormed our position nearNewBerne

and swept through the camp, driving our entire force before them; and all,includingmycompany,retreatedhurriedlyacrosstheriver,settingfiretoalongwoodenbridge aswewentover. It soonblazedup furiously,making abarrierthattheConfederatescouldnotpass.“But, unknown to everybody, andunnoticed, JohnRinghaddashedback to

mytent.Ithinkhewasabletomakehiswaybackbecausehejustlookedlikeamereboy;buthoweverthatwas,hegotpasttheConfederatesintomytentandtook down, from where it was hanging on the tent-pole, my bright, gold-scabbardedsword.“John Ring seized the sword that had long been so precious to him. He

dodgedhere and there, and actuallymanaged to gain thebridge just as itwasbeginning to blaze.He started across. The flameswere everymoment gettingfiercer,thesmokedenser,andnowandthen,ashecrawledandstaggeredon,heleanedforafewsecondsfarover theedgeof thebridgeinaneffort togetair.

Bothsidessawhim;bothsideswatchedhisterribleprogress,evenwhilefiringwasfiercelykeptupfromeachsideoftheriver.AndthenaConfederateofficer—hewasoneofGeneralPickett’sofficers—rantothewater’sedgeandwavedawhitehandkerchiefandthefiringceased.“‘Tellthatboytocomebackhere!’hecried.‘Tellhimtocomebackhereand

wewilllethimgofree!’“HecalledthisoutjustasRingwasabouttoenterupontheworstpartofthe

bridge—thecoveredpart,wherethereweretopandbottomandsidesofblazingwood.The roar of the flameswas so close toRing that he couldnot hear thecallsfromeithersideoftheriver,andhepusheddesperatelyonanddisappearedinthecoveredpart.“Therewasdeadsilenceexceptforthecracklingofthefire.Notamancried

out. All waited in hopeless expectancy. And then came a mighty yell fromNorthernerandSoutherneralike,forJohnniecamecrawlingoutoftheendofthecovered way—he had actually passed through that frightful place—and hisclotheswere ablaze, andhe toppledover and fell into shallowwater; and in afewmomentshewasdraggedout,unconscious,andhurriedtoahospital.“Helingeredforadayorso,stillunconscious,andthencametohimselfand

smiled a little as he found that the sword forwhich he had given his life hadbeenleftbesidehim.Hetookitinhisarms.Hehuggedittohisbreast.Hegaveafewwordsoffinalmessageforme.Andthatwasall.”Conwell’svoicehadgonethrillinglylowashenearedtheend,foritwasallso

very,veryvividtohim,andhiseyeshadgrowntenderandhislipsmorestrongandfirm.Andhefellsilent,thinkingofthatlong-agohappening,andthoughhelookeddownuponthethrongingtrafficofBroadStreet,itwasclearthathedidnotseeit,andthatiftherumblinghubbubofsoundmeantanythingtohimitwastherumblingofthegunsofthedistantpast.Whenhespokeagainitwaswithastilltensertoneoffeeling.“WhenIstoodbesidethebodyofJohnRingandrealizedthathehaddiedfor

love of me, I made a vow that has formed my life. I vowed that from thatmomentIwouldlivenotonlymyownlife,butthatIwouldalsolivethelifeofJohnRing.AndfromthatmomentIhaveworkedsixteenhourseveryday—eightforJohnRing’sworkandeighthoursformyown.”Acuriousnotehadcomeintohisvoice,asofonewhohadruntheraceand

nearedthegoal,foughtthegoodfightandnearedtheend.“EverymorningwhenIriseIlookatthissword,orifIamawayfromhomeI

think of the sword, and vow anew that another day shall see sixteen hours of

workfromme.”AndwhenonecomestoknowRussellConwellonerealizesthatneverdidamanworkmorehardandconstantly.“ItwasthroughJohnRingandhisgivinghislifethroughdevotiontomethatI

becameaChristian,”hewenton.“Thisdidnotcomeaboutimmediately,butitcamebeforethewarwasover,anditcamethroughfaithfulJohnnieRing.”ThereisalittlelonelycemeteryintheBerkshires,atinyburying-groundona

wind-swepthill,afewmilesfromConwell’soldhome.Inthisisolatedburying-ground bushes and vines and grass grow in profusion, and a few trees cast agentleshade;andtree-cladhillsgobillowingoffformilesandmilesinwildandlonely beauty. And in that lonely little graveyard I found the plain stone thatmarkstheresting-placeofJohnRing.

II.THEBEGINNINGATOLDLEXINGTON

ITisnotbecauseheisaministerthatRussellConwellissuchaforceintheworld. He went into the ministry because he was sincerely and profoundly aChristian,andbecausehe felt thatasaministerhecoulddomoregood in theworld than inanyothercapacity.Butbeingaminister isbutan incident,so tospeak.Theimportantthingisnotthatheisaminister,butthatheishimself!RecentlyIheardaNew-Yorker,theheadofagreatcorporation,say:“Ibelieve

thatRussellConwell is doingmore good in theworld than anymanwho haslivedsinceJesusChrist.”Andhesaidthisinseriousandunexaggeratedearnest.Yet Conwell did not get readily into his life-work. He might have seemed

almostafailureuntilhewaswellontowardforty,foralthoughhekeptmakingsuccessestheywerenotpermanentsuccesses,andhedidnotsettlehimselfintoadefiniteline.Herestlesslywentwestwardtomakehishome,andthenrestlesslyreturnedtotheEast.Afterthewarwasoverhewasalawyer,hewasalecturer,hewasaneditor,hewentaroundtheworldasacorrespondent,hewrotebooks.He kept making money, and kept losing it; he lost it through fire, throughinvestments, throughaidinghis friends. It isprobable that theunsettlednessofthe years following thewarwas due to the unsettling effect of thewar itself,which thus, in its influence, broke into hismature life after breaking into hisyearsatYale.Buthoweverthatmaybe,thoseseething,changing,stirringyearswereyearsofvitalimportancetohim,forinthemyriadexperiencesofthattimehewasbuildingthefoundationoftheConwellthatwastocome.Abroadhemetthenotablesoftheearth.Athomehemadehostsoffriendsandloyaladmirers.It isworthwhile noting that as a lawyerhewouldnever take a case, either

civilorcriminal,thatheconsideredwrong.Itwasbasicwithhimthathecouldnotandwouldnotfightonwhathethoughtwasthewrongside.Onlywhenhisclientwasrightwouldhegoahead!Yet he laughs, his quiet, infectious, characteristic laugh, as he tells of how

once hewas deceived, for he defended aman, chargedwith stealing awatch,whowas soobviously innocent thathe took thecase inablazeof indignationandhadtheyoungfellowproudlyexonerated.Thenextdaythewronglyaccusedone came to his office and shamefacedly tookout thewatch that he had beenchargedwithstealing.“IwantyoutosendittothemanItookitfrom,”hesaid.And he told with a sort of shamefaced pride of how he had got a good old

deacontogive,inallsincerity,theevidencethatexculpatedhim.“And,say,Mr.Conwell—Iwanttothankyouforgettingmeoff—andIhopeyou’llexcusemydeceivingyou—and—Iwon’tbeanyworsefornotgoingtojail.”AndConwelllikes to remember that thereafter the young man lived up to the pride ofexoneration;and, thoughConwelldoesnotsayitor thinkit,oneknowsthat itwastheConwellinfluencethatinspiredtohonesty—foralwaysheisaninspirer.Conwellevenkeptcertainhours forconsultationwith those toopoor topay

anyfee;andatonetime,whilestillanactivelawyer,hewasguardianforoversixty children!Themanhas alwaysbeen amarvel, and alwaysone is cominguponsuchromanticfactsasthese.Thatisacuriousthingabouthim—howmuchthereisofromanceinhislife!

WorshipedtotheendbyJohnRing;leftfordeadallnightatKenesawMountain;calmly singing “Nearer, my God, to Thee,” to quiet the passengers on asupposedly sinking ship; saving lives evenwhen a boy; never disappointing asingleaudienceofthethousandsofaudienceshehasarrangedtoaddressduringallhisyearsoflecturing!Hehimselftakesalittleprideinthislastpoint,anditischaracteristicofhim thathehasactually forgotten that justoncehedid fail toappear: he has quite forgotten that one evening, on his way to a lecture, hestoppedarunawayhorsetosavetwowomen’slives,andwentinconsequencetoahospitalinsteadoftotheplatform!Anditistypicalofhimtoforgetthatsortofthing.Theemotional temperamentofConwellhasalwaysmadehimresponsive to

thegreat,thestriking,thepatriotic.HewasdeeplyinfluencedbyknowingJohnBrown,andhisbriefmemoriesofLincolnare intense, thoughhe sawhimbutthreetimesinall.The first time he saw Lincoln was on the night when the future President

delivered the address, which afterward became so famous, in Cooper Union,NewYork.ThenameofLincolnwasthenscarcelyknown,anditwasbymerechancethatyoungConwellhappenedtobeinNewYorkonthatday.Butbeingthere,andlearningthatAbrahamLincolnfromtheWestwasgoingtomakeanaddress,hewenttohearhim.He tells how uncouthly Lincoln was dressed, even with one trousers-leg

higherthantheother,andofhowawkwardhewas,andofhowpoorly,atfirst,hespokeandwithwhatapparentembarrassment.ThechairmanofthemeetinggotLincolnaglassofwater,andConwellthoughtthatitwasfromapersonaldesiretohelphimandkeephimfrombreakingdown.ButhelovestotellhowLincolnbecameachangedmanashespoke;howheseemedtofeelashamedofhisbriefembarrassmentand,pullinghimselftogetherandputtingasidethewrittenspeech

whichhehadprepared,spokefreelyandpowerfully,withsplendidconviction,asonlyabornoratorspeaks.ToConwellitwasatremendousexperience.ThesecondtimehesawLincolnwaswhenhewenttoWashingtontopleadfor

the life of one of hismenwho had been condemned to death for sleeping onpost.Hewasstillbutacaptain(hispromotiontoacolonelcywasstilltocome),ayouth,andwasawedbygoingintothepresenceofthemanheworshiped.Andhisvoicetremblesalittle,evennow,ashetellsofhowpleasantlyLincolnlookedup from his desk, and how cheerfully he asked his businesswith him, and ofhow absorbedly Lincoln then listened to his tale, although, so it appeared, healreadyknewofthemainoutline.“Itwillbeallright,”saidLincoln,whenConwellfinished.ButConwellwas

still frightened. He feared that in the multiplicity of public matters this merematterofthelifeofamountainboy,aprivatesoldier,mightbeforgottentilltoolate. “It is almost the time set—” he faltered. And Conwell’s voice almostbreaks,man of emotion that he is, as he tells of howLincoln said,with sterngravity: “Go and telegraph that soldier’s mother that Abraham Lincoln neversignedawarranttoshootaboyundertwenty,andneverwill.”ThatwastheoneandonlytimethathespokewithLincoln,anditremainsanindelibleimpression.The third timehesawLincolnwaswhen,asofficerof theday,hestoodfor

hoursbesidethedeadbodyofthePresidentasit layinstateinWashington.Inthosehours,ashestoodrigidlyasthethrongwentshufflingsorrowfullythrough,animmenseimpressioncametoColonelConwelloftheworkandworthofthemanwhotherelaydead,andthatimpressionhasneverdeparted.John Brown, Abraham Lincoln, old Revolutionary Lexington—how

Conwell’slifeisassociatedwithfamousmenandplaces!—anditwasactuallyatLexingtonthathemadethecrucialdecisionastothecourseofhis life!Anditseemstomethatitwas,althoughquiteunconsciously,becauseoftheveryfactthatitwasLexingtonthatConwellwasinfluencedtodecideandtoactashedid.Haditbeeninsomeotherkindofplace,somemerelyordinaryplace,somequiteusualplace,hemightnothavetakentheimportantstep.ButitwasLexington,itwasbraveoldLexington,inspiringLexington;andhewasinspiredbyit,forthemanwhohimselfinspiresnoblyisalwaystheonewhoishimselfopentonobleinspiration.Lexingtoninspiredhim.“WhenIwasa lawyer inBostonandalmost thirty-sevenyearsold,”he told

me, thinking slowly back into the years, “I was consulted by a woman whoaskedmy advice in regard to disposing of a little church in Lexingtonwhosecongregation had become unable to support it. I went out and looked at theplace,andItoldherhowthepropertycouldbesold.Butitseemedapitytome

that the little church shouldbegivenup.However, I advisedameetingof thechurchmembers,andIattendedthemeeting.Iputthecasetothem—itwasonlya handful ofmen andwomen—and therewas silence for a little.Then an oldman roseand, inaquaveringvoice, said thematterwasquiteclear; that thereevidentlywasnothingtodobuttosell,andthathewouldagreewiththeothersinthenecessity;butasthechurchhadbeenhischurchhomefromboyhood,sohe quavered and quivered on, he begged that they would excuse him fromactually takingpart indisposingof it; and in adeep silencehewenthaltinglyfromtheroom.“Themenandthewomenlookedatoneanother,stillsilent,sadlyimpressed,

butnotknowingwhattodo.AndIsaidtothem:‘Whynotstartoveragain,andgoonwiththechurch,afterall!’”TypicalConwellism,that!First,theimpulsetohelpthosewhoneedhelping,

thentheinspirationandleadership.“‘But thebuilding isentirely too tumble-down touse,’ saidoneof themen,

sadly;andIknewhewasright,forIhadexaminedit;butIsaid:“‘Let us meet there to-morrow morning and get to work on that building

ourselvesandputitinshapeforaservicenextSunday.’“Itmadethemseemsopleasedandencouraged,andsoconfidentthatanew

possibilitywasopeningthatIneverdoubtedthateachoneofthosepresent,andmanyfriendsbesides,wouldbeatthebuildinginthemorning.IwasthereearlywithahammerandaxandcrowbarthatIhadsecured,readytogotowork—butnooneelseshowedup!”Hehasaruefulappreciationofthehumorofit,ashepicturedthescene;and

oneknowsalso that, in that little townofLexington,whereAmericanshadsobravely faced the impossible,RussellConwell also braced himself to face theimpossible.Apettiermanwouldinstantlyhavegivenuptheentirematterwhenthose who were most interested failed to respond, but one of the strongestfeatures in Conwell’s character is his ability to draw even doubters andweaklingsintoline,hisabilitytostireventhosewhohavegivenup.“Ilookedoverthatbuilding,”hegoeson,whimsically,“andIsawthatrepair

reallyseemedoutofthequestion.Nothingbutanewchurchwoulddo!SoItooktheaxthatIhadbroughtwithmeandbeganchoppingtheplacedown.Inalittlewhileaman,notoneofthechurchmembers,camealong,andhewatchedmeforatimeandsaid,‘Whatareyougoingtodothere?’“AndIinstantlyreplied,‘Teardownthisoldbuildingandbuildanewchurch

here!’

“Helookedatme.‘Butthepeoplewon’tdothat,’hesaid.“‘Yes, they will,’ I said, cheerfully, keeping at my work. Whereupon he

watchedmeafewminuteslongerandsaid:“‘Well,youcanputmedown foronehundreddollars for thenewbuilding.

Comeuptomylivery-stableandgetitthisevening.’“‘Allright;I’llsurelybethere,’Ireplied.“In a little while anotherman came along and stopped and looked, and he

rathergibedattheideaofanewchurch,andwhenItoldhimofthelivery-stablemancontributingonehundreddollars,hesaid,‘Butyouhaven’tgotthemoneyyet!’“‘No,’Isaid;‘butIamgoingtogetitto-night.’“‘You’llneverget it,’he said. ‘He’snot that sortofaman.He’snotevena

churchman!’“ButIjustwentquietlyonwiththework,withoutanswering,andafterquitea

whileheleft;buthecalledback,ashewentoff,‘Well,ifhedoesgiveyouthathundreddollars,cometomeandI’llgiveyouanotherhundred.’”Conwellsmilesingenialreminiscenceandwithoutanyapparentsensethathe

istellingofagreatpersonaltriumph,andgoeson:“Those two men both paid the money, and of course the church people

themselves, who at first had not quite understood that I could be in earnest,joinedinandhelped,withworkandmoney,andas,while thenewchurchwasbuilding,itwaspeculiarlyimportanttogetandkeepthecongregationtogether,andas theyhadceasedtohaveaministerof theirown,IusedtorunoutfromBostonandpreachforthem,inaroomwehired.“And it was there in Lexington, in 1879, that I determined to become a

minister. I had a good law practice, but I determined to give it up. FormanyyearsIhadfeltmoreorlessofacalltotheministry,andhereatlengthwasthedefinitetimetobegin.“Week by week I preached there”—how strange, now, to think ofWilliam

Dean Howells and the colonel-preacher!—“and after a while the church wascompleted, and in that very church, there in Lexington, I was ordained aminister.”Amarvelous thing, all this, evenwithout considering themarvelousheights

thatConwellhassinceattained—amarvelousthing,anachievementofpositiveromance!That littlechurchstoodforAmericanbraveryandinitiativeandself-sacrificeandromanticisminawaythatwellbefittedgoodoldLexington.

To leavea largeandoverflowing lawpractice and takeup theministry at asalaryofsixhundreddollarsayearseemedtotherelativesofConwell’swifetheextreme of foolishness, and they did not hesitate so to express themselves.Naturallyenough, theydidnothaveConwell’svision.Yethehimselfwas fairenough to realize and to admit that therewas a good deal of fairness in theirobjections;andsohesaidtothecongregationthat,althoughhewasquitereadytocomeforthesixhundreddollarsayear,heexpectedthemtodoublehissalaryassoonashedoubledthechurchmembership.Thisseemedtothemagooddeallike a joke, but they answered in perfect earnestness that theywould be quitewillingtodothedoublingassoonashedidthedoubling,andinlessthanayearthesalarywasdoubledaccordingly.I asked him if he had found it hard to give up the lucrative law for a poor

ministry,andhisreplygaveadelightfulimpressionofhiscapacityforhumorousinsightintohumannature,forhesaid,withagenialtwinkle:“Ohyes,itwasawrench;butthereisasortofromanceofself-sacrifice,you

know.Irathersupposetheold-timemartyrsratherenjoyedthemselvesinbeingmartyrs!”Conwell did not stay very long in Lexington. A struggling little church in

Philadelphiaheardofwhathewasdoing,andsoanolddeaconwentuptoseeandhearhim,andaninvitationwasgiven;andastheLexingtonchurchseemedto be prosperously on its feet, and the needs of the Philadelphia body keenlyappealedtoConwell’simagination,achangewasmade,andatasalaryofeighthundred dollars a year he went, in 1882, to the little struggling Philadelphiacongregation,andofthatcongregationheisstillpastor—only,itceasedtobeastrugglingcongregationagreatmanyyearsago!Andlongagoitbeganpayinghimmorethousandseveryyearthanatfirstitgavehimhundreds.Dreamer asConwell always is in connectionwith his immense practicality,

andmovedasheisbythespiritualinfluencesoflife,itismorethanlikelythatnotonlydidPhiladelphia’sneedappeal,butalsothefactthatPhiladelphia,asacity,meantmuchtohim,for,comingNorth,woundedfromabattle-fieldoftheCivil War, it was in Philadelphia that he was cared for until his health andstrengthwererecovered.ThusitcamethatPhiladelphiahadearlybecomedeartohim.And here is an excellent example of how dreaming great dreams may go

hand-in-handwithwinningsuperbresults.ForthatlittlestrugglingcongregationnowownsandoccupiesagreatnewchurchbuildingthatseatsmorepeoplethananyotherProtestantchurchinAmerica—andDr.Conwellfillsit!

III.STORYOFTHEFIFTY-SEVENCENTS

ATeverypointinConwell’slifeoneseesthathewinsthroughhiswonderfulpersonal influence on old and young. Every step forward, every triumphachieved,comesnotalonefromhisownenthusiasm,butbecauseofhisputtingthat enthusiasm into others. And when I learned how it came about that thepresentchurchbuildingswerebegun,itwasanotherofthosemarveloustalesoffact that are stranger than any imagination couldmake them.Andyet the talewassosimpleandsweetandsadandunpretending.WhenDr.Conwellfirstassumedchargeofthelittlecongregationthatledhim

toPhiladelphiaitwasreallyalittlechurchbothinitsnumbersandinthesizeofthe building that it occupied, but it quickly became so popular under hisleadership that the church services and Sunday-school services were alike socrowdedthattherewasnoroomforallwhocame,andalwaystherewerepeopleturnedfromthedoors.Oneafternoonalittlegirl,whohadeagerlywishedtogo,turnedbackfromthe

Sunday-schooldoor,cryingbitterlybecausetheyhadtoldherthattherewasnomore room. But a tall, black-haired man met her and noticed her tears and,stopping,askedwhyitwasthatshewascrying,andshesobbinglyrepliedthatitwasbecausetheycouldnotletherintotheSunday-school.“I lifted her tomy shoulder,” saysDr. Conwell, in telling of this; for after

hearing the story elsewhere I askedhim to tell it tomehimself, for it seemedalmosttoostrangetobetrue.“Iliftedhertomyshoulder”—andonerealizesthepretty scene it must have made for the little girl to go through the crowd ofpeople,dryingher tearsandridingproudlyontheshouldersof thekindly, tall,darkman!“IsaidtoherthatIwouldtakeherin,andIdidso,andIsaidtoherthatweshouldsomedayhavearoombigenoughforallwhoshouldcome.Andwhenshewenthomeshe toldherparents—Ionly learned thisafterward—thatshewasgoingtosavemoneytohelpbuildthelargerchurchandSunday-schoolthatDr.Conwellwanted!Herparentspleasantlyhumoredherintheideaandletherrunerrandsanddo little tasks toearnpennies,andshebegandropping thepenniesintoherbank.”“Shewas a lovable little thing—but inonly a fewweeks after that shewas

takensuddenlyillanddied;andatthefuneralherfathertoldme,quietly,ofhowhis little girl had been saving money for a building-fund. And there, at the

funeral,hehandedmewhatshehadsaved—justfifty-sevencentsinpennies.”Dr.Conwelldoesnotsayhowdeeplyhewasmoved;heis,afterall,amanof

veryfewwordsastohisownemotions.Butadeeptendernesshadcreptintohisvoice.“AtameetingofthechurchtrusteesItoldofthisgiftoffifty-sevencents—the

first gift toward the proposed building-fund of the new church thatwas sometime to exist. For until then the matter had barely been spoken of, as a newchurchbuildinghadbeensimplyapossibilityforthefuture.“The trustees seemedmuch impressed, and it turned out that theywere far

moreimpressedthanIcouldpossiblyhavehoped,forinafewdaysoneofthemcametomeandsaidthathethoughtitwouldbeanexcellentideatobuyalotonBroad Street—the very lot on which the building now stands.” It wascharacteristic of Dr. Conwell that he did not point out, what every one whoknowshimwouldunderstand,thatitwashisowninspirationputintothetrusteeswhich resulted in this quick and definitemove on the part of one of them. “Italked the matter over with the owner of the property, and told him of thebeginningof the fund, the storyof the littlegirl.Themanwasnotoneofourchurch,norinfact,washeachurch-goeratall,buthelistenedattentivelytothetaleofthefifty-sevencentsandsimplysaidhewasquitereadytogoaheadandsell us that piece of land for ten thousand dollars, taking—and theunexpectedness of this deeply touchedme taking a first payment of just fifty-sevencentsandlettingtheentirebalancestandonafive-per-cent.mortgage!“And it seemed to me that it would be the right thing to accept this

unexpectedlyliberalproposition,andIwentovertheentirematteronthatbasiswiththetrusteesandsomeoftheothermembers,andall thepeopleweresoontalkingofhavinganewchurch.But itwasnotdone in thatway,afterall, for,finethoughthatwaywouldhavebeen,therewastobeonestillfiner.“Not long after my talk with the man who owned the land, and his

surprisingly good-hearted proposition, an exchange was arranged for me oneeveningwithaMountHollychurch,andmywifewentwithme.Wecamebacklate,anditwascoldandwetandmiserable,butasweapproachedourhomewesawthatitwasalllightedfromtoptobottom,anditwasclearthatitwasfullofpeople.Isaidtomywifethattheyseemedtobehavingabettertimethanwehadhad,andwewent in,curious toknowwhat itwasallabout.And it turnedoutthatourabsencehadbeenintentionallyarranged,andthatthechurchpeoplehadgatheredatourhometomeetusonourreturn.AndIwasutterlyamazed,forthespokesmantoldmethattheentiretenthousanddollarshadbeenraisedandthatthe land for the church that I wanted was free of debt. And all had come so

quicklyanddirectlyfromthatdearlittlegirl’sfifty-sevencents.”Doesn’titseemlikeafairytale!Butthenthismanhasallhislifebeenmaking

fairy tales into realities. He inspired the child. He inspired the trustees. Heinspiredtheowneroftheland.Heinspiredthepeople.Thebuildingofthegreatchurch—theTempleBaptistChurch,asitistermed

—wasagreatundertakingforthecongregation;eventhoughithadbeenswiftlygrowingfromthedayofDr.Conwell’stakingchargeofit,itwassomethingfaraheadofwhat,exceptintheeyesofanenthusiast,theycouldpossiblycompleteandpayforandsupport.Norwasitaneasytask.Ground was broken for the building in 1889, in 1891 it was opened for

worship,andthencameyearsofraisingmoneytoclearit.Butitwaslongagoplacedcompletelyoutofdebt,andwithonlyasinglelargesubscription—oneoftenthousanddollars—forthechurchisnotinawealthyneighborhood,noristhecongregationmadeupofthegreatandrich.Thechurch isbuiltof stone, and its interior is agreatamphitheater.Special

attention has been given to fresh air and light; there is nothing of the dim,religiouslight thatgoeswithmedievalchurchliness.Behindthepulpitare tiersof seats for the great chorus choir. There is a large organ. The building ispeculiarly adapted for hearing and seeing, and if it is not, strictly speaking,beautifulinitself,itisbeautifulwhenitisfilledwithencirclingrowsofmenandwomen.Manoffeelingthatheis,andonewhoappreciatestheimportanceofsymbols,

Dr.Conwellhadaheartofolive-woodbuilt intothefrontofthepulpit,forthewood was from an olive-tree in the Garden of Gethsemane. And the amber-coloredtilesintheinnerwallsofthechurchbear,undertheglaze,thenamesofthousandsofhispeople;foreveryone,youngorold,whohelpedinthebuilding,even to the giving of a single dollar, has his name inscribed there. For Dr.ConwellwishedtoshowthatitisnotonlythehouseoftheLord,butalso,inakeenlypersonalsense,thehouseofthosewhobuiltit.The church has a possible seating capacity of 4,200, although only 3,135

chairs have been put in it, for it has been the desire not to crowd the spaceneedlessly. There is also a great room for the Sunday-school, and extensiveroomsfortheyoungmen’sassociation,theyoungwomen’sassociation,andfora kitchen, for executive offices, for meeting-places for church officers andboardsandcommittees.Itisaspaciousandpracticalandcompletechurchhome,andthepeoplefeelathomethere.“Youseeagain,”saidDr.Conwell,musingly,“theadvantageofaimingatbig

things. That building represents $109,000 above ground. It is free from debt.Hadwebuiltasmallchurch,itwouldnowbeheavilymortgaged.”

IV.HISPOWERASORATORANDPREACHER

EVENasayoungmanConwellwonlocalfameasanorator.Attheoutbreakof the CivilWar he beganmaking patriotic speeches that gained enlistments.Aftergoingtothefronthewassentbackhomeforatime,onfurlough,tomakemore speeches to drawmore recruits, for his speecheswere so persuasive, sopowerful,sofullofhomelyandpatrioticfeeling,thatthemenwhoheardthemthrongedintotheranks.Andasapreacherheusespersuasion,power,simpleandhomelyeloquence,todrawmentotheranksofChristianity.Heisanoratorborn,andhasdevelopedthis inbornpowerby thehardestof

studyand thoughtandpractice.He isoneof those raremenwhoalwaysseizeandhold theattention.Whenhespeaks,men listen. It isquality, temperament,control—thewordisimmaterial,butthefactisverymaterialindeed.SomequarterofacenturyagoConwellpublishedalittlebookforstudentson

the study and practice of oratory. That “clear-cut articulation is the charm ofeloquence” is one of his insisted-upon statements, and it well illustrates thelifelongpracticeofthemanhimself,foreverywordashetalkscanbeheardineverypartofalargebuilding,yetalwayshespeakswithoutapparenteffort.Heavoids“elocution.”Hisvoiceissoft-pitchedandneverbreaks,evennowwhenhe is over seventy, because, so he explains it, he always speaks in his naturalvoice.Thereisneverastrainingaftereffect.“A speaker must possess a large-hearted regard for the welfare of his

audience,” he writes, and here again we see Conwell explaining Conwellism.“Enthusiasminvitesenthusiasm,”isanotherofhispointsofimportance;andoneunderstandsthatitisbydeliberatepurpose,andnotbychance,thathetrieswithsuchtremendousefforttoputenthusiasmintohishearerswitheverysermonandeverylecturethathedelivers.“It is easy to raise a laugh, but dangerous, for it is the greatest test of an

orator’scontrolofhisaudiencetobeabletolandthemagainonthesolidearthofsoberthinking.”Ihaveknownhimattheveryendofasermonhavearippleoflaughtersweepfreelyovertheentirecongregation,andtheninamomenthehaseveryindividualunderhiscontrol,listeningsoberlytohiswords.Henever fears to use humor, and it is always very simple andobvious and

effective. With him even a very simple pun may be used, not only with-outtakingawayfromthestrengthofwhatheissaying,butwithavividincreaseof

impressiveness.Andwhenhesayssomethingfunnyitisinsuchadelightfulandconfidential way, with such a genial, quiet, infectious humorousness, that hisaudienceiscaptivated.Andtheyneverthinkthatheistellingsomethingfunnyof his own; it seems, such is the skill of theman, that he is just letting themknowofsomethinghumorousthattheyaretoenjoywithhim.“Be absolutely truthful and scrupulously clear,” he writes; and with

delightfullytersecommonsense,hesays,“Useillustrationsthatillustrate”—andneverdidanorator liveup to this injunctionmore thandoesConwellhimself.Nothingismoresurprising,nothing ismore interesting, than thewayinwhichhemakes use as illustrations of the impressions and incidents of his long andvariedlife,and,whateveritis,ithasdirectandinstantbearingontheprogressofhis discourse. He will refer to something that he heard a child say in a trainyesterday;inafewminuteshewillspeakofsomethingthathesaworsomeonewhomhemetlastmonth,orlastyear,ortenyearsago—inOhio,inCalifornia,in London, in Paris, in New York, in Bombay; and each memory, eachillustration,isahammerwithwhichhedriveshomeatruth.Thevastnumberofplaceshehasvisitedandpeoplehehasmet, theinfinite

variety of things his observant eyes have seen, give himhis ceaseless flowofillustrations, and his memory and his skill make admirable use of them. It isseldom that he uses an illustration from what he has read; everything is,characteristically, his own.HenryM.Stanley,whoknewhimwell, referred tohimas“thatdouble-sightedYankee,”whocould“seeataglanceallthereisandallthereeverwas.”Andneverwasthereamanwhososupplementswithpersonalreminiscence

theplace or the person that has figured in the illustration.Whenhe illustrateswith the story of the discovery of California gold at Sutter’s he almostparenthetically remarks, “Idelivered this lectureon thatvery spot a fewyearsago;thatis,inthetownthataroseonthatveryspot.”Andwhenheillustratesbythestoryoftheinventionofthesewing-machine,headds:“Isupposethatifanyofyouwereaskedwhowastheinventorofthesewing-machine,youwouldsaythatitwasEliasHowe.Butthatwouldbeamistake.IwaswithEliasHoweintheCivilWar,andheoftenusedtotellmehowhehadtriedforfourteenyearstoinventthesewing-machineandthatthenhiswife,feelingthatsomethingreallyhadtobedone,inventeditinacoupleofhours.”Listeningtohim,youbegintofeelintouchwitheverybodyandeverything,andinafriendlyandintimateway.Always,whether in thepulpitoron theplatform,as inprivateconversation,

there is an absolute simplicity about the man and his words; a simplicity, anearnestness,acompletehonesty.Andwhenhesetsdown,inhisbookonoratory,

“Amanhasnorighttousewordscarelessly,”hestandsforthatrespectforword-craftsmanshipthateverysuccessfulspeakerorwritermustfeel.“Beintenselyinearnest,”hewrites;andinwritingthishesetsdownaprime

principlenotonlyofhisoratory,butofhislife.A young minister told me that Dr. Conwell once said to him, with deep

feeling,“Alwaysremember,asyoupreach,thatyouarestrivingtosaveatleastonesoulwitheverysermon.”AndtooneofhisclosefriendsDr.Conwellsaid,inoneofhisself-revealingconversations:“Ifeel,wheneverIpreach,thatthereisalwaysonepersoninthecongregation

towhom,inallprobability,Ishallneverpreachagain,andthereforeIfeelthatImustexertmyutmostpowerinthatlastchance.”Andinthis,evenifthiswereall,oneseeswhyeachofhissermonsissoimpressive,andwhyhisenergyneverlags.Always,withhim,isthefeelingthatheisintheworldtodoallthegoodhecanpossiblydo;notamoment,notanopportunity,mustbelost.Themomentherisesandstepstothefrontofhispulpithehastheattentionof

everyone in thebuilding,and thisattentionhecloselyholds tillhe is through.Yetitisneverbyastrikingeffortthatattentionisgained,exceptinsofarthathisuttersimplicityisstriking.“Iwanttopreachsosimplythatyouwillnotthinkitpreaching,butjustthatyouarelisteningtoafriend,”Irememberhissaying,oneSundaymorning,ashebeganhissermon;andthenhewentonjustassimplyassuchhomely,kindly,friendlywordspromised.Andhoweffectively!Hebelieves thateverythingshouldbesoputas tobeunderstoodbyall,and

thisbeliefheappliesnotonlytohispreaching,buttothereadingoftheBible,whosedescriptionshenotonlyvisualizestohimself,butmakesvividlycleartohishearers;andthisoftenmakesforfascinationinresult.Forexample,heisreadingthetenthchapterofISamuel,andbegins,“‘Thou

shaltmeetacompanyofprophets.’”“‘Singers,’itshouldbetranslated,”heputsin,liftinghiseyesfromthepage

andlookingoutoverhispeople.Thenhegoeson,takingthischangeasamatterofcourse,“‘Thoushaltmeetacompanyofsingerscomingdownfromthehighplace—‘”Whereupon he again interrupts himself, and in an irresistible explanatory

aside, which instantly raises the desired picture in themind of every one, hesays:“Thatmeans,fromthelittleoldchurchonthehill,youknow.”Andhowplainandclearandrealandinteresting—mostofall,interesting—itisfromthismoment!Anothermanwouldhaveleftitthatprophetswerecomingdownfroma high place, which would not have seemed at all alive or natural, and here,

suddenly,Conwellhasflashedhispictureofthesingerscomingdownfromthelittleoldchurchonthehill!Thereismagicindoingthatsortofthing.Andhegoeson,nowreading:“‘Thoushaltmeetacompanyofsingerscoming

downfromthe littleoldchurchon thehill,withapsaltery,anda tabret,andapipe,andaharp,andtheyshallsing.’”MusicisoneofConwell’sstrongestaids.Hesingshimself;singsasifhelikes

tosing,andoften findshimself leading thesinging—usuallyso, indeed,at theprayer-meetings,andoften,ineffect,atthechurchservices.Irememberatonechurchservicethatthechoir-leaderwasstandinginfrontof

the massed choir ostensibly leading the singing, but that Conwell himself,standing at the rear of the pulpit platform, with his eyes on his hymn-book,silently swaying a little with themusic and unconsciously beating time as heswayed, was just as unconsciously the real leader, for it was he whom thecongregationwerewatchingandwithhimthattheywerekeepingtime!Heneversuspectedit;hewasmerelythinkingalongwiththemusic;andtherewassuchalook of contagious happiness on his face as made every one in the buildingsimilarly happy.For he possesses amysterious faculty of imbuingotherswithhisownhappiness.Not only singers, but the modern equivalent of psaltery and tabret and

cymbals, all have their place in Dr. Conwell’s scheme of church service; fortheremaybeapiano, and theremayevenbea trombone, and there is agreatorgantohelpthevoices,andattimestherearechimingbells.Hismusicaltasteseemstotendtowardthethunderous—orperhapsitisonlythatheknowstherearetimeswhenpeopleliketohearthethunderousandaremovedbyit.And how the choir themselves like it! They occupy a great curving space

behind the pulpit, and put their hearts into song. And as the congregationdisperseandthechoirfilterdown,sometimestheyarestillsingingandsomeofthemcontinuetosingastheygoslowlyouttowardthedoors.Theyarehappy—Conwellhimselfishappy—allthecongregationarehappy.Hemakeseverybodyfeelhappyincomingtochurch;hemakesthechurchattractivejustasHowellswassolongagotoldthathedidinLexington.And there is something more than happiness; there is a sense of ease, of

comfort,ofgeneraljoy,thatisquiteunmistakable.Thereisnothingofstiffnessor constraint.Andwith it all there is full reverence. It isnowonder thathe isaccustomedtofilleveryseatofthegreatbuilding.His gestures are usually very simple. Now and then, when heworks up to

emphasis,hestrikesonefistinthepalmoftheotherhand.Whenheisthrough

youdonotrememberthathehasmadeanygesturesatall,butthesoundofhisvoice remainswithyou,and the lookofhiswonderfuleyes.And thoughhe ispastthethreescoreyearsandten,helooksoutoverhispeoplewitheyesthatstillhavetheveritablelookofyouth.Like all great men, he not only does big things, but keeps in touch with

myriad details.When his assistant, announcing the funeral of an oldmember,hesitates about the street and number and says that they can be found in thetelephone directory,Dr. Conwell’s deep voice breaks quietly inwith, “Such anumber[givingit],DauphinStreet”—quietly,andinalowtone,yeteveryoneinthechurchhearsdistinctlyeverysyllableofthatlowvoice.His fund of personal anecdote, or personal reminiscence, is constant and

illustrativeinhispreaching,justasitiswhenhelectures,andthereminiscencessweep through many years, and at times are really startling in the vivid andhomelikepicturestheypresentofthefamousfolkofthepastthatheknew.OneSundayeveninghemadeanalmostcasualreferencetothetimewhenhe

firstmetGarfield,thenacandidateforthePresidency.“IaskedMajorMcKinley,whomIhadmetinWashington,andwhosehomewasinnorthernOhio,aswasthat ofMr.Garfield, to gowithme toMr.Garfield’s homeand introduceme.Whenwegotthere,aneighborhadtofindhim.‘Jim!Jim!’hecalled.Yousee,Garfieldwas just plain Jim to his old neighbors. It’s hard to recognize a heroover your back fence!” He paused a moment for the appreciative ripple tosubside,andwenton:“We three talked there together”—what a rare talking thatmust have been-

McKinley,Garfield,andConwell—“wetalkedtogether,andafterawhilewegottothesubjectofhymns,andthosetwogreatmenbothtoldmehowdeeplytheylovedtheoldhymn,‘TheOld-TimeReligion.’Garfieldespeciallylovedit,sohetoldus,becausethegoodoldmanwhobroughthimupasaboyandtowhomheowed such gratitude, used to sing it at the pasture bars outside of the boy’swindoweverymorning,andyoungJimknew,wheneverheheardthatoldtune,that itmeant itwas time forhim togetup.Hesaid thathehadheard thebestconcerts and the finest operas in the world, but had never heard anything helovedashestillloved‘TheOld-TimeReligion.’IforgetwhatreasontherewasforMcKinley’sespeciallylikingit,buthe,asdidGarfield,likeditimmensely.”What followedwasa strikingexampleofConwell’s intentnesson losingno

chancetofixanimpressiononhishearers’minds,andatthesametimeitwasareallyastonishingproofofhispower tomoveandsway.Foranewexpressioncameoverhisface,andhesaid,asiftheideahadonlyatthatmomentoccurredtohim—asitmostprobablyhad—“Ithinkit’sinourhymnal!”Andinamoment

heannouncedthenumber,andthegreatorganstruckup,andeverypersoninthegreat churcheveryman,woman, andchild—joined in the swinging rhythmofverseafterverse,asiftheycouldnevertire,of“TheOld-TimeReligion.”Itisasimplemelody—barelymorethanasinglelineofalmostmonotonemusic:Itwasgoodenoughformotherandit’sgoodenoughforme!

Itwasgoodonthefieryfurnaceandit’sgoodenoughforme!

Thusitwenton,withnever-wearyingiteration,andeachtimewiththerefrain,moreandmorerhythmicandswaying:Theold-timereligion,

Theold-timereligion,

Theold-timereligion—

It’sgoodenoughforme!

ThatitwasgoodfortheHebrewchildren,thatitwasgoodforPaulandSilas,thatitwillhelpyouwhenyou’redying,thatitwillshowthewaytoheaven—alltheseandstillother lineswere sung,witha sortofwailing softness, acuriousmonotone,adepthofearnestness.Andthemanwhohadworkedthismiracleofcontrol by evoking out of the past hismemory of ameetingwith two of thevanishedgreatonesoftheearth,stoodbeforehispeople,leadingthem,singingwiththem,hiseyesaglowwithaninwardlight.Hismagichadsuddenlysettheminto the spirit of the old camp-meeting days, the days of pioneering andhardship,whenreligionmeantsomuchtoeverybody,andeventhosewhoknewnothingofsuchthingsfeltthem,evenifbutvaguely.Everyheartwasmovedandtouched,andthatoldtunewillsinginthememoryofallwhothushearditandsungitaslongastheylive.

V.GIFTFORINSPIRINGOTHERS

THEconstant earnestnessofConwell, hisdesire to let no chance slipbyofhelping a fellowman, puts often into his voice, when he preaches, a note ofeagerness, of anxiety. But when he prays, when he turns to God, his mannerundergoesasubtleandunconsciouschange.Aloadhasslippedoffhisshouldersandhasbeenassumedbyahigherpower. Intohisbearing,dignified though itwas,therecomesanunconsciousincreaseofthedignity.Intohisvoice,firmasitwasbefore, therecomesadeepernoteof firmness.He isapt to flinghisarmswidespreadasheprays,inafinegesturethatheneverusesatothertimes,andhelooksupwardwiththedignityofamanwho,talkingtoahigherbeing,isproudofbeingafriendandconfidant.OnedoesnotneedtobeaChristiantoappreciatethebeautyandfinenessofConwell’sprayers.Heislikelyatanytimetodotheunexpected,andheissogreatamanandhas

suchcontrolthatwhateverhedoesseemstoeverybodyaperfectlynaturalthing.Hissincerityissoevident,andwhateverhedoesisdonesosimplyandnaturally,thatitisjustamatterofcourse.Iremember,duringonechurchservice,whilethesingingwasgoingon, that

hesuddenlyrosefromhischairand,kneelingbesideit,ontheopenpulpit,withhisback to thecongregation, remained in thatposture for severalminutes.Noone thought it strange. I was likely enough the only one who noticed it. Hispeopleareusedtohissincerities.AndthistimeitwasmerelythathehadafewwordstosayquietlytoGodandturnedasideforafewmomentstosaythem.His earnestnessof belief inprayermakeshima firmbeliever in answers to

prayer, and, in fact, to what may be termed the direct interposition ofProvidence.Doubtlessthemysticstraininheritedfromhismotherhasalsomuchtodowith this.Hehas a typically homelywayof expressing it byoneof hisfavoritemaxims,onethathelovestorepeatencouraginglytofriendswhoareindifficulties themselves or who know of the difficulties that are his; and thishearteningmaximis,“TrustinGodanddothenextthing.”AtonetimeintheearlydaysofhischurchworkinPhiladelphiaapaymentof

athousanddollarswasabsolutelyneededtopreventalaw-suitinregardtoadebtforthechurchorgan.Infact, itwasworsethanadebt; itwasanotesignedbyhimself personally, that had become due—he was always ready to assumepersonal liability for debts of his church—and failure tomeet the notewould

meanameasureofdisgraceaswellasmarkedchurchdiscouragement.Hehadtriedallthesourcesthatseemedopentohim,butinvain.Hecouldnot

openlyappealtothechurchmembers,inthiscase,foritwasintheearlydaysofhispastorate,andhiszealfortheorgan,hisdesireanddeterminationtohaveit,asanecessarypartofchurchequipment,hadoutrunthejudgmentofsomeofhisbest friends, including that of the deaconwho had gone toMassachusetts forhim. They had urged a delay till other expenses were met, and he had actedagainsttheiradvice.Hehadtriedsuchfriendsashecould,andhehadtriedprayer.Buttherewas

nosignofaid,whethersupernaturalornatural.And then, literally on the very day onwhich the holder of the notewas to

beginproceedings against him, a check for precisely the neededone thousanddollarscametohim,bymail,fromamanintheWest—amanwhowasatotalstrangertohim.It turnedoutthat theman’ssister,whowasoneoftheTemplemembership, had written to her brother of Dr. Conwell’s work. She knewnothingofanyspecialneedformoney,knewnothingwhateverofanynoteorofthedemandforathousanddollars;shemerelyoutlinedtoherbrotherwhatDr.Conwellwasaccomplishing,andwithsuchenthusiasmthatthebrotheratoncesenttheopportunecheck.Atalatertimethesumoftenthousanddollarswasimportunatelyneeded.It

wasdue,paymenthadbeenpromised.ItwasforsomeoftheconstructionworkoftheTempleUniversitybuildings.Thelastdayhadcome,andConwellandtheveryfewwhoknewof theemergencywere in thedepthsofgloom.Itwas toolargeasumtoaskthechurchpeopletomakeup,fortheywerenotrichandtheyhadalreadybeengiving splendidly,of their slendermeans, for thechurchandthen for theuniversity.Therewasno richman to turn to; themen famous forenormouscharitablegiftshavenever let themselvesbe interested inanyof theworkofRussellConwell.Itwouldbeunkindandgratuitoustosuggestthatithasbeenbecausetheirnamescouldnotbepersonallyattached,orbecausetheworkisofanunpretentiouskindamongunpretentiouspeople;itneedmerelybesaidthatneither theynortheiragentshavecaredtoaid,except thatoneof theveryrichest,whosenameisthemostdistinguishedintheentireworldasagiver,didonce, in response to a strong personal application, give thirty-five hundreddollars, this being the extent of the associationof thewealthywith anyof thevariedConwellwork.So when it was absolutely necessary to have ten thousand dollars the

possibilities of money had been exhausted, whether from congregation orindividuals.

Russell Conwell, in spite of his superb optimism, is also a man of deepdepressions, and this is because of the very fire and fervor of his nature, foralways in such a nature there is a balancing. He believes in success; successmustcome!—successisinitselfalmostareligionwithhim—successforhimselfandforalltheworldwhowilltryforit!Buttherearetimeswhenheissadanddoubtfuloversomeparticularpossibility.Andheintenselybelievesinprayer—faithcanmovemountains;butalwayshebelievesthatitisbetternottowaitforthemountainsthustobemoved,buttogorightoutandgettoworkatmovingthem.And once in awhile there comes a timewhen themountain looms toothreatening,evenafterthebravesteffortsandthedeepesttrust.Suchatimehadcome—theten-thousand-dollardebtwasaloomingmountainthathehadtriedinvaintomove.Hecouldstillpray,andhedid,butitwasoneofthetimeswhenhecouldonlythinkthatsomethinghadgonewrong.Thedeanoftheuniversity,whohasbeencloselyintouchwithallhisworkfor

manyyears, toldmeofhow, inadiscouragementwhichwas themorenotablethrough contrastwithhis usual unfailing courage, he left the executiveofficesforhishome,acoupleofblocksaway.“Hewentawaywitheverything lookingdarkbeforehim. ItwasChristmas-

time, but the very fact of its being Christmas only added to his depression—Christmaswassuchanunnaturaltimeforunhappiness!Butinafewminuteshecameflyingback,radiant,overjoyed,sparklingwithhappiness,wavingaslipofpaperinhishandwhichwasacheckforpreciselytenthousanddollars!Forhehadjustdrawnitoutofanenvelopehandedtohim,ashereachedhome,bythemail-carrier.“And it had come so strangely and so naturally! For the checkwas from a

womanwhowasprofoundlyinterestedinhiswork,andwhohadsentthecheckknowingthatinageneralwayitwasneeded,butwithouttheleastideathattherewas any immediate need. That was eight or nine years ago, but although thedonorwastoldatthetimethatDr.Conwellandallofusweremostgratefulforthegift, itwasnotuntilvery recently that shewas toldhowopportune itwas.AndthechangeitmadeinDr.Conwell!Heisagreatmanformaxims,andallofuswhoareassociatedwithhimknowthatoneofhisfavoritesisthat‘Itwillallcomeoutrightsometime!’Andofcoursewehadarareopportunitytotellhimthatheoughtnevertobediscouraged.Anditissoseldomthatheis!”When the big new church was building the members of the church were

vaguelydisturbedbynoticing,whenthestructurereachedthesecondstory,thatatthatheight,onthesidetowardthevacantandunboughtlandadjoining,therewereseveraldoorsbuiltthatopenedliterallyintonothingbutspace!

When asked about these doors and their purpose,Dr.Conwellwouldmakesome casual reply, generally to the effect that theymight be excellent as fire-escapes.Tonoone,forquiteawhile,didhebroachevenahintofthegreatplanthatwasseethinginhismind,whichwasthatthebuildingsofauniversityweresomedaytostandonthatlandimmediatelyadjoiningthechurch!Atthattimetheuniversity,theTempleUniversityasitisnowcalled,wasnot

evenacollege,althoughitwasprobablycalledacollege.Conwellhadorganizedit, and it consisted of a number of classes and teachers, meeting in highlyinadequate quarters in two little houses.But the imagination ofConwell earlypictured great new buildingswith accommodations for thousands! In time thedreamwasrealized,theimaginationbecameafact,andnowthosesecond-floordoorsactuallyopenfromtheTempleChurchintotheTempleUniversity!Yousee,healways thinksbig!Hedreamsbigdreamsandwinsbigsuccess.

Allhislifehehastalkedandpreachedsuccess,anditisarealandverypracticalbeliefwithhimthatitisjustaseasytodoalargethingasasmallone,and,infact,alittleeasier!Andsohenaturallydoesnotseewhyoneshouldbesatisfiedwiththesmallthingsoflife.“Ifyourroomsarebigthepeoplewillcomeandfillthem,”helikestosay.Thesameeffortthatwinsasmallsuccesswould,rightlydirected,havewonagreatsuccess.“Thinkbigthingsandthendothem!”Mostfavoriteofallmaximswiththismanofmaxims, is“LetPatiencehave

herperfectwork.”Overandoverhelovestosayit,andhisfriendslaughabouthis love for it, and he knows that they do and laughs about it himself. “I tirethemall,”hesays,“fortheyhearmesayiteveryday.”Buthe says it everydaybecause itmeans somuch tohim. It stands, inhis

mind,asaconstantwarningagainstangerorimpatienceorover-haste—faultstowhich his impetuous temperament is prone, though few have ever seen himeitherangryor impatientorhasty, sowelldoesheexerciseself-control.Thosewhohavelongknownhimwellhavesaidtomethattheyhaveneverheardhimcensureanyone;thathisforbearanceandkindnessarewonderful.He is a sensitiveman beneath his composure; he has suffered, and keenly,

whenhehasbeenunjustlyattacked;hefeelspainofthatsortforalongtime,too,foreventhepassingofyearsdoesnotentirelydeadenit.“WhenIhavebeenhurt,orwhenIhavetalkedwithannoyingcranks,Ihave

tried to let Patience have her perfectwork, for those very people, if youhavepatiencewiththem,mayafterwardbeofhelp.”AndhewentontotalkalittleofhisearlyyearsinPhiladelphia,andhesaid,

withsadness,thatithadpainedhimtomeetwithopposition,andthatithadeven

comefromministersofhisowndenomination,forhehadbeensomisunderstoodandmisjudged;but,headded,themomentarysombernesslifting,evenhisbitterenemieshadbeenwonoverwithpatience.I could understand a good deal of what he meant, for one of the Baptist

ministersofPhiladelphiahadsaidtome,withsomeshame,thatatfirst itusedactually to be the case thatwhenDr.Conwellwould enter one of the regularministers’meetings,allwouldholdaloof,notasingleonestepping forward tomeetorgreethim.“And it was all through our jealousy of his success,” said the minister,

vehemently.“Hecametothiscityastranger,andhewoninstantpopularity,andwe couldn’t stand it, and so we pounced upon things that he did that werealtogether unimportant. The rest of uswere so jealous of hiswinning throngsthatwecouldn’tseethegoodinhim.AndithurtDr.Conwellsomuchthatfortenyearshedidnotcometoourconferences.Butallthiswaschangedlongago.Nownoministerissowelcomedasheis,andIdon’tbelievethatthereeverhasbeenasingletimesincehestartedcomingagainthathehasn’tbeenaskedtosaysomethingtous.Wegotoverourjealousylongagoandwealllovehim.”Norisitonlythattheclergymenofhisowndenominationadmirehim,fornot

longago,suchhavingbeenDr.Conwell’striumphinthecityofhisadoption,therector of themost powerful and aristocratic church inPhiladelphia voluntarilypaidloftytributetohisaimsandability,hisworkandhispersonalworth.“Heisan inspiration to his brothers in the ministry of Jesus Christ,” so thisEpiscopalianrectorwrote.“Heisafriendtoallthatisgood,afoetoallthatisevil,astrengthtotheweak,acomfortertothesorrowing,amanofGod.Thesewordscomefromtheheartofonewholoves,honors,andreverenceshimforhischaracterandhisdeeds.”Dr.Conwell did some beautiful and unusual things in his church, instituted

some beautiful and unusual customs, and one can see how narrow and hastycriticisms charged him, long ago, with sensationalism—charges long sinceforgottenexceptthroughthehurtstillfeltbyDr.Conwellhimself.“Theyusedtochargemewithmakingacircusofthechurch—asifitwerepossibleformetomakeacircusofthechurch!”Andhistonewasoneofgrievedamazementafteralltheseyears.But he was original and he was popular, and therefore there were

misunderstanding and jealousy. His Easter services, for example, years ago,becamewidelytalkedofandeagerlyanticipatedbecauseeachsermonwouldbewroughtaroundsomefinesymbol;andhewouldholdinhishand,inthepulpit,thebluerobin’segg,orthewhitedove,orthestemoflilies,orwhateverhehad

chosenastheparticularsymbolfortheparticularsermon,andthatsymbolwouldgive him the central thought for his discourse, accented as itwould be by theactualsymbolitselfinviewofthecongregation.Thecrosslightedbyelectricity,toshinedownoverthebaptismalpool,thelittlestreamofwatercascadinggentlydownthestepsofthepoolduringthebaptismalrite,therosesfloatinginthepoolandhisgiftofoneofthemtoeachofthebaptizedasheorsheleftthewater—allsuch things did seem, long ago, so unconventional. Yet his own peoplerecognized the beauty and poetry of them, and thousands of Bibles inPhiladelphiahaveabaptismalrosefromDr.Conwellpressedwithinthepages.Hisconstantindividualityofmind,hisconstantfreshness,alertness,brilliancy,

warmth,sympathy,endearhimtohiscongregation,andwhenhereturnsfromanabsence theybubbleandeffervesceoverhimas ifhewere somebrilliantnewpreacher just come to them. He is always new to them. Were it not that hepossessessomeremarkablequalityofcharmhewouldlongagohavebecome,sotospeak,anoldstory,butinsteadofthatheistothemanalwaysnewstory,analwaysentertaininganddelightfulstory,afteralltheseyears.Itisnotonlythattheystillthrongtohearhimeitherpreachorlecture,though

that itselfwouldbenoticeable,but it is thedelightfulanddelightedspiritwithwhichtheydoit.Just theothereveningIheardhimlectureinhisownchurch,justafterhisreturnfromanabsence,andeveryfacebeamedhappilyupathimtowelcomehimback,andeveryonelistenedasintentlytohiseverywordasifhehad never been heard there before; and when the lecture was over a hugebouquetof flowerswashandedup tohim,andsomeoneembarrassedlysaidafewwordsaboutitsbeingbecausehewashomeagain.Itwasallasifhehadjustreturnedfromanabsenceofmonths—andhehadbeenawayjustfiveandahalfdays!

VI.MILLIONSOFHEARERS

THATConwellisnotprimarilyaminister—thatheisaministerbecauseheisasincereChristian,but thathe is firstofallanAbouBenAdhem,amanwholoveshisfellow-men,becomesmoreandmoreapparentasthescopeofhislife-work is recognized. One almost comes to think that his pastorate of a greatchurchisevenaminormatterbesidethecombinedimportanceofhiseducationalwork,hislecturework,hishospitalwork,hisworkingeneralasahelpertothosewhoneedhelp.Formyownpart,Ishouldsaythatheis likesomeof theold-timeprophets,

the strong ones who found a great deal to attend to in addition tomatters ofreligion. The power, the ruggedness, the physical and mental strength, thepositivegrandeurof theman—all theseare like thegeneralconceptionsof thebigOldTestamentprophets.Thesuggestion isgivenonlybecause ithasoftenrecurred, and therefore with the feeling that there is something more thanfanciful in the com-parison; and yet, after all, the comparison fails in oneimportant particular, for none of the prophets seems to have had a sense ofhumor!It is perhapsbetter andmore accurate todescribehimas the last of theold

schoolofAmericanphilosophers,thelastofthosesturdy-bodied,high-thinking,achievingmenwho,intheolddays,didtheirbesttosetAmericanhumanityinthe right path—such men as Emerson, Alcott, Gough, Wendell Phillips,Garrison,BayardTaylor,Beecher;menwhomConwellknewandadmiredinthelongago,andallofwhomhavelongsincepassedaway.AndConwell, inhisgoingupanddownthecountry, inspiringhisthousands

andthousands, is thesurvivorof thatold-timegroupwhousedto travelabout,dispensingwitandwisdomandphilosophyandcouragetothecrowdedbenchesofcountrylyceums,andthechairsofschool-housesandtownhalls,orthelargerandmorepretentiousgathering-placesofthecities.Conwellhimselfisamusedtorememberthathewantedtotalkinpublicfrom

his boyhood, and that very early he began to yield to the inborn impulse.Helaughsasheremembersthevarietyofcountryfairsandschoolcommencementsand anniversaries and even sewing-circleswherehe triedhis youthful powers,and all for experience alone, in the first fewyears, except possibly for such athing as a ham or a jack-knife! The first money that he ever received for

speakingwas,soherememberswithglee,seventy-fivecents;andeventhatwasnot for his talk, but for horse hire! But at the same time there is more thanamusement in recalling these experiences, for he knows that they wereinvaluabletohimastraining.AndforoverhalfacenturyhehasaffectionatelyrememberedJohnB.Gough,who,intheheightofhisownpowerandsuccess,saw resolution and possibilities in the ardent young hill-man, and actually didhimthekindnessandthehonorofintroducinghimtoanaudienceinoneoftheMassachusettstowns;anditwasreallyagreatkindnessandagreathonor,fromamanwhohadwonhisfametoayoungmanjustbeginninganoratoricalcareer.Conwell’s lecturing has been, considering everything, the most important

workofhislife,forbyithehascomeintoclosetouchwithsomanymillions—literallymillions!—ofpeople.Iaskedhimonceifhehadanyideahowmanyhehadtalkedtointhecourse

of his career, and he tried to estimate how many thousands of times he hadlectured,and theaverageattendanceforeach,butdesistedwhenhesawthat itran intomillions of hearers.What amarvel is such a fact as that!Millions ofhearers!Iaskedthesamequestionofhisprivatesecretary,andfoundthatnoonehad

everkeptanysortofrecord;butascarefulanestimateascouldbemadegaveaconservativeresultoffullyeightmillionhearersforhislectures;andaddingthenumber towhomhehaspreached,whohavebeenover fivemillion, there isatotalofwelloverthirteenmillionwhohavelistenedtoRussellConwell’svoice!Andthisstaggeringtotalis,ifanything,anunderestimate.Thefiguringwasdonecautiouslyandwasbaseduponsuchfactsasthathenowaddressesanaverageofoverforty-fivehundredathisSundayservices(anaveragethatwouldbehigherwere it not that his sermons in vacation time are usually delivered in littlechurches; when at home, at the Temple, he addresses three meetings everySunday),andthathelecturesthroughouttheentirecourseofeachyear,includingsixnightsaweekoflecturingduringvacation-time.Whatapoweriswieldedbyamanwhohas heldover thirteenmillionpeople under the spell of his voice!Probablynoothermanwhoeverlivedhadsuchatotalofhearers.Andthetotalissteadilymounting,forheisamanwhohasneverknownthemeaningofrest.IthinkitalmostcertainthatDr.Conwellhasneverspokentoanyoneofwhat,

tome,isthefinestpointofhislecture-work,andthatisthathestillgoesgladlyandforsmallfeestothesmalltownsthatarenevervisitedbyothermenofgreatreputation.He knows that it is the little places, the out-of-the-way places, thesubmergedplaces,thatmostneedapleasureandastimulus,andhestillgoesout,manofwelloverseventy thathe is, to tinytownsindistantstates,heedlessof

thediscomfortsoftraveling,ofthepoorlittlehotelsthatseldomhavevisitors,oftheoftentimeshopelesscookingandtheuncleanliness,ofthehardshipsandthediscomforts, of the unventilated and overheated or underheated halls.He doesnotthinkofclaimingtherelaxationearnedbyalifetimeoflabor,or,ifheeverdoes, the thought of the sword of John Ring restores instantly his fervidearnestness.Howhedoesit,howhecanpossiblykeepitup,isthegreatestmarvelofall.I

have beforeme a list of his engagements for the summerweeks of this year,1915,andIshallsetitdownbecauseitwillspecificallyshow,farmoreclearlythangeneralstatements,thekindofworkhedoes.Thelististheitineraryofhisvacation. Vacation! Lecturing every evening but Sunday, and on Sundayspreachinginthetownwherehehappenstobe!June24Ackley,Ia.July11*Brookings,S.D.

“25Waterloo,Ia.“12Pipestone,Minn.

“26Decorah,Ia.“13Hawarden,Ia.

“27*Waukon,Ia.“14Canton,S.D

“28RedWing,Minn.“15Cherokee,Ia

“29RiverFalls,Wis.“16Pocahontas,Ia

“30Northfield,Minn.“17Glidden,Ia.

July1Faribault,Minn.“18*Boone,Ia.

“2SpringValley,Minn.“19Dexter,Ia.

“3BlueEarth,Minn.“20Indianola,Ia

“4*Fairmount,Minn.“21Corydon,Ia

“5LakeCrystal,Minn.“22Essex,Ia.

“6RedwoodFalls,“23Sidney,Ia.

Minn.“24FallsCity,Nebr.

“7Willmer,Minn.“25*Hiawatha,Kan.

“8Dawson,Minn.“26Frankfort,Kan.

“9Redfield,S.D.“27Greenleaf,Kan.

“10Huron,S.D.“28Osborne,Kan.

July29Stockton,Kan.Aug.14Honesdale,Pa.

“30Phillipsburg,Kan.“15*Honesdale,Pa.

“31Mankato,Kan.“16Carbondale,Pa.

Enroutetonextdateon“17Montrose,Pa.

circuit.“18Tunkhannock,Pa.

Aug.3Westfield,Pa.“19Nanticoke,Pa.

“4Galston,Pa.“20Stroudsburg,Pa.

“5PortAlleghany,Pa.“21Newton,N.J.

“6Wellsville,N.Y.“22*Newton,N.J.

“7Bath,N.Y.“23Hackettstown,N.J.

“8*Bath,N.Y.“24NewHope,Pa.

“9PennYan,N.Y.“25Doylestown,Pa.

“10Athens,N.Y.“26Phoenixville,Pa.

“11Owego,N.Y.“27Kennett,Pa.

“12Patchogue,LI.,N.Y.“28Oxford,Pa.

“13PortJervis,N.Y.“29*Oxford,Pa.

*PreachonSunday.

Andallthesehardships,allthistravelingandlecturing,whichwouldtesttheendurance of the youngest and strongest, this man of over seventy assumeswithoutreceivingaparticleofpersonalgain,foreverydollarthathemakesbyitisgivenawayinhelpingthosewhoneedhelping.

That Dr. Conwell is intensely modest is one of the curious features of hischaracter.Hesincerelybelievesthattowritehislifewouldbe,inthemain,justto tell what people have done for him. He knows and admits that he worksunweariedly, but in profound sincerity he ascribes the success of his plans tothosewhohave secondedandassistedhim. It is in just thisway thathe looksupon every phase of his life.When he is reminded of the devotion of his oldsoldiers,heremembersitonlywithasortofpleasedwonderthattheygavethedevotiontohim,andhequiteforgetsthattheylovedhimbecausehewasalwaysreadytosacrificeeaseorriskhisownlifeforthem.Hedeprecatespraise; if anyone likeshim, the likingneednot be shown in

words, but in helping along a goodwork. That his church has succeeded hasbeenbecauseofthedevotionofthepeople;thattheuniversityhassucceededisbecauseofthesplendidworkoftheteachersandpupils;thatthehospitalshavedonesomuchhasbeenbecauseofthenobleservicesofphysiciansandnurses.Tohim,ashehimselfexpressesit,realizingthatsuccesshascometohisplans,itseemsasiftherealitiesarebutdreams.Heisastonishedbyhisownsuccess.Hethinks mainly of his own shortcomings. “God and man have ever been verypatient withme.” His depression is at times profound when he compares theactual resultswithwhat hewould like them to be, for always his hopes havegone soaring far in advance of achievement. It is the “Hitch your chariot to astar"idea.His modesty goes hand-in-hand with kindliness, and I have seen him let

himselfbeintroducedinhisownchurchtohiscongregation,whenheisgoingtodeliveralecturethere,justbecauseaformerpupiloftheuniversitywaspresentwho,Conwellknew,wasambitioustosaysomethinginsideoftheTemplewalls,andthisseemedtobetheonlyopportunity.Ihavenoticed,whenhetravels,thatthefaceofthenewsboybrightensashe

buys a paper from him, that the porter is all happiness, that conductor andbrakemanaredevotedlyanxioustobeofaid.Everywherethemanwinslove.Heloveshumanityandhumanityrespondstothelove.Hehasalwayswontheaffectionofthosewhoknewhim,andBayardTaylor

was one of the many; he and Bayard Taylor loved each other for longacquaintanceandfellowexperiencesasworld-widetravelers,backintheyearswhen comparatively few Americans visited the Nile and the Orient, or evenEurope.WhenTaylordiedtherewasamemorialserviceinBostonatwhichConwell

wasaskedtopreside,and,ashewishedforsomethingmorethanaddresses,hewent toLongfellowandaskedhim towriteand readapoemfor theoccasion.

Longfellowhadnotthoughtofwritinganything,andhewastooilltobepresentat theservices,but, therealwaysbeingsomethingcontagiously inspiringaboutRussellConwellwhenhewishessomethingtobedone,thepoetpromisedtodowhathecould.Andhewroteandsentthebeautifullinesbeginning:Deadhelayamonghisbooks,

ThepeaceofGodwasinhislooks.

Manymen of letters, including RalphWaldo Emerson, were present at theservices,andDr.ConwellinducedOliverWendellHolmestoreadthelines,andtheywerelistenedtoamidprofoundsilence,totheirfineending.Conwell,inspiteofhiswidespreadholdonmillionsofpeople,hasneverwon

fame, recognition, general renown, compared with many men of minorachievements.Thisseemslikeanimpossibility.Yetitisnotanimpossibility,buta fact.Greatnumbersofmenofeducationandcultureareentirely ignorantofhimandhisworkintheworld—men,these,whodeemthemselvesintouchwithworld-affairsandwiththeoneswhomakeandmovetheworld.Itisinexplicable,this, except that never was there a man more devoid of the faculty of self-exploitation,self-advertising,thanRussellConwell.Nor,inthemerereadingofthem,dohiswordsappealwithanythingliketheforceofthesamewordsutteredby himself, for always, with his spokenwords, is his personality. Those whohaveheardRussellConwell,orhaveknownhimpersonally,recognizethecharmofthemanandhisimmenseforcefulness;buttherearemany,andamongthemthosewho control publicity through books and newspapers,who, though theyoughttobethewarmestintheirenthusiasm,haveneverfeltdrawntohearhim,and,iftheyknowofhimatall,thinkofhimasonewhopleasesinasimplewaythecommonerfolk,forgettingintheirpridethateveryreallygreatmanpleasesthe common ones, and that simplicity and directness are attributes of realgreatness.But Russell Conwell has alwayswon the admiration of the really great, as

wellasofthehumblermillions.Itisonlyasupposedlyculturedclassinbetweenthatisnotthoroughlyacquaintedwithwhathehasdone.Perhaps, too, this is owing to his having cast in his lotwith the city, of all

cities, which, consciously or unconsciously, looks most closely to family andplace of residence as criterions of merit—a city with which it is almostimpossibleforastranger tobecomeaffiliated—oraphiladelphiated,as itmightbeexpressed—andPhiladelphia, in spiteof all thatDr.Conwellhasdone,hasbeenunderthethrallofthefactthathewentnorthofMarketStreet—thatfatalfact understoodby allwhoknowPhiladelphia—and that hemadeno effort tomake friends in Rittenhouse Square. Such considerations seem absurd in this

twentiethcentury,butinPhiladelphiatheyarestillpotent.TensofthousandsofPhiladelphians love him, and he is honored by its greatestmen, but there is aclass of the pseudo-culturedwho do not know him or appreciate him.And itneedsalsotobeunderstoodthat,outsideofhisownbelovedTemple,hewouldprefertogotoalittlechurchoralittlehallandtospeaktotheforgottenpeople,in the hope of encouraging and inspiring them and filling themwith hopefulglow,ratherthantospeaktotherichandcomfortable.Hisdearesthope,sooneofthefewwhoareclosetohimtoldme,isthatno

one shall come into his life without being benefited. He does not say thispublicly, nor does he for a moment believe that such a hope could be fullyrealized,butitisverydeartohisheart;andnomanspurredbysuchahope,andthus bending all his thoughts toward the poor, the hard-working, theunsuccessful, is in away towin honor from the Scribes; forwe haveScribesnowquiteasmuchaswhentheywereclassedwithPharisees.Itisnotthefirsttime in theworld’shistory thatScribeshave failed togive their recognition toonewhoseworkwasnotamongthegreatandwealthy.ThatConwellhimselfhasseldomtakenanypartwhateverinpoliticsexceptas

agoodcitizenstandingforgoodgovernment; that,asheexpresses it,heneverheldanypoliticalofficeexceptthathewasonceonaschoolcommittee,andalsothathedoesnotidentifyhimselfwiththeso-called“movements”thatfromtimeto time catch public attention, but aims only and constantly at the quietbettermentofmankind,maybementionedasadditional reasonswhyhisnameandfamehavenotbeensteadilyblazoned.Heknowsandwilladmitthatheworkshardandhasallhislifeworkedhard.

“Things keep turning my way because I’m on the job,” as he whimsicallyexpresseditoneday;butthatisaboutall,soitseemstohim.Andhesincerelybelievesthathislifehasinitselfbeenwithoutinterest;thatit

hasbeenanessentiallycommonplacelifewithnothingoftheinterestingortheeventful to tell. He is frankly surprised that there has ever been the desire towriteabouthim.Hereallyhasnoideaofhowfascinatingarethethingshehasdone. His entire life has been of positive interest from the variety of thingsaccomplishedandtheunexpectednesswithwhichhehasaccomplishedthem.Never, for example, was there such an organizer. In fact, organization and

leadershiphavealwaysbeenasthebreathoflifetohim.Asayouthheorganizeddebating societies and, before the war, a local military company. While ongarrisonduty in theCivilWarheorganizedwhat isbelieved tohavebeen thefirst free school for colored children in the South. One day Minneapolishappened to be spoken of, and Conwell happened to remember that he

organized,whenhewas a lawyer in that city,whatbecame the firstY.M.C.A.branch there. Once he even started a newspaper. And it was natural that theorganizing instinct, as years advanced, should lead him to greater and greaterthings,suchashischurch,withthenumerousassociationsformedwithinitselfthroughhisinfluence,andtheuniversity—theorganizingoftheuniversitybeinginitselfanachievementofpositiveromance.“Alifewithout interest!”Why,whenIhappenedtoask,oneday,howmany

Presidents he had known sinceLincoln, he replied, quite casually, that he had“written the livesofmostof them in their ownhomes”; andby thishemeanteitherpersonallyorincollaborationwiththeAmericanbiographerAbbott.Themany-sidednessofConwellisoneofthethingsthatisalwaysfascinating.

After you have quite got the feeling that he is peculiarly a man of to-day,lecturingonto-day’spossibilitiestothepeopleofto-day,youhappenuponsomesuchfactasthatheattractedtheattentionoftheLondonTimesthroughalectureonItalianhistoryatCambridgeinEngland;orthatontheeveningofthedayonwhichhewasadmittedtopracticeintheSupremeCourtoftheUnitedStateshegave a lecture inWashington on “TheCurriculum of the Prophets inAncientIsrael.”Theman’slifeisasuccessionofdelightfulsurprises.Anoddtraitofhischaracterishisloveforfire.Hecouldeasilyhavebeena

veritablefire-worshiperinsteadofanorthodoxChristian!Hehasalwayslovedablaze, and he says reminiscently that for no single thing was he punished somuch when he was a child as for building bonfires. And after securingpossession, ashedid inmiddleage,of thehousewherehewasbornandofagreatacreagearoundabout,hehadoneofthemostenjoyabletimesofhislifeintearingdownoldbuildingsthatneededtobedestroyedandinheapingupfallentreesand rubbishand inpilinggreatheapsofwoodandsetting thegreatpilesablaze.Yousee,thereisoneofthesecretsofhisstrength—hehasneverlostthecapacityforfieryenthusiasm!Always,too,intheselateryearsheisshowinghisstrengthandenthusiasmin

apositivelynobleway.Hehasforyearsbeenakeensuffererfromrheumatismandneuritis,buthehasneverpermittedthistointerferewithhisworkorplans.Hemakeslittleofhissufferings,andwhenheslowlymakeshisway,bentandtwisted,downstairs,hedoesnotwanttobenoticed.“I’mallright,”hewillsayifany one offers to help, and at such a time comes his nearest approach toimpatience.Hewantshissufferingignored.Strengthhasalwaysbeentohimsopreciousabelongingthathewillnotrelinquishitwhilehelives.“I’mallright!”Andhemakeshimselfbelievethatheisallrighteventhoughthepainbecomesso severe as to demandmassage. And hewill still, evenwhen suffering, talk

calmly,orwritehisletters,orattendtowhatevermatterscomebeforehim.ItistheSpartanboyhiding thepainof thegnawingfox.Andheneverhas letpaininterferewithhispresenceonthepulpitortheplatform.Hehasonceinawhilegone to ameeting on crutches and then, by the force ofwill, and inspired bywhathe is todo,has stoodbeforehis audienceorcongregation, aman fullofstrengthandfireandlife.

VII.HOWAUNIVERSITYWASFOUNDED

THEstoryofthefoundationandriseofTempleUniversityisanextraordinarystory;itisnotonlyextraordinary,butinspiring;itisnotonlyinspiring,butfullofromance.Fortheuniversitycameoutofnothing!—nothingbuttheneedofayoungman

and the fact that he told theneed to onewho, throughout his life, has felt theimpulsetohelpanyoneinneedandhasalwaysobeyedtheimpulse.IaskedDr.Conwell,upathishomeintheBerkshires,totellmehimselfjust

howtheuniversitybegan,andhesaid that itbeganbecause itwasneededandsucceeded because of the loyal work of the teachers. And when I asked fordetailshewassilentforawhile,lookingoffintothebroodingtwilightasitlayoverthewatersandthetreesandthehills,andthenhesaid:“It was all so simple; it all came about so naturally. One evening, after a

service, a youngman of the congregation came tome and I saw that hewasdisturbedaboutsomething.Ihadhimsitdownbyme,andIknewthatinafewmomentshewouldtellmewhatwastroublinghim.“‘Dr. Conwell,’ he said, abruptly, ‘I earn but little money, and I see no

immediatechanceof earningmore. Ihave to supportnotonlymyself,butmymother.Itleavesnothingatall.Yetmylongingistobeaminister.Itistheoneambitionofmylife.IsthereanythingthatIcando?’“‘Anyman,’ I said tohim, ‘with theproperdeterminationandambitioncan

studysufficientlyatnighttowinhisdesire.’“‘Ihavetriedtothinkso,’saidhe,‘butIhavenotbeenabletoseeanything

clearly.Iwanttostudy,andamreadytogiveeveryspareminutetoit,butIdon’tknowhowtogetatit.’“Ithoughtafewminutes,asIlookedathim.Hewasstronginhisdesireand

inhisambitiontofulfilit—strongenough,physicallyandmentally,forworkofthebodyandofthemind—andheneededsomethingmorethangeneralizationsofsympathy.“‘Come tomeoneeveningaweekand Iwill begin teachingyoumyself,’ I

said, ‘and at least you will in that way make a beginning’; and I named theevening.“Hisfacebrightenedandheeagerlysaidthathewouldcome,andleftme;but

inalittlewhilehecamehurryingbackagain.‘MayIbringafriendwithme?’hesaid.“Itoldhimtobringasmanyashewantedto,formorethanonewouldbean

advantage,andwhentheeveningcamethereweresixfriendswithhim.AndthatfirsteveningIbegantoteachthemthefoundationsofLatin.”Hestoppedasifthestorywasover.Hewaslookingoutthoughtfullyintothe

waning light, and I knew that his mind was busy with those days of thebeginningoftheinstitutionhesoloves,andwhosecontinuedsuccessmeanssomuchtohim.Inalittlewhilehewenton:“That was the beginning of it, and there is little more to tell. By the third

eveningthenumberofpupilshadincreasedtoforty;othersjoinedinhelpingme,and a room was hired; then a little house, then a second house. From a fewstudentsandteacherswebecameacollege.Afterawhileourbuildingswentupon Broad Street alongside the Temple Church, and after another while webecame a university. From the first our aim”—(I noticed how quickly it hadbecome“our” insteadof“my”)—“ouraimwas togiveeducation to thosewhowereunabletogetitthroughtheusualchannels.Andsothatwasreallyalltherewastoit.”ThatwastypicalofRussellConwell—totellwithbrevityofwhathehasdone,

topointout thebeginningsofsomething,andquiteomit toelaborateas to theresults.Andthat,whenyoucometoknowhim,ispreciselywhathemeansyoutounderstand—thatitisthebeginningofanythingthatisimportant,andthatifathingisbutearnestlybegunandsetgoingintherightwayitmayjustaseasilydevelopbigresultsaslittleresults.Buthisstorywasveryfarindeedfrombeing“alltherewastoit,”forhehad

quite omitted to state the extraordinary fact that, beginning with those sevenpupils,comingtohislibraryonaneveningin1884,theTempleUniversityhasnumbered, up to Commencement-time in 1915, 88,821 students! Nearly onehundred thousand students, and in the lifetime of the founder! Really, themagnitudeofsuchaworkcannotbeexaggerated,northevastimportanceofitwhen it is considered thatmost of these eighty-eight thousand studentswouldnothavereceivedtheireducationhaditnotbeenforTempleUniversity.Anditall came from the instant response ofRussell Conwell to the immediate needpresentedbyayoungmanwithoutmoney!“AndthereissomethingelseIwanttosay,”saidDr.Conwell,unexpectedly.

“Iwant to say,more fully than amere casualword, hownobly theworkwastakenupbyvolunteerhelpers; professors from theUniversityofPennsylvania

andteachersfromthepublicschoolsandother local institutionsgavefreelyofwhattimetheycoulduntilthenewventurewasfirmlyonitsway.Ihonorthosewhocamesodevotedlytohelp.Anditshouldberememberedthatinthoseearlydaystheneedwasevengreaterthanitwouldnowappear,fortherewerethennonightschoolsormanual-trainingschools.SincethenthecityofPhiladelphiahasgoneintosuchwork,andasfastasithastakenupcertainbranchestheTempleUniversityhasputitsenergyintothebranchesjusthigher.Andthereseemsnolesseningoftheneedofit,”headded,ponderingly.No;thereiscertainlynolesseningoftheneedofit!Thefiguresoftheannual

cataloguewouldaloneshowthat.Asearlyas1887,justthreeyearsafterthebeginning,theTempleCollege,asit

wasby that timecalled, issued its first catalogue,which set forthwith stirringwordsthattheintentofitsfoundingwasto:“Providesuch instructionasshallbebestadapted to thehighereducationof

thosewhoarecompelledtolaborattheirtradewhileengagedinstudy.“Cultivateatasteforthehigherandmostusefulbranchesoflearning.“Awaken in the character of young laboringmen andwomen a determined

ambitiontobeusefultotheirfellow-men.”The college—the university as it in time came to be—early broadened its

scope,butithasfromthefirstcontinuedtoaimattheneedsofthoseunabletosecureeducationwithoutsuchhelpas,throughitsmethods,itaffords.Itwas chartered in1888, atwhich time its numbershad reached almost six

hundred, and it has ever since had a constant flood of applicants. “It hasdemonstrated,” asDr.Conwell puts it, “that thosewhowork for a livinghavetime for study.” And he, though he does not himself add this, has given theopportunity.He feels especial pride in the features bywhich lectures and recitations are

heldatpracticallyanyhourwhichbestsuitstheconvenienceofthestudents.Ifanytenstudentsjoininarequestforanyhourfromnineinthemorningtotenatnight a class is arranged for them, to meet that request! This involves thenecessity for a much larger number of professors and teachers than wouldotherwisebenecessary,butthatisdeemedaslightconsiderationincomparisonwiththeimmensegooddonebymeetingtheneedsofworkers.AlsoPresidentConwell—forofcourseheisthepresidentoftheuniversity—

is proud of the fact that the privilege of graduation depends entirely uponknowledgegained;thatgraduationdoesnotdependuponhavinglistenedtoanysetnumberoflecturesoruponhavingattendedforsomanytermsoryears.Ifa

studentcandofouryears’workintwoyearsorinthreeheisencouragedtodoit,andifhecannotevendoitinfourhecanhavenodiploma.Obviously,thereisnoplaceatTempleUniversityforstudentswhocareonly

forafewyearsofleisuredease.Itisaplaceforworkers,andnotatallforthosewhomerelywishtobeabletoboastthattheyattendedauniversity.Thestudentshave come largely from among railroad clerks, bank clerks, bookkeepers,teachers, preachers, mechanics, salesmen, drug clerks, city and United Statesgovernment employees, widows, nurses, housekeepers, brakemen, firemen,engineers,motormen,conductors,andshophands.Itwaswhenthecollegebecamestrongenough,andsufficientlyadvancedin

scholarship and standing, and broad enough in scope, to win the name ofuniversitythatthistitlewasofficiallygrantedtoitbytheStateofPennsylvania,in1907,andnowitseducationalplanincludesthreedistinctschoolsystems.First: itoffersahigh-schooleducation to thestudentwhohas toquitschool

afterleavingthegrammar-school.Second: it offers a full college education,with the branches taught in long-

established high-grade colleges, to the studentwho has to quit on leaving thehigh-school.Third: it offers further scientific or professional education to the college

graduatewhomustgotoworkimmediatelyonquittingcollege,butwhowishestotakeupsomesuchcourseaslawormedicineorengineering.Out of last year’s enrolment of 3,654 it is interesting to notice that the law

claimed 141; theology, 182; medicine and pharmacy and dentistry combined,357;civilengineering,37;alsothattheteachers’college,withnormalcoursesonsuch subjects as household arts and science, kindergarten work, and physicaleducation,took174;andstillmoreinteresting,inaway,toseethat269studentswere enrolled for the technical and vocational courses, such as cooking anddress-making, millinery, manual crafts, school-gardening, and story-telling.Therewere 511 in high-schoolwork, and 243 in elementary education. Therewere79studyingmusic,and68studyingtobetrainednurses.Therewere606inthe college of liberal arts and sciences, and in the department of commercialeducationtherewere987—foritisauniversitythatoffersbothscholarshipandpracticality.TempleUniversityisnotintheleastacharitableinstitution.Itsfeesarelow,

anditshoursarefortheconvenienceofthestudentsthemselves,butitisaplaceofabsolute independence. It is, indeed,aplaceof fargreater independence,sooneof theprofessorspointedout, thanare thegreatuniversitieswhich receive

millionsandmillionsofmoneyinprivategiftsandendowments.TempleUniversity in itsearlyyearswassorely inneedofmoney,andoften

therewerethrillsofexpectancywhensomemanofmightywealthseemedonthepointofgiving.Butnotasingleoneeverdid,andnowtheTemplelikestofeelthat it isgladof it.TheTemple, toquote itsownwords, is“An institution forstrongmenandwomenwhocanlaborwithbothmindandbody.”Andthemanagementisproudtobeabletosaythat,althoughgreatnumbers

have come fromdistant places, “not oneof themany thousands ever failed tofindanopportunitytosupporthimself.”Evenin theearlydays,whenmoneywasneededfor thenecessarybuildings

(thebuildingsofwhichConwelldreamedwhenheleftsecond-storydoorsinhischurch!), the university—college it was then called—had won devotion fromthosewhoknewthatitwasaplacewhereneithertimenormoneywaswasted,andwhere idlenesswasacrime,and in thedonationsfor theworkweremanysuch items as four hundred dollars from factory-workerswho gave fifty centseach,andtwothousanddollarsfrompolicemenwhogaveadollareach.WithintwoorthreeyearspasttheStateofPennsylvaniahasbegungivingitalargesumannually, and this state aid is public recognition of Temple University as aninstitutionof highpublic value.The statemoney is invested in the brains andheartsoftheambitious.So eager isDr.Conwell to place the opportunity of education before every

one,thatevenhisservantsmustgotoschool!Heisnotoneofthosewhocanseeneeds that are far away but not those that are right at home. His belief ineducation,andinthehighestattainableeducation,isprofound,anditisnotonlyon account of the abstract pleasure and value of education, but its power ofincreasingactualearningpowerandthusmakingaworkerofmorevaluetobothhimselfandthecommunity.Manyamanandmanyawoman,whilecontinuingtoworkforsomefirmor

factory,hastakenTempletechnicalcoursesandthusfittedhimselforherselfforanadvancedpositionwiththesameemployer.TheTempleknowsofmanysuch,who have thus won prominent advancement. And it knows of teachers who,whilecontinuingtoteach,havefittedthemselvesthroughtheTemplecoursesforprofessorships.AnditknowsofmanyacaseoftheriseofaTemplestudentthatreads like an Arabian Nights’ fancy!—of advance from bookkeeper to editor,fromoffice-boytobankpresident,fromkitchenmaidtoschoolprincipal,fromstreet-cleanertomayor!TheTempleUniversityhelpsthemthathelpthemselves.President Conwell toldme personally of one case that especially interested

himbecause it seemed to exhibit, in especial degree, theTemple possibilities;and it particularly interested me because it also showed, in high degree, themethodsandpersonalityofDr.Conwellhimself.Onedayayoungwomancametohimandsaidsheearnedonlythreedollarsa

weekandthatshedesiredverymuchtomakemore.“Canyoutellmehowtodoit?”shesaid.Helikedherambitionandherdirectness,buttherewassomethingthathefelt

doubtfulabout,andthatwasthatherhatlookedtooexpensiveforthreedollarsaweek!NowDr.Conwellisamanwhomyouwouldneversuspectofgivingathought

to thehatofmanorwoman!Butasamatterof fact there isvery little thathedoesnotsee.But though the hat seemed too expensive for three dollars a week, Dr.

Conwell isnotamanwhomakessnap-judgmentsharshly,and inparticularhewouldbethelastmantoturnawayhastilyonewhohadsoughthimoutforhelp.Heneverfelt,norcouldpossiblyurgeuponanyone,contentmentwithahumblelot; he stands for advancement; he has no sympathy with that dictum of thesmug,thathascometousfromanationtightboundforcenturiesbyitsgentryandaristocracy,aboutbeingcontentedwiththepositioninwhichGodhasplacedyou,forhepointsoutthattheBibleitselfholdsupadvancementandsuccessasthingsdesirable.And, as to the young woman before him, it developed, through discreet

inquiryveiledbyfrankdiscussionofhercase,thatshehadmadetheexpensive-looking hat herself! Whereupon not only did all doubtfulness and hesitationvanish,buthesawatoncehowshecouldbetterherself.Heknewthatawomanwhocouldmakeahatlikethatforherselfcouldmakehatsforotherpeople,andso,“Gointomillineryasabusiness,”headvised.“Oh—if I only could!” she exclaimed. “But I know that I don’t know

enough.”“TakethemillinerycourseinTempleUniversity,”heresponded.Shehadnotevenheardofsuchacourse,andwhenhewentontoexplainhow

she could take it and at the same time continue at her presentwork until thecoursewasconcluded,shewaspositivelyecstatic—itwasallsounexpected,thisopeningoftheviewofanewandbroaderlife.“Shewasanunusualwoman,”concludedDr.Conwell,“andsheworkedwith

enthusiasmandtirelessness.Shegraduated,wenttoanup-statecitythatseemedtoofferagoodfield,openedamillineryestablishmentthere,withherownname

above the door, and became prosperous. Thatwas only a few years ago.AndrecentlyIhadaletterfromher,tellingmethatlastyearshenettedaclearprofitofthreethousandsixhundreddollars!”Irememberaman,himselfofdistinguishedposition,sayingofDr.Conwell,

“Itisdifficulttospeakintemperedlanguageofwhathehasachieved.”Andthatjust expresses it; the temptation is constantly to use superlatives—forsuperlatives fit! Of course he has succeeded for himself, and succeededmarvelously,inhisrisefromtherockyhillfarm,buthehasdonesovastlymorethanthatininspiringsuchhostsofotherstosucceed!Adreamerofdreamsandaseerofvisions—andwhatrealizationshavecome!

Anditinterestedmeprofoundlynotlongago,whenDr.Conwell,talkingoftheuniversity, unexpectedly remarked that he would like to see such institutionsscatteredthroughouteverystateintheUnion.“Allcarriedonatslightexpensetothestudentsandathourstosuitallsortsofworkingmenandwomen,”headded,afterapause;and then,abruptly,“I should like tosee thepossibilityofhighereducationofferedtoeveryoneintheUnitedStateswhoworksforaliving.”There was something superb in the very imagining of such a nation-wide

system.ButIdidnotaskwhetherornothehadplannedanydetailsforsuchaneffort.Iknewthatthusfaritmightonlybeoneofhisdreams—butIalsoknewthathisdreamshadawayofbecomingrealities.Ihadafleetingglimpseofhissoaringvision. Itwasamazing to findamanofmore than three-scoreand tenthusdreamingofmoreworldstoconquer.AndIthought,whatcouldtheworldhave accomplished if Methuselah had been a Conwell!—or, far better, whatwonderscouldbeaccomplishedifConwellcouldbutbeaMethuselah!Hehasallhislifebeenagreattraveler.Heisamanwhoseesvividlyandwho

candescribevividly.Yetoftenhisletters,evenfromplacesofthemostprofoundinterest,aremostlyconcernedwithaffairsbackhome.Itisnotthathedoesnotfeel,andfeelintensely,theinterestofwhatheisvisiting,butthathistremendousearnestnesskeepshimalwaysconcernedabouthisworkathome.TherecouldbenostrongerexamplethanwhatInoticedinaletterhewrotefromJerusalem.“IaminJerusalem!AndhereatGethsemaneandattheTombofChrist”—readingthus far, one expects that any man, and especially a minister, is sure to saysomething regarding the associations of the place and the effect of theseassociationsonhismind;butConwellisalwaysthemanwhoisdifferent—“AndhereatGethsemaneandattheTombofChrist,IprayespeciallyfortheTempleUniversity.”ThatisConwellism!Thathefoundedahospital—aworkinitselfgreatenoughforevenagreatlife

isbutoneamongthestrikingincidentsofhiscareer.Anditcameaboutthrough

perfectnaturalness.Forhecametoknow,throughhispastoralworkandthroughhisgrowingacquaintancewiththeneedsofthecity,thattherewasavastamountof suffering and wretchedness and anguish, because of the inability of theexistinghospitalstocareforallwhoneededcare.Therewassomuchsicknessandsufferingtobealleviated,thereweresomanydeathsthatcouldbeprevented—andsohedecidedtostartanotherhospital.And, like everything with him, the beginning was small. That cannot too

stronglybesetdownasthewayofthisphenomenallysuccessfulorganizer.Mostmenwouldhavetowaituntilabigbeginningcouldbemade,andsowouldmostlikelynevermakeabeginningat all.ButConwell’sway is todreamof futurebigness,butbereadytobeginatonce,nomatterhowsmallorinsignificantthebeginningmayappeartoothers.Tworentedrooms,onenurse,onepatient—thiswasthehumblebeginning,in

1891,ofwhathasdeveloped into thegreatSamaritanHospital. Inayear therewasanentirehouse,fittedupwithwardsandoperating-room.Nowitoccupiesseveral buildings, including and adjoining that first one, and a great newstructureisplanned.Butevenasitis,ithasahundredandseventybeds,isfittedwithallmodernhospitalappliances,andhasalargestaffofphysicians;andthenumberofsurgicaloperationsperformedthereisverylarge.It is open to sufferers of any race or creed, and the poor are never refused

admission,therulebeingthattreatmentisfreeforthosewhocannotpay,butthatsuchascanafforditshallpayaccordingtotheirmeans.And the hospital has a kindly feature that endears it to patients and their

relatives alike, and that is that, byDr.Conwell’s personal order, there are notonly the usual week-day hours for visiting, but also one evening a week andeverySundayafternoon.“Forotherwise,”ashesays,“manywouldbeunabletocomebecausetheycouldnotgetawayfromtheirwork.”A little over eight years ago another hospital was taken in charge, the

Garretson—not founded by Conwell, this one, but acquired, and promptlyexpandedinitsusefulness.Both the Samaritan and the Garretson are part of Temple University. The

SamaritanHospitalhas treated, since its foundation,up to themiddleof1915,29,301 patients; the Garretson, in its shorter life, 5,923. Including dispensarycasesaswellashousepatients,thetwohospitalstogether,undertheheadshipofPresidentConwell,havehandledover400,000cases.HowConwellcanpossiblymeetthemultifariousdemandsuponhistimeisin

itself a miracle. He is the head of the great church; he is the head of the

university; he is the head of the hospitals; he is the head of everything withwhichheisassociated!Andheisnotonlynominally,butveryactively,thehead!

VIII.HISSPLENDIDEFFICIENCY

CONWELLhasa fewstrongandefficient executivehelperswhohave longbeenassociatedwithhim;menandwomenwhoknowhisideasandideals,whoaredevotedtohim,andwhodotheirutmosttorelievehim;andofcoursethereisverymuchthatisthusdoneforhim;butevenasitis,heissoovershadowingaman(thereisreallynootherword)thatallwhoworkwithhimlooktohimforadviceandguidancetheprofessorsandthestudents,thedoctorsandthenurses,the church officers, the Sunday-school teachers, the members of hiscongregation.Andheisnevertoobusytoseeanyonewhoreallywishestoseehim.He can attend to a vast intricacy of detail, and answer myriad personal

questions and doubts, and keep the great institutions splendidly going, bythoroughsystematizationoftime,andbywatchingeveryminute.Hehasseveralsecretaries,forspecialwork,besideshisprivatesecretary.Hiscorrespondenceisverygreat.Oftenhedictatestoasecretaryashetravelsonthetrain.Eveninthefew days forwhich he can run back to theBerkshires,work is awaiting him.Workfollowshim.Andafterknowingofthis,oneispositivelyamazedthatheisable to give to his country-wide lectures the time and the traveling that theyinexorablydemand.Onlyamanofimmensestrength,ofthegreateststamina,averitablesuperman,couldpossiblydoit.Andattimesonequiteforgets,noticingthemultiplicityofhisoccupations, thatheprepares twosermonsandtwotalksonSunday!Here is his usual Sunday schedule, when at home. He rises at seven and

studiesuntilbreakfast,whichisateight-thirty.Thenhestudiesuntilnine-forty-five,whenheleadsamen’smeetingatwhichheislikelyalsotoplaytheorganand lead the singing.At ten-thirty is the principal church service, atwhichhepreaches,andatthecloseofwhichheshakeshandswithhundreds.Hedinesatone, after which he takes fifteen minutes’ rest and then reads; and at threeo’clockheaddresses,inatalkthatislikeanothersermon,alargeclassofmen—not the samemen as in themorning.He is also sure to look in at the regularsession of the Sunday-school. Home again, where he studies and reads untilsupper-time.Atseven-thirty is theeveningservice,atwhichheagainpreachesandafterwhichheshakeshandswithseveralhundredmoreandtalkspersonally,inhisstudy,withanywhohaveneedof talkwithhim.He isusuallyhomeby

ten-thirty. I spoke of it, one evening, as having been a strenuous day, and heresponded,withacheerfullywhimsicalsmile:“Threesermonsandshookhandswithninehundred.”Thatevening,astheserviceclosed,hehadsaidtothecongregation:“Ishall

behereforanhour.Wealwayshaveapleasanttimetogetherafterservice.Ifyouareacquaintedwithme,comeupandshakehands. Ifyouare strangers”—justtheslightestofpauses—“comeupandletusmakeanacquaintancethatwilllastforeternity.”Irememberhowsimplyandeasilythiswassaid,inhisclear,deepvoice, and how impressive and important it seemed, and with whatunexpectedness it came. “Come and make an acquaintance that will last foreternity!”And therewas a serenity about hiswayof saying thiswhichwouldmake strangers think—just as he meant them to think—that he had nothingwhatevertodobuttotalkwiththem.Evenhisowncongregationhave,mostofthem,littleconceptionofhowbusyamanheisandhowpreciousishistime.Oneevening lastJune to takeaneveningofwhichIhappenedtoknow—he

gothomefromajourneyof twohundredmilesatsixo’clock,andafterdinnerand a slight restwent to the churchprayer-meeting,whichhe led in his usualvigorousway at suchmeetings, playing the organ and leading the singing, aswellasprayingandtalk-ing.Aftertheprayer-meetinghewenttotwodinnersinsuccession,bothof themimportantdinners inconnectionwith thecloseof theuniversity year, and at both dinners he spoke. At the second dinner he wasnotified of the sudden illness of a member of his congregation, and instantlyhurried to the man’s home and thence to the hospital to which he had beenremoved,andthereheremainedattheman’sbedside,orinconsultationwiththephysicians,untiloneinthemorning.Nextmorninghewasupatsevenandagainatwork.“ThisonethingIdo,”ishisprivatemaximofefficiency,andaliteralistmight

point out that he does not one thing only, but a thousand things, not gettingConwell’smeaning,whichisthatwhateverthethingmaybewhichheisdoingheletshimselfthinkofnothingelseuntilitisdone.Dr. Conwell has a profound love for the country and particularly for the

countryofhisownyouth.Helovesthewindthatcomessweepingoverthehills,helovesthewide-stretchingviewsfromtheheightsandtheforestintimaciesofthenestlednooks.Helovestheripplingstreams,helovesthewildflowersthatnestle in seclusion or that unexpectedly paint some mountain meadow withdelight.Helovestheverytouchoftheearth,andhelovesthegreatbarerocks.Hewritesversesattimes;atleasthehaswrittenlinesforafewoldtunes;and

itinterestedmegreatlytochanceuponsomelinesofhisthatpictureheavenin

termsoftheBerkshires:Thewide-stretchingvalleysincolorssofadeless,

Wheretreesarealldeathlessandflowerse’erbloom.

ThatisheavenintheeyesofaNewEnglandhill-man!Notgoldenpavementandivorypalaces,butvalleysandtreesandflowersandthewidesweepoftheopen.Few thingspleasehimmore than togo, for example, blackberrying, andhe

hasaknackofneverscratchinghis faceorhis fingerswhendoingso.Andhefinds blackberrying,whether he goes alone orwith friends, an extraordinarilygoodtimeforplanningsomethinghewishestodoorworkingoutthethoughtofasermon.Andfishingisevenbetter,forinfishinghefindsimmenserecreationandrestfulnessandatthesametimeafurtheropportunitytothinkandplan.Asa smallboyhewished thathecould throwadamacross the trout-brook

that runsnear the littleConwell home, and—ashenever gives up—he finallyrealizedtheambition,althoughitwasafterhalfacentury!Andnowhehasabigpond, three-quarters of amile long by half amilewide, lying in front of thehouse,downaslopefromit—apondstockedwithsplendidpickerel.Helikestofloataboutrestfullyonthispond,thinkingorfishing,orboth.Andonthatpondheshowedmehowtocatchpickerelevenunderablazeofsunlight!Heisatrout-fisher,too,foritisatroutstreamthatfeedsthispondandgoes

dashingawayfromitthroughthewilderness;andformilesadjoininghisplaceafishingclubofwealthymenboughtuptherights in this troutstream,andtheyapproached him with a liberal offer. But he declined it. “I remembered whatgood times I had when I was a boy, fishing up and down that stream, and Icouldn’t thinkofkeepingtheboysof thepresentdayfromsuchapleasure.Sotheymaystillcomeandfishfortrouthere.”Aswewalked one day beside this brook, he suddenly said: “Did you ever

noticethateverybrookhasitsownsong?Ishouldknowthesongofthisbrookanywhere.”Itwould seemas ifhe lovedhis ruggednativecountrybecause it is rugged

evenmorethanbecauseitisnative!Himselfsorugged,sohardy,soenduring—thestrengthofthehillsishisalso.Always,inhisveryappearance,youseesomethingofthisruggednessofthe

hills;aruggedness,asincerity,aplainness,thatmarkalikehischaracterandhislooks.Andalwaysonerealizesthestrengthoftheman,evenwhenhisvoice,asit usually is, is low. And one increasingly realizes the strength when, on thelectureplatformorinthepulpitorinconversation,heflashesvividlyintofire.

Abig-bonedmanhe is, sturdy-framed,a tallman,withbroadshouldersandstronghands.Hishairisadeepchestnut-brownthatatfirstsightseemsblack.Inhisearlymanhoodhewassuperbinlooks,ashispicturesshow,butanxietyandworkand theconstant flightofyears,withphysicalpain,havesettledhis faceinto lines of sadness and almost of severity, which instantly vanish when hespeaks.Andhisfaceisilluminedbymarvelouseyes.He is a lonelyman.Thewifeofhis earlyyearsdied long, longago,before

successhadcome,andshewasdeeplymourned,forshehadloyallyhelpedhimthroughatimethatheldmuchofstruggleandhardship.Hemarriedagain;andthiswifewashisloyalhelpmateformanyyears.Inatimeofspecialstress,whenadefalcationofsixty-fivethousanddollars threatenedtocrushTempleCollegejustwhenitwasgettingonitsfeet,forbothTempleChurchandTempleCollegehadinthoseearlydaysbuoyantlyassumedheavyindebtedness,heraisedeverydollar he could by selling ormortgaging his own possessions, and in this hiswife,ashe lovinglyremembers,mostcordiallystoodbesidehim,althoughsheknewthat ifanythingshouldhappentohimthefinancialsacrificewouldleaveherpenniless.Shediedafteryearsofcompanionship;hischildrenmarriedandmade homes of their own; he is a lonelyman.Yet he is not unhappy, for thetremendousdemandsofhistremendousworkleavehimlittletimeforsadnessorretrospect.Attimestherealizationcomesthatheisgettingold,thatfriendsandcomradeshavebeenpassingaway,leavinghimanoldmanwithyoungerfriendsandhelpers.Butsuchrealizationonlymakeshimworkwithanearnestnessstillmoreintense,knowingthatthenightcomethwhennomanshallwork.Deeplyreligiousthoughheis,hedoesnotforcereligionintoconversationon

ordinarysubjectsoruponpeoplewhomaynotbeinterestedinit.Withhim,itisactionandgoodworks,withfaithandbelief,thatcount,exceptwhentalkisthenatural,thefitting,thenecessarything;whenaddressingeitheroneindividualorthousands,hetalkswithsuperbeffectiveness.His sermons are, it may almost literally be said, parable after parable;

althoughhehimselfwouldbethelastmantosaythis,foritwouldsoundasifheclaimedtomodelafterthegreatestofallexamples.Hisownwayofputtingitisthat he uses stories frequently because people are more impressed byillustrationsthanbyargument.Always,whetherinthepulpitoroutofit,heissimpleandhomelike,human

andunaffected.Ifhehappenstoseesomeoneinthecongregationtowhomhewishestospeak,hemayjustleavehispulpitandwalkdowntheaisle,whilethechoirissinging,andquietlysayafewwordsandreturn.In the earlydaysof hisministry, if heheardof a poor family in immediate

needof foodhewouldbequite likely togather abasketofprovisions andgopersonally, andoffer this assistanceand suchother ashemight findnecessarywhenhereachedtheplace.Ashebecameknownheceasedfromthisdirectandopen method of charity, for he knew that impulsiveness would be taken forintentional display.Buthehasnever ceased tobe ready tohelpon the instantthat he knows help is needed.Delay and lengthy investigation are avoided byhimwhenhecanbecertainthatsomethingimmediateisrequired.Andtheextentof his quiet charity is amazing.With no family forwhich to savemoney, andwith no care to put awaymoney for himself, he thinks only of money as aninstrument for helpfulness. I never heard a friend criticize him except for toogreatopen-handedness.Iwasstronglyimpressed,aftercomingtoknowhim,thathepossessedmany

ofthequalitiesthatmadeforthesuccessoftheold-timedistrictleadersofNewYorkCity, and Imentioned this tohim, andhe at once responded that hehadhimselfmet“BigTim,”thelong-timeleaderoftheSullivans,andhadhadhimathis house, Big Tim having gone to Philadelphia to aid some henchman introuble, and having promptly sought the aid of Dr. Conwell. And it wascharacteristicofConwellthathesaw,whatsomanyneversaw,themoststrikingcharacteristic of that Tammany leader. For, “Big Tim Sullivan was so kind-hearted!”Conwell appreciated theman’s political unscrupulousness aswell asdid his enemies, but he saw alsowhatmade his underlying power—his kind-heartedness. Except that Sullivan could be supremely unscrupulous, and thatConwell is supremely scrupulous, there were marked similarities in thesemasters overmen; andConwell possesses, asSullivan possessed, awonderfulmemoryforfacesandnames.Naturally,RussellConwellstandssteadilyandstronglyforgoodcitizenship.

ButhenevertalksboastfulAmericanism.HeseldomspeaksinsomanywordsofeitherAmericanismorgoodcitizenship,butheconstantlyandsilentlykeepstheAmerican flag, as the symbol of good citizenship, before his people. AnAmericanflagisprominentinhischurch;anAmericanflagisseeninhishome;a beautiful American flag is up at his Berkshire place and surmounts a loftytowerwhere,whenhewasaboy,therestoodamightytreeatthetopofwhichwasaneagle’snest,whichhasgivenhimanameforhishome,forhe termsit“TheEagle’sNest.”Rememberinga long story that Ihad readofhis climbing to the topof that

tree, though itwas awell-nigh impossible feat, and securing thenest bygreatperseverance and daring, I asked him if the story were a true one. “Oh, I’veheard something about it; somebody said that somebody watched me, or

somethingofthekind.ButIdon’trememberanythingaboutitmyself.”Any friend of his is sure to say something, after a while, about his

determination, his insistence on going ahead with anything on which he hasreally set his heart.One of the very important things onwhich he insisted, inspite of very great opposition, and especially an opposition from the otherchurchesofhisdenomination(forthiswasagoodmanyyearsago,whentherewasmuchmorenarrownessinchurchesandsectsthanthereisatpresent),waswith regard to doing awaywith close communion.He determined on an opencommunion;andhiswayofputtingit,oncedecidedupon,was:“Myfriends,itisnotformetoinviteyoutothetableoftheLord.ThetableoftheLordisopen.Ifyoufeelthatyoucancometothetable,itisopentoyou.”Andthisistheformwhichhestilluses.Henotonlynevergivesup,but, sohis friends say,henever forgetsa thing

upon which he has once decided, and at times, long after they supposed thematterhasbeenentirelyforgotten,theysuddenlyfindDr.Conwellbringinghisoriginal purpose to pass.When Iwas told of this I remembered that pickerel-pondintheBerkshires!Ifheisreallysetupondoinganything,littleorbig,adversecriticismdoesnot

disturbhisserenity.Someyearsagohebeganwearingahugediamond,whosesize attracted much criticism and caustic comment. He never said a word indefense; he just kept on wearing the diamond. One day, however, after someyears,hetookitoff,andpeoplesaid,“Hehaslistenedtothecriticismatlast!”Hesmiledreminiscentlyashetoldmeaboutthis,andsaid:“AdearolddeaconofmycongregationgavemethatdiamondandIdidnotliketohurthisfeelingsbyrefusingit.Itreallybotheredmetowearsuchaglaringbigthing,butbecauseIdidn’twanttohurttheolddeacon’sfeelingsIkeptonwearingituntilhewasdead.ThenIstoppedwearingit.”TheambitionofRussellConwellistocontinueworkingandworkinguntilthe

verylastmomentofhis life. Inworkheforgetshissadness,his loneliness,hisage.Andhesaidtomeoneday,“Iwilldieinharness.”

IX.THESTORYOFACRESOFDIAMONDS

CONSIDERINGeverything, themostremarkablethinginRussellConwell’sremarkablelifeishislecture,“AcresofDiamonds.”Thatis,thelectureitself,thenumberoftimeshehasdeliveredit,whatasourceofinspirationithasbeentomyriads,themoneythathehasmadeandismaking,and,stillmore,thepurposeto which he directs the money. In the circumstances surrounding “Acres ofDiamonds,” in its tremendous success, in the attitude ofmind revealed by thelecture itself and by what Dr. Conwell does with it, it is illuminative of hischaracter,hisaims,hisability.Thelectureisvibrantwithhisenergy.Itflasheswithhishopefulness.Itisfull

ofhisenthusiasm.Itispackedfullofhisintensity.Itstandsforthepossibilitiesof success in every one. He has delivered it over five thousand times. Thedemandforitneverdiminishes.Thesuccessgrowsneverless.ThereisatimeinRussellConwell’syouthofwhichitispainforhimtothink.

Hetoldmeofitoneevening,andhisvoicesanklowerandlowerashewentfarbackintothepast.ItwasofhisdaysatYalethathespoke,fortheyweredaysofsuffering.ForhehadnotmoneyforYale,andinworkingformoreheenduredbitter humiliation. Itwas not that theworkwas hard, forRussellConwell hasalways been ready for hard work. It was not that there were privations anddifficulties, for he has always found difficulties only things to overcome, andendured privationswith cheerful fortitude.But itwas the humiliations that hemet—the personal humiliations that after more than half a centurymake himsuffer in remembering them—yet out of those humiliations came amarvelousresult.“Idetermined,”hesays,“thatwhateverIcoulddotomakethewayeasierat

collegeforotheryoungmenworkingtheirwayIwoulddo.”Andso,manyyearsago,hebegantodevoteeverydollarthathemadefrom

“Acres of Diamonds” to this definite purpose. He haswhatmay be termed awaiting-list. On that list are very few cases he has looked into personally.Infinitelybusymanthatheis,hecannotdoextensivepersonalinvestigation.Alargeproportionofhisnamescometohimfromcollegepresidentswhoknowofstudentsintheirowncollegesinneedofsuchahelpinghand.“Everynight,”hesaid,whenIaskedhimtotellmeaboutit,“whenmylecture

isoverandthecheckisinmyhand,Isitdowninmyroominthehotel”—whata

lonelypicture,tool—“Isitdowninmyroominthehotelandsubtractfromthetotalsumreceivedmyactualexpensesforthatplace,andmakeoutacheckforthedifferenceandsendittosomeyoungmanonmylist.AndIalwayssendwiththecheckaletterofadviceandhelpfulness,expressingmyhopethatitwillbeofsomeservicetohimandtellinghimthatheistofeelundernoobligationexcepttohisLord. I feelstrongly,andI try tomakeeveryyoungmanfeel, that theremustbenosenseofobligationtomepersonally.AndItellthemthatIamhopingtoleavebehindmemenwhowilldomoreworkthanIhavedone.Don’t thinkthatIputintoomuchadvice,”headded,withasmile,“forIonlytrytoletthemknowthatafriendistryingtohelpthem.”Hisfacelightedashespoke.“Thereissuchafascinationinit!”heexclaimed.

“Itisjustlikeagamble!AndassoonasIhavesenttheletterandcrossedanameoffmylist,Iamaimingforthenextone!”Andafterapauseheadded:“Idonotattempttosendanyyoungmanenough

forallhisexpenses.ButIwanttosavehimfrombitterness,andeachcheckwillhelp.And,too,”heconcluded,naïvely,inthevernacular,“Idon’twantthemtolaydownonme!”Hetoldmethathemadeitclearthathedidnotwishtogetreturnsorreports

from this branch of his life-work, for it would take a great deal of time inwatching and thinking and in the reading and writing of letters. “But it ismainly,”hewenton, “that Idonotwish toholdover theirheads the senseofobligation.”When I suggested that this was surely an example of bread cast upon the

watersthatcouldnotreturn,hewassilentforalittleandthensaid,thoughtfully:“As one gets on in years there is satisfaction in doing a thing for the sake ofdoingit.Thebreadreturnsinthesenseofeffortmade.”Ona recent trip throughMinnesotahewaspositivelyupset, sohissecretary

toldme, through being recognized on a train by a youngmanwho had beenhelpedthrough“AcresofDiamonds,”andwho,findingthatthiswasreallyDr.Conwell, eagerly brought his wife to join him in most fervent thanks for hisassistance.BoththehusbandandhiswifeweresoemotionallyovercomethatitquiteovercameDr.Conwellhimself.Thelecture,toquotethenoblewordsofDr.Conwellhimself, isdesignedto

help“everyperson,ofeithersex,whocherishesthehighresolveofsustainingacareerofusefulnessandhonor.”Itisalectureofhelpfulness.Anditisalecture,whengivenwithConwell’svoiceandfaceandmanner,thatisfulloffascination.Andyetitisallsosimple!

It ispackedfullof inspiration,ofsuggestion,ofaid.Healters it tomeet thelocalcircumstancesofthethousandsofdifferentplacesinwhichhedeliversit.Butthebaseremainsthesame.Andeventhosetowhomitisanoldstorywillgotohearhimtimeaftertime.Itamuseshimtosaythatheknowsindividualswhohavelistenedtoittwentytimes.It beginswith a story told toConwell by anoldArabas the two journeyed

togethertowardNineveh,and,asyoulisten,youheartheactualvoicesandyouseethesandsofthedesertandthewavingpalms.Thelecturer’svoiceissoeasy,so effortless, it seems so ordinary and matter-of-fact—yet the entire scene isinstantlyvitalandalive!Instantlythemanhashisaudienceunderasortofspell,eagertolisten,readytobemerryorgrave.Hehasthefacultyofcontrol,thevitalqualitythatmakestheorator.Thesamepeoplewillgotohearthislectureoverandover,andthatisthekind

oftributethatConwelllikes.Irecentlyheardhimdeliverit inhisownchurch,whereitwouldnaturallybethoughttobeanoldstory,andwhere,presumably,onlyafewofthefaithfulwouldgo;butitwasquiteclearthatallofhischurcharethefaithful,for itwasa largeaudiencethatcametolistentohim;hardlyaseatinthegreatauditoriumwasvacant.Anditshouldbeaddedthat,althoughitwas in his own church, it was not a free lecture, where a throng might beexpected, but that each one paid a liberal sum for a seat—and the paying ofadmission is always a practical test of the sincerity of desire to hear.And thepeopleweresweptalongbythecurrentasiflecturerandlecturewereofnovelinterest.Thelectureinitselfisgoodtoread,butitisonlywhenitisilluminedbyConwell’svividpersonalitythatoneunderstandshowitinfluencesintheactualdelivery.Onthatparticulareveninghehaddecidedtogivethelectureinthesameform

aswhenhefirstdelivereditmanyyearsago,withoutanyofthealterationsthathave come with time and changing localities, and as he went on, with theaudienceripplingandbubblingwithlaughterasusual,heneverdoubtedthathewasgiving itashehadgiven ityearsbefore;andyet—soup-to-dateandalivemusthenecessarilybe,inspiteofadefinitiveefforttosethimselfback—everyonceinawhilehewascomingoutwithillustrationsfromsuchdistinctlyrecentthingsastheautomobile!ThelasttimeIheardhimwasthe5,124thtimeforthelecture.Doesn’titseem

incredible!5,124times’Inoticedthathewastodeliver itata littleout-of-the-wayplace,difficultforanyconsiderablenumbertogetto,andIwonderedjusthowmuchofanaudiencewouldgatherandhowtheywouldbeimpressed.SoIwentoverfromthereIwas,afewmilesaway.TheroadwasdarkandIpictured

asmallaudience,butwhenIgotthereIfoundthechurchbuildinginwhichhewas todeliver the lecturehadaseatingcapacityof830and thatprecisely830people were already seated there and that a fringe of others were standingbehind.Manyhadcomefrommilesaway.Yetthelecturehadscarcely,ifatall,beenadvertised.Butpeoplehadsaidtooneanother:“Aren’tyougoingtohearDr.Conwell?”Andthewordhadthusbeenpassedalong.Irememberhowfascinatingitwastowatchthataudience,fortheyresponded

sokeenlyandwithsuchheartfeltpleasurethroughouttheentirelecture.Andnotonlywere they immenselypleasedandamusedand interested—and toachievethatatacrossroadschurchwas in itselfa triumph tobeproudof—but Iknewthateverylistenerwasgivenanimpulsetowarddoingsomethingforhimselfandforothers,andthatwithatleastsomeofthemtheimpulsewouldmaterializeinacts.Overandoveronerealizeswhatapowersuchamanwields.Andwhatanunselfishness!For,faroninyearsasheis,andsufferingpain,he

doesnotchopdownhislecturetoadefinitelength;hedoesnottalkforjustanhour or go on grudgingly for an hour and a half.He sees that the people arefascinatedandinspired,andheforgetspain,ignorestime,forgetsthatthenightislateandthathehasalongjourneytogotogethome,andkeepsongenerouslyfortwohours!Andeveryonewishesitwerefour.Always he talks with ease and sympathy. There are geniality, composure,

humor, simpleandhomely jests—yetneverdoes theaudience forget thathe iseverymoment in tremendousearnest.Theybubblewithresponsive laughteroraresilent inrivetedattention.Astircanbeseentosweepoveranaudience,ofearnestnessorsurpriseoramusementorresolve.Whenheisgraveandsoberorfervidthepeoplefeelthatheishimselfafervidlyearnestman,andwhenheistelling something humorous there is on his part almost a repressed chuckle, agenialappreciationofthefunofit,notintheleastasifhewerelaughingathisownhumor,butasifheandhishearerswerelaughingtogetheratsomethingofwhichtheywereallhumorouslycognizant.Myriadsuccessesinlifehavecomethroughthedirectinspirationofthissingle

lecture.Onehearsofsomanythattheremustbevastlymorethatarenevertold.AfewofthemostrecentweretoldmebyDr.Conwellhimself,onebeingofafarmerboywhowalkeda longdistance tohearhim.Onhiswayhome,so theboy,nowaman,haswrittenhim,hethoughtoverandoverofwhathecoulddotoadvancehimself,andbeforehe reachedhomehe learned thata teacherwaswantedatacertaincountryschool.Heknewhedidnotknowenoughtoteach,butwassurehecouldlearn,sohebravelyaskedfortheplace.Andsomethinginhisearnestnessmadehimwina temporaryappointment.Thereuponheworked

and studied sohardand sodevotedly,whilehedaily taught, thatwithina fewmonths hewas regularly employed there. “And now,” saysConwell, abruptly,with his characteristic skim-ming over of the intermediate details between theimportant beginning of a thing and the satisfactory end, “and now that youngmanisoneofourcollegepresidents.”Andvery recentlya ladycame toDr.Conwell, thewifeofanexceptionally

prominent man who was earning a large salary, and she told him that herhusbandwassounselfishlygenerouswithmoneythatoftentheywerealmostinstraits.Andshesaidtheyhadboughtalittlefarmasacountryplace,payingonlya fewhundreddollars for it, and that shehad said toherself, laughingly, afterhearingthelecture,“Therearenoacresofdiamondsonthisplace!”Butshealsowent on to tell that she had found a spring of exceptionally finewater there,although in buying they had scarcely known of the spring at all; and she hadbeen so inspiredbyConwell that shehadhad thewater analyzedand, findingthatitwasremarkablypure,hadbeguntohaveitbottledandsoldunderatradenameasspecialspringwater.Andsheismakingmoney.Andshealsosellspureicefromthepool,cutinwinter-timeandallbecauseof“AcresofDiamonds”!Severalmillionsofdollars, inall,havebeenreceivedbyRussellConwellas

theproceedsfromthissinglelecture.Suchafactisalmoststaggering—anditismorestaggeringtorealizewhatgoodisdoneintheworldbythisman,whodoesnotearnforhimself,butuseshismoneyinimmediatehelpfulness.Andonecanneitherthinknorwritewithmoderationwhenitisfurtherrealizedthatfarmoregood thancanbedonedirectlywithmoneyhedoesbyupliftingand inspiringwith this lecture. Always his heart is with the weary and the heavy-laden.Alwayshestandsforself-betterment.Lastyear, 1914,he andhisworkweregivenunique recognition.For itwas

known by his friends that this particular lecture was approaching its five-thousandth delivery, and they planned a celebration of such an event in thehistoryofthemostpopularlectureintheworld.Dr.ConwellagreedtodeliveritintheAcademyofMusic,inPhiladelphia,andthebuildingwaspackedandthestreets outside were thronged. The proceeds from all sources for that five-thousandthlecturewereoverninethousanddollars.TheholdwhichRussellConwellhasgainedontheaffectionsandrespectof

hishomecitywasseennotonlyinthethousandswhostrovetohearhim,butinthe prominent men who served on the local committee in charge of thecelebration.Therewasanationalcommittee,too,andthenation-widelovethathehaswon,thenation-wideappreciationofwhathehasdoneandisstilldoing,wasshownbythefactthatamongthenamesofthenotablesonthiscommittee

were those of nine governors of states. The Governor of Pennsylvania washimself present to do Russell Conwell honor, and he gave to him a keyemblematicoftheFreedomoftheState.The“FreedomoftheState”—yes;thisman,welloverseventy,haswonit.The

Freedomof theState, theFreedomof theNation—forthismanofhelpfulness,thismarvelousexponentof thegospelof success,hasworkedmarvelously forthefreedom,thebetterment,theliberation,theadvancement,oftheindividual.

FIFTYYEARSONTHELECTUREPLATFORM

ByRussellH.Conwell

AN Autobiography! What an absurd request! If all the conditions werefavorable,thestoryofmypublicLifecouldnotbemadeinteresting.Itdoesnotseem possible that anywill care to read so plain and uneventful a tale. I seenothinginitforboasting,normuchthatcouldbehelpful.ThenIneversavedascrapof paper intentionally concerningmywork towhich I could refer, not abook, not a sermon, not a lecture, not a newspaper notice or account, not amagazinearticle,notoneof thekindbiographieswritten fromtime to timebynoblefriendshaveIeverkeptevenasasouvenir,althoughsomeofthemmaybein my library. I have ever felt that the writers concerning my life were toogenerous and thatmy ownworkwas too hastily done. Hence I have nothinguponwhichtobaseanautobiographicalaccount,excepttherecollectionswhichcometoanoverburdenedmind.My general view of half a century on the lecture platform brings to me

preciousandbeautifulmemories,andfillsmysoulwithdevoutgratitudefortheblessingsandkindnesseswhichhavebeengiventomesofarbeyondmydeserts.Somuchmore success has come tomy hands than I ever expected; somuchmoreofgoodhaveIfoundthanevenyouth’swildestdreamincluded;somuchmoreeffectivehavebeenmyweakestendeavorsthanIeverplannedorhoped—thatabiographywrittentruthfullywouldbemostlyanaccountofwhatmenandwomenhavedoneforme.Ihavelivedtoseeaccomplishedfarmorethanmyhighestambitionincluded,

and have seen the enterprises I have undertaken rush byme, pushed on by athousandstronghandsuntiltheyhaveleftmefarbehindthem.Therealitiesarelike dreams tome.Blessings on the loving hearts and noblemindswho havebeensowillingtosacrificeforothers’goodandtothinkonlyofwhattheycoulddo, and never ofwhat they should get!Many of themhave ascended into theShiningLand,andhereIaminmineagegazingupalone,Onlywaitingtilltheshadows

Arealittlelongergrown.

Fifty years! I was a youngman, not yet of age, when I deliveredmy firstplatform lecture. The Civil War of 1861-65 drew on with all its passions,patriotism,horrors,andfears,andIwasstudying lawatYaleUniversity. Ihadfrom childhood felt that I was “called to the ministry.” The earliest event ofmemoryistheprayerofmyfatheratfamilyprayersinthelittleoldcottageintheHampshirehighlandsoftheBerkshireHills,callingonGodwithasobbingvoicetoleadmeintosomespecialservicefortheSaviour.Itfilledmewithawe,dread,and fear, and I recoiled from the thought,until Idetermined to fight against itwithallmypower.SoIsoughtforotherprofessionsandfordecentexcusesforbeinganythingbutapreacher.YetwhileIwasnervousandtimidbeforetheclassindeclamationanddreaded

to face any kind of an audience, I felt inmy soul a strange impulsion towardpublic speaking which for yearsmadememiserable. The war and the publicmeetings for recruitingsoldiers furnishedanoutlet formysuppressedsenseofduty, and my first lecture was on the “Lessons of History” as applied to thecampaignsagainsttheConfederacy.That matchless temperance orator and loving friend, John B. Gough,

introducedmetothelittleaudienceinWestfield,Massachusetts,in1862.Whatafoolishlittleschool-boyspeechitmusthavebeen!ButMr.Gough’skindwordsofpraise,thebouquetsandtheapplause,mademefeelthatsomehowthewaytopublicoratorywouldnotbesohardasIhadfeared.From that time I acted on Mr. Gough’s advice and “sought practice” by

acceptingalmostevery invitation I received tospeakonanykindofasubject.Thereweremanysadfailuresandtears,butitwasarestfulcompromisewithmyconscience concerning the ministry, and it pleased my friends. I addressedpicnics, Sunday-schools, patriotic meetings, funerals, anniversaries,commencements, debates, cattle-shows, and sewing-circles without partialityandwithoutprice.For thefirst fiveyears the incomewasallexperience.Thenvoluntarygiftsbegantocomeoccasionallyintheshapeofajack-knife,aham,abook,andthefirstcashremunerationwasfromafarmers’club,ofseventy-fivecentstowardthe“horsehire.”Itwasacuriousfactthatonememberofthatclubafterwardmoved toSaltLakeCityandwasamemberof thecommitteeat theMormonTabernacle in1872which,whenIwasacorrespondent,ona journeyaround theworld, employedme to lecture on “Men of theMountains” in theMormonTabernacle,atafeeoffivehundreddollars.While I was gaining practice in the first years of platformwork, I had the

goodfortunetohaveprofitableemploymentasasoldier,orasacorrespondentor

lawyer, or as an editor or as a preacher, which enabled me to pay my ownexpenses,andithasbeenseldominthefiftyyearsthatIhaveevertakenafeeformy personal use. In the last thirty-six years I have dedicated solemnly all thelecture income to benevolent enterprises. If I am antiquated enough for anautobiography,perhapsImaybeagedenoughtoavoidthecriticismofbeinganegotist, when I state that some years I delivered one lecture, “Acres ofDiamonds,”over twohundred timeseachyear, at anaverage incomeof aboutonehundredandfiftydollarsforeachlecture.Itwasa remarkablegood fortunewhichcame tomeasa lecturerwhenMr.

JamesRedpathorganizedthefirst lecturebureaueverestablished.Mr.RedpathwasthebiographerofJohnBrownofHarper’sFerryrenown,andasMr.Brownhadbeen longa friendofmyfather’s I foundemployment,whileastudentonvacation,insellingthatlifeofJohnBrown.ThatacquaintancewithMr.RedpathwasmaintaineduntilMr.Redpath’sdeath.ToGeneralCharlesH.Taylor,withwhomIwasemployedforatimeasreporterfortheBostonDailyTraveler,Iwasindebtedformanyactsofself-sacrificingfriendshipwhichsoftenmysoulas Irecallthem.HedidmethegreatestkindnesswhenhesuggestedmynametoMr.Redpathasonewhocould“fillinthevacanciesinthesmallertowns”wherethe“greatlightscouldnotalwaysbesecured.”Whatagloriousgalaxyofgreatnamesthatoriginal listofRedpathlecturers

contained! Henry Ward Beecher, John B. Gough, Senator Charles Sumner,Theodore Tilton, Wendell Phillips, Mrs. Mary A. Livermore, Bayard Taylor,RalphWaldoEmerson,withmanyofthegreatpreachers,musicians,andwritersofthatremarkableera.EvenDr.Holmes,JohnWhittier,HenryW.Longfellow,John Lothrop Motley, George William Curtis, and General Burnside werepersuadedtoappearoneormoretimes,althoughtheyrefusedtoreceivepay.Icannot forget how ashamed I feltwhenmy name ap-peared in the shadow ofsuch names, and how sure I was that every acquaintance was ridiculing mebehindmyback.Mr.BayardTaylor,however,wrotemefromtheTribuneofficeakindnotesayingthathewasgladtoseeme“ontheroadtogreatusefulness.”Governor Clafflin, of Massachusetts, took the time to send me a note ofcongratulation.GeneralBenjaminF.Butler,however,advisedmeto“sticktothelast”andbeagoodlawyer.Theworkoflecturingwasalwaysataskandaduty.IdonotfeelnowthatI

eversoughttobeanentertainer.IamsureIwouldhavebeenanutterfailurebutforthefeelingthatImustpreachsomegospeltruthinmylecturesanddoatleastthatmuchtowardthatever-persistent“callofGod.”WhenIenteredtheministry(1879) I had become so associated with the lecture platform in America and

England that I could not feel justified in abandoning so great a field ofusefulness.Theexperiencesofalloursuccessfullecturersareprobablynearlyalike.The

wayisnotalwayssmooth.Butthehardroads,thepoorhotels,thelatetrains,thecold halls, the hot church auditoriums, the overkindness of hospitablecommittees,andthebrokenhoursofsleepareannoyancesonesoonforgets;andthe hosts of intelligent faces, the messages of thanks, and the effects of theearnings on the lives of young collegemen cannever cease to be a daily joy.Godblessthemall.Often have I been asked if I did not, in fifty years of travel in all sorts of

conveyances,meetwithaccidents.It isamarveltomethatnosucheventeverbroughtmeharm.Inacontinuousperiodofovertwenty-sevenyearsIdeliveredabouttwolecturesineverythreedays,yetIdidnotmissasingleengagement.SometimesIhadtohireaspecialtrain,butIreachedthetownontime,withonlyarareexception,andthenIwasbutafewminuteslate.Accidentshaveprecededand followedme on trains and boats, andwere sometimes in sight, but Iwaspreservedwithout injury throughall theyears. In theJohnstownfloodregionIsawabridgegoout behindour train. Iwasonceon aderelict steameron theAtlanticfortwenty-sixdays.AtanothertimeamanwaskilledintheberthofasleeperIhadlefthalfanhourbefore.OftenhaveIfeltthetrainleavethetrack,but no onewas killed. Robbers have several times threatenedmy life, but allcameoutwithoutlosstome.Godandmanhaveeverbeenpatientwithme.Yetthisperiodoflecturinghasbeen,afterall,asideissue.TheTemple,and

its church, in Philadelphia, which, when its membership was less than threethousandmembers,forsomanyyearscontributedthroughitsmembershipoversixtythousanddollarsayearfortheupliftofhumanity,hasmadelifeacontinualsurprise; while the Samaritan Hospital’s amazing growth, and the GarretsonHospital’s dispensaries, have been so continually ministering to the sick andpoor,andhavedonesuchskilfulworkforthetensofthousandswhoaskfortheirhelpeachyear,thatIhavebeenmadehappywhileawaylecturingbythefeelingthateachhourandminute theywerefaithfullydoinggood.TempleUniversity,which was founded only twenty-seven years ago, has already sent out into ahigherincomeandnoblerlifenearlyahundredthousandyoungmenandwomenwhocouldnotprobablyhaveobtainedaneducationinanyotherinstitution.Thefaithful, self-sacrificing faculty, now numbering two hundred and fifty-threeprofessors,havedonetherealwork.ForthatIcanclaimbutlittlecredit;andImention the University here only to show that my “fifty years on the lectureplatform”hasnecessarilybeenasidelineofwork.

Mybest-knownlecture,“AcresofDiamonds,”wasamereaccidentaladdress,at first given before a reunion of my old comrades of the Forty-sixthMassachusetts Regiment, which served in the Civil War and in which I wascaptain.Ihadnothoughtofgivingtheaddressagain,andevenafteritbegantobecalledforbylecturecommitteesIdidnotdreamthatIshouldlivetodeliverit, as I now have done, almost five thousand times. “What is the secret of itspopularity?” I could never explain to myself or others. I simply know that Ialways attempt to enthuse myself on each occasion with the idea that it is aspecial opportunity to do good, and I interest myself in each community andapplythegeneralprincipleswithlocalillustrations.Thehandwhichnowholdsthispenmustinthenaturalcourseofeventssoon

ceasetogestureontheplatform,anditisasincere,prayerfulhopethatthisbookwillgoon into theyearsdoing increasinggoodfor theaidofmybrothersandsistersinthehumanfamily.RUSSELLH.CONWELL.SouthWorthington,Mass.,September1,1913.

1(return)[ This is themost recent and complete form of the lecture. Ithappened to be delivered in Philadelphia,Dr.Conwell’s homecity.When he says “right here in Philadelphia,” hemeans thehomecity,town,orvillageofeveryreaderofthisbook,justashe would use the name of it if delivering the lecture there,insteadofdoingitthroughthepageswhichfollow.]

2(return)[Dr.Conwellwasliving,andactivelyatwork,whenthesepageswere written. It is, therefore, a much truer picture of hispersonalitythananythingwritteninthepasttense.]

3(return)[ This interview took place at the old Conwell farm in thesummerof1915.]

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