The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-04-24
REV. THOMAS DIXON. JR.

Sunday evening, and l went full of pref
udice. had seen his name in the news
papers, together with the caricatures
which some publishers dignity with the
title of portraits. | found that Associa-
ton hall-the largest hall, l believe, in
New York-was packed full, every seat
being taken. With the characteristic
and shrinking modesty of the stranger /
made myself as small as possible in a
corner. But this would not do; one of
the congregation, suspecting that this
was my first appearance there, insisted
on my taking his seat.
Now | had q chance to take in the
Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr., who had just
begun to preach. The first impression
did not attract me. | saw very tall
and very slender young man, with
smooth shaven face and long black hair.
His eyes flashed and his long arms waved
as he walked to and fro while he spoke.
He spoke in visions. don't remember
particularly what he said, except that he
felt very sorry for the poor mortals who
go through this world and are glad that
their austere practically keeps them from
being visionary and dreaming dreams.
But he interested me, he excited me.
Here was a man, said to myself, who
is dreadfully in earnest. He believes in
his work, he believes what he says and
he feels that he has message to speak.
This was refreshing. In these practical
days, when earnestness either takes the
form of so-called realism which
shocks by its gross unreality, or which
limps in the shackles Of what the acade-
micians call good taste-here was man
who spoke what was in him, a man who
delivered his message because he be-
ieved that it was right that he should
say out before the whole world that
which he thought to be right and true.
The next day went to see Mr.. Dixon,
to learn something of his brief career and
something Of his future plans. was
very sure when heard Mr.. Dixon preach
that he was southern man. Usually
can tell by a mans accent what state he
PONIES from. | made up my mind on
that Sunday night that he was southern
man. There was smoothness in his use
Of most of the harsher consonants which
seemed to make it certain that he had
acquired this use, or habit if you choose,
by association with the negro, who GER
tainly speaks the most melodious En-
glish of all the American races. There
are strident tones in the white people in
America which are always absent in the
negro. He is as musical in his speech as
he is black. l have often thought that
no class of people in the world spoke En-
glish as unsteady as the blacks of the
southern states Of America, except the
young English women of the upper
classes in the old island from which we
inherit our tongue.
These young women don't have much
b say for themselves, but they do say
what little they care to say with
wondrous music. The rising infection
may account for this, but whatever the
reason, the fact remains that an En-
glish speaking man wants to hear in
heaven no better music than the voice
of an English girl. As to her singing,
that, as Rudyard Kipling says so often
that it has become bore, is another
story.
But 1 called ON Mr.. Dixon. He was
not at home sent in my card. Mrs.
| Dixon kindly saw me. She is beauti-
full woman, and gracious in way which
made it no longer possible for me to
doubt that Mr.. Dixon was southern
man. A southern man, if he be wise,
| marries a southern woman. DIR. Dixon,
| from the platform of Association hall,
| had the night before convinced me in
| other ways of his wisdom. Quod erat
| demonstrandum. But Mr.. Dixon is
southern man, and he uses the conso-
nants at their full value while preserv-
ing the mellowness of the negro infu-
ence.
He was born in the mountains Of
North Carolina in 1864. Think of man
who was born when the war was about
to close, and who today exerts an influ-
ence day by day upon men many Of
whom were as old as he is now when
Sherman marched to the sea and Grant
took the sword of Lee at Appomattox.
He had only finished his five year course
at the Wake Forest college in North
Carolina few years ago. He took a
five years course there, and got the de-
gree of master of arts. We who have
taken degrees at better known colleges
may look down somewhat upon the
scholarship of such school, but doubt
less we are wrong.
| When Mr.. Dixon had finished at his
local college he went to the Johns Hop
kins university at Baltimore, and took
the postgraduate course in history and
political science. His object at this time
was not in his own mind well defined.
He wanted either to be lawyer or an
actor. After leaving Johns Hopkins he
spent a winter in New York, and here
ne passed his time in studying history
and dramatic art He returned to North
Carolina, and was elected to the legis-
lature before he was of full voting age.
His object at this time was to be law
yer. though his father was famous
BAPTIST preacher. He was admitted to
the bar and practiced somewhat, but he
felt a calling for the ministry. He held
a series of meetings in Raleigh, and was
soon ordained as Baptist pastor. Each
Baptist church is court unto itself,
and therefore it was not necessary for
Mr.. Dixon to have gone through theo-
logical seminary.
What he had to say in Goldsborough
and Raleigh attracted attention, and he
was soon called to Boston, that modern
Athens. which knows eloquence and good
oratory better than any other place. 81
he went to Boston, and there he staid fol-
some little while. But shortly he wa.
called to the Twenty third street Baptis
church in New York Here, as has beer
said before, the seating capacity was no
large enough to hold the crowds which
hocked to hear this young man who hat
something to say, and said it in man
ner SO eloquent and unconventional thai
the most idle wayfarer was attracted