St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-09
SUCCESS AND GREATNESS.
Or. S. G. SMITH DISCUSSES THEIR DE-
HELOFMERT.
SOME STRIKING CONTRASTS.

Modern American City Life Shows
Up in an Unfavorabie Light
Virtue in the Necessity of
Fighting Ones Own Way-The
Tobacco Habit Condemned by
Rev. Mr.. Crooks.
DR.. Samuel g. Smith delivered at the
Peoples church last evening the first of
a course of lectures on the Conditions
of Youth Which Affect Success in After
Life" These discourses are based
upon biographical letters from fifty of
the leading men of st. Paul. DR.. Smith
discussed the Material Conditions"
last evening. Epheslans w., Is, fur
nished the text, which reads as follows:
"a full grown man; the measure of the
stature of the fullness of Christ"
The discourse was very interesting
and instructive, containing, as it did,
some significant and comparative
statistics relative to the early
lives of successful men, and
the influences which surrounded
them during their childhood. DR.. Smith
quoted passages from the letters of some
of st. Paul's prominent citizens, and
drew comparisons between their youth
and that of some of the worlds illustr-
Gus men. "Out of my fifty sue
cessful men," said DR.. Smith. "only
1even acknowledge to condi-
lion in early life of severe poverty.
Only three of my correspondents admit
that their parents were rich, and be-
lieve each of them used some modifying
phrase Forty Genominate themselves
as having been reared III moderate cir
cumstances. Out OF the fifty. thirty
eight were born i'll the country, and only
twelve were born Ill the city. But
curiously enough, not one of the thirty
eight meutionS any advantage which he
derived from country birth, and their
letters seem 10 indicate that they took
the earliest opportunity to get away
from the country. OF the fifty,
thirty-three boys had the blessing
of both father and mother
until they were grown. Ten of
them got along without their father, six
only were reared without their mother,
and there is only one out of the fifty
who was left in childhood without
either father OF mother. A num-
Der of these men speak in the most
touching way of their mothers. One
says, But my mother, a brave and
patient woman, took up the battle, and
1t Is to her sweet and tender influence
that l am indebted for the development
of my better self; to her wonderful
heroiSm, under the most trying condi-
lions, l could never pay Just tribute
sELF-DEPENDENCE.
''This is the outline of the facts, so
far as they relate 10 the discussion of
the material conditions of development.
The forty whose parents were in mod
crate circumstances nearly all speak of
being compelled at a comparatively
early age to depend upon their own ex-
ertions; they were nearly all taught to
work, and in many cases to work hard.
Some of them seem to have had fierce
blood in their veins, and to have
started out for themselves at
a comparatively early age; one
of our leading lawyers was a
sailor three years before the mast. A
leading merchant at sixteen broke
away from the European apprentice
ship: came to this country. fell into the
hands of thieves, and landed with Just
one dollar. Others tell of work in min
ing, and on canal boats, of farm labor,
teaching school, and all sorts of pre-
liminary occupations before they finally
entered upon their life work"
DR.. Smith read the names of fifty of
the worlds greatest historical figures,
beginning with the religious leaders.
such as Buddha and Confucius, ipclud-
ing the philosophers, generals. states
men, poets, philanthropists. scientists,
etc. The comparison of the conditions
of their early lives with those of the
local celebrities afforded a striking con-
trast. Of the worlds shining lights,
forty were born in cities. and ten in the
country. Thirty had rich parents. and
twenty we're born of parents in mod
crate circumstances. Only two or three
were born in poverty, Were we to infer
from these facts that modern cities were
worse places to live In than were those
of modern times? Certainly not, judged
by any ordinary standard of san
ltary condition or physical comfort.
Ihere seemed, however, to be general
impression that the city life of today
was anfavorable to the development of
great character. If this was true, we
ought to discover, if possible, the
EVIL GENIUS OF CITY LIFE.
DR.. Smith accounted for the difference
between the ancient and the modern
CITY lie, WIFI respect 10 TIE influence
upon the hoy and man. as follows: "The
old civilizations believed III the culture
of the body. The Greek civilization
sought to Develop physical beauty and
athleticism. In our eXaltation of
mental and spiritual qualities, we
are in danger of forgetting that
the body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost. There can be no great
brain activity and no sustained achieve
ment without good degree of physical
force. Many of our modern improve
ments make for speed at the expense of
strength. There is no doubt, either.
that the former times exeried a far
stricter discipline. Youth was literally
exercised into manhood, and its eXer-
else involved hardship, toll and obedi-
ence. The greater the career that was
opening before the young man the
stricter surveillance over him and the
more rigorous his early years. In these
ms of hardihood, therefore. the rich
iher times gave their boys the ad-
aage that belongs to the poor at IL
sent"
sr. Smith urged the rich to give their
q