The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-11-17

He is through and through, and in the
best sense, Chicago man. On the
prairie. near the city, where be lived for
time, he found great treasure, Mary
Trowbridge, his wife, who still shares
and blesses his days.
His parents, Hurlbut and Nancy Swan,
were typical Puritans, devout, earnest,
fixed in their opinions. strictly religious
and religiously strict. James inherited
their faith and spirituality. but in less
rigid form. The winter of their theology
became summer in its descent. We may
not be able to explain it, but it is never
theless fact, that an orthodox tree, as
in this case, may produce excellent Uni
verersaist fruit. If the father and moth
er regretted that their son could not &C.
cept their creed in full, in all other re-
spects he must have filled the measure
of their wishes and prayers.
Mr.. Swan is, and has been for years, a
member of st. Paul's church. There is
done more for the Universalist cause, in
one way and another, by Christian living
and generous giving, than he. He is
never absent from the church and Sun
day school. He is his pastors right
hand assistant in work, in sympathy,
and in counsel. He is widely known in
the city and among our churches in the
West. His genial face is seen and his
cheering voice is heard at all our relig-
ious gatherings and UNCONVENTIONAL
councils. His leadership is sought every
where, his judgment is followed by all.
He might be and often is taken by
strangers for clergyman at some of our
great meetings. He should have been
one. many of his best friends think He
narrowly escaped being ordained at one
time to that office. If he had chosen the
pulpit for his life-work our church would
have gained one of the best Of ministers
and lost one of the best of laymen. If
there be any reason to doubt his great
success as preacher it is the fact that
he has been eminently successful as
business man. He has accumulated
wealth, but he is economical in his tastes
and simple in his manners He is every
body's friend and favorite. The old
and the young revere and love him He
is the star in social circles. He is
model husband. He has no children of
his own, an adopted daughter only, to
whom he is all father could be- To her
children he is doting grandfather.
For five years Mr.. Swan was superin-
tendent of the Sunday school in the Sec
ond church in Chicago, and for eleven
years in st. Paul's Sunday school, Here
as elsewhere he excelled. If we were
permitted to order the making of an
ideal Sunday superintendent, 10
should, without hesitation, suggest
James III. Swan for the pattern.
A Sunday School Superintendent
should, first of all, be Christian; he
should be a ready, graceful, cheerful
speaker, should know how especially to
address children; he should have fine
voice and be able to lead in singing; he
should possess the rare gifts of making
a short, direct, uplifting prayer; he
should have genuine love for children
and the ability to win their love; he
should know all his pupils and teachers
by name and be quick to recognize them
nh ho
Swan has all these qualities He resigned
his place at the head of the Sunday.
school in ST. Paul's to go abroad,-he
has travelled considerably in these later
years. and his successor in that veteran
institution, Mr.. Charles l.. Hutchinson.
proved in many respects to be his peer
also as a superintendent j. FL.
Tuttle, an the November Helper.