The record-union., 1894-02-14
ACADEMIA MEETING.
A Delightful Evening Spent With Lew
Wallace.
Pepers Read Upon His Life and Writ
ings, and Their Character
and influence.


members has not abated.
The subject of the evening was "The
Life and Writings OF General Lew Wal
lace" and those who were present felt
well repaid by the programme.
MISS TINDALL's PAPER.
Miss Anna TindaIl read the first paper
on his life, as follows:
We all feel natural desire to know
something of the lives and habits of those
with whom we have become acquainted
through their books; and while this de-
sire may be carried to the extreme of
meddlesome prying into mans private
affairs, still | think we need not deSig-
nate this feeling altogether idle curiosity.
but rather a trlenuly interest; for with
few whom we meet in daily intercourse is
there a closer band than with those who
have admitted us 10 the inner sanctuary
of their minds and hearts through their
books.
General Lew Wallace belongs to ali old
and honored family of Indiana, various
members of which have held positions OF
prominence in the State and have always
been on the side of progress and advance
ment.
His father, David Wallace, served a
term in Congress and was a member OF
the Committee on Commerce, and while
in that position voted for an appropriation
10 develop Morse's electric telegraph,
though that vote cost him his reelection.
Lew Wallace was born at Brookville,
Indiana, IN 1897, received common
school education, and, at the beginning of
the Mexican War, was a law student.
At the call for volunteers, he entered the
army as First Lieutenant in Company ii,
First Indiana Infantry. At the close OF
the war he resumed his profession in
Covington and afterwards in Crawfords-
lao ffYJr inf ffn0 Sfotn
Senate.
At the outbreak of the Civil War he
again was prompt in responding to his
cOuntry's call. He was at that time Cap
tain of volunteer company of State mill
itia. and as his company was the best
drilled and organized in the State, they
promptly enlisted.
Miss Tindall then gave sketch of his
military career, in which he gained so
much of glory, after which she sketched
his return to civil life, as follows:
Having thus won an honorable place
among the military men OF his time, he
has since become even better known
through his literary work, and now holds
prominent position among the writer's
OF to-day. His wife had devoted con-
siderable time to writing and was the
author of number of successful
children's stories, and it was perhaps
through her influence that he turned his
attention to literature. In 1873, he pub
lished 1.-The Fair God.r a story of the
conquest of Mexico, being especially
fitted for the task by the knowledge of
Mexican affairs, gained during his serv-
ice in the Mexican War.
Literary work was with him a pastime
rather than a business, and his book
making hours were such as he could
snatch from professional employment. In
an article from his own pen, entitled
How l Came to Write Ben Hur,'" he
says; "Numberless paragraphs in the
book are recognizable as having been
blocked out in the cars between cities or
in the waits at lonesome stations. Thus
Tirzah's little song, Wake Not, but Hear
Me, Love- is the resultant of delayed
passage from Indianapolis home.o
OF course most Of his writing was done
at Charlottesville, with night as the favor
ing time. On summer days, business
permitting, his favorite spot was beneath
an old beech tree, where he wandered
with Ben Hur through the Grove of
Daphne.
The story of the Wise Men from the
East, led by the Star of Bethlehem to the
manger OF the Christ-child had always
made profound impression on his mind
from early childhood, and in 1875, as he
was getting over the restlessness due to
years of service in the Civil War, it oc
Cured to him to write the conceptions
the Wise Men from the East.
AT that time ne himself says that his
state of mind was that of absolute indif-
ference. He had no convictions about
God or Christ. He neither believed nor
disbelieved in them.
This serial, now Book /. of "Ben Hur,"
was finished and laid away in a desk
until he should have favorable oppor
tunity of opening communication with
the Harpers. Soon after this he became
engaged with IngersOll. a personal friend
of his, in a discussion in regard to what
Ingersoll considered the numerous IN
consistencies existing in the Bible.
Ingelson asked Wallace if he had ever
studied the Bible with the idea of COM
pairing different portions and seeing
whether there were inconsistencies or
not. Being answered in the negative, he
requested Wallace to make study of the
Bible with this in view and he agreed to
do so.
Wallace thus describes his own feel
ings: II had been listening to a discus
sion which involved such elemental
points as God, Heaven, life, hereafter,
Jesus Christ and his divinity. Trudging
on In the dark, except as ones own
thoughts may be company, good or bad,
a sense OF the importance OF the theme
struck me for the first time. with a force
both singular and persistent. My ignor-
ance of it was painfully spot OF deeper
darkness in the dark ness. / was ashamed
of myself and make haste now 10 declare
that the modification OF pride l then en-
dured, or if it be preferred, the punish
ment of spirit, ended in a resolution to
study the whole matter, if only for the
qualification there might be in having
conviction of one kind or another"
Then the manuscript in his desk came
to his mind-that ended with the birth of
Christ-why not make it the first book of
volume and go on to his death?
OF the five years given to this book, the
least part was occupied in actual compost
ton. Research and investigation con-
sumed most of the appropriated time.
He had never visited the Holy Land, but
in making it the location for his story, it
was necessary to be familiar, not only
with its history and geography, but also
with the costumes and customs OF the peo-
pies representatively introduced: Greek,
Roman, Egyptian, and especially the
children of Israel.
The success of this painstaking work
we all know. AS for himself, he says:
sIong before / was through with my
hook I became believer in God and
Christ"
The eighth and last book of "Ben Hur''
was written in a cavernous chamber OF
the old palace IN Santa Re. \. Nj.
From 1878 to 1881 Wallace was Governor
of Utah, but the study necessary for the
writing of "Ren Hur" naturally inspired
in him a strong desire TO visit the Holy
Land. and about the time the book ap-
peared friends were urging upon Presl-
dent Hayes his appointment as Minister
to Turkey.
HAYES at first refused, but mutual
friend sent a copy OF the newly publishes
s'Ben Hur'' to the White House, where il
was read and so much enjoyed by mem
1ors of tha Presidents family that he de-