The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-04-25
EDIToR'S CHAT.
AX0RKERS

How Gen. Lew wallace, Author of Ben
Hur." Became n Christian, as 1oio ID.
Himseif-Things New and Old.
Search the Scriptures is the divine injunc
tion. Int the value of such search was neve
more fully set forth than in the case of Gen
Lew Wallace and his inspired story Of Ben
Hur.
For as he searched and studied light shon,
upon him such as flashed full upon the face o
Paul as he iourneyed to Damascus; a search
light. in fact. that not only revealed the truti
to him, bat has flashed it back upon Thousand
and tens OF thousands, yes millions of his fellow
creatures in this and in other lands.
1t was in 1873, when he was getting over the
restlessness caused by the war, that Gen. wal
lace began to write the story of the WISE Men.
He was not influenced by religious sentiments,
ms he had no convictions of God or Christ
He neither believed nor disbelievod, aud had
o perfect indifference to spiritual things He
thought only OF writing acceptable maya
zine serial, but even then as he wrote his Wise
Men became real beings and would rise. sit,
look, talk like other men. He would call to
them and they would answer, and he would
recognize their voices.
Let Gen Wallace tell the rest of the story:
"In 1876 heard discussion of God, heaven,
Inc hereafter. anu ADTlbN, anu % bldNElhS
alone home felt ashamed because knew so
little Of these things, and decided TO study the
whole matter. j made up my mind to eschew
theology aud commentaries and TO give my
attention to the four Gospels.
How to interest myself and make this a
passtime was the question, and j thought OF
the story ending with the birth of Christ, and
decided to complete it by going on to his death.
The subject was dramatic and full of possibili-
ties in the revelation of God in person. But
there was a long gap between his boyhood and
temperance MS a man with mission.
after weeks of reflection / decided to show
the social and religious and political conditions
of the intervening period. There was no lack
of incident and person. aud Rome furnished
politics / had to conceive the religion, and so
created the Hur family as types Of the Jewish
race
lin the Christian incidents ] set forth the
mower of miracle had mover been to the
Holy Land. so had not only to study its his
tory and geography, but TO study the customs
and costumes of the various peoples. 1 sent
for everything ] could discover bearing upon
the land aud peoples and wrote with maps and
authorities al hand constantly.
THE greatest difficulty found was not the
invention of incidents and the choice of charac-
ters ] knew the Christian world would not
have a novel with Christ the hero, but had
70 bring Him in, and had to avoid all sermon
the Savior until the last hours, having Him
always coming but not appearing
Then decided not 10 have him an actor in
Epv scene Invented. All His Htterances were
20 be in the Gospels. in the five years given
20 the work only a small period was given TO
the writing but the greater part to study and
research needed. carried the subject with me
CD railway Journeys and wrote one chapter on
delayed trip 10 indianapolis.
Il wrote most Of the book at my home in
Crawfordsville. Ind. j have done much under
o great beech tree near the house. i wrote
the last chapter OF Ben-Hur at Santa Fe, in the
old adobe palace chose the name Ben-Hur
because it was Biblical. euphonious, and simple.
j became a believer in Christ and God long
before ended the work"
Asked what part Of the book he thought best.
Gen. Wallace said: All he could say was, that
the part which gave him the greatest salts
faction was that which described the interview
between Ben Her and tie two friends TO whom
he described his experiences in following the
Christ. The writing Of it convinced him OF
tbe divinity Of Christ, and the authenticity Of
the record Of his life
THINGS NEW AND OLD.
The new woman thinks il is as bad for
Christian 10 squeeze her waist as for Chinese
60 bind her feet.
Men wore corsets before women did and are
60 well satisfied with the change that they have
no hsnkerng after them now.
Congregational music is tending more and
more 20 the revival Of old-fashioned hymns.
There is more simplicity and devotion in them.
Women wore breeches when men were wear
ing skirts. and when they wanted TO exchange
dress the Pope Of Rome issued an imperial de-
cree against pants" as too eheminate for
men.