The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-01
LUCK OF ONE LECTURER.
\ BRIEF EXPERIENCE ON THE
PLATFORMS OF On URCHEg.

with Col. Ingersol Tho second Preacher
Thouuht tho Lecture was Frsc-A Deal
wien the Third-Sudden Fad OF the Tour.
This Is the time of tho year when men who
are out of employment are casting about for
something to do. There is no Information in
this article which would get n man who Is out
of work n meal or a place TO sleep. 1t is simply
the experience of n man who thought he had
the gift OF spellbinding. THE is how It was:
u had been abroad. !" he said, and being of
an observing turn l made notes Of all that ! saw,
especially of those things which l thought
would interest people in this country. l had
rome notion then that l would write q book.
The idea that took hold upon mo with unusual
ferVor was the religion of q certain people In
one OF tho far eastern countries. 1 came back
to my own country saturated with the subject,
and called upon several publishers In New
York, with a view of getting up rivalry for my
book. l was astonished at the number OF men
who were ahead Of me. and livery soon con-
cluded there was no room.
81 don't recall who was tho lrHt tempter, but
Twas persuaded at last that the lecture plat
form was calling for me. My subject being
upon a certain form of religion. the churches
would. of course. give me their support. There
was some method in the peculiar type OF insan-
ity which had hold of me and was reaching out
for church aid. / would not have any hall rent
~ po1. u ShuESbCS "ooA' w.. NaSh "Seho
TO me. At one time 1 thought would dispense
with any press or advance agent. But I soon
found that l must have an nssiatant He was
not exactly n press agent, for the ministers hlled
the duties Of that functionary. 30 the young
man whom I finally persuaded to 60 out a. .
helper called himself an accessory, and We
agreed to that title between ourselves.
He went up the State to = town about . days
run from New York, and made himself agrecn-
bic to q worthy preacher, who interested him.
self in my behalf. The minister preached n ser
mon about my mission. and at the conclusion
my accessory made q few remarks to help out in
paving the way. It was agreed that / should
occupy the pulpit on a stated evening, and l was
there on time. My accessory assured me that
he had worked mp quite . furore In the congre-
cation. But he said he was sorry to have to In.
form me that he had learned that morning that
1 would have to talk against Ingersoll. who had
tho theatre rented for o overnight stand. The
good minister Of the congregation. however,
said 1t would make no difference, as the people
who would como to hear me would not 60 to
hear Ingersoll. and vice versa. I think he said
vice versa. The admission had been put down
to cost. 1t was IS cents all over the house.
II dismissed my accessory to look after the
opening OF the church while I locked myself up
In my room and rehearsed my lecture. May I
be permitted to say that the lecture had been
submitted to q competent critic In New York,
who said II l could talk as we'll as l had written
he thought my fortune was only q question of
time. AS he seemed to know n good deal about
what constituted an effective talker. l got him
to give mo some points. Tho minister Of the
congregation called at my hotel for me and ac-
companied me to his church. When we reached
the door l found my accessory stamping his feet
and rubbing his hands after the manner OF q
man who is cold. He said the crowd was slow
coming in. But the minister cheered me with the
remark that It was early. Itmay have been early
one even in fa.hion"Sie New YORK rave We Sss% vent iA IN
and was soon seated behind the pulpit. con
minister talked to me for thirty minutes. /
think, and then he looked out over the assem-
bIsse, and t. | s up T. he k !. .hn, all were
Introduce 4 cs me. AS | looked at my audience
audience ia numerically small. People some
and sit where they please. You can't group
people in the church. delivered my lecture.
and afterit was over was introduced to sew
10 say that Il in sonS 4 h md9m taSnf IN t 10 Hro Ess
church would have been crowded. This did not
coincide with the ante.lecture remarks OF tho
II parted from the good man and hts elders
snd Msn for to m Ise f Hs Sa ae eosnt tss aS sSs house. ws.
as he expressed 1t. and showed me two stackson
the table. One represented cash taken in. The
ter. We had ss.T6 in cash. I leave You to
guess how many comps were. out. Although
ner about me that night which rather aston
ished my accessory. upbraided him for not
to deadhead any of his congregation. told tho
Young . az man thst he elone had that authority.
az msfn UPON sn'' him 1i Il for az n nna' a. ana i hnrtf her
fore he booked me what other attractions were
To-, to be a in the so 'gwn H0, He had a., nothing thing to pn say I, sbG GM
preacher told him that none Of Bis consresa.
ture hall. On the contrary. they were very
much alive. The morning, papers had good
with a few lines that didn't oven have a head.
ana one OF The editors Was a deacon IN tho
and returned to New York Ny and "S|f i 6aa q to- p %S
T Tis oil am Sn6 my Z. own ,"6s out ~ n OF my Up private funds.
II proceeded on my way to tho next town
where l had arranged. through my good brother
mention this fact because I think IL il had not
been SO arranged I would no. have Rone--to re-
%ination. had a letter 10 the dominic. When
sa AZ upon him he greeted me cordially and
eregation on my subject. and felt sure that /
you'd have many to hear me: He said that,
nav had b. no pS so ,1,G mn Un With me on
lure would be free: He hdesdr that was ali right.
| said to him that while l was very much
for the sole,purpose Of love; that tho lsbor.r was
worthy OF his hire. But. OF course, l could not
blame him. How could he known
He asked me Il my lecture had any inter;
In a cl~nw-hammer coat for thirty minutes | re-
tired TO The study and changed my attire to that
OF q Turk. and returned TO tho platform In that
garh aud gave ali imitation Of that countrylnnn
calling the hour OF prayer. He said that would
give him an opportunity Of speaking 10 The con-
Rregation. and suggesting that a collection be
taken. and II / would larry long enough In MAX
Ing my change he would have his deRcons pass
the plates. ] asked him. as delicAtely as ! could,
III that yVnn1I mt lnnk liza m Rnrf NJ n n6Aan
game on my part. He thought not, as he would
assume the responsibility of that. thought IL
he could stand 10 ! could.
There WAS q tolerably full house. I made
my dress snit remarks, and then retired to the
pastors study TO make my change, but 1t was
not n lightning change. 1t took me fully ten or
nftecn minutes to transform myself Into the IN
spehkable. and then ] EMERGED: ldon't want to
say anything TO you that would make you think
am eolorinR this story; but ! swear to you when
l came out as tho Turk l hardly knew the house.
The minute the preacher sprung the collection
business at least one-half OF the house had
moved out.
II did the Turk business. however. and I think
/ must have cut II. When / had finished the
preacher said that while / was putting on my /