The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-12
MOR%ELECTURESTHAN EVER
BUr TIE BUSINESS NOT so GOOD
AS IN THE OLD DArS.
A Constant Demand. Though. for Men who
Have Something to Sny ana Know How 20
say lillian Mncinren'a Phenomcnni Success
New Won 10 ITO Heard on the Platform soon.

n Constant Demand, THOUGH, Tor Men Who
Have Something to sny and Know How TO
say lillian SIncinren'n Phenomcnni Success
New Wen to ITO Heard on the Platform soon.
1t is generally believed that the lecture bust
ness has declined in this country of late years.
So it has, in n way, since tho days of Wendell
Phillips, Edward Everett, Henry Ward Bccchcr.
Charles Sumner, and others. On tho other
hand, more occurring is being done to-day than
ever before, but 1t is done in a different way.
The times affect the lecture market Just as per.
ceptibly as they do the wheat ortae wool market,
and the coming season promises n regular boom
in the history OF tho lyccum. When asked
about tho condition of the lecture business
Major J. Il. Pond said:
'"Thc lecture business has undoubtedly de-
clincd in one sense. 1t has been driven out by
the theatre. Twenty-Five years ngo the ly-
ceum was the institution of every town OF any
Importance throughout the country. In the
Northern States tho drop curtain was the
dividing line. The theatre and the Jail were
about equal in popularity with what We call
the religious public. The lyccums in all cities
had large s%urpluscs and they stood for ability,
genius, society, reform, and entertainment.
Tho ablcst and noblest men and women OF tho
English.spoaking race not only gave their best
talent TO tho platform, but they made it his
toric and symbolic OF genius and reform.
Since the day when Gilbert and Sullivan's
operas were first played in churches and Sunday
school rooms the lyceum has declined. and the
finest auditoriums to BIO found to-day are
theatres.
more lecturing is dono now than. ever
before, but II IA not done on the old plan. Sum.
mer assemblies are responsible for n great
deal OF 1t. The University Extension lecture
system started off six or seven years ago with a
blast of truInpcts, and every body was going to
have n course Of lectures very cheap. But the
public soon learned that il they had lectures
'"'"p, 'h'! "''' "oi nam "p' W s'' ~ 'ho
same time cheap lectures. Then so many min
mnrs ahraoa nn,yodavs nnd nhn,aora,hr has
h"' aoio"u ho""u"9'' Wv i"o'os'aPn9 hae
come to be such "A simple thing, that 1t is al
most easier for them to return home and give an
,u,,,.a,o, ,.,,,.. H., u, :. al, mr. -,
inuS.ru'ou lecture Il a nut " uo"' ino "
ufacture OF stereopticons has grown into an
epormous industry. and nil through the de.
n,nnds Of Tho hundreds ~ Iec,n.ors who eood
our country. The illustrated lecture is being
ovcrdonc to q great extent, Still, 1t has proved
lie schools is giving tho rising generation a
knowledge of what is going on in the world that
people learn more nowaday in two or three
seasons through lectures than they formerly
acquired in a lifetime.
A this doesn't alter the fact that people
turn out to hear a man lecture who has some;
tnlnS TO say. AS soon as II WAS announced
that Dir. Watson Tan Maciarent was coming
to this country applications came from every
city: They were largely from ministers. par.
ticulnrly Presbyterian ministers, who wanted
to secure him. At the same time most Of them
had been so imposed upon that only "A few were
willing TO take the risk NJ paying what l asked.
Up to a month before lr. Watson left Europe
! had not been able to place him with any local
societies because of their fear of losing money.
as the doctor made his appearance in New
York, where nc delivered the Lyman Beechcr
tilr-n nrvl nf his A1t,TnEa arr,nl ltln NtilI.
fire. All that was necessary then was to en-.
gage a hail and announce bis coming. April;
persuaded him to make two lectures a day while
1t was possible on our route. MatindcS proved
and it was u notable fact that the audiences at
the former were by no means mostly composed
Of women; as is sn usually the eS cas-; &C. Men Hroppcd
who really had something to say to them. Dr.
Watson delivered in sixty days ninety.eight
l%"c'nres, During ii. las: two wocks he sipEc
fifteen times each week,
To give a practical idea OF his success ! will
cite one instance. He lcctured at the Waldorf
one morning at II o'clock. Tho price Of each
ticket was s., and the receipts were over 81 800;
Music in Brooklyn, when the receipts were
more than 81 900. and he finished his day by
amount taken in falling a little short OF 800.
He lecturcd and preached lo7 times in the
eight weeks of his engagement. and | offered
longer; but he had promised to return to his
church, and he Thought more of his promise
than .rl he aid Gid Of re, m9nSSS' from , visit 70 Dr. Wat
son ~ his home in Liverpool. His church, SET
ton Park Church. is the Mecca for all Ameri-
cans. who travel through that, city. To attend
servic" there reminds one Of the good old times
at Plymouth in the palmy days OF Beecher.
when people eros sing the Brooklyn ferry would
ask Where is Beecher.s church, and The answer
always came back, Follow the crowd ! CON
slider Or. Watson the greatest preacher in Eng
land, II not the greatest living. plymouth
pulpit has always held that distinction and will
rs long ~ DIR. Abbott rcmains in il. Is there
any chance Of getting DIR, Watson TO return
hcrci I'm just coming TO that important point
now. 1t Is pretty generally believed over. here
that DR.. Watson has been acquitted Of the
charge OF heresy. but his late trial was simply
preliminary, The parties who began the fight
and made the charge have now taken up his
book, The Mind o the Master and have pre-.
fcrred formal CHARGES, The trial Is set Tor next
May ana the place Is llHerp09l; According
10 Church. rules and laws ii would be conducted
IN Dr. j" atsons own church. but Nc mas de,
cla, ed that that must not be and thai they Will
have to go rlse. The belief pre-
walls that he Will be convicted, In which case
he will have to give up his church, -,
In that case, Major, he said to me, i
think shall &" over ana lecture I I another sea
son Tor you; otherwise IL Will not be until
1899