The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-05

they at once took up a collection of nearly
$50 or course ! could not as they urged
keep It for myself but 1t helped the work
along. From their looks. 1 almost feared
that they would shoot II I refused"
a JanitOr for College Fees.
But though this work was congenial,
he could not relinquish the idea or an
education, and on his return he entered
Lake Forest University, Here oeufred
some of the hardest struggles OF his afe-
He secured a position as janitor or
local church al salary of $i,5O week.
the appreciative but business-lil<e com
mittee stipulatipg that one of his tasks
should be to address the weekly prayer
meeting. Somehow by living on next to
nothing and by accepting every odd jon
that offered, he managed not only TO exc
out living, but to accumulate library
OF 400 books He finally was appointed as
slstant In the university library, and then
1t was that he set himself the task OF
reading az least partially every book ON
the shelves in the order of their alpha
betlcal arrangement, beginning with Addi-
son. IL was here that he built up the habit
of reading which SO largely accounts for
his wide information; he learned TO set
out the gist Of a book and its style and
structure without taking time 60 read 10
through, for such time he did not have.
II took him three years 10 so through the
library.
AT Lake Forest he had one experience
which at the time probably came closer
to tragedy than his present laughing ac-
counts would lead one 10 believe.
working for 81 Week.
IT got down TO bed rock" he said,
"down to where / had neither money nor
the prospect of earning any, and natural
ly was a little blue. one day, through an
accidental meeting, / secured employment
on a farm near the town. The agreement
was that / should receive board, lodging
and 81 a week. ] got the board and lodg-
ing, such as II was, but when the time
was up my employer refused to pay me-
He paused, while his eyes twinkled. ''If
there ever was a time in my life when
gave way 10 un-Christian thoughts"
But smile closed the sentence.
In spite of his modesty, enough can be-
cleaned from his own statements to con-
vince one of the terrible earnestness of
the man through his trials. His indomta-
bile spirit, his nervous vigor, his practical
optimism all kept him at II with per-
| sistence that perhaps was partly outside
| of himself.
Successor to David Swing.
After college came the Mccormick SEM
mary in Chicago. where he received his
| theological training, and after that the
great life-work. He preached first al Pc
oria. His success there was so pronounced
| that he was called to the First Presbyte-
ran Church of evanston, position in such
close touch with Chicago church circles
that his name grew rapidly, A few years
more and David Swing died; then DR.. Hill
lis stepped into his place In Central
| Church. Chicago. Many there were who
said that he could not do 1t, that he was
too young, too inexperienced, that IL meant
| the decline of Chicagos most prom
inent church organization. But how he
silenced his critics is matter of too re-
/ cent history to call for comment.
| Dir. Hills has published a number OF
books compilations Of sermons and adj
dresges, and all have met with remarka-
| bic success. The more important of these.
! "A Mans Value to Society" and THE In
vestment of Influence" show even TO the
| casual reader the secret of his success.
| His writing Is like himself, keen. logical.
fornefu. and better stll, Intensely hui
man. Though not yet 40, he has seen more
| than falls 10 the lot of most older men.
He has lived through hardships into sue
cess; and the hard treatment which might
have made cynic or q failure of a smaller
| man has meiiowed him and ripened him
| into strong, vital manhood. And there is
In all his work gentle, tolerant hunlor
| that often crystalzes into wit
| How He Writes and breaches.
Or. Hills is a very careful writer. He
gives minute attention to every detail of
| style, and his study of the masters shows
In every line of his writing. Even when
carried away by the flow of his ideas he
constructs each sentence with the precis-
ion that long practice has developed into
instinct. In delivering sermon however,
he Is not bound to the manuscript, and
often he uses the written pages merely for
an outline. breaking away from them into
extended flights Of eloquence.
| The history of Plymouth Church Is built
upon the lives of two great men. DIR.
4 he third IN ifs MN
be watched with absorbing interest by the
whole country. Those who know him best
feel sure that the noblest efforts of an all
ready noble life win be devoted not only
TO continuing the work, but to carrying
1t into larger fields. Samuel Merwin.