The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-02-11
THE GOSPEL OF A BUSHMAN
LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OFJAMEs
TYSON.
Robert Il. speer Before the Mems Club
Last Evening-Said James TysOn's
Work Was to Redeem Deserts-Any-
thing Can be Done by Force Of WIN.

Robert Il. speer, NJ. A., of New York
city, secretary of the Presbyterian Board of
Missions, spoke last night before the Men s
club In the United church on THE Gospel
OF Bushman" sketching the life Of an
eccentric multi-millionaire who Recently
died In Australia. Mr.. Speer drew many
practical lessons. He said III part:
About three years ago there died at the age
Nnglishman by the name Of James Tyson.
He was one OF the most picturesque figures
OF this century. He was worth twenty-five
millions and was most extended land
holder. He left no will. He never invested
his money except, as he called 1t, In carry
ing out This little game" People asked him
what his little game was and he replied
"Fighting deserts. l make the grass and
grain grow where it never grew before
He was recluse and never married. At
the age OF seventy six he boosted that he
had never been to church, never drank u
drop, and never washed himself with soap.
He was subscriber to churches and
cathedrals. He gave $4,000 to the Mel
bourne cathedral. But his work was prl
mdrily to redeem deserts. 1t was said Of
James Tyson that he was the most harm
less rich man in the world. He never In
vested In stocks and bonds. He simply
turned savage soil into real estate and rails
ed CATTLE He said sometimes that he never
took any Interest in his money, that when
be died he would just go away and leave 1t
behind him. ila4ssi ii
world. He spent his life outside Of the ar
tl1cialities Of life to found future states
that civilization might come In.
He had no precedents. PeODle said that
what he proposal to do was futile. But he
redeem it." Whatever we want to do in
this world can be done by will, and that is
life. All the accomplishments that have
been great are accomplished because men
would.
The greatest things in the world that have
uaA vat hpon donn will ha done nv mon who
say II will" The only opportunity that Il
man may ask for Is the possession OF will.
The second lesson from James Tyson's life
Is his lesson Of unselfshness. He saw the
miners starving and said II will raise cat
tie to feed these men," He had no idea of
making money on the cattle. He lived not
In a palace but Ii & shack. He took what
was his share In the rough struggle Of life
and never spared nilnselg.
A third good wholesome lesson is that Of
his simplicity Of life. ! have said that, he
sand. He wore coarse clothes and slept on
the bare floor Of his shack His contempt
for the petty luxuries Of life is thing we
nowadays because 1t is being spent SO fast.
Men wear themselves out with work instead
Of cutting down their expenses. 1t wou.I
son Of simple frugality. Men go to college
to-day and exact better living there than
they had at home. The increasing expenses
Of The. college athletic teams in these years
ID u ue ueQluIcu.s 1ucIc 10 luO uuCA cA- |
pense and too little character and will.
The next lesson is that of doing tile next |
close thing. Bit by bit and year by year |
James Tyson reclaimed the desert. We |
want to do large things. We are like |
Naaman and despise dipping ourselves in
the little muddy Jordan. We overlook the
little unpleasant duty close at hand. The
present duty is diyinely set. Who can vote !
that Will not first register his name? The
great work for us all Is to redeem the bit |
OF desert that Is nearest to us.
That was the lesson of Jimmy Tyson's
life, who set himself to redeaminy deserts.
That is all that life is given us for, to be
spent In the redemption Of Its own master,
and In the waste of the world.