The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-10-14

a Large Audience at the Lyceum
Last Night--sketch of the Char
acteristics Which Makes the Names
of George Washington and Wendell
Phillips Stand Out Prceminent.
The Typical Americans Whole
Idea Is That Better Day Is Ahead
REV. Dr. Frank w. Gunsauus.
president Of the Armour Institute of
Technology pastor of one of the largest
Protestant churches in Chicago, novel
ist and essayist, publicist and orator,
moved and swayed a large audience
at the Lyceum theater last night by
the power of his matchless eloquence
and magnetic personality as easily as
the wind moves and sways field Of
waving grain.
DR.. Ciunsaulus spoke under the aus
pices Of the International Correspond
ence Schools Beneficial association and
was greeted by an audience which was
thoroughly representative Of the city's
culture and intelligence. He was in
troduced by j. ID. Jones. president of
Typical American"
He is an exceptionally tall man,
nearly feet inches. of commanding
presence. so tall in fact that the table
from behind which he spoke had to be
built up so that he might rest his arms
upon It. He spoke consecutively for
nearly two hours without the use OF a
single note aud never once was there
l,ar l,n, fpr f1rg
nor a moments hesitation for Il word.
He spoke freel,' using none Of the tricks
of the professional orator and he held
the closest attention of the big au-
dience until the very last word of his
paroration.
DR.. Gunsauius began by sketching in
general way some of the characteris-
tics of the typical American of today.
LOOKING WESTWARD.
"The American said he. has always
been and is today Il man VINO Is al
ways looking Westward: Il man whose
whole idea is that there is better
day ahead: man who gathers TINS
conviction into his personality so that
IT becomes a mental gait. sort OF
spiritual assumption
lie then traced III Il lhoSl u'llShttui
manner the influences from across the
SEA which have had Il part in the MAX
ing of the American of today. He TOOK
each nation in turn and by means or
n clever story. nimitably told, he
showed the particular character ele-
ments from all lands which have gone
into the making of the American type
the Inglishman's conservatism. stoiid-
ity and earnestness of purpose: the
Irishman's brilliancy and carelessness
OF consequences: the ScotchmaG S
adaptabii,y. and resiliency: the Ger
1ran's noble self-respect and desire
to get the most ont of the least and
the Frcnchman's lightness.
II welcome to our shores, said he,
call brave. honest. true men and
women. The opportunities in this
country are so vast, the needs are so
various. the possibilities are so multi
tudinous that none but men who unite
in themselves all histories and all races
can measure up 10 Inc requirements
Of our civilizations
DR.. Gunsaulus then took up tn" lives
of his two typical Americans. George
Washington and Wendell Philips ana
pointed out the characteristics which
make tntln Stdl.u put pie-"'il''''''is
among the public men oc this nation.
Washington. conservative, solid, lust
a large sized. common American was
the very man. he declared, to be in
charge when the nation was emerging
rom chaos into order and when the
,rotopla site forces out of which the
embryo of this government sprung were
being fused together
THE TYPICAL AMERICAN.
'Washingtnn" said he. so united in
himself all The elements of our COM
nion humanity that he hecame the
:ypical American of all time-nol the
typical American of yesterday. because
The typical American is not uf ycster-
day"
Before discussing Wendell Phillips.
Dr. Gunsaulus referred to Daniel Web
stcr, who, in his estimation. fell just
short of being Tie grandcst figure in
all American history because OF his
final surrender to the compromise party
after he had thumdcred in the halls Of
congress against any diily-dailyina
with the slave party and had declared
"union and liberty" to he ''onr ana in
scparablc." The doctors word picture
of the scene in tho senate when Web
stcr uttered these immortal words,
which were the wHtchworG of the Civil
war, in reply To Robert HainCs. WIS the
most mastery effort of his whole lee
tm"o
While Wobstcr's star was waning,
the young Wcndell Phillips was Just
entering manhood's estate, the doctor
said. He traced the young mans carly
life and declared that his devotion Of
his life to the cause of the freedom of
the American negro and tho sacrifices
he made for that cause arc among the
sublmest things in all history.
He described the social oStraciSm and
the bitter antaSonism which Phillips
met with, and everything he said had
tho added charm of being personal, be-
cause he was warm personal friend OF
the dead orator. lie rocounted how hc
rode, n barefoot farmers hoy, to hear
the great orator. and how from that
day his influence became a power for
great things in his life.
One of the most interesting things he
related WAS regarding a number of
autograph letters of Phillips which he
has collected. They are nearly all re-
plies to requests for terms regarding
lectures. In every one of them the
orator wrote that he would talk on
'Daniel O'Connell" on 1.-The American
Republic" or other subjects, for 500
and expenses paid but they invariably
wind up with the announcement: "If I
can talk on the American negro and
his release from the slave power, / viii
lecture free and pay my own expenses. {"
I,t- srtt ole xtsnx MI.