The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-25

lne widely circulated Lille OIL Russell
II. Conwell."
The lecture was to have been given
two weeks ago, but DR.. Conwell was
unable to reach here in time on ac-
count of railroad delay. There were
enough tickets sold at that time to fill
the tabernacle. The attendance last
night indicated that all who held
tickets had in the interim decided to
bring all Of their families.
DIR. Conwell was introduced by Rev.
Mr.. Smith with a brief reference to the
fact that according to the statistics Of
the lecture bureaus DIR. Conwell has
filed more lecture engagements than
any other living lecturer.
The subject of last nights lecture
was 1.-The Jolly Earthquake, or How to
be Happy" AS DR.. Conwell admitted
in opening his lecture, the subject would
suggest to some that it was somewhat
ridiculous. but before the lecture had
proceeded very far. it developed that it
was very far from that.
WHAT IT IS.
The Jolly Earthquake" he went on
TO explain was an incident partly his
torical, partly traditional which forms
the basis of the prettiest stories in
Japanese literature.
Out in the sea off Yokohoma is an
island which is said to be the most
beautiful spot in either Japan or China.
The American, German and Russian
missionaries have their summer homes
there. According to the Japanese story
this island was an almost barren rock.
used only for the isolation of criminals,
insane persons and lepers with a few
fishermen as it's only willing inhabit-
ants. In the year 1906 there came IL
great earthquake which rent the island
asunder caused the sea to wash 1t over
and transformed it into fertile garden
spot. During the continuance of the
earthquake the sea and land gave off Il
gas which when breathed caused
person to fairly go into convulsions
from laughter. Peculiar, as are most
things japanese, the inhabitants of the
island were not destroyed by the earth
quake and it's accompanying tidal
waves. Instead they safely underwent
the terrible experiences and all
through them just rolled around and
laughed hysterically.
Taking the Japanese story figurative-
ly, DIR. Conwell used it as Il vehicle for
conveying Il sermon on the efficacy of
laughter His applications of the story
and his illsutrations drawn form every
day life We're happily combined in por-
traying his idea of the need of laugh
ter and the good that comes from 1t.
Laughter, he contended, was not only
Il panacea for. but Il preventative of.
pretty much all the ills that humanity
is heir to- 1t is the crowning outward
feature distinguishing man from the
brute. He who laughs most, the lee
turer declared is the highest type of
human being. The man who never
laughs is close to the level of the beast,
which cannot laugh.
A CAUSE OF INSANITY.
one of the causes of insanity, he
argued, was the lack of laughter. The
necessity for increased appropriations
each year i'm this state was due as
much as anything to the fact that
Pennsylvania has ceased to laugh,
Every expert 'on insanity from whom
he made inquiry told him that ap-
preaching insanity was inevitably
marked at one period or another by
cessation of laughter,
It's solemn and sacred thing TO
laugh DR.. Conwell declared. one SAT-
urday, after he had attended fifteen
funerals, he went to his home at night
and after reaching his library became
so wrought up by the scenes he had
witnessed that he felt himself becom-
ing mentally unbalanced. His family
was away for the summer and he was
all alone in the house, A terrible dread
that he was going insane seized him.
If he could only be made to laugh, 1t
seemed to him, he would be all right
Was there not someone in the neigh
borhood who was of II jolly disposition
he thought. The answer Was an inn
mediate negative, for he recalled that
every person he knew in the nelghbor-
hood belonged 10 church. He finally
found funny passage in one of the
books OF Josiah Aliens Wife" was
made To laugh and was saved,
Numerous incidents We're related to
show how laughter effected a healing
of the body through its effect ON the
mind. The moment you think you are
better, YOU are better" declared DR..
Conwell For fear Christian Scientists
might claim him as a convert-though
he didn't put 1t that way-the speaker
added: But | am not an extremist I'm
this thing. If one-legged man thinks
he has two legs he still has but one leg,
as | figure 1t"
After describing the baneful effect OF
a visit by a doleful person 10 "A sick
room, and telling of how he made
man we'll by getting him TO tell funny