Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-02
WACNER'S EARLY DAYS
Influences That Led Author OF
"The Simple Life" to Write.
RICH IN THE LOVE FOR NATURE.

Parisian Author Tells How He wor-
90 the New Life says There In
True simplicity In the United
states-Its Value to Children.
Before an audience that occupied ev-
cry bit Of room in st. Pauls church at
Atlantic City Thanksgiving morning
Rev. Charles Wagner of Paris, author
Of THE Simple Life for the first
time since he has been in the United
States told his hearers Of his early
life and training and how he came to
write the book, says the New York
Tribune. John Wanamaker of Phila-
delphia had charge Of the Thanksgiv-
ing day services, and he introduced Mr..
Wagner.
In the course of his address Mr.. wag-
ner said:
LAS / look toward my childhood days
look toward time that was full of
riches and joy-yes, even though I
was poor son Of a village pastor
but l was a king in those days, for
my being craved the beauties of ma
ture, and had them all about me. /
was rich in the love for nature. My
father said to me. Boy, go, look and
listen i was free.
.Ah. soon l was among the flowers,
the birds and the fishes, and, as l had
a religious heart, the whole universe
was to me a great sanctuary. i even
wOrSlIiped the moon. The entire glory
of the stars and the moon shedding
their bright light from above filled me
with q great feeling of reverence, and
one night when l was alone in the
open air, with the bright moon above
worshiped tile moon.
MY father. I am sure to this day,
saw me from behind the curtains. but
lie did not correct me. He let me alone,
for he knew that the father who spoke
TO the lad by the stars and the moon
would soon. or when he was able to
understand the great teachings, speak
to him in the higher. truer language.
Ny father made me rich in my youth,
and l shall always be boy, looking
at the glory and beauty in the stars
and the moon, and would not give up
all of this for all the wealth Of the
world.
eff you have children. let them be
children. Don't make them kneel down
in houses built by men. but let them go
out in the open in Gods church. where
love and religion come from. In these
days it's not the big chest and the fine
face or figure that make the man. It's
the character. When l was a young
man 1 lived among fighters for reli-
gion. They fought not with the open
heart. but with the closed fist-a regu-
lar boxing religion.
1T was not long before | decided to
preach. to start out and tell others
what had been taught me. But l was
a lone preacher for time. l was the
preacher in the wilderness. and then
my congregations grew larger and lar
ger, and finally some one told me that
others who were not within the sound
OF my voice should hear the doctrine
of the simple life and l started to
write books. When these books be-
came friends of the people of other
countries / cried aloud. looking toward
the heavens above. oh, my dear ia
ther, IL you can but hear the sound of
your sons voice today as he gives you
thanks"
"Oh, If you within sound of my voice
have children. teach them the simple
life. What 1 have seen of this coun-
try I find that beneath its greatness
and goodness there is the true SIM
plicity. The other day your president
of the United States welcomed me and
took me by the hand Though he is at
the head of the greatest people in the !