Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-12-29

ton which comes upon either the na-
tion or the Individual If it or he be-
comes absorbed only in the desire to
get wealth"
This public commentator from the
president of the United States, who
was the author of book that seemed
the very antithesis of '"The Simple
Life" aroused public curiosity, and in
very short time there was q large
demand for the volume.
Charles Wagner is q popular evan
gelical in Paris, and it seems the height
Of incongruity that such a work should
come from such a source. AS Grace
King says in her biographical sketch:
From the great metropolis and SOW
ereign see of modern civilization, from
the worlds heart Of sophistication,
from Paris, the complex city, comes
this volume Of little essays upon the
simple life. A limpid, bubbling spring,
fresh and cool from its forest source,
running down one of the boulevards
would hardly appear more miraculous
to the eye or more refreshing to the
sense"
Wagner is a noted man in Paris, the
kind of man whom people stare after
In the streets. Among the dapper and
undergrown Parisians he bulks large,
with his great height and massive
chest and shoulders. There are varl-
Gus legends, constituting a sort of lit
tie mythology, about his enormous
physical strength and the feats sup
posed to have been achieved by him In
his peasant days For the rest he Is
described as a man of singular sweet
ness and straightforwardness of char
acter, with a strong personal charm.
He has q wide following, personal as
well as ethical.
The early career of this noteworthy
man Is interesting. He is the son Of n
Lutheran minister Of Alsace born at
Wibersville, in the Vosges, on Sunday
morning, Jan. 3, 1852, while his father
was preaching I'm the village church.
He was only seven years old when his
father died, and yet he was the eldest
OF five children. The family moved to
Phalsbourg, and there Charles labored
In the fields and studied for the min
istry He was sent to Paris at four
teen and took degree Mt the Sorbonne
in 1860. He was q student Of theology
at the University of Strassburg during
the Franco Prussian war, and there he
underwent sort of spiritual revolu-
ton, losing his religious faith. He read
Spinoza and found in that philosopher
something to compensate for what he
had lost, but two simple incidents led
to the restoration of his religious life.
One was the first sight Of the Alps.
The mountains seemed to him Gods
witnesses. The other event was some
thing that has happened to nearly ev-
crybody-slmply the sight Of his moth
er on returning home after n long abb
sence. She was there, loyal to her du-
ty, doing her daily work with tranquil
energy, never wearied and never dis
couraged, and the very thought OF her
brought quletude, content, faith.
He went from Strassburg to Got
tingen In 1875, and from there he re
turned to Alsace and became assistant
pastor at the foot of Ste. Odille noun
tain. His native place had been taken
hto the Prussian territory. his pastor
ate was within the new German from
tier, and for the first time the political
change began to weigh on him. There
was no sense of political oppression,
but n consciousness that intellectual
independence was not possible for him
In the conquered provinces. He set to
work, therefore, to master the French
language. accepted position at Re
mircmont, In the French Vosges, and
IN 1892 went 10 Paris, where he en-
tered upon . successful career as
minister aud Il literary man. ''rhe
Simple Life" is the best known Of sew
eral works that he has written, though
youth and Courage" and "The Better
Way" are fairly well known TO Ameri-
can readers.
After President Roosevelt spoke in
complimentary terms of "The Simple
Life" such interest In the book and Its
author developed In America that Rev.
Mr.. Wagner came across the Atlantic
to lecture. One of the first men he call
ed upon was President Roosevelt, and
concerning the visit he wrote the fol
lVMliB lbE 0utNtob huSAh''
II was particularly struck with the
simplicity OF the home life of the prcsi-
dent. To one accustomed to viewing
the pomp and ceremony which sur
round the rulers OF Europe there
seems to be something notable In the
entire lack of ostentation In the Roose-
welt family. / was surprised mt Mr..
Roosevelt's habit OF inviting TO bis prl-
pate dining table those who are doing
good work In the world quite regard-
less Of what their power or social po-
sition may be- He looks to the man him
self rather than to his appurtenances.
and this is Il brushing away Of the
superfiuitles which ~ rare In men OF
his position. In Washington | saw his
boys starting to public school, and
one of them did not even bother to
wear bat. This, of course, was n
small matter, but 1t impressed me. In
Europe the children Of H ruler with not
&C., sM~m~9