Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-02-23
Copyright, 1906, by Mcclure, Phillip

when he boldly charged In a sermon that
paid commercial relations existed be-
tween the criminal classes and he police
OF New York city.
DR.. Parkhurst was led to take the step
that brought hin before the country
through his deep concern for the welfare
OF the numerous Dung men In his con-
gregation.
After twelve years OF preaching in the
Madison Square Presbyterian church, he
found that. no matter what effort he put
forth, he could get just SO far and no TAR
Their with the young men.
In his dilemma he conferred with several
members of his church, professions. saen,
whose daily work placed them In a posi-
ton to know life as It Is. As a result, DIR.
Parkhurst became thoroughly convinced
that certain forms of dissipation were In
terfering with the moral and spiritual
growth of his young men, and received his
first inkling that these vices and others
were undoubtedly protected by the police
In return for monetary consideration
Abou a year before h received this in
formation, DR.. Parkhurst had become a
member of the Society for the Prevention
OF Vice at the solicitation of its president,
DR.. Howard Crosby. DR.. Crosby died while
DR.. Parkhurst was making his discovery
concerning his young men, and the society
asked the preacher to become Its presi-
lent. DIR. Parkhurst replied:
IF you want some one as president who
will try TO gun for the big game, I'll
accept. II Il is the society's desire TO con-
tinue to limit itself by going after small
grandchildren buying beer In the saloons
and such like-I've no time TO waste In the
presidents chair"
With this clear understanding Of what
was before 1t, the society elected DIR. Park
hurst president. He was now In a better
position than at any previous time to get
D general idea OF the way things lay be-
tween the police and the criminals. Being
a man OF action, as soon as ne felt that he
had secured this general Idea he preached
the famous sermon In which he arraigned
the police as the paid protectors OF fiaunt-
ing vice.
While the average citizen was gasping
over the charges, the official set. In appar-
emit righteous Indignation, went at DIR.
Parkhurst hammer and tonss for giving
voice to such gross libels on mere hearsay.
One Of the results Of this warfare on him
resulted In a -presentment against him by
the grand jury for slandering De Lancey
Nicoll. then district attorney.
How DR.. Psrkhurst Won Out.
Contrary to official expectations, DR..
.Parkhurst was not speedily laid low by
the official hub-bub.
For the next four weeks he devoted the
greater pare Of his time to making him
self familiar with what was going on in
the town." His guide was a young man,
FAR too well posted about such matters"
but he and DR.. arkhurs understood each
other fully. and what the older man saw
with his own eyes and heard with his own
ears caused him to return to the attack
with more vigor than before. And now the
same officials who had damned him for
telling what he did not know except by
hearsay damned him with equal impartial
lty and vehemence for telling what he
knew from personal investigation to be so.
Fully equipped for the fray, DR.. Park.
hurst started In not to break up iniquity,
as has been repeatedly charged in certain
quarters, but to prove beyond the shadow
OF a doubt the paid commercial connection
between the police and the criminals. This
he had the satisfaction OF seeing done be-
fore the famous Lexow investigating COM
mittee OF 1894, the Chamber OF Commerce
lining VI on DR.. Parkhurst's side during
the hottest Of the fight and securing the
appointment Of the committee by the legis-
lature.
From that day to this DIR. Parkhurst
has. without doubt, been tho man most
feared by the police Of the metropolis: and
the police OF other cities have to thank him
Tor being the indirect cause of most of the
thoN "NAAA-N
since 1Ss2-an epochal year In police his
tory.
DIR. Parkhurst does not hesitate to raise
his voice on any question-politfcal, social,
commercial. financial, insurapce-when II
comes to morals. AS a result, one is pretty
certain Of listening to some straight hit
ting remarks when DR.. Parkhurst is the
preacher In the pulpit.
Preacher More by Accident Than De-
sign.
Like a number OF the famous preachers
OF today and yesterday. DR.. Parkhurst
took up the ministry more by accident
than design.
While ne was securing a magnificent edu-
cation. partly by money he had earned, in
Amherst and abroad In Bonn, Halle and
Leipzig, his chief interest centered in CON-
parative philoIogy. Mr.. Parkhurst secured
a call to the vacant pulpit OF the Congre-
g%ationai church In Lenox, Mass. This was
In 1874. when DR.. Parkhurst was thirty-two
years old.
DR.. Parkhurst was at Lenox for FIVE
years. coming direct from there TO the
Madison Square Presbyterian church,
where he has been ever since. The call
came through a member OF the Madison
Square church. d. Willis James. hearing
DIR. Parkhurst preach. Mrs. James. at
the time, was a member OF the Lenox
SUMMED colony.
II you want to hear as scholarly a SER
mon as - preached I'm this country today.
and q man who does not hesitate 70 say
what he thinks on any question where
are involved, the next time you are
in New York be sure TO seek out DIR. Park
bursts church. Provided. OF course, that
you do not do this I'm the summer time.
Then the good doctor Is enthusiastically
scaling the rugged sides OF the Swiss Alps.
1t Is his ~fayorite means OF recreation. He
has written a g~uide-book on Switzerland,
and 1t Is doubtful whether any other ma
tive born American Is better posted on the
little republic.
Soldier, Lawyer, Writer, Then Preacher
Surely. when people are only kept from
fighting TO get INTO a church 10 hear a
by the device OF issuing tickets
OF admission. that preacher Is d deserving OF
being named among the most famous in
the country.
Although the Temple. in Philadelphia,
will hold 5000 persons. II rarely falls on
any Sunday except In the summer that
hundreds more than that number do not
finger about the doors In a vain hope OF
the Rev. DIR. Russell H.. Conwell.
Soldier, lawyer. state immigra ton agent.
foreign and war correspondent, lawyer
again, and then preacher-such has been
III. Conwelrs microscopic career.
He was 81 years old when. as a lawyer,
he went TO Lexington. Mass, to wind up
the affairs OF the morihund Baptist church
there. 1t was going to be an easy task,
apparently-but the seven members re-
his hotel TO think the matter over during
The pfUhf