The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1907-11-01
WRITER'S OF RECENT FICTION,
CHARLES w. R d

CHARLES w. GORDON.
A Canadian writer of immeae
popularity is Charles w. Gordon, bPt-
ter known as Ralph Connor." Bel
tween one and two million copies OF
his works have thus far been issued
besides numerous editions of his
earlier works. He found all his lit
erary material in his native land
in old settled forts of Ontario Prov
inee where his boyhood days were
spent, and in the west on the plains
and in the foothills of the Rockies.
Ralph Conner" is Il ~descendent
of Scottish parents, his father hav-
ing came to Canada from Scotland to
3linistered to descendants OF Gaelic
spsaking Scots who had settled in
Canada q hundred years ago. His
mother was a daughter of a Scotch
Minister, who came to America and
became pastor OF a Congregational
church in New England, and who
afterwards moved to Sherbrooke,
Quebec. She was a graduate OF
HGlyoke and was a charming woman
whose patience, sweetness and faith
in God is referred to in her sons
'"rhe Man from Glengarry," and
"Glengarry's School Days"
Charles carly home was in the
-ettiement Of Indian lands in the
County of Glengarry, Ontario. Here
he had the forest about him and
the river near him; about him were
strong, serious and resourceful peo-
pie. The family later moved to
western Ontario, where a good high
school was at hand, and after the
Toronto University. During his I'M
d~ergraduate course he had not only
studied, but played football, trained
II the gymnasium, and sang in the
gci,egs glee clrb. After graduating
a '}c3oss in 1889, he took q three
yaae55' course in Theology, at Knox
College, Toronto. A summer or two
spent in missionary work in Manitoba
kindled that love for the western
lie which has never forsaken him.
trap abroad, then two years as a
Wisnary at Banff, in the Rocky
Mountains, where he found the ma
tefial which was afterwards used
with good effect in "Black Rock
ard the Sky Pilot" After a jour
!ney to the British Isles to lay the
needs OF western work before the
British churches, Mr.. Gordon accept
ed the passionate of st. Stephens
church at Winnipeg, where he still
remains.
1t will undoubtedly interest the
readers Of Ralph Conner, the now
ielist, to know something of the Rev.
gt~ar'esAsW. Gordon, the preacher,
says Robert Haddow, in Book News.
Visitors to Winnepeg who inquire
the way to st. Stephens will find a
splendid NEW building which was
completed and dedicated during the
sasst summer. In the pulpit on
rsosts Sundays of the year, they will
see & man Of forty-three, tall, slen-
Scr ard we'll set up, with pale, in
AtaGasetlal face. His voice as he
speaks, Is soft and clear. He reads
wsth expression, and his prayers are
rsyersnt and ultimate. He is not
what is Jsuallg called a popular
preacher. His physique and tenn
perment are not those Of an orator.
but TO. n who comes to church to.
receive instruction ,acounsel and help
fer the daily life, Mr. Gordon has a
message He thinks clearly and as
might be expected, expresses himself
IN chaste and elegant language. He
has more than touch OF his fathers
inlagination, and in descriptive
psrags he makes the scene very
reaI to his hearers. He has great
personal charm, being modest and
apnroanhable, and above all possess
i the faculty OF interesting him-
selfsin the interests OF other people.
Remembering the large number of
Young people. far from home, who
tv the hotels and boarding
heusss Of acity like Winnepeg. the
Nov St. Stephens has been com.
3plletely fitted up With pariors and
estlonrooms,whe thoseSwith-
omesF1ha spendSeventngs amid
pure and helpful snrroundings ME-.
Isorden's attractiyeness to yonna
men ID Increased sby the y ctthatts
LIS nna6ectedly interested nsport
and p1tdoor#llt sAidj
i aIsssfdotb1M playsy MI
Sgerstty andassAfsa1sonSrec0r Tint
his1dinnesofe4ass si0ns Held won