davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-02
AKED, THE FIGHTING PARSON."
DIVINE IMPORTED FROM ENGLAND FOR MILLoNAlREs
CHURCH is DEMOCRATIC OR NOTHING
Pastor Of New Yorks Fifth Avenue Baptist Church Is Hard
Hitter at Sin or njustce-WiN Have No Gag In His
Mouth-Doer of Vigorous Things and No
Respecter of Nations. ~ Y

sary. He had determined to emigrate
to New Zealand and get into business
In that colony when by chance the
course of his life was turned. While
on his way to take passage for New
Zealand he visited clergyman of his
acquaintance. The result of their con-
versation was that Aked entered school
to prepare himself for the ministry.
He discovered that, according to the
Baptist church system in England, a
young man recommended by several
congregations as a suitable candidate
for the ministry has funds advanced
for educational expenses.
So the young auctioneer became a
Baptist preacher. He held two pas
torates in smaller English towns. Then
seventeen years ago he was called to
the pulpit of Pembroke chapel in Liv-
erpool, where he remained until his
resignation to accept the New York
passionate. Pembroke chapel is in the
heart Of Liverpool. 1t is said that the
attendance on the Sunday preceding
Mr.. Aked's first sermon was about fifty
persons. The auditorium holds more
than a thousand. A curious story is
told to explain how the new preacher
happened to fill the church at the first
Sunday service. Mr.. Aked is quite
fond Of fishing. Some nights before
he was to occupy Pembroke pulpit for
the first time he arose about o'clock
in the morning and set out on a fish
ing expedition. Reaching the stream,
he found mans clothing on the bank
and saw in the water a person who
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-02

.. y
preacher plunged in, clothes and all,
and brought to land the body Of a
man already drowned.
Led Crusades For Social Purity.
The local papers made much of the
incident, and the public thronged the
chapel to hear the "athletic preacher
hero"-who had rescued a dead man.
After that it required no such per-
Torrance to fill Pembroke chapel. Mr..
Aked's preaching did it. He led cru
sades for social purity and for tenn
perance reform, which soon made him
noted figure in Liverpool Whenever
he saw gross injustice anywhere in
the world his voice was lifted up
against it. Gladstone's famous speech
to the world in behalf of the persecut-
ed Armenians was the outcome of
movement in which Mr.. Aked was one
Of the chief leaders. The preacher
championed the liberation of Crete.
Aggression Of great powers against
weaker peoples always enlisted his
vigorous denunciation He was no re-
specter Of nations. His own nation he
lambasted with particular fury when
he believed it to be in the wrong.
The opposition Of Mr.. Aked to the
British policy in the Transvaal seven
years ago Is a part of history. When
the British ministry determined to
crush and assimilate the two strug-
Cling Boer republics Of South Africa
this Liverpool preacher put on his war
paint and began practically alone
campaign against the imperialistic pol
icy which has no parallel in pulpit his
tory. Sunday after Sunday from the
platform in his chapel, which he used
rather than a pulpit, Preacher Aked
bombarded his national government
with fiery denunciation. w.
my passion" he declared, lis for
freedom"
He believed that the administration
was criminally aggressive against the
Beers, who were entitled to their free
dom.
Besieged by a HoWling Mob.
Just then there was war in Liver
pool. For five successive Sundays a
ell. Two hundred policemen were sent
to protect the preacher and his church
and home. Such was the rage of the
proadministration people that it was
found necessary to increase the police
squad to 300 men. Each Sunday Mr..
Aked went from his home to the
church between lines Of policemen. he
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-02
REV. CHARLES T. AKED, THE ATHLETIC PREACHER

Mr.. Aked is called 1.-The fighting par
son." 1t is we'll known that before ac-
cepting this call he insisted upon re-
ceiving from the trustees of the church
their signed assurance that he was to
have "a free hand,' which means that
he is not to be hampered in his work
by any traditions Of great wealth or
social prestige. He is to preach the
gospel truth as he understands it.
There is to be no gag in his mouth.
Now, all this is Of general pubic in
terest. II the Fifth Avenue church
had hired for pastor a person Of the
conventional clerical type, an easy 60
ing gentleman Of the kind familiar in
most Of the fashionable churches in our
large cities, there would have been
nothing new and therefore nothing in
teresting in it,
Democratic or Nothing.
But Mr.. Aked is different. He has a
record for doing vigorous things. He
is militant minister. He wears
clothes like those Of the ordinary bust.
ness man, no doubt preferring them to
garments of the clerical cut for the
same reason that he prefers to be call
ed Mr.. Aked. His theory is that the
preacher should not separate himself
from the people. Sometimes toggery
and titles do that, and Mr.. Aked con-
sistently avoids such a thing. He is
democratic or nothing. Just here it
may be pertinent to state that he has
declared his intention to become an
American citizen as soon as possible
and stay one the rest Of his life. His
acts and utterances show that he has
the American spirit.
Mr.. Aked has no British titles back
Of him. His father was an auctioneer.
The preacher was born at Nottingham
in the summer of 1864. The father
died when the boy was twelve years
old. Young Charles Frederick began
early to make his own living. At six
teen he was attached to the Office of
the sheriff, his chief duty being to act
as auctioneer in disposing Of seized
and confiscated goods. An early ex-
perience as an auctioneer is not so bad
for a preacher. It develops his lung
power and gives him ease before an
audience. Other noted men have been
auctioneers. Our own Josh Billings
followed that business for many years.
His experience was a great aid to him
when he went on the lecture platform.
Young Aked had some notion of h.
coming preacher, but he lacked tll:
money which he thought was ncces
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-02
Present Day Dinner Talk.

Nowadays a dinner party never pass
es without illusions to clutches, spark
ing plugs and the merits of four or six
cylinders. Indeed, says the London
Bystander, to be good conversation
list today one wants to be as au fait
with motoring as one has to about golf
or bridge.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-02
Chance For Sartorial Genius.

A change Of some sort in neither gar
ments would be welcomed by many,
says the Tailor and Cutter, for since
the Introduction of the crease they have
been stationary from the standpoint OF
style, and it would be well if some
futing, plating or strapping could be
introduced to revivify this garment.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-02
State News.

State News.
Interlake navigation has opened at
Duluth.
At meeting of the state drainage
board George A. Ralph was appointed
state engineer. He will hold Office
for two years.
William Lewis, an engineer on the
Omaha road, was killed in the Payne
avenue, st. Paul, yards of the COM
pany Sunday morning.
More than sixty interlake coal boats
arrived in the uluth-Superior
harbor on Monday, comprising the
greater part of the big fleet that was
delayed by the ice. They unloaded
the greatest amount of coal ever de-
livered at one point in the world in
the same space of time.
J. J. Ellingson of Cannon Falls has
broken all records in shearing sheep.
On South Dakota ranch he clipped
Ill sheep in less than five hours. The
championship east of the Mississippi
river has been held by South St.
Paul man, whose record was los sheep
in five hours. Ellingson makes
practice of travelling through the west
shearing sheep each season.
j. G. DOdsworth, man about IS
years old and a resident of Granite
Falls for nearly rs years, met death
by fighting prairie fire on the out
skirts of town, near his home. He
was alone and seeing the fire coming
fercely toward his home he met it
with all the resistance he could CON-
mand, and in so doing his clothing
caught fire, from which he was ter
ribly burned. He lived but about two
hours and died in horrible agony.
In appointing the tax commission
Governor Johnson did not designate
the terms-one was to hold for two,
one for four and one for six years.
The members met in the governors
Office Monday and settled the matter
by drawing lots. o. M. Hall of Red
Wing has the six year term, Samuel
Lord of Kasson the four year term
and Franklin McVeagh of Minneapo-
lis drew the two year term. Richard
Hurd of st. Paul has been appointed
secretary of the commission.
The 8-year-old daughter of Victor
SAVOY of Royalton is dead as the re-
suit of burns. The child and a oom-
panion had started fire in an old tin
pail. The girls mother made her ex-
tinguish the blaze, but in doing so the
child IS clothing took fire. She started
to run to the house, the wind tanning
the flames into fierce blaze. Her
mother wrapped blanket about her
and finally extinguished the fire, but
the little one was SO badly burned
that she survived only a few hours.
This should be a lesson to other
mothers.
The memory of the late Joseph A.
Wheelock, to whom more than to
any other man, St. Paul is indebted
for the development of it's park sys-
tenn, is to be honored in a BETTING
manner. Plans for a lasting memo
rial that will be in keeling with the
great and lasting work performed by
the man in whose honor it will be
erected have materialized and are
complete. The memorial proper will
be an elaborate pile of white marble
designed by Cass Gilbert and erected
at the intersection of Summit and
Lexington avenues. It will be an
architectural masterpiece, unlike any
thing in the country and will cost
$4,000.
Of all the fruits there are in the land,
That grow on bush or tree,
I would give up the choicest ones
For HOLSTERS Rocky Mountain
Tea. G. A. Jack.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-02
Cycled Over Europe,

John D. Rockefeller invited Mr.. Aked
to play golf with him on the occasion
of his visit to America several months
ago, but the preacher declined because
he feared the effect of such strenuous
exercise. Years ago he and Mrs. Aked
were enthusiastic bicyclists. They trav.
ersed practically the whole Of Europe
by wheel. Now the preacher says he
is limited to horseback riding.
None can deny that there is work in
America for a preacher of the Aked
stripe. He has said since his arrival:
Il am bringing a ministry of recon-
Citation, the fundamental basis of
which is the common brotherhood of
man, all fighting under the banner OF
Christianity. believe in the recon
Citation of mans whole life-personal,
political and social-through the Cos
pei Of Christ. also believe that it is
possible to reconcile alienated classes
and conflicting parties among the great
American people. The idea is the grad
ual breaking down Of the distinction
between the wealthy classes and the
masses"
Mr.. Aked lays particular stress on his
utterance that anybody is welcome at
his church. The church being on Fifth
avenue, this is interesting. He says on
this point:
II don't care if man or a woman is
wealthy beyond the dreams of avarice
or so poor that he or she has to come
to church in working clothes. I will
greet them all equally"
Mr.. Aked says that he is extremely
fond of America and that the ideals of
the American people are his own.
Surely here is a programme for the
pastor Of church in which the rich
est man in the world is a pew holder
which promises interesting develop
mentS.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-02
Wanted Him In Parliament.

In New York a few days ago he re-
marked: "You can hardly find an Eng
ishman now who does not believe in
his heart that the Beers were right
The men who stoned me in the streets
think as do now. Why, they cheered
me twelve months after the riots and
wanted to send me to parliament
formed my opinion twelve months be-
fore they did, that's ALL"
Mr.. Aked added that he often thinks
that the principle. the Beers fought for
Is the same principle that caused the
American revolution. Not long ago,
when he had decided to accept the call
to New York, he said to a Liverpool
reporter:
my passion has always been for lib.
erty and to work for those who are
struggling for liberty, no matter where.
Now that cannot fight for them as l
used to, am glad to go where liberty
has been achieved"
The pathetic note in this refers to his
health. While he is apparently in per-
feet health and thoroughly robust
three years ago he was compelled to
retire to a health resort. His ailment
was tuberculosis. BY prompt treat
ment he recovered, but he is not per-
mitted to be as strenuous as once he
was. Mr.. Aked says that his health is
an important factor in his leaving Liv.
erpool.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-02

Of all the fruits there are in the land,
That grow on bush or tree,
I would give up the choicest ones
For HOLSTERS Rocky Mountain
Tea. G.. A. Jack.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-02

had to help the officers fight his way.
in and out Of the chapel.
During the "black week." when the
British were being soundly thrashed
by the Boer patriots, Mr.. Aked an
nounced another sermon against the
Chamberlain policy. The mob that
Sunday was bigger than ever. The
preacher, his wife and deacon left
the chapel after the service by side
door and took cab. A thousand riot
ers surrounded the cab and attacked 1t.
The vehicle was partly wrecked, but
managed to reach the pastors house.
Mr.. Aked sprang out, fought his way
through and opened the door. Then he
returned to escort Mrs. Aked from the
cab. The mob attacked him from all
sides. One man planted himself direct
~ in the path of Mrs Aked. The mill
tant parson did not hesitate. He had
solid muscles, developed by golfing and
other athletic exercises. He simply
squared off, as fighters say, and let the
other fellow have it smack on the
mouth. The man dropped to the
ground, and the preacher took his wife
into the house.
Afterward, when the deacon inform
ed his pastor that the blow had broken
some Of the fellows teeth, Mr.. Aked
laughed.
The mob attacked the house and
broke out most of the windows. The
chapel also was badly damaged by
their fury.
After five Sundays of this sort of
thing the head constable called upon
the preacher.
"Look here, Mr.. Aked," he said, t'I'm
getting tired Of furnishing police pro-
lection. Now that you've proved to
these people that you mean what you
say and are not afraid Of saying it,
wouldn't it be a good plan for you to
take vacation for one Sunday and
break the continuity? Maybe then the
mob would quiet down.
The preacher agreed to this. His alb
sence for one Sunday had the desired
effect. The head constable had a the
Dry that the mob had merely formed
the habit Of Aked batting, and this
break broke up the habit. Mr.. Aked
returned and preached Boer liberty in
peace.
The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-01-18
,Ss--~frrv-s~
MORE N IN IT.
Why One Man Declined Election az
United States Senator.

J. III. Hale, the millionaire fruit
grower of South Glastonbury,
Conn.,, who is known all over the
country as one Of the largest grow
ers in the world, is perhaps the
only nan in the country who ever
''turned down" n unanimous cleo
ton as United States senator. Mr..
Hale owns something like 100000
fruit trees in Georgia. 1t cost him
last year nearly 100000 merely to
put his enormous crop on the mar
ket, but he is one of the most de-
lightfully transformations men in
Connecticut.
He has always been interested in
movements for the betterment of
his town and state. Some few years
ago he was rendered the election
as senator con a silver platter" as
he aptly put it. When waited upon
by the Legislative committee, Mr..
Hale literally held up his hands.
Gentlemen" he said, 81 don't
want to be elected to your august
senate. Really, | don't. I'd rath-
er be a farmer. Besides-there's
more money in it." And Mr.. Hale,
who has gained considerable prom
inence as a public speaker, says he
is still "close to. the soil"
The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-01-18
HAPPINESS.

If you would increase your hap
piness and prolong your life, forget
your neighbours faults. Forget the
temptations. Forgot the fault find
ing and give little thought to the
cause that provoked it. Forget
the pecularities of your friends;
and only remember the good
points that make you fond
of them. Forget all personal
quarrels, or histories you may
have heard by accident, and which
ii repeated, would seem a thous-
and times worse than they are.
Blot out as far as possible, all the
d isagreeables of life; they will
come but they will grow larger as
you remember them, and constant
thought of the acts of meanness,
or, worse still, malice, will only
tend to make you more familiar
with them. Obliterate everything
disagreeable from yesterday start
out with a clean sheet for today ;
aud write upon it for sweet mem
ory's sake only those things that
are lovely and loveable.
The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-01-18

year-old hat and a vest of still
older pattern. He can't write such
on elegant note as you can and
all that, but don't call him "the
old man." Call him father. For
years he has been rustling around
to get things together, he has been
held to the thorny path of uphill
industry, and the brightest side of
life has gone from him forever.
But he loves you, though he goes
along without saying much about
it, therefore, be not so u%ngrateful
or 80 inconsiderate.
ga wise man makes q good
father"
The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-01-18
WHERE NATURE DOES COOKING.

There are one or two countries
Iceland, for eXample-where wash
day is not dreaded, because nature
provides the hot water at ones very
door in the shape of steaming
springs of spouting geysers. But
there is only n country where the
native women do practically all their
cooking by unaided nature, and that
is the North island of New Zealand.
Here is a wonderland of a thou
sand square miles, so volcanic that
a fire may be lighted by inserting
a few sticks in the earth, and wher-
ever n makes a hole he speedily
has a pool of boiling water, into
which a pudding may be lowered in
cased in a cloth and cooked expedi-
tiously.
Frequently in perfectly cold
streams a boiling hot current may
be seen and felt running along the
edge of the river, and here the
Maori women do their own and the
white mans washing. Naturally
the volcanic region of New Zealand
is a dangerous country to wander
in without a guide, and many tour
lists have lost their lives as the re-
suit of such carelessness.
The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-01-18
TAI REAL SNAKES.

John Brooks, alias King, was ar
rested in San Antonio, Tex, for
horse theft. There was nothing
strange about this until the officers
began to search their prisoner. Dep
uty Sheriff Goforth was doing the
job, when he suddenly turned the
man loose and let out a yell that
brought the entire sheriff's force
to his assistance. He had reached
into the mans pockets and a big
bull snake had fastened it's fangs
into his fingers. The man was
then ordered to take all the rep
tiles out of his pockets and bosom
and produced four bull snakes and
a pilot snake and in his buggy were
found two armadillos, one iguana,
one green lizard and three black
lizards. The entire collection was
taken to the jail with the prisoner
1t appears that he follows snake
charming for a living, and it il
charged that he used another mans
horse and buggy in which to travel
around the country and give ex.
hibitions.
The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-01-18
THE POOR,

The cold wes her of the week
that is past has set us all to think
ing of the poor. We wonder to
how many of us the weary dreary
phrase of hopeless poverty is any
thing more than a romance. Sit
ting in our warm and comfortable
homes, by pleasant fires with lux
urious beds awaiting to receive our
we'll fed bodies, we can have no
mole comprehension of what grind
ing poverty means than an angel
in the full glory of paradise can
know of the deepest depths oil
hades. Think of it! No fuel.
Absolutely none: No bed, but
piled up rags; little children wall
ing with cold and helpless with
hunger; closets bare as old Mother
Hubbard's; smells that reach high
heaven in their foulness. And in
their depths of poverty, to which
even our im%agipations a scarce
ly decend lies a lurking curse like
the wild beast in it's lair. The sor-
didness of poverty eats out the
soul of a man as a tiger drinks
blood. Brutality, apathy, the
cruelty of fiends are begot when
pride and ambition die utterly.
Would that our charities could
strike deeper, seek to humanize as
well as feed, encourage and reani-
mate as well as clothe. We are all
of us apt to gather u skirts
about US, hold our noses and avert
our eyes while we hand out our
garments and our bread. Blessed
be the soul that is inspired enough
to go down in the shadows and
lend a helping hand. To be very
poor, and yet carry a clear life
and keep alive ambition and hope
is like seeking to set a white rose
growing in the bosom of q coal
pit.
The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-01-18
HER ARITHMETIC FACULTY.

The busy shopper paused at the
fruit vender's stand. "How much
+ your pineapples? she asked.
eight cents apiece, lady,"
"Well, l declare, that's too good
to be missed; I'll take eight Of
them" she said.
"The dealer placed them in a bag
and said: eight eights-S8. You
take dem along for 85."
The lady's eyes sparkled at the
bargain price, and she departed in
a happy frame of mind-happy un-
til her husband told her to brush
up on the multiplication table
Lippincott's.
The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-01-18

Success supposes conditions and
preparations for 1.-THE energy,
seltabnegation weight brings
Drawn and breadth and dignity,
strength, wisdom and skill. We
cannot jump safely into success;
we are likely to get hurt and fall
back disheartened to where we
belong. Some try to succeed by
jumping into their fathers shoes;
but these shoes do not fit, and
causes the youth to walk so awk-
wardly that he generally makes a
fool of himself. Nearly every
thing of real worth must be earned.
To be appreciated and judiciously
appropriate, our possessions must
have cost their value. The toll
and struggle and pIodding that
brings gain, brings also the ma
ture experience, through discip-
line, and hard knocks that make
up stalwart manhood and perma-
nent success.
Boys, when you speak of your
father don't call him s'the old
man." OF course you are older
now than when you we're taught to
call him father. You are much
smarter than you were then, you
are much more manly looking,
your clothes fit you better, your hat
has a modern shape and your hail
Is combed differently, in short
s4nyer" than you were then. Your
father has e last years cost, Atwo-
The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-01-18

Introduce every new acquain-
tance to your mother as soon as
possible.
Don't think it necessary to get
married. There is plenty of room
for old maids, and they are often
happier than wives.
Enjoy the pleasures provided
for you by your parents to the
fullest extent. They will like that
as a reward, better than any other.
Most fathers are inclined to over
indulge their daughters. Make it
impossible for your father to spoil
you by fairly returning his de-
yotion and affection.
Never think you can afford to be
dowdy at Eom.,. Cleanliness, hair
we'll dressed, and a smile will
make calico look like silk in the
eyes of a father or brother.
Do not quarrel with your BROTH
er; do not preach to him and dc
not coddle him. Make him your
friend and do not expect him to be
your servant, mol let him expect
you to be his.