The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-23

Dr. Abbott, accompanied by his
daughter, Miss Beatrice is on a tour OF
the west and is inspecting as many uni
versities and high schools while on this
trip as he possibly can.
The first of last week he was the
guest of Grinnel university in Iowa.
From there he went to Hutchinson and
Emporia Kan, and thence toOklahoma
City. From the metropolis of the new
state he came back to Kansas, spending
the latter part of the week at Lawrence
In a special course of lectures at the
State university
Speaking today of his western trip,
DR.. Abbott said:
This is not my first visit to Kansas.
About fourteen years ago I filled num-
Der in the lecture course at Ottawa I
passed through several cities of this
state at that time, so you see 1 am in
position to Judge your growth and prog
ress out here.
Taking the country generally from
the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi
river I find the high schools and uni
versities on about the same plane, the
same class of work and the same mod
ern method of handling the children.
In Kansas 1t is the same. I can only
Judge of your schools by my brief con-
tact with pupils and teachers from the
platform and in conversation. The
progress and energy of the west almost
strikes a balance with the age and eX-
perience of the east in the plane of eff
cheney in the grand work of education.
I'm making comparisons on the prog
ress of the west from my last trip find
that Kansas has kept in the vanguard.
It is wonderful, this indomitable spirit
Of the west to improve cities and homes
and schools and wrestle with nature
and win great battles and campaigns in
so short a space Of time"
An Associate of Beecher.
The following very brief biography
might be Of interest to the few Topeka
people who do not know all about their
distinguished guest of today: DR. Alb
bott is one of the great men of this de-
cade. He was born in Roxbury, Mass,
in 1885, and was a graduate of the Uni
versity of New York in 1853. He was
ordained as a Congregational minister
at Terre Haute, Ind, in 1860. His first
literary work was on Harper's Maga-
zine in 1869. Later he was associated
with Henry Ward Beecher on the
Christian Union, and he succeeded
Beecher as pastor of the famous Ply
mouth church in Brooklyn. He is the
dealing with the Bible and the doctrine
of the Gallilean. DR.. Abbott is editor
of The Outlook at the present time.
DR.. Abbott is of slight build, but
does not show his 73 years, even
though the last fifty of them have
Doen spent III iluooI Worh anu study.
His great work for Christ and human
fty seems to have left its impress on
his character to the extent that it
can be seen In every line Of his gentle
and kindly face. With his long white
beard and strong features, softened
by the light of his kindly spirit he
could sit as a picture for one of the
apostles.
In his address to the Topeka high
school students today he spoke simply
and with great earnestness and direct
ness. His eloquence was that of an
even balance between his intellectual
ity and sim mplicity, and therein lay the
secret of the great hold his words
and writings have upon the Christian
world
He said in part, taking Faith In
Humanity as Well as in Cod" for his
subject: "The modern editor, if he
would be true to his work. must write