The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-14
STAMFORD
Money for Benevolent Objects - Rev. farrar's Lect ure-Great Men in the Crowd-lnfamo ns Men-A Cantata Notes of Men and Women.

"A SOo0 uedi OI money Cndnge0 ndnOS in town last week for various benevo- lent projects. The sum of S35 was paid to MT. Avis, who whistled at the library, for the benefit of that institu- ton, and the proceeds, after expenses, netted some s2e The same evening a Iarge crowd filled Red Mems hall for the benefit of the Masonic fund, to listen to our own home made min strels. At least $50 must have been taken in for that. Then the food sale for the lighting fund for Christ church netted $22. And it is probable that the lecture by Rev. MT. Farrar brought in at least $20 for the Women's Aid So- c1ety for the Parsonage fund. All this in one week, not to mention the amount taken at the High school on saturday evening for the music fund, snows that the good people of Strat- rord are both prosperous and generous. They have money to burn for a. good ing up out of the ground with startling rapidity. Nearly $2e0 in one week is good, record And what is better it has been spent for home institutions Main street, which is fast becoming the financial center.
 A fair audience greeted Rev. MT. Faprar when he delivered his lecture on The Man and the Crowd" There was a. pleasing overture on the organ, and then Elliott w. Peck introduced the speaker in a few complimentary words, repeating what the Presiding Elder told him when the appointment of the new pastor was about to be made MT. Farrar said he was de- lighted to come to Stratford and he was proud of the handsome ladies who compose the Aid Society. They have rallied a splendid audience, and are present themselves, which shows they are willing to take what they would give to others He said that he some times wished he had been born an Irishman, that he might have some of .eheir wit and grace of speech, but he happened to be English. He told of the 1rishman who married an English girl, and who were ever afterwards quarrelling- Finally the wife said
 Pat, see the dog and the cat sleep ing together so peacefully at our feet. Why cannot we live happily like them?" "Ahi" said Pat, tie them together and see what you'd get" Naughter.)
 MT. Farrar then launched into the merits of his subject by saying that all men are great, but they form a part of vast crowd, and but a few in each recorded in history. He advised all to be patient, to be persistent, to stick to it. to be honest, to keep abreast of the times, and be prepared for oppor- tunitieS. He inStanced many cases where men from very early times to the present have been successful, and the world has made the discovery. He said that the trouble with most men is thea world has not discovered their greatness. They are still in the vast crowd. Men are so many they look like the leaves on a tree. Great men come up from the crowd. Genius trav- els incognito. Celebrities are all about us. Isn't it provoking that the world does not recognize us? He told the story of a celebrated baby. A pious wife had desired to give a church oIS a1D and the dimensions to her husband. By the time he had reached the city he had forgotten the particulars. So he telegraphed his wife to send him word. The operator at the keys was astonished when he got the. following message: Unto us child is born-six feet long and three feet wide-" (Ap- plause.) He spoke of the vastness of humanity, it's heights of aspiration its depths of degradation. He said that the world has one billion five hundred million inhabitants. and if they were all placed in Russia that land would be one continuous city. He spoke of the 60 generations of mankind, and the wonderful story of the human race, and called attention to the fact that there had been more great and useful inventions in the 18th century than in all the rest of the history of the earth. We may not be surprised to see an Aladdin who will yet do some great and strange thing for the children of men, 1ne lHNenIlOnS or the 1Stn cen- tury have produced revolutionary ten- dencies in society. He spoke of the vast sacrifices which our civilization has cost. and made a feeling allusion to the Civil War and to the memory of Abraham Lincoln. Principles, he said, are the timbers out of which civiliza- tion is building her edifice.. The story of Rome is the story of. men. MT. Farrar did not hesitate to denounce in no unmistakable terms those immense ly rich men of this land who have gained their fortunes out of the poor ly paid toll of the masses and the cheating of the public, and who now strive to win a name by endowing~ col leges building libraries, giving out medals for heroism, erecting churches etc. Far better and greater is the poor honest man who gains his living by his daily toll, pays his debts, and harms no one He had no pity for the selfish ungrateful. naughty man, who indulges in selfish pleasures and sponges on the public or turns his