The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-17
By JAMES n. MORROW.

and red and robust ones at that. are
worthy or sufficient to describe Russell
Herman Conweu and his astounding
work. His personal history is an almost
unbelievable story of picturesque adven-
ture. mighty endeavor and brilliant con-
quest.
Twenty-eight years ago he came to
Philadelphia and a mortgaged an unfn-
lshed workingmen's church. The re-
named Baptist Temple now has the larg-
est auditorium in the United States, and
It is out OF debt He touched the smoke
colored mlsts Of nothingness with the
magic Of his energy, industry. and COM
mon sense, and to-day DR.. Conwell
breaches to a membership OF 3,OI3 adults
tho largest Protestant congregation in
the country. He founded a university
that has yearly enrolment or more
than $500 students. In his two hospitals
$500 patients are treated annually
Besides he has written seventeen books;
not compilations OF sermons. but biog-
raphies. stories, and travels He carries
twenty-eight lectures in his head without
even so much as a page OF notes to
stimulate his extraordinary memory.
Acres OF Diamonds" meaning that
wealth and opportunity are right at hand
instead OF in a far and mysterious coun-
try, has been delivered 3,420 times at home
and abroad Five languages have been
learned during rides in street cars and
on railroads Charles A. Dana once said
that DR. ConwelI is the greatest OF living
American biographers.
Not Impressive I'm Appearance.
And yet when he came into his study,
Z IA
six. without white hair in his very
black head. he was leisurely. and his
swarthy face I thought. seemed rather
heavy and sad. I had expected human
locomotive. Instead, in so far as atmos-
phere and appearances went, might
have looked into the gray eyes of a
country doctor or the president of a big
rural bank.
Il have never believed that I am an
orator" Dr. Conwell said at one place
IN the Interview. L am simply a plain
man of business"
But he fills his church twice every Sun
day and the revenues Of a single lecture
in Philadelphia have reached the aston
ishing sum OF 5000. oddly enough, out
OF the pulpit and away from the platform.
neither his voice nor his face is par
ticularly expressive. once he was
lawyer making $4,000 a year. AT Kene-
saw Mountain, an officer in the artillery,
he was left upon the torn and trampled
field among the dead and dying He has
worked for s. a week as a reporter. In
the panic Of 1873 he lost $4,000. Bayard
Taylor was his friend. and so was
Beecher.
It's the church." asked him. gaining
or losing? should like the critical
opinion Of an expert"
IT don't know" DR.. Conwell replied.
when I look at my own congregation
] think the church is gaining: when I
30 out into the country and talk with
some of the preachers think It is losing. !
The church is passing through one Of the
most dangerous periods OF its existence. /
What the outcome Will be no one can tell.
You see, the church has drifted away
from the practices OF Christ. Religious
people think Christ spent most OF his
time In preaching. They forget that He
went all through Gaiilee healing the sick
and teaching the ignorant. The church
did both once but rich men established
schools and hospitals, and now nothing
remains but preaching and the social
side OF religion.
Social Life Necessary.
Understand. I don't deprecate sociabn-
fly. Indeed. I urge it and work for It.
After the service at the temple on Sun
day morning 1000 persons will stay for
an hour and visit. Our prayer meetings
are OF the ancient kind but from $50 to
1900 members OF the church are IN at
tendance each evening. two-thirds Of
whom remain to chat and get better ac-
Quainted. The temple. collecting $4,000
a year, IS the real church home of the
people and is made up OF men who work
for a living-the powerful middle class
that is the blood and bone OF every Amer
lean community. They hold together be-
cause they are Christians and because
they are social But the church univer-
sal must teach and heal II II is TO be
prosperous and successful
What do I mean? That cities, VIII
lagos. and neghborhoods have diff
ferent needs. I wouldn't attempt to
duplicate that which is already being
done. The public schools are all right
so are colleges But here is a town, let
us say, grouped around a dozen tanneries
The boys and young men work during
the day. I would teach them at night
what they wanted to learn-shorthand
bookkeeping, Jaw, medicine, or the chem
istry OF leather. Nothing in these later
years OF my life gives me the Joy that is
found IN lecturing to poor boys who are
longing or fighting for an education"
And you would also doctor the peo-
pie physically?"
Yes. haven't gone an the way with
Elwood Worcester, rector Of Emmanuel
Church In Boston, but I believe, to a de-
gree. in tho principles OF mental heal
ing. Years ago ! was Mrs Mary Baker
Glover Eddy's attorney. 1 do not rec
Ommend her. but she has hitched her
cult to a mighty truth that the churces
have let slip through their open fingers
and that Is. faith--Or courage II a more
TpwH fq
man that he has a lighting chance and
the probabilities are that he will re-
cover.
Changed His Methods.
Twelve years ago changed my meth
DDS when called 20 pray at the bedside
OF the dying. quit pleading for the re-
ception OF n sin-burdened soul into heaven
and began asking that a weary body be
filed with courage and speedily restored
to sound health talked cheerfully and
hopefully, and when 1 dared / told a
story Men and women whom I know,
doomed to death by the doctors, are go
ing about their daily business, and every
Sunday ! see some Of them at my own
church
You ask for n specific case where
disease was overcome and life was pro-
longed by courage and faith" DR.. Con-
well went on to say. Very well ] shall
tell you OF hatmaker who lived in the
next street. He had malarial fever and
hemorrhages of the bowels. and looked
like dead man when I entered his room.
His face was the color of ashes and he
couldn't speak ] gave him a spoonful OF
stimulant that was in a cup at his side
and then l talked He told me in a
whisper. after he felt better. that he had
come from a certain region in Scotland