New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-01

which that phrase is not generally APP
piled. The phrase used In this sense was
his own. and he explained IT thus on
one occasion. while reviewing his career:
What / mean BY being well born is
this" he said, that my own father was
one OF the most hoalthful men / ever
knew. and my mother one OF the most
healthful women. and he Was brown and
she was a blonde. NJ fathers eyes were
dark and soft. and my mother 5 eyes were
blue blended with gray. and could snap
IRE and make things boom. And the
family nose iuts out strong. and matches
the family chin. and ms ] heard Mr.
Emerson say once, there IS great deaI
iu noses.
MY father was as good smith as ever
stood AT an anvil ana that was all lie
had no other faculty. except that oi
striking tune ia the little meeting
house: and you were not sure what the
tune was going O. be- untl hr got 70 the
end Of the FIRST line. But my mother
was - woman Of such faculty. though
she could hardly read or write. that ]
hcliove II she had been ordered to take
cbsr..o NJ q seventy-gun chip and 10 carry
+, through battle. give her time 10
learn the ropes and she would do II. Sno
had In her also. wells Of poesy ana
hurnor. and laughter 50 shaking tha' inc
,.,rs ,,ould stream down her face. ana
49,, Guiding tenderness. Ike that OF
the saints
Of want 10 say. secondly, that MINK
49,, wore well-br.d. There was what
y,,.,ld come 10 81 % week TO live on
..t,ro v.o were still about the mothers
knees. and We came along with the most
surprising regularity one year ana e'sht
months apart But provisions were GER
tai,lv not go cheap rs they are in 'hls
paradise OF plenty nor were there any
free schools You must pay 80 much
week or go ignorant. Yet that mother
who is nov among the saints made this
income stand good for enough 10 cat
two suits OF clothes for week day and
sunday. house rent and fire, bit OF to-
bacco and pint Of beer for the good
man Of the house. and all the schooling
we could take until We were big enough
Ia work I'm the factory. Oatmeal ana MIX
and oat-cake a-plenty. with a bit OF meat
always FOR the worker and sometimes
for the smaller fry. and sip OF tea on
SUNDAYS. stick jaw pudding that uteS
your chin. with the marmaladc spread
ovor so thin. potatoes and salt and then
,,or. oatmeal. and the result Is that TO
This dav not one OF MS know what you
mean bv a system. or a digestion, or
a constitution 50 stiong and sure are
the foundations Of our life. Sunday
school and church twice every Sunday;
mo rewards and no picnics. and ] do not
know where 10 look for any human
agency so great and good when ] ask
myself how II is ] am pastor OF the
Church Of Messiah, I'm New York, as that
SUNDAY school. A sound box on the ear
and be done with IL, or sharp smack,
and then by-and-by a kiss and Groom
In that statement is graphically unfold
I'd not only the origin and boyhood en-
vironment Of the Blacksmith Preacher
but glimpse at the character of the
man. gifted with a keen appreciation or
he true worth OF life and subtly eloquent
Dover of expressing it. simple modesty
mingled with honest self-respect.
Worked in Cotton Mill.
Born in Keighley. Yorkshire England
on December 5, 1928. Robert Collyer was
one of a family of six children. When
only eight years old he had TO leave
school and go to work in the cotton mill.
where his parents had first found employ
ment when they moved 10 that section of
the country. In 1888 Re left the mill and
Rent 10 work for his father, who had de-
cided that he was to become blacksmith.
Il spent my days at the anvil making
horseshoes." DIR. Collyer said ana my
nights al reading every book could get
my hands upon. | lay by the forge and
read voraciously. and one day a friend
brought me a copy OF Washington Irving's
sketch Book This was in 1899. and
liter ! had devoured it. so to speak. my
thoughts we're turned to America for the