The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-04-27
HISTORY BUILDERS.
How Henry Ward Beecher Found a
Text for a Sermon.
Written Expressly for The Herald.
by DIR. Il. j.. EDWARDS.


Written Expressly for The Herald.
by DIR. Il. j. EDWARDS.
81 was recently in Boston upon q bust
|. ness matter connected with my railroad
system" said the late Vice President
Reed, of the New York, New Haven and
Hartford Railroad Company, to me, and
while there l heard a very interesting
anecdote about Henry Ward Beecher."
Mr.. Reed was for many years esteemed
Us one Of the most efficient railroad man.
ayers In New England. He was frequent
ly brought into close touch with the
management of the Boston and Albany
Railroad Company and for the reason
that his railroad connected with the Bos-
ton and Albany railroad at Springfield.
That association made II necessary for
him frequently to visit Boston.
IT was told this anecdote by one OF
the executive officers of the Boston and
Albany ,under whose authority the sig
nal system on that line had been re-
Gently established" continued Mr.. Reed.
This man said: I found II necessary
to make a trip to Boston and SPRING
field over our line and it was important
that / should study the signal system
while the train was moving For that
reason took a seat in the last car and
at the rear end so that / could look out
OF the window. in that way making as
good an inspection of the signals as pos
sible.
II should say that we were about half
way between Boston and Worcester
when a man spoke to me. l had casually
noticed that somebody was standing In
such a position that he could look out
OF the window OF my car. but I did not
pay any attention to him. for passengers
frequently did that.
He said TO me that he inferred that
was a railway man, for he had noticed
that ] had been taking careful heed Of
something either on the tracks or besiSe
along. told him that was a railroad
man and that / was inspecting the sig
mails.
May I sit beside your he asked. I
would like to see how you do II. I
would like to talk to you IL | can do
that without interfering with your bust
ness
~ knew the man instantly. although
! had never seen him before. He was
Henry Ward Beecher. I did not tell him
that l knew who he was and l tried SO
to talk with him as to lead him TO infer
that had not the slightest knowledge
VI MS NhNliNlAN
Il was amazed at the character OF His
questions. He wanted TO know how the
signals operated. He said that it was
wonderful that men many feet distant
from the signal were able to communi-
cate their intelligence to that inanima:e
object. He told me that this was true
Of many phases of human life. He said
that il was quiet. unobserved influence
which after all was the chief of the IN
fuences which controlled the actions Of
men. He delivered to me a little ser
mon and when hf saw that ! had become
greatly interested he said: I wonder IL
you know who ! am When ] told him
that ] knew that he was Mr.. Beech-r.
he said: You have given me the text
or at least the leading thought for
sermon. Some day | shall preach a ser
mon making use OF my experience to-
DAY to illustrate the leading thought
which will be in the sermon-namely. the
great power OF unseen influence.
Copyright lcIL by DIT 3. ]. Edwards All rights
TeserTed.l
Tomorrow DR. Edwards will tell Of
The Senator Who Did Not Profit by
Being Frugal