The Washington herald., 1914-05-24

at some moment and at some place. am
sure, I accepted. volitionally. the truth,
but cannot FIX the day. Consequently,
there are no anniversaries for me in
celebration Of new birth. cannot tell
even roughly when / became a Christian.
nor do remember a time when I didn't
mean to enter the ministry.
AT six was preaching to my sisters
dolls. At thirteen delivered my nrst
sermon. It was In a hall and my father
arranged the service. Since the age Of
seventeen, have been preaching stead
ily.
I'VE returned to England when was
ten years old and took up our home at
Cheltenham. There I entered Douglas
School. the principal Of which was Mr..
Butler. have sons at that school now,
same Mr.. Butler.
II was a fraii lad in those days and
I was small. / grew two and a half
inches after the age Of twenty-one. Al
together. I remained at Douglas School
for seven years, teaching the last two
years and thus paying my own bills.
intended to be a minister but my father
was poor and the way was obscure.
Teaching. / thought. might provide me
with money for course at the uniyer-
sity. I went to Birmingham, accordingly,
and began preparing for teachers place
in the government schools.
But / was not physically strong. as
have said, and by the end Of a year I
realized I had made a mistake. Besides,
my parents needed my help. My sister
had died when I was only eight, and that
was the first great g1ief of my life. I
cannot speak Of 1t now without a keen
sense Of loss. was now seventeen and
obligations were pressing upon me and
the road ahead seemed very dark.
THE Jewish Collegiate School at Bir-
mingham was kept by Edward Lawrence
Levy, who was fine man and in his day
a famous athlete. He needed a teacher
and I went to him. becoming in a short
time the headmaster of his establish
ment. / put away some money for my
course at Cambridge, and then a critical
situation overlook my family and gave
my savings to my parents. The days. it
appeared to me, were growing blacker
and blacker with the ministry vanishing
far away in the distance before me.
A Crisis in His Life.
II remained four years with Mr.. Levy.
preaching regularly. and, although he was
an orthodox Jew. he sympathized with
my enthusiasm and my ambition. One
day the expected crisis came into my life
As thought my case over cried out. in
the privacy Of my room: I cannot afford
to cut loose. I must earn money for my
parents. II I am to preach, God must
show me the way. / leave 1t all to Him.
1.-THE next morning went to my classes
as usual. Mr.. Levy met me in the hall
and said: I want to see you when school
closes He wished to tell me, I soon
learned, that the King Edward VI schools
in Birmingham were knocking the sup
ports from under all private schools and
that expenses would have to be reduced.
My work was entirely satisfactory to
him, but l was advised to seek another
appointment
in your notice told Mr.. Levy, I see
the hand of God. I'll quit at the end Of
the term. Hereafter I will preach and
not teach
Yet serious difficulties arose in carry
ing out my plan. I had no influential
No college was behind
me- We had moved so often that We had
never formed relations with any particu-
lar church or denomination. I was utter
ly alone. except for Mr.. Levy. who was
my friend. but Jew and without infiu-
ence among Christians