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s　humorousness；　that　his　audience　is　captivated。　　And　they　never　think　that　he　is　telling　something　funny　of　his　own；　it　seems；　such　is　the　skill　of　the　man；　that　he　is　just　letting　them　know　of　something　humorous　that　they　are　to　enjoy　with　him。

‘‘Be　absolutely　truthful　and　scrupulously　clear；''　he　writes；　and　with　delightfully　terse　common　sense；　he　says；　‘‘Use　illustrations　that　illustrate''　and　never　did　an　orator　live　up　to　this　injunction　more　than　does　Conwell　himself。　　Nothing　is　more　surprising；　nothing　is　more　interesting；　than　the　way　in　which　he　makes　use　as　illustrations　of　the　impressions　and　incidents　of　his　long　and　varied　life；　and；　whatever　it　is；　it　has　direct　and　instant　bearing　on　the　progress　of　his　discourse。　　He　will　refer　to　something　that　he　heard　a　child　say　in　a　train　yesterday；　in　a　few　minutes　he　will　speak　of　something　that　he　saw　or　some　one　whom　he　met　last　month；　or　last　year；　or　ten　years　ago　in　Ohio；　in　California；　in　London；　in　Paris；　in　New　York；　in　Bombay；　and　each　memory；　each　illustration；　is　a　hammer　with　which　he　drives　home　a　truth。

The　vast　number　of　places　he　has　visited　and　people　he　has　met；　the　infinite　variety　of　things　his　observant　eyes　have　seen；　give　him　his　ceaseless　flow　of　illustrations；　and　his　memory　and　his　skill　make　admirable　use　of　them。　　It　is　seldom　that　he　uses　an　illustration　from　what　he　has　read；　everything　is；　characteristically；　his　own。　　Henry　M。　Stanley；　who　knew　him　well；　referred　to　him　as　‘‘that　double…sighted　Yankee；''　who　could　‘‘see　at　a　glance　all　there　is　and　all　there　ever　was。''

And　never　was　there　a　man　who　so　supplements　with　personal　reminiscence　the　place　or　the　person　that　has　figured　in　the　illustration。　　When　he　illustrates　with　the　story　of　the　discovery　of　California　gold　at　Sutter's　he　almost　parenthetically　remarks；　‘‘I　delivered　this　lecture　on　that　very　spot　a　few　years　ago；　that　is；　in　the　town　that　arose　on　that　very　spot。''　　And　when　he　illustrates　by　the　story　of　the　invention　of　the　sewing…machine；　he　adds：　　‘‘I　suppose　that　if　any　of　you　were　asked　who　was　the　inventor　of　the　sewing…machine；　you　would　say　that　it　was　Elias　Howe。　　But　that　would　be　a　mistake。　　I　was　with　Elias　Howe　in　the　Civil　War；　and　he　often　used　to　tell　me　how　he　had　tried　for　fourteen　years　to　invent　the　sewing…machine　and　that　then　his　wife；　feeling　that　something　really　had　to　be　done；　invented　it　in　a　couple　of　hours。''　　Listening　to　him；　you　begin　to　feel　in　touch　with　everybody　and　everything；　and　in　a　friendly　and　intimate　way。

Always；　whether　in　the　pulpit　or　on　the　platform；　as　in　private　conversation；　there　is　an　absolute　simplicity　about　the　man　and　his　words；　a　simplicity；　an　earnestness；　a　complete　honesty。　　And　when　he　sets　down；　in　his　book　on　oratory；　‘‘A　man　has　no　right　to　use　words　carelessly；''　he　stands　for　that　respect　for　word…craftsmanship　that　every　successful　speaker　or　writer　must　feel。

‘‘Be　intensely　in　earnest；''　he　writes；　and　in　writing　this　he　sets　down　a　prime　principle　not　only　of　his　oratory；　but　of　his　life。

A　young　minister　told　me　that　Dr。　Conwell　once　said　to　him；　with　deep　feeling；　‘‘Always　remember；　as　you　preach；　that　you　are　striving　to　save　at　least　one　soul　with　every　sermon。''　　And　to　one　of　his　close　friends　Dr。　Conwell　said；　in　one　of　his　self…revealing　conversations：

‘‘I　feel；　whenever　I　preach；　that　there　is　always　one　person　in　the　congregation　to　whom；　in　all　probability；　I　shall　never　preach　again；　and　therefore　I　feel　that　I　must　exert　my　utmost　power　in　that　last　chance。''　　And　in　this；　even　if　this　were　all；　one　sees　why　each　of　his　sermons　is　so　impressive；　and　why　his　energy　never　lags。　　Always；　with　him；　is　the　feeling　that　he　is　in　the　world　to　do　all　the　good　he　can　possibly　do；　not　a　moment；　not　an　opportunity；　must　be　lost。

The　moment　he　rises　and　steps　to　the　front　of　his　pulpit　he　has　the　attention　of　every　one　in　the　building；　and　this　attention　he　closely　holds　till　he　is　through。　　Yet　it　is　never　by　a　striking　effort　that　attention　is　gained；　except　in　so　far　that　his　utter　simplicity　is　striking。　　‘‘I　want　to　preach　so　simply　that　you　will　not　think　it　preaching；　but　just　that　you　are　listening　to　a　friend；''　I　remember　his　saying；　one　Sunday　morning；　as　he　began　his　sermon；　and　then　he　went　on　just　as　simply　as　such　homely；　kindly；　friendly　words　promised。　　And　how　effectively！

He　believes　that　everything　should　be　so　put　as　to　be　understood　by　all；　and　this　belief　he　applies　not　only　to　his　preaching；　but　to　the　reading　of　the　Bible；　whose　descriptions　he　not　only　visualizes　to　himself；　but　makes　vividly　clear　to　his　hearers；　and　this　often　makes　for　fascination　in　result。

For　example；　he　is　reading　the　tenth　chapter　of　I　Samuel；　and　begins；　‘‘　‘Thou　shalt　meet　a　company　of　prophets。'　''

‘‘　‘Singers；'　it　should　be　translated；''　he　puts　in；　lifting　his　eyes　from　the　page　and　looking　out　over　his　people。　　Then　he　goes　on；　taking　this　change　as　a　matter　of　course；　‘‘　‘Thou　shalt　meet　a　company　of　singers　coming　down　from　the　high　place'　''

Whereupon　he　again　interrupts　himself；　and　in　an　irresistible　explanatory　aside；　which　instantly　raises　the　desired　picture　in　the　mind　of　every　one；　he　says：　　‘‘That　means；　from　the　little　old　church　on　the　hill；　you　know。''　　And　how　plain　and　clear　and　real　and　interestingmost　of　all；　interestingit　is　from　this　moment！　　Another　man　would　have　left　it　that　prophets　were　coming　down　from　a　high　place；　which　would　not　have　seemed　at　all　alive　or　natural；　and　here；　suddenly；　Conwell　has　flashed　his　picture　of　the　singers　coming　down　from　the　little　old　church　on　the　hill！　　There　is　magic　in　doing　that　sort　of　thing。

And　he　goes　on；　now　reading：　　‘‘　‘Thou　shalt　meet　a　company　of　singers　coming　down　from　the　little　old　church　on　the　hill；　with　a　psaltery；　and　a　tabret；　and　a　pipe；　and　a　harp；　and　they　shall　sing。'　''

Music　is　one　of　Conwell's　strongest　aids。　　He　sings　himself；　sings　as　if　he　likes　to　sing；　and　often　finds　himself　leading　the　singingusually　so；　indeed；　at　the　prayer…meetings；　and　often；　in　effect；　at　the　church　services。

I　remember　at　one　church　service　that　the　choir…leader　was　standing　in　front　of　the　massed　choir　ostensibly　leading　the　singing；　but　that　Conwell　himself；　standing　at　the　rear　of　the　pulpit　platform；　with　his　eyes　on　his　hymn…book；　silently　swaying　a　little　with　the　music　and　unconsciously　beating　time　as　he　swayed；　was　just　as　unconsciously　the　real　leader；　for　it　was　he　whom　the　congregation　were　watching　and　with　him　that　they　were　keeping　time！　　He　never　suspected　it；　he　was　merely　thinking　along　with　the　music；　and　there　was　such　a　look　of　contagious　happiness　on　his　face　as　made　every　one　in　the　building　similarly　happy。　　For　he　possesses　a　mysterious　faculty　of　imbuing　others　with　his　own　happiness。

Not　only　singers；　but　the　modern　equivalent　of　psaltery　and　tabret　and　cymbals；　all　have　their　place　in　Dr。　Conwell's　scheme　of　church　service；　for　there　may　be　a　piano；　and　there　may　even　be　a　trombone；　and　there　is　a　great　organ　to　help　the　voices；　and　at　times　there　are　chiming　bells。　　His　musical　taste　seems　to　tend　toward　the　thunderousor　perhaps　it　is　only　that　he　knows　there　are　times　when　people　like　to　hear　the　thunderous　and　are　moved　by　it。

And　how　the　choir　themselves　like　it！　　They　occupy　a　great　curving　space　behind　the　pulpit；　and　put　their　hearts　into　song。　　And　as　the　congregation　disperse　and　the　choir　filter　down；　sometimes　they　are　still　singing　and　some　of　them　continue　to　sing　as　they　go　slowly　out　toward　the　doors。　　They　are　happyConwell　himself　is　happyall　the　congregation　are　happy。　　He　makes　everybody　feel　happy　in　coming　to　church；　he　makes　the　church　attractive　just　as　Howells　was　so　long　ago　told　that　he　did　in　Lexington。

And　there　is　something　more　than　happiness；　there　is　a　sense　of　ease；　of　comfort；　of　general　joy；　that　is　quite　unmistakable。　　There　is　nothing　of　stiffness　or　constraint。　　And　with　it　all　there　is　full　reverence。　　It　is　no　wonder　that　he　is　accustomed　to　fill　every　seat　of　the　great　building。

His　gestures　are　usually　very　simple。　　Now　and　then；　when　he　works　up　to　emphasis；　he　strikes　one　fist　in　the　palm　of　the　other　hand。　　When　he　is　through　you　do　not　remember　that　he　has　made　any　gestures　at　all；　but　the　sound　of　his　voice　remains　with　you；　and　the　look　of　his　wonderful　eyes。　　And　though　he　is　past　the　threescore　years　and　ten；　he　looks　out　over　his　people　with　eyes　that　still　have　the　veritable　look　of　youth。

Like　all　great　men；　he　not　only　does　big　things；　but　keeps　in　touch　with　myriad　details。　　When　his　assistant；　announcing　the　funeral　of　an　old　member；　hesitates　about　the　street　and　number　and　says　that　they　can　be　found　in　the　telephone　directory；　Dr。　Conwell's　deep　voice　breaks　quietly　in　with；　‘‘Such　a　number　＇giving　it＇；　Dauphin　Street''quietly；　and　in　a　low　tone；　yet　every　one　in　the　church　hears　distinctly　every　syllable　of　that　low　voice。

His　fund　of　personal　anecdote；　or　personal　reminiscence；　is　constant　and　illustrative　in　his　preaching；　just　as　it　is　when　he　lectures；　and　the　reminiscences　sweep　through　many　years；　and　at　times　are　really　startling　in　the　vivid　and　homelike　pictures　they　present　of　the　fam