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　years；　and　at　times　are　really　startling　in　the　vivid　and　homelike　pictures　they　present　of　the　famous　folk　of　the　past　that　he　knew。

One　Sunday　evening　he　made　an　almost　casual　reference　to　the　time　when　he　first　met　Garfield；　then　a　candidate　for　the　Presidency。　　‘‘I　asked　Major　McKinley；　whom　I　had　met　in　Washington；　and　whose　home　was　in　northern　Ohio；　as　was　that　of　Mr。　Garfield；　to　go　with　me　to　Mr。　Garfield's　home　and　introduce　me。　　When　we　got　there；　a　neighbor　had　to　find　him。　　‘Jim！　　Jim！'　he　called。　　You　see；　Garfield　was　just　plain　Jim　to　his　old　neighbors。　　It's　hard　to　recognize　a　hero　over　your　back　fence！''　　He　paused　a　mo…　ment　for　the　appreciative　ripple　to　subside；　and　went　on：

‘‘We　three　talked　there　together''what　a　rare　talking　that　must　have　been…McKinley；　Garfield；　and　Conwell‘‘we　talked　together；　and　after　a　while　we　got　to　the　subject　of　hymns；　and　those　two　great　men　both　told　me　how　deeply　they　loved　the　old　hymn；　‘The　Old…Time　Religion。'　　Garfield　especially　loved　it；　so　he　told　us；　because　the　good　old　man　who　brought　him　up　as　a　boy　and　to　whom　he　owed　such　gratitude；　used　to　sing　it　at　the　pasture　bars　outside　of　the　boy's　window　every　morning；　and　young　Jim　knew；　whenever　he　heard　that　old　tune；　that　it　meant　it　was　time　for　him　to　get　up。　　He　said　that　he　had　heard　the　best　concerts　and　the　finest　operas　in　the　world；　but　had　never　heard　anything　he　loved　as　he　still　loved　‘The　Old…Time　Religion。'　　I　forget　what　reason　there　was　for　McKinley's　especially　liking　it；　but　he；　as　did　Garfield；　liked　it　immensely。''

What　followed　was　a　striking　example　of　Conwell's　intentness　on　losing　no　chance　to　fix　an　impression　on　his　hearers'　minds；　and　at　the　same　time　it　was　a　really　astonishing　proof　of　his　power　to　move　and　sway。　　For　a　new　expression　came　over　his　face；　and　he　said；　as　if　the　idea　had　only　at　that　moment　occurred　to　himas　it　most　probably　had‘‘I　think　it's　in　our　hymnal！''　　And　in　a　moment　he　announced　the　number；　and　the　great　organ　struck　up；　and　every　person　in　the　great　church　every　man；　woman；　and　child　joined　in　the　swinging　rhythm　of　verse　after　verse；　as　if　they　could　never　tire；　of　‘‘The　Old…　Time　Religion。''　　It　is　a　simple　melodybarely　more　than　a　single　line　of　almost　monotone　music：


　_It　was　good　enough　for　mother　and　it's　good　enough　for　me！　　It　was　good　on　the　fiery　furnace　and　it's　good　enough　for　me！_


Thus　it　went　on；　with　never…wearying　iteration；　and　each　time　with　the　refrain；　more　and　more　rhythmic　and　swaying：


　_The　old…time　religion；　　The　old…time　religion；　　The　old…time　religion　　It's　good　enough　for　me！_


That　it　was　good　for　the　Hebrew　children；　that　it　was　good　for　Paul　and　Silas；　that　it　will　help　you　when　you're　dying；　that　it　will　show　the　way　to　heavenall　these　and　still　other　lines　were　sung；　with　a　sort　of　wailing　softness；　a　curious　monotone；　a　depth　of　earnestness。　　And　the　man　who　had　worked　this　miracle　of　control　by　evoking　out　of　the　past　his　memory　of　a　meeting　with　two　of　the　vanished　great　ones　of　the　earth；　stood　before　his　people；　leading　them；　singing　with　them；　his　eyes　aglow　with　an　inward　light。　　His　magic　had　suddenly　set　them　into　the　spirit　of　the　old　camp…meeting　days；　the　days　of　pioneering　and　hardship；　when　religion　meant　so　much　to　everybody；　and　even　those　who　knew　nothing　of　such　things　felt　them；　even　if　but　vaguely。　　Every　heart　was　moved　and　touched；　and　that　old　tune　will　sing　in　the　memory　of　all　who　thus　heard　it　and　sung　it　as　long　as　they　live。



V

GIFT　FOR　INSPIRING　OTHERS

THE　constant　earnestness　of　Conwell；　his　desire　to　let　no　chance　slip　by　of　helping　a　fellowman；　puts　often　into　his　voice；　when　he　preaches；　a　note　of　eagerness；　of　anxiety。　　But　when　he　prays；　when　he　turns　to　God；　his　manner　undergoes　a　subtle　and　unconscious　change。　　A　load　has　slipped　off　his　shoulders　and　has　been　assumed　by　a　higher　power。　　Into　his　bearing；　dignified　though　it　was；　there　comes　an　unconscious　increase　of　the　dignity。　　Into　his　voice；　firm　as　it　was　before；　there　comes　a　deeper　note　of　firmness。　　He　is　apt　to　fling　his　arms　widespread　as　he　prays；　in　a　fine　gesture　that　he　never　uses　at　other　times；　and　he　looks　upward　with　the　dignity　of　a　man　who；　talking　to　a　higher　being；　is　proud　of　being　a　friend　and　confidant。　　One　does　not　need　to　be　a　Christian　to　appreciate　the　beauty　and　fineness　of　Conwell's　prayers。

He　is　likely　at　any　time　to　do　the　unexpected；　and　he　is　so　great　a　man　and　has　such　control　that　whatever　he　does　seems　to　everybody　a　per…　fectly　natural　thing。　　His　sincerity　is　so　evident；　and　whatever　he　does　is　done　so　simply　and　naturally；　that　it　is　just　a　matter　of　course。

I　remember；　during　one　church　service；　while　the　singing　was　going　on；　that　he　suddenly　rose　from　his　chair　and；　kneeling　beside　it；　on　the　open　pulpit；　with　his　back　to　the　congregation；　remained　in　that　posture　for　several　minutes。　　No　one　thought　it　strange。　　I　was　likely　enough　the　only　one　who　noticed　it。　　His　people　are　used　to　his　sincerities。　　And　this　time　it　was　merely　that　he　had　a　few　words　to　say　quietly　to　God　and　turned　aside　for　a　few　moments　to　say　them。

His　earnestness　of　belief　in　prayer　makes　him　a　firm　believer　in　answers　to　prayer；　and；　in　fact；　to　what　may　be　termed　the　direct　interposition　of　Providence。　　Doubtless　the　mystic　strain　inherited　from　his　mother　has　also　much　to　do　with　this。　　He　has　a　typically　homely　way　of　expressing　it　by　one　of　his　favorite　maxims；　one　that　he　loves　to　repeat　encouragingly　to　friends　who　are　in　difficulties　themselves　or　who　know　of　the　difficulties　that　are　his；　and　this　heartening　maxim　is；　‘‘Trust　in　God　and　do　the　next　thing。''

At　one　time　in　the　early　days　of　his　church　work　in　Philadelphia　a　payment　of　a　thousand　dollars　was　absolutely　needed　to　prevent　a　law…　suit　in　regard　to　a　debt　for　the　church　organ。　　In　fact；　it　was　worse　than　a　debt；　it　was　a　note　signed　by　himself　personally；　that　had　become　duehe　was　always　ready　to　assume　personal　liability　for　debts　of　his　churchand　failure　to　meet　the　note　would　mean　a　measure　of　disgrace　as　well　as　marked　church　discouragement。

He　had　tried　all　the　sources　that　seemed　open　to　him；　but　in　vain。　　He　could　not　openly　appeal　to　the　church　members；　in　this　case；　for　it　was　in　the　early　days　of　his　pastorate；　and　his　zeal　for　the　organ；　his　desire　and　determination　to　have　it；　as　a　necessary　part　of　church　equipment；　had　outrun　the　judgment　of　some　of　his　best　friends；　including　that　of　the　deacon　who　had　gone　to　Massachusetts　for　him。　　They　had　urged　a　delay　till　other　expenses　were　met；　and　he　had　acted　against　their　advice。

He　had　tried　such　friends　as　he　could；　and　he　had　tried　prayer。　　But　there　was　no　sign　of　aid；　whether　supernatural　or　natural。

And　then；　literally　on　the　very　day　on　which　the　holder　of　the　note　was　to　begin　proceedings　against　him；　a　check　for　precisely　the　needed　one　thousand　dollars　came　to　him；　by　mail；　from　a　man　in　the　Westa　man　who　was　a　total　stranger　to　him。　　It　turned　out　that　the　man's　sister；　who　was　one　of　the　Temple　membership；　had　written　to　her　brother　of　Dr。　Conwell's　work。　　She　knew　nothing　of　any　special　need　for　money；　knew　nothing　whatever　of　any　note　or　of　the　demand　for　a　thousand　dollars；　she　merely　outlined　to　her　brother　what　Dr。　Conwell　was　accomplishing；　and　with　such　enthusiasm　that　the　brother　at　once　sent　the　opportune　check。

At　a　later　time　the　sum　of　ten　thousand　dollars　was　importunately　needed。　　It　was　due；　payment　had　been　promised。　　It　was　for　some　of　the　construction　work　of　the　Temple　University　buildings。　　The　last　day　had　come；　and　Conwell　and　the　very　few　who　knew　of　the　emergency　were　in　the　depths　of　gloom。　　It　was　too　large　a　sum　to　ask　the　church　people　to　make　up；　for　they　were　not　rich　and　they　had　already　been　giving　splendidly；　of　their　slender　means；　for　the　church　and　then　for　the　university。　　There　was　no　rich　man　to　turn　to；　the　men　famous　for　enormous　charitable　gifts　have　never　let　themselves　be　interested　in　any　of　the　work　of　Russell　Conwell。　　It　would　be　unkind　and　gratuitous　to　suggest　that　it　has　been　because　their　names　could　not　be　personally　attached；　or　because　the　work　is　of　an　unpretentious　kind　among　unpretentious　people；　it　need　merely　be　said　that　neither　they　nor　their　agents　have　cared　to　aid；　except　that　one　of　the　very　richest；　whose　name　is　the　most　distinguished　in　the　entire　world　as　a　giver；　did　once；　in　response　to　a　strong　personal　application；　give　thirty…five　hundred　dollars；　this　being　the　extent　of　the　association　of　the　wealthy　with　any　of　the　varied　Conwell　work。

So　when　it　was　absolutely　necessary　to　have　ten　thousand　dollars　the　possibilities　of　money　had　been　exhausted；　whether　from　congregation　or　individuals。

Russell　Conwell；　in　spite　of　his　superb　optimism；　is　also　a　man　of　deep　depressions；　and　this　is　because　of　the　very　fire　and　fervor　of　his　nature；　for　always　in　such　a　nature　there　is　a　balancing。　　He　believes　in　success；　success　must　come！success　is　in　itself　almost　a　religion　with　himsuccess　for　himself　and　for　all　the　world　who　will　try　for　it！　　But　there　are　times　when　he　is　sad　and　doubtful　over　some　particular　possibility。　　And　he　intensely　believes　in　prayer