acres of diamonds-第24部分

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and　names。

Naturally；　Russell　Conwell　stands　steadily　and　strongly　for　good　citizenship。　　But　he　never　talks　boastful　Americanism。　　He　seldom　speaks　in　so　many　words　of　either　Americanism　or　good　citizenship；　but　he　constantly　and　silently　keeps　the　American　flag；　as　the　symbol　of　good　citizenship；　before　his　people。　　An　American　flag　is　prominent　in　his　church；　an　American　flag　is　seen　in　his　home；　a　beautiful　American　flag　is　up　at　his　Berkshire　place　and　surmounts　a　lofty　tower　where；　when　he　was　a　boy；　there　stood　a　mighty　tree　at　the　top　of　which　was　an　eagle's　nest；　which　has　given　him　a　name　for　his　home；　for　he　terms　it　‘‘The　Eagle's　Nest。''

Remembering　a　long　story　that　I　had　read　of　his　climbing　to　the　top　of　that　tree；　though　it　was　a　well…nigh　impossible　feat；　and　securing　the　nest　by　great　perseverance　and　daring；　I　asked　him　if　the　story　were　a　true　one。　　‘‘Oh；　I've　heard　something　about　it；　somebody　said　that　somebody　watched　me；　or　something　of　the　kind。　　But　I　don't　remember　anything　about　it　myself。''

Any　friend　of　his　is　sure　to　say　something；　after　a　while；　about　his　determination；　his　insistence　on　going　ahead　with　anything　on　which　he　has　really　set　his　heart。　　One　of　the　very　important　things　on　which　he　insisted；　in　spite　of　very　great　opposition；　and　especially　an　opposition　from　the　other　churches　of　his　denomination　（for　this　was　a　good　many　years　ago；　when　there　was　much　more　narrowness　in　churches　and　sects　than　there　is　at　present）；　was　with　regard　to　doing　away　with　close　communion。　　He　determined　on　an　open　communion；　and　his　way　of　putting　it；　once　decided　upon；　was：　　‘‘My　friends；　it　is　not　for　me　to　invite　you　to　the　table　of　the　Lord。　　The　table　of　the　Lord　is　open。　　If　you　feel　that　you　can　come　to　the　table；　it　is　open　to　you。''　　And　this　is　the　form　which　he　still　uses。

He　not　only　never　gives　up；　but；　so　his　friends　say；　he　never　forgets　a　thing　upon　which　he　has　once　decided；　and　at　times；　long　after　they　supposed　the　matter　has　been　entirely　forgotten；　they　suddenly　find　Dr。　Conwell　bringing　his　original　purpose　to　pass。　　When　I　was　told　of　this　I　remembered　that　pickerel…pond　in　the　Berkshires！

If　he　is　really　set　upon　doing　anything；　little　or　big；　adverse　criticism　does　not　disturb　his　serenity。　　Some　years　ago　he　began　wearing　a　huge　diamond；　whose　size　attracted　much　criticism　and　caustic　comment。　　He　never　said　a　word　in　defense；　he　just　kept　on　wearing　the　diamond。　　One　day；　however；　after　some　years；　he　took　it　off；　and　people　said；　‘‘He　has　listened　to　the　criticism　at　last！''　　He　smiled　reminiscently　as　he　told　me　about　this；　and　said：　　‘‘A　dear　old　deacon　of　my　congregation　gave　me　that　diamond　and　I　did　not　like　to　hurt　his　feelings　by　refusing　it。　　It　really　bothered　me　to　wear　such　a　glaring　big　thing；　but　because　I　didn't　want　to　hurt　the　old　deacon's　feelings　I　kept　on　wearing　it　until　he　was　dead。　　Then　I　stopped　wearing　it。''

The　ambition　of　Russell　Conwell　is　to　continue　working　and　working　until　the　very　last　moment　of　his　life。　　In　work　he　forgets　his　sadness；　his　loneliness；　his　age。　　And　he　said　to　me　one　day；　‘‘I　will　die　in　harness。''



IX

THE　STORY　OF　ACRES　OF　DIAMONDS

CONSIDERING　everything；　the　most　remarkable　thing　in　Russell　Conwell's　remarkable　life　is　his　lecture；　‘‘Acres　of　Diamonds。''　　That　is；　the　lecture　itself；　the　number　of　times　he　has　delivered　it；　what　a　source　of　inspiration　it　has　been　to　myriads；　the　money　that　he　has　made　and　is　making；　and；　still　more；　the　purpose　to　which　he　directs　the　money。　　In　the　circumstances　surrounding　‘‘Acres　of　Diamonds；''　in　its　tremendous　success；　in　the　attitude　of　mind　revealed　by　the　lecture　itself　and　by　what　Dr。　Conwell　does　with　it；　it　is　illuminative　of　his　character；　his　aims；　his　ability。

The　lecture　is　vibrant　with　his　energy。　　It　flashes　with　his　hopefulness。　　It　is　full　of　his　enthusiasm。　　It　is　packed　full　of　his　intensity。　　It　stands　for　the　possibilities　of　success　in　every　one。　　He　has　delivered　it　over　five　thousand　times。　　The　demand　for　it　never　diminishes。　　The　success　grows　never　less。

There　is　a　time　in　Russell　Conwell's　youth　of　which　it　is　pain　for　him　to　think。　　He　told　me　of　it　one　evening；　and　his　voice　sank　lower　and　lower　as　he　went　far　back　into　the　past。　　It　was　of　his　days　at　Yale　that　he　spoke；　for　they　were　days　of　suffering。　　For　he　had　not　money　for　Yale；　and　in　working　for　more　he　endured　bitter　humiliation。　　It　was　not　that　the　work　was　hard；　for　Russell　Conwell　has　always　been　ready　for　hard　work。　　It　was　not　that　there　were　privations

and　difficulties；　for　he　has　always　found　difficulties　only　things　to　overcome；　and　endured　privations　with　cheerful　fortitude。　　But　it　was　the　humiliations　that　he　metthe　personal　humiliations　that　after　more　than　half　a　century　make　him　suffer　in　remembering　themyet　out　of　those　humiliations　came　a　marvelous　result。

‘‘I　determined；''　he　says；　‘‘that　whatever　I　could　do　to　make　the　way　easier　at　college　for　other　young　men　working　their　way　I　would　do。''

And　so；　many　years　ago；　he　began　to　devote　every　dollar　that　he　made　from　‘‘Acres　of　Diamonds''　to　this　definite　purpose。　　He　has　what　may　be　termed　a　waiting…list。　　On　that　list　are　very　few　cases　he　has　looked　into　personally。　　Infinitely　busy　man　that　he　is；　he　cannot　do　extensive　personal　investigation。　　A　large　proportion　of　his　names　come　to　him　from　college　presidents　who　know　of　students　in　their　own　colleges　in　need　of　such　a　helping　hand。

‘‘Every　night；''　he　said；　when　I　asked　him　to　tell　me　about　it；　‘‘when　my　lecture　is　over　and　the　check　is　in　my　hand；　I　sit　down　in　my　room　in　the　hotel''what　a　lonely　picture；　tool‘‘I　sit　down　in　my　room　in　the　hotel　and　subtract　from　the　total　sum　received　my　actual　expenses　for　that　place；　and　make　out　a　check　for　the　difference　and　send　it　to　some　young　man　on　my　list。　　And　I　always　send　with　the　check　a　letter　of　advice　and　helpfulness；　expressing　my　hope　that　it　will　be　of　some　service　to　him　and　telling　him　that　he　is　to　feel　under　no　obligation　except　to　his　Lord。　　I　feel　strongly；　and　I　try　to　make　every　young　man　feel；　that　there　must　be　no　sense　of　obligation　to　me　personally。　　And　I　tell　them　that　I　am　hoping　to　leave　behind　me　men　who　will　do　more　work　than　I　have　done。　　Don't　think　that　I　put　in　too　much　advice；''　he　added；　with　a　smile；　‘‘for　I　only　try　to　let　them　know　that　a　friend　is　trying　to　help　them。''

His　face　lighted　as　he　spoke。　　‘‘There　is　such　a　fascination　in　it！''　he　exclaimed。　　‘‘It　is　just　like　a　gamble！　　And　as　soon　as　I　have　sent　the　letter　and　crossed　a　name　off　my　list；　I　am　aiming　for　the　next　one！''

And　after　a　pause　he　added：　　‘‘I　do　not　attempt　to　send　any　young　man　enough　for　all　his　expenses。　　But　I　want　to　save　him　from　bitterness；　and　each　check　will　help。　　And；　too；''　he　concluded；　navely；　in　the　vernacular；　‘‘I　don't　want　them　to　lay　down　on　me！''

He　told　me　that　he　made　it　clear　that　he　did　not　wish　to　get　returns　or　reports　from　this　branch　of　his　life…work；　for　it　would　take　a　great　deal　of　time　in　watching　and　thinking　and　in　the　reading　and　writing　of　letters。　　‘‘But　it　is　mainly；''　he　went　on；　‘‘that　I　do　not　wish　to　hold　over　their　heads　the　sense　of　obligation。''

When　I　suggested　that　this　was　surely　an　example　of　bread　cast　upon　the　waters　that　could　not　return；　he　was　silent　for　a　little　and　then　said；　thoughtfully：　　‘‘As　one　gets　on　in　years　there　is　satisfaction　in　doing　a　thing　for　the　sake　of　doing　it。　　The　bread　returns　in　the　sense　of　effort　made。''

On　a　recent　trip　through　Minnesota　he　was　positively　upset；　so　his　secretary　told　me；　through　being　recognized　on　a　train　by　a　young　man　who　had　been　helped　through　‘‘Acres　of　Diamonds；''　and　who；　finding　that　this　was　really　Dr。　Conwell；　eagerly　brought　his　wife　to　join　him　in　most　fervent　thanks　for　his　assistance。　　Both　the　husband　and　his　wife　were　so　emotionally　overcome　that　it　quite　overcame　Dr。　Conwell　himself。

The　lecture；　to　quote　the　noble　words　of　Dr。　Conwell　himself；　is　designed　to　help　‘‘every　person；　of　either　sex；　who　cherishes　the　high　resolve　of　sustaining　a　career　of　usefulness　and　honor。''　　It　is　a　lecture　of　helpfulness。　　And　it　is　a　lecture；　when　given　with　Conwell's　voice　and　face　and　manner；　that　is　full　of　fascination。　　And　yet　it　is　all　so　simple！

It　is　packed　full　of　inspiration；　of　suggestion；　of　aid。　　He　alters　it　to　meet　the　local　circumstances　of　the　thousands　of　different　places　in

which　he　delivers　it。　　But　the　base　remains　the　same。　　And　even　those　to　whom　it　is　an　old　story　will　go　to　hear　him　time　after　time。　　It　amuses　him　to　say　that　he　knows　individuals　who　have　listened　to　it　twenty　times。

It　begins　with　a　story　told　to　Conwell　by　an　old　Arab　as　the　two　journeyed　together　toward　Nineveh；　and；　as　you　listen；　you　hear　the　actual　voices　and　you　see　the　sands　of　the　desert　and　the　waving　palms。　　The　lecturer's　voice　is　so　easy；　so　effortless；　it　seems　so　ordinary　and　matter…of…　factyet　the　entire　scene　is　instantly　vital　and　alive！　　Instantly　the　man　has　his　audience　under　a　sort　of　spell；　eager　to　listen；　ready　to　be　merry　or　grave。　　He　has　the　faculty　of　control；　the　vital　quality　that　makes　the　orator。

The　same　people　will　go　to　hear