acres of diamonds-第14部分

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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　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　bel