acres of diamonds-第15部分

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ords　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　prayerfaith　can　move　mountains；　but　always　he　believes　that　it　is　better　not　to　wait　for　the　mountains　thus　to　be　moved；　but　to　go　right　out　and　get　to　work　at　moving　them。　　And　once　in　a　while　there　comes　a　time　when　the　mountain　looms　too　threatening；　even　after　the　bravest　efforts　and　the　deepest　trust。　　Such　a　time　had　comethe　ten…thousand…dollar　debt　was　a　looming　mountain　that　he　had　tried　in　vain　to　move。　　He　could　still　pray；　and　he　did；　but　it　was　one　of　the　times　when　he　could　only　think　that　something　had　gone　wrong。

The　dean　of　the　university；　who　has　been　closely　in　touch　with　all　his　work　for　many　years；　told　me　of　how；　in　a　discouragement　which　was　the　more　notable　through　contrast　with　his　usual　unfailing　courage；　he　left　the　executive　offices　for　his　home；　a　couple　of　blocks　away

‘‘He　went　away　with　everything　looking　dark　before　him。　　It　was　Christmas…time；　but　the　very　fact　of　its　being　Christmas　only　added　to　his　depressionChristmas　was　such　an　unnatural　time　for　unhappiness！　　But　in　a　few　minutes　he　came　flying　back；　radiant；　overjoyed；　sparkling　with　happiness；　waving　a　slip　of　paper　in　his　hand　which　was　a　check　for　precisely　ten　thousand　dollars！　　For　he　had　just　drawn　it　out　of　an　envelope　handed　to　him；　as　he　reached　home；　by　the　mail…carrier。

‘‘And　it　had　come　so　strangely　and　so　naturally！　　For　the　check　was　from　a　woman　who　was　profoundly　interested　in　his　work；　and　who　had　sent　the　check　knowing　that　in　a　general　way　it　was　needed；　but　without　the　least　idea　that　there　was　any　immediate　need。　　That　was　eight　or　nine　years　ago；　but　although　the　donor　was　told　at　the　time　that　Dr。　Conwell　and　all　of　us　were　most　grateful　for　the　gift；　it　was　not　until　very　recently　that　she　was　told　how　opportune　it　was。　　And　the　change　it　made　in　Dr。　Conwell！　　He　is　a　great　man　for　maxims；　and　all　of　us　who　are　associated　with　him　know　that　one　of　his　favorites　is　that　‘It　will　all　come　out　right　some　time！'　　And　of　course　we　had　a　rare　opportunity　to　tell　him　that　he　ought　never　to　be　discouraged。　　And　it　is　so　seldom　that　he　is！''

When　the　big　new　church　was　building　the　members　of　the　church　were　vaguely　disturbed　by　noticing；　when　the　structure　reached　the　second　story；　that　at　that　height；　on　the　side　toward　the　vacant　and　unbought　land　adjoining；　there　were　several　doors　built　that　opened　literally　into　nothing　but　space！

When　asked　about　these　doors　and　their　purpose；　Dr。　Conwell　would　make　some　casual　reply；　generally　to　the　effect　that　they　might　be　excellent　as　fire…escapes。　　To　no　one；　for　quite　a　while；　did　he　broach　even　a　hint　of　the　great　plan　that　was　seething　in　his　mind；　which　was　that　the　buildings　of　a　university　were　some　day　to　stand　on　that　land　immediately　adjoining　the　church！

At　that　time　the　university；　the　Temple　University　as　it　is　now　called；　was　not　even　a　college；　although　it　was　probably　called　a　college。　　Conwell　had　organized　it；　and　it　consisted　of　a　number　of　classes　and　teachers；　meeting　in　highly　inadequate　quarters　in　two　little　houses。　　But　the　imagination　of　Conwell　early　pictured　great　new　buildings　with　accommodations　for　thousands！　　In　time　the　dream　was　realized；　the　imagination　became　a　fact；　and　now　those　second…floor　doors　actually　open　from　the　Temple　Church　into　the　Temple　University！

You　see；　he　always　thinks　big！　　He　dreams　big　dreams　and　wins　big　success。　　All　his　life　he　has　talked　and　preached　success；　and　it　is　a　real　and　very　practical　belief　with　him　that　it　is　just　as　easy　to　do　a　large　thing　as　a　small　one；　and；　in　fact；　a　little　easier！　　And　so　he　naturally　does　not　see　why　one　should　be　satisfied　with　the　small　things　of　life。　　‘‘If　your　rooms　are　big　the　people　will　come　and　fill　them；''　he　likes　to　say。　　The　same　effort　that　wins　a　small　success　would；　rightly　directed；　have　won　a　great　success。　　‘‘Think　big　things　and　then　do　them！''

Most　favorite　of　all　maxims　with　this　man　of　maxims；　is　‘‘Let　Patience　have　her　perfect　work。''　　Over　and　over　he　loves　to　say　it；　and　his　friends　laugh　about　his　love　for　it；　and　he　knows　that　they　do　and　laughs　about　it　himself。　　‘‘I　tire　them　all；''　he　says；　‘‘for　they　hear　me　say　it　every　day。''

But　he　says　it　every　day　because　it　means　so　much　to　him。　　It　stands；　in　his　mind；　as　a　constant　warning　against　anger　or　impatience　or　over…haste　faults　to　which　his　impetuous　temperament　is　prone；　though　few　have　ever　seen　him　either　angry　or　impatient　or　hasty；　so　well　does　he　exercise　self…control。　　Those　who　have　long　known　him　well　have　said　to　me　that　they　have　never　heard　him　censure　any　one；　that　his　forbearance　and　kindness　are　wonderful。

He　is　a　sensitive　man　beneath　his　composure；　he　has　suffered；　and　keenly；　when　he　has　been　unjustly　attacked；　he　feels　pain　of　that　sort　for　a　long　time；　too；　for　even　the　passing　of　years　does　not　entirely　deaden　it。

‘‘When　I　have　been　hurt；　or　when　I　have　talked　with　annoying　cranks；　I　have　tried　to　let　Patience　have　her　perfect　work；　for　those　very　people；　if　you　have　patience　with　them；　may　afterward　be　of　help。''

And　he　went　on　to　talk　a　little　of　his　early　years　in　Philadelphia；　and　he　said；　with　sadness；　that　it　had　pained　him　to　meet　with　opposition；　and　that　it　had　even　come　from　ministers　of　his　own　denomination；　for　he　had　been　so　misunder…　stood　and　misjudged；　but；　he　added；　the　momentary　somberness　lifting；　even　his　bitter　enemies　had　been　won　over　with　patience。

I　could　understand　a　good　deal　of　what　he　meant；　for　one　of　the　Baptist　ministers　of　Philadelphia　had　said　to　me；　with　some　shame；　that　at　first　it　used　actually　to　be　the　case　that　when　Dr。　Conwell　would　enter　one　of　the　regular　ministers'　meetings；　all　would　hold　aloof；　not　a　single　one　stepping　forward　to　meet　or　greet　him。

‘‘And　it　was　all　through　our　jealousy　of　his　success；''　said　the　minister；　vehemently。　　‘‘He　came　to　this　city　a　stranger；　and　he　won　instant　popularity；　and　we　couldn't　stand　it；　and　so　we　pounced　upon　things　that　he　did　that　were　altogether　unimportant。　　The　rest　of　us　were　so　jealous　of　his　winning　throngs　that　we　couldn't　see　the　good　in　him。　　And　it