acres of diamonds-第20部分

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abruptly；　‘‘I　should　like　to　see　the　possibility　of　higher　education　offered　to　every　one　in　the　United　States　who　works　for　a　living。''

There　was　something　superb　in　the　very　imagining　of　such　a　nation…wide　system。　　But　I　did　not　ask　whether　or　not　he　had　planned　any　details　for　such　an　effort。　　I　knew　that　thus　far　it　might　only　be　one　of　his　dreamsbut　I　also　knew　that　his　dreams　had　a　way　of　becoming　realities。　　I　had　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　his　soaring　vision。　　It　was　amazing　to　find　a　man　of　more　than　three…　score　and　ten　thus　dreaming　of　more　worlds　to　conquer。　　And　I　thought；　what　could　the　world　have　accomplished　if　Methuselah　had　been　a　Conwell！or；　far　better；　what　wonders　could　be　accomplished　if　Conwell　could　but　be　a　Methuselah！

He　has　all　his　life　been　a　great　traveler。　　He　is　a　man　who　sees　vividly　and　who　can　describe　vividly。　　Yet　often　his　letters；　even　from　places　of　the　most　profound　interest；　are　mostly　concerned　with　affairs　back　home。　　It　is　not　that　he　does　not　feel；　and　feel　intensely；　the　interest　of　what　he　is　visiting；　but　that　his　tremendous　earnestness　keeps　him　always　concerned　about　his　work　at　home。　　There　could　be　no　stronger　example　than　what　I　noticed　in　a　letter　he　wrote　from　Jerusa…　lem。　　‘‘I　am　in　Jerusalem！　　And　here　at　Gethsemane　and　at　the　Tomb　of　Christ''reading　thus　far；　one　expects　that　any　man；　and　especially　a　minister；　is　sure　to　say　something　regarding　the　associations　of　the　place　and　the　effect　of　these　associations　on　his　mind；　but　Conwell　is　always　the　man　who　is　different‘‘And　here　at　Gethsemane　and　at　the　Tomb　of　Christ；　I　pray　especially　for　the　Temple　University。''　　That　is　Conwellism！

That　he　founded　a　hospitala　work　in　itself　great　enough　for　even　a　great　life　is　but　one　among　the　striking　incidents　of　his　career。　　And　it　came　about　through　perfect　naturalness。　　For　he　came　to　know；　through　his　pastoral　work　and　through　his　growing　acquaintance　with　the　needs　of　the　city；　that　there　was　a　vast　amount　of　suffering　and　wretchedness　and　anguish；　because　of　the　inability　of　the　existing　hospitals　to　care　for　all　who　needed　care。　　There　was　so　much　sickness　and　suffering　to　be　alleviated；　there　were　so　many　deaths　that　could　be　preventedand　so　he　decided　to　start　another　hospital。

And；　like　everything　with　him；　the　beginning　was　small。　　That　cannot　too　strongly　be　set　down　as　the　way　of　this　phenomenally　successful　organizer。　　Most　men　would　have　to　wait　until　a　big　beginning　could　be　made；　and　so　would　most　likely　never　make　a　beginning　at　all。　　But　Conwell's　way　is　to　dream　of　future　bigness；　but　be　ready　to　begin　at　once；　no　matter　how　small　or　insignificant　the　beginning　may　appear　to　others。

Two　rented　rooms；　one　nurse；　one　patientthis　was　the　humble　beginning；　in　1891；　of　what　has　developed　into　the　great　Samaritan　Hospital。　　In　a　year　there　was　an　entire　house；　fitted　up　with　wards　and　operating…room。　　Now　it　occupies　several　buildings；　including　and　adjoining　that　first　one；　and　a　great　new　structure　is　planned。　　But　even　as　it　is；　it　has　a　hundred　and　seventy　beds；　is　fitted　with　all　modern　hospital　appliances；　and　has　a　large　staff　of　physicians；　and　the　number　of　surgical　operations　performed　there　is　very　large。

It　is　open　to　sufferers　of　any　race　or　creed；　and　the　poor　are　never　refused　admission；　the　rule　being　that　treatment　is　free　for　those　who　cannot　pay；　but　that　such　as　can　afford　it　shall　pay　according　to　their　means。

And　the　hospital　has　a　kindly　feature　that　endears　it　to　patients　and　their　relatives　alike；　and　that　is　that；　by　Dr。　Conwell's　personal　order；　there　are　not　only　the　usual　week…day　hours　for　visiting；　but　also　one　evening　a　week　and　every　Sunday　afternoon。　　‘‘For　otherwise；''　as　he　says；　‘‘many　would　be　unable　to　come　because　they　could　not　get　away　from　their　work。''

A　little　over　eight　years　ago　another　hospital　was　taken　in　charge；　the　Garretsonnot　founded　by　Conwell；　this　one；　but　acquired；　and　promptly　expanded　in　its　usefulness。

Both　the　Samaritan　and　the　Garretson　are　part　of　Temple　University。　　The　Samaritan　Hospital　has　treated；　since　its　foundation；　up　to　the　middle　of　1915；　29；301　patients；　the　Garretson；　in　its　shorter　life；　5；923。　　Including　dispensary　cases　as　well　as　house　patients；　the　two　hospitals　together；　under　the　headship　of　President　Conwell；　have　handled　over　400；000　cases。

How　Conwell　can　possibly　meet　the　multifarious　demands　upon　his　time　is　in　itself　a　miracle。　　He　is　the　head　of　the　great　church；　he　is　the　head　of　the　university；　he　is　the　head　of　the　hospitals；　he　is　the　head　of　everything　with　which　he　is　associated！　　And　he　is　not　only　nominally；　but　very　actively；　the　head！



VIII

HIS　SPLENDID　EFFICIENCY

CONWELL　has　a　few　strong　and　efficient　executive　helpers　who　have　long　been　associated　with　him；　men　and　women　who　know　his　ideas　and　ideals；　who　are　devoted　to　him；　and　who　do　their　utmost　to　relieve　him；　and　of　course　there　is　very　much　that　is　thus　done　for　him；　but　even　as　it　is；　he　is　so　overshadowing　a　man　（there　is　really　no　other　word）　that　all　who　work　with　him　look　to　him　for　advice　and　guidance　the　professors　and　the　students；　the　doctors　and　the　nurses；　the　church　officers；　the　Sunday…school　teachers；　the　members　of　his　congregation。　　And　he　is　never　too　busy　to　see　any　one　who　really　wishes　to　see　him。

He　can　attend　to　a　vast　intricacy　of　detail；　and　answer　myriad　personal　questions　and　doubts；　and　keep　the　great　institutions　splendidly　going；　by　thorough　systematization　of　time；　and　by　watching　every　minute。　　He　has　several　secretaries；　for　special　work；　besides　his　private　secretary。　　His　correspondence　is　very　great。　　Often　he　dictates　to　a　secretary　as　he　travels　on　the　train。　　Even　in　the　few　days　for　which　he　can　run　back　to　the　Berkshires；　work　is　awaiting　him。　　Work　follows　him。　　And　after　knowing　of　this；　one　is　positively　amazed　that　he　is　able　to　give　to　his　country…wide　lectures　the　time　and　the　traveling　that　they　inexorably　demand。　　Only　a　man　of　immense　strength；　of　the　greatest　stamina；　a　veritable　superman；　could　possibly　do　it。　　And　at　times　one　quite　forgets；　noticing　the　multiplicity　of　his　occupations；　that　he　prepares　two　sermons　and　two　talks　on　Sunday！

Here　is　his　usual　Sunday　schedule；　when　at　home。　　He　rises　at　seven　and　studies　until　breakfast；　which　is　at　eight…thirty。　　Then　he　studies　until　nine…forty…five；　when　he　leads　a　men's　meeting　at　which　he　is　likely　also　to　play　the　organ　and　lead　the　singing。　　At　ten…thirty　is　the　principal　church　service；　at　which　he　preaches；　and　at　the　close　of　which　he　shakes　hands　with　hundreds。　　He　dines　at　one；　after　which　he　takes　fifteen　minutes'　rest　and　then　reads；　and　at　three　o'clock　he　addresses；　in　a　talk　that　is　like　another　sermon；　a　large　class　of　mennot　the　same　men　as　in　the　morning。　　He　is　also　sure　to　look　in　at　the　regular　session　of　the　Sunday…school。　　Home　again；　where　he　studies　and　reads　until　supper…time。　　At　seven…　thirty　is　the　evening　service；　at　which　he　again　preaches　and　after　which　he　shakes　hands　with　several　hundred　more　and　talks　personally；　in　his　study；　with　any　who　have　need　of　talk　with　him。　　He　is　usually　home　by　ten…thirty。　　I　spoke　of　it；　one　evening；　as　having　been　a　strenuous　day；　and　he　responded；　with　a　cheerfully　whimsical　smile：　　‘‘Three　sermons　and　shook　hands　with　nine　hundred。''

That　evening；　as　the　service　closed；　he　had　said　to　the　congregation：　　‘‘I　shall　be　here　for　an　hour。　　We　always　have　a　pleasant　time　together　after　service。　　If　you　are　acquainted　with　me；　come　up　and　shake　hands。　　If　you　are　strangers''　just　the　slightest　of　pauses‘‘come　up　and　let　us　make　an　acquaintance　that　will　last　for　eternity。''　　I　remember　how　simply　and　easily　this　was　said；　in　his　clear；　deep　voice；　and　how　impressive　and　important　it　seemed；　and　with　what　unexpectedness　it　came。　　‘‘Come　and　make　an　acquaintance　that　will　last　for　eternity！''　　And　there　was　a　serenity　about　his　way　of　saying　this　which　would　make　strangers　thinkjust　as　he　meant　them　to　thinkthat　he　had　nothing　whatever　to　do　but　to　talk　with　them。　　Even　his　own　congregation　have；　most　of　them；　little　conception　of　how　busy　a　man　he　is　and　how　precious　is　his　time。

One　evening　last　June　to　take　an　evening　of　which　I　happened　to　knowhe　got　home　from　a　journey　of　two　hundred　miles　at　six　o'clock；　and　after　dinner　and　a　slight　rest　went　to　the　church　prayer…meeting；　which　he　led　in　his　usual　vigorous　way　at　such　meetings；　playing　the　organ　and　leading　the　singing；　as　well　as　praying　and　talk…　ing。　　After　the　prayer…meeting　he　went　to　two　dinners　in　succession；　both　of　them　important　dinners　in　connection　with　the　close　of　the　university　year；　and　at　both　dinners　he　spoke。　　At　the　second　dinner　he　was　notified　of　the　sudden　illness　of　a　member　of　his　congregation；　and　instantly　hurried　to　the　man's　home　and　thence　to　the　hospital　to　which　he　had　been　removed；　and　there　he　remained　at　the　man's　bedside；　or　in　consultation　with　the　physicians；　until　one　in　the　morning。　　Next　morning　he　was　up　at　seven　and　again　at　work。

‘‘This　one　thing　I　do；''　is　his　private　maxim　of　efficiency；　and　a　literalist　might　point　out　that　he　does　not　one　thing　only；　but　a　thousand　things；　not　getting　Conwell's　meaning；　which　is　that　whatever　the　thing　may　be　which　he　is　doing　he　lets　himself　think　of　nothing　else　until　it　is　done。

Dr。　Conwell　has　a　profound　love　for　the　country　and　particularly　for　the　country　of　his　own　youth。　　He　loves　the　wind　that　comes　sweeping　over　the　hills；　he　loves　the　wide…stretching　views　from　the　heights　and　the　forest　intimacies　of　the　nestled　nooks。　　He　loves　the　rippling　streams；　he　loves　the　wild　flowers　that　nestle　in　seclusion　or　that　unexpectedly　paint　some　mountain　meadow　with　delight。　　He　loves　the　very　touch　of　the　earth；　and　he　loves　the　great　bare　rocks。

He　writes　verses　at　times；　at　least　he　has　written　lines　for　a　few　old　tunes；　and　it　interested　me　greatly　to　chance　upon　some　lines　of　his　that　picture　heaven　in　terms　of　the　Berkshires：

_　The　wide…stretching　valleys　in　colors　so　fadeless；　　Where　trees　are　all　deathless　and　flowers　e'er　bloom_。


That　is　heaven　in　the　eyes　of　a　New　England　hill…man！　　Not　golden　pavement　and　ivory　palaces；　but　valleys　and　trees　and　flowers