Oct. 15, 1911 



639 



ing me an angel; and, if I remember correct- 

 ly, those two small barefooted boys — that 

 is, in the sight of the world — would be con- 

 sidered anything but "angelic "in looks. 

 But, dear friends, I am sure that (iod's an- 

 gels were watching over us — that little trio 

 in that humble country schoolhouse on that 

 stormy day. The two boys are now grown- 

 up men, aiid they both belong to the Lord 

 .Tesus. The oldest one is foreman of our 

 shipping department, and has held that post 

 for years. He has three beautiful children, 

 and one of his boys is expert with the auto- 

 mobile. A few days ago, when we were both 

 watching the boy as he managed a large fine 

 machine with such skill, I said, "Jacob, do 

 you remember that stormy Sunday when 

 you and I first became acquainted down in 

 that Abbey ville schoolhouse?" 



"You bet I do, Mr. Root. I shall never 

 forget that day." 



" Well, .Jacob, as we studied the lesson 

 we had that day, little did you or I dream 

 what (rod in his infinite love and kindness 

 had in store for us. That day was probably 

 a turning-point in the life of all three of us." 



"Mr. Root, it certainly was a turning- 

 point in my life; and I shall never forget the 

 helping hand that was extended to me that 

 Sunday afternoon." 



Not many days after, the boy came to me 

 for a job. He was so small I was tempted 

 to laugh at the idea. I set him to helping 

 the engineer. In a very few days he knew 

 all about that engine and boiler. It is no 

 wonder his boy caught on quick to automo- 

 biles. The boy was soon a favorite through- 

 out the whole establishment. He carried 

 the mail quicker, and attended to every er- 

 rand with more skill and precision, than 

 any one had ever done before. He went up 

 and up, and finally married one of the most 

 able girls in our office; and it was his good 

 wife who wrote the beautiful little poem I 

 have given you. Don't you think that all 

 three of us "entertained angels " on that 

 stormy Sunday afternoon? and would it be 

 too great a stretch of the imagination to be- 

 lieve that invisible angels were present at 

 that little school, and that they have been 

 following in our footsteps and watching over 

 us ever since that day, nearly fortv years 

 ago? 



He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep 

 thee iu all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in 

 their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 

 —Psalm 111 :ll, 12. 



CAN A MAN WITH A LARGE FAMILY, EARN- 

 ING $2.00 A DAY, EVER BECOME 

 A MILLIONAIRE? 



Mr. A. I. Root :—\MA you ever stop to think how 

 long a poor honest man would have to labor, at 

 S2.00 a day, to save >1,000,000? Only 1370 years. How 

 much longer would it take if he had a large family 

 to sustain? This would be hard to tell. Your ideas 

 and sermons coincide so well with my way of 

 thinking I can't help writing you and wishing you 

 all good health and peace possible. I am 42 years 

 old, and have been digging coal for the most of 20 

 years: and now on account of my health I shall 

 likely have to quit raining. I have a large family, 

 too — ten children at home. I am not ashamed to 

 confess that it takes quite a lot to keep thi.s family. 



1 have kept out of debt so far: but if 1 can not work. 

 then what? Mr, Root, do you think the "oil king" 

 would read a letter if I could get one to him? The 

 millionaires give organs, libraries, etc: but did 

 you ever know of their helping an honest, worthy 

 individual? Mr. Root. I often wish these rich men 

 could see and know how the poor have to live and 

 where they live. It is sadly true that some could 

 do a lot better if they would .spend their hard- 

 earned dollars for their families in place of drink; 

 and there are good honest men all over the land 

 struggling hard in this life, denying themselves 

 and family of many things to keep out of debt, too 

 honest to ask for help, CJod knows nothing would 

 plea.se me better than to have sufficient means to 

 make a start with poultry; but I tell you honestly 

 it takes all I can make to support my family, and I 

 neither smoke nor chew tobacco nor drink whisky 

 nor beer. Oh to be out in the beautiful pure air ! 

 If they only knew, Mr. Root ! perhaps I have gone 

 to extremes; but I do hope you will forgive me for 

 this long letter: but my thoughts must cry out. 

 May you be strengthened in your work to strike a 

 blow at wickedness everywhere. 

 Three Springs, Pa. W. S. Cohenouk. 



My good friend, I thank you for your kind 

 and frank letter ; and while I can not prom- 

 ise to show you how you can become a mil- 

 lionaire (and I am not sure I would try to, 

 even if I could) , I think I can tell you briefly 

 how you can get ahead enough to get some 

 chickens and live out in the country. Of 

 course, $2.00 a day would not support a wife 

 and ten children — that is, in very much 

 luxury; but, my good friend, do you mean 

 to tell us that those ten children, especially 

 the older ones, can find nothing to do to 

 help support the family ? Can not some of 

 the older boys help you in your work of 

 digging coal? There is something wrong 

 somewhere if you have not been able to lay 

 up at least something for a rainy day. Are 

 you and your family reading the papers, 

 and keeping yourselves educated as to what 

 is going on in this busy world of ours? 

 There are steady and unfilled demands for 

 good, honest, energetic men, and especially 

 for young men and boys — the kind who 

 have been trained, and who are training 

 themselves for useful^ positions in life. I 

 suppose you know, without my telling you, 

 that most of our millionaires started with 

 little or nothing. Edison, right near my 

 home, was a poor newsboy, and he has 

 made his way almost without assistance 

 from any one. You suggest that a good- 

 sized family may be a hindrance. My dear 

 friend, when the little prattlers came troop- 

 ing into our household until there were 

 five, Mrs. Root and I felt worried and trou- 

 bled ; but those two sons and three sons-in- 

 law have lifted the burden from my shoul- 

 ders in a way that makes me thank God 

 again and again for his great \\^sdom and 

 love in sending them. In fact, were it not 

 for the children I fear I might not now be 

 living. 



The great business world is now offering 

 five and even ten dollars a day for men of 

 education and ability ; and the men and 

 boys who comand these great salaries have 

 nearly all come from humble homes where 

 the parents could not afford to give them 

 more than a common-school education. 

 They are mostly "self-made" men. 



Yes, you could send a letter to Mr. Rocke- 

 feller ; but there are so many such letters 



