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ever originates a thought in his own head。 THE UTTERER OF A
THOUGHT ALWAYS UTTERS A SECOND…HAND ONE。
Y。M。 Oh； now
O。M。 Wait。 Reserve your remark till we get to that part of
our discussiontomorrow or next day； say。 Now； then； have you
been considering the proposition that no act is ever born of any
but a self…contenting impulse（primarily）。 You have sought。
What have you found？
Y。M。 I have not been very fortunate。 I have examined many
fine and apparently self…sacrificing deeds in romances and
biographies； but
O。M。 Under searching analysis the ostensible self…sacrifice
disappeared？ It naturally would。
Y。M。 But here in this novel is one which seems to promise。
In the Adirondack woods is a wage…earner and lay preacher in the
lumber…camps who is of noble character and deeply religious。 An
earnest and practical laborer in the New York slums comes up
there on vacationhe is leader of a section of the University
Settlement。 Holme； the lumberman； is fired with a desire to
throw away his excellent worldly prospects and go down and save
souls on the East Side。 He counts it happiness to make this
sacrifice for the glory of God and for the cause of Christ。 He
resigns his place； makes the sacrifice cheerfully； and goes to
the East Side and preaches Christ and Him crucified every day and
every night to little groups of half…civilized foreign paupers
who scoff at him。 But he rejoices in the scoffings； since he is
suffering them in the great cause of Christ。 You have so filled
my mind with suspicions that I was constantly expecting to find a
hidden questionable impulse back of all this； but I am thankful
to say I have failed。 This man saw his duty； and for DUTY'S SAKE
he sacrificed self and assumed the burden it imposed。
O。M。 Is that as far as you have read？
Y。M。 Yes。
O。M。 Let us read further； presently。 Meantime； in
sacrificing himselfNOT for the glory of God； PRIMARILY； as HE
imagined； but FIRST to content that exacting and inflexible
master within himDID HE SACRIFICE ANYBODY ELSE？
Y。M。 How do you mean？
O。M。 He relinquished a lucrative post and got mere food and
lodging in place of it。 Had he dependents？
Y。M。 Wellyes。
O。M。 In what way and to what extend did his self…sacrifice
affect THEM？
Y。M。 He was the support of a superannuated father。 He had
a young sister with a remarkable voicehe was giving her a
musical education； so that her longing to be self…supporting
might be gratified。 He was furnishing the money to put a young
brother through a polytechnic school and satisfy his desire to
become a civil engineer。
O。M。 The old father's comforts were now curtailed？
Y。M。 Quite seriously。 Yes。
O。M。 The sister's music…lessens had to stop？
Y。M。 Yes。
O。M。 The young brother's educationwell； an extinguishing
blight fell upon that happy dream； and he had to go to sawing
wood to support the old father； or something like that？
Y。M。 It is about what happened。 Yes。
O。M。 What a handsome job of self…sacrificing he did do！ It
seems to me that he sacrificed everybody EXCEPT himself。 Haven't
I told you that no man EVER sacrifices himself； that there is no
instance of it upon record anywhere； and that when a man's
Interior Monarch requires a thing of its slave for either its
MOMENTARY or its PERMANENT contentment； that thing must and will
be furnished and that command obeyed； no matter who may stand in
the way and suffer disaster by it？ That man RUINED HIS FAMILY to
please and content his Interior Monarch
Y。M。 And help Christ's cause。
O。M。 YesSECONDLY。 Not firstly。 HE thought it was firstly。
Y。M。 Very well； have it so； if you will。 But it could be
that he argued that if he saved a hundred souls in New York
O。M。 The sacrifice of the FAMILY would be justified by that
great profit upon thethewhat shall we call it？
Y。M。 Investment？
O。M。 Hardly。 How would SPECULATION do？ How would GAMBLE
do？ Not a solitary soul…capture was sure。 He played for a
possible thirty…three…hundred…per…cent profit。 It was GAMBLING
with his family for 〃chips。〃 However let us see how the game
came out。 Maybe we can get on the track of the secret original
impulse； the REAL impulse； that moved him to so nobly self…
sacrifice his family in the Savior's cause under the superstition
that he was sacrificing himself。 I will read a chapter or so。 。
。 。 Here we have it！ It was bound to expose itself sooner or
later。 He preached to the East…Side rabble a season； then went
back to his old dull； obscure life in the lumber…camps 〃HURT TO
THE HEART； HIS PRIDE HUMBLED。〃 Why？ Were not his efforts
acceptable to the Savior； for Whom alone they were made？ Dear
me； that detail is LOST SIGHT OF； is not even referred to； the
fact that it started out as a motive is entirely forgotten！ Then
what is the trouble？ The authoress quite innocently and
unconsciously gives the whole business away。 The trouble was
this： this man merely PREACHED to the poor； that is not the
University Settlement's way； it deals in larger and better things
than that； and it did not enthuse over that crude Salvation…Army
eloquence。 It was courteous to Holmebut cool。 It did not pet
him； did not take him to its bosom。 〃PERISHED WERE ALL HIS
DREAMS OF DISTINCTION； THE PRAISE AND GRATEFUL APPROVAL〃 Of
whom？ The Savior？ No； the Savior is not mentioned。 Of whom；
then？ Of 〃His FELLOW…WORKERS。〃 Why did he want that？ Because
the Master inside of him wanted it； and would not be content
without it。 That emphasized sentence quoted above； reveals the
secret we have been seeking； the original impulse； the REAL
impulse； which moved the obscure and unappreciated Adirondack
lumberman to sacrifice his family and go on that crusade to the
East Sidewhich said original impulse was this； to wit： without
knowing it HE WENT THERE TO SHOW A NEGLECTED WORLD THE LARGE
TALENT THAT WAS IN HIM； AND RISE TO DISTINCTION。 As I have
warned you before； NO act springs from any but the one law； the
one motive。 But I pray you； do not accept this law upon my say…
so； but diligently examine for yourself。 Whenever you read of a
self…sacrificing act or hear of one； or of a duty done for DUTY'S
SAKE； take it to pieces and look for the REAL motive。 It is
always there。
Y。M。 I do it every day。 I cannot help it； now that I have
gotten started upon the degrading and exasperating quest。 For it
is hatefully interesting！in fact； fascinating is the word。 As
soon as I come across a golden deed in a book I have to stop and
take it apart and examine it； I cannot help myself。
O。M。 Have you ever found one that defeated the rule？
Y。M。 Noat least； not yet。 But take the case of servant…
tipping in Europe。 You pay the HOTEL for service； you owe the
servants NOTHING； yet you pay them besides。 Doesn't that defeat it？
O。M。 In what way？
Y。M。