If a stranger had been in Roseland to-day he certainly would have
thought from seeing the livery stables crowded with teams from the
country, and every vacant lot and square also filled with teams, and the
crowds of people on the streets all going in one direction, that some
great attraction was going on, and he would be under the impression that
if he went out into the country he would not expect to see a person or a
team, for there never was any occasion before that brought such a large
gathering of people to Roseland. Long before the time of commencement,
the seating capacity of the building was taxed to its utmost. Promptly
at 2 P.M. the Mayor of Roseland and Penloe appeared on the platform. The
Mayor opened the meeting by introducing Penloe in the following words:
"Ladies and gentlemen:--It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you
this afternoon a gentleman whom you all have heard and read so much
about. Whatever your views may be about his teaching, I can positively
assert the lecturer is a scholar and a gentleman, every inch of him.
Very often a speaker's remarks fail to have the full weight they are
entitled to because persons say he has an axe to grind, or, he is paid
to talk that way. Now I have not the least idea of the subject the
speaker is going to talk to you upon, but this I can say, he is here
this afternoon only because he was invited to come and speak. He refused
all offers of money for his services, saying, he wished his labors to be
a free will offering to you. Therefore I hope you will give him your
closest attention, remembering he gives you the best product of his mind
acquired through years of study, thought and observation; and that is
the richest gift one can give another.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I now have the honor of introducing to you the
speaker, known as Penloe."
Penloe rose and came forward to the front of the platform; first bowing
to the Mayor and then to the audience; and as he did so he faced a sea
of upturned faces, who gazed upon one of the most remarkable men this
country has produced. Not very many of the audience had seen Penloe
before, and they were agreeably surprised to see on the platform before
them, so distinguished a personality. It seemed a delight to look upon
him. But few present could begin to size up such a man as he was. Some
of the remarks which one could hear whispered were like the following:
A young lady said: "What beautiful clear eyes he has. It seems as if you
could see his soul in them."
A gentleman was heard to say: "He has the most striking personality of
any one I have ever seen."
A lady remarked: "Is he not handsome?"
A man said: "What a fine head and noble countenance he has. It seems as
if the Almighty had stamped himself on him."
"Yes," said his wife who was sitting at his side. "And did you ever see
a more perfect specimen of physical manhood than he is, so symmetrical
in his build?"
Such was the man who faced the large audience and opened his address by
saying:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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