But incidents by the hundreds could be related or practical, helpful results that flow from Dr. Conwell’s lectures.

There is yet another side of their helpfulness that the world knows little about.  In his early lecturing days, he resolved to give his lecture fees to the education of poor boys and faithfully through all these years has that resolve been kept The Redpath Lyceum Bureau has paid him nearly $300,000, and more than $200,000 of this has gone directly to help those poor in purse who hunger after knowledge, as he himself did in those days at Wilbraham when help would have been so welcome.  The balance has been given to Temple College, which in itself is the strongest and most helpful hand ever stretched out to those struggling for an education.

In addition to his lectures, he is called upon to make innumerable addresses at various meetings, public gatherings and conventions.  Those who have never heard him speak may gather some idea of the impression he makes by the following letter written by a gentleman who attended the banquet given to President McKinley at the G.A.R. encampment in Philadelphia in 1899: 

“At the table with the President was Russell H. Conwell, and no one near me could tell me who he was.  We mistook him for the new Secretary of War, until Secretary Root made his speech.  There was a highly intelligent and remarkably representative audience of the nation at a magnificent banquet in the hall decorated regardless of cost.

“The addresses were all specially good and made by men specially before the nation.  Yet all the evening till after midnight there were continuous interruptions and much noise of voices, dishes, and waiters.  Men at distant tables laughed out often.  It was difficult to hear at best, the acoustics were so bad.  The speakers took it as a matter of course at such a ‘continuous performance.’  Some of the Representatives must have thought they were at home in the House at Washington.  They listened or not, as they chose.  The great hall was quiet only when the President gave his address, except when the enclosed remarks were made long after midnight, when all were worn out with speeches.

“When, about the last thing, Conwell was introduced by the chairman, no one heard his name because of the noise at the tables.  Two men asked me who he was.  But not two minutes after he began, the place was still and men craned their necks to catch his words.  I never saw anything so magical.  I know how you would have enjoyed it.  Its effect was a hot surprise.  The revelers all worn; the people ready to go home; the waiters impatient; the speech wholly extemporaneous.  It was a triumph that did honor to American oratory at its best.  The applause was decisive and deafening.  I never heard of anything better done under such circumstances.