eautiful influence reaches even
unto our day.

And he did it by faith more than by all other things put together--a
faith so rapt that, to our less passionate natures, it seems to have
been the very insanity of fanaticism. But it did the work; and that is
the thing after all.

His sermons do not seem to be more remarkable when you read them than
those of many another pulpiteer, although they are full of thought. We
are told, however, that his voice had in it a terrible earnestness,
and his manner was so impassioned that he sometimes seemed to forget
himself.

But all agree that the magic with which he wrought his wonders from
the pulpit was the feeling that everybody had that Fra Girolamo
_believed what he said_, _knew_ what he said, _meant_ what he said.

The immediate effect was astonishing--(the after effect still thrills
the world). Mrs. Oliphant quotes Burlamacchi's description of
Savonarola's influence over the people thus: "The people got up in the
middle of the night to get places for the sermon. They came to the
door of the cathedral waiting outside until it should be opened,
making no account of the inconvenience, neither of the cold nor the
wind nor the standing in winter with their feet on the marble."

I emphasize the point that this effect was not exclusively oratorical,
nor merely magnetic. Chiefly it was what the world has always seen and
always will see when it beholds a strong man in deadly earnest for a
righteous cause.

We know that this is so because "The Magnificent" induced the most
cultivated pulpiteer in all Italy to preach sermons in Florence so as
to divert attention from Savonarola; and this master of the pulpit,
whom Lorenzo won to his purpose, was better liked and more greatly
admired by the people of Florence than any other orator.

His name was Fra Mariano, and it was admitted that he was a far better
speaker than Savonarola. Yet he failed utterly, unaccountably. He had
better elocution, a richer voice, more "magnetism," more attractive
qualities every way than Savonarola, and as much learning; _but he did
not have as much faith_.

I am dwelling upon this because I am quite sure that the people are
more interested in acquiring faith than they are in all your
oratoricals; and because, too, I am quite sure that it is the only
certain method of your effectiveness.

Faith is infectious. James Whitcomb Riley, whose sweetness of
character and upliftedness of soul equal his genius, g