d it was mine also, was upon the theme of
unrequited services, the text being from I Samuel xxx. 24, "But as his
part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that
tarrieth by the stuff." It was in this sermon that Dr. Talmage made
reference to Florence Nightingale, in the following words:--

"Women, your reward in the eternal world will be as great as that of
Florence Nightingale, the Lady of the Lamp." While in London he preached
this sermon, and the following day to our surprise the Doctor received
the following note at his hotel:--

"June 3, 1900.
"10, South Street,
"Park Lane.

"Dear Sir--
"I could gladly see you to-morrow (Monday) at 5.--Yours faithfully,
"FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE.
"T. DeWitt Talmage, of America."

I have carefully kept the letter in my autograph album.

Dr. Talmage and I called at the appointed time. It was a beautiful
summer day and we found the celebrated woman lying on a couch in a room
at the top of the house, the windows of which looked out on Hyde Park.
She was dressed all in white. Her face was exquisitely spiritual, calm,
sweet with the youth of a soul that knew no age. She had never known
that she had been called 'The Lady of the Lamp' by the soldiers of the
Crimea till she read of it in the Doctor's sermon. She was curious to be
told all about it. In conversation with the Doctor she made many
inquiries about America and the Spanish war, making notes on a pad of
what he said. The Doctor told her that she looked like a woman who had
never known the ordinary conflicts of life, as though she had always
been supremely happy and calm in her soul. I remember she replied that
she had never known a day's real happiness till she began her work as a
nurse on the battlefield.

"I was not always happy," she said; "I had my idle hours when I was a
girl." I may not remember her exact words, but this is the sense of
them. She was past 82 years of age at the time.

Enjoying the intervals of sight-seeing, such as the Tower, the Museum,
Westminster Abbey, and the usual wonders of historical London, we
remained in town several weeks. I remember a visit which Mr. Choate, the
American Ambassador, made us with a view to extending any courtesy he
could for the Doctor while we were in England. I told him that I was
more anxious to see the British Parliament in session than anything
else.

"I should think, as Dr. Talmage has with him a letter from the President