A memorial of Horace William Rose

Front matter

■Horace-William- Rose

VADE -HICKS

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Introduction

which is more characterized by selfishness, clannishness and class spirit than is usually supposed, he abounded with unselfish love and kept in sympathetic and helpful touch with all kinds of students, the rich and the poor, the brilliant and the dull, the popular and the unpopular. His cheerfulness and optimism were the strength of his life. His physical and moral courage were splendid, enabling him to wage triumphant warfare against every enemy of college life. His zeal to have Christ's reign made co-extensive with the whole world was consuming. His steadfast loyalty to Christ and his absorbing passion to make Him known, constituted the crown of his life.

It is a distinguishing merit of this Memorial that the author has so presented these traits that they seem compelling and capable of imitation. In thus making the subject of the book actually live before us, and in stimulating the will to emulate his life and works, the best offices of true biography are served. One cannot resist the conclusion that, if the spirit which characterizes Horace Rose became more general among the Christian students of our day, the moral and religious life of the colleges and universities would be transformed.

It is well that this Memorial appears after sufficient time has elapsed to admit of assembling so much valuable material. Moreover, it affords opportunity to see the life of Rose in better perspec-

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tive and to estimate more accurately his influence. It also introduces to a new generation of students a life which has its message for every Christian college man in these days. Just as Sinker's " Memorials of Ion Keith-Falconer " greatly influenced students three or four student generations ago, and Speer's " Record of the Life of Hugh Beaver " rendered a similar service a few years since, Mr. Hicks' work, which has been done with marked discernment, fidelity and sympathy, will come with helpful force to the present generation of students of this and other lands.

The consideration of such a career may well lead us to reappraise life values. Wherein lies the cause of the true success of the life of Horace Rose? Not in the length of life, for his career was terminated when he was considerably less than thirty years of age. Not in his activity and intensity, although he was remarkable in both of these respects. Not in his fame, for from the point of view of the world he was comparatively little known. In his full-orbed, symmetrical character, in his Christ-like service of his fellows, in his absolute abandon to know and to do the will of God, we find the source of his enduring and fruitful influence. The sentence which best epitomizes his ambition and life-work is the longing he himself voiced, and which he most certainly realized, "Oh, for the power to burn a path of light in these colleges for Christ ! "

John R. Mott.

Chapter I Early Life

IT rarely happens that a young man less than twenty-seven years of age exerts a positive religious influence on an entire generation of college students throughout the United States and Canada. Pilkinton of Uganda died before his lifework was actually begun, but his written biography has stirred the spiritual life of multitudes. Other foreign missionaries have spent their life force before the age of thirty-five, and have merited the " Well done, good and faithful servant." The subject of this brief life story finished his work before he had reached the age of twenty-seven, and left an indelible impression on the lives of thousands of college men whom he met, and multitudes of others through his indirect influence.

Horace William Rose was born September 19, 1874, in Rockford, Illinois. The years of his childhood and early young manhood were spent in the tn ADemoriam

home at the two towns of Rockford and Pittsfield in Illinois, until, in 1887, the family moved to Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. From this place of residence Horace entered college. He died of typhoid fever in the city hospital at Ithaca, New York, where he was engaged as General Secretary of the Christian Association of Cornell University, on January 10, 1901, aged twenty-six years, three months, and twenty-two days. His father was William Wilberforce Rose, a Congregational clergyman of unusual power, and pastor of the Congregational churches in the towns w^here the family resided. The father was mourned at the time of his death by a multitude of friends to whom he had ministered throughout several long pastorates. His mother, who still survives although in broken health, entered no less into the affections of the people to whom the father ministered. The graces and virtues of both parents seem to have been inherited by Horace, and it was due to their devotion and training that he became early in life a most efficient worker in the church and a leader inspired with lofty Christian principles.

There were four boys in the family, — Horace, Frank, Richard, and Sidney. During his early years there was strong manifestation of the traits of character which marked his service of later years. His mother in writing since his death said : —

He was often referred to as " the minister," not altogether on account of his serious demeanor, for he was bubbling over

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with fun, but more because he was always ready to turn his thoughts to serious subjects, and because of his extremely conscientious adherence to duty. I have always said that Horace preached his first sermon when he was three years old during a lively agitation on the temperance question in the community. Standing upon a chair with book in hand he proclaimed to an imaginary audience, " Don't 'e dink any more risky ; it dunks you ; it burns you so you can't see ; it deads you. Don't 'e do it, for Christ's sake."

A companion of his childhood days who lived in a neighboring house from 1874 to 1884 tells how they marvelled that Horace never forgot to say " if you please," " thank you," and such things as the rest usually omitted to say. " He was always scrupulously polite. My brother used to persuade the four Rose boys to help him fill the woodbox. Horace always stopped at the door, and, no matter how full his arms were of wood, managed in some way to get his hat off before he entered. He was fond of music, and seemed to revel in the neighborhood concerts. The song he used to sing with greatest enthusiasm was ' Roll, Jordan, Roll.' "

Another intimate friend writes regarding the spirit of his early life : —

He was so full of buoyant life and fun that his mates were glad to follow whether it were to a prayer-meeting or a ball game. When he was fifteen years of age it was my good fortune to visit his home. His father was a boy with his sons, and merry were the days with picnics and boat-rides.

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Once when eating radishes Horace remarked, " When you eat radishes you go to the root of the matter." One day a party of us were out in the boat, when Sidney and Horace began rocking. I was timid, and their father, seeing my fear, assured me they would take no risk. But as I still seemed nervous he spoke a low word to the boys. Instantly the boat was quiet, and Horace earnestly begged my pardon, and expressed regret that they had caused me a moment of discomfort.

On another occasion, in the evening, he came home after I had retired. I heard him stop at his mother's door and talk in excited whispers. It alarmed me somewhat, for fear that an accident had occurred on the water. When I inquired next morning, Mrs. Rose said, " Oh, no ! not any difficulty. It is Horace's custom to stop at my door and confide in me the events of the evening, and he spoke last night in whispers for fear of disturbing you.

A lifelong friend who knew Horace well when he was thirteen years old has written of his manly character manifesting itself in a full and enthusiastic life interested in all boyish sports. " He was one of those boys who was ever ready to do boyish things, but never mean tricks of any kind. He seemed to have an inborn spirit of manliness which made him above these things. At an early period in life he became an active Christian worker in departments of church life where he could be helpful, and his enthusiasm was contagious."

Horace's love for his home was a safeguard against the evils of boyhood and early young manhood to which many succumb. He had great rev-

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erence for his father, and the breach which so often exists between father and son did not exist between them. The nobility of his father's life and service undoubtedly influenced Horace greatly to undertake direct Christian work.

His affection for his mother was manifested from earliest years, and continued to mark him as an unusual son until the time of his death. The spirit of fun in the home is shown by a story told by W. B. Van Akin, a Beloit classmate : —

I knew every member of his family, and spent very many days visiting with them. There was a personal freedom in the family relationship which to me bordered on the ludicrous. The boys all called their father " Elder," and their mother they all called " Lizzie," and they had many different epithets for the different members of the family. One morning they were all gathered together at family worship. Mrs. Rose had been troubled for some time with an illness which made stooping and rising difficult. After Mr. Rose had finished offering prayer, two of the boys took hold of their mother, one on each side, and shouted, " We'll lift the band-wagon up ! " and lifted their mother to her feet.

Another friend of his early childhood says, — " To show the loyalty of his nature, he never outgrew his yearning to visit ' the old home ; ' and when one of his chums started for Europe, he said, 'I would rather go to Pittsfield than to Europe.' "

His respectful love for his father and his tender chivalry toward his mother were among the most beautiful traits of his character. In a letter written

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after the death of his father, he said, " Mother is the truest, bravest woman who ever cared for sons."

The testimony of his brothers to his influence on them is marked by tender affection, showing that Horace was a counsellor to them as he was to hundreds of other young men during the last five or six years of his life. Richard wrote two years after Horace's death, from Carleton College, describing this relationship : —

Horace was a great lover of his home. He spent much of his time there. It was a delight to him, after a swim with the boys in the summer time or a coast in the winter time, to get back to the place where his dear ones were. His evenings were largely spent in the home circle. The devotion to his mother, so strong in later years, was strongly marked at this time. He was obedient and respectful to her, and was glad to be where she was. He had great admiration for his father, and trusted his judgment unreservedly in all things. Horace endeavored to do that which would gain the approval of his father, and was very happy when this was accomplished.

He was a great boy for fun. He joined in all the sports, and soon became a leader in them. It is in this relation that his brothers best knew him. If it was in football, he was in the midst of the scrimmage ; if in baseball, he was behind the bat. The intensity of his later life was developed from the intensity with which he entered into things when a boy. He enjoyed most thoroughly the game of marbles, but would never " hunch " to win a game. His love for fairness was such that his fellows came to him as arbiter of disputes. The boys liked to hear Holly's merry, loud laugh, and wanted him on their side in the different contests. He had a great desire for winning, and would strive the utmost to win, but never

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did so unless fairly. He was helpful and loving to his brothers, and entered heartily into their joys and disappointments.

A quotation from a memorial work to his father is appropriate to Horace, illustrating the purity of his childhood life.

He was especially beloved by the children. He had no airs, no pretensions, and was genuinely the friend of everybody. He was sincere, kind, and had the spirit of a child. He could carry no grudge. He was gentle and chivalrous to all women. Mothers felt that he was ever a safe and trusty companion for their children, and one to be relied upon.

Those who knew Horace will recognize in this early characteristic a virtue which in his last years controlled his whole being. Those who heard him speak and mingled with him in the sports of summer conferences and in the serious discussions of religious meetings were thrilled by it.

During the opening years of his young manhood he enlisted as a member of Company B in the first regiment of Wisconsin National Guard, commonly called " The Hoard Rifles. ,, In this company he served five years. As a soldier he was conscientious in his duties. Many who served with him and who knew his connection with this regiment speak of the remarkable influence he exerted among the soldiers of his company, especially in purifying the conversation of camp life and in organizing the men to do religious work. " He was all things to all

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men," said a lifelong companion and friend. " He joined the Fort Atkinson Guards that he might go with them to Camp Douglas on their annual outing and drill Several boys who were members of that regiment have told me how they were led to take up a different way of living because of the influence of his quiet hour of meditation and Bible study, and his talks with them about Christ, accompanied by his hearty entry into all the fun and sport of the camp.''

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Chapter II At Beloit

IN the year 1891, at the age of seventeen, Horace left home to enter upon his academy and college life. The natural Christian training which he had received had fitted him well for the environment in which he found himself at the beginning of his academy course at Beloit. Not many weeks passed before his ability as a leader was recognized by his classmates. There are practically no records of his life at the academy as far as his scholarship is concerned. But the letters gathered from his college classmates throw some light upon his religious experience during the first year of his academy training. A member of the class of '96 at Beloit speaks at length of his zeal in Christian Endeavor work in the Congregational Church with which he connected himself as a member shortly after the beginning of his residence at Beloit : —

He was the first man to get me deeply interested in the Christian Endeavor work. Suzetta Rosenblatt, who afterwards became Mrs. Horace Rose, was very much interested in the Christian Endeavor Society, and was a member of the Social Committee. Rose and I went together to one of the fall socials. A feature of the evening's entertainment was to work out a life motto from the letters Y. P. S. C. E., and the prize offered for the best motto was a big pumpkin pie.

I became very much interested in the pumpkin pie, and consequently worked hard on the motto and won the prize. Rose, Miss Rosenblatt, and I enjoyed the pie together, and I have often thought that my real interest in Christian work dated from that time. I think I can honestly say that I owe more to Rose's influence over me than I do to any other person living, outside of my mother, for we used to talk over together all the problems in our individual lives, and I never failed to receive much help from him. The motto worked out was, " Your Prayers Should Consecrate Everything."

In the practical, every-day affairs of student life Horace appeared at his best. The letters written by his father to friends contain many references to his development, not only as a result of his study, but through his intimate association with men in the various activities of college life : —

October, 1 89 1. Horace is improving in his singing. The boys' quartet is quite a success.

November, 1891. Holly is doing finely at Beloit. He is a big fellow, very forceful and independent, and very conscientious. He is in his work with all his heart, and seems to be making an excellent beginning. He seems to be a popular fellow with the boys, and the professor who is chiefly responsible for him speaks of him in the most complimentary manner.

January, 1892. It is rather noticeable how that boy makes everything go.

May, 1892. He was chosen on the college baseball nine and the Glee Club, but does not go into either, as he thinks the absence would interfere with his studies. For the same reason he declined an offer to play the organ in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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These records indicate an unwillingness to enter into other forms of student activity during academy days. But the time soon came when he labored constantly to induce Christian men to enter athletics and the Glee Club in order that their influence might be greater. One of the most notable factors in his success among men of prominence in universities and colleges was his ability to get at the captains of teams and the leading debaters of college life, and draw them into organized Christian work.

In the fall of 1892 Horace entered Beloit College, destined to graduate with the class of '96. This period was one of the richest in his personal experience, for it was here that his rapid development as a man among men, and a Christian leader, was achieved. As a student Horace did not rank high. He was entirely capable of taking high rank, but he seems to have chosen conscientiously a middle course, between those who " grind " and those who go to college merely because they are sent and desire to have a good time.

It is apparent from his own letters, and those gathered from among his classmates, that he chose his policy well aware of the consequences. From the beginning of his college course he realized that never again would he be placed in an environment where his Christian influence would count for as much as in college. He therefore regulated his

J 9 program with Christian work accorded a prominent place in his daily schedule. As soon as he was released from the routine of college life and had entered upon his work as a Christian leader in other institutions, he applied himself strenuously to advance studies. He seemed relieved to feel that the obligations of the college curriculum had been removed, and that now he could use his available time for study in a manner which would fit him for the peculiar work which he had undertaken. This enthusiasm for study resulted in his qualification for a Master's degree among the very first of his class.

Other letters written by his father during his college course reveal other characteristics : —

April, 1893. He is into everything — study, music, athletics, and religion.

August, 1894. Horace is doing Sunday-school missionary work. Nine new schools started with 450 boys and girls who were not in school before. A good summer's work.

July, 1895. I think his success in the oratorical contest of his class was entirely unexpected by him, although I thought he was likely to win. There are two or three of his classmates who seem as likely as he to come out ahead in a contest of that kind.

As a leader of his college class he was elected as vice-president during the years 1892 and '93, and as president in 1895.

During the year 1895-96, Horace acted as business manager of The Round Table, the college

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paper published at Beloit. He became a member of the football team in 1893, and continued to play the game not only while at Beloit, but during the next three years, while he served as General Secretary at two of the largest universities of the country. His influence on the football team was like that exerted in the " Hoard Rifles." An incident illustrating the boldness of his Christian character is given by W. B. Van Akin, who was a member of the football eleven with him : —

I well remember one football team on which Rose and I played in our early college days. Nine men out of the eleven were sons of preachers, and during one of the football games some one of the opposing team was swearing in a most shocking manner. During a lull after one of the scrimmages, Rose went up to him and said in substance, " You are dragging in the dust the name of my best friend, and it hurts me every time you do it. I wish you would quit ! " That stopped the swearing for the game.

During the years '9 1 and '93 Rose was a member of the college baseball team. He became one of the best catchers in the Middle West, and the experience gained was always valuable to him in after years, when at Summer Conferences, Bible Institutes, and Presidents' Conferences, teams from among the delegates were organized to play other teams. Rose was always chosen as captain of the " Association Team," and his coaching will always be remembered by those who had the good fortune to f n flDemoriam

be within range of his voice. He could play in any position, and was considered a strong batter.

During the second year of his college course he became a member of the College Glee Club.

" I bought my dress suit while I was in college," he told a friend afterwards, " though I was working my way mostly, and did not have much money to spare. I wanted to get on to the management of the Glee Club for certain reasons, and needed a dress suit, so I put in some extra work to earn money for it."

As a debater his skill steadily developed. During his freshman year he won first prize in the declamation contest. In extempore speaking during his junior year he took first place. Later he was selected as a prize speaker in the home oratorical contest, and won the first place in the Interstate Oratorical Contest, much to the surprise and gratification of all his friends, the winning colleges of ten States competing for the honor. The readiness of speech which gave him these honors was used by him as an exponent of a manly Christian life during the years of his travel when he stirred the Christian life of a hundred or more colleges west of the Mississippi as far as the coast.

His chief religious work was done in the Student Young Men's Christian Association of Beloit College, as treasurer during the year beginning 1893, as vice-president during 1894, and as president by a unanimous vote during his senior year. His associat Beloit

ate in religious work, Mr. C. B. Olds, now a missionary in Japan, describes his religious service as follows : —

I must speak of the kind of work that he did. In the first place he regarded it as his duty to be interested, heart and soul, in everything that was best in the life about him, both for the sake of personal culture and for the sake of influence. There was nothing good going on in college or church or home that he was not actively in it. In athletics he was an all-round man — he was on the " nine," on the " eleven," on the track team, and was interested in every other sport. He was on the Glee Club, in the college choir, and the church choir. He was in the church Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor as chairman of the Lookout Committee, or some other important committee. He was leader of the Boys' Brigade, which also he organized, and he met with the boys weekly. He was a faithful member of his fraternity, and he was at one time business manager of the college paper, which meant a great amount of work. He did not neglect social duties, and he was a welcome visitor in many homes.

All these things and many other occasional duties were part of his daily life, and they took time. But his work was in the Young Men's Christian Association, impressing with noble ideals many of the otherwise neglected young men. From the beginning of his life in college he had his part in this work. He rarely missed a prayer-meeting ; and his words, which he seldom failed in expressing, were spoken with great earnestness and directness that kindled response in all of us.

Horace was remarkable as a constantly growing man, and it was in this ability to approach and impress men that his greatest growth was seen. When he reached his senior year and the Young Men's Christian Association election approached, there was no question as to the one who should be elected president, though there were other strong men in the class. He had shown himself to be head and shoulders

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above all the rest in this field, and when he found himself at the head of the work he devoted his very life to it. He displayed a wonderful power to bring and hold men together in the work. He never was an autocrat. He sought and received advice and suggestions from all, so that the humblest of those he gathered about him felt that they were comrades together. Yet his personality dominated all. He was in close fellowship with the Master, and through his personality he brought all who were with him into the same fellowship.

His constant passion was to win men to Christ. He prepared for the Day of Prayer weeks and even months beforehand. He gathered his workers about him for daily prayer for success in winning men. And so in the old musicroom a dozen or more of the fellows met together in the gloom of the early evening, to pray with one accord for the conversion of men. We prayed not for ourselves, but for individuals by name, whom we also talked over together as brothers. And the work did not end with prayers. If no one else followed the men up, Horace did, with a persistence that never let go. He saw these men personally, again and again, and not only invited them to meetings, but had interviews with them, seeking to win them to Christ.

Such work was bound to tell ; and many a man may date the beginning of his Christian life to the earnest appeal of Horace Rose, made to him in his room while he was a student at Beloit College. It was not an uncommon thing, on the day of an important Young Men's Christian Association prayer-meeting, for him to go through the dormitory and invite personally every one of the sixty or seventy men in the hall to attend the meeting, and frequently he had interviews with a dozen or more men in a single day regarding the duty of deciding for Christ.

On the eve of the Day of Prayer, I remember, he and two others of us got together and planned the campaign for the long awaited day. We agreed, I recollect, to pray for three

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definite things. I forget the third, but two things were to pray for a renewed interest in the work on the part of some of the Christian men who had become indifferent, and the conversion of at least a dozen men as a result of the day's work. We talked over freely the conditions of prayer, and asked ourselves if our faith was equal to such petitions. Having decided that it was, we prayed with an intensity of conviction. Going out from that little meeting, Horace went to work, and that with all his might. Well, it was a wonderful day. I remember, at its close, Horace came to me and said, " Well, I guess our prayer was answered," and surely so it seemed.

Rose belonged to the Beloit chapter of Beta Theta Pi. There is every evidence that he considered his connection with the fraternity both as a great opportunity and as something of an impediment to his freedom in doing personal work with men outside of fraternities who were in need of help. Mr. Olds says, " He was a fraternity man, and the fraternity men liked him, but he was none the less, however, just as much a friend of the man who was ( out of things.' He made special efforts to make the lonesome men feel that they were somebody. Once, at his suggestion, two or three of us went around with him to some of the best houses in town, suggesting that the good people invite a few of the lonesome fellows to spend Thanksgiving Day with them. This resulted in a happy day for many, both entertainers and entertained."