DISRAELI, BENJAMIN.
December 21, 1805, there came into the home of a Jewish family in
London a little boy baby. They gave this little boy a long name, but it
is a good name, and you will at once, upon hearing it, recall one of the
most interesting stories of the Old Testament. Perhaps you have already
guessed the name--Benjamin. The father was Isaac Disraeli, a wealthy
Jew, and the author of several valuable books. The young Benjamin grew
up and began to write, publishing his first work when he was twenty-one
years old. And this first book is considered a work of remarkable merit.
He soon became interested in politics and was a candidate for Parliament
when he was about twenty-seven years old. But he was defeated not only
the first time but again and again. But not discouraged, he continued
to work towards the point which he desired to gain, and in 1837 he took
his seat in the House of Commons. He continued to hold his seat in that
legislative body until his death, when he was not attending to the
duties of higher offices.
He was called to very high positions; indeed to the highest honors that
England has to offer her subjects. He was Chancellor of the Exchequer,
which is an office corresponding to the Secretary of the Treasury in the
United States. He was also prime minister in the Queen's Cabinet.
He was a man of great industry, and in addition to his public labors he
wrote several novels which rank high as specimens of literary
excellence. However, as a statesman and an orator he will be longest
remembered. And right here I want to tell the boys an incident of his
career which interests me, showing his determination and persistence in
overcoming his own defects.
The first speech he made after becoming a member of Parliament was a
very poor one. It is said that his manner as well as his words were so
pompous and pretentious and his gestures so absurdly ridiculous that
the House was convulsed with laughter. In the midst of his speech he
closed abruptly and took his seat, saying with the ring of resolve:
"I shall sit down now and you may laugh, but the time will come when you
will listen to me!"
And that time did come! He delivered some famous speeches in the House
of Commons, and as a debater he led his party.
Boys, we build oftentimes upon our failures! We need not be discouraged
if we are not successful at first. Many of our great men have made
wretched work of their first efforts in the line of their ambition. But
rising above their despondency, setting themselves at work anew with
increased energy, they have conquered. So may you! Disraeli was admitted
to the peerage in 1876, and was known as Lord Beaconsfield. Afterwards,
because of some great service rendered to his country while he was a
member of the Congress of Berlin, the Queen made him a Knight of the
Garter. This is the very highest order of knighthood in the gift of the
sovereign.
Perhaps some of you boys know something about the "Reform Bill" which
passed the House of Commons in 1876, and which gave to every householder
the right to vote. By this law a great many thousand men, nearly all of
them working men, were made voters. Disraeli was the originator, and,
the most earnest advocate as well, of that bill, which, by his energy
and power in debate was pushed through. Disraeli died a few years since,
and perhaps no statesman or author's death has ever called forth more
newspaper notices and eulogies than his.
You will find it interesting to study the life and character of this
man, whom not only England and England's sovereign honored, but who
received many tributes of respect from the press of our own land.