arly
salary of four hundred dollars. True to a resolve, that his work should
be that through which he could help the most people, he had now chosen
the ministry. A further resolve that he would give up this ministry,
chosen with such earnest conviction, should another field of labor offer
more extensive measures for reaching mankind, took him, in later years,
into the field of literature. He left the ministry with many regrets but
with the same earnest conviction with which he had earlier chosen it.

Following the publication of "The Shepherd of the Hills" his publishers
assured him that he could secure greater results from his pen rather
than his pulpit and prevailed upon him to henceforth make literature his
life work. This was in every way consistent with his teaching that every
man's ministry is that work through which he can accomplish the greatest
good.

In the battle of life there is always the higher ground that the many
covet but few attain. In reaching this height Mr. Wright has given to
a multitude, his time, strength and substance, that they, too, might
further advance. He is companionable, loving and loyal to his friends.
He hates sham and hypocrisy and any attempt to glorify one's self by
means other than the fruits of one's own labor.

This boy, who, from the death of his mother, was driven into a hand to
hand struggle with life for a bare existence, was necessarily forced
into contact with much that was vicious and corrupt. But he in no way
became a part of it. That same inherent love for mental cleanliness and
spiritual truths that has so distinguished the works of the man kept the
boy unstained in his unfortunate environment.

Mr. Wright resigned his charge at Pierce City for the larger work at
Pittsburg, Kansas. In the second year of his pastorate--1899--he
married Frances E. Long in Buffalo, New York. This union of love had
its beginning back in the school days at Hiram. Unto them have been born
three sons, Gilbert Munger, 1901, Paul Williams, 1902, and Norman Hall,
1910.

In Pittsburg, Mr. Wright received enthusiastic support from his church
people. Finances were soon in a satisfactory condition, and church
attendance reached the capacity of the building, but still the young
pastor was not satisfied. Pittsburg was a mining town, a young men's
town. A little city with saloons and brothels doing business on every
hand. His soul was on fire for his church to do a larger work and, with
the hope of