ll, of
Lexington, who raised and trained her, was asked if Nancy would ever
lower that record. He replied: "Well, if the time comes that the track
is just right, the atmosphere just right, the driver just right and
Nancy just right, I believe she will." See the combination. Break it
anywhere and the brave little mare would fail.

Just so speakers are affected by conditions, by acoustics, atmosphere,
size and temper of the audience, and the speaker's own mental and
physical condition. Many a good sermon has been killed by a poor
sexton. Many a grand thought has perished in foul air.

Charles Spurgeon was preaching to a large audience in a mission church
in London, when want of ventilation affected speaker and audience. Mr.
Spurgeon said to a member of the church: "Brother, lift that window
near you."

"It won't lift," replied the brother.

"Then smash the glass and I'll pay the bill to-morrow," said Spurgeon.

Suppose the great horse Uhlan should be announced to trot against his
record; suppose at the appointed time, with the grandstand crowded and
every condition favorable, as the great trotting wonder reached the
first quarter pole, some one were to run across the track just ahead
of the horse, then another and another; what kind of a record would be
made?

What management would allow a horse to be thus handicapped? Where is
the man who would be so inconsiderate as to thus hinder a horse? Yet
when a minister has worked while the world slept, that he not only
might sustain his record but gather souls into the kingdom; when the
opening exercises have given sufficient time for all to be present;
when the text is announced and the preacher is reaching out after the
attention and sympathy of his audience some one enters the door, walks
nearly the full length of the aisle; then another and then two more,
each one crossing the track of the preacher and yet he is expected to
keep up his record and make good. If you are a friend of your pastor
be present when he announces his text; give him your attention and
thus cheer him on as you would your favorite horse.

An eminent minister said: "There, I had a good thought for you, but
the creaking of the new boots of that brother coming down the aisle
knocked it quite out of my head."

One who had heard me many times said: "Why do you do better at Ocean
Grove than anywhere else I hear you?" My answer was: "Because of
conditions. The great auditorium seats ten thousand, the a