through his father's fields was summoned to a throne. It was the young
shepherd boy--David--that was chosen "to keep the banner of Israel in the
sky while the shadows hung black above the hills of Judah." When the
gospel was to be borne to the Gentiles the divine finger fell upon a young
tent-maker of Tarsus. Fourteen centuries later a miner's son, Martin
Luther, won Germany for the Reformation, and John Wesley "while yet a
student in college" started his mighty world-famous movement. At fifteen
John de Medici was a cardinal, and Bossuet was known by his eloquence; at
sixteen Pascal wrote a great work. Ignatius Loyola before he was thirty
began his pilgrimage, and soon afterward wrote his most famous books. At
twenty-two Savonarola was rousing the consciences of the Florentines, and
at twenty-five John Huss was an enthusiastic champion of truth.

But we see the young man standing before the footlights on the stage of
secular history, too. At twelve Remenyi was making his violin tremulous
with melody, and Caesar delivered an oration at Rome; at thirteen Henry M.
Stanley was a teacher; at fourteen Demosthenes was known as an orator; at
fifteen Robert Burns was a great poet, Rossini composed an opera, and
Liszt was a wizard in music. At the age of sixteen Victor Hugo was known
throughout France; at seventeen Mozart had made a name in Germany, and
Michael Angelo was a rising star in Italy. At eighteen Marcus Aurelius was
made a consul; at nineteen Byron was the "amazing genius" of his time; at
twenty Raphael had finished some of his most famous paintings, Faraday was
attracting the attention of his country, and two years later was admitted
to the Royal Institution of Great Britain. At twenty-one Alexander the
Great conquered the Persians, Beethoven was entrancing the world with his
music, and William Wilberforce was in Parliament. At twenty-two William
Pitt had entered Parliament, while William of Orange had received from
Charles V command of an army. At twenty-three William E. Gladstone had
denounced the Reform Bill at Oxford, and two years afterward became First