We Began to Count Noses - Silkworth.net

Thus was our friend's cornerstone fixed in place. No later vicissitude has shaken
it. His alcoholic problem was taken away. That very night, years ago, it
disappeared. Save for a few brief moments of temptation the though of drink has
never returned; and at such times a great revulsion has risen up in him.
Seemingly he could not drink even if he would. God had restored his sanity.” 35
“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;
the one who trusts will never be dismayed”
There is one more alcoholic we should talk about prior to leaving 1935.
Silas Bent was newspaper man and writer. Although we don’t have a detailed
reference to when he first sobered up, it is alluded to in Lois Remembers in her
chronological recollections of 1935. 36 We know assumptions such as this have
proved to be erroneous in the past. The following is brief Biography of Silas.
Silas Bent (1882-1945), American journalist, author, and lecturer, began newspaper work
in 1900 in Louisville, Kentucky, on the Louisville Herald. After three years he moved to
St. Louis and joined the staff of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as reporter and assistant
editor. He was appointed assistant professor of theory and practice of journalism at the
University of Missouri School of Journalism when the school was opened in 1908, but
resigned that position in February 1909 to return to the Post-Dispatch. Later, he did
publicity work in Chicago and then spent 13 years in New York City. As a freelance
writer he contributed articles to The New York Times, Harpers and The Atlantic among
others.
Bent's most famous work is Ballyhoo (1927), a critical survey of newspaper practices; he
also wrote Strange Bedfellows (1929), a book on contemporary political leaders; a
biography of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., and Buchanan of the Press (Vanguard
Press, 1932), a novel about a reporter's career set in St. Louis. He is buried in Bowling
Green, Kentucky. 37
Bill also mentions Silas to Dr. Bob in a letter written in the spring of 1938. It
would appear that many of the later implemented ideas for publicity including
the Saturday Evening Post article, would come from Silas in early 1938.
“Now about money matters. In the first place I am sure we could use quite a bit
to carry on the general work for the next year. Situations are bound to arise
which will need some under-pinning. Moreover, it is going to take time and
money to get this book out and put into circulation. In this later connection we
are told by Silas Bent that if we can produce a book as useful and as moving as
the first two chapters suggest, it may have a very large sale. You will remember
Silas an alcoholic we worked with out here. He is a star reporter and writer, and
was at one time editor of the New York Times Sunday magazine. He thoroughly
knows all the ropes we shall need, and offers his services as an editor or as a
writer, if we so desire. He thinks that prior to publication of the book, articles
based upon it should be published in the Reader’s Digest, Saturday Evening
Post, etc.” 38