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 Charles Nelson Johnson 
 i860- 1938
 
 CHARLES NELSON JOHNSON 
 
 c^ Tribute 
 
 Published by his daughter and son-in-law 
 
 NELYON JOHNSON DEWSON 
 JOHN REYNOLDS DEWSON 
 
 FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION 
 1940
 
 Copyright 1940, by 
 Xelvox Johnsgx Dewson 
 John Retxolds Dewsou
 
 bH 
 
 This book is humbly dedicated zvitk 
 tender affection to the memory of over 
 forty years of loving com,p anions hip 
 with the kindest father zvho ever lived.
 
 We wish to tha?ik all those whose assistance 
 has made this book possible.
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 The present day leaders of the dental profession 
 are in unanimous agreement that Charles Nelson 
 Johnson rightfully belonged to the first century of 
 America's truly great dentists, and of that group no 
 one possessed finer qualities of character or had a 
 wider and more deserving distinction than this kindly 
 gentleman of broad culture and exceptional native 
 ability. His important professional services extending 
 over more than half a century as practitioner, teacher, 
 author, editor and public lecturer, would alone consti- 
 tute for him an enduring monument. Moreover, there 
 was an inflexible integrity in his conduct as a pro- 
 fessional man and as a loyal citizen of his adopted 
 country, an indescribable fascination in his cordial 
 greetings and conversations; a dynamic energy in his 
 public addresses; a dignity of directness and a devoted- 
 ness of purpose in all of his activities, which, when 
 summarized by future historians, it is prophesied will 
 cause them to acclaim Charles Nelson Johnson as one 
 of the most rightfully honored and beloved dentists 
 of his time. 
 
 Just as the life work of Dr. Johnson had a profound 
 and uplifting influence upon those who knew him well, 
 it is believed that this memorial volume containing 
 brief tributes from his friends of many lands, will like- 
 wise be an inspiration for his colleagues and admiring 
 practitioners of this day and those who are to follow 
 in the dental profession, to render more efficient and 
 conscientious service to the public which they serve. 
 
 William H. G. Logan.
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY 
 
 Charles Nelson Johnson 
 M.A., D.D.S., L.D.S., M.D.S., LL.D., F.A.C.D. 
 
 Born in Brock Township, Ontario. 
 
 Attended local school and Port Perry High School, 
 
 Graduated (Gold Medalist) from Royal College of Dental 
 Surgeons, 1881. 
 
 Practised dentistry at Collingwood, Ontario, until 1883. 
 
 Entered upon practice in Chicago in 1883. 
 
 Graduated from Chicago College of Dental Surgery, 1885. 
 
 Dean of Students, Chicago College of Dental Surgery. 
 
 President Chicago Dental Society. 
 
 President Illinois Dental Society. 
 
 President American Dental Association. 
 
 Odontological Society of Chicago. 
 
 Odontographic Society of Chicago. 
 
 Editor of "Dental Review," 1902-1918. 
 
 Editor of "The Bur" and of "Desmos" at one time. 
 
 Editor "Journal of the American Dental Association." 
 
 Honorary Member of various Dental Societies in the United 
 States, Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia.
 
 L.D.S. 
 
 1881 
 
 D.D.S. 
 
 1885 
 
 M.A. 
 
 1897 
 
 M.D.S. 
 
 1921 
 
 LL.D. 
 
 1924 
 
 LL.D. 
 
 1932 
 
 Royal College Dental Surgeons. 
 
 Chicago College Dental Surgery. 
 
 Lake Forest University. 
 
 R.C.D.S. 
 
 Loyola University. 
 
 Toronto University 
 
 F.A.C.D. Charter member American College of Dentists. 
 
 Jarvie Gold Medal awarded by the Dental Society of the State 
 of New York. 
 
 Jenkins Medal awarded by the Connecticut State Dental 
 Association. 
 
 Author, Lecturer, and Poet. 
 
 Author of the following books: 
 "Success in Dental Practice" 
 "Principles and Practice of Filling Teeth" 
 "Textbook of Operative Dentistry" 
 "The Hermit of the Nonquon" (a novel) 
 "The Hand Clasp" 
 
 Contributed more than 2,000 editorials, essays and articles to 
 periodicals, professional and otherwise.
 
 At the age of 21 when he graduated
 
 CHARLES NELSON JOHNSON 
 
 i860 — 1938 
 
 In the passing of Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson, the 
 Illinois State Dental Society was bereft of its most 
 beloved, faithful and influential member, the dental 
 profession of its most prominent and loyal worker and 
 dentistry of its great champion. 
 
 Dr. Johnson, on Saturday, July 16, after a busy 
 morning spent at his desk, was stricken with a heart 
 attack. He never regained consciousness and peacefully 
 passed away about three o'clock Sunday afternoon, 
 July 17, 1938 at his home 61 18 North Sheridan Road, 
 Chicago, 111. 
 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson was born on a farm in Brock 
 Township, Ontario County, Ontario, March 16, i860 
 the son of Winthrop and Laura (Moore) Johnson. He 
 was educated at the Port Perry School. Upon gradua- 
 tion from high school, he was indentured for five 
 years to Drs. Patterson and Fenton of Port Perry, men 
 of high professional attainments and skillful in all 
 branches of dentistry. Under such tutelage, young C.N. 
 made great progress, and at the end of his indentureship 
 in 1880, immediately matriculated in the Royal College 
 of Dental Surgeons in Toronto. In those early days, 
 a young man who had been indentured for five years 
 was allowed to take the required two years of dental 
 college work in one, provided he passed an examination 
 to show that he was qualified for such consideration. 
 This C.N. did, and in 1881 he graduated with high 
 honors, being the Gold Medalist of the class.
 
 After graduation the young dentist looked around 
 for a suitable location, determined to start right out on 
 his own. After some investigation he selected the 
 thriving town of Collingwood, located on beautiful 
 Georgian Bay. Here he remained until 1884, building 
 up a splendid practice and establishing himself as one 
 of the town's outstanding citizens. In less than two 
 years after location in Collingwood on March 7, 1883 
 he married Fannie Patterson, the daughter of his pre- 
 ceptor Dr. Elijah Patterson. It was not long before 
 the ambitious young dentist with a vision of the future, 
 concluded that a small town, had its limitations. At 
 that time the advice of Horace Greeley, "Go West 
 Young Man" was heeded by young Canadians as well 
 as by Americans, and C.N. sold his Collingwood prac- 
 tice and with Mrs. Johnson moved to Chicago, the 
 metropolis of the Middle West. Here their two daugh- 
 ters, Mignon and Nelyon, were born. Mrs. Johnson 
 died in 1918. 
 
 On arrival in Chicago he immediately matriculated 
 at the Chicago College of Dental Surgery, and as he 
 already had his Canadian degree, it was necessary for 
 him to take but one year's work. He graduated with 
 the degree of D.D.S., in 1885. Shortly after graduation 
 he was appointed to the teaching staff and became 
 associated with two of the great dentists and teachers 
 of that time, Drs. G. V. Black and George H. Cushing, 
 in the department of Operative Dentistry. In 1890, Dr. 
 Johnson was elected full professor and head of the 
 department of Operative Dentistry, and in 1891, Dean 
 of Men. These positions he held up to the time of his 
 death — over fifty years of continuous service with a 
 
 10
 
 record of never disappointing a class, except when he 
 was ill or out of the city. 
 
 In its early years the Chicago College of Dental 
 Surgery was affiliated with Lake Forest University. 
 The officers of the University, recognizing Dr. Johnson's 
 scholarly attainments and teaching ability, conferred 
 upon him in 1897, the honorary degree M.A. Later the 
 College became the dental department of Loyola Uni- 
 versity, and this institution in 1924 conferred upon him 
 the degree LL.D. Much as Dr. Johnson appreciated the 
 honors already given him, it remained for his old Alma 
 Mater, the University of Toronto, to fill his cup of 
 honors to overflowing, when during the memorable 
 meeting of the British Canadian and Ontario Dental 
 Societies held in Toronto in May, 1932, a special con- 
 vocation was held, at which the degree of LL.D. was 
 conferred upon him by this University. 
 
 It was not long after graduation that Dr. Johnson's 
 ability as a writer was recognized, and in 1893 he was 
 appointed editor of the Bur, the Chicago Dental College 
 Alumni journal, and also, for one year as editor of The 
 Dental Review, the leading dental magazine of the 
 West. He afterwards edited the latter publication from 
 1902 to 1919. He was editor of the Journal of the 
 American Dental Association from 1925 to the time of 
 his death. Dr. Johnson was one of the most prolific 
 contributors to the literature of dentistry. It would 
 take many, many pages to record the titles of his essays, 
 letters, editorials and discussions. He had at least 2,000 
 titles in dental literature and occupied a prominent 
 place among the authors of our profession. His text- 
 books, "Filling Teeth," 1900, "Success in Practice," 
 
 II
 
 1903, and "Operative Dentistry," 1908, are read and 
 studied throughout the dental world. Yet, in spite of 
 his many professional responsibilities, he found time to 
 write story and verse. Among these were, "The Adven- 
 tures of Hal Byrne," The Little Cannuck," "The 
 Hermit of the Nonquon," "Poems of the Farm and 
 other Poems," "The Hand Clasp" and many magazine 
 articles. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was an honorary officer of two Inter- 
 national Dental Congresses, an honorary member of 
 the Societe D'Odontological de Paris and La Federation 
 Odontologica Venezolana, and an honorary life member 
 of the Ontario Dental Association and of many State 
 and other dental Societies. From the day he graduated 
 he was a leader in the work of organized dentistry. He 
 was a past-president of the Alumni Association of the 
 Chicago College of Dental Surgery, the Chicago Odon- 
 tological Society, the Chicago Odontographic Society, 
 the Chicago Dental Society, the Illinois State Dental 
 Society, the American Dental Association, the American 
 College of Dentists and the American Association of 
 Dental Editors. He was for three years the representa- 
 tive of the Eighth District on the Board of Trustees 
 of the American Dental Association. He was Grand 
 Master of Chicago Auxiliary and a Past Supreme Grand 
 Master of Delta Sigma Delta Fraternity, a member of 
 Omicron Kappa Upsilon, honorary dental fraternity 
 and Fellow of the American College of Dentists. He 
 was also a prominent and active officer and worker in 
 the American Association of Dental Schools. 
 
 Dr. Johnson had many special and distinctive 
 honors conferred upon him. Among them were the 
 
 12
 
 About 1895
 
 Jarvie Medal in 191 5 by the New York State Dental 
 Society, a bronze bust of himself in 1925 by the Alumni 
 Association of the Chicago College of Dental Surgery, 
 The Jenkins Medal in 1926 by the Connecticut State 
 Dental Society, a bronze bust of himself in 1929 by the 
 Oklahoma State Dental Society, another bronze bust 
 of himself by his friends in Canada in 1930 — this was 
 on the occasion of his seventieth birthday — the same 
 year the Alumni Association of the Chicago College 
 of Dental Surgery, Dental School of Loyola University 
 presented him with a bronze plaque, and in 1926 the 
 Callahan Gold Medal Award from the Ohio State 
 Dental Society. 
 
 On the fortieth anniversary of his professional 
 service he was tendered an outstanding banquet by the 
 Chicago Dental Society — and on his fiftieth anniversary 
 of membership, the Illinois State Dental Society hon- 
 ored itself by tendering to this noble and greatly 
 beloved man an appropriate testimonial dinner. The 
 American Dental Association had planned to have Dr. 
 Johnson as its honored guest at the coming meeting in 
 St. Louis. 
 
 Dr. Johnson's busy and productive life is indeed 
 an inspiration. No man contributed more toward the 
 ethical and professional uplift and advancement of the 
 dental profession during the past fifty years than he. 
 Surely it can be said that any man who had made such 
 a record has given the fullest measure of service to 
 humanity. 
 
 Dr. Johnson possessed a brilliant mind, a charming 
 and happy personality and was an outstanding and 
 forceful character. His greatest delight was to be with 
 
 13
 
 his family and friends, and though suffering his greatest 
 loss in the passing of his dear wife in 1918, he continued 
 to keep up his home; here his daughter Nelyon (Mrs. 
 John R. Dewson) and her husband lived with him. 
 For many years his birthday was celebrated there with 
 the Odontological Society of Chicago as guests. 
 
 Dr. Johnson's friends were legion and could be 
 counted in all parts of the world. In 191 2, accompanied 
 by his wife and daughters, he crossed the Pacific to 
 Australia to be the guest of the Australian Dental 
 Congress. He also appeared before many of the dental 
 societies there. We have had numerous visitors from 
 that far-off land since then, and they all tell us that no 
 one ever inspired and stimulated them as he did with 
 his scholarly papers and stirring addresses. 
 
 He often recalled with keenest pleasure reminis- 
 cences of that trip and especially of the friendships 
 made in Australia and New Zealand. He also had many 
 friends in Japan, and he treasured the numerous tokens 
 of art he received from them. He loved to return to his 
 old home in Canada and there visit his relatives and 
 host of friends. For many years he traveled extensively, 
 always in the interest of the profession he loved. One 
 of the thrilling experiences of his travels was making 
 his way with his family, safely, out of Paris at the time 
 of the declaration of the World War. Only a few weeks 
 ago he was in Vancouver, B.C., where he was the guest 
 of the Pacific Coast Dental Conference, and just two 
 days before his death he returned from Kansas City, 
 where he addressed two meetings and was the guest of 
 honor at a banquet. On his return he did the writers 
 honor by "calling up" and, in his characteristic enthusi- 
 
 14
 
 astic manner, extended greetings from western friends 
 and reported on the splendid meetings and fine treat- 
 ment he had enjoyed. He seemed to be in perfect health 
 and exuberant in spirit. 
 
 This great, kind hearted, modest man was a lover 
 of the glories of nature; the plains, the lakes, the 
 mountains, the sea and the changing seasons all had 
 their charm for him. From early spring until after the 
 first snows of winter, he spent every week-end that he 
 possibly could at the Dewson summer home on Crab- 
 apple Island. Here he did most of his editorial writing. 
 He dearly loved children and young people and in turn 
 was loved by them. He was a great fancier of horses 
 and dogs, and enjoyed telling of the horses he had 
 owned and driven before the time of the automobile, 
 particularly of a horse "Josie" that was his favorite. 
 A fine horse or pictures of fine horses always caught 
 his eye and he would pause to point out their good 
 qualities. He delighted, too, in telling about the two 
 splendid pedigreed German Shepherd dogs at his home, 
 of their pranks, loyalty, devotion and almost human 
 intelligence. 
 
 Dr. Johnson, was a man of simple tastes in all 
 things, happy and contented in his surroundings. He 
 enjoyed stories of animal life, folk lore and biography. 
 He recently read the life of that great surgeon, the 
 late Dr. John B. Murphy of Chicago, and enjoyed 
 recalling contacts with the many medical men of note 
 whose professional lives were interwoven with Dr. 
 Murphy's and his own. Seldom a day passed that he 
 did not speak of the late Drs. Truman W. Brophy, 
 G. V. Black, George W. Cook and others of his many 
 
 15
 
 colleagues. He worshipped the characters of Jesus 
 Christ and Abraham Lincoln and pronounced them the 
 two greatest men the world has ever known. 
 
 He was a lover of the plays of Shakespeare, 
 especially when presented by stage talent worthy of 
 the immortal lines. He delighted in telling of Ellen 
 Terry's portrayal of Portia. Miss Terry was a patient 
 and close friend of Dr. Johnson and the two maintained 
 a delightful correspondence for years. One of his 
 favorite stories of her was, that while in his dental chair 
 one day, she seized his shade guide and declared she 
 would wear it as a necklace in the "Merchant of 
 Venice," that night, which she did. 
 
 For fifty-three years Dr. Johnson was on the 
 faculty of the Chicago College of Dental Surgery. He 
 inspired thousands of its graduates with his eloquence. 
 "My boys" as he termed them, were his closest friends. 
 With his wonderful faculty for remembering names and 
 faces, he could call a very large percentage by their first 
 name. He never permitted himself to lose track of his 
 "boys" after they left college. Likely no teacher lives 
 who has a greater correspondence than did Dr. Johnson; 
 he received hundreds of letters a year from his "boys," 
 many seeking advice on professional, financial, domestic 
 or political problems and they always received courte- 
 ous and painstaking replies written with his own hand. 
 He was the recipient, at Christmas time and on birth- 
 days, of many scores of cards and letters, every one of 
 which he personally acknowledged. And when he re- 
 ceived notice that any of his "Boys" had opened an 
 ofiice or had married or that a "blessed event" had 
 
 i6
 
 occurred in the home he Hkewise would send a charac- 
 teristically sweet note to gladden their hearts. 
 
 Promptness was a religion with Dr. Johnson. The 
 bus that came to the loop in the morning from the north 
 side brought him to his office. He laughed many times 
 over the response of his office assistant to a patient who 
 had asked her what time Dr. Johnson reached his 
 office; "Don't ask me," she said ''and don't ask the 
 elevator boy — ask the night watchman." 
 
 No man possessed a keener devotion to duty than 
 Dr. Johnson. He never missed a single meeting of the 
 Illinois State Dental Society since he became a member, 
 attending fifty-three annual meetings, a record that no 
 other member ever paralleled. He served the society 
 in every important position and office and always con- 
 tributed to the literary program with a fine essay, 
 forceful discussions and in his younger years he gave 
 many of the finest of gold foil clinics. He was ever a 
 champion of gold foil. 
 
 On the roll of departed members of the Illinois 
 State Dental Society appear many brilliant and inspir- 
 ing names that will be honored to the end of time. 
 Among the foremost will be that of Charles Nelson 
 Johnson, for he was not only a great and successful 
 dentist, a loving husband and father, an exemplary 
 American citizen, an outstanding author, teacher, and 
 editor, and loyal friend of every right thinking indi- 
 vidual, but the most beloved man in the entire dental 
 world. Our society has sustained an irreparable loss 
 in his passing, but his magnificent record and sterling, 
 lovable, manly character will ever be a beautiful 
 memory and an inspiration to us all. 
 
 17
 
 It was a happy privilege to have known Dr. 
 Johnson and to have enjoyed his friendship. We are 
 sure that every member of the IlHnois State Dental 
 Society and the dental profession everywhere deeply 
 mourn our great loss and will join with us in extending 
 deepest sympathy to his bereaved ones, his two daugh- 
 ters, Mrs. O. T. Carpentier and Mrs. John R. Dewson, 
 of Chicago; two brothers. Dr. George W. Johnson of 
 Blackwater, Ontario and Dr. John W. Johnson of 
 Chicago; and three grand children, Marjorie, Theodore 
 and Charles Carpentier. 
 
 Dr. Johnson lived to the ripe age of 78 years. 
 Funeral services were held at the Church of the Atone- 
 ment, 5749 Kenmore Ave., and his mortal remains rest 
 in Rosehill Mausoleum, Chicago. 
 
 G. Walter Dittmar, 
 
 Donald M. Gallie. 
 
 18
 
 l^SBusbSxJbSas: 
 
 Entrance — Chicago College of Dental Surgery 
 Loyola University
 
 TESTIMONIAL BANQUET 
 
 By the dental profession of Chicago and his former 
 
 students, in celebration of his completion of forty 
 
 years of professional service, Monday evening, April 
 
 II, 192 1, at seven o'clock, Hotel La Salle, 
 
 Chicago, Illinois. 
 
 DR. JOHNSON, THE TEACHER 
 By John Buckley, 
 
 Los Angeles, California 
 
 To travel from California to help honor a man like 
 C. N. Johnson, requires the least effort of anything 
 that I can do. It will be difficult for me to speak of 
 any phase of the life and character of our beloved guest 
 without mention of many personal incidents which have 
 linked his life to mine. 
 
 It was in the fall of 1896, within a few months now 
 of being just twenty-five years ago, that I first met this 
 modest, kind, thoughtful and considerate gentleman. 
 It did not take us long in the lecture room to realize 
 that in him we had a real teacher, one who possessed 
 every qualification as such, and it is to the qualifications 
 of Dr. Johnson along this line that I am privileged 
 to speak. 
 
 The profession of dentistry is rapidly coming into 
 its own. So rapidly are we making progress that never 
 before in our history did we need men of forethought 
 and men of vision as we need such men today. It was 
 Alfred Tennyson who said: 
 
 19
 
 "For I dipped into the future, far as human eye 
 could see, 
 Saw the vision of the world, and all the wonders 
 that were to be." 
 
 There never was a time in the history of the world 
 when we needed men who could dip into the future and 
 see what it is to be, as we need these men today. The 
 world at large needs them to help solve the many knotty 
 problems of reconstruction, and for the same reason 
 we need them in dentistry. The men who are needed 
 most with us, are those who are willing and capable of 
 teaching others. I am therefore pleased to discuss the 
 dental teacher and to be able to point to C. N. Johnson 
 as the ideal. 
 
 Those of you who have given this subject any 
 thought and consideration at all or who have had any 
 experience along the line of teaching must have long 
 since concluded that there are at least three outstanding 
 qualifications of the successful teacher, not to mention 
 the one hundred and one essential details which enter 
 into the teaching process. He must be able to impart 
 knowledge; he must command the respect and hold the 
 attention of his students; and he must leave the stu- 
 dents with a burning desire for further knowledge of 
 the subject taught and the desire to seek such knowl- 
 edge along the lines of truth. 
 
 Let us see how our subject measures up to this 
 high standard. First, a teacher must be able to impart 
 knowledge. Before one can impart knowledge to others 
 he must first possess that knowledge himself, and to 
 him it must be old knowledge. This suggests at once 
 the necessity of the teachers familiarity with the 
 
 20
 
 subject-matter of instruction. Did any of you ever sit 
 and listen to a lecture by Dr. Johnson and have the 
 feeling that he was not familiar with the subject-matter 
 under discusion? I know you did not, for he never per- 
 mitted himself to go into the lecture room unless he 
 was prepared to give the latest and the best, always 
 reserving the right to use his own good judgment as to 
 what was the best for his boys to know. 
 
 I wonder if you have ever learned that there is a 
 difference between the fancied pleasures of life and the 
 real pleasures, or those things that bring real happiness? 
 The greatest pleasure of happiness in life comes from 
 the consciousness of realizing ideals, and the teacher 
 who gets the greatest happiness and enjoyment out of 
 his work is the man or woman who is conscious of 
 realizing some ideal set up in the lives of his or her 
 students. Surely that teacher is the happiest who feels 
 that, in the process of teaching, the highest good, the 
 greatest and noblest in life is being realized by the one 
 taught. The teacher who seeks this kind of happiness 
 and who hopes to find the reward of his labor in the 
 thing done, and who expects to thrill the student with 
 the joy of real growth and activity must find the secret 
 in the consciousness of realizing the highest good in life; 
 in ministering unto the deepest cravings of the soul for 
 truth, beauty, and virtue. Thomkins in his "Philosophy 
 of Teaching," forms a definition and says that teaching 
 is the conscious process of producing mental experience 
 for the purpose of life development; or, he says teach- 
 ing is the process by which one mind from set purpose 
 produces the life-unfolding process in another. By his 
 familiarity with the subject taught and his deep knowl- 
 
 21
 
 edge of that consideration, Dr. Johnson, the teacher, 
 has ever produced the hfe-unfolding process in the 
 minds of his students. 
 
 Let us consider the second quahfication of the 
 successful teacher, commanding the respect and holding 
 the attention of the student. In the twenty-five years 
 that I have known this man I have been privileged the 
 greater portion of those years, to have taught the same 
 boys that Dr. Johnson has taught. I have associated 
 with them in college, and I have associated with them 
 in the profession, after they have gone out into the 
 broad and active world, and I can stand here and say to 
 you that in all these years I have never yet heard one of 
 Dr. Johnson's students make a disparaging remark 
 about him. 
 
 C. N. Johnson is the most beloved man in the 
 dentistry today. There is no doubt about that. He is 
 loved because the purity of his life and the nobility of 
 his character command respect. Without any conscious 
 effort on his part he has the happy faculty of making 
 friends of all whom he meets, and it is that peculiar, 
 characteristic kind of friendship which gradually ripens 
 into love. There are two ways by means of which the 
 teacher can gain and hold the attention of his students. 
 One can accomplish this end by constantly preying 
 upon the curiosity of the student. The teacher who 
 resorts to story-telling in the lecture room may succeed 
 in holding the attention of his class but he is likely to 
 do so at the expense of real teaching. The student ma}'' 
 be paying attention because he does not want to miss 
 any of the stories told, not necessarily because he is 
 interested in the subject taught. The real teacher never 
 
 22
 
 needs prey upon the curiosity of his students. He holds 
 their attention, commands their respect, and interests 
 them because he leads them to feel and to knovv^ that 
 that which he is teaching has a direct relation to their 
 future life work. It is something they can use, some- 
 thing that they must have. They want it. This is the 
 real way to interest students and it is the way that 
 C. N. Johnson has ever held the attention of his boys. 
 
 The third and last qualification of the teacher is 
 that burning desire which a teacher should leave on 
 the part of the student for further knowledge of the 
 subjects taught. The teacher may have the student 
 under his care but a short time, but during that period, 
 however short, he should leave with him a life-long 
 tendency to seek the truth. There is no greater evil in 
 education, dental or otherwise, than that of deadening 
 the natural appetite of the student for knowledge. Has 
 anyone ever sat under the magic influence of this man 
 Dr. Johnson, in the lecture room, in the college in- 
 firmary, on the floor of a dental convention, and 
 listened to one of his masterly lectures, and at the end 
 given a sigh of relief? No! On the contrary, he left 
 each of us with that restless longing for truth and 
 righteousness. Witness, if you will, the men who are 
 here, the men who are scattered all over this broad land 
 of ours, in the various corners of the world who have 
 received their stimulus to go on and on and on, because 
 of these qualifications of Dr. Johnson the teacher. 
 
 As a teacher C. N. Johnson, is the Colonel Parr 
 of the golf course, the horse that won the Derby, the 
 pitcher who retained the pennant, the boxer who wore 
 the belt. As a teacher C. N. Johnson has succeeded. 
 
 23
 
 and in teaching, as in every other walk of Hfe, character 
 is the foundation of success. You may have thought 
 that the unusual success of Johnson as a citizen, and 
 practitioner, in his native land as an author and an 
 editor was due to the fact that he was a well-educated 
 man. It is true that he is not deficient in education, 
 but in the years to come, of all who will hear of his 
 grand career and of his services to his profession and 
 to his fellow man, you will not hear that either the 
 high place he reached or that which he accomplished 
 was entirely due to his education. On the contrary you 
 will constantly hear, as accounting for his great success 
 in these various walks of life, that he was obedient and 
 affectionate as a son, honest and upright as a citizen, 
 tender and devoted as a husband, kind and considerate 
 as a father, and truthful, generous, unselfish, moral and 
 clean in every station of life. Never and under no 
 circumstances did he consider any of these attributes 
 too weak for manliness. 
 
 I borrow here for the purpose the selected words 
 of Grover Cleveland expressed in behalf of the mar- 
 tyred McKinley, and I feel that I have a right to do so 
 on this occasion for C. N. Johnson is the William 
 McKinley of dentistry. 
 
 "Let us make no mistake. In him we have a most 
 distinguished man, a great man, a useful man, who 
 became distinguished, great, and useful because he had 
 and retained, unsullied and unimpaired, those qualities 
 of mind and of heart which I fear too many of us keep 
 in the background or have abandoned altogether." 
 
 It was Owen Meredith, I think, who said: 
 "No stream from its source flows seaward 
 
 24
 
 However so lonely its course 
 But some land is gladdened; 
 No sun ever rose and set without influence some- 
 where; 
 No life can be pure in its purpose 
 And strong in its strife 
 That all life is not purer and stronger thereby." 
 
 And so Dr. Johnson, the purity of your life and the 
 strength of your character have welded an influence 
 over the lives and character of your thousands of 
 students scattered all over the world which cannot be 
 measured, but we can express in a small degree at least 
 our loyalty to the old school in which 5^ou have worked 
 these many years. Dr. Logan, the alumni of the 
 Chicago College of Dental Surgery, has always been 
 proud of the institution. During the years when this 
 school was watched over and directed by that dignified, 
 scholarly, manly man, Dr. Truman W. B. Brophy, we 
 watched with interest its every step; and now that you. 
 Dr. Logan have taken over the reins of this institution 
 we, the alumni, look to the future with faith and 
 confidence. We know we will not be disappointed and 
 on behalf of the alumni of the Chicago College of 
 Dental Surgery I have the pleasure and the great honor 
 of presenting to the college through you, its dean, this 
 bronze bust of C. N. Johnson, our teacher and our 
 friend. 
 
 As a poet I have no such ability as our guest, but 
 if you bear with me for a moment I will do my best. 
 
 C. N. Johnson, steady head. 
 Glory-crowned, divinely led, 
 
 25
 
 In the ages fixed the plan, 
 To become a glorious man. 
 
 Nature strewed with lavish hand 
 For uplifting of this man. 
 Rich in mind, with noble thought, 
 Rich in friend from those he taught. 
 
 Man of vision, broad and deep. 
 To awake the powers that sleep, 
 Man of brain, and man of brawn, 
 Man who sees the break of dawn. 
 
 You are building for the ages 
 And on history's future pages. 
 Thy great record will appear 
 Standing bold, and firm, and clear. 
 
 Anxious thousands read thy story 
 And their hearts are filled with glory. 
 Placid age and radiant youth, 
 Hearken to thy words of truth. 
 
 Thy countenance will forever live 
 In this bronze bust of thee, we give 
 To our College great and grand 
 Loyal to the School, we love the man. 
 
 In this face we see the heart 
 Which has ever played the part, 
 Always warm and full of love 
 Like the cooing turtle dove. 
 
 By thy virtues, strong and bold, 
 By thy thousands charms untold, 
 C. N. Johnson, favored blessed. 
 Prince of all, we love you best. 
 
 26
 
 Dr. Johnson Lecturing to Some Students
 
 DR. JOHNSON, THE PRACTITIONER 
 
 By John V. Conzett, 
 
 Dubuque, Iowa 
 
 If all creation's art and wisdom was man, the 
 nearest approach unto the divine, as the Psalmist has 
 beautifully said: 
 
 What is man, that Thou are mindful of him? And the son 
 of man, that Thou visitest him? 
 
 For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and 
 hast crowned him with glory and honor. 
 
 The greatest compliment we can pay to anyone is that 
 of a man. 
 
 Not every human being has attained unto the 
 full stature of manhood. Indeed very few have done 
 so in the full power of the physical and the intellectual 
 and the spiritual nature, and I want to pay tribute to 
 the man that we honor as a real man, a man that we 
 have all learned to love, a man that we have all learned 
 to honor, and so if I come with a leaf for the laurel 
 crown tonight, it will be first that I place that leaf in 
 that laurel wreath on "The Man," C. N. Johnson. 
 
 I can imagine that a man might conquer the whole 
 world and yet not be a man. Alexander the Great failed 
 to conquer himself. I can imagine that a man might be 
 the most famous of his time and yet not be a man, for 
 Napoleon died in St. Helena. I can imagine that a man 
 might be loved by a whole nation and yet not be a man, 
 for Parnell died in disgrace. I can imagine that a man 
 might be the greatest champion of his tim.e, the un- 
 
 27
 
 defeated champion of his time, and send his challenge 
 in physical combat thruout the whole world, and not 
 be a man, for John L. Sullivan was defeated by John 
 Barleycorn. I can imagine that a man might be a great 
 practitioner, that he might be a great editor, that he 
 might be a great author, and not be a man, but I can- 
 not imagine that a man could be idolized in his own 
 home, beloved by his own profession, be a great author, 
 the leader in his own profession, and a teacher than 
 whom none is greater, and not be a man. That is the 
 accomplishment which we can ascribe to the guest; yet 
 it has only been possible for him to have built this 
 splendid edifice upon the foundation of true, kind, 
 generous manhood. 
 
 We all know what Dr. Johnson has been, what Dr. 
 Johnson is as a dentist, and the tremendous influence 
 that he has exerted always upon the whole profession. 
 If we speak of art we speak of a Raphael, or a Rubens, 
 or a Guido; when we go into the gallery of sculpture we 
 speak of a Praxiteles, or a Michelangelo; in music, we 
 speak of a Beethoven, of a Mozart, of a Handel; and in 
 our own profession when we speak of something rare 
 and something beautiful we speak of it as a Johnson, 
 something which has transcended the art of the ordi- 
 nary man. 
 
 His influence has been so great that he has re- 
 minded me of one of those great electric cranes which 
 traveled over so great mass of scrap iron that it would 
 take the strength of three or four men to lift. That 
 crane came over, went down to that scrap iron and the 
 power turned on, and seemingly as light as a feather 
 those enormous masses of iron rose from the earth and 
 
 28
 
 attached themselves to that tremendous magnet, to be 
 lifted up and carried wheresoever the operator wished. 
 
 So Dr. Johnson, in his life and his influence upon 
 the dental profession, has reached down and has lifted 
 up the ordinary man and the profession beyond them- 
 selves into the realms of a higher and more ethical and 
 better dentistry. We know something of the electric 
 magnet and something of how it functions. We know 
 that if we take a piece of soft wire and wrap it around 
 we have a unit of the electric magnet, and as the electro 
 motor force goes thru that as we make another turn we 
 increase it and we double the strength of that magnet. 
 Every time we take a turn of the wire around that 
 central core we increase the power of that magnet, so 
 that these great tremendous magnets are made up of 
 cores of iron around which are multitudinous wrappings 
 of insulated wire. And so it is in the character of this 
 man. Around the core of his kind nature he has 
 wrapped the wire of study, the wire of research, the 
 wire of industry, the wire of ability, the wire of kindli- 
 ness and generosity, and then, thru these multitudinous 
 windings he has sent a potential of his love, and he has 
 made a magnet which has drawn all men to him. 
 
 Only upon two occasions have I heard Dr. Johnson 
 use any stricture concerning his fellow-practitioners and 
 that was when he inveighed against a dishonest fellow 
 who was simply working for money and was not work- 
 ing for the benefit of his fellow-man, and the second 
 case is the individual who was striving to get something 
 for that which he was not giving service. 
 
 Several years ago when the men of the Iowa State 
 Dental Society tendered me a complimentary banquet, 
 
 29
 
 Dr. Johnson was not able to be present at that time, 
 but wrote a very compHmentary letter and at the end 
 of which was a poem. I am going to pay him back in 
 his own coin by reading a little tribute in verse to 
 Dr. Johnson. 
 
 TRIBUTE TO DR. C. N. JOHNSON 
 
 As we travel along the highway of life 
 With our eyes firmly fixed on the goal. 
 
 Our hearts are made faint with the turmoil and strife 
 Which plumbs the real depths of the soul. 
 
 We find our eyes dim with the fog and the mist 
 
 Of ignorance dark as the night, 
 And hoping tho blindly, some soul to enlist 
 
 To lead us out into the light. 
 
 If you seek you shall find some one kind and true 
 
 That perfectly knows the great way 
 And in wisdom and love will be unto you 
 
 A guide into truth's perfect day. 
 
 To this city have come many lads in the past 
 
 Their hearts with ambition afire, 
 But to find withered hopes, their feet hard and fast 
 
 In the slough of failure's deep mire. 
 
 Unto many a lad with heart all forlorn 
 
 Of hope and ambition despaired. 
 Has come a new light when this thought was born, 
 
 There's some one that really cared. 
 
 For the man that we love and honor tonight 
 
 Has always been ready to give, 
 Not only to give, but ready to fight 
 
 That a boy's ambition might live. 
 
 30
 
 And scattered about this whole world around 
 
 In plain land and mountain above, 
 The men he has helped are everywhere found, 
 
 And everywhere send him their love. 
 
 For he that is greatest 'tis very well known 
 
 Is he that serves truest and best 
 And he that loves most, it is easily shown, 
 
 Will surely lead all of the rest. 
 
 So here's to our hero, the man that loves most 
 
 And the man that we love in return. 
 In the hearts of the thousands, an unnumbered host 
 
 The fires of true love shall burn. 
 
 31
 
 DR. JOHNSON, THE CITIZEN 
 By William A. Evans, 
 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 What is a good citizen? In this country we pour 
 out our honors for those who accompHsh great things 
 for themselves, for those who amass great fortunes, or 
 even gather for themselves substance in other lines, 
 great honors, if you please. We are essentially a prag- 
 matic people, a practical people, and people from other 
 lands who view our civilization, as they see the great 
 head lands that stand out — the great Gibraltars that 
 come to represent in the minds of the world the civil- 
 ization of America — as even they contemplate these 
 men of great accomplishments, are reminded of the 
 fact that their accomplishments have been built in the 
 main upon the selfish. There is in spite of everything 
 that can be said for them, something of sordidness 
 about that which they have accomplished, and men 
 from other civilizations have not infrequently asked, 
 where is the background for American civilization? A 
 civilization cannot exist, cannot persist, unless these 
 great outstanding accomplishments are woven together 
 by the lives of men, by the acts, the deeds of men who 
 are less selfish, less practical and less pragmatic, if 
 you please. 
 
 Somehow in our history it has always been that 
 from somewhere, God only knows where, there rise up 
 men to meet the emergencies that have come. Perhaps 
 we have always been a fortunate people; be the ex- 
 planation what it may, the fact remains that for every 
 time of stress through which our people have gone 
 
 33
 
 there have risen up from somewhere, somehow, altru- 
 istic men, who driven by their loves of their fellow-man, 
 by their willingness to do for the common good, have 
 not only cemented the individualistic lives of these 
 others, but have molded our civilization into the ac- 
 complishment of successful purpose. There are men 
 who get their greatest pleasure in serving their fellow- 
 men. I would not, on the one hand, have men give 
 themselves over altogether to the altruistic, for to do so 
 would represent bad judgment, nor on the other hand 
 should men give themselves altogether over to selfish 
 accomplishment, for that, too, would represent bad 
 judgment, but there is among our people a great 
 substratum, a great background, if you please, of men 
 who balance self-interest and public interest, and do it 
 with accuracy and with judgment, and those are the 
 men who constitute our good citizens. 
 
 Men from all parts of this country, will tell you of 
 Dr. Johnson as a teacher, Dr. Johnson as a practitioner, 
 of Dr. Johnson as a dentist. They will tell you of the 
 accomplishments and capacity of Dr. Johnson in his 
 chosen profession, rendering service to the men and 
 women of his profession, rendering service through 
 that profession to society at large. 
 
 It is my object to tell you of the altruistic side of 
 Dr. Johnson, of the service that he more directly 
 renders not only to this community but to the people 
 of all parts of this country. I have been in public 
 affairs in this community for at least twenty years. It 
 has been my observation that whenever in the organiza- 
 tion of community efforts it was appropriate that some 
 one should come forward and carry that part of the 
 
 34
 
 community load, belonging to the dentist the man who 
 stepped forward was the man whom we are meeting 
 to honor. 
 
 Therefore, as these men come here from all parts 
 of the country to tell you of the tender love, the 
 admiration, and the reverence that is your portion 
 among the dentists in the communities from which they 
 come, I come here to speak in the name of my pro- 
 fession, in the name of those who work in public health 
 and in the name of the people at large. 
 
 The members of my profession, the medical pro- 
 fession, are rendering better service to those who serve 
 by reason of what they have learned from the dental 
 profession, and particularly from its great leader, Dr. 
 C. N. Johnson. I served as health commissioner of this 
 city when it was proposed that dental hygiene, care of 
 the teeth and mouths of people of this city, should be 
 adopted as one part of the program of the Department 
 of Health, and when the dental profession was called 
 upon to take charge of that duty, the man who first 
 came into our minds, the man on whom we first called 
 was Dr. C. N. Johnson. 
 
 I am sure the school children, the entire school 
 S3^stem would join me if they knew that I spoke here 
 as a representative of the citizenship of Chicago, bring- 
 ing their greetings to your guest. That great body of 
 people who are the beneficiaries, for whom the light 
 shines because unselfish men, good citizens do their 
 duty as good citizens are with me in spirit as I bring 
 you their greetings and this spoken word of their appre- 
 ciation. Some of them are known to you and some of 
 them know of you, but gathered in the list are men 
 
 35
 
 and women here and elsewhere who may never know 
 just how the good has come into their lives, may never 
 know just how it has come about that they have been 
 benefited. They may not be conscious of the reasons 
 for gratitude which are there, but yet they sense the 
 gratitude in their inner souls. So, in the name of the 
 medical profession, in the name of the good citizens of 
 the city of Chicago, I bring you greetings when those 
 who know and love 3^ou best gather to do you honor. 
 
 36
 
 DR. JOHNSON AND HIS NATIVE LAND 
 
 By Wallace Seccombe, 
 
 Toronto, Canada 
 
 I never come to Chicago but what I obtain a great 
 inspiration and a great enjoyment but I can truthfully 
 say that this is the greatest meeting I ever attended in 
 the city of Chicago. I believe I was never at such a 
 wonderful dental meeting before. 
 
 One of the gentlemen said this afternoon, it makes 
 no difference what they say about Dr. Johnson it is 
 all true. 
 
 "Now is the time, O friend, 
 No longer wait to scatter loving smiles and 
 
 words of cheer, 
 To those around whose lives are now so dear, 
 That may not meet you in the coming year, 
 Now is the time." 
 
 A few days ago at the close of a lecture to one of 
 the classes at the college I told them of the banquet 
 and asked if they had a message for Dr. Johnson, and 
 the message I bring Dr. Johnson is this: "Give our love 
 to Dr. Johnson" and I bring Dr. Johnson not only the 
 love of all of the undergraduates of Canadian colleges, 
 but of the graduates as well, their love, their esteem, 
 their kindest respect to him whom they look to as one 
 of the great leaders of the dental profession. 
 
 We have all enjoyed the very eloquent addresses. 
 We have learned something of Dr. Johnson as a man, 
 
 37
 
 Dr. Johnson as a practitioner, Dr. Johnson as a good 
 citizen, and he has been and is a good citizen as well as 
 a good dentist, but it seems to me that we must also 
 appreciate Dr. Johnson as a great leader. It has been 
 said and said truly that the history of a nation is the 
 history of its great men. The history of a profession is 
 the history of our great men and of our leaders, and I 
 believe that great as has been the services rendered by 
 Dr. Johnson in these other activities, the greatest 
 service possibly has been his service of leadership. 
 Wherever you go, you will find that the dental pro- 
 fession is linked together in a spirit of friendship and 
 fraternity, and doubtless this is because of the fact that 
 we are banded together to carry on an integral part of 
 the great public health movement, which in itself would 
 band us together as dentists. But back of that we must 
 recognize the great service which has been rendered by 
 our leaders; as Dr. Johnson has gone about among the 
 dental profession here and there and everywhere he has 
 disseminated something of his personality, something 
 of his kindly spirit, and the dental profession not only 
 in Canada but in the United States and throughout the 
 world has learned to love Dr. Johnson. 
 
 I had the pleasure a few weeks ago of attending 
 the meeting of the State Dental Society of Oklahoma. 
 The president was referring to a kindly act, an act 
 which he felt deserved comment. When he had finished 
 he said: "That is just like Dr. Johnson." I never heard 
 a greater tribute at any man. He himself, hundreds of 
 miles away, was having his name linked with this 
 kindly, unselfish, gracious act that occurred in connec- 
 tion with one of the dental society meetings. Uncon- 
 
 38
 
 sciously we link with the name of Dr. Johnson every 
 act of kindness and of generosity in the profession. 
 
 There are some of us in Canada who because Dr. 
 Johnson was born in Canada, because he was graduated 
 from a Canadian college, because he practiced for some 
 years in Canada would claim Dr. Johnson as a Cana- 
 dian, but neither the United States nor Canada can 
 claim Dr. Johnson. I am sure that we will all agree 
 that he belongs to the whole dental profession of the 
 whole world. Dr. Evans referred very eloquently to 
 Dr. Johnson's heart as large as humanity, and in this 
 larger sense we must, even as a dental profession give 
 up Dr. Johnson because he belongs to humanity. 
 
 I had occasion to learn that forty years ago, while 
 he was a student. Dr. Johnson inserted for his own 
 father a gold filling which is still giving good service. 
 I remember when I was a dental student learning some- 
 thing of Dr. Johnson; his name in those days was 
 associated with the foil filling. Why was it that Dr. 
 Johnson chose gold, while other men chose the alloy.? 
 Was it not significant, is it not an evidence of the 
 character of the man.? Would you not expect Dr. 
 Johnson to choose pure gold.? I have thought of those 
 gold foil fillings which were inserted back in my country 
 in those early days. I have thought of them as golden 
 threads which speak today of the unselfish, painstaking, 
 efficient service rendered by Dr. C. N. Johnson. But 
 there is also another golden thread which Dr. Johnson 
 has left behind him as he has passed through from day 
 to day, and that is these kindly acts of unselfishness 
 which have been distributed with lavish hand upon all 
 of those with whom he has come in contact. His life 
 
 39
 
 is an inspiration to us. Even to the younger men his 
 life is an example which we may follow. 
 
 Lives of great men all remind us 
 We can make our lives sublime 
 And departing, leave behind us 
 Footprints on the sands of time. 
 
 40
 
 RESPONSE ON BEHALF OF THE ALUMNI 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHICAGO COLLEGE OF DENTAL SURGERY 
 
 By Calvin S. Case, 
 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 I wish I could say all that is in my heart, all that 
 I have thought of saying since I knew that I was to 
 perform some little duty here tonight, but I want to 
 say that of all the men in the profession that have 
 loved Dr. Johnson most, it is his own boys, the alumni 
 of the Chicago College of Dental Surgery. 
 
 A very curious thing happened a few days ago. 
 Charley Bentley awakened to the idea that our boys 
 here were not commemorating this banquet in any way. 
 He immediately got busy and went among the alumni 
 in the loop. He told me that he never enjoyed himself 
 so much as he did in visiting the different offices because 
 they simply wanted to pour out everything they 
 possibly could to him when they found out his purpose. 
 So in that way there has been gathered a certain 
 amount with which a beautiful picture, a beautiful 
 painting by a noted artist, has been purchased and has 
 been selected by no less a man than Lorado Taft for 
 this occasion. It is my honor and my pleasure to 
 present this beautiful picture in behalf of the alumni, 
 and I know that it will not be because of its intrinsic 
 value nor its beauty that you will cherish it but it will 
 be the love that is back of it, from the boys. When you 
 hang that picture upon the wall of your home when 
 the day is done and the evening approaches and 3^011 
 
 41
 
 sit in your easy chair and gaze upon that beautiful 
 picture, the picture itself will lose, in your mind, because 
 in the haze that will arise you will see the face of the 
 boys whom you love and the boys that love you most, 
 because you have always been such a dear. 
 
 42
 
 RESPONSE ON BEHALF OF THE FACULTY 
 
 OF THE 
 CHICAGO COLLEGE OF DENTAL SURGERY 
 
 By Thomas L. Grisamore, 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 You have been a member of the faculty for more 
 than thirty-five years and it is my very great pleasure 
 to present to you upon this occasion a Httle token of 
 our appreciation. We hope you will take this watch 
 that I hand you now and wear it and we will be 
 delighted if you will occasionally think of your asso- 
 ciates in college work. We know it is not very valuable. 
 We are also aware of the fact that silver and gold are 
 not the only coin, for true virtue, such as you possess, 
 passes current all over the world. 
 
 43
 
 RESPONSE ON BEHALF OF THE DENTAL 
 
 FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF ILLINOIS 
 
 By Frederick B. Noyes, 
 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 We know Dr. Johnson, that no material thing can 
 express the love and feeling of those of your fellow 
 professional men and teachers and we know, still more, 
 that no material thing is necessary to remind you of 
 their love and affection, but I have a token in pearls 
 which are emblematic of the purity and nobility of 
 thought — the noblest of the noble metals to the nobility 
 of the metal of your character. 
 
 44
 
 RESPONSE ON BEHALF OF THE FACULTY OF 
 THE NORTHWESTERN DENTAL SCHOOL 
 
 By Thomas L. Gilmer, 
 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 It seems to me that the word "friend" means more 
 than almost any other word in the EngHsh language 
 and that when I class Dr. Johnson as my friend I do it 
 in sincerity because I know that he is my friend. Dr. 
 Johnson, I congratulate you on this splendid audience, 
 these beautiful gifts, these beautiful tributes. You 
 deserve them. I have known you for a third of a century 
 and maybe a little bit more. I have been associated 
 with you very closely and part of that time I was with 
 you in the same building on the same floor and I had 
 a wonderful opportunity to know you. Some of your 
 patients were my patients, some of my patients were 
 yours. They seemed to go back and forth and I was 
 never more happy than when I knew that one of my 
 patients was going to Dr. Johnson, because I knew 
 that he would be treated fairly. 
 
 While I was ill some time ago Dr. Johnson was the 
 first to express his sympathy. When I became well 
 again Dr. Johnson was the first to congratulate me. 
 When any good thing has come to me Dr. Johnson 
 has always sent me word of congratulation, and I 
 cherish those words and have placed them where those 
 that come after me may see them and know that I had 
 such a friend as Dr. Johnson. We have been both 
 associated in school work. We have taught man}^ 
 students. We have conversed very often about the best 
 
 45
 
 way of teaching the student. We have never had an 
 inharmonious word. He wished that our school might 
 do the best work and we, in our school, wished that he 
 and his school might do the very best work. Dr. 
 Johnson, I have been commissioned tonight to give you, 
 as an expression of love of our faculty, for you as a 
 man, as a teacher, a little gift which we hope you will 
 cherish and keep and we want you to remember the 
 love that we bear towards you. I present you with this 
 piece of sterling, because we thought that your sterling 
 nature would require something sterling to represent 
 it. Please accept this from the Northwestern Univer- 
 sity Dental School as an expression of love from our 
 faculty. 
 
 46
 
 RESPONSE ON BEHALF OF THE 
 
 ODONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
 
 OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 
 
 By L. L. Davis, 
 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 It is my privilege on behalf of the smallest organ- 
 ization of dentists in the city of Chicago, but one that 
 is very dear to your heart and to mine, to extend to you 
 a token of love and friendship, with which you have 
 always blessed this organization. Dr. Johnson, may 
 you, when using these silver service plates, always think 
 of the Odontological Society of Chicago and your 
 friends. 
 
 47
 
 RESPONSE ON BEHALF OF THE 
 LOS ANGELES DENTISTS 
 
 By Thomas P. Hinman, 
 
 Atlanta, Georgia 
 
 I appear before you tonight in a dual capacity. I 
 am representing the boys from Los Angeles. That is a 
 long way from where I live in Atlanta, and yet I am 
 representing those boys because they love you just as 
 well as the fellows away out west. 
 
 I know that all your pretty presents are fine but 
 I can tell other boys that this is the thing he is going to 
 see most. Dr. Johnson, on behalf of the boys from Los 
 Angeles, it gives me great pleasure and joy to present 
 to you this desk set and at the same time from the boys 
 south of the Mason and Dixon Line to present to you 
 more love than there is in the world. 
 
 48
 
 LETTERS AND TELEGRAMS 
 
 The following are some of the messages which were 
 
 received, and which were to he read at the banquet, 
 
 hut owing to lack of tim^e this was not possible. 
 
 LETTERS 
 
 From Dr. Truman W. Brophy, 
 
 Los Angeles, California 
 
 Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: 
 
 It is a matter of deep regret on my part that by reason of 
 ill health I have been deprived of the privilege of being present 
 at this banquet in honor of my friend, Dr. Johnson. My absence 
 from Chicago the last few years during a part of the winter and 
 spring had made it impossible for me to participate in several 
 banquets and meetings such as I have enjoyed. 
 
 At a banquet given in my honor on February i, 1913, Dr. 
 Johnson, in a speech delivered on that occasion, said: "I am 
 asked to speak upon 'Personal Reminiscences.' I have had many 
 personal experiences with the guest of the evening and some of 
 these I am going to relate. I am not going to tell you everything, 
 because I have known him more than twenty-eight years. Ladies 
 and gentlemen. Dr. Brophy is the first dentist whom I ever met 
 in Chicago, and if he will only be reasonable and live long enough 
 and give me a chance to shuffle off first, he will probably be the 
 last dentist I meet in Chicago." 
 
 Adding a period of eight years to the twenty-eight which 
 has been mentioned makes thirty-six years of acquaintance that 
 I have had with him. That has been an intimate acquaintance. 
 It is not unreasonable to assume that an intimate acquaintance, 
 extending over a period of thirty-six years, will enable one to 
 
 49
 
 get a pretty thorough knowledge of the individual with whom he 
 so long associates. 
 
 I have been with Dr. Johnson under all sorts of conditions — 
 on occasions of joy and on occasions of sorrow. I have traveled 
 with him at home and abroad; I have attended meetings with 
 him by day and by night; I have spent hours and days with him 
 among the beautiful animals on my farm, where the cares and 
 anxieties of a busy practice were forgotten and the real joys of 
 quiet, country life were ours. And then I have been with him and 
 witnessed the exciting throngs in Paris and London when the 
 war cries were sounding and the troops were rushing frantically 
 to the frontier. In the quiet hours at home, and in the excitement 
 abroad. Dr. Johnson was always serene, claiming that all would 
 sometime be right. I believe that this quality in him of meeting 
 conditions as they are and philosophically concluding that all 
 will be well, accounts to a very great extent for his ability to 
 meet the problems of life and deal with them without undergoing 
 nervous prostration and a general breaking of health. 
 
 Not the least of these problems is the conducting of a large 
 and exacting practice. Besides, as a college man and professor, he 
 has faithfully performed his duties — yet, with all these and with 
 his writing and editorial work through the years as well as per- 
 forming innumerable strenuous tasks, he has borne up under it 
 all and we have him now, thank God, in the fulness of health 
 and strength. 
 
 When Dr. Johnson first came to my office in Chicago he 
 informed me that he was a graduate of the Royal College of 
 Dental Surgeons of Toronto; that he had located in Collingwood, 
 Ontario; but that he desired to come to Chicago and wished to 
 enter the senior class of the Chicago College of Dental Surgery, 
 which he did, graduating the following year. This was in the 
 very early history of the school. He became interested in 
 anatomy and was immediately appointed demonstrator in that 
 department. Later he became assistant to Dr. George H. Cushing, 
 then professor of operative dentistry, and when Dr. Cushing 
 retired, he was elected to the chair of operative dentistry, which 
 
 SO
 
 chair he has occupied to this day. Of the 4,028 graduates of the 
 Chicago College of Dental Surgery, nearly all have been students 
 of Dr. Johnson, and his "boys" as he affectionately calls them, 
 have ever been loud in their praise of his efforts in their behalf. 
 
 I believe that my statement will be indorsed by college men 
 everywhere, when I say that the foremost teacher of operative 
 dentistry in America today, the man who holds the greatest 
 measure of aflFectionate regard of his students, teachers and fellow- 
 practitioners, is our honored guest of the evening. 
 
 Dr. Johnson's kindly disposition was brought out in the care 
 of a young girl who came to him some years ago, a stranger. He 
 observed that she walked with great difficulty and when he 
 inquired of her mother about the condition, was informed that 
 she had double hip joint disease. He became deeply interested 
 in this girl and advised her to go to an eminent surgeon, who 
 examined and successfully treated her. The mother was unable 
 to pay the hospital fee and other expenses but Dr. Johnson was 
 only too glad to defray them. Many other acts of kindness to 
 sufferers might be mentioned in which he has played a con- 
 spicuous part. 
 
 Dr. Johnson has faults. He is human; not divine. His faults 
 however, are few and they fade into insignificance as they are 
 overwhelmed and lost to sight in the light of his many virtues. 
 
 Among the foremost men in dental literature; among the 
 foremost men in dental practice; among the foremost men in 
 dental education is our friend, the illustrious author, practitioner 
 and teacher whom we honor tonight. 
 
 When in the future the history of the dental profession of 
 this period shall have been written brilliantly illuminated will 
 be the pages which record the attributes and achievements of 
 our beloved guest of the evening Dr. C. N. Johnson. 
 
 51
 
 From Dr. L. E. Ford, Los Angeles, Cal., to Accompany the 
 
 Beautiful Desk Set Sent from California and Presented by 
 
 Dr. Thos. p. Hinman, of Atlanta, Ga. to Our Very Dear 
 
 Friend, Dr. C. N. Johnson: 
 
 You will never know how much the boys of Southern 
 California regret they cannot be with you in person tonight, but 
 rest assured we are all there in thought and good wishes. 
 
 So, dear friend please accept this little remembrance from 
 us; for no man has done more for his profession and good to his 
 many friends than you have when using "these mightier than the 
 sword" in conjunction with that wonderful brain and the biggest 
 heart in the world. 
 
 May you have many, many years to use them for the 
 upHfting of man and your profession; and we know that in the 
 small hours of the night you will think of your friends in Southern 
 California. 
 
 From Dr. Wm. Alexander Heckard, 
 New York City, N. Y. 
 
 My dear Good Friend: 
 
 I am writing about your dinner. Ah, my friend, I did so 
 want to be there, but Fate said otherwise. I had it all planned 
 but have to give it up, and you will never know how I feel the 
 loss. All I can do at this time is to write you a letter and be 
 with you in spirit when they are saying nice things about you, 
 none of which will equal the nice things you could say for the 
 other fellow who has been likewise honored. 
 
 But what shall I write that will give you a picture of what 
 I am thinking, or is in my heart? I think in pictures not words, 
 and am ever handicapped. 
 
 I'll try to tell you why you are able to do all you accomplish. 
 You never catch up to your desire to do, and you are never 
 discouraged or discontented, you have a healthy will. Discontent 
 being an infirmary of the will, you are always a few laps in the 
 lead of many of the miseries with which so many are afflicted, 
 
 52
 
 and yours the laurel wreath of seed-sown deeds, and the myrtle 
 leaves of sacred and perfect friendships. 
 
 You have been able to get to any station on life's schedule 
 
 seen, 
 By that fire beneath your boiler of ambition's machine, 
 And you've reached the place called Flushtown at the rate 
 
 of speed that's grand. 
 For all the slippery places you'd a good supply of sand. 
 You have achieved success, 
 You have lived well, 
 
 laughed often and loved much, 
 You have gained the respect of intelligent men, 
 
 and the love of little children. 
 You have seen the best in others and given the best 
 
 you had. 
 You never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty. 
 Your life has been an inspiration, 
 Your memory a benediction to the end, 
 You've been my one best friend. 
 
 Always yours sincerely, 
 
 W. A. Heckard. 
 
 From Dr. Edwin T. Darby, 
 Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Mr. Toastmaster: 
 
 It is a source of much regret that I cannot be present at the 
 Johnson banquet. I am glad Dr. Johnson's friends are again 
 honoring him. He is worthy of all the glory that can be heaped 
 upon him. I cannot imagine a man who does not respect and 
 love Dr. Johnson. In surveying his character it seems to possess 
 all the good qualities of the perfect man; and I am not sure but 
 that some are not catalogued. Wishing you all an enjoyable 
 evening I am, 
 
 Sincerely Yours, 
 
 Edwin T. Darby, 
 
 53
 
 From Dr. Thomas B. Hartzell, 
 
 Minneapolis, 
 President-elect, National Dental Association 
 
 My Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 The thought of your name always visualizes in my mind the 
 thought of friendship and brotherly love. 
 
 Your life has been one of loving service to many people. 
 You have builded your house on the plan of the temple not made 
 with hands and your life's work and influence will be enshrined 
 in the memory of those who know and love you while life shall 
 last for them. 
 
 God bless you and keep you and make his face shine upon 
 you and spare you to your friends for many years to come is 
 the earnest wish of 
 
 Your friend and servant, 
 
 Thomas B. Hartzell. 
 
 From Dr. C. Edmund Kells, 
 
 New Orleans, La. 
 
 Mr. Toastmaster: 
 
 On Monday evening, April ii, at seven o'clock I, way down 
 here in Dixie, will close my eyes and I will see dear old Brother 
 Johnson just as plainly as you yourself, Mr. Toastmaster, are 
 now seeing him amidst this happy bunch of friends. 
 
 And I will say to myself, "Forty Years of Service. How 
 wonderful!" And then some of you fellows, like Don Gallie, will 
 say, "Hey you, Eddie Kells, come down out of the clouds! You've 
 been practicing forty-three years yourself." 
 
 Yes, friend, practicing I will admit, but the charge against 
 Brother Johnson before this high court now in session, is forty 
 years of service and believe me, practicing is one thing, and 
 
 54
 
 rendering service is quite another, and I am sure this charge 
 against our honored guest will stand — he can make no defense, 
 he may as well plead guilty and be done with it. 
 
 So with nine hundred and twenty-one miles between us in 
 the flesh, if you hear a spirit one hundred per cent proof rapping 
 (tap, tap, tap,) you will know it is the spirit of 
 
 Eddie Kells. 
 
 From Dr. A. W. Thornton, 
 
 Montreal Canada. 
 
 A bust in bronze or marble may perpetuate the likeness of a 
 face we hold dear, a face perchance, made beautiful by the soul 
 within. But no artist, however gifted can put into a bust the 
 mind, the heart, the voice, the eye, the personality, which made, 
 of Dr. Johnson, the man whom we all so dearly love. 
 
 An inspired teacher, a tireless worker, a conscientious editor, 
 a writer whose language, while forcible, was always characterized 
 by purity of diction; the finest picture of Dr. Johnson will always 
 be that which is enshrined in the hearts of the thousands of men, 
 who as students, confreres, or friends, will hold him in fondest 
 memory, because of his pure and sincere life, the manifestation of 
 his exalted character. 
 
 God grant that for many years to come his life may be 
 spared to carry on his work, which in the past has been marked 
 by so wonderful a degree of success and appreciation. 
 
 A. W. Thornton. 
 
 55
 
 TELEGRAMS 
 
 Southern Pines, N. C. 
 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson: 
 
 Regret exceedingly that I cannot join with you tonight in 
 offering homage to the greatest heart in the profession. May its 
 pulsations continue to add joy and uplift to dentistry still another 
 forty years. 
 
 E. E. Cady. 
 
 Los Angeles, Cal. 
 Please give congratulations and warm affection to Dr. C. N. 
 Johnson from Dr. and Mrs. Edmund Noyes. 
 
 Edmund Noyes. 
 
 S6
 
 Dr. Johnson in Later Years
 
 SEVENTY-FIFTH BIRTHDAY GREETINGS 
 
 TELEGRAMS 
 
 London, England. 
 The president and executive on behalf of the American 
 Dental Society in Europe send Hearty Greetings. 
 
 Sidney, Australia. 
 Heartiest of good wishes on your birthday it is the wish of 
 your Australian friends you have many such happy birthdays. 
 
 Arnott and Moxham. 
 
 Chicago, 111. 
 Congratulations and best wishes on this your anniversary 
 and birthday. 
 
 Truman W. Brophy Club. 
 
 Sidney, AustraHa, 
 Love and many happy returns March sixteenth to Dr. 
 Johnson. 
 
 Dangar Burne. 
 
 London, England. 
 The sincere congratulations and fraternal good wishes of 
 your brothers European Continental chapter. 
 
 Delta Sigma Delta. 
 
 Hague, Holland. 
 Dutch Dental society presents its honorary member sincere 
 respect and sends best wishes on this 75th anniversary. 
 
 S7
 
 Amsterdam, Holland. 
 Meeting of Holland chapter Delta Sigma Delta resolved to 
 extend hearty congratulations to Doctor Johnson on his seventy- 
 fifth birthday. 
 
 Buenos Aires, Argentina. 
 Heartiest congratulations best wishes. 
 
 Emil Frey. 
 
 Sea Island Beach, Ga. 
 From the memory of over forty years of loyal friendship 
 without a single frown across the many miles between us just 
 now I send my heartfelt greetings and this earnest prayer God 
 keep you and bless you every hour and everywhere. 
 
 John Nyman. 
 
 Christ Church, New Zealand. 
 Our love and Best Wishes for many birthdays to come. 
 
 Patersons. 
 
 Chicago, 111. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson, Not from the South Seas, Canada, Little 
 America, or the Orient, but right from your own back yard and 
 rich in God's best wishes for you my ideal in dentistry who today 
 is some seventy odd years "young," I cherish the honor of being 
 one of your boys. 
 
 "Bill" Redhch. 
 
 New Zealand. 
 Many happy returns for the sixteenth. 
 
 Rish. 
 
 Australia. 
 To my beloved friend Dr. Johnson, warmest birthday greet- 
 ings and assurance of never fading admiration and affection. 
 
 Tuchy. 
 
 S8
 
 Amsterdam, Holland. 
 Loving thoughts and wishes for your happiness. 
 
 Vandenbergs. 
 
 Academy of Dentistry 
 Toronto 
 
 March 14, 1935. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 On behalf of the Officers and Fellows of the Academy of 
 Dentistry, Toronto, may I express to you heartiest congratula- 
 tions on your seventy-fifth anniversary. 
 
 It is needless for me to tell you that dentistry is proud of 
 your attainments in many walks of life, but your legion of 
 Canadian friends are especially proud of your wonderful record. 
 We wish for you health and happiness for very many more years. 
 On March 16, will you kindly picture in your mind all your 
 friends here, with one voice saying — "Happy Birthday to You." 
 Sincerely and fraternally yours, 
 
 S. S. Crouch, Secretary. 
 
 Chicago, 111. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 I am indeed proud and happy in having the privilege of 
 joining with your many friends — whose name is Legion — in send- 
 ing you my heartfelt congratulations and most sincere wishes for 
 very many Happy Returns of the anniversary of the day which 
 gave you to us. 
 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 Thornhill Broome. 
 
 18, Feb. 35. 
 Nice, France. 
 My dear Doctor Johnson: 
 
 With affectionate greetings and hearty good wishes for your 
 health on this your 75th birthday anniversary. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 Very Sincerely, 
 
 Dawson Buckley. 
 
 59
 
 Winnipeg, Manitoba. 
 March 14, 1935. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 As you know I am worse than a poor correspondent but I 
 surely must not let the occasion of your seventy-fifth birthday 
 pass without sending you my heartiest congratulations and I hope 
 and believe that with your marvelous vitality that I may also 
 repeat the congratulations ten or fifteen years hence. 
 
 I may just mildly mention that all who know you or know 
 of you, realize that the world and especially the dental world 
 has been much better — due to yourself and men of your calibre. 
 
 Yours ever, 
 
 Les Bannerman. 
 
 Rochester, N. Y. 
 February 26, 1935. 
 Dear Charlie: 
 
 You and I have travelled the road for many years and know 
 all about the complicated and vexatious problems with which we 
 have had to deal in an endeavor to do something for the advance- 
 ment of the profession. It is a great joy and pleasure for me to 
 tell you to your face how much I have enjoyed my association 
 with you and the many good times we have had together. I am 
 sure I do not need to tell you the admiration I have always had 
 for you not only as a professional brother, but as a friend, because 
 of the bigness of your heart and the many kind and lovely things, 
 which you have done to endear yourself to all your friends. 
 
 There are a lot more nice things that I might say about you. 
 I want you to know that on this anniversary of yours how much 
 I have always valued our friendship. 
 
 With my warmest congratulations and with ail good wishes 
 for good health, joy and happiness believe me. 
 
 Your devoted friend, 
 
 Harvey J. Burkhart. 
 
 60
 
 American Dental Club, Paris. 
 
 We, the undersigned, representing the American Dental Club 
 of Paris, do hereby declare that at its Meeting of the 7th of 
 February, 1935, the following resolution was unanimously voted: 
 "Inasmuch as our friend, Dr. C. N. Johnson, one of the high 
 lights of our profession, is on the sixteenth of March of this year 
 1935 celebrating his seventy-fifth anniversary; 
 
 "Therefore be it resolved that the American Dental Club of 
 Paris extends to Dr. C. N. Johnson on this occasion, with their 
 congratulations, the heartiest expression of friendship." 
 
 Albert Heide, President 
 
 M. P. Amoedo, Vice-President 
 
 P. Godefrey, Recording Secretary 
 
 To 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson, 
 61 18 Sheridan Road, 
 Chicago, Illinois. 
 
 We, the undersigned, consider it a great pleasure to extend 
 our heartiest congratulations and best wishes to you on the 
 attainment of the seventy-fifth anniversary of your birth. Not 
 being able to be present in person to congratulate you we are 
 sending you greetings. It is our earnest desire that you continue 
 in successful life for years to come and that you will meet with 
 all the happiness that is your just due. 
 
 Residents of Blackwater, Ont. Canada. 
 
 London, England. 
 4th March, 1935. 
 My dear C. N.: 
 
 For your 75th birthday I send you greetings from London, 
 England; and in doing so, it gives me one of the greatest pleasures 
 I have had for years. 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 K. C. Campbell. 
 
 61
 
 Chicago, III. 
 March, 3rd, 1935. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 Possibly because of my lack of years it has never before 
 been my privilege to congratulate anyone, whom I consider as 
 good as a personal friend as yourself on his seventy-fifth birthday. 
 You will, no doubt, receive many letters from friends who, by 
 reason of their years of contact with you have perhaps a better 
 basis of congratulation than I — but there is one point on which 
 I like to feel that my congratulations will be unique. 
 
 Almost fifty years separate us, yet because of your wonderful 
 youthful spirit, those years do not mean age, but simply a back- 
 ground against which you see and judge more clearly the events 
 of today. You have more of the characteristics of a friend than 
 most people of my own age. 
 
 I therefore leave it to others, who are better suited to the 
 task, to congratulate you on your achievements, which I know 
 are many — I simply want to tell you that I think you are 
 seventy-five years young. 
 
 My birthday wish to you is that our friendship may continue 
 for twenty-five years more, and we will count those years not 
 by the calendar, but by how we feel. 
 
 Most sincerely, 
 
 William (Cox) 
 
 La Haye, December 2, 1935. 
 My dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 While sending you the best of wishes on the occasion of the 
 anniversary of your birthday, I am very much convinced of the 
 fact, that those who are really to be congratulated are the great 
 number of men and women who have benefited from all you 
 have given in these years: your wisdom, your experience, your 
 friendship. 
 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 CH. F. L. Nord. 
 
 62
 
 Paris, France. 
 February 25th, 1935. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 On occasion of your seventy-fifth birthday, I have the 
 pleasure to address you the best congratulations of the Federation 
 Dentaire Internationale and to express you once more our appre- 
 ciation for your so valuable contribution during your whole life 
 to the dental science and for your most friendly collaboration to 
 the international work of our Federation. 
 
 We all thank you for the benefit we have received from your 
 books and papers and for the inspiration we have often gained 
 from your monthly editorial. 
 
 With my personal greetings and best wishes of good health, 
 I send you my most affectionate souvenir. 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 The President of the F.D.I. 
 
 Georges Villain. 
 
 Toronto, March 4, 1935. 
 My dear C.N. : 
 
 I rejoice in your happiness today. May you live as long as 
 you want to. 
 
 With affection and high esteem. 
 
 Your friend, 
 
 Harold (Clark) 
 
 Amsterdam. 
 March 14th, 1935. 
 Dear Doctor Johnson: 
 
 The dental world in general, the American dental profession 
 in particular will show you by her irresistible impulse to celebrate 
 your 75th birthday how proud she is of surrounding you with 
 her affection, love and respect. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 M. deBoer. 
 
 63
 
 Nippon Shikwa Ishikai 
 Tokyo, Japan. 
 
 February 5, 1935. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 May I, in behalf of the sixteen thousand members of the 
 Dental Association of Japan, convey our heartiest greetings on 
 the occasion of your birthday? You have been a great benefactor 
 to mankind and we shall always remember your great work in 
 furthering the science of dentistry. It is with great pleasure we 
 wish you the best of health and many years of service. 
 Very cordially yours, 
 
 The Dental Association of Japan, 
 Morinosuke Chiwaki, President. 
 
 Winnipeg, March 14, 1935. 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson, 
 Chicago, 111. 
 Dear Doctor: 
 
 "Greetings from the North" 
 Your friends of the George Matheson Club here, extend to 
 you their kindest congratulations and best wishes on this your 
 seventy-fifth birthday. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 D. Garnet Leckie. 
 Secretary, 
 George Matheson Club. 
 
 Toronto. 
 Feb. 27, 1935. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 To me you have always been my dental father inspired as 
 I am by the feeling of enduring respect I hold and the knowledge 
 I had that your ear was always ready to listen and your counsel 
 wise and just. What an inspiration you were! 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 George Gow. 
 
 64
 
 Atlanta, Georgia. 
 March i6, 1935. 
 To Dr. C. N. Johnson, on his seventy-fifth birthday. 
 There should be no satisfaction greater than the knowledge 
 that one's life, by reason of its wisdom, nobleness and gentleness, 
 has served as a shining example and inspiration for others. On 
 this, your seventy-fifth birthday, I want you to know that your 
 life has been such an inspiration and such an example to me, 
 and that your friendship throughout the years has been one of 
 my priceless, treasured possessions. 
 
 Sincerely and cordially, 
 
 Shepard W. Foster. 
 
 St. Paul, Minn. 
 March 15, 1935. 
 Dear Doctor Johnson: 
 
 The members and guests of the G. V. Black Dental Club, 
 of St. Paul, unite with your friends in this celebration of your 
 birthday. 
 
 Respectfully yours. 
 
 Signed by 26 members. 
 
 Paris, France. 
 Feb. 7, 1935. 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson, 
 Chicago, 111. 
 Dear Prof.: 
 
 Please accept my sincere congratulations for your seventy- 
 fifth birthday. You are the best loved and known of any man 
 in our profession. I owe my start in Paris, France to you. 
 
 I hope and pray you may have many more years to do the 
 things you love to do that make so many people happy. God be 
 with you until we meet again. 
 With love and respect. 
 
 Yours fraternally, 
 
 A. L. Hipwell, 
 
 Paris. 
 
 6s
 
 Delavan, Wis. 
 March 8, 1935. 
 My dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 I always enjoy breaking bread with you. Wishing you many 
 happy birthdays, as I leave for the south. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 J. E. Hinkins. 
 
 Chicago, 111. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 And so it is your birthday — an occasion for real congratula- 
 tions and good wishes, in which I am happy to have a share. 
 
 Affectionately, 
 
 David Dangler. 
 
 Tokyo, Feb. 28th, 1935. 
 My dear Doctor Johnson: 
 
 On your seventy-fifth birthday, may I express my sincere 
 congratulation and appreciation for your great contribution to 
 the dental profession and wish a great many more happy birth- 
 days to you. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 Tamejiro Kawakami. 
 
 New York. 
 March 3, 1935. 
 Dear Charles: 
 
 It is not the number of years that is so notable; but the 
 service you have rendered as those years have sped along; the 
 friends you have helped and cheered with your steady enthusiasm 
 for, and consecration to, sane and balanced living and duty done 
 day by day; the constant devotion to fine ideals in all the many 
 paths your feet have trod; the arriving at this seventy-fifth mile 
 stone with every man your friend and no man an enemy. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 Henry W. Gillett.
 
 Mont Clair, N. J. 
 Feb. 27, 1935. 
 My very dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 I regard myself as highly privileged in that more than forty 
 years ago I was so fortunate as to enter your office and secure 
 your advice. 
 
 It was the beginning of a friendship which has grown stronger 
 as the years have silently mounted. For you my dear friend with 
 your wide circle of sincere and devoted admirers memory will fill 
 your hours with recollection of completed undertakings and 
 difficulties overcome which will keep your spirit fresh and vigor- 
 ous during the remaining years. 
 
 Most sincerely, 
 
 W. A. lUsley. 
 
 Dairen, Manchuria. 
 Feb. 20, 1935. 
 My dear Prof. Johnson: 
 
 Let me offer to you my most sincere congratulation upon 
 the arrival of your seventy-fifth birthday, i6th of March of 
 this year. 
 
 I am very sure Dr. Johnson's fame and efforts will be appre- 
 ciated by human beings as the eternal treasures to the dentistry 
 of the world. 
 
 Most sincerely yours, 
 
 Bunshiro Ito. 
 
 St. Paul, Minn. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 On the occasion of your seventy-fifth birthday every member 
 of the Minnesota State Dental Ass'n sends his greetings to you. 
 May you continue to have health and happiness so that organized 
 dentistry may have the benefit of your timely counsel. 
 Very sincerely yours, 
 
 Minnesota State Dental Association, 
 By L. M. Cruttenden, Secretary. 
 
 (o
 
 Bombay, 15th Feb. 1935. 
 My dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 When you, my dear Dr. Johnson, are celebrating your 
 seventy-fifth birthday on March the sixteenth, of this year, it 
 is my most sincere prayer to His Most High that He may bestow 
 upon you His choicest Blessings of Life, I mean Good Health and 
 Happiness and may you celebrate your looth birthday with all 
 the good wishes of your near and dear ones, amongst whom 1 
 am one if permitted to be counted as such. 
 
 Your ever humble 
 and grateful boy, 
 
 Sorab M. Khambatta. 
 
 Tokyo, Feb. 27, 1935. 
 Dear Dr. C. N. Johnson: 
 
 I hasten to congratulate you on your seventy-fifth birthday 
 from the Far East. 
 
 It is a great pleasure to me to be able to renew the assurance 
 of my esteem and friendship for you. 
 
 May you live long in the enjoyment of every blessing this 
 world can bestow and wishing you to visit Japan in the near 
 future. 
 
 Not only is this my wish, but the entire Japanese Dental 
 profession wishes it. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 Chikayoshi Koyama, 
 Taneka Koyama. 
 
 Monte Carlo. 
 My dear C. N.: 
 
 It is with the greatest pleasure I can wish you many, many 
 happy returns of the day, on this festive occasion I shall raise 
 my glass and drink to you, with every good wish, now and 
 ever more. 
 
 I am as always, 
 
 Lou Mitchell. 
 
 68
 
 Tomahawk, Wis. 
 March 9, 1935. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 I am sure that YOUR BOYS, scattered throughout the 
 world are all thinking the same as I am today that because of 
 you and your work, our profession is much richer, more efficient 
 than it might otherwise have been. 
 
 With a heart full of love, and immeasurable admiration for 
 your great work, I am, 
 
 Fraternally yours, 
 
 Will, 
 W. I. Macfarlane. 
 
 London, Eng. 
 28th, Feb. 1935. 
 My dear C. N.: 
 
 Three quarters of a century! 
 Whatever you have done or not done — whatever your genius 
 may have been for other things, I do know that you have had 
 a genius for friendship. This is so rare a gift that I must speak 
 of it and say, simply, thank you for including me under its 
 magic spell. To know that this friendship still comes to me over 
 the wide seas is a blessing in itself. 
 So— 
 
 Here's to one of the best of men. 
 To our lifelong friend, our dear C.N. 
 May his spirit endure for many a day 
 To endow our affections forever and aye. 
 
 Ever, 
 
 Sidney McCallin. 
 
 Toronto. 
 To C. N. Johnson: 
 
 Affectionate good wishes and sincere congratulations to you, 
 my dear friend and confidant, on the occasion of the celebration 
 of your seventy-fifth birthday. 
 
 Wallace Seccombe. 
 
 69
 
 Auckland, N. Z. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 The members of the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand 
 Dental Association feel that they would like to be with you on 
 the occasion of your seventy-fifth birthday celebration. The 
 cherished memory of your visit to this city, and the many favors 
 and courtesies extended to members visiting your city, can never 
 be forgotten. 
 
 Wishing you very many happy returns of the occasion. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 E. P. Hylton Nash, 
 President. 
 
 Florida. 
 Tell C. N. that I will move my anniversary back one day if 
 he will move his up one day and we will then join St. Patrick 
 in celebrating in the future. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 F. E. Roach. 
 
 New York City. 
 My dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 I feel signally happy to be able to participate on the occasion 
 of your seventy-fifth birthday by sending you these few words 
 of greeting. 
 
 What immediately comes to my mind is that it is not so 
 much that you have covered a long span of seventy-five years, 
 as it is the manner in which you can look back upon the mile- 
 stones of those seventy-five years. 
 
 "That it is better to give than to receive" you have exem- 
 plified in your life to an extent which your friends and those 
 who come in contact with you well know. 
 
 That you may continue enjoying many more useful, happy 
 years is the sincere wish of 
 
 Your friend, 
 
 Ira Nelson Morris. 
 
 70
 
 Tokyo, Japan. 
 My dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 Birthday felicitations from one who has always thought it 
 a privilege and an honor to know you. Your long years of good 
 service are a great blessing to mankind. May you continue your 
 work in good health. 
 
 With very best wishes, 
 
 Faithfully yours, 
 
 Kengo Moriya. 
 
 Tokyo, Japan. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 My heartiest felicitations to you on your seventy-fifth birth- 
 day. May this happy event return many, many times to you in 
 your unselfish life. 
 
 Your kindness to me personally and my countrymen who 
 have been to your country will never be forgotten. 
 
 That God bless you with a very happy long life of peace, 
 plenty and prosperity is the constant prayer of 
 Tsurukichi Okumura, 
 
 (Dean Tokyo Dental College.) 
 
 Chicago, 111, 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 My heartiest congratulations to you on reaching the 75th 
 milestone in your life's eventful journey. Certainly it has been 
 a great thing to have lived through the most wonderful, thrilling 
 and interesting period of all time as you have seen practically 
 all the wonders of the modern world. It must be a great satis- 
 faction to look back over the important part that you have had 
 in the development of one of our sciences which has meant so 
 much to man's comfort and happiness. 
 
 Wishing you the best of everything for the next quarter, 
 I am. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 R. T. Miller, Jr. 
 
 71
 
 Chicago, III. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 May you have many more birthdays and much happiness 
 all along the way. 
 
 With great esteem and affection, 
 
 Your old patient, 
 
 Ella Morton. 
 
 Ontario Dental Association. 
 Dear "C. N.": 
 
 The dentists of Ontario send sincere greetings and best 
 wishes on your seventy-fifth birthday and desire for you many 
 years of health and happiness. 
 
 A really great man is God's best gift to humanity. 
 
 Fraternally yours, 
 
 Fred J. Conboy, Sec. 
 
 Calgary, Alberta. 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson 
 On his 75th birthday anniversary. 
 Echoes from the foothills of the Canadian Rockies you love 
 so well. 
 
 As I pen these lines to wish you health and happiness 
 through all your succeeding years, I am filled with recollections 
 of the splendid contributions you have made and are making to 
 the Dental profession, and of your personal kindness to me on 
 many occasions. 
 
 Sincerely your friend, 
 
 W. H. Piper. 
 
 Omaha, Nebraska. 
 To Charlie Johnson on his 75th birthday: 
 
 I send love and most ardent good wishes for myself and for 
 the dental profession, to whom you mean so much, we wish you 
 continued happiness and usefulness. 
 
 Jimmy (Prime). 
 
 72
 
 Tokyo, Japan. 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 I trust that an Imperishable honor and great service of your 
 work gives to the dental profession will permanently be trans- 
 mitted to posterity. 
 
 With my hearty congratulation, 
 Most sincerely yours, 
 Ichigoro Nakahara, 
 
 President, Nippon Dental College. 
 
 Tokyo. 
 Dr. C. N, Johnson, 
 My dear old Father: 
 
 I heard that your 75th birthday is coming next month. I 
 am very glad as well as the rest of your boys scattered all over 
 the world. 
 
 Praying you would live long enough to multiply the number 
 of your birthday of this year, many many times. 
 With best wishes. 
 
 Ever your Boy, 
 Kazuo Sato, 
 
 (Dean Nihon University 
 Dental College). 
 
 Peoria, 111. 
 
 My dear "C. N.": 
 
 For the inspiration which has come into my life because of 
 your life, I am deeply grateful. 
 
 For the compliment implied in the fact of your avowed, 
 loyal, and long continuing friendship, I am truly appreciative. 
 
 May your vision remain unclouded and your feet firm to 
 carry you always forward. 
 
 With a heart full of good wishes for you and yours on this 
 your natal day, I am as always. 
 
 Yours fraternally, 
 
 Arthur G. Smith. 
 
 73
 
 Halifax, Nova Scotia. 
 My dear C.N. : 
 
 Well! Well! only 75 today! 
 
 Please accept loving congratulations from George Kerr 
 Thomson. 
 
 I prize exceedingly my personal contacts with you on various 
 occasions, and although you may not be aware of it your example 
 and advice have been of much benefit to me, as doubtless, they 
 have been to many others. 
 
 Yours fraternally, 
 
 George. 
 
 Hamilton, Ontario. 
 Dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 I would like to join the host of friends who are bringing 
 you salutations on your birthday. We do congratulate you that 
 you have reached three quarters of a century with so splendid 
 a record of accomplishment, and so warm a place in the hearts 
 of your friends. 
 
 Many, many good wishes from 
 
 Your friends, 
 Walter G. Thompson and 
 Ontario Inter-Urban Boys. 
 
 Winnipeg, Manitoba. 
 My dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 Life's Autumn with its memories 
 Of golden years now through 
 Should be each day in every way 
 A happy time for you. 
 
 A time of deep fulfillment 
 And so this wish sincere 
 Is for the best and happiest 
 In life year after year. 
 
 Your friend, 
 
 Bill Taylor. 
 
 74
 
 Paris, France. 
 Monsieur de Docteur et cher confrere: 
 
 Nous profitons de votre 75 erne anniversaire pour vous 
 adresser, au nom de I'Ecole dentaire de Paris, nos plus sinceres 
 voeux et felicitations. 
 
 A cette occasion, nous sommes heureux de pouvoir vous 
 exprimer notre profonde estime et de rendre un hommage recon- 
 naissant a votre remarquable oeuvre scientifique dont nous avons 
 tous largement profite, anisi qu'a votre role preponderant dans 
 le developpement de I'enseignement dentaire. 
 
 Avec mes voeux personnels et mon tres cordial souvenir, je 
 vous adresse, monsieur et Docteur et cher confrere, I'expression de 
 mes meilleurs sentiments. 
 
 le President 
 Directeur General, 
 A. Blakly, 
 
 Societe de I'Ecole et du 
 Dispensaire Dentaires de Paris. 
 
 Girard, Ohio. 
 My dear classmate Dr. C. N. Johnson: 
 
 I congratulate you most heartily on your 75th birthday 
 and wish you the very best that good fortune has to give and 
 all the many extra things that make life sweet to live. 
 
 From, 
 
 Wachter. 
 
 The Hague, Holland. 
 My very dear Dr. Johnson: 
 
 I am glad to have once more the opportunity to tell you 
 how much I owe you, how great your influence has been in my 
 life, not only upon my career as a dentist, but on my life in 
 general. I am proud and I am happy that I am one of your 
 "boys." 
 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 Van Hasselt. 
 
 75
 
 Mendota, III. 
 My dear Doctor: 
 
 I congratulate you on your good health and good cheer after 
 the many years you spent at your chosen profession. 
 
 Very cordially yours, 
 
 Adolph G. Tesche. 
 
 St. Paul. 
 Doctor C. N. Johnson: 
 
 The Fates in their shop were busy one day, 
 They worked at their best in a marvelous way. 
 They talked and they smiled and they drew up a pla^ 
 To better the world by creating a man. 
 
 And they danced and they sang in triumphal glee 
 Oh come all the world a marvel to see! 
 We have molded a tender souled, kind thinking man 
 And if you would search in the temple of Fame, 
 You will read "C. N. Johnson, the doctor his name." 
 
 A. H. Wedelstaedt. 
 
 Hilo, T. H. 
 Dear "Daddy" Johnson: 
 
 It makes me one of the happiest "one of your sons" to 
 congratulate you, on your 75th birthday anniversary. 
 
 Your "son of 1926," 
 
 Shorichi Yoshina. 
 
 Rome, Italy. 
 Giulio Cesare Zunini always remembering. With much grati- 
 tude his great teacher Professor C. N. Johnson, presents to him, 
 with his devoted homage, the best wishes for his coming seventy- 
 fifth birthday, hoping for him many and happy years of peaceful 
 life. Professor Johnson ad multos annos for you, for your family 
 and for your friends. 
 
 76
 
 MEMORIAL TRIBUTES 
 FROM THE WORLD OF DENTISTRY 
 
 Chicago College of Dental Surgery 
 Dental Department of Loyola University 
 
 RESOLUTION 
 
 Whereas, It has pleased Almighty Providence to remove 
 the distinguished senior member of our faculty and one of our 
 most revered co-workers, Dean of Students C. N. Johnson, who 
 started his career as an instructor in Chicago College of Dental 
 Surgery in 1885 and has served in the capacity of Professor of 
 Operative Dentistry for forty-eight years, and 
 
 Whereas, His ability as a teacher, his artistic skill as an 
 operator and his prolific writings as an author of dental textbooks 
 and of rhyme and prose or general subjects, coupled with his 
 superb editorial in "The Dental Review," "Desmos," and "The 
 Journal of the American Dental Association," have brought him 
 renown throughout the world, which has been of inestimable 
 value to the school as he climbed round after round of the ladder 
 which made him the best known and most beloved member of 
 the dental profession, and 
 
 Whereas, His kindly counsel and constant inspiration to 
 the students and members of our faculty will be sadly missed, 
 be it hereby 
 
 Resolved: That our deep regret at his loss, and this 
 expression of appreciation of his noble influence upon our faculty 
 as a whole and upon each of us as individuals be inscribed upon 
 our minutes, and copies forwarded to members of his bereft 
 family to whom we extend heartfelt sympathy. 
 
 Wm. H. S. Logan, Dean, 
 P. G. Puterbaugh, Secretary. 
 
 77
 
 Chicago Dental Society 
 Charles Nelson Johnson 
 
 At a regular meeting of the members of the Chicago Dental 
 Society held on January seventeenth, nineteen hundred and 
 thirty-nine, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted: 
 
 Whereas, the hand of death has removed from our midst one 
 of our most beloved and illustrious members 
 
 Charles Nelson Johnson 
 
 And whereas, it was given to him to spend over half a 
 century in unceasing and joyous effort to extend the scope, the 
 usefulness, the ethics, the dignity and the prestige of our 
 profession 
 
 And Whereas, he could ever be relied upon for wise counsel, 
 for friendly assistance, for magnanimous courage, and energetic 
 leadership and 
 
 Whereas, he was known throughout the world as a distin- 
 guished scholar, practitioner and friend, therefore be it 
 
 Resolved, that we recognize in his passing an exceedingly 
 great loss to ourselves, to our society, to our profession and to 
 humanity; and be it further 
 
 Resolved, that this resolution be made a part of the perma- 
 nent record of this society and a copy thereof presented to the 
 bereaved members of Doctor Johnson's family. 
 
 Committee 
 
 Frank G. Conklin, 
 Franklin B. Clemmer, 
 Warren Willman. 
 
 D. W. Adams, President, 
 Fred F. Molt, Secretary. 
 
 78
 
 Chicago Dental Assistants Ass'n. 
 
 "In Memoriam" Resolutions 
 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson. 
 
 Whereas, it pleased Almighty God, to call to his eternal 
 rest our former counsellor and beloved friend, Dr. Charles Nelson 
 Johnson, who, as the founder and organizer of the Chicago Dental 
 Assistants Association, gave his untiring efforts during our first 
 struggling years; and 
 
 Whereas, his years of service and loving devotion to the 
 problems and needs of our organization, who, by his sterling 
 qualities, has endeared himself to us individually and to us as a 
 body; Therefore 
 
 We, the members of the Chicago Dental Assistants Associa- 
 tion filled with a most profound regret at the death of our 
 beloved friend and counsellor, Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson, are 
 moved with deepest sympathy for his daughters. Therefore be it 
 
 Resolved, that this resolution be spread upon the minutes 
 of this organization and copies thereof be sent to his daughters 
 as a testimonial of our sympathy and condolence. 
 
 Ida A. Williamson, President, 
 Helen Meyer, Secretary. 
 
 Dental Protective Association. 
 Charles Nelson Johnson. 
 
 During the past year death has taken the most beloved 
 and best known of our members. Recognition of his passing 
 has been made in every dental publication, and at our annual 
 meeting it is appropriate that the Dental Protective Association 
 of the United States also acknowledge officially its recognition 
 of his service to the dental profession made possible through 
 his membership in our organization. 
 
 Born and reared near Toronto, Canada, Dr. Johnson lived 
 in Chicago, shared our joys and our sorrows, and sympathized 
 with us in our disappointments since 1884. On July 17, 1938 he 
 
 79
 
 peacefully slept into the Great Beyond, leaving the ineffaceable 
 imprints of his kindly manner, his scholarly attainments, his 
 superb leadership and his close companionship engrossed in the 
 memories of all of our members. 
 
 Intimately associated with Dr. J. N. Grouse, whose untiring 
 efforts resulted in the formation of the Dental Protective Associa- 
 tion of the United States, he rendered invaluable assistance to 
 the dental profession and to the pubHc in furthering the objec- 
 tives of the Association, thereby elevating the ethical standards 
 of dentistry. 
 
 During the fifty-six years he exerted his influence in our 
 midst he aided dentistry to divest itself of its former cloak of 
 commercialism and to attain the high ethical status it now 
 occupies. 
 
 In recognition of his helpfulness, his innumerable splendid 
 qualities and virtues which have aided this Association, be it 
 hereby 
 
 Resolved: that in his passing the Dental Protective Associa- 
 tion of the United States takes cognizance of its great loss and 
 conveys to his bereft family its deepest sympathy. 
 
 Donald M. Gallie, President, 
 
 P. G. Puterbaugh, Vice-President. 
 
 Marquette University. 
 
 Milwaukee, Wis. 
 
 September 26, 1938. 
 
 Whereas, The world has lost a great humanitarian philoso- 
 pher, teacher, scientist, and journalist in the passing of Dr. 
 Charles Nelson Johnson, and 
 
 Whereas, his loss is felt most keenly by his colleagues in 
 the dental profession and particularly by those who are engaged 
 in the work of dental education, and who have been most directly 
 benefited and influenced by his life of service, and 
 
 80
 
 Whereas, he will be missed as much for his kindly qualities 
 and his loyalty as a friend as he will be for his abilities as a 
 leader of his profession, therefore be it 
 
 Resolved: By the members of the Faculty of Dentistry of 
 Marquette University in meeting assembled that we share in 
 the grief of the members of his family and of the members of 
 Faculty of the Loyola University, Chicago College of Dental 
 Surgery, on which he served with such distinction for fifty-three 
 years, and be it further 
 
 Resolved: that these resolutions be incorporated in the 
 minutes of the Faculty and that copies be sent to the members 
 of the immediate family of our late friend and to the Secretary 
 of the Dental Faculty of the Loyola University. 
 
 R. G. Haukol, 
 
 Secretary, Dental School. 
 
 Milwaukee County Dental Society. 
 
 Milwaukee, Wis. 
 
 In Memoriam. 
 
 Whereas, It has pleased the Almighty to remove from our 
 midst, by death, our esteemed educator and editor, 
 
 C. N. Johnson, 
 who has for many years occupied a prominent rank in our midst, 
 always showing a great interest in the advancement of his 
 profession, maintaining under all circumstances a character un- 
 tarnished, and a reputation above reproach. Therefore be it 
 
 Resolved: That we have sustained the loss of a friend whose 
 fellowship it has been an honor and a pleasure to enjoy; that 
 we bear willing testimony to his many virtues, to his integrity 
 and stainless life; that we offer to his bereaved family and 
 mourning friends, our heartfelt condolence and sympathy, and 
 pray that Infinite Goodness may bring speedy relief to their 
 burdened hearts. 
 
 8i
 
 Resolved: That a copy of these resolutions be spread on the 
 minutes of our records and that a copy be presented to the 
 family of our deceased friend. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 The Milwaukee County Dental Society, 
 G. N. Lione, President. 
 S. T. Dohrman, Secretary. 
 Committee 
 J. P. Justin, 
 Louis D. McCudden. 
 
 Nippon Dental College. 
 
 Tokyo, Japan. 
 
 Condolence. 
 
 Our honourable Dr. C. N. Johnson, in the dental profession 
 has been suddenly passed away. Rarely you were a great 
 authority particularly on the operative dentistry, and the repu- 
 tation was quite acknowledged amongst the dental profession in 
 every part of the world; moreover you devoted a half of your 
 life as an editor of the dental journal beside the dental education 
 in America, and also a numerous research work regarding the 
 operative dentistry had been done by your constant endeavour. 
 
 Suddenly, I have heard the news of your death, and a crowd 
 of emotions were awakened in my breast; there is nothing but 
 the attitude that I will pray to the soul recalHng your gentle 
 figure I saw ever. 
 
 Alas! You are dead and gone! However the great scientific 
 achievements you left there will permanently contribute an 
 instructive light to a further dentist. 
 
 I here respectfully express a funeral oration and sincerely 
 pray to the repose of your soul. 
 
 Ichigoro Nakahara, Hon. Pres. 
 82
 
 Northwestern University. 
 Chicago, III. 
 
 Resolutions of the Death of 
 Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson. 
 
 The faculty of Northwestern University Dental School re- 
 grets the passing of Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson, late Dean of 
 Students of the Chicago College of Dental Surgery. His loss will 
 be more keenly felt than words can express by those in the 
 dental profession who had the privilege of knowing him. 
 
 His genial personality was a contributing factor in all of 
 the activities in which he participated and the valuable con- 
 tributions that he has made to dental education have made him 
 known throughout the country. 
 
 Wherefore, be it resolved that we extend to our colleagues 
 in the faculty of the Chicago College of Dental Surgery and to 
 the family of Doctor Johnson our profound sympathy and sincere 
 appreciation of the loss they have sustained. 
 
 Furthermore, that copies of these resolutions be sent to the 
 faculty of the Chicago College of Dental Surgery and to his 
 family, and that they be made a part of the minutes of our 
 faculty proceedings. 
 
 Edgar W. Swanson, 
 
 Secretary of the Faculty. 
 
 Odontographic Society. 
 Resolution. 
 Whereas, Almighty God has called to eternal rest our beloved 
 friend and fellow member, Charles Nelson Johnson, M.A., L.D.S., 
 L.L.D., D.D.S. 
 
 "Titles of honor add not to his worth 
 Who is himself all honor to his title." 
 Whereas, In the loss of our distinguished confrere, the 
 Odontographic Society of the Chicago and Dental profession 
 throughout the World has suffered an incalculable loss. 
 
 His long professional life was devoted to educational and 
 editorial endeavors that have been the inspiration of thousands. 
 
 83
 
 His memory will be revered and the inspiration of his life 
 and works remain so long as the dental profession endures. 
 
 He sought constantly to win for his profession a full measure 
 of public confidence and esteem and he unswervingly followed 
 the loftier ideals of practice and living that characterized his 
 teaching. 
 
 He possessed all the qualities that are inherent in leadership 
 and with them a rare charm, great sympathy and understanding 
 that won universal deference and made of him the most beloved 
 of our leaders. 
 
 He was our intimate associate but he belonged to the world 
 of dentistry and the dental world delighted to honor him. 
 
 He was, at the close of his eminent career Editor of the 
 Journal of the American Dental Association and Dean of men 
 of the Chicago College of Dental Surgery. He was a fellow of 
 this Society, a Past President of the American Dental Association, 
 the Illinois State Dental Society, the Chicago Dental Society, 
 the Odontological Society of Chicago, the American Association 
 of Dental Editors and Past Supreme Grand Master of Delta 
 Sigma Delta. 
 
 He was a Fellow and Past President of the American College 
 of Dentists, Honorary member of dental societies throughout 
 the world, recipient of the Jarvie medal, the Jenkins medal, the 
 Callahan award medal, these are but a few of the honors be- 
 stowed by a grateful profession. 
 
 We who enjoyed the inestimable privilege of intimate friend- 
 ship give thanks for his life and cherish his memory; therefore, 
 be it 
 
 Resolved: That the Odontographic Society of Chicago in 
 regular session, October tenth, nineteen hundred and thirty-eight, 
 express sorrow and pay tribute to the memory of Charles Nelson 
 Johnson, and be it further 
 
 Resolved: That the secretary be instructed to inscribe these 
 resolutions in our minutes book and send copies thereof to his 
 bereaved children. 
 
 A. B. Patterson. 
 Chicago, Illinois. 
 
 84
 
 The Peoria District Dental Society. 
 Peoria, Illinois. 
 
 A Tribute by the Peoria District Society to the Memory of 
 
 Charles Nelson Johnson. 
 
 A telegram came to many of us one morning, saying that 
 Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson was dead, and we were saddened by 
 this unwelcome tidings. 
 
 But Charles Nelson Johnson, will never die, no matter if his 
 tired heart has ceased to beat. 
 
 His influence in the Dental World will be felt long after 
 every one now living shall have passed away, and because he 
 lived, the children of many generations shall call him Blessed. 
 
 To those of us who knew him, he was an inspiration, a model 
 to be copied, a friend to be loved. 
 
 Honored beyond most men in his chosen profession, respected 
 as a public citizen, foremost in every good word and work, 
 cheerful and affable in manner, considerate with those who 
 differed with him, gentle with the erring, but firm as the ever- 
 lasting hills when truth and honor were involved — 
 "We ne'er shall see his like again." 
 
 Respected by his acquaintances, loved by his friends, and 
 mourned by all, the world will be lonesome without him. 
 
 "Ye saw his deeds, 
 
 The name that dwells on every tongue — 
 
 No Minstrel needs." 
 
 The Cleveland Dental Society. 
 
 Fifty-seven years after he began the practice of dentistry 
 death came quietly on July 17, 1938 to Charles Nelson Johnson. 
 The Dental profession has lost one of its most able and enthu- 
 siastic champions. Few indeed will be given the privilege and 
 
 85
 
 will take the responsibilities, to so energetically devote them- 
 selves to joining our profession with such a glorious company 
 of men to serve as model for the fair beginning of our time. 
 
 Fortified by a sturdy ancestry, with the legacy of a consti- 
 tution of Puritanical New England and the sturdy Pennsylvania 
 Dutch ancestry, and being inspired with a zeal to help construct 
 and improve this great profession of ours, he was well equipped 
 to carry the tremendous labors required to attain his ambitions. 
 
 Though born in Canada, where he received his academic 
 training, he was, with all one of the most enthusiastic and loyal 
 of American citizens. His ethical principles were of so high a 
 standard that through his noble character and right living, he 
 so endeared himself to his friends that he has been known as 
 the best loved man of our profession. Those who as students had 
 the privilege of his training idolized him; a remarkable teacher 
 with charity for all and unselfish giving of all that was in him 
 that he might make of us better dentists and better men. True 
 to his teaching, that honor and honesty have no substitutes, his 
 life has been a guide and a benediction to most of us. Himself 
 a highly skilled operator, he inspired a spirit of accomplishment, 
 that made forever increasing standards of dental practice a health 
 service to humanity. His attainments were acknowledged the 
 world over by the gift of the highest honors to be bestowed by 
 our profession. It would be impossible to enumerate his accom- 
 plishments. Suffice it to say, he was our most prolific writer, 
 author, poet, a great teacher, administrator and editor, one of the 
 outstanding men of our generation with a civic sense of duty 
 second to none. His philosophy of life which he so often said, 
 was work; with his ability to win friends and keep them reacted 
 always to the welfare to the profession he loved so well. He held 
 the banner of personal and professional ethics aloft, making him 
 a fitting leader who did much to mold the ethical principles of 
 a rapidly growing profession. Surely he has left us the un- 
 forgetable legacy of a well ordered life filled with worth while 
 accomplishments. Charles Nelson Johnson has reared for himself 
 by his work and his life a monument more lasting than bronze. 
 
 86
 
 Whereas, a Divine Providence has taken Dr. Johnson from 
 us and 
 
 Whereas, we wish to assure his family of our deep sympathy, 
 Be it resolved that these expressions be inscribed on our 
 minutes and a copy be sent to the family. 
 
 The Committee, 
 
 Arthur J. Brown, 
 
 Thomas J. Hill, 
 
 John F. Stephan, Chairman. 
 
 University of Montevideo, Uruguay. 
 En nombre del Consejo Directivo de la Facultad de Odon- 
 tologia de la Universidad de Montevideo, de mi presidencia, y 
 realizando la resolucion tomada por el en su ultima sesion y por 
 voto unanime de sus miembros, cabeme cumplir el penoso deber 
 de dirigirme a Vd., en la dolorosa oportunidad en que la Odon- 
 tologia mundial lamenta la caida de una de sus mas brillantes 
 columnas: el ilustra professor Doctor C. N. Johnson, reciente- 
 mente fallecido, y a fin de hacerle presents las mas sinceras y 
 sentidas condolencias de esta Facultad. 
 
 Al hacer llegar a Vd. el sentimiento de pesar de este Instituto, 
 ofrezcole las seguridades de mi mas alta consideration. 
 
 Santiago Sartori, 
 
 Decano. 
 Angel Panigatti, 
 Secretario. 
 
 Winnebago County Dental Society. 
 
 In the removal from this sphere of usefulness of our beloved 
 friend Dr. Chas. Nelson Johnson; we, the members of the 
 Winnebago County Dental Society, bow in humble submission 
 to the omnipotent and omniscient Being who gives and takes our 
 temporal lives as seemeth best to Him. 
 
 To many of us Dr. C. N. Johnson was a favorite instructor 
 in the Chicago College of Dental Surgery, and we remember most 
 
 87
 
 vividly the hours of intelligent and friendly effort he gave us, 
 trying to instill into our minds, hearts, and hands, the high ideals 
 and principles that made and controlled his own professional life. 
 
 The love and reverence we have always felt for him prove 
 that His Boys caught and reflected, at least some of his inspira- 
 tion and ambitions for thoroughness in training, and intelligent, 
 faithful accomplishment of our duties as truly ethical members 
 of our profession. To all who knew him he was a true, and 
 helpful friend. 
 
 We shall sadly miss him in all our Dental Meetings for he 
 was always present, and working for their success. 
 
 We truly are grateful we have had so many years of fellow- 
 ship and friendship with such a splendid example of the best in 
 Dentistry. 
 
 To his family we extend our most sincere sympathy in their 
 bereavement. 
 
 Clinton B. Helm, 
 Frank A. Weld, 
 A. M. Harrison. 
 
 Tributes from the World of Dentistry. 
 From the President of the American Dental Association, 
 
 C. WiLLARD Camalier: 
 
 In the death of Dr. C. N. Johnson, dentistry has lost a great 
 man. He was not only a splendid dentist, but an outstanding 
 editor. His defense of dentistry's traditions and ideals will forever 
 remain a remarkable tribute to him and will serve as a foundation 
 stone for the future progress of our great profession. It will be 
 exceedingly difficult to replace Dr. Johnson in the lives and 
 hearts of the dentists of the United States — aye, of the world — 
 because he was recognized as an authority in his field, an insti- 
 tution insofar as dental journalism was concerned, and an 
 unquestioned humanitarian. The entire dental profession bows 
 in grief at this irreparable loss. 
 
 88
 
 From the Associate Editor of the Journal of the 
 American Dental Association, 
 
 L. Pierce Anthony, 
 
 In the death of Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson on Sunday, July 
 17, the dental profession lost one of its most able and enthusiastic 
 champions. From practically the beginning of his career he had 
 devoted almost his entire energies to the upholding and elevating 
 of educational, moral, and cultural standards of the dental 
 profession. Himself a highly skilled operator, he instilled in his 
 students and in all with whom he came in contact a spirit of 
 accomplishment that made for the ever-increasing benefits of 
 dental practice as a health service to humanity. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was without doubt the most prolific writer the 
 dental profession has ever known and his writings, supplementing 
 as they did, his teaching efforts, enabled him to maintain a 
 continuity of influence upon his students after graduation and 
 far into practice that produced a group of practitioners whose 
 professional integrity has done much to establish and maintain a 
 notable standard of dental practice in Chicago and throughout 
 the middle West, and indeed throughout the world. 
 
 A native of Canada and a graduate of the Royal College of 
 Surgeons of Toronto, he sought to enlarge his professional knowl- 
 edge by adding to it the American or United States point of 
 vantage. Accordingly he entered the Chicago College of Dental 
 Surgery after practicing in Canada for two years, and he became 
 so impressed with the possibilities of a professional career in the 
 United States that immediately after the attainment of the 
 D.D.S. degree he established himself in practice in Chicago, and 
 it was from here that he exercised and broadened the scope of 
 his influence upon the dental world. 
 
 Soon after his graduation he became affiliated with his Alma 
 Mater in the capacity of instructor in anatomy and in the 
 operative technics. In his early teaching career he was associated 
 with Cushing, Gilmer, Black, Noyes and Brophy, and the result 
 of that association aroused an ambition of accomplishment that 
 culminated in a career fully equal to the careers of those noble- 
 
 89
 
 men of the pioneer days of dentistrj^ a career in which circum- 
 stances enabled him to exercise a leavening influence through 
 personal association and contact upon the trend and development 
 of the profession equaled by few. 
 
 Dr. Johnson's greatest influence upon dentistry was through 
 personal friendships, which in later years became his most valued 
 possessions. Some noted sage who knew and appreciated the 
 worth of friendship has said that to make a friend is an event, 
 but to hold one is an accomplishment. This is true of many 
 men, but with C. N. Johnson the implication of effort to hold 
 friendship was never applicable. Friendship was his life, and 
 once having developed a friendship he cultivated it assiduously, 
 until it became firm, cherished, and uneradicable. 
 
 The writer has known Dr. Johnson from the beginning of his 
 (the writer's) career, and although of a younger generation and 
 therefore necessarily of a different period, he has long known 
 and appreciated the worth of this great mentor of the dental 
 profession, whose capacity for friendship was always a source of 
 wonderment, not to say envy, for the evident sheer joy and 
 pleasure that he derived from association with his friends afforded 
 more than a hundredfold return for the obligations which friend- 
 ships impose. 
 
 In the writer's later contacts in dentistry, after becoming 
 associated with Dr. Johnson, it has been a constant marvel to 
 note the extent and scope of his friendships. It seems that almost 
 every man in dentistry has at one time or another come under 
 the friendly influence of Dr. Johnson. He possessed in large 
 degree the infallible formula for friendship namely, to have 
 friends, one must be a friend. 
 
 As an editor of "The Bur," then "The Dental Review," then 
 the "Desmos" of Delta Sigma Delta dental fraternity and, finally, 
 of The "Journal of the American Dental Association," and as 
 contributing editor of "Oral Health," he enjoyed for his volumi- 
 nous writings avenues of publication of a variety and scope that 
 insured a profession-wide influence. His obligations to his fellow 
 dentists and his responsibilities to his profession he took most 
 seriously, and his every thought was to never miss an opportunity 
 
 90
 
 to discharge these obligations and responsibilities in a manner 
 worthy of the exalted standard that he early established for 
 himself. 
 
 Mere words seem utterly inadequate, at least those under 
 command of the writer, to sing the praises of this great man, 
 "the most loved man in the dental profession." 
 
 From the Editor of "Desmos." 
 Harold Hillenbrand. 
 
 In Delta Sigma Delta, Dr. Johnson was a past Grand Master 
 of the Chicago Auxiliary as well as a Past Supreme Grand 
 Master, 1920-1921. Dr. Johnson also, at one time, was the editor 
 of "Desmos." 
 
 In the loss of Dr. Johnson — writer, editor, teacher, clinician, 
 orator and friend — the fraternity, the profession and the hundreds 
 who were his friends suffer a notable loss. His heritage of dignity, 
 humanity and learning will long be one of the riches of those 
 who practice dentistry. 
 
 Harold Hillenbrand, Editor. 
 
 From the President of 
 The Canadian Dental Association. 
 
 Stephen A. Moore. 
 
 "A thinker of pure thoughts, a speaker of brave words, a 
 doer of generous deeds has reached the silent haven that all dead 
 have reached and where the voyage of every life must end. The 
 world was his country, to do good his religion." These words, 
 the words of a famous orator, occur to me as I read the telegram 
 advising me of the death of Charles Nelson Johnson. Two weeks 
 ago at this very hour, I was privileged to be at a dinner in 
 Vancouver with Dr. Johnson, where he delivered one of his usual 
 inspiring addresses at the alumni of the University of Toronto. 
 
 Dr. Johnson has always held a very dear place in the hearts 
 
 91
 
 of the members of the dental profession in Canada. He was one 
 of our own sons, having been born in Brock Township, Ontario, 
 in i860. He graduated from the Royal College of Dental Sur- 
 geons, now the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Toronto, 
 in 1881. Believing that the larger centers offered greater oppor- 
 tunities, he took up his residence and practiced his profession in 
 Chicago, but from time to time, as the occasion permitted, he 
 visited different parts of Canada, not only renewing his old friend- 
 ships but also making new ones. He was an ambassador of good 
 will and a large factor in the promotion and cultivation of the 
 splendid spirit of professional co-operation and good will existing 
 between the dentists of the United States and Canada. 
 
 His high ideals and great enthusiasm in matters pertaining 
 not only to dentistry, but also to the general welfare of the 
 people, were a stimulus and an inspiration to everyone who knew 
 him. He was a believer in intellectual hospitality, the fair 
 exchange of thought, in good mental manners, in the amenities 
 of the soul, and in the chivalry of discussion. To know him 
 was to love him. 
 
 Dr. Johnson's character was based on truth and honesty. 
 He understood human nature and was sympathetic to, and 
 tolerant of, our shortcomings. He followed the light and truth 
 and his face was always toward the rising sun. 
 
 In the death of Dr. Johnson, the Canadian Dental Associa- 
 tion has lost one of its most beloved and revered friends. He was 
 ever willing and anxious to assist in the promotion and advance- 
 ment of the interests of his chosen profession in the land of his 
 birth. May I, on behalf of the Canadian Dental Association, 
 express our deep regret and extend to his family and friends 
 our sympathy. 
 
 From His Native Land, 
 Father William E. Cummer. 
 
 When the first news came, it almost seemed for a moment 
 as if it could not have been — that his clear eyes were closed in 
 death, that his resonant voice was hushed and his hands, so often 
 
 92
 
 stretched forth in warm handclasp, were stilled, and that already 
 his body had gone to its resting-place, and his soul to its Maker. 
 To us who are left behind and must one day follow him on this 
 last journey, there remains together with a lonely ache, the 
 memory of his life and his example. 
 
 To his friends — they were legion — it seemed as if, motivating 
 his great soul, there were all of the virtues. But one seemed to 
 permeate, illuminate, and dominate his every thought, word and 
 deed — the queen of what we are accustomed to call the theo- 
 logical virtues and indeed of all virtues — that of Caritas, its 
 original Latin name, which suffers in its English translation of 
 Charity. Such was the noble generosity of his nature, and the 
 exquisitely thoughtful quality of his true courtesy — that wherever 
 he was known he was loved, by his professional brothers, his 
 pupils, his patients, his associates, and indeed everyone, young or 
 old, of every station in life with whom he came into contact. For 
 this reason, whenever he entered a public gathering of his pro- 
 fession, it seemed that, as if by a single impulse, all would tend 
 to move towards him, or to give him a place of honor. His pro- 
 fessional learning and skill won him almost every honor and 
 distinction that a grateful profession could offer. 
 
 It is needless to recall his intellectual virtues — his wisdom, 
 understanding and the depth and breadth of his scientific learn- 
 ing; — and, on the practical side, his power, not only in the 
 management of human affairs, dealing with rational human 
 beings, but also in the technical procedures of his profession, 
 dealing for the most part with dental materials. To have seen 
 him in clinic, during the days of gold-foil manipulation, was an 
 experience never to be forgotten — and we well know how his 
 powers extended beyond these useful arts into one of the fine 
 arts — as the quality of his contributions to the literature of his 
 profession, and also of his verse, bear ample witness. 
 
 That he possessed in a high degree the mortal virtues is 
 manifest to all who knew him. He was, using the word in its 
 highest sense, a prudent man, yet his love of justice and its 
 associate virtue truth, was almost a passion with him. Never 
 would he spare himself that truth and justice should be served. 
 
 93
 
 if that end lay within his power — and while moderate in his use 
 of the good things of life, his fortitude, when he was aroused, 
 was splendid. 
 
 And now the soul of Charles Nelson Johnson, who loved his 
 fellow men and all that was good, beautiful and true in the world 
 has gone to God who in Infinite Goodness, Beauty and Truth, 
 and who entrusted him, whether actually or potentially, with 
 the gifts and virtues of his noble soul: — and 
 
 "May eternal light shine upon him O Lord, with Thy Saints 
 forever, because Thou art merciful." 
 
 From the President of Loyola University, 
 Reverend Samuel K. Wilson, S.J. 
 
 It was with very deep and heartfelt sorrow that the Trustees 
 and faculty of Loyola University learned of the recent death of 
 Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson, Professor of Operative Dentistry in 
 the Chicago College of Dental Surgery, Dental School of Loyola 
 University, since 1889, and Dean of Students for the past thirty- 
 two years. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was one of our most valued professors. His 
 brilliance in the field of operative dentistry was known through- 
 out the world and his ability as a teacher made him preeminent 
 in his profession. As a writer and editor, too, he was outstanding, 
 and his contributions to the literature of dentistry over a period 
 of many years had an important part in the development of 
 the science. 
 
 Perhaps even closer to the heart of Dr. Johnson than the 
 profession in which he labored so long and successfully, were 
 the personal contacts he had with his thousands of students and 
 the part he played in drawing out and developing their abilities 
 and characters. The intimate interest he took in the welfare of 
 those who worked under him made him beloved by his students 
 as few teachers have ever been. Many of the eminent members 
 of the dental profession today are proud to say that their achieve^ 
 
 94
 
 ments are in a large part due to Dr. Johnson's instruction and 
 inspiration. 
 
 In Dr. Johnson's death all who knew him have suffered a 
 heavy blow. His name will always have a high place in the 
 history of Loyola University and his memory will be cherished 
 by his colleagues and students alike. As an author and editor, 
 as a teacher, and as a great and kindly man, his services to 
 humanity will be remembered long after those who were privi- 
 leged to know him personally have followed him into life 
 everlasting. 
 
 From the President of the Illinois State Dental Society, 
 Ben H. Sherrard. 
 
 Again dentistry is called upon to pay solemn respect to a 
 great personality. Living as he did during a period of time which 
 almost spanned the full life of dentistry in the United States, 
 his knowledge, his wisdom and his keen sense of understanding 
 will be missed, but fortunately, a record of his vast store is 
 preserved in his many writings. 
 
 To eulogize Dr. Johnson is useless, as word cannot properly 
 describe the many fine qualities possessed by one individual. 
 
 Few men could live as deeply involved in a profession as he; 
 it was his very life, day and night, to the very end. 
 
 As a member of the Illinois State Dental Society, his record 
 is unique and stands as a monument in the history of the society. 
 His constant presence at the opening session has established a 
 record of uninterrupted succession that will be hard to surpass. 
 His activities in the affairs of the society have been almost 
 constant. He has acted in nearly every capacity as officer, com- 
 mitteeman, speaker, but probably his greatest service was ren- 
 dered as counsellor. No question was so complex that his broad 
 analysis did not ease the situation. 
 
 The inspiration to be derived from a life such as his is a 
 rich heritage, and to have known him was a greater privilege. 
 The State Society is richer, for his having been one of us. We 
 
 95
 
 hope to carry on the ideals that have been bequeathed to us by 
 him and others in past years. 
 
 It is, indeed, a privilege to have been his student, his friend, 
 and one of his "boys." 
 
 From the Illinois State Dental Society, 
 Harold W. Oppice, Editor. 
 
 On July 17, 1938 another immortal patriarch of dentistry 
 closed his long and illustrious career. 
 
 Charles Nelson Johnson, the most beloved character in all 
 dentistry, was a man of much genius in science, education, litera- 
 ture, oratory, philosophy. He was an idealist, yet his many 
 achievements denoted his great knowledge of things practical. 
 He was a most capable and intensive practitioner, having ac- 
 quired and maintained an enviable reputation, which combined 
 with a magnetic personality and an inordinate devotion to the 
 needs of his patients to provide him with a large and lucrative 
 practice. 
 
 He was a most positive force in the advancement of the art 
 and science of dental practice. He contributed much to dental 
 literature both as an author of textbooks and as an essayist at 
 dental meetings all over the world. His many editorial writings 
 and extemporaneous speeches were alive with progressive 
 thoughts, acclaiming or criticizing with but one intent, a sincere 
 desire to raise the standards of the dental profession. His love of 
 his profession transcended all else, as to him, everything revolved 
 in and around dentistry. He had no time for any hobby. His 
 attendance at dental meetings was considered as a religious duty. 
 
 He was the most inspiring of teachers for he knew and loved 
 students — "His Boys" — their hopes, their fears, their possibilities, 
 their weakness. As Dean of students at the Chicago College of 
 Dental Surgery, Dental School of Loyola University, he imbued 
 many a boy with a firm determination to reach the heights. His 
 many words of fatherly advice, like his technical teachings, were 
 as sound in practice as in theory. 
 
 96
 
 His philosophy, evolved from an inherent love of everything 
 that was conducive to fair play, was frequently expressed in both 
 prose and poetry. His rule of life was the Golden Rule. He was 
 a confirmed optimist even in times of great adversity. A few 
 weeks before his death he prophesied to this writer, that "the 
 American people will soon return to following the simple truth 
 that each human being must be taught to rely upon himself for 
 health, wealth, and happiness." 
 
 Our heart is filled with sorrow at the passing of this noble 
 character but our mind is at peace with the knowledge that he 
 used each waking moment of his extensive and intensive life in 
 the preparation of living and, since he was always preparing to 
 live, he was likewise prepared to die. 
 
 The Illinois State Dental Society mourns the loss of its most 
 honored member yet rejoices in the fact that it was permitted 
 the friendship and counsel of so great a leader for all of the past 
 fifty-three years. 
 
 The entire dental profession is saddened by the death of its 
 dean yet is consoled with the thought that he left a heritage 
 as eternal as his soul. 
 
 From the President of the Chicago Dental Society, 
 
 David W. Adams. 
 
 The Chicago Dental Society sincerely mourns the loss of its 
 greatest member, Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson, editor of "The 
 Journal of the American Dental Association and The Dental 
 Cosmos." In a peculiar way. Dr. Johnson's activities were 
 associated in a special manner with Chicago. For many years he 
 practiced here, and for many years his editorial headquarters 
 were maintained in this city. He was a member of the North 
 Side Branch and served actively in many capacities in the 
 Chicago Dental Society. For these reasons, we feel that the loss 
 of this great leader is touched with many implications for his 
 branch society, the parent organization, and for the great city 
 itself. 
 
 97
 
 Almost forty years ago, I had my first intimate contact with 
 Dr. Johnson. His magnetic personaHty did much to advance 
 dentistry and the students of dentistry. He was a man who 
 understood boys. He was a man who understood men. He was a 
 man who understood people. And of all of these, he was a leader. 
 
 Dr. Johnson contributed immeasurably to his profession. 
 And it was his daily task to render personal and individual 
 services to members of that profession who were also his friends. 
 As a result there is, and has been, no man in dentistry today 
 whose name shall command such immediate and sincere respect. 
 
 For fifty years, he devoted himself to the practice of his 
 profession, and it is a striking commentary on his ways that he 
 was still in practice at the time of his death. He was a busy man, 
 but never too busy to take on more burdens in the interest of his 
 friends and fellow practitioners. As a teacher, he devoted many 
 years of his life to inculcating in students the same high ideals, 
 the same self-sacrifice that motivated him for more than three 
 quarters of a century. As a writer, his many volumes and articles 
 will serve as an eternal memorial in the annals of dental literature. 
 
 There is little to say of Dr. Johnson that has not been said 
 by the many admirers he has scattered over the face of the 
 earth. His work, his ideals and his high sense of professional 
 ethics and duties will live on as a burning flame enkindled at the 
 shrine of self-sacrifice, devotion and love of humankind. The 
 Chicago Dental Society, and the many members who compose it 
 shall ever hold a high place in their hearts and in their minds for 
 the great man who was Charles Nelson Johnson. 
 
 From the Chicago Dental Society, 
 
 Harold Hillenbrand, Editor. 
 
 Dentistry, with the death of Dr. C. N. Johnson, has come to 
 the end of an era. It began when dentistry was trying to free 
 itself of the stigma of commercialism, when it was beginning to 
 chafe at the pedestrianism of its educational and scientific 
 methods. It ended with the death of one of its great leaders 
 
 98
 
 who leaves behind him an unbelievably rich heritage of achieve- 
 ment as an endowment for a new age. 
 
 It is a futile task to attempt to evaluate his work in terms 
 of positions he has held, of worldwide honors frequently bestowed, 
 of operative techniques and literary contributions that came from 
 his hands. His influence extends bej'ond these. His influence is 
 permanent. It was built of the sanity and ingenuity that marks 
 the pioneer; of the talents freely received and richly developed; 
 of a personality lavish in its gifts to others; of the power of 
 tongue and pen; of a unique capacity for leadership. 
 
 He was many things to many people. To dentistry, he was 
 one of its greatest figures, memorable for what he has done and 
 for what his influence will do. Practitioner, teacher, orator, 
 counsellor, editor, and friend — yet somewhere in this catalogue 
 is a lack that can be supplied only from the vast store of his 
 personal relations to many individuals. 
 
 It was fitting that he should end his long career as the 
 editor of "The Journal of the American Dental Association and 
 The Dental Cosmos." In that position, he was able to make 
 articulate the high hopes he held for his profession, the strong 
 and courageous opinions that motivated his leadership, the ideals 
 and principles that formed so substantial a basis for his philos- 
 ophy of life. In that position he was able vigorously to oppose, 
 often at high cost to himself the methods and practices that he 
 found corrosive to the things he valued in his profession. Here 
 he was able to parry, with magnificent courage, the blows that 
 were aimed at the prestige of a profession to which he had 
 devoted a full Hfe. 
 
 It is likely that Dr. Johnson found his most rewarding 
 relationship with students and the average practitioners of 
 dentistry. Here he was able to give most freely and abundantly 
 of himself. And his success in those relationships can be estimated 
 in terms of the thousands of those who have known him and 
 called him great. 
 
 The Chicago Dental Society mourns an irreparable loss in 
 the death of Dr. Johnson but is aware that it must share its 
 deeply sincere grief with the Chicago College of Dental Surgery, 
 
 99
 
 Dental School of Loyola University, where he taught for so many 
 years; with his colleagues who worked with him for so long a 
 time; with the many organizations that were honored with his 
 membership; with his friends and relatives whose personal loss it 
 is impossible to estimate; with every dentist who loves his 
 profession and him who helped to make it great. 
 
 The end of an era is here. With it comes the rewarding 
 knowledge that it will be a better one because of the work and 
 life of this man, one of the immortals of dentistry. 
 
 From the Dean of the College of Dentistry, University of Illinois, 
 Dr. Frederick B. Noyes. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was an outstanding figure in dental literature 
 and editorial work and was active in almost all of the dental 
 organizations from Japan to Uruguay. Indeed, space is not 
 sufficient to mention the offices he held. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was not only one of the finest and most enthu- 
 siastic gold foil operators the profession has ever known, but he 
 was one of the great dental teachers of this country. Many 
 outstanding practitioners of dentistry acknowledge him as their 
 master. He was a great teacher because he taught not classes, 
 but individuals. He took an immediate personal interest in every 
 student and not only followed him through his college career but 
 continued that personal interest in every development throughout 
 the student's professional life. His instruction included more 
 than professional knowledge and technical skill. He developed 
 in the student both by word and example those attitudes and 
 principles which characterize a truly professional man. He taught 
 his students that the doctor is responsible not simply for rendering 
 good professional service but also for the well-being of his patient 
 as an individual. Because this was his attitude toward his 
 patients, he was trusted and beloved by all he served. 
 
 Because of his keen and generous interest in men and their 
 well-being, he was loved and honored by more men in the dental 
 profession than any other dentist. He not only maintained his 
 
 100
 
 keen personal interest in all his students but in all his friends 
 and associates. He undoubtedly wrote more letters than any 
 dentist of his age. No incident in the lives of his friends and 
 students failed to bring a letter of congratulation or sympathy. 
 He followed hundreds of his students in this way. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was one of the most effective orators of the 
 dental profession — not simply because of his command of words 
 and his facility of expression but because he so projected his 
 spirit that every listener tingled in response to the sincerity and 
 depth of his feeling. 
 
 Because of his ability to inspire men with enthusiasm for 
 their profession and with appreciation of their responsibility, as 
 well as his facility in imparting technical and intellectual details, 
 Dr. Johnson will always be a living force in dental education. 
 He was loved and will be mourned by more people both within 
 and without the profession than any dentist of his generation. 
 
 From the Dean of Northwestern University Dental School, 
 
 By Dr. Charles W. Freeman. 
 
 Northwestern University Dental School recognizes with pro- 
 found sorrow the passing of Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson. He was 
 one of dendstry's truly great men and his unusual ability fitted 
 him to serve his profession and his people in many ways. His 
 service as editor of The Journal of the American Dental Asso- 
 ciation and The Dental Cosmos since 1925 and his continuous 
 service on the faculty of the Chicago College of Dental Surgery 
 from 1889 until his death are reminders of some of his brilliant 
 achievements. The faculty and student body of Northwestern 
 University Dental School extend deepest sympathy to the im- 
 mediate family and to the Chicago College of Dental Surgery 
 on this very sad occasion. 
 
 lOI
 
 JOURNALS AND BULLETINS 
 
 The Australian Journal of Dentistry. 
 August, 1938. 
 
 Charles Nelson Johnson — i860 -1938. 
 
 It was with great regret that we learned by cable of the 
 death of one of the outstanding figures in the dental profession — 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson. The Journal of the "American Dental Asso- 
 ciation and Dental Cosmos" ranks as one of the great dental 
 journals of the world, and under his editorship it reached a 
 standard which is a credit to the Association and is a testimonial 
 to Dr. Johnson's knowledge and ability. 
 
 Dr. Johnson visited Australia in 1912, and left many ad- 
 miring friends as a result of his visit, and many Australian 
 dentists who have since visited America testify to his extreme 
 courtesy and his friendly feelings towards Australia and 
 Australians. 
 
 Dr. Johnson's name is known and revered wherever modern 
 dentistry is practiced and his sincere, straightforward and delight- 
 ful personality made him probably the most beloved member of 
 the dental profession in the United States of America. The writer 
 has long looked upon him as his ideal professional gentleman. 
 
 Dr. Johnson's death will be felt as a great personal loss, not 
 only to his daughters who survive him but to many thousands 
 of dentists who looked upon him as their counsellor, guide and 
 very good friend. 
 
 W. J. Tuckfield, Editor. 
 
 Journal of the American Dental Assistants Association. 
 September-October, 1938. 
 
 In Memoriam 
 In the passing of our beloved friend, counselor and Honorary 
 Member, Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson, we have lost one whose 
 place can never be filled. Words are so futile when we endeavor 
 
 103
 
 to express our deep appreciation and our respectful affection for 
 this great man, who had helped us so many times with his wise 
 words of counsel, and his kindly understanding of our endeavors 
 and problems. No one ever called on him for advice or help that 
 ever was refused encouragement to carry on. His whole existence 
 has been one of loyal service to his fellow men. He loved life 
 and he loved his friends and his profession. He always had a kind 
 word for every one; he was always sympathetic and understand- 
 ing, and the personification of kindness. His understanding of 
 humanity gave him unbounded tolerance of its frailties and 
 foibles, and with charity he always helped others to help 
 themselves. His life was one of service and he leaves behind 
 him countless memories of kindly deeds. If each one for whom 
 he had done a kindness during his life, could have placed a rose 
 upon his bier, he would have rested beneath a mountain of 
 blossoms, each one symbolical of the gratitude in the heart of the 
 giver, who had been privileged to call him friend. He truly was 
 one of those "who make the barren places of life fruitful with 
 kindness, and carry a vision of heaven in their heart." Truly 
 "this world is a better place because he passed this way." 
 Let us all — 
 
 "Think of him faring on, as dear 
 
 In the love of There, as the love of Here, 
 
 Think of him still as the same, I say 
 
 He is not dead, he is just away." 
 We dedicate this issue of "The Dental Assistant" to the 
 memory of our beloved friend and Honorary Member, Dr. Charles 
 Nelson Johnson. 
 
 J. A. Southard, Editor. 
 
 The Journal of the American Dental 
 Hygienists' Association. 
 
 October, 1938. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was the best loved man by the dental profession, 
 it is true but he was loved as well by all who knew him. Many 
 of our members knew him personally and his sincere belief in the 
 
 104
 
 service that we have to offer; his belief in the ideals of our 
 profession has in the past, and I know will in the future, en- 
 courage us to be true to that belief. 
 
 M. H. Jeffreys, Editor. 
 
 The Journal of the Canadian Dental Assocl^tion. 
 
 August, 1938. 
 
 C. N. Johnson — i860- 1938. 
 
 C. N. Johnson, of Chicago, one of the most beloved and 
 widely-known dentists of our time, died suddenly on July 17, 
 in his 79th year. Word reached us just as this issue of the 
 Journal was being arranged for the publishers and came as a 
 great shock, as less than two weeks ago the writer sat at the 
 feet of this great leader as he forcefully enunciated the ethical 
 principles of our profession before a general meeting of the 
 Pacific Coast Dental Conference in Vancouver. At that Con- 
 ference he spoke on a number of occasions and appeared to be 
 in his usual good health. 
 
 With a deep sense of sorrow and loss, the members of the 
 Canadian Dental Association join with the members of the 
 American Dental Association, in mourning the passing of our 
 great dental leader. 
 
 C. N. Johnson. 
 
 It was not for his brilliant work as a teacher: it was not for his 
 masterly management of a busy practice that he was placed on 
 a pedestal, but for his genius and untiring efforts in the interests 
 of organized dentistry as he edited the official Journal of the 
 American Dental Association, a post which he had held since 
 1925, having formerly edited the Bur and Dental Review. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was one of the most prolific contributors to 
 dental literature in essays, letters, editorials, books and discus- 
 sions, and through these channels has inspired and stimulated his 
 readers to attain to higher heights of achievement in every phase 
 of dental practice. 
 
 We would cherish the memory of this great and good man 
 for he had the vision of a prophet, yet how difficult it is to 
 
 105
 
 evaluate a giant, great in gifts, great in achievement, great in 
 the hearts of his confreres, for to know C. N. was to love him. 
 To us who remain is left the gift of memory, the remem- 
 brance of his kindly deeds, the recalling of his wise counsel, the 
 inspiration of his noble life. Grief, however, is not the end of all. 
 Our brother who has passed would have us think of life, not 
 death, of life for which he sacrificed himself, morning, noon and 
 night, in the interests of his beloved profession. "As I listen the 
 great chorus of life and joy begins again, and amid the seen and 
 unseen powers and destinies of good and evil our trumpets sound 
 once more a note of daring, hope and will." 
 
 M. H. Garvin, Editor. 
 
 Journal of the Colorado State Dental Association. 
 September, 1938. 
 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson. 
 
 The passing of Dr. C. N. Johnson, memorializes an epoch 
 in the history of dental science. The death of this leader of men 
 and the record of his splendid achievements have called to mind 
 of numerous former students countless instances of helpful as- 
 sistance. The details of such contracts may have become dimmed 
 with the passing of years, but the personal and professional 
 attainments of this courageous teacher are things that can never 
 be forgotten. 
 
 Dr. Johnson's activities in connection with organized den- 
 tistry are equally brilliant and mark him as one of the outstanding 
 men of his time. 
 
 For more than ten years he has served as Editor of the 
 American Dental Association Journal and has been a vital factor 
 in the American association of Dental Editors. The touch of his 
 genius is seen in the work of organizing, systematizing, and 
 standardizing of dental journalism in the United States. Never 
 in the history of Dental Journalism has there been such universal 
 comment on the passing of a great leader. 
 
 Charles F. Brown, Editor. 
 
 106
 
 Dental Items of Interest. 
 
 September i, 1938. 
 
 Dr. Johnson, always striving to improve himself, entered 
 the Chicago College of Dental Surgeons from which, in 1885, 
 he received the degree of D.D.S. Shortly after graduation he 
 accepted a teaching position with his recent Alma Mater, and 
 made rapid advancement. In 1891 he was made Professor of 
 Operative Dentistry and dean of students. During the period of 
 this extended activity more than 5,cxx) of his boys went into 
 practice with his signature on their diplomas and his glorious 
 teaching back of them. His love and interest in them followed 
 through all the years, wherever they might be located. Many of 
 them became prominent in foreign countries but still looked to 
 him for counsel and guidance, if not through personal contact, 
 at least by following, as did so many thousands, the precepts 
 of his teachings, his publications, and the exemplary conduct set 
 by him in both his personal and professional life. His design for 
 living might be put in the words, "Go forward. Be straight- 
 forward." 
 
 Sanity and stability in his viewpoint were outstanding facets 
 of his character, as exemplified by the incident of his treating as 
 a royal joke his having to obtain a new license when his old one 
 was misplaced, despite the fact that he had practiced in the same 
 city for fifty-one consecutive years. 
 
 Our "C.N." was magnificent beyond ordinary mortals, and 
 meant so much to so many that it is beyond any ordinary person 
 to do him justice in trying to tell the story of his life, his activity, 
 and his wide influence on other people, an influence rarely found 
 in a professional man as it extended into the world of all people. 
 Dr. Johnson was possessed of youth till the end, as he had the 
 happy faculty of always living for the future and not resting on 
 the achievements of the past. 
 
 Paul Belding, Editor. 
 107
 
 Dentalia. 
 October, 1938. 
 
 In Memoriam 
 
 Charles Nelson Johnson 
 Dentist, Educator, Journalist. 
 
 In the passing of Doctor Charles Nelson Johnson, the dental 
 world has lost one of its most outstanding leaders. 
 
 The period during which he lived is the period in which 
 Dentistry made its greatest advances, and be it said to his 
 everlasting credit that Charles Nelson Johnson had at least as 
 much to do with these advances as any contemporary leader. 
 
 By a life of untiring labor and devotion he made for himself 
 a name that will live as long as the story of Dentistry is told. 
 
 This humble journal, speaking for Faculty, Alumni, and 
 Students feels that it is an honor to record such a name in its 
 pages. 
 
 In their name, Dentalia offers its sympathies to his bereaved 
 ones. 
 
 Dean Sidney L. Tiblier, Editor. 
 
 The Dental Journal of Australia. 
 September, 1938. 
 
 Obituary 
 Charles Nelson Johnson 
 
 By the sudden death of Dr. C. N. Johnson, of Chicago, on 
 July 17th last, the world of dentistry lost one of its most out- 
 standing figures. 
 
 We have no intention of writing at length upon the many 
 important positions he filled as they will all be set out in the 
 numerous articles which will appear regarding him. Suffice it to 
 say that in the course of a long life he gathered around him 
 honour and distinction such as few men attain. 
 
 Dr. Johnson visited Australia in 1912. He came, as the 
 representative of the National Dental Association and several 
 
 108
 
 other societies in the United States, to attend the Third Aus- 
 trahan Dental Congress held in Brisbane from July 8th to 13th 
 of that year. He gave several clinics and lectures at that congress 
 and made friends wherever he went. 
 
 He took away with him very kind memories of Australia, 
 and whenever an Australian member of the profession visited 
 him in Chicago — as many did — he spared neither time nor energy 
 to make his visit a pleasant one. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was a man of many parts. He gave of his best 
 for the benefit of those around him; he lived a long and useful 
 life; he had a kind nature; he added much to the knowledge 
 and practice of dentistry; and he left behind him a character 
 and a record which it would be very difficult to excel. 
 
 Percy Ash, Editor. 
 
 The Dental Outlook. 
 September, 1938. 
 
 Dr. Johnson's sterling achievements will continue through 
 the halls of time to be his immortal monument. Dentistry, 
 American and foreign, will cherish his memory and mourn 
 his loss. 
 
 Sic transit gloria mundi. 
 
 N. Kobrin, Editor. 
 
 The Illinois Dental Journal. 
 August, 1938. 
 
 Charles Nelson Johnson is gone. It is safe to say that this 
 name was probably the best known, and this man the best liked 
 individual in American dentistry today. We, of the Illinois State 
 Dental Society, are proud that he was a member with us. One 
 of his last official acts was an inspiring address on Ethics given 
 in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. Fred A. Richmond, Secretary of 
 the Kansas State Dental Association, in talking to Dr. Johnson 
 before this address, asked him to name the thing in his life of 
 
 109
 
 which he was most proud. Dr. Johnson's reply was: "The fact 
 that I have been able to attend the Annual Meeting of the lUinois 
 State Dental Society for fifty-three consecutive years, seems to 
 have given me the most happiness." 
 
 Dr. Johnson was not only possessed of rare technical skill, 
 but he was also a powerful speaker, an extremely fluent writer 
 and an excellent teacher. If all men could be laid to rest with 
 seventy-eight as fruitful years behind them as this fine old 
 man, we would live in a wonderful world. 
 
 William P. Schoen, Jr., 
 Contributing Editor. 
 
 Indian Dental Journal. 
 
 October, 1938. 
 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson 
 
 It is with great regret that we announce the death of Dr. 
 C. N. Johnson, one of the most outstanding figures in the dental 
 profession, on July 17, 1938, at Chicago, 111. In Dr. Johnson the 
 dental profession the world over has lost one of its most inspiring 
 leaders. Indian readers will recall that when the Indian Dental 
 Journal first saw the light of day in 1925 Dr. Johnson, then 
 president of the Amercian Dental Association wrote a most in- 
 spiring foreword. "I doubt that even you" wrote Dr. Johnson "at 
 this time can grasp the full significance what you are doing or 
 visualize the far reaching consequences of this movement. At 
 least I know this, that in other countries where dentistry has 
 been supposed to enjoy a reputation for advancement the pro- 
 fession never would have developed as it has, had it not been 
 for its periodical literature. It is the ever recurrent message of 
 professional progress coming at regular intervals which stimulates 
 men to keep abreast with the best things in dentistry." 
 
 "Dentistry is no longer confined to any one locality or to 
 any one country" concluded Dr. Johnson. "It is not British 
 dentistry, or French dentistry or Spanish dentistry, or American 
 dentistry, — it is world dentistry. Through the intercourse of 
 
 IIO
 
 thought, spoken and written, the message of dentistry is being 
 carried all over the globe and the function of the Indian Dental 
 Journal is to add one more medium to this very worthy cause. 
 May it prosper even beyond the dreams of its most sanguine 
 supporters." 
 
 The above message, shows the catholicity of the man, more 
 than anything else. Dr. Johnson has been the most prolific writer 
 the dental profession has ever known. Dr. Johnson was a Cana- 
 dian by birth. He graduated first from the Royal College of 
 Dental Surgeons at Toronto in 1881 and then from the Chicago 
 College of Dental Surgeons in 1884, His text book on Operative 
 Dentistry still remains a standard work on the subject, besides 
 his other dental works. For about half a century he has been 
 a teacher, a writer of repute in the dental profession, whose 
 influence has been far-reaching. His name is revered wherever 
 modern dentistry is practised and we add our meed of respect 
 and admiration for the great figure, who has passed away. May 
 his soul rest in peace. 
 
 R. Ahmed, Editor. 
 
 Iowa Dental Bulletin. 
 August, 1938. 
 
 The sad news of Dr. C. N. Johnson's passing has just reached 
 us, and we take time out to express our deep sadness because 
 of the news. He has joined the innumerable caravan of those 
 who have begun the Eternal journey toward perfection. There is 
 no great sorrow — save in the loss of the presence — in the passing 
 of such a character, for his work is finished, and well done. He 
 has simply entered into another phase of the great evolution of 
 life, which began when the first monera was born and entered 
 upon the process of evolution, which has for its pinacle in this 
 world, the perfection of the body and mind of man. There can 
 be no further progress in this world, so the soul of man enters 
 the spirit world and begins another process, which the mind of 
 man has not the ability to fathom. So while we grieve for the 
 absence of the kindly touch, the friendly smile, and the gracious 
 
 III
 
 influence for good, we rejoice that this phase of the Eternal plan 
 has been so wonderfully balanced, and the mission which he 
 was given to fulfill was so efficiently accomplished. 
 
 We will not attempt a recital of Dr. Johnson's background 
 and accomplishments. We leave that for others to do. Suffice it 
 for us to attempt an evaluation of his influence in the world, upon 
 his friends, his students, and his profession. 
 
 Rarely has the world been given a man of his disposition, 
 accomplishments, and personality, that so well fitted him for the 
 tasks falling to his lot. 
 
 Undoubtedly, Dr. C. N. Johnson was one of the truly great 
 figures in the history of dentistry. This remarkable personality 
 was born in i860 and died on Sunday, July 17, 1938. 
 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson, as editor of the A.D.A. Journal, furnished 
 the dental profession with many timely and well written editorials. 
 For example, he wrote: 
 
 "The soul of a profession is made up of the integration of all 
 of the souls of its individual members, so that what each member 
 does has a certain bearing on the profession as a whole. If a 
 dentist does a mean or unmannerly act, it places a smirch on the 
 soul of the calling; if a dentist does something noble and uplifting, 
 it exalts the name and fame of dentistry," 
 
 When the great world's fair "The Century of Progress" was 
 opened in Chicago, a beam of light that had started from the 
 star Arcturis, some forty years before, reached the electric eye 
 that was trained upon it, the influence of that light that had been 
 traveling upon its mission at the rate of 186,000 miles a second, 
 tripped a switch that turned on the lights of that magnificent 
 spectacle, and the whole grounds, buildings and concessions, were 
 a blaze of light. Even then its mission was not complete for the 
 lights and power turned on continued the influence of that beam 
 and will continue it until time shall cease. So the mighty influence 
 of this great man, great in action, great in mind and great in love, 
 will continue in magnified quantity until the sun grows old and 
 the heavens melt in fervent heat. Magnified in the hearts and 
 minds of his pupils, his friends and his readers, his influence will 
 be greater as time goes on than it was in life, for his clientele 
 
 112
 
 will grow with the years as his friends and pupils multiply by 
 the powers of the labors in his books, his lectures, and his poems, 
 to say nothing of the greater increase caused by the multiplication 
 of friends engendered by those who knew and loved him. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was perhaps the best speaker in the profession. 
 His voice melodious, his enunciation well nigh perfect, and the 
 subject matter of his address was always full of meat. His 
 popularity as a speaker was attested to by the many calls upon 
 his services, which were far beyond the quality of his strength. 
 In later years he should have spared himself some of the onerous 
 duties that fell to his lot, but that was not Dr. Johnson; and 
 perhaps we would not have had it different, even though it may 
 have shortened the span of his life. To have been different would 
 not have been Dr. Johnson, and we would not have had him 
 different by the shade of a hair or the smoothing of a wrinkle on 
 his face. He was unique as Dr. Johnson — we loved him that way. 
 
 The first meeting of the writer with Dr. Johnson was at the 
 Dubuque meeting of the Iowa Dental Society in 1890. Then he 
 was tall and straight as a ramrod, with plentiful black hair. Even 
 in those days he was an authority on operative dentistry, and I 
 can remember the thrill with which I watched him in his clinic 
 of making a gold foil filling in a molar tooth. Ever since he has 
 been my Ideal and I have followed him in his dental work and 
 all of his activities as closely as I possibly could. In the process 
 of time it was my good fortune to obtain the friendship of this 
 stalwart man, and from a genius worshipped in the distance, he 
 became my mentor, my counsellor, and my friend. We were 
 accustomed to attend the meetings of the G, V. Black Club of 
 St. Paul every year and there I met the man and found him a 
 friend indeed — one that stuck closer than a brother. I will never 
 forget my first great thrill obtained from the encouragement 
 of Dr. Johnson. I had been invited to read a paper before the 
 Black Club, and did so in fear and trembling, for it was my 
 maiden effort. In the discussion of the paper Dr. Johnson com- 
 mended it very highly, and then said: "Gentlemen, you had 
 better watch that young man for he is going to be heard from." 
 This so braced me that I continued in my studies and writings, 
 
 "3
 
 and if I have obtained any distinction in my attempts to rise in 
 the estimation of my fellow practitioners, it is due to the en- 
 couragement received from Dr. Johnson at that time. He was big 
 enough to pass over the frailities of the beginner's attempt and 
 to encourage a fellow at the foot of the ladder. He was always 
 helpful to the honest student, but his indignation knew no bounds 
 when some one in attempting to enlarge himself at the expense 
 of some fellow dentist criticized the effort of the other man. 
 
 His essence of love which distilled itself so bountifully amidst 
 his fellows in the Dental world, found its quintessence in the 
 bosom of his family. Devoted to the partner of his life he was 
 bereft indeed when she was called away from this world. Many 
 times he spoke to me of the companionship of my dear one and 
 myself, and deplored the passing of his wife in terms that could 
 not be misconstrued. This depth of feeling also embraced his 
 daughters who were all in all to him and the beauty of his life 
 amongst his fellows, was multiplied a thousand fold in his love 
 for those near and dearest to him. 
 
 His work as teacher, writer, author, diplomat, statesman, 
 editor, poet, and lecturer will be adequately stressed by the many 
 who, through acquaintanceship, are devoted to his memory. 
 
 Let me add that the truest picture of the man was manifested 
 to us in our own home where he was a guest several times. Dr. 
 Johnson, true gentleman, honest scholar, efficient craftsman, 
 loving friend, we bid thee farewell until in God's good time the 
 morning breaks and we shall meet again. 
 
 J. V. Conzett. 
 
 Kansas City District Dental Society. 
 August, 1938. 
 
 Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson, known as the Dean of Dentistry, 
 died Sunday, July 17th, at his home in Chicago. 
 
 We all mourn the death of Dr. Johnson and realize that in 
 his passing dentistry has lost one of its greatest leaders and 
 teachers in its entire history. 
 
 Morven Curran, Editor. 
 
 114
 
 The death of Dr. C. N. Johnson of Chicago, only a few days 
 after we had the pleasure of having him speak before our society, 
 was certainly a great loss to dentistry. His name and great 
 fighting spirit for the finer things in our profession should never 
 be forgotten. 
 
 E. L. Dillon, President. 
 
 The Journal of the Kansas State Dental Association. 
 
 September, 1938. 
 
 At seventy-eight, his long day done. 
 Having finished well the jobs begun. 
 He bequeathed to us inestimable wealth 
 On how to care for a nation's health; 
 And how to five as professional men. 
 Devotedly known to his friends as "C.N." 
 
 Some men grow old before their years. 
 Some men hold back because of fears. 
 But this man knew no fear, no age; 
 From lips and pen came words of a sage. 
 A man to whom we loved to listen. 
 Each thought a gem, as a gem it glistened. 
 
 Truly the dean of the dental profession. 
 
 His words were Hke an inspiration. 
 
 He received many honors. He deserved them all. 
 
 For when he was needed, he answered the call. 
 
 The dental profession has its place in the sun 
 
 Because of men like C. N. Johnson. 
 
 Howard H. Dukes. 
 
 Dr. Johnson had practiced dentistry there (in Chicago) 
 since 1885, and, despite his age, still did so up to the time he 
 was stricken. Two weeks previous he was the guest of honor at 
 
 115
 
 the Pacific Coast Dental Congress in Vancouver, B. C. Thursday 
 noon, July 14th, Dr. Johnson gave a talk on "Standards of 
 Dentistry" to the Kiwanis Club of Kansas City, Kansas. That 
 evening Dr. Johnson addressed a joint meeting of the Wyandotte 
 County and the Kansas City District Dental Societies. His 
 subject was "Advantages of Ethical Dentistry." 
 
 As Howard Dukes has so aptly stated, "the Dental profession 
 has its place in the sun because of men like C. N. Johnson." 
 
 Fred A. Richmond, Editor. 
 
 The Journal of the Kansas State Dental Association 
 October, 1938. 
 
 Whether or not we agreed with all Dr. Johnson did or said 
 is of little concern. The facts are: He taught, he inspired, and 
 he encouraged all who came in his path. I was inspired by his 
 last appearance in Kansas City as I listened to his short address 
 on what ethics means to our profession. I only wished that all 
 young practitioners could have heard him and I believe that 
 many of the older men would have been benefited. Coming as it 
 did from one with years of experience and strength of character 
 his admonition to keep the faith was worthy of the serious 
 thoughts of all members of our profession from the youngest 
 to the oldest. 
 
 Roy J, Rinehart, 
 
 Dean, Kansas City-Western 
 Dental College. 
 
 The Bulletin of the Kings County Dental Society. 
 October, 1938. 
 
 With regret and sorrow we record the passing of Doctor 
 Charles Nelson Johnson, honorary member of the Kings County 
 Dental Society, on Sunday, July 17, 1938. This society has lost 
 a friend, teacher and advisor. 
 
 Joseph Schure, Editor. 
 
 116
 
 The Laboratory Technician. 
 August, 1938. 
 
 Dr. Charles N. Johnson's services in raising the moral, edu- 
 cational and cultural ideals of dentistry will long be remembered. 
 H. K, Schwartz, Executive Secretary. 
 
 Michigan State Dental Society. 
 August, 1938. 
 
 Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson — i860- 1938. 
 
 With the passing of Dr. Johnson of Chicago, dentistry lost 
 its most widely known and probably for many years its most 
 highly esteemed member. 
 
 A mighty man has fallen whose familiar face and voice will 
 be greatly missed at future dental conventions. 
 
 W. R. Davis, Editor. 
 
 Missouri State Dental Association. 
 August, 1938. 
 
 The Members of the 
 
 Missouri State Dental Association 
 
 Join the Members of the 
 
 Dental Profession 
 
 in Mourning the Passing 
 
 of 
 
 Charles Nelson Johnson 
 
 L.D.S., D.D.S., M.D.S., M.A., L.L.D., F.A.C.D. 
 
 Dean of Dental Editors 
 
 Philosopher 
 
 Teacher 
 
 Writer 
 
 and 
 Friend. 
 
 O. W. Brandhorst, Editor. 
 
 117
 
 The Journal of the New Jersey State Dental Society. 
 October, 1938. 
 
 With the passing of Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson, the world 
 of letters, lay and professional, loses a distinguished contributor 
 and the dental profession one of its best loved and most trusted 
 leaders. He was one of those born to fight for the goodness 
 which is at the heart of things. Educator, writer, poet, ad- 
 ministrator and editor, he brought to bear upon his divergent 
 tasks a strong will, talent for clear thinking, a noble industry 
 and an uprightness of purpose that aroused our admiration and 
 enlisted our faith. With all, he was a modest man and kindly, 
 having been blest with that rare gift of understanding which 
 attracts the aflFection of friends and holds their loyalty. 
 
 Although Dr. Johnson, continued to live beyond man's al- 
 lotted span of three score years and ten, he bore lightly and was 
 yet in the full flush of creative activity when death overtook 
 him and, abruptly brought to a close his notable career. What 
 he contributed to the cultural and spiritual development of 
 dentistry is beyond our powers of reckoning. We only know 
 that a great man has passed and that we are poorer as we are 
 
 better for his having lived. /^t 1 t? tt t?j-^ 
 
 ^ Charles F. Harper, Editor. 
 
 New York Journal of Dentistry. 
 September, 1938. 
 Dr. Johnson's professional career saw the rise of dentistry 
 from an empirical quasi-scientific profession to its present plane 
 as a recognized health service. During his interim in the pro- 
 fession. Dr. Johnson saw the adoption of legislation regulating 
 the practice of dentistry in every state in the Union and the 
 increase in educational requirements for the study of dentistry 
 from the bare ability to read and write to the completion of at 
 least two years of college work. To many of these and other 
 advancements in dentistry, too numerous to mention, he made 
 invaluable contributions. Dentistry has lost a great editor and 
 a great leader. We mourn his loss. 
 
 J. A. Salzmann, Editor. 
 
 118
 
 The New Zealand Dental Journal. 
 July, 1938. 
 
 By the death of Dr. C. N. Johnson, of Chicago which occurred 
 suddenly on the 17th of July, dentistry in America has lost one 
 of its greatest and noblest sons. 
 
 To say that C. N. Johnson was an outstanding man is not 
 enough. He was much more than that: he was a man who stood 
 pre-eminent among both his past and present contemporaries, 
 not only as a dentist, but as a philosopher and writer, whose 
 great gifts of thought and language claimed universal admiration, 
 and were largely instrumental in imparting that culture to 
 dentistry which has done so much to enable it to take its 
 legitimate place among the learned sciences. Indeed, by virtue of 
 these latter gifts, he may be said to have been the Osier of 
 dentistry; for in him there was a strong leaven of literature and 
 a deep knowledge of humanity that gave distinction and charm 
 to all he had to say either by the written or spoken word. With 
 him, perhaps, more than with any other man in the profession, 
 the pen was the tongue of the mind, and there were few subjects, 
 if any, upon which he could not write with knowledge, discern- 
 ment, eloquence and ease. Moreover, he was a man of wide 
 vision and far horizons, and one to whom the end was clear even 
 when the very beginning was veiled from the eyes of others. 
 Thus did he emerge even in his earlier years as a recognized 
 leader, destined to play an important part in the advancement 
 of the calling he had chosen. 
 
 During a long life, he was called upon to occupy the highest 
 offices within the gift of the American Dental Association; like- 
 wise, many other honours were bestowed on him as a tribute to 
 his worth and greatness, and the reverence, love, and appreciation 
 in which he was held by the profession. Nor could this high 
 regard ever have been shaken by the little antagonisms in- 
 separable from leadership; for, whatever opinions he may have 
 held, none surely, could have doubted his kindly understanding, 
 his great gentleness of heart, or the high ideals for which he stood 
 in relation to professional conduct and practice. 
 
 119
 
 But America was not alone in its worship of this great man. 
 As Editor of The Journal of the American Dental Association, 
 his thoughts, like waves from pebbles cast in placid waters, 
 radiated to the remotest parts, providing not only a never failing 
 source of inspiration to others, but commanding at the same 
 time, an esteem for his character and the many fine qualities 
 of his mind and heart, that few, if any, of his countrymen have 
 ever rivalled. 
 
 Among New Zealanders, Dr. Johnson had many friends and 
 warm admirers, for in 191 2, he paid a visit to this Dominion and 
 made contacts that have remained unbroken ever since. In the 
 professional activities of other countries, he always took a great 
 interest, and from time to time contributed articles to this Journal 
 that were eagerly read and widely appreciated. Likewise, he took 
 a special interest in those engaged in work similar to his own, 
 and the present writer can never forget the great surprise and 
 pleasure he experienced when, on opening his mail one morning, 
 he found a letter from Johnson and read the kindly words of 
 encouragement it conveyed. 
 
 Dr. Johnson has died full of years and honours, and his 
 passing will be universally mourned. But in closing this humble 
 tribute to his memory, one reflects that death must always be 
 premature to those engaged in some great work, since it often 
 carries them off in the midst of some unfinished design. Yet, 
 although personal beauty, great riches, strength of body, and 
 other things of this kind must pass away in a short time, the 
 nobler productions of the mind remain, for like the soul, they 
 are immortal. Thus the poets who sang 2,000 years ago are still 
 with us today, as are tTie records of others who have distinguished 
 themselves in various spheres; and surely there is no one worthy 
 to follow his craft who does not feel the spur of inspiration when 
 he read of their achievements. Thus, to those who follow the 
 calling of dentistry, the life of Dr. C. N. Johnson, should always 
 provide an inspiration; for, although his voice is now silent and 
 the pen has dropped from his hand, there is much, perhaps in 
 what he said and wrote during his lifetime, that will continue to 
 appeal, not only to this generation, but to succeeding ones. 
 
 120
 
 In the mourning of his professional colleagues, and with 
 that of those who were nearest and dearest to him, we join with 
 the deepest sympathy. J. Reid Burt, Editor. 
 
 The Bulletin of the North Carolina Dental Society. 
 October, 1938. 
 
 We Pause With Reverence in Memory of Our 
 
 Beloved Friend 
 
 Charles Nelson Johnson 
 
 i860 — 1938 
 
 Editor 
 
 Educator 
 
 Philosopher 
 
 Writer 
 
 and 
 
 a 
 
 Prince Among Men 
 
 Neal Sheffield, Editor. 
 
 Ohio State Dental Society Journal. 
 November, 1938. 
 
 Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson — i860 -1938. 
 
 The death of Dr. Charles N. Johnson, Instructor, Author, 
 Editor of the Journal of the American Dental Association and 
 Honorary Member of this Society, brings sorrow to the dental 
 profession throughout the world. 
 
 We bow in reverence to a personality that will Hve forever. 
 
 E. C. Mills, Chairman. 
 
 The Journal of the Ontario Dental Association. 
 July, 1938. 
 
 Such Men Never Die. 
 Myriads of men breathe, move, live, pass off the stage of 
 life's activities and are heard of no more. Why.' Because they 
 
 121
 
 did not a particle of good in the world, none were blessed by 
 them, none could point to them as the instrument of their 
 redemption, not a line they wrote, not a word they spoke could 
 be remembered; and so they perished, their light went out in the 
 darkness and they were forgotten. Happily there are many to 
 whom this description does not apply, men and women who, by 
 deeds of kindness, love and mercy, write their names upon the 
 hearts of their associates and their lofty noble achievements 
 live on. 
 
 C. N. Johnson could not die. A life so useful must continue 
 throughout the ages. 
 
 "But when a great man dies. 
 
 For years beyond our ken 
 The Hght he left behind lies 
 
 Athwart the paths of men." 
 Dr. Johnson was one of the greatest men of all time, — highly 
 endowed and willing to give himself, his keen intellect, his noble 
 character, his spirit of cheer and optimism, his marvelous capacity 
 for friendship to every worthy cause. He was kindly by nature, 
 generous to a fault and loyal to his friends. The very embodiment 
 of thoughtfulness, he never failed to think kindly and act gra- 
 ciously. Personal sacrifice and self abnegation felt so large a 
 place in his life that he found time to generously meet all the 
 demands made upon him. He never failed those who sought his 
 aid. No man travelled more miles, gave more talks or wrote 
 more letters for the benefit of his profession or the betterment of 
 society in general than did our well beloved colleague. To his 
 students he was a counsellor and guide and to his confreres the 
 world over a safe and capable leader. He believed in man's 
 capacity to achieve nobly, in the curse of ignorance, in the efficacy 
 of schools, in the dignity of teaching and the joy of serving 
 others. He was the honored instrument of having persuaded and 
 helped hundreds of young people to accept ideals and follow a 
 course of life which lead them to a fruition of spiritual riches 
 boundless as the universe and enduring as the ages of eternity. 
 Though of strong conviction and willing and able at all 
 times to defend what he considered true right, he was entirely 
 
 122
 
 devoid of bitterness and ill will. His was a nature that knew 
 no malice. The Golden Rule was his guiding principle; he knew 
 and sought no other. 
 
 Dr. Johnson loved the beautiful in nature, art, music and 
 literature and gave freely to others the cultural treasures he had 
 himself received. His spoken and written words brought peace, 
 encouragement and comfort to many weary souls. 
 
 We shall not forget the little man with the kindly piercing 
 eyes and the unflinching, undaunted courage, who was so generous 
 in thought and action, so truly noble. 
 
 He lived well. 
 
 Fred J. Conboy, Editor. 
 
 Oral Hygiene, 
 September, 1938. 
 
 "Now He Belongs to the Ages." 
 
 He died as he would have wished: close to his family and 
 friends, not long removed from his office and his desk, after a 
 successful speaking tour among his colleagues. 
 
 His honors were many, his skill was exceptional, his under- 
 standing was profund — and of these the greatest was under- 
 standing. 
 
 Edward J. Ryan, Editor. 
 
 The Journal of the Oregon State Dental Association. 
 August, 1938. 
 
 Charles Nelson Johnson is Dead! 
 
 Many columns regarding Dr. Johnson will be written for our 
 journals and we imagine each writer will approach the task with 
 a feeling of helplessness in attempting to do justice to the life 
 and accomplishments of this noble gentleman who devoted every 
 ounce of his mental and physical strength to the glorification of 
 dentistry. It is far beyond the capability of this writer, and any 
 attempt almost seems like sacrilege. There are certain lives that 
 tower above those around them just as Mount Hood towers 
 
 123
 
 majestically over the great mountains and valleys surrounding it. 
 Such a life was that of C. N. Johnson, defying all efforts to 
 eulogize or to appraise. 
 
 It will be truly said that dentistry has lost one of its major 
 prophets, and one of the very last of those who ushered in what 
 has become known as the modern era of dentistry. 
 
 When he spoke, he simply entranced his listeners with his 
 marvelous voice, his simplicity of speech and his sincerity of 
 thought. When he wrote, his words carried wisdom and counsel 
 that was sound and that was heeded. 
 
 We grieve that we shall see him and hear him no more, but 
 we rejoice that he could be taken while he was yet active. To 
 have had it otherwise would have broken his great heart though 
 probably no one else would ever have known it. Such men of 
 strength are needed in these strange times when the tendency 
 seems to be to have none of the old order. C. N. Johnson, loved 
 by all never failed to preach the clinging to any of the old ideals 
 which are high, noble and true. He has done much to keep us 
 from faltering, and though suddenly we look for him in vain, 
 his footsteps are visible everywhere. For many years his in- 
 spiration will radiate from the columns of the Journal of the 
 American Dental Association, his spirit will stalk through the 
 lobbies and corridors of convention headquarters and his voice 
 will shout out in the assemblies and business sessions. 
 "Of such he was, there be few on earth; 
 Of such he is, there be few in Heaven; 
 And life is all the sweeter that he lived. 
 And all he loved more sacred for his sake; 
 And Death is all the brighter that he died, 
 And Heaven is all the happier that he's there." 
 
 Arthur F. Weeks, Editor. 
 
 RiviSTA Italiana de Stomatologia. 
 Novembre, 1938. 
 
 II 17 Luglio U.S. e morto a Chicago, il Dr. Charles Nelson 
 Johnson nell'eta di 78 anni. Ers professors emerito di odon- 
 
 124
 
 otiatria operativa nel Chicago College of Dental Surgery e 
 Direttore del Giornale della "American Dental Association and 
 Dental Cosmos." Con la sua morte la professione perde uno dei 
 piu abili ed entusiastici campioni. Egli era non soltanto un grande 
 ed avvincente maestro, ma un vero amico dei suio discepoli. II 
 suo volumne "Principles and Practice of Operative dentistry," fu 
 classico ed ebbe I'onore di varie traduzioni in lingua straniere. 
 Assai noto e pure il suo "Test Book of Operative Dentistry." II 
 "Success in Dental Practice," fu anche pubblicato in italiano a 
 puntate ne "La Stomatologia," tradotto da uno dei suo allieve 
 favoriti, il nostro Arrigo Piperno. Scrittore versatilissimo si rese 
 assai interessante nei suo Editoriali dapprima nel "The Bur," il 
 giornale degli studenti del Collegio Dentario di Chicago, poi 
 nella "Dental Review," e da ultimo nel "Journal of the Am. 
 Dent. Ass. and Dent. Cosmos." Fu anche poete (Poems of the 
 Farm) e pregiato novelliere. 
 
 La "Rivista Italiana di Stomatologia" invia alle due figlie e 
 ai due fratelli del grande scomparso le piu sentite condoglianze. 
 
 Arrigo Piperno. 
 
 Ecco con quali parole, fra I'altre, W. H. G. Logan, presidente 
 della F. D. I. e rettore del Chicago College of Dental Surgery, 
 comunica la morte di Johnson al suo allievo prof. Arrigo Piperno: 
 " Come voi sapete, noi tutti abbiamo perduto non solo il 
 piu intimo, ma anche il piu seducente e influente amico, ma 
 poiche egli pote vivere una vita cosi lunga, noi non possiamo che 
 ritenerci fortunati di averlo avuto con noi per cosi lunghi anni 
 e sempre in buona salute." 
 
 Journal of the Second District Dental Society. 
 October, 1938. 
 
 Doctor Charles Nelson Johnson, 
 
 Honor aTy Member. 
 
 Few men in our profession have contributed so generously 
 
 in so many ways toward its advancement. As a teacher, writer, 
 
 editor, scientist and friend, he stood in the forefront. But more 
 
 than any of these, his genial personality added a luster wherever 
 
 125
 
 he happened to be. Such characters shed a beneficence which can 
 be appreciated even more after they are gone than when they 
 are in our midst. How we shall miss his cheery smile, his warm 
 hand-clasp, his wise counsel and his loyal, steadfast friendship! 
 We need not here enumerate the honors which came to 
 Doctor Johnson during his long career, except to say that they 
 were so well deserved. In the conferrence upon him of Honorary 
 Membership in our Society we honored ourselves much more 
 than we honored him. That which we have received from him 
 will live in us as long as life shall last and, through us, to 
 generations of those to come. 
 
 "To live in the hearts of 
 our friends is not to die." 
 
 Jacob Shapiro, Editor. 
 
 The Journal of the Southern California 
 
 State Dental Association. 
 
 August, 1938. 
 
 There have been deaths which have agitated the dental 
 world more than Charles Nelson Johnson's, but there has been 
 none, so far as I know, that will leave large groups in the pro- 
 fession, who have really known him, with so keen a sense of 
 deprivation, of a star extinguished, of a charm vanished, of a 
 grace withdrawn. Always — thoughtful of the other man, always 
 doing the gracious thing, always trying to uplift humanity, always 
 striving to exalt his profession — that was C. N. Johnson. 
 
 E. F. Schewe. 
 
 University of Toronto Monthly. 
 October, 1938. 
 
 Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson, LL.D. '32, known as the dean 
 of dentistry died on July 17th, at his home in Chicago. He was 
 78 years old. Dr. Johnson had practiced dentistry in Chicago 
 since 1885 and, despite his age, still did so up to the time he was 
 stricken. Shortly before his death he was the guest of honor at 
 the Pacific Coast Dental Congress in Vancouver. 
 
 126
 
 Throughout his half century as a dentist, Dr. Johnson re- 
 ceived every honour of his profession. He served as president of 
 the American Dental Association, of the Illinois State Dental 
 Association and of the Chicago Dental Society. He was honorary 
 member of the dental societies from Japan to Uruguay, and had 
 served as editor of the Journal of the American Dental Associa- 
 tion since 1925. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was born in Ontario. He received his dental 
 training at the Royal College of Dental Surgeons in Toronto and 
 the Chicago College of Dental Surgery. Since 1891 he had been 
 dean of men and professor of operative dentistry at the latter. 
 
 Although primarily a dentist, he was in wide demand as a 
 lecturer. At one period he won considerable renown as a poet, 
 slipping such books as "Poems of the Farm" in between pro- 
 fessional writings like "Filling Teeth" and "Operative Dentistry." 
 Dr. Johnson received the honorary degree of Doctor of Law from 
 the University of Toronto in 1932. 
 
 West Virginia Dental Journal. 
 October, 1938. 
 
 A mighty Oak has been felled from the forest of organized 
 Dentistry. On July 17th, 1938 the grim axeman of death stepped 
 into this forest and chose to fell the first stalwart, sturdy oak 
 that came to view. 
 
 This in the person of Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson, who in 
 his half century of activity in organized dentistry, became one of 
 the most loved, most understandable, most respected men in our 
 profession. His simplicity bespoke his greatness. 
 
 He was conscientious, sincere and tolerant in his labors 
 toward his fellowmen with whom he served and worked. 
 
 He has left us a rich heritage. He helped to show us the 
 way to bigger and better things in life and in the profession as 
 well. 
 
 We salute the memory of a great and good man. An honored 
 and loved Father and Friend. 
 
 H. L. Satterfield. 
 
 127
 
 Wisconsin State Dental Society. 
 August, 1938. 
 
 Law, medicine, and politics all have their great characters 
 engaged in their respective activities to whom they point with 
 pride and in whom they rely for exemplification in the practice 
 of their professions. The profession of dentistry, too, has those 
 characters, and they point with fixed attention upon the noblest 
 of its membership. 
 
 Probably in the life of Doctor C. N. Johnson, his greatest 
 contribution to his profession and to humanity was the example 
 of a noble life devoted to a purpose which was to accomplish for 
 suffering humanity as much relief as possible in the short full 
 space of one lifetime. It mattered not in what his activity was 
 exerted, whether it was in the writing of a poem to please and 
 humor his fellow beings or whether it was to teach young men 
 the practice of dentistry with a determination for a high standard 
 of efficiency. He not only taught that, but he taught them 
 citizenship, inspired ambition, encouraged and appreciated for- 
 ward looking and honest scientific effort. He purified politics. 
 He elaborated and perfected the literature. He stood for and 
 taught sound principles of his profession to his boys, not a one of 
 whom failed to love and honor him. He simplified the difficult 
 and beautified the simple things of life. 
 
 In speaking to a Wisconsin audience of dentists, he made 
 use of these remarks which illustrated his type of philosophy. 
 As the years were gathering in numbers he said he did not mind 
 them as long as he kept his view in the future. 
 
 It is something to have been a great dentist. It is something 
 more than that to have the profession the world over without 
 a single exception acclaim Doctor Johnson as its finest character. 
 A great and skillful dentist, a great teacher and lecturer, a great, 
 fair, and just executive. He typified the highest degree of loyalty, 
 and in his steadfast support of a principle never offended anyone, 
 but was determined on his course because he endeavored to make 
 sure that it was an honest one. Most of all, he was a great 
 humanitarian. 
 
 128
 
 The public do not remember great characters long, nor often 
 times appreciate and never magnify the life of a great dentist, 
 but the dental profession of Wisconsin and his profession gen- 
 erally as well as his patients and friends, will long remember his 
 great accomplishments during his life time. 
 
 His handsome, scholarly, kindly countenance was an inspira- 
 tion to every service he rendered and to every meeting in which 
 he took part. 
 
 T. A. Hardgrove. 
 
 129
 
 CABLES 
 
 Sydney, Australia 
 Executive and Dental Journal of Australia convey deepest 
 sympathy. 
 
 Australian Dental Ass'n, New South Wales. 
 
 Australian Dental Association 
 Executive and Dental Journal express sincere regret at 
 passing of Dr. Johnson. 
 
 Australian Dental Association, 
 
 New South Wales Branch. 
 
 Sydney, Australia 
 Cable just received sincerest sympathy. 
 
 Dangar Borne. 
 
 London, England 
 On behalf American Dental Society of Europe, please convey 
 heartfelt sympathy to Doctor Johnson's daughters. We who knew 
 C. N. Johnson loved him. 
 
 K. C. Campbell. 
 
 Paris, France 
 American Dental Club Paris extends deepest sympathy loss 
 of your esteemed father. William Davenport, Pres. 
 
 Paris, France 
 Federation directs that sympathy and affection be extended 
 and appreciation offered on the passing of your father. He left a 
 noble example to an appreciative profession. 
 
 Logan, Nord. 
 
 Paris, France i 
 
 Extend my deepest sympathy to the family. 
 
 Orr. 
 
 131
 
 Tokyo, Japan 
 Nippon University Dental College 
 Please accept my sincere condolence. 
 
 Drs. Kazuo Sato, Tamejiro Kawakami. 
 
 Tokyo, Japan 
 
 Tokyo Dental College 
 
 Extreme grief demise your father sincerest condolences, 
 
 Chiwaki Okumura. 
 
 New Zealand 
 New Zealand Dental Association wishes record regret at 
 death of C. N. Johnson. 
 
 Wilkinson, Secretary. 
 
 Wellington, New Zealand 
 Our deepest sympathy in the loss of your dear father whose 
 passing will be regretted by Dental Profession throughout the 
 world. 
 
 May Gilmer. 
 
 American College of Dentists 
 Please convey to relations of Dr. Johnson my deepest 
 sympathy, also that of the official family of the American College 
 of Dentists. 
 
 C. E. Rudolph, Pres. 
 
 American Dental Association 
 Washington, D. C. 
 Dentistry and the American Dental Association have lost 
 in Dr. C. N. Johnson one of the pioneers of modern dentistry. 
 He was not only an excellent dentist but a splendid editor and a 
 great humanitarian. His manifold contributions to the profession 
 and society were universally recognized and his loss will be 
 deeply felt by all dentists and every dental organization through- 
 out the world. 
 
 C. Willard Camalier, President. 
 
 132
 
 Please convey my heartfelt sympathy to Dr. Johnson's 
 family. He was greatly loved and respected by his profession 
 and his place most difficult to fill. 
 
 C. Willard Camalier, President. 
 
 Arkansas State Dental Association 
 Today's paper told of the passing of Dr. C. N. Johnson. 
 Please convey to the bereaved our heartfelt sympathy and love. 
 
 Arkansas State Dental Ass'n, 
 
 I. M. Sternberg, Sec'y- 
 
 Atlanta District Dental Society 
 Deepest sympathy in the passing of Dr. Johnson. 
 
 Atlanta District Dental Society. 
 
 Atlanta Southern Dental College 
 Please convey to family deepest sympathy of friends at 
 Atlanta Southern Dental College, all of whom loved and esteemed 
 him greatly. Atlanta Southern Dental College. 
 
 Baltimore College of Dental Surgery 
 The sad news of the passing of the universally beloved and 
 distinguished C. N. Johnson comes as a distinct shock. Aside 
 from his scientific and professional contribution of the advance- 
 ment of dentistry he stimulated the spiritual element in the 
 profession as no one before him or since has done. In his passing 
 dentistry loses a great champion and every member of the 
 profession a considerate friend. The Faculty of the Baltimore 
 College of Dental Surgery joins in extending through you to the 
 members of his family its heartfelt sympathy in their hour of 
 bereavement. J. Ben Robinson. 
 
 California State Dental Association 
 The California State Dental Association expresses sincere 
 regrets to the family and colleagues of Dr. Charles N. Johnson. 
 Dentistry has lost one of its greatest members. 
 
 Howard B. Kirtland, Pres. 
 Frederick T. West, Sec'y. 
 
 133
 
 Canadian Dental Association 
 Shocked to learn passing C. N. Johnson whom I just left in 
 Vancouver. Kindly express to family on behalf of Dental Profes- 
 sion in Canada our deepest sympathy. 
 
 Stephan A. Moore, Pres. 
 
 Cleveland Dental Society 
 Sincerely regret passing of our beloved Dr. Johnson deepest 
 sympathy. 
 
 T. J. McDermott. 
 
 Delta Sigma Delta 
 Kansas City, Mo. 
 Our heartfelt sympathy in your great sorrow. 
 
 K. C. Auxiliary, Delta Sigma Delta Fraternity. 
 
 Dental Society of the State of New York 
 May I extend to you on behalf of the officers and members 
 of the Dental Society of the State of New York profound sym- 
 pathy and deep regret over the passing of Doctor Johnson. 
 
 Charles A. Wilkie, Sec'y. 
 
 District of Columbia Dental Society 
 It is with deep regret that I learn of the passing of C. N. 
 Johnson. Please convey to the family the deepest sj'^mpathy of 
 the District of Columbia Dental Society. 
 
 Jas. W. Brown, Pres. 
 
 First District Dental Society of Kansas 
 To the family and friends of Dr. C. N. Johnson we wish to 
 express our heartfelt sympathy. 
 
 Hugh D. Wilson, Sec'y. 
 
 First District Dental Society of New York 
 The officers and members of the First District Dental Society 
 of New York extend deepest sympathy on the passing of Dr. 
 Johnson. 
 
 John L, Peters, Secretary. 
 
 134
 
 Fond du Lac County Dental Society 
 The Fond du Lac County Dental Society wishes to express 
 to Dr, Johnson's family its sympathy and its regret. In the 
 passing of Dr. Johnson, we have lost our noblest friend. While 
 the profession has been rewarded by a life time of wonderful 
 service, his energy, charity, loyalty, and professional idealism 
 will be missed. q ^ MoneW, Pres., 
 
 J. L. Braskamp, Sec. 
 
 Fox River Valley Dental Society 
 Please accept our deepest sympathy in the death of our 
 friend Dr. Johnson. 
 
 L. J. McCrarry, Pres. 
 
 Georgia 
 All Georgia dentists shocked and grieved to learn of passing 
 of our distinguished friend, one of organized dentistry's most 
 valuable assets. Please extend family our sincere sympathy. 
 
 R. H. Murphy, Secretary. 
 
 Greater New York 
 The members of the Greater New York Dental Meeting 
 Committee join me in expressing sincere sympathy. 
 
 Charles M. McNeilly, Chairman. 
 
 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada 
 It greatly grieved us to hear of the passing of our dear friend 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson. It is wonderful to have known one so 
 beautiful in character and so universally loved. The Dental 
 profession of Hamilton extend to the family, their heartfelt 
 sympathy. 
 
 W. G. Thompson. 
 
 Illinois State Dental Society 
 The Illinois State Dental Society learns with very deep 
 regret of the sudden passing of our beloved C. N. Johnson. His 
 loyalty and devotion to this society and his kindly personality
 
 will ever be an inspiration and will remain a gracious heritage 
 to our membership. The officers and members of the society wish 
 to express our deepest sympathy in the loss of your beloved 
 father, Ben H. Sherrard, President, 
 
 C. N. Newlin, Secretary. 
 
 Items of Interest 
 Shocked to learn of death of Dr. C. N. Johnson. It is a 
 grave loss to the Dental world. Please express my sympathy 
 to the bereaved family. Mendel Nevin. 
 
 Journal of the Canadian Dental Association 
 Please convey to Dr. Johnson's two daughters and the other 
 relatives the deepest sympathy of the officers and associate 
 editors of the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association. Mrs. 
 Garvin joins me in sending our deepest sympathy. We counted 
 Dr. Johnson among our dearest friends. 
 
 Harry Garvin. 
 
 Journal of Dental Research 
 Journal of Dental Research deeply regrets the loss of C. N. 
 Johnson, the Dean of Dental Editors to his many friends in 
 dentistry and in other fields where his sage counsel has extended. 
 
 H. B. G. Robinson, Editor. 
 
 Kansas State Board Dental Examiners 
 Heartfelt sympathies for Dr. C. N. Johnson's family. The 
 dentists of Kansas enjoyed the inspirational visit so very much 
 last week of this grand old character and will always treasure it. 
 
 Gordon L. Teall, Pres. 
 
 Kansas State Board of Health 
 It was indeed a shock to learn of Dr. C. N. Johnson's death. 
 We had just spent a delightful day with him in Kansas City. 
 Dr. Helm, secretary of the Kansas State Board of Health joins 
 me as Director of the Division of Dental Hygiene in extending 
 our sincerest sympathy and with you feel the loss of a great man, 
 scientist and scholar. Leon R. Kramer. 
 
 136
 
 Kansas State Dental Association 
 Your telegram telling me of Dr. C. N. Johnson's sudden 
 passing has completely upset Dr. Johnson's many friends here in 
 Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri. Indeed we 
 all consider his passing inestimable loss to the Dental Profession 
 of the entire world. Dr. Johnson delivered a masterful speech on 
 the subject of ethics before a crowd of nearly two hundred at 
 the Kiwanis Club luncheon here only last Thursday. His radio 
 speech in the afternoon and the most inspirational speech he 
 delivered at the joint meeting of the Kansas City, Kansas and 
 Kansas City, Missouri Dental Societies the same evening still 
 ring in all of our ears. Please tell his family that Kansas joins 
 with all other states and nations in extending heartfelt sympathy 
 to them in this sad hour. We hope the memory of his practical 
 goodness will help sustain them now and in the days to come. 
 
 Fred A. Richmond, Secretary. 
 
 Massachusetts State Dental Society 
 Massachusetts members send deepest sympathy to Dr. John- 
 son's family. His beautiful character will always remain in the 
 memory of all who have known and loved him here. 
 
 Philip E. Adams, Secretary. 
 
 New Jersey State Dental Society 
 Please allow the New Jersey State Dental Society to offer 
 the deepest sympathy in the mutual loss which has come through 
 the death of Dr. Johnson. He was personally known to our 
 members, and his rare ability and lovable traits endeared him 
 to all of us throughout the state. 
 
 F. K. Hazelton, Secretary. 
 
 North Carolina Dental Society 
 Please express to the family of Dr. C. N. Johnson the 
 sympathy of the members of the North Carolina Dental Society. 
 Dr. Johnson was held in high esteem in North Carolina and we 
 will greatly miss his fine influence. 
 
 G. Fred Hale, Pres. 
 
 137
 
 Nebraska Delta Sigma Delta 
 Nebraska Delta Sigma Delta extends heartfelt sympathy in 
 your sorrow and share in your loss of a noble character. 
 
 Blaine Truesdell, Grand Master. 
 
 Ontario Dental Nurses and Assistants Association 
 Have just learned of the passing of our beloved friend and 
 want you to know you have our deepest sympathy. We shall all 
 miss him terribly and are thinking of you at this time. 
 
 Mrs. Marion Edwards, Past President. 
 
 Pacific Coast Dental Conference 
 
 Vancouver, B. C. 
 
 Please convey to the family of Dr. C. N. Johnson the sincere 
 
 sympathy of myself and all his other friends here in their very 
 
 great loss in which the profession of Dentistry will share with 
 
 them. 
 
 W. J. Lea. 
 
 Past Presidents' Club, A.D.A. 
 Columbus, Okie 
 Both as secretary of the Past Presidents' Club of the 
 American Dental Association and personally I extend sincere 
 sympathy to the family and immediate friends in the passing of 
 our distinguished colleague and friend, Doctor Johnson. His 
 meritorious contributions to dental progress establishes a note- 
 worthy record of achievements. 
 
 Homer C. Brown. 
 
 Pennsylvania State Dental Society 
 I regret exceedingly to learn of the passing of Dr. Johnson. 
 I am certain that his loss will be keenly felt at the central office. 
 The Pennsylvania State Dental Society desires to pay tribute 
 to his sterling qualities and his untiring efforts to serve his 
 profession. 
 
 R. M. Walls, Pres. 
 
 138
 
 Pennsylvania State Dental Society 
 Deepest sympathy from Pennsylvania State Dental Society. 
 
 Sanford D. Lawyer, Secretary. 
 
 Psi Omega 
 
 Kansas City, Kansas 
 The Psi Omega Fraternity together with all Dental Frater- 
 nities will greatly miss Brother C. N. Johnson. He was one who 
 always manifested the highest type of fraternalism and his life 
 exemplified it to the end. Our deepest sympathy is extended to 
 his family. 
 
 John W. Richmond, 
 
 Grand Master National Alumni 
 Chapter of Psi Omega. 
 
 San Francisco District Dental Assistant Association 
 We extend our deepest sympathy to the relatives and friends 
 of our beloved Dr. C. N. Johnson. The American Dental As- 
 sistants have lost a very dear friend. We will miss his guiding 
 hand and the interest he has taken in us. 
 
 San Francisco District 
 Dental Assistant Ass'n. 
 
 San Francisco District Dental Society 
 Please extend sincere condolences of officers and members 
 of the San Francisco District Dental Society in passing of Dr. 
 C. N. Johnson. His accomplishments are well known to all our 
 members, and his loss felt keenly. 
 
 E. Frank Inskipp, Pres. 
 
 University of California College of Dentistry 
 Please convey to the relatives of Dr. C. N. Johnson and to 
 all his colleagues in the association the condolences of the Faculty 
 of the College of Dentistry, University of California his life was 
 enriched and enobled through self sacrifice and unstinted service 
 to others with sincere sympathy. 
 
 Guy S. Millberry. 
 
 139
 
 Southern California State Dental Association 
 The Southern California State Dental Association hears with 
 heartfelt regret and deep sorrow that our friend and leader has 
 been called to his heavenly reward. Dr. C. N. Johnson beloved of 
 all we have always felt belonged not to any one group but to 
 the dental profession of the world. His passing constitutes a 
 national and international loss of the professional interest to 
 which he contributed so fully of the richness of his great heart 
 and brilliant mind, we mourn his loss as an irreplaceable one and 
 bow to the memory of this great man with reverence, love and 
 everlasting gratitude for the opportunities he gave us to listen 
 to his words of wisdom and to enjoy the atmosphere of his 
 chivalry and charm. 
 
 The officers, members and personal friends of 
 the Southern California State Dental Ass'n. 
 
 Twelfth American Dental Association District 
 Enid, Okla. 
 The many friends of Dr. Johnson in this section of the 
 country join me in expressing their sorrow over the passing away 
 of this great and beloved member of the dental profession. 
 
 C. L. Lawrence, Trustee. 
 
 University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry 
 To his daughters sincerest sympathy in the irreparable loss 
 the profession has sustained in the death of your dear father. 
 May you be given strength to sustain you at this parting. Dr. 
 Johnson has been my ideal throughout the years, and is even 
 greater in his passing. 
 
 Arnold D. Mason, Dean. 
 
 Virginia 
 The Faculty of the Medical College of Virginia School of 
 Dentistry joins me in expressing our deepest sympathy in the 
 loss of Dr. C. N. Johnson. 
 
 Harry Bear, Dean. 
 
 140
 
 Washington University School of Dentistry 
 St. Louis, Mo. 
 Faculty of Washington University having learned of the 
 death of C. N. Johnson expresses its deep feeling of his loss to 
 
 Washington University School of Dentistry. 
 
 University of Southern California College of Dentistry 
 Los Angeles, Calif. 
 The Faculty and student-body of the College of Dentistry, 
 University of Southern California, shocked by the news of the 
 passing of Dr. C. N. Johnson, a great teacher, author, philoso- 
 pher and dental leader hereby records its sense of the great 
 loss which dentistry and dental educational institutions have 
 sustained. His memory will forever symbolize those splendid 
 qualities which made of him a personality so outstanding in 
 professional and cultural attainments. The record of his loving 
 devotion to his profession, to his co-workers and to his friends 
 throughout the world fills a glorious and inspirational page in 
 
 the historical annals of dentistry. , • t- t- . t-w 
 
 Lewis h. rord, Dean. 
 
 Wyandotte County Dental Society of Kansas City 
 
 Wyandotte County Dental Society of Kansas City, Kansas 
 
 mourns the loss of the beloved Charles N. Johnson. His last 
 
 public address which was given at our special meeting last 
 
 Thursday evening was one of the most inspirational messages 
 
 ever heard. America has lost a great citizen and the Dental 
 
 Profession throughout the world has lost one of the greatest 
 
 leaders and teachers in its entire history. Our sincere sympathy 
 
 goes out to his dear family. ttt-,,- r> t o 
 
 William D. Lee, becretary. 
 
 Wisconsin State Dental Society 
 Dentistry has suffered an irreparable loss in the death of 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson. Wisconsin extends its heartfelt sympathy. 
 
 Wisconsin State Dental Society, 
 O. H. Moen, President, 
 E. C. Wetzel. 
 
 141
 
 University of Southern California 
 Board of Trustees, College of Dentistry 
 The Board of Trustees, College of Dentistry, University of 
 California composed of Doctors Ford, Denbrook, Endelman, 
 Gray, Wagner, Vonkleinsmidt, Carpenter and Boyd express pro- 
 found sympathy in the loss of your father. Be sustained in the 
 knowledge that legions of friends the world over loved and 
 esteemed him. Bert Boyd, Sec'y. 
 
 University of Buffalo School of Dentistry 
 Faculty of University of Buffalo School of Dentistry ex- 
 presses deep regret at passing of Dr. C. N. Johnson. 
 
 R. W. Groh. 
 
 Second District Dental Society (New York) 
 It is with deep regret that I learned of the death of Dr. 
 Johnson. The members of the Second District Dental Society 
 and myself wish to extend heartfelt sympathy. 
 
 Charles A. Wilkie, President. 
 
 Winnipeg Dental Society 
 The Winnipeg Dental Society learned of the death of Dr. 
 Johnson with deepest regret. Please extend sincerest sympathy 
 to the members of the immediate family. 
 
 D. A. King, Secretary. 
 
 Winnebago County Dental Society 
 Rockjord, III. 
 Winnebago County Dental Society extends its deepest 
 sympathy. C. O, Olson, President. 
 
 M. L. Johnson, Secretary. 
 
 Woodbury Study Club 
 It is with deep regret that we learned today of the passing 
 of Dr. C. N. Johnson, one of the greatest men that the dental 
 profession has ever produced. For myself and the entire mem- 
 bership of the Woodbury Study Club, we wish to express our 
 deepest sorrow. Charles E. Woodbury. 
 
 142
 
 LETTERS RECEIVED BY THE FAMILY 
 
 Office of the Mayor 
 City of Chicago 
 
 July i8, 1938. 
 Dear Mrs. Dewson: 
 
 It was with extreme regret that I learned of the death of 
 your dear father, and to you and your sister, I wish to extend 
 my deepest sympathy. 
 
 While I realize that words of condolence seem futile at such 
 a time, I trust that your fond memory of your dear father is the 
 source of much comfort in your sorrow. 
 With kindest good wishes, I am 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 Mrs. J. R. Dewson, Edward J. Kelly, Mayor. 
 
 Fox Lake, Illinois, 
 
 American Association of Dental Editors, 
 American College of Dentists 
 
 August 6, 1938. 
 
 I was, indeed sorry to learn of the passing of your father, 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson. I was away at the time when word of his 
 death reached me, and it was therefore, impossible for me to 
 attend the funeral. His passing is a distinct loss to the dental 
 profession. 
 
 I want to express the sympathy of the American Association 
 of Dental Editors, which organization he served last year, as 
 President, and I also wish to express the sympathy of the 
 American College of Dentists, of which he was an esteemed 
 member. I happen to be secretary of both these organizations. 
 
 May I express the hope that the memory of the many 
 pleasant hours which you spent with him, be a comfort to you 
 at this time. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 O. W, Brandhorst, Secretary. 
 
 143
 
 The Allied Dental Council, Inc. 
 
 September 6, 1938. 
 The Allied Dental Council deeply mourns the loss of so 
 great a figure in the dental profession. Words are inadequate 
 to express our feelings. Please accept our condolences indi- 
 vidually and collectively. 
 
 Sincerely, 
 
 Edward Whynman, Chairman. 
 
 Officers and Members of the Alumni Association of the 
 Chicago College of Dental Surgery, 
 Dental School of Loyola University 
 
 July 18, 1938. 
 The officers and members of the Alumni Association of the 
 Chicago College of Dental Surgery, Dental School of Loyola 
 University, extend to you our sincere and heartfelt sympathy in 
 the irreparable loss of your father. His great influence for good, 
 untiring work for his profession and mankind will always be a 
 monument of guidance and inspiration. 
 
 Very sincerely, 
 
 Emil A. Anderson, 
 President of Alumni Ass'n. 
 
 Supreme Chapter 
 Delta Sigma Delta Fraternity 
 
 July 18, 1938. 
 Brother Johnson was foremost among the outstanding mem- 
 bers of the dental profession at the present time. His lovely 
 character made him greatly beloved by all. He will be missed as 
 Editor of the Journal of the American Dental Association, by 
 the dental profession generally, and particularly by the members 
 of this fraternity, of which he was Past Supreme Grand Master. 
 His passing is a distinct loss to the dental profession. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 R. Hamill D. Swing, 
 Supreme Scribe. 
 
 144
 
 American College of Dentists 
 New York Section 
 
 July 19, 1938. 
 
 We note with keen regret the death of C. N. Johnson, a 
 
 Founder of this College. Every Fellow of the New York Section 
 
 of the American College of Dentists oflFers his deep sympathy for 
 
 your loss and ours, in the passing of a great and eminent dentist. 
 
 Sincerely, 
 
 Leland Barrett, Secretary. 
 133 West 72nd St., 
 New York City, N. Y. 
 
 Kings County Dental Society 
 Brooklyn, N. Y. 
 
 July 19, 1938. 
 To the Family of Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson: 
 
 The Kings County Dental Society of Brooklyn, New York, 
 expresses its sympathy at the sudden death of its good friend 
 and honorary member, Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson. 
 
 His passing will leave a void in the roster of membership 
 which can never be filled. Sincerely, 
 
 Leonard Kohn. 
 
 First District Dental Society 
 
 July 20, 1938. 
 The undersigned committee, representing the First District 
 Dental Society of New York State, has learned with deep regret 
 and sorrow of the death of your father and our dear friend, 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson. 
 
 We offer you our heartfelt sympathy and condolence in your 
 great loss. 
 
 A formal notice to the Society of this sad event will be 
 given at the next meeting. 
 With kind wishes, I am. 
 
 Respectfully and sincerely yours, 
 Forry Getz, 
 Chairman of the Necrology Committee. 
 
 145
 
 National Association of Dental Examiners 
 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 
 
 July i8th, 1938. 
 To the Family of the 
 Late Dr. C. N. Johnson, 
 Dear Friends: 
 
 It was with great sorrow that I received the word today 
 that my old friend Dr. C. N. Johnson had passed on to his 
 reward. 
 
 In behalf of the National Association of Dental Examiners I 
 wish to extend to you our sympathy at this time of bereavement. 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 Charles J. Baumann, President, 
 National Association of Dental Examiners. 
 
 Oral Hygiene Publications 
 
 July 20, 1938. 
 Mr. Massol, publisher of Oral Hygiene Publications is on the 
 west coast. Because of his high regard for Dr. Johnson I wish to 
 extend for him, and Oral Hygiene, our heartfelt sympathy in 
 your loss. 
 
 A fine man has passed away and he will be genuinely missed. 
 
 Cordially yours, 
 R. C. Ketterer, 
 
 Publication Manager. 
 
 Minneapolis District Dental Society 
 
 July 19, 1938. 
 It is with sincere sorrow that we have learned of the death 
 of your father, Dr. C. N. Johnson; please accept our sympathies. 
 The dental profession has lost, in Dr. Johnson's passing, a 
 man, the imprint of whose character, intelligence and energy 
 will remain indelibly inscribed in its rolls. The Minneapolis 
 District Dental Society has lost a true friend. 
 Sincerely, 
 
 R. F. D. Johnson, Secretary, 
 Minneapolis District Dental Society. 
 
 146
 
 American Dental Assistants Association 
 
 July 24, 1938. 
 Just now you have lost a Father; many have lost a Friend; 
 many a Dentist; an Organization an Editor; and at least three 
 thousand Dental Assistants have lost a Leader, in the person of 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson. He was the truest, and greatest friend the 
 American Dental Assistants Association has ever known. So, 
 we, with you, will not be selfish enough to wish him back; we 
 will be happy with Him because we KNOW he is happy and 
 would have us be the same, we will not say he is dead, but 
 "He is just away"! 
 
 To us, he was a very wonderful person, so Today and Every 
 Day we want to share, with you, his memory! 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 Lucile S. Hodge, 
 
 General Secretary. 
 
 Osaka Dental College 
 
 July I, 1939. 
 Dear Madam: 
 
 I was greatly upset at learning your beloved father's passing 
 away. I feel most deeply for you and yours in these circum- 
 stances. Please accept expression of my heartfelt sympathy and 
 regret for your loss, and be assured that these are no mere 
 formal words of sorrow. 
 
 Some twenty years ago I had honour of seeing him at 
 Chicago, and was greatly enlightened as well inspired by him. 
 And I was resolved to pursue dental profession for ever as my 
 life work. It is not too much to say that what I am today is 
 due to him. You will not, I hope, think me instructive, if I write 
 you a few lines from Japan of deep sympathy and sorrow for 
 your bereavement. 
 
 Praying for his eternal rest, I am. 
 
 With the true sympathy. 
 Dr. T. Asahina, 
 
 Dean of Osaka Dental College. 
 
 147
 
 American Dental Association 
 Judicial Council 
 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 July i8, 1938. 
 Personally and on behalf of the members of the Judicial 
 Council of the American Dental Association I desire to express 
 our deepest sympathy to you at this time. 
 
 Written words cannot adequately express our feelings on 
 the death of so valuable a member of the dental profession. Dr. 
 Johnson's death is a great blow to the progress of our profession 
 and his place will be hard to fill. 
 
 Again expressing our deepest sympathy, I am, 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 C. Raymond Wells, 
 Chairman, 
 Judicial Council. 
 
 The New Jersey State 
 
 Dental Assistants Association 
 
 12 Broad Street 
 
 Red Bank, New Jersey 
 
 July 26, 1938. 
 As President of the New Jersey State Dental Assistants 
 Association, I have just learned, with great regret, of the passing 
 away of Dr. C. N. Johnson. 
 
 Dr. Johnson has always been very friendly toward our 
 Society and assisted us in every way within his power. Although 
 our Society has not had a meeting since I received notice of 
 his death, I know that I can speak in behalf of the Society and 
 I do wish to express to the members of Dr. Johnson's family our 
 feehng of the loss which we have sustained by his passing. 
 
 Sincerely, 
 
 Edith H. Worth, President. 
 
 148
 
 EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY WERE RECEIVED 
 FROM THE FOLLOWING: 
 
 American Academy of Restorative Dentistry 
 
 American Dental Assistants Association 
 
 Chicago Association of Orthodontists 
 
 Chicago College of Dental Surgery Clinical Faculty 
 
 Chicago College of Dental Surgery Faculty 
 
 Chicago College of Dental Surgery Ladies 
 
 Chicago College of Dental Surgery Maintenance Dept. 
 
 Chicago Dental Assistants Association 
 
 Chicago Dental Society 
 
 Class of 1919 
 
 Delta Sigma Delta, Chicago Auxiliary 
 
 Delta Sigma Delta, Cleveland Auxiliary 
 
 Delta Sigma Delta, Indiana Auxiliary 
 
 College of Dentistry, Los Angeles 
 
 G. V. Black Club 
 
 "His Boys," Junior and Senior Classes of C.C.D.S. 
 
 Loyola University, President and Faculty 
 
 Loyola University, Faculty of School of Dentistry 
 
 Milwaukee Dental Forum 
 
 Minneapolis District Dental Society 
 
 Minnesota State Dental Association 
 
 Montreal Dental Club 
 
 Nebraska Dental Assistants Association 
 
 Northwest Dental Society 
 
 Northwestern University Dental School Faculty 
 
 Ohio State Dental Society 
 
 Ontario Dental Association 
 
 Texas Dental College 
 
 University of Illinois College of Dentistry Faculty 
 
 149
 
 From an Office Associate 
 
 There is so much to be said of Dr. C. N. Johnson, the man, 
 the dentist, the teacher, the friend, that it can be only touched 
 upon in these few pages. 
 
 There is no doubt that all and, they are many, who have 
 listened to Dr. Johnson in the classroom or on the lecture plat- 
 form have been benefited and inspired. All who had any contact 
 with him as teacher, advisor, colleague or friend came to love 
 and revere him. But I will venture to say, only a very few 
 really knew the innermost soul of Dr. Johnson, as did the 
 thousands who became his patients. Yes, he poured out the 
 sparks of character, inspiration and help to his "boys" and 
 "girls," and to Dentistry at large, but I truly believe that after 
 his endeared family, his patients came nearest his heart. It was 
 the association and service to them that made application of so 
 many of his ideals in Dentistry possible. 
 
 Following his graduation, Dr. Johnson opened an office on 
 the sixth floor of the Chicago Opera House, on the corner of 
 Clark and Washington Streets, where he was associated with Dr. 
 Ferdinand Henrotin. There he practiced Dentistry until 1893, 
 when he moved to the old Marshall Field Building, where he had 
 his office for thirty-three years. In 1926, he moved into the 
 Garland Building, where he conducted an active practice until 
 the end. In 1893, Dr. Johnson purchased the chair which 
 was being used by Dr. Walter Webb Allport at the time of his 
 death. The chair was almost new at that time and was used 
 by Dr. Johnson until his death in July, 1938. 
 
 Today many of his life-long patients, take much pride in 
 relating their introduction by Dr. Henrotin to Dr. Johnson, at 
 that time a very young and promising dentist. Many of them 
 claim the distinction of never having had another dentist look 
 at or do any work on their teeth during this half-century. And 
 not so strange to say, many of these patients today have most 
 of their natural teeth. 
 
 It is very interesting to hear them tell of many of his early 
 methods, such as hand-malleting gold foil, preparing cavities with 
 
 150
 
 hand instruments, ligating and wedging teeth to bring them into 
 alignment, maybe extracting one here and there to make more 
 room in the arch. The "passing of the buck" to an orthodontist 
 was not possible in those early days. 
 
 In 1922, it was my good fortune and very great honor to 
 receive a letter from Dr. Johnson asking me to assist him in his 
 office. From now on, I must beg your indulgence for all personal 
 references, for one could not work with this great and kindly 
 man so intimately for sixteen years without becoming a part of 
 his happy office family and may I say, in modesty, of his life. 
 
 Dr. C. N. Johnson's brother. Dr. "J. W.," as he is so fondly 
 known by his friends, occupied one operating room and I was 
 privileged at that time to use the extra operating room, which 
 was used also as a laboratory. For two years I watched, I 
 believe, the busiest dentist in Chicago work. Through an open 
 door between our rooms, I could hear his conversation with his 
 patients. I heard his answers to their questions and soon learned 
 why their faith was so well founded, and why they all loved and 
 cherished him as their friend as well as their dentist. He was 
 then working for three and four generations of families. Most of 
 the mothers and fathers and some of the grandparents he most 
 affectionately called by their first names, because when he had 
 first met them, they were only youngsters. 
 
 In recent years, I have had young parents ask me for the 
 privilege of making at least one appointment for their little ones 
 with Dr. Johnson so they, too, could say he had worked on their 
 teeth. I cannot imagine a greater love, respect and confidence 
 shown any professional man than that which Dr. Johnson en- 
 joyed from his patients. 
 
 I have known them to telephone from distant parts of the 
 United States and Canada for advice before permitting another 
 dentist to perform dental work which had been advised. If Dr. 
 C. N. Johnson said it was all right, it was all right. 
 
 He has often shown me letters from noted patients, from 
 many parts of the world, and told of his love and affection for 
 them. One, from whom he received many letters written in her 
 own handwriting, was Ellen Terry, the great English actress. Her 
 
 151
 
 feeling towards him was one of respect and aflFection, as is yours 
 and mine. 
 
 Like Thomas A. Edison, during his more active years Dr. 
 Johnson did not spend many of his hours in sleep. Many nights 
 three or four hours sufficed. It is not easy to understand how a 
 man as busy as he, taking part in practically every discussion in 
 the numerous dental meetings he attended, editing magazines 
 and conducting such a full practice, could find time to write so 
 many personal letters. Many a new born babe has received its 
 first letter from Dr. Johnson. A death, sickness or sorrow of any 
 kind never went unnoticed when it concerned his patients or 
 fellow dentists. Every Christmas, hundreds of letters and poems 
 brightened the hearts of his friends among patients and col- 
 leagues. And let me tell you, every one of these was written in 
 longhand by Dr. Johnson himself. 
 
 A patient was never too poor to receive his expert advice 
 and service, or never too rich or prominent to appreciate it. 
 
 When local anesthesia first came into popular use, he was 
 somewhat reluctant to advise its general use to his patients. 
 When I first came to his office, he was referring most of his 
 extractions to specialists, but being somewhat of a local anesthesia 
 enthusiast, myself, he soon invited me to administer the local 
 for him. From then on, until the day of his death, he did most 
 of his extractions, including third molars, I wouldn't think of 
 tackling. He also took advantage of the local for cavity prepa- 
 ration, pulp removal and any other operations where it was 
 indicated. 
 
 It might be interesting to know that until his death, his time 
 for arriving at the office was 7:00 A. M., winter and summer the 
 year 'round. Up until his first serious illness in 1926, he had his 
 regular appointment at 8:00 A. M. and very often seated the 
 patient at 7:30. Some of these older patients still want to come 
 at the latter hour. He usually worked at the chair until 6:00 
 in the evening. During the last few years he operated at the 
 chair during the forenoon only, reserving the afternoon for his 
 writing at the editorial office of the American Dental Association. 
 
 As long as I knew him, I never heard him raise his voice 
 
 1^2
 
 in anger to anyone on the office force. I have, however, heard 
 him in a few, decisive words put a patient in his, or her place, 
 after every kindness seemed of no avail. 
 
 Dr. Johnson was far more than an employer to those assist- 
 ing in his office and ever an inspiration and friend to those who 
 sought his dental services. Their sentiments are well expressed 
 in the following statements taken from letters received after 
 his death. 
 
 One ardent admirer wrote of him: 
 
 "A man, who in my opinion, had the real simplicity of life 
 and the modesty of the great. It is difficult to express in a few 
 lines what I should like to, but may I say that it is such people 
 as Dr. Johnson whom we occasionally find and come in contact 
 with, who not only sweeten the lives of others, but give us a 
 higher standard and purpose of living." 
 
 One of our leading citizens and a patient of many j'^ears 
 said this: 
 
 "So long ago it was, that I cannot ever remember now when 
 I first went to Dr. Johnson to benefit from his professional 
 services. I went to find a dentist, and I found a friend — a man 
 proficient in his skills — loyal and devoted to his profession; in 
 fact, one of the leaders in the nation in that profession, and 
 yet a charming, delightful, warm-hearted and cultured gentle- 
 man. As many of you undoubtedly know, such long hours did 
 he devote to his professional work — because a patient, once 
 attracted, refused to go to any one else, that his editorial work 
 had to come out of overtime that less conscientious men would 
 have grudged giving. In defiance of the sleep that he needed, 
 he would stand to write his editorials, and later I was to learn 
 that those delightful Christmas messages that were so personal 
 were similarly composed and written in the same spirit of forget- 
 fulness of self. When Dr. Johnson died, the dental profession 
 lost one of its pioneers and greatest leaders. And his patients 
 and friends lost a man of great gifts and rare character." 
 
 A splendid woman and unusually fine mother, had the follow- 
 ing to say: 
 
 "I don't need to tell you what a comfort and blessing he 
 
 153
 
 was to every member of our family in his professional capacity 
 and what a privilege we felt it was to be in his hands. But over 
 and above the physical benefits, I think we always received a 
 spiritual and mental uplift each time we saw him — some part of 
 that grace and illumination of mind that was peculiarly his. And 
 how the children loved him! "Going to the dentist" was never 
 an ordeal for them, but something to be looked forward to and 
 enjoyed. I often wonder how a man of his tremendous responsi- 
 bilities, of his shrewd and mature vision, could enter so whole- 
 heartedly with such complete understanding and humor, into 
 the imagery and color of a child's world. When the children 
 were younger, he wrote them fascinating letters which they 
 ranked with "Water Babies" and "Wind in the Willows" and the 
 tales of Albert Bigelow Payne. They still keep them among 
 their treasures. 
 
 I remember Bishop Brent's saying, many years ago, in 
 reference to certain adjustments in human lives, "To those who 
 believe in God, no explanation is necessary — to those who don't, 
 no explanation is possible." 
 
 I think something of the same thought applies to Dr. 
 Johnson and his friends and patients. To those of us who had 
 the rare experience of knowing him, no words are necessary — to 
 those who missed that privilege, no words are possible." 
 
 Truly words are inadequate to say what should be said of 
 him. Rare indeed was the experience of knowing him and rarer 
 still, the privilege of working with him and for him. 
 
 Earl E. Graham. 
 
 From a Successor Teacher 
 One can scarcely imagine the curious position I am in, 
 in following C. N. Johnson in his lectures and in the direction 
 of the department of Operative Dentistry at the dental college. 
 It is at once an exceedingly easy and an embarrassingly difficult 
 position. Easy, because he has laid the foundation so securely 
 and directed the way so vividly; difficult, because no one can 
 truly take his place. 
 
 154
 
 For nearly fifty years Doctor Johnson gave two lectures 
 a week at the college, a record few pedagogues in the world 
 can equal. Visiting dentists and students, literally from all parts 
 of the world, listened frequently to these lectures and expressed 
 envy of the Chicago boys who were privileged to hear him week 
 after week. In addition to their scientific soundness, his lectures 
 were invariably distinguished by the breadth of vision and per- 
 spective he had, and colored by his humanism and warm 
 sympathy. They constituted not only a treatise on Operative 
 Dentistry but the philosophy of a whole profession as well. 
 
 But besides teaching in the classroom he wrote three text- 
 books and innumerable articles on Operative Dentistry, thereby 
 establishing the entire basis of the subject. One French dentist 
 phrased it aptly when he was introduced to Doctor Johnson: 
 "Ah," he said, "but to us you are the Father of Operative 
 Dentistry." 
 
 In clinical teaching he was equally distinguished. In addition 
 to being a leader of men, so that he could organize and direct his 
 teaching staff of instructors most efficiently, he was a veritable 
 genius with the students themselves. He carried with him always 
 an attitude of intense earnestness, tempered by an obvious 
 kindliness and a rare sense of humor. 
 
 With such a heritage as this, it is surely understandable 
 why I am both humble and deeply grateful. I am not unmindful 
 of the responsibility that is mine in attempting to keep this 
 department which was so dear to Doctor Johnson's heart up to 
 its high level of accomplishment in the field of learning. I cannot 
 hope to do more than emulate the patience and devotion of that 
 great man who did me the honor of calling me his friend. 
 
 Warren Willman. 
 
 From a Former Student 
 
 "And when he fell ... he went down 
 As when a kingly cedar green with boughs 
 Goes down with a great shout upon the hills 
 And leaves a lonesome place against the sky." 
 
 155
 
 Dr. Charles Nelson Johnson, surcharged with life's amenities 
 garnering and retaining the love of his associates, building into 
 others by respect and example those qualities which are founda- 
 tional for higher and abundant living, has folded the draperies of 
 his couch about him and lain down to pleasant dreams. Work, 
 labor, kindHness, and helpfulness, modesty, refinement, intellec- 
 tual force, are now but a part of his requiem, the song of songs 
 of a great and good life. 
 
 Others will mark his life's attainments, that early beginning 
 on a farm in Ontario, the inherent courage of the boy who at 
 fifteen dreamed of a life's work in a growing but narrow pro- 
 fession, the avidity of his days and dogged determination to make 
 of that life something of broadening use. Yes, the recounting 
 will be inspiring. This inadequate but sincere approach will 
 deal, however, in the main with his influence on the lives he 
 touched on his advance to Immortality. 
 
 How little can we sense the inarticulate in its early stages! 
 The mind of a child becomes the proving ground for the maturer 
 days of manhood and womanhood; and, as it ripens, there 
 formulate the egocentric resolves for success, philanthropic urge, 
 scientific research, or any of the many pursuits that justify a 
 life in its larger sense. Lying dormant perhaps in this same mind, 
 nurtured by environment, can also be that which will be a 
 deterrent; and as that mind is exercised and directed by external 
 influences will there be the crowning of a useful life, or its failure. 
 
 Charles N. Johnson, in those early and formative days, 
 caught the vision of the better way, and bending his energies 
 and determination thereto, stood stalwart, challenging the future. 
 The lesson is plain: the starting aright, turning questionably 
 neither to the right nor the left, brings about that which we 
 call success. And is that which is so commonly known by that 
 name really the thing itself.? As I have contacted this man 
 grown to his riper years, I sense the meaning of that elusive 
 word in its truest and best import. It is this: the admiration 
 and love coming from his fellow man, the fealty of friend, the 
 outpouring of human kindness, that is like unto bread cast upon 
 the water, the belief in the integrity that has been each day's 
 
 156
 
 foundation, and withal that commonplace attitude of sameness 
 and not aloofness; these and others make up the sum total of 
 success. These be they that constituted in Dr. Johnson's life 
 the true meaning of success. 
 
 I look back over the days when, as one of his students, I 
 stood in friendly awe of that dynamic personality as he rapidly 
 went about his duties. Others will recall as well with what 
 large-eyed interest we watched him in the infirmary as he ex- 
 amined our work. If the slip was placed in his left coat pocket, 
 no words were needed or used to tell us our chair work was too 
 faulty to pass. The right pocket, however, contained the epitome 
 of our neophytic dreams. But with it all was kindness; and at 
 little informal gatherings later, he would point out our defects 
 of workmanship, and the means of rectifying them. 
 
 His reception in the lecture room by the students was always 
 most respectful and at no time were there wandering minds. 
 The greatest difficulty we had was the speed of his message, 
 precluding the taking of notes. His complete mastery of his 
 subject and the personality so manifest made of us willing 
 suppliants at the feet of our Gamaliel. The years have passed, 
 as years do; multiplied duties cast their shadows on shoulders 
 sometimes aweary; the "boys" of the old days have taken their 
 places in the world, carrying with them the lessons and bene- 
 diction of their teachers, and in those lessons were embedded 
 the ethical values that never have been superseded. Dr. Johnson 
 poured out his soul and life to his "boys" that they might be 
 true disciples of a glorified profession, holding true to his teach- 
 ings that honor and honesty have no substitutes. And that I 
 may register here, if only as an interjection: I wish to say that 
 his life and his teachings have been the star of guidance in my 
 professional firmament. 
 
 Sometimes, in fact many times, love idealizes, sees no cloud 
 on the horizon. Faults and failures just are not, nor ever have 
 been. Knowing "C.N.," and I use here for the first time that 
 affectionate term that is used by all his close friends, as I have 
 known him, when students, teachers, confrere, colaborer, I sub- 
 
 157
 
 scribe to his weaknesses, common to all of us. Thankful I am 
 that he was not perfect, for that kept him human. 
 
 The joy of hving is contained in the effort to frustrate our 
 weaknesses. Many of us fail. Dr. Johnson built about him, no 
 doubt in the long ago, twelve rules that in essence can thwart 
 any variance from best intentions. I hesitate to give them here 
 because of length and yet I feel they so well bespeak the man, 
 that I venture: 
 
 1. First I pledge myself not to continue to think ill of any 
 man. That I shall at times and on the impulse think ill of 
 people is only an evidence of my own frailty, and this I pledge 
 myself to overcome in so far as I recognize it, and as soon as I 
 recognize it. 
 
 2. I pledge myself to help the unfortunate to help themselves, 
 but I shall not add to their misfortune by assuming a burden 
 which properly belongs to them. If perchance I am stronger 
 than others I shall not vaunt my strength by a vulgar display 
 of paternalism over them. If I am weaker than others then 
 shall I not cringe at their feet by permitting them to accept a 
 responsibility which is mine. 
 
 3. I pledge myself to independence and self-reliance except 
 where the fact of leaning on others is for their needed develop- 
 ment. I accept my own destiny without fear or favor. 
 
 4. I pledge myself to tolerance, except that I must not 
 tolerate anything in myself which is low or mean or which I 
 should not wish the world to see. 
 
 5. I pledge myself not to oflFend others unless by thus 
 offending I may show them a real fault and effect a real remedy. 
 I shall criticize no man for the sake of criticism but I shall not 
 withhold criticism where it will do good — the only condition 
 being that I must first be sure that it will do good. 
 
 6. I pledge myself not to judge any man by external evi- 
 dence, not failing to remember that there is little evidence which 
 is not external. 
 
 7. I pledge myself to try to do some good deed each day 
 whereby my fellow man may be made happier, and I make this 
 pledge realizing the exceeding great difficulty of fulfilling it, owing 
 
 iS8
 
 to the rapid succession of days and the natural laxity of human 
 nature — my own in particular. 
 
 8. I pledge myself to think good thoughts in so far as I can 
 control my thinking, not forgetting that I must change my 
 thinking frequently, to keep this pledge. 
 
 9. I pledge myself to look on all sides of every question 
 which may come up for my consideration, studiously avoiding 
 the practice all too common of seeing only one side of a ques- 
 tion — the one which is to one's own individual advantage. 
 
 10. I pledge myself above all things not to make myself a 
 burden to others by magnifying my misfortunes or by constantly 
 complaining at fate. The ills I have I shall strive to bear 
 patiently, and seek to hide them from the world. 
 
 11. I pledge myself to live a clean life, not merely upright 
 in the eyes of the law but fulfilling as nearly as I may the 
 essence of right living as embodied in love, charity, and justice. 
 
 12. And I make no further pledge, conscious of the fact that 
 my natural limitations will make it sufficiently difficult to live up 
 to these. 
 
 And so he grew in strength and idealism. In all places in 
 our professional world, he has been the ever welcome guest. In 
 countries other than ours he has been eagerly sought, men and 
 societies ever expressing their honor of even momentary posses- 
 sion of that personality that drew men unto him; not alone for 
 his dental skill, not alone for his literary or journahstic place, 
 not alone that he was a Canadian American with a devotion for 
 his boyhood home and an unsullied love for his adopted country, 
 the United States of America, but for that grander inherent 
 something which stamped him as a genuine man among men. 
 Many are the graduates of the old school who can honestly say 
 that "all that I am or hope to be I owe to the devotion and 
 idealism of Dr. Johnson." 
 
 "C. N." unwittingly caused the sentimental word "love" to 
 be changed into strong masculine usage. Read where you will, 
 when men, unafraid men, spoke of or to him, it was in terms of 
 love, man-made love. What a world of conquest would be ours 
 could we inspire as did he! 
 
 159
 
 But in the recent times we have seen the rays of the westing 
 sun, becoming more glorious as the horizon seemed to leap up to 
 meet the orb of day. We have seen our friend a little weary 
 even though with voice strong and self-reliance uppermost. We 
 knew our handclasp must be a little more reluctant to break, 
 our words of fraternal warmth must be a little more lingering, 
 for Nature was calling softly but surely, and then — the Great 
 Shadow. 
 
 What a galaxy of Dentistry's Immortals are now apart, and 
 yet with us! They who built enduringly that we, the recipient 
 of their courage, idealism, hopes, ambitions, visions, might benefit. 
 Listen, you men of glorious ancestry, as we enumerate a few who 
 gave of themselves that we might be: Gushing, McKellops, 
 Allport, Kirk, Taft, Darby, Newkirk, Swain, Kells, Brophy, 
 G. V. Black and his son Arthur D. Black, Barret, Noyes, Case, 
 Hunt and into the Infinite to join them has gone Charles Nelson 
 Johnson. Keeping in tune with these, gathering to ourselves 
 their visions, holding the torch handed us by them can we do 
 else than build the edifice whose strength and permanency is but 
 an impression of their protent minds. ^ 
 
 And so God shaped His man and made him a masterpiece, 
 Charles Nelson Johnson, beloved, enshrined, humble in his 
 greatness, the inspiration of dentists now and yet to be. 
 
 "And so be my passing! 
 
 My task accomplished and the long day done, 
 
 My wages taken, and in my heart 
 
 Some late lark singing. 
 
 Let me be gathered to the quiet west. 
 
 The sundown splendid and serene. 
 
 Death." 
 "When bronze is but ash to flame, 
 
 And marble but as wind-blown chaff. 
 
 Still shall the luster of his name 
 
 Stand as his cenotaph." 
 
 Franklin B. Clemmer. 
 
 1 60
 
 A memorial prepared and presented by William H. G. Logan, 
 before the House of Delegates of the American Dental Associa- 
 tion, St. Louis, October 25, 1938 on behalf of a Committee com- 
 posed of William H. G. Logan, chairman, Donald M. GalUs and 
 G. Walter Dittmar. 
 
 CHARLES NELSON JOHNSON 
 i860 — 1938 
 
 When the life of a distinguished man is ended it is not 
 unusual for his friends and colleagues to record for posterity his 
 varied activities and achievements, as well as the honors be- 
 stowed upon him; but since such data concerning Dr. Charles 
 Nelson Johnson have already been formulated and published in 
 the leading dental journals of many lands, this Memorial will 
 only consider briefly the abundant heritage that he left to the 
 dental profession and to humanity. 
 
 In endeavoring to evaluate this heritage, one is reminded 
 of the Latin inscription on a tablet over the choir entrance of 
 St. Paul's Cathedral in London, dedicated to the memory of 
 Sir Christopher Wren, an eminent English architect of the 
 seventeenth century, "Reader, if you would seek his monument, 
 look about you" (Lector, si Monumentum queris, circumspice). 
 I am certain that each of you will agree that this inscription 
 may with equal justification be applied to Dr. Johnson — yes, 
 if 3^ou will look about, you will find his monument in almost any 
 important dental professional gathering in the living personages 
 of the accepted leaders of the profession who are proud to ac- 
 knowledge that their lives have been enriched by the nobleness 
 of his character and by the fruits of his labors; that their 
 achievements are in a large part due to his friendly interest and 
 inspiration, and that they have been embued with a greater 
 admiration and an ever-increasing faith in the importance of 
 their profession through his preachments. 
 
 For over half a century as an inspiring and stimulating 
 teacher of operative dentistry at the Chicago College of Dental 
 Surger}^, Dr. Johnson exemplified the best ideals of the dentist 
 
 161
 
 and the citizen and left his impress upon more than six thousand 
 students who will long remember his lessons in professional 
 ideals and philosophy. Furthermore, public opinion of dentistry 
 has also been materially elevated because of his intellectual 
 attainments, his culture, and the kindly and sympathetic interest 
 that he manifested daily as he served his patients as a general 
 practitioner. 
 
 In recognition of Dr. Johnson's activities as editor of the 
 Journal of the American Dental Association, and as an appre- 
 ciation of our love and respect, the House of Delegates has set 
 apart a portion of this opening session not so much to mourn 
 his irreparable loss as to dedicate the lives of its members to 
 the protection of the ideals he cherished and to the fulfillment 
 of the destiny he followed. Let us prove our worthiness of his 
 friendship by endeavoring to close the many gaps in our ranks 
 which his passing has left vacant, and let us take up with all of 
 his enthusiasm, fidelity, and fervor the tasks that he left un- 
 finished. Let us find leadership, inspiration, and obligation in 
 contemplating the life of our departed and in this way more 
 adequately commemorate the heritage he left. Yes, our mission 
 here today has to do with recording for posterity the influences, 
 the characteristics, and the accomplishments of Dr. Johnson so 
 that those who are to follow as leaders in the dental profession 
 may receive inspiration, and have their lives enriched and their 
 usefulness broadened for the betterment of all mankind. 
 
 To whatever degree the verdict of history may modify 
 contemporary judgments of the achievements of men, it cannot 
 change the place which Dr. Johnson holds in our affection and 
 esteem. And although this Memorial is being presented before 
 the House of Delegates of the American Dental Association it 
 should not be looked upon as belonging to the dental profession 
 of the United States alone, but it must, through the very fitness 
 of things, be shared with the members of organized dentistry of 
 most nations of the world, for they too, like our confreres, have 
 lost a cultured and an affectionate friend; a man of genuine 
 erudition well versed in all departments of dentistry, and most 
 specifically in the field of operative dentistry; a forceful teacher 
 
 162
 
 of high reputation; a constructive force in championing dental 
 educational interests and professional ethics; a man of letters; 
 a poet and a philosopher; a distinguished editor and practitioner; 
 a man of exceptional graces and accomplishments; and one who 
 through daily precept and example rendered such valuable service 
 as a citizen and as a dentist that he can universally be acclaimed 
 as one of our finest exponents of dentistry during his time. Happy 
 such a life and happy the memories thereof which we shall ever 
 cherish and revere! 
 
 This humble tribute to Dr. Johnson's memory cannot as 
 appropriately terminate the cordial relationships that for so many 
 years existed between him and the members of the American 
 Dental Association as can his own farewell message to his family 
 and his friends, written in his own characteristic handwriting a 
 short time before his last illness, and entitled "Last Day." 
 
 Last Day 
 
 The time must come when my jriends shall gather around 
 my casket and speak with bated breath. The occasion will m,ean 
 little to m,e and I shall be the least concerned of any who 
 are present. 
 
 I wish it might be possible for my friends to see the smMe 
 that will lie hidden behind the pale and unnatural countenance 
 reposing in the casket. The smile will be full of content and 
 the surcease of all sorrow. 
 
 It will m,ean rest, and sometim^es I had been wearied; but 
 now I am basking in the sunlight of eternal repose. 
 
 Mayhap there shall be flowers, but this will not matter. All 
 my life I had m,ore flowers than were m,y m,erit. Often have I 
 wished that I might lay m,y flowers at the feet of others where 
 they were more longed for and greater needed. 
 
 I cannot smell the flowers today, but their fragrance through 
 life has sweetened my existence and made the path m,ore pleasant. 
 
 163
 
 The best flowers of all are the flowers of friendship. If 
 every kind act of others that came to me as a benediction were 
 written as a scroll, the scroll would cover my casket and I would 
 crave no better shroud. 
 
 I beg that there shall be 7io mourning here today. And now 
 all hail and farewell. 
 
 A hail to the myriads who shall follow after I am gone. 
 Farewell to all of those with whom, I Ivave lived and labored, the 
 friends who have borne with m,e the burdens and the blessings, 
 the hopes and fears, the smiles and tears. 
 
 And a last lingering look at the dear ones who have been 
 nearest and dearest to m,e in the ties of nature and the bonds 
 of affection, to those my best beloved. 
 
 164
 
 His Chicago Home for 35 Years 
 
 From his bedroom window he watched the sun 
 rise over Lake Michigan
 
 His desk in his home zvhere most of his writing zvas done 
 
 mmm
 
 At His Desk
 
 EXTRACTS FROM HIS WRITINGS 
 
 "ARNULF AND ALT' 
 
 "A dog is a solace because of his frankness and his 
 essential genuineness. He may be mischievous but he 
 has no ulterior motive in what he does, and he never 
 betrays you behind your back. He is your friend in 
 season and out and courageous to the last ditch in the 
 defenses of those he loves. He is intuitive in the highest 
 degree and quickly interprets your every wish, your 
 every mood. He never fails you. AH was impulsive 
 and like all impulsive individuals he made mistakes, 
 but he never consciously did a mean thing nor violated 
 a sacred trust. His life was a constant round of faithful 
 loving service, and because he gave much he received 
 much. He entered into all the activities of our lives, 
 and was an integral part of our household — he was one 
 of the family. 
 
 Something is missing now from the daily routine 
 of our lives, something very vital and very precious. 
 A cheery presence is gone that formerly we had known 
 for years, and we shall miss the myriad little mani- 
 festations of affection and devotion that had enter- 
 tained us day by day, and we are left with a void that 
 never can quite be filled. 
 
 But with it all we cling to a memory, a happy 
 memory of golden days and nights sweetened and 
 softened with loving service, and cheered with a friend- 
 liness that knew no bounds and fostered no regrets. 
 All of this and more besides, was bound up in the 
 entity known as Ali. 
 
 i6.-
 
 Let no one ever say to me again: "It was only 
 a. dog." 
 
 Later: 
 
 The day after I wTOte this there was another 
 wTcnch in our routine. Arnulf who had been the 
 constant companion of Ah for years turned over on 
 his side and passed to the silent majority, leaving us 
 further bereft of an association that had grown to be 
 part of our family life. 
 
 The complete antithesis of each other in tempera- 
 ment and bearing, the two dogs for some reason had 
 formed the greatest attachment one for the other. 
 They would play together by the hour, and the two 
 were the closest companions day and night. The great 
 husky chaps would put on a mock battle that was a 
 sight to see, and when they began action the decks 
 had to be cleared. 
 
 .\lways Arnulf was master of the situation in ever\' 
 enterprise of their lives. He dominated Ali as a king 
 might dominate a clo^;v^l, yet in every joint understand- 
 ing they did the most expert team-work, and the one 
 supplemented the efforts and actions of the other to 
 the greatest perfection. Arnulf was an entirely different 
 t>-pe from AU. He was thoroughly trained for police 
 duty and had the most perfect poise and most dis- 
 tinguished bearing of any animal I have ever known. 
 Ali was impulsive as I have said, and consequently 
 he made mistakes; Arnulf never committed an error in 
 his life. He was cordial and friendly, but there was an 
 innate dignity- in his demeanor that never courted too 
 much familiarity'. He was always pleasant with visitors, 
 
 i66
 
 Alt and Arnulf
 
 Cillo
 
 but that was a concession and merely because he 
 wanted to be a perfect gentleman. To those he loved 
 he freely gave the fullest measure of his devotion and 
 with Ali he was a boon companion from the first. 
 
 Calm, loving, faithful, considerate and intellectual 
 — Arnulf had intellect — there was personality and in- 
 dividuality about Arnulf, that I have never seen 
 equalled. 
 
 And I am thinking this: It would have been his 
 twelfth birthday as I write these lines, and I am 
 wondering why it is that with the superb mentality, 
 the marvelous training and control, the loving disposi- 
 tion, the beautiful conformation, the graceful carriage, 
 and the patrician and thoroughbred characteristics of 
 Arnulf that the allotted span of a dog's life should not 
 be many years longer than it is, to add to the jo3^s of 
 living. As it is he has immeasurably sweetened our 
 existence, mellowed our sympathy, added to our faith 
 and enlarged our affections. Great, noble and imperial 
 Arnulf. It is a better world for us because this dog 
 has lived." 
 
 167
 
 (Read before the Pacific Coast Dental Conference at 
 Vancouver B. C, July, 1938.) 
 
 The present age typifies one of the great epochs in 
 history. We are so close to it that we do not visualize 
 its real significance. During a single lifetime we have 
 witnessed the introduction and development of a 
 staggering number of achievements, achievements of a 
 magnitude and character that if predicted by any of 
 the prophets of the past would have elicited only 
 ridicule or mayhap even scorn. Yet here they are at 
 our very doorsteps and daring us to point out the 
 limitations of what may develop in the future. For on 
 one thing we may be certain: that the future holds in 
 the hollow of its hand infinitely more than the past or 
 the present has ever dreamed of. The purpling east is 
 just breaking through the mists of the early morning 
 of our lives and bringing in the herald of a brighter 
 and a fairer day. 
 
 I have before me today the vision of a profession, 
 so purified by ethical intent and practice that its 
 members shall intuitively move about among men in 
 season and out of season, in the office and out of the 
 office, in a manner to command the admiration of the 
 world, and to compel respect and recognition wherever 
 men meet men in any of the avenues of life. I want 
 dentistry to be known of men as a calling of the highest 
 repute and as one in all ways worthy of the most 
 exalted and best in human concept and human service. 
 
 168
 
 "THE DENTAL CREED" 
 
 To hold inviolate the sacred obligation involved 
 in the practice of a profession. 
 
 To exalt the name and good repute of dentistry, 
 and to honor its best traditions. 
 
 To cultivate the science and art of the profession 
 by study, by research and by self-sacrificing devotion 
 to duty. 
 
 To strive for the loftiest aim of human endeavor — 
 the prevention of the dismal toll of disease. 
 
 To preserve the natural organs and keep them in 
 a state of health and comfort, thereby fulfilling the 
 highest destiny of our calling. 
 
 To restore, as best we may by facile art, the 
 seemly form and effective function of lost parts when 
 the ravages of decay and disintegration have robbed 
 the hapless victim of the heritage that nature gave him. 
 
 To rescue the human countenance from the blight 
 of abnormality, and to mold it into lines of symmetry 
 and grace. 
 
 To take the sunken and shrivelled features of 
 senility and decrepitude, and smooth them into fullness 
 of form and harmony of contour. 
 
 To reach out the helping hand for the relief of 
 pain and to willingly bring succor to the poor and 
 needy. 
 
 To soothe the jangled nerves and change the 
 drawn lines of agony to the blessed relief of peace 
 and repose. 
 
 To wave a magic wand over the piteous, eager 
 faces of deformed little children, and transform them 
 
 169
 
 into comeliness of outline and the very image of 
 divinity. 
 
 To minister tenderly to the pathetic ill of the aged 
 and infirm, to vouchsafe for them a beneficent surcease 
 for their declining days. 
 
 To winnow selfishness out of the minds, and con- 
 secration into the hearts of the profession. 
 
 To weave bit by bit with toil and travail, with trial 
 and error with hope and despair, with failure and 
 triumph and with tenacity of courage and conviction 
 of faith the tenuous fabric with which our professional 
 manhood is draped. 
 
 To keep the faith in the face of all the wanton 
 waves of tempting greed of gain. 
 
 To foster the soul of dentistry, as well as the 
 science of the heart as well as the mind. 
 
 To proclaim the ethics of professional conduct, and 
 to live a life of servitude and sanctity rather than to 
 barter or to trade. 
 
 To give rather than to get, to lift rather than to 
 lean. 
 
 To be one with the great throbbing, aching heart 
 of humanity and kindred to all the noblest desires and 
 purpose of life. 
 
 To attend to old and young alike with zealous 
 care, and with an eye single to the demands of duty 
 and the response of sacrifice. 
 
 And last to seek from day to day with patient 
 mien, to make the world better and humanity happier. 
 
 This then is the dental creed submitted in fair 
 faith, and dedicated to the sublime service of mankind. 
 
 170
 
 "Of all the audiences, I like best a class of students 
 in a dental college. There is a genuineness, an alertness, 
 a responsiveness to a class of boys that brings out the 
 very best there is in a speaker, and I count it as among 
 the happiest experiences of my professional life that 
 for so many years I have been permitted to teach 
 students." 
 
 "In all the varied experiences of human life that 
 man is happiest who has served best and he has served 
 best who has day by day added his mite to the material, 
 the physical and the moral welfare of his fellowman. 
 In this category must be placed the dentist and I am 
 therefore glad that I am a dentist." 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS 
 
 I am a lover of the forest and the fields, of rocks 
 and rivers, of hills and hollows, and the sweeping 
 currents of the wind. I love the tangled growth of 
 nature, and the serried ranks of golden grain. I love 
 to listen to the songs of birds and to the roaring of a 
 torrent, to the hum of insects and the patter of the 
 cooling rain. Everywhere in nature these beautiful 
 banners (trees) of the fields are waving for your 
 delectation and they grow more and more interesting 
 as you observe them closer. They are without money 
 and without price, spread out for the eye of the poorest 
 wayfarer, and yet "Solomon in all his glory was not 
 arrayed like one of these." Learn to love trees and you 
 will never know what it is to be lonely. 
 
 171
 
 We fall far short of getting the most there is in 
 life when we fail to accept the bounty that nature has 
 provided for us. 
 
 It is undeniable that a man's method of thinking 
 largely establishes his character. If a man is to act 
 rightly, he must think rightly. 
 
 Calmness always controls, but impatience perverts. 
 It is invariably the patient man who wins in the end. 
 To be patient is to grow. 
 
 Kindness is the most valuable asset for the young 
 man or young woman to begin life on, and the capital 
 stock may be had for the asking. Armed with kindness, 
 with consideration, and with a determination to employ 
 his talents to the highest possible proficiency, and every 
 young man can win his way in the world and gather 
 strength to meet the emergencies of life as he goes. 
 Each kind act is a three-fold benefit, it helps the one 
 who performs it, the one who receives it, and the world 
 at large is the better for it. Heap up kindness and half 
 the trouble of life would be smothered. 
 
 One of the greatest factors of success in life is 
 perseverance. Unselfishness is the supreme achieve- 
 ment. 
 
 There is something about the Christmas time 
 which appeals to the finer senses of humanity and 
 makes it forget for a moment the sordid side of life and 
 the otherwhile unconquerable greed of gain. Let us 
 go back to the sentiment of home and childhood, and 
 renew the memories of other days when life was less 
 complex and not so careworn as it is today. Let us be 
 simple in our tastes and happy in their fulfillment. 
 
 172
 
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 j) /ct.A«r <wt£» <2<mc» 4^al^ ttf 
 
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 J^Vi 
 
 /i ^'^j /n'j custom for years to send verses to his friends 
 at the holiday season
 
 The home is the sanctuary of the family, the place 
 where the better impulses are born, and where the true 
 growth of manhood is stimulated. There is no place 
 where charity is so broad, or forgiveness so certain, as 
 in the home. 
 
 The good that men do lives after them, which is 
 surely incentive enough to make the man who thinks of 
 it, do all the good he can. 
 
 We are what we are by virtue of countless gen- 
 erations before us, and yet now that we are here we 
 owe it to all the coming generations to strive constantly 
 for the best there is in us. 
 
 I pray for the virtue of humility — not the humility 
 of self-consciousness, but the humility of sacrifice and 
 service. I pray for hope. I pray that I may be blessed 
 with friends and companions; friendship the flower, 
 and companionship the fruit of earthly experience. 
 
 In every life there is the birth, the growth, the 
 fruition and the final fulfillment. The end is more 
 inevitable than the beginning. The chief glory of life 
 is measured by the small achievements not the great 
 ones; the daily service that smoothes the thorny path- 
 way rather than the meteor that sweeps diagonally 
 and spectacularly across the sky. 
 
 THE SUBLIMITY OF SERVICE 
 
 The incentives behind every activity of life will 
 vary according to the individual and his point of view. 
 Every man seeks happiness in his own peculiar way, 
 and the fact must be apparent that many of them do 
 
 "^IZ
 
 not seek it in the most effective way. A relatively large 
 number seek it through the medium of money, but 
 money alone never brought happiness. Others seek it 
 through the medium of gaining power, but power never 
 brought happiness to any one unless the greatest 
 wisdom is exercised in using it; and few men have 
 acquired sufficient wisdom to use power properly. But 
 there is one thing that everybody can do, and through 
 which happiness may be achieved if it is possible to 
 achieve it at all. This is through the subtle influence 
 of service. To dispense service to others in an unselfish 
 way is to taste the heights and depths of satisfaction, 
 and to achieve the most sublime mission of life. 
 
 LOYALTY 
 
 Loyalty is the essence of stability and correct 
 living. Without loyalty there is no security or satis- 
 faction in life — no semblance of real character — no 
 thrill of generosity or true esteem. 
 
 The man who is not loyal loses much in life, his 
 own life and that of others. His impulses turn to ashes, 
 and his best laid plans are defeated before they are 
 planned. No man ever consummated any great or 
 lasting endeavor without loyalty, no man ever won 
 human hearts or enriched the great reservoirs of the 
 human intellect without loyalty. 
 
 To display disloyalty is always to tear down and 
 never to build up. The disloyal man merely works for 
 his own undoing and never accomplishes any worthy 
 purpose in life. He never achieves happiness or success 
 for himself or for others. 
 
 174
 
 Loyalty is the rarest gem in the constellation of 
 kindliness and good will — the star that shines the 
 brightest in the firmament of hope and fundamental 
 faith. Loyalty is one of the essential virtues, it sweetens 
 life and binds humanity together in a common cause of 
 high resolve and worthy endeavor, where the motives 
 of men are molded in the alembic of truth and honor 
 and justice and good repute. Loyalty weaves a fabric 
 to warm the heart and ennoble the mind, to clothe the 
 emotions and grace the intellect. 
 
 Loyalty is the last rampart against the attack of 
 injustice and petty spite — the defense against the 
 machinations of small minds. Loyalty is the sweetest 
 savor of life and the balm that soothes the hurts and 
 wounds of human hate. 
 
 It is our one last refuge against the evils of the 
 past and our bright particular promise for the fruitful 
 days to come. 
 
 THE LARGER VISION 
 
 If there is any supreme intelligence behind the 
 fact of man's existence in the world, the purpose of 
 placing him here must have been that he should do 
 good and be happy. It is inconceivable that any other 
 purpose entered into the plan of his destiny. If this be 
 true, then it is well for thinking people to consider 
 somewhat carefully why it is that men are not all good 
 and all happy. 
 
 Without attempting the solution of so great a 
 problem as this in all its bearings, I venture to suggest 
 that one of the reasons why man falls short of attain- 
 
 175
 
 ing his highest destiny is because he takes too narrow a 
 view of things and allows minor matters to enter too 
 prominently into the affairs of his life. The small dis- 
 tractions of everyday experience are too frequently 
 permitted by his point of view to assume a wholly 
 unwarranted magnitude and to materially warp his 
 trend of thought and seriously affect his happiness. 
 
 While it may be true that the sum-total of the 
 average individual's experience is made up for the most 
 part of small happenings, and while we cannot wholly 
 ignore the little things as possible factors in determining 
 one's destiny, yet the truth remains that much of the 
 unhappiness in the world is fostered by an altogether 
 unwarranted magnification of the things which in the 
 ultimate have really little significance. 
 
 If some person says an unkind thing about us we 
 are too much inclined to allow it seriously to interfere 
 with our happiness. We may be deeply hurt and grieve 
 over what we consider an injustice done to us, or we 
 may kindle with resentment and expend our energy in 
 anger — either of which needlessly detracts from our 
 peace of mind. If we could only stop to reason that a 
 slighting remark made by another really does no one 
 harm except the one who makes it, that injustice of 
 any kind reacts mostly on the author, and that the 
 small and petty criticisms of thoughtless or even 
 malicious individuals never affect in the slightest degree 
 the substantial welfare of others, we would not allow 
 ourselves to be made unhappy through this medium. 
 
 It is something of a revelation to study in the light 
 of subsequent experience the history of most of the 
 passing events which at the moment seem important, 
 
 176
 
 and which disturb our equanimity. It will be found in 
 the main that as time recedes they melt away into 
 positive insignificance, which means that they were of 
 no real import as affecting permanently the current of 
 our lives. The only degree to which most of these 
 things can bring us injury is as we permit them an 
 entrance into our thoughts as disturbing factors. Just 
 so soon as we learn to view broadly every question 
 which confronts us, to look over and beyond the present 
 and gauge it by its ultimate effect, just so soon shall 
 we disarm our consciousness of many of the petty 
 annoyances which bombard us in our everyday 
 experience. 
 
 Above all things, if we are to get the most out of 
 life and enter securely into the larger vision we must 
 assume an absolute mastery over resentment against 
 our fellowman. If an individual does us a wrong, there 
 are several ways of meeting the issue. The one most 
 commonly in vogue is to resent it and to proceed at 
 once to what in ordinary parlance is termed "getting 
 even." There never was a more fatal error. Every bit 
 of energy used in such an effort is worse than wasted. 
 It may or may not bring injur}^ to the object of the 
 resentment, but it invariably does to the author of it. 
 No man can attempt to do another harm, whether in 
 retaliation or otherwise, without seriously injuring 
 himself. And I have always been doubtful about the 
 quality of satisfaction ostensibly enjoyed by the man 
 who triumphs over another in a contest of retaliation. 
 To see an individual suffer through the agency of our 
 own effort, to see him humiliated and humbled in the 
 dust, even as a punishment for a real wrong, is not an 
 
 177
 
 inspiring spectacle. The better way to meet a wrong 
 is either to ignore it, which is often wisest, or else to 
 reckon with it merely to correct it and prevent its 
 repetition. The reason it is usually wise to ignore a 
 wrong is because most of the so-called wrongs we suffer 
 are really of little significance as affecting our welfare 
 unless — as has just been said of the petty annoyances 
 of life — we give them entrance into our consciousness 
 and brood over them. This is especially true of all that 
 numerous troop of wrongs emanating from the category 
 of the minor vices, such as gossip, deceit and envy. If 
 a slighting remark is made about us the first thing to do 
 is to closely examine ourselves and see if the remark 
 may not be true. Our critics can sometimes see a fault 
 in us of which we are unconscious, and they are fre- 
 quently of real benefit to us in calling our attention 
 to it. But if their criticism is manifestly unfounded and 
 is simply due to a mischief-making spirit, then the 
 surest way to disarm them is to ignore it. 
 
 If a real wrong is done us which must be reckoned 
 with, the proper spirit in which to meet the issue is in 
 the line of correction rather than of vengeance. We 
 should right a real wrong under all circumstances, but 
 we should make sure that our motive is above reproach 
 and our actions in accordance therewith. Our sole aim 
 should be to prevent a repetition of the wrong and 
 thereby improve the condition of society — not so much 
 to punish as to control. 
 
 In the flotsam and jetsam of the tide of human 
 life, it seems inevitable that much that is rubbish is 
 cast upon the shore, and this rubbish has to be reckoned 
 with. Some of it is harmful to the body politic and 
 
 178
 
 must needs be controlled by law. But in seeking to 
 control we should have a care that we do not further 
 degrade the baser impulses of humanity by carrying to 
 persecution what should only be correction. 
 
 We are all far from perfect and we cannot believe 
 alike. This should teach us the sublime lesson of 
 patience and of charity. We should seek to be broad 
 enough to look at the other man's point of view and be 
 willing to meet him a legitimate half way in any dis- 
 agreement. It is often well to get together in a difference 
 of opinion and talk face to face. Much of the conten- 
 tion among men is due to misunderstanding, and much 
 of the misunderstanding could be wiped away if men 
 would consent to discuss in a dispassionate way their 
 various differences. 
 
 The great thing in dealing with humanity is to 
 control and develop patience. If people are disagree- 
 able with us it may be because we do not understand 
 them — let us have the patience to look into their 
 motives. If they are unreasonable it may be due to a 
 mental dwarfing for which they are not wholly re- 
 sponsible, and we should accordingly exercise charity. 
 If they are dishonest it may have been brought about 
 by environment, or by heredity, or by any of the in- 
 finite mazes of circumstance or chance which seems to 
 weave the warp and woof of many a poor mortal's fate, 
 not that we should countenance dishonesty in any man, 
 but that in taking issue with dishonesty we should look 
 beyond the immediate act and try to discern the hidden 
 spring which formed the motive power leading to the 
 transgression. We should aim to correct and to prevent 
 rather than to punish or take revenge. 
 
 179
 
 A larger vision among men will develop harmony, 
 and greater harmony will bring more certain happiness. 
 There can be, there is, no loftier mission on earth for 
 any man than to smooth the troubled waters of bitter- 
 ness and strife among his fellows. Take out of the 
 world the petty bickerings and small meannesses of 
 human experience, the envy, jealousy, spite and 
 hatred — take these avv^ay and humanity could meet the 
 larger issues of pestilence, or flood, or disaster or crime 
 with greater equipoise and more effectiveness. The 
 spontaneous and magnificent heartbeat of humanity 
 which goes out when any great disaster visits a com- 
 munity — such, for instance, as the Chicago fire, the 
 San Francisco earthquake, the Halifax explosions, 
 etc., — is an illustration of the unanimity of sentiment 
 on the part of the people when moved by a common 
 calamity, and yet the pity of our state of society when 
 it requires some appalling disaster to give us a larger 
 vision of our true function of life and make us forego 
 our small contentions. When men become broad enough 
 to look out beyond self and see the need of harmonizing 
 the great chaos of humanity they will not require a 
 calamity to stir their souls and fill them with loving 
 kindness. 
 
 The chief needs of the human race in small as well 
 as large events are unselfishness, charity and above all, 
 an unbounding love. To be unselfish enough to think 
 of the needs and rights of others, to spread out through 
 all of humanity that delightful self-sacrifice and con- 
 sideration which we sometimes see so perfectly typified 
 in family groups; to be charitable enough to yield to 
 others the privilege of holding opinions opposite to 
 
 i8o
 
 those of ours, to recognize the fact that we cannot all 
 beheve aUke and that each is entitled to his own 
 particular point of view so long as it does not work to 
 the detriment of others — these are the things which go 
 far to make up that larger vision of life which should 
 be the ultimate aim of all. But even beyond this, 
 though coincident with, even beyond unselfishness and 
 charity is that rarer virtue, that loftier sentiment called 
 love — the lever which moves the hearts of men above 
 the sordid things of earth and gives us a glimpse of that 
 which we call heaven. And who shall define what this 
 thing is? We know that one man is better than another 
 because he has more love in his heart for his fellowmen. 
 We call it sympathy, afi^ection, tenderness of sentiment, 
 but it is more than this. Love is the embodiment of 
 all the higher virtues merged in one; it is subtler than 
 the ether of the air, and more tangible than the glint of 
 gold. It makes gods of men and even deifies the birds 
 and beasts. It weaves its spell o'er creeping vine and 
 virile oak, o'er ocean's mountain wave and the tiny 
 ripple of a brook. It descends into the shades of 
 valleys, and climbs the highest glistening peaks. It 
 soars aloft into the haze of clouds and goes down with 
 men to the nethermost depths of the caverns of the 
 earth. 
 
 Love is the one great hope of the world. Without 
 love we are cinders, dust and ashes; with love we are 
 the essence of all there is of life. 
 
 i8i
 
 A PRAYER 
 
 "We seem to give him back to thee, Lord 
 who gavest him, to us. Yet, as thou didst not 
 lose him, in giving, so we have not lost him by 
 his return. What thou givest thou takest not 
 away. For what is Thine is ours always, if we 
 are Thine. And Life is eternal; and love is 
 imm^ortal; and death is only a horizon; and 
 a horizon is not save the limit of our sight." 
 
 183
 
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