George Ade (February 9, 1866 – May 16, 1944) was an American writer, newspaper columnist, and playwright.
Ade's literary reputation rests upon his achievements as a great humorist of American character during an important era in American history: the first large wave of migration from the countryside to burgeoning cities like Chicago, where, in fact, Ade produced his best fiction. He was a practicing realist during the Age of (William Dean) Howells and a local colorist of Chicago and the Midwest. His work constitutes a vast comedy of Midwestern manners and, indeed, a comedy of late 19th-century American manners. In 1915, Sir Walter Raleigh, Oxford professor and man of letters, while on a lecture tour in America, called George Ade "the greatest living American writer."
This is a great story about a preacher whose congregation gets tired of hearing his easily understood, relevant and practical sermons. When they consider firing him he decides to astound them by quoting famous people, lofty ideas and even invents a few "obscure" wise men whom the congregation have naturally never heard of. This works and the congregation loves it so much they even give him a raise. This story points to our own fickleness and is an indictment against Christians regarding their ability to receive a sermon. Are we looking to be impressed or to learn?