Birthdays on July 11

John Wanamaker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was converted at 11 while attending a prayer meeting. At 13 he became an errand boy for a book store with a salary of $1.25 a week and showed a real aptitude for business. At age 30 he established John Wanamaker and company, a men's store. He became one of the leading retailers in America, pioneering advertising techniques. When evangelist D. L. Moody came to Pennsylvania, Wanamaker became a prime helper in organizing the evangelistic work in Philadelphia. Later Wanamaker applied his talents to the post of Postmaster General of the United States. He was also active with other evangelistic organizations such as the YMCA and founded a Sunday school which became the largest in the United States.