"What was the secret of this priest from Reims that explains the perduring success his Institute has had, a success without precedent in history?" In many ways I would suggest the secret of this success is the fact that today, the problems de la Salle faced are no less evident today.
What he found was a truth about how to reach children who clearly needed to be reached. Saint John Baptist de la Salle allowed his heart to be moved by the plight of those poor children who had no opportunity. And in allowing his heart to be moved by the plight of the poor, he was open to hear the voice of God.