t was wonderful the way they did ring the changes on hell and
damnation, and fire and brimstone! It thundered from every pulpit like
the traditional thunders from Mt. Sinai.

Taking this view of the world, of life and mankind, I felt that the
greatest thing in the world a man could do would be to devote his life
to warning men of their danger and pointing the way to safety. I
wanted to sound my voice in warning men to "flee from the wrath to
come." Believing that all men were lost if they did not follow the
prescribed course laid down by my church, I felt that if I did not do
all in my power to direct them in the way of eternal life their blood
would be on my hands. While I did not feel that I would be "lost" if I
failed in this--for the doctrine of my church was, that once being
converted all the devils in hell could not keep one ultimately from
heaven--yet I felt that my future happiness in heaven would be
diminished just in proportion as I failed to do my best in this behalf.
This was interpreted to be a "divine call to preach." I accepted it
with profound earnestness and deep conviction, and began early to
exercise my gifts.

In due course of events I went to college to "prepare for the
ministry." I was in love with the work and happy in its prospects. I
was ambitious to be thoroly efficient in my work in the future and
pursued my studies with diligence accordingly. Incidentally I learned
much that was not in the books, as most college students do.

I little knew what was before me. Here in a "school of the prophets,"
where I was supposed to be thoroly trained, rooted and grounded in the
faith of my church, I was to learn the first lessons that ultimately
led me entirely out of the orthodox faith, into a broad, rational
liberalism! A few of these it will be necessary to state here, not so
much because of any immediate effect they produced, as to show the
working of the leaven that years afterward "leavened the whole lump."

The first shock I got was in the study of Geology. When I began it I
saw at once that it was out of harmony with the Bible account of
Creation, the origin of the earth, and organic life upon it. While no
one told me so, I somehow conceived the idea that we were not studying
it because it was recognized as truth, but just the opposite. Being
rooted and grounded from my infancy in the belief in the absolute
literalness, and infallible truth of the Bible; and supposing that I
was in