The Washington herald., 1911-06-04

up my crops. We did not starve. but
We had no meat, and 1t was necessary
to think pretty hard at times about get
ting sufficient bread to eat. One winter
we had no coal or wood or money either,
and heated our sod house and cooked
our very plain food with max straw,
Times became so hard that was COM
PEELED to look for work. Fortunately
was hired as a salesman Of reapers
and harvesters and was given a salary.
instead OF being promised commission
on the machines I sold"
"Had you been a pious youth?" in
Quired
NO; had not was the youngest boy
in the family. My parents were members
Of the church. A brother, ten years older
than myself. was religious naturally
he liked religion as a cat likes milk.
About the time that I could understand
what was going on, I discovered that
had been set aside and dedicated to the
Lord. My mother, knowing that I was
her last son, had all the plans made for
my entrance into the ministry. and my
brother discussed them with exasperat-
ing regularity. I was being bound and
carried into the pulpit. might say. Well,
objected. I went SO far In my opposi-
ton to the family prosramme that l
formed a sullen dislike for all preachers.
At the University of Iowa rowed in the
boat crew. learned to box. and did other
things unbecoming to the cloth. 1t was
the same at the University Of South
Dakota thought I was beating the
plans. you see.
Saw that He Would BE . Drunkard.
"As a salesman of agricultural imple-
-ments. Travelled from town to town.
and did business with merchants. read
lily engaged in excitements that were dam
gerous. After the work Of the day was
over. I wanted to do something. Fur
thermore, I did It. One morning, riding
on the cars, I became reflective. and. with
a mild shock, reached the conclusion that
I had my life all framed up to be
drunkard. I couldn't see the small de-
tails Of the picture. but the outlines were
perfect. as, sat thinking. Word came
in q day or two of the serious illness Of
my mother The news halted me tenn
porarily. Anyway, had begun to turn
my eyes inward. At village on the
edge Of an Indian reservation I played
billiards all night. Wien l left that JOINT
II was after daylight Sunday morning
I was ashamed Of myself and remorsefui.
Now, L had always felt that II i ever
Joined the church I should preach. Ac-
cordingly, meant to stay out OF the
church, II for no other reason But on
that Sunday morning humil-
lated. and disgusted-I began looking Tor
o meeting house. Since none was In the
village, I drove seven miles to home
mission that stood alone on the prairie.
But / got there after the morning service
was over. I waited and attended the
night meeting. While the minister was
preaching, stood up and said: i need
helm this very minute
..Thus was converted. ! knew.
there on my feet, that the hopes Of my
family were to be realized and that I
should do some kind OF preaching. some
where, and pretty suddenly. Although I
continued to sell reapers and mowers. 1
rot out and hustled for religion In the
evenings and on Sundays. was so
sealous that I occasionally went beyond
the regulations and ordinary propriety.
walking into Z strange church. would
sc strsight to the pulpit and offer to
eine solo. sang In those early days
Of my apostasy from the desh and the
dsvll { alse talked Il every opportppity.