The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1921-09-07

we discussed its feasibility for some
time. Nearing St. Louis, at which
point we were to separate, [ told him
would try to gather the data for
such a book and have it published as
the browning work of my life.
II went on to Indianapolis, my
home, and told my wife my decision.
She was a member of the Methodist
church and of course did not favor
such a step. But my mind was made
up and began to search libraries
here and in the Old World for every
scrap of information that would throw
] any light upon the times when Jesus
Christ was said to have lived. Some
years were spent in gathering materi-
al from every source possible. Get
ting all the data together, began to
write my book. | had written nearly
four chapters when conviction came
over me that Jesus Christi was as real
a person and teacher from historical
standpoint as was Socrates, Plato,
Caesar and others of the olden days.
This conviction became a certainty
and knew that Jesus Christ had liv-
ed upon this earth, simply from a
study of the records of the times in
which he lived.
/ 81 was in trouble l had started
out to write book to prove to the
world that no such person as Jesus
| Christ had ever lived on this earth;
now I was faced with irrefutable evil
dence that he was as real a parsonage
as Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Vir-
/ gil, Dante and host of others who
had lived and taught in those early
] days. l looked the matter squarely
in the face and reasoned that if he
was a real parsonage land there was
no doubt about that then was he not
the Son of God and the redeemer of
the world? A feeling of uneasiness
and a fear that l might be all wrong
began to trouble me. A growing con-
viction began to take ground, that as
Jesus Christ had been proven a real
parsonage, then perhaps he was al
that he claimed to be. This convic-
tion grew stronger until, on one never
to-be-forgotten night in my study al
my home in Indianapolis, this convic-
ton became a certainty.
Dropping down upon my knees fol
the first time in my life for such 9
purpose, / prayed to God to reveal
himself to me, to forgive my sins anc
to help me become one Of his real fol
lowers. The light came into my sou
early in the morning, about o'clock
/ went downstairs where my wife was
sleeping, and awaking her told hel
that / had accepted Jesus Christ as
my Saviour and Lord. You ought tt
have seen her face as l told of my
new-found faith. ooh, Levi she said
4 have prayed for this ever since yor
told me of your intentions to write
this book that you might find him II
so doing We knelt together by the
bed in that early morning hour ane
together thanked God for His mercy
and care in guiding me to know him
do not believe that heaven has any
sweeter joy than we found that morn.
ing when, after years of welded life
we had been joined together in the
bonds of Christian fellowship.
"Then asked, What shall I do with
all this material that has been collect
ed at so much expense and labor :?
why replied my wife, Just change
the four chapters you have written
finish the book and send it out intt
the world to prove from your owl
study and research that Jesus Chris
| was all that he claimed to be-the Sor
Of God and Redeemer of the world
seI went to work at once and com
pleted my book, which lies upon YOU
desk. You will find upon the fly lea
that it is dedicated to my wife. That
Is how the book was written and how
| / became follower of Jesus Christ
/ started out to write a book to prove