few of my doctrinal
difficulties; to which he replied, "Ashley, you are a Unitarian." I
thought but little of it. I was not really interested in churches any
more anyway. But he handed me a pamphlet to read and told me he was a
Unitarian back in Ohio where he came from. I read the pamphlet at his
request. I do not now remember what it was, or just what it was about.
But I was impressed with the fact that the views therein expressed were
very similar to my own; and if that was Unitarianism I was also
probably a Unitarian. But still it aroused no special interest as
there was no Unitarian church anywhere about. If there had been, I
might then have been led to investigate further. But years went by,
and all the perceptible effect was that I would occasionally think how
nearly I must be a Unitarian, until I finally determined that if I ever
had an opportunity I would investigate the matter further.

In the summer of 1912, business relations led me to move to Dallas,
Texas. Passing on the street one day, I noticed the sign, First
Unitarian Church. A new inspiration came to me. I now had an
opportunity to investigate just how near my religious convictions
coincided with those of this church. When the church opened after the
summer vacation I began to attend its services, only occasionally at
first, reading in the meantime much of its literature kept at the
church for free distribution. I became intensely interested and by the
spring of 1913 I was a regular attendant. The more I read the more I
found myself in substantial accord with what I understood to be the
salient points of twentieth century Unitarianism. I found especially
these points that impressed me very deeply: It had no creed. It had no
specific statement of beliefs. It had no doctrinal standard or test of
religious faith as a condition of church membership. It not only
permitted, but encouraged the greatest freedom of thought and the most
searching investigation of all subjects presented for consideration,
believing firmly that truth had nothing to fear from such a course. I
found it had no test of membership but that of human character. I
found a man was judged by what _he is_, and not by what he thinks or
believes. I found its service to be reverent and dignified, but free
from useless ceremonial. The preaching by Rev. George Gilmour, its
minister, I found to be profound and scholarly, yet deeply spiritual
and inspiring, dealing primarily w