onally I could not keep from thinking, and many years later
this question arose again in my mind with tragic force and effect.

CHAPTER II

SEEKING LIBERTY

Other questions now began to arise that were soon to materially affect
my church relations, without, however, any material change in my
fundamental theology. As before stated, my sole ambition in life was
to warn sinners to "flee from the wrath to come." To this one purpose
all other things must be made subordinate. For this one purpose I was
pursuing my studies in college that I might become the more efficient
in its accomplishment. Impressed as I was with the awful truth of
man's total depravity and natural alienation from God, and the
certainty of his eternal damnation in the never-ending flames, unless
he accepted fully, and followed implicitly the prescribed course which
I had been taught was the only means of escape, I felt that "Woe is me,
if I preach not the gospel." I felt that any deflection on my part,
from the full performance of my duty in this particular, up to the full
extent of my power and opportunity, would not only entail eternal
torments upon all who might have been thus saved thru my efforts, but
would also detract from my own eternal glory in heaven in exactly the
same ratio.

I began to look upon the church as being at most but a means, or agency
to this end; the channel thru which I might work to accomplish this
central purpose. Leaving other churches out of consideration, as not
being germane to the purpose of this narrative, while yet in school I
had become more fully informed as to the fundamental theology of the
Methodist Church; and somewhat to my surprise, I found there was no
substantial difference between it and the Baptist Church, to which I
belonged. They both appealed to the same infallible revelation; both
taught the same doctrine of the fall of man, total depravity and
inherited sin; both taught the same doctrines concerning the
personality and character of Christ, and the vicarious atonement in his
death; the same doctrines concerning heaven and hell; and the same
doctrines of salvation by repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and
regeneration by the Holy Spirit. I perceived that the only substantial
difference between the two was purely one of ecclesiastical
organization and polity. As before noted, the Baptist Church did not
hold that either baptism or church membership was necessary to
salvation; but that "sa