ri(j)d of Michigiin. Srunv at MicmciAN 23 



written to \'iohi Holmes on March 28, 1878, in answer to her 

 inquiry us to what he proposed to do in life, that the following 

 year he would hnish his courses at Ionia High School and by then 

 would have had " four years drill in Latin, four in French, to- 

 gether with the usual amount of Algebra, Geometry, Rhetoric 

 c!<c," and had made up his mind to take a four years course 



in our state University, or, perhaps at Cornell or Cambridye [Harvard 

 University] in order to fit [himself] for teaching; Natural History. Per- 

 haps you wonder [he continued] where I get my money and how I can 

 attord to belong to the non-producing classes so many years. Father 

 ^ helps me some and for the rest I help myself. Sometimes I am ragged, 

 and often I am pinched for funds. . . . Besides my usual school work 

 this winter which has been confined, chiefly, to reading Latin and French 

 authors, I have been very much occupied evenings and Saturday with 

 botanical work. Last summer I pressed about 3000 plants and this winter 

 I have been looking them over and putting them into bundles to send to 

 my botanical friends. I keep up an active correspondence with a dozen 

 botanists in as many different states. . . . 



During the summers he had worked on the farm at home. In 

 winters, while at school, he had to study so diligently that, strug- 

 gling against the preciousness of time, he could not be much with 

 friends, could not often write letters to them or his family. Faith- 

 ful adherence to the tasks before him, earnestness of purpose, and 

 reverent thankfulness for his opportunities, were characteristics 

 of him and parts of his gospel. 



Smith's every writing on these and kindred subjects reveals a 

 simple, sincere dedication of himself to God's work. He was no 

 believer in putting " saints into theological strait-jackets." " ' The 

 groves were God's first temples,' " he later said,-^ " To me all days 

 are God's days, all men his children, and every devout heart pagan 

 or Christian his shrine. It goes, therefore, without saying that 

 ' materialism ' does not seem to me to embody the last word either 

 in natural science or philosophy." He chose to regard his life and 

 his work as efforts expressive of true religion. Should attainments 

 not crown his labors with what the world called success, his faith 

 pointed to a "" diviner success in the great beyond.'^ Since child- 

 hood he had regularly attended singing school. Sabbath school, 

 morning, evening, and prayer services of his church. That gradu- 

 ally "Unitarian proclivities" gained ascendancy during his young 



" Letter written September 9, 1901. 



