EARLY MANHOOD IN THE MIDDLE WEST 149 



never arrived at the Capitol! Although most of 

 these dreams came to nothing they helped to rest 

 my back, to broaden my vision and to improve 

 my judgment. 



The growth of my religious life deserves to be 

 recorded. During my first year's residence in 

 Iowa I became greatly interested in the study of 

 the Bible. Instead of going to church I spent my 

 Sundays in an honest endeavor to comprehend 

 some of the vital truths which that Book of Books 

 contains. I soon discovered that many things 

 therein were u too great for me." But I did not 

 allow these to becloud the perfect and simple rules 

 of life I found there, although they were some- 

 times clothed in Oriental imagery. After I had 

 studied for about a year I concluded that my 

 studies could be greatly advanced by joining some 

 organization; and looking into the matter care- 

 fully, I concluded that I could work with the Bap- 

 tists most cordially and so became a member of 

 that church. 



The Bible study not only interested me but pro- 

 foundly stimulated my intellectual life. When we 

 moved to the farm six miles away from Mount 

 Pleasant, it was inconvenient to attend church or 

 other assemblages often, but the Highland school- 

 house was only a mile and a half away and so with 



