rivers of irony, sarcasm and conceit; bays of contention; gulfs of
liberalism; and oceans of infidelity, doubt and confusion--swept by
undercurrents of selfish passion, tempests of blind sentiment,
maelstroms of fear and despair; covered with black clouds of
prejudice and preconceived ideas, dense fogs of theological
speculation, gigantic icebergs of indifference, monstrous sharks of
procrastination, and ruinous rocks of materialism; through the strait
of darkness and absurdity, over the sea of twilight and joy, into the
haven of rest.

"In the ship, religion; pole-star, faith in God; rudder, free will;
compass, conscience; sextant, rationalism and experience; anchor,
hope; guiding chart, creeds and opinions of men vs. the Word of God;
pilot, Jesus Christ.

"Motto: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

"Prayer: O God! thou knowest the secret desire of my heart. Thou
knowest how earnestly I have sought the truth. God forbid that my
life should be a barren waste; that I should so use the powers that
thou hast given me that the world shall not be better for my having
lived in it. Lord, grant I may ever find the work that thou wouldst
have me do. 'Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my
thoughts, and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in
the way everlasting. Amen."

This, in substance, was my daily prayer for ten long, dreary years;
for, while my intellect was in doubt and confusion, my heart
continued to cling to God.