know what is right for myself, I attribute more largely to my natural
hereditary mental bent, than to any particular merit of my own. I
trust this book will help us all to realize the danger of drifting
with traditionary religion, and thus defeating the revealed truth of
Jesus Christ, and the need of searching the truth for ourselves that
thus we may be used of God to advance his kingdom of unity and truth.
Christian civilization would make much more rapid strides if we all
would struggle to find the truth instead of acquiring our ideas
through the colored glasses of prejudice and ignorance.

My ancestry on mother's side were German Reformed and on father's
side Lutheran. While a boy I lived for three years with Mennonites
and attended their church. I attended a Moravian Sunday-school, was
taught by a Presbyterian Sunday-school teacher, educated at a
Unitarian theological school, graduated from a Christian college and
a Congregational theological seminary, and took postgraduate work at
a United Presbyterian university. I was born and raised in
southeastern Pennsylvania, which may be called "The Cradle of
Religious Liberty" in America. For while the colonies to the north
and south persecuted people on account of their religious opinions,
Penn opened his settlement to all the religiously persecuted in
America and Europe. As a result Pennsylvania became a great sectarian
stronghold. To-day some twenty denominations have either their
national headquarters or leading national center in southeastern
Pennsylvania. The reader can readily see how my contact with this
Babel of sectarianism affected my religious life and experience.

There are some things that seem too sacred to drag before the public.
For years I said very little in my public ministry about my
experience with doubt. While, as city evangelist of Greater