Notwithstanding the many attractions of interest, love and friendship among my relatives, and friends of old Indiana I had not been there four weeks until my heart was fully set to return to Kansas. And why not? Had I not left there a dear wife and five little children? Count, boys, how old you were then. Clara and Edith also. Edith was less than a year old. But I had fondled her so much upon my knees and call her by "Great Blue Eyes" and sang to her so much "Baby Bunn baby bunn Great Blue Eyes Looking now so merry Now so very wise." That upon my return home on the night train, when on entering the home in the darkness of the night, that I might not frighten anyone I call out, "Where are my big blue eyes?" Little Edith being awake and hearing me, cried out at once, "Papa, Papa." Upon my return home I resumed my work. Crooked Creek was one of my regular places for preaching quite a while. I remember preaching there a sermon on the Golden Rule so called. In my discourse I used the same basic principles and words that Christ used in his Sermon on the Mount. But afterwards a certain disciple said, "It is no use to preach that way, for no one can live up to such teaching." But it turned out in a few years afterwards that that disciple made, (and is to this day) one of the most faithful, obedient and sacrificing members of the Church of God. Thus it seems that the Word preached may kill or make alive. In this case it seems to have done both. In the labors of my life as a preacher, my work was mainly confined to the churches, and not to the world. I knew nothing however but to preach the gospel and teach the word. So I think the gospel is the power of God to salvation to both saints and sinners. At another place one had heard, believed and wanted to be baptized, but her husband said, "He who baptizes my wife endangers his life." I said to the believer, "I will risk it." I baptized her. In two weeks I preached again and at the end of the sermon that poor man came to me and said, "I have been wrong. I want to confess Jesus and be immersed." I baptized him. Some years after that I preached the funerals of both. Their lives had not been perfect but in their deaths there was hope. We live by hope. We are saved by hope. Let us hope in God. Hope is one of a trio of the greatest principles in the world. ---0--- C H A P T E R S I X T E E N Politics. Topeka. A vote. A snow storm. Sister Lottie. Whiting. Pleasant Grove. Atchison. There are many pleasant things connected with preaching and sometimes things are not so pleasant. Of course, the most pleasant of all to the true, conscientious preacher, is turning many from wrong to right, to salvation from sin and all its consequences. To know that you have preached righteousness and lived a life worthy of imitation, fills the cup of joy to overflowing.