To Infidelity and Back | Page 3

I Am." Even

the fact that it is natural for me to seek to 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 Pittsburg, I was
assisting a minister in a revival, he learned incidentally of my
experience with infidelity; and as there were a number of skeptics in
the community, he urged me to preach on the subject. The message
seemed to do much good to the large audience that heard it. Since then
it has been repeated a number of times, and the largest auditoriums
have not been able to hold the people who were eager to hear it. This
demonstrates that the message supplies a great need, and has
encouraged me to prepare this book for the public. The Christian

Temple in Baltimore was packed with people, and on account of the
jam the doors were ordered closed by the policeman in charge half an
hour before time for the service. At Portsmouth, Va., twenty-five
hundred were crowded into a skating-rink, and many failed to get
admittance. At Halifax, Can., hundreds were turned away. But this has
been the experience wherever the sermon has been thoroughly
advertised. To illustrate this, I quote from the Harrisonburg (Va.)
papers of Jan. 9, 1911, where the sermon was delivered the night before
in Assembly Hall, the largest auditorium in the city. About sixteen
hundred people were jammed in the hall and many crowded out. It was
the largest audience that ever assembled in that city for a religious
service.
"Evangelist Lutz says that on every occasion on which he has delivered
his address on 'My Conversion from Infidelity,' no matter how large the
hall may have been, people have turned away for lack of room. Last
night's attendance at Assembly Hall maintained the record. Presumably
the hall has never been more closely packed. Seats, stage, box, aisles,
windows, doorways, were filled, and many found place in the flies of
the theater. A number couldn't find places anywhere and went away.
Mr. Lutz is a fine example of evangelist. He has a magnetic personality
and a strong, oratorical way of talking, fluent in speech and filled with
figurative language and the phrases of his profession."--_Harrisonburg
Daily Times._
"Evangelist H. F. Lutz spoke last night at Assembly Hall on 'The Story
of My Conversion from Infidelity.' The audience showed close
attention and earnestness. Many were turned away because of the
crowded condition of the hall. Many people from the near-town
sections came to attend the service."--_Harrisonburg Daily News._
I trust that my bitter experience with rationalism, infidelity and doubt
will help to reveal their true nature and thus keep many young men
from these dangerous rocks, and will help to deliver many others from
this terrible bondage. May the Father graciously bless my humble
efforts to win souls to Christ and to help bring about Christian union on
the primitive gospel in order to the Christian conquest of the whole
world. Henry F. Lutz.
Millersville, Pa., March 28, 1911.

CONTENTS
Dedication Soul's Struggle in Symbolism Introduction by Peter Ainslie
Author's Preface

PART I.--TO INFIDELITY AND BACK.