His brother Ralph had just returned from France, where he had met with many obstacles in the war but had received no serious injury. Robert went home for a rest after the accident. He had many disagreements and fights with his older brother, and it seemed to be impossible to get along. All of the trouble occurred over the fact that Robert would not work on the farm, or help his brother.

Bobbie prevailed upon his mother to let him go back to school in the Fall because he was making great progress and hoped to have a big position some day with Mr. Kennelworth's firm.

In the Fall of 1919, he returned to school, but made slow progress in his studies. His health was not good; he seemed unable to concentrate or make much progress. He barely passed his examinations at the end of the year, but continued to study hard and make progress in mathematics and history. In grammar, writing and geography he was always falling below his marks, and Walter Kennelworth had to help him out.

In the Spring of 1920, just before the close of school, Robert's father obtained help to cultivate the cotton plantation. He thought it best that Robert should come home that summer and help to work on the farm, but again the boy refused, and met with stubborn opposition and abuse from his brother, who called him "the fool inventor" and said that he would never amount to anything because he refused to work on the farm. He said that he wanted to be "Gentleman Robert," and called him the "white-collar boy." These disagreements and disputes with his brother were very annoying and disappointing to Robert's mother, because she wanted the children to get along in peace. Robert told his mother that on account of his brother he would never live at home again; that he would continue to stay in Texarkana and go to school until he had finished his education, and then he would go to work for Mr. Kennelworth. His mother had great faith in him and told him that she knew everything would come out all right for him, and that he should study hard, make the most of his opportunities, and prepare for the position Mr. Kennelworth was going to give him upon completing his studies.

Capt. Gordon had been very successful during the war growing cotton. Prices had gone very high and he had accumulated quite a little money. But in 1920 cotton prices declined rapidly and his cotton brought very little, which again reduced them to poor circumstances. Robert became very ill again from malaria during the Spring and Summer of 1920, so that he was unable to work even if he wanted to. Up to this time he had shown no ambition for any kind of work, except to try to make something with his father's tools; talk about inventions and some of the great things he was going to do in the years to come. His mother had always petted him because of his severe illnesses and accident, and his father often referred to him as his mother's burden or his mother's problem. But she had great faith in young Robert because he clung so strongly to religion, believing in the Bible. Robert would spend days and hours reading the Bible and talking to his mother and asking her questions about it and its meaning. He had a great desire to travel and see the world and was always planning to visit strange places. While he showed great affection for his mother, his desire was to get away and see the world.

CHAPTER III

In the Spring of 1921, Robert began to make greater progress in his studies, which greatly encouraged his chum, Walter Kennelworth. Robert would study and read early and late. Walter would often call on him in his room and find him there deeply engrossed reading the Bible and puzzling over the interpretation of the meaning of many parts of the Scriptures.

One Sunday in the early part of June, Robert and Walter went to church and the minister took for his text 1 Cor. 13:2, "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." Then the minister read from the 7th verse, "Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things," and again from the 11th verse, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." The minister further read from the 13th verse, "And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." Again he read from 2 Cor. 5:7, "For we walk by faith, not by sight," and concluded the reading of the text from Gal. 5:14, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

The minister preached a great sermon. Robert thought it one of the best he had ever heard and one which impressed him the most. The minister talked about the great work of faith and said that faith without works is dead; but that there could be no faith without love because love was the greatest of all things. That God was love, and that love was the fulfilling of the law, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whomsoever believeth on Him might not perish, but have everlasting life." He added that God loves children who honor and obey their parents, wives who love and obey their husbands, husbands who love and protect their wives, and admonished each man to love his neighbor as himself. Because love is the law of harmony, and the power that created the universe, it is the only power that can prevent destruction, war and human death, but with true love we can overcome the last great enemy, death.

When men love each other as God loves them, there will be no longer any strife or contention. Man will no longer covet what belongs to his neighbor. True love will deal justly and do unto others as we wish to have them do unto us. He preached about the ambitions, the love of country and patriotism which inspires men to go to battle and give their lives for the protection of their home and country. He said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend," and that a great reward was sure to come to those who love and obey God. He talked of God's great command, "If you love me, keep my commandments."