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I do not find the duties of religion of that gloomy, insipid
and austere character that those of the world conc{struckthrough: ede; added: eive}
it to
possess; so far from it that I am greatly convinced that the
most happy man on earth is he who practices most faithfully
the duties of Christianity." This was certainly a profound
statement from a 20 year old youth. His father seemed to think
that he had simply been carried away by a momentary enthusiasm
and might later regret this decision, although he seemed to become
thoroughly convinced of his son's sincerity.

The next year he returned to West Point and toward the close of
it was offered the professorship of mathematics in a new educational
institution about to be formed in Massachusetts{added: ,} now famous as
Amherst College. On his father's advice he declined the offer
but in acceding to his father's request he announced his
intention to resign from the Point and enter the ministry. This
announcement was a serious disappointment to Col. Polk who had
hoped that Leonidas might continue the military tradition of the
family and perhaps achieve distinction as a soldier. His father
pursuaded him to complete his course there, however, and he was
graduated on July 4, 1827 and due to impaired health went for an
extended tour through Canada{moved from after "New England"} New England, and other other Eastern
{struckthrough: places} {added: states,} arriving in Tennessee, to which the family had removed in
1824 in October.

In December with his father's consent but without his
approval his resignation from the army was forwarded to the
Secretary of War{added: ,} by whom it was accepted.

In the fall of 1828 Polk entered the Virginia Theological
Seminary at Alexandria at which there were only 15 students.
This institution had been started only 4 years previous{added: ,} with
two professors{added: ,} and was distinctly Evangelical in its teaching{added: s}

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