[Illustration: RESIDENCE OF ELDER JOHN KLINE. ]

LIFE AND LABORS OF ELDER JOHN KLINE

THE MARTYR MISSIONARY

COLLATED FROM HIS DIARY

By

BENJAMIN FUNK

ELGIN, ILL. :BRETHREN PUBLISHING HOUSE, 1900. 

INTRODUCTION. 

In the burying ground of the Linville's Creek German Baptist church inRockingham County, Virginia, there is to be seen a marble slab engravedwith the name JOHN KLINE. 

In walking through a cemetery and pensively viewing the memorials ofthe departed, one question of deep interest often presses upon themind and heart: Are these, whose names are here recorded on slab andobelisk, still alive and in the possession of conscious being, or arethey dead--

 "All to mouldering darkness gone; All of conscious life bereft?"

We turn to earth, and from her lips the ear of reason catchesdeep-toned words of assurance that death is not the end of life. Thehue of the butterfly's wing, "the flower of the grass, " the beauty ofthe vernal year, these all, all teach the sublime truth that "allgreat endings are but great beginnings. " The voice of God from theunrolled page of plainer if not diviner truth, says: "These are notdead, but sleeping--they shall wake again. "

Satisfied on this point, the next question turns to the lives andcharacters, works and words of those who lie buried here. Were theygood or bad? Are their spirits now in heaven, or somewhere else? Thereare two classes, however, concerning whom no such questions arise. Thefirst class is made up of those who have died in their infancy; andever and anon while looking at the "little lamb, " or "rose bud, " or"young dove" not yet fledged, the words flow into the mind as from thelips of Jesus: "Of such is the kingdom of heaven. " The other class iscomposed of such as have given clear evidence, by profession and life, that they are the children of God. The words for them come as did theothers, from the page of Heavenly Truth, "Therefore are theycontinually before the throne, and praise him day and night in histemple. "

The epitaph of John Kline is read without a doubt ever springing up inthe mind of any one who knew him. We saw him, not as Elisha saw Elijahin sight, ascend to heaven; but with the eye of faith we saw himclothed in a celestial body; and with the ear of faith we heard thewelcome: "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. "

THE ANNUAL MEETING OF 1878. 

In the year 1878 the Brethren's Annual Meeting was held with theLinville's Creek church. Brethren and sisters from many sections ofour Union were present. Many graves in the cemetery by themeetinghouse were to be seen. Epitaphs were read by the throngs ofpeople who walked around to view them. Few of these bore anythingbeyond the simple inscription of the name and the two facts that fallto the lot of all: The time of birth and the time of death. 

But there was one grave from whose humble mound each visitor seemedeager to pluck a flower, a leaf, or any other little thing that mightbe carried back home and enshrined in a casket for a memento of onenever to be forgotten. That grave was the grave of John Kline. 

One sister, with tears in her eyes, said: "He preached my mother'sfuneral. " Another said: "He used to visit us in Ohio; and we alwaysloved so much to see him come. " A brother said: "I traveled with himover two thousand miles, and he was always one thing. " Others said:"The meeting is lonesome without him. " "He was at our love feast inPennsylvania the year he was killed, " said another. It would be vainto attempt to follow up all the affectionate memories that wereexpressed by the loving throngs of sanctified hearts that surroundedhis tomb. 

In this book ELDER JOHN KLINE is set forth not as dead, but as alive;as living and moving amongst us again. His life work stands recordedon earth as well as in heaven. With untiring perseverance BrotherKline kept a record of his work every day for a period of TWENTY-NINEYEARS. These records contain two great facts common to the life ofevery man, woman and child. 

FIRST FACT. --Where he spent the day and night. 

SECOND FACT. --How he spent the day and night. 

A truthful record of these for many, made public, would blast theirreputation abroad and blight their peace at home. But not so with ourbeloved brother. Whilst it is true that he had no expectation of hisDiary ever being published, it is equally true that it does notcontain a single entry of which he has cause to be ashamed before manor God. That the entries are faithful and true needs no proof otherthan the testimony that thousands still living are ready to bear tohis untarnished name as a man honest and honorable in all things. 

As a Christian, the beloved ministering brethren who spoke at hisfuneral are to-day not ashamed to apply to him the same words theyapplied to him then, and which were taken as the subject of discourseon that occasion. In speaking of his appointment to the ministry theytook these words: "And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and ofthe Holy Ghost. " Acts 6:5. They also added the other words spoken ofStephen in the eighth verse of the same chapter, a man "full of graceand power. " Can anything loftier be said of a man's qualification forthe work of the ministry?

As Stephen was the first Christian martyr, and Brother Kline the lastthen known, they closed their discourses in heartfelt realization ofthese words: "_And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and madegreat lamentation over him. _" We all took part in the lamentation--thewriter himself being present and speaking on the occasion--and feltthat the ruthless hand of violence had wickedly torn from our midst afriend and counsellor whose place could not be filled by any other. 

As a kind-hearted, loving mother puts her child's best new dress on itbefore taking it to church or in public, so have I endeavored toclothe the diary of Brother Kline in a suitable attire of Sundayclothes. I sincerely believe that the work in this form will be highlyacceptable to the Brotherhood at large; and as Brother Daniel Hayssays in a letter to me, "productive of much good. "

PART II OF INTRODUCTION. 

This book, if carefully read, will instruct both young and old. Inthis age of progress, when the forces of nature and art are beingapplied to practical ends; when "men are running to and fro andknowledge is wonderfully increased, " it becomes us as intelligentChristians to look around and see whether we are not living inperilous times. 

Far be it from me to discourage any one from seeking that knowledgewhich is good, or from availing himself of the benefits to be derivedfrom the arts and sciences; but if this knowledge and these benefitsare sought and gained only for worldly ends, only to add to worldlyaccomplishments or worldly treasure, they are dangerous for time andruinous for eternity. What support can the soul have in its deepconflict with temptation, or in the dark hour of affliction orbereavement, when stayed on this world only? In all the tenderness ofa father's heart I turn to the youth of our land and say to them inthe words of the best Friend that God himself could give: "Seek FIRSTthe kingdom of God and his righteousness, " and all earthly blessingswill be added unto you. 

In the following pages you may see what one man may do by "patientcontinuance in well doing. " Brother Kline was a man "subject to likepassions as we are. " He was once an infant just as you were, and layat his mother's breast. He very well remembered, when an old man, howhe felt when she made for him his first pair of "_pants_. " When thatkind mother put them on him, pleased and smiling in the tenderness ofher nature, "the first use that I made of my hands, " said he to meshortly before his death, "was to feel for the pockets. " "We incline, "continued he, "to carry this feature of our boyhood into youth andage. The pocket never ceases to be a very important appendage to ourdress, and the hand inclines to put into it every valuable thing itcan. "

Brother Kline never went to school very much. He learned to read andwrite both German and English; and he also studied arithmetic. Furtherthan this he never went in school. He did not have the advantages offree schools as young people now have. But you may learn from thisthat one may carry on his education after leaving school. In fact, schools only _open the way_ for acquiring an education. 

When a boy I was very fond of reading the lives of great men. I didnot then know very much about poetry, but I surely did feel somethingof the fire that Longfellow has made to glow with so much heat andlight in his "Psalm of Life. " I am glad to add, by means of this book, one more name to the list of great men, so that in the lines whichfollow he too may be included. 

 "Lives of GREAT MEN all remind us We can make our lives sublime; And departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of Time: Footprints, that perhaps another Sailing o'er life's troubled main-- A forlorn and shipwrecked brother-- Seeing, may take heart again. "

Elder John Kline will be set forth in this work as one of the greatPIONEER PREACHERS of the Cross. A brief but clear outline of many ofhis sermons, together with the time and place of preaching them, willbe given. Many of the love feasts which he attended, and the substanceof what he said at some of them will also be noted. 

He has left a record of the name of every family he ever visited inall the States, together with the day and year when such visits weremade. Those brethren and sisters of the Lord who still remember him, will, while reading this work, live over again the years that havepassed away and been almost forgotten. You will again listen to thevoice of his holy, healing words at some love feast long ago gone by. You will again sit with him by the "old home hearthstone" as it usedto be when father and mother were living, and all the brothers andsisters together in the room, and hear him talk and sing, and read andpray. And will not this exercise of the mind and heart be pleasant?Will it not be profitable? Will it not serve to refresh your love toChrist and the Brotherhood? May it not rekindle in your heart a flameof that first and tender love which shone so brightly when first yousaw the Lord? You then could sweetly sing:

 "Jesus, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow thee. "

Since that time many cares and toils and afflictions and bereavements, perhaps, have caused you to sigh in mournful memory:

 "What peaceful hours I then enjoyed!"

and the heart-sobs sadly echo:

 "But they have left an aching void The world can never fill. "

In such seasons of sadness and despondency it is helpful to the heartto hold communion with the great and the good through the medium oftheir writings. Men who leave such comforting testimony behind themare a blessing to all within the circle of their influence whileliving, and when dead they continue to speak. Their words are felt andblessed on both banks of the "River of Time" as it flows down throughthe ages. 

There were a few points in the life and character of Elder John Klinewhich may very appropriately be referred to here. I sincerely hopethat all the youthful members of the Brotherhood, especially, maybecome acquainted with these points. 

THE FIRST POINT. --_He was truthful. _ He never spoke positively aboutanything without first examining the matter carefully; and even thenhe said about it only what he knew to be true. How different thishabit from that of many who speak positively about things which theydo not well understand, or which they are for the most part ignorantof!

THE SECOND POINT. --_He never spoke evil of any one. _ It is not to beunderstood from this that he spoke _good_ of every one. On the contrary, he spoke freely of the sinner and to the sinner; warning him of hisdanger and pointing him to his impenitent doom. But it is to beunderstood that he never spoke evil to _injure_ any one. Whatever hesaid in that way was to reform and to bless. His heart overflowed withlove to all. 

THE THIRD POINT. --_He was temperate. _ During a long personal acquaintancewith him, I never knew or heard of his taking a drink of ardentspirits or intoxicating liquor of any kind. If he ever did use any atall, it was only as a _medicine_. But as he was very temperate in hiseating, and judiciously careful of himself generally, he was rarelyever sick. 

THE FOURTH POINT. --_He was abstemious. _ This, in connection with stricttemperance and pure morality, made him a clean man. His mouth was notpolluted with _chewing tobacco_. His nose was not defiled with _snuffingtobacco_. His breath was not vitiated with _smoking tobacco_. Heconsequently never used tobacco in anyway. My dear young reader, inall the love of my heart, I urge you to "go and do likewise, that itmay be well with thee. "

LIFE AND LABORS

OF THE

MARTYR MISSIONARY

ELDER JOHN KLINE. 

We have no certain account of the time and place at which Brother Klinewas set forward to the ministry of the Word. On Sunday, Feb. 8, 1835, he spoke for the first time after his appointment to the ministry ofthe Word. This much, at least, is inferred from its being the firstentry made in his Diary. 

He, and Elder Daniel Miller, from near the head of Linville's Creek, inRockingham County, Virginia, were together at John Goughnour's, westof the town of Woodstock, in Shenandoah County, Virginia. The meetingwas at Goughnour's dwelling house. Brother Miller put John Klineforward to take the lead in speaking. Brother Kline had previouslyselected the subject, and thought upon it, to be ready, in the eventof his being required to take the lead in speaking. Matthew 11 wasread; and Brother Kline took his text. It was verses 4, 5 and 6 of thechapter read. These are the words: "Go and show John again thosethings which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, andthe lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the deadare raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Andblessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. "

"It may be proper in the first place, " said he, "for us to inquire whyJohn sent the message to Jesus which gave rise to the words of thetext. The message may appear strange to some, as John had, not longbefore, pointed out Jesus as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinof the world. He had seen the 'Heavenly Dove' descend from the openheavens and abide upon him as he came up from the baptismal wave, andhad heard the Father's voice from beneath the same uplifted veil:'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. ' It is my beliefthat John had become doubtful. The iron gates of Herod's castle hadshut out from him all bodily comfort, and with this his hope seemed tovanish. This experience has had many a repetition in the realizationsof good men since John's day. He felt himself neglected. If Jesus isthe friend I took him to be, why does he not come to my rescue? I donot understand him. How can he feel satisfied to know that I am lyinghere in great bodily distress and perplexity of mind, and put forth noeffort to release me, and thus restore me to useful activity in hisservice? Many, many, not in Herod's castle, but in other castles, suchas beds of affliction, castles of poverty, castles of persecution, castles of bodily infirmity, castles of bereavement, castles of lossesand crosses in one way and another, have had the same experiences, thesame doubts and misgivings. 

"John resolved to try to find out about all this if possible. So hesent the messengers. Here note the love of Christ. He does not upbraidJohn for this half reproachful message. He calmly returns to him inthe shape of an answer a series of the most wonderful truths the worldhas ever heard; truths which, in their spiritual sense, comprehend thework of salvation on the part of Jesus from the alpha to the omega. 'Go and show John again the things which ye do hear and see. ' The useof the word '_again_' implies that a similar answer had been returnedto John at least _once_ before. This testimony, with the love in whichit was sent, may have refreshed John's love for Jesus, and reassuredhis faith. The last words of the returned message contain somethinglike a gentle reproof to John, '_And blessed is he that is notoffended in me_. '

"I think the Lord knew that John had been somewhat _offended in him_;that he had doubted his love, or his wisdom, or his power, or allthese together; and that the Lord's apparent neglect of him wastraceable to a want of these perfections. Doubts of this kind, fromweakness of the flesh and spirit, have often been known to invade thehearts of other good men, when the divine love has been partiallyveiled from sight in seasons of great distress. Even our Lord himselfupon the cross cried out, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'I cannot think that the divine love ever did forsake him for oneinstant. It was so only in appearance to him. 

"The things connected with the life-work of Jesus, which John'smessengers had just seen and heard, bore a much stronger testimony tohis divinity and Messiahship than any declaration he could have madeby mere affirmation. Here is verified the old proverb: 'Actions speaklouder than words. ' All may see a valuable lesson here. We arecommanded to let our light shine. What an honor it would be to Christand the church, if every member of it would be able to point to hisgood works as proofs of the sincerity and genuineness of his religiousprofession!

"Notwithstanding John's doubts and impatience, the Lord still lovedhim tenderly; and after the messengers had departed, he said to themultitude: 'Among them that are born of women there hath not risen agreater than John the Baptist. ' Our way would have been to includethis encomium in the message, and let John hear it. In our way ofthinking this would have done him more good than the other. But as theheaven is high above the earth, so high are the Lord's thoughts aboveour thoughts, and his ways above our ways. 

"Could our eyes catch a glimpse of the bliss that thrills John's heartin heaven to-day, we would no longer wonder why the Lord left him liein Herod's castle. "

_Sermon by Elder John Kline. _

_Preached at Forrer's, in Page County, Virginia, Sunday, February 15, 1835. _

 TEXT. --And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals: and so he did. And he saith unto him: Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. --Acts 12:8. 

Peter's hands were chained, and he was lying in a cold and gloomyprison in Jerusalem. Herod, who was at that time viceroy of Jerusalemand Judea, had imprisoned Peter just to please the Jews. These werethe bitter enemies of Christ. 

It looks to us as if it would hardly be worth while to pray for therecovery of a sheep already dragged into a den of wolves, and lyingthere only waiting to be devoured. But the saints at Jerusalem didpray for Peter, and they had to pray secretly too. You may be surethey did not pray to be heard of men. They were only afraid that menmight hear. But there was one that did hear. For "the angel of theLord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smotePeter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. Andhis chains fell off from his hands. "

You know something about Peter's disposition. He often spoke withoutthinking very well what it might be best to say; and sometimes heacted without thinking what it might be best to do. On this occasion Ido believe that he would have followed the angel through the streetsof Jerusalem, bare-footed and in his night clothes, if he had notkindly ordered him to gird himself and bind on his sandals and casthis garment about him. 

I, for one, do believe that all the miracles and providences wroughtby the Lord and recorded in his Word are for the instruction andultimate good of all who read or hear them. 

THE LESSONS OF INSTRUCTION. 

I. Sometimes men who have been subject to very bad habits are, by theGospel and the Holy Spirit, led to forsake them. They form new loves. They find joy in a new life. Old things with them have passed away. They come from the baptismal wave clad, as it were, in a new garment, even the beautiful garment of salvation; and the new song in theirmouth is praise to our God. I can name some of this class in ourchurch who have run well; some who have fought the good fight of faithwith unflinching courage and resolution to victory complete. Butothers have been made to weep and lament from the fearful truth thatthis same beloved Brother Peter tells us, that "our adversary, thedevil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, "for they have been devoured by him. 

In the garden of Eden the devil came to Eve in the form of a serpent. I imagine this to be his most natural form. We sometimes see himcaricatured as a man with horns and cloven feet. This is a mistake. A man in this form would make a frightful appearance. But the devilnever approaches any one in a way to frighten him. He is too cunningfor that. A fox takes care not to frighten away his prey. Even thelion, when he is seeking his prey, never roars at that time, butcrouches and hides in the tall grass or thicket until his prey comesnear enough, and then he springs upon it with a single bound. Thereason why Peter calls him a _roaring_ lion is because he roarsfuriously after his prey is in his power. His roaring then is but anote of victory and defiance. The devil knew that he would notfrighten Eve by coming to her in the form he did, because she hadnever then, as yet, known anything of evil. But when he comes to mennow in the serpent form, he comes as "_a snake in the grass_. "

I sometimes think that age adds shrewdness to the devil's plans. Hecomes to men in so many forms and ways, first to delude and then todestroy, that they may be called _legion_. But, as Paul says, "Weare not ignorant of his devices, for Satan is transformed into anangel of light. "

He learns to know every brother's and sister's weak point. To thebrother who has been fond of ardent spirits he comes behind thedeceitful, covetous smile of the rumseller. In this instance the orderof the fable is reversed. There the ass put on the lion's skin; herethe lion puts on the skin of the ass. To the brother whose weakness isadultery he comes in the form of a harlot, "jeweled and crowned. " Tothe brother whose special sin has been covetousness he comes as afriend. He takes him by the hand, leads him to the top of some highmountain, there shows him the kingdoms of the world and the glory ofthem, and pledges to him the enjoyment of all this glory and power ifhe will but fall down and worship him. 

Now, Herod was a type of this devil, and the prison in which Peter waschained is a type of the "horrible pit" into which many a good-meaningChristian has been cast by him. But even for such there is quite asmuch hope as there was for Peter. The Lord is ever nigh to redeem andto save. But there must be a willing mind. If Peter had said in hishalf-asleep state, "Just leave me alone--I'll come after awhile--I'mtoo sleepy to go now"--what then? It would have been impossible forthe Lord to rescue him, if he had not been willing to be rescued bythe Lord. 

Some, who have "been taken captive by the devil at his will, " keepawake in a certain sense. The pall of darkness and deep sleep has notyet settled down upon them. They are conscious of their situation. They know and feel that they are in the hands of the enemy, but how toescape is the trouble with them. If such would only have the mind andwill to do as Christian and Hopeful did in "Doubting Castle, " theycould readily find a key in their bosoms with which to unlock everygate, and thus make their escape. 

II. In this respect they differ from Peter, for "_he was sleepingbetween two soldiers_. " Besides this, there were men stationed atthe door to keep watch all night. But the Lord is prepared for everyemergency. What storm can sink a ship when Omnipotence is at the helm?If you or I, brethren, were to see a brother confined and guarded asPeter was, I greatly fear we would utterly despair of ever seeing himrescued; especially so if public sentiment were rife with malice andrage against him. I fear we would say, It is no use to _pray_ forthat man. Nothing short of a miracle can save that man; and miraclesare not wrought by prayer nowadays. But the loving hearts gatheredtogether in secret places in Jerusalem thought not so. They "madeunceasing prayer for him. "

Now let us note the order in which the Lord proceeded to answer theseprayers. He came to Peter and smote him. Whether the stroke was lightor heavy is a thing of little consequence. It succeeded in awaking theman. This was its object. I think the Lord gave Peter only a _slight_tap on the side, because he was not hard to wake up that night. Butthere are some, and I have known such, whom the Lord had to smite veryhard to stir them from their sleep. They open their eyes in amazementand wonder why they have been so smitten. Unfortunately for some ofthis class, they open their eyes, but they see not; they hear, butthey heed not. I think I have known a few such; and I fear the Lordsaid of them what he said of Ephraim: "He is joined to his idols, lethim alone. "

III. There is a third class, and they compose a great multitude, whohave, so to speak, grown up in the devil's prison house, and havegrown so used to his ways that they are willing to stay there. Thesemay be said to be bound with _two chains_. Their love of the world isone chain, and their love of self is the other. I may be addressingsome now who are thus bound. Let us see. Jesus says: "Thou shalt lovethe Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and withall thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And a second islike to it which is this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. "Does every one who is now under the sound of my voice do this? Are yousure, my friend, that you love God more than the world, and that youlove your neighbor as yourself? What proof have you to give of this?Jesus again says: "If ye love me, keep my commandments. He that lovethme will keep my words. " There can be nothing more perfectly in harmonywith human nature in all its phases than these declarations of ourLord. Where is the subject that is unwilling to render obedience tothe prince or king that he loves? Where is the loving child thatrefuses to obey its parents? I tell you that obedience is the test andproof of love. Do you obey our Lord Jesus Christ? Do you say "No"?Then, my dear friend, let me say to you, in all candor and love, youdo not love him. You may imagine that you do, but your imagination onthis point is a delusion. But perhaps you are ashamed to confess him. Hear again what the Lord says: "He that is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in hisglory. "

But perhaps you ask: "How am I to get rid of my chains?" Get rid ofthem, my dear unconverted friend, just as Peter got rid of his. TheLord is just as willing and as able to rescue you from the chains ofsin and the thraldom of bad habits as he was to rescue Peter from thechains with which the Roman guard had bound him. The Lord came to him, not in darkness, but in light. He brought the light with him. He neverworks in darkness. Even when he was about to fashion the world, thefirst thing he did was to throw a flood of light all over its wide, chaotic surface. But the light which he caused to shine in the prisondid not wake Peter up, although it must have shone in his eyes. So hesmote him on the side, and no doubt shook him gently. 

Peter opened his eyes and saw the light. The angel "raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. " At the very first move he made to stand onhis feet, his chains got loose, and when he rose to his feet they fellright off. This is the way you are to get rid of your chains. The Lordcomes to you as he is present now and says to you, "Arise up quickly, and follow me. " The very moment you firmly resolve to obey him inlove, that very moment will your chains begin to get loose; and whenyou arise to follow him in the way his Word directs, they will falloff. 

You may here see how the Lord works with man. It is said the angelraised Peter up; and at the same time, while he had hold of him, heordered Peter to arise up quickly. This is just the way we would do intrying to get one awake and up, whom we dearly loved if he was ingreat danger. An infant we would pick up and carry out; but one inhealth and strength we would expect to act for himself; we, at thesame time, doing what might be necessary on our part. Just so the Lordacts with every poor sinner. He comes with light and he comes in love. Sinner, I am sure he has come to you to-day. He is saying to you now, Rise up quickly, and follow me. 

And where does the good Lord propose to lead the sinner? He offers tolead you out of your prison house of sin into "the glorious liberty ofthe children of God. " He proposes to take you out of darkness into"his marvelous light. " He will, if you but rise up and follow him, give you _eternal life_, and a home in heaven forever, free fromsickness, sorrow, pain and death. Will you not go with him?

VISIT TO A SICK WOMAN. 

After preaching the above sermon, Brother Kline, in company withBrother Kagey, visited a sick woman living on Forrer's land. He says:"She seemed to be suffering a good deal in body; but more, I think, inspirit. We told her that Christ Jesus was the only substantial hope wehad to set before her; that faith in him would bring salvation andpeace to her soul. I read to her from the Sermon on the Mount: 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and itshall be opened unto you: for if ye know how to give good gifts untoyour children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven givegood things unto them that ask him. ' The best thing that our heavenlyFather can give us is a heart to love and obey him. God works in usboth to will and to do the things that please him; but we at the sametime must have a willing mind to do them. In this way we come to beco-workers with God. 

"'Baptism, '" I said to her, "is the first public act of obediencerequired at our hands. Here our sins are _in figure_ washed away; forbaptism is called in the Word 'the washing of regeneration. ' As anewborn child is washed before it is clothed and set before thefamily, so the newborn child of God must be washed and made purebefore he or she can come into the church as a full member. But thebaptism of the child of God denotes a spiritual cleansing; whilst thewashing or bathing of a newborn infant means only bodily cleansing. Hence Peter says that 'baptism is not the putting away of the filth ofthe flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God. ' This meansthat it fills the heart with a sense or feeling of 'righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. '"

"After instructing her awhile in this way we ended our call withprayer. "

On Sunday, March 15, there was meeting in

DANIEL MILLER'S DWELLING HOUSE. 

This is about five miles north of Harrisonburg, in Rockingham County, Virginia. It is at present occupied by Benjamin Miller, the youngestson of Daniel Miller. He stands high as overseer of the Greenmountchurch. He has a numerous family of intelligent and godly children, all now grown up, and members of the Brethren church. 

At the time of this meeting, Brother Daniel Miller's family was young, and most of the children were at home, _eighteen in all_; and allchildren of one mother. Brother Kline says: "I felt deeply impressedwith the weighty responsibility resting upon the father and mother ofthis pleasant and orderly household; and not upon them only, but uponus also, who are preachers of the Word. In this feeling, I proposedthe reading of the fifteenth chapter of John's Gospel. I spoke brieflyfrom these words: '_If I had not come and spoken unto them, they hadnot had sin. _' John 15:22. "

_Sermon. _

"These words are a part of our Lord's farewell counsel to his littleband of chosen disciples. This was just before his betrayal into thehands of his murderers. He spoke to them about this sinful world. Hetold them how the people of the world would treat them, and what theywould think of the glorious Gospel which they were soon to proclaim. 'In the world, ' said he to them, 'ye shall have tribulation; but inme, ye shall have peace. ' The text does not teach that men who areignorant of God's Word are sinless; neither does it teach that thedoctrine which our blessed Savior taught tends to make men sinners. Oh, no! But this is what it means: That God is so merciful andgracious that until men are instructed and warned of their danger, hedoes not hold them severely accountable. But when the light of truthis shed around them, and the way of life and salvation pointed out tothem, and they then shut their eyes to the light and close theirhearts to knowledge, he holds them accountable, and deals with them assinners. 

"I feel now to address a few words to the dear young people who areassembled here. The Lord bless you in the dew of your youth, whileyour hearts are yet tender; before age and sin have made you hard, give your hearts to God. This you can do by loving our Lord JesusChrist, who laid down his life for you. When you love him with theheart, you believe on him with the heart; and when you believe on himwith the heart, you have a desire in your heart to obey him by doinghis commandments. You will purify your souls by obeying the truth. 'Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. ' 'Seek the Lordwhile he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near;' for, saithhe, 'they that seek me early shall find me. '

"But you may desire to know how you are to seek the Lord, and whereyou are to look for him. I hope you are thinking of this now; so Iwill tell you. The only place where the Lord can be found is in hisHoly Word. There you find him in the form of the man Christ Jesus. Andwhilst he is there set forth as the 'man of sorrows and acquaintedwith grief, ' he is also set forth as the 'true God and eternal life. 'He there says: 'If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. ''And he that drinketh of the water that I will give unto him shallnever thirst. ' This water is the TRUTH of his Word. It so fills thesoul with love and light and joy and peace, as to become a fountain ofdelight within us. Reading God's Word in the right spirit is drinkingof the Water of Life. When this truth finds a place in the memorythrough the love of it, the memory keeps our thoughts perpetuallysupplied with it, and thus it becomes, as our Lord says, 'a fountainwithin us unto everlasting life. '"

SATURDAY, March 21, Brother Kline, in company with Brother DanielMiller, went to Brock's Gap, and spent the night at BrotherSunafrank's. 

BROCK'S GAP. 

This is a small area of country in Rockingham County, Virginia, containing about one hundred and fifty square miles. It is the headbasin of the north fork of the Shenandoah river. It is almostcompletely surrounded by high and rugged mountains; and where theriver has broken a gap for its outlet the scenery is not surpassed bythat of Harper's Ferry. 

A considerable number of people live in it, and there are some goodfarms and thrifty farmers. In Brother Kline's day Brock's Gap was onlya mission field. At this time the German Baptist Brethren have twowell-built and commodious houses of worship in it. At the time BrotherKline commenced preaching there they had no house of worship and themembership was very small. The membership at this time includes somefrom nearly all the leading families in the section. The Fulks, Fawleys, Richies, Hevners, Moyerses, Smiths, Doves, Lambs, Shoemakers, and many others are represented in the Brotherhood. 

SUNDAY, March 21. --The two brethren crossed the Shenandoah mountainand arrived in

SWEEDLIN VALLEY. 

This valley lies in Pendleton County, West Virginia. It extendsnorthward along the west foot of the Shenandoah mountain for abouteight miles, and is separated from the South Fork valley west of it bySweedlin mountain. It is the habitation of a good many families, isexceedingly picturesque, and is in some respects beautiful. 

The two brethren were called here to preach the funeral of old BrotherNazlerode. His father had been a Hessian, and served under Britishcolors in the American Revolution. At the close of the war he, withmany others, declined returning to his native home in Hesse-Darmstadtin Germany, and decided to stay in America. But this class of citizenswas not very welcome among the patriots of American liberty. They werelooked upon with a degree of opprobrium; and hence they sought homesin the more remote and secluded valleys among the mountains. BrotherNazlerode had died some time before. The preaching was at the housewhere the old brother had lived. 

_Sermon by Daniel Miller. _

Brother Daniel Miller spoke first in the German language. He took forhis subject 1 Pet. 1:24, 25. "For all flesh is as grass, and all theglory of man as the flower of grass: . .. But the word of the Lordendureth forever. "

He spoke very beautifully and impressively on the short-livedpleasures of earth. He said that the new birth and the new life, whichlift man to God and fit him for heaven, are not begotten of thecorruptible seed of man, but of God through the Word of his Truth, which liveth and abideth forever. He pointed them to Jesus as the"Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. " He then, in avery affectionate manner, exhorted all to accept the salvation offeredand walk in the way that our Lord has made plain in his Word. 

Brother Kline followed and said: "Brother Daniel and I both felt movedto pity when we considered the situation of these people. They have apoor chance to hear the Gospel, and but few of them can read theBible. We closed the services suitably, and then went to friend JacobWansturf's and spent the night. "

MONDAY, April 13. --Brother Kline, in company with Brother FredericKline, went to Brock's Gap on the yearly visit. He says: "We foundsome of the members in a very poor condition. One sister, inparticular, moved my feelings deeply. Her husband is somewhatdissipated and does not provide for his family as he should. She isthe mother of three small children; and, judging from their presentappearance, they have undergone a good deal of suffering for want offood and clothing. None of them have any shoes; and the thin coveringsthey have on are so patched and darned that one can hardly tell thekind of goods they were originally made of. 

"I inquired how they were off in the way of food. She replied thatthey had about a peck of corn meal in the house and several bushels ofpotatoes buried in the garden; and she reckoned they could do rightwell till she could get some more washing and other work to do. I gavethat patient, uncomplaining sister three dollars out of my own pocketmoney. 'It is more blessed to give than to receive. ' There is a daycoming when we shall more fully realize this truth than now. "

THE YEARLY VISIT CONTINUED. 

TUESDAY, April 14. --"We have found a quiet and peaceable state offeeling in the Brotherhood generally. There is, however, among theyounger members, too great a tendency to conform to the world in dressand conversation. "

MEETING AT BENJAMIN BOWMAN'S. 

FRIDAY, April 17. --"His son, Samuel Bowman, was baptized to-day, andthe subject of discourse was the baptism of Jesus as recorded inMark's Gospel. John seems to have been a sort of open link by whichthe chain of prophecy in the Old Testament was united with the chainof its fulfillment in the New. As a prophet, he went forth in thespirit and power of Elijah. But Elijah of old uttered his propheciessurrounded by midnight darkness. John utters his in the light of therising Sun of Righteousness; and they all point to the future glory ofthat Sun. The Sun rose publicly from the waters of Jordan in theperson of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, when the Spirit of God inthe form of a dove descended upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, 'This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. '

"What a recognition! What a reception! And will not our heavenlyFather meet every true-hearted believer in the same way, as he risesfrom the baptismal wave? Not visibly, to his natural eye; not audibly, to his natural ear; but by the Holy Spirit bearing witness with hisspirit that he is a child of God. For 'baptism is the answer of a goodconscience toward God. ' This is its first blessed power. "

_Sermon by Elder John Kline. _

_A Funeral Sermon at Sunafrank's in Brock's Gap, Sunday, April 26. _

 TEXT. --Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. --John 5:25. 

The Lord spoke these words to the Jews. They would not believe that hewas the Son of God. They sought to kill him, not only because he hadbroken the Sabbath by healing a man on that day, but also because hesaid that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. In hisreply to them he uttered some of the most wonderful truths the worldhas ever heard. He said: "THE DEAD SHALL HEAR. "

In the ear of a Jew these words had an ominous ring. They could notgainsay them in a direct way, because the Lord had, that very day, andbefore their eyes, wrought a miracle which was almost equal to that ofmaking a dead man hear. It appears strange to us that any class ofpeople could harbor feelings of enmity toward one so kind and good asJesus was. But the Jews were a very proud people, and exceedingly_vain_ in their imaginations. And because the Lord would not flatterthem, and give them credit for great knowledge and wisdom in divinethings, they fell out with him and hated him. 

Jesus does not say that _all the dead shall hear_. But he does meanthat all shall have a chance and the power to hear if they will. Butwho are the DEAD of whom he speaks? They are all who are not spirituallyalive; Jews and Gentiles. The Scriptures in many places speak of menas _dead_ who are bodily alive. They are dead in one way, and alive inanother. I will explain this. In respect to faith in the Lord and loveto him, the Jews were dead. There was no spiritual life in them. Jewish worship was all an outward, external thing. But God regards aman's spirit, his heart. "For they that worship him must worship himin spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. "

There stands a tree. It is just now in full bloom, and the sight isbeautiful. A few months ago that tree was dead in one sense and alivein another. It was winter-dead. There were neither leaves, blossomsnor fruit upon it. Had it continued in that state, it would be cutdown as a worthless thing. But it had a receptacle of life, and thatlife is in the sun which imparts heat and light to everything. The sunmakes the earth warm; the watery vapors to ascend and form cloudswhich give rain; the sap to rise and form itself into leaves, blossomsand fruits. Every unconverted man and woman, just like that tree inwinter, is dead as to all divine or heavenly life in the soul. Let ussee: He is dead as to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. He does not lovehim. He lives just as if there were no God to love and obey; no hellto shun; no heaven to obtain. He does not love the people of God assuch. But, notwithstanding all this, he has a capacity, such as Godhas given to every man, to be made alive in Christ Jesus. Christ iscalled the Sun of Righteousness. He is so called because he, like thesun in our sky, rises and shines upon the evil and the good; andwhosoever opens his heart to the light of this Sun is filled with thelight of _truth_ and _love_, and made alive to walk in the way ofrighteousness before him. 

This light comes through his Word, the Gospel of our salvation, as itis proclaimed by his faithful ministers, and falls upon every sinner. If the sinner will open his ears to the voice, and his eyes to thelight, the promise in the text is that he "_shall live_. " Jesus says:"I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall have thelight of LIFE. In him is light, and the light is the LIFE of men. " Butif the sinner, like the owl, closes his eyes to the light of truth, and his ears to the voice of the Lord, he will abide in death, and, like the owl, love darkness rather than light forever. 

SUNDAY, July 19, Magdalena Wampler and John Miller's wife baptized. 

_Sermon by Elder Daniel Miller. _

_In the German Language, at the Linville's Creek Meetinghouse. _

 TEXT. --And there went out unto him all the country of Judæa, and all they of Jerusalem; and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. --Mark 1:5. 

Judging from the multitudes that went out to John's baptism, hispreaching must have created a lively sensation in Jerusalem and Judæa. All who went out were Jews. In justice to the text, we must notice thefact that the word ALL, as there used, applies only to the commonpeople. These came to John confessing their sins. He pointed them tothe "Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. " The scribesand Pharisees and lawyers, the chief men of Judæa and Jerusalem, wentnot out to be baptized of John. These had no sins to confess; noignorance to deplore; no spiritual ailments or infirmities. "They thatbe whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. "

It was with the common people that John succeeded in preparing the"way of the Lord. " May we not also do the same? When we induce men tothink upon the subject of religion, when we persuade them to repentand believe the Gospel, we too are preparing the way of the Lord. TheWord of Truth does not have free course all over the world yet. Manyamongst us oppose it. Millions far away are still in pagan darkness. But every soul that truly believes in Jesus and is baptized has thepromise of salvation; and every such soul is a fresh light in theworld's darkness. The more of such lights we can get to shine in theworld the lighter will it grow, and the more and more will the way ofthe Lord be prepared. 

In John's day the people were not ashamed to come and be immersed inthe Jordan. There does not seem to have been any doubt or uncertaintywith them as to the mode or form of baptism. Every one went to theriver Jordan. If a few drops of water, applied to some part of thebody, had answered the end of baptism as well as the immersion of thewhole body in water, I think most of them would have saved themselvesthis long journey. They would have called John to Jerusalem, to thatwealthy and populous city. He could have just passed through thestreets with a pail or pitcher of water in his hand, and with littletrouble could have applied a few drops to the head or face of each onethat asked it. 

For want of room, we now pass over all the entries in the Diary fromJuly 19 to September 11. This time was actively taken up by ourbeloved brother in attending love feasts, council meetings and regularappointments. In body he was robust, vigorous and active: in spirit hehad long reaches of faith and hope and love. This incited him to greatactivity; and I often heard him say: "An hour misspent or trifled awayis just so much time given to Satan. "

JOURNEY TO OHIO AND RETURN THROUGH KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. 

This journey occupied _two months_ to the day. Friday, September 11, he passed up through Brock's Gap, and down the Lost River Valley. 

LOST RIVER. 

This is a small but very clear and beautiful stream in Hardy County, West Virginia. It flows through a rich and delightful valley betweenChurch mountain on its eastern side next to Shenandoah County, Virginia, and the South Branch mountain on its western side. After acourse of about twenty miles in a northeasterly direction it suddenlydisappears at the base of a mountain extending like a huge dam acrossthe valley. After a subterranean passage of a few miles it reappearson the opposite side "clear as crystal. " From this point to its mouthin the Potomac it bears the name of Ca-capon or Capon. Tradition saysthis is an Indian name, and means FOUND. This stream, from its head toits mouth, may aptly represent the life, death and resurrection of theChristian. 

STATE OF THE COUNTRY. 

For the information of the young especially, many of whom it is hopedwill read this book, I will give a brief description of the state ofthe country through which our beloved brother expected to travel, partly alone and on horseback. No doubt you have read the story ofGeorge Washington, not quite twenty-one years of age, starting onhorseback with only a single companion, to carry a letter fromDinwiddie, Governor of Virginia, to the commander of the Frenchmilitary forces at Venango, in the extreme northwestern part ofPennsylvania. Washington delivered the letter and returned the answer. Many books of American history give an account of this wonderfulachievement, and praise the man who performed it. 

Brother Kline, in part, passed over very nearly the same ground onthis journey that Washington had passed over on his. Washington wentwith a motive altogether worldly. He was complying with the wish ofthe governor of his State. Brother Kline went with a motive as fartranscending in sublimity and importance anything appearing in that ofWashington as heaven is high above the earth, and the thoughts andways of God are above those of men. He went to raise men from thedepths of sin into which they had so deeply fallen, and exalt them tocompanionship with angels in the skies. His mission was to turn menfrom darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. He laid noclaim to any power within himself to do this; but he went in thefellowship of the Holy Spirit, and in the power of him who is able andmighty to save. 

We must bear in mind, too, that this journey was undertaken more thanfifty-eight years ago. A very large part of the country through whichhe had to pass was yet in a state of virgin forest. No railroads borethe lightning trains on their bosoms. Very few houses in much of thecountry were to be seen; and many of these offered little besidesshelter, and some barely that. There were hardly any bridges. Broadand deep rivers had to be forded on horseback, or crossed in what theIndians called a CANOE. This is a kind of long boat made from the bodyof a single tree, by cutting or burning out the inside, and leavingthe bottom, ends and sides like a trough. He reports having crossedsome streams in this kind of a boat. His life was several timesendangered by crossing deep waters. 

SATURDAY, September 12, he arrived at Abbey Arnold's, in HampshireCounty, West Virginia. On the thirteenth he attended a love feast atDaniel Arnold's nearby, and reports a very joyful meeting with theBrethren whom he had not seen for a time. 

MONDAY, September 14, he took leave of the Brethren in HampshireCounty, and directed his course through Maryland into Pennsylvania;and on Friday, September 18, he crossed the Ohio river, two andone-half miles below Acreton. He was ferried across in a flatboat. 

SUNDAY, September 20, he arrived at Brother George Hoke's. He says: "Ihave been exposed to some bad weather, and have passed over some badroads; but to meet such a dear and kind brother as George Hoke, and bereceived in such a pleasant way as I have been by the dear brother andfamily, is more than a compensation for all the exposure and toil ithas cost. "

As nearly as I can, I will now give the substance and manner of aconversation which took place the same evening between Brother Klineand Brother Hoke. The Diary is silent upon it, but Brother Klinerelated it to me himself in the year 1862. Brother Jacob Miller, ofGreenmount, Virginia, told me afterwards that Brother Kline hadrelated the same to him. The weather being a little cool and damp, thetwo brethren sat by the fire. I will name the parties in the order ofthe conversation. 

KLINE. --Why do not we ordain deacons in the same way theseven were ordained at Jerusalem?

HOKE. --Do you think the seven were deacons?

K. --Yes, I have always thought so. 

H. --I do not think they were. 

K. --Well, here is a difference of opinion between brethren. 

H. --Let us try to get together on this point. 

K. --I desire, above all things, to know the truth, and to see eye toeye with all the Brethren on every point of Holy Writ. 

H. --So do I. Now let us see. I do not think the seven were deacons, because they are nowhere _called_ deacons. Have we a just right tocall them deacons when the Word does not call them so? Again: I mustthink the church at Jerusalem was fully organized before any demandwas found for the appointment of the seven. Did it not have deacons atthe start? Who attended to gathering up food and hunting shelter, andmaking general provisions for the comfortable entertainment ofthousands of brethren and sisters, and their children besides? Irather think that the deacons already in office attended to thesethings. But the number of the brethren increased so rapidly that thedeacons needed help in the way of general oversight, and the mostnatural thing in the world would be for them to apply to the apostlesfor advice in regard to the matter. But the apostles replied, "It isnot reason that we should LEAVE the Word of God and serve tables. "This proves that they had not done so before, and that it would not beright for them to do so now. Hence the importance of getting men ofreal executive ability to serve the present necessity. Such abilityand fitness they found in the seven whom they set apart to that work. But they must not only possess business tact; they must be "men fullof the Holy Ghost and wisdom, and men of _honest_ report, " whoserecord in life proved their HONESTY. This, Brother John, is my opinionas to the reason why the apostles were so particular on this point. These seven men would certainly have a great deal entrusted to theirgeneral keeping; and unless they were _honest_, they might takeadvantage and make personal gain out of it. They soon got things soarranged in the hands of the deacons, that Stephen, one of the seven, could leave and give all of his time, or most of it, to preaching; forwe are directly informed that the opposing Jews "were not able towithstand the wisdom and the spirit in which he spake. " Right on thestrength of this began the terrific persecution which soon resulted inthe martyrdom of Stephen, and eventuated in the dispersion fromJerusalem of all the leaders and most of the influential andwell-known members of the body. Philip only, of all the seven exceptStephen, is mentioned in the New Testament after this. It seems thatafter he had preached for some time he married and settled down atCæsarea, where, years after, Paul found him, and spoke of him as oneof the seven--not deacons--although it would have been very easy forPaul to call him such, had he been a deacon. Paul here calls himPhilip the evangelist. Acts 21:8. 

K. --I must admit, Brother George, that your argument is fair andpointed, and I will reconsider the whole subject. I never before sawthe office and appointment of the seven in the light in which you havepresented it to me this evening. 

H. --I believe there are points in addition to those already given, butyou may find them yourself. 

MONDAY, September 21, Brother Kline attended a love feast at BrotherSnider's. 

WEDNESDAY, September 23, he attended another at Brother SamuelMishler's. He spoke beautifully on 1 John 3:2: "Beloved, now are wethe sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but weknow that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. "

A SHORT DISCOURSE. 

In my view, there is no passage in the Bible which requires a strongerfaith to believe it fully than the one just quoted. No passage that Iknow of sets forth in such lofty terms of description the exaltationand glory of the redeemed. Often have I heard persons express theirwonder that Jesus did not tell us more about heaven and the futurestate. This text itself tells us infinitely more about this than weare capable of comprehending. Let us think a little. 

I. It tells us that we are _now_ the SONS OF GOD. To be the son of a_rich man_ is esteemed a great boon; to be the son of a king is anhonor and fortune enjoyed by few. But what are favors like thesecompared with being a son of God! No wonder John says in anotherplace: "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God!" Take the words of my textall to yourself, my brother, my sister: believe it; love it; and everrejoice in the light of it. You desire to know how you attained tothis high distinction. I will tell you. Jesus came to you in hisblessed Word with the assurance that "as many as receive him, to themgives he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe onhis name; which are born, not of blood; nor of the will of the flesh;nor of the will of man; but of God. "

 "This promise ever shall endure, Till suns shall rise and set no more. "

You received the Lord by believing on his name. This is faith. Youbelieved with your heart; that is, your faith was full of love, andyour love was attended and followed by obedience, and this made yourfaith complete. It is yours now to rejoice in hope of the glory ofGod. 

II. But you can hardly believe that you are to be just like Christ. Onthe mount you saw him glorified. "His face did shine as the sun, andhis outward form was white as the light. " Now Paul says: "He shallchange our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto the bodyof his glory. " "Then shall the righteous shine as the sun in thekingdom of their Father. "

O brethren, let us look at the _bright_ side of the Christian's life, for it has a bright side, and that is the side next to heaven, onwhich the light of heaven forever falls. I am not unmindful of thefact that, figuratively speaking, one side is turned to earth, and theearth in many respects is a very dark place. On the earth-side "cloudsand darkness are the habitation of his throne;" but on the heaven-side"the city hath no need of the sun to shine in it, for the Lord God andthe Lamb are the light thereof; and there shall be no night there. ""We are fellow-citizens with the saints [in glory], and of thehousehold of God. " Oh, brethren, let us walk worthy of our highcalling. "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing givethanks: for this is the will of God concerning you. "

FRIDAY, September 25. Brother Kline passed through Jerome, Petersburgand Mansfield and got to Brother John Hoover's. 

MONDAY, September 28. "This evening, " says he, "I am at Judge Watts's. Having been unavoidably delayed by having to get my horse shod, darkness overtook me five miles away from here, and nothing but acontinuation of thick woods appeared in every direction. More thanthis, the wolves set up a howling in a very threatening manner. Had Ibeen compelled to pass the night in the woods, I would have been indanger of being devoured by them. Whilst alone in the darkness Ithought, How quickly would these ravenous creatures fall upon anddevour an unprotected sheep! And how surely would the wolves fromSatan's den fall upon us and make a prey of our souls if Jesus, theGood Shepherd, did not guard and protect us through the spiritualdarkness of this world! Several verses of one of Watts' old 'cradlehymns' came to my mind whilst thinking over these things. They runthus:

 "'Once, as oppressed with sleep I lay, With pining hunger bold, A prowling enemy came by, And robbed my little fold. But Thou, Great Shepherd, dost not sleep Nor slumber oft like me; So that no foe can steal a sheep Eternally from Thee. '"

TUESDAY, September 29. "This evening I am at Brother Abraham Miller'sin Allen County, Ohio. From Judge Watts's to this place is only fivemiles. But how different my feelings this evening from what they werelast evening! Then I was alone in the woods, in hearing of wolves inseveral directions, with darkness on every side; now I am here with mybeloved brother and his pleasant family. Oh, what will it be, what theineffable joy to find ourselves, some day, in heaven, eternally safefrom all danger and harm!"

Brother Kline spent the time between this and the next Sunday intraveling and visiting. 

SUNDAY, October 4, he attended a love feast at which he made some verybeautiful and appropriate remarks on Luke 4. "There is, " said he, "much of human nature set forth in this chapter. So long as Jesusspoke of the things that pleased the assembled Jews they 'all wonderedat the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. ' They appliedthese gracious words to themselves, and flattered themselves into thebelief that they were 'God's favorites' on account of their inherentvirtues. But when the Lord indirectly spoke of them as starving widowsin God's sight, and filthy lepers, 'all in the synagogue were filledwith wrath. ' When flowers are thrown upon the surface of a calmlake--so the poets say--the lake is made to smile with dimples ofdelight; but when heavy storms of truth are thrown in, the mud at thebottom is stirred up, and the lake boils with filth. Brethren, let ustry to 'cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord;' and then we will not getangry when the truth is presented. "

I would like very much to give the name of every family with whichBrother Kline passed a night throughout this entire journey, and alsothe name of every brother and sister and family called on, but want ofspace absolutely forbids. 

October 5 and 6 were spent at a council meeting near BrotherButterbaugh's. He does not say, but I guess this was in MontgomeryCounty, Ohio. The names--Samuel Fouse, David Miller, Abraham Erbaugh, Samuel Kline, John Brower, Abraham Flory--all occur in closeconnection as having been visited by him. 

SUNDAY, October 11. Brother Kline attended a meeting at which hereports Jacob Rife, John Garber, James Smith and George Miller, allfrom Virginia, as being present with their families. They have come tofind homes in Ohio. They had arrived there on Friday before, which wasOctober 9. It may be very gratifying to the children and grandchildrenof these parents to find out the exact day on which their fathers andmothers arrived in the county and State where they settled. 

MONDAY, October 12. Meeting at Brother Hoffert's. Brother Kline spoketo-day on Matthew 25. I can give only a slight touch of his discourse:"This chapter, " said he, "is full of wonders. The parable of thetalents; the parable of the ten virgins; and a description of thegeneral judgment. Both parables are intimately connected with thejudgment, and indicate the broad basis on which it will be conducted. I believe that the virgins in the parable represent professors ofChristianity. They all had lamps. They all slumbered and slept. Inthese two respects they were all alike. 

"But the great difference between them at once appears, when theannouncement is suddenly made, 'Behold, the bridegroom cometh! go yeout to meet him. ' Then the folly of the foolish, and the wisdom of thewise is first disclosed. The foolish had provided no oil for thereplenishing of their lamps. I fear they were like too many now, who, in the heat of excitement, under the influence of misguidedinstructors, blindly fall into the ranks of those who take the name ofChrist in one hand and the fashions and pleasures of the world in theother, and thus move on through life. Alas! such have lamps that mayanswer for this life, and oil enough and of a kind to keep their lampsaglow while living in this world; but when the day of trial shall cometheir lamps will prove useless for want of the right kind of oil. Theonly oil that will burn in the presence of Jesus, and whose light hewill own, is the oil of heavenly love proved by a life of self-denialand obedience to his Word. Lord, help us, that we all may love theemore, and through obedient faith in thee find the door of heaven opento our ransomed spirits. "

WEDNESDAY, October 14. Our beloved brother now takes leave of thebrethren and sisters in Ohio and starts on his way to Tennessee. Onthe fifteenth he is ferried across the river from Cincinnati toCovington in a flatboat, and from this point he pushes on toLexington, Ky. , which he reaches on the seventeenth, having traveledfrom home to that point, 788 miles. Think of it! The toil of thisjourney, on horseback; over rough or bad roads; through thinly settledsections of country, and dark forests; in sight of Indians, and inhearing of wolves; more than sixty years ago; and all for Christ anda burning love for his people. Well could he say what he publiclyexpressed at a love feast at the Linville's Creek meetinghouse someyears after this: "I have a house that will accommodate fifty: and aheart to accommodate a hundred if they could find room in my house. "

He pushed on, scaled the Cumberland mountains; got across theCumberland and Clinch rivers as best he could, as both were high fromthe recent rains, and arrived

FRIDAY, October 23, at Christian Shank's, in East Tennessee. On theday before he stood by the tree that marks the spot where the Statesof Virginia and Kentucky corner on the line of Tennessee. He says: "Icould not help thinking while there, What a glorious country we havein prospect, and what a goodly land it may come to be, if the peoplecan be induced to turn to the Lord and become faithful followers ofthe meek and lowly Jesus. What a work we have to do! How muchwickedness have I witnessed on my way since I left home! In our way oflooking at it, enough to sink a world. By turning once around I canlook over a part of three States; but how few of the followers of theLord are found in each, compared with the number who know him not, andwho ask not for him. "

He reports delightful weather. After spending some days among theBowmans, Zimmermans, Crouses, Garbers, Basehores, and others, attending love feasts, councils and appointments for preaching, hereports a night meeting at Hase's schoolhouse. This was on the nightof

THURSDAY, October 29. The people were somewhat Calvinistic in theirviews, and his discourse was so pointed in that direction that I willgive a few thoughts presented in it. 

_Sermon by Elder John Kline. _

_Preached at Hase's Schoolhouse, Tennessee. _

 TEXT. --Enter ye in at the strait gate. --Matt. 7:13. 

I tried to impress upon all present the danger of continuing in thebroad road of sin. This includes every lust of the flesh, everythingthe heart desires through the eyes, and all the pride and vanityof life. I said to this audience: I learn that there is quite aCalvinistic or predestinarian sentiment in this community; and fromthe expression of the countenances of some of you I fancy I hear someof you saying to yourselves: "How can a dead man hear, except the Lordfirst give him life; or a blind man see, except the Lord first openhis eyes?" I will answer your questions in order. 

Lazarus had been dead four days. Jesus called to him with a loud voiceto "_come forth_. " How could Jesus expect the dead Lazarus to hear?Why did he call? Why did he not first make him alive; and then afterhe found out that he _was alive_, and stirring round in the grave, call to him and tell him to come out of that dark place? This isprecisely the way a Calvinist would think he ought to have done. ButCalvinism was not known in the Lord's day, and so he took a verydifferent way. He threw his voice into that cave, and it went rightinto the ear of the dead Lazarus, because his power went with thewords, and the very instant they struck the ear of Lazarus the lifewas in his body and he heard. Thunder and lightning always gotogether; but Calvinists think the lightning must always be first. 

The resurrection of Lazarus is a clear exemplification of our Lord'smeaning where he says: "My words are SPIRIT, and they are LIFE. " Nosooner did the Lord call to Lazarus than his heart began to beat andhis lungs began to breathe. The Lord's words to him were _life_ and_breath_. _Spirit_ [in one sense] means breath; and _life_ means abeating of the heart; for as long as man's heart beats there is lifein him. Is any one here to-night willing to charge our Lord with thefolly, the _madness_ of commanding one of his creatures to do what heknows he cannot do?

Sinner, if the popular view of election be correct, I have a word ofcomfort for you right here. In Jer. 13:21 we read this question: "Whatwilt thou say when he shall punish thee?" I will tell you what to say. When you stand before his judgment seat and hear from his lips, "Depart, thou cursed into everlasting fire, " just say to him: "Why doyou condemn _me_? You told me to enter in at the straight gate, it istrue; but you did not give me the power to move in that direction. Iwas blind, too, and you did not open my eyes. I was all leprous withsin; I knew that all the time; but you did not cleanse me, althoughyou cleansed others. I am told that you say in your Word that you areno respecter of persons; how then can you make such a difference inyour treatment of men, when you have 'included all under sin?'"

Now I say to you, poor sinner, the Lord never will and he never cansend you to hell with such questions in your mouth and in your heart. 

There is no need of one sinner under the sound of my voice going tohell, because Jesus is the STRAIT GATE and he is the NARROW WAY OFLIFE; and wherever his Gospel is preached his power goes with it, justas it went with his voice into the grave of Lazarus, or fell upon thebier of the widow's son. The blind man did not see until he went tothe pool of Siloam and washed; but did not the power of Christ go withhim?

Say not then, O sinner, "I have not the power to believe, repent andobey the Gospel. " You have the power. God is giving you now, this verymoment, all the power you need to reach hither your hand and take thegift of his grace. He has already opened your eyes to see the light ofhis truth; and were I to say to you this night that you are too deadto feel your duty; too blind to see the path; and too grossly ignorantto know your right hand from your left hand in spiritual things, youwould feel yourself grossly insulted by me. But I do not say so; I donot believe so; and in this connection--and I beg you to thinkseriously upon it, to read the Bible and pray over it--I must repeatthe language of Jeremiah: "What wilt thou SAY, when he shall punishthee?"

SUNDAY, November 1. Meeting and love feast at Bowman's meetinghouse. This was Brother Kline's last meeting with the Tennessee Brethren onthis visit among them. I must extend the outlines of his discourse asit was his last among them for some years. 

_A Short Discourse by Elder John Kline. _

 TEXT. --He died for all, that they which live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him, who, for their sakes, died and rose again. 

This was Christ. Our natural feelings and desires are selfish. Jesushas given us the clearest example of unselfish love the universe hasever witnessed. "For God commendeth his love to us"--that is, he showsthe exceeding greatness of it--"in that, when we were enemies, Christdied for us. " I do not believe that we ever, in this world, can fullyunderstand the merits of our Savior's life, death and resurrection. Enough for us to know that he has opened a "new and living way" bywhich we may come back to our heavenly Father and be his childrenagain. 

Do you know that Adam was a son of God? Luke calls him so. But he, like Esau after him, sold his birthright, lost the divine image inwhich God had created him, and fell from his sonship. But now we read:"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, howshall he not, with him also, freely give us all things?" The phrase, "all things, " as here used, includes a restoration to our formersonship with God. We, as the children of God, are exhorted to followin the steps of our blessed Lord. This not only means that we are toshun evils and bear reproach, but it also means that we are not tolive unto ourselves and for ourselves alone, but unto him and hispeople; for "He went about doing good. "

John says: "We love him because he first loved us. " We, who are hereassembled in his name, can truthfully repeat this language. But how dowe prove to ourselves and the world that we DO love him? It is byletting our light shine. Men do not light a candle and put it under abushel. A city on a hill cannot be hid. Brethren, I hope we have allmade clean "the INSIDE of the cup and the platter;" for this is theonly way in which the outside can be kept clean. A pure life flows outof a _clean_ heart, and it can come from no other source. We show ourlove to the Lord by observing his ordinances: by baptism, by washingone another's feet, by partaking with each other of the Lord's Supper, by communing with him in his broken body and shed blood, symbolized bythe bread and wine: next, in "denying ourselves of all ungodliness andworldly lusts, and living soberly, righteously, and godly in thispresent world. "

Think on this last text a little bit. "Soberly" means _calmly sincere_;not moved by fits of excitement. "Righteously" means _doing right_;right toward God by obedience, and right toward men in our dealingswith them and in our influence upon them. Many a brother has ruinedhis power for good by not being _watchful_. He told "jokes. " Hedelighted in frivolous, trifling things. He put on a square face atchurch, to be sure; but a little disappointment would lengthen itfearfully, and a little fun or glee would broaden it out of allChristian shape. 

For the benefit of such and all, I will define the last but _notleast_ word in the apostle's category--"godly. " Brethren, this meansLIKE God; and it includes all the rest, for "God is love. " To abide inGod is to live in holy, heavenly love. "Abide in me, and I in you. "Wonderful, wonderful words! This is heaven on earth. 

The apostle says: "We have been made to sit together in heavenlyplaces in Christ Jesus. " A beautiful figure. We sit in the sun, or insunny places, when the light of the sun falls upon us in thatposition. We sit in heaven, or in heavenly places, when the light ofheaven with its love falls full into our souls. I feel like givingutterance to the emotion of my heart in that sweet old love-song ofours:

 "My willing soul would stay In such a place as this; And sit and sing herself away, To everlasting bliss. 

 "Here the Redeemer's voice Sheds heavenly peace around; And life and everlasting joys Attend the blissful sound. "

And now I will close in the words of Paul's valedictory to the saintsat Corinth: "Finally, brethren, farewell: Be of good comfort; be ofone mind; live in peace. And the God of love and peace shall be withyou. " Amen!

TUESDAY, November 3. Our beloved brother started on his homeward waydown the Valley of Virginia. He passed through Abingdon, Salem, Lexington and Staunton, and on

TUESDAY, November 10, he reached home after an absence of two monthsto the day. He says: "I have been absent from home just two months tothe day; and in this time I have traveled on horseback 1, 317 miles. With much thankfulness to our Father in heaven, do I recount myprotection and preservation through the dangers and toils oftraveling; the strength and support given me in preaching the Word;and the great joy I have had in meeting so many dear brethren andsisters in the Lord. Amen!"

Thus closes one of the most remarkable missionary tours on record. Onewould feel sad to think that no memorial should be reared incommemoration of it. But the heart finds relief in the thought thatthis book will perpetuate the memory of it to future generations, as atale that will never grow old. 

Brother Kline spent the remainder of the year about home; in visitingthe sick; in attending to his domestic interests; and in preaching atthe different appointments in the district. The Brethren at this timehad but few houses of worship. They consequently held meetings in thedwelling houses of Brethren; some of which had been constructed withan eye to that end. 

BROTHER KLINE'S OPINIONS RELATIVE TO THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE. 

The Diary shows that in the course of this year, Brother Kline entereda new field of useful activity. In his desire to do good; in his heartof general beneficence, we are reminded of the philanthropy of Howardand Wilberforce. They, it is true, wrought in a wider sphere, andoperated on a grander scale; but it may be seriously questionedwhether they had any more of the love of God in their hearts, or anydeeper sympathy for suffering humanity in their souls, than was to befound in our truly devoted pattern of genuine benevolence, Elder JohnKline. This new field was that of administering medical relief to theafflicted. 

FRIDAY, January 1, 1836. He says: "I have long had doubts inregard to the curative efficacy and health-restoring virtue of theregularly established course of medical practice of the present day. Active depletion of the body, by copious blood-letting, blistering, drastic cathartics and starving, is, to my mind, not the best way toeradicate disease and restore the diseased human body to its normalstate. I am well aware that every age has had its own way of treatingdiseases, and every age has thought its own way the best; but fashionand custom have, no doubt, had quite a controling power in this as inother things; and 'the fashion of the world passeth away, ' becausethere is little or nothing of substantial good in it. "

SAMUEL THOMPSON. 

"Dr. Samuel Thompson, of Vermont, is introducing a new system ofmedical practice which I believe to be more in accordance with thelaws of life and health than any I know of. His maxim, applied todisease, is: 'REMOVE THE CAUSE, AND THE EFFECT WILL CEASE. '

"Every diseased condition of the body is the effect of some cause. This cause being removed, the disease, either simple or complex, mustyield to the restorative forces of nature. But to diminish theactivity of these forces, by copious depletion of the body, to befollowed by a regimen so severe as to withhold, almost absolutely, the nourishment and support nature demands, is, in my view, to saythe least, irrational. "

Had Brother Kline penned these words fifty years later in the century, they could not be more in harmony with the popular theory of medicalscience as it is taught in the schools of the present day. They arealmost prophetic. He goes on: "I am therefore determined to try thenew way of treating disease, and see what I can do with it. I feelsure it will do no harm, even if it does but little or no good. "

His subsequent success as a physician for many years proves that hewas not mistaken in the conclusions at which he arrived preparatory tohis entering the field of medical practice. 

He procured his remedies in their virgin purity from the mountains, meadows and woods, either in person, with hoe in hand, or throughagents whom he employed for the work. Lobelia, Boneset, Pleurisy-Root, Black-Cohosh, Blue-Cohosh, Lady's-slipper, Red Raspberry, Ginseng, Spignet, Black-Root, Seneca-Snake-Root, Gentian, May-Apple, Golden-Rod, and many other roots and herbs were quite familiar to him, not only asthey were seen growing in their native mountains, fields and forests, but also as to their medical properties and uses. 

No recreation could be more delightful to the true lover of naturethan to get on a good horse and go with him to see the Brethren, as hecalled it. This may sound a little odd; but the reader must know thatBrother Kline rarely went on an errand with a single aim. His objectseemed to be to crowd into his life all the service for both God andman that it was possible for him to do. In this desire to do good hewould sometimes humorously repeat the old saying: "Kill as many birdswith one stone as you can. "

When the season approached for gathering "_roots and herbs_" he wouldsometimes write to the Brethren among the mountains of West Virginia, that they might expect him to be with them at a given time. Thisannouncement always sent a thrill of joy through their hearts. Thenews of his coming spread rapidly; and he was sure of largecongregations for that sparsely settled country. 

One Sunday, toward the close of his life, he said to me: "BrotherB----, would it suit you to go with me over to Pendleton and Hardy? Ihave a line of meetings in view; and if it would suit you to go withme I will be very glad of your company. I want to gather somemedicines by the way, and as you are fond of rambling among themountains you may enjoy the trip and make yourself useful at the sametime. "

I agreed to go. So on Thursday morning about the latter part of July, very early, we mounted our horses. "Old Nell"--as he called hisfavorite riding mare, that had up to that time, as his Diary willshow, carried him on her back over _thirty thousand miles_--seemed tounderstand where we were starting for, and how fast she ought to go. In the early part of the day she walked very moderately; but as thehours went by she quickened her gait, and really walked with alivelier step in the evening than she had in the fore part of the day. Soon after our arrival the people began to come together for nightmeeting at the house where we staid. 

After a most refreshing supper and a little rest we were ready toengage in the sacred duties of worship. Brother Kline very kindly tookthe lead in the services, and in a very plain way delivered one of thebest discourses I have ever heard on Col. 1:12. This is the TEXT:"_Giving thanks to the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakersof the inheritance of the saints in light. _"

He showed, in a very impressive way, that if an heir to an estate isnot qualified to appreciate that estate, to enjoy it by making a rightuse of it, it can do him but little good. From this thought his mindascended heavenward; and he said that heaven, with all its glory andbliss, can never be a desirable inheritance to any but to those whoare qualified or prepared for it. Those who are thus qualified aredescribed in the text as "_the saints in light_. " He then drew a mostlively picture of the difference between a saint in light and a sinnerin darkness. It almost chilled my blood to see how low in the scale ofintelligent beings the one stands contrasted with the lofty elevationof the other. 

The next day we repaired to the Shenandoah mountain to procure medicalherbs. We went up into a very deep and rich hollow, where it looked asif the rays of the sun could hardly penetrate, and soon I saw his facelight up with something that evidently pleased him. "Ah! here it is, "said he. "What is here?" I asked. "Don't you see this patch ofGinseng?" he replied. "Is this Ginseng? It is my first sight of it. "

As I was much younger than he I insisted upon using the hoe; but no!He was so pleased that he seemed to want to do all the digging himself. When a supply of Ginseng was obtained we went to the top of the ridge, where we found a considerable quantity of Seneca-Snake-Root, an articlevery much in demand at the present day. 

The next thing sought for was the Red Raspberry. We hunted and hunted, and were on the point of giving up the quest, when, at the extremehead of a very rough mountain hollow, we discovered a "patch" of thebushes. They were full of berries of a bright scarlet, resemblingsomewhat in form the common raspberry, but in some other respects theywere quite different. They were very beautiful. If the plant wouldbear domestication it would be highly ornamental. Having filled a"poke" with the raspberry leaves, we set out to return to the placewhere we had left our horses. I doubt exceedingly whether I could havefound the spot; but his familiarity with the mountains generally, andhis acute perception of topographical relations in particular, enabledhim to find the place without difficulty. 

On our way back to where we had left our horses, however, we cameacross a "patch" of Golden Seal. This is a graceful plant, each onehaving a single calyx enclosing the seeds, somewhat in the shape of abutton or seal of a bright yellow color; hence its name. "The root ofthis plant, " said he, "is an excellent alterative and tonic. " We dugup the yellow roots with zest; but being by this time very hungry, Ibegan to fear that we might come across a "patch" of something elsethat might still longer delay our return. But he seemed satisfied withhis success, and we found our horses all right. "Old Nell" had, however, loosed the strap of her halter, and was quietly browsingaround. When she heard us coming she threw up her head; and at thecall of his voice she came up to him. 

It was past two o'clock when we got back to Brother Judy's. Dinner wassoon served; and to this day I do feel that if ever I have been trulythankful for the good things of this life it was then. 

We followed up the line of appointments to the last one, and returnedhome. 

And now, my dear reader, I can truly say, that if it is as pleasant toyou to _read_ these reminiscences as it is to me to _write_ them, youare well repaid. 

_Sermon by Peter Nead. _

_Preached at the Linville's Creek Meetinghouse, Sunday, January 3, 1836. _

 TEXT. --Unto you therefore which believe he is precious. --I Pet. 2:7. 

Dear Brethren, this chapter is full of instruction and encouragement. Peter knew by experience what it is to backslide. Now, that he isrestored again to full fellowship with the Lord and the church, Jesusseems nearer and more precious to him than ever before. In the seventhverse he says: "Unto you therefore which believe he is precious. " Iknow he must be so, because he is so precious to me. I shamefullydenied him when he most needed my loving support, and swore that I didnot know him in the darkest hour of his temptation. Who can comprehendhis grace? The meekness, the gentleness, the calmness of his forgivingheart under trials the deepest, under persecutions the greatest, evenunto death, are surely worthy of God incarnate. 

"'_I know not the man_' were the very last words he heard me utter onhis way through tribulations to the cross; and I added oaths to thedeclaration. I now fail to find words to express my surprise and joyat the message he sent me on the morning of his resurrection. When hewas placed in the tomb I had no hope of his ever coming out thence. But what surprised and overcame me more than the direct news of hisrising was the special message of love he sent me by the women who sawhim first. He said to them: 'Go and tell my disciples AND PETER, thatI go into Galilee, and there they shall see me. ' His forgiving lovesingled me out as one of its special objects, because I was such avile sinner, and had treated him so badly. Brother Paul calls _himself_the 'chief of sinners, ' because he persecuted the saints of God; but Ifeel that _I_ must be, for I denied his Son. Truly did Paul say of allsuch great sinners as we are: 'Where sin abounded, grace did also muchmore abound. ' Thanks to my risen Lord, I can now with heart and voicejoin the chorus of those that sing:

 "'O, the length and the breadth, And the depth and the height Of the love of Christ! It passeth all understanding!"

I have here represented Peter as giving us some of his experiences;and I believe that my representations are correct; for in the chapternext preceding the one just read, we find this joyful exclamation:"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whichaccording to his ABUNDANT MERCY hath begotten us again unto a livelyhope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. " I must thinkthat the mercy was much more _abundant_ than Peter expected, for itwrought an effect upon him which he calls a _regeneration_, or a sortof new birth. At any rate, he says he was "BEGOTTEN AGAIN. " It looksas if it made a new man of him. It gave him new life. He never deniedhis Lord again. When called to fulfill the prophecy of the Lordconcerning "the death by which he was to glorify God, " he falterednot, but met it "as seeing him who is invisible. "

Brethren, some of us may, at times, have a taste of Peter's experience. We feel so vile in our own eyes, that, like him, we go out, and overour sins "weep bitterly. " Ah, but these are "pearly tears" in God'ssight. Though we may not know it, though we may still feel too bad torepair, on bended knees, to a "throne of grace, " yet God knows how tovalue them. They are precious in his sight; and it is your experienceand mine that after seasons of this kind he sends us the brightesttokens of his love, and we are joyfully amazed that it is so. 

I once, when a boy, disobeyed my father. I have in mind a particularinstance of disobedience, and of a character very trying to hispatience. When I came rightly to myself and realized my sin I wasafraid to meet him. He discovered, without any confession on my part, what I had done. I expected severe punishment. To my surprise he metme with a smile. Taking me by the hand he said: "Let us go out intothe orchard. " We sat down upon the fallen trunk of an apple tree, andgently placing one arm around my neck, he said: "Peter, do you knowthat I love you?" I instantly broke down under the weight of this armof love, and answered as well as my sobs would let me, "Yes, sir!" "Doyou love me?" he next said. Again I answered, "Yes, sir!" "Then neveragain disobey me, my boy, and we will have a sweet and happy lifetogether. " And I can say from my heart, right here, I never did. 

I now think, dear Brethren, that you are prepared to understand whatPeter meant by the words: "Unto you therefore which believe he isprecious. " You feel that he is precious to you, because he has takenaway your sins by giving you a _new heart_ and filling you with hislove. You can now say with the Apostle John: "We love him because hefirst loved us. " Now then, inasmuch as ye love him, "abide in hislove, " and "the God of love and peace shall be with you. " May hisgrace, mercy and peace be with us all forever. Amen!

_Sermon by Elder John Kline. _

_Preached at Tobbins, Sunday, January 10. _

 TEXT. --As ye therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. --Col. 2:6. 

Paul addressed these words to the church at Colosse, a city of AsiaMinor, in the Roman province called Phrygia. It may be of interest toyou for me to tell you something about the character of these peopleat the time Paul first visited them. Ancient history gives a very darkpicture of this. What Paul said of Athens applied equally to Colosse:"The city was wholly given to idolatry. " The lower classes, especially, were very ignorant, having no knowledge of God save that which thelight of nature gave them. 

But when Paul went into their midst, preaching the Gospel ofsalvation, the prophecy of Isaiah, concerning Zebulon and Naphtali, was fulfilled unto them, as it had been before at Capernaum on theshore of the Galilean Sea: "The people which sat in darkness saw agreat light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, to them did light spring up. " They opened their eyes to the light andrejoiced to see it; and their hearts to the love it revealed, and theytook it in. They accepted Christ Jesus the Lord in all his fullness. Faith became to them a living principle. They felt its truth as surelyas though with their natural eyes and ears they saw and heard all thatit comprehended for time and eternity, for earth and heaven. 

But you want to know how I find all this out. Turn with me to thefirst chapter of Paul's letter to them, and I will show you. Nownotice that right in the beginning he addresses them as "SAINTS andFAITHFUL BRETHREN in Christ. " By "saints" he means that they are_holy_; and by "faithful brethren" he means to tell how they got to beso. This, I think, is saying a good deal for them; but he goes on: "Wegive thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, prayingalways for you; having heard of your FAITH in Christ Jesus; and of theLOVE which ye have toward ALL the saints, because of the HOPE which islaid up for you in the heavens. "

You now see that these Colossian brethren had the three essentialsthat distinguish a Christian from a pagan, a saint from a sinner, andan angel of light from a demon of darkness. These three are _faith_, _hope_ and _love_; but of these Paul says that "love is the greatest. "This they had in large measure, because it extended "toward ALL thesaints. " It is natural for every Christian to love SOME of the saintswhen he is free "to pick and choose;" but to love ALL is quite anotherthing. 

If you will thoughtfully read this first chapter through, you will seethe high place these Colossian brethren held in Paul's confidence, notonly as to faith and love, but also as to the enlightenment of theirunderstandings with heavenly wisdom. He sets forth our Lord JesusChrist as the triune God--Creator, Redeemer and Savior--in loftierterms than are to be found anywhere else in his epistles. Had therebeen any doubt in his mind as to their ability to understand theserevelations, and thus profit by them, they would have been withheld. He would have fed them with milk, as he did his Corinthian and Hebrewbrethren, and not with strong food. 

My text says: "As ye therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, sowalk ye in him. " They had received him in _faith_, and _hope_, and_love_. So were they instructed to walk in him. "Ye have been buriedwith him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him throughfaith in the working of God who raised him from the dead. " "Inasmuchthen, as ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things thatare above where Christ is seated on the right hand of God. " "Set youraffections on the things above, not on the things that are upon theearth. For ye died; and the new life which ye now live, ye live byfaith in the Son of God who loved you and gave himself for you. ""Avoid fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousnesswhich is idolatry; for the wrath of God is revealed against all thesethings. And ye know that a little while ago YE LIVED AND WALKED IN ALLTHESE THINGS. " This last quotation tells what these brethren _hadbeen_, and the foregoing quotations show what they were when Paulwrote to them. 

After a careful study of these good instructions, these faithfulbrethren could not mistake the way in which they were to walk. Paulnot only showed them how to get into the good way in the first place, but he also told them how to _keep_ in the way. It is one thing _toget into_ the right road to any place, but it is quite another thingto keep it. In writing to his Galatian brethren, Paul says: "Ye didrun well for awhile; who turned you out of the way?" Ah, brethren, there are many by-roads leading off from "the king's highway. " I haveknown brethren and sisters to start well, to all appearance, and runwell for a time; but by and by the cares of the world and thedeceitfulness of riches, and other things, like the thorns in theparable, choked the Word in their hearts, so that they brought forthno fruit unto perfection. 

AN ILLUSTRATION. 

In my travels among the mountains of our Virginia I have often seenthe laurel holding out its evergreen but poisonous leaves in spraysof most enticing beauty. Miles and miles of road, in one unbrokenstretch, may there be seen densely hedged on either hand by thisbeautiful emblem of sin and death. Herds of cattle and flocks of sheepare every year driven over these roads. Every herdsman and shepherdknows the danger to be apprehended from the inclination of some ofeither kind to "sidle" off from the plain and beaten track and pluckthe green leaves of the laurel to their own destruction. 

Many a time have I overtaken flocks of sheep, some of which were lyingalong the road "_down with the staggers_. " This last is the name ofthe disease which is brought on by taking laurel. The old sheep avoidit. They will not taste it. The young sheep and lambs are the onlyones that incline first to taste and then eat it. It is hardlynecessary for me to point out to you the lesson of instruction to begathered from what I have just said. The _staggers_, by veterinarysurgeons, is said to be a kind of drunkenness often fatal in itseffects. 

The Prophet Isaiah speaks of some who "are drunken, but not with wine;who stagger, but not with strong drink. " I fancy I hear someone in thecongregation say: "I guess they must have taken laurel. " Precisely so, friend! They took the very laurel that has been the ruin of thousandsof the Lord's sheep and lambs. Let me tell you exactly what I mean. 

The love of _worldly pleasure_ is laurel of _one kind_. It bloomsforth in the desire for fine dress, gay company, night gatherings, social parties, and the like things. 

_Worldly treasure_ is laurel of _another kind_. It blooms forth in thedesire for worldly possessions, no matter how obtained, and only togratify selfish ends. I have known some old sheep to take this kind. 

_Ambition to be great and highly honored_ is still _another kind_. This is the "deer-tongued" laurel, the very tallest kind that grows, and has the richest looking flowers. But it is just as poisonous asany, and it blooms forth in the desire to be admired for beauty, to belooked up to for superior power and wisdom, and to be held in highhonor for great deeds. I have known some _old sheep_ and even _leadersof the flock_ to eat of this kind until they staggered considerably. It was plainly visible in their steps that their heads were notexactly level. I am glad, however, to be able to say, that in theflock to which we belong, I have met with very few who ever gave anysigns of being afflicted in the way last described. 

In his letter to the Philippian brethren, Paul says: "For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they arethe enemies of the cross of Christ. "

But, brethren, there is a remedy for all these evils. God has providedthe remedy. Nor is it a bitter draught. It is the "milk and wine" ofhis Word. Both mean TRUTH. I used to wonder why the Prophet Isaiahused both terms, when both mean the same thing. Now I will tell you. He says: "Come unto me, buy WINE and MILK, yea, buy WINE and MILKwithout money, and without price. " _Milk_ is TRUTH in its simplest andplainest forms. Gospel truth presented in a way that very young anduninstructed minds may readily take it in, is what Paul calls "_milkfor babes_. " But wine is the very same TRUTH extended and expandedinto forms of instruction adapted to the understandings of "men inChrist Jesus. "

All are invited and even exhorted to come; to come to the "fountainthat was opened in the house of David. " It is the same that is meantby the "river of the water of life which proceedeth from the throne ofGod and of the Lamb. " I exhort every one, both old and young, to studyGod's Word for the truth it contains, represented by the beautifulsymbols set before you therein. Even the unconverted sinner is invitedto come and take of the "water of life freely. "

 "Here pardon, love, and joy divine In rich effusion flow, For guilty sinners lost in sin And doomed to endless woe. "

The interval between the last given date and MONDAY, February 15, hasnothing in it claiming special notice. But here he says: "To-day Iattended the funeral of little Susanna Brower, who died yesterdaymorning. As it is our privilege to 'rejoice with those who dorejoice, ' so it is our duty to 'weep with those that weep. " I couldbut weep to see the remains of this interesting little girl laid inthe cold and silent grave. I think it was the ancient Romans whopersonified DEATH in the form of a walking skeleton, scythe in hand, cutting down whatever the whim of his fancy might suggest. Thisrepresentation may accord with the relentless strokes his scythe issometimes seen to make; but the light of heaven reveals a Hand thatholds his bony arm within its grasp; and that Hand is the hand of ourGod. For, "'Not a sparrow to the ground may fall But our Father's in it: Heart of Love that governs all. Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. '"

"Heaven is largely made up of children; and until every crown shallhave a head, and every white robe have a wearer, God will recall hisown. "

WEDNESDAY, March 16. Brother Daniel Trump and Sister Polly Moyers wereboth buried to-day. These make six funerals that I have attended inthe space of four weeks. 

 "One by one, we cross the River; One by one, we're ferried o'er; One by one, the crowns are given On the bright, celestial shore. "

_Sermon by Elder John Kline. _

_Preached at the Old Brick Meetinghouse, Augusta County, Virginia, Sunday, April 24. _

 TEXT. --Lest there be any . .. Profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. --Heb. 12:16, 17. 

Esau and Jacob were twin sons of Isaac. But Esau was born first; andthis, according to the law of primogeniture in that day, gave himspecial privileges, among which was the right on his part to a doubleportion of the heritage to be received from the father. 

This right Jacob treacherously bought of his brother Esau. Rebekah, their mother, was favorable to the contract, and laid the plan for itssuccessful completion. Esau had been unsuccessful in his pursuit ofgame, and soon found himself in a famishing condition. Jacob tookadvantage of this, and proposed to purchase the birthright. He said toEsau: "Sell me this day thy birthright. " And Esau said: "Behold, I amat the point to die; and what profit shall this birthright do to me?"And he sold his birthright to Jacob. "Then Jacob gave Esau bread and amess of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up and went hisway: thus Esau despised his birthright. "

Esau is here regarded as a profane or wicked person, because he didnot more highly esteem the blessing to which he was born. Paul refersto this fact, to teach us that it is our duty, as the regenerated or"firstborn" children of God, to place a very high value upon ourrelation to him conferred by this birth. 

"Esau found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully withtears. " This means that all his sorrow or regret for the foolishbargain he had made would not and could not place him back where hewas before. The blessing of his father had been given to another pastall possibility of calling it back. I do not, and can not, however, assome do, apply this to the sin against the Holy Ghost. The blessing ofJacob was all external. It comprehended only earthly things. I willread it, so that you may hear it: "God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: let peopleserve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one thatcurseth thee; and blessed be he that blesseth thee. " There is nothingin all this giving Jacob any claim to special favor from God, beyondthat of mere earthly good. Neither does the sale of the birthrightexclude Esau from any higher claim. He did not sell his right to servethe Lord, and thus inherit a heavenly blessing. 

The people of God sometimes do things in the way of sin that causethem deep distress. At the same time they do not shut themselvesirrevocably out of heaven, because repentance and reformation of lifewill reinstate them into the divine favor, and place them back intothe good way again. But such may lose much, both in the church and theworld by the misstep. After the sin of adultery, for example, has beenfairly proved against a brother or sister, he can hardly reinstatehimself fully into his former standing either in the church or insociety at large. Thus is he like Esau. He has sold his birthright;yet still the Lord is ready, with outstretched arms, to receive himthe moment he resolves to return, just as the loving father receivedhis prodigal son. Thus it is with many other sins. They leave a stingin the heart which may rankle and fester a long time; and a stigma inthe character which may never, in this world, be entirely wiped out. 

In regard to the relation of Esau and Jacob, one more thought pressesupon my mind, and I will give it utterance. In Jehovah's prophecy toRebekah before the birth of the children, these words from his ownlips were spoken: "_The elder shall serve the younger_. " And in theprophecy of Malachi, the Lord Jehovah is represented by the prophet assaying: "I loved Jacob; I hated Esau. " Paul to the Romans quotes boththese passages. 

The Bible reader justly enquires: "Why this opposition to Esau andthis favor to Jacob, when the children, as yet unborn, had doneneither good nor evil?" Paul says it was: "That the purpose of Godaccording to election might stand, not of works, but of him thatcalleth. " Brethren, I do sincerely believe that right here we find thekey to many obscure passages in Paul's writings on the subject ofelection and predestination. God can do nothing without means. Ends assurely imply means as effects imply causes. Esau and Jacob are theLord's chosen, elected, predestinated means of teaching his peoplea lesson of instruction that covers the whole ground of everyChristian's state and experience from the alpha to the omega. 

Every true child of God possesses two distinct natures. A knowledge ofthis wonderful truth lies within the range of every one's experience. But it is equally confirmed by divine revelation. Paul calls the onenature or consciousness the OUTWARD MAN, and the other the INWARD MAN. The one bears the image of the first Adam, and is of "_the earthearthy_;" the other bears the image of the last Adam who is the Lord, "_and is heavenly_. " Esau represents the first; and, as such, he cannot inherit the heavenly birthright, because he is carnal, and "fleshand blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven. "

As the antitype of this great truth which underlies the scheme ofredemption, God could not but "hate Esau, " because "the lust of theflesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, are not of theFather, but are of the world. " "But Jacob he loved, " because Jacob isthe child "_born of God_" in the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, "_theinner man_, " which after God, is "created in righteousness and trueholiness. " "The elder shall serve the younger. " This means that "thenatural body" must be brought under subjection and serve "thespiritual body. " For "there is a natural body" first born, and "thereis a spiritual body" last born. 

In another place Paul uses lofty terms to designate these two. He therecalls the one "the earthly house of this tabernacle, " which must perish;the other "a building of God, a house not made with hands"--God'shands--"eternal in the heavens. " The reason why he says "in theheavens" is because it is in the light of heaven; just as he says inanother place, "We have been made to sit together in heavenly places, "by which he correlatively means just the same that we mean when we saywe sit in the sun, meaning that we sit where the light of the sunshines upon us. 

Now, Brethren beloved, I have been very brief on a subject that mightbe profitably expanded into a volume. I hope that I have given youpoints by which you may take the subject and think upon it foryourselves; and thus add faith to faith, and knowledge to knowledge. May God add his blessing to what I have said, that it may prove to bestrength in much weakness. 

During the interval between the twenty-fourth and the twenty-eighth, Brother Kline visited many Brethren in Augusta County, Virginia. 

THURSDAY, April 28, he attended a love feast at the brick meetinghouse. Of this he says: "The afternoon meeting was well attended. The secondchapter of Peter's first letter was read. Much good instruction forself-examination was given, both in German and English, from thegeneral scope of the chapter. I made a few remarks on the middleclause in the seventeenth verse: '_Love the brotherhood_. '

"I fear we do not speak and exhort one another as plainly and warmlyas we should on this most essential part of every true believer'sexperience and life. What keeps us a united and happy people? _Love ofthe Brotherhood. _ What keeps us from quarreling with one another, fromslandering and defrauding one another? _Love of the Brotherhood. _ Whatkeeps alive our sympathies for each other in times of distress and inseasons of sorrow? _Love of the Brotherhood. _

"This is the golden chain that binds us together on earth, and willforever bind us together in heaven. As the rain first comes from thesea, and after refreshing and beautifying the land goes back to thesea again, so it is through us, Brethren, that the love we receivefrom Christ here will be made perfect and return to him there. Oh, Brethren, 'let us not love in word only, but in deed and in truth. '"

WEDNESDAY, May 4. Peter Nead and Daniel Garber started to the AnnualMeeting. 

SUNDAY, May 22. Meeting at the Linville's Creek meetinghouse. BrotherKline spoke briefly on Acts 2. He said: "As this is the traditionalday on which the Holy Spirit was poured out in a miraculous way, sothat the whole house wherein the apostles and brethren were sittingwas filled with his presence, so that they were all baptized in theHoly Spirit and in the heavenly fire, we think it good to meditate andspeak upon these things. 

"It may be that we err by believing that each apostle was endowed withthe gift of all the tongues here enumerated. It would be natural, Ithink, for those who spoke the same tongue to sit or stand together incompanies. We may, even at the present day, see examples and instancesof this in large cities and public places. Here we see a group ofGermans. There, a company of Swedes, or Dutch, or Italians. People ofthe same nationality as naturally seek for each other as birds seekfor their own kind. 

"The order appears beautiful to our minds in the light of thisinterpretation. Each apostle was gifted by the Spirit to speak in_one_ tongue at least. If we go to the pains to count, we will findthere were nearly as many apostles as nationalities represented. Inthis way all could speak at the same time; each one to his own groupor class of hearers, in gentle tones of voice; and all in the househear at least _one_ speak in the tongue in which he was born. Thisinterpretation relieves the mind of the apparent confusion which seemsto have pervaded that assembly, from a mere cursory reading of theaccount given of it in the second chapter of the Acts. 

"I pray God, that our dear Brethren in Yearly Meeting to-day and toits close may all, like the apostles, be of one mind and speak thesame thing. "

SUNDAY, June 5. Meeting at the Dry Fork. Brother Kline made a fewremarks upon Eph. 5:14, "_Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from thedead, and Christ shall give thee light_. "

"We called upon the drowsy, sleeping sinner to arise from his deadnessand indifference, pointing him to the promise that Christ would shineupon him and give him the light of life. Whilst speaking on thissubject to-day, I related what was said to be a well authenticatedfact which I lately read. 

"An Indian, one evening, tied his canoe fast to a tree not far abovethe falls of Niagara. Feeling that all was secure, he lay down in hiscanoe and went to sleep. Just about the break of day the fasteningfrom some cause got loose. Very probably the cord was untied by somemischievous person. The Indian continued to sleep. Noiselessly thecanoe glided down the stream, nearer and yet nearer the awful brink, softly rocking its sleeping victim to destruction. Just before thefrightful leap, roused by the thunder of the cataract, the poor Indianawoke, only in time to see himself hurled into eternity. 

"O, how many unconverted men and women are borne down upon the streamof time, unconcerned, thoughtless, careless of the doom that so surelyawaits them!"

_Sermon by Elder Daniel Miller (German). _

_At Lost River Meetinghouse, West Virginia, Sunday, July 3. _

 TEXT. --But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. --John 1:12, 13. 

This Scripture has a very deep meaning; and it should be wellunderstood, since the power in us to become children or sons of Goddepends on the nature of our birth. If this be in any other naturethan that of God, it is like counterfeit money; it may look to be allright, and pass current for a while, but it will not bear the test ofa rigid scrutiny. 

Some are born of _blood_. Such may be those who adhere to a certainchurch, and hold certain articles of faith without examining the Word, because their father and mother and other _blood_ relatives held thesame, lived and died in that faith, and lie buried in the churchyardwhere they worshiped. 

Some are born of _the will of the flesh_. Such may be those who make aprofession of religion; but because they cannot have their own way ineverything, and take the _lusts of the flesh_ with them under thecloak of a Christian profession, they either forsake the people of Godentirely or else never come into their number. 

Some are born of the _will of man_. Such may be those who sufferthemselves to be influenced by others; coaxed, persuaded, nor eveninduced by the promise of reward, to join a certain church and worshipin a certain way, because it is fashionable and in good style. 

Some _are born of God_. Such are those who out of an honest heartbring forth the fruit of the Spirit unto perfection. 

Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, shows the striking contrastbetween the fruit of man's fleshly, sensual or animal nature and thatof his spiritual or renewed nature. The first he calls THE FLESH; thelast, THE SPIRIT. Man's spirit is what is born again. In one place hedesignates the new birth as "being renewed in the _spirit_ of themind. " In another place as "dead to the world, but alive unto God. "The prayer of such is: "Lord, what wouldst THOU have me to do?"Finding a clear answer to this prayer in the Word of Truth, they arewilling to follow its leadings. They descend into the baptismal wave"for the remission of sins. " They go into the house of God and are notabove stooping to wash one another's feet. They eat the Lord's Supper. They commune with him in the emblems of his broken body and shedblood. They continue to walk as nearly as they can in all the commandsand ordinances of the Lord blameless. 

The difference between the present and future state of the man wholives after the flesh and that of the man who lives after the spiritis very sharply marked in many places in Paul's writings, in wordsthat cannot be easily misunderstood. He uses such language as this:"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through theSpirit do mortify the deeds [lusts] of the body, ye shall live. " "Tobe carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life andpeace. " "He that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reapcorruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reaplife everlasting. " "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift ofGod, "--which is the new birth, --"is eternal life, through Jesus Christour Lord. "

All these quotations are in perfect accord with our Lord's closingwords to the Sermon on the Mount: "Every one that heareth thesesayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolishman, which built his house upon the sand: . .. And it fell: and greatwas the fall of it. "

I do not think it is very hard for any one to tell the kind of birthhe is of. As an individual can tell by looking in a glass, if in noother way, whether he is black or white, so the professor of religion, by turning to the Gospel Mirror, can see what kind of a birth he isof. 

I sometimes feel sorry when I think that a child has no control overits own natural birth. If it is born black and into slavery, poorlittle thing, there it has to remain for life, and bear and suffer allthe evils incident to its color and condition. If one is born withnatural deformities which baffle all surgical skill; or with blindnessor deafness past all remedy; we can but pity and weep. True, oursympathies are aroused, and but for such objects probably the verypurest and noblest springs in our nature would remain forever sealedwith ice. 

But, thanks to our God, no such unalterable conditions ever attendman's spiritual birth. He himself is a party to the covenant underwhich every spiritual birth is effected from conception toparturition. God is one party; and man, in whom the new spiritualbirth is to be effected, is the other party. This I speak in respectto the divine, heavenly birth. Men are the parties on both sides inall the other births spoken of in the text. God has nothing to do withthem. 

The Jews were nearly all born after these ways. Most of them seem tohave been "born of blood. " "We have Abraham to our father. " Some wereborn of the "will of the flesh, " for when the Lord told them the truth"they took up stones to stone him. " These were included among those towhom he said: "Ye are of your father the devil. " The will of the fleshand the will of the devil in spiritual things is one and the same. Some among them seem to have been "born of the will of man. " There mayhave been a good many of this class. When the Lord was teaching inJerusalem many asked the question; "Have any of the rulers believed onhim?" Such were the children of the rulers, born of their will. 

One fact is true of all these births; no matter how black, ordeformed, or blind, or deaf, all these were spiritually, they were allborn just as they wished to be; and all chose, with comparatively fewexceptions, to remain in the state in which they were born. On the dayof the crucifixion spirits from all classes of births culminated inthe cry: "His blood be on us and our children. "

I hope what I have said may awaken some thought in the mind of eachhearer, as to the state of his own heart. Do I love the Lord my Godwith all my heart, and my brother as I love myself? Do I show thislove in my dealings with him, and in my daily conduct towards him? DoI show my love to the Lord by walking continually in his ways? Enochwalked with him thus for three hundred years. Am I careful to followhis example during the _few_ years allotted me here? If I do not lovemy brother and find delight in his company here, how can I be happywith him in heaven? If I do not love the Lord here, in whose lovealone there is bliss, what will heaven be to me?

No wonder the doom of the hypocrite is so fearful! When his cloak isremoved and the wolf appears in the presence of the angels, will theynot shrink from him as one of us would shrink from a viper coiledabout our feet?

Brethren, let us be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the workof the Lord; forasmuch as we know that our labor is not in vain in theLord. 

Brother Kline bore a hearty testimony to Brother Miller's discoursethroughout. 

_A Short Discourse by Elder Daniel Garber. _

_Sunday, August 7. _

 TEXT. --For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. --John 1:17. 

By the law spoken of in the text we are to understand the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, as they are usually called. We are not tounderstand that this law is not truth. Far from it. It is truth sosacred and holy in God's sight that he directed Moses to construct anark or small chest out of pure gold and place therein the two stonetablets on which the law was engraved by the finger of God, and keepthem there forever. 

Jesus the Lord honored it. He fulfilled it, not only in the letter, but in the spirit. His outward life was so righteous that none couldconvict him of sin. "He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separatefrom sinners:" not _separate_ in the sense of not eating and drinkingwith them, of not associating and conversing with them; but separatein the sense that he was not, like them, a transgressor of the law ofGod. 

The Lord's heart and hand were together in all he did. His thoughtsand his words were one. His looks, and all the expressions of hisface, were but images of the love within. His denunciations againstPharisaical hypocrisy, cloaked under the guise of outward rectitude, were like an avalanche of snow and ice, unlocked by the rays of theSun of Righteousness. 

Jesus said: "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than forone tittle of the law to fail. " A tittle is a very small point in aletter. Many Hebrew letters have dots or tittles. A change in thetittles of the letters that compose a word changes the meaning of theword. But Jesus says not a tittle shall pass from the law. It will toeternity mean just what it means now, and will continue to be the bondof union with saints and angels forever in heaven. It is all love. Love is the alpha and the omega of the law; for the law is of God, and"God is love. "

Some people call MERCY God's _darling_ attribute. They clothe her in awhite robe down to the feet; they fill her eyes with the milk of humankindness and her mouth with the tender words of forgiveness. ButJUSTICE is a very different personification in their eye. He is notonly masculine as to gender, but all his looks and ways have an air of_condemnation_ in them. He is a dark-faced, frowning judge, foreverwatching with keenest eye not only the outward life of every man, buthis mind and heart within; and is always ready to pass judgmentagainst every one guilty of the slightest transgression anddisobedience. 

Such conceptions may not be sinful; but they are very far fromagreeing with the revelations God has made of himself to men. In thesehe discloses himself as "a God merciful and gracious; abundant ingoodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands; slow to anger; readyto pardon; and of great kindness. " (Nehemiah 9:17. ) He is just, it istrue. But what is justice? I answer that justice, in its highest anddivinest sense, _is equal good and equal right_ to all. And does notthis imply love? I do unhesitatingly declare that there is quite asmuch love in the administrations of justice as there is in thebestowments of mercy. 

In _justice_, however, the love appears in one light; and in _mercy_or _grace_ the love appears in another. God's love for the holy angelsand the spirits of just men made perfect is unmixed love, or the loveof complacency. This manifestation of his love is JUSTICE in itshighest and purest sense. God's love for sinners who have transgressedhis law, and who, on this account, are "miserable and wretched, andpoor, and blind, and naked, " is mixed love. It is mixed with pity, andis what is called the love of compassion. This manifestation of hislove is GRACE in its highest and purest sense. This is just what ourLord Jesus Christ brought with him. If all the race of mankind hadcontinued righteous, as man was when first brought into being, theword GRACE would never have had a place in heaven's vocabulary. Butsince man has fallen, fallen into sin, into death both corporeal andspiritual, into sickness and sorrow, into labor for his bread, intohunger and thirst, and anxieties and cares, God has ever pitied him. Instead of our Lord's saying, "God so loved the world, " he might havesaid, "God so PITIED the world. "

In reading the New Testament now you need not wonder why the wordGRACE is so often met with. It means just what Jesus has brought intothe world--_love for sinners_. "He came not to condemn the world, butto save the world. " But notice, he brought not only _love_ but _truth_with it, and _truth_ is neither more nor less than the forms ormanifestations of true love. Let me illustrate this. You love yourbrother. But he does not know it until you manifest your love by thethousand ways that are open for this in your associations and dealingswith him. Every manifestation of this love is a _truth_ by which youprove that you do love him. 

How does our Lord prove that he loves sinners? By the TRUTH thatmanifests or shows it. In the first place he went about doing good, inthe way of healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, cleansing thelepers, making the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, and the dead tocome to life. In the next place he showed his love by the meekness andpatience with which he bore the scoffs and sneers, and persecutions ofthe opposing Jews. In the next place, by the promises of eternal lifeand salvation which he gave to the very worst of sinners, on the easyterms that they repent of their sins, by turning to God and living alife of faithful obedience to his Word. In the next place, --and allthe other proofs culminate in this, --by dying upon the cross, by whichhe atoned for the sins of the whole world. In this, his lasttemptation, he conquered sin, death and hell; and as a mightyConqueror he has become the Captain of our salvation and the Author ofeternal life to all them that obey him. 

But light will not enter the eye that is closed; neither will thewords of grace and truth enter the heart unless there be a will totake them in. Some here present, I feel sure, have taken the words in, and ye rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Yours is the joy that noman taketh from you. Yours is an unfailing treasure in the heavens. Yours to sing:

 "Should earth against my soul engage, And fiery darts be hurled; Now I can smile at Satan's rage And face a frowning world. 

 "Let cares, like a wild deluge, come, And storms of sorrow fall, So I but safely reach my home, My God, my heaven, my all. 

 "There shall I bathe my weary soul In seas of heavenly rest; And not a wave of trouble roll Across my peaceful breast. "

But I am sad to think how many there are who have never yet "tastedthat the Lord is gracious. " May I not induce some to look to himto-day? There _is life in a look_ when it springs from love andis followed by obedience. "Look unto me, saith the Lord, and be yesaved, all ye ends of the earth. " Sinner, thou art one of these ends. Look and live. 

BAPTISMAL SCENE AT BENJAMIN BOWMAN'S, SUNDAY, AUGUST 29. 

Peter Driver and wife, and Benjamin Byerly were baptized to-day. 

Whilst it is our delight and joy to see even the vilest and the lowestcome into the church through the divinely appointed way, still it isan additional pleasure, especially in the view of helpfulness to thecause, when such excellent and true-hearted people as those abovenamed cast in their lot with us. 

These dear people will draw their children into the church where theyare, and many of the grandchildren will follow their steps. Thus willthey sow the seeds of a good life by the power of example, and otherswill reap the harvest. These, in turn, will sow again for others, until, after awhile, all will realize the truth of our Lord's words:"He that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. "

LOVE FEAST AT BEAVER CREEK MEETINGHOUSE, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24. 

Preparatory services began at two P. M. Second Corinthians 5 was read. There was much good speaking. One brother's remarks on the ninthverse deeply interested me. They were in substance as follows:TEXT. --"_Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him. _"

No better aim can ever have place in the breast of man or angel. Buthow natural it is for us to aim to please ourselves and others! Thereis no wrong in trying to please others, when that aim does notconflict with what pleases God. But for any one, especially a ministerof the Gospel, to make it his chief aim to please others, that he maybecome popular and be highly esteemed of men, is an abomination toGod. 

Whether we are as humble and self-denying in all things as we shouldbe, is a subject for self-examination, not only on the part of our laybrethren, but as well on the part of us who are ministers of the Word. Self-love is self-worship. "_Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve_, " is as true to-day as when it washurled against the devil from the lips of Jesus Christ. Worship islove; and love unites us to the Lord, as the branch is united with thevine which is its life. Man has no spiritual life in himself otherthan what comes from the Lord. 

A man's home life is his _real_ life. In the presence of hisfamily, when no stranger's eye or ear is nigh, he is out and outhimself, and he then and there appears in his real character. But whenabsent, either among his brethren or strangers, he aims to put thebest foot foremost and leave a favorable impression. I do not say thatthis is true of every one; but I _do_ say, and say it from thedepth of my soul's deepest affection, that the apostle's resolutionshould be true in the heart of every brother and sister: "We make itour aim, whether at home or abroad, _to be well-pleasing untoGod_. "

BAPTISMAL SCENE AT THE LINVILLE'S CREEK MEETINGHOUSE, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9. 

John Zigler and wife, Celestine Whitmore and wife, and David Hallerwere baptized to-day. 

I rejoice that these good people have cast in their lot with us; andhope that they will prove to be a blessing and an ornament in thechurch. Brother David Haller is a very sensible and active man, with ayoung family, and he can do much for the good cause. Brother CelestineWhitmore will exert a good influence on Lost River. And Brother JohnZigler will show to the world how an active business may be carried onin a godly way. "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, didput on Christ. "

History tells us that Xenophon, in his famous retreat from Cunaxa, wore a wolfskin about his shoulders and breast. This was becoming tohim as the general of an army of Greeks trained to slaughter, and benton cutting his way through all opposition with the sword. It mightalso have been a suitable covering for each soldier in his army; sincethe uniform of an army is thought to signify, in some measure, thespirit by which the soldiers are incited to action. 

The uniform of the soldier in the army of the Lord should, therefore, signify the spirit and mind that is in him. If the spirit is that ofnonconformity to the world, so should the dress or uniform be. If thespirit is that of meekness, humility, kindness, goodness, purity, peace and love, the dress of both sexes, each in its appropriate form, should correspond to these affections of the heart. 

THURSDAY, October 20. Brother Kline and Daniel Garber started to

THE GLADES. 

The Diary does not say where THE GLADES are, but, from the churchesand Brethren visited, it is inferred that they lie in the southernpart of western Pennsylvania. 

Among the places named at which they attended meetings may bementioned Abraham Beachley's; Myers's schoolhouse; William Miller's;Brother Blaugh's; Berben; Brother Moser's; Dr. Krone's; Jacob Myers'sand Bearkles. At the last-named place a council meeting was held atwhich brethren Cover and Fahrney were established in the second degreeof the ministry. "They both, " so the Diary says, "have a good reportfrom those that are without, as well as from those that are within. "

On their homeward way our two brethren had night meeting at AbbeyArnold's in Hampshire County, Virginia. The last chapter of Revelationwas read. Brother Kline says: "Toward the close of my discourse I gavea farewell invitation to sinners to come and take of the 'Water ofLife freely. ' After meeting one man came to me and said that he wastired of drinking of the bitter waters of sin and thirsted for thesweet 'Water of Life. ' I told him that our Lord Jesus Christ, who isthe Way, the Truth and the Life as revealed in his Word, is the Waterof Life, that _our loving acceptance of the truth of his Word as amatter of faith, and our living a life of obedience to God inconformity with that truth_ is drinking the Water of Life. It thenbecomes eternal life to our souls. I tried to encourage him to drinkin this way; but I do not know what he may do. "

DEPARTED MINISTERS. 

Some things may appear in this book that are of little interest to thegeneral reader. In this respect, however, it may not differ from manyother books. The reader should kindly bear in mind that nearly all ofthe ministers and other Brethren whose names appear, in the fore partof the work especially, are known on earth no more, save as they livein the memory of those whom they have left behind. 

In the list of deceased ministers are to be seen the names of PeterNead, Abraham Flory, Daniel Garber, Daniel Miller, Martain Miller, George Hoke, Benjamin Bowman, Jacob Wyne, John Wyne, Daniel Thomas, John Harshberger, and a host of others. The records of these nobleministers of the Word are on high. No earthly monuments have ever beenreared in honor of their achievements; and they need none. The goodthey have done by leaving the world and the church better off thanthey found them has won for them a crown of glory in heaven asimperishable as the throne of the eternal. The reader should rememberthat a sort of filial love for these men still lingers in the memoryof many, who, in their younger days were personally acquainted withthem. They heard them preach; and they looked up to them as childrento parents. A lock of hair from a loved one long since passed away, isa little thing, --a _very_ little thing in the eye of a stranger, --butin the eye of a loving friend it is above price. So some things inthis work, apparently trivial to the general reader, may be highlyprized by others. I will give, for an example, the followingstatement:

MONDAY, November 21. Peter Nead and Benjamin Bowman go with me toHarrisonburg, and obtain license of the County Court of RockinghamCounty, Virginia, to perform the ceremony of marriage. 

This statement, taken from the Diary, may seem of no consequence tosome; they may feel, as their eyes glance over it, that it is of nointerest to them; when at the same time, to others it will be anincident they will never forget. Many can now say that one or theother of these ministers performed the ceremony when their father andmother were married. One or the other of these names stands upon the"Marriage Record" in many an old Family Bible. Even the grandchildrenwill find interest in things like these; and to learn more aboutthese, and many other great and good men who have lived and died inthe church of the Brethren, will not only interest the mind, butimprove the heart. 

A MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY OF THE AURORA BOREALIS. 

THURSDAY, January 26. This night, says the Diary, a very wonderfuldisplay of the Aurora borealis was witnessed. The sky was all over abright red, with white streaks streaming up from the north. The sightwas wonderfully grand. As to the cause of this sublimely beautifulphenomenon various opinions have been held, and various theorieslaunched upon the waves of scientific thought; but none, as yet, to myknowledge, have covered the ground of a satisfactory solution. Let thecause be what it may, there seems to be no good reason for fearing anyharm to the earth or its inhabitants from its occasional appearance. 

I have since learned, however, that many people were frightened atthe sight, and feared that the last day was at hand. One sister inparticular, not far from here, wrung her hands screaming almostspasmodically, fearing in her soul that the next thing would be thesound of "the last trumpet. "

Some may smile at this; but suppose the trumpet had then sounded!Would those who now smile, or perhaps laugh, have been able to hearthe thunder of its voice with a steadier nerve than she? Her faith wasstrong; nay, too strong for the weakness of her feeble body. Shebelieved every word of Divine Truth. She believed in a final judgment, than which nothing is more positively declared in the sacredScriptures. But because she had never seen such a sight before, and asno one could account for it, the conclusion was quickly reached thatit was supernatural and sent as a herald of the coming Lord. 

But he will come, and every eye shall see him. But "who shall abidethe day of his coming?" Only they who shelter under the almighty wingsof Jesus. "How often"--said he to Jerusalem, and now to every oneelse--"would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen dothgather her chickens under her wings. " To those who laugh at sacredthings now, it may _then_ be said what follows in the aboveconnection: "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. "

 "Hide me, O my Savior, hide; 'Neath the shadow of thy wing. "

The above phenomenon lasted till midnight. 

SUNDAY, February 12. "Peter Nead was with me at the Plains to-day. "Whether Brother Kline saw or heard something in Peter Nead to-day thatespecially wrought upon his attention, he does not say; but thisfollows in the entry: "Brother Nead gives promise of becoming a veryable speaker and a very useful man. May the Lord prosper him in all hesets his heart and hand to in his service. " The church now knows thesingular correctness of Brother Kline's estimate of the man, writtenover sixty years ago. 

Brother Nead, like many other good and live men, may have had someapparent eccentricities in the direction of practical conservatism andthe like; but, take him through and through, it is questionable if thechurch has ever been favored with a purer or sounder man. 

THURSDAY, May 4. Preparations are being made to-day for the AnnualMeeting. The brethren and sisters are all alive with desire to makeall the visiting brethren and sisters as comfortable as possibleduring the meeting. 

The Diary reports the arrival, during the next week, of brethren fromTennessee, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Among those named are John andJoseph Bowman, Henry Kurtz, George Hoke and Brother Yant. 

THURSDAY, May 11. Brother Beachley arrived. Brother Kline reportssomething like a heavenly feeling permeating the heart at the sight ofthe arrival of those beloved brethren. They all stopped with BrotherKline, whose house and heart both were large enough for theirreception and entertainment. 

As editor of this book, what would I not give for an exact report ofthe heart-refreshing conversations and sweet interchanges of thoughtand sentiment enjoyed by this group of heavenly-minded brethren, during their sojourn here! As a relief, however, to this thoughtanother comes to mind, that this same group are again together, notfor a "Yearly Meeting, " but for an eternal meeting. The last one hasbeen called to glory. The cross then; the crown now. 

The interviews of brethren with each other fifty or sixty years agopresent a striking contrast when placed side by side with those ofthe present day. The native simplicity, the artless manners, and thehonest motives of all betokened a purity of heart and life that wastruly charming. We mourn the absence of these marks of genuine piety, when at the present day, we see artistic display, formality, stiffness, and a "putting on" of studied courtesies and civilities on the part ofmany. The exterior of the hive is more ornamental now than it wasthen, and the swarm may have the appearance of better order in some ofits workings, but it is a question whether there is as much pure honeyinside. The _robe_ may be more showy, but there is less wool in the"_nap_. "

FRIDAY, May 12, and SATURDAY, May 13, were spent at the meetinghousepreparing to have everything in order. 

YEARLY MEETING BEGINS. 

_Introductory Sermon by Elder George Hoke, of Ohio, Sunday, May 14. _

 TEXT. --And it came to pass, that while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. --Luke 24:15. 

To the true child of God no conceptions of bliss are worthy of beingcompared with those that flow from an ideal companionship andassociation with our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 "To dwell with him; to feel his love, Is heavenly bliss enjoyed above: And the sweet expectation now Is the same bliss begun below. "

The text selected is suited to the occasion that has brought many ofus together. We have met to commune in our thoughts with each other, and to reason together. Since the first hour of my arrival here Icould but notice the delight, and even joy, on the part of many atmeeting former acquaintances and renewing the ties of love, bothsocial and Christian, that have bound us together in one commonBrotherhood for years in the past, and which are still to bind us andour children's children together in the future on earth and theeternity in glory. 

The subject for to-day naturally divides itself into three propositions:

 I. _They communed and reasoned together. _ II. _Jesus himself drew near. _ III. _Jesus himself went with them. _

We readily enough, at the start, inquire who they were that communedand reasoned together. This we never can know with certainty, untilthe scales of mortality drop from our eyes. One, we are told, wasCleopas by name. It may have been the same Cleopas whose wife hadstood by the cross. Some think the other was Luke, the writer of theEvangel, whom Paul calls the beloved physician. 

Slowly and sadly, with crushed hopes and broken hearts, these twoloving disciples of our Lord were wending their way from the scenes ofconfusion that had attended his crucifixion in Jerusalem to a quietlittle village about eight miles distant, called Emmaus. Here, atleast, they hoped to find exemption from the taunts and sneers of theinfatuated mob in the city, whose mutterings were still to be heard inthe distance, like those of a cyclone that has done its work. 

I. "THEY COMMUNED AND REASONED TOGETHER. "

The particular point in their conversation is not stated, but it isincluded in the general topic which is given as "the things which havehappened in Jerusalem concerning Jesus of Nazareth. " The imaginationhere finds scope to multiply themes without limit, on which they couldreason, and over which they could be sad. At this very point of time, just when despair, like darkness at the close of an evening twilight, had settled down upon the entire landscape of their mental sight, II. "JESUS HIMSELF DREW NEAR. "

_"But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. "_ Thissimple statement has more than once caused "smiles in tears;" _smiles_at the half playfulness of Jesus talking to these two beloveddisciples as a tender father sometimes talks to his little children;and _tears_ at the condescending love of Christ our God and Lord, walking as a wayfaring man with two of his heartbroken creatures. Canyou take this in, and not fall at his feet and kiss them? Can you takethis in, and not look up into his face smiling through your tears?

And then he said: "Behooved it not the Christ to suffer these thingsand to enter into his glory?" This very sentence, by which he shed thefirst rays of light upon the dark waters of their storm-beaten bosoms, tells the whole tale of Christ's redeeming love. The cross and crown!Joy of earth and bliss of heaven! The cross of dishonor; the crown ofglory! The cross of death; the crown of life!

"But their eyes were holden, that they should not know him. " He cameas the divine Word. He is the truth and the life of the Word; for "theWord was made flesh, and dwelt among us. " Though they knew not that itwas he, still their hearts did burn within them as he opened unto themthe scriptures. "Beginning at Moses he interpreted to them in all theScriptures the things concerning himself. " They do not tell us thepassages he quoted and explained; but it is believed we have them allin our Bibles. I think it is evident we have all the Scriptures nowthat were extant then; and it is our great privilege to hunt up forourselves and others these broken pieces of the Bread of Life. 

The word "HOLDEN" means simply, _held back; restrained_. For wisereasons he _held back_ the sight of their eyes that they should notknow him. Had they known him at first sight, it would have interferedwith and prevented the accomplishment of his gracious purpose to makehimself known in the "breaking of bread. " In this very act he hastaught his people one of the most precious lessons in all theChristian's experiences. He is the Bread of eternal Life. His wholeWord is but one great loaf, and he is that loaf. And how my soulquivers with the thought that if we invite him in as these lovingdisciples did, and ask him to abide with us, he will take a seat withus at table, and break unto us the Bread of Life. Our spiritual eyeswill be opened, and we shall joyfully know him. Then will

 "Our hearts grow warm with heavenly fire; And kindle with a pure desire; While our blest Savior from above Feeds all our souls with holy love. "

None but those

 "that know the Lord, And taste the sweetness of his Word, "

can ever know the joys of his salvation. 

III. "JESUS HIMSELF WENT WITH THEM. "

We are not informed how many of the sixty furloughs they had alreadypassed over on their way when "Jesus himself drew near, and went withthem;" but from the loving kindness of our Lord we readily concludethey had not gone very far. "Can a mother forget her sucking child?Yea, she may forget; yet will not I forget thee. " He knew the depth oftheir disappointment and the grief that followed when they could say:"We hoped that it was he which should redeem Israel. " "_We hoped_--;"but alas! all hope is now forever gone. It lies buried with him in histomb. 

If one born blind could unexpectedly open his eyes to see the light ofthe morning sun in a cloudless sky, the surprise and joy could not begreater than were these to the two sitting at the table. They forgotto eat. They were so filled with the sight of the Lord that theirhunger for that which merely represented him was all gone. They notonly saw the proof of his resurrection; but in him they felt theresurrection of their own buried _faith_, and _hope_, and _love_. 

"They rose up that very hour, --" I do not believe they sat still oneminute after he vanished out of their sight--"and returned toJerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, . .. Saying, TheLord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. " This was to themone of the wonders connected with his rising, as Simon had soshamefully denied him so shortly before. But such is the fullness ofhis grace, that where sin abounds, grace does much more abound untoall such as are willing to receive it. 

Some people do not believe the story of the resurrection. But, strangeto say, they can believe something a hundred times less reasonable, and absolutely false. They can believe that a LIE has done more tobetter the condition of mankind in this world than all the truth thathas ever been told. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the keystoneto the great arch upon which rest all the truths of Divine Revelation. Destroy this, and the arch, with all upon it, falls a pile of ruins. 

There is one special fact connected with the Lord's resurrection whichwe must not forget. He never appeared to any but his own. They, only, had eyes to see him. Some may wonder why he did not go out into thestreets of Jerusalem and there, to gaping crowds, show his risen formwith the nail prints and the spear mark still fresh in his hands andhis feet, and in his side. In answer to this I have but little to say, more than that he was ever averse to casting pearls before swine orgiving that which is holy unto dogs. I will add this, however, that asnone but spiritual eyes can see him now, so none but spiritual eyescould see him then. This is what he meant by saying: "Yet a littlewhile, and the world beholdeth me no more; but ye behold me: because Ilive, ye shall live also. "

And now, my dear Brethren, what have we learned by our meditationto-day? If we have learned to know the Lord a little better, that wemay draw nearer to him, we are edified, and our preaching and hearinghave not been void. In all our communings with him, Brethren, let usbelieve and love with all our hearts. In our reasonings together letus know and _feel_ that "_he is nigh, even at hand_. " When we are inthe way of duty, we love to feel that Jesus is with us, that he knowsall we think, and sees all we do; but when out of the way, whenwalking in forbidden paths, how abashed and confused would we feel, if"_Jesus himself_ were to draw near!" O brethren and sisters, let us solive, that every thought and word and act of our lives may be fit forhis eye. Lord, give us grace so to live. Amen!

YEARLY MEETING OPENS

_At the Linville's Creek Church, Monday, May 15. _

Brethren Henry Kurtz, John Garber, Umstead and Price spoke inexposition of the Word and doctrine in the forenoon meeting, whichopened at 8 A. M. 

Brother Price took the lead, and spoke from 1 Peter 1:12. I will givea faithful report of his discourse as nearly exact as it can be madefrom the very brief outlines left by Brother Kline. Had the thoughtever entered Brother Kline's mind that his Diary might at some futureday be published in a regularly prepared form, I feel sure he wouldhave left more extended entries on points of intense interest. 

 TEXT. --"Which things the angels desire to look into. "

Salvation is infinitely the most momentous subject that can engage thethoughts of men. It embraces a knowledge of God on the one hand and aknowledge of man on the other. It is a pleasing thought that as theknowledge of God is unfolded to the mind, a knowledge of man's ownsinful and lost condition flows in along with it; so that the verysame light which enables him to perceive the love and goodness andtruth and holiness of God imparts to him at the same time a view ofhis own sinful state. He is led to see and feel in himself a spiritualcondition which is the very opposite of that which he discovers in Godhis Creator, Preserver and bountiful Benefactor. 

The Bible tells us that "in the beginning God made man upright, " thathe created him in his own image, after his own likeness, and pronouncedhim, with all else that he had made, "_very good_. " But how is mannow? What is his moral and spiritual condition? I appeal to the heartexperience of every one in this house for an answer. Brother, there isno charge on the part of the church against you. The church has neverat any time preferred a charge against you. You are loved and held inhigh esteem by all the brethren and sisters. The laws of your landhave never brought an accusation against you. You have, in the mostminute particulars, been "a law-abiding citizen. " More than all this, you labor to do all the good you can, by feeding and clothing thepoor; by helping to keep up the church, and by aiding in the spread ofthe Gospel. You also help your neighborhood, county and State bypaying all your dues and by voluntary contributions of money or laborto public improvements, education and whatever else may be for thegeneral good, as necessity may demand. 

But, with all these excellencies in your character and life in fullview, I ask you, as in the presence of God: Do you feel in your_heart_ that you are a _good_ man? Would you be willing for the worldand the church to know every thought and imagination and desire thatenters your heart and passes through your mind in the short space ofone day of your life? Do you feel that all within is fit for the eyeof God? I know, or _think_ I know, just what is in your mind, and youranswer is in words like these: "I do not feel that I am good. It isonly by constant watchfulness, by looking to Jesus in his Word, and byreading his Word with prayer, in connection with my attendance uponthe ordinances of his house, that I am enabled to walk in the path Igo, and lead the life I do. 

 "'He LEADETH me: HE leadeth me: By his own hand he leadeth me. '

"His promise, 'Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of theworld, ' sustains my hope and assures me that 'he will never leave me, nor forsake me. ' Thus, God being my helper, I do all the good I can, and shun the evil. In this way 'I labor, whether at home or absent, tobe well-pleasing to him; and work out my own salvation with fear andtrembling;' feeling, however, at the same time, a blessed assurancethat it is God who worketh in me both to will and to do the thingsthat are pleasing in his sight. "

Brethren, this is salvation. It is the sum of "the things which manyprophets and wise men desired to see, and saw them not; and to hear, and heard them not. " But let us look at the divine forces, brother, that have wrought in you this wonderful change from a life of_self-love_, into which you were born by nature, to a life of divinelove, joyful, holy, heavenly love to God and your brother, into whichyou have been born by the Spirit. 

Peter tells us something about this in the chapter read. He here says:"Ye were REDEEMED, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; but withthe precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, even the blood of Christ. .. . Ye have purified your souls in yourobedience to the truth; . .. Having been begotten [or born] again, . .. Through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. "

He now introduces the contrast between man's natural birth and hisspiritual birth: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and thatwhich is born of the Spirit is spirit;" and he says:

 "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth. "

"Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return, " is the doom of fleshand blood sealed to every mortal as a consequence of sin. No wonderthe grave is sad and lonely to the contemplation of those who have nohope of aught of life or love beyond it. It is sad to think how manyhave no higher claim to life and happiness than mere fleshly, bodilyexistence. But our Lord hath "brought life and immortality to light, "and

 "The good Spirit of the Lord Reveals a heaven to come; The beams of glory in his Word Allure and guide us home. "

"Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it is not yet mademanifest what we shall be;" but we know that we have the promise of"an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth notaway. "

Brethren, this inheritance which Peter talks of--what do you thinkabout it? Is it something extraneous to the man, something outside ofhim? Or is it something intrinsic to the man in his renewed state, something internal, something inside of him? I, for one, believe thatman's eternal and blissful inheritance, which Peter and John and Pauldescribe in such glowing terms, is in the man himself, in hisadaptation to the bliss-inspiring garniture of heaven. It is "Christin him the hope of glory. "

This exalted and blissful state of man redeemed is what Peter callshis "_inheritance which is incorruptible_. " Think of it, Brethren. Nomore sin to bewail; no more sickness to suffer; no more death todread! It is also "_undefiled_. " No more "filthiness of the flesh;""neither idolatry, nor adultery, nor whatsoever loveth and maketh alie. " And "_that fadeth not away_. " The luster of the eye; the bloomof the cheek; the facial expressions of beauty and love, purity andtruth, know nothing of decay in the amaranthine bowers of spotlesspurity. 

We often wonder about heaven. But I will tell you, Brethren, what Ibelieve about it. I do believe in my very soul that every Christianman, after the death of his body, finds himself in the very heaven hetakes with him from this world; and that every man's heaven is theLOVE and the TRUTH that abound in his mind and heart. If his heart isfilled with _love_ to God and to his brother, and his mind stored withthe _truth_ of God as revealed in his Son Jesus Christ, that man'sheaven is _in_ him. Do you remember, Brethren, that when Jesus was onearth he said that he was also at the same time in heaven? Now let meshow you this. He says to Nicodemus: "No man hath ascended to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, _even the Son of man_ WHICH IS INHEAVEN. " John 3:13. 

And right here a difficulty confronts us which we must try to settle. Did not Elijah ascend to heaven? How about Moses? These two redeemedsaints were both of them in heaven at the very time our Lord said thisto Nicodemus. Very shortly after this conversation they made theirappearance, not only to Jesus, but to Peter and James and John onthe holy mount in glory. How had they gotten there? I will tell youjust what I think our Lord meant. He meant to teach that stupid, _materialistic_ Nicodemus that people do not go to heaven by merelyascending, like as one would ascend or go up from a lower room in abuilding to a higher one. He meant to teach him that heaven must be inthe man, inwrought into his character and life. This follows inperfect harmony with what he had just before told him about the newbirth and a change of heart. "That which is born of the flesh isflesh, " and nothing more. But Paul says: "Ye are not in the flesh, butin the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. " Elijahhad not _really ascended_. The Lord just took him up as he had takenEnoch many years before. He was in heaven whilst on earth, just asJesus was. The only change he underwent in his departure from thisworld was a change in the relations of his state. While here his_state_ was a _heavenly_ state, but surrounded by earthly things. After his departure from earth his _state_ was the same; but hissurroundings were heavenly, and he could feel at home. 

THE ANGELS. 

No wonder, Brethren, that the angels desire to look into these things. Some very good and wise men are of the opinion that all the angels ofheaven are none other than saints redeemed from the earth. How thismay be I do not know; but some things that the Bible says about angelsseem to favor this conclusion. The main thing in this direction is thedeep interest they have always felt, and the active part they havealways taken in the things of man's salvation. Paul covers this wholeground by a single sweep of his pen. "Are they not all, " says he, "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall beheirs of salvation?" Of course he means by the _heirs of salvation_those still tabernacling in the flesh, and still exposed to the upsand downs of the waves of life. 

I think, though, that one reason why the angels feel such a deepinterest in the things of man's salvation is because they arethere--in heaven, I mean--always beholding the face of our Father whois in heaven. They see and feel the glory; they know the bliss of thatcelestial state. So full of love are they even for poor, fallen, lost, ruined man that we are told by the Lord himself that "there is joy inthe presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. "Their joy in this is commensurate with the exalted knowledge they haveof the blessedness of true penitence. In it they see light shining inthe darkness of the poor sinner's heart. Peace to the waves of hisstorm-beaten soul, --a new creature in the image of their and our LordJesus Christ coming forth into the enjoyment of a new life in him;deliverance from the bondage and power of sin, and restoration to theglorious liberty of the children of God! How much more than all thisthey see in the return of one soul to God. I do not know; and we nevercan know fully until we go up higher. 

 "The blessedness of those above, Why longs my panting soul to know? For future bliss I know is LOVE, And love is felt by saints below. 

 "But love so pure, exalted high Beyond compute, beyond compare-- No eagle wing that height may fly; No mortal breathe that upper air. 

 "There, love springs pure and unrepressed; There, all are loved, and love again. Love fills each burning cherub's breast; Love fires each flaming seraph train. 

 "Soon, soon shall I, this conflict o'er, From sin be freed, with love be fired; Soon, soon in heaven, my God adore, With love, celestial love inspired. "

And right here this thought comes to mind: If angels are so muchinterested in the salvation of men, should not men be quite as deeplyinterested in the salvation of one another? If there are such exultantemotions of joy in the bosoms of _angels_ over one sinner thatrepents, should there not be an equal measure of joy in the bosomsof _men_ from the same cause?

But the text says: "The angels _desire_ to look into these things. "We should not infer from this that their knowledge of the way ofsalvation is limited, or that they meet with difficulties in the wayof understanding it. Oh, no! Their _desires_ are being constantly metand supplied with the means of acquiring knowledge upon this subject, fully up to the measure of each one's capacity to take it in. We may, therefore, justly infer from the text that the subject is immenselyvast in its proportions and range. 

As salvation is infinite in respect to the TRUTHS contained in it andconnected with it, so is it also eternal in respect to the SCENES andexperiences through which the redeemed will be forever passing. 

 "Could we, so rich in rapture, fear an end, That ghastly thought would drink up all our joy; And quite unparadise the realms of light. "

And here, dear brethren and sisters, another thought comes to mindsuggesting another question: If _angels_ desire to look into thethings of man's salvation, should not _men_ have an equal desire tolook into them? Should not those who still have the stream to cross, and to whom the ford looks somewhat dark and uncertain, be quite asmuch interested in it, and in all connected with it, as those who aresafely landed on the other shore? Think of this, will you? Let meimpress this thought: If the _angels_, who are out of the reach of allharm and danger, feel such a glow of interest to learn all they canabout the way in which all are saved; should not _men_, who are stillexposed to danger, feel an equal or a still deeper interest?

But how is it with the bulk of professors? Who of you, my dearBrethren, make the Bible the man of your counsel? Who of you read andstudy it with that devotion of faith which makes you feel that youreternal life is in that Word? With joy would I give you the touch ofheaven's galvanism to quicken your souls to a livelier sense of thetranscendent importance of this matter. I feel sure that many of youdo read. You love your Bible because it tells you of your sin and yourSavior, of your cross and your crown. But how is it with many? Theyread some, no doubt; partly from a sense of duty and to quiet theirconsciences; but not, I fear, with a deep and inmost desire to learnthe things of salvation. 

Brethren, if the Bible be true, it is tremendously true. It is truewith a power that lifts the contrite, penitent, faithful follower ofour Lord to the gates of the Holy City, and opens them to him; and itis true with a power that sinks the faithless, impenitent, careless, sin-loving sinner to hell. To which class do I belong? With whichclass am I going to spend a long eternity? I am happy to see in theluster of many an eye here the evidence of your being in the classfirst named, and on the side of salvation. God grant that all may bein that number; and in a better world and a purer life, with angels onhigh, sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. 

Brother Price was followed by brethren John Garber, Henry Kurtz andUmstead, all bearing testimony more or less extended. The serviceswere brought to a close, and an intermission was given. In theafternoon queries were taken in. 

TUESDAY, May 16. The meeting was continued to-day. Seven queries weredisposed of. Love and harmony abound. 

WEDNESDAY, May 17. The meeting was brought to a close to-day. Thebusiness being all disposed of, it broke up in the afternoon by thesinging of the hymn:

 "Blest be the dear uniting love That will not let us part; Our bodies far apart may move, We still are joined in heart. "

O my God, I pray that we, as thy dear people, may ever be thus joinedin heart; that we may ever be of one mind and speak the same thing;that thy Spirit may fill us and guide us into a clear understanding ofthy revealed will that we may not err therein; that we may keep allpride and emulation of the flesh out of our hearts; that each one mayesteem another better than himself with all lowliness and meekness;with long-suffering; forbearing one another in love; endeavoring tokeep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; till we all come inthe unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto aperfect man; unto the measure of the stature of the fullness ofChrist. Amen!

THURSDAY, May 18. Some of the Brethren from a distance start hometo-day. Set things in order at the meetinghouse. While thus engagedour thoughts would turn to the pleasant season of brotherly communionwe had just passed through. I can but wish and pray that the samespirit of love and union may pervade every meeting yet to be held inthe Brotherhood, through all time, to the end of the world. 

THURSDAY, August 10. Benjamin Bowman and Samuel Wampler wereestablished in the ministry to-day, in a council at our meetinghouse. 

TUESDAY, August 29. Brother Kline and Brother Flory start to Marylandand Pennsylvania on horseback. Brother Abraham Flory, by the way, wasa suitable companion for Brother Kline. He loved home, it is true, andhe had a home worthy of being loved. But when he made up his mind togo he left all his home cares behind; and, like Abraham of old, hesaid to these servants of life: "Stay ye here while I go yonder toworship; and I will return again unto you. " He consequently neverfretted about home in his absence; but was habitually calm andself-possessed. Even a rainy day or high water did not interfere withthe equilibrium of his mild temper. 

These two brethren were well mounted. Their horses were good travelers, not only as to gait, but _bottom_ as well. This, in common _parlance_, means great power of endurance. We must not forget that this journeywas undertaken more than sixty years ago. The two travelers did notknow what weather they might have to contend with on a journey whichwas to occupy more than _five weeks_. Umbrellas were rare in that day;but even if they had been abundant they were too much "after thefashion" to have been used by these unfashionable brethren. Indeedumbrellas were not used by the Brotherhood, at least in Virginia, until many years after this. 

A GREAT COAT, made of heavy and compact stuff, with long skirtsreaching to the feet, and a large cape attached, covering completelythe shoulders, and buttoning over the breast, constituted a coveringdefying both rain and storm. Superadded to this was a verybroad-brimmed hat of solid felt. Every saddle in that day was providedwith what was called a _coat-pad_. This was a flat leather pad fastenedto the saddle just behind the seat, and furnished with straps andbuckles so as to hold an overcoat, when properly rolled up andfastened, in perfect order whilst traveling. Leather saddlebags wellstocked with changes of clean underwear completed the outfit. 

Thus equipped, these two brethren started on their journey. Theirspirit in all this reminds one of what passed between two ministeringbrethren of another persuasion who were traveling together, neither sowell equipped nor mounted, but on foot. Trudging along in the face offoul weather to meet an engagement, Comer said to Proctor:

 "I don't mind the rain If souls I may gain. "

To which Proctor instantly replied to Comer:

 "I can face every storm of rain and foul weather, When I and my Lord are walking together. "

Wherever Brother Kline and his companion went they were recognized, whether personally known or not, as DUNKARD PREACHERS. No doubt the_sneer_ was sometimes thrust at them, and the lip curled with contemptby those whose stolid ignorance and stupid brains had locked the dooragainst the inflow of good breeding and truth. But in the eyes of allhonest, sincere-minded people their mission was one of mercy, truthand love; and they were loved and respected accordingly. 

Near the close of the third day of travel, they passed

HARPER'S FERRY. 

Brother Kline's experienced eye took in the whole scene at one view. He says: "The scenery here is greatly surpassed by that of many placeswithin the Allegheny ranges. It is not nearly equal to the SouthBranch Gap below Petersburg in Hardy County, Virginia; nor does it atall compare, in sublime grandeur, with the Rocks at the mouth of theSeneca, in Pendleton County, Virginia. It is tame in comparison witheither of these places. But so goes the world. It is with places aswith people. When one gets a name by being lauded high by somedistinguished personage, as Thomas Jefferson, for example, he soon hasthe eyes and the ears of the world; whilst others, more worthy, perhaps, in all the elements of true greatness, are left unnoticed andunknown. This thought awakens my recollection of a stanza in Gray's'Elegy. ' It touches tenderly and beautifully upon the neglect and lackof appreciation often experienced by real beauty, virtue and goodness. Here is the verse:

 "'Full many a gem of purest ray serene, The dark, unfathomed caves of ocean bear; Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air. '

"But we must tone our criticisms down to a just standard. The lack offame with many justly meriting it is not their own fault, nor is itthe fault of the world; but the trouble lies greatly in the place oftheir birth and in the surroundings of their lives. If the SouthBranch Gap had had its birth at Harper's Ferry the summit of its famewould reach the clouds; whilst Harper's Ferry, born among the ruggedrecesses of the Alleghenies, would never be thought of. The world isnot so partial and full of favoritism as we think. It readily takes upwhat suits its uses and its tastes, without stopping to inquirewhether there might not be something better found. "

Crossing the Potomac at the Ferry, they go to Brother Letherman's andspend the night. 

FRIDAY, September 1. Love feast at Brother Herschman's in MiddleValley. Luke 3 was read. Three persons were baptized. Next day thebrethren go to Beaver Dam, and pass the night at John Garber's. 

At this time letter postage was very high, as much as twenty-fivecents on some letters; and the transportation of mails very slow. Regardless of this, however, by means of letters, Brother Kline knewjust where to go and what to expect before starting on a journey. Appointments for preaching, councils and love feasts fell in the lineof his route from beginning to end. Have a little bit of patience, please, and let me quote the entries just as I find them in the Diaryfor this journey. If they do not interest you, they may interestothers deeply, especially the children and the grandchildren of thegood people named in them. 

SUNDAY, September 3. Love feast at Beaver Dam. Luke 14 was read. Threepersons were baptized. 

MONDAY, 4. Visit Brother Deah's and Saylor's, and stay all night atJoseph Engle's. 

TUESDAY, 5. Meeting at Pipe Creek. Luke 16 was read. Stay all night atPeter Royer's. 

WEDNESDAY, 6. Meeting at Rupp's. John 1 was read. Stay all night atChristian Royer's. 

THURSDAY, 7. Stay at Brother Keeney's. 

FRIDAY, 8. Love feast at Brother Keeney's. John 18 was read. 

SATURDAY, 9. Visit Jacob Myers's. Stay all night at David Brillhardt's. 

The families visited in the order of Brother Kline and Brother Flory'sroute were as follows: Christian Longenacker's, John Zug's, AbrahamZug's, Daniel Zug's, Jacob Gipe's, John Gipe's, Abraham Harshey's, Shoemaker's, Brother Myers's on the other side of the Susquehanna, Andrew Deardorf's, David Pfoutz, Fogelsanger's, John Stauffer's, Brother Royer's, Brother Holsinger's, Welty's, Fahrney's, JosephEmert's, Eschleman's, David Kinsey's, Brother Martain's, JamesTabler's; Carter's, in Frederick County, Virginia, Jonas Goughnour's, in Shenandoah County, Virginia; and home Tuesday, October 3. 

Brother Flory and I did not separate for one day or night on thisjourney. He preached a good deal, and has, I think, left a very goodimpression. He related a little incident about a local preacher withwhom he was personally acquainted, and which he stated for a fact, that has several times amused me. It came in at a suitable place inone of his discourses. The preacher had been regularly receiving onehundred dollars a year from his Conference, for stated preachings toseveral poor congregations not far from his home. The preacher owned afarm and a mill, both at the same time; and with the two combined hebecame independent. His brethren saw this and concluded that he ought_no longer be paid_ the hundred dollars a year; so the pay waswithheld. But his preaching stopped as suddenly as his pay. When askedabout the cause of this he pointed to his _mill wheel_ and said: "_Doyou suppose that that wheel will run if you keep the water off?_"

The brethren and sisters generally appeared to be alive to theirspiritual interests. The meetings were usually well attended, and goodattention was paid to the preaching. In some places, however, worldliness in dress and manners is becoming too apparent. 

In Maryland we happened to fall in company with a man traveling ourcourse, who represented himself as a United Brethren preacher. He wasvery plainly dressed himself, and as we were plain I guess he thoughtthat to give his conversation a turn upon the _fashions_ of the worldwould not be unpleasant to us. At any rate he went on to tell howpride was gradually creeping, inch by inch, into his own denomination;and, "worst of all, " said he, "it looks like it is beginning to takehold of some of our preachers. " He then stated that at their lastyearly Conference, the bishop had scored some of them fearfully aboutit. He then repeated what the bishop had said on the occasion aboutthe

ORIGIN OF FASHIONS. 

"Some of you may be curious to know from what place the Americanpeople obtain their fashions. I will tell you. They get them from NewYork City. And from what place does New York City get them? FromLondon. And from what place does London get them? From Paris. Andfrom what place does Paris get them? I answer, " said the bishop, "thatParis gets them from hell through the devil and his agents. "

In the journey from which I have just returned I preached _twenty_times; attended _eight_ love feasts; visited and conversed with manyfamilies on religious topics. In all this service, if I know my ownheart, I have been actuated by no selfish motives. As Paul said: Idesire that my service may be acceptable to the saints; but to make itso, I have used no deceit, no flattery, and have put forth no effortof any kind save that of trying, by the grace of God, to make myself afaithful minister of Jesus Christ. As one called to preach the Gospel, this is my duty at all times. Conscious of this, I aim to be "instantin season, out of season. " May God bless our labors, including thoseof the dear brother who was with me. "Paul may plant, and Apolloswater; but God only can give the increase. " We must, by his grace, useall means to keep the Brotherhood pure, by defending it against theinroads of worldliness and pride in every form. May God forgive allour sins. Amen!

SUNDAY, October 15. Brethren Martain Myers and Samuel Lehman were withus at our meeting to-day. They spoke beautifully on John 5:24. 

_Resolutions Made by Elder John Kline, _

_Monday, January 1, 1838. _

He says: I now resolve

 To do all the good I can this year. 

 To shun all evil in thought, word, and deed as far as I can. 

 To learn all I can of wholesome truth. 

 To make the best use I can of what I learn and know. To do all this with an eye single to the glory of God and the good of mankind. 

Could any one resolve better? Could an angel from heaven, if sent downto live with men on earth, resolve to a better purpose? But it iseasier to resolve than to carry into effect; easier to think wiselythan to _act_ wisely; easier to plan well than to execute. But of thisone thing I am sure: If Brother Kline failed in any of the aboveresolutions, his failure was not chargeable to his _will_, but to hisweakness. Even Paul could say: "To will is present with me, but how toperform that which is good I find not. When I would do good, evil ispresent with me. " The cause of this conflict in the course of everyChristian's experience is what has been very appropriately called"_indwelling sin_. " The serpent's head may be bruised to death, butthe tail will not die until the sun goes down. It is true, the tail isnot at the dangerous end of a snake; but while the tail rattles andwriggles it gives evidence that there is still some life left; andbefore one turns away from it in the satisfied assurance that it needsno further attention it might be well for him to look again and make_sure_, beyond all doubt, that the _head end_ has been crushed todeath. 

_A Funeral Sermon by Elder John Kline. _

_At the Burial of Mrs. Lauck, Feb. 7. _

 TEXT. --Man that is born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble He cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. --Job 14:1, 2. 

The bulk of Divine Truth is addressed to our faith. We are notexpected to receive it as we receive knowledge that is based upon ourown experience, or upon the experience of others. God expects us totake his Word for the truth of what he says, whether we fullyunderstand it or not. He addresses our faith, as a father does hischild when he seeks to inculcate some truth or principle which thechild cannot fully comprehend. But the text selected for this occasionis not of this character. It is addressed to our knowledge and everyday's observation and experience. We have only to look at ourselvesand at others to see and feel the truth that it tells. It is not, therefore, given to teach, so much as to remind us of what, in thebusy whirl of life, we may for a time partially forget. The benefit ofbeing reminded of our mortality comes to us in the way of leading usto seek for something better than this world can give. 

The phraseology of the text is exquisitely beautiful. Notice thesmoothness of its rhythm, the simplicity of its style, the harmony ofits cadences: "_Man that is born of woman, is of few days, and full oftrouble. _" This is the direct opposite of what all naturally desire. All living human beings would rejoice in a life of many days, exemptfrom trouble. "_He cometh forth like a flower. _"

 "They bloom in beauty, side by side; They fill one home with glee. "

This is pleasant to contemplate; and if the beauty could but last, forever free from all decay, few would wish for aught of life or lovebeyond the things of time and sense. But, alas! "_he is cut down_--"and soon

 "Their graves are severed far and wide, By mount, and stream, and sea;"

and these graves all tell a tale of buried hopes, buried love, buriedpeace. 

 "The same fond mother bent at night O'er each fair sleeping brow; She had each folded flower in sight: Where are those dreamers now!"

We can but sigh our sadness in the closing lines of this beautifulpoem--

 "Alas, for love! if thou wert all; And naught beyond, O earth!"

Thus do Inspiration and Poetry alike paint the sombre realities oflife and death; and point to death as the doom of life. 

But I do not love to dwell upon these sad scenes, and will turn yourattention at once to a birth that knows no death, to a flower thatnever fades, to a beauty that knows no decay. And can this be true?Can it be that there is a deathless life, a fadeless flower, ashadowless beauty? It may be that some of you are skeptical aboutthings like these. You may have the unbelief that held the heart ofAaron Burr's daughter against all comfort, when she saw her son die. In her agony of despair she cried out: "Omnipotence itself can neverrestore to me what I have lost in my only boy. "

Your faces may be turned the wrong way. You may be like Lot's wife, _looking back_. And one might just as well talk to a pillar of saltabout the glory, and the beauty, and the bliss of the eternal stateof the righteous after death, as to talk to men whose backs areheavenward and their faces earthward. You have no eyes in the backpart of your heads. Your ears are set to hear what is said to yourface, and to catch the sounds that meet you in front. You must turnyourselves round. And more than all this, you must open the eyes ofyour understandings that the light may shine in, and take the wads ofearthly wax out of your ears that you may hear the Savior's words of"_spirit_ and _life_, " and loose the strings of your hearts that the_good_ and _truth_ of God's Word may enter. If you will do this I willshow you wonderful things. I will show you a fountain from which, ifyou drink, you will never thirst again. Not like the fabled "Fountainof Youth, " which many sought, but never found. The fountain I mean hasbeen found by millions of the human race. It has quenched their thirstforever. 

Do not, I beseech you, understand me to mean that _one_ drink of itswater is sufficient to do this. No! no! But I do mean that after youhave come to the spring and taken _one_ drink it is your privilege tostay by it forever: nay, more; the spring, like the Rock in thewilderness, will follow you wherever you go; and by and by a springwill be opened up in your own heart, flowing with the same sweet waterof everlasting Life, and then you can sing:

 "I heard the voice of Jesus say, Behold, I freely give The Living Water: thirsty one, Stoop down and drink, and live. 

 "I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream: My thirst was quenched; my soul revived: And now I live in Him. "

But I will show you bread also. It is wonderful bread. The Israelites, many centuries ago, kept a representation of this bread upon the tableconnected with their altar of worship; and they called it "showbread, "because it showed something to come. A kind of bread also fell uponthe face of the ground all around them, when they were encamped in thewilderness; and they called it "MANNA. " They gathered this in themorning, and the supply never failed. But it did not keep them fromdying. They died all the same as if they had lived on wheat bread, aswe do. It is of this that Jesus says: "Your fathers did eat of themanna in the wilderness, and they died. " But our Lord, in speaking ofthe Bread of Life, which is none other than the great love of God inChrist Jesus, says: "This is the bread which cometh down out ofheaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living breadwhich came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread he shallLIVE FOREVER. "

_Live forever!_ Does not that sound pleasant in your ears? Does it nothave the note of solid comfort? If you believe it, it does. It is onthis account that our Lord says so much about FAITH. Faith makes a manthirsty for the water of eternal life, and faith makes a man hungryfor the bread of eternal life. Millions in heaven to-day, each one outof his own heart, can sing:

 "I heard the voice of Jesus say: I am the Bread of Life: Eat of this Bread, O hungry one, And have eternal life. 

 "I took the Bread he gave me then: My hungry soul it fed; For this, he said, I gave my life, And on the cross I bled. "

When our Lord was on earth he spoke to the people and to his disciplesmostly in parables. In fact we are told that "without a parable spakehe not unto them. " It is from this that so many similitudes, andmetaphors, and figures of speech are found in the New Testament. Thus, _water_ and _wine_, in many places, mean divine truth; and _bread_means divine love. And now I will venture to make a statement for theconsideration of every thinking mind in this house--a statement which, if it be true, is of infinite and eternal importance--and it is this:_Love and truth support and keep life in man's spirit, just as breadand water support and keep life in man's body_. 

Jesus said to the tempter: "Man does not live by bread alone. " Do anyof you suppose that Jesus meant to inform the devil that man needsother kinds of food in addition, such as meats, and fruits, andvegetables? He had no such thought. He did not mean to inform orinstruct the devil by anything he said to him. But he did mean toteach his tried and tempted followers to the end of time that _love_and _truth_ are the very life and support of man's spirit. "My words, "says he, "are spirit, and they are life. " Man may love, and ardentlylove, what is evil. But divine truth tells him what to love. Hence ourLord's answer is about equivalent to this: "Man does not live by bread[_love_] alone; but by [water also, which is the _truth_ of] everyword which proceedeth out of the mouth of God. "

And now, in conclusion, I will ask you, friends, do any of you desireeverlasting life? If you do, I say unto you, Come to Jesus. Accept hislove. He loved _you_ "_and gave himself for you_. " Accept him byfaith. He is the Bread of eternal Life. "Believe on the Lord JesusChrist, and thou shalt be saved. " He invites you to come and take ofthe water of life freely. This water is none other than the _truth_ ofhis Word. Be filled with it. Be immersed in it. As a most impressiveemblem of your willingness to be thus, submit to the ordinance ofbaptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the HolyGhost. 

By your immersion in the name of the Father you declare to the world, and say to the church that you believe that God the Father loves you, and wills your salvation; that you accept his love in faith, and proveyour faith by this act. By your immersion in the name of the Son youprofess your faith in the efficacy and sufficiency of what JesusChrist did to save you, that he is the Word made flesh, and that menshould honor him, even as they honor the Father. By your immersion inthe name of the Holy Ghost you profess your faith in the power andeverlasting presence of the Holy Spirit in your heart, to lead youinto all truth, to make you more and more holy by means of this truth, until you are filled with it, thoroughly leavened with "the leaven oftruth and sincerity. " The Holy Spirit is called "The Spirit of Truth, "and "if the truth make you free, ye shall be free indeed;" free fromfalsities in your faith. What benefit can there be in believing whatis not true? Whoever yet found any substantial good in believing adelusion, a falsehood, an error? But we do read of some who "believe alie that they may be damned. " This sounds rough I know; but it istheir own fault, because they _love_ a lie; and "whosoever loveth alie" is excluded, shut out of the Holy City, because nothing but truthand love can enter there. I again call upon every one here present tobelieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and, believing, he shall have lifein his name. 

AN ENCOURAGING THOUGHT. 

The following encouraging thought comes into Brother Kline's mind inconnection with a review of his work on Lost river. It is dated:

SUNDAY, February 18. One man may sometimes strike a hard stone a goodmany times without breaking it; when another may take the same hammer, strike it in a slightly different place, or in a different way, and itfalls to pieces. It may be that the first man's strokes accomplishedmore than he knew of. The force of his blows may have diminished thesolidity of the stone, and thus made it easier for the second man tobreak. If I cannot see much fruit of my labor here now, perhaps some, who will come after me, may. 

THE COVE. 

SUNDAY, April 22. Brother Kline and Daniel Miller had meeting in aplace among the mountains in Hardy County, Virginia, called the Cove. This consists of an area of country so nearly enclosed by mountainsof a somewhat circular form that it has but one outlet both for itsstreams and its inhabitants. Viewed from the summit of someneighboring peak it has the appearance of a vast amphitheatre whosedome is the sky, whose floor is a variegation of corn and wheat fieldsinterspersed with beautiful green meadows, and whose walls are thesubstantial mountain masonry of nature's own sublime art. Here thesetwo beloved brethren broke the Bread of Life to a small gathering ofpeople, mostly residents of the place we have described. 

Acts 3 was read. After many instructive remarks by Brother Klineconcerning the great Prophet spoken of in the latter part of thechapter, Brother Daniel Miller followed with a brief discourse, soclear, so pointed, so forcible, that I will give his remarks as nearlyas I can in the order and manner in which he presented them. 

He first endeavored to draw the attention of the unconverted part ofthe audience specifically to these words: "_Every soul, which will nothearken to that prophet, shall be utterly destroyed. _" "I know of noexpression in the Bible, " said he, "more sharply pointed than this. The word '_destroyed_, ' as here used, does not mean blotted out ofexistence. But it does mean _cast out as evil_, unfit for thecompanionship of God's people in heaven. In much the same sense of theword it is said that intemperance _destroys_ men. It unfits them forthe duties of life, and for the society of the pure and the good. 

"A ship may be said to be destroyed even though its dismantled hulkstill floats upon the sea, borne by the waves and driven by the winds. A fruit tree is destroyed when a worm, secretly gnawing at its root, girdles it with a belt of deadness. It may still stand, but fruitlessand lifeless. An eye is destroyed when it becomes so far injured bydisease or accident as to be forever out of the reach of power torestore its sight. 

"And is this the sense in which every soul will be destroyed whorefuses to hear this Prophet? Most assuredly it is. O, friends, howshall I tell you the difference between a soul saved and a souldestroyed? The one is forever happy, the other forever miserable. Theone is an eye that sees and enjoys all the beauties of earth and sky, the other is an eye forever blind. The one is an ear that will foreverhear the melodies of heaven, the other is an ear forever deaf to allbut the wailings of hell. The one is a ship completely rigged andfitted to bear herself nobly and safely over the surging surface of astormy sea, the other, a floating hulk; mastless, sailorless, onlywaiting to be cast upon some desert shore to rot. 

"But no one can ever have a just excuse for being thus destroyed; forit is plain that whosoever hears this Prophet shall be saved. JesusChrist is a wonderful Savior. 'He is able to save to the uttermost allwho come unto God through him. ' Will not you come? 'God so loved theworld, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth onhim should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not his Soninto the world to condemn the world, but to save the world. ' The textdoes not say that GOD will destroy every soul that will not hearken tothat Prophet. I do not believe that this is meant. Our Lord says inone place: 'Fear him, who, after he hath killed the body, is able todestroy both soul and body in hell: yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 'Who is this that is thus to be feared? I tell you that it is SIN, impersonated in the devil. _Sin_, SIN is what is able to destroy bothsoul and body in hell. Sin, disobedience to God, transgression ofGod's law, has placed the seal of _death_ upon every living human bodyin the world; and sin has stamped the _seal of death_ upon everyunsaved soul in hell. 

"O friends, I am _afraid_ of sin. I am afraid to disobey my God andSavior. I am more afraid of sin than I would be of smallpox in aninfected district. I am more afraid of sin than I would be of leprosyon the plains of Syria. That or this could only kill my body; but SINis able to destroy both my soul and body in hell. 

"It is plain that to hear the voice of that Prophet, who is none otherthan our Lord Jesus Christ, to hear his voice with an ear to find outwhat he says and what he wants us to do, and then in love and faith todo it, is the only way any soul has by which to escape the threateneddestruction. I wish that I could implant in the heart of every sinnerhere to-day such a fear of sin and its awful consequences as wouldlead him to flee for refuge, to lay hold of the hope set before us inthe Gospel. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is this house of refuge. Sinner, come to him. No, no! You need not do that, for he comes toyou, and you only need rise up and open the door and let him in. "

A SINGULAR PHENOMENON. 

FRIDAY, June 1. This day, says the Diary, I witnessed a very wonderfulappearance about the sun. About eleven o'clock I saw a bright circlearound the sun like a rainbow, with the sun in the center. At the sametime there was another circle somewhat larger than this, on the westside of the sun; and the east side of this ring rested upon the faceof the sun. At the points where the rings crossed each other there wasa peculiar brightness and blending of colors. The whole was a sublimeand beautiful sight. 

_Sermon by Benjamin Bowman. _

_Preached in Brock's Gap, Virginia, June 17. _

 TEXT. --There remaineth, therefore, a rest to the people of God. --Heb. 4:9. 

FROM NOTES IN THE DIARY. 

We are informed by the Apostle of the Gentiles that the sojourn of thechildren of Israel in the wilderness and the subsequent dealings ofJehovah with them were examples to us who live under the gospeldispensation. These examples comprise two great facts:

 I. Their obedience was always attended with blessings. 

 II. Their disobedience was always attended with sufferings. 

These two great facts comprehend the _all_ of man's life andexperience in both worlds, from the alpha to the omega. I am wellaware that many in this assembly are not Bible readers. I willtherefore give you a brief sketch of the children of Jacob or Israelas I find it in the books of Moses and the book of Joshua, whichcomprise the first six books of the Bible. 

Jacob, who is also called Israel, was the grandson of Abraham. He hadtwelve sons, of whom Joseph was the next to the youngest. These twelvesons, with their descendants through all time, are called the childrenof Israel. Later on they are also called Jews. The Jews of the presentday claim to be the descendants of these twelve sons of Jacob orIsrael. Joseph's older brothers became envious of him and sold him toa company of merchants who carried him into Egypt. Here he waselevated by the Lord to a position of great power, to a place andpower next to the king on his throne. 

Soon after this a very grievous famine came upon the land of Canaan, the country in which Israel, with his other sons, still lived. Theyheard that there was plenty of food in Egypt, and so Jacob sent hissons there to buy grain for bread. When they arrived in Egypt, totheir great surprise, they found their brother Joseph there, whom theyhad sold to the merchants for thirty pieces of silver. He receivedthem kindly, supplied their immediate wants, and very soon madearrangements for them and their father Jacob to come down to Egypt andlive with him. And Jacob went down into Egypt and lived with his sonJoseph till he died. 

These Israelites grew and multiplied in Egypt until they became agreat people. But the time came when the Egyptians oppressed them, laying heavy burdens upon them; and treated them as slaves. At thistime the Lord said to Moses: I have seen the affliction of my peoplein Egypt; and I now send thee thither to bring them out of that land, and into a land that I will tell thee of. Under the leadership ofMoses, the most interesting and instructive part of their history isfound. 

After a succession of miracles, wrought by Jehovah through Moses, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, agreed to let them go. But they had topass through a desert and uninhabited country, which lay between Egyptand the land of Canaan. Pharaoh knew this, and to get revenge for theway the Lord had compelled him to let them go he gathered a very largearmy and pursued after them. Just at the time Pharaoh thought he hadthem in his power, and when the whole camp of Israel trembled withfear of being suddenly destroyed by the hosts of the Egyptians, theLord opened a passage for the children of Israel through the

RED SEA. 

The Red Sea, at this place, had a very smooth bottom of sand, as hasbeen discovered since, although it is very deep, and perhaps twentymiles across. The water stood like a wall on both sides of thispassage. Some of you may think this could not be. I will here relatethe substance of a conversation, which is said to have really takenplace between the first English minister to Siam, and the king of thatcountry. Siam is a very hot country in the south part of Asia. Thereis never any winter, or even cool weather, in that country. So thepeople there know nothing of ice, and even the king himself had neverheard of any such thing. The English minister told him many thingsabout England and other countries, and among other things referred tothe effect of cold upon water, that it makes it hard. 

"You do not say, " said the king, "that water gets _hard_ in yourcountry!" "Indeed I do, " said the minister. "It sometimes gets so hardall over the surface of broad rivers and lakes that men, and evenheavy beasts, may walk upon it with dry feet; and if your heavyelephants were there, even _they_ could walk upon the hard water too. ""I have, thus far, " replied the king, "been willing to listen to you, and believe what you say; but now I _know you lie_. "

So it may be with some who read or hear the story of the children ofIsrael. They may think it all reasonable and fair enough, until theycome to the passage through the Red Sea: there faith stumbles andfalls. But we must never forget that all things, not self-contradictory, are possible with God. It is just as possible and easy for him tocrystallize the billows of an ocean as to freeze a drop of dew on ablade of grass. At the command of Moses they enter this avenue throughthe deep, walled by the waves, and roofed by the sky. Surely no eyesbut theirs ever witnessed so sublime a sight. 

 "Water to right of them; Water to left of them; Water in front of them;"

while over their heads passed the cloud of Jehovah's presence andglory to follow in their rear; at once to hide them from the sight, and to shield them from the attack of the enemy that was pursuingthem. I can hardly ever read this simple statement without a tear. Thekindness, the _love_ of the Lord in thus placing himself betweenhis children and their enemies, like as a tender father would shieldhis offsprings from danger, always melts my heart. But this is justthe way the Lord always does. If his own dear people will but shelterunder his wings, the devil will never be able to get one of them. 

Some of you may wonder why the Lord did not close up the way behindthem, after they were all in, so that Pharaoh and his hosts would becompelled to stay back. But God knew best. He is wiser than men. Heallowed the Egyptian army to enter. They followed just as close behindthe Israelites as the Lord would let them come. The way was stillopen, and Pharaoh, no doubt, thought the way as free for him, andquite as safe too, as for Moses. His intention was to slaughter thewhole camp of Israel as soon as his army got through. But see how hefailed! The salvation of Moses was the destruction of Pharaoh. Whenthe children of Israel had all reached the land in safety theyascended the hills on the shore to look back at the long train ofPharaoh's host. But what did their eyes behold! All at once the wallsof water broke down; and the sea closed over them. 

It seems strange to us now that Pharaoh would venture to follow theIsraelites. We now think he might have known it would prove his owndestruction. But this is one example of the folly of which Satan isalways guilty. At the very time he thinks victory is within his graspdisappointment and defeat overtake him. Let me show you anotherinstance of this. 

For some time he had been plotting the destruction of our Lord JesusChrist. One time he tried to have him cast down a very steep place onthe side of a hill. But he failed. At another time he tried to havehim stoned to death. But the Lord escaped out of his hands. At last, however, he succeeded in having him put to death. He entered into theheart of a man by the name of Judas, and made arrangements with him tobetray our Lord into the hands of his enemies. The plot was successful, and when Satan saw our Lord expiring on the cross he felt jubilantover the victory he had gained, in the belief that he had now rid theworld of its most dangerous foe to his kingdom. But you see how itturned out. The resurrection and glorification of our Lord have givensuch a deathblow to Satan's power that, after awhile, the eyes of allheaven will see that old Serpent, the devil, and Satan cast into thelake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. 

After the children of Israel all got through the Red Sea they formed acamp on its eastern shore, and each family prepared the food they hadbrought with them to eat. But the supply soon gave out, and as therewas none to be had in the desert where they were encamped they beganto fear that they must all starve. They complained to Moses, and hecarried their complaints to the Lord. Very soon the manna began tofall in abundance. 

THE MANNA. 

This was a kind of bread which fell all over the ground at night, andlooked like hoar-frost. They gathered it every morning, except themorning of the Sabbath day. It was just what they needed to satisfytheir hunger and impart health and strength to their bodies. 

The Lord also caused a great spring of fresh water to burst out of asolid rock near the camp; and thus they were supplied with water. 

We can hardly see how these people could ever turn against the Lordand become unthankful and disobedient toward him after he had been sokind and done so much for them. But they became so. They even went sofar as to make a golden calf to worship instead of Jehovah, who hadbrought them through the Red Sea. For this they were sorely punished. 

After awhile Moses died, and Joshua led them into the land of Canaan, after they had wandered about in the wilderness under Moses for thespace of forty years. The land of Canaan was a good land, flowing withmilk and honey, and if they had been willing to serve the Lord byobeying his commands they would have found rest and peace. But theynever found either rest or peace, because they were never able todrive their enemies from the land. They found many enemies in the landwhen they entered it, and on account of their disobedience to the Lordthey were unable to rid the land of Canaan of them. This is what ismeant by the verse that next precedes my text: "_For if Joshua hadgiven them rest, the Lord would not have spoken of another day_. "

But as Joshua failed to do this, on account of their disobedience, wehave the words of the text: "_There remaineth therefore a rest untothe people of God_. " But where is that rest? In the beautiful linesof Montgomery we ask:

 "Oh, where shall rest be found? Rest for the weary soul: 'Twere vain the ocean's depth to sound; Or pierce to either pole. This world can never give The rest for which we sigh. "

Where may be found that favored spot in whose delightful shade thesoul may fold her wings and be at rest? I imagine that some of you arenow saying to yourselves, "_This rest is in heaven_. " In this you areright, in one sense. Heaven is a place of rest to those who areprepared for it. But let me say to you in all candor and love that_heaven_ is rest only to those who first find rest here in our LordJesus Christ. He is now calling to every sin-burdened sinner: "Comeunto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and _I will give yourest_. " The hardened unbeliever could no more be happy in heaven, evenif allowed to enter there, than a fish could be happy out of water. Heaven is not the sinner's element. Besides, an unconverted sinner cannever get there. 

 "Those holy gates forever bar Pollution, sin, and shame; For none can find admittance there, But followers of the Lamb. "

Rest must first be found in Jesus by coming to him, accepting hisyoke, and working in his service. And to encourage all to do this hehimself says: "_My yoke is easy, and my burden is light_. " If you wantto find out how easy his yoke is, and how light his burden, take itupon you, and see if it does not give your soul rest. 

I sincerely believe that Charles Wesley, long ago, gave expression tofeelings similar to those of some in this house, in the lines of abeautiful hymn, a part of which I will repeat. See if it does not findan echo in your soul:

 "O, that my load of sin were gone! O, that I could at last submit, At Jesus' feet to lay it down! To lay my soul at Jesus' feet!

 "Rest for my soul, I long to find: Savior of all, if mine thou art, Give me thy meek and lowly mind; And stamp thine image on my heart. 

 "Break off the yoke of inbred sin: And fully set my spirit free: _I cannot rest till pure within:_ Till I am wholly lost in thee. "

You will realize the truthfulness of every one of these lines bycoming to Jesus and fully consecrating your life to him. But rest doesnot necessarily imply _inactivity_. It means a heart and mind atpeace. It means a heart filled with love to God and his people. Itmeans a life of good works, wrought in righteousness, peace and joy inthe Holy Ghost. This is the rest that remaineth unto the people ofGod. It begins here; it goes on eternally in the heavens. 

THE YELLOW SPRINGS (at present Orkney Springs). 

This health and pleasure resort is near the head of Stony Creek, inShenandoah County, Virginia. It is now universally known by the nameof "Orkney Springs. " It is beautifully situated near the eastern baseof the Church mountain. From the yellow color of the sediment, left byits chalybeate waters, it first got the name of Yellow Springs. 

It was, for many years, a favorite health resort for the Germanpopulation of Rockingham and Shenandoah Counties in Virginia. Almostevery Sunday during the "spring season, " there would be preachingthere by the ever earnest German Baptist Brethren. Attentive audienceswould assemble under the shade trees, and on rustic seats listen tothe plain but earnest sermons of such men as John Kline, Peter Nead, Samuel Wampler and others. All was quiet and order. But the goddess offashion soon found her way to this lovely spot, and a long train ofworshipers at her shrine, robed in rustling silks and sparkling withjewels, followed her leadings. In a few years not only the character, but the very name of the place was changed. It is at this time a verypopular pleasure resort for the rich and fashionable. 

On SUNDAY, August 19, Brother Kline delivered a very interesting andinstructive discourse at the above-named place. It is with profoundemotions of gratitude that I report this sermon. I was there myselfand heard it. Whilst I do not retain in memory much of the substanceof it, being at the time very young, I do well remember the feelingsof veneration and regard for the preacher with which his earnestmanner and kind looks impressed me. Little did I then think thatfifty-five years from that date I would be expanding that discourse, and thus preparing it for the eyes of the world, from the leaflets ofthe Diary that was then being faithfully kept by that good man. 

_Sermon by Elder John Kline. _

_Preached at Orkney Springs, Sunday, August 19. _

 TEXT. --Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. --Rev. 22:17. 

In view of our surroundings and the attractions that have drawn somany of us to this quiet and beautiful mountain retreat, I feel thatthe subject selected for to-day suits the occasion. 

When I look at a mountain spring and see the wavelets playing on theirpebbly beds, or chasing one another down their steep descent, I amever led to think how free from all the taints of sin these innocentdrops of water are! Not one of them has ever transgressed the divinelaw of its being. Not one has ever failed in a single point to fulfillits mission. Are you thirsty? They never refuse to quench your thirst. Does your field need rain? They never refuse to wet the ground. Alwaysready, they cheerfully serve the behests of God and man. 

The diversity of the applications and uses of water, the variety ofits forms--its frozen state in that of ice, its fluid state in that ofa liquid, its aëriform state in that of clouds and other modes ofatmospheric suspension--all these, together with its transparency andcleansing power make it a most appropriate emblem of DIVINE TRUTH. Assuch, water is much spoken of by the prophets in the Old Testament, and by our Lord in the New. I will here quote some passages from each:

"_Then with gladness shall ye draw waters out of the wells ofsalvation. _" Isaiah 12:3. What can be meant by the "wells ofsalvation, " but the _fountains of truth_ in God's Word?

By way of describing the _abundance_ of the supply of truths from thissource I will here quote from the forty-first chapter of Isaiah, asfollows: "_I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in themidst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, andthe dry land springs of water: . .. That they may see, and know, andconsider, and understand_. " One man is a _hillside_; another is a_valley_. One man is a _desert_; you think he never can be made toproduce anything. But he shall be supplied, and thus be made toblossom as the rose. Others are _dry land_ of a general character; butthere is water enough to make all fruitful: so that instead of thethorn, the myrtle; and instead of the thistle, the fig; and instead ofthe deadly upas, the olive shall grow. 

In Jeremiah's description of the departure of the Jews from the TRUTHSof God's Word we find the following complaint against them from themouth of the Lord himself, recorded in Jer. 2:13, "_My people havecommitted two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of livingwaters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold nowater_. " This can mean nothing, spiritually, but a departure from theTRUTH of God as revealed, and substituting in its place some falsedoctrine of man's own invention. 

Jesus said: "_If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink_. " For, said he: "_My words are spirit, and they are life_. " His words are thewater of life. This explains my text. 

It might surprise some of you if I were to point to that spring yonderand say, "There flows the water of life. " But would I not tell thetruth? Can man or beast live one moment without it? Let us think alittle. What is your blood? It is water, holding in solution thevarious elements with which your bones, and sinews, and muscles, andnerves, and other tissues of your body are to be supplied andnourished. Can man or beast live a moment without blood? Then theycannot live a moment without water. Can trees and plants live a momentwithout sap? They cannot, because their sap is their blood. But thewater of that spring, indispensable as it is to your bodily life, ceases as to its uses in this respect when this end is met; and if manhad no life other than that of mere corporeal or animal existence, noother water would ever be demanded by him. In that case there would beno need of the invitation given in the text. 

But every human being has a twofold nature. He has a _spiritual_ bodyas well as a _natural_ body. Paul says: "If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. " Man's natural or physicalorganization consists of _flesh and blood_. Paul calls this the"_outer man_. " This is man's animal or sensuous nature. Man'sspiritual body consists of _will_ and _understanding_. Paul calls thisthe _inner man_; because it is the interior, "hidden man of theheart. " This is capable of becoming the higher, nobler, better part ofman, because it is the "house" of his affections and thoughts, of hisloves and enjoyments. 

There is a wonderful difference between the two natures; and yet theone corresponds to the other so perfectly that in all of man'sexperiences, in all that pertains to his life in this world, the twonatures make _one man_. Whilst this is so, we must not forget that ournatural bodies are _mortal_; they will soon die. But our spiritualbodies are _immortal_; they will never die. This is quite as true ofthe evil as of the good. The spiritual bodies or souls of men willlive on, after the death of their natural bodies, through thecountless ages of eternity, --the good, in the enjoyments of ineffablebliss; the evil, in the sufferings of deepest woe. 

And is this true? Can it be that one or the other of these experiencesis sure to be realized by every one present here to-day? Can it be so?Or am I here just beating the air to make you and me hear myself talk?I solemnly protest that I am not here for that purpose. I have ahigher aim, a nobler end. But let me point you to my authority forwhat I say, and show you the Rock on which my faith is built. All theauthority which any man dare claim on this subject is found in God'srevealed Word. I will here quote a few passages:

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angelswith him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: and before himshall be gathered all the nations; and he shall separate them one fromanother, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. .. . Thenshall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of myFather, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. .. . Then shall he sayalso unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, intoeverlasting fire. .. . And these shall go away into everlastingpunishment; but the righteous into life eternal. "

These words are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ; he here portrays, in one grand view, the good state of the righteous in the next worldand the evil state of the unrighteous. In the very inmost of my heartI believe what our Lord here says, and out of the abundance of myheart my mouth now speaks. I also sincerely believe, friends, thatevery one here to-day can most surely determine for himself, evenwhile living in this world, whether he will be happy in heavenforever, or miserable in an everlasting hell. You may justly ask, "How can this be determined?"

I answer that a man's life in this world determines this for everyindividual, as surely as the fruit of a tree makes the quality of thetree known. Notice these passages from Paul's writings: "He thatsoweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he thatsoweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. " "Tobe carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life andpeace. " "God will reward every man according to his works. "

Every intelligent man can know with certainty what kind of seed he issowing. Is he sowing the seeds of love and good will to his neighbor, the seeds of peace, and order, and comfort, the seeds of faith, andhope, and love? He surely can know what his _will_ is, at least; andif there be first a willing mind, it is accepted of a man according towhat he hath; and if he does his all it is the widow's mite in God'seye. Every intelligent man can know with certainty whether he lovesGod or loves him not. His readiness to keep his commandments is theproof of this both ways. I tell you, friends, there is no gettingaround this. Your obedience to our Lord is the unquestionable andundeviating test of your love. "He that loveth me, keepeth my words. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings. " "A good man, out ofthe good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things: but anevil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth evilthings. " Is not this plain?

It may now be asked, "How is an evil man to become good?" No questionof deeper interest can ever be asked. No answer of deeper importancecan ever be given. The Lord direct me in this. Relying on his Word, Ianswer, that the very first step in the direction of this change is torespond to the invitation given in my text: "_Whosoever will, let himtake of the water of life freely_. " Jesus says to Nicodemus: "Except aman be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into thekingdom of God. " _To be born of water_ is to _drink_ of the water of_life_--the TRUTH of God's Word--by _hearing it_, by _loving it_, by_believing it_, by _obeying it_, until it makes a new man out ofhim, --a new man in the image of Christ our Lord. 

As a most impressive and appropriate emblem of this change waterbaptism has been ordained by the Lord; and every convert to JesusChrist is commanded to submit, cheerfully in love, to this ordinance. Baptism, say what you please, is one of the first fruits of thischange. To the church it is the external act of the internal birth. Tobe _born of the Spirit_ is to live the life and enjoy the blessednessof the kingdom of God, which is a life of righteousness, a life ofpeace, a life of joy in the Holy Ghost. 

All this is effected by taking the water of life freely, by drinkingin the TRUTH of God's Word because one loves it, because one desiresin the heart to be saved, because one desires in the heart to glorifyGod and enjoy him forever. 

"If any man thirst, " says Jesus, "let him come unto me, and drink. "The water of this mineral spring here can do no one any good except hedrink it. But not one of us can go to that spring yonder and take adrink of water from it without the power of God in us. "In him welive, and move, and have our being. " But he gives us the power sofreely that in the use of it we are unconscious of any power within usbut our own. So with drinking of the _water of life_. The power ofevery one to drink is all of the Lord, but is so freely given by him, and so freely used by us, that it is to all intents and purposes thevery same as if it were all of ourselves: and this makes usaccountable. 

Jesus wants every man's will to drink the water of life. A sick manmay come here to regain his health. But upon tasting it he may say, "Ido not like this water; I have no thirst for it; let me have some ofanother kind. " But his physician says: "You must drink it or you willdie. " He obeys his physician and drinks the water. After awhile hebegins to feel better, and as his health improves the water tastesmore natural to him; and by and by, as he regains his health, he lovesit and feels loath to leave the spring. But no one ever need leave thefountain of divine love and truth: for if a man drink of it freely tothe healing of his soul, it will be in him "a well of water, springingup into everlasting life" and he will love it more and more. 

In a large spring you will hardly ever see all the water come from oneorifice or opening. It boils up through the sand and pebbles in manyplaces; and one observer will think this the main stream, and anotherthat. So with the water of eternal life. It is not all found in oneverse; nor in one chapter: nor in one book even. Jesus said to thedevil: "Man liveth _by every word_ that proceedeth out of the mouth ofGod. "

Ah, friends, time would fail me, were I to attempt to bring to yourminds the many precious promises we have in Jesus Christ. His Word isfull of them; and I most affectionately exhort every one here to-dayto go to that Word and find the water of eternal life. 

 You may sit by the spring; And in your soul you may sing:

 "I heard the voice of Jesus say: Behold, I freely give The Living Water; thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live. 

 "I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream: My thirst was quenched; my soul revived; And now I live in him. "

DIRECT FROM THE DIARY. 

THURSDAY, October 4, 1838. Attended the funeral of one of BrotherChristian Niswander's sons. His age was thirteen years and one month. 

MONDAY, October 8. Attended the funeral of another one of ChristianNiswander's children to-day. Age, nine years, nine months andtwenty-one days. 

SUNDAY, October 14. I attended the funeral of Susanna, daughter ofBrother Christian Niswander, to-day. She was fifteen years and nearlyseven months old. This is the third child that this deeply bereavedfamily have been called to part with in the brief space of ten days. Gladly would we pour into their bleeding bosoms the oil of consolation. We weep with them that weep. Our tears mingle with theirs. We lead theway with them to the throne of grace. Our Father on high, pity them, and do for them exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think. Help them to feel that their dear children are not dead; that theirdeathless spirits have soared above all sickness, sorrow, pain anddeath. Thus we pray, and thus we try to comfort. But our feeble, tender, sympathizing natures sink under the load of grief; and the eyeof faith but feebly catches the rays of hope that beam from the pagesof Heavenly Truth. Verily, here we see through a glass darkly. 

_Sermon by Elder Daniel Garber. _

_Preached at Arnold's Meetinghouse, Sunday, October 28. _

This sermon was delivered in the course of a visit brethren Kline andGarber were making among the churches and Brethren in HampshireCounty, West Virginia. They left home October 25, and returned October31, by way of Moorefield and the South Fork in Pendleton County, WestVirginia. 

 TEXT. --Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love. --Eph. 5:1, 2. 

Some one has said of this letter to the Ephesians that it is the wholeGospel in a nutshell. This may be true; but I must confess for myselfthat in some parts the shell is so very hard, that in my efforts tocrack it the broken fragments, under the hammer of investigation, flyout of sight, with the kernel still sticking in them. It may be thatPeter had some of these hard shells in mind when he said: "Our belovedbrother Paul hath written many things hard to be understood; whichthey that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they also do the otherscriptures, unto their own destruction. " The Lord forbid that I shouldthus do with any of the Scriptures. 

I am delighted to say, in full view of all this, that there is notmuch danger of the honest seeker for truth being misled by anythingBrother Paul has left on record. If there is any danger at all of thiskind, I think it is to be found in giving what he says on election andpredestination a wrong interpretation. I have been frequently askedhow I interpret his strikingly bold utterances on this subject, andhow I reconcile them with my belief in the absolute freedom of thehuman will. 

In the first place, I unhesitatingly profess my belief in the absolutefreedom of man's will. How else could man comply with the injunctiongiven in the text: "Walk in love?" If he has no will of his own, whygive him a command? This freedom of man's will is a logical necessity. Reason demands it. Now, let us look at this a little. If man is notfree to choose between good and evil; between right and wrong; betweentruth and falsity; wherein lies the reasonableness of instructing him?of exhorting him to do what is right, and to shun what is wrong? ofcommanding him to do good, with promises of reward for his obedience, and threatenings of judgment and fiery indignation as the surepenalties of his disobedience and sin?

Some admit the freedom of man's will to do evil, but not to do good. But do you not see that if this be true man's will is only halffree--free to act in one direction, but not in another? On thisassumption, where is the reasonableness of giving him admonitions, invitations and entreaties to do good, when he has not the powerwithin him to comply?

You may answer by quoting the Lord's words: "_Without me ye can donothing_. " I fully believe these words of our Lord. But if you applythem specifically to the will, they prove that men can do neither goodnor evil without the Lord. This you may not admit; but I believe it isjust what our Lord meant. All life is from him as God. All beings, theevil as well as the good, "live and move in him. " I believe that ourLord is, every hour and every moment of every man's life, seeking toturn the heart, the WILL of the man from evil to good, from darknessto light, and from the power of Satan to himself. "He causeth his sunto rise on the evil and the good; and sendeth his rain on the just andon the unjust. "

The light and heat of the sun, as well as the falling of the rain, arebeautiful emblems of the life-giving love of our heavenly Father. Hefreely imparts the power to every one who hears the words of gospelgrace, to love and obey him if he will; to turn from his sins, andwalk in newness of life. It is the goodness of God that leads men torepentance; and repentance is neither more nor less, and nothing elsethan a change of one's love or _will_ from evil to good; from thelove of self and the world to God supremely. 

Thus briefly have I sought to prepare your minds for a few remarks Ipropose making on the doctrine of election. 

Election simply means _a choosing_. It is an undeniable fact that ourLord Jesus Christ elects, chooses, accepts every one that trulyrepents or turns his heart from evil to good. "_Him that cometh untome_, " says he, "_I will in no wise cast out_. " "_He that believeth andis baptized_, SHALL BE SAVED. " "WHOSOEVER WILL, _let him take of thewater of life freely_. " TRUTH is the broad platform on which the_elect_ of God forever stand; and LOVE is the golden chain that firstdrew and forever binds them there. 

PREDESTINATION. 

There is not a living thing upon the face of the earth but ispredestinated to a certain end. The horse, in his very _creation_, ispredestinated to be the horse in kind, and to serve the end of hiscreation; and his nature and characteristics as such admit of nochange. Predestination is one of the essentials of God's eternalorder. If the horse, or the ox, or anything else which God hascreated, could be changed from the nature and order of its creation, confusion would be the inevitable result. 

I do not wonder that Paul wrote what he did upon predestination, because it implies the immutable, eternal order of God's love andwisdom. Heaven and earth may pass away, but Christ's love shall neverpass away from the lowliest and poorest soul that loves and obeys him. His love to Christ is the seal of his predestination to eternal life. 

"He that believeth the Son hath life; but he that believeth not theSon shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. " This isthe sum of election and predestination. God's eternal love has givento man the way of man's salvation. All who choose that way are on thatvery account elected and predestinated to eternal life in heaven. _Elected_, because this fits them for heaven: _predestinated_, becauseit is God's eternal purpose to save all such. Predestination appliesequally to the impenitent; because, according to the same plan and theprinciples involved in it, they must be forever lost. 

Nothing can be more reasonable than that God's elect, the people ofhis choice, should be holy and without blame before him in love; thatthey should be followers of God as dear children, and walk in love. This is both the cause and the proof of their election to eternallife. 

If you will take the pains to look into a dictionary for the wordWALK, you will find that it means: _To conduct one's self; to orderone's life_. Every man feels in himself the power to order his ownlife according to what is just and right in the sight of God and men. To regard man in any other light would be to place him on a level withthe brute. It would be taking away from him his moral feelings, anddepriving him of the just exercise of his will through theunderstanding. Whilst man feels in himself this power, still he mustnot forget that all life is from God, and that without God man isnothing. "_Herein is love; not that we loved God, but that he lovedus. _" And every true child of his can say: "_I love him because hefirst loved me_. "

Sinner, let me say to you that God loves you and wills your salvation. But he cannot save you without your will to be saved by him. You mustreciprocate his love. You must answer his call. You must obey hisvoice. His Holy Spirit is now saying to you: "Be thou reconciled toGod. Turn thou, turn thou, for why wilt thou die?" You need not pauseand wonder whether or not you are one of his elect. I can answer thismyself. I say to you that in your present state you most assuredly are_not_ one of his elect. But if you truly repent of your sins by givingyour heart to him in love and obedient faith, just as surely as hisWord is true, you will become to be one of his elect; for election issalvation. But if you stay away, who is to blame? "_He that will notplough by reason of the cold, shall beg in harvest. _" If you fail tosow, where will your ingathering be? But note this: "He that soweth tohis flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth tothe Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. " To sow to theSpirit is to do the will of God from love to God; and to all who dothis, the promise is sure. 

Brethren and sisters, I must exhort you to remember the text. Don'tforget it as you go home after meeting closes. When you get home lookfor it. Some of you, I fear, have already forgotten the place where itis found; so I will tell you again. It is the first, and part of thesecond verse of the fifth chapter of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. These are the words: "_Be ye therefore followers of God as dearchildren; and walk in love_. "

You know that good children imitate good parents. They follow theirexamples. Now ye are called to follow the leadings of God, to imitatethe examples of love he has set before you. Let me present to you someof these: "_If any of you have a quarrel against any, even as Christforgave you, so also do ye_. " This is the best way to settle a quarrelI have ever found. 

Here is another: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should dounto you, do ye even so unto them; for this is the law and theprophets. " This means that all that God has ever spoken to man is tothe end that each one love his neighbor as he loves himself. No onecan be a true neighbor who does not love God. The neighbor, then, thatis to be loved in this way must be a brother or sister in the Lord;and none but a brother or sister in the Lord is capable of loving inthis way, and to this degree. So you see that love to the neighbor, such as the law of Christ sets forth, implies supreme love to God. This love makes heaven here, and there, and everywhere. 

Here is one more: "Love not in _word_ only, but in deed and in truth. He that hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, andshutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the loveof God in him?"

Brethren, the devil does not like the odor of CHARITY and FAITH in thechurch. It is worse in his nose than the smoke of burning brimstone. If you want to keep him out of the church, all you have to do is tokeep brightly burning the fire of love on the altar of every heart;and from these altars, all together, there will ascend the odor of anincense that will put the devil to flight and keep him away forever. 

FRIDAY, December 7. Brother Kline, in company with brethren Brower andRodecap, started to

THE PASTURES. 

The Pastures comprise a considerable scope of rich grazing country inthe western part of Augusta County and the eastern part of HighlandCounty, Virginia. This section is watered by two principal rivers ofsmall size, respectively called the Calf Pasture and the Cow Pasture. They are tributaries of the James river in Virginia. Here thesebrethren preached day and night for some time. 

We rarely find anything amusing in the Diary. Brother Kline's mind andheart were too deeply imbued with sincerity in religion and the lifeflowing out of it, to give place to things of a light or trivialcharacter. But for once, on this journey, we find one entry thatbrings a smile to the face: One evening, when they were all seatedaround the fire at Brother Henry Snell's the conversation turned upona company of Indians that had, shortly before, passed along that way. They asked permission to spend the night in one of Brother Snell'soutbuildings, which was cheerfully granted. 

These Indians, Brother Snell went on to relate, had killed a wildturkey on their way that day, and in the evening asked the family fora suitable vessel in which to cook it. This being furnished, they wenton to prepare the turkey for the pot. This they did in true Indianstyle. Two squaws went through the performance. One took hold of onewing, and the other took hold of the other wing; and thus between thetwo most of the feathers were removed. They then opened the bird, removing such of the internal viscera as were thought not fit forfood, washed it in a vessel of water, and then put it on to cook _inthe very same water they had washed it in_. 

Brother Kline could not help applying the last point in the aboveincident to some features in the lives of men. He says: "That ministerwho gets up and in a beautiful and glowing discourse sets forth theChristian 'cleansed from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit;' andthen comes down to mix with the world, and follow its fashions andvanities, _is cooking his turkey in the same water he washed it in_. That professor of religion who, to appearance, makes a very humbleconfession of his sins, with seeming repentance and deep contrition ofheart, only to go away and thrust himself again into the filthiness ofhis former life, is cooking _his_ turkey in the same water he washedit in. "

REFLECTIONS ON THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR. FROM THE ENTRY OF DECEMBER 31. 

This evening closes the work of another year. The record of this yearis now nearly complete. Have I any idea of that record? I think Ihave. Of one thing I feel sure. It has not been kept with paper, penand ink. Neither has it been written in the skies. Each one's yearlyrecord is written by no hand but his own, and upon no tablet but thatof his own heart. Each one's LIFE, therefore, is his record. This, before God and the angels, is a faithful transcript of his mind andheart within. "A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things; likewise an evil man, out of the eviltreasure of his heart, bringeth forth evil things. " The good things ofthe one and the evil things of the other constitute the life record ofevery man. This makes character, and character is the basis on whichmen make up their opinions of one another; but the HEART, out of whichthe character grows, is the BOOK that will be opened before thethrone, out of which every one will be judged. A _good heart_ is eachredeemed saint's BOOK OF LIFE: and an evil heart is each lost soul'sbook of condemnation. 

Hence we are told by our Lord "that every idle word that men shallspeak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment;" andthat "whatsoever is spoken in the ear in the closet shall beproclaimed upon the housetop. " Good words leave the lines of theirlight upon the heart's love-tablet; but evil words leave their shadowsin the chambers of the soul, and deepen the darkness there. 

_Sermon by Elder John Kline. _

_Preached on Lost River, West Virginia, March 3. _

 TEXT. --Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many be they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few be they that find it. --Matt. 7:13, 14. 

It is declared that our Lord spake to his disciples in parables; "andwithout a parable spake he not unto them. " A parable is a briefstatement of such _facts_ as men are well acquainted with; whichfacts are designed to correspond to or represent things they are_not_ well acquainted with. Every parable, then, carries with ittwo lines of thought. The one line is natural, and is based upon thenatural things given in the parable. The other line is spiritual, andfollows the natural line, as a shadow follows its substance. My textis not properly a parable, but it is in the parabolic form, and mustbe treated as such. 

We notice at once the two gates and the two ways. We also notice thatthese two ways or roads lead in opposite directions and to oppositedestinies. These statements the simplest mind can lay hold of. Evenyoung children know what gates are, and what roads are. They can alsolook in thought toward the ends of roads, and comprehend, in somemeasure at least, what is meant when they are told that one road endsin a great fire that will burn forever, and that the other ends in adelightful garden where flowers of beauty and fragrance, with fruitsof exquisite taste and healthfulness, hang upon trees and vines ofunfading loveliness. 

It is never necessary to speak to the simple-minded man or child aboutthe freedom of the human will. Their lessons in this are learned fromobservation and experience. By experience every one knows that he hasthe power to choose what he likes and to reject what he does not like. Even beasts, and birds, and reptiles do the same. They choose andappropriate the foods they like. They mate together according to thesame free will, which is their love. Birds select their roostingplaces, and construct their nests where and how they will. "Foxes haveholes;" but this is so because God first made the caverns in therocks, and the foxes afterward chose them for their habitations. Everyunit in the whole animate world, not only chooses the place of itsabode, but also the modes and means of its subsistence. Even plants ina state of nature conform to this general law. Shall man, born toglorify God and enjoy him forever, be cut short in the free exerciseof his will? I cannot believe it. But I do believe that the brightestsaint in heaven is where he is because it was first his will to gothere; and being there, it is forever his will to stay. 

I am not ignorant of the arguments advanced by the other side. Manygood, but, I believe misguided men, hold the opinion that man is sodepraved as to his will, so lost to all sense and understanding ofwhat is good, that he is wholly incapable of choosing the right andshunning the wrong. But I believe the Lord knows just what man can doand what man cannot do. And it is a thing self-evident to my mind thatGoodness and Wisdom has never yet commanded man to do anything that isout of man's power to do. 

Let us grant that man is dead in trespasses and sins, as Paulrepresents him. But does not Jesus say: "My words are spirit and theyare life"? The Lord's words have LIFE in them; and if man will buthear them with his natural ear, as you now hear me speak, and then benot a forgetful hearer, but be a doer of the Word; this man shall beblessed in his deed; and soon be filled with the new life of God. 

The text opens in these words: "Enter ye in at the narrow gate. " Thisis impossible for any one to do without his knowing what the narrowgate is, and where it is. Whilst we have no direct and positiveinformation upon this point in connection with the text, we still maylearn something by noticing into what it opens. The narrow gate opensinto the narrow way, and this leads to LIFE. The narrow gate and thenarrow way are one. I mean by this that entering the narrow gate meansmaking a start in the direction of a good life, and walking in thenarrow way is progress in a good life. But where is the gate, andwhere is the way? I answer:

 "The Gate is before you, and so is the Way; The Gate is wide open, and no toll to pay. "

and this gate is our Lord Jesus Christ as set forth in his Word. 

 "Where'er we seek Him, He is found; And every place is holy ground!"

But, my dear hearers, do not for a moment imagine that it is a smallthing to make the change here implied. First, it means a change of theheart or will. Of course no one ever leaves a road that leads in onedirection, to turn right around and enter upon another that leads inthe very opposite direction, without a great change of mind. Second, it implies that there has been new light imparted, new truth receivedinto the mind. This new truth teaches the understanding that it isneither wise nor _safe_ to keep the broad road, because it leads todestruction. Fear of destruction, then, on the one hand, and the loveof life on the other are involved in this change. 

I am just now reminded of what we are told in history that a greatman, many years ago, left his home in Europe and came across theAtlantic ocean in his own ship to hunt for the fountain of youth thatwas confidently believed to exist somewhere in the wilds of America. This fountain, it was said, possessed the virtue of imparting youth tothe aged, and life and health to the sick and dying. To the dying itwas, _Drink and live_; to the aged it was, _Bathe in its waters_ andreturn to the _vigor_ and _beauty_ of _youth_. As this great man wasfar advanced in age he thought it would be WISE to make an effort tofind this fountain, which never has existed but in the imaginations ofsilly men; and never will exist in any other way in this world. Ofcourse he failed to find it; and, worst of all, he died in the vaineffort. 

But not so with any that have ever entered into the narrow way throughthe narrow gate. It surely leads to life, as thousands now living inthis world can testify. It does appear to me that this change is quiteas rational, quite as harmonious with man's common sense, as anythingthat he does in the daily course of his life's experiences andoperations. The intelligent, rational man acts from reason in all theaffairs of life. What he loves he calls good, and what he fears orhates he calls evil. This he shuns and that he covets, and puts forthevery effort of mind and body to gain it. 

In this fact we find the truth of our Lord's words verified: "Thechildren of this world are wiser in their generation than the childrenof light. " The word GENERATION in this place means _state_ or_condition_ from which proceeds a given manner of life, and dailyattention to business. The men of the world are active as to theirworks, and watchful as to their interests. This watchfulness andactivity is what our Lord calls their _wisdom_, and in its degree itexceeds that of the children of light. Our minds and wills act asfreely in choosing the things of religion, and doing the dutiesconnected therewith, as they do in the things that belong to this lifeonly. 

But we must not forget that every one who enters in by the narrow gateis but a child in experience when he first enters. He is but a lamb. But the Good Shepherd and Father go with him, leading him and feedinghim. Like Enoch, he walks with God. 

The text does not say that the narrow way _is_ life; but that it_leads_ unto life. To my mind it is clear that whenever the "sinnerforsakes his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, " he then andthere enters in by the narrow gate. This is repentance. He returns tothe Lord by the narrow way: and the Lord is life. 

It may well be asked why the gate and the way are narrow. The narrowgate is the TRUTH of God's Word as it is first found and loved: andthe narrow way is the same TRUTH as it is followed and obeyed. Truthis always a straight or narrow track, because any departure therefrom, either to the right or left, is error and falsity. 

Jesus says: "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall besaved. " This door is just as narrow as the gate. He also says: "I amthe way. " As such, he is so narrow that, as the prophet represents, itis as if a fire of destruction were on the one hand and a flood ofwrath on the other. Ah, Brethren, the truth can never be made to bend. It is as the builder's line to the foundation; and as the plumb lineto the column. 

To such as walk in the narrow way our Lord says: "I give unto themeternal life; and they shall never perish. " Is not this encouraging?It is to be in the Lord, and the Lord in us. It is to be a live andfruitful branch of the true Vine. It is to be a son of God, an heir ofGod, and a joint heir with Christ. It is, when the coil of mortalityis laid aside, to shine as the sun in the kingdom of our Father inheaven. 

It would afford me much joy to find some here to-day ready to enter inby the narrow gate. Do I hear some one say: "I feel that I ought toleave the broad road that ends in destruction, but I cannot"? It istrue, you can of yourself do nothing. If left to yourself you wouldnever draw another breath; you would never again move your hand orfoot. But for the life-supporting power of the good Lord you wouldinstantly be a dead man or woman in every sense. Do not forget that inGod you live, and move, and have your being. This is as certainly andas literally true of every man's natural life as of his spirituallife. God is constantly present with you; for without him you can donothing. 

Now, since he is ever present with you, sustaining a life which youacknowledge is not being spent in his service and to his glory, willhe not much more give you at the same time power and love and faith todo his will? O, try him. Try my Lord in one sincere, humble, honest, fervent prayer. Say, Lord, open my eyes. Take away my heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh. "Create in me a clean heart; and renew aright spirit within me. " My friend, the moment you sincerely wish todo his will by loving and obeying him he will enable you to do so, assurely as he now enables you to rise to your feet and walk home, or gowherever you will and do what you choose. 

It is not a small thing the Lord means when he says: "Consider thelilies of the field, . .. They toil not, neither do they spin: and yetI say unto you, That Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like oneof these. If God so clothe the grass of the field, . .. Shall he notmuch more clothe you?"

My friend, let me here impress your mind with the sublime truth thatit is quite as much in accordance with the Lord's way, and quite asharmonious with his love, to clothe you with power to do his will asto clothe the grass of the field with beauty. He gives life and beautyto every sparrow. Are you not more in his eye than many sparrows? Eventhe very hairs of your head are all numbered. O friend, think of it. He even hears the young ravens when they cry. And will he let yoursoul perish? Will he suffer your naked soul to sink into hell when youcry to him for help? Perish the thought! For it "is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the worldto save sinners"; not to condemn them. 

WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED? Let the Lord answer: "_He that heareth myword, and believeth him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shallnot come into condemnation; but is passed out of death unto life_. "This is salvation. 

THE FOREST. 

This is a section of country in the southwestern part of ShenandoahCounty, Virginia. In early days it was very densely timbered, and itsfew scattered inhabitants were said to live in the forest or woods. Inthis way they were locally distinguished from those living in theeastern part of the county, along the North Fork of the Shenandoahriver. At present it is one of the wealthiest and most highlycultivated sections of the county. The population is largely composedof German Baptist Brethren. Many of these are now distinguished forpiety and usefulness. In this number we find the names of Peter Myers, Benjamin Wine, Daniel Wine, Christian Haller, Samuel Garber, MartainGarber and others, with their descendants, many of whom are churchmembers. Brother Daniel Hays married in this section, and formerlyresided there; but he now lives near Broadway, in Rockingham County, Virginia. 

Among the deceased from this section, posterity will long rememberthe name of Jacob Wine, who was, for many years, so noted for hisliberality and activity in the ministry. His uncle, Michael Wine, was, perhaps, no less distinguished for his outspoken opposition againsteverything he did not like, as well as for his earnest defense of whathe believed to be good and true. Such men, by force of character inthe direction of right, secretly carve their names upon the rock ofmemory, where they defy the surges of time. 

Here may be seen the old Flat Rock meetinghouse, a substantial brickstructure, so-called from the rock on which it stands. This islimestone, and presents a comparatively smooth and level surface, probably two hundred and fifty feet in length, by two hundred feet inbreadth. The formation is wonderful, and affords a striking emblem ofthe Rock of Truth on which are founded the doctrines and practices ofthe Brethren. 

May 10, 11 and 12 were spent by Brother Kline in visiting, mostly witha view to religious conversations and instructions. In these threedays he visited Martain Good's, Abraham Glick's, Christian Garber's, David Wampler's, Peter Nead's, George Kline's and Daniel Glick's. 

THURSDAY, May 13, there was council meeting at Christian Garber's. John Wine, John Harshberger and Joseph Miller were elected forspeakers. Martain Miller and Solomon Garber were elected for deacons. 

SUNDAY, June 6. Meeting at the Flat Rock. I baptized Emanuel Grabiland Christian Funkhouser. John 3 was read. 

SUNDAY, June 13. Meeting at our meetinghouse. Matthew 3 was read. Ibaptized James Mauck and Susanna Shull. 

SUNDAY, July 18. Meeting at Jesse Whetzel's on Lost River. Acts 3 wasread. Brother Daniel Miller is with me. In the afternoon we hadmeeting again, and Brother Jacob Motz was baptized. 

_Sermon by Elder John Kline. _

_Preached at William Fitzwater's, August 8. _

 TEXT. --We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. --2 Cor. 5:20. 

Every chapter and every verse of Gospel Truth discloses the love ofGod in one way or another. Our Lord came into the world, not tocondemn the world, but to save the world; and all the words that makethat salvation known to men are words of love. I am sure we think toolittle upon

THE LOVE OF GOD. 

In my talks with sinners I very often discover in them a sort ofimpression that God is their enemy. I would not, on any account, intentionally misrepresent a single individual; either as to theopinions he may hold or the secret sentiments he may entertain; but Iam impressed with the belief that if the hearts of many, if not all, unconverted persons could be laid open to view, they would in theirinmost recesses disclose the belief or impression that God is nottheir friend; that he does not wish them well; that he is only bearingwith them until it suits his time to cut them off and send them tohell. This sentiment springs from a consciousness of sins indulged andduties neglected. Hence, when such fall into deep affliction, whendanger threatens or destruction impends, they call on God to havemercy upon them; and beg him to turn away his wrath. 

A wrong interpretation of many passages in the Bible tends to fosterthis impression. I will here quote a few passages of this kind, andthen interpret them according to what I believe to be the truth. Whenthe children of Israel were about ready to cross the Jordan over intothe land of Canaan, Moses said to them: "Remember, and forget not, howthou provokedst the Lord thy God TO WRATH in the wilderness. .. . Alsoin Horeb ye provoked the Lord TO WRATH, so that the Lord WAS ANGRYwith you, to have destroyed you. " Deut. 9:7, 8. 

The Old Testament abounds with passages of similar import, and manyare found in the New Testament. But let us examine carefully the_kind_ of _wrath_ and _anger_ to which the Lord may be provoked. Itcannot be such wrath as men and devils feel. In Rev. 12:12 we readthese words: "The devil is come down unto you, having great WRATH, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. "

We can not, we dare not, think for a moment that the word _wrath_, when spoken of God, means the same as when spoken of the devil. Thedevil's wrath implies a feeling in him to do all the evil and mischiefhe can. But the wrath of God cannot mean anything like this; because, when his wrath burns the fiercest, he is still ever ready to forgiveall who repent and turn from evil. Nay, he even _entreats_ andbeseeches men to be reconciled to him, that his anger may be turnedaway. I might quote many passages in proof of this. I have time togive but one from the Old Testament. When the Lord made an end oflaying before the children of Israel the blessings and the curses, hewound up all by saying: "And there shall cleave naught of the cursedthing to thine hand: that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of hisanger, and show thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, andmultiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; when thou shalthearken to the voice of the Lord thy God. "

An appeal to the light of reason must convince any unprejudiced mindthat our heavenly Father is angry and wrathful toward no one, in thesense of willing evil to him, or of seeking an opportunity to do himmischief. _Men_ may, and no doubt often do, have this feeling; but itis a wicked feeling. Perish the thought of such wrath ever having aplace in the heart of our heavenly Father. The Apostle Peter says:"The Lord is long-suffering toward us, NOT WILLING that ANY SHOULDPERISH, but that all should come to repentance. "

But let us crown all this argument with the Lord's sunrise upon thenight of Nicodemus. Here it is: "God so loved the world, "--the veryworst, and wickedest, and most depraved and abandoned part of it; hemade no exceptions--"that he gave his only begotten Son, thatWHOSOEVER believeth on him should not perish, but have everlastinglife. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;but that the world through him might be saved. "

Do not imagine that God, our Creator, took a spell of love and goodwill when he sent his Son into the world. God does not take spells, either of love or wrath. He is the same yesterday, to-day andforevermore. The same God who brought destruction upon thedisobedient, wayward, unthankful tribes of Israel, is the God who soloved the world. He loved it then, just as he loves it now. He lovesit now, just as he did when he sent his Son to die for its sins. Butlet us inquire a little further into the nature of the

DIVINE WRATH. 

When I am crossing deep water I always find it best to be calm, goslowly and steadily, and look well to the point where I expect toland. The wrath of God is such only in _appearance_. The _real_ wrathis in man, and upon man. Let me explain this. Our blessed Savior says:"Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven isperfect:" "for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. "

There lies a man who gave himself up to intemperance. Alcohol hadpermeated his body, carrying its deadly poison into every nerve, andfibre, and tissue of his entire organism. He exposed himself to thesun's rays on a very hot day, and he fell dead from _sunstroke_. TheWRATH of the sun destroyed his life. God made the sun to rise on themorning of that day; and God filled the sun with its heat; but it waswrathful to the man who was not prepared for it, and to no one else. Nature everywhere rejoiced in its light and heat; the corn grew; thehay was cured; and devout hearts thanked the Lord for that lovely day. 

Right there, on that sand, is where a man once built his house. He wastold by many that it was not a safe place to build a dwelling house, that it would certainly be in danger of being swept away by highwater. He would not hear, but went on building; and finally he movedin. But great WRATH came upon him; for in one night his house, withall in it, including himself, was washed away. Wise people all overthe land rejoiced to see the rain. It had been a dry time, andeverybody said: "What a fine rain! It has replenished our wells andflushed up our springs. The mills can now start up again. When theground dries off a little people can go to plowing again. " But thisvery same rain was destruction and WRATH to the foolish man who hadbuilt his house in the way of its flood. 

You may now better understand what I mean by saying that the wrath ofGod is not wrath as we usually understand the word to mean; but wrathonly in _appearance_. The Lord did not send the flood to destroy thatman's house; the flood was just as necessary as the rain, and its endquite as benevolent. The destruction of the man's house was purely theresult of his own folly. 

All just laws are founded upon love, because their highest end and aimis to protect the good. But the law, "which is holy, just, and good, "is full of WRATH to the evil doer when it overtakes and punishes himfor his crimes. But does the good law, which essentially is nothingbut love, change? Is it to-day in a good humor, and to-morrow angry?Such is our heavenly Father. To the wise and good he is love, both inappearance and essence; but to the foolish and evil, the very sameunchangeable love assumes the _appearance_ of anger and wrath. You arenow prepared for

THE TEXT. 

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech youby us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. " Thelife of Jesus on earth was a life of love. A part of the angelicchorus as it floated down from the skies, announcing the birth of theSon of God, was: "GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN. " Good will toward men waseverywhere manifested by our Lord in the life he lived and in thedeath he died. In his life "he went about doing good;" and no part ofthat good gave him deeper joy than to see sinners repent of theirsins. 

The burden of John's ministry, by which the way of the Lord wasprepared, had for its keynote: "Repent, and bring forth fruits meetfor [corresponding to] repentance. " When our Lord sent out the twelveto preach, he charged them to say: "Repent, for the kingdom of heavenis at hand. " Right here I wish to impress your minds deeply with thisthought that repentance and reconciliation mean one and the samething; at least, there can be no reconciliation without repentance. Reconciliation is repentance made perfect. 

What keeps men in a state of enmity toward each other? It is pride, self-will, and self-love. 

Pride says: "I will not bow to _him_. He has got to come to _me_. "

Self-Will says: "If he will not accede to my terms, there will be noreconciliation. "

Self-Love says: "What would others think of _me_, were _I_ to humblemyself to him?"

It is self-evident that just so long as this state of feeling existswith the parties, the enmity will remain. Where deep enmity exists, both parties may be in fault, as is often the case; but this is notnecessarily so. There are cases where the fault and enmity are all onone side, and nothing but love and a desire for reconciliation on theother. I just now call to mind a case of this kind. An avowed infidelhad been at considerable expense to have his daughter educated in therefinements of learning and art. She excelled in these, and became herfather's pride. 

But a day came when her heart was stirred within her. Accidentallymeeting with these words of Paul, "She that liveth in pleasure is deadwhile she liveth, " her mind was led to think and wonder what theycould mean. Her father had taught her to look upon religion as a thingof mere superstition, and to treat the Bible as a book of fables anddelusions. But these words clung to her thoughts, and with them someothers which fell from the lips of the minister who preached where shesometimes went to church. 

Finally she opened her heart to a minister who took great care toinstruct her in the way of salvation, and gave her a Bible. This sheread to the illumination of her mind and heart, made an openprofession of her faith, was baptized, and would have gone on her wayrejoicing every day but for one thing. That one thing was her father'sdispleasure. His daughter's conduct in the things of religion hadwounded his pride. He became wrathful, and for a time lost hisself-control. In this outburst of passion he ejected her from herhome, and threatened her minister with violence. In this case youreadily see that the fault and enmity are all on one side, and if areconciliation is ever effected it must be based upon the repentanceof the guilty party. 

I see you are interested to know how all this turned out. I will tellyou very briefly. About two years after the above occurrence thelady's father met with a very serious accident, in which his leg wasbroken and his body otherwise injured. His recovery was slow. When hecould begin to sit up a little he thought what a comfort it would beto have his daughter's company, if she still were as she once hadbeen. 

Waiving all this, he resolved to ask her to come back home. She hadbeen with her uncle all this while. Having returned home in compliancewith her father's request, she showed him all the kindness andattention in her power. One day, when the two were alone together inthe room, he asked her what had induced her to treat him as she haddone. Her tearful eyes and gentle words, as she told him of the loveof Christ which had constrained her to do as she had done, of the joyand consolation she felt in his service, of her bright hope of blisswith angels and glorified saints in heaven so impressed him that helistened with rapt attention. He had never been so talked to before. From this time on, up to his complete recovery, conversations on thesubject of religion were of daily occurrence; and I am happy to saythat they resulted in deep and godly repentance on his part, whicheffected a reconciliation to his daughter and her minister forever. 

My dear, unconverted friends, the enmity between you and your God, like the enmity of this father towards his daughter, is all on oneside, and that is _your_ side. No steps are needed to reconcile God toman. No such steps ever have been needed, because God holds no enmityin his heart towards men. His words of invitation, "Come unto me, andI will give you rest, " mean love, love to the guilty. "If any manthirst, let him come unto me and drink, " means love. His bleedingheart on the cross, and his bleeding hands, and his bleeding feet andhis side, all, all mean love. He ever loves you, and asks you to bereconciled to him. He is not visibly here now, but he has committed tohis faithful ministers this word of reconciliation; and as a veryhumble one of their number I take up the refrain, and in the words ofmy text I say to you and to all: "Now then, I am an ambassador forChrist, as though God did beseech you by me: I pray you in Christ'sstead, be ye reconciled to God. "

ELDER JOHN KLINE AND ISAAC LONG VISIT PENNSYLVANIA. 

THURSDAY, August 12, the two brethren started on their journey. Theyattended council meeting at the Flat Rock. Here they took leave of theBrethren, and started on a journey that was to occupy about fiveweeks. Brother Kline, as was his custom when his spirit stirred him togo on a journey of this kind, had sent many appointments ahead; andmany were eagerly expecting and hopefully awaiting his arrival. 

The imagination can find much pleasure in accompanying these twobrethren on this protracted visit to the churches. Both on horseback, they had every opportunity to view the country as they passed along;and many must have been the remarks and observations suggested bythings along the way. Brother Kline's mind was peculiarly active, andhis temper and social disposition genial in an eminent degree. It wasnever my privilege to be with him on one of these protractedexcursions, but from the short ones I occasionally took with him inlater years, I feel sure that each day, all else favorable, was a sortof heavenly delight. 

Seeing a fine looking tree in the forest, whose leaves and branchesand general appearance showed that it was solid to the core, straightgrained, and deeply and firmly rooted in the soil, he would say: "Thattree is a fair representation of a good church member. He standsupright. You see he does not lean to one side or the other. He holdshis head high in the perpendicular line of justice and truth. Thesquirrels that run up and down on his trunk and over his Branches donot annoy him: these are his little charities. They feed on his fruit, to be sure; but a pleasant smile is all the account he takes of them. You tap him with a mallet, and his trunk gives out a dull but certainsound of solidity to the core. There is no wind-shake about him. Histhrifty appearance proves this. The storms, in the church and out ofthe church, have never disturbed the solid texture of his faith andChristian integrity. He is not twisty. The fibers that compose hishuge trunk are just like his principles; they all run straight up anddown. You always know how to take him, and what to depend on when youhave him. 

"But there stands another tree of a very different character. Tap thattree, and the drum-like sound tells you at once that it is hollow. Youcan see, too, by the furrows in the bark not running up and down inperpendicular lines, that it is twisty. It can hardly be said to bewind-shaken, for there is not enough solid timber in it to be affectedin that way. The few nuts or acorns which it bears are worthless; forthere is not sufficient vitality about it to mature its fruit. Itwould have been to the ground long ago but for the support given it bythat other tree on which it leans. I leave you to form your ownopinion of the church member represented by this tree. I hope thereare not many such, for if there were I fear we would not be able tofind enough solid material to build a house that would stand. "

Brother Kline was gifted with that fortunate cast of mind whichenabled him to draw from nature themes for thought and conversation, which added much to his happiness when alone, and to his geniality incompany; and not only so, but even in his preaching he drew largelyfrom the magazines of God's creation. I have not a doubt that if allthe items of interest that passed between himself and Brother Long, inthe way of conversations on this journey, could be collected andpresented in proper form they would make a most instructive andentertaining volume. I sometimes fear that the world's best thoughtescapes its hands. It may, however, so turn out that after awhilestenography will set her delicate nets and catch these wild birdswhich now flit by us on such active wing that we catch but a glimpseof their forms and beauty. 

FRIDAY, August 13, the two brethren got to Jonas Goughnour's, belowWoodstock, in Shenandoah County, Virginia. They had meeting in aschoolhouse near by. Brother Isaac Long, at this early day, gave clearindications of the ability and usefulness which have characterized hisministry to the present time. Trained to correct business habits fromearly youth, he carried them over into his church work; and judging byhis success, to plan and to perform, to design and to execute, withhim mean one and the same thing. 

Between the fourteenth and twentieth of August the two brethrenvisited John Rowland's, Emanuel Long's, Joseph Long's, DanielReichert's, Daniel Long's, David Kinsey's and John Brandt's. 

FRIDAY, August 20. The two brethren, in company with David Kinsey andJohn Brandt, go to Brother Nussbaum's. They went through London, PathValley and Fennelsburg. They must have had a long ride this day; butwho could think the road long with such company? The next day theywent towards Huntingdon. Brother Kline says they crossed a tolerablyhigh mountain this day, and dined at Brother Jacob Berket's. 

I wonder how they kept him from wandering off and hunting formedicinal roots and herbs while crossing that mountain. You may besure that no patch of Lady's Slipper, Golden-Seal or Golden-Rodescaped his eye. The absence of a hoe is all that saved them from adeal of trouble with him. They went on through Shirleysburg, and gotto Brother Andrew Spanogle's about sunset. 

Following Brother Kline on this and similar journeys, by means of theDiary, enthuses my soul with an undefinable longing to have been withhim. The excitement, and danger, and hurry and bustle constantlyincident to travel at the present day were all unfelt and unfeared bythis company. 

Brother Kline's habit was ever to rise early; and, especially onexcursions like the present, would he often rise before the family andwalk out to take the air, as he said, and see the sun rise. This hedid even when the days were at their longest. To get up with him andtake a walk before breakfast to some elevation not distant from hislodging place, and hear him discourse upon the rising sun, thebalminess of the air, the clearness of the water, the songs of thebirds, the delicate tints and wonderful mechanism of the flowers offields and woods, was a treat of rare enjoyment. 

SUNDAY, August 15. They all attended a meeting and love feast. John 15was read. Five persons were baptized. The four brethren stayed allnight at Brother Umbenhaver's. On the twenty-third they dined atBrother Seacrist's; then crossed the Juniata to Waynesboro and stayedall night at Brother Kensel's. On the twenty-fourth they attended alove feast near Brother Samuel Myers's. Hebrews 2 was read. One personbaptized. On the twenty-fifth they went to Brother Dolyman's. On thetwenty-sixth they went through Lewistown; then down the canal toMifflinburg, and on to Michael Basehore's, where they had meeting. Acts 10 was read. From this place they went to David Myers's, wherethey had night meeting. Mark 11 was read. 

From some unknown cause, here is the first sermon outlined by BrotherKline in all this journey. He may have been too busy, at times, togive the outlines; and at other times may not have felt like doing it. There is so much originality of thought in the outlines that I herereproduce his discourse as nearly as possible. 

_Sermon by Elder John Kline. _

_Preached at David Myers's, in Pennsylvania, August 26. _

 TEXT. --"By what authority doest thou these things?"

It was an exceedingly bold act on the part of our Lord to cleanse thetemple at Jerusalem in the way he did it. In justification of hisright to do this he appealed to what was written: "My house shall becalled of all nations the house of prayer, but ye have made it a denof thieves. " But reference to this authority involved other questionsof grave import in the minds of the scribes and Pharisees. They wishedto doubt his right to appeal to this Scripture, because they wereunwilling to concede his claim to the divine sonship. To raise asstrong a breast of opposition against him as possible, there "come tohim in the temple the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and say to him, By what authority doest thou these things?"

Most unexpectedly to them, they were confronted by another questionquite as direct, from whose point and power they quailed: "The baptismof John, was it from heaven, or of men?" Whilst many of the scribesand Pharisees and elders had never condescended to show John enoughrespect even to be present at any time when he was baptizing in theJordan, still they knew, and felt most keenly, the power of histeachings and work upon the common people; for "all held John to be aprophet;" "but the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of Godagainst themselves, being not baptized of him, " John. 

To all human appearance, the influence of the baptism and teachings ofJohn, upon the common people, saved our Lord's life upon this andprobably other occasions, for the scribes and chief priests soughtopportunity to destroy him; but they feared the _common people_. Inthis we discover traces of the good accomplished by John's mission, which was "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord;" and thispeople was the _common people_. 

Our Lord, however, had a much higher thought and loftier end in thequestion he put to these men than that of merely saving his life bythe facts involved in the question. 

When a minister, either diplomatic or religious, on foreign soil, isasked for his authority, it is absolutely necessary for him to producesatisfactory credentials of his investment with the office and thehonor he may claim. Our Lord's credentials must be clear andsatisfactory, beyond those of any other minister, because no othersever have been or can be subjected to such a rigid scrutiny and tosuch scathing tests as those were which he bore. They must present amore imposing front than that of the power to work miracles. Othershad wrought miracles before. Moses had made the bottom of the Red Seadry ground; and with a single stroke of his rod had cleft a mightyrock to the gushing forth of a flood of water from it. Elijah hadraised the widow's dead son, and had kept her cruse of oil and herbarrel of meal replenished; so that the famine came not nigh her door. The walls of Jericho had fallen under the sound of Joshua's band oframs'-horn trumpeters; and, in fact, miracles had, in one way oranother, been connected with almost all the events recorded in theJewish Scriptures. On the evidence of these facts the scribes andPharisees said to him in scorn: "Art thou greater than our fathers, which are dead? and Moses, and the prophets, which are dead?"

You may now perceive how necessary it was for our Lord to have somehigher claim to authority, in the eyes of these unbelieving Jews, thanthey were willing to see in his power to work miracles. This highertestimony to his authority was given by his Father, signed and sealedby the Holy Spirit, in the presence of witnesses, as Jesus came up outof the water when he was baptized. It was on the bank of the Jordanthat "the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of Goddescending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of theheavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. "To this fact all four of the evangelists bear testimony, in nearly thesame words. 

Peter, in an address recorded in the first chapter of the Acts, indirectly affirms that many witnessed our Lord's baptism and theattendant manifestations from heaven. To his mind it was an essentialpart of the qualifications of a candidate for the apostleship, thathe had been a witness of our Lord's baptism, as well as of hisresurrection. And why not? The proofs of his Sonship, of hisMessiahship, of his union or oneness with the Father, of the Father'slove for him, and of the acceptableness of the Son's work andobedience, were as clear and undeniable in the first as in the last. 

After a brief consultation among themselves over the questionpropounded unto them by our Lord, these deceitful Jews decided thatthe most expedient answer they could frame would be to confess thatthey "could not tell. " No wonder, now, that he told them that "thepublicans and harlots would enter the kingdom of heaven before theywould. " We may here see a verification of the fact that LOVE mustprecede FAITH. The truth may be _forced_ upon one, and he be_compelled_ to acknowledge it; yet, unless he falls in love with thattruth, he will not believe it as a thing of FAITH, and will not thinkand act correspondingly thereto. 

 "Convince a man against his will-- He's of the same opinion still. "

We may here, very properly, inquire why the heavenly testimony wasgiven at our Lord's baptism. Why were the Father's acknowledgment andapproval of his beloved Son not given in the temple of Jerusalem, inthe presence of his enemies, that they might be _convinced_; or inone of its populous streets on a public day, that the world, in arepresentative sense, might know of him? It is impossible for men orangels to know the mind of the Lord where he has not revealed it. Hehas withheld from us any direct information on this point; but we maydraw some inferential conclusions, which may serve to satisfy the mindand rest the heart. 

It is a matter of fact that the Father never put his Son on exhibition;neither did the Son ever seek any place of honor or distinction beforemen. "He was meek and lowly in heart. " The Word made flesh, the Wayand the Truth and the Life did not appear on earth to be gazed at as athing of mere curiosity, nor examined and handled as an article ofmerchandise. 

Men have their opinions; and especially at this day is there a decidedtendency with many to make a show of their denominational strength andnumerical importance; but, really, it appears to me that the Son ofGod shunned observation, and apparently shrank from the echo of hisfame. More than once did he kindly request those with him to saynothing about some sublime manifestation of divine power and lovewhich he had just given. 

Whatever else baptism may signify, to my mind it is plain that it isthe visible door to the visible kingdom of heaven on earth. Christ theLord is King of that kingdom; and as such it behooved him to enter itby the same door through which he has commanded that all his futuresubjects shall enter; and that door is water baptism. "He thatentereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him theporter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice. " The fold is thekingdom; the shepherd is the Lord; and the porter is John the Baptist. 

How fitting that the divine recognition be given at the _door_ of thekingdom in which the Lord is to be crowned "King of kings. " A fewhonest-hearted witnesses were all the Father wished, before whom tomake known this glorious disclosure of love for his Son. 

Baptism is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh. This is notits legitimate result. Its effect is the answer of a good consciencetoward God. When one submits to this ordinance in the right spirit, and it is properly administered, it never fails of being followed bythis happy experience. It gives the heart peace and rest in Christ. "The eunuch went on his way rejoicing. " "The jailer rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. " These rejoicings followedbaptism in each case. The Psalmist says: "The testimony of the Lordis sure, enlightening the eyes: the statutes of the Lord are pure, rejoicing the heart. More are they to be desired than gold; yea, thanmuch fine gold; for in the keeping of them there is great reward. "

Baptism is both a testimony and a statute. It is a testimony becauseit bears witness to the truth by the joy it imparts; and it is astatute because it is a written command of God which it is the duty ofevery believer to obey; and in the keeping of it there is greatreward. 

FRIDAY, August 27. They had meeting at Henry Hart's. Acts 3 was read. Two brethren were advanced from the deaconship to the ministry of theWord, and two were elected to the deaconship. The twenty-eighth theyspent mostly with Brother John Royer. The twenty-ninth they attendedtwo meetings: one at Brother Joel Royer's, and the other near the sameplace. At Joel Royer's, Brother Isaac Long took the lead in speaking;and from the outlines of his discourse, given in the Diary, I amassured it is worthy of being expanded into a sermon, and of holding aprominent place in this work. 

_Sermon by Elder Isaac Long, of Virginia. _

_Preached at Joel Royer's, in Pennsylvania, August 29. _

 TEXT. --"A sower went out to sow his seed. "

There is one feature about my text for to-day that is likely to drawat least momentary attention. That feature is its simplicity. I amglad to hope that this may give rise to a query in the mind of eachhearer in substance something like this: "What can he have to say onsuch a simple text as that? I am going to listen and see what he willmake of it. " I see your eyes have turned to me now; but, belovedbrethren and sisters, whilst the eyes of your bodies are turned to mefrom feelings of curiosity, I beg that the eyes of your understandingsand hearts may be turned to the Lord, for grace, on my part to speak, and on your part to hear. 

The text, in its simplicity of phraseology and external sense, lookslike a nut without a kernel. It comes to the ear like the uncertainsound of a trumpet: "_A sower went out to sow his seed_. " No part ofthe farmer's work, however, is more common in its seasons than this;and I may add with emphasis, that no part of the farmer's work in itsseasons is more _important_ than this. The life of the world dependsupon two great facts--_seeding_ and _harvesting_; and when the Lordestablished his covenant with Noah after the flood, two of theessential provisions of that covenant were couched in these words:"While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest shall not cease. " Inever read that covenant but with delight, because I love farming, andwhen at home farming is my business. Here is my covenant with theLord, and my assurance that my seedings will be blessed. 

There is one thing in the provisions of that covenant to which I wishto call special attention. It is all found in one compound word, andthat word is

SEED-TIME. 

It does not read _seeding_ and harvest. _Seeding_ means the act ofsowing seed. The Lord in his covenant does not say that this shall notcease; because the act of sowing seed or _seeding_ depends upon man:he only assures man that seedtime, or the time for sowing seed, shallnot cease. But notice the other part. He does not say harvest-time;but he says that _harvest_ shall not cease, because _he makes theharvest_. He speaks positively here of results, as being able andforever willing to fulfill what he covenants to do. In this covenant, man's work is implied as well as God's work. Man's part of the work isto sow the seed when the time is given. God's part is to bless theseed sown, by giving the harvest. In all of man's labor pertaining toproviding for the support and comfort of his body, "we are coworkerswith God. "

Our heavenly Father deals with us as children. By natural things heinstructs us in spiritual things. Paul says; "First that which isnatural; afterward that which is spiritual. " This is God's order. 

REASON AND FAITH. 

Some think that reason must yield to faith. Others think that faithmust yield to reason. The opinions on both sides are wrong, becauseboth imply a conflict between reason and faith, when in TRUTH no suchconflict ever has existed, nor can it exist. Reason is neither morenor less than the intelligent operations of the mind in seekingto know the truth; and faith is but a willing acceptance andacknowledgment of that truth when it is known. In one way of lookingat it, faith and knowledge are one; only faith is a loving acceptance, by the WILL, of what the UNDERSTANDING is assured of being true. Whatthe understanding doubts can never be received by the will as a thingof faith. 

WISDOM is the union of faith and knowledge in man, and becomes moreand more his guiding light in all intelligent action. If man's wisdombe merely that of earth, it is not genuine; but if it be heavenly, it is true wisdom, and leads more and more to God, and eternal lifein him. Wisdom says that there must be a sort of reciprocalcorrespondence between the seed and the ground on which it is sown. This fact involves several principles based upon experience. The sowermust know what kind of seed he is sowing. "_It may be of wheat or someother grain. _" He should know what preparation the ground requires tomake the hoped-for harvest. He should know what fertilizers andstimulants are likely to do most good. He should also know the right_time_ for sowing his seed. 

A mere knowledge of these principles, however, is not sufficient. There must be a practical application of them, in the way of complyingwith the necessary conditions, or the sowing will prove a failure. Theseed that fell by the wayside was picked up by the birds. That whichfell on the rock perished. That which fell among the thorns was soonovercome by their superior rankness of growth, and it made nothing. Only that which fell into good ground made a remunerative return. 

MAN'S WILL IS THE FIELD. 

I may say to you now that man's _will_ is the field which our Lordmeant in the parable here recorded; "and the seed is the Word of God. "

Notwithstanding the practical explanation given of this parable by ourLord, a degree of obscurity still broods over it in the minds of manyBible interpreters. What made the bad ground bad; and what made thegood ground good, and how the bad ground is to be made good andproductive, are questions that puzzle the minds of many. Some may notagree with me; but I do believe that the diversities in human nature, set forth and described by our Lord in this parable, all relate to theWILL. What makes the difference between a good man, and a bad man?Brethren, it is the WILL. A good man does good from a good will, and abad man does bad from a bad will. 

Let us take the wayside hearer. There is no defect about his_understanding_. His head is as clear in matters of business as anyman's. He understands what the preacher says when he is sowing theseeds of gospel truth as readily as any one in the congregation. Whythen does the devil take away the Word out of his heart? I answer, because the devil is very fond of doing that sort of work; and the mandoes not object. In other words, the wayside hearer has no WILL tokeep the Word in his heart. If he had a _will_ to keep the Word in hisheart, and live conformably to it, the gates of hell could not prevailagainst it. He would then be _good ground_ according to the measure ofhis capacity, and the life of love and obedience growing out of it. 

Take the rock-hearer next. He has a very thin skin of soil over thesurface of the rock that lies underneath. From the way he goes tomeeting and talks about religion, you might readily conclude thatall he needs to become a bright light in the church is a littleencouragement. He says: "That was a splendid sermon we heard to-day. It did me good to hear that man talk. I could listen to him for aweek;" and he tells the truth; for if the man stays a week, and worksup something of an _excitement_, this rock-hearer will go every nightand praise every sermon. I am sorry to say, however, that the devildoes not try very hard to get the Word out of that man's heart, because he knows that if he leaves it alone just a little while itwill _die_ out of itself. The real trouble with this man is a want ofWILL to reduce to practice the _truth_ received into the_understanding_. The rock, underneath the skin of soil that hides it, is a WILL which is wholly averse to the life of self-denial and godlyobedience set forth in the Word which he hears. He loves the world andhimself more than God; and the delight or joy with which he hears theWord is all in the _understanding_. The words of life and salvationfade from his memory, because there is no desire in his heart or WILLto retain them, as the things that belong to his everlasting peace. 

Next in order comes the thorny-ground hearer. He may be a man oftalent, perhaps a genius. Naturally thoughtful and ambitious, hecovets both wealth and honors. He is not entirely forgetful of theclaims of religion upon him. He goes to church with his family;behaves genteelly; invites the ministers to his house, and entertainsthem very hospitably. He thinks religion a very good thing in society, and one that ought to be encouraged. You often hear people say of him:"What a pity he is not a member of the church: how much good he coulddo!" In all matters of public interest he takes an active part. Duringan electoral canvass he is all astir, and wonders how any one can beindifferent at such a time, or even show a moderate degree ofcoolness. He is a useful man in society, and his loss would be keenlyfelt by the community. The real trouble with this man is akin to thatof all the rest. It has its seat right in the WILL. He loves theworld, and the world loves him; and to hold his place in society hemust comply with its demands. He must not be scrupulous about smallmatters. He must take a drink with a friend. If invited to take partin some pastime or popular amusement, even if it be of doubtful moralcharacter, he dare not decline the invitation. If memory should evenblow the ashes from some live coals of truth, and conscienceremonstrate, he must ignore all weakness of that kind. Such andsuch-like are the thorns that choke the Word, and it brings no fruitto perfection. 

Last, but not least, comes the good-ground hearer. I have reason tobelieve that most of you know him from your own experience; thereforeI will not describe him here. But before I conclude I desire to directyour attention to a few points more in the line of my thought. 

Who is to blame or to incur the responsibility for the failures offruit in the three classes of hearers given in the parable? Some saythe devil is to blame, because he throws every obstacle and impedimentthat lies in his power in the way of the growth of the seed. Otherssay the Lord is to blame for not having made the ground better bynature. Others again say--and these say what is true--that the hearersare to blame. The Word came with just as much power to theseunfruitful classes as it did to the good-ground hearer. "But it wasnot mixed with faith in them that heard. " Whose fault was it that theydid not believe? Manifestly their own. 

I fully believe that man's will is free. And I do also believe in myvery soul that it would be the pleasure of the Lord _to save_ everyhuman being born into existence. "As I live, saith the Lord God, Ihave no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turnfrom his way and live. Make you a new heart and a new spirit: for whywill ye die, O house of Israel?" Ezekiel 33:11 and 18:31. 

But man's will cannot be forced. The Lord cannot compel any one tolove him, any more than one of us can force a man to be our friend whoinwardly hates us. The Lord is every day seeking to turn the hearts ofmen to himself through the life-giving, holy, healing power of theWord of gospel grace. He does this through the faithful ministers whopreach it. In this way he causes the sun of truth and love to rise andshine upon even the very worst of sinners, and sends the rain of hisgrace to fall upon them. Without the sun and the rain the seed wouldforever lie dead in the ground; but what is very wonderful in thegospel seed is the fact that it carries along with itself, as it fallsupon the ground, all the light, and heat, and moisture it needs. Ourblessed Lord says: "My words are spirit, and they are life. "

In illustration of this let us notice the power of his words inseveral instances recorded in the New Testament Scriptures. Let merefer to Jairus's daughter. _She was dead. _ Every one could know thisthat saw her. Jesus said to this dead girl: "Maiden, arise. " Herspirit came back into her. The heart, that before was pulseless andstill, began to beat; and the breast, over which the pall of death hadfallen, began to heave. In obedience to his word she rose up andlived. Were not his words _spirit_ and _life_ to this girl? The verysame thing took place with the dead boy, the only son of the widow ofNain. Things no less wonderful were of daily occurrence in the life ofJesus. The cleansing of the lepers, the healing of the sick, thecasting out of devils, all, all proved the spirit and life that are inhis words. 

His words, however, have not only natural life and breath in them; butthey have spiritual life and breath; and this means eternal life. Mybrother, my sister, if the Word of Christ is in your heart you have aholy, heavenly beating there of love to God and love to all his dearpeople; and you have a holy, heavenly breathing after more knowledgeof his words, and for larger and clearer views of the revelations ofhis grace. These are proofs of the inward, heavenly life in the soul. 

DO NOT FORGET THE TEXT. 

Every intelligent human being is a sower of some kind of seed. Everyone is either sowing the Word of God or the word and spirit of someone else; but let the seed be of whatever kind it may, this thing issure: "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. He thatsoweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he thatsoweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. "Sowing to the flesh is living after the flesh with its affections andlusts; but sowing to the Spirit is crucifying and mortifying theflesh, and living the new life of faith, and hope, and love. 

Brethren and sisters, there is a mighty, _mighty_ difference betweenthe two. What has the mere fleshly, carnal mind to hope for in theworld to come? It can feel no delight, no enjoyment in heavenlythings, such as love to God and love to man. It knows nothing of thatlove which is the bond of perfectness. 

You can always tell what a man's love is by the company he keeps. Ifhis love is of worldly things only, you will see him in worldlycompany, and hear him talk only of worldly things. Notice the booksand papers he reads. They are of the same character. He enjoys noother readings. He delights in no other company and conversations. This man is sowing to the flesh, and he will be sure to reapcorruption. His treasure is all on the earth; his harvest is here; andhe is sowing no seed for a harvest of glory and bliss in the world tocome. 

The good ground hearer is a very different man, and he sows fardifferent seed. HIS SEED IS DIVINE TRUTH, AND HIS FIELD IS HIS OWNSPIRIT. He digs up the thorns and the thistles by the roots; destroysthe serpents, and drives out the wolves and the foxes. In this way hemortifies the body of sin and crucifies the flesh with its affectionsand lusts. In a well prepared soil he plants the fig and the olive, the vine and the pomegranate. In the place where the lion lay, thecalf shall lie down in peace; and instead of the wolf and the fox, thesheep and her lamb shall feed in safety. Where the serpent hissed andthe basilisk was waiting to sting, the myrtle and the rose shallbloom. Thus is the desert made to rejoice and the wilderness to bloom. The man who thus subdues and cultivates his own spirit that is withinhim, all by the help of God, is sure to be everlastingly blessed inhis deed. He will reap a rich harvest of righteousness, peace and joyin the Holy Ghost, here and eternally in the heavens. 

FRIDAY, September 17. The two brethren reached home. Of this BrotherKline says: "Brother Isaac Long and I have been together nearly allthe time on this journey, which has occupied just five weeks. It makesme feel somewhat lonely to part hands with such an agreeable companionin labor; so cheerful; so full of the Spirit; so wise in counsel; soclear in judgment. I feel that we have been together in heavenlyplaces in Christ Jesus. Ah, well! not long till we shall no more takethe parting hand! The Brethren everywhere showed us much love. May theLord continue to bless them, both temporally and spiritually. "

Between the twenty-ninth of August and the above date they attendedquite a number of love feasts and other meetings. The Diary reportsmany families visited in Huntingdon and Bedford Counties. Probablymany of the older brethren and sisters, then belonging to the familiesnamed, may still remember this visit. Among the names reported are tobe found the Spanogles, Altebergers, Becks or Bocks, Allebaughs, Browns, Bicheys, Sniders, and others. 

Want of space absolutely forbids any further notice of the Diary forthis year. 

SUNDAY, January 23. Peter Nead is with us to-day at our meetinghouse. He spoke at some length from Acts 13. To those who could follow himhis discourse was very instructive. He traced Paul in his journeyswith Barnabas and John, from the first place named in the chapter tothe last. 

SUNDAY, April 3. Meeting at Samuel Wine's in the Brush. Luke 14 wasread. 

TUESDAY, May 10. Brother Kline, in company with Abraham Stoner andDavid Kline, started to the Annual Meeting. On the evening of thetwelfth they got to William Deahl's, near the place of meeting. 

FRIDAY, May 13. Council meeting opened. Many Brethren present. Hesays: "The acquaintance, brethren and sisters form with each other atthese meetings, is not the least good accomplished by them. We stayto-night at Solon Garber's. "

SUNDAY, May 15. Public meeting to-day. Matthew 11 was read. Love feastto-night. We stay all night at William Deahl's. 

MONDAY, May 16. Started homeward, and got as far as to Brother B. Bear's. 

FRIDAY, May 20. Got home this evening. Often will my thoughts returnto the churches attended and the homes visited. I could not helpcautioning the Brethren in some of the congregations against theinroads of pride and fashion. The younger members, particularly, needto be instructed in regard to these things, that they may avoidconformity to the world in dress and other things; not because thechurch, as such, opposes them in it; but because the Word and Spiritof the Lord opposes them in it. The love of Christ, that is, our lovefor him and his people, and the way of holiness, lead to a life ofself-denial for his sake. The new nature in Christ does not crave thevain and often hurtful fashions of the world. It is best, for bothbody and soul, to dress plainly, but comfortably; and to live, inevery respect, according to the same rule. The godliness that isprofitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is andalso of that which is to come, is not conformed to this world. 

THURSDAY, June 2. Council meeting at the old Garber meetinghouse. Thesubject of marrying was under consideration. It was laid to continueas the church has heretofore held it. The enemy of souls was ready tointerfere with the holiness and innocence of our first parents in thegarden of Eden. Time has not changed his nature. Nothing but theflaming sword of God's Word and Spirit can keep him out of the church. The flaming sword! It gives light and heat to the children of God; butthreatens destruction to their enemies. All should bear this sword;not sheathed in a scabbard, but forever held high in the right hand, ready to be used whenever the enemy approaches. 

SATURDAY, August 13. Daniel Miller and I go to Brother Nasselrodt's inBrock's Gap and take dinner with him. In the afternoon we go on toLost River, and stay all night at Jacob Motz's. 

SUNDAY, August 14. Meeting at Brother Motz's. John 15 was read. Aftermeeting we went to the Yellow Spring, where we stayed all night. 

SUNDAY, August 21. Meeting at Neff's schoolhouse. Matthew 25 was read. Also meeting at Samuel Wine's in the Brush. Matthew 25 was read there. Also meeting at Pleasant Valley. Brother Koontz was baptized. 

WEDNESDAY, August 24. Went to Benjamin Bowman's and back home. We havehad a wonderful rain to-day. Waters higher than they have been fortwenty-eight years. 

SUNDAY, September 4. Meeting in our meetinghouse. Romans 6 was read. John Miller and Abraham Deitrich's wife were baptized by BenjaminBowman. 

THURSDAY, September 8. Anna [Brother Kline's wife] and I go to LostRiver to attend a love feast. We stay all night at CelestineWhitmore's. 

SUNDAY, September 11. Meeting and love feast at Mathias's. Hebrews 8is read. We have a delightful day and night, and many people areassembled. I speak on the chapter read, and also upon the generalscope and design of the epistle to the Hebrews. Hebrews, and Jews, andIsraelites are all one; each being only a different name for the samerace of people. The name Hebrew and Hebrews appears to have beenderived from Eber or Heber, the grandson of Shem. The name Jew andJews is supposed to have been derived from Judah, one of the sons ofJacob. The name Israelite and Israelites was derived from Jacob, whomthe angel of the Lord called Israel. 

This epistle was written to the Hebrews, or Jewish Christians, toremove from their minds some difficulties and obscurities in their wayof rightly understanding the way of salvation provided by our LordJesus Christ. On account of their former connection with theceremonial law and the Mosaic ritual, it was hard for them to see andappreciate the simplicity that is in Christ. Like Naaman the Syrian, they thought the ceremonial part should possess more parade and show, to have in it the required virtue. He thought that bathing his bodyseven times in the river Jordan was a ceremony too simple to removehis leprosy: so these Hebrew Christians thought the simple ordinancesof the house of God were too insignificant to take away their sins. They had been instructed in the ordinances of a worldly sanctuary anda worldly priesthood. As Christ had abolished all these, by giving tothe church the spiritual substance of which these were the shadow, itwas necessary that they be very particularly and plainly taught howthis was done. The writer of this epistle has shown this in very clearlight. 

The chapter read speaks of the True Tabernacle, which the Lordpitched, and not man. It presents Jesus as the Mediator of a bettercovenant, which has been established upon better promises. This is thecovenant: "I will put my laws into their mind, and on their heart alsowill I write them: I will be to them a God; and they shall be to me apeople. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and theirsins and their iniquities will I remember no more. " These are cheeringwords: "Their sins will I remember no more. " Beloved brethren andsisters, this is precisely the way God deals with every one of histruly penitent and obedient children. He remembers their sins no more. No matter how great sinners they have been, no matter how they haveabused and dishonored him, he holds nothing against them. In this wemay see the spirit we should all possess. We are all commanded to befollowers of God, as dear children, and walk in love. 

I have sometimes heard a brother or a sister say: "I can forgive, butI cannot forget. " Brethren, we would not feel very well if the Lordwere to say this to us and of us. How would we be made to feel if ourblessed Lord were to say to each of us: "I am willing to forgive yourtrespasses against me; I am willing to save you, because I havepromised to save all who repent and believe my Gospel; but I can neverforget the way you have treated me, and will never be willing to trustyou as I could have trusted you; and can never again have the sameconfidence in you that I would have had, had you treated me in adifferent way"? Such forgiveness as this on the part of our Lordtoward us would rob salvation of all its joy. It would turn the suninto darkness and the moon into blood. It would change the harmony ofheaven into notes of discord in our ears. But this would be the verysort of forgiveness that is implied in the saying: "I can forgive, butI cannot forget. "

Notice, however, the care and the order apparent in the insertion ofthat loving clause, "and your sins will I remember no more. " Noticethe introduction: "I will be to you a God; and ye shall be to me apeople. " In what follows the Divine Love is strongly marked: "For Iwill be merciful to your iniquities, and your sins will I remember nomore. " This last crowns it all. The same thing is meant by the prophetin another place where the Lord says: "As far as the east is from thewest, so far have I removed your sins from you;" and again: "He hathcast our sins into the bottom of the sea;" so deep down are they thatthey will never rise up against us any more. 

Such must our forgiveness of one another be, brethren and sisters, ifwe would imitate the Lord. We should never forget that genuineforgiveness implies a complete forgetfulness of all trespasses in thepast. Our Lord says: "If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neitherwill your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses. " To forgive fromthe heart is to forgive in love; and love thinketh no ill of one'sbrother or sister. 

Let each one examine himself. If you feel in your heart that you lovethe Lord your God with all your heart, and your brother and yoursister in the Lord as you love yourself, I feel authorized in behalfof Christ and the church to say to you that Jesus will remember yoursins no more. You have a right to sing the song:

 "Savior, more than life to me, I am clinging close to thee; Let thy blood, by faith applied, Keep me ever near thy side. Every day and every hour, Let me feel thy cleansing power, Till my soul is lost in love, In a brighter world above. "

TUESDAY, September 20. Love feast at our meetinghouse. John 3 wasread. David Correll and Abraham Miller and his wife were baptized. 

WEDNESDAY, September 21. Benjamin Bowman and I start very early toHampshire County, Virginia. We get dinner at Rorabaugh's, and reachMoorefield by night, after a ride on horseback of forty-seven miles. 

THURSDAY, September 22. Go to David Vanmeter's for breakfast; reachAbbey Arnold's for dinner, and get to the love feast at David Arnold'sjust after the first meeting. We have delightful weather, good orderin the house, and a pleasant meeting. 

FRIDAY, September 23. Meeting again. Revelation 3 is read. Stay atDavid Arnold's all night. 

SATURDAY, September 24. Go to Joseph Arnold's, and in the afternoon toJoseph Leatherman's, where we have night meeting. I speak on Luke24:48. 

SUNDAY, September 25. Attend a love feast at Solomon Michael's. Revelation 3 is read. 

MONDAY, September 26. Homeward through Petersburg; dine at IsaacShobe's; then to night meeting at Sister Chlora Judy's. We speak onMatthew 11. Stay all night. 

TUESDAY, September 27. Cross the South Fork mountain over to JacobWarnstaff's, where we have an afternoon meeting. Speak on Luke 28. Wealso have night meeting at the same place. Brother Benjamin speaks onLuke 16. His talks are not lengthy, but they are very pointed, andprove that they come from a thoughtful and studious mind. 

WEDNESDAY, September 28. We both get home. 

SUNDAY, October 2. Meeting at Henry Huffman's in Page County, Virginia. Mark 1 is read. Isaac Spitler is baptized. 

SATURDAY, December 3. Samuel Wampler and I go to Lost River. We stayall night at Silas Randall's. 

SUNDAY, December 4. Meeting at Brother Celestine Whitmore's. Matthew 7is read. Silas Randall and his wife are baptized. We stay all night atCelestine Whitmore's. 

SUNDAY, January 1, 1843. I and Frederic Kline go to George Fulk'sschoolhouse in the Gap. We have meeting, and I speak on John 15. Wedine at George Fulk's, and in the evening return home. 

SUNDAY, February 19. Meeting at our meetinghouse. John 3 is read. Inafternoon Peter Nead and I go up to Benjamin Bowman's, at the head ofLinville's Creek, where we have night meeting. Brother Nead speaksvery beautifully on John 15:14, "Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoeverI command you. "

THURSDAY, March 30. Visit Dr. Newham, and take him through "_a courseof medicine_. " This last expression frequently appears in BrotherKline's Diary. The phrase, "_course of medicine_, " was firstintroduced by Dr. Samuel Thompson, the founder and propagator of whatafterwards assumed the name of "The Thompsonian System of MedicalPractice. " To the minds of many very worthy and sensible people inVirginia and other States, Dr. Thompson's definitions of disease, andhis corresponding views of their treatment, appeared quite reasonable. They met with great favor in some communities, and by many wereenthusiastically received. Among the latter Brother John Kline stoodin the foremost rank. He espoused the "Theory and Practice of Dr. Samuel Thompson" with unreserved confidence. In his zeal to do goodwith it he furnished the medicines and administered them to hundredsof the afflicted; and to many free of charge. 

The phrase, "_course of medicine_, " was meant to comprehend in itssignification the whole routine of treatment demanded by nature to riditself of disease. This usually consisted of a Lobelia emetic orvomit, more or less thorough as the symptoms of the impending diseaseappeared to require. Preparatory to this vomit, and in connection withit, warm and stimulating infusions or teas were administered to inducevery active sweating, or "free perspiration, " as it was called. As anaid to this, steaming the patient was sometimes resorted to. The"_course_" usually took up several hours. After all was gone throughwith, the patient was allowed to rest, excepting, however, theadministration of a few mild sedatives or soothing nervines, to inducesleep. The reader may conclude that the patient very likely neededrest after all this treatment. 

Prejudice against the system has grown old, and nearly died out; and, at this point of distance in time, it may be calmly said that "_thecourse of medicine_" very often seemed to do much good. Many wereready, at any time, to bear testimony in behalf of its efficacy intheir own individual cases, and in those in their families; and it ishard to conclude that mere confidence in the treatment, and in thehands by which it was administered, could effect so much good. 

Brother Kline went into it with a sort of zest and zeal that lookeda little as if he might have hitched it to his train of religiousduties. Be this as it may, one truth is sure, a truth which Wordsworthhas beautifully woven into the poetic lines which follow:

 "The sick he soothed; the hungry fed; Bade pain and anguish flee: He loved to raise the downcast head Of friendless poverty. "

SUNDAY, May 28. To-day we held our first regular meeting in our newhouse. It has been decided to name it "The Brush Meetinghouse. " Thisis a frame building, constructed by Christian and John Wine, sons ofSamuel Wine. 

"The Brush" is a small section of country in Rockingham County, Virginia. It lies between the North mountain on the west side andLinville's Creek on the east; and between the North Fork of theShenandoah river on the north and the head waters of Muddy Creek onthe south. It comprises, probably, sixteen square miles. 

Samuel Wine, one of the pioneers of the German Baptist Brethren, raised a very useful and respectable family in the very heart of theBrush. Of his sons, Christian, and John, and Samuel, and George wereset to the ministry of the Word in the church of their father'schoice. Michael, the only other son, is a deacon. 

Jacob Mitchell, who spent his last years in the same Brotherhood, raised a very respectable and intelligent family in the Brush, at theplace now occupied by his son Joseph A. Mitchell, and officially knownas Cherry Grove; that name having been given to the post office keptat the place, from the great abundance of sweet cherries which formany years have grown there and in the vicinity to great perfection. 

Anthony Showalter, father of John A. Showalter, and grandfather ofAnthony J. Showalter, both favorably known as composers and teachersof music, --raised a numerous family of noble boys and girls in thesame section, nearly, if not quite all of them, members of theBrethren church. 

All of the above-named brethren were personal friends of BrotherKline, who often visited them at their homes. 

David Haller, whose name is often seen in the Diary, was anotherintimate friend of Brother Kline. He held membership in the churchmany years, and assisted in building the Brush meetinghouse. From whathas been said of the Brush, it appears to have been favorable to thereproduction of the race, both numerically and substantially. BrotherDavid Haller had born unto him from a first and second marriagetwenty-two children, nearly all of whom grew up to manhood orwomanhood. The question was once asked: "Can any good thing come outof Nazareth?" History forever answers, yes! Truth echoes the sameanswer to the same question, applied to the Brush. 

SUNDAY, June 4. Meeting at the Flat Rock. Mary Pope is baptized. 

SUNDAY, June 25. Meeting at the Powder Spring. Peter Beacher isbaptized. We dine at Abraham Funkhouser's and stay all night atAbraham Swartz's. 

THURSDAY, June 29. Attend a very sad funeral to-day. Brother JohnZigler's child was drowned, and quite dead when discovered. It was oneyear, seven months and twenty-eight days old. The death of a child isalways distressing; but when death comes by accident, it is much moreso. Brother John Zigler lives in Timberville, Rockingham County, Virginia. 

MONDAY, July 10. Dine at Sister Judy Deitrick's. Call on Dr. Biggs, whose headquarters are at John Higgins's. He is a straight up and downThompsonian doctor. He seems to fear no opposition. He says that suchplain, common-sense principles as underlie Thompson's System ofmedical practice must stand the test of time, and eventually win theday. He says that Dr. Thompson was the first to formulate the Axiom:"Remove the cause, and the effect will cease. " Disease is removed fromthe body by expelling the cause. Nature, when the cause of disease isremoved, will of herself, restore health to the body. Reduce thestrength of the patient, and you reduce the patient's power to getwell. Do bleeding, blistering, starving and drastic purges strengthenthe vital forces, or add power to the recuperative system? No! Allthese tend to reduce the restorative forces by weakening thealimentary, respiratory, circulatory and nervous systems of the body;the only powers upon which the physician may rely, and to which hedare look for the restoration of the sick to health. Such are theconvictions which the doctor expressed to me in the brief interview Ihad with him to-day. Stay all night at Joseph Miller's. 

SATURDAY, July 15. Brother Daniel Miller and I go to Brock's Gap, dineat George Moyers's, and stay all night at Celestine Whitmore's. 

SUNDAY, July 16. I baptize Magdalena Moyers and Barbara Tusing. Westay all night at Charles Snider's. 

FRIDAY, August 11. Attend harvest meeting at the Flat Rock. Itbehooves us, at these meetings, to be on our guard, lest we fall intoa feeling of self-satisfaction. I mean by this that it is possible forus to become so well satisfied with ourselves now that we havereturned thanks to the Lord for the rich gifts of his love, in thebountiful harvest we have just gathered, that we have no need of beingwatchful as to the use we make of it. Brethren, if our thankfulness befrom the heart, this very feeling will lead us into a desire to make aright use of what the Lord has given. Perhaps it would be better forus to take up more time at our harvest meeting in talking about theways and means of using the gifts of God, and how best to apply themto the end that will do most good to one another and the poor, andthus most honor and glorify him. I made remarks similar to these, andthink that I will speak more on the same line of thought to-morrow. 

SATURDAY, August 12. Harvest meeting at our meetinghouse. Aftermeeting, go up to Isaac Ritchey's in Brock's Gap, and stay all night. 

SUNDAY, August 13. Jacob Stirewalt, a Lutheran minister, preaches andadministers the sacrament at Sowders's church to-day. I happen to bepresent, and am reminded of my boyhood experience in Pennsylvania, when I used to be in the Lutheran church on such occasions, and whenit often fell to my lot to pump wind for the organ. In the afternoonwe have meeting at Jacob Whetzel's. I stay all night at JamesFitzwaters's. 

SUNDAY, August 27. Meeting at Daniel Garber's. Matthew 13 is read. Brother Daniel Miller baptized three persons to-day. This day alsoSamuel and Joseph Good and their wives are baptized. 

FRIDAY, September 15. Creek and river very high. A great freshet. Avery wonderful washout occurred in the side of the North mountain, above Turleytown, back of Elijah Baker's. It is supposed to have beencaused by a waterspout or cloud-burst, as it is sometimes called. Agreat flood of water seemed to fall on the side of the mountain on asmall patch of ground, uprooting trees, overturning rocks, andcarrying all in one huge mass into the hollow below, where theylodged. The flood, rolling on, carried off Moses Pumphrey'smilk-house, and did some other damage. 

WEDNESDAY, October 4. Meeting and love feast at Beaver Creek. Hebrews12 is read. The brethren and sisters were exhorted to "follow afterpeace, and the holiness without which no one shall see the Lord; totake heed lest any fall short of the grace of God by living unholylives. " Whilst it is the duty of the housekeepers to look after thepurity and order of the church at all times, still it does appear thata special eye should be had on the body at the times of our lovefeasts. "All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom wehave to do. " There should be no spots in our feasts of love. Allshould be unspotted love and purity in Christ Jesus. Otherwise ourservices may not be acceptable to him. If there be anyone amongst usto-day who feels and knows in his own heart that he is a fornicator orprofane person as Esau was, any one that is conscious of having inhimself any feeling of bitterness towards the body or any member ofit; I hereby, according to authority from the Lord, admonish such notto approach the table of the Lord. Such sins should be publiclyconfessed before the church; and according to the words of the Lord, the church has authority to loose the brother or sister from suchsins, when deeply and duly repented of. "Whatsoever ye shall loose onearth, shall be loosed in heaven. "

But I here entreat all to think soberly. Let none stay away from thetable of the Lord on account of a feeling of unworthiness before God. "For the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and acontrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. " When we are meek andlowly in heart under a deep sense of unworthiness and shortcomings, then it is that the spirit is bearing witness with our spirits. Thoughfree from sin, still our Lord confessed that he himself was "meek andlowly in heart. " Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty handof God, that he may exalt you in due time. He that humbleth himselfshall be exalted. 

After such exhortations and instructions the brethren and sistersjoined in singing that heart-cheering old hymn:

 "Arise, my soul, arise; Shake off thy guilty fears: The Bleeding Sacrifice In my behalf appears. Before the Throne my surety stands; My name is written on his hands. "

We have had good weather all this day and night, and a fine meeting. 

MONDAY, October 16. Between this date and the twenty-third BrotherKline, in company with Anna, his wife, visited the following namedfamilies: Daniel Glick's, David Wampler's, Widow George Kline's, Samuel Miller's, Jonas Wampler's, Daniel Wampler's, Jacob Hoover'sabove Staunton, Joel Garber's, Jacob Zigler's, Christian Kline's, Jacob Wine's, Martain Good's, Joseph Miller's, Daniel Garber's, Frederic Kline's, Jacob Earley's and Flory's. He attended a number ofmeetings in connection with the foregoing visits, and reports theBrethren and relatives generally well. 

WEDNESDAY, October 25. Brother Kline started to Hampshire County, WestVirginia. He went by way of the South Fork and Moorefield in HardyCounty, West Virginia; and got to Brother Nicolas Leatherman's byThursday night, after two very hard days' ride on horseback. On thisjourney he visited John Leatherman's, Daniel Arnold's, JosephArnold's, David Good's, Solomon Michael's and others. He attended alove feast and one other meeting at Arnold's meetinghouse, and hadnight meeting at Solomon Michael's. Here his subject was the baptismof John. From Solomon Michael's he went to Brother Stingley's in thewest part of Hardy County, West Virginia, where he met and filled anappointment for preaching. From this place he went to Parks's; and on

WEDNESDAY, November 1, he took dinner at Saul Hyre's, above Petersburg, and stayed all night at Isaac Shobe's. 

THURSDAY, November 2. He had meeting at the widow Chlora Judy's onMill Creek, where he spoke from John 1:29. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. " The next day he had meetingat Rorabaugh's on the South Fork; and in the afternoon went across theShenandoah mountain to Brother Nesselrodt's. He says: "I crossed twovery high mountains to-day. It is cloudy and cold, threatening snow. "

SATURDAY, November 4. Snowing fast this morning. Go on to Mathias's onLost River, where I meet a small gathering of people at night. Snowsfast all day, and meeting small; but I nevertheless speak as best Ican on the last two verses of the ninth chapter of John. These are thewords, and what follows is an outline in substance of what I said:"And many came unto him; and they said, John indeed did no sign: butall things whatsoever John spake of this man were true. And manybelieved on him there. " Our Lord's work on earth in the flesh, was nowfast drawing to a close. Honest hearts were accepting him as theSavior of the world. His enemies, on the other hand, were becomingmore violent in their opposition to him, on the ground that if theywould let him go all men would believe on him. One striking feature ofour Lord's spirit and doctrine was that of "_nonresistance_" ofpersonal or bodily enemies. "My kingdom, " said he, "is not of thisworld; else would my servants fight. " Ignorant of the power of love, these Jewish enemies of our Lord could foresee nothing in thetendencies of his doctrines but the destruction of their cityJerusalem, and the same also of their nationality as a people. 

Although John did no sign or miracle, still he told the truth aboutJesus; and inasmuch as he did this in the beginning of our Lord'sministry, and was beheaded soon after, it was in itself strongevidence in favor of our Lord's Messiahship. The people could plainlysee the agreement between the life and teachings of Christ and whatJohn had said they would be. The agreement was too exact and uniformto be accidental. This led many to believe on him. They alleged thatall things whatsoever John spake of this man were true; and they cameunto him. In this they showed their wisdom. How they hung upon hiswords! How their hearts did burn as he opened unto them theScriptures! Like Mary, many sat at his feet and heard his words. 

At the present day, when any begin to inquire the way of salvation, instead of going to the Word wherein the way is plainly revealed, andthe Lord may be found, they go to their preacher, or to others whomthey regard as safe guides, or to books that purport to lead inquirersinto the right way; and very often they are wrongly taught and misled. If there be one here to-night who is anxiously inquiring the way toJesus, I say to him: "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinof the world!" "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will Iconfess before my Father and the holy angels. " "Whosoever shall callon the name of the Lord shall be saved: for with the heart manbelieveth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is madeunto salvation. " A good many tongues are found in the mouth with whichmen make "confession unto salvation. " But they all speak the samething, and the thing which they all speak is humble obedience to theWord of the Lord. Baptism is one tongue. Feet-washing is anothertongue. The Lord's Supper is another tongue. The Communion is anothertongue. A quiet, honest and peaceable life is another tongue, and onethat speaks very loud for Christ. Temperance in eating and drinking, and abstemiousness in the way of rejecting the use of all unnecessaryor injurious things is another tongue of power on the Lord's side. Come to Jesus. Confess him in these ways, and thou shall live. 

SUNDAY, December 31. Meeting on Lost River. Matthew 2 is read. Stayall night at Christian Halterman's. 

It is said that the centipede has a hundred feet. It may have; and itdoes seem that superstition, or the belief in supernatural things of atrivial nature has quite as many; and, like the fabled animal ofancient times, has also a hundred heads. 

This evening I overheard a conversation among some young people whereI stayed, in which one said that every New Year's night, that is, thenight in which the New Year comes in, the cattle and sheep all get ontheir knees, as if they might be in a devotional posture of body. Theytalked as if they really believed that this might be so. I do not knowhow this impression has come about; but I have heard this before, andguess that some mischievous or sportive person tried to make some oneelse believe that cattle and sheep kneel _only_ on New Year's night, when the truth is that they kneel whenever they lie down to rest. Ihave often thought it a pity that people are so ready to believe inmarvelous and supernatural things which can do them no good, and sobackward to believe the most marvelous truth the world has ever known;the truth that God has provided eternal life and salvation for all whoare willing to accept it on the easy terms upon which it is offered. 

In this year I have traveled, mostly on horseback, three thousand, twohundred and sixty miles. 

MONDAY, January 1, 1844. I feel sure that the work of the year cannotbe entered upon more suitably than by making arrangements for buildinga house of worship unto the Lord. The need of a house of this kind haslong been felt among the Brethren on Lost River. We have here, aselsewhere, "not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God" publicly, as Paul says he did among the Ephesian brethren, "and that from houseto house. " But it is best to have a stated place of worship, and withthis in view we have this day made arrangements to build ameetinghouse, to be known as the Lost River meetinghouse. CelestineWhitmore, Jacob Mathias and Silas Randall have been elected trustees;and Celestine Whitmore, one of the number, has been elected masterbuilder. 

SATURDAY, February 24. Raise the new meetinghouse on Lost River. Stayall night at Silas Randall's. 

TUESDAY, March 26. My dear old father dies this night, at fortyminutes past three o'clock in the morning. He has lived to a greatage, has seen all of his children settled in life and doing well, hasserved his day and generation to good purpose by a faithful dischargeof duty as a husband and father in his own family; as a kind andever-obliging neighbor in his community; and far, very far outweighingall these, he has honored his God by embracing the faith set forth inthe Gospel of the Son of God, the faith that works by love, thatpurifies the heart, and that overcomes the world. All great endingsare but great beginnings. The end of our Savior's life on earth wasbut the beginning of his life of ineffable glory and exaltation inheaven. As the Head is, so shall the members be. In his own measure, as it hath pleased the Lord to give my father grace, so shall hisreward in glory be. Death is the door through which we enter life. 

 "Farewell! we meet no more On this side heaven: The parting scene is o'er, The last sad look is given, "Farewell! O may we meet In heaven above: And there, in union sweet, Sing of a Savior's love. "

THURSDAY, March 28. Daniel Miller and Benjamin Bowman preach father'sfuneral. The earth that covers the body and hides it from sight doesnot bury our hopes. The anchor of the soul is sure and steadfast. Ithas its hold upon the things within the veil, which are eternal andimmovable. I will not sorrow as those who have no hope. Father's agewas eighty years, eight months and twenty-two days. 

_Sermon by Elder John Kline. _

_Preached at Old Father Kagey's, Sunday, March 31. _

 TEXT. --For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. --2 Cor. 4:16. 

Our heavenly Father makes known to his children the things necessaryfor their instruction in the way of a holy life, that they may do hiswill in all things and live well-pleasing to him at all times. To thisend many precious promises are held up to our spiritual vision, andmany encouragements set forth to animate us to love and duty. HencePaul says: "For this cause we faint not. Even though our outward manperish, " that is, show signs of decay and approaching death, "yet theinward man is renewed day by day. " This natural body in which we liveand move, in which we serve and suffer, is what Paul calls "theoutward man. " Elsewhere it is called "a natural body. " It is theoffspring of the natural act of generation between the father andmother, and is in its nature bone of their bone and flesh of theirflesh. This is why it is called a natural body. In the text it iscalled "the outward man, " because it is the external part of the man;is visible; has weight; may be handled and felt; and is the medium ofdirect sensation. It is also the seat of suffering and sin, and issubject to death and decomposition as its end. Of this body it iswritten: "Dust thou art; and unto dust shalt thou return. " Paul says:"In me, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing. " He isvery particular to tell us in which part of him it is where no goodthing dwelleth. He says: "In my flesh. "

But there is "an inward man" about which none of these things can besaid. This is elsewhere called "a spiritual body. " It is so calledbecause it is born "not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor ofthe will of man, but of God. " It is also called "a new creature inChrist Jesus. " Generation, in a natural sense, implies the begettingand bringing forth of the "natural body" the "outward man, " "the oldman;" but regeneration implies the begetting and bringing forth of"the spiritual body, " "the inward man, " "the new man, " which after Godis created in righteousness and true holiness. Peter says: "Bornagain, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word ofGod, which liveth and abideth forever. "

But it matters not how good a thing may be, if it is out of our reachor beyond our power to get, it can do us no good. But the new life inthe soul, the eternal life of the spirit, is not out of the reach ofany, is in reach of all. Even the dead shall hear his voice, and theythat hear shall live. "He that heareth my word, and believeth him thatsent me, hath everlasting life. " "Whosoever cometh unto me, I will inno wise cast out. " "He that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spiritreap life everlasting. " "This is life eternal that they might knowthee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. " "Ifany man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passedaway; behold, all things have become new. "

Obedience to the ordinances of God's house has its place here inconnection with faith. By works is faith made perfect. The firstcommand that Paul received in connection with his conversion was:"Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the nameof the Lord. " The instruction of Peter to the convicts on the day ofPentecost was: "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you in the nameof Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive thegift of the Holy Ghost. " In preaching Jesus to the eunuch Philipevidently preached our Lord's baptism, else what would the eunuch haveknown about baptism? How else can we account for his remark to Philipand implied request: "See, here is water, what doth hinder me to bebaptized?" "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest, " wasPhilip's answer. Sinner, you are invited to come and take of the waterof life freely. Come, believe, obey, and live forever. 

FRIDAY, April 12. Plant corn in the lower field. 

SATURDAY, April 13. Finish planting the lower field. I never plantcorn or commit any seed to the earth, but I am filled with wonder inthe contemplation of God's power. In my thoughts over things of thiskind my mind and heart find pleasant relief, by recalling in memorythe beautiful similitude which Mark, alone of all the evangelists, hasleft on record for us. These are his words: "And he [the Lord] said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring upand grow, he knoweth not how. The earth beareth fruit of herself;first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. " Thesewords greatly encourage me to labor more faithfully in the ministry ofthe Word: for as we know the Lord has power to make the dry seed inthe dry ground grow unto a rich harvest, we know not how, so has hepower to make the seeds of his truth spring up and grow in the heartsof men unto a harvest of eternal blessedness in heaven. But as thecorn must be tended, the field kept clean, and the ground kept inorder during the growing season, so must the Word in the heart beguarded from the inroads of evils, such as are clearly described inthe Lord's own words. 

SATURDAY, April 20. Council meeting to-day on Lost River. CelestineWhitmore elected speaker, and Silas Randall elected deacon. Stay allnight at John Miller's. 

SUNDAY, April 21. Meeting at Whitmore's. Luke 14 is read. _Humility_was my subject to-day, founded on the words of the eleventh verse. Pride is the opposite of humility. The proud man exalts himself andrefuses to follow in the footsteps of the meek and lowly Jesus. 

"God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. " So says theApostle James. And why is this so? Because the proud man, in his senseof self-sufficiency, feels no want at the present which he thinks heis not able to supply, and dreads no want in the future, eitherbecause he does not think of any future life, or because he haspersuaded himself to believe there is no future state of existence. God can never give grace to such a man, in such a state, because hewill not receive it. A thing may be offered, but it can never be saidto be given unless it is received. Wherefore the Apostle Peter says:"Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that hemay exalt you in due time. " When God exalts a man, when God lifts aman up, he then is lifted up, he then is exalted, sure enough. This isthe exaltation to which we may truthfully apply Paul's exultation:"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into theheart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that lovehim. "

SUNDAY, May 12. Meeting in our meetinghouse. Ephesians 4 is read. Samuel Myers and his wife are baptized. 

TUESDAY, May 14. Council meeting to-day at our meetinghouse. JohnBowman, of Franklin County, Virginia, and Brother Barnhardt, ofRoanoke County, Virginia, were with us to-day; and they are with methis evening to stay all night. 

THURSDAY, May 16. Raise the mill, and in the afternoon go to the Gapand marry George Fawley and Catharine Fulk. 

SATURDAY, June 1. Love feast to-day at our meetinghouse. BrotherDaniel Barnhardt, of Roanoke County, Virginia, and Brother JohnBowman, of Franklin County, Virginia, and Brother Peter Nead were withus. We had much good speaking by the visiting brethren on the 10thchapter of John and other passages of Scripture. 

SUNDAY, June 2. Go to Daniel Miller's to meeting. Luke 14 is read. Ithen go to Joseph Miller's where I stay all night. 

MONDAY, June 10. This morning the intelligence comes of the suddendeath of Reuben Yount. He was found lying dead in the road. It issupposed that he was killed by being thrown from his horse on his wayhome last evening. 

TUESDAY, June 11. Reuben Yount was buried to-day. Age, twenty-fiveyears and thirteen days. Verily the sons of men sink into the gravelike raindrops into the sea, and are seen no more. As unexpectedly asthe pitcher is broken at the fountain, even before it is filled withwater, so unexpectedly does death come to many. 

MONDAY, June 24. Finish making hay. We have about twenty-two tons inall. 

SUNDAY, June 30. Meeting at Frederic Kline's, near Dayton, Virginia. Six persons baptized. 

SUNDAY, July 7. Meeting at our meetinghouse. John Kave and wife, KatyKeysayer, Betsy Holsinger, Polly Knopp, Katy Fry and Betsy Andes werebaptized to-day. Daniel Miller baptized them. 

SATURDAY, July 27. Harvest meeting at Copp's schoolhouse in ShenandoahCounty, Virginia. 

WEDNESDAY, July 31. Harvest meeting at the Brush meetinghouse. 

THURSDAY, August 1. Go to harvest meeting at Daniel Garber'smeetinghouse. Stay all night at John Myers's in Augusta County, Virginia. 

FRIDAY, August 2. Love feast at the Brick meetinghouse. Luke 14 wasread. One brother spoke impressively on the last three words in thefirst verse: "THEY WATCHED HIM. " Said he, "The enemies of the Lordmost likely did this. They were ever eager to find some ground ofaccusation against him. But the Lord was not alone in this. 'A servantis not greater than his lord. ' We, Brethren, are liable to be watched. And I think I may say truthfully that we are watched not only by ourenemies, but by our friends too. But there is a great differencebetween the eye of an enemy and the eye of a friend. The eye of anenemy seeks for faults with which to accuse and persecute; and when noreal fault can be found the evil eye seeks to make faults by lookingat our actions and motives in a false light, and if possible gettingothers to regard them in the same false light. But not so the eye of afriend. A wise father watches his children, not to find faults withwhich to accuse, but in love to correct by pointing out their eviltendencies and the end to which they lead. 

"So, dear brethren and sisters, should we watch one another in thehouse of God. We should never be quick to take offense when somebrother or sister out of pure love for us kindly warns us of somefault that we may not be fully conscious of. "

In words as nearly like the above as I can give them, and in manyothers, did the brother exhort the church. 

SUNDAY, August 25. Attend meeting at the Flat Rock. First Corinthians1 is read. Louis Nasselrodt and wife and Henry Strawdeman and wifewere baptized. I baptized them. 

SUNDAY, September 1. Meeting at our meetinghouse. Colossians 2 wasread. Philip Bible and wife, Adam Hevner and wife, William Andes, Samuel Zigler, Christian Krider and old Mother Minick were baptizedto-day. 

SUNDAY, September 8. Meeting at Stoner's to-day. Romans 6 was read. Ibaptized Christian Krider's wife to-day. 

[With Elder John Kline to plan was to do; to propose in mind was toperform in act; ever though, let it be remembered, by the help of theLord. "His will, and not mine, be done, " was Brother Kline's motto. The following notes are word for word from the fly leaves of his Diaryfor the present year. They are inserted here for two reasons. First, to show that he formed a purpose and laid down a plan before acting. In the following pages it will be seen how faithfully the plan laidout in the Diary was executed. Second, to show something of theconfidence reposed in his genuine honesty, and his business capacityas a man. --EDITOR. ]

I have in contemplation to take the following route to Ohio: Start onthe seventeenth of September, and on the eighteenth have an afternoonmeeting at Parks's, in Hardy County, Virginia [now West Virginia]; onthe twenty-first to stop at Jacob Thomas's in Preston County, Virginia;on the twenty-second to be at George's Creek; on the twenty-sixth tobe at Bull Creek, Columbiana County, Ohio; on the eighth and ninth ofOctober to be at Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio; on the twelfth to beat Sugar Creek, in Allen County, Ohio; on the sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth in Henry County, Indiana; on the evening ofthe twenty-third to be at Bear Creek, Montgomery County, Ohio. Thingswhich I have to attend to on my trip to Ohio and Indiana:

To inquire of George Weaver about a legacy of William Toppin, orphanof Thomas Toppin. 

Received of Jacob Hoover $73. 42 to be paid over as follows:

 To George Hoover, $17. 57 To Peter Fesler, 17. 57 To Elizabeth Fesler, 38. 28 ------ $73. 42

To get some rents of Joseph Garber for Susanna Garber. 

 To pay over to Betsy Fesler, $200. 00 To pay over to George Hoover, 50. 00

This money I received of Aunt Katy Hoover. 

To collect some money of Mahoney and of John Kline for Ziglers. I holdpapers for the same. 

To collect money of Jacob Leedy in Columbiana County, Ohio, for PeterNead. 

To collect money of John Garber, of Montgomery County, Ohio, forSolomon Garber, of Rockingham County, Virginia. I am to let JohnGarber have the note if he pays $150. 00. 

TUESDAY, September 17. Brother George R. Hedrick and I start from myhome this morning, on horseback, for Ohio. We dine at WilliamFitzwater's, in Brock's Gap, and arrive in the evening at IsaacDasher's on the South Fork, Hardy County, Virginia, where we stay overnight. 

WEDNESDAY, September 18. Come to Isaac Shobe's for breakfast, and onto Parks's for dinner. Meeting in the afternoon at Parks's. John 3is read. On the way to-day Brother Hedrick and I talked over theinterpretation we are to give the Lord's words in the thirteenth verseof the chapter read this afternoon. These are the words: "And no manhath ascended up to heaven. " I asked Brother Hedrick if Elijah had notascended to heaven? I quoted to him the very words recorded in theeleventh verse of the second chapter of Second Kings: "And Elijah wentup by a whirlwind into heaven. " Brother Hedrick confessed that a firstthought on our Lord's words might lead the mind to conclude that thereis a want of harmony between what he says to Nicodemus and what isplainly said of Elijah. But he removed the difficulty from my mind atonce by explaining the Lord's words to mean that no one in his ownstrength or by virtue of his own power had ascended to heaven. "Elijahwent up to heaven, it is true, " said he, "but the horses of fire andthe chariot of fire by which he went up, beautifully and impressivelysymbolize the Lord's hand by which he was taken up. And besides this, we read in 2 Kings 2:1, 'And it came to pass when the Lord would takeup Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elishafrom Gilgal. ' Here it is plainly implied that the Lord took up Elijahinto heaven. And this falls in as a part of the great lesson the Lordwas seeking to impress upon the mind of Nicodemus, the great truththat the Lord alone has power to lift men, through the regeneration, up to heaven. " Stay all night at Parks's. 

THURSDAY, September 19. We go to Stingley's for breakfast; to ElizaHays's for dinner (still in Hardy County, Virginia), and stay allnight at Gilpin's. We are now within sixteen miles of the Marylandline. 

FRIDAY, September 20. To-day we passed through what is called theGlades and Wilderness, to the Briery mountain. A very lonely road; butthe companionship of a man and a brother like George Hedrick makessolitude enjoyable. Only those who have experienced the agreeablenessof a bright, serene, calm and contented mind and heart, such as I findin Brother Hedrick, can ever realize the pleasure of such company. It does seem to me that we can almost adopt toward each other thebeautiful sentiment of love which Ruth expressed for Naomi: "Whitherthou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge. Thy peopleshall be my people. Where thou diest I will die, and there will I beburied. " We fed our horses and took breakfast at Smith's tavern, inPreston County, Virginia; took dinner at Bransonville, and findourselves here at Brother Jacob Thomas's, where we are spending thenight. 

SATURDAY, September 21. Meeting in the schoolhouse near BrotherThomas's. Deuteronomy, eighteenth chapter is read. I spoke on thelatter portion of the chapter read, from the fifteenth verse to theend. I spoke particularly on the following words: "The Lord thy Godwill raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thybrethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken. " This was spoken tothe children of Israel. What follows was spoken directly to Moses: "Iwill raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like untothee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak untothem all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, thatwhosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in myname, I will require it of him. " I tried to show these people thegreat danger there is in a life of sin. The great Prophet spoken ofand promised in the words of my text is none other than the Lord JesusChrist. In the fullness of time he appeared. The prophecy just readwas recorded by Moses very nearly fifteen hundred years before it wasfulfilled by the appearing of our Savior. This single considerationmay serve to remind us of the faithfulness of God in fulfilling hisWord. And our blessed Lord while in the flesh more than once turnedthe eyes of his disciples to the prophecies that foretold his coming. In one place he said to the people: "Think not that I am come todestroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but tofulfill. " After his resurrection, on his way to Emmaus, in companywith two of his sorrowing disciples who had not yet fully learned thetruth of his having risen, he said in reference to his sufferings anddeath: "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yetwith you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in thelaw of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. "

I am now prepared to tell you, and I trust you are prepared to hearsome of the particulars in which Christ Jesus was like unto Moses. Youknow the text says: "A Prophet like unto me. " This is the language ofMoses. The Lord God had just before told him this. We will now turnto some of the points in the comparison of Moses with Christ. Mosestold the people to believe what he told them and obey the commands hegave them. He taught them that if they would obey the commands andordinances which God gave and established through him they wouldreceive the favor of the Lord, and that as a reward for theirobedience he would bless them exceedingly. But if they would turn awayfrom him, he would turn away from them, and multiply their troublesgreatly. Christ Jesus does the same. Just at the close of the mostwonderful sermon the world has ever heard preached, a sermon in whichall the moral and spiritual relations of men to each other and to God, together with the duties growing out of these relations, are set forththe Lord says: "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeththem, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon arock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon arock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth themnot, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house uponthe sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the windsblew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall ofit. "

Friends, let me say to you that each and every one of you is buildinga house for himself on one or the other of these foundations. Yourlife, your every-day life, from beginning to end, is the house you arebuilding. If your life, from love to the Lord, is based upon the solidrock of his Revealed Truth, it will stand the temptations and trialssymbolized by the floods and winds; but if not, it will never be ableto stand, and great will be its fall. Some may think that because Godis long-suffering, and does not punish sin in this world so manifestlyas he sometimes did in former times, he is becoming more merciful andtakes less account of sin than formerly. But this is a very greatmistake. God has always been quite as merciful as he could beconsistently with his justice and holiness; and the warning givenin Hebrews 2:2 should be heeded. This is the warning: "If everytransgression and disobedience" under Moses, "received a justrecompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so greatsalvation?" Notice this also from the same book: "He that despisedMoses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of howmuch sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, whohath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood ofthe covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hathdone despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

Again: The children of Israel were baptized unto Moses, that is, intoa visible covenant with him, in the cloud and in the Red Sea, as theypassed through. In this act of baptism, by which they declared theirwillingness to follow him as their leader, but the one action wasrequired, and that action was their passing between the walls of wateron the right hand and on the left hand, with the cloud overheadcompletely shutting them in from the world. But the Christian, to bea true follower of the great Prophet of whom we are particularlyspeaking, is required to submit to a threefold baptism, which is animmersion of the body in water in the name of the Father who loved usand gave his Son; another immersion in the name of the Son who redeemsand saves us; and lastly an immersion in the name of the Holy Ghostwho convinces of sin, who comforts us, enlightens us as to our duties, sanctifies and makes us meet for heaven. 

Again: Moses gave the people water from the Rock. Christ Jesus giveshis people the water of life. He says: "If any man thirst, let himcome unto me, and drink. "

Again: Moses fed the people with manna, which they gathered everymorning from the ground. Christ feeds his people with the heavenlymanna, which I take to be the great and eternal love of the Fathercontained in the blessed words of truth which his Son has declared tothe world. 

In such and many other words did I speak unto these people, seekingto instruct them in the things of salvation, and induce some of them, at least, to turn to the Lord. After meeting we dined at BrotherThomas's, and started for George's Creek; crossed Laurel mountain toHagtonsville, then to Brother Joseph Leatherman's, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, where we stay all night. 

SUNDAY, September 22. Go to George's Creek meetinghouse. We haveforenoon and afternoon meeting. Second Corinthians 6 is read in theforenoon meeting. In the 3 o'clock meeting Luke 14 is read. I speak onthe great supper, from the sixteenth to the twenty-fourth verse. 

Whilst I am a stranger to most of you, I nevertheless feel assured bythe signs I witness that I can confidingly and affectionately addresssome of you, and I trust a goodly number too, as beloved brethren andsisters. This is, so far, as it should be. But what would be the joyof my heart, and what would be the joy of heart with each one of you, could it be said that this entire congregation is of one mind and allspeak the same thing! But the words of my text, harmonizing with theclosing words of another parable, recorded by Matthew, which declarethat "many are called, but few chosen, " may continue to be true, fora long time yet to come. Whilst the advocates of election andpredestination claim this as one of their proof texts, to my mind itproves the exact reverse. "Many are called. " Here, if I mistake not, the German has it: "The many are called. " I take this to mean that allare called. Now compare this with what is said here in my text: "Thenthe master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, Go outquickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hitherthe poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servantsaid, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways andhedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. " Thissurely proves that all are called or invited to the great supper. First, the Jews were invited. When Jesus sent forth the twelve hecommanded them saying; "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and intoany city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lostsheep of the house of Israel. " Here it is plain that the Jews werethe first to be invited. "But they all with one mind began to makeexcuse. " Next then the poor of the city were invited. Still there wasroom. Next the off-casts and beggars were invited. These included thevery lowest of the Gentile nations, and comprehend all that live, every creature. 

Now I ask, in the name of all that is reasonable, can we, dare we, accuse the Lord of dealing deceitfully? Perish the thought forever. No! He invites all because it is his blessed will to see all comeand sit at his table spread with the great love feast which he hasprepared for all who are willing and desire to come. This very thoughtis the joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue. And it is a joywhich no man taketh from me, because it rests on the rock of DivineTruth. But a preparation is necessary. We can hardly separate theparable under consideration from the one recorded in Matthewtwenty-second chapter. There we read of a wedding dinner made by aking, to celebrate the marriage of his son. And when the king came inhe saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment. And the kingsaid: "Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?And he was speechless. " And why was he speechless? If he would havehad any reasonable excuse to offer for the unprepared appearance whichhe made, would he have been speechless? Reason says at once. He wouldhave urged his inability to procure a suitable dress for the occasion, as the cause for his appearing in the way he did, if any such causehad existed. And the king knew this full well; otherwise he would nothave required all to have on the wedding garment. 

I now call your attention to the closing words of the parable: "I sayunto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of mysupper. " The reason for this is found in the fact that they would notcome. They were the first to be invited. Had they come, they wouldhave received the right hand of welcome. But notice the unreasonableexcuses they made. One had bought a piece of ground, and he must goand see it, as if night were the time to look at land. Another musttry the five yoke of oxen he had that day bought, as if night were thebest time to do this. Another had married a wife and could not come, as if night were not a suitable time to enjoy a rich supper with hisbride. We wonder at these vain and almost unnatural excuses; but do wefind the excuses of men any more reasonable to-day? Men hazard theirsouls in a life of sin, not for want of invitations, entreaties andwarnings from the Lord to come unto him, but because they will not. The Lord pleads with men to-day, just as he pleaded with Israelcenturies ago. Hear what he says to Israel by the mouth of the ProphetEzekiel: "Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions;so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all yourtransgressions, . .. And make you a new heart and a new spirit: for whywill ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death ofhim that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves and liveye. "

And now, Brethren and friends, to make a brief application of some ofthe great principles laid down, I will say that the Lord's Supper isthe great love feast which he has prepared for you, for me, for all. This great love feast, of which our own ordinance by his appointment, and bearing the same name, is a beautiful and fitting emblem, isneither more nor less than the bountiful provisions Christ has madefor the salvation of all. These provisions are the great truths of hisWord, filled with his love. The Lord Jesus says: "I am the bread oflife. " To the Jews he said: "Your fathers did eat the manna in thewilderness, and they died. " "If any man eat of the bread which I shallgive him, he shall live forever. " When we are faithfully obeying theLord from love in our hearts, we are eating this life-giving bread. Every truth which the Lord has revealed, and by which the spiritualman is fed as to his soul, may be regarded as a component part of thisgreat feast. 

Jesus said to the tempter: "Man doth not live by bread alone, but byevery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. " The tempter heremeant material bread for the body, and the Lord answered him accordingto that meaning. This is the kind of bread, material bread, with whichthe devil seeks to satisfy every demand of our being. It embraceseverything the natural appetite of man craves. The devil is everseeking to lead men to feed on the husks which the swine do eat, andto be satisfied with that kind of food. But the blessed Lord Jesusresists the tempter, and continually seeks to lead men into a higher, nobler and heavenly life. He says to every sinner: "Arise, and go tothy Father, and say unto him, Father, I have sinned before heaven, andin thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. " This isrepentance. This is the first move man makes in the way of approachto the feast the Lord has prepared. "Man liveth by every word thatproceedeth out of the mouth of God. " This embraces all of RevealedTruth. Every law, every precept, every prophecy, every parable hassome outflowing, healing virtue, some life-imparting power. We touchthe hem of its garment when we read or hear in sincerity of heart. Osinner, come and partake of this feast, and thy soul shall live. 

We stay all night with David Longenacre. 

MONDAY, September 23. On towards Ohio. Dine and feed our horses atBrother David Wise's. This evening we are at Hays's tavern inWashington, Washington County, Pennsylvania, where we[1] stay allnight. 

TUESDAY, September 24. Go to Hickorytown where we feed our horses andget breakfast. Then on through Burgitsville and Florencetown toFrankford, in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where we feed and dine atDuncan's tavern. Then on to Georgetown, where we cross the Ohio riverin a horse-boat, and stay all night at Smith's tavern. A lonesome rideto-day, because we have seen no Brethren. 

 [1] Brother Kline in the Diary almost invariably puts it "_Stay all night_. " I am not willing to depart from his usage in this. --ED. 

WEDNESDAY, September 25. Breakfast and feed in Darlington at Dunlap'stavern. Then on to New Middletown to Daniel Summers's; and this evening reach Brother Henry Kurtz's in Columbiana County, where we stay allnight. 

THURSDAY, September 26. Meeting at Brother Haas's. Hebrews 8 is read. Love feast this evening. Come back to Brother Kurtz's and stay allnight. Paul has told us more than once of the joy he felt, and how hisheart was refreshed on meeting dear brethren and sisters whom he hadnot seen for a time. In meeting the brethren and sisters here andelsewhere we experience much of the same feeling. They everywhere makeus feel at home, and show us more love and give us more attention thanwe deserve. What a blessed thing it is to be filled with the love ofChrist! This implants love in the heart for the Brethren. John says:"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we lovethe brethren. " This is the first-fruits of the tree of life in ourhearts. 

FRIDAY, September 27. Go westward through Greene, Salem, Damascus, Westville, and on to Brother Joseph Bollinger's, where we stay allnight. 

SATURDAY, September 28. Meeting. John 3 is read. Evening meeting atBrother Metse's, where we stay all night. Hebrews 12 is read. Beginsto snow this evening, and continues all night. 

SUNDAY, September 29. Meeting in the Franklin Lutheran church. Matthew7 is read. After meeting we come to Brother David Sommers's. Eveningmeeting. John 10 is read. Stay all night with Brother Sommers. Theweather has cleared up. 

MONDAY, September 30. Visit Michael Dickey who is very sick. We thenattend a meeting at Eli Dickey's, in Starke County. Galatians 3 isread. Stay all night with Brother Dickey. 

TUESDAY, October 1. On westward, through Canton, Massilon, Brooklin, Dover, Wayne County, to Brother Jacob Kurtz's, where we have nightmeeting. Matthew 9 is read. Fine weather. 

WEDNESDAY, October 2. Pass through Jefferson, Pittsburg, and on toBrother Lucas's, where we have meeting. Second Corinthians 2 is read. I spoke awhile on the last verse, particularly on these words:"Corrupting the word of God. " In the margin the translation of thispart of the verse is somewhat different, and, if I mistake not, issustained by the German of Luther. It is this: "Making merchandise ofthe word of God. " I regard this as the more literal of the tworenderings. But they both mean very nearly the same, with this slightdifference, that the one strikes more at the cause, while the otherregards particularly the effect of "handling the word of Goddeceitfully. " Men who make merchandise of the Word of God are exactlyin line with the Pharisees as the Lord described them: "Verily, theyhave their reward. " Jesus says: "Provide yourselves purses which waxnot old; a treasure in the heavens which faileth not. " But those whomake merchandise of the Word of God provide purses for themselves, forthis life, which do wax old; and they lay up their treasures here. Sadto say, such corrupt the Word by handling it deceitfully, that theymay make the things of religion pleasing to the natural man, andthereby draw numbers to their side. But, brethren and sisters, Ihardly need tell you that this world is no friend to grace--no friendto God--no friend to your souls. "Except a man deny himself, and takeup his cross daily, he cannot be my disciple. " How different thesewords of Jesus are from some remarks I heard one of those gospelmerchants make from his stand not long since. I give them as nearly asI can. Said he: "Religion is natural to man. And that religion is thebest which enables a man or a woman, in the easiest and mostrespectable way, to lead a good moral and civil life in this world. Christ is your righteousness, and he gives you your necessary fitnessfor heaven without any effort on your part, any more than to justbelieve on him; so all you have to do is to sustain a respectablestanding in the church, by attending to its ordinances, and you areand forever will be all right. "

Now I would ask if such talk as this is not corrupting the Word? Howany man, in the face of the sermon on the Mount, in which the deepesthumility of heart--in the way of self-denial, forgiveness of enemies, love of the truth, obedience to every commandment, from supreme loveto God--and the lowest self-abasement is laid down and set forth inthe clearest light and plainest injunctions--how, I say, in the faceof all this, can a man speak in this way? And more. Hear the awful, terrific denunciation at the close of this sermon: "He that heareththese sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto afoolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the raindescended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon thathouse, and it fell: and great was the fall of it. " Ah! Brethren, something more than a desire to appear respectable in the eyes of theworld, and hold an honorable place in the church, so called, isnecessary to withstand the floods and storms of temptations that aresure to try us in this world. This is why so many make shipwreck. Theydo not count the cost; and this is why they desire to make peace, whenthey see and feel the army of twenty thousand temptations comingagainst them, and they have only ten thousand, very poorly equipped, to resist their attack. 

The temptations to conform to the vain fashions of the world, especiallywith the young, may be called legion. The temptations to commitadultery are a host. I speak plainly, Brethren, but I must not corruptthe Word. The temptation to acquire property from the avaricious loveof wealth, more than we can use ourselves or handle to good ends, comes as the prince of darkness with clouds that shut out the light ofheaven from our sight. Brethren and sisters, as I love you all dearly, let me say to you at the close of my remarks that the Lord says: "Thescriptures cannot be broken. " No man can intentionally break theScriptures and be saved. We dare not corrupt the Word of God. 

After meeting we go to Brother John Shoemaker's, where we have nightmeeting, and stay all night. Ephesians 6 is read. 

THURSDAY, October 3. Take the Ashland road to Brother Joseph Rupp's, near Ashland, Ashland County, where we have meeting. Luke 14 is read. Stay this afternoon and night with Brother Rupp. 

FRIDAY, October 4. Go to Brother Jacob Whisler's, six miles north ofMansfield. Meeting at 3 o'clock. John 14 is read. To-day we crossedthe Black Fork of the Mohican. Stay all night with Brother Whisler. 

SATURDAY, October 5. On westward through Shelby, to Brother SamuelCover's in Crawford County, where we have night meeting. Last part ofActs 3 is read. Stay all night with Brother Cover. 

SUNDAY, October 6. Meeting. Matthew 7 is read. Stay all night withBrother Martain Hestand. 

MONDAY, October 7. Visit William Lupton, but not finding him at home, make settlement with his son of business connected with Hoover'sestate. Look over Hoover's land, and stay all night at Bender's. Fineday. 

TUESDAY, October 9. Meeting at Brother Hestand's in afternoon. Matthew10 is read. Night meeting at Brother Clark's. Part of John 3 is read. Stay all night at Brother Clark's. Fine day. 

WEDNESDAY, October 9. Start for Allen County. Dine and feed at UpperSandusky; then on to Huston's, in Hardin County. Bad road from theBellefontaine road for twelve miles. Stay all night at Huston's. 

THURSDAY, October 10. By Williamsburg, breakfast and feed at MichaelBaserman's, and on to Abraham Miller's in Allen County, where we stayall night. Brother Hedrick and I have slept together in the same bedevery night since we left home. 

FRIDAY, October 11. Stay at Brother Miller's till after dinner, thengo to Brother Samuel Miller's, where we stay all night. 

SATURDAY, October 12. Pass through Lima, dine and feed in Wapokaneta, and stay all night at Shannon's tavern. 

SUNDAY, October 13. Go to Brother Joseph Risser's, dine and feed, thento Brother Jacob Basehore's, where we leave our horses and walk twoand one-half miles to meeting and back to Brother Basehore's. Nightmeeting at Brother Cabell's. First John 3 is read. Stay all night atBrother Basehore's, in Miami County. Fine day. 

MONDAY, October 14. Westward through Greenville to Brother EmanuelFlory's in Darke County, where we dine and feed; then on to Winchesterin Indiana, and stay all night at Acker's tavern. We are now inRandolph County, Indiana. If we were among false brethren in this newcountry, as Paul says he once was in the land in which he traveled, situated as we are in respect to bad roads, a long way from our homes, with no means of conveyance except the backs of our horses to carry usto Virginia, the prospect of our stay here, and our hopes of safereturn, might be gloomy indeed. But, thanks to the good Lord, we arenot among false brethren. Our Brethren are true Brethren wherever wefind them. There may be some hypocrites, God knows; but I know ofnone. Brother Hedrick and I have repeatedly discoursed on this subjectin our travels together, and neither he nor I have in a singleinstance met with a brother or sister that has not, in our presence atleast, shown something of the gentleness and meekness of Christ. Weare made to feel at home wherever we go among them, and theseconsiderations strengthen our faith and encourage the assurance thatthe Gospel which we as a band of Christians preach and practice, andwhich works mightily in the hearts of the dear Brethren everywhere, isof God. "By their fruits ye shall know them. "

FRIDAY, October 11. Still westward through Cameron, to BrotherFullhearts, where we feed our horses and get dinner. We then cross theWhite river to Muncie in Delaware County, and stay all night withDavid Bowers. Rough, windy and rainy day. 

WEDNESDAY, October 16. Visit the following named families, in nearlyall of which we find members of our Brotherhood. We first visitSowerwine's, then Joseph Coffman's, Sheets's, Jacob Good's, AbsalomPainter's and George Hoover's. At the last-named place we have nightmeeting and stay all night. We are now in Henry County, Indiana. 

THURSDAY, October 17. Meeting at Jacob Brunk's. Mark 1 is read. Thento Peter Fesler's, where we have night meeting. Acts 3 is read. Stayall night with Brother Fesler. 

FRIDAY, October 18. Come to Middletown and get a letter from home. Glad to hear that all are well, but sorry to learn of some deaths. Leaving Middletown, we go eastward to Brother David Hartman's, inWayne County, where we stay all night. Raining all day, and inafternoon it falls in torrents. 

SATURDAY, October 19. Love feast at Brother Abraham Hoover's. John 1is read. Stay all night at Brother David Hartman's. Clear and cold. 

SUNDAY, October 20. Forenoon meeting. Acts 3 was read. I spoke onverse twenty-second: Subject, "The Great Prophet. " Meeting again atone o'clock. I speak on Mark 1:27. Text: "And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing isthis? What new doctrine is this?"

The Jews could well ask the question set forth in the text: "What newdoctrine is this?" To them the teachings of Christ were all new. Whilst he came not to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill, nevertheless his fulfillment of them was so spiritual, so essentiallyholy, so pure in motive, so beneficent in act, that the Jews wereentire strangers to it: or probably better, it was strange and new tothem. Even Nicodemus, a ruler among the Jews, failed to perceive whatJesus meant when he told him about the nature and necessity of the newbirth. Our Lord manifests something of surprise at the ignorance andstupidity of Nicodemus. Such ignorance as Nicodemus exposes in thepresence of Christ appears to us as wholly inexcusable, when we lookat what had already been taught on the subject of a change of heart, or regeneration, in the law of Moses and the prophets. 

Enoch, the seventh from Adam, walked with God three hundred years, andnever saw death, for God took him. Did he walk with God in a fleshlymind, or in a spiritual mind? Hear what Jesus and Paul say: "Thatwhich is born of the flesh, is flesh, " and Paul says: "Thereindwelleth no good thing. " "But that which is born of the Spirit isspirit, " and therein serve we the Lord acceptably. Abraham, Isaac andJacob, Moses and Elijah are to-day in the heavens. Are they there inthe flesh? Nay, verily, but in the spirit; in the new nature which Godhad implanted in them. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom ofheaven. "

"And what shall I say more? for the time would fail me to tell ofGideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephtha; of David also, and Samuel, " who prayed: "Create in me a clean heart, and renew aright spirit within me. " But the Jews had become carnal, fleshlyminded, and, like Nicodemus, were unable to see the spirituality oftheir own Word. How, then, could they apprehend the grace or see thetruth which came by Jesus Christ! Let us, Brethren, search theScriptures and acquaint ourselves much with the Gospel of oursalvation, so that when we read or hear, it may not be to us as itwas to the Jews, a new doctrine, but the

 "Old, old story, Of Jesus and his love. "

This is nearly the substance of what I said. 

Night meeting at Samuel Cave's. I speak from John 1:29. Fine day. Westay all night with Brother Cave. We are now in Wayne County. 

MONDAY, October 21. Start eastward to William Minnick's, and onthrough Richmond, by Eaton, Preble County, Ohio, to Samuel Showalter's, where we stay all night. 

TUESDAY, October 22. Get dinner at Jacob Trout's: visit John Brower's, and stay all night at Solomon Stoner's. Fine day. 

WEDNESDAY, October 23. Visit Joseph Kline's, Samuel Kline's, DavidDristle's, and have night meeting at David Bowman's. Matthew 25 isread. Stay all night at Brother Dristle's. Our gatherings for worshipand attendance upon the Word, as a rule, have not been large; butpeople generally appear to pay heed to what is spoken, and we trustthe good seed may find a lodgment in many an honest and sincere heart. 

THURSDAY, October 24. Meeting at Bowman's meetinghouse. Luke 14 isread. Stay all night at Brother Abraham Aerbaugh's. 

FRIDAY, October 25. Visit George Miller's, Sally Aerbaugh's, DanielGarber's, John Garber's, David Miller's, and Joseph Garber's, where westay all night. Fine weather. 

SATURDAY, October 26. Visit Felix Landes's, and go to night meeting atPhilip Wampler's. Matthew 11 is read. Stay all night at PhilipWampler's. 

SUNDAY, October 27. Meeting at the Bowman meetinghouse. Acts 3 isread. I then visit Brother Brumbaugh, who is very low in sickness; andalso visit Henry Harshbarger, and stay all night at John Kline's. 

MONDAY, October 28. Go to Dayton, and after spending some time invisiting the factories and other points of interest in the city, westart towards Cincinnati, and stay all night in Miamisburg, atZimmers's tavern. 

TUESDAY, October 29. Pass through Butler County into Hamilton, andstay all night in Cincinnati, at the Franklin House, kept by Ross. 

WEDNESDAY, October 30. Visit Dr. Curtis and settle with him. [Dr. Curtis was at this time a very noted Thompsonian doctor located inCincinnati. He was editor of the _Botanic Medical Recorder_, a journalwhich was very popular with the advocates of the Thompsonian practiceof medicine in its day; and also author of a series of lectures in thesame line. --ED. ] Dr. Curtis appears to me as a very kind, open-hearted, well-informed man. He seems to be very confident as to the futuresuccess and final triumph of his favorite system of medical theory andpractice. "Why should we not, " said he, "feel as sure that the mightof truth will prevail in this as in other things? It may be thatfurther experience will shear off some things that we now hold; andadd on to our system some others which we as yet lack; but the greatprinciples of truth which underlie our medical creed must remainunshaken, while the laws of health and the inroads of disease remainas they are to-day. " We then visited the city markets, and about 10o'clock started for Clermont County, and got to John Dickey's tavern, where we stay all night. 

THURSDAY, October 31. On to Hillsborough in Highland County; dine andfeed at Jacob Runyon's, and stay all night at Elijah Thurman's. 

FRIDAY, November 1. On into Ross County, and stay all night at DavidKline's. 

SATURDAY, November 2. Cross Deer Creek and push on across the Sciotoriver at Boggs's Mills, and get to Sampson Zimmerman's, in HockingCounty, where we stay all night. 

SUNDAY, November 3. On through Logan on the Hocking river; then downthe same river to Warren's tavern, near Athens, in Athens County, where we stay all night. The Hocking Valley is a fine, rich country, and I feel to encourage some of our younger people to come here andget good cheap homes. In this way they might establish the churchhere, and thus prepare the way of the Lord as John did in thewilderness of Judea. What an opening there is here for good, industrious people!

MONDAY, November 4. Down the Hocking river to where the road takes offtowards Parkersburg in Virginia, near which place we cross the Ohioriver in a horse boat, and stay all night at Henry Dill'sentertainment, in Wood County, Virginia. 

TUESDAY, November 5. To-day we travel thirty-nine and one-half mileson the Parkersburg turnpike, and stay all night at Isaac Martain's, inRitchie County, Virginia. 

WEDNESDAY, November 6. Keep the turnpike all day. Dine and feed ourhorses at Neeley's tavern, and stay all night at Clinch's, three mileswest of Clarksburg, in Harrison County. 

THURSDAY, November 7. Through Clarksburg, Prunty Town, Evansville andon to J. Stone's tavern, in Preston County, where we stay all night. 

FRIDAY, November 8. Cross Laurel mountain, Cheat river, and on to topof Cheat mountain, where we dine and feed at Stemple's tavern nearWest Union; then to North Branch to Hays's where we stay all night. Fine day. 

SATURDAY, November 9. Go to Stingley's, dine and feed; stop awhilewith old Sister Parks; then on to Enoch Hyre's, on the South Branch, near Petersburg, Hardy County, Virginia, where we stay all night. Fineweather. 

SUNDAY, November 10. I do not like to travel far on this day, butthere being no meeting in reach of us, and both eager to get as nearhome as possible, we leave Sister Hyre's, stop a little with IsaacShobe's on Mill Creek, dine and feed at Isaac Dasher's, on the SouthFork, and stay all night at Jacob Whetzel's, in Brock's Gap, RockinghamCounty, Virginia. Fine weather continues. 

MONDAY, November 11. Home to-day. Find all well, but some sickness inthe neighborhood around. On the journey from which I have justreturned, I traveled 1, 271 miles on horse-back, one beast carrying mesafely all of that distance. The roads we traveled were in many placesjust as nature formed them, the hand of man having done but littlemore than cut the timber out and remove impassable obstructions. Wecrossed high and rugged mountains, and forded dangerous streams. Butin the West the people are waking up to the importance of improvingthe public roads. The abundant natural wealth of that country, whenproperly developed by wise industry, will respond in such lavishabundance that there will be no lack of means to build the best ofroads, and in every respect to raise the country generally to thatstate of beauty by high culture, which ministers to the comfort andusefulness of its people. 

The Baltimore & Ohio railroad will soon be completed to Wheeling, andthis road, in connection with other roads likely to be built andconnect with it, will open a very active traffic between that city andthe East. I feel like saying to the Brethren everywhere that now isthe time to sow the pure seeds of Gospel Truth in the West. If this benot done, tares will be sure to grow and multiply where the wheat ofholy love should abound. Such fields of humanity, so full of life andvigor, will never remain unproductive. Education and civil law mayhelp to control and keep in bounds the flood of moral and intellectualpower flowing from them; but if the hand of sanctified religion be notput forth to give it proper direction, they will turn out to be amoral wilderness of sin, filled with all the wild beasts of humanpassion, "and every hateful bird. "

In the time of my absence Eli Spitzer and wife, Polly Hindgardner, and another woman were baptized. This was done September 18. On thetwenty-second there was a love feast at the Lost River meetinghouse;and about that time Samuel Toppan and wife, and three other persons, all on Stony Creek, were baptized. Thomas Lampkin and Polly Fridley, and another sister were also baptized in my absence. 

MONDAY, December 16. To-day I preach the funeral of old Brother JohnWine in the Forest. Text, Rev. 14:13, "Blessed are the dead which diein the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may restfrom their labors; and their works do follow them. "

I aimed to set forth, in the practical part of my discourse, a fewthoughts based on the last part of the verse: "Their works do followthem. " Our works are as sure to follow us from this world to the nextas they are when we remove from one place to another in this. Let anyone come among us, no matter from where, and he brings his characterwith him. If that is good, good works will follow him. They follow notonly in the way of reports we may receive from those among whom helived before he came among us, but they follow all he does while here. In this consists the blessedness of those who die in the Lord. Inheaven the same good works follow them in all they do, only in muchgreater perfection, that accorded with the good will in their heartsthat characterized their lives while here. The lives of good men areso conjoined with the Lord, because from the Lord, that whatever goodthey do in the way of helping others he accounts it as done to him. Indeed, this blessed following is the ground of proof that they are ofhis sheep. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these mybrethren, ye have done it unto me. " Will not that be a glorious andhappy following? Is it not something worth sacrificing our life andour all in this world for? And that day will surely come. Just as sureas we live it will come, for the Scripture cannot be broken. Thisblessed following of good works will be sure to receive on that daythe welcome plaudit: "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thouinto the joy of thy Lord. "

WEDNESDAY, December 25. Christmas day. Meeting in Keagey's schoolhouse. Matthew 2 was read. Brother Daniel Miller spoke beautifully in theGerman language on the advent of the Lord Jesus. His main subject wasthe love of the Father, the good will toward men that gave the onlybegotten Son to redeem and save them. 

He said: "The day is unimportant. We may have Christ's birthdaycorrect, or we may not. I am not historian enough to speak positivelyon this point. But one thing there is upon which I can speakpositively; and all the enemies of Jesus are unable to wrest theconviction of that truth from my heart; and that thing is this, that'God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, thatwhosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlastinglife. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. ' It has pleased ourheavenly Father to tell us about our Savior's birth; how lowly it was, in a stable; and that he was laid in a manger, which means a kind ofbox from which horses take their food; and that a star in the east, sometimes called the Star of Bethlehem, guided the wise men who camefrom the east to see the infant, Jesus, to the place where he lay. Those good men hardly knew that this beautiful star was but an emblemof the leadings of God's revealed Truth. But it is so; for all thelight of prophecy centered in that star which showed the time andplace of the birth of the Son of God. Some seem to think the star wasonly a natural light, such as natural eyes could see, but I do notthink so. I rather think it was a heavenly light, and that it could beseen only by such as loved the hope of our Lord's coming and wereready to rejoice at his birth. 

"We have the brighter light of his more clearly revealed Word, bywhich we are enabled to find, not an infant Savior, but a Savior grownup to perfect manhood made perfect through sufferings ending in hisdeath upon the cross. We find him as the risen and glorified Lord withpower to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him. Hisheavenly truth is to us now and to all who are willing to open theireyes and see, as the Sun of Righteousness; 'for we are not of thenight, nor of darkness, but we are all the children of light, and thechildren of the day. ' Paul here means such as are true Christians. Ilove to preach the Gospel; but I love still more to see men and womenopen their eyes to the light of its truth, and their hearts to thewarmth of its love. In this way they are led to seek the Lord; and thepromise is: 'Every one that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. '

"One more thing I must notice. These wise men brought gifts to theinfant Jesus. I suppose these were the first Christmas gifts evermade; and the custom of making presents at this time has probably beenkept up ever since. If presents are made on this day with an eye tothe gift of God's love, they will be acceptable in his eye; but ifmade lightly, simply to comply with custom or fashion, they have nopromise. "

I must yet add this from the brother's beautiful discourse. He said:"The greatest of all the Christmas gifts that man ever has received, or that even God himself can bestow, was made on that first Christmasday. Some of you may not think as I do about it, but on that day Godgave to the world his own and only beloved Son, and to my eyes, and Ihope to the eyes of many of you, he is the fairest of all the fair, and the one altogether lovely. I lay all the gold, and thefrankincense, and the myrrh of my heart's best affections as thankofferings at his feet on this Christmas day. Brethren, God has madehis most costly gift to us in the person of his Son; should we not bewilling to reciprocate this gift with the most precious gift we areable to offer? And what is the most precious thing in his sight thatwe can give? It is our love in return for his love to us. If we domake this return in fullness, we place ourselves in a state of highestblessedness, described by John in few words: 'We love him, because hefirst loved us. ' This is a heavenly state, and it must be the basis ofall the bliss of saints and angels. "

I wish I had time to give more than this mere outline of the brother'sexcellent discourse in the German language, but I must leave off. Wehave night meeting at Koontz's, where Brother Daniel Miller and I stayall night. 

TUESDAY, December 31. I have traveled since last New Year's day, nearly all on horseback, 3, 827 miles. The year's work is done. Therecord on high is made. Does it stand favorably in my behalf for thelife to come, or have I received my reward here? I can only pray myFather in heaven to forgive the wrong and bless the right. This is myevening prayer at all times, but especially do I offer it now at theclosing hour of the year. 

SATURDAY, January 4. Go to Isaac Myer's on Stony Creek, and stay atLouis Naselrodt's all night. 

SUNDAY, January 5. Meeting in the Sulphur Spring schoolhouse. Acts 3is read. Stay at Brother William Andes's all night. 

MONDAY, January 6. Return home. Snows all day. 

THURSDAY, January 23. Solemnize the marriage of David Hoover, nearPlain's Mill, and Mary Zigler, of Timberville. 

SUNDAY, January 26. Attend the funeral of Mrs. Kootz, mother of ourState Senator, Samuel Kootz. Her age was seventy-three years, fivemonths and twenty-eight days. 

WEDNESDAY, February 12. Attend the funeral of old mother Shultz. Herage was seventy-five years. I speak from Isaiah 3:10, 11. Text: "Sayye to the righteous, that it shall be well with them: for they shalleat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be illwith them: for the reward of their hands shall be given them. "

I regard these words of the prophet as being true, not only asapplying to the world to come, but as applying with equal power tothe life of man in this world. A life of honesty, integrity, righteousness, in all we do, is not only policy or wisdom in respectto the world to come, but it is the best policy or highest wisdom inall the affairs of this life. It secures the best results because itmakes use of the best means to promote our own happiness here, andthe happiness of all within the sphere of our influence. Says thePsalmist: "The leaf of the righteous shall not wither, and whatsoeverhe doeth shall prosper. He shall flourish like the palm tree. " We aretold that the palm tree, to which the righteous are here compared, isnot only a very beautiful tree, but a very useful tree. It casts avery delightful shade in the hot climates where it grows; from theabundance of its sap it affords water to the thirsty; and itsexcellent fruit supplies food to the hungry. 

Whilst godliness, as Paul says, "is profitable unto all things, havingpromise of the life that now is, and also of that which is to come;"still, the life to come is what should chiefly concern us here. Ourtime in this world is so short, so brief, that it makes but littledifference whether we are poor or rich, whether we weep or rejoice, whether we be sick or well, provided we have a clear title to aheavenly home, a clear title to an "inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. " We may just as certainly get atrue title to this heavenly possession by a proper course of life hereas we can to a farm or any other property we may buy and pay for. Thedifference, however, between the title to earthly possessions and thatto a heavenly estate is that the first is visible to our natural eyes, and the last is not. How justly the old adage, that "a bird in thehand is worth two in the bush, " applies to the views and decisions ofgreat numbers of people! They talk of not risking a certainty for anuncertainty, --the very thing they are doing. Such make no preparationfor death and eternity which are certainties; but all for life in thisworld, which is an uncertainty. 

But to be faithful to my calling, friends, I must repeat the last partof my text, if nothing more. Hear it, take the warning of its terrificwords, for it is God's warning and not mine. Here it is: "Woe unto thewicked! it shall be ill with them, for the reward of their hands shallbe given them. " These words should strike terror into the hearts ofthe ungodly. The word reward means recompense, and recompense meanspayment for work done or services performed. But, according to alljust laws, the one in whose service we labor is the one to whom wehave a just right to look for our pay. Now I ask you to tell me whomyou serve. Can you say in your heart, "I am serving the Lord"? If notthe Lord, whom do you serve? Satan, the Devil, the old Serpent, theworld and the flesh. These are what you serve, and these are theone--for all together make but one--to whom you are to look for yourreward. And let me tell you from love in my heart for your soul, thatyour life in the service of the devil is a life of sin, and the rewardor wages of sin is death; not extinction, but a state of deadness toall blessedness and happiness forever. But you say, "I cannot bearsuch a thought. " Neither can I. Come then with us, as the prophetsays, and we will do you good. Turn from sin and seek the Lord. Servehim, and your reward will be glory, honor, immortality and eternallife. 

FRIDAY, February 28. Father Wampler died at eleven o'clock to-day. 

SUNDAY, March 2. Father Wampler was buried to-day. His age wasseventy-six years, five months and seventeen days. He was the fatherof Anna Kline, my beloved wife, and of Samuel Wampler, one of ourministers. He was the grandfather of a very numerous line ofgrandchildren, among whom are many excellent members of the Brethrenchurch. 

SATURDAY, March 8. Samuel Wampler and I go to Page County. We havenight meeting at Isaac Spitler's. I speak from John 1:16. Text: "Andof his fulness have all we received. "

The Apostle John made his record of the Gospel sometime after theother evangelists had written theirs. This fact accounts for the manythings given by John which are omitted by the others. He wrote itlong after the day of Pentecost, and after he had seen the churchestablished in Judea, and in the regions of Asia under the ministriesof Paul, and Silas, and Barnabas, and Peter, and others. He saw atendency in the churches even in his day to depart from God'sordinances; and led by the Divine Spirit he felt it his duty to setthese forth in their simplicity and plainness, as he had seen theminstituted and exemplified in his own personal presence by the Lordhimself. 

I think it is clear that the corruption in the Corinthian church hadbroken out before John wrote. Paul tried to check this disorder by aletter, and instruct them in that way as far as he could at the time;but at the close he adds: "The rest will I set in order when I come. "I am free to express the belief here, that Paul wanted to see John andlearn from him all about feet-washing and the Lord's Supper. Up tothis time Paul had not taught the Corinthian brethren anything aboutthese ordinances. He had only taught them baptism and the Communion, as he had received them from the Lord by reading the accounts given ofthem in the records made by the other evangelists. Hence John findsit necessary to give a particular account of the institution offeet-washing and the Lord's Supper, from beginning to end, with thesame exact care that characterizes everything else which he haswritten. John can well record the words of my text: "And of hisfulness have all we received. " Jesus has left nothing incomplete. There is fullness and completeness in his life and examples, in hisdoctrines and practices, and in his objects and their accomplishment. 

Near the close of Paul's life he wrote a kind of love letter to hisson Timothy, as he calls him, in which he says: "All scripture isgiven by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, forreproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that theman of God, " meaning the church, "may be perfect, thoroughly furnishedunto all good works. " There is no place for a doubt in my mind thatPaul wrote this letter to Timothy after John had made his gospelrecord. He therefore includes the Gospel recorded by John in hiscomprehensive expression that "all scripture is given by divineinspiration. " In this view of the case, Paul could well insert thewords, "and is profitable for CORRECTION, for INSTRUCTION inrighteousness, " because he himself had been corrected and instructedby it. 

And now, brethren and sisters, and as many as hear me to-day, let usgo to the fullness of his love as it is tied up in his Word. Let usopen these bundles of grace with penitent hearts and tearful eyes, andthe peace of pardon, like the odor of the ointment from Mary's brokenbox, will flow over our souls. Then with joyful heart each one maysay: "Of his fulness have all we received. " But we constantly needfresh supplies. We naturally run dry. The anaconda, it is said, canlive three months on one meal. But he can do this only in a state ofabsolute inactivity. God does not expect us to live in a state ofconstant inactivity as this serpent does; he expects us to work forhim, and the workingman has need of daily food and drink. Let us solive that we may all joyfully approach some one of the pearly portalsof the Golden City, and receive the angel keeper's welcome there: "Ofhis fulness hast thou received: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. "

SUNDAY, March 9. Meeting at Lionberger's schoolhouse. Romans 10 isread. Dine at Lionberger's, and come to Abraham Rothgeb's (Rodecap's)on Mill Run, where we have night meeting, and stay all night. I speakfrom the latter part of Acts 3. Subject, "The Great Prophet. "

SATURDAY, March 15. This day I mail a letter to Henry Kurtz; one toDaniel Arnold; one to Jacob Basehore, and one to Philip Wampler. 

TUESDAY, April 1. Council meeting in the Garber's meetinghouse. Two ofBrother Daniel Miller's sons, viz, Joseph and Jacob, are elected tothe deaconship. 

SATURDAY, April 5. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. BrotherAbraham Knopp is elected speaker, and two sons of Brother Samuel Winein the Brush, viz, Christian and Samuel, are elected to thedeaconship. 

TUESDAY, April 8. Council meeting at the Flat Rock. Isaac Myers iselected speaker; and John Neff, Jacob Wine, and John Hindgartner areelected to the deaconship. Daniel Miller and I go to the widowWilkins's and stay all night. 

WEDNESDAY, April 9. We attend council meeting in Shaffer's meetinghouseto-day. John Copp and Thomas Baker are elected to the deaconship. Westay all night with Brother George Shaffer in Shenandoah County, Virginia. 

TUESDAY, April 29. Prepare for love feast at our meetinghouse. BrotherHenry Kurtz and Brother Shively come to my house to-day and are withus to-night. To say the least, it is exceedingly pleasant to have suchcompany. We heard some good speaking done by them at our love feastthis evening and night. 

SATURDAY, May 3. Start, in company with brethren Kurtz and Shively, for Botetourt County, Virginia. Get as far as Brother Jacob Humbert'sin Augusta County, where we stay all night. 

SUNDAY, May 4. Love feast at the Brick meetinghouse to-day. 

MONDAY, May 5. Dine at Brother Coffman's and stay all night at BrotherJacob Forrer's. 

TUESDAY, May 6. Through Greenville, and on to Layman's tavern, inFairfield, for dinner. Stop a little in Lexington, then on to Siler'stavern, where we stay all night. 

WEDNESDAY, May 7. Get breakfast and feed our horses at Luster's tavernat the Natural Bridge. This is one of nature's wonderful curiosities. But it does not strike me with that degree of astonishment which manyseem to feel on a first sight of it. I am so familiar with God'ssublime works among the mountains of Virginia and those of otherstates that the view does not impress me with that sense of sublimityand awful grandeur that one might expect from reading the descriptionsgiven of it. The Natural Bridge appears to me to be nothing more thanthe remains of a cave, nearly all of the roof of which has long sincefallen in and been washed away. There are many natural bridges inVirginia and Kentucky, but they are mostly underground. From theBridge we go on to Brother Peter Ninsinger's, where we stay all night. 

THURSDAY, May 8. Get to Brother Benjamin Moomaw's for dinner. BrotherMoomaw gives promise of great usefulness. We then go to BrotherBarnhardt's, where we stay all night. 

FRIDAY, May 9. The Yearly Meeting opens to-day. Many Brethren arepresent. We stay all night at Brother Haut's. 

SATURDAY, May 10. Back to meeting at Brother Barnhardt's. Councilcontinues till noon to-day, then public meeting begins. We have a lovefeast out in the orchard this evening and night. I stay all night atBrother Eller's. 

SUNDAY, May 11. Meeting to-day. John 7 is read. Brother Henry Kurtzspoke from the eighteenth verse. Text: "He that speaketh of himselfseeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. " The brother spokein substance what I here give in small space. He said:

"These are the words of Jesus Christ, who knew what was in man. Itbecomes every minister who preaches the Word, to examine himselfprayerfully, in the light of Holy Truth, to know certainly what impelshim to the work. If, by such examination, he becomes assured that thelove of Christ and for Christ lures him on, and that the salvation ofsouls and the consequent glory of the Lord is the beginning and theend of his motives, he can go on with heart and tongue, under theLord's banner, defying the very gates of hell. But if the love of selfand the love of the world enter as the chief elements of his power andwill in the work, it would be better for him, better for the cause, and less dishonorable to the Lord if he would stop off short. I willhere repeat the text. You may now be better prepared to perceive thewarmth of its power and the light of its truth. 'He that speaketh ofhimself'--or as the Greek more nearly and fully puts it, FROM himself, from love to himself the meaning is--'seeketh his own glory. ' This isself-evidently true, for such a one can have the glory of no one elseto seek. Self, the love of self, fills his eye and heart. And, likethe Pharisee, verily, he has his reward. 

"But, my beloved Brethren, especially you who have been set to thework of the ministry, I can say from my heart that I have but littleapprehension that you are led on in your work by any other than aright motive. I do believe, from all that I know of you personally, aswell as by reputation, that each one of you, with perhaps a somewhatvaried perception of their exalted meaning and power, can adopt Paul'swords: 'The love of Christ constrains me. ' 'Woe unto me if I preachnot the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation. '

"There is one feature particularly in the order of our ministry that Ihave always advocated, and expect by the grace of God to advocate tothe last, and that is an _unsalaried_ ministry. The world will say tome right here: 'You are working against your own interest. You aredestroying the race that would bring water to your mill. You arebreaking the wagon that would carry grain to your storehouse. ' Inanswer to this I have to say that God never meant for the Gospel to beused as a means for getting water to the preacher's mill, or graininto his garner. When the Gospel is converted into merchandise, thepreacher becomes a merchant, and like all other merchants it becomeshis interest to handle his goods in a way that will please hiscustomers, and put them in such shape and procure for them such kinds, whether good, bad, or indifferent, as will suit their fancies andplease their tastes. 'The love of money is a root of all evil, ' noless in the ministry than anywhere else. 

"'But he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same istrue, and no unrighteousness is in him. ' How wonderfully did our Lordfulfill his mission! Even on the banks of the Jordan, when John hadalready expressed his unworthiness to untie the latchet of his shoe, still more so to baptize him, he said: 'Thus it becometh us to fulfillall righteousness. ' And the Father answered, and the Holy Spirit barewitness. 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. ' Brethren, our Lord's maxim, expressed in these words, 'I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me, ' should be the watchword with every one of us. And if the truth leads us through the waters of the Jordan, or into the fire of persecution, let us still deny ourselves, bear the cross, and say: 'Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness;' and we, in heart, in a conscience void of offense toward God, will be sure to receive the heavenly recognition: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. '

"But it is not to be inferred from anything I may have said that aminister should not have a decent regard for the manner and the styleof language in which he proclaims the Gospel of Christ. The mostfaithful and skilled workmen in any craft are, as a rule, the mostcareful in regard to the quality and fitness of the tools they employ, as well as about the manner in which they handle them. Paul instructsTimothy to 'study to show himself approved unto God, a workman thatneedeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ' When aman seeks the honor, the wealth and general interest and success ofhis employer he gives proof of his honesty in the service, and also oflove in his heart for him. These two principles underlie all rightwork for the Lord, --honesty and love; childlike simplicity andsincerity. Brethren, let us not aspire to the high things of theworld, but to the meekness and gentleness of Christ. "

I wish many more could have heard the brother's edifying discourse. 

After the forenoon meeting was dismissed, brethren Henry Kurtz, Shively, Christian Kline and myself start homeward, and come toBrother Daniel Kinsey's, where we stay all night. 

MONDAY, May 12. We all get to Siler's tavern, where we stay all night. 

TUESDAY, May 13. We pass through Lexington, Fairfield, Greenville, andon to Jacob Forrer's, where we all stay over night. We have fineweather. 

WEDNESDAY, May 14. We all come to Brother Abraham Garber's, and afterdinner go to meeting at the meetinghouse. Hebrews 12 is read. Stay allnight at Brother John Myers's. 

THURSDAY, May 15. All go to Brother Frederic Kline's, near Dayton, Virginia, for dinner. Call at Brother Daniel Garber's, and in eveningget back to my house. 

FRIDAY, May 16. In afternoon we have meeting in Brother Samuel Kline'sdwelling house. Brother Shively speaks from John 4:14, 15. Text: "Butwhosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall neverthirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well ofwater springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither todraw. "

I here give, as nearly as I can, a brief outline of Brother Shively'sinteresting discourse. He spoke of water: its purity, its beauty, itsutility, its abundance. 

"Water, " said he, "when it is free from all extraneous substances, isthe purest thing in the world. The curse that fell upon the ground, whereby it would no longer yield its spontaneous increase to supportand comfort man, doomed it to bring forth thorns and thistles instead. 'In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread. ' 'Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. ' These fearful words are still trueof the ground to-day. Wherever man inhabits the earth, labor, sweatand constant attention are the price which has to be paid forcomfortable subsistence in this world. But water is not included inall this. It really is not a constituent of the ground. It may be inthe ground, but it is not of it; and its tendency is to leave theground as quickly as possible, under favoring conditions, as though itfelt that ground is not its place. The ground gives rise to poisonousvapors which produce disease; but pure water never does. The onlyimpurities that ever enter water come from the ground as theiroriginal source. 

"It is probable that on this account our Lord used water to representthe divine truth of his Word. Let us turn to the testimony we maygather on this subject. First to my text, 'He that drinketh of thewater that I shall give him shall never thirst. ' I believe that thismeans the truth of his Word. What else could it mean? Now again:'Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness: forthey shall be filled. ' Filled with what? I believe that such will befilled with the love of God and man, through a knowledge of the truth, to such a degree that they will seek to live righteous lives. 'He thatDOETH truth is righteous. ' 1 John 3:7. 

"Again: Our Lord says: 'If any man thirst, let him come unto me anddrink. ' And what is the drink the Lord will give? Not elementarywater, I am sure; but if you will allow the expression, I will call itspiritual water. Let us return to the text again. If you will tracethe chapter throughout, you will see how gently and tenderly the Lordapproached the dark mind of this woman. He told her of things in herlife that no stranger would be likely to know. In this way he gainedher confidence. She said: 'I perceive thou art a prophet. ' This wasone point gained. Next he told her that 'ye' (including the class ofSamaritans to whom she belonged) 'worship ye know not what. We knowwhat we worship. ' This was another step with the cup of living waterin his hand to apply to her lips. His next step was to tell her thatGod is a Spirit, and that all true worship must be from the heart, 'inspirit and in truth, ' and that the Father seeketh such to worship him. I do suppose this is the first time she ever heard God called Father. It was new to her, so new that she confessed her belief in a comingMessias, who would be able to tell her all things; but that he wouldcome in the spirit and love of a kind Father exceeded all her hopes. 

"And say, Brethren, did not this poor woman take the cup from theLord's hand and drink of the Water of Life? I think she did, for sheturned missionary right away, and if you will read the thirty-ninthverse you will see something of her success, for 'many of theSamaritans . .. Believed on him for the saying of the woman, whichtestified, He told me all that ever I did. '

"I will now quote one more text to show that this living water, orlife-giving water, also represents the Holy Ghost in his enlighteningpower and love. 'He that believeth on me as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake heof the spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. ' Here, it does seem to me, the believer in Christ is compared to a spring ofpure water. What makes a spring flow, and keep on flowing even in dryweather? It must be that deep down in the veins of the rocks, away outof sight, it is being constantly fed by an influx of pure water. Whata lesson we have here! Brethren, the Spirit, or what is the same thingagain, the truth of God's holy Word, must not lie dormant in us. Wemust, as the passage quoted puts it, we must give out rivers of livingwater. These rivers flow out of our hearts into everything of ourlives in a way to make others know that we are full of the water oflife. 

"I very lately read about the Dead Sea. And how did it get its name? Iwill tell you. It got the name 'Dead Sea' from its resemblance to ahuman being who is constantly taking in God's gifts, and givingnothing out in any visible way. If you will look at a map of Palestineyou will there see that the river Jordan is constantly pouring itsflood of fresh water into this sea; but with all this influx of freshwater this sea is so full of all manner of impurities that even fishcannot live in it, and no waterfowls, I am told, are ever seen on itsshores. Truly it deserves to be called 'Dead Sea. ' It has no outlet;no refreshing stream ever flows from its bosom. 

"But, Brethren, if we are truly alive in the Lord we will be like thegarden of Eden that sent out a river to water the garden, whence itwas parted and became four heads, and each head was a river. Does notall this throw some light on what our Lord meant in what he said tothe woman, 'It shalt be in him a well of water, springing up intoeverlasting life;' and this: 'Out of his belly shall flow rivers ofliving water?' There is nothing like a dead sea here. All, all is lifefrom the Lord. But water is beautiful. Who does not admire a clear, flowing spring or river! In this respect water is an emblem of theLord's Word. Can any one read the Scriptures, and not be struck withtheir beauty? Take, for an example, the story of creation. Evenchildren see its beauty and love it. Take the last two chapters ofRevelation. Who can read them without perceiving in them a beauty thatis all divine? The Bible opens in beauty and closes in beauty. 

"And now, dear Brethren, whilst my subject has only been touched alittle, I will close by briefly directing your minds and hearts to theriver that John saw in vision, clear as crystal, proceeding out of thethrone of God and of the Lamb. I believe this river to be a symbol ofGod's love and truth. It proceeded from the throne of God. Now, 'heaven is his throne, and the earth is his footstool. '

"You know the Lord said to the Pharisees: 'The baptism of John, was itfrom heaven, or of men?' They would not answer. But we can answer. Itwas from heaven. It was performed in the beauty and clearness of thetruth that the Lord Jesus brought from heaven. It proceeded from thethrone of God. What a high origin our baptism has! It is from heaven. And the immersion of our bodies three times in water symbolizes, in away more impressive than anything else ever could, that we haveimplicit faith in the love, wisdom and power of the divine Trinity ofFather, Son and Holy Ghost. There is a trinity in every good thing wedo. There must be the love to prompt or make the start, the wisdom todirect this love intelligently, and the power to execute what is inthe will and understanding to be done. Our trine immersion of the bodyin water, the beautiful emblem of truth, shows our acceptance of itinternally and externally, in life, in death, in heaven. 

"One more thought, and I will close. Once within the city, we shallthirst no more: 'For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throneshall lead us to fountains of living water. ' All darkness will beremoved. What is obscure here will be light there. For now we know inpart. There we shall know even as we are known. Amen!"

SATURDAY, May 17. Brethren Kurtz and Shively go to Lost River. Dine atJames Fitzwater's, and stay all night at Celestine Whitmore's. 

SUNDAY, May 18. Meeting at the Lost River meetinghouse. Matthew 7 isread. The brethren both take part in the speaking to-day. Dine atJacob Motz's, then take leave of the dear brethren, Kurtz and Shively, and come home. Those two brethren and I were together three weeks, lacking only two days. The pleasant conversations we had, the unity ofour faith, and the oneness of our aims in life have wrought in us anattachment for each other that made separation painful. But we partednot without hope of meeting again. 

FRIDAY, July 25. Harvest meeting at our meetinghouse to-day. Luke 16was read. The singing of devotional hymns, the offering ofthanksgiving prayers, with instructions as to the way in which theworldly gifts of our heavenly Father to us may be most wisely used, occupied the time we spent together. 

How best to help the poor has been a matter of much thought with me. If we give to such as are able to work and support themselves, but donot, we rather encourage them in their habits of idleness. If we donot give to them, they complain that we care but little for them, anddo not feel toward them as we should. I think the best way to helpsuch is to encourage them to honest labor by aiding them to procuresituations in which they can support themselves. If they then fail toprovide for their families, I think they should be visited by acommittee and instructed in regard to what Paul says: "He thatprovideth not for his own, especially those of his own house, hathdenied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever. " Paul never aimedthis stroke of condemnation at any who are not able to provide forthemselves. I am glad to think that we have but very few poor memberswho are not able to help themselves. These are the ones of whom theLord said: "The poor ye have always with you, and whenever ye will yemay do them good. " In respect to such he also said: "It is moreblessed to give than to receive. "

SUNDAY, August 3. Meeting in our meetinghouse. First Peter 3 is read. Daniel Glick, Hildebrandt, Sister Trump, Mary and Susanna Miller werebaptized to-day. 

SUNDAY, September 7. Meeting at Motz's. John 3 is read. Nimrod Judyand wife, Susan Randall, Mrs. Shireman, the widow Toppan and Mrs. Ridenour were baptized by me to-day. We have a love feast thisevening. 

MONDAY, September 8. Return home. In my absence, on the thirtieth dayof August, the following named persons were baptized in the Linville'sCreek near my house: John Wine and wife, Elizabeth Glick, Mrs. Funk, Mrs. Rodecap, Mrs. Miller, and a young Sister Niswander. 

FRIDAY, September 12. Attend our two days' council meeting aboveHarrisonburg. Stop on my way there, and assist in anointing BrotherDaniel Garber with oil in the name of the Lord. 

FRIDAY, September 26. Start to Albemarle County, Virginia. BenjaminBowman is with me. Stay all night at John Leedy's. 

SATURDAY, September 27. Cross the Shenandoah river in a horse boat;dine and feed at Sipe's; cross the Blue Ridge mountain and on toNesterville. Stay all night at Henry Coverston's. 

SUNDAY, September 28. We have meeting in the Methodist church. Thelatter part of Luke 24 is read. Henry Coverston and wife were baptizedby Benjamin Bowman. I think this is the first administration of theordinance of baptism ever performed by the Brethren on the east sideof the Blue Ridge in Virginia. 

MONDAY, September 29. Get home after a ride on horseback to-day offorty-three miles. We got dinner and fed our horses at Donovan's. 

SATURDAY, October 11. Meeting and love feast at the Flat Rock. Luke 13is read. Benjamin Bowman baptized John Rorabaugh and wife. 

THURSDAY, October 16. Daniel Miller and Daniel Yount, in company withmyself, start to Hampshire County, Virginia. We get to JacobWarnstaff's, in Pendleton County, Virginia, where we stay all night. 

FRIDAY, October 17. We have meeting at Bethel church. Matthew 11 isread. Cross the South Fork mountain and stay all night at ChloraJudy's. I am not surprised that these people are fond of hunting. Several deer crossed our path in front of us to-day. 

SATURDAY, October 18. Meeting at Chlora Judy's. Romans 6 is read. Magdalena Rorabaugh is baptized. Brother Daniel Miller spoke in theGerman on the twelfth verse of the chapter read; and I interpreted tosuch as could not well understand German, following him. Text: "Letnot sin therefore reign in your mortal body. "

He said: "Man, as he first came from the hand of his Creator, was nota sinner. He was included in the creation which God had just finished, and upon which he looked down and said that it was 'good, yea, verygood. ' With this agree the words of Solomon, greatly gifted in wisdom. After going over and investigating the whole human family, as far ashis knowledge and wisdom enabled him to go, he returned to his ownreflections and expressed the sad conclusion of his mind in thesewords: 'Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright: butthey have sought out many inventions. ' The Word of God from beginningto end shows us that man is no longer upright. The inventions whichSolomon speaks of are inventions of evil. They are not goodinventions. In the opening chapters of the Bible we learn how man fellfrom the high and holy state in which he was created. It is theredeclared that 'God made man in his own image, in the image of God madehe him. '

"The Apostle John says that 'God is light. ' By this I understand himto mean that God is infinitely wise, knowing all truth. The sameapostle says that 'God is love. ' By this I understand that the LordGod has a will for good to every creature that he has made. That hehas no other feeling than that of love for the human race and forevery individual of the human family. Now, it was in the image andlikeness of God that man was made at his first creation. Is it notplain from this, then, that he must have been wise in regard to thethings of his understanding, and filled with love in his heart for allthat is truly good? In this state he could love the Lord his God withall his heart, and with all his strength, and love his neighbor as heloved himself. But what does the Bible, and what does the history ofthe world tell us about man ever since he fell from this heavenlystate in which he was first created? The Bible declares that the'heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. 'The Lord said to the Pharisees, a class of people who even claimed tobe religious: 'Ye are of your father the devil; and the works of yourfather ye do. ' From the Bible we turn to the history of man's careerthrough all the ages down to the present time, and we find its linesall written in characters of blood. Revenge, murder, cruelty, deceit, malice and ill-will of one toward another are manifest on almost everypage of history. 

"But in the very face of all this evil God still loved the world; andhe so loved it that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoeverbelieveth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And Ideclare him to you to-day as my Savior and your Savior; able to saveto the uttermost all who come unto God through him. And what does hesave us from? He saves us from hell. And what is hell? I say to youthat it is the place where the devil, and all his angels and evilspirits of men live after they leave this world. It is the fireprepared for the devil and his angels. It is the everlasting fire intowhich the accursed depart. It is the place from which the rich manlifted up his eyes, tormented, as he himself confessed, sorelytormented in this flame. But, dear friends, God does not will that anyof us should go to hell; for he says: 'As I live, I have no pleasurein the death of a sinner, but would that all should turn and live. '

"And he tells us how we are to turn and live. He says to all: 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. ' Repent, that your sins may beblotted out. And what is it to repent? It is to turn away the heartfrom the love of sin. It is to die unto sin and live unto God. Themeaning of my text is not to let sin reign in our mortal bodies tofulfill the lusts thereof. And what does true repentance lead to? Itleads to a life of obedience to all the commands of our Lord JesusChrist. 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name, ' thatmeans in obedience to the command 'of Jesus Christ, . .. And ye shallreceive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, andto your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as theLord our God shall call. ' This takes in all. It may be that some whohear me to-day are very far off. Still, friend, the promise is to you. And more: I am sure you are hearing the Gospel to-day, so God iscalling you now, and the promise is to as many as the Lord our Godshall call, and this means every one who hears the Gospel sound. 

"When I was young I was afraid I had sinned against the Holy Ghost. But I found some precious words from the lips of our blessed Lordhimself that took away all my fear and gave me a hope which has never, up to this time, left my heart. You begin to wonder what preciouswords these were. I will tell you where they are and you can find themyourself. John's Gospel, sixth chapter, and the thirty-seventh verseis where they are, and these are the words: 'And whosoever cometh untome I will in no wise cast out. ' The word whosoever takes in every one, without exception. I tell you joyfully, it took me in, and it has keptme in, and by the grace of God it will keep me in forever. 

"As I have told you some things the Bible says about death and hell, Imust tell you a few things it says about life and heaven. Jesus says:'I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, thoughhe were dead' (as to his body), 'yet shall he live: and whosoeverliveth and believeth in me shall never die. ' O, can this be true? Yes, it is true, because Jesus never said what is not true. He is life andtruth, and when we have him in our hearts we have the witness inourselves that what he says is true. We then 'know of the doctrinethat it is of God. ' Our bodies will all die, but the real man is morethan the natural body. Paul tells us about a spiritual body that willnever see death. This is what Jesus says 'shall never die. ' This isthe body that will rise and live forever. 

"Our Lord said to his disciples: 'I go to prepare a place for you. 'The place which the Lord prepares is heaven. In his prayer he said:'Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with mewhere I am; that they may behold my glory. ' Where is the Lord's glory, and where is he in his glory? We read that he ascended to heaven. Heis in heaven, the heaven of glory and bliss to which he ascended. Heis there preparing a place for you and for me, if we live faithful tohim by our obedience to his commands. Let us be faithful to him, thatwe may be accounted worthy to enter in through the gates into thecity. "

After dinner we all go to Isaac Shobe's, where we have night meetingand stay all night. 

SUNDAY, October 19. We have meeting at Brother Jacob High's. Acts 3 isread. Also night meeting at Parks's where we stay. 

MONDAY, October 20. Meeting at Solomon Michael's, where we stay allnight. 

TUESDAY, October 21. Meeting at Joseph Arnold's, on Patterson's Creek, in Hampshire County, Virginia. I spoke to-day on 2 Timothy 1:13. Text:"Hold fast the form of sound words. "

This passage of Scripture is a part of the fatherly instruction Paulgave his spiritual son Timothy. God's works and man's works in theconversion and regeneration of man are so blended, so connected andidentified one with the other that Paul sometimes speaks of doing whatnone but God himself can do. Thus to the Corinthians he said: "For Ihave begotten you through the gospel. " And to Philemon he said: "Ibeseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds. "These passages show how clearly the true child of God stands connectedwith the Holy Spirit, in his blessed work of regenerating man andqualifying him for heaven. The conjunction of effort may be comparedwith what we see and know to exist in husband and wife. When the twainare really one flesh, one heart, one mind, what is done by the one isregarded as done by the other. It must be in a sense somewhat likethis that Paul calls Timothy his son. The aged John also says: "I haveno greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. " He heremeans spiritual children. He calls them his children from the love hehas for them, and the fatherly care he has over them, and the fatherlyinstruction he gives them. They are near to him, as children are totheir own parents, and when he sees or hears that they receive thetruth and walk in it, it gives him joy. 

When Paul addressed the words of my text to Timothy, most of the NewTestament had been written. It is to the New Testament Scriptures thathe calls Timothy's special attention, where he says: "It is profitablefor doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction inrighteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughlyfurnished unto all good works. " Here, in these Scriptures, is to befound the FORM of sound words which Timothy is admonished to holdfast. This instruction harmonizes with what was said to the angel ofthe church in Thyatira: "But that which ye have, hold fast till Icome. " And in the last of the book of Revelation there are awfulwarnings given against adding to or taking from what God has spoken. The temptation to skip over, misquote, and misinterpret the Scripturesmust be very great, as it is to these three sources that nearly orquite all the denominational differences among professing Christianscan be traced. 

Brethren, it becomes us to be very careful here, "lest Satan shouldget an advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. " Ibelieve a departure from the form of sound words mainly accounts forthe many errors in doctrine and practice which exist among professingChristians to-day. A departure from the form of our Lord's greatcommission has not only perverted the ordinance of baptism by applyingit to infants; but it has destroyed the ordinance itself by settingaside trine immersion, which it so plainly teaches. 

And what shall we say of the ordinance of feet-washing! When a parentor teacher wishes to impart to his child or pupil a clearunderstanding of some duty or obligation, he usually feels relieved ofall further responsibility when he has given the necessary instructionto his child or pupil in words which he knows can be understood. Butin the institution of the ordinance of feet-washing our Lord did notdepend upon oral instruction to impart a clear knowledge of his will;but he went through the performance himself, and at the close he said:"I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done toyou. " Are not these sound words? What are sound words, and what istheir form? I answer that sound words are words which have no doubtfulmeaning; and the form of sound words is such a use of them as clearlyexpresses and conveys to the mind of the reader or hearer just whatthe writer or speaker wants him to know. But do the so-called churcheshold fast these words? No, they do not. They let them go as things outof date, or unnecessary at the present advanced stage of enlightenedthought. But "if the light that is in them be darkness, how great isthat darkness!"

I can say of the Lord's Supper, which Jude calls a feast of charity, or love feast, which is the same, and which the Lord instituted inconnection with feet-washing, just what I have said of this ordinance. It is let go. These, with many other omissions and errors, have creptinto the so-called Christian faith and practice, by letting go theform of sound words. Still more. The injunctions to nonconformity tothe world in dress and other things are all let go instead of beingheld fast, and loose reins are given to all manner of worldly formsand fashions. Professing Christians even defraud one another throughcovetousness, which is idolatry, going to law one with another. Theyalso do not hesitate to bear arms in war, which is the greatest of allearthly evils. 

Brethren and friends, I do not speak in this way from any feeling ofill-will toward any, but from the depth of love in my heart; for thereis no joy that could be compared with the joy that I would feel couldI see the whole Christian world bowing, meekly bowing under the weightand power of God's revealed Truth. Our way, Brethren, is to hold fast"the form of sound words. " As we expect to have a love feast here onto-morrow evening, let each one examine himself to see whether in hisfaith or in his works he may have departed from the form of soundwords of warning, of encouragement, of instruction, of exhortation, ofdoctrine. And it most assuredly becomes us to inquire whether we havedone our duty in the way of searching the Scriptures, giving ourselvesto reading, to meditation, to prayer. We are too apt to seek for whatpleases the taste of the natural mind, to the neglect of what isnecessary to refresh the spiritual mind and keep that healthy andstrong. 

As there was but one rock in the wilderness from which all the tribesof Israel were supplied with natural water, so to us, God's spiritualIsrael, there is but one Rock from which flows to us the water oflife, and that Rock is Christ Jesus in his Word. On this Rock thechurch is founded, and I rejoice to know that the gates of hell shallnot prevail against it. 

WEDNESDAY, October 22. Love feast to-day. Matthew 23 is read. 

THURSDAY, October 23. Meeting. Matthew 13 is read. Brother DanielMiller goes to the Greenland Gap. I stay all night at old BrotherArnold's. 

FRIDAY, October 24. I and Daniel Yount start for home. We dine atSister High's, and stay all night at Vanmeter's. 

SATURDAY, October 25. Dine at Elijah Judy's, and stay all night atIsaac Dasher's on the South Fork, Hardy County. 

SUNDAY, October 26. Meeting at Rorabaugh's. John 10 is read. Ibaptized Lydia Shireman. Stay all night at Rorabaugh's. 

MONDAY, October 27. Preach funeral of Joseph Reel's daughter. Age, seven years and nine months. Stay all night at James Fitzwater's inthe Gap. 

TUESDAY, October 28. Reached home. 

SATURDAY, November 8. Brother Benjamin Moomaw and family, from RoanokeCounty, come to my house this evening. 

SUNDAY, November 9. Brother George Kline's little Daniel diedto-night. I was with him when he died. Just three years and four daysold. How deep the grief with which this kind family is stricken! OnTuesday, October 21, while I was in Hampshire County, Virginia, Anna, aged seven years, two months and nineteen days, was laid in the coldgrave. On the thirty-first, only nine days later, little Mary passedaway, aged four years, seven months and eleven days. And now, onlynine days later still, another, little Daniel, passes away. All threebright, promising, happy children. We can only lift up our voices andweep. The only light that breaks in upon the darkness of thisprovidence comes from heaven. There is light beyond the cloud that nowhangs so darkly and heavily in the sky above our heads. God is ourrefuge. His promise is: "When thou passest through the deep waters, Iwill be with thee. " Thou wilt not leave nor forsake us now. The littlelambs have been gathered into his arms. He took them into his arms andblessed them here; how much more can he bless them there, for "of suchis the kingdom of heaven. "

THURSDAY, November 27. Have night meeting in Winchester, Virginia, inthe Methodist church. I speak from Luke 13. Subject: "The StraitGate. " Stay all night at Henry Krumm's. 

FRIDAY, November 28. Breakfast at Brother Fahnestock's; dine atBrother Mummert's, and have night meeting in the Quaker meetinghouse. Speak on John 4:24. Text: "God is a Spirit; and they that worship himmust worship in spirit and in truth. " As the house in which we havemet for worship this evening has been erected by the Friends, orQuakers, and called after their name, I feel that it will not be outof place for me to speak from a passage of Scripture upon which theyvery much rely, as a strong support to their faith and ways ofworship. I must, at the same time, confess that I love these peopledearly, as far as my acquaintance with them goes. Their views andconvictions in regard to simplicity in manners, and plainness indress, and general nonconformity to the world; in regard to bearingarms, and using human laws in the adjustment of difficulties betweenbrethren, are so very much like our own that I cannot avoid a strongattachment to them in my religious sympathies. And I would not desireto eradicate this sympathy from my heart if I could. Theseconsiderations, in connection with my early knowledge of them inPennsylvania as being an honest and virtuous people, have always keptme in friendly love with the Quakers. 

The language of my text is part of the instruction given by our Lordto the Samaritan woman at the well. She said to him: "Our fathersworshiped in this mountain; but ye [meaning the Jews] say thatJerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. " She alluded to thetemple, I suppose. But our Lord at one stroke levels every support onwhich these false conceptions of him rested in her mind, by assuringher that God is a universal Spirit, and not confined to any one place;and that the worship which he delights in is not that of form andceremony, but that of the heart, in the inner man, in spirit and intruth. The meaning of my text also lays the axe at the root of allhypocrisy and spurious professions of religion. 

In addition to all this it sets up the only true sanctuary for hisworship on earth, the sanctuary which is found in the heart of everysincere and obedient believer in him. Paul says to the Corinthianbrethren: "Know ye not that ye are the sanctuary of God? If any mandefile the sanctuary of God, him will God destroy; for the sanctuaryof God is holy, which sanctuary ye are. "

Every step the sinner takes in his return to God, and every step theChristian takes in his walk with God, must be in spirit and truth. Repentance is heartfelt hatred of sin. Faith is a loving acceptance ofJesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life. For with the heart manbelieveth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is madeunto salvation. This confession includes all the ordinances of God'shouse, which is the church of the living God. How men can think, asmany seem to think, that they can confess Christ in spirit and truth, and at the same time reject the chief means by which Christ intendsthis confession to be made public, I can not see. Baptism, or theimmersion of the body in water by a proper administrator, in the nameof the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is either laidaside entirely, or argued out of form, or very lightly regarded. Theordinance of feet-washing, the salutation of the kiss, and the Lord'sSupper are entirely cast away. In love I say all this, because I burnwith desire to see the Truth accepted in the love of it and obeyedfrom the heart. When man does this, like little Samuel of old, heresponds to the call of the Father who seeketh such to worship him. 

WEDNESDAY, December 31. In the year that is just closing, I havetraveled 3, 578 miles. This I have done mostly on horseback. I havedone what I could for God and humanity. I hope that when I come to dieI may not have cause for deep regrets, or to mourn over a misspentlife. I hope to lay my body down in peace, in the bright hope of aglorious waking up at the call of my Lord. 

THURSDAY, January 8, 1846. Go to Christian Shoemaker's in the Gap andperform the marriage ceremony of John C. Miller and Deborah Shoemaker. Stay all night at Ely Spitzer's. 

THURSDAY, January 15. Write a letter to Henry Kurtz, and one to GeorgeHoke. 

TUESDAY, February 17. Make an amicable adjustment of complicatedbusiness matters between the widow Judith Detrick and Abraham Detrick. It is pleasant to straighten between members of our body businessmatters which present a somewhat crooked and tangled appearance, whenall the parties are willing to have things adjusted through themediation of disinterested Brethren. How much better this than to goto law! The tendency of private adjustments by arbitration is to healover breaches of friendship and love between members; but going to lawbefore the world is almost sure to widen them. I am glad to be able toadd, here, that I say this, not from any experience with law that Ihave ever had in my own case, or in that of any of the Brethren; but Ispeak it from what I have observed in others who have gone to law. 

THURSDAY, February 26. Go to David Kline's and perform the marriageceremony of Abraham Neff and Elizabeth Kline. 

TUESDAY, March 3. Perform the marriage ceremony of Josiah Sowder andElizabeth Dove. 

SATURDAY, March 21. Abraham Knopp and I go to Lost River. Stay allnight at Jacob Motz's. 

SUNDAY, March 22. Meeting at the Lost River meetinghouse. Luke 24 isread. Come to Abel Dove's and perform two marriage ceremonies; one forIsaac Whetzel and Catharine Dove; the other for Michael Myers andJulia Ann Dove. Stay all night. 

SUNDAY, April 5. Meeting at the Flat Rock. John 6 is read. Brethrensent out on the yearly visit. I and Jacob Wine go together. We stayall night at the widow Cherryholms's in Brock's Gap. 

TUESDAY, April 7. We get through with the visit. The members generallyexpressed themselves as being in sympathy and full fellowship with thechurch. We hope they told the truth. 

WEDNESDAY, April 8. Council meeting at the Flat Rock. Jacob Wine iselected speaker. He gives promise of becoming an able and activeworker in the vineyard of the Lord. 

FRIDAY, April 10. Council meeting in the Brush meetinghouse. JosephMiller, son of Daniel Miller, is elected speaker. John Wine, son ofSamuel Wine in the Brush, and John Miller, are elected to thedeaconship. 

SATURDAY, April 11. Council meeting in the old Garber meetinghouse. Solomon Garber is elected speaker. He likewise gives promise ofbecoming a very useful man in his calling. Surely the Lord hasestablished a beautiful order in his house. "Whatsoever ye shall bindon earth, shall be bound in heaven. " When the church fairly chooses abrother to any office or service, to the ministry of the Word or toattend to the temporal duties connected with keeping the Lord's houseaccording to order, he need no longer question as to whether the Lordhas called him or not. The Lord uses the church to show his will inthese things. "Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of theworld. " I was once very much impressed with the answer a belovedbrother gave in the presence of some three or four others, justoutside the meetinghouse, after an election had been held just aboutan hour before. The church had voted for two, only one of whom wasneeded. The vote had been so nearly a tie that the brother elected hada majority of but one. Some one asked: "Are we to infer from this thatthe Lord wanted both of these brethren elected?" The brother abovereferred to answered promptly, "No, he only wanted to show that bothwere fit for the place. "

Michael Flory and Samuel Long are elected to the deaconship. 

FRIDAY, April 17. Go on the visit in the Cove, in company of JacobMathias. 

SATURDAY, April 18. Finish the visit in time to have council meetingin the Lost River meetinghouse. In all my visiting this spring butvery little complaint or dissatisfaction has been laid. Our councilmeetings, too, have been harmonious. The members generally show aheartfelt will to live in the church, to be built up in the church, and to help to build up the church so long as the church keeps houseaccording to God's order. 

MONDAY, April 20. Get home in the night. Go right on to John Zigler's. Catharine is very sick. She dies at 4 o'clock in the morning. 

WEDNESDAY, April 22. Catharine Zigler is buried to-day. 

FRIDAY, April 24. Jacob Wine, Joseph Miller and I go to Forrer'sfurnace in Page County, Virginia, and have night meeting. Jacob Winespeaks from John 1:29. He prefers the German language. He makes aright good stagger even in English for a beginner, but he will needmuch practice before he can use this language with much freedom. Butit is not by the might nor the power of man that souls are saved, butby the might and power of the Lord working with man. 

SATURDAY, April 25. Dine at Isaac Spitler's, and stay all night atJohn Huffman's, both in Page County. 

FRIDAY, May 8. Go to Brother John Harshbarger's on my way toAlbemarle. 

SATURDAY, May 9. He and I go to the Ferry on the Shenandoah river, butfinding the river too high to ferry in a horse boat, we go around bythe bridge, and get to Brother Coverston's in the night. 

SUNDAY, May 10. Meeting at Brother Coverston's. Matthew 7 is read. "The Strait Gate" is the subject. 

MONDAY, May 11. Dine at John Conrad's, and come across the mountainsby a _desperate path_, home; thirty-eight miles. The path by which wecame to-day is almost or quite as steep in places as stairsteps, andvery rough from large stones in its bed, with others projecting intoit on either side. Brother John was in front of me slowly leading hishorse down one of the very steep places, when his saddlebags slid outof the saddle down over the horse's neck and fell on his arm. Hepleasantly looked back at me saying in a very cheerful way, "It looksas if my baggage wants to go ahead of the horse that carries it. "

WEDNESDAY, May 13. Love feast at our meetinghouse. Five personsbaptized. Brethren John Bowman, from Franklin County, and JohnBarnhardt are with us. They are this far on their way to the AnnualMeeting. 

FRIDAY, May 15. Start to Pennsylvania. 

SATURDAY, May 16. Through Winchester, Virginia; Opequon past fording, go round by the bridge, and stay all night at Smithfield. 

SUNDAY, May 17. Through Charlestown, by Harper's Ferry andFredericktown, on to Daniel Bowers's, where we stay all night. 

MONDAY, May 18. Get to Uncle John Garber's, where we stay all night. 

TUESDAY, May 19. Spend day in visiting Henry Beecher's, Widow Deahl's, William Deahl's, and get back to Uncle John Garber's. 

WEDNESDAY, May 20. Visit John Pfoutz's, Jacob Saylor's and SolomonGarber's, where we stay all night. 

THURSDAY, May 21. Get to Brother George Deardorf's, where we stay allnight. 

FRIDAY, May 22. Get to Brother Balsbaugh's, beyond Harrisburg. 

SATURDAY, May 23. Meeting and love feast at Brother Balsbaugh's. Sevenpersons baptized to-day. 

SUNDAY, May 24. Visit George Copp's, Joseph Long's, Christian Gipe's, and stay all night at Abraham Gipe's. In all my visits I make it apoint not to leave a house without making an effort to speak on thesubject of religion, and say something that may leave an impressionfor good. 

MONDAY, May 25. Meeting. Acts 10 is read. Visit Brother Shank's, andstay all night at David Zug's. 

TUESDAY, May 26. Meeting. Romans 6 is read. Visit George Fesler's, Michael Fesler's, and stay all night at Benjamin Landis's. 

WEDNESDAY, May 27. Visit Daniel Zug's and several other families; andat 11 o'clock meeting begins preparatory to love feast this evening. First Peter 1 is read. Stay all night at Brother Minick's. 

THURSDAY, May 28. Meeting at 11 o'clock. John 5 is read. In afternoonvisit John Royer's, and stay all night at George Keller's. 

FRIDAY, May 29. Yearly Meeting begins. Many brethren and sisterspresent. 

SATURDAY, May 30. The Yearly Council closes at noon. Much love andunion exists in the Brotherhood. Public meeting this afternoon, andlove feast to-night. Much spiritual joy is manifested by the singingof hymns and the offering of prayers. May our heavenly Father grantthat the same love and union may continue with us to the end of theworld. Our Yearly Meetings will continue to do much good so long asthey show to the world our love for one another. "Hereby shall all menknow that ye are my disciples, if ye have love for one another. "

From this meeting Brother Kline set his face homeward, but on the wayhe managed to attend six appointments for preaching, and two lovefeasts besides. In tracing his course on his journeys, and noting theamount of active service he performed in the way of preaching andvisiting, one is forcibly impressed with the proofs he gives of theorder and system that must have characterized and attended his labors. Not unfrequently he has one or two appointments ahead for every day inthe week; and with only a very few exceptions in the whole course ofhis life, and they were on account of sickness, he never failed tomeet the congregations that were looking for him. Soon after gettinghome from this journey he attended to gathering the grass and grainharvests on his own farm. He reports twenty-eight tons of hay madethis year. He likewise had a tolerably large wheat harvest. About theeighteenth of June heavy rains set in, and they continued to fall atintervals of only a day or two apart for the next six or seven weeks. The Diary reports a very heavy rain on Sunday, June 28. From this timeon for the next six days it reports a flooding rain every day, andvery high waters. The grain suffered very much on account of continuedwet weather for many days following. This has ever since been known as"the wet harvest. " Much of the wheat sprouted in the head before itcould be cut; and much of what stood in shocks suffered in the sameway. The Diary for July 15 says: "We finished hauling in our grainto-day, some of which had stood in shocks over three weeks. Suchextraordinary seasons come along once in a while; but I do imagine itwill be a good while in the future before people can generally say, 'Inever saw such a wet harvest as this, ' alluding to the one they maythen be passing through. "

Between this time and the first day of August, Brother Kline went onanother tour to the county of Hardy, in which he attended severalmeetings; baptized Rebecca, wife of Elijah Judy, on Saturday, July 11;and performed the marriage ceremony of George Runion and Susan Aubrey, on the thirteenth. 

SUNDAY, July 26. Meeting at Jacob Whetzel's. Matthew 24 is read. Ibaptized Jacob Pope and his wife. 

SUNDAY, August 2. Meeting at our meetinghouse. Samuel Kline and SamuelRoller and his wife are baptized. 

MONDAY, August 10. This day Brother Kline started on a journey toOhio, in company with George Hoover, Joseph Miller, Katy Hoover andBenjamin Wampler. They went in two carriages across the western partof the State of Virginia (now West Virginia) into Pennsylvania, andthrough the western part of that State into Ohio. As this trip wasmade specially memorable by a very severe spell of sickness whichBrother Kline passed through while making it, as well as by the sadeffect it had upon his beloved wife, Anna, at home, the editor will bevery particular in giving, from the Diary, all the points of interestconnected with it. 

The second day they crossed the South Branch mountain by what iscalled the Howard's Lick road. The view from the top of this isperhaps unsurpassed by any point in the entire range. A very largepart of Hardy County, with its magnificent streams and rich bottoms, is visible to the eye. The town of Moorefield from this view remindsone of a child sleeping in its cradle. 

Brother Kline, as usual, had a line of appointments for meetings bythe way, and he met them as regularly and timely as a train of carsgets to its destined stations. He must have had the name and addressof almost every prominent member in the denomination, and they musthave had implicit confidence in his word; for the Diary nowhereintimates that he was ever disappointed by not finding the expectedcongregation when the weather permitted. Nothing of any specialinterest occurred until the night of Saturday, August 15, at whichtime we find the company at Colley's tavern in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. At this place Brother Kline complains of being sick. Hetakes some medicine and is able again to travel on through the nextthree days, and fill one appointment. But on

WEDNESDAY, August 19, there is an appointment in waiting for him whichhe cannot attend. He says: "I am sick. Cannot go. " Bowling Green wasthe place. He is now at John Shelly's. Notwithstanding his illness, he, with the company, traveled thirty-one miles the next day; and theday after attended a love feast at Brother Daniel Wise's. 

His next appointment was at Brother Shively's. He requests GeorgeHoover and Joseph Miller to go on to that place, while he remains atBrother Wise's with Benjamin Wampler and Katy Hoover. He says again:"I am sick. " On the evening of

SUNDAY, August 23, we find him at Brother Hershey's, near Lewistown. He says in the entry for that evening: "I am still sick. Take moremedicine to-night. " On

MONDAY, August 24, he sent for Dr. Jacob Myers, who gave him a courseof medical treatment. The doctor came again the next day, and gave himanother course of treatment. He says: "I took another emetic oflobelia to-day, and perspired freely. " If lobelia is the poisonousdrug that some seem to think it is, we can hardly account for theimprovement which Brother Kline reports to have experienced in hisfeelings, following every administration of it. For on the next day, WEDNESDAY, August 26, he says: "I feel some better to-day; so much sothat I write my will. "

THURSDAY, August 27. His own words: "Start again, and pass throughCanton, Massillon, Brookfield, Greeneville, Dover, and on to BrotherJacob Kurtz's, where we stay all night. " We have to wonder how a manlaboring under a well-defined attack of typhoid fever could keep ongoing for twelve consecutive days before the final breakdown came. Itmakes one think of Paul, who could even be stoned until he was thoughtto be dead, and next day be found preaching again. But the crisis withBrother Kline came at last. The entry in the Diary for

FRIDAY, August 28, says: "To-day Brother Hoover and Brother Miller, atmy request, leave me; Brother Wampler and Sister Katy remain with me. What a precious thing love is! My dear Brethren have not only staidwith me day and night, but they have constantly watched foropportunities to minister to my comfort or necessities. The Lordreward them abundantly in this life and the next: and bless them atthe meetings which I now feel I cannot attend. Dr. Overholtz comes atmy request and gives me medicine. "

SATURDAY, August 29. Suffer extremely, but not quite so much as lastnight. I now feel as if I were just on a balance between life anddeath: almost gone. 

SUNDAY, August 30. Dr. Overholtz comes again and gives me anothercourse of medicines. I am slightly relieved, but still suffer verymuch. The Doctor reports fever not as high as yesterday. 

MONDAY, August 31. Rest to-day, but am very weak. 

TUESDAY, September 1. Doctor does not come to-day. 

For some days past the Diary has been kept in a strange hand. Somekind but intelligent friend has made the daily records in perfectimitation of Brother Kline's unaffected style and manner. 

SATURDAY, September 5. The Doctor is here, but does not give memedicine. I write a letter home. 

This letter created overwhelming distress in the mind of Anna, BrotherKline's wife. She had heard about his illness prior to this time; butwhen she read this letter her mind seemed to give way, and whenBrother Kline got back home he found her very ill, both in body andmind. They told him at home that when she read the letter all hopeof ever seeing him again vanished, and the shock was more than hersensitive nature could bear. It is very sad to relate, but true, thatshe never again seemed fairly to realize his being in her presence. His kindness to her was shown in unremitting attentions, to the day ofhis death; and I am persuaded that few men could be found to bear sucha dire calamity with so much patience and resignation. 

There were no entries made in the Diary from September 1, to thefifth. He must have been very sick indeed, during the three days thatare omitted. 

SATURDAY, September 6. He says: Brother Samuel Buck gives me a courseof medicine; it works well. Fever entirely broken. Have some appetite. Begin to mend. 

MONDAY, 7. To-day I have rest. Eat some toast bread. 

TUESDAY, 8. Still continue to mend, but somewhat slowly. 

WEDNESDAY, 9. Take another course of medicines. 

THURSDAY, 10. Feel very much better. Can be up some. 

FRIDAY, 11. Still mending. 

SATURDAY, 12. Doing well. Write a letter home, and one to WilliamLupton. 

SUNDAY, 13. Still continue to do well. 

MONDAY, 14. Still well, but sit out in the cool air too long, and takea slight backset. 

TUESDAY, 15. Do not feel so well, but appetite good. 

WEDNESDAY, 16. Still not very well, but appetite good. 

THURSDAY, 17. Do not feel very well. Dr. Overholtz comes again, andgives me another course of medicines. 

FRIDAY, 18. Feel a little better again. 

SATURDAY, 19. Not much change from yesterday. 

SUNDAY, 20. Dr. Overholtz gives me another course of medicines. 

MONDAY, 21. Do not feel entirely relieved yet. 

TUESDAY, 22. Take another course of medicines, and am much relieved. 

WEDNESDAY, 23. Brother Benjamin Wampler takes me in the carriage toBrother Buck's, two miles off, and back home. 

THURSDAY, 24. Much rain to-day. Cannot ride out. 

FRIDAY, 25. Brother Benjamin takes me to Brother Samuel Myers'sto-day, and back home. Rain in the afternoon. 

SATURDAY, 26. Paint the top of carriage, and do some other work to it. 

SUNDAY, 27. Visit Brother Reuben Pinkerton and return home. How verykind all of these dear people have been to me! They will acceptnothing in return for all their kindness to me, but my gratitude andlove, and, heaven knows, my heart is full of that. 

TUESDAY, 29. Go to Brother Jonathan Gaines's for dinner; then toWooster, and stay all night with Dr. Overholtz. 

WEDNESDAY, 30. Go to the bank in Wooster and attend to some otherbusiness. Dine with Dr. Overholtz, and in evening get back home toBrother Jacob Kurtz's. 

THURSDAY, October 1. Fix to start towards home. 

FRIDAY, October 2. Take leave of my very dear Brother Jacob Kurtz andfamily, who have nursed and cared for me through all of my sickness. Such kindness as he and his family have shown me relieves afflictionof half its distress. It is almost a luxury to be sick where so muchlove is shown. I can never forget Brother Benjamin Wampler. He is socalm and gentle in the sick room that his very presence is a comfortto the sick. 

The Diary does not contain anything of special interest on their wayhome. Brother Kline noted the distance traveled over each day, fromthe time they left Brother Jacob Kurtz's till he arrived at his ownhome. According to his report the whole distance was 264 miles. Thisthey made in eleven days. Their average daily rate of travel was justtwenty-four miles. They arrived at his house on the evening of thetwelfth, having left Brother Kurtz's the morning of the second day ofOctober. Brother Kline often notes some reference to the satisfactionof getting back home after a long absence; and it is painful to find arecord the exact reverse in this instance. But no murmur at the DivineWill, or word of impatience or complaint against any one is to befound on the page of the Diary. 

From this time to the close of the year Brother Kline never went farfrom home. A few marriages solemnized, funerals preached, neighborhoodmedical visits, and near-by meetings attended make the sum of his workfrom home. His afflicted wife required his daily attentions. 

THURSDAY, January 21. Perform the marriage ceremony of Josiah Wamplerand Mary Kline. 

TUESDAY, February 23. Go to Michael Wine's and perform the marriageceremony of Isaac Harpine and Barbara Wine. 

THURSDAY, March 4. Perform the marriage ceremony of William Andes andCatharine Miller, at the widow Miller's in the Forest. 

WEDNESDAY, March 31. Dr. Newham is at my house to-day. We start my newelectro-magnetic machine, and give Anna an electric shock, in the hopeof its vitalizing her enfeebled nerves. Dr. Newham regards her case asnot being out of the reach of relief by a course of protracted andjudiciously applied medical treatment. 

THURSDAY, April 1. Council meeting at the Brush meetinghouse. Performthe marriage ceremony of Seth Alger and Rosina Fifer. 

SATURDAY, April 3. Abraham Knopp and I go to Page County. Call to seeold Sister Gibbons who has reached a very high age. We read and prayedwith her, and her heart seemed to overflow with joy. She said: "I loveall the friends of Jesus. Brethren, I will soon be gone; but I hopethe Lord may leave you here many years yet to do his blessed will, bycalling many sinners from darkness to light, and by comforting hissaints as you have comforted me this day. " When we took leave of hershe said: "Farewell: and may the God of love and peace be with you. "Sister Gibbons is the mother of Samuel Gibbons, and is now living withhim on the Hawksbill Creek, not far from the town of Luray, in PageCounty, Virginia. 

SUNDAY, April 4. The brethren and sisters meet us very early thismorning for prayer and exhortation on the visit; after which theregular public meeting opens. John 5 is read. Dine at Isaac Spitler's, and stay all night at Henry Gander's. 

FRIDAY, April 16. Abraham Knopp and I go to Lost River. Attend theburial of Celestine Whitmore's child. Age, seven years, four months, and one day. In afternoon Jacob Pope and I go on to the visit. Stayall night at Henry Moyers's. 

SATURDAY, April 17. After getting through with the visit we havecouncil meeting. The reports brought in by the visiting brethren aremostly encouraging, and show a good spirit existing in theBrotherhood. 

SUNDAY, April 18. Meeting at the meetinghouse. Luke 12 is read. Aftermeeting perform the marriage ceremony of Washington Cook and Anna JaneParker at Brother Whitmore's; then come to William Fitzwar's andperform the marriage ceremony of Frederick Nasselrodt and CatherineWeatherholtz. Get home at nine o'clock in the night. 

THURSDAY, April 29. Perform the marriage ceremony of William Haltermanand Elizabeth May, at Samuel May's, in the Gap. 

SUNDAY, May 2. Meeting at Nasselrodt's in the Gap. I baptized LottyKoon. 

TUESDAY, May 18. On this day Brother Kline starts to the AnnualMeeting. He takes Anna and Sister Betty Knopp with him. They get tothe widow Nipe's in the evening of the nineteenth. He left Anna andSister Betty at this place, whilst he went on to the Annual Meeting atBrother Jacob Deardorff's, which opened Friday, May 21. The businessfeatures of the meeting closed on Saturday, May 22; and on Sunday, May23, he started back after the eleven o'clock service. He found Annasomewhat more cheerful than usual. She stood the trip remarkably well. From some cause, I know not what, he gives not a word of comment onthe state of feeling, matters considered, or anything else pertainingto it. 

FRIDAY, May 28. We have a love feast at our meetinghouse. _Union inthe evening. _ A fine day and good behavior. Some of the older Brethrenwill no doubt know what Brother Kline means by the word _union_, hereand elsewhere used in the Diary in a specific sense. 

TUESDAY, June 8. To-day I attended two buryings in one graveyard. Christian Eversole, age, sixty-nine years; and Samuel Bowers, age, twenty years; both buried at the Brush meetinghouse. 

SATURDAY, July 3. Cross the Blue Ridge mountain to-day, and get toHenry Coverston's late this evening. 

SUNDAY, July 4. Meeting in the Methodist meetinghouse. John 4 is read. I spoke as best I could on the Water of Life and kindred topics, butin this country we feel sadly the want of encouragement and sympathywhich we are used to in our own houses and congregations. Ourdoctrinal views and practices as a denomination are not wellunderstood in Albemarle County, Virginia. The prevailing denominationshere are Baptists and Methodists. We have one consolation, however, even here. We can preach the Gospel to the poor, and they are ready tohear it. But there is one barrier between us and the wealthy classeswhich will continue, God only knows how long; and that barrier isAfrican slavery. Many, seemingly good and reasonable people, in thiscountry justify themselves in their own eyes, even on scripturegrounds, for taking part in and encouraging the holding of slaves. Ifear, however, that the god of this world has blinded their eyes, sothat seeing they see not, and hearing they understand not. 

A gentleman whom I met here and who said that he had traveled a greatdeal in the slave-holding States, told me that he witnessed the saleof some slaves in a town in North Carolina. A mother and her threechildren, two boys and a girl, were put up for sale separately. Ithappened that the mother was bought by one man, the two boys byanother, and the daughter by a third. The daughter was twelve yearsold; and the boys respectively eight and ten. They were now to beparted, never to see each other more. There was no hope left them ofever hearing from each other again. The gentleman said the little boysdid not seem to mind it so very much; but, said he, the agony of themother, and the distress of the daughter were past description. Itis to be hoped that such heart-rending scenes are not often to bewitnessed; and I do believe that the time is not far distant whenthe sun will rise and set upon our land cleansed of this foul stain, though it may be cleansed with blood. I would rejoice to think that myeyes might see that bright morning; but I can have no hope of that. 

TUESDAY, July 6. On this day Brother Kline made arrangements to moveto Orkney Springs with Anna. Some account of this place is givenelsewhere in this work, and need not be repeated here. He and Annastaid here about five weeks, and he reports her general health asbeing much improved by the use of the different waters, as well as bythe cheerful society she enjoyed. Whilst staying at this place BrotherKline reports some interesting acquaintances made with several notedpersons whom he had only casually seen before. Among these was theRev. Henry Brown, a Presbyterian minister of Harrisonburg. 

SATURDAY, July 17, he says: Take a walk over some of the surroundingeminences with preacher Henry Brown of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Mr. Brown is a very sociable and pleasant man to be with. Whilst we differon a good many points of Christian doctrine, we can still walk andtalk together sociably; and I enjoy his company very much. It would bepleasant to believe, did the Scriptures warrant the conclusion, thatall the differences which mark the divisions of Christians here willmelt away in love and be forgotten there. Of one thing I am sure: Noone will ever have a just right to boast of his own goodness, or layclaim to preferment on the score of his own obedience. "When ye, " saysour Savior, "have done all these things that were commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which it was our dutyto do. " Whilst it is true that the Presbyterians are zealous advocatesof education and moral improvement, and as a people exhibit in theirdaily lives many Christian virtues and graces, still I fear they areoccupying dangerous ground by rejecting some of the plain commands ofour Lord Jesus. "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall thedisobedient appear?" I know of no righteousness but that of obedientfaith, or, as Paul puts it, the righteousness of faith that works orobeys from love, and in this way purifies the heart. A hungering andthirsting after this righteousness

 "Gives exercise to faith and love; Brings every blessing from above. "

If this dear Christian friend is in darkness as to the nature ofobedience and its blessed fruits, himself misled and misleadingothers, I pray that the scales may drop from his eyes, that he may seeclearly the whole truth which God has placed in the line of our dutyto do and teach. 

SUNDAY, July 18. Friend Henry Brown preached to-day. He is a veryclear and pleasant talker. In his discourse, however, he made me thinkof some beautiful birds that hop over what they do not wish to touch, and take hold gracefully of what they are pleased to alight upon. 

THURSDAY, August 12. This day Brother Kline moved back home. He says:Anna much improved in health. The season at the Springs has been quitepleasant, with the exception of atmospheric dampness from theabundance of rain we had while there. 

MONDAY, August 23. This day Brother Kline started on another journeyto Pennsylvania. It may be irksome to the general reader to follow hisdaily steps from this date to the thirteenth of September, the day onwhich he returned home, so I will only name the families he visited orstayed with all night, in the order given in the Diary. His habit onthis was the same as on other journeys of like motive; he preached ashe went, and never failed holding family worship where he stayed allnight, when well enough to do so. Few of those that were fathers andmothers then are living now; but their children and grandchildren maybe living, to whom these reminiscences will, doubtless, be pleasant. Reflections like these instinctively impress us with a consciousnessof time's rapid flight; and make us, who were young then, realize, with more or less acuteness of perception, the impressive truth thatwe, too, are growing old. To such of my readers as find no pleasure orprofit in things of this kind I gently say: Pass over it as you wouldan advertisement in which you feel no interest, in a newspaper you maybe perusing: Daniel Fahrney's; John Shank's, near Greencastle; WilliamEtter's; Allen Mohler's; John Sollenberger's; George Copp's; Dr. Fahnestock's, in Middletown, Pennsylvania; Abraham Gipe's, nearLebanon; Jacob Gipe's; Abraham Balsbaugh's; Peter Miller's, this sideHarrisburg; George Deardorf's; Daniel Longenacre's; Widow Bowman's, near Middletown, Maryland; John Garber's, Jr. ; John Garber's, Sr. ;Jacob Rupp's; Nathaniel Bondsack's; Jacob Saylor's; William Deahl's;David Reinhardt's; Sherk's, near Sharpsburg; Fahnestock's, nearWinchester, Virginia; George Shaver's, in Shenandoah County, Virginia. 

Some may say: This reads like a bill of goods with the prices omitted. But think a little, my friend. Let us suppose that business wouldcompel you to mount the back of a horse away off in Rockingham County, Virginia, and travel day after day, until you had completed the roundof visiting every family above named; and in addition to this attend ameeting of some kind every day or two, and yet be compelled to do allthis in the short space of twenty-one days; would you not think it atask worthy of mention? Now Brother Kline did all this, but not on thescore of any business interest whatever. Instead of seeking anyworldly gain by it, the direct opposite was the truth, for he camehome with less money in his pocket than he started with. It was justwhat he expected and felt assured would be the case. But he went. Andwhat induced him to go? The love of Christ constrained him. The loveof doing good to others by pointing out the way of salvation to them. Have I, have you, such love?

Between the last date given and the twenty-first of October BrotherKline attended a love feast at Beaver Creek, Virginia; one on LostRiver; and one at Flat Rock. Besides these, he attended the regularSunday meetings, council meetings, and visited, medically, aconsiderable number of patients. He reports much rain in October, andseveral times his life was endangered crossing high waters. 

FRIDAY, October 22. On this day he started on a journey across themountains of western Virginia. He followed a line of love feasts andother meetings through the counties of Hampshire, Virginia; Garret, Maryland; Preston and Monongalia, Virginia, to Dunkard Creek inPennsylvania, not far this side of Wheeling. He returned over nearlythe same route by which he went, filling appointments he left on hisway out. He reports, on this journey, 371 miles traveled on horseback, over some rugged mountains and bad roads much of the way. He arrivedhome November 4, after an absence of two weeks. 

TUESDAY, November 30. Attend the burial of old Mother Horn. Age, ninety years, two months and two days. 

SUNDAY, December 5. Attend the burial of old Mother Conrad. Age, eighty-five years and nine months. 

WEDNESDAY, December 15. Louis and Samuel Kline, of Pennsylvania, visitus. I take them around to see their and my kindred. 

TUESDAY, December 21. Perform the marriage ceremony of SamuelHinegartner and Catharine Ralls, at Christian Crider's. 

FRIDAY, December 31. Meeting of general council in our meetinghouse. In the year that is now about to close I have traveled 3, 424 miles, nearly all on horseback. The work of another year is done; and therecord has passed into eternity. As clay, once formed by the hand ofthe potter and burnt in a kiln can never be reduced to clay again andworked over into other forms, so our deeds in life, once done, aredone forever. A vase may be broken, it is true, but the fragments areapt to reveal the form of the vessel from which they came. So the handof jealousy, of envy, of persecution even, may shatter the results ofour best efforts here; but God will gather up the pieces and be ableto tell by their appearance and quality that they belonged to a vesselof honor in his sight. Seeds sometimes lie a long time in the groundbefore they grow and make a blade; so it may be with much of the goodseed that I and others of our beloved Brotherhood have sown this year. Backward springs and other unfavorable states of weather during theearly part of the growing season are sometimes followed by richharvests. We do not know what the future may bring forth, but we doknow that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. Inhim I trust. 

SUNDAY, January 1. Attend the burial of old Mother Baer, at BrotherGeorge Kline's. Age, ninety-six years, four months and twenty days. 

THURSDAY, February 3. Perform the marriage ceremony of Michael May andJulian Custer at George Riddle's. 

About this time Brother Kline became deeply interested in theconstruction and erection of a bridge across a ford in the North Forkof the Shenandoah river. His design in this, however, included morethan the avoidance of one dangerous ford; it took in two others. Itwas equivalent to spanning three bad fords with one bridge. His plan, which has since been exactly carried into effect, was to cut down theend of the mountain in the Gap where it projects into the river, openup a good highway through the cut, and thus shorten the distance verymaterially and shun two dangerous and ever-shifting fords, one aboveand the other below the cut. His patience and perseverance in thisgreat enterprise yielded to no discouragements, and he saw the bridgebuilt, and the projecting end of the mountain cut down. Like all othermen who have embarked in great enterprises above or beyond the graspof ordinary comprehension, he had to combat opposition from some whoshould, on the score of direct personal interest in the improvement, have been most willing to aid in the work. Brother Kline did not liveto see his design fully executed, but it has been carried into effectwithin the last decade by the construction of a new bridge upon theold abutments, and a new road on the very line he proposed. As theimprovement under consideration is a very great one, and originallyundertaken by individual contributions; and as future generations maywish to know who the prime movers were, and when the first move wasmade, the following entry in the Diary will be given here:

FRIDAY, February 25. Attend a meeting of some public-spirited men, atSamuel Coots's store near the Gap, for the purpose of agreeing uponthe construction of a bridge across the river near the store; forcutting down the face of the Gap Rock; for making a new road throughthe Cut; and for raising funds to meet the same. 

Samuel Coots, State Senator from Rockingham County, took an activepart. Abraham Funk, Benjamin Bowman, John J. Bowman, with many otherprominent citizens, nearly or quite all of whom have passed away, deserve to have their names enrolled as patrons of the enterprise. 

WEDNESDAY, March 8. Attend the burial of Brother David Hollar's wifeto-day. Age, forty-seven years and five months. 

FRIDAY, March 10. Go to Michael Wine's and attend the burial of hismother. Age, ninety-three years, three months and fourteen days. 

WEDNESDAY, April 12. Attend the funeral of Mrs. Wells Hevner in theGap. Age, thirty-three years. 

THURSDAY, April 13. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. SamuelWampler and myself are established in the ministry, and Joseph Milleradvanced. 

FRIDAY, April 14. Council meeting at the Flat Rock. Jacob Wine isadvanced to the second grade in the ministry of the Word. 

MONDAY, April 17. Council meeting in the Lost River meetinghouse. Jacob Pope is chosen speaker. 

FRIDAY, April 21. Council meeting in the Old Garber meetinghouse. Solomon Garber is advanced to the second degree in the ministry of theWord. Sarah Norman is reinstated to the fellowship of the church. 

WEDNESDAY, April 26. Attend the funeral of the widow SisterCherryholms in the Gap. Age, fifty-nine years. Sister C. Was a womanof real force of character. Her house was a welcome shelter for theBrethren and others who often visited her. 

MONDAY, May 1. Attend the funeral of old Sister Evers, widow of JohnEvers. She died at John Hawse's. Age, seventy-two years, three monthsand three days. 

WEDNESDAY, May 3. Brother Benjamin Bowman, with Sister Catharine hiswife, and Brother John Wine, with Anna and myself, start to Ohio. Wego in two carriages. To such as are not used to traveling in this waya journey to Ohio and back in a two-horse carriage, over all kinds ofroads, through all the changes of weather likely to occur at thisseason, and I may add, among all kinds of people, might look like anundesirable undertaking. But for myself I can say I do not dreadmaking the start. I am best satisfied and most delighted when doingsomething for God and humanity. But the company I have on this visitmakes the anticipation of it especially pleasant. Brother John Wine isa live man; cheerful, but ever earnest and sincere; lively, but neverlight or frivolous. His mind is always inquisitive, seeking forknowledge in every line of truth. Hence he asks many questions. Ifyour answers involve any doubt as to their correctness, or fail of theclearness he thinks should appear in the instructions of a teacher tohis pupil, he will dispute a whole day with you on a single question, rather than appear to be satisfied with your answer when he is not. With a mind hard and sharp as flint, he strikes fire out of everythinghe hits. But he has sense enough, and goodness enough, never to strikefire where he has reason to fear there may be danger of causing anexplosion. He is the son of Samuel, in the Brush, and brother ofChristian Wine. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Zigler, inTimberville, Rockingham County, Virginia. He now resides on his farmabout two miles away from where he was born and raised. He is aneminently good and useful brother. 

Benjamin Bowman is the son of Benjamin Bowman, who settled inRockingham County, Virginia, about or very soon after the breaking upof the war of the Revolution. This elder Benjamin Bowman had threesons, --Samuel, Benjamin and John, --all of whom married, raised highlyrespectable families, lived and died in the same county in which theywere born. These all became members of our Brotherhood; and Benjaminis at this time a very active and acceptable preacher of the Word, andpromises to be a very agreeable companion on the journey we have nowundertaken together. He is no great talker in the way of conversation, but what he says is generally to the point. Very considerate informing an opinion, and exceedingly careful in reaching a conclusion, he is not likely to be wrong in anything he asserts to be true. Bymeans of these habits assiduously cultivated, he has built up areputation for reliability which not only aids him in business, butstamps the seal of truth on his discourses from the ministerial stand. He will not readily debate a matter you may present to his mind, evenif his views do not coincide with yours at the time; but after dueconsideration he will let you hear from him with arguments not to berefuted. 

We stay first night at Celestine Whitmore's on Lost River. 

THURSDAY, May 4. After we were on the way this morning Anna changedher mind and preferred going back to Brother Whitmore's. So we tookher back, and they will convey her home. Travel thirty-three miles, and stay second night at Joseph Smith's. 

FRIDAY, May 5. Go through Romney, Virginia, and at the end ofthirty-five miles stay third night at McNaer's. 

SATURDAY, May 6. Go through Frostburg, and come to Jacob Lighty's. Wehave night meeting. I speak on Acts 17:30. TEXT. --"The times of thisignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere torepent. "

Athens, the capital of Greece, was a large city. It was noted as thechief seat of Grecian learning, refinement of taste, cultivation ofgenius, and skill in the production of almost everything belonging tothe fine arts. It had its philosophers, statesmen, orators, lawyers, priests, poets and painters. It had its high and low orders insociety. But when Paul beheld the city his spirit was moved in him, for he saw that it was wholly given to idolatry. Some of the Epicureanand Stoic philosophers encountered him and said: "He seemeth to be asetterforth of strange gods. " They said this among themselves, becausehe preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection. But they did notseem inclined to do him injury as the Jews had done in some otherplaces, but gave him a chance to speak in the Areopagus, a largebuilding in the city called the Hill of Mars, or Mars' Hill. In thisbuilding Paul preached a wonderful sermon, the whole of which you mayread in Acts seventeenth chapter. 

But to-night I wish to speak on just one thing that Paul said in thatsermon, and these are the words: "God commandeth all men everywhere torepent. " When we are commanded to do something, we like to know whatit is we are commanded to do. Now I will tell you. It is to repent. But you may say, "I do not exactly know what that means. " I will nowtell you about all I know of the meaning of the words repent andrepentance. The Lord Jesus knew exactly what these words mean, and Iwill give you his definition. He said to the Jews: "The men of Ninevehrepented at the preaching of Jonah. " Now let us turn to the book ofJonah in the Old Testament and see what the men of Nineveh did at thepreaching of Jonah, and we will then understand what the Lord meantwhen he said they _repented_. You must know what Jonah's sermon was. It was so plain that all could understand it, and so short that allcould remember it, This is the sermon: "Yet forty days and Ninevehshall be destroyed. " The city had more than a hundred and twentythousand people in it; and it took Jonah three days to go from one endto the other with his message of destruction; but at the end of thefirst day "the people of Nineveh believed God; and when the word cameunto the king of Nineveh he arose from his throne, and laid his robefrom him, and put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes and said: Let man andbeast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yea, letthem turn, every one from his evil way. And God saw their works, thatthey turned from their evil way. "

Now, notice, when God commands all men everywhere to repent, he meansfor them to do what the Ninevites did, but in a more spirituallyenlightened way. They believed God. This is the first step inrepentance, as this same apostle says: "He that would come unto Godmust believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them thatdiligently seek him. " The Ninevites had no written word as we have, that gives us intelligent knowledge of God as he is revealed in theface of his Son Jesus Christ. All they knew of him was from tradition, and what they could see of him in his works. But they believed God, and gave proof of it by turning from their evil way. Now, friends, this is just what God commands all men to do. This is what he commandsevery impenitent man and woman in this house to do to-night. 

But some of you may say: "I have no evil way from which to turn. I doan honest business; I lead a sober life; I am true to my marriagevows, and live a moral and orderly life generally. What lack I yet?"Let me ask you: Why do you live in this orderly and consistent way? Isit because you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and withall your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, andyour neighbor as yourself? If you can truly say that this love is thehand that leads and draws you in your good life, I say, Thank God! Ihave found a brother of whom I am not ashamed. But anything short ofthis love is short of what God requires, and you with the rest arecalled upon to repent. You still have a way that is evil in God'ssight. That way is the love of self and the love of the world. ThePharisees were just as particular and careful in regard to their moralor outside life as you can ever be; and still the Lord said to hisdisciples: "Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of thescribes and Pharisees, ye can in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven. "Their righteousness proceeded all from the love of self and the world. Their ambition culminated in the honor, respectability, credit andwealth such a life procured for them; and on this account the LordJesus said of them: "Verily, they have their reward. "

But our blessed Lord says again: "Except a man deny himself, and takeup his cross daily, he cannot be my disciple. " This means repentance. It is commendable in the eye of society of almost every grade to livea decent, orderly, virtuous life; but if this sort of life be led fromany motive short of the love of God, what is said of the Phariseesmust also be said of this: "Ye make clean the OUTSIDE of the cup andthe platter, but the inside is full of hypocrisy and deceit. " Now, true repentance makes clean the INSIDE of the cup and the platter, "that the outside may be clean also. "

 "Repentance is to leave The things we dearly love; And o'er our sins to grieve, And seek the things above. "

After meeting we go to David Beichley's, and stay fourth night. 

SUNDAY, May 7. Meeting at Jacob Fige's. John 5 is read. Then come toJacob Miller's, near Milford, and have night meeting in a schoolhousenear by. Stay fifth night with Brother Miller. 

MONDAY, May 8. Go to council meeting at Joseph Lighty's. An electionfor deacons is held. Stay sixth night at Christian Miller's. Rain thisafternoon and night. 

TUESDAY, May 9. Dine at Emanuel Beichley's on Indian Creek, and stayseventh night at Joseph Folger's, near Mt. Pleasant. 

WEDNESDAY, May 10. Stay eighth night at Beidler's tavern, in EastLiberty. 

THURSDAY, May 11. Breakfast and dine in Pittsburg, and stay ninthnight in Economy. 

FRIDAY, May 12. Stay tenth night at Jacob Leedy's, near New Middleton. 

SATURDAY, May 13. Get here to my dear Brother Henry Kurtz's, where westay eleventh night. 

SUNDAY, May 14. Meeting at Brother Jacob Summers's near by. Ephesians6 is read. Brother Benjamin speaks first, and John follows him. Theyspeak of the Christian's armor; that it is not for the flesh, but forthe spirit; that it is not for defense against persecution and trialsin our life here, but for defense against the wiles of the devil; thatit should be constantly worn, and kept bright by daily use. Aftermeeting the Brethren agree to have a little love feast this evening, and a good time we have. Stay twelfth night at Brother Henry Kurtz's. 

MONDAY, May 15. Pass through a number of little towns and villages andat the end of forty-four miles to-day find ourselves pleasantlyreceived by my very dear Brother George Hoke, with whom we staythirteenth night. 

TUESDAY, May 16. Meeting at Brother Solomon Kiser's. Mark 1 is read. Three persons baptized. Stay fourteenth night at Brother MichaelSprinkel's, near McDonelsville. 

WEDNESDAY, May 17. Get to Brother Jacob Kurtz's, where I have thepleasure of meeting again the dear family that showed me so muchkindness two years ago. Stay fifteenth and sixteenth nights here. Ifthe meeting with those we love, and a brief stay with them, can giveus so much joy here in our imperfect state, what will be the measureof our joy when we meet in that world where all is perfection, andpartings are known no more! "In his presence there is fullness of joy:and at his right hand there are pleasures forevermore. "

THURSDAY, May 18. Evening meeting here at Brother Jacob Kurtz's, wherewe stay sixteenth night. 

FRIDAY, May 19. Meeting in River Brethren's meetinghouse, near GeorgeHarting's. Luke 14 is read. Come to Wooster, Wayne County, and stayseventeenth night at John Overholtz's. 

SATURDAY, May 20. Meeting in the Campbellite meetinghouse. John 4 isread. Evening meeting at Brother John Shoemaker's. John 15 is read. Stay there eighteenth night. Heavy rain to-day and night. 

SUNDAY, May 21. Meeting at Brother Eli Dickey's. Revelation 21 isread. Brother Benjamin Bowman gave us some delightful thoughtssuggested by these words: "Behold! I make all things new. " He said:"This promise is generally thought to point for its fulfillment to thegolden day when God's people shall realize in fact what John saw invision, --'a new heaven and a new earth. ' I believe that day is coming. I believe the tabernacle of God will be with men; that God will dwellwith them in that Holy City, the New Jerusalem. But I ask here, firstof all, whence arises the necessity for making all things new? If theexisting order of things is faultless, why this renovation? There mustbe imperfection, there must be a defect somewhere. Whatever else thesewords may comprehend, I for one regard them as applying to the churchas it will then appear, as Solomon describes it, 'comely asJerusalem;' the New Jerusalem he means; 'and terrible' in the power ofits righteousness and truth, 'as an army with banners. '

"Notice right here the striking similarity of the text to what Paulsays. What does my text say? 'Behold, I make all things new. ' Whatdoes Paul say? 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Oldthings are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. ' What is itto be in Christ? It is to be filled with his truth as a sponge isfilled with water when immersed in it. It is to be filled with gospellight as a healthy eye is filled with light in the blaze of a clearday. And when the spiritual eye is single, that is healthy, notdouble-sighted, our Lord says the whole spiritual body shall be fullof light. The light is in the body, because the body is in the light. I mean just what the Lord meant, the spiritual body, for Paul says:'There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. ' But he goeson and says: 'However, that which is natural is first. ' This we canall see and know. We know that we were not naturally born of God. 'That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born ofthe Spirit is spirit, ' and what is born of the Spirit is the spiritualbody. 

"To be in Christ is to be in his love. I was once asked this questionby an individual who probably wished to puzzle me. He said: 'Youpreach that a man must be in Christ to be saved, and at the same timesay that Christ must be in the man. How is this?' I answer by using avery plain illustration. I said to him: When you get uncomfortablycool in the shade, and move to where the sun can shine full upon yourbody, do you not feel its warmth? Now, I said to him, the warmth ofthe sun is in your body, because your body is in the warmth of thesun. Just so we may say it is with us in a spiritual sense. The loveof Christ enters our hearts when we place ourselves where that lovecan reach us. Now let me say, by way of digression from my main pointthat the love of Christ will never enter a man in a drinking saloon orin a gambling hall, because it is not there. Such places are asdestitute of the truth and divine love of Christ as the darkest andcoldest night is destitute of the light and heat of the sun. 'Behold, I make all things new. ' This is just what the Lord will do in everyman's mind and heart, spirit and soul, thoughts and affections, purposes and their accomplishments, who opens the door and bids himcome in. This is the glorious work of regeneration. 

"But, Brethren beloved, let us inquire a little as to whether thechurch, our own church I mean, needs to be made over anew, or as wemay say, needs to be renovated. Can any brother or sister in thishouse say: 'I am just as pure in heart as I desire to be. My faithnever grows weak; my love never grows cold. I am as innocent and purein all my affections and thoughts as a little child. I have nojealousy or envy in my soul. I never get angry, or think of wishingevil to any one. I have the spirit of Christ in me in all perfection, and have purified myself even as he is pure'? I repeat the questionwith emphasis, Is there a soul in this house who can truthfully sayall this? I can answer boldly that there is not, for it is not givento man away down in his imperfect state here to have such sinlessperfection. The most heavenly-minded amongst us have often to mournover our shortcomings; and the holiest man or woman, looking into hisor her own heart with an eye filled with the light of gospel truth, can but at the best say, with the poor publican: 'God be merciful tome a sinner. '

"But there is a day coming when all things shall be made new, and weshall be made new with the rest. I do not want to be understood here, however, as believing that God will in any sense force his renewingpower upon any one; or that this renewing power will be enjoyed in theworld to come by any but such as earnestly desired it here. I believethat when we get into the other life our eyes will open to such clearvisions of the beauty of holiness and the excellencies of heavenlylove, all thoughts of evil will be rejected with a repugnancesomething like what we would feel here by having the most offensive orpoisonous substance thrust into our mouth. It is declared concerningthe New Jerusalem that nothing shall enter therein that defileth, orworketh abomination, or maketh a lie. Nothing shall enter therein thatdefileth. Our Lord has graciously told us the things that defile aman. He says: 'Evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man. ' Now, these are the Lord's own words; and theyenable us to understand just what is meant by the words, 'nothingshall enter therein that defileth. '

"Now, Brethren, when the angels that meet us at the gate of the GoldenCity shall take of the blood of the Lamb, and, with gentle hands, washaway every stain of defilement from the sins here enumerated, and we, thus cleansed, find ourselves safe, forever safe, within its blessedwalls, will we not shout and say: 'Behold! all things have becomenew'?"

Stay nineteenth night with Brother Eli Dickey. We are now in AshlandCounty, Ohio. Heavy rains to-day, and waters very high. 

MONDAY, May 22. Pass through Richland County, and stay twentieth nightwith Brother Samuel Shaffner, four miles from Bucyrus in CrawfordCounty. 

TUESDAY, May 23. Night meeting at Benton. Subject: "The Miracles ofChrist's Healing Power. " TEXT. --"And he healed all that came untohim. "

We hardly need being told that man is composed of body and soul; thatthe body is the visible, material part of man, in which the soul, man's invisible part, finds its home. Man's material part is butlittle superior to that of the rest of the animal creation. It issubject to the same laws. It must be fed and sheltered. It findsenjoyment in food and drink, and comfortable surroundings, very nearlyakin to what we see in the life of brutes. Like them it is subject tonatural decay, liable to disease; and like them, must die. But man isin possession of capacities and capabilities infinitely superior toanything the rest of God's sentient creation enjoys. He has a soulwhich is capable of unlimited attainments in the knowledge and love ofGod, and in the knowledge and love of his fellowman. The heathenphilosophers supposed they had done their whole duty to themselves andthe world when they could vainly believe that they had realized intheir experiences what they thought a compliance with their favoritemaxim: "Know thou thyself. " Whilst Christians believe and feel thatself-knowledge, or the knowledge of one's self, is very important, atthe same time they have longing aspirations to know all they can ofthe Being who created this self, this thinking, reasoning, loving, restless thing within them, called a living soul. Brutes have noaspirations, no desires of this kind. 

Right here we may see what God loves. It was not man's animal orbodily life that brought the Lord into our world, for this is not theman. It is the soul or spirit within the body that is the real man, and all these souls collectively make the world that God so loved thathe gave his only begotten Son to save it. God never loved trifles. Thefact that God loved the world of man is proof that man, as a beingcapable of glorifying God by reciprocating his love, was worthy of it. This key opens the way to a glimpse of man's high destiny, attainableby his taking hold of the Hand reached down in love to lift him up. God's Word is the only book that can give man a true knowledge ofhimself. It is the only source from which he can learn that he is asinner by his habitual transgressions of the great, law of love thatwould bind all the units of God's intelligent creation into abrotherhood of ineffable and eternal happiness. It was to redeem manfrom this deplorable state, and deliver him from the destroying powerof sin, that Jesus came into the world. But when he came he found manso low down in the darkness of ignorance, so stupid and slow to openhis eyes, so benumbed by the chilling power of the love of self, soinfested and possessed by evil spirits of hell, that but littleimpression could be made upon him, except such as could be felt andseen by means of his bodily senses. 

These statements, which are true, account for the miracles wrought bythe Lord. In working them, however, he had a two-fold purpose. Thefirst was to arouse the people from their dormant state to one ofconsciousness that a Being of superior power was among them. This theywere made to feel by his healing touch, his cleansing hand, and hislife-restoring virtue. And what was the effect of all this? It hadvery much the same effect in one way that kindness toward children inthe way of giving them little presents, and gentleness and tendernessin the way of gratifying their bodily desires and wishes, has uponthem. They love the one who treats them in such ways. Now, the Lordhealed the people. He healed all that came to him, of whatever bodilyill they were suffering. He fed them, too, and did it all so lovinglythat they believed him to be the best and most powerful Friend theyhad ever known. They followed him in throngs. They felt secure, bodilysecure and safe when they were with him. But we must not forget thatthey followed him, not on account of the words he had spoken to them, the instructions he had imparted, but "for the loaves and the fishes. "We almost instinctively say, in our meditations upon these things:What a pity they could not discover in him something higher to believein and love than the mere power and will to heal their bodily ills andminister to their bodily wants! This strong faith in his power andreadiness to minister in a miraculous way to their external, worldlyenjoyments and comforts is what led them to try to take him by forceand make him their king. Having now given you his first object inworking miracles, I turn to the second. 

Here a great field for thought opens to our view, from which a volumecould be written. Every miracle the Lord wrought, just like everyparable he spoke, has a double line of truth, an inner and an outersense. These are related to each other as the soul and body arerelated. Jesus says: "My words are spirit, and they are life. " Hismiracles, when rightly understood, are the same. "They are spirit andthey are life. " Their spirit and life enter us through the light theycontain. Let us look at one or two with a view to find what spirit andlife we can: One Sabbath day Jesus met a man in a Jewish house ofworship, called a synagogue, whose right hand was WITHERED. Notice, the man's hand was withered. This means that it was dead, just as wemean that a plant is dead when it is withered, or so nearly dead thatits life is almost gone. This man's hand must have been powerless. Hecould not use it to do anything; and it was his right hand. He couldnot move a joint of it. It was simply powerless. 

But notice particularly what Jesus commanded him to do. He said tothis very man: "Stretch forth thy hand. " Does not that look like anunreasonable command? The man might have plausibly said: "I cannot dothis. I have not been able to reach my hand to my mouth in the pastyear. I can not do as you tell me. " But instead of urging objectionshe instantly obeyed, for the words, "Stretch forth thy hand, " were notmore than out of the Lord's mouth when we read, "And he did so: andhis hand was restored whole as the other. " Now I ask, Did this manhave any part to act, or duty to perform in this miracle of healing? Ianswer, He did; and without his obedient coöperation his hand wouldhave been left dangling powerless at his side. 

Is there not a lesson here? Let us try to gather crumbs of instructionfrom it. If you take your Bible and concordance, and hunt up theplaces where the expression "right hand" is used, you will plainly seethat "right hand, " when spoken of as the "right hand" of God, means_power_, the power of God. As applying to man, it means the same, the_power_ of man. In this sense the right hand of every unconverted manand woman is _withered_ under the blighting curse of sin. But Jesus ispresent to heal. He is ever ready to heal all who have need of healingnow, just as truly as when he was visibly among men. But he cannotheal you without your willing consent to obey his commands. He firstof all commands you to repent, for now "God commandeth all meneverywhere to repent. " The moment you are willing to obey thiscommand, that moment he will give you the power to obey. Without aidfrom the power of the Lord that man never could have stretched forthhis withered hand; but the instant he was willing to obey, that veryinstant he received the power to obey. 

Again he says: "Give me thy heart. " But your heart is all witheredtoo. It is so chilled and blighted by the cold, and damp, and darknessof sin, that, like the man's right hand, without help of the Lord, itis powerless. But the instant you feel a _desire_ to give your heartto the Lord, such desire as the blind beggar had to receive his sight;such desire as the poor leper had to be cleansed; such desire as thepublican had that God would be merciful to him a sinner; I say theinstant you feel such desire to give your heart to God, that instanthe will give you power to do so. It surely was a great relief to thatman to have his withered hand restored to healthy activity. It may nothave been very painful; indeed, it may have been so lifeless thatthere was not much feeling in it. So it may be with your heart. Andlet me say to you that if you really give God your heart in faith andlove he will so effectually heal it that it will beat with new life, and the warm blood of love and truth from his Word will flow throughit until your greatest joy will be found in doing his will. 

Stay twenty-first night in Benton. 

WEDNESDAY, May 24. Stay twenty-second night at Lupton's. 

THURSDAY, May 25. Go to Squire Knapp's and make deeds. Then to meetingat Brother Heastand's. Part of John 1 is read. In afternoon return toLupton's and finish business with him. Stay twenty-third night atLupton's. Fine weather. 

FRIDAY, May 26. Stay twenty-fourth night at Brother Jacob Bowers's. Beautiful weather. 

SATURDAY, May 27. Council meeting at Brother Jacob Bowers's, Jr. Nightmeeting at Brother Thomas's, where we stay twenty-fifth night. Fineweather continues. 

SUNDAY, May 28. Meeting at Brother Jacob Bowers's, Sr. Speak fromMatthew 3. John's baptism was unto repentance. The people came to himand were immersed of him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. Thiswas their first step in repentance. From this they were to keep onbringing forth fruits meet for, or corresponding to, repentance. Theoutside life was to be the exponent of the penitent heart within. Healso pointed them to him who was to come after him, that is, Christ. He would baptize them in the Holy Spirit and fire. This was literallyfulfilled on the day of Pentecost. Baptize one person to-day. Staytwenty-sixth night at Brother Rotebauch's. 

MONDAY, May 29. Go westward to Daniel Miller's, Solomon Wine's, JacobMiller's, and stay twenty-seventh night at Samuel Miller's. 

TUESDAY, May 30. After meeting we go to Isaac Miller's in RichlandCounty, where we stay twenty-eighth night. 

WEDNESDAY, May 31. Stay twenty-ninth night at Jacob Miller's. 

THURSDAY, June 1. Visit Daniel Wine's, David Good's, Jacob Earley's, David Weaver's, where we have meeting; then go to Samuel Earley's, where we stay thirtieth night. A very fine day. 

FRIDAY, June 2. Stay thirty-first night in Tymocaty. 

SATURDAY, June 3. Dine in Upper Sandusky, and stay thirty-second nightat Brother Heastand's. Rain this forenoon. 

SUNDAY, June 4. Meeting at Brother Solomon Miller's on Silver Creek. First Peter 2 is read. Two persons baptized. Evening meeting at Stonemeetinghouse, on Honey Creek near David Rupp's. Luke 14 is read. Staythirty-third night at Brother Rupp's. 

MONDAY, June 5. Stay thirty-fourth night with Brother Isaac Hartzog. 

TUESDAY, June 6. Stay thirty-fifth night with Brother JacobHarshbarger. Fine day. 

WEDNESDAY, June 7. Stay thirty-sixth night with Brother Cober. 

THURSDAY, June 8. Stay thirty-seventh night with Brother Jonas Kline, nine miles from Ashland. 

FRIDAY, June 9. Get back to Brother Jacob Kurtz's, eight miles fromWooster, in Wayne County, where we stay thirty-eighth night. Fine day. 

SATURDAY, June 10. Annual Meeting begins. Peter Nead and I speak. Three persons baptized. Love feast this evening. Delightful weather. Stay thirty-ninth night at Brother Kurtz's place. 

SUNDAY, June 11. Public meeting to-day. A great concourse of people. Preaching at both house and barn. Fine weather continues. Stayfortieth night at same place. 

MONDAY, June 12. Council meeting is ready for questions. But few arehandled. Business goes on slowly. Stay forty-first night at sameplace. Fine, clear day. 

TUESDAY, June 13. This day we progress briskly. Much business istransacted. Very fine weather continues. 

WEDNESDAY, June 14. Finish business, and in afternoon we come toBrother Sprinkel's, one mile from Canton, Stark County, where we stayforty-third night. Very fine weather, but somewhat dusty. 

THURSDAY, June 15. Call at Brother George Shiveley's; and have nightmeeting at Brother Rothrock's, where we stay forty-fourth night. Speakon John 1. Warm day. 

FRIDAY, June 16. Stay forty-fifth night at John Shelly's, five milesfrom Richmond, Jefferson County. Fine weather. 

SUNDAY, June 18. Dine with Brother Jacob Shideler's and stayforty-seventh night with Charles Guthrie, near Brownsville, in FayetteCounty, Pennsylvania. Rain to-day. 

MONDAY, June 19. Stay forty-eighth night with Brother Michael Thomas. Rain this afternoon and night. 

WEDNESDAY, June 21. Stay fiftieth night at Brother Daniel Arnold's inHampshire County, Virginia. 

THURSDAY, June 22. Dine at Brother Zachariah Arnold's and stayfifty-first night in Moorefield, Hardy County, Virginia. 

FRIDAY, June 23. Dine at Isaac Dasher's in Hardy County, and stayfifty-second night at William Fitzwater's, in Rockingham County, Virginia. 

SATURDAY, June 24. Breakfast at Daniel Fulk's at foot of Mt. Pleasantin Brock's Gap, and then home. On this journey Brother John Wine and Itraveled in my carriage 1, 083 miles. Brother Benjamin Bowman was notwith us all the time. He left us after we got among relatives andacquaintances who were not the same, in these respects, to us thatthey were to him. Otherwise they were the same to both alike, for theywere nearly all Brethren. But we met again at the Annual Meeting, andreturned home together. We had much pleasant conversation on the way, and endeavored to build each other up by giving a religious turn toour discourses. They are both clear-headed thinkers. I feel sure thetime has been well spent by our mutually improving each other, asidefrom the good I hope we have done to others. May our heavenly Fatherbless this happy journey to the present and everlasting good of allwho may have heard our public or private words of warning, ofinstruction, of encouragement to the weak, of confirmation to thestrong, is my prayer. Amen. 

Anna was safely conveyed home, nicely and tenderly cared for in myabsence, and I find her as well as I could expect. 

THURSDAY, July 13. Perform the marriage ceremony of William Carrierand Barbara Summers. 

WEDNESDAY, July 26. Meeting at Forrer's Furnace. I speak on thefiftieth verse of the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm. TEXT. --"Thisis my comfort in my affliction. " I have chosen this subject on accountof the afflictions which some of you have lately passed through, andwhich are, I learn, still clinging to others in this neighborhood. AsI have been called--or sincerely believe that I have been called--toadminister medical relief to the sick, and have thus had muchexperience in the sick room, and by the sick bed, I will venture tooffer some observations regarding the ways in which the sick should becared for and nursed, that they may be comforted in their afflictionsas to their bodily feelings. This done, I will endeavor to saysomething regarding the ways in which their souls may be comforted. 

The bed for the sick should be soft, but not heating. Nothing can bemore regularly and uniformly comforting to the afflicted than a softand easy bed. It need not be costly. Clean straw of oats, cut fine, ismy preference over all other materials. To stir the bed, the patientneed not be taken out, but gently, very slowly and tenderly, moved tothe opposite side first prepared, left there awhile, and then in thesame gentle way returned to the front, similarly prepared. Cleanlinessis next to religion, pure and undefiled, in the sick room. All fumesof tobacco or other unpleasant smells should not be allowed for amoment in the sick room. All offensive odors can most readily begotten rid of by ventilation. This can be best secured by openingdoors or windows, or both, if necessary. This should be repeatedlydone daily in all weathers. At this season windows should be open allthe time; but the patient should not be exposed to heavy draughts ofair. Unnecessary conversation is very distressing to most sick people, even though the words be spoken low or in a whisper. Some of you, nodoubt, have had experience of this fact. People kindly feel it a dutyto visit the sick. One does not know that another is going, and eachbeing impelled by a sense of duty, more go than can be needed; and indetermining who shall return home, and who shall stay, conversationstake place that are often very distressing to the patient. I remembera conversation I had with one of my own patients once, who had justshortly before that time recovered from a severe and protractedillness. He said to me: "Brother John, do try to set the people rightabout visiting the sick. There is so much wrong about it the way it iscarried on now that very often more harm than good is done. Iremember, " said he, "one night while I was sick. You had been coming, I think, near three weeks, and I was beginning to mend. In the eveningI felt so much better I thought I was going to rest well and get somegood, natural sleep. But about eight o'clock several neighbors came inwho got to talking; and seeing that I appeared better they wereencouraged to keep on, under the impression that I was strong enoughnow to stand it. Ah, " continued he, "they did not know they werealmost killing me; for I became restless; and being very weak everynerve and fiber in my body seemed to be excited into a state ofdistressful commotion, from which I did not fairly recover during thenext three days. When you came again you gave very strict orders notto allow more than one attendant in the room at a time, aside from thenurse; and after that I began to mend again and got well. "

One thing more, and I will leave this feature of the subject. This, although last in order, is first in importance, because it is the verybasis of recovery. I mean food and drink. Very sick patients, we allknow, can take, and require very little; but that little isall-important both as to quality, and uniformity as to quantity, andexact regularity as to time in its administration. I will say herewith emphasis, that in no regard is it more important to complypunctiliously with the instructions of an intelligent physician, thanin the nourishment given the sick. Without nourishment, recovery inany case is impossible. How very important, then, that it be rightlycomposed and properly administered! Food should be made as attractiveto the patient as possible. This should be carefully kept in mind whenpreparing it for patients in a state of convalescence or recovery. Thenerves of the stomach at such time are often very sensitive, and smallexcellencies in its quality will be highly appreciated, and slightdeficiencies as readily detected. 

You remember, I started out with the text: "This is my comfort in myaffliction. " I have tried to give you some bits of counsel as to themeans and ways by which the afflicted may be comforted physically. Inow turn to the means and ways by which they may be comfortedspiritually. But here a difficulty confronts us at the very start. Wecannot make pathological examinations of the soul's distress, andconclude from these what therapeutic agents to employ for its relief, as we can in that of the body. In the last we are governed almostexclusively by the visible and tangible symptoms; but regarding thefirst, we are deprived of all these, and are compelled to rely mainlyupon the oral testimony of the sufferer himself. I have repeatedlybeen called to the bedside of the dying in compliance with their wishto receive some comfort, some consolation in their last moments, before launching out on the unknown deep of eternity. But, alas! withthe exception of a few, paid to humble and obedient followers of themeek and lowly Jesus, nearly all such visits have caused me to feel myown absolute incompetence to do them any good, and only left me towitness the sun of their life go down in clouds and darkness. ButDavid says: "THIS is my comfort in my affliction. " In saying this hemust have in mind some particular idea; some state of feelingspringing out of some previous preparation of heart, which he canclaim as his comfort in his affliction. The few verses preceding thetext give a clew to this very state of mind and heart. Let us lookover them and see what it was. In verse 44 he says: "I will keep thylaw continually for ever and ever. " Verse 45: "I seek thy precepts. "Verse 46: "Of thy testimonies also, I will not be ashamed. " Verse 47:"I delight myself in thy commandments which I have loved. " Thesedeclarations make manifest David's love for the Lord; and the joyspringing out of this love is what he calls his comfort in hisaffliction. 

It was once my privilege, and I can say my happy privilege, to pass anight beside the dying bed of a faithful minister of the Word. Hisdeathless and joyful spirit took its flight from earth about fouro'clock the following morning. He did not suffer much pain, and hadstrength to express his feelings and thoughts to a limited degree. Hismind was clear. He was dying of a hemorrhage which no power on earthcould check. His comfort in his affliction was so great that from thejoy and peace in his soul he distinctly said to me, in these exactwords: "This is the happiest night of my life. " He would sometimessay: "I love God. I love all his dear people. I will soon join thespirits of just men made perfect. " About four o'clock in the morninghe asked to be turned in the bed, and he was gone. Ah, friends, thisbrother had comfort in his affliction; nay, more, unspeakable comfortin death. This is what all may enjoy in a greater or less degree, whoare laid on beds of affliction. A good life, a life lived in obedienceto the commandments of our Lord, is sure to bring peace to the soulwhen we are in health, and this peace will not leave or forsake uswhen affliction or misfortune overtakes us. Our Lord says: "Peace Ileave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. " Again he says: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn ofme, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. " We take his yoke upon uswhen we repent of our sins, believe on his name, love to do hiscommands, come over freely and fully on his side, and work for him. Instead of working for what is perishable, we work for that whichendureth to everlasting life. We come out of the darkness of sin anddeath into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For the wagesof sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesusour Lord. 

MONDAY, July 31. Harvest meeting at the Flat Rock. David Kline iselected speaker. 

SATURDAY, August 26. The job of building the abutments for the bridgeat Coots's is let to contract. 

MONDAY, August 28. Attend the burial of Brother Solomon Garber. Age, fifty-four years, five months and twenty-nine days. 

WEDNESDAY, November 1. On this day Brother Kline, in company withJoseph Miller, son of Daniel Miller near head of Linville's Creek, started on a journey to West Virginia. They got to Jacob Warnstaff'sfirst day--had night meeting in Bethel meetinghouse, near by; meetingat Chlora Judy's, on Mill Creek, next night; meeting at James Parks's, on Looney's Creek, the night following. I will dress up the skeletonof the sermon Brother Kline preached here, as best I can. Romans 14:7. TEXT. --"For none of us liveth to himself. "

The phrase "none of us, " as used in the text, means _not one of us_. Isay this to give emphasis to this part of my subject. 

The social element, or love for society, is deeply impressed upon allthe animate world. We feel the truth of a very common saying--"birdsof a feather will flock together"--every time it is repeated in ourhearing. This expression, in its most comprehensive sense, applies toeverything having life and volition or the power to will. It is seenin the fishes of the sea, in the birds of the air, and in all thedenizens of earth, from insects and worms up to the highest forms oforganic brute life, and in man. This love for society, or company, orcompanionship, is so strong that it is the bond of the universe. Without it nothing living could subsist. To make this thought clear toyour understandings, let me just call your minds to reflect a littleupon what the state of things would be in the natural world if thislaw of love were reversed in the brute creation. Our domestic animals, instead of feeding together in harmonious and peaceable flocks andherds, would instantly turn to fighting and seeking to destroy eachother. The earth would soon be strewn with the dead bodies of beastsand birds, and the waves of the sea would throw drifts of dead fishesupon the shore. But, fortunately for man, this love has never beenperverted in the lower orders of creation. Each kind loves its ownkind, and seeks its propagation. But man has fallen from this love, the love of his fellowman, into a state of feeling in some respectsthe very opposite, which is hate. Let the history of the world butunfold her page, and the truth of what I have just said will appear inlines written with human blood. It is from this, and this alone, thathuman laws have been instituted. It is self-preservation. This is theone single origin and basis of all human law. What protects me fromthe wrath or cupidity of those who would destroy or devour me, protects you; and inasmuch as all desire such protection, humangovernments, and laws with fearful penalties annexed, have beeninstituted. Right here, in a civil and social sense, the words of mytext apply with profound meaning: "For none of us liveth to himself. "They apply to every statute in every national code, as well as toevery local law in every land. 

But human laws restrain by fear, and God would have all restraint fromevil to spring from love. The gulf between these two principles isimmeasurably wide and deep, quite as much so as the chasm betweenheaven and hell. I said: Human laws restrain by fear. Why does theheart murderer not kill? He is afraid that if he kills me, and it isfound out on him, somebody else will kill him who feels himself in asmuch danger from his bloody hand as I was. Why does the heart-roguenot steal? He is afraid his booty may not balance what it may cost inthe way of punishment. So with all criminality. With those who havenot the love of God in their hearts, nor the love of their neighborwhich springs out of this love, nothing but fear restrains them fromthe worst of crimes. But this is a very unhappy state to be in, because all fear hath torment. Human beings can never be happy intheir social relations, when the fear and dread of each other is thegoverning principle in their lives. The heart of man was originallycreated for the exercise of love, for perfect love, which knows nofear. All the happiness and peace of heaven spring out of love madeperfect. 

 "There love springs pure and unrepressed; There all are loved, and love again: Love warms each angel's glowing breast: Love fills each shining saintly train. "

Fear, with its long and varied list of torments, primarily springsfrom a sense of guilt. We have a clear example in proof of this in thethird chapter of Genesis. Immediately after the fall Adam isrepresented as saying to the Lord: "I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, and I hid myself. " Now, Adam had heard that voicebefore; it was the voice of love; but, oh! how changed! The voiceitself was not changed; but the ear that heard, and the eye that saw, and the heart that felt its power, these, _these_ were changed. Eversince that sad day man has been subject to fear, and has sought tohide himself from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord God stillloved Adam, and right there and then gave a promise to save man. Thatpromise is in these words: "I will put enmity between her seed and thyseed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. " Thiswas spoken to the serpent. Christ Jesus our Lord is the seed of thewoman. He bruises the serpent's head under our feet whenever wesincerely desire him to do so. The head of the serpent stands for sinand transgression of God's holy law in all its forms, with the evilloves which prompt us thereto. The heel which the serpent shall bruiseis man's natural body, and the natural feelings incident to him fromhis connection with this body. Diseases, the infirmities of age, withall the pains and anguish of body and mind; yea, death itself, and thefear of death, all, all are but the bruises which the serpent, thedevil and Satan is inflicting upon the heel of the woman's seed. 

But, Brethren, Christ is bruising the head of the serpent daily underour feet. Every temptation to do some forbidden thing, everyinclination to indulge evil and impure desires and thoughts, fairlyresisted and overcome, is just that much of the serpent's head, of hisvery life, bruised and crushed under our feet. Now, it appears to usas if we did all this of ourselves, and in our own strength. But thisis very far from the truth. Jesus says: "Without me ye can donothing. " "I am the way, the truth and the life. " All the spirituallife, which embraces all pure and holy thoughts, affections, motives, with all the truth and holy love in the Christian's soul, is from theLord. Man of himself is nothing but evil, and but for the Lord'sredeeming and saving arm would forever sink to lower and yet lowerdepths of ruin. But just turn with me to the twenty-first chapter ofRevelation, fourth verse, and see to what the Lord offers to exaltman. We there read: "And God shall wipe away all tears from theireyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passedaway. " There is quite an excitement over California at this time. Thousands have left their homes to try their fortunes in the far-offland of gold. Some have already perished in the attempt to reach theshining Eldorado, and many more may have to suffer the same sadexperience. But the Gospel invites the sinner to a city whose gatesare of pearl, and whose streets are paved with gold, and where thesociety is exempt from all the ills of life; for there they die nomore. 

Brethren, let us live not for ourselves, but for others, as far aslies in our power. Our love feasts show our love for one another, andour social equality with each other insomuch as we all eat together:and our beautiful order in washing one another's feet sets forth ourreadiness to help one another in the Christian life, for "none of usliveth to himself. "

SATURDAY, November 4. The two brethren have forenoon meeting at oldBrother Parks's, and Joseph Miller speaks in a somewhat general way onFirst Corinthians 15. In the evening they have meeting at EnochHyre's, and Brother Kline speaks on John 14:6. TEXT. --"I am the way. "His thoughts on this passage are so original and instructive that Iwill endeavor to extend and elucidate them as best I can. 

This passage, said he, comprehends the whole Christ as the Son of man. As the way, the holy way, we may trace and follow his steps, and walkin him from the manger to the cross; from the cross to the grave; andfrom the grave to his exaltation at the right hand of the Father inheaven. Of this way the prophet Isaiah speaks in these words: "And anhighway shall be there, and it shall be called, The way of holiness;the unclean shall not pass over it; . .. But the redeemed shall walktherein. " Is not this a delightful view of Christian life as it wasexemplified by our Lord! The prophet calls it the highway of our God. Like the way of Noah's ark, it is above the tops of the loftiestmountains of sin and death and destruction. Like the way of the arkagain, it is the way of holiness, for righteous Noah and his familyare upon it. 

But I wish to call the attention of all here to-night to theparticular line of truth and motive the Lord had in mind when he said, "I am the way. " By thus pointing out the way, and showing that eternallife and happiness are the blessed reward of walking in it, I hope toinduce some here to-night to enter it. I might here generalizesomewhat by calling your attention to the fact that it is natural forus all, when going anywhere, to feel best satisfied when we know theway we are on is the right way to where we want to go. It is true, however, one may tramp along through life over public roads, merely toget a subsistence from the fragments he may pick up by the way, and bewholly indifferent as to where the road is conducting him. I will notsay that such a life is a fair representation of the thoughtlesssinner's way, as regards all preparation for a future state ofexistence, but I will ask him if it is not so? But let usparticularize. 

The first recorded words that Jesus uttered were spoken by him when hewas twelve years old. They were addressed by him to his parents whenthey found him in the temple: "How is it that ye sought me sorrowing?Did ye not know that I must be about my Father's business?" This washis first public step in the way we are to follow. We all have thesame Father to love and obey that Jesus had, and he is none other thanthe God who made us. It is his business to fit and prepare us foreverlasting happiness; and when we are about his business as Jesus waswe are reciprocating his love by doing his pleasure. But this was onlythe beginning. No further record of Jesus is given until abouteighteen years after, when he came to the Jordan to be baptized ofJohn. But John said: "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comestthou to me? But Jesus said, Suffer it to be so now; for thus itbecometh us to fulfill all righteousness. "

Some may think lightly of baptism, but if it "became" the King ofglory to be baptized in water to fulfill all righteousness, how canany one esteem it lightly, who has any regard for his soul? Since hehimself is the way, can we rationally conclude that he would doanything for a guide to us that is unimportant? He had no sins toconfess, it is true; but still he must be baptized to fulfill allrighteousness. How important, then, must it be for us to submit tothis ordinance, who are all defiled with sin!

 "Ashamed of Jesus! yes I may When I've no sins to wash away: No guilt to shun, no good to crave; No love to give, no soul to save. "

But now I must call your attention to his Sermon on the Mount. This isthe most instructive, truth-abounding and love-abounding sermon theworld has ever heard. It is a summary of the love, the truth, thepurity of heart, the humility of soul, the poverty of spirit, thehungering and thirsting for righteousness, the forgiveness, thecharity, the meekness of the true child of God. Hence our blessed Lordsays right at the close: "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, anddoeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his houseupon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and thewinds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it wasfounded upon a rock. " I want to tell you right here that Jesusfulfilled every jot and tittle of its truth in all its varied andminute applications, in the pure and holy life he lived on earth. Hethus became the way. 

I have sometimes been accosted by others on this wise: "You teach adoctrine of works! You teach that people must do so and so to besaved. I understand the Word to teach that Christians are saved byfaith without works. " I have occasionally answered such accusations, Ifear, perhaps, in not the true spirit of meekness, by retorting thatif some professing Christians are ever saved at all it will surely bewithout any works on their part. But usually, when I am rightly atmyself, or better, when my heart is with the Lord, both in answeringand preaching, I say, We as Brethren believe and teach that "faithwithout works is dead. " All good works are done in faith. And no mancan believe in the Lord Jesus Christ with his heart, without lovinghim; because faith is a loving acceptance of all the truth revealed bythe Lord to man. Our heartfelt reception of that truth leads toobedience, and obedience is good works. For "by works faith is madeperfect. " When he says: "This DO, and thou shalt live, " he does notlose sight of the loving faith in which it is to be done. When hesays: "So let your light shine before men, that they may see your GOODWORKS, and glorify"--YOU? No!--"your Father, which is in heaven. " Itis by good works, then, that we are to glorify our Father which is inheaven. 

Again to the Sermon on the Mount. I told you a while ago that thissermon sets forth the living way, or the living Christ. All theparables and miracles aim at nothing higher than to prepare the mindsand hearts of the people to do, in an enlightened way, the thingscommanded and taught in that wonderful sermon. Obedience to all theordinances of God's house is but a showing to the life and in the lifethat meekness, that state of heart purity, that forgiveness, thatcharity or brotherly love, that heavenly mindedness, which shine forthin clear light there. But all the good there is in that sermonconsists in the doing of it. I may think of loving my enemy, and ofpraying for him, and of forgiving him, but will the thought availanything, unless I carry my thought out in the acts of my life? OurLord prayed for his enemies even on the cross. They had nailed himthere, so unjustly too; but in the anguish of his distress he said:"Father, forgive them; they know not what they do. "

One thought more, and I will close. We must not forget that the Lord, by his Holy Spirit, is the life of the way. Of ourselves, and left toourselves, we could never enter the way. Without the Lord's power inus through his Holy Spirit we can do nothing. This great truth in itsfullness, accepted and believed in the heart, is the highestattainment in faith that man is capable of. The deeper and warmer ourlove for the Lord is, the clearer and stronger our faith grows; andthe clearer and stronger our faith is in him, the firmer are ourassurances that he is our life. We feel so free, so at liberty to dojust what we will, either good or bad, that the truth of our absolutedependence upon God for every good affection and thought, for everygood motive and its attainment, is a lesson we are slow to learn. Peter had not learned this lesson when, confident in his own strength, he declared that he would not forsake the Lord. It is this sense ofour own weakness that leads us to pray. Prayer must proceed from theheart. Otherwise it is not prayer, but a mere form of words. The Lordwill never help any one spiritually who does not feel the need ofdivine help. Saul was struck down when the divine light flashed uponhim with a radiance above the brightness of the sun; but that lightonly blinded him. The Lord then sent Ananias to inquire in the houseof Judas in Damascus for one called Saul of Tarsus: "For, " said he, "behold he prayeth. " Without this prayer Saul would nevermore haveseen anything. This prayer was the opening of his heart to do the willof the Lord, for in it he said: "Lord, what wouldst thou have me todo?" I need only add here that the very first thing he was commandedto do was: "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling onthe name of the Lord. "

SUNDAY, November 5. The two brethren had meeting at Isaac Shobe's andstayed all night at Jacob Bargdoll's. On

MONDAY, November 6, they had morning meeting at Isaac Dasher's, andnight meeting at Nimrod Judy's, where they stay all night. 

TUESDAY, November 7. They dine at William Hevner's in Brock's Gap, andreach home in the evening. 

The editor is making these transcripts from the Diary January 26, 1899; just a little over fifty years after the entries were made. Hewas then a young man; and the current of life's forces, like a mightyriver, has borne him on its bosom over a large part of theterritory--especially in the two Virginias--traveled over and preachedover and prayed over by our long since sainted brother, Elder JohnKline. He lived to see good results from his labors, but they were notstrikingly conspicuous. As the Diary shows, now and then a brother, asister, applies for, and receives baptism at his hands. But we mustnot overlook the truth that he was breaking the ice of indifference toall the claims of religion in the minds and hearts of these people. Hewas the very first minister in the Brotherhood to begin and carry onwhat may be called an aggressive effort to spread a knowledge ofgospel truth through the present counties of Pendleton, Hardy, Grant, Hampshire, Mineral, Randolph and Pocahontas in what is now WestVirginia. Other active and able ministers of that day, a few of whom Iwill here name, all living in the Shenandoah Valley, would cheerfullygo with him; but he led the way. Those whose names I will give wereBenjamin Bowman, Daniel Miller, Abraham Flory, Isaac Long, father ofthe very excellent and able preacher Isaac Long, Jr. , Martain Miller, brother of Daniel; John Harshbarger, and a little later on Jacob Wineand Christian Wine. These are all gone to the heavenly shore, to livein the paradise of God. But their works do follow them. They followthem, and will follow them to the end of time, in the form of newhouses of worship erected by a largely increased and increasingmembership; by an increase of enlightened piety, as exemplified in itspossessors by their nonconformity to the world and their attendanceupon the ordinances of God's house. Here, however, we see only thebeginning of the good fruits from their sowings. The records of thebook of life; the palms; the white robes and crowns; the song of Mosesand the song of the Lamb will better tell than we ever can here theexceeding preciousness and excellence of their works. 

THURSDAY, December 7. Perform the marriage ceremony of BenjaminWampler and Anna Driver at Mother Wampler's; also the marriageceremony of Eli Summers and Sophia Frank. 

SUNDAY, December 24. Get word of the death of Uncle Frederic Kline. Goup to his place. 

MONDAY, December 25. Uncle Frederic is buried to-day. Age, seventy-five years, ten months and fourteen days. Stay all night atChristian Garber's. 

THURSDAY, December 28. Perform the marriage ceremony of Michael B. E. Kline and Elizabeth Rhodes. 

SUNDAY, December 31. At home. I have traveled in the year that is justat its close 4, 411 miles. The year appears very short. When I reviewits labors and toils I am forced to reflect upon the imperfection ofmy work. I have never delivered a discourse that was satisfactory tome throughout. I hardly ever fail to see some lack of thought rightwhere I wanted to make the truth clear and impressive. Often and oftenthe reflections of my mind, as it were, hear a voice within saying:"Why did you not put it this way? Why did you not think of that veryappropriate passage of Scripture, which would have fit the place sonicely, and have been so expressive?" I do not suppose that any onewill see this little book while I live. After I am gone it may heconsigned to some dark closet, with the rest of its kind, as uselessrubbish. But should it ever fall into the hands of any minister of theWord who may be afflicted in his work with thoughts akin to those Ihave expressed in this review of the year, I beg him to be encouragedrather than discouraged by them. I believe they are messages from theLord, who constantly seeks our highest good and greatest usefulness. Satan, if he could, would induce us to believe that we are all right, just what we should be; and in this way inflate us with a profoundsense of our own importance, and in this pride of heart make us esteemourselves greatly superior to all others. How this feeling differsfrom that inculcated by Paul: "Let each esteem another better thanhimself"! How different, too, from the words of the meek and lowlyJesus: "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted"! These reviews andcriticisms of our works and ways tend to make us more thoughtful andcircumspect in the future. We seek to have our lacks supplied, ourwants relieved, and are induced thereby to apply our minds to thestudy of the Word with more vigor, looking at the same time to theLord for the enlightening guidance of his Holy Spirit. It now lacksjust ten minutes of midnight. I will retire with the retiring year, wishing to all a good-night, and joyful eyes to behold the dawn of thenew year. 

THURSDAY, February 22. Hear the distant report of cannon incommemoration of the birth of George Washington, which is said to haveoccurred on the twenty-second day of February, 1732. It is presumablethat those who find pleasure in public demonstrations of this sort aremoved by what they regard as patriotic feelings and principles. Lettheir motives and enjoyments spring from what they may, they have alawful right to celebrate the anniversary of his birth in any civilway they may choose. But I have a somewhat higher conception of truepatriotism than can be represented by the firing of guns which giveforth nothing but meaningless sound. I am glad, however, that theseguns report harmless sound, and nothing more. If some public speakerswould do the same, it might be better both for them and their hearers. My highest conception of patriotism is found in the man who loves theLord his God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself. Out ofthese affections spring the subordinate love for one's country; lovetruly virtuous for one's companion and children, relatives andfriends; and in its most comprehensive sense takes in the whole humanfamily. Were this love universal, the word _patriotism_, in itsspecific sense, meaning such a love for one's country as makes itspossessors ready and willing to take up arms in its defense, might beappropriately expunged from every national vocabulary. 

Perform the marriage ceremony of Isaac Brady and Leanna Hulvey, atJohn Hulvey's. 

SATURDAY, March 3. Night meeting at John Mongold's on Lost River. Ispeak from Luke 10:42. TEXT. --"But one thing is needful. "

Various interpretations have been given of this text. Having given ita good deal of thought myself, from the belief that a rightunderstanding of the passage is all-important, I will endeavor to makeclear to your minds what appears to me the Lord's meaning. All of youtake time to-morrow to read the tenth chapter of Luke, and you may seemany things I will not take time to notice to-night. 

"But one thing is needful. " If one were to come to each of youprivately to-night, and say to you: "I have plenty of this world'sgoods to give away, tell me what you need, and I will supply you, " andremove all doubt from your mind of his meaning to do what he said, wemight be surprised at the varied answers and statements that he wouldreceive. Possibly--but I sincerely hope there are none such hereto-night--some might say tobacco, or snuff, or whisky. There are, however, many things really needed for the support of life in thisworld, and it is a part of wisdom to know our real needs, and how bestto supply them. Our Lord, on one occasion, referred to the two mostgeneral needs of people, --food and clothing, --in which he instructedthem not to be forgetful of God in all their efforts to obtain these, for, said he, "Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of allthese things. "

Our Lord does not limit our bodily wants to one thing; so it cannot beany worldly good he has in view. It must then be a need above, and ofvastly more importance than any worldly consideration. On one occasionour Lord uttered a self-evident truth in these words: "He that walkethin darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. " By darkness in this placeignorance of divine and spiritual things is meant. Again: "The peoplewhich sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in theregion and shadow of death, light is sprung up. " In this passagedarkness means ignorance and light means knowledge from teaching. Sitting in the region and shadow of death is a figure so strong in itsimport that we hardly know how to show forth its full significance. Sitting implies an easy state of mind and feeling. The region of deathsignifies the place where the love of self and the love of the worldbear rule, and find their gratification and satisfaction in worldlyenjoyments, and that place is man's depraved and spiritually deadheart. The shadow of death signifies that beclouded state of theunderstanding which is the inevitable consequence of being satisfiedto sit in darkness. Is not this altogether a frightful picture ofman's unenlightened and unregenerate state? But it is a true picture, for it is given by the Lord, who knows what man is and what is in man. 

Have I wandered away from my text? By no means. I have held up thispicture to show that man is so deeply sunk in darkness or ignoranceregarding himself and God that without instruction in the truths ofGod's holy Word he does not know and he never would know what he doesneed. Prior to the discovery of America the native Indian did not knowthat he needed anything beyond what he then had in a natural way. 

When the white man came and got acquainted with him he might haveaddressed him in the exact words of my text as applied to his social, moral and civil state and surroundings: "One thing is needful. " Thatone thing, properly infused and evolved, and in connection with suchinfusion and evolution therefrom, properly applied to use, would havetransformed him from a savage to a civilized state; from temporalmisery and wretchedness into the enjoyments of life, liberty and thehigh pursuits of happiness. 

You may now wonder what that one thing would have been. One wordexpresses it all, and that word is EDUCATION. The wonderful gifts ofdivine goodness, in the shape of latent treasures of coal, iron, andthe precious metals; the exhaustless fertility of American soils; thesalubrity of its climates; the boundless power of its falling streams, all, all these were here for the Indian alone, for hundreds, perhapsthousands of years before the white man came. Why did he not use them?Because he lacked the one thing needful, the proper education ordevelopment of his mind, the knowledge of understanding the ways andmeans of converting the heterogeneous into the homogeneous; theuseless into the useful; the ill-formed into the suitable. What theIndian lacked is the very basis of the white man's individual andnational prosperity. 

I have here laid a broad foundation on which I hope to erect asuperstructure of doctrine that may do us all good. I will here saythat EDUCATION into the knowledge and love of God's revealed Truth inits true relation to man's life is the one thing needful to everyhuman being. I use the word EDUCATION in its most comprehensive andexalted sense, that of preparing the mind and heart for the attainmentof the highest and noblest ends of life on earth and in heaven. Inthis sense it takes in salvation with its happy experiences andresults. It takes in regeneration, that wonderful and radical changein man wrought by God through his Holy Spirit, by which man passesfrom darkness to light, and out of death into life. 

The word _disciple_ means a learner, one who is receiving instruction. Our Lord had twelve disciples whom he was training in a special wayfor a special work. He was divinely educating them. He was openingtheir minds and hearts as he opened Lydia's heart so that she attendedthe things spoken of by Paul. He was imparting to them by parables, bymiracles, and by private interpretations, and still above all by theexamples he set, the means of acquiring this spiritual, this divine, this heavenly education that would carry them through life by hishelp, and make them the very pillars and grounds of the truth whenthey should behold His face no more on earth. This heavenly training, then, or the training of man's mind and heart for a heavenly life onearth and for the ineffable enjoyment of that life above, is the onething needful. A deep consciousness of this is what led Mary to sit atthe Lord's feet and hear his words. The want of this left Martha to becareful and troubled about many things--things of time and sense. Adesire for this high attainment caused David to sing so sweetly thesebeautiful words: "One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that willI seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daysof my life. " By dwelling in the house of the Lord David meant with theLord's people: and as the Lord is always in his house with his people, dwelling in his house is dwelling with him. All, in every age, whosincerely desire to know the Lord, to do his will, and enjoy hispresence, desire to dwell in his house, which is the church of theliving God. They desire, like Mary, to sit at his feet and hear hiswords. They sit at his feet and hear his words when in deep humilityof soul they hear his Gospel preached, or sung, or prayed; or whenthey read it themselves. 

Can I not prevail on some here to-night to accept Mary's happy choice, to choose that good part which shall not be taken away from them?

SUNDAY, March 4. Meeting at Nesselrodt's. John 13 is read. Stay allnight at James Fitzwater's, and come home next day. 

FRIDAY, March 16. Jacob Ritchey in the Gap is taken with a very severeattack of cramp colic. I relieve him speedily and effectually by meansof active treatment. I found him in a state of almost indescribabledistress from the acute pains he had. I decided very quickly, after abrief examination, that the cause of his trouble lay in a spasmodiccontraction of the muscles of the bowels. The powerfully antispasmodicaction of lobelia and steaming caused the nerves to let go theirabnormal grip, and he was well. 

SATURDAY, March 31. Council meeting at Shaver's meetinghouse belowWoodstock in Shenandoah County, Virginia. Brother George Shaver isestablished in the ministry, and Brother Neyhiser advanced. 

FRIDAY, April 13. Council meeting in the Brush meetinghouse. JacobMiller, son of Daniel Miller, is elected to the ministry of the Word. 

FRIDAY, April 20. On this day Brother Kline, in company with BrotherBenjamin Bowman, started on a journey to some of the western countiesof Virginia, now West Virginia. The first day they got to the widowMiller's, on Briery Branch, in the southwest corner of RockinghamCounty. The next day they went through North River Gap and got toHenry Sanger's, in Highland County, Virginia, where they had nightmeeting. Here Brother Bowman delivered a discourse, which, accordingto the outlines in the Diary, was so pregnant with original thoughtcharacteristic of the man that I will endeavor to expand itscontracted form and give it a more readable shape. TEXT. --"Then saidJesus to those Jews which believed on him: If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and thetruth shall make you free. "

There was great diversity of feeling among the Jews in Christ's day, just as there is among Gentiles now. Some were flint; others, clay inthe hand of the potter. "The common people heard him gladly; but thescribes and Pharisees resisted the counsel of God against themselves. "If we read the entire chapter carefully it will give us a moreimpressive view of and a clearer insight into the stubborn hardness ofthe Jewish heart than any other single chapter that I can now thinkof. The Jews were so wedded to their worldly sanctuary, so in lovewith the representative forms of worship, that they could receive nojust ideas of genuine spiritual worship. Let me draw a comparisonhere. Many people seem to think themselves rich when they have plentyof money either in hand or standing out on interest. They think sofrom the fact that money represents every exchangeable commodity ofworldly goods. In it they behold the supply of every bodily want, theservice they need and the honor they crave. 

This is something like what the scribes and Pharisees, the elders andpriests saw in their religion. And these worldly emoluments andbenefits are what they feared would be taken away from them, shouldthe great principles of love to God and love to man, inculcated by ourSavior, be generally received. They said: "If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him; and the Romans will come and take awayboth our place and our nation. "

The Roman power had a civil regard for the temple so long as itretained its dignity as the national house of Jewish worship. Shouldit, however, lose this honor by being no longer needed and used assuch, the Romans would withhold this regard and convert it--as wasactually done years afterward--into a barrack for soldiers. Wherewould then be the salaried scribe, the domineering and overbearingelder, the rich but hypocritical Pharisee, and the pompous highpriest? Their place and their nation would be gone. Theseconsiderations, in connection with their inbred conceits that theywere the peculiar, chosen and exclusive people of God, caused them toreject the Lord. "He came unto his own and his own received him not. "But some did receive him, and "as many as received him, to them gavehe power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on hisname. " It was to such as believed on him that the words of my textwere addressed. The text gave them, and it gives the same to us, threepromises by the mouth of him whose word is yea and amen. 

First promise: "If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples. "

Second promise: "And ye shall know the truth. "

Third promise: "And the truth shall make you free. "

These promises are all so full of love and truth that a long andinstructive discourse might be based upon each one separately, andthen much of their subject matter remain untouched. We are told how wemay be true disciples of the Lord. A disciple is a learner, one who isreceiving instruction because of a sincere desire in him to know thetruth. We are truly his disciples when we abide in his Word. What isthe meaning of the clause, "If ye abide in my word"? Let James, theapostle of charity, answer: "If a man be not a forgetful hearer of theword, but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in hisdoing. " For myself, I must say that learning the lessons of Christ isvery much like learning the lessons given in almost any other branchof knowledge. We send our children to school. Some take delight intheir books, and make satisfactory progress. Others, that have thesame opportunities to learn, seem to take very little interest intheir lessons or in the instructions of their teachers, and move onvery slowly. Why is this? It is mainly a lack of love for study. Onehungers and thirsts for knowledge, another does not. But the one thatloves to acquire knowledge is the one that abides in the instructionsof his teacher and his books, and he is a true disciple or learner. Itis very much the same way in the school of Christ. Some hear, obey andprofit greatly by what they hear. Such abide in his words. Such arehis true disciples. 

Some one may ask: "What are his words in which man must abide?" Ianswer, They are all the words he has spoken. "Man liveth by everyWord that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. " Jesus never uttered anidle or unnecessary word. All "his words are spirit and they arelife. " In his last great prayer our Lord lifted up his eyes and said:"Father, sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. "Remember, too, that the Son spake none but the Father's words; for hesaid to those very wicked Jews who sought his life: "The things whichI heard from the Father, these speak I unto the world. " Moses, theprophets, and the Psalms of the Old Testament; and the writings of theNew Testament comprise the entire Word of God. It was of thelife-giving power of this Word, Old and New, that the angel said toJohn on the isle of Patmos: "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit ofprophecy. " All teaching is prophecy; and all teachers of Divine Truthare prophets. And as the spirit and meaning of all the words God hasever declared to man in their most exalted sense bear witness of Jesusand set him forth as the very life and truth and way, this, therefore, is what is meant in what the angel said to John. "And the Word becameflesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. " This Word madeflesh was none other than our Lord Jesus Christ. To abide in his Wordis to live in him as the way, the truth and the life. In this state weare truly his disciples. We will now turn our thoughts to the

SECOND PROMISE. --"And ye shall know the truth. " This promise willsurely be realized by every one, without exception, who abides in thewords of the Lord. It is a promise very much like that other in thesewords: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. " Books have beenwritten in defense of the truth of Divine Revelation. I have readseveral. They are ably written, and with good intentions. But I doubtif any unbeliever has ever been converted by any of them. In the firstplace, unbelievers are not likely to read books on such subjects; andin the second place, without a heartfelt desire to know the truth, they would not be persuaded though one should arise from the dead. Toone who loves the truth, the truth bears witness of itself. It isself-evidencing in its own light. It bears its own testimony. 

I not long since read what purported to be a true story of a man bythe name of Casper Hauser, who had been intentionally brought up in adark cave from his very infancy. Up to mature manhood he had neverseen a ray of light, except what proceeded from the dim lantern whichhis keeper used in supplying him with food and other things. Had thisman been told, while in the cave, of the wonderful light of the sunand the beauties of the outside world, he would not have been able tounderstand what was told him. But if he would have been willing totake the hand of some true friend and be led out into the light, hewould not have needed any argument to convince him that what he hadheard was true. Like the queen of Sheba, when she visited KingSolomon, he might have said: "It was a true report I heard, but nowmine eyes have seen it, and the half had not been told me. "

Let me say to you, friends, that right here in this Divine Word is onegreater than Solomon, whose eyes are as a flame of fire to illuminatethe sinner's dark understanding, and whose countenance is as the sunshining in his strength to warm and cheer the sinner's cold andcheerless heart. That one is Jesus. As the Divine Word, he revealedhis glory on the mount, and Peter in the joyfulness of his heart said:"Lord, it is good to be here. " How often does the true disciple, whenthe Word is revealed to his heart, in the warmth of its love and lightof its truth, feel like exclaiming in the same words: "Lord, it isgood to be here!" But not all know the truth; and we ask, Why is itso? In answering this question several things have to be kept in mind. Some--but very few in our land--are not in reach of the preached Word, are not instructed so as to be able to read it, and are so situatedsocially as to hear nothing of the Gospel. Some are born deaf, who canneither hear nor read. Some are born idiots who are incapable ofunderstanding. With such ignorance is no sin. But what shall we say ofthe great army of unbelievers who, in the very blaze of gospel light, shut their eyes and, like the Gergesenes, beseech the Lord to departout of their borders. These "love darkness rather than light; and theywill not come to the light. " This answers the question, "Why do notall know the truth?" They will not abide in his words. They will notdo the truth: "For he that doeth the truth cometh to the light. " Wenow turn to the

THIRD PROMISE. --"And the truth shall make you free. " This is the mostprecious promise of all. It is just what the truth will do for everyone who knows the truth and obeys it in his life. It will make himfree. Like the Jews, some may say, "We have never been in bondage. Weare free now, and how can you say, The truth shall make us free?" TheLord may answer you on that. The Jews claimed the same freedom thatyou claim. They said: "We be Abraham's seed, and have never been inbondage to any man. " But Jesus answered: "Verily, verily I say untoyou, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. " Youdecide now for yourself whether you are a bondservant or a free man. Do you commit sin in the love of it? Do you willingly transgress God'sholy law contained in the Ten Commandments? If so, Jesus says you area bondservant of sin. Paul says the same in these words: "To whom yeyield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are, whether of sinunto death; or of obedience unto righteousness. "

Again: You are commanded to repent and believe the Gospel. You arecommanded to be baptized, confessing your sins. Have you complied withthese plain precepts of Holy Truth? If not, the seal of bondage isstill upon you, and every day you live in sin stamps that seal deeperand yet deeper upon your heart. But there is balm in Gilead for you ifyou will accept it; and there is a physician there for you, if youwill but let him administer the remedy. That balm is the heavenly, holy, healing Word of the Lord, and that Physician is the Lordhimself. Do you ask how you are to take it? Take it in faith, "for hethat believeth is not condemned; but he that believeth not iscondemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of theonly begotten Son of God. "

"And the truth shall make you free. " Thousands on earth and millionsin glory bear testimony to the truth in these words. A living, lovingbelief in the words of Jesus; a faith that works from love andpurifies the heart is the only power that will break the yoke of sin. This faith God is ever ready, through his Holy Spirit, to help you tohave. Of yourself you can do nothing; but the very last words Jesusuttered on earth were these, "Lo! I am with you to the end of theworld. "

SUNDAY, April 22. The two brethren had meeting at Doe Hill, inHighland County. They took dinner at Joel Siple's, and had nightmeeting at George Wine's. On the twenty-third they went down the SouthFork to Jacob Stone's and had meeting in one of his outbuildings. Inthe afternoon they had meeting at the widow Hoover's on the Fork, andstayed all night at Dr. John Keister's. On the twenty-fourth they hadmeeting at Bethel church in the forenoon; got dinner at JacobWarnstaff's, and in the afternoon have meeting at Zion church in HardyCounty. They stayed all night at the widow Peggy Dasher's. Mrs. Dasher(quoting from Diary) is a member of the Methodist denomination, and avery kind and hospitable woman. She lives up to her Christianprofession as taught by her Discipline. We held family worship in herhouse and tried to impress upon the minds of her sons, who areintelligent and promising young men, the "one thing needful, " thegiving of their hearts to the Lord. 

WEDNESDAY, April 25. They had meeting at Nimrod Judy's. Brother Klinespoke from Matthew 18:11. TEXT. --"The Son of man is come to save thatwhich was lost. "

If man could fairly realize what he has lost through sin; and what maybe gained by forsaking all for Christ; in other words, what it is tobe lost, and what it is to be saved, he could not rest satisfied toremain one moment longer in his sin-ruined state. Like the Philippianjailer, he would instantly cry out, "What must I do to be saved?" Likethe people on the day of Pentecost, being pierced as to their heartsby what they heard and saw, he would say: "Brethren, what shall I do?""The Son of man is come to save that which was lost. " It is of theutmost importance to know what was lost, so as to know what it is thatthe Son of man came to save. I will try to tell you this. It is you, it is I, it is every human being upon the face of the earth. And areall lost? Yes, without an exception. To what extent are we all lost?To the extent of all that is of us--body, spirit and soul. And are ourbodies lost? Yes, our bodies are lost to all that God intended them tobe. Our bodies were never designed to be the abodes of disease andsuffering; neither were they intended to be subject to infirmity fromage. When God looked down upon a finished creation he saw that it wasgood, yea, very good. Can this be said of our bodies now? Let theblind, the deaf, the lame, the countless sufferers on beds ofaffliction, the child-bearing mother, the decrepit consumptive, therheumatic invalid, let these say whether our bodies are very good now. And how about our spirits? I use the term _spirit_ here in the senseof its being the basis of human perception and thought. Are ourspirits or minds very good? Let those who are trying to learn and lookinto the secrets of knowledge and science answer this. From the childin school to the highest rank in scholarship ever held by any man, thesame complaint comes up, that lessons are hard, and what is acquiredas knowledge is very unsatisfactory. 

But I have touched only the hem of sin's garment in what I have said. If the soul or will of man were still very good, I mean to say herethat if man had not lost his love for his fellow-man and his love forGod; in other words, if man still loved the Lord his God with all hisheart and his neighbor as himself, feebleness of body and weakness ofmind would be matters of small moment. The body is soon done with anyway; and the mind or intellect is still sufficiently clear for all thepurposes of life in this world; and when once disengaged from the bodythat here clogs and fetters it, --as it will be at death, --in the hopeof being lifted to a higher sphere of perception and thought, the lossto man suffered by the fall in these two departments of his beingwould be comparatively small. 

But man's will or inmost love is the secret spring of life. From thisall his affections flow; and right here we find his Marah, the bitterwaters of his soul. In reading the story of the children of Israel inthe wilderness we learn that they came to a place where the waterswere all bitter. Brethren, that place is right in our own hearts. Ourhearts are the springs from which these bitter waters flow in the formof "evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. " Mark 7:21, 22. What an outflow ofbitterness! Enough to flood a world to destruction! And thisdestruction had come, and its arm would have held its power over maneternally, had not the great Prophet, the Moses of love, come and casta tree into the waters whereby they were made sweet. The Lord in hisWord is this tree. He is the tree of life, whose leaves are for thehealing of the nations. His voice comes to us from far: "I am the Lordthat healeth thee; for the Son of man came to save that which waslost. "

It is of infinite importance for us to know how he saves us, what weare expected to do, how we are to work with him and to what extent. Iwill try to give some light on this from the Word itself. Jesus saidto his disciples: "If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in thenight, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. " This beautifuland striking parable, showing the benefit of knowledge and thedisadvantage of ignorance, lights the sinner's way for his first steptoward the Lord. Knowledge, which is light from the Lord through hisWord, is the very first thing every one must receive. The sinner firstreceives the clay and the spittle applied to his blind eyes. He doesnot get his sight from this application. When he hears the Gospel withsomething of a desire to have his eyes opened he is receiving thisanointing of his eyes. He must go to the pool of Siloam and washbefore he can have sight. This washing in the pool is the first stepin that humble spirit of obedience by which the understanding iscleared up and prepared to know the Lord. When any sinner gets thisfar the Lord is sure to find him and whisper in his heart: "Dost thoubelieve on the Son of God?" Every true penitent sinner, with his eyesopen, will answer in heart: "Who is he, Lord, that I might believe onhim?" Then the joyful response will be whispered again: "Thou hastboth seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. " The Lord meetsthe returning sinner in his blessed Word, and there he shows himselfto him, and there he talks with him. 

Water, in many places in the Old as well as the New Testament, is theemblem or symbol of Divine Truth. I need not say that without waterman cannot live. His body is largely composed of water. It isconsequently essential as a beverage; and as an ablution, indispensable to cleanliness. Reading and hearing the Word of DivineTruth from a real thirst or desire to know the truth, is what isspiritually symbolized by drinking water. This may be proved by whatthe Lord said to the Samaritan woman: "He that drinketh of the waterthat I shall give him, shall never thirst; for it shall be in him awell of water springing up into everlasting life. " By the expression, "never thirst, " Jesus does not mean that there will never be anyfurther inclination to drink the water of life, but he means thatthere will in that soul never be any more perishing, dying thirst, forthe water of life will be like a spring in the heart that will flow onforever from the Lord. It will be the rock in the wilderness thatsupplied the camp of Israel with water, and that Rock is Christ. 

But again. The sinner's whole inner man is defiled with sin. This maybe illustrated by the spots and scales and raw blotches on the skin, caused by the disease called leprosy. This disease affected every partof the body; but, like smallpox and some other kindred affections, itmade itself mostly visible upon the surface of the body. It gave thevictim a horrible appearance, so much so that no one was willing butsuch as were similarly afflicted, to go near a leper. But the water ofDivine Truth will effectually and forever wash away all this filth andloathsomeness from the redeemed sinner's soul and prepare hisspiritual body for that bright array of fine linen, clean and white, in which the saints shall be clothed as a fit emblem of theirrighteousness. Paul calls all this the washing of regeneration. Inthat great change, without which no man can see the kingdom of heaven, called regeneration, or the new birth, wrought by God only, the waterof truth is the means employed. This is so evident that water isspecifically named in connection with it in these words: "Except a manbe born of water, and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom ofheaven. "

Ananias did not forget this when instructing the penitent Saul ofTarsus; for at the close of all the words the Lord had authorized himto say to Saul, we find these: "And now, why tarriest thou? Arise, andbe baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the name of theLord. And Saul arose and was baptized. " Saul's sins were not washedaway by the water in which his body was baptized, but that watersymbolized the truth, the Lord's truth, that does wash away sins. Andhis being immersed in it in each of the three names, according to thegreat commission which the Lord had given some time before, signifiedhis faith in the Word of the Father and of the Son and of the HolyGhost. Peter says: "Baptism is not the washing away of the filth ofthe flesh, " but I feel authorized to say that it is the outward signor emblem of the power of divine truth to wash away the filth of thesoul. The change in Saul, wrought by this act as the crown ofobedience, was so great that from this time on he was a new man, andhad a new name, for he was called Paul ever after. 

But we must not forget that salvation is all of God. Of ourselves wecan do nothing. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. All that mancan do is to take the Lord's hand and be led in the way; to open hiseyes to the light, and his ears to the truth, and his heart to thelife, in faith receiving, and in life living the precepts that makehim wise unto salvation. 

THURSDAY, April 26. The two brethren preached the funeral of IsaacShobe's mother. She had passed away shortly before, at the high age ofninety-four years. They spoke from First Corinthians 15. From herethey went to James Parks's and had night meeting. The next day theyhad meeting at William Parks's; and on

SATURDAY, April 28, they had meeting at Enoch Hyre's in forenoon, andat Elijah Judy's at night. They anointed Sister Elijah Judy with oilin the name of the Lord. 

SUNDAY, April 29. They had meeting at Sister Chlora Judy's in theforenoon, and then crossed the Fork mountain to Nimrod Judy's, wherethey had night meeting and stayed all night. 

MONDAY, April 30. They got home. Quoting from the Diary Brother Klinesays: "I love to go among the mountains. The people there seem to paybetter attention to what is said, and manifest better behavior at ourmeetings than they do in the thickly-settled and more fashionablesections of our State. It is true that ignorance and poverty abound insome places; but are the souls of the poor less dear to the Lord thanthe souls of the rich? On one occasion our Lord referred to the factthat the Gospel was preached to the poor as a proof of its heavenlyorigin. But there are intelligent people living among those mountains. And in the way of hospitality and genuine kindness, meeting you with asmile and a hearty welcome, they are probably unsurpassed as a people, rich and poor alike. "

The high regard in which Brother Kline held the people of the westernpart of the old State of Virginia, and the reciprocation of thatregard by their high appreciation of him and his mission, accounts forthe many visits he made among them, and his devotion to theirspiritual welfare. Nor was his work evanescent. The seal of hisinfluence was so deeply impressed upon their affections and memoriesthat to-day, after the lapse of fifty years, its stamp is almost asfresh as when first made. Nor is this a matter of wonder or surprise. The sermons I have set in order were substantially preached by him andother ministers, mostly led into that section by him; and the power ofsuch discourses, together with the worship and instructions held andgiven in families wherever he stayed, had an influence that will neverbe forgotten. The writer's own personal acquaintance with the peopleliving in sections of his vast district of labor gives him to knowthat the name of John Kline is still as a household word with many ofthem. Nor is this all. The indoctrination of these people into thebeliefs and practices of Revealed Truth as held by the Brethren was soprofound, so clear, so convincing, that they to-day stand abreast ofothers in defense of these doctrines as at first received, in the faceof all the isms and religious innovations of the times. 

FRIDAY, May 18. Start to the Annual Meeting. Ride Nell. Stay firstnight at Isaac Dasher's. 

On this journey the Editor can not depart from the simple butbeautiful and almost childlike daily entries in the Diary. If theyappear monotonous to the reader, the Editor begs him to leaf over themand find something that will suit his taste better. He must, however, say something about Nell. She proved to be a very remarkable mareindeed. For strength and endurance, through cold and heat, in hungerand thirst, over mountains numberless and pathless woods and valleys, on long and exhausting journeys, Nell has had few equals. History hasnot been willing to drop the name of Bucephalus; and Nell is moreworthy of a place on its roll. He bore a conqueror for a corruptiblecrown: she bore a conqueror for an incorruptible crown. His was anearthly service; hers a heavenly. The name of Nell, under verypeculiar and distressing surroundings, will appear again. 

SATURDAY, May 19. Meeting at Elijah Judy's. Hebrews 12 is read. Aftermeeting go to James Parks's, and stay second night. 

SUNDAY, May 20. Meeting at Patch's church on Looney's Creek in HardyCounty, Virginia. Speak from Acts 2. Dine at John Stingley's. Havenight meeting at Jacob Cosner's, where I speak on Hebrews 12, and staythird night. 

MONDAY, May 21. Come to meeting at Solomon Michael's. Elections areheld. Thomas Clarke and Michael Lion are established; William Michaelis elected speaker; William George and Thomas Lion are electeddeacons. Come to Samuel Arnold's on New Creek, and stay fourth night. 

TUESDAY, May 22. Dine at Robert Broadwater's on the Alleghany, andstay fifth night at Eli Whetzel's. 

WEDNESDAY, May 23. Meeting and elections. First John is read. John Oggis elected speaker, and Eli Whetzel deacon. Love feast in the evening. A little company of brethren and sisters, with the Lord in our midst. A time I shall probably never forget. Stay sixth night with BrotherWhetzel. 

THURSDAY, May 24. Meeting at the Greenville church. Matthew 5 is read. In the evening have meeting in a schoolhouse near the widow Berkley's, and stay seventh night at her house. 

FRIDAY, May 25. Meeting in a schoolhouse near Daniel Beachley's. Matthew 24 is read. Five persons baptized. Stay eighth night at JohnBeachley's near the Berlin meetinghouse. 

SATURDAY, May 26. Meeting at the meetinghouse. John 3 is read. Stayninth night at Brother J. Beachley's. 

SUNDAY, May 27. Meeting at the meetinghouse. Acts 2 is read. Staytenth night at same place. We had much edifying speaking on thechapter read. One beloved brother spoke at some length on these wordsin the last verse of the chapter read: "Having favor with all thepeople. " He said in substance: "Brethren, the having favor with allthe people is very pleasant to us naturally, and encouragingspiritually, if the favor be of the right kind and obtained in theright way. I am here reminded, in the way of a comparison, of what adistinguished statesman once said of the presidency of these UnitedStates. He said it is an office that is neither to be directly soughtnor directly declined. I do not think his statement would be far outof the line of true wisdom if applied to us as Brethren, in relationto our standing in the eye of society at large. What may be truthfullysaid of one brother or sister in private life, in this particularregard, may be truthfully said of our entire Brotherhood in a publicregard. 

"We all know how pleasant it is to enjoy the favor, the friendship andrespect of those living around us. The enjoyment from this source hasgiven rise to the formation of 'harmonies' and 'colonies, ' with some. Such establishments are favorable to social enjoyment, no doubt; butit is to be feared that segregation in that form may engender feelingsakin to selfishness, and dwarf the higher impulses to general good. But the favorable regard in which we may be held should not be soughtas a consideration of the first importance. To serve and please theLord should be the first and foremost aim of every brother and sister. If the favor and respect of others meet us in the line of duty, as setforth in our doctrines and practices as a Brotherhood of believers inand humble followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, let us regard it as adesirable token of good already done, and a promise of good that maystill be done. 

"Brethren, a review of our growth in numbers and influence as a bodyof Christians, with our original and, in the eyes of the world, peculiar observances as to ordinances in the church, and deportmentand customs in the world, is to say the least pleasantly surprising. Our name as Brethren is hardly a century old, if I am rightlyinformed; and what are we now? A legion, not of devils, but of angelsfor good. And may I not here add the words of my text, 'Having favorwith all the people'? I do not think these historic words are to beconstrued to mean that the Brethren of that Pentecostal day had noenemies; but that they had the favor of the disinterested andunprejudiced classes. This is just what I think _we_ have, where weare known. There has been a day, --but thank God that day ispast, --when public opinion, if history be correct, was largely thereverse of what it is with us. Vice, then, was virtue; and goodnesswas criminal. Rebukes of sin and calls to repentance and reformationof life were silenced by the martyr's faggot and stake. We cannothere, and we would not if we could, attempt to trace the sublime arrayof causes, both divine and human, that have contributed to the happychange we now enjoy; but sure it is, we now realize the ideal dream ofthe far-off seer, described in these words: 'But they shall sit, everyman under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make themafraid. ' We have the favor of the people when we have the favor of thegovernment; for the people are the government. 

"Brethren, we have cause for inexpressible emotions of gratitude toGod for the favor we enjoy. The outlook is bright; the sky of promisecalm and serene. It is said that a Grecian patriot and statesman onceassumed a very weighty responsibility, which required him to leave hishome and State to meet it. He seemed loath to go. He expressed fearthat things would not go on in his absence as they had in hispresence. Finally, however, he secured a pledge from every member ofthe Athenian court that no change in the order of government and thelaws should be made during his absence. He went; but such was his lovefor his country that he never returned. Brethren, the time is not fardistant when I, your humble servant, burning with love for my churchand people, will have to leave my home and country. Nothing, I saynothing, could give me more comfort when I make the start than theassurance on your part that you will make no changes in our faith andrules of order, _in_ church and _out_, during my absence. Then will Ibid a joyful farewell to all, feeling that no changes from our presentorder will ever be made, for I will never return. "

MONDAY, May 28. Our Annual Meeting begins. Questions received and somemotions made. Stay eleventh night at same place. 

TUESDAY, May 29. Council continues. Good order and love prevail. Staytwelfth night at same place. 

WEDNESDAY, May 30. The business having all been disposed of in a wayas satisfactory as we could do it, after prayer and the singing of thehymn, "Blest be the dear uniting love That will not let us part, "

the meeting closed, and we gave each other the parting hand about 10A. M. 

Have night meeting at Brother John Ogg's on way home. Speak from partof Luke 13, and stay thirteenth night with Brother Ogg. 

THURSDAY, May 31. Stay fourteenth night at Thomas Clark's. 

FRIDAY, June 1. Stay fifteenth night at Jacob Cosner's. 

SATURDAY, June 2. Meeting at Rorabaugh's on New Creek, in HampshireCounty, Virginia. Acts 10 is read. Get to Enoch Hyre's and staysixteenth night. 

SUNDAY, June 3. Meeting at Enoch Hyre's. Part of Acts 2 is read. PollyStambaugh is baptized. Cross the mountain to Leonard Brake's, where Istay seventeenth night. 

MONDAY, June 4. Attend the burial of Frederic Dove in the Gap. Age, eighty-seven years, two months and seventeen days Stay at Dove'seighteenth night. 

TUESDAY, June 5. Attend the burial of Brother Nasselrodt, near Dove's. Age, sixty-one years, five months and twenty-eight days. In theevening get home. 

FRIDAY, August 17. Attend the burial of Elizabeth, daughter of WilliamHevner, in the Gap. She died of typhoid fever. I speak from thesewords in Psalm 103: "Surely, man's days are as grass: as a flower ofthe field, so he flourisheth: . .. And the place thereof shall know itno more. " Her place in the home is sadly vacant. We can only bow intearful sympathy with the bereaved family. 

THURSDAY, September 6. Perform the marriage ceremony of William Millerand Sarah Shoemaker, and the same for Levi Runion and ElizabethAubrey. 

FRIDAY, September 7. This day Brother Kline started on another journeyto Hampshire County, Virginia. He attended a succession of meetingsand love feasts both going and returning, as was his custom. He gothome September 21, after an absence of just two weeks. He does notforget Nell. On the evening of his arrival home he says: "On thejourney from which I have just returned, Nell has carried me 221miles. If Martin Luther and John Wesley are correct in their opinions, Nell may be rewarded for her uncomplaining faithfulness, in a futurestate of existence. But as we have no assurance of this, I desire toreward her in this world as well as I can, for her gentle and untiringservice. I think the comfort of brutes generally is not thought of asmuch as it should be. Solomon says: 'The righteous man regardeth thelife of his beast; but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. 'Prov. 10:12. Solomon deals out a bit of very cutting sarcasm here, inthe subordinate clause of his proposition; but it is fairly merited bysuch as are cruel to brutes. People do not, I am sure, regard thecomfort of brutes as they should. There are, here and there, nobleexceptions; but horses labor faithfully for us, and very often theonly reward they get is harsh treatment and scanty feeding. The Lordhas graciously given to man the supremacy over the brute creation. Butman should not show his supremacy by acting the part of a tyrant; but, like a wise ruler, 'do justice and love mercy. ' Whatever else may bebrought against me on the day of judgment, I am resolved, by the helpof God, that no brute shall there, in fact or figure, rise up and say:'You mistreated me intentionally. '"

SUNDAY, September 30. Attend the burial of William Hevner's sonHarvey. He died of typhoid fever. His age was twenty-seven years, twomonths and four days. It has been a very short while since his sisterElizabeth passed away. We should weep with those who weep: but ourdeepest sympathy for others cannot give us a realization of the depthof grief felt by bereaved parents and their children. Happy are thosewho can look beyond the tomb to have their sorrows healed. 

Between this time and the close of the year Brother Kline made onlyone long journey. He and Anna went in his family carriage to Marylandfirst. After attending a number of love feasts and other meetingsaround Frederic City and Shepherdstown, they went down the CumberlandValley beyond Harrisburg, and after a few days' sojourn there theyreturn by very nearly the same route they went. They were just threeweeks and two days on this journey. 

END OF 1849. 

Whole distance traveled this year by me is 3, 903 miles. 

SUNDAY, February 12, 1850. Meeting at Buck Hill, in Shenandoah County, Virginia. I speak from John 6:44, 45. TEXT. --"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. "

I here note the substance of what I said. My text sets forth the twogreat facts which all should know: _man's weakness_ and _God's power_. The first part of the text declares man's absolute weakness in himselfand of himself. In another place our Lord says: "Without me ye can donothing. " In the text he says: "No man can come to me. " Had he stoppedhere we would be left without hope. But he did not stop here. Immediately, as if by the same breath of love, he adds: "Except theFather which hath sent me draw him. " This part shows that if theFather does draw a man he can come to Jesus. Now, then, does theFather draw? The prophets say he does in these words: "And they shallall be taught of God. " He draws them by teaching them. In what followswe may learn the power of this Great Teacher. Notice veryparticularly: "Every man, "--this means every human being, whether manor woman, --"every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned ofthe Father, cometh unto me. "

But here are things very deep. Our minds inquire to know how theFather, whose voice we have never at any time heard and whose shape wehave never seen, can teach us. It is through the Son that the Fatherspeaks, for the Son bears this testimony himself in these words: "Ispeak not from myself; but the Father which sent me, he hath given mea commandment what I should say and what I should speak. And I knowthat his commandment is life eternal: the things therefore which Ispeak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak. " Nothing canbe plainer than this that Jesus spoke with authority, the divineauthority of the Father, and that he is God the Father manifest in theflesh, the Emmanuel--God the Father with us. For further proof ofthis, turn to Isaiah 9:6, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son isgiven, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his nameshall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlastingFather, The Prince of Peace. " Again our Lord says: "All power is givento me in heaven and on earth. " Paul's teaching harmonizes with this:"For, " says he, "in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godheadbodily. " By the Godhead he means the Divine Head of creation, providence, redemption and eternal salvation: "For all things weremade by him;" and as Paul again says: "In him all things consist, " orhold together. 

We are now prepared to understand how Jesus could know the thoughts ofmen, and why he needed not that any should testify to him of man, forhe knew what was in man. He knew all this by creation andpreservation, by his power of perception which is boundless, and hisknowledge which is infinite. Man's body, when viewed intelligently, with its organs of life and motion, is a thing of wonder in our eyes. Anatomy reveals in its organs, designs and purposes in theirstructures and uses which overwhelm us with astonishment. What, then, must the soul be, when its structure and organization, essence andpower as far exceed those of the body as the man who lives in thehouse exceeds the house? For the body is nothing more than the houseor habitation of the soul. Paul calls it "our earthly house. " He says:"In this we groan--it will be dissolved. " He then immediately turnshis thought to the renewed soul or spiritual body, and calls it "abuilding of God, a house not made with hands. " All things, then, pertaining to our souls, being naked and open to the eyes of him withwhom we have to do, we may rest secure in the belief that whatever hetells us about ourselves is true. He knows just what we can do andwhat we cannot do. And it is he who says, "No man can come to me, except the Father draw him. "

But perhaps some inside this house are saying within themselves: "Isman not free to choose good or evil--to do right or wrong?" I answerthat he is free, --free as the eagle in the air; free as the fox in thebramble; free as the lion in the desert; free as birds and beasts arefree to comply with the instincts of their natures and theinclinations of their wills. Man's freedom is what makes him aresponsible being. He is yet more free than the brute creation;because that is bounded by the limits of capacity. But man's mind iscapable of indefinite expansion and elevation in knowledge. Still thetext is true: "No man can come to me, except the Father draw him. " Letme draw a comparison here. A king once made a great supper and invitedmany to come and partake of it. At the right time he sent forth hisservants to tell them that were bidden to come, for all things are nowready. Did they go? No! They all began to make excuses. You see theywere free, free to go, and free to stay away. They chose to stay away, and in this very way every sinner uses his freedom; he chooses not tocome to the Lord. 

When a man's will or a woman's will is set on something they loveabove everything else, can they of themselves change their wills? Ihave known several instances in which a young lady set her affectionsupon a man who was not her equal in any respect, and very far belowher in general character. I have known the mother of such a lady tobend over her daughter, and with tearful eyes entreat her to withdrawher affections from that unworthy object and give them to another who, in breathless suspense, and with a soul and character and surroundingsworthy of her, was but waiting to receive them. And did that younglady change? Did she withdraw her love from the unworthy object andgive it to the other? She did not. Her answer every time was: "Mother, I _cannot_. " Just in this sense, relatively, the sinner is free. He isfree to love most what he likes best, and that is himself and theworld. In this state he would forever remain but for "the grace of Godwhich bringeth salvation. " Right here comes in the necessity for thechange of heart, the new creation and regeneration, as Paul calls it;the being born again, as the Lord and Peter call it, upon whicheverything depends, and without which no man can enter the kingdom ofheaven. This is connected with the drawing of the Father, "for manlooketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh upon theheart. "

When I was young I could not understand what it is to come to Jesus, to be with him, to follow him. I thought I could readily see howpeople could come to him to be healed, and to be cured of theirdiseases, and to be fed by his liberal hand, when he was visibly onearth in the flesh. But he is no longer here in that form. I was indarkness. My eyes could behold no form which I could approach unto; novisible steps for me to follow; hear no audible voice of comfort toencourage, of instruction to enlighten, and of commands to obey. Where, thought I, is he to be found, and how are we to know when wehave found him? These and many other similar thoughts occupied mymind, until I wondered much why he did not stay when he was here. Isuppose that many young but thoughtful minds have wandered, and othersat the present time are now wandering in this same wilderness of doubtand uncertainty. Let me say to you, my dear young friend, that Jesusis here as truly now as he was when visible to natural eyes. As God, he is here in his glorified state. To every one who desires him hesays in words of warmest love, "Lo, I am with you alway. " These arehis very words. He is everywhere. He said, just before his death, byway of encouraging his disciples: "I go away, but I will see youagain, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh awayfrom you. " He continued: "I will not leave you comfortless: I willcome unto you. " But he has promised yet more than his presence to gowith all who love him: he declares in words we can understand that "ifa man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, andwe will come unto him, and make our abode with him. " Again he says:"He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit. " Inhis last prayer to the Father he says: "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one. " These promises ought to assureevery one of the greatness and the power of the love of Christ; sincehe loves us so much as to be willing to come and dwell with us and bein us forever. 

It is by faith that we come to him. We see him with the eye of faith. We walk with him by faith, not by sight. We love him because he firstloved us, and gave his life to redeem and save us. All this and muchmore we learn in his Word. His Word is the Gospel which is able tomake us wise unto salvation. Let me exhort all of you, old and young, to read and search for its hidden treasures, for therein are containedthe words of eternal life. It is the duty and privilege of every oneto pray. Prayer is the eye that looks to Jesus, and the heart thatsays: "Lord, save, or I perish. " Faith is the hand that lays hold ofhis saving promises. Obedience is the whole man in active service onthe side of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

SUNDAY, March 3. Go to Sellers's schoolhouse. Speak on John 14:6. Dineat Felix Senger's; then home. 

Felix Senger deserves more than a passing notice. He, with his father, Joel Senger, moved to Rockingham County, Virginia, about the year1847. Both father and son belonged to the Brotherhood, and each waslike the other in devotion to its interests, actively employed. Felixestablished a nursery of fruit trees, the second, if not the first, established in the county. Most of the orchards planted from hisnursery, after having given the most abundant satisfaction, are nowvery old or dead. Some trees, though in the decline of life, stilltell the sweet story of Felix Senger's nursery. They are like somegood people, who, though old, can still remember and tell of the onewho, though dead, was the means of their being planted in the Lord'sorchard of spiritual fruit trees. 

Brother Kline attended the burial services of four aged people in thismonth. The first was that of old mother Mills, as he calls her. Thistook place the fifth. Her age was eighty-one years and eleven months. The next was that of Mrs. John Carr, on the eleventh. Her age wasseventy-one years. The next was that of Mr. Stern, on the eighteenth. His age was eighty years. The next was that of Alexander Glovier, onthe twenty-seventh. His age was seventy-nine years, one month andtwenty-four days. 

SATURDAY, March 30. Attend council meeting at Shaver's meetinghouse inShenandoah County. Samuel Mummert is elected speaker. 

THURSDAY, April 11. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. Jacob Wineand Jacob Miller are elected delegates to the Annual Meeting. 

SATURDAY, April 20. Council meeting at the brick meetinghouse inAugusta County. Daniel Brower is established, and Jacob Broweradvanced in the ministry. 

SUNDAY, May 5. Meeting in our meetinghouse. Romans 6 is read. JoshuaWampler and wife, Hannah Sites, Mary Miller, Hetty Showalter and Mrs. Eaton were baptized by me to-day. 

TUESDAY, May 7. Perform the marriage ceremony of John Tussing andSusan Watkins. 

MONDAY, May 13. Visit Mary Wampler, who is very sick. Give her acourse of medicine. Then go to see Christian Fulk in the Gap. He isvery sick. 

TUESDAY, May 14. Visit Christian Fulk again. He appears some better, but his case is very doubtful. 

NOTE. --This brother, after a severe illness, in which he wasassiduously attended by Brother Kline, was buried June 9 following. 

THURSDAY, May 16. Attend an evening meeting at John Zigler's inTimberville. Brother George Shaver is there. He speaks from Acts 2. 

Substance of what he said: The day of Pentecost witnessed theestablishment of the first Christian church on earth. The wonderfulprophecy of Joel received its fulfillment on this day. The sun hadbeen darkened and the moon turned into blood, or darkened so as toappear like black blood; volcanic fire and the vapor of smoke hadattended the earthquake while the Lord of glory hung upon the cross;the baptism in the Spirit and in the fire was now present; theapostles were induced with miraculous gifts to speak with othertongues; and when Peter and the rest set forth the Lord Jesus in hisresurrected glory and power, the Jews there assembled, being cut tothe heart, cried out: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" The answerwhich Peter gave then and there is the true answer to thatall-important question. I sincerely desire that every unconverted manand woman in this house will duly consider the answer, for it mayredound to the salvation of his or her soul. I will therefore give itin the exact words we find recorded. They are these: "Repent, and bebaptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for theremission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. "Notice here, obedience comes first. The repentance and the baptismprecede the gift of the Holy Spirit. God is holy; and the sanctuarymust be cleansed before he is willing to set up his glory there. TheTemple had to be dedicated before the Lord could dwell in it. Thisgift of the Holy Spirit, by which we are to understand his enteringinto our hearts and making his abode with us, is the beginning of aheavenly life in the soul. The fruit of the Spirit, as it appears inthe life of its possessor, is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, kindness, meekness, temperance, brotherly kindness, charity. 

The body of every true follower of Jesus Christ is a temple of theHoly Ghost. But I cannot dismiss the subject yet. I have reason tobelieve there are some unconverted men and women in this littleassembly. Were those hearers on that day sinners above all men? "Itell you nay! And except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. " Isometimes think they were not such sinners as many we see around usnow. Was it not for these the Lord prayed as he hung upon the cross?Hear his dying prayer: "Father, forgive them, for they know not whatthey do. " Can this be said of the many who go on heedless of all thepreaching, and praying and reading that is being done to instructtheir minds and move their hearts? I do not think it can. And it is tobe feared that in a coming day the very sinners who go on in sin, facing the very light of gospel day, may be compelled to realize theawful truth uttered by our Lord: "He that knoweth to do his Master'swill, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. "

But there is glorious news here for every one who is willing to obey. Thousands of obedient hearts are rejoicing to-night, on earth and inheaven, in the happy experiences they have of the presence of the HolySpirit in their souls. This is the good news, this is the Gospel oftheir salvation. God is his own witness in every one that loves toobey him. "If ye abide in my words, ye shall know the truth, and thetruth shall make you free. " The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth. Itis the Lord in man as "the way, the truth and the life. " "Ye are God'ssanctuary: ye are God's building. " How ineffably exalted is the stateof that man in whose heart and mind the Lord has fixed his dwellingplace! We can not realize the glory that awaits us, when the veil thatnow hides the inner sanctuary shall drop and disclose to our eyes theenraptured vision. 

Brethren and sisters, let us not be weary in well-doing, for in dueseason we shall reap if we faint not. Therefore let us rejoiceevermore; let us pray without ceasing; and "in every thing givethanks; for this is the will of God concerning us. "

THURSDAY, May 23. Perform the marriage ceremony of Christian Runionand Diana Estep. 

SATURDAY, May 25. Preach the funeral of Elijah Judy's wife. A verydear sister whom I lately baptized has left us. But our loss is hergain. She was the sister of Enoch and Saul Hyre. She leaves a sadhusband and two very fine children, Enoch and Sallie. My prayer forthem is that they, with their father, may follow in the steps of theirpious mother and receive her glad welcome

 On the blissful shore, Where partings are no more. 

THURSDAY, July 4. Attend the burial of Peter Driver on the head ofMuddy Creek, in Rockingham County. His age was eighty-three years andeight months. He was an honest member of our Brotherhood. His childrenconsisted of four sons and five daughters; and they are now all headsof families, doing well, and members of our order of Brethren. PeterDriver was a blacksmith. He once related a fact to me which I willhere note. "In my early days, " said he, "we knew nothing of bindingwagon and carriage wheels with a heated tire. I wonder, " continued he, "that our daily experience in working iron did not teach us that aniron band or tire is larger when it is hot than when cold. Some mayhave thought of this, " he said, smiling, "but if they did, I guessthey were afraid that if they would venture to put on the tire hot, the wheel might be burned up before they could get the tire cooled. "He was very partial to the German language, and was never known tospeak English from choice. Some one once said to him, "Mr. Driver, English people have the same God that German people have. " "I believethat; but he speaks to German people in a much plainer way in his Wordthan he does to English people. " Of course he could understand Germanbest. 

SATURDAY, July 13. Go to Page County. Cross the Massanutton and Peakedmountains by what is known as Koontz's Path. Daniel Dovel and JohnHarsbarger are with me. They are very pleasant and cheerful brethren. We spend the night together at Brother William Dovel's. 

SUNDAY, July 14. Meeting at Liberty schoolhouse. Isaac N. Walter isthere. He is a well-known and very popular preacher in the Christianchurch. This is the first time I have ever met with him. He is veryfriendly and sociable, and will carry an influence wherever he goes. He was at one time a very strong Adventist. He professed to believe inour foreknowing the day of our Lord's coming, and announced it asbeing very near at hand. Brother Benjamin Bowman told me that on oneoccasion friend Walter announced that he would preach a sermon on thesecond advent of Christ, and therein tell the day on which we mightconfidently expect the Lord to appear in glory, and give the scriptureevidences on which his proofs rested. This sermon was announced forAntioch, a brick meetinghouse belonging to the Christian connection, and stood four miles north of Harrisonburg, and not far from whereBrother Bowman lived. He told me that a large concourse of people waspresent to hear, and he with the rest. The discourse was eloquent, butwith the thoughtful not very convincing. But the day, which Mr. Walterhad so confidently set for the appearing of the Lord in glory, passedby as all other days pass by, in harmony with all the other notes thatmake the music of the spheres. Not long after this, the two met in theroad. Walter looked a little bashful, but spoke first, and said:"Well, Brother Bowman, I was mistaken. " "Yes, " Brother Bowman replied, "but I had discovered that before you told me. "

SUNDAY, August 4. Meeting in Elk meetinghouse, in Page County. I speakfrom Luke 16:9. TEXT. --"Make unto yourselves friends of the mammon ofunrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you intoeverlasting habitations. "

This is a very remarkable passage of Scripture. My understanding of itdiffers a little from that of some of our Brethren, but it is all inlove, and each bears with the other's interpretation. I will here givea brief outline of my view of it. I think the Lord meant to encouragea very free use of this world's goods in the way of helping the poor, especially those of the household of faith. Through Paul we learn thatJesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive. "

Christian people may imitate the unjust steward in this one thing: heaimed to provide for the future by making use of what was within hisreach at the present. This may be our Lord's meaning. But he may havemeant more. The wealth of some has doubtless been acquired in anunrighteous way, while in their unregenerate state, heedless ofconscience and justice. Such mammon or wealth must be unrighteous, because unrighteously obtained. Those who have acquired wealth in anunjust way, and who afterward repent in heart and see the evil oftheir former course, may be deeply distressed, and at the same timehave no opportunity to do as Zaccheus did, --make restoration. To such, it does appear to me, Jesus would say: "Let my Father's children havea share of it. Use it in a way that will glorify him, by helping hisdear children; and if you fail to be found in the number of those whoare 'my brethren' at the great day of final accounts, you may stillcome in as 'the blessed of the Father' and inherit the kingdomprepared for you. It will then be my joy to acknowledge you and say:'I was hungry, and you fed me; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; Iwas a stranger, and you took me in; I was naked, and you clothed me; Iwas sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came unto me. '"Whatsoever is done to one of the least of the Lord's brethren heaccounts it as done to him. Such is the wonderful union and identityof the Lord and his people. When Paul was struck down he cried out:"Who art thou, Lord?" And the answer came: "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. "

I would earnestly encourage all to go on unto perfection. Then we willbe sure of the heavenly inheritance. "And blessed is she thatbelieved: for there shall be a performance of those things which weretold her from the Lord. "

FRIDAY, August 9. Harvest meeting at our meetinghouse. I baptize HenrySwartz and wife, and Barbara Yount. 

SUNDAY, August 31. Meet brethren Daniel P. Saylor and Boyle atShaver's meetinghouse, in Shenandoah County. 

SUNDAY, September 1. Meeting at same place. The visiting brethrenspeak to great edification and comfort. 

MONDAY, September 2. Meeting at Flat Rock meetinghouse. The visitingbrethren are with us, and rivet attention by their able discourses. Brother Saylor does not seem to be lifted out of his shoes by theencomiums passed upon him. But I suppose he has got used to them. 

TUESDAY, September 3. Meeting at our meetinghouse. The visitingbrethren with us to-day. They draw large congregations. 

To-day I was somewhat amused at an answer I heard given. Brother SamWampler noticed the deep interest visible in the congregation, and, Isuppose, contrasted it in his mind with that manifest on occasionswhen none but our home preachers are present. He accosted, in a verypleasant way, one of the members in these words: "How does it happenthat when I preach you hang your head as if you might be asleep; butwhen preachers from a distance come you appear to be all eyes andears?" "Why, " replied the brother, "Sam, when you preach I know it iscoming all right whether I hear it or not: but when strange brethrenget up I do not know what may be coming, and think it best to listen. "

MONDAY, September 9. This day Brother Kline and Daniel Yount start incompany of each other to Pennsylvania. They went on horseback, outthrough the mountains of the western part of Virginia and Maryland. 

FRIDAY, September 13, they had meeting at the widow Jacob Snider's inthe forenoon, and evening meeting at Brother Jacob Steel's, in BedfordCounty, Pennsylvania. On the fourteenth they had meeting at the sameplace. 

SUNDAY, September 15. They had meeting and a love feast at the YellowCreek meetinghouse. On the sixteenth they visit John Deahl's, JohnEschleman's and stay all night at John Brumbaugh's, near Clover Creekmeetinghouse, in Blair County, Pennsylvania. 

TUESDAY, September 17. They attended a meeting and love feast at theClover Creek meetinghouse. John 3 was read. Isaac and George Brumbaughwere established in the ministry of the Word. One person was baptized. 

WEDNESDAY, September 18. They passed through Martinsburg to BrotherDavid Allebaugh's, where they had night meeting. Brother Kline had forhis subject "The Importunate Widow, and the Unjust Judge. "

DIARY NOTES. --We should not conclude from this parable that ourheavenly Father is compared to an unjust judge who has no regard forhis subordinates. This is not at all the point of comparison. Weshould not let our minds dwell here for a moment, because the contrastbetween the character of the judge and that of God is so great thatthere is no point of similarity. 

The whole lesson, I think, is found in the power of prayer. What movedthe judge to grant the widow's request? It was her importunity. But hedid this only to get rid of her. It, however, shows what earnestnesswill do even with an unfeeling man. Here the comparison comes in. Ifan unfeeling man, who has no reverence for God and no regard for thewelfare of others, can be influenced to regard the petition of a poorwidow, though from a selfish motive, because she will not be put off, what may we not expect to do by prayer when our Father in heaven isever ready to hear and answer prayer? He invites us to pray. He says:"Pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth insecret, shall reward thee openly. " We must by no means lose sight ofthe one great point in the comparison, and that point is the widow'sEARNESTNESS. Prayer, without earnest feelings of want and dependenceupon God, is but a form of words, and no prayer at all. 

But let us notice the point in her prayer: "Avenge me of mineadversary. " Who her adversary was we have no means of knowing, nor howhe became her adversary. But we are told who the Christian's adversaryis. Peter tells us in these words: "Your adversary, the devil, as aroaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. " The wordAVENGE means to conquer or destroy an enemy, for the purpose ofsecuring tranquility to the party avenged. In this sense Moses_avenged_ the children of Israel on the Midianites. In the same senseAhimaaz said: "Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that theLord hath avenged the king of his enemies. " I think you are nowprepared to understand what the Lord means by the words: "And will notGod avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him? I tell youthat he will avenge them speedily. "

It is now understood that the DEVIL, the very vilest and worst of alltramps, is the Christian's adversary. But God has promised to avengehim, if he will call upon him in that spirit of earnestness which isdeaf to denial, such as the widow had. We must not forget, however, that God, in all he has ever done for man in the way of avenging himof his enemies or adversaries, required man's assistance. As Paul putsit, we are coworkers with God, and so must we ever be. 

Let us now test this matter a little. God is willing to bruise Satan'shead under your feet, and thus avenge you of the worst adversary youhave ever known. He is at hand, ready, with more than twelve legionsof angels at his service, if needed. You are sorely tried. You aretempted to commit adultery with some one until every nerve in yourbody trembles from the agony of suspense between conscious right andconscious wrong. One deep, fervent prayer from the heart breathed toAlmighty God: "Lord, save, or I perish, " will avenge you of youradversary, will put him to flight, and leave you and God masters ofthe field. Brethren and friends, this is no idle talk. God will assurely give you the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, as he haspromised it. 

The Lord says with apparent emphasis: "Hear what the unjust judgesaith. " There must then be something in it which deeply concerns us toknow. Just what I have said is in it, the power of prayer. "Theeffectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. "

But again: You are tempted to do something very sinful, and you seemto yourself to try to pray. You feel the serpent's coil about yourheart drawing tighter and yet tighter, until your spiritual breathseems almost gone. I will tell you now just how you have got into thisfix. You did not look to God soon enough. You put off praying andallowed the tempter to twist himself around you in the way he is. Doyou ask what you are to do in this case? I will tell you. If you willjust summon breath and courage to say from your inmost soul: "God, bemerciful to me a sinner, " your adversary will let go his filthy holdof you, and the Lord will set your spirit free. "God will avenge hisown elect speedily. " But they must cry unto him. 

I love this word "cry. " It carries with it to my mind the cry of aninnocent child to its parent, when it fears danger or feels the needof something. Brethren, such let our cry to the Lord ever be. There isnever any dallying with words in the mouth of a little child. Itsrequests, though they may not always be wise, are always sincere, andsincerity is what the Lord most loves, and hypocrisy is what he mostabhors. "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. "

THURSDAY, September 19. They had meeting at a schoolhouse near BrotherBrumbaugh's. They spent the night at Jacob Burket's. The next day theycame to Brother Samuel Coxe's, in Logan's Valley, and spent theafternoon in writing letters. I here note an example of BrotherKline's exactness. He this afternoon wrote a letter to Brother HenryKoontz. He notes the main points in the letter. One is that he wantsBrother Koontz to be at the Flat Rock meetinghouse on December 8, at10 o'clock, without fail. 

SATURDAY, September 21. They came to Brother Jacob Beck's, and hadnight meeting in the Baptist meetinghouse near by. 

SUNDAY, September 22. _Delightful morning. _ This is the first entryfor the day. Brother Kline was not unappreciative of the beautiful. This must have been one of those bright and balmy mornings witnessedonly in September months, and rarely then. Nature is in her calmestmood. Summer is just bidding farewell, with a smile of promise that hewill return again, and as a proof of his good will lays all the richtreasures he has gathered for us into the lap of Autumn, who is athand to receive them. 

We have morning and afternoon services in the Baptist church here. Inthe morning meeting "The Strait Gate" is the subject. In theafternoon, "The Departure of Paul. " Acts 20:36, 37. TEXT. --"And whenhe had thus spoken, he kneeled down and prayed with them all. And theyall wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him. "

The first impression made on the mind upon reading this text is thegreat love which these tender-hearted disciples had for Paul. But weneed not be surprised at this, when we remember the great love whichthe tender-hearted Paul had for them. The elders of the church atEphesus, and probably many of the sisters and lay brethren, had cometo Miletus to have Paul take affectionate leave of them before takingsail for Jerusalem. He also desired to give them a parting exhortationand offer prayer with them on their behalf. The words of theexhortation are recorded in the chapter read, but the words of theprayer are not. We are not sure that the prayer was audible. It ispossible to think they all kneeled together and thus prayed with andfor each other, but mostly for Paul. From the secret chambers of theirhearts the still small voice of loving prayer ascended to the ear ofhim whose throne is heaven, and whose footstool is earth. Be this asit may, the prayer was earnest, and the exhortation gladly received:"For they all wept sore, and fell upon Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all that they should see his face no more. " Who ofus, Brethren, has not prayed at the departure of one we dearly loved?As you take the hand probably for the last time, and give the lasttouch of the lips, who can withhold prayer--prayer from the inmostdepths of the soul? As the receding form fades from sight, how theheart swells with emotions of prayer for blessings upon the departingone, altogether too big for utterance. Such were the feelings of thesesorrowing disciples at the departure of Paul. 

Brethren, the account here given shows the love in which the truth wasreceived in that day. Paul here says: "I have not shunned to declareunto you the whole counsel of God. " This means a great deal. Oh, howmany, many at the present day fear to declare the whole counsel ofGod! And it is a sad truth, or at least I believe it to be true, thatif a minister in almost any of the so-called orthodox churches wouldhave the courage, from a sheer sense of duty, to declare the wholecounsel of God in the ears of his congregation, instead of falling onhis neck and kissing him at his departure, they would be heartily gladto get rid of him. But, Brethren, I am persuaded better things of you, and things which accompany salvation. Our love for the truth, thewhole truth, and nothing but the truth, is our best evidence, whenthat truth is lived out in a life of obedience to the Lord's precepts, that we are walking with God in the fellowship of the Spirit. So letus ever walk. 

MONDAY, Sept 23. They went through Huntingdon City, in HuntingdonCounty, Pennsylvania, and got to Brother Michael Bolinger's, wherethey had evening meeting in a schoolhouse near by, and stayed allnight at Brother Bolinger's. Next day they took dinner at BrotherAndrew Spanogle's, and got to the meetinghouse at one o'clock. Meetingand love feast. Luke 24 is read. They stay all night at BrotherUmbenhaver's. 

WEDNESDAY, September 25. They have meeting at the meetinghouse. Hebrews 10 is read. Brother Michael Bolinger was this day ordained tothe full work of the gospel ministry. May the Lord bless the goodbrother in his work. They had night meeting at Brother Samuel Myers'sin Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, where they stayed all night. 

THURSDAY, September 26. They had a union meeting at Brother GeorgeKeever's, and stayed all night with Brother Keever. 

FRIDAY, September 27. They attended a council meeting beforepreaching. Brother Abraham Rothrock was this day ordained to the fullwork of the gospel ministry; and Brother Jacob Mohler was advanced. The visiting brethren spoke on the text: "My kingdom is not of thisworld. " Night meeting was appointed, but owing to a violent storm ofhail and rain no people assembled. 

SATURDAY, September 28. They got to Brother Jacob Royer's, in UnionCounty, Pennsylvania, where they stayed all night. Clear and cool. 

SUNDAY, September 29. Meeting begins at half past nine o'clock. Unionmeeting this evening. 

MONDAY, September 30. The vote of the church was taken beforepreaching, and Brother Isaac Myers and Brother John Sprogle wereordained to the full work of the gospel ministry. They attended anight meeting in a schoolhouse near Brother Christian Shiveley's, andstayed with him all night. They are still in Union County, Pennsylvania. 

TUESDAY, October 1. They went to Brother Christian Shallaberger's, inJuniata County, Pennsylvania, where they attended night meeting andBrother Daniel Yount spoke from Eph. 2:8, 9, 10. He explained themeaning of the word GRACE, that it is the love of God for theundeserving of his love. He defined FAITH as being a loving acceptanceof God's revealed truth: that faith is the gift of God only this far, that he tells man what he is to believe and how he is to believe, thatthe Gospel of our salvation is what man is to believe; that he is tobelieve with the heart, with all his heart: that the new man, theregenerated man, is God's workmanship, created unto good works. Hecarried out all his points very ably, and left a good impression. 

WEDNESDAY, October 2. They attended a union meeting in Good Willmeetinghouse. 

THURSDAY, October 3. They attended a council meeting in the forenoonat the meetinghouse. Brother David Myers was ordained to the full workof the ministry, and Brother Solomon Seever was chosen speaker. Theyhad night meeting at Thomsonsville, and stayed all night at BrotherSolomon Seever's. 

FRIDAY, October 4. They had meeting in a schoolhouse near BrotherPool's on the Juniata river; then night meeting at Brother JacobSpanogle's, where they stayed all night. 

SATURDAY, October 5. They had meeting in a schoolhouse near by. Theystayed all night at Brother Peter Long's near Germantown, in PerryCounty, Pennsylvania. 

SUNDAY, October 6. Meeting in the Methodist meetinghouse inGermantown. Brother Kline spoke on Luke 24:48. TEXT. --"And ye arewitnesses of these things. "

It is a happy but not uncommon experience with Christians, whenreading the Divine Word, to receive some new thought, or see some newtruth by the reading of the most familiar passages. In this particularthe Book of Revelation is like the book of nature. The treasures ofknowledge in both are inexhaustible; but they do not come to us, wemust go to them. "And ye are witnesses of these things. "

"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. ""The Word was God. " "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit ofprophecy. " These Scriptures, in their most comprehensive sense, include the all of the divine manifestation in the flesh. The Lord isthe life of all the things written in the law of Moses, and in theprophets, and in the Psalms. Their spirit, or spiritual significanceis all confined to the testimony they bear to the Emmanuel, the Godwith us. Hence "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, "very much as the spirit of man is the life of his body. In the earlypart of his ministry he had told these very disciples that he came tofulfill the law and the prophets. He fulfilled the law of theDecalogue or Ten Commandments to the extent of every jot and tittle, from its lowest natural to its highest spiritual requirement andsignificance. The prophecies likewise all centered in him, and foundin him their fulfillment; not, however, in their fullest development, for eternity alone will witness this; but they disclose in him theirspirit and life. "Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ tosuffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentanceand remission of sins should be preached in his name among allnations, beginning at Jerusalem. "

These eleven disciples, from this time on to do the work of apostles, had been with the Lord in nearly all of his public ministry and life. They knew how he had overcome in temptation; how victorious he hadbeen in his conflicts with the accusing and fault-finding Jews, andhow patient and forgiving he had been in his trial before Pilate andthe high priest. They were witnesses of the purity of his characterand life; of the disinterested love he bore toward all within hisreach; of the good will toward men manifested by his going about doinggood wherever he went. But the point above all other points in hischaracter in which all poor sinners are most deeply interested is theduty and work he here laid upon these eleven apostles: the commissionhe gave them, that repentance and remission of sins should be preachedin his name. They were witnesses of his mercy so often shown tosinners of the lowest and vilest character. Did he ever send one awayempty? If you will read the four Gospels in which are recorded thelife of Jesus Christ you may be surprised to see how often he said, "Thy sins are forgiven. " Once when he was in a Pharisee's house awoman in the city, who was a sinner, washed his feet with her tears ofpenitence, and he said: "Her sins which are many are forgiven. " Somepeople brought to him a man sick of the palsy lying on a bed. AndJesus seeing their faith said to the sick of the palsy: "Son, be ofgood cheer; thy sins are forgiven. " This man's sins were remitted, because remitted and forgiven have the same meaning. 

I must here call special attention to one point in all the miracles ofhealing wrought by the Lord, and that point has relation to the causeof all our woe. It is the sin of man. To the impotent man who had lainby the pool thirty and six years, unable to get in, after beinghealed, the Lord when he met him in the Temple said: "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee. " Paul says: "By one man sin enteredinto the world, and death by sin. " Death of the body is the point atwhich all diseases, ailments and infirmities aim; and the death, theeternal death, of the soul is the point at which all sins aim. "Deathis the wages of sin. " "And ye are witnesses of these things. " Inrelieving insane, idiotic, epileptic and dumb people of the mentalailments afflicting them, he always removed the cause by casting outthe devils or evil spirits as the cause of their troubles. 

I know that some people doubt or disbelieve that sin is the cause ofall suffering. I have met such. They freely aver that this cannot beso, because the brute creation suffers, which they say is sinless. Itis a well conceded fact that brutes are not accountable. They have nofuture state of existence. They lack that freedom of the will tochoose good or evil, and that understanding to know good from evil, both of which man has in unlimited possession. Still, brutes aresubject in a low degree to the very same vile passions, the indulgenceof which in man becomes sin to him. And why? Because man is destinedto live to eternity, in another state of existence. If man's existencewere to terminate with the life of his body, his sins, although of asomewhat viler character than those of the brute creation, would be ofno more account. The Lord sent out his apostles, and in their stepsothers to follow, whose great business it was, has been, and ever willbe to tell people that they are sinners; that sin is the cause of allthe misery, wretchedness, suffering and unhappiness in earth and hell, and that the only way for people to be rid of the multiform evils ofexistence is to be rid of sin. 

Salvation from sin, then, is immensely the most important matter thatcan possibly engage man's heartfelt attention, as I said at the start. How to get rid of the evil of sin--I mean the love of evil--and how tocome into the possession of the love of what is good, and as a resultof that love lead a good life, is the sum and substance of all divineteaching. And why? Because a man's character, whether good or bad, goes with him when he dies. Character is the only thing we do takewith us when we leave this world and enter the next. "He that sowethto the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth tothe Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. " "Whatsoever aman soweth the same shall he reap, " is a law as immutable as the lawof gravitation. Our Lord has mercifully opened up a way, a highway, out of a life of sin into a life of holiness. The first step in thisway, nay, the first step towards it, is _repentance_. This involves avery great change in the state of man's will or heart. Heart and willhave the same meaning. Repentance is a change in the affections of theheart. It is a change so great that man of himself, unaided by theLord, would never make it. It is a change from the supreme love ofself and the world to love of the Lord and one's neighbor. "Except aman deny himself, and take up his cross daily, he cannot be mydisciple. " Self-denial and bearing the cross are repentance. 

"If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his father, and mother, andwife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own lifealso, he cannot be my disciple. " All these relationships symbolizeevil affections and thoughts which are to be no longer loved. Thewithdrawal of the affections from all our inherited and acquired evilsis repentance. If the right hand be in the way of our repentance, itmust be cut off. If the right eye cause us to stumble, it must beplucked out. 

But it will not do to leave the matter thus. The quotations andreferences I have given are so strong they almost overwhelm us. Wealmost cry out when we hear or read them, as the disciples did whenthe Lord had just told them of the impossibility of a rich man'sentering the kingdom of heaven: "Who then can be saved?" But I giveyou the same answer the Lord gave the disciples: "With men this isimpossible: but with God all things are possible. " It is the Lord whogives us the power to repent. Bartimeus could not see until the Lordopened his eyes. But when he called, the Lord heard. So we must call. "And whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved. "This is faith; and I may here add the Lord's words: "I am come a lightinto the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide indarkness. " But remission of sins is as sure to follow true repentanceas day is sure to follow the darkest night. "Every good tree bringethforth good fruit. " Remission of sins, and a life of good works, is thefruit borne by the penitent man symbolized by a good tree. And whatdoes remission of sins imply? It implies casting our sins behind us;forsaking them; leaving them off, and not looking back. It impliesputting one's hand to the plow in a new field of life and labor, andnever looking back. "He that putteth his hand to the plow, and lookethback, is not fit for the kingdom. " Looking back with a longing eye, asLot's wife did, is sure proof that we have not fairly remitted oursins in heart, but that we still love them. 

I perceive from the expression of some faces that surprise is felt atmy intimation that man remits his own sins. But he does as truly as hedestroys the grass from among his corn or the weeds from his garden. God gives him the strength and the will to do both, but man has hiswork to do. He must be a coworker with God. Would there be any good inblind eyes being restored to sight, unless man would be willing to seewith them? Or any good in palsied arms made strong, unless they wereused to do good? Or any good in having the whole leprous bodycleansed, unless the cleansed man would return to give glory to God?

Isaiah's very first vision of the church called forth that wonderfulexclamation: "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of yourdoings from before mine eyes: cease to do evil; learn to do well. "This, when done, is the remission of sins. It is sending them back, tothe rear; while we have the Lord always before our eyes. He said tothe blind Pharisees: "Cleanse first the INSIDE of the cup and theplatter, that the outside may be clean also. " Paul says: "Let uscleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and SPIRIT. " Jamessays: "Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, yedouble minded. " Does not all this look as if man had a good deal to dowith the remission of his sins?

It is natural, or, rather, it is in harmony with God's order in thecreation of man, for him to desire to have a part and lot in all theLord does for him. He enjoys most the fruit of trees planted by hisown hands. A lady appreciates the garden or lawn arranged and setaccording to her taste, and cultivated by her hands. God mercifullyfavors us with similar feelings in making good, pure-minded, truth-loving, faithful men and women of his intelligent creation. Withthis intention he has given man special work and ways of manifestinghis will to work with the Lord. The only ordinance of this kind whichI will call your attention to to-day is that of baptism for theremission of sins. It is also called the washing of regeneration. Asthe Father, Son and Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, the three eternal andinfinite essentials of the Divine Trinity, all have part in man'srepentance, in the remission of his sins, as well as in theregeneration of his will unto eternal life, BAPTISM in water, in eachof the three names, is enjoined in our Lord's great commission. "Go yeinto all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, baptizingthem in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the HolyGhost. "

As an order of Christian Brethren, we hold that a threefold immersionof the body in water by a properly authorized administrator isnecessary to fulfill the requirement of the great commission. Aswater, in its highest and divinest significance, symbolizes all theholy means by which man is enabled to renounce and remit his sins, sobaptism symbolizes his heartfelt acceptance of and submission to thosemeans. From this it is called the baptism of repentance first, and, later on, as the truth became clearer, it is called baptism for theremission of sins. As additional light was still thrown upon man'ssalvation, a light which Nicodemus could not see, baptism acquired anew significance, described by Paul as "the washing of regeneration. "

Almost unwittingly we now find a threefold significance in theordinance. It symbolized first, in the ministry of John, repentancetoward God the Father. But after the martyrdom of John no baptism wasadministered until the day of Pentecost, when it received its fullsignificance. As Peter had experienced so much of the evil of sin andthe joy of forgiveness, it symbolized to his mind the remission ofsins. He was right. Paul was the unbelieving, educated Jew, whoseheart was so set against the Lord that after his conversion he felthimself to be a new man, with a new name; and in his letter to Titushe calls it "the washing of regeneration. " Thus we have a threefoldsignificance of the ordinance, as well as a threefold act. Anyone, then, whether fully conscious of the truth or not, says, by submittingto the ordinance, "I have repented of my sins; I have forsaken my sinsand desire to keep them forever behind me; I desire to walk in newnessof life. I accept the love of the Father, the truth of the Son, andthe power of the Holy Ghost by which I have been taken 'out of deathinto life, ' and from the power of Satan to God; my feet set into theway of holiness, and a 'new song put into my mouth, even praises untoour God. '"

The two brethren had night meeting at John Eby's, where they stayedall night. 

MONDAY, October 7. They got to Brother David Kinsey's, in FranklinCounty, Pennsylvania. 

TUESDAY, October 8. They had night meeting at Brother Jacob Rile's. 

The next day they joined company with brethren Christian Long and JohnGlock, who come up the Shenandoah Valley with them to Brother Kline'shome, which they reached Saturday, October 12. 

On December 8 Brother Kline started to Baltimore. He went partly on avisit to his relative, Michael B. Kline, who was, at this time, a veryprosperous commission merchant in the city. Brother Kline spent aboutsix days in Baltimore this time; and whilst hardly any one else wouldhave thought of anything beyond the pleasure of the visit and a littlebusiness to be attended to, he must have a gathering and preach. Hemade his voice heard time and again. No doubt many heard what they hadnever heard before--the truth. On his return home, he stopped inWashington City and had a pleasant interview with President Fillmore. 

In the year 1850 Brother Kline traveled 4, 070 miles. He preachedthirty-one funeral sermons. Twelve of these were for persons overfifty years of age; seven, for persons between twenty and fifty; andtwelve for persons under twenty. He delivered one hundred and tensermons at appointments for preaching, besides the many councils andother meetings attended. When at home he was also called to administermedicine to the sick. This service and the ministry kept him activelyemployed almost the whole of his time. 

THURSDAY, January 9. Perform the marriage ceremony of Conrad Custerand Nancy Shoemaker; also the same for George Hulvey and Diana Turner. 

TUESDAY, February 11. Perform the marriage ceremony of Jackson See andBettie Whitmore. 

THURSDAY, February 20. Perform the marriage ceremony of Solomon Hulveyand Catharine Ritchie. 

MONDAY, February 24. A fearful storm unroofs part of my barn to-day. 

SATURDAY, March 8. Council meeting at Beaver Creek meetinghouse. Thechurch has under consideration the matter of preparing for AnnualMeeting to be held at the Brick meetinghouse, near Christian Kline's, on Middle river in Augusta County, Virginia, to begin Saturday, June7, 1851. 

SUNDAY, March 9. Meeting at the Beaver Creek meetinghouse. First Peter1 is read. Afternoon meeting in Bridgewater, in the Lutheran church. Speak on John 3:29. TEXT. --"He that hath the bride is the bridegroom:but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joytherefore is fulfilled. "

This is a wonderful testimony, borne by John the Baptist. It at onceshows the love which that wonderfully great and good man had for theLord, and at the same time his own deep humility of heart in hispresence. And the Lord's testimony concerning John given in thesewords, "He was a burning and a shining light, " is equally wonderful, and carries with it the great love he had for John. 

John had many friends. All held him to be a prophet of extraordinarycharacter; and if his popularity had tended to corrupt the honestsimplicity of his heart he would not have borne this testimony toJesus. But he goes still further in his disavowal of all claim topreferment by confessing and not denying that he is not the Christ. Hesays: "He must increase, but I must decrease. " Jesus was the sunrising in his splendor; John the moon paling in his light. 

The church is the bride. The Lord is the bridegroom. "He that hath thebride is the bridegroom. " There is a doctrine of deep interestinvolved in John's testimony. It concerns every one of us to know it. It is the relation subsisting between the Lord and the church. Thisrelation is represented as that existing between husband and wife, thevery nearest that can subsist between two human beings--theunification of one with the other to the extent that they are no moretwain, but one flesh. Reference to this relation of the church to theLord is to be found in the Scriptures at several places. Isaiahprophesying the glory of the true Christian church exclaims: "For asthe bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice overthee. "

But it is consistent and proper for a bride to adorn herselfpreparatory to her marriage. But even for this occasion she should bearrayed in modest apparel, as becometh saints. But God recognizes thepropriety of suitable ornamentation, and uses it as a figure in thesewords: "My soul will greatly rejoice in the Lord, for he hath clothedme with the garments of salvation, as a bride adorneth herself withher jewels. " The garments of salvation beautifully symbolize the holylife of God's saints, and correspond to the fine linen, clean andwhite, in which the bride, the Lamb's wife, is arrayed, as describedby John in the Apocalypse. Her jewels correspond to the divine truthsof the Word, which ornament a good life. 

I will now offer some practical thoughts on what I have stated, so asto draw the attention of your minds more closely to the subject. Somepeople seem to think it a matter of small moment whether one makes apublic profession of religion or not. Such seem to satisfy their mindsby concluding that God knows what is in their hearts, and that thechurch has no business to concern itself about them. They think theycan live as good and as pure lives out of the church as in it. Thislast conclusion may be correct, for many do not live very pure or goodlives _in_ the church. But all this has nothing to do with God'sestablished order. A man might say: "I love that lady, and with herconsent I will live a virtuous life with her. But I do not intend tomarry her after the ceremonial style of most people. Marriageceremonies are useless, and with her consent we will just go togetheras husband and wife, and so live; and whose business is it but ourown?" In the first place I have to say, that if two could be found whowere willing to go together and live in this way, if they were not insome way severely punished, they might thank their good stars for it. In the next place I have to say that such cohabitation would whollysubvert the order of society by giving loose reins to lust which wouldbreak in upon the legal relationships of the social compact to anextent that would place us on a social level with the aborigines ofAmerica. 

And what would the Lord's kingdom be without a visible church? Hesays: "My kingdom is not of this world. " His kingdom being essentiallyinvisible, it remains a matter of necessity that there be some way formaking its subjects visible to one another as such, and capable ofbeing recognized and known as such. 

Our Lord says: "The kingdom of heaven cometh not with observation; forlo! the kingdom of heaven is within you. " Now, we cannot look into aman's heart. All we can know of a man's heart is from what he says anddoes. But the Lord has established an order for the subjects of hiskingdom. He has proclaimed a law, call it a ceremonial law if youchoose, by obedience to which all the subjects of his kingdom on earthmay be found out and become known to each other. That law is theLord's will made visible in the order of his brethren, carried out inthe forms of church organization by means of established ordinancesappointed by him. The Lord does not want his bride to wander throughearth's vanities a viewless, inactive, unprotected entity:

 Doing nothing for his cause, Learning nothing of his laws;

but he wants her to appear "all glorious within" and without; "brightas the sun, fair as the moon, and terrible as an army with banners. "

I have been accused by some of never preaching a sermon without havingsomething to say about baptism, as if discoursing on that subjectmight be criminal in their eyes. I can boldly say I do not like toclose a sermon without saying something about it, because baptism inwater, as the door to the visible church, has so much significance init that I do not feel as if I had fully discharged my duty to thesouls of men without it. But I am not altogether singular in thisrespect. I have some very good company. John the Baptist had _baptism_in two of his sermons. Peter the apostle had _baptism_, in two out ofthree of his sermons. Ananias had _baptism_ in the sermon he preachedto Saul, and that in a shape altogether too strong for many, as thatSaul should wash away his sins in it. Philip had _baptism_ in hissermon to the eunuch, and Paul had _baptism_ in his joyfulanticipations of heavenly glory, and calls it the washing ofregeneration; and in fact he laid strong emphasis on it in his answerto the Philippian jailer's question, "What shall I do to be saved?"But the Lord's sermon to Nicodemus gives the crown to _baptism_ as thevisible birth into the visible church. He calls it "born ofwater, "--internally born of the Spirit, externally born of water. Soyou see, friends, I have plenty of company in this line of preaching, and good company too. 

Baptism, as the visible ceremony of union of the penitent, believing, loving candidate with the church, and of the church with the Lord ashis bride, holds the same rank in its relation to the Divine Law asthe ceremony of marriage holds to human law. Both are simple in form, yet both are absolutely essential to order and an orderly life both ina religious and social sense. The ordinance of marriage and that ofbaptism compare remarkably in another point of view. Both cement aunion to be dissolved only in death. Both have the stamp of the divineseal, impressed by the Lord's hand, engraven with the words: "WHAT GODHATH JOINED TOGETHER, LET NOT MAN PUT ASUNDER. "

Now, friends, let me beg you to take the Lord's way. He invites youaffectionately to come and take his yoke upon you. Learn to work inhis vineyard. Your own heart is a vineyard which the Lord will own ifyou will but give it to him: and he will help you to keep it clean. Hewill give you richly to enjoy the first ripe grapes of a good lifelived in his service. But remember: "He that is ashamed of me and ofmy words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come inhis Father's glory, and the glory of the holy angels. " Then why notcome into the church? None are too poor to come. It costs no money orgoods. Why not please your King by visibly becoming his subject? Whynot honor your Lord by obeying his commands? Why not glorify yourHusband by publicly taking to yourself his name and living hencefortha holy and virtuous life in his sight?

TUESDAY, March 25. Aunt Mary Kline, Uncle Frederick Kline's widow, wasburied to-day. Age, seventy-two years, eleven months and five days. 

WEDNESDAY, March 26. Attend the funeral of Giles Devier's littlechild. It was buried at our meetinghouse. Age, one year, five monthsand sixteen days. It is a pretty thought that angels may gather littlechildren from the arms of their parents, as love plucks roses fromtheir parent stems. "Of such is the kingdom of heaven. "

THURSDAY, March 27. Perform the marriage ceremony of Robert Allisonand Mary Kline, daughter of Joseph Kline. 

TUESDAY, April 1. William Smith took leave of us for his new home inIllinois. 

WEDNESDAY, April 9. Council meeting at the Brush meetinghouse. JohnWine is elected speaker. 

THURSDAY, April 10. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. ChristianWine is elected speaker. 

FRIDAY, April 18. Council meeting at Lost River meetinghouse. JacobPope is advanced. His work in the ministry is very acceptable to theBrotherhood as far as known. 

THURSDAY, April 24. I am sick. Erysipelas right bad. 

For the next six days Brother Kline is confined to his room. Dr. JacobDriver, a very well informed and successful Botanic Physician, iscalled to the case. His treatment is so judicious and active that byThursday, May 1, Brother Kline is able to ride out. Dr. Jacob Driverwas born and raised in Rockingham County, Virginia. He gave rise to anumerous family, and in the autumn of 1852 moved and settled in AllenCounty, Ohio. His children all became members of the order of theBrethren. His son Jacob is now an active minister in the Sugar Creekcongregation in the above County. Dr. Jacob Driver died in AllenCounty about the year 1867, deeply lamented by all who knew him. Heand his wife, in their early days, became members of the Brotherhood. He was a son of Peter Driver, a brief notice of whom has been given. 

TUESDAY, June 3. Meeting and love feast at our meetinghouse. Revelation 2 is read. 

SATURDAY, June 7. Meeting in the grove near the Brick meetinghouse, onMiddle river. Many people gathering. Acts 3 is read. From presentappearances there will be a very large concourse of people at thisAnnual Meeting. 

SUNDAY, June 8. Meeting in the meetinghouse and also in the grove. 

MONDAY, June 9. The Yearly Council opens. Take in the questions. Transact some business. Good order prevails, and a spirit of love andunion abounds. If by these meetings we can foster and preserve theunity of the faith and order of our beloved Brotherhood, so thatwherever we may go among our Brethren we may be able to see eye to eyeand face to face as to the doctrines we preach and the order ofChristian life we uphold, our highest aim will have been reached. Itmay be that as time goes on and knowledge is increased new things willcome up demanding consideration; but I sincerely hope and pray nodepartures from what we now regard with so much love and unanimity asthe will of the Lord will ever take place. 

TUESDAY, June 10. All the queries and business items left over fromyesterday are taken up and disposed of to-day. The Annual Meetingbreaks up in good feeling, but with the sad forecast that some presentto-day will never attend another Yearly Meeting. Be it so. In heavenno farewell tears are shed. It is not the parting that makes one sad. It is the how and the where and the when we shall meet again thatbreak up the fountains of our hearts. 

WEDNESDAY, June 11. Meeting in the Methodist church in Harrisonburg. Brother Daniel P. Saylor spoke on the Great Commission, Matt. 28:19, 20. He showed great boldness of speech. He shuns not to declare thewhole counsel of God. Many were present to hear a sermon from aminister of our faith for the first time in their life. I havesometimes feared that Brother Saylor's love for souls is at timesobscured by the severity of his speech in the stand, and by theausterity of his manner among the people. Whilst Christian proprietydoes set limits to "becoming all things to all men, " still, as far asconsistency will allow, God's ministers should show great love for thepeople in their associations with them. Some preachers, I believe, domore good out of the stand than in it. They do this by little acts ofkindness and little words of love. 

Between the last date above given and the thirtieth day of July, Brother Kline preached ten funeral discourses, each of which wasdelivered on the day of burial. Paul uttered a great truth when hesaid: "It is appointed unto men ONCE to die. " But only once. If theydie a _second death_, it is their fault. The death of the body is theonly death ever _appointed_ unto men. 

WEDNESDAY, August 6. Attend the funeral of Nimrod Dove. Age, forty-eight years, eleven months and thirteen days. Nimrod Dove was apatient and persevering school-teacher. Some, who are now young, willdoubtless remember him gratefully when they are old. 

FRIDAY, August 8. Harvest thanksgiving in our meetinghouse. Betty Freyis baptized. 

SUNDAY, August 17. Meeting in Andrew Chapel in Harrisonburg. Goodattention. Stay all night at Christian Myers's, near head ofLinville's Creek. I spoke to-day on Luke 14:10, from this clause:"Friend, go up higher. " This is what the Lord says to every one whocomes to the gospel feast in that spirit of deep humility andself-abasement that is willing to take the lowest place. God's peoplego up higher when they arise to walk in newness of life. When they addto their faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledgecharity. They go up higher as they increase their knowledge of hisWord, in the love of its saving truth. They go up higher as they loveGod and their neighbor more. 

The love of self and the world attracts man downward into the foulpits of vice, immorality, intemperance, gambling, profanity, anger, jealousy, worldly fashions, and all the forms and phases of evil. Godwould have men come out of these horrible pits, wash themselves in thepure water of his Word, and take a lowly seat at his table. Then withjoy he will say to each: "Friend, go up higher. "

These are the outlines of my discourse to-day. The Editor would loveto expand the rich thoughts, condensed in these outlines, into anelaborate discourse in exact accord with what he feels sure thebeloved brother said, but the limits of this work forbid. 

SUNDAY, September 21. Meeting in our meetinghouse. I this day baptizeNoah Frey and wife; Isaac Smith and wife; Widow Dove; Mrs. Bulger andBarbara Baker. 

MONDAY, September 22. Brother Kline started to Maryland. The Diaryshows many meetings, councils and love feasts attended. On

FRIDAY, September 26, he assisted at the ordination of BrotherChristian Keafer to the full work of the ministry. Brother McCleningenwas elected speaker. This service was in the Welsh Run congregation, near Brother William Engel's. He speaks of union meetings in which heserved, at different places, but does not say a word further aboutthem, as to why they were so called or for what particular object theywere held. 

TUESDAY, September 30. He attended a union meeting in the Beaver Creekmeetinghouse, in which he served; and on

WEDNESDAY, October 1, he attended a union meeting in Welty'smeetinghouse, in which Brother Shaver served. 

After attending several other meetings and making many visits, hestarted for home, where he arrived October 5. 

TUESDAY, October 28. Attend the funeral of Sister Gibbons. She diedyesterday at the home of her son Samuel Gibbons, near Luray, PageCounty, Virginia. She grew old in years, but the service of the Lordwas not old in her heart. She passed from labor to reward at the highage of ninety-one years, lacking nineteen days. 

WEDNESDAY, November 12. Brother Kline started on another journey toHardy and Hampshire Counties. He held a night meeting at James Stump'sin Hardy; preached the funeral sermon of Brother Solomon Arnold; helda union meeting at Brother Benjamin Leatherman's; attended morningmeeting on

SATURDAY, November 15, at the meetinghouse; and held night service atJoseph Arnold's. 

SUNDAY, November 16. He had forenoon meeting at William George's andnight meeting at Solomon Michael's. He filled six other appointmentsbetween this, and his return home, where he arrived Friday, November21. I find extended outline notes of but one sermon preached on thisjourney. These I will here put in as good shape as I can. He deliveredthis sermon at Jacob Keplinger's, in the Gap, the night before he gothome. Jacob Keplinger was a Lutheran himself, and the sermon waspreached right in a community of people of the same faith. But theyhad respect for Brother Kline. The religious warmth of his heart andthe purity and simplicity of his life won for him the esteem andfriendship of people wherever he went. 

 TEXT. --The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. --Luke 17:20, 21. 

People never grow entirely out of their childhood feelings. Wenaturally incline to value most what our eyes can see and our handshandle. Our natures are so sentient that objects of sense please usbest. It is from this that object lessons attract the young. They canbest apprehend what their senses can grasp. It is very difficult forthe mind to grasp abstract truth. But right here lies the basis of alltrue education. The power to comprehend truth in the abstract, to takehold of its ramifications as subjects of thought, and reduce them toorder in the mind, so as to develop and give them concrete form forpractical ends in life, is education. 

The Pharisees wanted a sign. Even Herod hoped to see some miracle doneby the Lord. The reply of Jesus to the Pharisees was that "an evil andadulterous generation seeketh after a sign. " And now they want to knowwhen his kingdom will come. My text is the Lord's answer. "The kingdomof God cometh not with observation. " It is not somethingrepresentative, with visible outlines and surfaces that you canperceive by means of your senses. It is altogether invisible: it is astate of mind and heart: it has its place in a man's soul: it is notoutside of you; "for lo, the kingdom of God is within you. " In thisregard the kingdom of heaven is like education. You cannot tell bysimply looking at a man whether he is educated or not. And why?because education is not a thing of the body, but of the mind; and themind or understanding is invisible. 

Just so it is with the kingdom of God. It has no connection with thebody. In fact the body, with its appetites and passions opposes it. For as Paul says: "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and theSpirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to theother. " The kingdom of God, then, has its place in man's renewed heartand mind, and can therefore never be a thing of observation. But letus look a little further. The most precious and valuable things ofearth are worthless until brought out into use. Of what good are allthe mineral treasures of earth while hidden in the mines? Just so "thekingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in the field. "

But our heavenly Father has prepared a body, a visible, organized bodyfor his kingdom on earth, so that it may become active, useful, and inevery way promotive of man's highest good on earth and his highestbliss in heaven. This body is the Lord's visible church. Like thehuman body, it is composed of members, and each member has his placeand office of service in the body. The church is composed of those whodo the Lord's will; and he owns all such as his brethren. On oneoccasion he exclaimed: "Who are my brethren?" And immediately he said:"Behold my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Fatherwhich is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. "Thus the church is composed of such as hold a relationship with him, symbolized by that of brother, sister and mother. It is for his churchthat Jesus offered that wonderful prayer recorded in the seventeenthchapter of John. He there says: "I have manifested thy name unto themen which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thougavest them me; and they have kept thy word. " The church, then, iscomposed of such as keep the Lord's Word. 

He said: "My kingdom is not of this world. " Neither is the church, which is the visible, active, use-loving and use-performing body ofthe kingdom, of this world. It is not organized according to the orderof human institutions and laws, but according to God's order. Humanlaws and customs have really and legitimately nothing to do eitherwith its organization and government or with the admission of membersinto its body and their retention and conduct in the body. But thechurch is _in_ the world. By its being _in_ the world, where sin andsorrow and suffering abound; where there is so much pain to assuage, so much want to relieve, so much evil to combat, so much ignorance todispel by the light of truth, numberless and boundless opportunitiesand demands are presented for "the good man, out of the good treasureof his heart to bring forth good things. "

And in the world is just where the Lord wants his church to ever be. It is in the church on earth that God's people learn those wonderfullessons of self-denial, humility, gentleness, brotherly kindness, forbearance, patience, and all other heavenly qualities and graces. Ina word, the church, in its purest form and highest sense, is heavenbegun on earth. Hence the blessed Jesus, in the prayer referred to, says: "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, butthat thou shouldest keep them from the evil. "

Since the church is the outward, visible form of God's kingdom onearth, it is of the utmost importance that the church give expressionto and be a representative of the soul and spirit of the kingdom. Paulsays: "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. " The church must be righteous. Bythis is meant that it must obey the Lord's Word. He says: "Ye are myfriends if ye do whatsoever I command you. " It is obedience on thepart of the church that makes any organization bearing that nameacceptable to the Lord. In the great day to come some will say: "Wehave eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in ourstreets. " But he will say: "I tell you I know you not whence ye are. "Many others again will say: "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thyname? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done manywonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:depart from me, ye that work iniquity. " The lips of man may not applythese terrific words to any whose doom is yet to be disclosed; but allorganizations claiming to be churches of Jesus Christ will do well tosee to it that they obey from the heart those ordinances given by ourLord both by example and precept. When he pronounces us happy, we mayfeel sure that we are safe. 

Let us now, before we close, look over the ground and see where thechurch of the Brethren stands, which it is my privilege to representhere to-night. Jesus was baptized, that is, immersed by John in theriver Jordan. We follow his example as further set forth in the greatcommission he gave. He washed the disciples' feet, giving us anexample that we shall do to one another as he did to them. This we do. He ate a supper with them before the administration of the Communion. This we do; and from other scripture authority we feel justified incalling it a love feast. He administered the Communion of his body andblood, symbolized by the bread and wine. This we likewise do. Now wehave his blessed Word for it: "If ye know these things, happy are yeif ye do them. "

SUNDAY, December 7. Michael B. E. Kline and wife are baptized atTimberville. 

WEDNESDAY, December 31. I have traveled this year 3, 816 miles, mostlyon horseback; and preached forty-five funeral discourses. 

THURSDAY, January 22, 1852. Attend upon my aged mother. She passed acalculus or stone from the bladder to-day weighing seven ounces andtwo and one-half drachms. Its greatest circumference is nine inches. Avery wonderful concretion indeed. 

THURSDAY, March 11. My dear aged mother passes away from earth to-day, at 1 o'clock. She has been a good mother. I rejoice in the thoughtthat from her bright home in heaven, if saints are permitted to lookdown upon earth, she can still witness the fruits of her good exampleand influence, manifest in the well-doing of all her children, andmost of her grandchildren. 

FRIDAY, March 12. Take Anna over to Brother Samuel Kline's, where ourdear mother now lies a corpse. 

SATURDAY, March 13. Mother is buried to-day. Her age was eighty-oneyears, three months and twenty days. 

MONDAY, March 22. This day Brother Kline started to Maryland. As usualon such journeys, he visited many friends and Brethren, among whom hementions D. P. Saylor, Jacob Saylor, Howard Hillery, Brother Cover, Joseph Engle, Philip Boyle, Israel Engle, Brother Rupp, Jesse Royer, Betsy Engle, William Deahl, Abraham Deahl, Brother Rhinehart, andothers. He preaches and prays as he goes; leaving behind him goodexamples, good instructions, good doctrines, with prayers and goodwishes for all. What a life of good works! He returned home Thursday, April 1. 

THURSDAY, April 15. Council meeting at the Flat Rock meetinghouse. John Neff is elected speaker. 

FRIDAY, April 16. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. John Zigler iselected to the deaconship. 

SATURDAY, April 17. Council meeting at the Brush meetinghouse. JacobMiller is advanced in the ministry of the Word. 

SUNDAY, May 16. Attend a meeting in the Campbellite church inBaltimore. I meet Brother D. P. Saylor there. He speaks from Heb. 12:1, 2. Outlines of his discourse. TEXT. --"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us; and let us run withpatience the race that is set before us; looking unto Jesus. "

He said: The book of Hebrews is, in one respect, the mostextraordinary book in the New Testament. It sets forth Christ the Lordto us in a somewhat new light, and new relation. All the other booksof the New Testament are mainly occupied in setting forth Jesus as theatoning Savior. But this book is preeminently taken up with Christ theanointed High Priest of our profession. The other books tell whatJesus has done to redeem the world from sin. This book tells what heis now doing to save his people. 

In his admonitions and instructions Brother Saylor beautifullyreferred to the Olympic games celebrated by the ancient Greeks onceevery four years. From these the figure of running a race, given inthe text, was borrowed. A man cannot run long and well with a load onhis back. You have no doubt seen the fabled demigod Atlas picturedwith the world on his shoulders. I have often thought of that oldGrecian representation of avarice, as being something like a truepicture of many professors of the Christian religion at the presentday. You see the old myth struggling along with this big round worldon his back, apparently casting his eyes upward at times as if hemight be longing to reach the top of Mount Olympus, the home of thegods: but alas! his head is bowed and his back bent under the mightypressure, and he never got there. It will fare no better with the manwho tries to carry this world with him to heaven. The apostle says:"Let us cast off every weight" that would hinder our progress. 

You know the devil is called a serpent. No sane man ever yet invited asnake to bite him. If one is bitten by a copperhead or rattlesnake, itis either because he has gone where he ought not go, or else, ifcompelled, he was not watchful, but was off his guard. Besetting sinsare these snakes in the grass and along the hedges. The apostle heretakes it for granted, as a thing settled long ago, that the Christianhas laid aside his habitual sins. Besetting sins are such as we meetor overtake unexpectedly in the way, and like robbers that beset usand take our goods, they spoil our peace and take away our joy. Thebest way for all Christians is to keep out of the way of snakes androbbers. 

"And let us run with patience the race that is set before us. " Inanother place Paul says: "I press forward to the mark for the prize. "He represents the Christian as running, but not as uncertainly. Not asif some one else might beat him and take the prize, and he therebylose it. No, no! In the Christian race there is a prize for every onethat runs with patience the race set before him. 

But he also speaks of a _mark_. The language here employed indicatesthat the _mark_ must be reached before the prize can justly beclaimed. This mark is conformity to Christ in spirit and life. "If anyman have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. " "He has set usan example that we should follow in his steps. " The prize is heavenand eternal happiness. God is pleased to give to his children thingswhich they are incapable of obtaining by their own efforts; but hewill not give direct what they are capable of getting by judiciousmeans rightly applied. It is no credit to any one to depend on othersfor what he could win for himself. It is so in the Christian's racefor eternal life. 

"Looking unto Jesus. " If you have ever been at sea you noticed theinterest with which sailors watched the lighthouses along the shore ina dark night. This figure may help us in our thought of looking toJesus. His word is a "lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. "Friends, when you look prayerfully to the Lord's Word for guidance inyour religious life you are looking unto Jesus. He is nowhere else tobe found. But he is always there, and whosoever will look may find himthere unto the salvation of his soul. 

They stayed all night at Michael B. Kline's. 

MONDAY, May 17. They stopped awhile with Sister Rubicum inPhiladelphia; and arrived at the Irving House, in New York City, at10:30 P. M. 

Men love to honor their favorites. Washington Irving has caused hisname to be stamped upon the affections of the people of this city. Irving collars, Irving hats, Irving signs and Irving attached to manythings give evidence of the high regard in which he is held. We willpass his home on the Hudson to-day. 

TUESDAY, May 18. Take the steamer "Henry Clay" to Albany, where weland at 3 P. M. Kossuth is in the place. A great procession, with manyother demonstrations in honor of the Hungarian exile, is given. Thesethings are not done for the man personally, but for the cause which herepresents, that of freeing his country from the galling yoke ofbondage. We have a delightful boat ride up the Hudson. 

I must here relate a short encounter which I had with a professedinfidel on the boat. He some way came to the conclusion that I was areligious man, and probably a preacher. This led him to approach mefor a talk, and he introduced himself in a very courteous andagreeable manner. After he had stated his objections to the Christianreligion, I asked him if he was absolutely certain that there is noplace and state of future punishment. He answered: "I do not contendfor this; but only hold that hell is unreasonable, and that heaven isimpossible: and according to Bible description, to me at least, itwould be undesirable. " I answered: "I suppose you will allow, that ifthe Bible is _not_ true I will fare no worse after death for havingtaught its doctrines and the faith of Jesus Christ: and you no betterfor having denied both?" "All this, " said he, "is self-evident. " "Butif it so turns out that we both, after death, find that God's Word isabsolutely true, which, my dear friend, will fare the better then?You, for having rejected the Lord Jesus Christ before men; or I, forhaving humbly confessed him?" We parted at the landing to meet, perhaps, no more until that day when the secrets of all hearts shallbe made known. 

WEDNESDAY, May 19. Get to Buffalo, New York, at 8 P. M. Stay all nightat the Mansion House. Philip Dorsheimer, proprietor. 

THURSDAY, May 20. This day I enjoy my first sight of Niagara Falls. Cross on the bridge over to the Canada side and go up to the falls. Return by the bridge and go up to the falls on the American side. Goto see the buffaloes; and visit the telegraph office. Return to theMansion House and stay there all night. I suppose that all thethoughts and emotions which a view of Niagara Falls is capable ofexciting in the beholder have been so clearly and graphicallyexpressed in prose and verse, so far as lies in the power of words toexpress them, that I feel like keeping silent. This, however, I willventure to say, that in the sight of such mighty power I felt verysmall and weak. How, then, thought I, will I feel when I come in sightof the Power that made and moves the world!

Cold and snow this morning. But I must remember that I am not inVirginia. 

FRIDAY, May 21. Take passage on the steamboat "America" to Erie; thenon to Cleveland, where we arrive at 5 A. M. Sleep a little. Then, onsame boat, to Sandusky City, where we take cars to Tiffin, and fromthere go to Brother Eversole's, in Hancock County, Ohio. 

SUNDAY, May 23. Brother Kline attended forenoon meeting at BrotherPeter Weant's; and afternoon meeting at Brother Dickey's. In theevening he went to Brother Daniel Rosenberger's and assisted inanointing a sick sister. Next day they had meeting at Brother JacobKendrick's. On Tuesday, while they were detained at Perrysburg, Brother Kline says: "We saw the fishermen make a haul with theirseine. While witnessing the adroitness and care with which theyseparated the bad fish from the good, I was reminded of the parable inwhich the same performance is spoken of. The gospel net catches ortakes in both good and bad. But the separation of the good from thebad cannot take place on earth. 'At the end of the world the angelsshall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just. '"

WEDNESDAY, May 26. They take the boat "John Hollister" for Toledo:from there they take cars to Elkhart, Indiana. The two brethren, Klineand Saylor, do not appear to have been together all the time on thisjourney; but at Elkhart it seems they got together again and two otherbrethren with them; for he now speaks of brethren Saylor, Krontz andP. Ebersole all going together and staying all night at Brother JacobStudebaker's; and on the twenty-ninth they all go to Jonathan Wylan's, the place of the Annual Meeting. Brother Kline reports a wonderfulconcourse of people. 

SUNDAY, May 30. They have meeting at three places. On Monday businessbegins. Many queries are placed in the hands of the subcommittees. OnTuesday the reports of the subcommittees are taken in, and discussionsfollow freely, but all in a spirit of love. 

WEDNESDAY, June 2. Business is all disposed of by 3 o'clock, and themeeting breaks up. Brother Kline goes to Michael Waybright's and holdsnight meeting. 

On his return trip Brother Kline revisits Elkhart, and goes to Daytonto Brother Henry Yost's. From there he goes to Cincinnati to see Drs. Kost and Curtis, with whom he spends a night; thence back to Columbus;goes through the state prison; visits other places of interest; andthence through Cleveland and Pittsburg home. He arrived home

SATURDAY, June 12. He reports 2, 685 miles traveled from the time heleft home till his return. 

SUNDAY, June 27. Meeting at our meetinghouse. I baptize Daniel Wamplerand wife. 

FRIDAY, July 2. Write letters to Brethren in Pendleton and HardyCounties to make appointments for preaching. He gives plenty of timefor those Brethren to whom the above letters were sent, to make theappointments generally known; and allows time for the slow transit ofthe mails in that day. Brother Kline's successes were never brilliantor dazzling, as some men's appear, but they were acquired by methodswhich few men are willing to adopt; and achieved by self-sacrificesand labors which few men are willing to undergo. 

FRIDAY, August 20. This day Brother Kline started to Pendleton County, Virginia. From Pendleton he went to Hardy County, and from there toHampshire County. He filled every appointment made for him by theBrethren to whom he had written on July 2. On his outward way he lefta line of appointments which he filled on his return homeward. On thistour he traveled 183 miles on the back of his faithful mare Nell, overroads and mountain paths next to impassable. He was gone from home onthis trip just two weeks, in which time he preached nineteen sermons, attended one council meeting and one love feast. 

Such preaching tours, as this work abundantly shows, were but commonproofs of his missionary spirit and love for the souls of men. Addedto this we find a purely unselfish spirit in him. Not long before hismartyrdom he told me that if he would have asked for money along thelines of his work extending over many years--using his very words--"Iknow that I would have freely received it; but I have never asked onecent; and, God prospering me in the future as in the past, I neverexpect to. " He went on his own expenses, always and at all times, apparently more ready to give than to receive. 

THURSDAY, September 30. On this day Brother Kline started toTennessee. He rode Nell. He went up the Valley of Virginia, stoppingwith Brethren and preaching by previous arrangements made by letters. He stayed all night with Peter Nininger, and one night with BenjaminMoomaw. At both places he filled appointments previously sent on. 

MONDAY, October 4. He dined at Jacob Brubaker's. He arrived at BrotherJohn Bowman's on Friday, the eighth. 

SATURDAY, October 9, he had meeting at John Bowman's. It would seemthat he had leisure here to jot the outlines of his discourse on thatday. He spoke from Rev. 2:7. TEXT. --"He that hath an ear, let him hearwhat the Spirit saith unto the churches. "

There is a wonderful correspondence of natural things with thingsspiritual. It is this correspondence which makes a good life giveevidence of a good heart within, and intelligent conduct prove that itis the offspring of an enlightened mind. If there were nocorrespondence between internal and external things--between the treeand its fruit--what would we know about anything? It is from this lawthat all our Lord's parables and miracles derive their significance. When he spoke of external, natural things, he wanted his disciples tolearn internal, spiritual things. In the text he speaks of a hearingear. "He that hath an ear. " Do not nearly all men have ears? Inseveral other places the Lord says: "He that hath ears to hear, lethim hear. " It is plain that the natural ear is not meant; but the earof the soul (by which is meant an understanding mind) is the ear meantin the text. But to hear means more than just to understand what issaid. People may understand what they hear or read, and still be nonethe better off for it. To hear, in a divine sense, is to hearken; andto hearken means to obey, or a willingness to obey. The text thenmeans about this: "He that understands what the Spirit saith to thechurches, let him obey. " This brings up the question whether or notpeople of ordinary intelligence are able to understand what the Spiritsays to the churches. 

Let us turn to what the Spirit says to the church at Ephesus. Afterreviewing the good qualities and characteristics of this church, muchto their praise and credit, he does not flatter their vanity, byintimations or otherwise, to think themselves all right and in need ofnothing; but "I have this AGAINST thee, that thou didst leave thyfirst love. Remember therefore, from whence thou art fallen, andrepent. " It is truthfully said "our best friends are those who warn usof danger. " This is God's friendship for his churches. He shows hispeople by his Word where they may go wrong, and, if they have ears tohear and eyes to see, where they _are_ wrong. _Leaving their firstlove_ is the charge brought against this church of Ephesus. And it isthe only charge. To what extent or degree they had departed is notdefinitely said; but they had gone so far that repentance andreformation, or the doing of their first works, was necessary thatthey might be restored to the state they had once enjoyed. 

Now it appears plain to my mind, from all the teachings I findelsewhere in the Word, that love to the Lord their God with all theheart, and love to the neighbor, which is the church, is, and foreverought to be, the first and only love. The church is the good Samaritanthat lifts up the wounded brother who has fallen among the thieves oftemptation, and restores him. This love to the Lord and the church isthe love from which these Ephesian brethren had fallen. Departuresfrom first loves are not uncommon in the church and out of it. Thenewly married couple enjoy a warmth of affection that sweetens theircup of happiness and strews flowers all along their pathway of life. This pleasure lasts while their love lasts; but when love dies, happiness dies with it. This accounts for the joyless, pleasurelesslife of many married partners. First love, alas! departed; the firstfire all burnt out, leaving naught but the dull ashes of coldindifference and burning tears. It sometimes goes somewhat the sameway with members coming into the church. They run well for a season, manifest a deep interest in the things of religion, but whentribulation or persecution ariseth on account of the Word, directlythey stumble. Entire churches sometimes lose their first love for theLord and for one another. This seems to have been true of the churchat Ephesus. 

The best way for all is to be sure that the first love is of the rightkind. I have heard of some coming into the church from motives of merepersonal interest. I have heard of one man who confessed, after he hadbeen expelled, that he got out of the Dunkards all he wanted. Said he:"They helped me out of debt, and that is what I went in for. " That mannever lost HIS first love. His first love was the love of self and theworld, and that is the love he carried with him when he was turnedout. Such examples, however, are rare. As a people we are not oftenimposed upon in this way. But some who come in with the best ofmotives, desiring to live in the church, to be built up in the church, and to help build up the church, may, as I have known instances of thekind, lose these good feelings, become discouraged, and altogetherunhappy. To such, if any of that class are here, I now speak. 

At the start I have to say, I have glorious news for you. The Lordsays to us all: "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be ofgood cheer; I have overcome the world. " The blessed Savior hasovercome the world for every one of his people. We all have ourtribulations; but some are better able to bear them than others. TheApostle Paul says: "Confirm the strong, support the weak. " It seemsstrange to us that any could ever grow weak in his day, when they wereas yet almost in sight of their ascended Lord, and in hearing of theecho of his voice. But so it was then, and so it will ever be. But Godknows our feeble frame. "As a father pitieth his children, so the Lordpitieth them that fear him. " Our Lord, just before his crucifixion, said: "I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. " This hespoke to his sorrowing disciples. This he says to you, and to everydiscouraged disciple of his: "Ye, therefore, now have sorrow, but yoursorrow shall be turned into joy. " As he was preparing to wash thedisciples' feet it is said of him: "Having loved his own which were inthe world, he loved them unto the end. "

 "His is an unchanging love, Higher than the heights above; Deeper than the depths beneath; Stronger than the hand of death. "

It is impossible for one human soul to enter fully into the feelingsof another, so as to realize in all the particulars of experience whatthe other suffers. But the Lord knows it all. "He that made the ear, shall he not hear? He that made the eye, shall he not see? He thatmade the heart, shall he not understand?" He consequently knows theproper remedy for all the backslidings, declensions of our first love, and all relapses into states of lukewarmness. His prescribed remedy is_repentance_, in every case. If you will take the time to readcarefully the seven letters addressed to the seven churches of Asia, you will see that _repentance_ is the remedy prescribed in every caseof failure in duty, weakness of faith, coldness of love; together withall the troubles growing out of these. 

_Repentance_ is a change of mind. It is a change from wrong feelingsand affections in the soul to right feelings; from weak faith in theLord to strong faith; from weak love for the Lord and the church tostrong love. Joy of heart and peace of mind are as sure to follow achange like this as a tree is sure to bloom in spring. Blossoms ontrees, other conditions favoring, give promise of fruits. Your joy andpeace from true repentance, like the bloom on a good tree, will givepromise of a life full of good fruits. No one need tell me that hecannot repent. "Nothing shall be impossible unto you. " Who says this?Jesus says it. Again: "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will doit. " But again he says: "Without me ye can do nothing. " Speaking tothe Father, of his disciples, the Lord said: "I in them, and thou inme, that they may be perfected into one. "

We are slow to learn the greatest of all the truths God has revealed, the truth that the Lord is personally, in the fullness of his love, wisdom and power, in the soul or spiritual body of every one of hischildren. "Ye are God's temple; ye are God's building. " As the life ofthe vine is the life of the branches, so is Christ our life. The Lordis ever at hand; not only _around_ us, but _in_ us. And he is not onlyable but ready at all times to do us all the good we are capable ofreceiving from his hand. Say not then, "I cannot repent;" for oneearnest, believing, trusting look to him, with whom all things arepossible, will cause the tears of penitence to flow down your face ina stream that will "make glad the city of our God, " rebuilt with itswalls, in your heart. 

But the Lord tries to encourage his _lost-love_ children with promisesadditional to those of his presence, love and power. He sets forthinducements of a character that surpasses all worldly considerationsas far as the heaven is high above the earth. Notice some of them: "Tohim that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. " To eat of the tree oflife is to enjoy all the blessedness and happiness of a heavenly life. "In the paradise of God" is a figure taken from the garden of Eden, for paradise means garden. We sometimes wonder at the folly of ourfirst parents in disobeying God's commands, and thus bringing uponthemselves the disgrace and ruin which followed. But do we not actafter the same manner when we disobey the Lord? We as surely depriveourselves of the enjoyments of his favor and conscious presence asthey did. But through his abounding love in Christ Jesus we can bereclaimed and reinstated sooner than they. Thanks be to God, thescheme of redemption and salvation is now complete; and we are not nowrequired to wait four thousand years to have the head of the serpentbruised under our feet. Neither is there a flaming sword ofthreatening vengeance to guard the gate against our return. We areinvited to return. The gate is open. Yea, the Lord himself is thegate. He stands beckoning, even calling and saying: "I am the way; Iam the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved. " Theparadise of God, the garden of Eden, is planted by the Lord in theheart of every true follower of his. This is a great truth. When weare in heavenly frames of feeling we are in a state to enjoy its coolshade and partake of its fruits. There the sun does not light upon us, nor any unpleasant heat. 

Hoping that what I have said in much weakness may be made strong bythe Spirit of God, unto edification and comfort, I now close. On

SUNDAY, October 10, he had meeting at Brother Christian Wine's. Nextday he visited David Garst's; and stayed all night at the widowBowman's. 

He visited successively, in order, the following named brethren andsisters, preaching nearly every day: Daniel Crouse's, John Sherfey's, John Basehore's, Henry Swadley's, widow Bowman's, John Bowman's, HenryGarst's. 

TUESDAY, October 19. He started homeward, but stopped at BrotherMichael Grabil's and attended a meeting in Roanoke meetinghouse. Assisted by brethren Kinsey and Brubaker, he ordained BrotherChristian Wirt to the full work of the gospel ministry. 

FRIDAY, October 29. He arrived home safe, after an absence ofsomething over four weeks. The whole distance, going and returning, was about 600 miles. This he traveled on Nell's back. Good, patient, faithful Nell!

From this time on to the close of the year, Brother Kline was mainlyengaged in the practice of medicine, together with his ministeriallabors. On far into the next year the same may be said of his work. Ever active, no such thing as idleness ever had a place in his life. Looking through his Diary, observing the unintermitting activity ofhis life "_every day and Sunday too_, " I am struck with wonder that hedid not get tired. 

SUNDAY, March 13, 1853. Meeting at the Elk meetinghouse, in PageCounty, Virginia. Acts 9 was read. My topic was Saul's conversion. There are three points in the conversion of Saul which I notedparticularly in my discourse to-day. They are as follows:

I. Saul's conversion was _unexpected_. II. It was _miraculous_. III. It was _thorough_. 

No event could have been less expected than the conversion of Saul ofTarsus. Lightning from the clear blue sky, or the breaking forth ofthe sun at midnight, could not have struck both Jews and Christianswith deeper amazement than did the report of the change of Saul frompersecutor to protector of God's people. But this is sometimes God'sway. Often does he send us blessings and do wonders when we leastexpect them. Day breaks at the darkest hour. In the midst of parchingdryness the refreshing shower comes. The hardest pain is just beforethe birth. A sleepless night ends in a joyful morning. In this way heshows us that the "excellency of the power is not of men, but of God. "

In our religious experiences we sometimes feel prayer a burden;reading and meditation a task. We loathe ourselves and wonder howJesus can love us. Out of such frames of feeling the Lord sometimessuddenly lifts us, by causing light to break in upon our souls, revealing some new truth, some fresh affection, in which we rejoice. In addition to these instances of unexpected blessings, we sometimessee men gathered into the fold, for whose conversion we had lost allhope. 

We need not wonder that Saul's conversion was wholly unexpected. Hehad shown such hostility to Jesus of Nazareth that no ground for hopeof any change in him was anywhere visible. His conviction wastherefore, in the eyes of Christians, a miracle. But it was so only inappearance. The light, above the brightness of the sun, that shoneupon him, was but the same light that shone from the face of the Lordand glistened from his raiment on the holy mount when he wastransfigured. John had a somewhat similar vision of the Lord upon theisle of Patmos. John was better prepared to receive the vision thanwas Saul; but even John fell at the Lord's feet as dead. The Lordimmediately laid his right hand upon John, and in the tenderness ofhis love said: "Fear not. " These same sweet words fell from his lipsupon the ears of the three disciples on the holy mount. But Saul heardfar different words. A voice sounded into his soul: "I am Jesus ofNazareth whom thou persecutest. " This terrific announcement broke upthe sealed fountain of his sinful heart and he cried out: "Lord, whatwouldst thou have me to do?" He was then told to go into the city ofDamascus, and it would there be told him what he had to do. 

Notice the difference. The Lord did not say to him as he had to manyothers: "Fear not. " This seemed to be his cherished phrase to all wholoved and believed on him. To the women at the sepulcher, these words, "fear not, " were addressed by the angel. To the church, seen in visionby the prophetic eye of Isaiah, the words, "Fear not, for I haveredeemed thee: fear not, for I am with thee, " are tenderly spoken bythe Lord. If Saul's conviction had been brought about by human agencythrough the preaching of the Word, the adversaries of the cross mighthave said that he had been persuaded, or bribed with money to changehis manner of life. But nothing like this could be said now. The menwho journeyed with him could testify otherwise. They saw the lightthat flashed upon him; but they heard not the words spoken. They werenot persecutors of Jesus by intention as Saul was. Like the soldierswho nailed the Lord to the cross, they knew not what they did. ButSaul knew what he was doing, and the light struck conviction to hisheart. 

Conviction is a knowledge of sin imparted by the Holy Spirit throughthe Word. The light that Saul saw is an expressive emblem of the lightof revealed truth. Light signifies truth, in very many places in theScriptures. Take, for examples, the following: "The people which satin darkness saw great light. " Darkness here does not mean naturaldarkness, but mental or spiritual darkness, which is ignorance. Again:"Every one that doeth evil, hateth the light. " This was Saul's stateexactly. He was doing evil, and he hated the light to such a pitch ofpassion that he sought to take the lives of the children of light. Butit was God's way then, and it is God's way now, to convict and convertmen by means of the very thing they hate, which is the Word of Truth. 

Saul remained three days and nights in this awful state of convictionin which time "he did neither eat nor drink. " The anguish of spiritsuffered during these days and nights no heart but his own can everknow. His sins were red with the blood of the saints. Doubts as towhat the persecuted Jesus might require of him, with a thousandunanswerable questions, harassed his mind. Conviction, or a feelingsense of sin, always precedes conversion. Repentance cannot take placewithout a knowledge of sin's condemning and destroying power. Whenthis is felt man desires to be rid of sin, and asks what he must do tobe saved. This is the first step in repentance. Conversion andrepentance, complete, are expressions meaning one and the same thing. Our Lord's illustration is instructive: "When a woman is in travail, she hath anguish; but when she is delivered she straightway forgettethher anguish for joy that a man is born into the world. " These wordsfrom the lips of Jesus tell us more about conviction and conversionthan all else that has ever been written. 

We must notice the kindness in which Ananias approached Saul tocomplete the manward side of his conversion and usher in the newbirth. He put his hands on him, not roughly, but gently, and said:"BROTHER SAUL, "--"and immediately there fell from his eyes as it hadbeen scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and wasbaptized. " His spiritual eyes were now open; his sins washed away; andout of the baptismal stream he was visibly born into the church a newcreature in Christ Jesus, with a new name. I hold the belief that Saulchanged his name himself. His old life was now so abhorrent to himthat he could no longer bear to hear the name by which he was calledwhen pursuing that course of life. It was his desire to cast allrecollection of it out of mind, and the old name with it. But he neverdid forget entirely. He calls himself the chief of sinners, and almostgets wild with exultation over the mercies of God. Hear some of hisjoyful exclamations: "Who shall condemn us! Who shall separate us fromthe love of Christ! O, the length, and the breadth, and the depth andthe height of the love of Christ!" Paul never doubted his conversion. He became as enthusiastic in building up the church as he had been intearing it down. He tried to repair the evil he had done by adding newrecruits to the church to fill the places of those whom he had eitherdriven out or caused to be martyred. 

Brethren and sisters, here is a lesson for us all. Let us followPaul's example in self-denial, in love for the Brethren, in love forthe unconverted, in the love of doing good at all times and in allways. 

THURSDAY, April 7. Council meeting at the Flat Rock. David Kline isadvanced in the ministry, and John Long is elected to the deaconship. 

SUNDAY, April 10. Meeting at the Lost River meetinghouse. GeorgeHalterman is baptized. 

SUNDAY, May 1. Meeting at Turner's schoolhouse, in the Gap. SamuelSmith is baptized. 

SUNDAY, May 8. Meeting at Joseph Glick's. Samuel Good and wifebaptized. 

MONDAY, May 9. Meeting in our meetinghouse. John Bowman and DanielCrouse are with us, on their way to the Annual Meeting. 

THURSDAY, May 12. This day Brother Kline and Benjamin Bowman startedtogether, on horseback, to the Yearly Meeting, which, according to theDiary, was appointed to meet near William Deahl's. They went down theValley of Virginia, and arrived at Brother William Deahl's Saturdayevening following. 

SUNDAY, May 15. _Diary_: There is preaching at three places. We weremade to witness a very distressing occurrence to-day in the suddendeath of Brother Daniel Haines's wife. She came into the meeting inher usual state of health, and in two hours she was a corpse. Deathhad done its work upon the body; but it could not touch the soul towhich Jesus had given eternal life. "Hither shalt thou go, but nofarther; and here shall all thy waves be stayed, " may be applied todeath as it comes to the child of God, as appropriately as to thegreat ocean. 

MONDAY, May 16. Come to the meetinghouse. Committees are appointed. Goto Jacob Saylor's and take in questions. In the meantime preaching isgoing on at the meetinghouse as yesterday. We stay all night atBrother Deahl's. 

THURSDAY, May 17. Business progresses slowly. 

WEDNESDAY, May 18. At about four o'clock it is announced that all thebusiness before the meeting has been disposed of, and the meetingbreaks up, with many farewell salutations and much tender feeling. Westay all night with John Waltman, married to Martin Deahl's daughter. 

MONDAY, May 23. Love feast at our meetinghouse. A great concourse ofpeople, but good order. The brethren John Bowman and Daniel Crouse arehere. They speak to good acceptance. 

TUESDAY, May 24. Go to the Tristle meetinghouse. Christian Funk isburied. Age, eighty years, three months and nineteen days. He was avery consistent member of the Mennonite persuasion, and suddenly diedin the meetinghouse, on Sunday before, in the very act of singing adevotional hymn with the congregation. Let us hope that as the songdied on his lips here his soul caught its echo in heaven. 

SUNDAY, June 19. Go to Philip Ritchey's schoolhouse in the Gap. Speakfrom Jer. 7:23. TEXT. --"But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obeymy voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people. "

I said in substance: Man is to-day what he has ever been. "The carnalmind is enmity against God" now, quite as deep-seated in man's heartas when he led his unholy and rebellious people out of Egypt. Man'swill now, as then, is contrary to God's will. But God wants to changeman's will so as to incline it to good instead of evil. God isinfinitely blessed and happy, because he is infinitely just and good. Man is unblessed and unhappy, because he is unholy and evil. One ofthe clearest proofs of man's degeneracy is found in his willingness toremain in his sinful and unhappy state. Like the man among the tombs, he is ready to cry out, in thought if not otherwise, "Let us alone!what have we to do with thee? Art thou come to torment us before thetime?"

The two great lessons given in the text, are OBEDIENCE and REWARD. Iwill tell you about _obedience_ first. To make this very plain youmust first be told that _obedience_ consists in doing what one iscommanded to do. Two things, however, are necessary to make obediencea duty. _First_, the command must come from a right source; it must bebased upon the right authority. _Second_, it must be given in a waythat can be understood. The command must be plain. These two thingsbeing established, it is the duty of every one to hear and obey whathe is commanded to do. Disobeying good commands is as sure to bringsuffering and loss as violating the laws of health is sure to bringdisease into our bodies. Let us notice some of the commands which, inthe course of our lives, it may be our duty to obey. There is nodifference between a law and a command. Every law is a command insubstance, and every command is a law. There are very deep thingsinvolved here, but I will not now enter upon them. Every command isbut the expression of the will of the commander; and the will of thecommander in every case, when expressed, and compliance with it isdemanded, is a law. 

Authority has many grades. There is parental authority, teachers'authority, magisterial authority, legislative authority. All thesegrades of authority are necessary for our well-being. But no benefitcan be derived from authority of any kind without obedience to thatauthority. The best law can do no good unless it be obeyed. Parentallaws, no matter how wise and good they are in themselves, are of noaccount unless the children obey their parents. It is the same withall laws. 

Possibly it may not be clear to the understanding of some howobedience to God's laws makes man happy. Let us then consider thismatter of obedience on a lower grade. Parents love their children. Parents have much of life's experiences. They are capable of knowingbetter than their children can what is best for the children. Now ifchildren will heed what their parents say to them in the way of goodcounsel, instruction, and government, love, peace and harmony willprevail in the household. Joy will be a constant guest. Happiness willcrown the board. Habits of good will be formed in the young which willnot forsake them when they are old. In youth the foundation is thuslaid for honorable success in later years. Reverse this picture:instead of happiness, discontent; instead of joy, distress; instead ofpeace, contentions and broils; instead of respectability, disgrace;instead of honor, shame. What an amazing difference between therewards of obedience and the effects of disobedience! The good resultsof obedience to good laws are boundless in extent and endless induration. 

This now brings me to the main point of my discourse, obedience to Godand its rewards. As God is infinitely good, and therefore willsnothing beyond the good of his creatures; and as he is infinitely wiseto know in what the highest good of his creatures consists, it becomesman's highest duty and privilege to know what God would have him todo. But inside of all the externals of obedience there must be a stateof heart and mind conformed to God's will before any works can be doneacceptable to him. What _is_ this state of mind and heart? It is allexpressed in two words, --love and faith. Jesus says: "If ye love me, keep my commandments. " As much as to say, "Do not act the part of ahypocrite by putting on the form of obedience with no love in theheart. " He continues the thought by saying: "He that loveth me willkeep my words. " Obedience, you see, is the proof of love, trueobedience, I mean. 

Some gravely ask, _Which is first in the heart, love or faith?_ Thisquestion is very nearly like that of asking which is most necessary tothe growth of plants, heat or moisture? The truth is plain, that bothare necessary; and both together. Without both together no seed couldsprout, no plant put forth its leaves. Just so it is with the growthof gospel seeds in the soul. There must be love and faith, both. Butthis is very plain and easy to be understood. No one can believe inJesus truly without loving him; and no one can love him without at thesame time believing on him. "We love him because he first loved us:"and faith is but a belief in and joyful acceptance of the words whichtell us how he has made known his love for us. Out of this love andfaith true obedience springs. 

We must notice one particular in our thought upon this subject. It isa matter of the deepest interest to every one of us. I now state it:Our _love_ and _faith_ grow with our obedience. What class of childrenlove their parents most and repose the most confidence in them, obedient children or disobedient children? Obedient children, you allanswer. Why is this? It is because obedient children receive dailyrewards for their good conduct in the expressions of appreciation andlove on the part of their parents, brothers, sisters and friends. Lovebegets love. Just so it is with man and God. The Apostle James putsthis thought beautifully: "If a man be not a forgetful hearer, but adoer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. " How will heknow this? By the heart consolations and comforts it brings him. TheHoly Spirit will bear witness with his spirit that he is a child ofGod. "God is not slack concerning his promises. " When he says: "Obeymy voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people, " do youthink he has no way of letting them know they _are_ his people? Willnot a father and mother own the child they love? How much more ourheavenly Father will own and bless his child!

 "The opened heavens around me shine With beams of sacred bliss, When Jesus shows that he is mine And whispers: I am his. "

There can be no greater enjoyment than the reading of the Scriptureswhen we feel that we have complied with their injunctions andrequirements, and have a will to do so for ever. It is then the "peaceof God which passeth all understanding" fills the soul, and the mindis happy. 

The text says: "I will be your God; and ye shall be my people. " Thisis the reward of our obedience. If men would preach from this to theend of time they could tell but a very small part of the blessednesswrapped up in this promise. People think much of the blessings of thislife when they are joyous and cheerful from health and prosperity. Butin this promise life and health are guaranteed to all eternity. "Hethat believeth on me shall never die. " We are assured that in theglory world sickness and pain and death shall be no more. "I will beyour God. " This means in the way of every good. "No good thing, " saysthe Psalmist, "will the Lord withhold from them that fear him. " Thiswill be made clearest in the world to come. "He is able to doexceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think. " "I will be yourGod, --not for awhile and then cast you off. I do not repent of mypromises and gifts. You may make a promise, or give something, or dosomething from an impulse of feeling, which you afterwards regret; butI am subject to no such weakness. " In this sense he speaks to us inhis Word. He will, if we heed his voice, make of us all "a peopleprepared for the Lord, " a converted, obedient, sanctified andeternally saved and happy people. 

Some may regard God as man's enemy. They seem to think there issomething terrible in religion, and the farther away they can keepfrom it the safer they are. What a fatal mistake! To be a child of Godis to be safe and happy. Our heavenly Father feels the love of pityfor the sinner. I lately read a very touching account of a lost child. The father went calling, _calling_ the name of his boy. After awhilethe boy was found; but his mind was so bewildered and confused that hedid not seem to know his father's voice. So it is with the sinner. Hehas wandered so far away from home, the home of peace with God, thathe knows not the voice of the Father. That voice is still calling:"Come unto me, and ye shall find rest unto your souls;" for "he cameto save that which was lost. "

"And ye shall be my people. " We get to be his people by truerepentance, faith and baptism. He commands us to repent. He commandsus to believe on the Son. "He that believeth the Son hath everlastinglife. " He commands us to be baptized. Obedience from love and faithmakes us his people. As Jesus ascended from the waters of the Jordan, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and a voice from heaven said:"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. " This was anexpression of the Father's love which he has for every one who, fromthe heart, will hear his voice. 

WEDNESDAY, June 19. It is now delightful weather, and Brother Kline isthis day on the Great Cheat mountain, filling two appointments at aplace which he calls Marsh's. The Great Cheat mountain lies west ofthe Alleghany proper, and for many miles ranges nearly parallel withit. A branch of Cheat river drains the valley between the two. Thepeople in this section are mainly employed in rearing cattle andsheep. The lands are well adapted to grazing. But in most localitiesof this country meetings for preaching and other religious servicesare rare, and the Gospel is seldom heard. Brother Kline's heart everleaned toward destitute regions like these. He would say: "Ioccasionally find one whose sense of sin has so mellowed his heartthat, like a ripe apple, he is ready to fall by a gentle touch ofgospel truth. "

FRIDAY, July 1. Yesterday I had meeting at Josiah Simmon's, and to-dayhave meeting at the same place. I speak from 1 Peter 1:19. TEXT. --"Yewere redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. "

I tried to set before these dear people the only hope of salvation. Itold them about the Son of God; that he was born of a woman, a purevirgin who conceived him not of man, but of the Holy Spirit of God;that his birth was heralded and announced by an angel from heaven whonamed him Jesus before he was born, for, said the angel, "He shallsave his people from their sins. "

When he came to be a man about thirty years of age he was publiclybaptized by John the Baptist in the river Jordan, "and, lo, theheavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descendinglike a dove upon him: and, lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is mybeloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. " Jesus lived a life of sinlesspurity, going about doing good, teaching the people the way ofeverlasting life; healing the sick; raising the dead to life; givingsight to the blind; hearing to the deaf; cleansing the lepers, andcasting devils and evil spirits out of people who were subject to theevil powers by which they were possessed. All these things are relatedby the four evangelists. Jesus also taught the people many things byparables, in which he set forth his great love for them; what he wasable and willing to do to save them from their sins, and what it wasnecessary for them to do to be saved. 

But the Jews would not accept the truth he told them. They were a veryproud and self-righteous people, and were not willing to be instructedin things they vainly believed they understood better than Jesus did. He called on them to repent of their sins. They denied their beingsinners. He told them he was the Son of God, and that he came downfrom heaven. They would not believe this: and just because he taughtand did things contrary to the way their proud and selfish heartsthought right, they arrested Jesus the Lord of glory, took him beforetheir high priest, gave him a mock trial, and had him crucified. Somemay not know just what this means. It means that Jesus was nailed totwo pieces of wood one across the other; his hands were nailed to thecrosspiece above, and his feet to the high post that was fastened byits lower end in the ground. Thus he hung in agony till he was dead. This was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It was done through theenvy, malice and hatred of the Jews. It shows how very wicked theywere. Some good men who had not consented to the death of Jesus tookhis body down from the cross and placed it in a sepulchre or vault cutout of solid rock. This vault had been cut out of the rock some timebefore and belonged to a man of the name of Joseph. This Josephassisted in placing the body of Jesus in his new vault or tomb, andthen they placed a large stone at the mouth of the tomb, and the bodyof Jesus was buried. As the pall of that night's darkness gentlysettled on the grave of the crucified Jesus, the Jews felt relievedthat they had now, as they thought, put their enemy out of sight. Buton the morning of the third day after this some women came to the tombto anoint the body of Jesus, and, behold! it was not there; but abright and shining angel of glory was there, who said to those goodwomen: "He is not here; he is risen from the dead. " They could hardlybelieve for joy. Soon, however, they, with many others, saw the risenLord for themselves, with their own eyes, and never doubted any more. 

All that I have said so far is intended as an introduction to my text. My text says: "We were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. "The Lord told his disciples, who were his loving friends, the reasonwhy he suffered the Jews to put him to death. It was, he told them, that all the things written in the law of Moses and the prophets andthe psalms concerning him might be fulfilled. He also said to two ofthem as they journeyed to Emmaus: "Ought not Christ to have sufferedthese things, and to enter into his glory?" The blood he shed on thecross was necessary to his glorification. Without it he could not havebeen glorified. The blood of Christ is called the blood of thecovenant. Now what is a covenant? A covenant is a union of one mindand heart with another. It is literally _a going together_, as a manand woman join heart and hand in the _covenant_ of marriage. When Godand man enter into a covenant they unite and become as one. In thisunion God loves man with unspeakable love, and man loves the Lord hisGod with all his heart. Love is what unites. Love unites a husband andwife. When this union is perfect, what the one loves the otherlikewise loves; and when we are in covenant union with our glorifiedLord and Savior Jesus Christ, what he loves we love, and what he hateswe also hate. As man enters into a covenant with the Lord he enters astate of salvation from sin, death and hell. But all covenants betweenGod and men must be sealed or made with blood: and whereas a covenantwith the Lord Jesus Christ redeems and saves man from death and hell, therefore the blood of Christ redeems and saves man because it is theblood of the covenant between him and God. 

But let us carry this thought a little further. Jesus said to theJews, "Except ye eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of man, ye have no life in you. " By blood here the Lord does not mean naturalblood: he means the blood of the covenant by which we are united withhim; the redeeming blood which Peter speaks of in the text. But wemust drink it: otherwise we have no life in us. Now how is it possiblefor any one to drink the blood of Christ? I will tell you. Christ'sblood is his life, and he says: "My words are spirit, and they arelife. " His blood, then, is his Word in its spirit and life. Now whenwe believe what he tells us with our heart, and do what he commands usbecause we love him, we are truly _drinking his blood_. When weforsake our sins by turning unto the Lord from a heart-felt faith inhis Word and belief of the truth he tells us, _we are drinking hisblood_; his blood, which is his gospel truth, becomes our life. "Andbecause he lives, we shall live also. " "I am the way, the truth, andthe life. My word is truth. " All this and much more is signified byeating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus. "Whosoever lookethinto the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being nota forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessedin his deed. " God's truth is called the law of liberty. Why? Becauseit tells men how they may become free. It redeems them when they obeyit. 

Peter calls this change from bondage to liberty a new birth. Noticehere in the chapter I read: "Born again, not of corruptible seed, butof incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abidethforever. " We are naturally born unto sin, into the love of things thatplease our natural sight, our natural appetites and inclinations. Through these we love ourselves and the world to a degree that holdsus in bondage, a kind of slavery. This is meant by Paul in thesewords: "To whomsoever ye yield yourselves servants to obey, hisservants ye are, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience untorighteousness. " Peter means about the same by these words: "Of whom aman is overcome, by the same is he brought into bondage. " And in thebook of Hebrews we read of such "who, through fear of death, were alltheir lifetime subject to bondage. " Being born again spiritually, intoa new state of heart and life, we are set free from our bondage tosin. In this newborn state we love to do the will of God, and love thecompany of good people, and desire to be in the church with the peopleof God. The Lord Jesus says: "If the truth shall make you free, yeshall be free indeed. " It is by and through the truth that men areredeemed. "Verily, verily, he that committeth sin is the servant ofsin. " These are the Lord's own words. 

But the worst state any one can be in is a state of bondage in sin, with no desire, no wish or feeling of any kind, to get out of it. Thisspirit of indifference stamps the seal of darkness deeper and deeper, until the soul loses all desire for anything better. I am just nowreminded of what I read not long since. A family of the name ofSlocum, living in the State of Pennsylvania, if I mistake not, manyyears ago, was visited by Indians for the purpose of plunder. Withother things they carried off one of the children of the family, agirl several years old. The family was sorely distressed, and everypossible effort was made to rescue the child. But all in vain. Manyyears after, when the poor little girl's father and mother were bothdead, her surviving brother and sister heard of her. They feltsatisfied they had been correctly informed, and resolved to go to seeher, and if possible try to get her back to live with them once more. They went on horseback, and found her a long way off in what was thenan unsettled part of Ohio. I may be mistaken even here, as to the partof the country they found her in. But they did find their sisterliving among the Indians, and in fact the wife of one of the chiefs. She still remembered some English words. They got her to understandwho they were, and they wished her to go back with them to their home. But she would not go. She gave them to understand that she was_satisfied_ to remain with the Indians, destitute and comfortless asthey were. The last trace of home feeling had left her heart, and withit had departed every vestige of religious concern and love for sociallife. Sad and sorrowing did her brother and sister return to theirhomes; and to the time of their death they never ceased to mourn fortheir lost sister. I have told you a true story; and if it causes theeye of some tender-hearted mother to grow dim with a tear I say, _Itis well_. God's children are exhorted to be tender-hearted, compassionate one for another, and to weep with the sorrowing. 

But there is something that should touch our sympathies and bring ourtears from fountains far deeper than those opened by such stories asthe one I just related. And that is the condition which so many are inwith respect to the things of salvation. Like the poor woman I toldyou about, they are deaf to all that is told them about a better life, and dead to all that God and man are willing to do for them. It issometimes said of the sick that as long as there is life there ishope. So let it be with us in behalf of such. If the lost sister couldhave been made sensible of the great benefit it might have been to herto go back and live in a civilized and religious way, at last shemight have consented to go. So let us hope that many, who are still inthe bondage of sin and the darkness of this world, may see the truththat will set them free and give them light to repent and live. 

SATURDAY, July 2. Cross the Cheat mountain to John Riley's inPocahontas County, Virginia. 

SUNDAY, July 3. In the forenoon I attend a Methodist quarterlymeeting, at which they hold what they call a love feast; that is, theytake bread and water; and after preaching they take what they call theLord's Supper. They seem to be very sincere in what they do; but to mymind they are not consistent in calling a morsel of bread and a sip ofwine, taken at the middle of the day, the Lord's Supper. I am sure wehave no right to depart from God's order in anything appertaining tohis church and worship. 

In the afternoon I preach a funeral and baptize John Riley. Dine atJacob Yager's on top of the Alleghany mountain, and stay all night atAdam Hevner's. Brother Kline got home Thursday, July 7. 

SUNDAY, July 10. Baptize Samuel Bowman and wife. Brother and SisterBowman give proof of being a good tree by the fruit they bear. 

Samuel Bowman lived and died on Linville Creek, not far from BrotherKline's place. He raised a highly respectable family, veryintelligent, and some of his children became members of the church ofthe Brethren. 

SATURDAY, July 30. Meeting at Liberty, in Page County, Virginia. Ispeak on FOREORDINATION and ELECTION. Much has been said and writtenon these subjects. It is to be feared, however, that instead of lightbeing thrown upon them in the way they have been treated, darkness, rather, has been added to darkness. No subjects wrongly viewed canlook darker; and none rightly viewed can look clearer. The wordFOREORDAIN means _to ordain beforehand_: and the word ELECT means _tochoose_. Some that I have met with, in speaking on these subjects, particularly as they are given in the epistolary writings of the NewTestament, remind me of fish in a net; they flounder about in the net, while every effort they make fastens them only the more tightly in itsmeshes. They read: "Whom God foreknew, he also FOREORDAINED to beconformed to the image of his Son, . .. And whom he foreordained, themhe also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whomhe justified, them he also glorified. " Rom. 8:29, 30. Likewise thetext before us: "ELECT . .. According to the foreknowledge of God theFather, through sanctification of the Spirit. " 1 Peter 1:2. 

These passages, with others of a somewhat similar import, do _not_teach the foreordination and election of individuals independent ofcharacter and fitness. A lack of perception of this comprehensivetruth accounts for the general misunderstanding of these and likepassages in the apostolic writings. The doctrine of _election_, as itis called, opens out into a very large field for thought andinvestigation. It takes in the whole way of salvation from beginningto end. 

"God is love, " and the universe, with all its display of wonders andapparent opposition of forces and their ends, was created and isupheld by the eternal hand, for no other purpose than to make his lovebe seen and felt by his intelligent creation. Any other viewchallenges the divine love and reflects discredit upon the divinewisdom. All that we know of God is revealed in the truth he has givento save man from sin and its consequences. His love, wisdom and powerare all revealed in his great scheme to build up a heaven of eternalglory and bliss for all who desire or are willing to share in itsblessedness. But God does not work out of order. He works in accordwith the love and wisdom which are his essence, and both infinite andeternal with him. Before the heavens were made, or ever thefoundations of the earth were laid, it was the divine purpose tocreate intelligent beings to be eternally happy. When God created theheavens and the earth he made man in his own image and likeness. Manwas happy. But he fell. And God foresaw that man would fall; and toremedy the loss and restore man to the divine image again, Christ was, as a Lamb, slain before the foundation of the world. In the Divineestimation Christ was slain before the foundation of the world; but tous, visibly, not until four thousand years afterward. In the divineforeknowledge the church was established before the world was made, and God _foreordained_ who should compose it, basing thisforeordination, not on one in preference to another on any personalground, but on the ground of fitness as to quality. Foreordination andelection have nothing to do with man other than as pertains to qualityand fitness. The penitent, believing, loving and obeying, humble, self-denying soul is _foreordained_ to be one of God's ELECT, now, henceforth and forever. 

I now repeat the text: "Elect . .. According to the foreknowledge ofGod the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit. " What I havesaid harmonizes with this, because the qualified fitness of the_elect_ is through sanctification of the Spirit. Our Lord prays forall in these words: "Father, sanctify them through thy truth: thy wordis truth. " It is through the truth that men are sanctified, and thesanctified the world over and through all time are God's elect, according to his foreknowledge or foreordination, because no otherscan be. The all-in-all of this great subject resolves itself into thesimple fact that men do not come into covenant union with God untosalvation because God elected and foreordained it to be so in theirspecial behalf as individuals, unconditionally chosen beforehand, whilst others no worse than they are left to go to destruction; butthey are elected _according to God's foreordination_ because they havecome into covenant union with him unto salvation; and have, therefore, the fitness to be worthy of being so chosen or elected. Their electionand foreordination are not the cause but the result of the fitness. Itis foreordained that "of such is the kingdom of heaven, " because itcannot consist of any other kind. 

But let us turn to Ezekiel's prophecy, 33:11, "As I live, saith theLord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that thewicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye, . .. For why willye die; O house of Israel?" If the house of Israel was of the elect onan unconditional basis of salvation, they surely would return at sometime, and why such concern? If not, all the calling after them thatcould be done would not fetch them back, because they were not of theelect. This is exactly where the doctrine of unconditional electionleads. 

Again, 2 Peter 3:9, God is "not willing that any should perish, butthat all should come to repentance. " If God is not willing that anyshould perish, why did he not make provision and save all? If it ispossible for him to save some just because he chooses to do so withoutany conditions, why not save all? I know what the advocates of thisdoctrine which I am combatting teach: they say God makes his electwilling to repent and turn to him in the day of his power. I ask, Ifhe is not willing that any should perish, why does he not save all? Ifhe wills that all should come to repentance, why does he not giverepentance to all and remission of sins? I mention these things merelyto show the contradictions and confusion involved in the doctrine ofunconditional elections. 

I will here relate what I read somewhere not long ago. A very piousAfrican slave was employed in waiting on the guests at a public houseof entertainment. One of the guests, who was a man of some prominencein the world, having been informed of the unaffected Christian pietyof this poor slave, thought to sport with him. Addressing him by name, he said: "I want you to tell me whether I am one of the Lord's elector not. " "Indeed, sir, " said the poor slave, "I have never heard ofyour being a candidate. If you want a place in the good Lord's serviceyou must go to him and tell him that you are a candidate, that youwill accept the lowest place that he is willing to give you, and thatyou will do whatever he requires at your hands. If, " continued he, "you come out publicly in this way, I can then tell you what I thinkas to whether you are one of the Lord's elect or not. "

FRIDAY, August 5. Harvest meeting at our meetinghouse. Much goodsinging, with thanksgiving and speaking suited to the occasion. 

SUNDAY, August 28. Meeting at Edom, a village about six milesnorthward from Harrisonburg, Virginia. I spoke from 1 Peter 3:18, 22. The first part of this text should be handled with great caution. Precisely what is meant is not very clear. I am told that a criticalexamination of the Greek text does favor the doctrine that Christ wentfrom the cross to carry the news of his victorious death to thespirits of those who perished in the flood. If it pleased the goodLord to carry the news of salvation to this throng of prisoners andrelease them from their prison, who can say aught against it? My heartwould rejoice to think that every being in the universe could andwould, sometime, in the course of the ages, be made sinless and happy. But we should never concern ourselves about what God has not revealed. It is our right and privilege to rejoice evermore in the free and fullsalvation clearly set forth and freely offered in his Word. To theunconverted and careless sinner, I here say to-day, as I love yourimmortal soul, Do not rest your hope of salvation upon anything shortof a saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. If our Father in heavenhas provided another way, as some would say, "by fire, " I know notthat way. 

History says that

 "Kings are men to glory known Who wade through fire to a throne;"

but a seared and blistered body is a great price to pay for an earthlycrown. So I think that "by fire, " even if such a thing were possible, would be a very undesirable way of getting into heaven, especially ifthe fire means "hell fire. " Martyrs, it is true, have gone to glorythrough fire; but not the fire that burns and sears the soul. It wasonly that elementary fire kindled by wicked hands around the stake. Itcould kill the body, but after that there was no more that it coulddo; and the purified and ransomed soul of the sainted being who thushad suffered could look down from heights of glory upon the ashes ofhis martyrdom and sing: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, whereis thy victory?"

But to return to the text. We here note this remarkable language, that"baptism doth also now save us. " I suppose Peter uses the word"baptism" here in its authorized acceptation, which is the immersionof the body of a believer in water in the name of the Father, and ofthe Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a properly authorized administratorof the ordinance. But in what sense can baptism be said to save us? Myfirst answer is, It saves us just as the sevenfold washing in Jordanon the part of Naaman saved that leprous nobleman from being consumedby the leprosy. 

I will extend my remarks somewhat concerning Naaman the Syrian. Hecame to the Prophet Elisha to get cured of his leprosy. He was wellsupplied with valuable presents for the man of God, to be given to himin the event of his being healed by him. The prophet of God told himto go and wash or bathe seven times in the Jordan. This appeared tooinsignificant for such a great man as he was to submit to. Besides heregarded the waters of Damascus as superior in virtue to the waters ofthe Jordan, and he started off in a rage from disappointment. But ashe was leaving his servants said to him: "If the prophet had bid theedo some great thing wouldest thou not have done it? how much ratherthen, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? Then went he down anddipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of theman of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a littlechild, and he was clean. " Now, in my view, baptism saves us as thissevenfold dipping in Jordan saved Naaman. Not the water, but thespirit of obedience, is what saves. It saves us as going through thedoor into the ark saved Noah and his family. It saves us as passingthrough the Red Sea saved Israel from the host of Egyptians that werein pursuit. This passage of Israel through the sea is called abaptism. 

And what shall I say more? For it looks as if this ought to be enough. But I would like to send my voice around the globe laden with thetruth that "faith without works is dead, " and that baptism is the veryfirst outward work of obedience the believer is required to do. This, with the other ordinances of God's house, in connection with a goodlife ornamented with the fruits of love and good will toward men, gives life to faith and proves that it is a living reality in thesoul. 

Saul of Tarsus was a believing convict;

 "Borne down beneath a load of sin; By Satan sorely pressed--"

for three days and nights, in which he did neither eat nor drink. Ananias came to him with instructions direct from the Lord, saying:"Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the nameof the Lord. " Can we suppose that Saul would have become the happyconvert that he was, had he refused to obey?

Some think that baptism is nothing, or so nearly nothing that it ishardly worth taking into the account of Christian life. May it not astruthfully be said that faith is nothing, and that repentance isnothing, and that obedience is nothing? Where is the difference?

In all love, with my heart moved in good will toward every one in thishouse, I do here say that for the life of me I cannot see how any onecan hope for salvation while living in open disobedience to the onlySavior, Jesus Christ. Can any plead ignorance? From this hour forthyou shall not bring that in as a plea for neglect of duty, for I nowrepeat in your ears the words that fell from the lips of Jesushimself: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. " Have I aright to say that you will be saved without baptism? I claim no suchright. You may say the penitent thief on the cross was saved withoutbaptism. So he was; all things are possible with God; andnotwithstanding all that God has said in his Word about baptism andits blessed followings, I boldly say to you that if you die knowing aslittle about it as the thief on the cross did, with no better chanceto have it administered upon you and to you than he had, God willnever require it at your hands. But from this day on, if not beforethis day, you are lifted out of the darkness that encompassed hismind, and can nevermore plead ignorance. Besides, your hands and feetare not nailed to a cross as his were. You are not reduced to theextremity of calling for mercy with the last gasp of expiring life. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?"

Again: Hear what was said to the convicted multitude on the day ofPentecost: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name ofJesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the giftof the Holy Ghost. " Have I a right, has any one a right, to say thatthese promises would have been fulfilled without baptism? But theywere fulfilled, for the same day there were added to the brethren thenpresent, about three thousand souls. Would such addition have beenmade without a compliance with the terms of admission? But those whospeak and think lightly of baptism, whilst they may not see it so, dovirtually dishonor the blessed Jesus by their implied belief that hedemands something of his people which is of little or no account. Theyinsult him by substantially saying they understand his business betterthan he does himself. Are any ashamed to be baptized? If there be onesuch here to-day, I warningly repeat in his or her ear this saying ofJesus: "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shallthe Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in his own glory, and theglory of the Father, and of the holy angels. "

I have a clear conscience that I am attaching to this subject no moreimportance than it justly claims in the scale of salvation. When I layme down to die, above all things I desire to feel assured that "I havenot shunned to declare the whole counsel of God. " I submit theseremarks to your consideration, with a prayer for the divine blessingupon us all to his glory. Amen!

TUESDAY, September 13. Perform the marriage ceremony of Michael Brake, of Hardy County, Virginia, and Julia Ann Hevner, of Rockingham County, at the home of her father, William Hevner. 

THURSDAY, September 22. Attend a love feast at Abraham Huffman's inPage County, and stay all night at Nathan Spitler's. These twobrethren give promise of great usefulness in the church. 

SUNDAY, October 9. Brother Kline started to Maryland and Pennsylvania. I here name the families he visited on this journey, in the order thevisits were made: Brother Waltman's, Jacob Saylor's, Widow Baer's, Jacob Rees's, Jesse Royer's, Widow Rees's, Moomaw's, David Garber's, Widow Bofamyer's, Joseph Pontz's, Minich's, Harnley's, Hartzler's, onTulpahocken, Daniel Zug's, John Gipple's, Abraham Gipe's, IsaacBrubaker's. At this place he stayed the night of Monday, October 24. He reports that a snow began to fall about three o'clock Mondaymorning, which continued till evening, when it was over a foot indepth. A remarkable occurrence for the time of year, October 24. Itwill be remembered by many for a time to come. He then visited AbrahamBalsbach's, Moses Miller's, Allen Mohler's, William Etter's, Sollenberger's, Engel's, Christian Keffer's. 

I now name the places where he attended meetings: Jacob Saylor'smeetinghouse, October 13; Pipe Creek meetinghouse, October 14; JacobRees's meetinghouse, October 15; Meadow Branch meetinghouse, October16; Brother Moomaw's, October 17; Mount Joy, October 18; WidowBofamyer's, October 19; Joseph Pontz's morning, Brother Minich'sevening, October 20; Brother Harnley's morning, Shafferstown evening, October 21; Brother Hartzler's on Tulpehocken, October 22; Milboroughmorning, John Gipple's night, October 23; Isaac Brubaker's, October24; Spring Creek morning, Abraham Balsbach's afternoon, October 25;Mechanicsburg, October 26; Allen Mohler's, October 27; WilliamEtter's, October 28; Sellenberger's, October 29; Welsh Runmeetinghouse forenoon, Ridge meetinghouse night, October 30. 

MONDAY, October 31. Start for home. Brother Kline arrived home safeNovember 4. This report speaks for itself in behalf of his energy andactivity in the work of the ministry. Such instances of untiringeffort! Twenty-three meetings attended; and as many discoursesdelivered, in seventeen consecutive days! Besides, he had considerabletraveling to do in reaching these appointments; and never stayed morethan one night at the same place! We involuntarily ask, When did hesleep? or, Did he never get tired?

TUESDAY, November 15. Brother Samuel Bowman died this morning. Irejoice to think he was a sincere follower of the Lord, and that hehas left a life record which he will not likely be ashamed to own in acoming day. 

SATURDAY, November 19. Night meeting at Prince's schoolhouse, nearBrother Abraham Huffman's, in Page County. Acts 8:12. TEXT. --"But whenthey believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom ofGod and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, they were baptized, bothmen and women. "

The dispersion which followed the fiery persecution of the saints atJerusalem was productive of good. The scattered apostles, and theoverseers of the deacons as well, of whom Philip named in the text wasone, preached wherever they went, and many believed. The very stepstaken by the enemies of the cross to put an end to its power "turnedout unto the furtherance of the gospel. " In this we can see theoverruling hand of Providence. 

There is one point in this line of thought which I desire to makespecially prominent. This point is the readiness with which believersin that day submitted to the ordinance of baptism, and theconsequences which were almost sure to follow. The duty of beingimmersed seems to have pressed itself upon their hearts, and nothingshort of obedience to this command could give their consciences rest. But how is it now! Error has done so much to rob this impressiveordinance of its beauty and significance that many seem indifferent toits claims, or ignore it entirely. 

Thousands professing faith in Christ at the present day go away fromthe _revival_ singing:

 "Nothing, either great or small; Nothing have I now to do: Jesus died and paid it all, Long time ago. "

This would surely be getting salvation at a cheap rate. There is inthis no "trial of faith, more precious than gold, " no "cleansing ofthe flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. "This means receiving the crown without bearing the cross. But theearly Christians were never soothed with such sedatives. On thecontrary, they were admonished to count the cost. Some of the items inthis cost were "_self-denial, no certain dwelling place_, " _the lossof all things, persecutions, fiery trials, bonds, imprisonments, death_. They were not taught to regard the church as a cradle in whichtheir spiritual infancy was to be rocked, but as being a camp forsoldiers, with stout hearts and strong sinews, ready to do battle forthe Lord. They were therefore exhorted to put on the whole armor ofGod: and their baptismal vow was the act of putting this armor onpublicly, and their enrollment in the Lord's host, prepared for thegreat conflict. They were expected from that hour forth to "fight thegood fight of faith, " and the battle hymn that flowed out of the heartof every baptized believer of that day was, in spirit if not in form, the same that some of us are still ready to sing:

 "Sure I must fight, if I would reign; Increase my courage, Lord: I'll bear the cross, endure the pain, Supported by thy Word. "

I would rejoice if I could here, this night, be the means of meltingthe ice that binds the hearts of some halfway believers, and if theangel would trouble the sluggish pool in others. May God help you, friends, to feel a sense of your duty, and, like these honestSamaritans named in the text, "believe the things spoken concerningthe Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, and be baptized, bothmen and women. "

Brother Kline was actively engaged in preaching and visiting the sickprofessionally as a physician to the close of the year. He traveled inthe year 1853, 4, 411 miles. 

I find it impossible to trace all the visits to distant churches andfamilies made by Brother Kline, and keep this book within the limitsof a suitable size. I therefore omit much which might be of interest. 

FRIDAY, March 3. Council at the old meetinghouse above Harrisonburg. 

SATURDAY, March 4. Council closes. Night meeting in Dayton, Virginia. I speak from Psalm 144:11, 12: "Rid me, and deliver me from the handof strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right handis a right hand of falsehood: that our sons may be as plants grown upin their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polishedafter the similitude of a palace. "

This is a wonderful prayer from the heart of one who was both priestand king of his people. As a priest, David had the care of thespiritual welfare of his people; and as a king, the civil prosperityof Judah and Israel. The prayer of my text is offered in behalf ofboth these interests, the spiritual and the temporal. Probably no manever felt more deeply the truth expressed in his own words, elsewhererecorded, "Happy is the people whose God is Jehovah, " than David did. The lofty consciousness, which is the orderly outgrowth of correctknowledge of God's love, wisdom and power, and man's utter lack of allthese attributes, accounts for the dependence and trust he reposed inGod. This called forth the prayer of my text. It contains threepetitions. The first is _for deliverance from strange children_; thesecond, _that the sons may be as plants_ [olive trees] _grown up intheir youth_; the third, _that the daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace_. 

David comes into the presence of the Lord-as the representative of hiskingdom. His watchful eye has seen the tracks and his listening earhas heard the steps of strange feet. They are the feet of thesurrounding idolatrous nations. He calls them strange children, forsuch they are; because in language, manners and dress they give proofthat they are not of Judah and Jerusalem, but of Sodom and Egypt. Morethan this, these strange children are enemies. They would break up theself-denying worship of the true God and rob the sanctuary of all itssacred garniture. They would corrupt the morals, debase the manners, and deprave the tastes of the young. "Their mouth speaketh vanity. "They boast of their liberty. Their sinful indulgences are notrestrained by law. They are _free_ to do whatever the lust of theflesh and the eye may incline them to do. "Their right hand is theright hand of falsehood. " This figure is very strong. The _right hand_in this place is figuratively put for knowledge, wisdom, power, andwhatever else they may vainly boast of having. But they are destituteof all these. They have no knowledge of that which is good, becausethey desire it not. They have no wisdom, because they have neverlifted their minds and hearts to the high plane of desire to dojustice and judgment. They have no power save that which is of thenatural man; and that power, unless properly restrained, is always tobe feared. No wonder that he says of these idolatrous, licentiouspeople that "their right hand is the right hand of falsehood. "

But how is the Lord to rid him of and deliver him from the hand ofthese strange children? By causing fire to fall from heaven andconsume them? By causing a flood of water to drown them? Or by makingthe earth to open her jaws and devour them? No, no; in none of theseways; for in such destruction of enemies there is no trial of thefaith of his people. Brethren, do you know that it is, has been and tothe end of time will be the pleasure of our heavenly Father to try thefaith of his children? This cannot be done independent of means. Doyou know that a tree standing in a stormy place takes deeper root thanone that grows up in a calm, sheltered spot? Do you know that a childshielded from every trial, and kept out of the reach of alltemptation, will grow up with a very weak moral development? The backthat is never made to bear a load will forever stay weak. The hand andarm unused to toil will lack strength and skill. God does not want akingdom made up of imbeciles. He wants a people strong in faith, whocan make a good fight, "the good fight of faith; lay hold of eternallife;" and if needs be "take the kingdom of heaven by violence, " theviolence that resists the devil and makes him leave tracks which pointaway from where his people stand. The track always tells which way thefox has gone. 

This strength of faith, Brethren, is included in David's prayer forhis people, and he puts it in this shape: "That our sons may be asplants [olive trees; see Psalm 128:4] grown up in their youth. " We allknow that plants, including trees, make their best growth and yieldtheir best results in the open air, where they are exposed to the sun, wind, rain, storm and drouth. And it is there they can receive thetillage they need. 

You see how readily this beautiful figure applies to the rearing andeducation of children. "That our sons may be _grown up in theiryouth_. " Their manhood as to faith, virtue, obedience, wisdom, intelligence and piety is largely developed while they are yet young. How many mistakes are made by parents right here! They say of theirsons: "Ah, they are young. After awhile they will be through withsowing their wild oats, and then I expect better things of them. " Thebetter things may come, but David prayed otherwise. He wanted thebetter things to grow up with their growth, and strengthen with theirstrength, so as to be perfect men even while yet in their youth, aslambs may be perfect in form and quality before they are fullydeveloped into sheep. 

But more. He prays that "our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace. " Many of us, no doubt, haveseen palaces built of polished stones. David almost breaks me downunder the weight of his strong and significant figures. He wants thesons of Judah and Jerusalem to be fruit-bearing trees with strongroots struck deep into the ground. But the sphere in which thedaughters are to move, the part they are to act, the place they are tohold in the social and religious life of the church and the world, isdifferent from that of the sons, and so he uses a very differentfigure. They are to be corner stones, polished and set into a palace. Corner stones, from the ground to the roof, are those upon which thestrength and beauty of a building greatly depend. A defect here marsthe appearance and detracts largely from the permanence and value ofthe structure. David wants to see the daughters strong and solid ascorner stones, in faith, virtue, wisdom and all else that helps tomake a woman strong: and at the same time polished with all therefinements of taste, modesty, beauty, gentleness, tender-heartednessand love. 

Since God has specially endowed woman with large capacities fordeveloping these powers and graces, let her look to it that they benot suffered to lie buried in a napkin, or perverted to the idolatrousworship of the goddess of fashion. The plastic and pliable temperamentof woman tends towards making her an easy prey for the tempter, whenhe approaches her with smiles, bearing in his hands jewels of gold, braided hair, and costly apparel. She is lured the same by the giddyrevel and the fashionable dance--trusting, thoughtless, happy child;ready for almost any pleasure that makes the cheek to glow and the eyeto sparkle with delight!

Mothers, be patient, watchful and wise in training your daughters. Withhold from them no good thing, but teach them to shun the ways thatare "the ways of hell. " Fathers, be mild, but firm in training yoursons into habits of sobriety, temperance and abstemiousness from allbad habits. Pray with them and for them, and if possible teach them tofeel that there is something better than the life and purer than thelove of this world. May God bless the young people of our land andmake them the pillars of his truth, is my prayer. 

THURSDAY, April 13. Council meeting at the Mill Creek meetinghouse. Brother Isaac Long is elected speaker, and Christian Hartman deacon. Brother Isaac Long gives promise of great power in the Word. He has avery good voice for both speaking and singing. I do not wish to attachundue weight to this most wonderful gift of God, but when the head isstored with knowledge and the heart with the love of truth, the humanvoice is one of the great means by which God makes known the savingvirtue of his Word. 

FRIDAY, April 14. Council meeting at the old meetinghouse. BrotherJohn Thomas is elected to the deaconship. 

SUNDAY, April 30. Meeting at our meetinghouse. Samuel Wampler and wifebaptized. 

THURSDAY, May 11. Perform the marriage ceremony of George Wine, son ofSamuel Wine, and Lydia Good, daughter of Jacob Good. 

MONDAY, May 22. This day Brother Kline starts to the Annual Meeting. He gets to Cumberland on the twenty-third, where he meets Brother E. K. Beachley, who takes him to his home. The same evening he attends alove feast at a meetinghouse near by. 

FRIDAY, May 26. He attends a union meeting at the Middle Creekmeetinghouse, in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. 

SATURDAY, May 27. He has meeting near Brother David Lichty's. I willclothe the skeleton of this discourse as best I can. Acts 10:34, 35. TEXT. --"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceivethat God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he thatfeareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him. "

It required a miracle to convince Peter that any besides Jews were tobe favored with the Gospel. But a man of his stamp of character, hardto be convinced, resolute even to drawing the sword in defense of hisfriend or faith, is not likely to be imposed upon by falseappearances, nor deceived by unreliable promises. Just such a manJesus needed, and just such a man Jesus chose to be foreman in hislittle band of disciples. But when all doubt was removed from Peter'smind, his faith became to be a part of himself. Its roots branched outinto every part of his nature, and permeated his entire self. Wellcould Jesus say of the TRUTH which Peter so nobly confessed, and towhich he so nobly adhered in the later years of his life by a _faith_that bore the test of fire: "Upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. " Such faith everhas been and ever will be the foundation on which his church stands. 

But now Peter clearly sees that the Gentiles are "fellow heirs withthe Jews, " and equally entitled to the right of becoming members of"the household of faith. " "God is no respecter of persons: but inevery nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, isaccepted of him. " Neither social, moral nor political caste, nor age, sex, color nor condition impose any barrier to God's acceptance. Peterwas taught this by his vision; and this is the meaning of the text. But whilst God is thus impartial, we must not forget that hisacceptance of any and every one depends upon their acceptance of him. 

"_He that feareth God. _" I will say something on this. Amisunderstanding of this may do serious harm. Let me first say thatour heavenly Father, God, is not a despot or tyrant. There is noelement in his nature or essence that in the slightest degree savorsof despotism or tyranny. Jesus says: "He that seeth me seeth theFather: the Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declaredhim. And from henceforth ye have both seen the Father and know him. "Jesus was also called Emmanuel, which, being interpreted, is, "Godwith us. " Do we, then, desire a correct knowledge of God the Father?Let us acquaint ourselves with his Son Jesus Christ, and we will haveit, for he came to do the will of the Father. This was his explicitwork; and he accomplished it, for he says in his last great prayer:"And now, O Father, I come to thee, having finished the work thougavest me to do. "

Now I ask, Did Jesus ever show anything else than good will towardmen? Is there not manifest love in every act of his recorded life? Didhe not go about doing good? Did he not say: "No man hath greater lovethan this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Ye are myfriends, if ye do whatsoever I command you"? God's love is seen in thelife work and words of Jesus. 

Now, then, in what sense is Jesus Christ to be feared? In the verysense in which his disciples feared him. But this was not in the senseof being timid or fearful of his presence. On the contrary, theydesired to be with him and near him, for they felt secure in hispresence. They could take hold of his hands and see the nail prints, and the spear mark in his side. John leaned on his breast at table, and the women took hold of his feet. His word of comfort was: "Fearnot, " and he often repeated this in their ears. "Be not afraid; it isI. " In all this we see the heart of our heavenly Father, for "the Sonis the express image of him. " In what sense, then, are we to fear God?Only in the sense of fear to go counter to his will. "Perfect lovecasteth out fear. " The redeemed saints and angels who stand before hisheavenly throne in perfect love know no fear of God, "for fear hathtorment. " But we, who still grovel on earth battling with the world, the flesh and the devil, have cause to fear offending his righteousand holy will. But this only when we are tempted to leave some dutyundone or to commit some actual sin. As long as we walk in the goodway of love, faith and obedience we have nothing to fear. To all suchJesus ever says: "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's goodpleasure [delight, joy] to give you the kingdom. "

"_And worketh righteousness. _" It is in order now to speak on thispoint in the text. We know that God is just, "and there is nounrighteousness in him. " The prophet Daniel in his confession said: "OLord, righteousness belongeth unto thee. " To work righteousness, then, is to do the righteous will of the Father. All works of righteousnesshave their origin in supreme love to God and subordinate love to man. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" covers the ground. It isvery much the same as that other saying of Jesus: "All thingswhatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so untothem, for this is the law and the prophets. " This command comprehendsall the possible relations of men with each other. It takes in thesocial, moral, civil, commercial, national and religious relations ofthe human family in all time; and when a man's conduct in these variedrelations is governed by the Lord's golden rule, he is workingrighteousness in the eye of God and is accepted of him. "_He thatworketh righteousness_" takes in every human being that lives a goodlife. But no one can live a good life without help from the Lord. Jesus says: "Without me ye can do nothing. " Cornelius had help fromGod. He feared God. He worshiped God. He was a devout man himself, andall his house had the same reverence for God. He had also heard ofChrist, especially of the witness borne by the Holy Spirit, at hisbaptism, and that of the Father acknowledging his divine sonship. 

But Cornelius needed instruction in matters pertaining to theordinances of God's house. His knowledge and faith were sufficient forthe purposes of living a good, righteous life. He was a man of prayer. He also possessed that element of goodness which Paul says is greatereven than faith, and that element is _charity_. Notice, the angel saidto him: "Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up as a memorial beforeGod. " The angel included nothing else. In our acknowledgments ofregard and favor in the behalf of any one we refer to one's characterand standing in the eyes of men. But the angel made no such reference. From this we may learn what God loves most in his people, and that isLOVE. The love of Cornelius for God was manifested by his prayers. Loving, faithful, trustful prayers are the proof that we love God: andkindness, gentleness and goodness toward others, the proof that welove our neighbor. This was manifest in his alms. 

But the Lord wanted Cornelius to arise and mount a higher plane in thelife of righteousness: a high plane of holy intelligence and knowledgerespecting himself and his people. The Holy Ghost falling upon him andthe rest brought with it the illuminating power, in verification ofthe Lord's words: "The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in myname, he shall teach you all things. " This inflowing power, teaching, quickening, regenerating the soul, is what Jesus means by a man'sbeing born of the Spirit: and in its order and connection "the washingof regeneration, " the water baptism, the water birth into the church, follows. Cornelius was baptized, and all the devout members of hisfamily with him. This is the last mention that is made of him. Verysoon after this time that fearful persecution of the saints arose inJerusalem and Judea, which resulted in their dispersion to foreigncountries and places, so that Cornelius may never have enjoyed theprivilege of having the remaining ordinances of feet-washing, thegospel salutation of the kiss, the love feast, and the holy Communionof the bread and wine administered to him and his house. As no churchcould be organized at the house of Cornelius at that time, theseordinances had to be postponed. In truth, their introduction andobservance must always be guarded with care, lest they be abused andperverted, as they were at Corinth some years later. But of this weare sure: "If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted of a manaccording to that which he hath, and not according to that which hehath not. "

I cannot close without a few reflections on what has been said. WhenCornelius was told what to do, he did not hesitate a moment. Forthwithhe sent for Peter. When Peter came he received him with joy, and wouldhave worshiped him in devout solemnity, had Peter not instantaneouslyrejected his approach. When the inflowing baptism of the Holy Spiritgave him and those with him the new birth of the Spirit, they wereready to receive the water birth by baptism in water. The water wasnot forbidden, because no opposition to the Gospel had as yet arisenin Cesarea. 

Now, friends, here is an example worthy of imitation. Let me prevailin my appeal to you in behalf of your immortal souls. "To whom much isgiven, of him they will require the more. " Much is given you, my dearfriends who have so attentively listened to me to-day. "He that hathears to hear, let him hear. " To hear is to obey. "He that knoweth todo his master's will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with manystripes. " "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the wholeworld, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange forhis soul?" These "words are spirit and they are life. " "Learn of me, "says the best friend on earth, "and ye shall find rest unto yoursouls. "

SUNDAY, May 28. Love feast at Forney's. Christian Schmucker isordained to the full work of the ministry. 

TUESDAY, May 30. Love feast at David Summers's. An election is held. Brother David Royer is elected speaker; and Daniel Newcomer and DavidSummers deacons. 

THURSDAY, June 1. Love feast at Brother Joseph Royer's, nine milesnorth of Canton. 

SATURDAY, June 3. Stay all night at Brother Nathan Stern's. 

SUNDAY, June 4. Come to place of Annual Meeting. Breakfast in theshed. Six persons baptized. 

MONDAY, June 5. Form committees, and begin to take in queries. Stayall night on the ground. 

TUESDAY, June 6. Begin the discussion of questions. Get through withthe slave question by noon. All night on the ground. 

WEDNESDAY, June 7. Get through with business by eleven o'clock, andthe meeting breaks up. 

SUNDAY, July 23. This day Joseph Miller and I start to the counties ofPendleton, Hardy, Randolph, Pocahontas, and Highland. I ride Nell. 

These two brethren were absent on this journey precisely three weeksto the day. I fear it would be tedious to the reader to trace them dayby day and step by step through all the ways they went. Not a daypassed in which they did not fill one appointment for preaching, andoften two. Brother Kline felt at home among the mountains. He had alively appreciation of the sublime in nature; and more than once doeshe note the grandeur of some mountain's lofty summit over which hepassed; the majestic power of some falling stream; or the awfulsolitude of some deep forest. It was mainly a timbered country throughwhich they passed. The regions traversed by the Alleghany mountainproper were in that day still in a state of nature; and the scatteredinhabitants very nearly in the same state. Many of them live veryremote from any railroad or other public highway. 

At a private house, in Randolph County, he says: "Extensive forests ofvery tall and straight timber which would be exceedingly valuable forbuilding and other purposes, could it be gotten to market, cover largesections of Randolph, Pocahontas, Tucker and other counties furtherwest. But as time goes on population will increase; and after awhilethe urgent demands for the timber and other productions of theseregions will cause roads to be constructed for their transportation tomarkets. We should not be backward in our efforts to secure permanentfoothold for the truth as we hold and practice it. Many here cannotread for themselves; and it pains my heart to find how poorly theyhave been instructed in the things pertaining to the way of salvation. The small amount of preaching they hear is not often of an instructivecharacter. It appeals to the feelings, but does not inform the mind. This I learn by conversing with them. They are told to believe, it istrue; but what their faith is to lay hold of, and what the Lordrequires them to do that they may serve him acceptably, is not madeclear to their minds. It is not to be inferred that all are on the lowplane of intelligence I have described. There is here and there anexception. But the exceptions are rare. And in our preaching we aim tospeak, as did Paul, 'as to babes. ' As to natural capacity, and theircapability of attaining to high intelligence in the things of men andGod, things human and divine, under the hand of adequate instruction, I regard them as being equal to any people in our State. "

The two brethren continued in the company of each other throughoutthis journey. They got home Sunday, August 13. 

FRIDAY, September 29. This day Brother Kline starts to the counties ofHardy and Hampshire. He visits Isaac Dasher's, James Parks's, WilliamMichael's, Adam Cosner's, Henry Cosner's, Joseph Arnold's, JohnLeatherman's, Samuel Arnold's, Adam Michael's, Michael Lyon's, SolomonMichael's, Jacob Cosner's, Martain Lantz's, Enoch Hyre's, IsaacShobe's, Chlora Judy's, Peggy Dasher's, and James Fitzwater's. He gothome Thursday, Oct. 12, after an absence of two weeks. He rode Nell. Ibeg the kind reader to pardon the entry of the foregoing list ofnames. 

The Editor will here tell a short story of what really took place veryrecently. He happened to be at the house of one of his friends, and inlooking through his library he discovered a very old copy of the lifeof Isaac N. Walter, who had been dead over forty years. He remarked tothe lady of the house: "I see you still have on hand a copy of thelife of Isaac N. Walter. " "O, yes, and that is the most preciousvolume to me in all the library. You see from its appearance that ithas been handled very freely. Mr. Walter used to come to our house, and whilst papa was not a member of his church he and papa thought agreat deal of each other; and whilst I have but a childhoodrecollection of him, reading that book carries me back in thought tothe old home place where I was raised, and calls up the thousand andone pleasant memories of my early days. " Thus she went on; and verysoon opened to the place where the date of one of Mr. Walter's visitsto her father's house was given. She could no longer restrain hertears, but excused them by saying: "You know a woman never forgets herfirst love, and that is the love of her childhood home. "

On this trip Brother Kline baptized Josiah Simons and James Hilkey, October 7. 

SUNDAY, October 15. Meeting at our meetinghouse. I baptize elevenpersons to-day. They are Noah Rhodes and wife; Frederic Kline andwife; George Wine and wife; Susanna Showalter; Jacob Sanger; JohnMcKee; Catharine Fink, and Polly Wampler. 

SUNDAY, October 22. Meeting at the Lost River meetinghouse. Matthew 28is read. Philip Fitzwater and Catharine Sowder are baptized. 

SUNDAY, October 29. Meeting at John Glick's, in Shenandoah County. After meeting I baptize John Glick and wife. Stay all night at JohnNeff's. 

SUNDAY, November 12. Meeting at our meetinghouse. This day I baptizeJohn A. Showalter; Mary Kline; Mary Kesler; Anna Hoover, wife ofEmanuel Hoover, and Mrs. Fogel. 

SUNDAY, November 26. This day John Bowman and I take a steamer atAlexandria and attend a Methodist church in Washington City. Afterlooking around at the gorgeous displays of artistic ornamentation inthe structure and finish of the building itself, and being comfortablyseated in a pew cushioned with silk velvet, with my feet resting on aBrussels carpet, I was ready to hear. The first thing I heard was asort of chant, with organ accompaniment. But I could only now and thendistinguish a word chanted; so I could not say amen to their giving ofthanks. Next came the reading of the twenty-fourth Psalm. Being a goodway back, I could not hear distinctly, but knowing the Psalm by heart, memory served where hearing failed. This was more satisfactory. Nextcame the musical interlude, and the opening prayer followed. I hardlyever criticise a prayer; but when that prayer was through with it didoccur to my mind that if it were to be suddenly answered none wouldprobably be so much surprised as the preacher who offered it. Afamiliar hymn was now sung, and many in the congregation joined theirvoices in the song. This was very enjoyable. Next the sermon. Thepreacher used fine language, and ornamented his discourse with flowerysimilitudes and opposite figures. Such eloquence as flowed from hislips to-day, other things being equal, does not fail to attract largeaudiences. But when I took a view of the congregation, and beheld thedisplay of fashion everywhere visible, I could not suppress theinquisitive reflection as to what John Wesley would think of thatbeing a congregation of Methodists, could he suddenly appear amongthem. Would he own them? And would they own him in his plain dress andold-fashioned ways? And then the thought--what if the next hundredyears bring on as great a change in our Brotherhood as the pastseventy-five years have unfolded in the Methodist society! But here Ilet the curtain fall upon my thoughts, to hide them from my sight, forI cannot endure the prospect of such a change. 

I aim to cultivate a spirit of forbearance toward all denominations ofprofessing Christians; but I am forced to conclude that in this placethe sons of God have fallen in love with the daughters of men; thatthe church and the world have shaken hands in a mutual agreement tolive together in peace. 

MONDAY, November 27. At 5 o'clock we take the train for Baltimore, where we arrive at 6:40 P. M. Stop at Globe hotel. 

TUESDAY, November 28. Attend to business in the city, and in theevening go to Michael B. Kline's. 

WEDNESDAY, November 29. At 8 A. M. Meet Brother D. P. Saylor at thedepot, and take cars for Philadelphia, where we arrive at 12:30 P. M. Dine at Brother John Kagey's; then come to Morristown, and from thereto Brother John Umstead's, where we stay all night. 

THURSDAY, November 30. Come to Brother Isaac Price's, and then toBrother David Fricke's, where we stay all night. 

FRIDAY, December 1. Come to Price's meetinghouse. Make arrangements;take the voice of the church touching the grievance; close ourmeeting; come to Brother Peter Hollowbush's; stay all night andprepare our papers. 

SATURDAY, December 2. Come to the meetinghouse again. Brother D. P. Saylor speaks in the forenoon, and in the afternoon we present ourpapers and try to settle, but great commotion follows, and we closethe meeting. Come to Brother John Price's; stay all night. Nightmeeting. Speak on John 10:9. 

SUNDAY, December 3. Meeting at the meetinghouse again. I speak on 1Peter 1:22. TEXT. --"See that ye love one another with a pure heartfervently. "

Scientific moralists teach that man's _love_ is his _life_. Theysupport this statement by what they regard a self-evident truth, thatsuch as a man's love is, such is his life. The wide field forinvestigation to which this line of thought leads, presents manyplausible arguments in favor of the doctrine they hold. For one, I canand must confess that I have never been able to look deep enough intothe human soul to find out just what the principle of life is. Neitheris it important that I should know. But there is One that does know. That One needs not that any should testify to him concerning man, forhe knows what is in man. 

Brethren, you all know to whom my thought now turns. I mean our LordJesus Christ. And let the life principle, the heart principle, thelove principle be one and the same or not, it is he who says of men:"By their fruits shall ye KNOW them;" not doubtfully, but surely. Thelife record of every man, written not with pen and ink on paper, butwith the finger of God on the tablet of his memory, will be the basisof his adjudgment to hell or his acquittal to heaven. For "a good manout of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things;likewise an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringethforth evil things. " "And they that have done good shall come forthunto the resurrection of life; but they that have done evil, unto theresurrection of damnation. "

Man is created for society. He cannot be happy without it. If it wouldbe possible for us to conceive of a world inhabited by but one humanbeing, with all hope of society forever banished, if that human beingcould ever think at all, it would only be to wish himself dead. Allour affections and thoughts are so intimately connected with theaffections and thoughts of others as to derive all the zest of theirenjoyment from this source alone. We enjoy the pleasures of the tablemost when those we love enjoy them with us. This feeling is soinwrought in the character that when any we specially love are absent, who we may fear are not faring as well as we, the reflection mars therelish of our food. This is what should be. But the length and breadthof social enjoyment is exactly commensurate with the length andbreadth of social love. The man whose heart is so small as to be ableto take none but the members of his own family in the grasp of hiscontracted regard can have a meager enjoyment of life. He is somewhatabove a brute, but very far beneath the dignity of a man; and, worstof all, destitute of the spirit of Christ. "He that loveth not hisbrother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"And this thought brings up my text: "See that ye love one another witha pure heart fervently. "

Brethren, if I could impress these words upon your hearts in a way andto a degree that would be adequate to their importance, I would returnhome in the happy reflection that I had been instrumental in doing awork by which God is glorified and my Brethren saved. These wordsencompass the whole ground of salvation. Inside this compass ofbrotherly love is salvation, and nowhere else. Say what you please, love is what saves man after all. Some say faith saves, and so it doeswhen it is quickened and filled with the warmth of brotherly love. Otherwise, though it be strong enough to remove mountains, as Paulsays, it is nothing. Faith without love is a dead faith. Devils havethis kind, and tremble. This dead faith may be compared to ice whichis water as to substance, but worthless as to form. Frozen water maybridge rivers; and a frozen faith may bridge some of the streams ofearthly life; but it will never bridge the stream of death and land ussafe in heaven. 

But what is to be understood by brethren loving one another with apure heart fervently? I am afraid that if I attempt to tell whatbrotherly love is, and how it is to be shown, I will only darkencounsel by words without wisdom. There is not a brother or sister inthis house who does not know what it is to love another with a pureheart fervently. I will, however, venture to say a little under thishead, by way of drawing our minds to think more closely upon it. Iwill say, first, that when one brother loves another with a pure heartfervently, he tries in all ways and at all times _to do his brothergood, and no harm_. This love fills the mouth with good things and thehands with blessings. 

But the text implies that this love can be increased, that it may growardent, burning, by the use of right means, or suffered to grow coldby neglect. There can be no doubt of the truth of this. In all man'srelations to this life, experience shows that love may be fostered bykindness, or frozen by unkindness. This last remark reminds me of aconversation I had with a United Brethren preacher whom I chanced tofall in with in one of the western counties of Virginia. Speaking ofhis work, and the number of converts he reported at different meetingshe had held, led me to ask how they were doing since then. He repliedthat a goodly number appeared to continue faithful; but he added thatsome had burnt out by unholy fire, and that others had frozen out byunholy frost. I afterward thought this to myself, that here was thecommingled fire and hail which John, in his apocalyptic vision, sawfalling from the same cloud. Ah, Brethren, let us beware of the unholyfire of evil passion, anger, malice, wrath, strife, that would burnand consume our love for one another; and on the other hand avoid allfeelings and expressions or other manifestations of contempt, orneglect, or unkindness that would freeze it to death. 

This brings me now to speak of forgiveness. You have read the story, told by our Lord, of the debtor who owed the ten thousand talents, andwas forgiven the debt; and how he afterward treated a fellow-debtorwho owed him a hundred pence; and how the first debtor was deliveredto the tormentors because he would not forgive his fellow-servant. "Soshall also my heavenly Father do unto you, "--says our Lord--"if yeforgive not every one his brother from your hearts. " Brethren, you andthe Lord for it. I this day wash my hands clean of your blood as Irepeat in your ears these words of love and warning: "If ye forgivemen their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Butif ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Fatherforgive your trespasses. "

When I was yet a boy in Pennsylvania, before we moved to Virginia, myfather very strictly forbade me playing marbles on Sunday. I obeyedhis orders for some time; but one Sunday, when father was at church, aneighbor's boy came to our house and persuaded me to play with him. Idid it reluctantly. The play did not amuse me as usual. But Itransgressed all the same; and in the very act my father saw me on hisreturn home. He called me to come to him. Expecting chastisement, Iwent with trembling steps. I never had felt so unhappy in my life. "What were you doing?" he asked. I burst into tears. "Are you verysorry for what you have done?" I nodded and wept assent. "Come alittle nearer to me. " I went; and he then drew a handkerchief from hiscoat pocket and gently wiped away my tears, saying at the same time, "I feel sure, Johnny, that you are very sorry for what you have done, and I forgive you with a kiss. " Ah, Brethren, if I had never knownsorrow before, I had never known joy till after that kiss. In itselfit was but the contact of lips; but its power went to my heart; and Ican say here solemnly that I had never loved my father before as Iloved him after that. Love is what conquers after all. Love is theroot and the offspring of happiness. There can be no happiness withoutlove. Therefore, Brethren, "see that ye love one another with a pureheart fervently. "

After meeting I go with Brother David B. Kline in his carriage, andhave night meeting in a schoolhouse near his place. Snows all thisday. 

MONDAY, December 4. Travel thirty-five miles to-day in Brother GeorgeGipel's wagon to his house. Snowing and blowing all day. Snowwonderfully drifted. Stay all night at Brother Gipel's. 

TUESDAY, December 5. Get into Brother Gipel's sleigh and go to meetingat Brother Brachtbil's. From there come to Brother Jacob Wanger's, near Jonestown, to night meeting. Speak on Rev. 3:21. [This sublimediscourse is withheld for want of room. ] Stay all night at BrotherBrachtbil's. Wonderful blowing of snow continues. Roads blockaded verymuch. 

WEDNESDAY, December 6. Brother John Kline near Millerstown takes me inhis sleigh to meeting near his house. Speak on John 14:6. Nightmeeting at his house. Speak on Revelation 22. Stay with him all night. Still cold and stormy. 

THURSDAY, December 7. Write a letter home, and one to Michael B. Kline, of Baltimore. Stop at Jacob Frantz's, and get to SamuelRoyer's, near Myerstown, for dinner. Afternoon meeting at themeetinghouse. Stay at David Zug's all night. Snowing and blowingcontinues. Very cold. 

FRIDAY, December 8. Meeting at Brother George Bolinger's. John 10 isread. In afternoon come to Brother Samuel Hilsman's. Visit and help toanoint a sick sister. Come to Brother John Gipel's. Night meeting. Speak of John 14:6. 

SATURDAY, December 9. Come to David Zug's. Meeting. Speak from Hebrews2. 

SUNDAY, December 10. Meeting at Christian Longenacre's. Speak on Luke1:77. Night meeting at the widow Eby's. 

MONDAY, December 11. Visit Aunt Anna Hershey. She is very weak. Dineat Abraham Hershey's. He takes me to Mount Joy, to Henry Kurtz's, where we have night meeting. Sup at David Sharlocher's, and stay allnight with Brother Kurtz. 

TUESDAY, December 12. Dine at Brother Jacob Rinehold's, and take theeleven o'clock train in Lancaster for home, where I arrive Friday, December 15. 

In the year 1854 Brother Kline traveled 6, 463 miles. I feel sure thatit is safe to say that every mile he traveled was in the direction ofsome good object. Here is something for every one to think on: Do allthe steps of my life tend in the direction of some good object? Areall my motives pure, sincere, honest, fit for the eyes of the world, and, above all, fit for the eye of God?

SATURDAY, March 31, 1855. Attend council meeting at the Brickmeetinghouse in Augusta County. John Brower and Abraham Garber areelected to the ministry, and Enoch Brower and Levi Garber to thedeaconship. 

THURSDAY, April 5. Attend council meeting at the Beaver Creekmeetinghouse. Martain Miller is ordained; Daniel Thomas forwarded; andJoseph Miller, of Thorny Branch, elected to the deaconship. 

FRIDAY, April 6 and SATURDAY, April 7. On these two days I vaccinatesixty-three persons. 

THURSDAY, April 19. Attend council meeting at the Brush meetinghouse. Jacob Spitzer is elected to the ministry, and Felix Senger to thedeaconship. 

FRIDAY, April 20. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. Abraham Knuppis ordained; Christian Wine forwarded, and Martain Wampler elected tothe deaconship. 

SATURDAY, April 21. Attend council meeting at the Flat Rock. JonasEarly and Abraham Neff are elected to the deaconship. 

SATURDAY, May 12. This day Brother Kline and Daniel Thomas, in companyof each other, start to the Annual Meeting on horseback. The meetingopened Monday, May 28. They consequently had two weeks before them tospend on the road, and this time they took up in traveling andpreaching by the way. They went first to Hardy County, where theyfilled appointments at different places on the South Fork, SouthBranch of the Potomac, and North Fork. They then crossed the Alleghanymountains over into Randolph County, where they held a number ofmeetings. The Diary reports Brother Daniel Thomas as taking the leadin preaching at nearly all the appointments. And well was he worthy ofthe honor. Few men are ever endowed with better natural abilities forpublic speaking than was Brother Daniel Thomas. His voice had the rarepower of making every word he uttered to be distinctly heard all overa large audience, without any apparent effort on his part. Besides, itwas musical. The hearer went away with its expressive inflections andcadences still sounding in his ears. But his voice was not his onlyforte. He had a mind as full of sanctified wit and quick perception asan egg is full of food. A clear thinker, a cogent reasoner, and I mayadd, full of love and the Holy Ghost, it is not a matter of wonderthat he excelled. What he might have achieved had he lived to anadvanced age, God only knows. His death was caused by an attack ofpneumonia. He left a comparatively young family. In the view of thewriter, who was intimately acquainted with him, the church of theBrethren has never been called to give up a brighter or better man. Heis not _lost_. He has only moved away to the better land. 

The following discourse was substantially preached by Brother DanielThomas at the dwelling house of Elijah Judy in Hardy County, Virginia, now West Virginia, on the evening of

MONDAY, May 14. _The parable of the sower_ is his subject. He said:This parable, viewed in its natural or most obvious sense, is soeasily understood that it would be a suitable lesson for a primaryschool reader. At the same time it holds within its grasp a fund ofspiritual instruction which, being received into the mind and heart, fills both with light so clear as to illuminate many an otherwise darkportion of Revealed Truth. To my mind this parable is the linkconnecting the two ends of the great chain of God's work and man'swork in both the natural and spiritual life of man. 

The Holy Land, as it is called, where our Lord was born, and where helived and died, comprised three small districts of country calledJudea, Samaria and Galilee. These districts, each about the size ofsome of our Virginia counties, lay along the eastern shore of theMediterranean Sea. Their gusts of rain, with their lightning andthunder, came from the west as ours do. The south winds came loadedwith warmth to them as ours do to us. On the eastern border of thisland was the river Jordan, a stream just about as large and swift asyour South Branch of the Potomac. Near the northeastern corner of thisland lay the beautiful Sea of Galilee, about three miles in breadth, and from four to six miles in length. It was on this sea that our Lordstilled the tempest. It was on the surface of this sea, that he wasseen walking as on a smooth pavement. 

In our Savior's day the Holy Land was an agricultural country. Thefarmers raised wheat and barley. These grains are often mentioned inthe Scriptures. But they had few fences in that country. The roads ranthrough farms and fields with no sign of fence on either side. Ifsheep or cattle were turned out to graze, they had to be watched bymen or boys called shepherds. I have been thus particular in mydescription of this land to enable you the better to understand theparable itself, and its higher or spiritual meaning. But farming hasever been but poorly done in that country, and patches of briars andother filth were suffered to grow. These were sown with the rest ofthe field, and instead of being dug out were plowed and harrowed over. No concern was felt about the seed likely to be wasted. The soweropened his hand as freely in crossing the highway or the patch ofbriery ground as anywhere else. Even those sections of the field whichshowed no depth of soil on account of underlying rock were treatedlike the rest. What a site for a parable! But what is a parable?

A parable is a statement of some fact literally or possibly true inthe natural world, and used to represent some spiritual truth. It isthe correspondence of the external or natural meaning with someinternal or spiritual meaning that makes any parable to be what it is. The parable before us in its external or natural sense teaches nothingbeyond what we may learn by the sight of our eyes every year. If itpossessed no hidden meaning, no secret of life, it would be no holierthan a similar statement in an agricultural paper. This is just whatour Lord meant by these words: "It is the Spirit that quickeneth. Theflesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you are spirit, and are life. "

I think you are now prepared to derive some benefit from the internalsense of the parable before us. It has ever been a great question asto what man is required _to do_ to be saved. If we were to go by whatis generally preached at what are called _revivals of religion_, wewould only need to say we believe in Jesus Christ, then manifest somejoy in the new experience, get up, perhaps, and tell how we feel, andwe are ready to be counted in the list of new converts in fullpossession of eternal life. This experience corresponds with theexplanation given of the rocky places: "This is he that heareth theword, and straightway with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root inhimself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecutionariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. "

But here the query very naturally arises: "Are such to be lost? Isthere no hope for these rocky-ground, thorny-ground and waysidehearers?" I say such need not be lost. There is salvation for such astruly as for any, if they avail themselves of the proffered gifts. Itis wrong teaching, together with the influence of bad examples and badhabits, that has made them to be the kind of ground they are. Here isa lesson for all. Parents, if you desire your children to become goodground, train them up in the way they should go: and when they are oldthey will not depart from it. 

There is another all-important truth bearing upon this connection ofmy subject; and that truth is that "our Father, God, is thehusbandman. " He is the great Farmer of souls, and "with God all thingsare possible. " It is a thing of very common occurrence, inside thedifferent denominations, for their members to backslide, as they callit. This is not because they could not continue faithful, but it isfrom a lack of the true knowledge of God, and a want of reliance uponhim, and looking in prayer to him. The divine teachings are very clearon this point in the Christian's life. If an individual will repent, believe the Gospel, and be baptized for the remission of sins, leaveoff, that is, shun and forsake all evil ways and deeds as sins againstGod, he has the blessed assurance that he will be led into allnecessary truth. Notice this: "If any man will do his will, he shallKNOW of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak ofmyself. " Again: David says: "Light is sown for the righteous, andgladness for the upright in heart. " And Solomon says: "The path of thejust is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto theperfect day. " And our Lord applies the prophecy of Isaiah: "The peoplewhich sat in darkness saw a great light. " He was the great Light whichthey saw, but they saw him and heard him by going to him. 

There can, I think, be no doubt that some have stronger temptations toevil than others. Bad habits, encouraged by long indulgence andfostered by strong natural appetences, are hard to get rid of. But thefaith that worketh by love, and purifieth the heart, gets strongenough to remove these mountains of sin; yea, strong enough to enablea man even to _hate_ his own sinful life. 

I have known men to reason and conclude from this parable that God ispartial. They speak on this wise: "If the different kinds of groundsymbolize or represent the different natures and dispositions of menwith respect to believing and obeying the Word, then all have not anequal chance for salvation. If a man (say they) has no better show forbringing forth the fruits of righteousness in a good life than therocky or thorny ground has for bringing forth a crop of wheat orbarley, he can have no show for salvation at all. " This argumentappears plausible at a first view. And in the estimation of those wholook only upon the surface of things it is convincing. The first pointof error with those who reason in this way is to be found in theirbelief that God has made this difference among men. But the entirehistory of man, as given in the Bible, shows that men bring uponthemselves these varied degrees of opposition to what is pure andgood. "God made men upright, but they have sought out manyinventions, " says the prophet. Of course he means inventions of evilthings. An apostle says: "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse andworse, deceiving and being deceived. " The natural tendency of man witheverything of earth is downward. The loveliest garden, by beingneglected, will get full of weeds. The most highly improved breeds ofdomestic animals tend toward degeneracy and deterioration as toquality, unless carefully guarded. Man is no exception to the rule. Itis only by watchful care that one generation of people becomes wiserand better than the generation that preceded it. Our Lord would oftrepeat such expressions as these: "What I say unto one, I say untoall, Watch. " "Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning. " "Hethat hath ears to hear, let him hear. " "Watch and pray, lest ye enterinto temptation. "

There is no heart so stubborn hard but that the softening power ofDivine love can mellow it; and there is no soul so full of the thornsand briers of evil passions and bad habits, but that the sanctifyingpower of the truth can cleanse it. Jesus came not to call therighteous, but sinners to repentance. They that be whole need not thephysician, but they that are sick. God is able to do for all who lookto him for help, exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think;and in Christ he is able to save to the uttermost all who come untoGod by him. No case of leprosy was ever beyond the power of the Lordto cleanse. No blindness was ever too dark for him to remove. No palsywas ever too dead for him to quicken into healthy life. No fever wasever too burning for him to cool. No demoniac was ever so insane orepileptic, under the power and in the possession of even a legion ofdevils, but that he could have them all cast out and the possessed onesit calmly, be clothed and in his right mind. Nothing is impossiblewith God. The good-ground hearer brings forth fruit unto perfectionbecause he looks to the Lord, through his blessed Word, for help. Thishelp comes through his obedience to its holy precepts and commands. God cannot help any one who continues to live regardless of andindifferent to the precepts of his Holy Word. 

In a modified sense the same laws govern in the spiritual world thatgovern in the natural. As it is impossible for God, according to hisestablished order, to give you a rich and remunerative crop of corn orwheat from a field covered with briers, thorns and weeds; just in thesame measure in a spiritual sense is he unable to give you happiness, peace of mind and joy in the Holy Ghost while you continue in a lifeof sin. "He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reapcorruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reaplife everlasting. "

Brethren and sisters, it may be that some of you fear, at times, thatyour heart is no better than a bed of rock; or that it is full ofthorns; or that it is hard and poor as the beaten road. But suchself-examinations give evidence that the Holy Spirit is in your heartsand that he is carrying on a glorious work of grace there. "Blessed arethe meek. " "Blessed are the poor in spirit. " "He that humbleth himselfshall be exalted. " "God resisteth the proud; but giveth grace to thehumble. " Be not discouraged. Our Father is the great husbandman, andhe knows just how to treat every kind of ground, just what to do inevery heart. Then let us not be weary in well doing, for in due seasonwe shall reap if we faint not. 

The foregoing sermon was preached by Brother Daniel Thomas May 14. Between this and the following Sunday he preached every day once ortwice. Brother Kline jotted down one other discourse which hedelivered on Saturday following, which I am compelled to omit for wantof room. On

SUNDAY, May 20, they had forenoon meeting at Josiah Simon's. This dayBrother Kline baptized Joseph Summerfield and wife, Mrs. Workman, andJane Hilkey. In his quaint way he adds: "God calls, and some stillanswer. All glory to him. "

SUNDAY, May 27, finds the two brethren at the place of Annual Meeting. They attended meeting in Wine's barn; and also report meeting beingheld at the same hour in the meetinghouse. He does not give the nameof the meetinghouse where the Annual Meeting was held this year, butsays that he and Brother Daniel had lodging at Brother Umbenhaver'sthe first night. 

MONDAY, May 28. Annual meeting begins. Take in questions, formcommittees, and set them to work. We stay all night at BrotherSpanogle's. 

TUESDAY, May 29. Go to place of meeting. Discuss and dispose of nearlyall the queries to-day. We stay at Brother Umbenhaver's. 

WEDNESDAY, May 30. Go back to place of meeting and get through; preachawhile; and after dinner we start from Brother Andrew Spanogle'stowards home. We get to Matthew Wineman's, where we stay all night. 

THURSDAY, May 31. Stop awhile with brethren Michael and JacobSollenberger; then by Mercersburg and Clear Spring to Sister Nipe's, where we stay all night. 

FRIDAY, June 1. Through Martinsburg and Winchester, Virginia, toBrother James Tabler's where we stay all night. 

SATURDAY, June 2. Get to Brother John Neff's, in Shenandoah County, and on

SUNDAY, June 3, get home. On this journey Brother Daniel Thomas and Itraveled together on horseback 466 miles. Our horses became soattached to each other that they could not bear separation. At anytime, when out of sight of each other, they showed almostuncontrolable restlessness and dissatisfaction. I may add here that_one_ of their riders at least was very similarly affected toward_his_ companion by the way. The attachment of our horses was that ofmere instinct. It was generated through the sense of hearing, seeingand smelling. But our attachment sprang from higher and more interiorcauses, such as none but the people of God can understand andappreciate. It has its place in "the hidden man of the heart, " andsprings from the unity of our faith and the spirituality of our love. Death ends the attachments of poor brutes; but the love of Christiansfor each other rests on a foundation that death cannot destroy. Evenhere, in our imperfect state, love fills life's cup with joy. Howineffable, then, must be the joy of the redeemed in glory where loveis perfect and life is eternal!

From the last date given to the thirteenth day of September BrotherKline was called to engage with considerable activity in the practiceof the medical profession. There was much sickness in his own andadjoining neighborhoods. His death record was very small in proportionto the number of his patients. This fact alone establishes his successas a medical practitioner. The writer has been a careful and candidobserver of the different methods and medicines employed in thetreatment of the sick for a period of _fifty_ years, and he venturesto give it as his impartial verdict that the course of treatment ofthe sick, medically, pursued by Brother Kline and the other physiciansof his school, was attended by as small a death rate as that of anyschool in the profession in his day or since. In addition to this, convalescing and recovered patients were rarely heard to complain ofany _after_ effects of the disease or medicine. Brother Kline wasoften heard to speak of this. He would say: "Our patients do notcomplain of rheumatism, weak joints, broken down nerves, rapidly-decaying teeth, impaired hearing or generally enfeebledconstitutions. We give no medicines which can leave any injurious_after_ effects. " But, after all, his heart was set on the ministry ofthe Word. He regarded the life and health of the body as incalculablysubordinate to the life and health of the soul. This considerationincited him to untiring activity in preaching, praying, exhorting, singing, and to whatever else might instruct, comfort and encouragethe child of God, or warn the sinner of his danger and bring him toChrist. 

THURSDAY, September 13. This day Brother Kline, in company of MartainMiller, starts on another journey to some of the western counties ofVirginia. He of late years begins to take company with him on thesetrips. In the earlier part of his ministry he would often go alone, Iguess because no one volunteered to go with him. You remember BrotherDaniel Thomas was with him on his last trip before this. Now BrotherMartain Miller goes. Martain Miller was a brother of Daniel Miller, near Greenmount, Virginia. He lived near the Beaver Creekmeetinghouse, in Rockingham County. His election to the ministry ofthe Word, his subsequent advancement, and his ordination are given inthe Diary. Whilst he was not regarded as a minister of great power inthe stand, his influence in the councils of the church at home andabroad was felt and acknowledged. A man like Elder Martain Miller, ofready and deep perception, can quickly arrive at just and wisedecisions, which the man of ordinary mind might never be able toreach. Hence the worth of such men as leaders in the realm of thought. 

In the year 1862 W. C. Thurman began to preach the second advent of theLord as near. He subsequently became so bold in the expression of hisbelief as to name the day on which that greatest of all events mightconfidently be looked for to take place. As Thurman at that time was aunit in the Brotherhood, and allowed to vent his soul breathings inthe church buildings of the Brethren, some, even among the thoughtful, were deeply impressed with the probability of his conjectures beingwell founded. The writer was present when the following littleincident took place, and remembers it with distinctness. It was atGreenmount meetinghouse. Brother Martain Miller had led in preachingthat day, but had made no allusion to Thurman. After meeting broke upsome of the Brethren privately asked Brother Miller what he thought ofThurman's doctrines. He shut his eyes, gave a very significant butnegative shake of the head, and after a brief pause said: "Do notregard them. They will in due time prove their own fallacy. You cannotconvince Thurman that he is wild by any argument; but in a short whilehe will be convinced without argument. "

On the evening of the last given date, Brother Martain Miller spokefrom Matt. 7:13, at Zion church in Hardy County. From the outlines inthe Diary I give the substance of what he said, as nearly as I can. The reader should know that none of the sermons herein given cover theentire ground of the discourse. They only aim at the main points. Itis the purpose of the Editor to present these in spirit and word asnearly like the same in which they were originally delivered, as canpossibly be done. His familiarity with the sermonic style, manner, general lines of thought, doctrinal views, education and generalpreaching power of nearly every minister represented in this workenables him, as he thinks, to do this with at least some _approach_ tojustice. Without such knowledge, this work would never have beenundertaken by him. 

 TEXT. --"_Enter ye in by the narrow gate. _"

Our Lord Jesus Christ came into the world with but one end in view. That end is the raising of man to himself. This end is the burden ofhis mediatorial work, the center of his mediatorial prayer. From hisheart on the eternal throne, wafted down to his people on the divinebreath, hourly comes and is felt the power of his prayer: "Father, Iwill that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, thatthey may behold my glory which thou hast given me. " This brief prayercomprehends the divine end of all things--_man's salvation and God'sglory_. The miracles wrought by our Lord, the parables spoken, thetruths uttered, the victories gained in temptation, the rich tokens ofhis love given, all, all had as their great end man's salvation andGod's glory--"that they might be with him where he is. "

The only answer to the great question why the Lord did all this forman's salvation is found in his own words: "God so loved the world. "And he loves it no less to-day than when the Son was born and theangels of glory were chanting their love song of "good will towardmen" in the ears of the shepherds and above the manger in Bethlehem. But with all of God's good will to seek and save that which was losthe is able to save only such, and no others, as desire to be saved byhim. If it were possible for him to save man and elevate him to heavenindependently of any coöperation on man's part, then all would alikebe saved, for God is no respecter of persons. But it would be quite aspossible to compel or force any one to understand and love what henaturally hates, or to follow with enjoyment and delight a way of lifehe does not love, as it would be to save a human being without theconsent and coöperation of his mind and heart. 

The scribes and Pharisees gave evident proof of the truth of the oldmaxim: "Convince a man against his will, he is of the same opinionstill. " The Lord proved before their eyes his heavenly mission anddivine character; their minds must have been convinced. But theirwills did not favor the convictions of their minds; that is, they didnot love the truth that was forced upon their minds, and so theyrejected him. It is from this element in the constitution of man'ssoul or spirit that he must become as a little child, or he cannotenter the kingdom of heaven. Becoming as a little child is what ismeant by being born again, without which no man shall see the kingdomof heaven. We all know a little child is innocent, teachable; becauseit is not lifted up in the pride of its own intelligence, norconfirmed in a belief of what is not true from a love of what is notgood. Every one who enters through the narrow gate, and pursues thenarrow way that leads to life, is willing to be led by the Lord. Itmay not be clear to the mind of every one what is symbolized by the_narrow gate_ and the _narrow way_. I will try to tell you. 

_The divine truth of God's Word_ is the narrow gate. It admits of noincrease, and it allows no diminution. He that addeth to or takethfrom the words of the prophecy of this book (the Bible), God shalltake away his part out of the book of life. This is a fearful warningto all who would seek to make the gate and the way of eternal life anybroader than it is laid and settled by the Word of Life; and a similarwarning to any who would desire to make the gate and the way appear sonarrow as to discourage and dissuade others from entering. I said thenarrow gate is the truth of God's Word. But what is the narrow way?The narrow way is the daily life of every one who lives according tothat truth. This leads to life eternal, because it leads to God. Butthe gate and the way will do no one any good unless it be entered andthe way followed. And God compels no one to enter in opposition toone's own will. Entrance is not of compulsion, but of choice. Life anddeath are set before the sinner's eyes. The Bread of Life and theWater of Life are placed within his reach. The Lord calls, saying:"Why do ye spend your money for that which is not bread; and yourlabor for that which satisfieth not? Come ye to the waters: andwhosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. "

But some may ask: "What is it to enter in at the narrow gate, and howis the sinner to know when he is entering?" I answer that when thesinner obeys God's holy truth from the heart he is then entering in bythe narrow gate. His obedience must be to God's Word, not to man'sword. Obedience to man's word takes man through the wide gate into thebroad road that leads to destruction. Repentance towards God and faithin the Lord Jesus Christ are the two steps that take us in spiritthrough the narrow gate. But these two acts and exercises of the mindand heart mean immensely more than is generally imagined. Many seem tothink that repentance means no more than simply to confess that one isa sinner in a sort of general way, and that faith is simply aconfessed belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. But God's Wordteaches far otherwise. I will here quote some of our Lord's sayingswhich apply to repentance: "Except ye be converted, and become aslittle children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. " Thispoints to repentance. Again: "If any man will come after me, let himdeny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. " Self-denial isrepentance; and every true penitent goes through the narrow gate withthe cross on his shoulder, because the cross symbolizes the divinetruth upon which the love of self and the love of the world iscrucified. I am not afraid to repeat in your ears the words of Jesus. He has left them on record, that all who will heed them in the meekand teachable spirit of a little child may be lifted out of the mireand filth and darkness of a sinful life into the glorious liberty ofthe children of God. 

If salvation is anything it is everything. This world, with all itsfleeting show and short-lived pleasures, is nothing in the comparison. Salvation, or the life to which the narrow way conducts us, is soglorious, so ineffably exalted above the loftiest conceptions of thehuman mind, that the prophet Isaiah could justly say: "Since thebeginning of the world none have heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath preparedfor him that waiteth for him. " Brethren, friends, we know not fullywhat is prepared for all who wait upon the Lord, that is, who do hiswill. But Jesus tells us that he is gone to prepare a place for us, and that he will come again and receive us to himself, that where heis there we may be also. We shall enter into his joy, the joy of theLord. He will come to every one of us at death. He will then raise ourredeemed souls into the life of heavenly bliss; for he is theresurrection and the life of every one that loves him. It is theprivilege of every one to enter into life through the narrow gate. ButI cannot enter for you, nor tread the narrow way, nor obtain a crownof glory for you. This is your own individual choice, your ownindividual work--nay, it is the Lord's merciful, loving, gracious workin you, for without him you can do nothing. But when you believe inhim and love him with all your heart, he finds a resting place in yoursoul, and he then comes to be to you individually "the way, the truth, and the life. "

The next eight days were almost entirely occupied in fillingappointments previously made through letters from Brother Kline. Wehave to wonder a little when he found time to write them. But he washis own secretary on gratuitous service, and he never even so much aspresented a bill for stationery or postal expenditures. 

FRIDAY, September 21. This day finds the two brethren at Unionmeetinghouse, in the Barker settlement, in Barbour County, Virginia. Brother Miller spoke at this meeting from John 3:7. Space aloneforbids the insertion of his plain, practical sermon to-day. Theyfound, as usual, a hearty welcome here; and in truth the same may besaid of every place they visited. And why not? Even these primitivepeople were quick to perceive and appreciate the good will with whichthey had come. Besides, they made themselves sociable and entertainingin the families under whose roofs they found shelter. Brother Klinehad an inexhaustible fund of information gained by reading andtraveling, and he was not reserved in the way of keeping it all tohimself. Brother Kline was what may be called a good conversationalist. He did not flood your attention with words, nor bore you with tiresomenarratives of great exploits in which he was the hero. He would tellyou of sights he had seen, and experiences he had had in traveling andotherwise, in a way that would so absorb you in the _narrative_ thatyou lost sight of the man. He always aimed to exalt his _subject_ andnot the speaker. This was true in his preaching as well as in hisconversations. 

SATURDAY, September 22. They came to Brother Elias Ovel's for dinner. In the afternoon preaching in the meetinghouse and love feast atnight. Brother Miller served. 

TUESDAY, September 25. They had meeting at Brother Peter Feiga's. Anelection was held in which Samuel Feiga was elected speaker, andTobias Moser deacon. They staid all night at Thomas Clark's. 

Brother Kline got home from this journey Sunday evening, October 7. Brother Miller got home the next day. They were gone three weeks andfour days. 

MONDAY, December 31. At home. I have this year traveled, mostly onhorseback, 4, 286 miles, and preached forty-two funeral sermons. 

SATURDAY, January 5, 1856. At home. Cold; snows very fast all day. 

SATURDAY, January 12. Snows all this day again, very fast. Sleighingis likely to be fine for a while; a rare occurrence in our State. 

SUNDAY, January 20. Snows all this day, again. The snow is now verydeep, and as it is not drifted sleighing will be surpassingly fine. 

MONDAY, January 21. Brother John Zigler of Timberville dies verysuddenly this morning, at the age of sixty-nine years, two months andtwenty-seven days. This is county court day in Harrisonburg. I am toldthis evening by some who were present, that there were hundreds ofsleighs of all shapes and sizes to be seen in the streets. So far asmy knowledge extends, a scene like that has never before beenwitnessed in Harrisonburg. The roads in all directions are in asurpassingly fine condition for sleighing. The roads are all pavedwith crystals more valuable than all the diamonds that have ever shonein the crowns of kings. 

FRIDAY, February 29. Council meeting at the Brick church, in AugustaCounty. To-day we discuss the question of the propriety of making amove to more generally propagate the Gospel. Most of the brethren andsisters present seemed to be heartily in favor of the move. Onebrother, John Harshberger, said: "If the Gospel is _not_ true, let useat and drink like other beasts, for to-morrow we die; but if theGospel _be_ true--and thanks be unto God, for we know it is true--itis worthy of all acceptation; for it is the power of God untosalvation to every one that believeth. But how can any one believe inhim of whom he has not heard? And how can any one hear without apreacher? And how can any preach except he be sent? I am in favor oftrying to do more in every way than we have ever yet attempted, tospread the good news of salvation. 

 "'Salvation! let the echo fly The spacious earth around, Till all the nations 'neath the sky Conspire to raise the sound. '"

Brother Benjamin Moomaw, Brother Nininger, Brother John Harshbergerand myself were appointed a committee to draw up a memorial on thesubject, to place before the next Annual Meeting. 

SATURDAY, March 1. Council continues. The subject of divorce andadultery is considered to-day. It is decided to send it to the AnnualMeeting, as also a query on proposition to district the churches, andhave general council meetings in those Districts. It is alsounanimously passed to have lamps in our meetinghouses. Pass some otherminor questions, and council breaks up. 

SUNDAY, March 2. Meeting at the same place. Brother Benjamin Moomawspeaks on Heb. 5:8, 9. He is a man of great power in the Word. Iregret that I cannot recall to memory all that he said, but I willhere give a condensed outline of what I remember. These are the wordsof his text: "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by thethings which he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the authorof eternal salvation to all them that obey him. "

This is a remarkable passage of Scripture. It deals primarily with thehuman nature of Christ. It is in this nature, the Divine humanity, that God manifests himself to man. This humanity brought with it theinfirmities to which flesh is heir. This same apostle tells us thatJesus Christ was "tempted in all points like as we are, yet withoutsin. " Innocence, freedom from all sin, is the orderly following ofobedience. In this happy consciousness he challenges the wholeSanhedrim to convict him of sin. They could not do it; and Pilateacknowledges before the infuriated mob: "I find no fault in this man. "From the part of the text, "yet learned he obedience by the thingswhich he suffered, " we are rather to understand that he learned orREALIZED _the blessedness of obedience_. In his own words: "He camenot to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him. " In hislast great prayer with his disciples he says: "And now, Father, I cometo thee, having finished the work thou didst give me to do. " Thesewords portray his immaculate righteousness. 

But let us look at some of the glorious testifications borne by theFather to the honor of the Son. Let us turn to the first public act ofhis manhood. I guess your minds all turn at once to the scene of hisbaptism. Here are the pellucid waters of the Jordan coursing their wayto the Dead Sea. "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto Johnto be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to bebaptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus said, Suffer it tobe so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. " Thisrighteousness is the righteousness of obedience. And notice, a fewmoments later, the glory and honor with which it is crowned. Theopened heavens, the dove-like descent of the Spirit, the Father'srecognition, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, " musthave thrilled his heart with joy unspeakable. In this instance herealized the blessedness of obedience; and the hearts of many sincethat time have been made to thrill as they have gone up out of thewaters of other Jordans, with kindred joy. 

We now turn to his temptation in the wilderness. Here, our Lord, during forty days and nights, suffered all the privations and all thetemptations arising therefrom, which man is capable of suffering. Butnever for one moment did his heart or hand swerve a hair from the lineof perfect obedience to his Father's will, even in the darkest hour. And how did it turn out? Why, he resisted the devil, and the devilleft him; and, behold! angels came and ministered unto him. Brethren, have you ever thought of the precious food these angels brought to theexhausted human nature of our Lord? He ate and drank with angels fromthe skies. They poured the spiritual oil of joy and comfort into hisburdened soul. They brought fresh tokens of his Father's approval; andwe read of no more sore conflict with the powers of darkness until the"last hour. "

Some of us have, possibly, passed through trials, in a small way, somewhat akin to those endured by the Lord. We all know our ownindividual experiences best. For one, I can say right here that I amno stranger to temptation. The adversary of God's people has never yetcounted me out of the number he seeks to seduce. I confess he does nottry me at all times alike; but he does seem to come every time when Iam the least prepared effectually and instantly to repel his assaults. If in preaching I happen to get off a fine thought or good sentimentdressed out in a becoming attire of words, he tries to flatter myvanity by making me believe that I am a great somebody. Brethren inthe ministry, how is it with you? I see from the nods you give, thatyou have had similar experiences. At such times Herod's awful doomflashes over me--how that in the midst of a beautiful oration he felldead, and right away was alive with worms consuming his body, and allbecause he gave not God the glory. This generally gets me rid of himon such occasions. At other times he comes with promises of worldlyhonors, saying to me that if I will enter the arena of politics I maycount it as sure that I will be lifted to offices of honor and richemoluments, for, says he, "the whole scheme with all its workings isin my hands, and to whomsoever I will, I give it. " At such times Ibaffle him with this Scripture: "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God;_and him_ ONLY _shalt thou serve_. "

Jesus is now glorified. He is exalted higher than the heavens, farabove all principality and power. He is invested with all power inheaven and earth; so that in him all things hold together, and theintegrity of the universe is preserved. He is the head over all thingsto the church and has become the Author of eternal salvation unto allthem that obey him. All things are now in his name and unto his glory, so that now he that honoreth the Son, honoreth the Father. 

Can it be that this is the same Jesus who but a few years ago humbledhimself to be baptized in the Jordan, suffered the temptation in thewilderness, wept at the grave of Lazarus, went about doing good, beinghomeless, with no place where to lay his head, a man of sorrows andacquainted with grief? Only a little while ago, and the midnightstillness of Gethsemane is gently broken by the words: "Father, if itbe possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not my will, butthine be done. " The spirit of obedience abides with him in fullmeasure even in this trying hour; and if not uttered in words, it isdeclared in act: "Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. "

One more trial awaits him. It is his last and great conflict with the"king of terrors" and the powers of darkness. Will his spirit ofobedience and his resistance of sin bear the strain of this finaltest? Glory to his blessed name, it does. He says: "The prince of thisworld cometh, and hath nothing in me. " Ah, there is our salvation. Theprince of this world found no place in his sanctified heart. Throughout his trial before the Jewish, as well as civil authorities, he was the same. No change from that meekness and lowliness of heartthat characterized his whole life was visible now. He even bore hisown cross; and I sometimes think that he voluntarily laid himself downupon it, placed his hands and adjusted his feet for the nails; for hehad said before: "I lay down my life of myself: no man taketh it fromme. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. "The nails are driven. The foot of the cross, with Jesus upon it, isfirmly fixed in the ground. The sun has veiled his face; and darknessbroods over the land. With a loud voice he cries: "It is finished, "and he gave up his spirit. This is the consummation of the sufferingby which the Captain of our salvation was perfected, and by which heobtained all power in heaven and earth. 

I can imagine there was now a shout of joy and a high jubilee inheaven, and a growl of disappointment and defeat in hell. His body istaken from the cross. Not a bone of him is broken. Joseph's new tombbecomes its receptacle. Not long does it remain there. The bands ofdeath are loosed, and the glorified Lord forsakes the tomb. "Ought notthe Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into hisglory?"

Notice, further, the glory and honor with which his obedience isrewarded. In addition to the declarations bearing upon this subjectalready quoted, I here add what Paul says to the Philippians:"Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a namewhich is above every name: that in the name of Jesus every knee shouldbow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the gloryof God the Father. "

We have now before us in the person of our Lord and Savior JesusChrist an example of perfect obedience. We have also noticed some ofits rewards. But when we attempt to speak of the rewards of obedience, thought and language both fail; for heavenly bliss is ineffable, andcelestial glory eternal. Christ's glorification is past comprehension. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard. But let us rejoice greatly this dayin the excellency of this knowledge of Christ. "He is able to save tothe uttermost all who come unto God by him. " "He has become the authorof eternal salvation to all them that obey him. "

My brother, my sister, do you ever question your spiritual state, doubting as to whether you are a child of God or not, wondering in theobscurity of your mind as to how you stand in the sight of God? I donot think any one need be in doubt as to this matter. Are you living alife of obedience to Christ? Let us see. You surely have beenbaptized. As baptism was his first public act, for you to follow hisexample and walk in his steps it became you to submit to the sameordinance expanded and illuminated as to its significance and use byhis subsequent teachings. This you did, and you did it in the truespirit of obedience and love. You are no hypocrite, I am sure; for thehypocrite never examines himself. He totally lacks the goodness andsincerity and honesty that lead to self-examinations. The hypocritedoes not _love_ the house of God. He does not breathe freely in anatmosphere of prayer. His highest ambition is to make a fair show inthe flesh, to secure some personal aggrandizement through his formalprofessions. 

You do not belong to this class. You feel in your heart that you loveJesus, and often weep that you do not love him more. This very loveshould assure your heart that you are a child of God, for "love is ofGod, and God is love. " You cheerfully, and in love for the Brethren, stoop to follow his example and obey his command by taking part in theordinance of feet-washing. You eat the Lord's Supper as nearly afterhis example as can be known, in honor of him, and partake of theCommunion of the bread and wine in remembrance of his broken body andshed blood. In addition to all this you hate the inborn corruptions ofyour fleshly mind. You sometimes sing from your heart's pure depth:

"I hate my own vain thoughts that rise, But love thy law, my God. "

And to you one of the most pleasing contemplations of heaven isfounded upon the assurance that there will be no sin or sorrow for sinthere, nor sinful thoughts. You even here rejoice many times, in thesweet foretastes of that happy state. When you meet the loving eyesand friendly hands of brethren and sisters here assembled for worship, you feel a delicious calm and a holy peace in your soul. It is at suchtimes and on such occasions that you realize just what the apostlemeans by what he says of the experience of some heavenly-mindedChristian brethren and sisters who lived and felt eighteen hundredyears ago very much as you feel now. Identifying himself with them, hesays: "We have all been made to sit together in heavenly places inChrist Jesus. " "Be thou faithful unto death, and God shall give theethe crown of life. "

At the close of this edifying discourse we sang the old hymn beginning:

 "How happy are they who their Savior obey--. "

Prayer was offered, meeting broke up, and Brother Moomaw and I went toMichael Whitmore's for dinner; then to Valley meetinghouse inafternoon, where he spoke from Acts 26; and stayed all night at DanielGlick's. 

MONDAY, March 3. We anoint Brother Daniel Glick this morning. He isvery low in sickness. Come to Dayton to afternoon appointment, where Ispeak from John 1:29. Stay all night at Samuel Koontz's. 

WEDNESDAY, March 19. Council meeting at the Brush meetinghouse. Benjamin Miller, son of Daniel Miller, near the head of LinvilleCreek, is elected to the deaconship. I feel that the right brother waschosen, and entertain large hopes for his future. 

FRIDAY, April 4. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. Brother SamuelZigler is elected to the deaconship. We might have selected a man ofmore words; but I am persuaded that one of purer mind and heart couldnot have been found. Brother Benjamin Bowman stays all night with me. This evening he related to me a remarkable dream he had had not verylong before. To use his own words, as nearly as I can give them, hesaid: "I dreamed that I had died, but found myself consciously awakein the land of departed spirits. My own father met me. I knew him. Thejoy with which he received and welcomed me I cannot describe. My nextexperience was along a stream of very clear water. It did not appearto be a very large stream, but its remarkable character impressed meas singular. It flowed gently. It was not swift, but glided smoothlyalong, uphill and downhill the same. Its speed never varied, and thisunaccountable characteristic struck me with surprise that waked me. This is my interpretation of my dream, " said he: "The clear stream ofwater represents what the Christian should be. Its transparencysymbolizes the clear thought and intelligent understanding that heshould have respecting himself and his life. Self-knowledge shouldenable him to see himself in clear light. This knowledge leads to aclear understanding of his relation to God and man, and revealswhether that relation is what it should be, or otherwise. The uniformflow of the stream uphill and down, which so surprised me, symbolizesthat inward peace of mind and gentle flow of heavenly affections whichconstitute the Christian's happiness in life. Though he have his _ups_and _downs_ in life, his inward peace gently glides along. 'In theworld ye shall have tribulation; but in me ye shall have peace. ' Onemore thought. It is not natural for water to run uphill. Nothing shortof divine power can make water run uphill in an open channel such asthis had. This symbolizes the love and mercy of the Lord in our beingkept by his hand in these inwardly calm and heavenly frames offeeling. Brother John, I never felt better from a dream in all mylife. "

SATURDAY, April 12. Council meeting at Shaver's meetinghouse, inShenandoah County. Brother John Brindle is advanced. 

SUNDAY, May 4. Meeting at Nathan Spitler's schoolhouse, in PageCounty. Hamilton Varner and wife, and John Huffman's wife are baptizedto-day. 

MONDAY, May 5. This day I start to the Annual Meeting, which isappointed to meet about fourteen miles from Freeport, in StephensonCounty, on the extreme north border of Illinois, and about three milesfrom Brother Young's. After being exposed to many dangers anddetentions, and one wreck on the way, I arrived safe at the place ofmeeting on

SATURDAY, May 10. Stay at Brother Young's first night. A greatconcourse of people on the ground. 

SUNDAY, May 11. We have a very fine day. Preaching at several points. An immense assembly to-day. 

MONDAY, May 12. Meeting is organized. Committees formed. Go to roomsand take in queries. Stay all night on the meeting grounds. Rain allday and cold. 

TUESDAY, May 13. Begin to discuss questions. Rain all day and night, and unpleasant. Stay all night on the meeting grounds. 

WEDNESDAY, May 14. Continue the discussion of questions. Close at halfpast five o'clock. Stay again on meeting grounds. Although we havesome differences of opinion among us on minor points of order andusages, I am happy to know that in all great matters of doctrine andpractice we are one. Whilst the meeting was in progress I was made tothink of what Solomon says in the book of Proverbs about the locusts. "The locusts, " says he, "have no king, yet go they forth, all of them, together in bands. " We have no human king over us as pope, cardinal orbishop, with self-assumed authority and dignity; yet we hold together. We acknowledge allegiance to but one king, and he is out of humansight. He is the King of glory. But of him we can say with an apostle:"Whom having not seen we love; in whom, though now we see him not, yetbelieving, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. "

On my way home from the meeting I visited Peter Fesler's, JacobMiller's, Samuel Freys's, Allen White's, Absalom Painter's, WilliamMason's, John Strough's, John Miller's, Joseph Funk's, GeorgeHoover's, and John Snideman's, all in Indiana. I also preached at anumber of points in Indiana and Ohio. 

SATURDAY, May 24. This evening David Bowman and I get to AbrahamAerbach's in Ohio. 

SUNDAY, May 25. Go to Bowman's meetinghouse, where I speak fromHebrews 12. Dine at David Miller's, and stay all night at IsaacMiller's. 

TUESDAY, May 27. Night meeting at the meetinghouse near Peter Nead's. Stay with Brother Nead. 

WEDNESDAY, May 28. Meeting at the same place. Sup with John Varner. Stay with Isaac Miller. 

THURSDAY, May 29. Meeting at Reipsam's meetinghouse. Love feast thisevening. Stay with Philip Grabil till one o'clock in the night, whenwe start for Springfield to take cars for home. Stop over a few daysin Hampshire County, Virginia, and arrive home safe on Thursday, June5. 

TUESDAY, June 17. This day I am fifty-nine years of age. When I wasyoung my ambition led me to hope that I might some day attain todistinction in the world, and leave an imperishable name. I own withshame before my God, that my heart was full of vanity. I now thank himthat he has led me to know and feel myself but a poor sinner redeemed. I am wholly dependent upon him for all that I am or ever shall be. Lord Jesus, may I live to glorify thee, and thee only. I believe thytruth. I trust thy love. May thy glory be the end of all my efforts inlife, and thy love the propelling power in all I do. Hallowed be _thy_name, not my name. _Thy will_ be done, not my will. Give me grace thusever to pray and to walk humbly before thee. 

FRIDAY, August 22. This day Brother Kline left home for anotherjourney to the counties of Hardy and Randolph. He spent several daysin Hardy County, preaching among the Brethren and friends on the SouthFork, South Branch and beyond. 

SUNDAY, August 24. Meeting at Bethel in forenoon; in afternoon atJacob Cosner's. TEXT. --3 John seventh verse. He has given us but atouch of what he said here. I imagine his heart somewhat overflowedwith gratitude to these kind-hearted people in return for the lovethey showed him. He read this third epistle of John to them; and Ihere append the substance of part of his comment on it:

"There are great blessings in store for those who through love to theLord lodge and feed his ministers. The love of Gaius in this regard, was spoken of in the church. This letter was written to him. In theapostle's days as now, many went forth bearing the precious seed ofGod's Word, almost wholly dependent upon the charity of brethren andfriends to the cause, for food and shelter. They were encouraged to goin this humble and trustful way by the recorded words of the Lord, that 'the laborer is worthy of his hire. ' We learn from the context, sustained also by the other evangelists, that food and lodging is thehire the Lord had in view. To encourage all to the duty as well asprivilege of kindly receiving his ministers and even his righteousbrethren who might not be ministers, he left on record these words:'He that receiveth a prophet (minister) in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward. And he that receiveth a righteousman in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man'sreward. ' And he sublimely crowns all those who tender their love inthis way with the words: 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the leastof these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. ' How faithfully thesetokens of love for the Lord and the Brethren were kept by the earlyChristians, Paul with others abundantly testifies. However, to avoidslanderous accusations which might be hurled at him by the adversariesof the cross, he did not always avail himself of the proffered good. Blessed are they who watch for and lay hold of opportunities to dogood in this way. "

MONDAY, August 25. Meeting at Greenland. Thomas Lion baptizes oneperson to-day. Stay all night at Thomas Clark's. 

TUESDAY, August 26. This day, after meeting, I baptize James Abernathyand wife. 

WEDNESDAY, August 27. Meeting at David Feige's on the pike. Afternoonmeeting at West Union. Stay at Benjamin Beachley's. 

THURSDAY, August 28. Ride twenty-nine miles to-day. Dine at PeterBolyard's and stay all night at Henry Wilson's. 

FRIDAY, August 29. Meeting at meetinghouse. I baptize W. Oval andwife. Water is two miles distant. Afternoon meeting at same place. Speak from last chapter of Revelation. 

SATURDAY, August 30. Come into Randolph County. Dine at SamuelPerkeypine's, and stay at Brother John Skidmore's. 

SUNDAY, August 31. Meeting at Josiah Simon's. After preaching have achurch council. Brother Charles Burke is forwarded to baptize; andBrother Josiah Simon is elected to the Word. Brother John Skidmore iselected to the deaconship, Stay all night at Brother Burke's. 

MONDAY, September 1. Meeting at Levi Wilmot's. Speak from Matt. 7:21. As I have time this afternoon will outline my discourse for futurereference. 

The Editor gives these outlines in the best shape he can put them asfollows:

 TEXT. --"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. "

This passage of Scripture means a great deal. It draws a sharp linebetween the false and the true in religious professions; between emptyformality on the one hand, and loving obedience on the other. It is avery easy thing, and requires no previous preparation of heart byself-examination, for very wicked and thoughtless people to call uponthe Lord in times of great danger, or in seasons of distress. Someyears ago a very thoughtless and irreligious family near my home livedon the bank of a certain stream. Suddenly, after a great rain, theirhouse was surrounded by a flood of water that threatened itsdestruction. They knew not what to do; and in their fright andconsternation they began to call on the Lord for help. He may haveheard them, for the house did not go. When the flood had passed away, and they felt that they were again secure, they had no further need ofthe Lord, and continued to live just as they had lived before. 

Often have I heard of wicked people, when thrown prostrate upon bedsof affliction, calling upon the Lord, and even promising that if hewould raise them up again they would do better. But how often does itturn out that such promises are either wantonly disregarded orthoughtlessly broken! But why is this so? What is the cause? I willtell you. Such prayers and promises do not proceed from a rightmotive, and they do not aim at a right end. Self is the beginning andthe end of all such prayers and promises. And when self is again madeto feel easy by escape from danger, or recovery from sickness, thereis an end of prayer, and promises are forgotten. But such as I havenamed are not the only class included in our Lord's meaning. If weread carefully we may see that some who desire to make a fair show inthe flesh love to stand on the corners of the streets that they may beheard calling on the Lord, making long prayers, that they may be seenof men. Of such our Lord says: "Verily, they have their reward. " Hereagain the love of self and the world is the beginning and the end. 

There is one more class justly belonging to the number of thosealready described. This is a sad class indeed, although probably noworse off than some others. I hope no one here will ever be found intheir number. You may read about them in the twenty-fifth chapter ofMatthew's Gospel. They are called the "foolish virgins. " We all knowthat a virgin is an unmarried woman who has kept the integrity of hervirtue unbroken. The ten spoken of in the chapter are virgins in afigurative sense. They are so called because in appearance andprofession they were not defiled with the world. They all had lamps. David says: "Thy word is a LAMP unto my feet, and a light unto mypath. " Each one had this _lamp_ according to their understanding anduse of the Word. All denominations of Christians claim the Word astheir lamp or guide through the darkness of this world. But lampsdiffer greatly in almost every imaginable way, --in form, size, material and illuminating capacity. Much also depends upon the sight. If the sight be diseased, not good, the same lamp that shines brightlyto one may be darkness to another. "If thine eye be single, thy wholebody shall be full of light; but if thine eye be evil, thy whole bodyshall be darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness!"

The foolish virgins had lamps, that is, they professed faith in God'sWord, but their faith lacked the oil of love; it was not made perfectby works in life proceeding from love to God and their neighbor. Oilin the Scriptures stands for love. Priests and kings had to beanointed with oil as a sign or emblem that they were to perform theirofficial duties from love. Hence the light that is fed by pure oilbeautifully symbolizes the truth that shines in the Christian's life, warm with the love of God; but the light that comes from a wick in alamp destitute of oil symbolizes the life of the hypocrite, the vainprofessor. It may burn for a little; but it will soon go out and leavehim in eternal darkness. The wise virgins represent those who make aprofession of faith in the light of truth and in the love of it. Thesego in with the Lord to the marriage feast. But the foolish virginsfind the door shut. They call, "Lord, Lord, open to us. " But heanswers by saying: "I know you not. " "Not every one that saith unto meLord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeththe will of my Father which is in heaven. "

I recently heard of a preacher who had attended one of our meetings. If I remember rightly, a good deal had that day been said on theimportance and value of good works. I think that one who had spokenthat day went so far as to quote these words of the Lord: "Every goodtree bringeth forth good fruit. " Good works are good fruit, he hadalso said. He had quoted this passage too: "Every tree that bringethnot forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. " Evil worksare evil fruit, he had also said. And I feel sure he had quoted thesewords of the Lord: "They that have done good shall come unto theresurrection of life: but they that have done evil, unto theresurrection of damnation. " The friend who told me had ridden a partof the way home with the preacher before referred to, and in speakingto this friend he said: "These Dunkards are odd people. I occasionallygo to their meetings, and every time I _do_ go I am sure to hear of_works_! WORKS! as if works were necessary to salvation. " In answer tothe friend who communicated this to me, I said: "I hope the _Dunkards_, as he called us, will always be odd people in this regard, so long asit is written: 'He that doeth good is of God; but he that doeth evilhath not seen God. ' 'A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit:neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. By their fruits yeshall KNOW them. '"

Brethren, let us think closely upon the closing words of my text: "Hethat DOETH the will of my Father which is in heaven. " An apostle says:"This is the will of God, even your sanctification. " Sanctificationmeans _holiness_, and holiness means conformity of heart and life toGod's Revealed Truth. The heart cannot be conformed to God's RevealedTruth when the life is conformed to the world and sin. "No man canserve two masters. .. . Ye cannot serve God and mammon. " Jesus prays forall that believe on him through the Word: "Sanctify them in thy truth. Thy word is truth. " We occasionally hear of some "_professingsanctification_. " From what I have been told, those making thisprofession mean by it that they have attained to a state of sinlessperfection. This is a state to be devoutly wished, for it is the stateof the spirits of just men made perfect. Nothing shall enter that holycity where they dwell "that defileth, or worketh abomination, ormaketh a lie. " In this city of light and love no sin is found. 

 "Those holy gates forever bar Pollution, sin and shame: For none shall have admittance there But followers of the Lamb. "

All the descriptions and references to heaven found in the divine Wordimply that it is a place and a state where the will of God is thesupreme law of life. "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is thefootstool of my feet. " "Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it isGod's throne. " As heaven is God's throne, his will is the universallaw for all, and that law is love. I can think of no state so blessedand happy as that where every one of the "multitude which no man cannumber" "loves the Lord his God with all his heart, and hisneighbor"--every one of the assembly--"as he loves himself. " And fromthe Lord's Prayer it is to be inferred that his people on earth shouldaim at the same state of perfection. 

Let us examine this for a moment. Notice the very first petition afterthe address: "Thy kingdom come. " Is the significance of this petitionto be limited merely to the introduction of the kingdom of heaven intoplaces of this world where it has not yet been established? It includesthis, of course; but is this all? I think not. Now the next petition:"Thy will be done, as in heaven, so upon earth. " Whilst these twopetitions have a general significance, they have a most personalapplication to the heart and life of every one offering them. Wesometimes wonder why the Lord's Prayer is so short. It is so becausethe all of heaven, and the church on earth, is comprehended in doingthe will of our Father who is in heaven as subjects of his kingdom. And the aim and end of Revealed Truth from Genesis to Revelation is toteach man how to acquire the power to do this, and how to do it, together with the promises of eternal rewards for doing it. And untilour understandings are so filled with the knowledge of the glorioustruths of God's kingdom, and our hearts with the love of doing hiswill that we can make no further progress in knowledge and wisdom, andno additions to the warmth and measure of our love by reason of our_sinless perfection_, we have daily need to offer this prayer. 

Gospel and church ordinances are all important. In my view they hold arelation to every true Christian in the lines of example, power anduse somewhat like that which the harness has to a draught horse. Thehorse has to be first trained to the draught by means of the harness;and when trained he draws by the same means. Entering the church inthe Lord's appointed way--inwardly, through repentance towards God andfaith in our Lord Jesus Christ; outwardly, by a threefold immersion ofthe body in pure water, the beautiful emblem of truth, in token of ourbelief in the blessed trinity of God--is simply putting on the harnessfor work in the Lord's vineyard. It is also the act of putting on theChristian soldier's armor and entering the service. But of what use isa helmet, sword and shield to an idler in the camp? Of what account isharness, unless the horse that carries it is trained and made willingto use it?

The apostles all speak much of _charity_, which is love to othersfilled with a desire to do them good. This love is of God; for ourLord was filled with it as "he went about doing good. " It is this samelove or charity in God that has brought salvation to man. Paul andPeter often call it _grace_, but it means the same thing. Moses andthe prophets mostly use the word _mercy_; but it also means the same. These three words, _love, grace, mercy_, in their true sense, arecomprehended in the word CHARITY, which, as an attribute of God or aconscious feeling in man, is the love of doing good in the desire tomake others good and happy. If _charity_ were made the life and springof man's love universally, peace and happiness would be the universalorder of man's life on earth. Millennial glory would crown humanity, and the knowledge of the Lord would be its princely attire. Then thewolf of worldly rapacity, having lost its power, would dwell with thelamb. The leopard of crouching deceit, having been deprived of itsteeth and claws, would lie down with the kid. The young lion, tamed, but his courage and strength reserved by being regenerated, would feedwith the calf; and the little child of innocent will and teachableunderstanding would lead them. 

But "the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together untilnow. " We can not know fully all the blessedness to be realized bydoing the will of our Father in heaven. But this we may be assured of;it will prepare us for that higher life whose brightest glory and mostexalted happiness is comprehended in the welcome that all such as dohis will are sure to receive: "Well done, good and faithful servant;enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. "

After dinner Brother Joseph Arnold and Michael Lion come with me, overa very rough track, to Abraham Summerfield's, where we stay all night. 

TUESDAY, September 2. In the forenoon preach the funeral of old Mrs. Summerfield; and in connection with it that of the child of WashingtonSummerfield. In the afternoon we have meeting at old man Summerfield'son the Dry Fork of Cheat river. Washington Summerfield and his wifeand soldier White's wife are baptized to-day. Stay all night at JohnPennington's. 

WEDNESDAY, September 3. Dine at Widow Cooper's on the Alleghanymountain, and stay all night at Isaac Carr's on the North Fork. 

THURSDAY, September 4. Meeting at Carr's. Come to Enoch Hyre's andstay all night. 

FRIDAY, September 5. Meeting at Hyre's. German W. Deadenborn isbaptized to-day. Come to Sister Mary Judy's; stay all night. 

SATURDAY, September 6. Meeting at Sister Judy's. Brother Thomas Lionis with me. Come to Peggy Dasher's; night meeting at Zion. 

SUNDAY, September 7. Meeting at Henry Moyers's, in the Gap. In eveningget home. 

THURSDAY, September 11. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. Decidethe question as to what the churches here in the slaveholding Statesshould require of any slaveowner desiring to come into the church. Avery delicate matter to act upon in the present sensitive condition ofpublic feeling on slavery. But it is the aim of the Brethren here notto offend popular feeling, so long as that feeling does not attemptany interference with what they regard and hold sacred as their lineof Christian duty. Should such opposition arise, which I greatly fearwill be the case at no distant day, it will then be seen that it isthe fixed purpose and resolve of the Brotherhood to "obey God ratherthan men. " It was decided in council that every slaveholder cominginto the church must give up his or her slaves as property; and yetnot turn them off houseless and homeless, but allow them to remain, and labor, and be fed and clothed as usual, until suitable and lawfulprovisions can be made for their complete emancipation. 

THURSDAY, September 18. This day Brother Kline started on a journey upthe Valley of Virginia, to the counties of Augusta, Rockbridge, Botetourt, Roanoke and Franklin. As usual, he was mounted on faithfulNell's back. The reader need not be surprised to be told what thewriter heard Brother Kline tell about the somewhat remarkable sagacityof Nell. She not only had her favorite places to stop at, but she hadher favorite roads to travel on. And it was not uncommon for her riderto be forced into a mild but resolute contention with her, when hewished to leave a road she had repeatedly traveled before. 

Brother John Brower accompanied him from Augusta. Saturday, thetwenty-eighth, they crossed the Natural Bridge and got to Sister SarahGrabil's, where they met Brother Crumbaker. Sunday, the 21st, theyattended a love feast at the Valley meetinghouse, and stayed all nightat Brother Nininger's. Monday, the 22nd, they attended meeting again, and stayed all night at Brother Benjamin Moomaw's. Next day they dinedat Brother Daniel Kiser's, and stayed all night at John Brubaker's inRoanoke County. On this trip they visited or stayed over night withPeter Crumbaker's, James Hayden's, Joseph Howard's, Joseph Weddell's, Christian Bowman's, Daniel Neff's, Abraham Flory's, AbrahamBarnhart's, Jacob Miley's, Wendell Sites's, and Jacob Stover's. He gothome Friday, October 10. 

On this journey Brother Kline attended nine meetings for ordinaryservices, and six love feasts. 

From this time on to the close of the year Brother Kline was activelyemployed either at home or abroad. He made one trip to Page County. Heand Brother Solomon Garber took a journey through the counties ofPendleton, Randolph, Upshur, Highland, and returned through Augusta. They held eleven meetings in the eleven days they spent on this trip. Several were baptized; and they met with kind receptions everywherethey went. 

WEDNESDAY, December 31. This year I have traveled six thousand miles. May God forgive all I have said and done amiss, and accept to his ownglory all that I have done well. Amen!

SATURDAY, January 17. A snowstorm sets in this evening. 

SUNDAY, January 18. A terrific and very cold snowstorm has been ragingall day and all last night. Thermometer down to zero all day. 

MONDAY, January 19. Terrible snowstorm continues till evening. Snowconsiderably drifted; but probably enough snow on the ground if evenlydistributed over its surface to make a depth of over two feet. Getthrough reading "The Prince of the House of David. "

MONDAY, February 2. Very cold to-night. Thermometer ten degrees belowzero. 

FRIDAY, February 5. A general thaw. 

SATURDAY, February 6. Go to Broadway to see the river. Tremendousbreaking up of the ice--tearing almost everything before it. 

SATURDAY, April 4. Brother Jacob Wine and I attend a visit councilmeeting in Page County. Elections are also held. Brother NathanSpitler is elected to preach the Word; and John Huffman is advanced tobaptize and perform the ceremony of marriage. Gideon Toben is electedto the deaconship. 

SATURDAY, April 18. Council meeting at the Flat Rock. Jacob Wine isordained. John Neff is advanced to the second grade; and Abraham Neffis elected to preach the Word. 

SUNDAY, April 26. Meeting at our meetinghouse. Romans 6 is read. Philip Emswiler and John Toppen and his wife are baptized by myself. 

WEDNESDAY, May 13. Go to John Lowry's to converse with him and hiswife on the subject of religion. 

TUESDAY, May 19. Considerable snow to-day; but on low-lying sectionsof country it melts almost as fast as it falls. 

WEDNESDAY, May 20. The Blue Ridge, and the mountains on the west sideof the valley are all white with snow. 

THURSDAY, May 21. This morning the tops of the western mountains arestill white with snow. The oldest weather records I have heard fromcontain no account of snow so late in the spring as this anywhere inVirginia. 

FRIDAY, May 22. Peter Fesler and wife are with us here at my home. Weare all made to feel glad by their company. 

FRIDAY, June 5. Go to John Lowry's to discuss some of our doctrineswith Jacob Stirewalt and Socrates Henkel, Lutheran preachers from NewMarket, Virginia. It was no part of my aim in this private talk withthose preachers to work any change in their settled opinions regardingthe subjects of our controversy. I long ago learned that theconversion of a theological sinner from the error of his ways ishardly to be hoped for in any case. When the truth is loved for itsown sake it is not hard to find; and it is readily perceived whenfound. It is then the pearl of great price for which a man will sellall that he has to obtain it as his own. Luther was no doubt sincerein much that he taught: but men may be sincere in holding veryerroneous dogmas, because of their being so deeply rooted in theirminds and their minds being so confirmed in them that it would bealmost like parting soul and body to give them up. It was said ofLuther, by one of the later reformers, that he cut a large piece outof the Pope's pontifical robe as he left the Vatican, and kept it allhis life as a sacred relic. This is of course highly figurative, andnot to be understood literally; but to mean that he incorporated manypapal errors in his subsequent teachings. My object in meeting thesepreachers at this place was to comply with the request of the familyfor me to do so. Friend Lowry and his wife did not appear to see thelines of truth and duty very clearly; and as they seemed desirous oflearning the way I thought it important for some one to present thetruth on one side, to oppose the error that was likely to be poured infrom the other side. The whole thing reminded me of what I oftendo--give medicine to counteract disease. 

SATURDAY, July 25. Visit, medically, George, and Noah Shoemaker's, Joseph Shoemaker's, William Miller's; and am hurriedly called to JamesFitzwater's. He has been bitten by a copperhead snake. I succeed inrelieving urgent symptoms; and by evening he is almost free from pain. 

SATURDAY, August 1. Go to Orkney Springs. 

SUNDAY, August 2. Have preaching at the hotel. My subject is"Righteousness, Temperance, and a Judgment to Come. " My audience wascomposed of hearers from far and near; and almost all classes, as tointelligence and social standing, were represented. A man like myself, who only occasionally strikes such a crowd, hardly knows how to adapthimself to the situation. If he lets himself down to the comprehensionof the illiterate, the highbred city folks may say: "He is beneath hiscalling. " And if he lifts himself up to their standard ofappreciation, the unlearned go away without being able to say amen towhat they have heard. I decided, however, to follow the example ofPaul before Felix and Drusilla. He _reasoned_ of righteousness, _etc. _

In the forty-fifth Psalm David says: "Thy throne, O God, is for everand ever: the scepter of thy kingdom is a scepter of righteousness. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness. " A scepter is a kindof staff borne by kings as an emblem of their authority. It is acomfort to know that the scepter of Jehovah, as King of the universe, is a scepter of righteousness. We could never know that God isrighteous, and that he loves righteousness, except by being told inhis Word of Truth. This world does not give unequivocal testimony tothe righteousness of God. The wicked bear rule, and the nationstremble. Evil often overcomes good, and wrong triumphs over right. Disease or accident lays the good man low in death; while the wickednear by is left to exult in the strength of his arm. I say it iscomforting to know, in the midst of these apparent contradictoryevidences of the just government of the world, that God isnevertheless righteous: and although iniquity largely bears rule andcarries the day, God still hates wickedness. God does not acquiesce inthe injustice and wrong that is being perpetrated in the world. Hemerely permits it; and he permits it for the reason that he can notarrest and put an end to it without destroying man's freedom. Man isfree as to his will and understanding--free to believe what is falseand to do what is wrong. But he is just as free to believe what istrue and to will what is good. This freedom is what makes him capableof being reformed and saved. 

It is self-evident that righteousness, which is right doing from rightwilling, is the basis of all true order and happiness in earth andheaven. "God is love, " and he therefore loves righteousness because itis good, and hates wickedness because it is evil. But man has fallenfrom his primeval state of righteousness, and therefore he is not in acondition of mind and heart fit for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, nor capable of enjoying the divine presence in the society of the pureand good. Righteousness and holiness are related to each other verymuch as the fruit is related to the tree that bears it. Holinesscorresponds with the sap, fiber, life and whatever else makes the treegood; and righteousness corresponds with the fruit the good treebears; and "without holiness no man shall see the Lord. "

But probably no subject in the line of human thought has given rise toso many different opinions as the subject of how righteousness is tobe attained. The Jewish leaders and representatives in our Lord's dayupon earth were very exact in their outward lives. They kept clean the_outside_ of the cup and of the platter. Their external conduct wasordered to a rigid conformity to divine law. They endeavored toestablish a righteousness of their own; and to all human appearancethey succeeded; for the Lord himself said to them: "Ye make clean the_outside_"--as vessels may appear clean _externally_. He also comparedthem to beautiful monuments of marble sculptured after the higheststyle of art and polished to shining perfection, set up over the dead. But of this very class of men he said: "Except your righteousnessshall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shallin no wise enter the kingdom of heaven. " This proves that therighteousness which they had was not the righteousness of the kingdomof heaven. 

Self-respect, or self-love, inclines almost every one, except the veryabandoned, to make a show of righteousness; that is, they want othersto think they are living right lives. No man who holds himself up torespectability is willing to be called a thief, or a liar, or anadulterer, or any other thing that is vile. He may be any or all ofthese, yet he is not willing that it should be known, or evensuspected. Even _he_ desires to make a fair show in the flesh. 

Others, again, who make no profession of religion, but who yet believein a supreme God and a future state of existence, desire to berighteous before God and man. They are not like the scribes andPharisees, who attached virtue and merit to their rigid observance ofthe ceremonial law of ordinances in their religion. These that I nowspeak of are simply good moral men, who are honest in their dealingsand careful of the conduct of their lives generally. These do notreally desire to make any display of their righteousness. They wishrather to be esteemed for their real worth; and not for any fancied orspurious excellencies. They desire to live _above_ the just reproachesof men, and the condemnation of God. They persuade themselves to thinkthat their righteousness is all that God can require. 

But the most numerous of all the classes that seek after righteousnessis composed of those who trust in the righteousness of faith. Righteousness or justification by faith was the password of theReformation. Martin Luther, misapplying Paul's utterance that "a manis justified or made righteous by faith without the deeds of the law, "set a large part of Europe going with the impression that salvation, in the highest sense, is attainable on the easy terms of merelyassenting to the statement that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Manypassages can be adduced from the epistolary writings in plausiblesupport of this theory of salvation. Although it is incomprehensiblehow the righteousness of Christ can be applied to each individualsinner on the bare ground of his merely giving assent to the doctrineof the atonement through the merit of Christ's death upon the cross, still it is the leading dogma of what is popularly called orthodoxy. But I must confess before all present this day that I have "not solearned Christ, " nor Paul either. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom, but he that DOETH the will of myFather which is in heaven. " At the close of his sermon on the Mount, in which is given all necessary instruction and encouragement forliving a righteous life from holy love in the heart, the Lord Jesussays: "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and DOETH them, I willliken him to a wise man who built his house upon a rock. " And he saidto Peter: "Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates ofhell shall not prevail against it. " The rock is the great TRUTH thatJesus Christ is the Son of God. This truth involves every goodaffection and thought and work of man. It takes in and requiresobedience to every divine command, and compliance with every divineprecept. When any one complies with these conditions of salvationthrough the faith that sees and knows that God's Word is true becauseit is understood and must be so, he is righteous in the sight of theLord, and necessarily in a state of salvation. He is then to "let hislight shine before men, that others seeing his GOOD WORKS may glorifyour Father in heaven. "

For want of time I must pass over the subject of _temperance_, to saysomething about "a judgment to come. " And right here there are allsorts of ideas and conjectures. But of all the subjects in theuniverse, that involving the judgment is the most momentous to man;because it is there that his eternal destiny will be disclosed to him, as to whether he shall be an angel of heaven or a demon in hell. Andwe shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. It is not to bewondered at that Felix trembled under the weight of this great truth. God's Word will be the basis of judgment. Says our Lord: "He thatrejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him:the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day. " As"man liveth by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, " sodoes every word of his truth point to that great day for which allother days were made. All the parables and miracles of our Lord, fullof instruction as to heart and life, point, like so many guideposts, to this great central truth of man's experience and existence. 

But, friends, let us imbibe no erroneous views and impressionsregarding the judgment to come. Let us not regard it as being anoccasion for the display of God's wrath; but let us rather look uponit as the sublimest manifestation of his love. Draw a comparison here. Good human laws are not a terror to the good. A jury is impaneled. Acriminal is arraigned before it. Testimony is received and evidencedrawn from it respecting the innocence or guilt of the accused. Thebalance of testimony is altogether in his favor. He is acquitted. Thattrial is a joy to that criminal, because it sets him right as tocharacter before the world. But suppose he is found guilty. Is it ajoy then? It is not. It is a grief. Why? Because his sin has found himout. His real character is laid bare. But in their consignment of himto the punishment prescribed by law, do the jury and the judge actfrom wrath? They do not, but from a love of good will to all. The lawthat condemns may have the appearance of wrath to the condemned; butnever to the innocent. 

Judgment and reward will be according to works, and never according toprofessions of faith, except where the professions are genuine, andlead to good works from the love of doing good. I have met with somewho have manifested dread in contemplating the majesty of that greatday, the day of "a judgment to come. " I feel warranted in making theassertion that no one whose purpose in life is to do the will of ourFather in heaven has any just ground whatever to dread the coming ofthat day. Justice never condemns the innocent. Just and wise laws arenever a terror to the good, and such are all the laws of God. In thebook of Revelation we read of those "who had gotten the victory overthe beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the numberof his name, saying: Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord GodAlmighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. " These allexulted in the prospect of a judgment to come, because they had gottenthe victory over the adversary of their souls and were ready for trialbefore the King of saints whose ways are all _just_ and _true_. I onceread of a criminal who was deeply distressed at the near approach ofhis trial. A friend endeavored to soothe his agitated feelings bytelling him that justice would be done him, and that he consequentlyhad no cause for fear. But the criminal was honest enough to confessto his friend that JUSTICE was the very thing he was afraid of. I haveno doubt that this very same fear was what made Felix tremble beforePaul. 

The Son of man, on the judgment seat, will be the very same in everyparticular that he is now on the mercy seat. "Jesus Christ is the sameyesterday, and to-day, and forevermore. " "The heavens shall depart asa scroll; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up; but thou art thesame. " By viewing him now as he is on the mercy seat we may see whathe will be on the judgment seat. The trembling waters of Galileebecame a pavement under his feet, and his disciples were thrown intoconsternation by this miraculous approach of the Lord. But heinstantly dispelled their fears by the assurance: "It is I; BE NOTAFRAID. " Peter, James and John on the holy mount feared as theyentered the cloud and saw his glory; but he most tenderly said tothem: "FEAR NOT. " John, on the isle of Patmos, beholding the glory ofhis unveiled face, "fell at his feet as dead. " But he laid his righthand upon him and said: "FEAR NOT. I am he that liveth and was dead;and, behold! I am alive forevermore. "

These thoughts lead to the further consideration that there will be noarbitrary or despotic power exercised in "the judgment to come. " "Mywords shall judge you in the last day" is given by our Lord as thestandard of judgment. Is there one here who desires to know how hewill bear the searching ordeal of that day? If there is, let me say tosuch a one, you can decide that question here in this world foryourself. You have the Lord's word for this. "Verily, verily, I sayunto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, _and cometh not into judgment_, but hath passed outof death into life. " To hear is to hearken, and to hearken is to obey, from a right faith in God. If you believe that this book which I holdin my hand, called the Bible, is the revealed truth of God, and fromthe heart are willing to obey its precepts under a sense of love andduty to do the will of your Father in heaven therein revealed, andcontinue faithful unto death, you have the assurance therein giventhat the judgment to come will be a day of triumphant joy to yoursoul. But if you come short of this you can have no such assurance:and I am compelled to repeat in your ears these terrific words of anapostle: "If we sin willfully, after that we have received theknowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins;but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversary. " To sin willfully is to refuse to dowhat we know to be the will of God our Father in heaven. 

I said awhile ago that judgment and reward will be according to works. Let us now turn to some of the proofs in confirmation of thisassertion. They drop from the lips of our Lord without the least showof any design in him to _establish_ a great principle. The principlehad been established as an element of divine order before the Son ofman came into the world. It is a truth so simple that even littlechildren comprehend it. If a little child that has been taught anycorrect ideas about salvation and heaven be asked a question likethis: "Who go to heaven?" it will at once answer with childlikesimplicity: "Good people go to heaven. " If further interrogated as towho good people are, it will say: "People who love one another and dogood. " It is a truth intuitively known that good people are saved andhappy, and bad people lost and miserable. 

"This is the judgment, that light is come into the world, but menloved darkness rather than light, because THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL. Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light . .. Lest HIS DEEDS should bereproved. But he who DOETH TRUTH cometh to the light, that his deedsmay be made manifest, because THEY ARE WROUGHT IN GOD. If ye knowthese things, HAPPY ARE YE IF YE DO THEM. He that hath my commandmentsAND DOETH THEM, he it is that loveth me . .. And I will love him, andwill manifest myself to him; . .. And will come to him, and make myabode with him. He that loveth me not KEEPETH NOT MY WORDS. Ye are myfriends, IF YE DO WHATSOEVER I COMMAND YOU. .. . I have chosen you, . .. That ye should bring forth fruit, AND THAT YOUR FRUIT SHOULD REMAIN. "I must drop a word of comment upon this last quotation. By fruitremaining it is to be understood that it goes with the child of Godthrough the judgment into heaven, and remains to eternity. InRevelation we read these words: "Blessed are the dead which die in theLord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest fromtheir labors; AND THEIR WORKS DO FOLLOW WITH THEM. A book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged according to thosethings which were written in the book, EVERY ONE ACCORDING TO THEIRWORKS. "

I might continue this multiplication of scripture passages to a muchgreater number, but time forbids. Every passage I have quoted bearseither directly or indirectly upon the judgment to come. It remains athing of choice with every intelligent human being, whether he will beprepared to face the shining judgment throne with joy, or quail beforeit in terror. The Lord says to all: "Seek ye my face. " What a blessedresponse it would be for each one to answer as did the young ProphetSamuel: "Thy face, Lord, will I seek. "

TUESDAY, August 18. Brother Kline and Jacob Wine have night meeting atNimrod Judy's, in Hardy County. The conversion of Saul is theirsubject. Acts 9. 

WEDNESDAY, August 19. They have meeting at John Judy's on South MillCreek. TEXT. --"God is a Spirit. " John 4:24. They speak on thespiritual nature of true worship, and prove that ordinances inconnection with all the externals of worship, to be acceptable to God, must be but the outward evidences of internal realities. They stay allnight at John Judy's. 

THURSDAY, August 20. This day they have two meetings: forenoon atIsaac Judy's; afternoon at Michael Mallow's. Stay at Adam Mallow's. 

FRIDAY, August 21. Two meetings to-day. Forenoon at Bethelchurch--dine at Peter Warnstaff's; afternoon at Warnstaff's tanyard. Stay at John Davis's in Hardy. 

SATURDAY, August 22. Meeting at Zion church on the South Fork. In theafternoon cross the Shenandoah mountain into Brock's Gap. 

SUNDAY, August 23. Meeting at Keplinger's chapel, where they meetBenjamin Bowman and Solomon Garber. A joyful surprise. BrotherBenjamin Bowman speaks from Luke 8. He speaks mostly from these wordsof the eighteenth verse: "Take heed how ye hear. " From the outlines Igather that he followed very closely the lines of thought here brieflyexpressed. 

He said: Hearing may be that of mere sound. Brutes hear in this way. Ahorse, near the stand, may hear a sermon, but it will be that of meresound to him. I have known of _people_ hearing somewhat after the samemanner. They can tell nothing, and seem to remember nothing of whatthey have heard. Some hear to criticise the preacher's style ofexpression, including his language, modulation of his voice, andgestures. Others hear as the Pharisees and Herodians tried to hearChrist, "that they might catch him in his talk;" and like the scribesand Pharisees, "laying in wait for him, to catch something out of hismouth" with which to accuse him. But these are not the only profitlesshearings which the God-loving and soul-loving minister of the Gospelhas to mourn over. The lives of some _prove_ that they hear mainlyfrom a desire to make others think that they have great respect forreligion and the Word of God. They go to church and hear, but heednothing. "By their fruits shall ye KNOW them. " If people were rightlyto obey the injunction of my text, all such heedless and profitlesshearing would be at an end. 

But how is the injunction of the text to be obeyed? And how is one toknow when he is obeying it? The command means that the hearer shall_take heed_. This means "WATCH. " What must he watch? "HOW HE HEARS. "The text has relation, not to WHAT ye hear, but HOW ye hear. It doesnot point to the subject matter or the manner of the address, but tothe end _for_ which and to the spirit _in_ which it is heard. If theheartfelt desire of the hearer is to learn truth, that he may beenlightened and given to see the way of eternal life, he may feelassured that his hearing is acceptable to God. He will then not be aforgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, and such a one shall beblessed in his deed. 

It is enjoined upon all to hear _intelligently_, for this belongs tothe _manner_ of hearing. No one can hear a sermon understandinglywithout some previous knowledge of the subject matter of thediscourse. To acquire this knowledge every one should read and studythe Word of Divine Truth. It is able to make all "wise untosalvation. " Intelligent knowledge of the Scriptures can be acquiredonly by patient study of them: but when they are studied to theillumination of the understanding, the truth, like water in a well, rises up into the understanding and meets you. We sometimes hear itsaid of one who listens attentively and intelligently, "He seemed todrink in every word spoken. " This, I think, is what the Lord means bythese words to the woman at the well: "He that drinketh of this watershall thirst again: but he that drinketh of the water that I shallgive him, shall never thirst; but it shall be in him a well of waterspringing up into everlasting life. " To hear the truth attentively andunderstandingly is to drink it in, as we drink water when we arethirsty. 

What I have said, however important it may be to know, does not coverthe entire ground comprehended in the text. I must show you anotherelement which must exist in the _manner_ of all right hearing. Thatelement is _discrimination_. Without this, how is the hearer to knowwhether the truth or its opposite is being preached? The comparisonmay lack adaptability in some of its points, but I have heard it saidthat some hearers are like young birds in their nest, ready to swallowdown anything put into their mouths. Such as hear in this way lack_discrimination_; that is, they do not discern the difference betweenwhat is true and what is false. This is particularly the case withsuch as have been trained to regard what their own denominationalministers preach as being the truth, the whole truth, and nothing butthe truth. I am aware that some may just now be saying in their minds:"You Dunkard people are the very ones to whom your words most justlyapply; for I know of no people who take so great pains to instil thisvery belief into the minds of the young as you do. " I can truthfullysay that such charges are not strange to me. But with all due respectfor such as differ from us in religious faith and practice, I do saythat we, as a denomination of Christian brethren, acknowledging noteacher but Christ, no authority but his Word, have no will, wish ordesire to lead the truth and thus pervert, ignore or misapply any partof it; but our will, wish and desire is to be led by the truth. And Ido not in my heart believe there is one member of our Brotherhood whowould desire to instill into the mind of his or her child any beliefor practice not sustained by a plain "_thus saith the Lord_. " In thisvery way the power of _discrimination_ is developed in the minds ofour young people, so that when they hear or read they do not questionwhether this or that that they hear or read has for its authority theMethodist Discipline, the Episcopal Prayer Book, or LutheranCatechism; but they at once perceive that it either has or has not thesanction of God's Word. We are taught that in a spiritual sense no oneis to be called rabbi. "Be not ye called rabbi; for One is yourteacher, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father on theearth; for one is your Father in heaven. " How the mind might expatiatehere in making historic disclosures of the times and ways in whichthis plain command of our Lord has been violated! Hearing the Wordpreached, and the hearer not able to discern truth from falsehood, hasgiven to priestcraft nearly all of its power; because priestcraft, unsupported by the common people, could never have risen into power. If the common people had been wise enough to take heed _how_ theyhear, they never would have suffered themselves to be imposed upon asthey have been. 

I now take up the last but not the least element in the _manner_ ofhearing. That element is _sincerity_; which I define to be a heartfeltlove for the truth. Paul puts it "Receiving the truth in the love ofit. " The person who hears the truth lightly, thoughtlessly, carelesslyis not instructed by it. The same is true of one who hears withprejudice against the truth. He refuses to be instructed, because hedoes not love the truth he hears. Let me use an illustration here. Twomen once happened to meet at my house, one a Presbyterian and theother a member of no church. After dinner the subject of feet-washingwas broached. After we had all talked awhile about it one of the menasked me whereabouts in the Bible it was to be found. I turned to thethirteenth chapter of John's Gospel, and he then asked me to read italoud. I did so. These two men listened attentively, so, at least, they appeared to me. The Presbyterian friend very modestly gave it ashis opinion that the command is fully met by acts of hospitality, andreferred to the reception which Abraham gave the three angels who cameto his tent as proof of the correctness of his conclusion. Very littlemore was said about it at that time. The two men, soon after, wentaway together; and I had little or no conversation with either of themfor probably nearly a year afterward. But it so turned out that theone who was not a professor of religion came to my house again, andshowed a desire to talk on the subject of feet-washing. I was ready toanswer such questions as he proposed; and he very soon expressed awish to know if I remembered having once read the thirteenth chapterof John's Gospel to him when on a call at my house. I told him I didremember it. "Your reading of that chapter, " said he, "struck my mindwith so much force that I could not rid myself of the impression itmade. I never, until then, knew there was anything so plain in theScriptures, and so easy to understand. I had always thought the Biblewas a book of dark sayings, unintelligible to any but the learned; andeven in their hands doubtful as to its true interpretation. Since thenI have been reading it, especially the New Testament part of it, andfind so much that I can understand that I begin to love it. " I haveonly to add that this man soon applied for membership in our church, was baptized, and manifested enthusiastic delight in obeying thecommand, "So ought ye also to wash one another's feet, " at the firstlove feast he ever attended. 

In connection with the case I have just described, the two men spokenof heard with different ears. The ear of the first was so modified byprevious indoctrinations that it could almost shut itself in andbecome deaf or callous when the plain truth was read: the ear of thelast was open to take in the truth; and the mind, being free fromprejudice, received the truth from the love of it. "Blessed are thepoor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. " The Lordincludes all such hearers as the one I have just described, in thepromised blessing. 

"Take heed HOW ye hear. " In speaking on this text so much comes beforemy mind that it is difficult for me to stop. I must say something tothe unconverted sinner. The Lord says to you: "Repent, for the kingdomof heaven is at hand. " This means that you should turn away from yoursins and enter the kingdom of heaven. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return unto the Lord, for he will have mercy upon him; and unto our God, for he willabundantly pardon. " And Jesus says: "Whosoever cometh unto me, I willin no wise cast out. " To come unto the Lord is to hear his Word withfull purpose of heart to understand it, see its truth, believe it andobey it. I beg every unconverted person in this house to ask himselfjust now: "How do I hear what the preacher has just now said? Do Ihear it with a thoughtless, careless ear? If I do, what is to becomeof me? Can I bear to hear the voice from the judgment throne say:'Depart, ye workers of iniquity, into everlasting fire'? Would I notbetter 'seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him whilehe is near'?" O, that all might hear aright, repent and live, for withthe Lord there is plenteous redemption; and he is able to save to theuttermost all who come unto God by him. 

SUNDAY, September 6. Meeting at Turner's schoolhouse. William Millerand wife, and Andrew Lamb's wife are baptized. 

THURSDAY, September 24. This day finds Brother Kline and SolomonGarber in Randolph County, Virginia, nearly one hundred miles fromhome, holding a meeting. Both have come on horseback. They hold acouncil meeting with the Brethren assembled. Joseph Houser is electedto the deaconship. After meeting Brother Solomon Garber baptizes Mrs. Houser and Diana Bainbridge. 

SATURDAY, September 26. They have meeting in meetinghouse near JosiahSimon's. Matt. 5:13 is the text. Brother Solomon Garber spoke first;and the Diary notes are so suggestive of original thought that I givethem in a somewhat expanded form. TEXT. --"_Ye are the salt of theearth. _"

Jesus spoke by parables: and we are told that without a parable spokehe not. My text is a parable. But what is a parable? A parable is away of teaching in which natural objects are used to represent orsymbolize spiritual realities. It is a way of comparing natural thingswith spiritual things. This way of teaching is based upon thecorrespondence existing between natural things and spiritual orheavenly things. Thus: a natural birth corresponds to a spiritualbirth; natural water, to spiritual water, which is divine or heavenlytruth. Wind, which is air in motion, corresponds to the presence andpower of the Holy Spirit. Now notice, Jesus said to Nicodemus: "If Ihave told you earthly things, and you believe or understand not, howshall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?" Nicodemus couldnot understand how earthly things could symbolize or representspiritual things. Hence he asked: "How can these things be?"

I have tried to find out as nearly as possible what the word SALT isused to represent, as found in my text. I have searched many books forthis one thing alone. But after all my investigations I am compelledto rely upon my own judgment, and decide the matter for myself. Inotice, however, that salt is often spoken of in the Bible. All thepriestly offerings had to be salted with salt. There must, then, be ahigh and holy significance in its use in this way. 

Elisha succeeded Elijah in the prophetic office. Elijah had beencarried up to heaven in a chariot of fire, and Elisha had justreturned from the scene and sight of his master's glorification, andwas at the city of Jericho. And the men of the city said unto Elisha:"Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, . .. Butthe water is naught"--worthless, not fit to drink. And Elisha "wentforth unto the spring of the waters, and cast salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters. " To my mind thesebitter waters of Jericho symbolize the truths of God's Word, as thesetruths appear to the mind and affect the taste of the unconverted man. Read the Bible to the man who has no relish, no love for its truth. Isit not to his soul like the waters of Jericho--"naught, " or nothing?These men of Jericho are all around us, and you may find opportunitiesto prove what I have said. I have repeatedly tried it. I have readchapter after chapter of the divine Word to unconverted men, sometimesto my own work hands who I knew cared nothing for religion, and whilstthey would not tell me to my face that they cared nothing for it, Icould find out by others, and by their own after lives that what theyheard was to their souls as the waters of Jericho were to the men ofthat city. But when the salt of pure love for the Lord, and the desireto leave off and forsake all sinful indulgences and worldly pleasuresby leading a new life in doing the Lord's will, enters a man the Wordbecomes sweet and precious to his soul. _The waters are healed, because the man is healed. _

The twelve disciples, particularly, were, at the time our Lord spokethe words of my text, the very embodiment of all the virtues of heartand life which make the Word of the Lord sweet to the soul. To suchthese beautiful words in the Song of Solomon apply: "He brought me tothe banqueting house: he stayed me with flagons of wine: he comfortedme with apples: his banner over me was love: yea, and HIS FRUIT _wassweet to my taste_. "

Now, to bring my text to something like a practical head, I must sayto every unconverted soul here: You must put the salt into the waterof God's Word for yourself. If you look to the Lord, and ask him togive you eyes that you may see, and ears that you may hear, and aheart that you may understand, you will also receive all the salt youneed to heal the Word and make it healing to your soul. But if youneglect and despise or reject the offers of God's love, the very thingthat he has prepared for your eternal joy will be everlastingbitterness to your soul. For one to know his duty and not at the sametime do it exposes him to the danger of being converted into a pillarof bitter salt as Lot's wife was. She could not give up her love forthe world. She knew that she must not look back with longings for theSodom of the sinful life she had left; but she did look back, and herawful fate is brought to mind by our Lord as a warning to all:"Remember Lot's wife. "

By the words of my text, then, the Lord meant that the disciplesrepresented the charity and faith that sweeten and give to every wordof Divine Truth a gracious reception into the heart and life. In thishappy love the Christian sings of the Word of Life in the beautifulsentiment of an old hymn:

 "Yes, thou art precious to my soul; My transport and my trust: Jewels to thee are gaudy toys, And gold is sordid dust. "

And when the disembodied soul shall awake to the full realization ofthe truth which shone so dimly here, the love for that truth will besevenfold as the light of seven days all in one, which means fullnessof joy and pleasures forevermore. 

SUNDAY, September 27. This day Brother Solomon Garber leavesme after meeting, to attend to some appointments ahead. I stay todebate with a Methodist preacher. In the afternoon I baptize SisterHouser. Stay all night at Brother Pirkey's. 

TUESDAY, September 29. In the afternoon meet the Methodistpreacher at Israel Methodist church. But I am sorry to say thatinstead of going into a discussion with me on baptism and otherordinances of God's house he suffered himself to run into an absurdabuse of us, as if we might be doing much harm by our close adherenceto the teachings and examples of Christ and his apostles. I can praythe Lord to have mercy upon him, and to open his eyes; for I was ledto believe, from what he said, that he had never read or thought muchoutside of the Methodist Discipline. 

WEDNESDAY, September 30. Meeting again in meetinghouse nearBrother Simon's. Speak on John 3:7. I baptize Brother Samuel Channel. 

THURSDAY, October 1. Get Nell shod. Come to the Barkersettlement. Night meeting at Wilson's. 

FRIDAY, October 2. Night meeting at Enoch Johnson's. 

SATURDAY, October 3. Meeting and love feast at Brother HenryWilson's. Stay all night at Brother Elias Oval's. 

SUNDAY, October 4. Meeting at the meetinghouse. Take thevoice of the church. Brother Henry Wilson is established. BrotherElias Oval is advanced; and Brother William Oval is elected to theWord. 

MONDAY, October 5. Visit Elijah Skidmore; dine at BrotherBurke's; visit Joseph Workman; and come to Brother Simon's in theevening. Brother Michael Lion, Brother Thomas Clark, and BrotherMartain Cosner are there when I arrive. I probably will never forgetthe pleasure of meeting those brethren there and spending the nightand next day with them. Our love for each other here is a sweetforetaste of the joy of heaven. 

TUESDAY, October 6. Come to Brother Levi Wilmot's. Preach thefuneral of Brother Powers's wife. 

WEDNESDAY, October 7. Dine at Abraham Summerfield's. Then toWilliam Adamson's at the mouth of Seneca Creek, where I stay allnight. 

THURSDAY, October 8. Dine at Daniel Judy's. Stay all night atAdam Ketterman's on top of the South Fork mountain. 

FRIDAY, October 9. Get home. 

SUNDAY, October 25. Meeting at Hoover's schoolhouse. Ibaptize John Lamb and wife, and Mary Hoover. 

SUNDAY, November 1. This day Brother Kline and Jacob Millerare together at a meeting in a place called Powell's Fort. This is avery singular conformation of country. It is entirely surrounded byhigh mountain walls, with the exception of one notch or outlet fordrainage and a road. It is about twenty miles south of Winchester, Virginia. Some well-to-do people live in this secluded abode. It islikewise the point to which it is said that Washington had resolved toretreat, with his army, rather than surrender to the British, in oneof the dark periods of the Revolutionary War. On this visit to theFort Brother Jacob Miller baptized three persons. 

From this time to the close of the year, Brother Kline was mostlyemployed in writing his "Apology and Defense of Baptism. " He finishedthe work on the thirty-first day of December. In the year 1857 hetraveled 3, 967 miles. 

FRIDAY, February 5, 1858. Attend council meeting at the Oldmeetinghouse. Brother John Thomas is forwarded; Joseph Early iselected to preach the Word; and Benjamin Byerly is elected to thedeaconship. 

SATURDAY, February 27. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. Brother Samuel Zigler is elected to preach the Word. 

MONDAY, March 8. This day a snow falls about one foot indepth. 

WEDNESDAY, March 10. This day completes the fortieth year ofmy married life. 

FRIDAY, March 26. Council meeting at the Brush meetinghouse. George Wine, son of Samuel Wine, and John B. Kline are each elected tothe deaconship. 

MONDAY, May 10. Brother Kline and Martain Miller, in companyof each other, start to the Annual Meeting. On the following Fridaythey arrived at Brother J. P. Ebersole's, Ohio. 

Between Saturday, May 15, and Friday, May 21, the two brethren incompany of each other attended four meetings, and visited families asfollows: Abraham Ebersole's, Daniel Rosenberger's, Jacob Leedy's, Jonathan Dickey's, Michael Baserman's, Jacob Miller's, SamuelMiller's, Daniel Miller's, Abraham Miller's. 

FRIDAY, May 21, after dinner, they go to Lima and wait forthe train, which does not come in till ten o'clock at night. It hadrun off the track near a place called Forest. The Diary note says: Aman was killed here by the western train while we were waiting. He gotbetween the woodpile and the cars. Death overtook him without amoment's warning. If unprepared to die, how sad the thought of hisbeing launched into the "eternal deeps" of misery and despair! My eyesoften turn with sorrow to the hopeless condition of those who livewithout God in the world. How men and women of common sense can besatisfied to live year in and year out, on the verge of ruin, is amystery to me. A glow of enthusiasm often enters my soul, in which Ifeel as if it would be an ineffable joy to me could I send my voiceall over the land in tones of thunder repeating:

 "Stop, poor sinners, stop and think, Before ye further go! How can ye sport upon the brink Of everlasting woe? On the verge of ruin, stop! Now, the friendly warning take: Stay your footsteps ere ye drop Into the burning lake. "

And to those whose attention might be arrested by such a call, as theywould turn their ears to hear, would I love to say, pointingheavenward: "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of theworld. " "Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved. ""For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. ""Even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth onhim may have everlasting life. "

We arrive at Fort Wayne quarter past one A. M. After breakfast taketrain to Delphi; then go in hack ten miles to place of Annual Meeting. Preaching in afternoon. Revelation 5 is read. Brother J. Quinterspeaks on the chapter. We take supper on the meeting grounds and thengo to Brother John Flory's to stay all night. 

SUNDAY, May 23. A very great concourse of people on thegrounds. I speak from Revelation 5, the same chapter spoken fromyesterday. Some rain to-day. Stay all night at Brother John Flory'sagain. 

MONDAY, May 24. This morning much rain. Committees areformed. Take in questions. Form subcommittees. Go to Brother Young's. 

TUESDAY, May 25. Discuss questions. Much rain. Waters high. Stay all night at Brother Flory's again. 

WEDNESDAY, May 26. Discuss questions. Get through about twoo'clock. Come to Delphi on a wagon. The sky partially clears upto-day. We have night meeting in Delphi. Brethren John Wise, GeorgeHoover and myself speak on Romans, first chapter. 

THURSDAY, May 27. Get back to Jacob Miller's near Lima. Clearto-day. 

FRIDAY, May 28. Meeting and love feast at meetinghouse. Ephesians 2 is read. Stay at Daniel Miller's. 

SATURDAY, May 29. Get to Brother John P. Ebersole's. 

SUNDAY, May 30. Meeting in meetinghouse near J. P. Ebersole's. Brother Quinter speaks from Hebrews 6. In afternoon I speak fromHebrews 2. Stay all night at Brother Daniel Rosenberger's. 

MONDAY, May 31. Meeting and love feast at same place. Matthew19 is read. Rain in morning; clear in evening. Stay at BrotherEbersole's. 

TUESDAY, June 1. A beautiful morning. Take breakfast at themeetinghouse. Have service. Read a farewell address, which I herecopy:

Brethren and sisters in the Lord, dearly beloved: Our greetings forthis time have been exchanged, and the atmosphere of love in which weall have so freely breathed and moved since our first meeting togethermust soon be exchanged for the atmosphere of the world. Our blessedLord meant a great deal when he said: "I am the door: by me if any manenter in, he shall be saved; and shall go in and go out, and findpasture. " In meetings like this, and others we have for some whilebeen attending we feel that our spirits and souls and bodies arevisibly and experimentally in the fold, with the Great Shepherd in ourmidst. We are "made to sit together in heavenly places in ChristJesus, " warmed and cheered by "the Sun of Righteousness. "

But the duties of life lay upon us the necessity of breaking up anddeparting to our business and our homes. We must "go out, " out amongthe elements of the world, and do our part valiantly in the greatconflict of life--the conflict that forms our character and decidesforever whether we shall reign with saints in glory, or be captivesof hell. Let us, brethren and sisters, be cheered with the Lord'spromise, that even _out_ of the fold we shall find _pasture_, something to increase our love for the Lord and for one another, andstrengthen our faith. How tenderly the Lord speaks to us, as though heregarded us as his little children! "I will not leave you comfortless:I will come to you. " "And lo, I am with you to the end of the world, . .. Until I receive you unto myself, for where I am, there shall ye bealso. " "In the world ye shall have tribulations; . .. But be of goodcheer, . .. In me ye shall have peace. " In giving to each other theparting hand and the holy kiss tears and good wishes are not out ofplace. Connected with these a word of comfort to the feeble-minded, aword of encouragement to the brother or sister of weak faith, a wordof gentle admonition whispered into the ear of the erring, a word ofcaution to the rich, lest they be exalted and trust in their uncertainriches, a word of approval and commendation to those who, likeBarnabas, are full of good works, may do an amount of good whicheternity alone can reveal. 

And now, brethren and sisters, farewell. Be steadfast, unmovable;always abounding in the work of the Lord; inasmuch as ye know thatyour labor is not in vain in the Lord. 

Come to Carey for two o'clock meeting. Sup at Dr. Joseph Myers's. Atone A. M. Take train for Columbiana. Sup with Brother Quinter. Staywith Brother Henry Kurtz. Fine weather yesterday and to-day. 

SUNDAY, June 6. Get home. 

From this time on to the first of August Brother Kline was mostlyaround home. He wrote many letters to prominent brethren in nearly allof the States in which the Brethren had, at that time, representativemen. He also preached some funerals, for people die even in summer;and death claims all seasons for his own. 

FRIDAY, August 6. This day he and Brother John Wine start tothe northwestern counties of Virginia, and cross over into Marylandand Pennsylvania. _Regularly_, they have meetings every day. Theyvisit Nicholas Leatherman's, John Leatherman's, and Samuel Arnold's inHampshire County, Virginia. They visit David Beachley's, John C. Lichty's, and Elias K. Beachley's; also Jonathan Kelso's, DavidLivengood's and Franklin O. Livengood's, all in Maryland. We next findthem at Brother Flanigan's, on Hughs's river, where they stay allnight. 

SUNDAY, August 15. Meeting. Speak on the Great Commission. Roger Davis and wife baptized. Meeting in the afternoon. Continue onthe same text. Stay all night with Brother Martain Cochran. Fineweather. 

MONDAY, August 16. Meeting at Slab meetinghouse. Speak onJohn 4: 29. Dine at Brother Cochran's. Sup at Brother Roger Davis's, and have meeting at early candlelight. Brother John Wine speaks fromRom. 1: 16. 

TUESDAY, August 17. Get back to Oakland. 

WEDNESDAY, August 18. Meeting at Thomas Clark's. Speak fromMatthew 12. Meeting in afternoon at Isaac Hays's. Martha and Mary, orthe _one thing needful_, was our subject. Stay at Brother Lee's. 

THURSDAY, August 19. Meeting at Greenland, in Hardy County, Virginia. A woman from Germany, in Europe, is baptized to-day. Dine atSamuel Barbee's, and stay at James Parks's. The two brethren hadseveral other meetings by the way, and on

MONDAY, August 23, they reached home. 

FRIDAY, September 24. Meeting and love feast at ourmeetinghouse. Andrew Crist and wife, Silas Turner, and CatharineShowalter were baptized to-day. 

SUNDAY, October 17. This day Christian Shoemaker, GeorgeRodecap and his mother, and William Ford and his wife were baptized. 

MONDAY, October 18. Brother Kline started on another trip toMaryland. Among the names of those whom he called on, or passed anight with, we notice Samuel Zimmerman, Jacob Saylor, Sister Jordan, Philip Boyle, John Roop, John Bowman, D. P. Saylor, William Nipe, PeterGrassnicker, Daniel Rickerd, Jacob Wolf, and Mrs. Nipe. 

WEDNESDAY, October 20. Love feast at Beaver Dam. Fineweather, and a large gathering of people. Much brotherly love, andgeneral good order. 

THURSDAY, October 21. Meeting at the Pipe Creek meetinghouse, and one at night at New Vinson. 

FRIDAY, October 22. Meeting at the Meadow Branchmeetinghouse. 

SUNDAY, October 24. Love feast at the meetinghouse, nearBrother William Nipe's. Large gathering and fine weather. 

Brother Kline attended several other meetings on this trip; and on

SUNDAY, October 31, he reports himself at the Flat Rockmeetinghouse, in Shenandoah County, Virginia, replying to a discourseon feet-washing delivered shortly before by J. P. Cline, a Lutheranpreacher of the same county. In his reply Brother Kline proves himself"a master of his bow: his arrows never miss. " I here present somepoints in this reply:

Friend J. P. Cline made feet-washing "a household or hospitable rite. "Brother John Kline's main point in reply to this was, that bathing orwashing of the whole body in water, as also the setting out of breadand wine before guests, was likewise included among the rites ofhospitality in the East and also in southern Europe. If feet-washingis to be discarded from the list of church ordinances on this ground, what becomes of baptism and the Communion? Can they, logically, farebetter?

Friend Cline's next point was, "that feet-washing has a spiritualsignificance, that the example given by the Lord is complied with andobeyed when we, in humility and love, do works of charity. " In replyto this, Brother John Kline merely asked the question: "Whatdenominations of professing Christians exhibit the deepest sense ofhumility, and show the warmest affections of charity, those thatobserve feet-washing as an ordinance of the church, or those thatreject it as such?" "It is not for me, " said he, "to answer thisquestion. I leave it to the consideration of all. "

"What I do, thou knowest not now. " "This declaration of our Lord, "said friend Cline, "clearly discards feet-washing from being a churchordinance. " In reply to this Brother Kline said: "I would like to askfriend Cline if he claims to understand all the meaning andsignificance of water baptism and the Communion. If he does lay claimto such attainments in the knowledge of what God has not clearlyrevealed in his Word, he must have had access to information fromwhich all other honest men have been debarred. Before friend Cline'sargument against feet-washing as a church ordinance can have anyweight, on the score that we do not clearly see all that is intendedto be signified by it, consistency does require him to show the fullmeaning and significance of baptism and the Communion of the bread andwine. It is self-evident that the argument which rejects feet-washingfrom the list of church ordinances, on the ground of its not beingfully understood as to its entire significance, with equal powerrejects and discards baptism and the Communion from being ordinancesof the house of God. "

In this brief report of Brother John Kline's sermon on this occasion Ihave but touched some of the points in his argument, gathered from theDiary, and from a personal conversation with him afterwards. He woundup with the Fable of the Clock and the Sundial, as follows:

"The Town Clock claimed that it ought to be highly respected. 'Look, 'said the Clock, 'at my beautiful face, and the exquisite delicacy ofmy hands. My head, too, internally and externally, is a perfect modelof scientific exactness and mechanical skill. You should depend uponwhat I say. I run with regular steps, and strike the hours of the dayas I run. You should hear ME. Look at that broad-faced, flat-headed sundial away down there. It has not a word to say. _I_ am going to strike now. One--two--three! There--how musical!'But when this bombastic speech was ended, the sun broke forth, and theDial only smiled to show that the boasting clock had not told the_truth_ by some hours. The thirteenth chapter of John is theLord's sundial on feet-washing. Probably, after all, the best way todiscuss this question with any one would be just to read in hishearing the thirteenth chapter of John. "

SUNDAY, November 21. To-day we have our first meeting in thenew meetinghouse at the Plains. Hebrews twelfth chapter is read. 

FRIDAY, November 26. Start for Pendleton and Hardy Counties. Stay all night with Brother Jack Ratchford and his son Hugh Ratchford, on top of the Shenandoah mountain, where we have an evening meetingfor prayer and exhortation. Cloudy and cold. 

SATURDAY, November 27. Come to Peter Warnstaff's. No meetingappointed. Clean John Pope's clock. Fix Mrs. Warnstaff's clocks, andstay there all night. Snows to-night. 

SUNDAY, November 28. Meeting at Warnstaff's tanyard. Speak on1 Cor. 1:30. Dine at Peter Warnstaff's. I am always refreshed byvisiting this worthy and intelligent family, composed of PeterWarnstaff, his sister Susanna, and their widowed mother. I can neverdepart from their house without breathing a prayer for blessings uponthem. Night meeting at Lough's church. Speak on John 14:6. Stay allnight at Joel Siple's near the top of the South Fork mountain. JoelSiple is raising an intelligent and industrious family. 

MONDAY, November 29. Come to John Borer's on the South MillCreek. Preach his wife's funeral. Meet Brother Michael Lion andBrother Martain Cosner there. We all stay over night at Brother JohnJudy's. 

TUESDAY, November 30. Meeting at John Judy's. The twobrethren Cosner and Lion speak to good acceptance, on John 3:14. Cometo Isaac Judy's, and stay all night. 

WEDNESDAY, December 1. Dine at Manasseh Judy's. Manasseh Judyalways meets me with a pleasant face, such as makes me feel at home inhis house. After dinner, fix his clock, and cross the mountain to JohnDavis's, in Hardy County. Night meeting at Zion church. Stay atDavis's all night. 

THURSDAY, December 2. Spend most of the day at the widowPeggy Dasher's. In evening go to Nimrod Judy's, where we have nightmeeting, and spend the night. 

FRIDAY, December 3. Get home. 

THURSDAY, December 23. Perform the marriage ceremony of JohnDriver and Rebecca Kline, at the house of her father, David Kline, athalf past three P. M. 

FRIDAY, December 31. I have traveled this year 5, 674 miles. Iam at home, at the home of my life in the body; but I am not at homeas to the life of my spirit. 

 As on the verge of life I stand, And view the scene on either hand, My soul would here no longer stay. I long to wing my flight away. 

 Where Jesus dwells I long to be: I long my much loved Lord to see: Earth, twine no more about my heart: It is far better to depart. 

SATURDAY, January 15, 1859. Get Howell's "Evils of Infant Baptism. " Iregard this as a very instructive work on the subject indicated by thetitle. 

SUNDAY, February 13. Attend the burial of Christian Kratzer. Age, eighty-six years, three months and twelve days. 

SATURDAY, February 26. Attend a meeting which was held to-day, toelect directors for the establishment of an academy, to be known bythe name of "Cedar Grove Academy, " near my place. John J. Bowman, JohnZigler and Daniel Miller are elected. 

SUNDAY, March 6. Attend meeting in Sangersville, Augusta County, Virginia. Brother Daniel Thomas replies to Soule's sermon on "themodes and subjects of baptism. " Friend Soule is a Methodist preacherin high standing with his denomination. He argued on the ground that"whilst the New Testament does allow immersion in water, and favor thebaptism of adults, it does not cancel the validity of the rite whenproperly performed by pouring or sprinkling, either in the case ofadults or infants. "

Brother Daniel Thomas, on this occasion, exalted the truth byappealing "_to the law and the testimony_. " He proved _baptism_ to bea positive term as to its signification; that the word BAPTISM, withits derivatives, has a specific and not a variable sense. He likewiseestablished the great truth that all the good of obedience consists indoing what one is commanded to do. He showed that "to obey is betterthan sacrifice, and to hearken is better than the fat of rams. " Anydeparture from the command vitiates the obedience, no matter howprofessedly honest the steps of that departure may be. He here quotedPeter's words: "Baptism is not the putting away of the filth of theflesh. " It does us no more good physically, said he, than would bederived from bathing or immersing the body in water without anyreligious motive connected with it. It is one's conscious obedience insubmitting to the rite, that gives "the answer of a good consciencetoward God. " Can little infants realize this? These premises beingestablished, and after clearly stating the duty of all who desire toobey to find out what they are required by the Lord to do, he brushedaway the mass of "wood, hay and stubble" which his antagonist hadpiled together, and erected an impregnable turret of "gold, silver andprecious stones" on the solid rampart of Divine Truth. Brother DanielThomas carries a heart as pure and kind as I have ever found withinthe breast of any man, and a head as clear as I have ever seen uponthe shoulders of any man. 

After meeting Brother Daniel Thomas and I dine at Brother JohnSanger's, and have evening meeting at Pudding Springs meetinghouse. Ispeak from Heb. 12:25. Stay all night at Brother John Driver's. Fineday. 

MONDAY, March 7. Dine at Jacob Zigler's, and have night meeting inJennings's Gap. Stay all night at David Adams's. 

TUESDAY, March 8. Morning meeting at same place. Speak on Jude thirdverse, "the faith that was once delivered to the saints. " I havesomewhere read that the faith, or rather the doctrines, upon which thefaith of the saints reposes, has never _but once_ been delivered tothe saints, that since Jude's day it has been so much perverted, andso much mixed up with the opinions and doctrines of men that thesaints never more have it declared unto them exactly as Judeunderstood and believed it. But I do not think exactly with that man. Church history does disclose lamentable departures from the truefaith; and we witness the same, with their evil results, in our owntimes; still God has had, even in the darkest hours of the Christianera, "a people prepared for the Lord. " I believe that what he said toElijah he might have said at any time since: "I have yet left unto meseven thousand in Israel; all the knees that have not bowed unto Baal, nor worshiped his image. " We still have "the sure word of prophecyunto which we do well to take heed, as unto a light that shineth in adark place;" and that word of prophecy is the Bible. 

Something like this was the introduction to my discourse this morning. 

Night meeting in Churchville. Speak on John 1:11, "He came unto hisown, and his own received him not. " His coming was not to their minds, nor according to their expectation. If earthly glory had been the goalof Christ's ambition, and he had promised them a large amount of stockin it, his welcome, on the part of the Jews, would have been soundedand sung from Dan to Beer-sheba. Jerusalem would have been illuminatedin honor of him, and banners would have waved in praise of him. Buthow different from all this were the surroundings of his coming! Bornin a stable--and if a certain poet _has_ beautifully and truthfullysung, "The manger of Bethlehem cradled a King:"

still is his "kingdom not of this world;" and the King, instead ofhaving the "right royal part, " is "meek and lowly in heart; a man ofsorrows, and acquainted with grief. " And no wonder. The cross standsbetween him and the crown. "His own" could not understand this; andonce he was rebuked by one of his disciples for making mention of thefact. They could not comprehend the spiritual character of hiskingdom--that love was the throne and righteousness the scepter. TheJewish race, which are meant in the text by "his own, " were notprepared for the kingdom of heaven, and on that account they "receivedhim not. " May there not be some in this house to-night who feel towardJesus as these Jews felt? If he would confer upon them a large shareof wealth, honor and power, would they not willingly accept him? Iimagine he would be the very sort of King they would like to governthem. He would be the man for them. When such are told that worldlywealth, honor and power are not the foundation of the Lord's reign onearth and the glory of the heavens, and that these must be forsaken inheart as the chief good by all who would follow him, they shrug theirshoulders, shake their heads with a down look and a half-suppressedsmile of unbelief, and say: "Not yet awhile. " Self-denial is the exactopposite of self-gratification. But our Lord declares that "except aman deny himself, he cannot be my disciple. "

But you want to know something further about _self-denial_. First, Iwill say that it does not require any one to give up anything that isfor his present or future good. Love is at the bottom of all the Lordsays respecting it. He requires man to give up nothing but what isopposed to man's present and eternal good. But I find it verydifficult to get people to realize that the only way to be happy is tobe good. And the only way to be good is to love the Lord our God withall the heart, and our neighbor as ourself. 

In the second place, self-denial is the giving up of all bad habitsand the suppression and removal of those evil states of mind and heartout of which bad habits grow. When one is tempted to do evil, thatmeans to take strong drink that causes drunkenness, or to take God'sname in vain, or to steal something, or defraud someone, or to kill, or to commit adultery, or to wish evil to some one, or to tell for thetruth what one knows is not true, self-denial for Christ's sake, staysthe hand from doing the evil and restrains the heart from desiring todo the evil. This is the self-denial taught by our Lord, and this isthe cause of the Jews not receiving him. 

But self-denial with the enlightened Christian goes still further andsuppresses all sense of pride or desire to appear above others. Thisfeeling was often checked by our Lord. He told his disciples always totake the lowest seat when invited to a feast; that to be his disciplesin the true sense and become prepared for the kingdom of heaven, theymust have the meek and teachable spirit of a little child. With allthis and more, the enlightened Christian is not desirous of beingconformed to the world. True self-denial forbids all conformity to thevain and useless styles in dress which are ever changing in thecircles of fashionable society. I will here relate what I once heard apreacher tell from the stand. He gave it as a fact that reallyoccurred; but it appears plain to my mind that the incident proceededmore from a desire to amuse than to reform; nevertheless it does showthat fashions, long ago, were probably subject to as frequent changesas at the present time. This is it: A man who had several grown-updaughters in his family was going home, apparently in a great hurry, with a fashionable headdress or hat for each one, which he had justpurchased at a shop in the city. On his way he met a friend who seemedinclined to exchange courtesies and a few words with him. But heapologized for being in a hurry by holding up the hats he had boughtfor his girls, saying as he went: "I must hurry home, or they will goout of style before my daughters get to try them on. "

Friends, the Lord claims you for his own--all of you. "Ye are hispeople, ye his care; your souls and all your mortal frame. " Ye are hisby creation and providence. Say, will ye be his by salvation andredemption? He comes to you. Will the next century write the same sadhistory of your case that stands recorded of the Jews: "He came untohis own, and his own received him not"? Will this be the story? I hopeand pray that it may not be. But it remains for you to decide thisquestion. It remains for you to reject or to accept. If you receivehim not, what then will your portion be! Think of it. But if youreceive him, he will put you on the side of eternal salvation and giveyou power to become the sons of God, being born of God. God himselfcan do no greater thing for any one than to make him his son. What heoffers you here this night exceeds all the wealth and pleasures ofthis world, as far as the light of the sun exceeds the light of thatlamp; nay, more, for the sun itself shall be darkened, but the soulborn of God, washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb, shall beeternally safe in the possession and enjoyment of an inheritance whichis incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. Repent, therefore, and believe the Gospel, that your sins may be blotted outin this season of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. 

WEDNESDAY, March 9. Meeting again at Churchville. "The Great Prophet"is my subject to-day. Dine at Brother Props's, and stay all night atBrother Zeyk's. 

THURSDAY, March 10. Morning meeting at Mt. Pisgah and night meeting atWhite Hall. Stay at Brother Joseph Harshbarger's. 

FRIDAY, March 11. Our District Council begins at the Valleymeetinghouse. Business is disposed of very satisfactorily andpleasantly. 

SATURDAY, March 12. Get through. Dine at David Wampler's, and stay allnight at Isaac Long's. 

SUNDAY, March 13. Meeting in meetinghouse morning and night. Abeautiful day and night. Stay at Samuel Kline's. 

MONDAY, March 14. Stop awhile at Noah Bowman's. Dine at Joseph Wine's. Call at Joseph Good's. Get home in evening. 

SUNDAY, April 3. Meeting at Ritchey's schoolhouse, in the Gap. Dine atBrother Philip Ritchey's. Stay at Adam Baker's. 

The writer will here relate a conversation he had with SisterCatharine Frank, who was a daughter of Philip Ritchey, who lived veryhigh up among the mountains of Brock's Gap. Brother Ritchey's was afavorite stopping place with Brother Kline and other ministeringbrethren traveling that way. Sister Catharine Frank was buried onWednesday, February 4, 1891. While on her deathbed the above-mentionedconversation took place. In this conversation she expressed herselfready and eager to depart. At the mention of Brother Kline's name hercountenance and voice gave evidence of deep interest. "Ah, " said she, "I never will forget that man. He was as dear to me as my own father. He first led me to think about my soul and my Savior. Often and oftendid I hear him preach, and pray, and sing in our old schoolhouse. AndI do not think, " continued she, "that I ever saw him leave that housewithout first taking all of the young people in reach by the hand oneby one, and saying something in a low voice to each one. I do not knowwhat he said to others; but I know, as if but yesterday, what hewhispered to me. It was this: 'Do not neglect the salvation of yoursoul: _it is the_ ONE THING _needful_. '"

THURSDAY, April 14. Council meeting at the Brush meetinghouse. BrotherJacob Miller is ordained. 

SATURDAY, April 16. Dine at Michael Wine's; call at Noah Lamb's; thenhave council meeting in Hoover's schoolhouse. Stay all night at IsaacShoemaker's. 

SUNDAY, April 17. Meeting in Hoover's schoolhouse. Emmanuel Rodecap isbaptized. 

SUNDAY, June 5. This morning I am at Manasseh Judy's, in Hardy County, Virginia, on South Mill Creek. My eyes behold what they have neverbefore witnessed, viz, a killing frost in June. The corn which, up today before yesterday, was vigorous in its growth and generally over afoot high, is this morning frozen to the ground. The heading wheat isfrozen stiff. Forward grass is greatly damaged. Vegetable gardens willall have to be reset. What may be the effect of this frost upon theliving of the people, or how far it may extend, I know not. It may bethat the Lord is pleased to make this an occasion by which his people, in more favored parts of our land, can add greatly to their "crowns ofrejoicing" by ministering out of their abundance to the necessities ofthis blighted region. 

From Manasseh Judy's I go fourteen miles down Mill Creek and across toEnoch Hyre's on the South Branch of the Potomac, and all the wheatfields and corn fields in sight of the road look very much as if theymight have had a shower of boiling hot rain. So nearly alike are theeffects of extreme cold and extreme heat upon vegetation. 

MONDAY, June 6. Meeting at Enoch Hyre's. I speak with a weight upon mymind. If all had strong faith it would be different. But the faith ofsome is weak, and many have very little or no faith at all. Whencalamities come, like the one that now broods over the land, it issomewhat difficult to make those of weak faith still feel that God islove, and that he makes all things work together for good to them thatlove him. I can do no more in the way of comforting these people thanto point them to the promises of the divine Word. These are man's onlyassurance that God is supremely just and good and that he can do _noevil_. The Psalmist David said: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall notwant. " He likewise says: "I have been young, and now I am old, yethave I never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. "But it is only the eye of faith that can see the light behind thecloud. If necessary, God can make the barrel of meal and the cruse ofoil as unfailing now as in the days of Elijah the Tishbite. My faithin him is sealed with a seal that I hope will never be broken. 

Attend an afternoon meeting at old man Parks's. Stay all night atJames Parks's. 

TUESDAY, June 7. Meeting at Bethel. Speak from Mark 4:24. Afternoonmeeting at Jacob Cosner's. Speak from Hebrews 6:4, 5, 6, 7. 

These words have a fearful sound, and much thought should be given totheir interpretation; and they should be well considered and dueself-examination gone through before any one presumes to apply theirterrific meaning to himself. After much study and research, I am ledto believe that they apply specifically to the apostate Jews. Therejection and crucifixion of Christ was their great sin. "His blood beon us and on our children, " they cried. They invoked and accepted theguilt of his cruel death. But God, in that mercy which endurethforever, was willing to forgive even this sin upon their repentanceand faith. The veil was removed from the eyes of some. They "wereenlightened; they tasted of the heavenly gift, " which is the Lord'spardoning mercy. They were made partakers of the Holy Ghost; theytasted of the good Word of God; they felt the powers of the world tocome; that is, they were impressed with a belief in a future state:and all these expressions summed up together mean that they becameChristians. 

But some of these Christians departed from the faith. They stumbledand fell. In this act they rejected the Christ the second time, andput him to an open shame. This, in God's sight, was just the same ascrucifying him afresh. They had crucified him once, and were forgiven, because they did it ignorantly in unbelief. But now these that havebeen enlightened to the extent described in the text cannot be excusedon the ground of ignorance, because they were enlightened to know whatthey were doing. Their rejecting him must therefore be a deliberate, willful act. Can any one ever repent of what he has done deliberately, understandingly, premeditatedly, and with clear knowledge of all thefacts in the case? Paul, at least here in the text, says that it isimpossible to renew these apostate Jews to repentance. 

But let none of us, brethren and sisters, be unnecessarily alarmed atthe text; but let us rather repent, if we have sinned, and draw nearand yet nearer to our blessed Jesus and only Savior in a loving andfaithfully obedient life. We need not fear that he will ever cast usoff. "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast off. " TheChristian's only danger lies in his casting the Lord off: not in thathe will reject us, but in that we reject him. But, beloved Brethren, take courage. Ye do not feel, I know ye feel not, to cast off yourLord and say to him: "Depart from me, for I desire not the knowledgeof thy ways!" Ye rather say: "Come, Lord Jesus. " Come into my soul. Fill me with thyself:

 "Take my body, spirit, soul; Only Thou possess the whole. "

This is just the way he wants you to feel. He wants you to giveyourself wholly to him. He also says: "Rejoice evermore: pray withoutceasing: in everything give thanks: for this is the will of Godrespecting you. "

WEDNESDAY, June 8. Meeting at Greenland. Speak on the "Great Supper. "Dine at Solomon Michael's; visit Michael and Thomas Lion's; stay allnight at James Hilkey's. 

THURSDAY, June 9. Come to the Pine Swamp. Dine at William Abernathy's, and stay all night at John Abernathy's. Fine day. 

FRIDAY, June 10. Meeting at William Abernathy's. In afternoon passthrough Bloomington, and on to William Broadwater's, where I stay allnight. Cold and cloudy day. 

SATURDAY, June 11. Frost again this morning. Come to David Beachley'sfor dinner; then walk to meeting and back. Meeting at Miller's barn. 

SUNDAY, June 12. Meeting in three places: in the Elk Creekmeetinghouse, and in Miller's two barns. In the house I speak onExodus 14:13. I here give the text, and some of the leading thoughtsin my discourse: TEXT. --"And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show toyou to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall seethem again no more forever. "

No father, in seeking to quell the needless fears of his child, couldever use words more tender and pathetic than these. They flow rightfrom the heart, even from the heart of our Father in heaven. I oftenthink how appropriately they might be addressed to a dying saint. These Egyptians, the temptations from our old nature, which, likehounds upon our track, are constantly trying to overtake us, will allbe left behind as soon as the eyes are closed in death. "Fear not;stand still; and see the salvation which the Lord will show to youto-day: for the Egyptians whom you see to-day, you shall see themagain no more forever. " Precious words would these be to one sick atheart of sin and suffering, and longing to be freed from their power. But these words may instruct us who are still healthy and strong, andhold our places in the ranks to perform our part in the battle oflife. 

This text has been criticised by some as being opposed to progress. The command to "stand still" is the mark at which the criticism hasbeen aimed. But those who talk and think in this way fail to observethat the Lord did not say this to the hosts of Israel until after theyhad done all they could do, and gone as far as they could go. And whenthey then became fearful, and in great danger of being seized by apanic, and scattered to the four winds, he gave them the wise counseland glorious promise found in the text. Its great lesson to us isimplied rather than expressed. 

FIRST. _We are to do what God commands, and go where he leads theway. _ This should be our aim at this our Annual Meeting. I sometimesfear that we do not think and act with an eye to spreading the Gospelas we should. It is not the way for us to stand still before our partis done. In this and adjoining States, many, in various sections, havenever heard a genuinely true gospel sermon. Why could not these beconverted to a true faith and life as well as others? To be saved, they need the same Gospel that we have. I am daily encouraged in mytravels by finding some in every section who have already received, and others who are ready to receive our doctrines and practices wherethey have been faithfully preached by us. And how can they help it!The straight line of truth is easily followed. Truth, when rightlypresented, is not hard to see, because it lights up everything. It islike the pillar of fire that illuminated the whole camp of Israelthroughout the darkest night. But error is never bright like truth. Itis like a cloud before the sun. And I am not sure but that theapocalyptic vision of hail and fire mingled with blood was a symbol ofthe perverted doctrines that are now being showered upon the peoplefrom the clouds of error that float over the land. We may be tooslack. The Lord expects us to do our part. It is only when we havedone this that we have a right to stand still. I sometimes stand stillby the bedside of the sick, when I feel that I have done all that Ican do. Sometimes, after having exhausted all arguments andinducements at my command to lead a sinner to repent and turn to theLord, I stand still. But I have no right to stand still so long asthere is one afflicted body capable of receiving help, or one unsavedsoul within my reach. "There is a sin unto death: I do not say thatyou shall pray for it. "

SECOND. After having done all we can do, we are quietly and calmly toleave results with God. All our fear, and chafing, and anxiety passfor worse than nothing. When our nearest and dearest ones are at thepoint of death no amount of agony and tears, with wringing of hands, or convulsions even, can avail anything. The very best we can do insuch cases is to stand still. 

But one thought more. Let us, dear brethren and sisters, stand on safeground. We may stand, and "_stand still_, " on very dangerous ground. The only place where it is ever safe to stand is on the Rock of Ages, the Rock which is Christ. Poised on this Rock, we need not fear. Noearthquake will ever shake the Rock of our salvation. 

Very fine weather to-day. Stay at Daniel Miller's. 

MONDAY, June 13. This morning organize the Standing Committee, andtake in queries. Get through forming subcommittees by three o'clock. Stay at Daniel Miller's. Rain to-day. 

TUESDAY, June 14. Subcommittees get through reporting to-day. Verypleasant weather to-day. Stay at Miller's again. 

WEDNESDAY, June 15. Work through by quarter past two o'clock. Go backto David Beachley's; get Nell, and Brother Daniel Thomas and I come toBrother Broadwater's and stay all night. Some rain to-day. 

THURSDAY, June 16. Dine at Brother Samuel Arnold's, and have nightmeeting at Susanna Arnold's. Brother Daniel Thomas speaks from thefirst Psalm. As a propagator and defender of our faith he has fewequals in the Virginia arms of the church. We stay all night atBenjamin Leatherman's. Fine day. 

FRIDAY, June 17. Dine and feed our horses in Moorefield, and get toNimrod Judy's, where we stay all night. 

SATURDAY, June 18. Get home. 

SUNDAY, July 24. Go to Ritchey's schoolhouse, in the Gap. IsaacRodecap's wife is baptized. Dine at Philip Ritchey's, and have eveningmeeting at Addison Harper's. A few references to the life of BrotherAddison Harper may not be out of place here. The Editor was intimatelyacquainted with him. Brother Harper's early life was largely passed onthe Atlantic ocean as a sailor. He settled in Rockingham County, Virginia, in the later years of his life, and openly avowed hisdisbelief of holy revelation. A few years prior to the date abovegiven he was honored by the people of his county with a seat in theVirginia State legislature. When the Rebellion broke out in 1861 heraised a company of Confederate volunteers and served as their captainthrough the war. Very soon after the surrender, when worldly ambitionhad succumbed to the direful state of the Southern people, his mindseems to have sought for something more enduring than aught the worldcould offer. He turned to religion with the honest purpose of seekingto learn if _that_ might have in it such proofs of its genuineness andreliability as would give better hopes to his soul than those whichhad so sadly disappointed him in life. One day as he and I were ridingtogether to attend a meeting in which we both took part, I asked himto tell me the secret of the power that had made him a minister in thechurch of the Brethren. Said he, "It is all traceable to two greatfacts: first, the humble, peaceful, moral and charitable lives of themembers; last, the simple and unperverted truths they teach. " "Withoutthe first, " continued he, "the last would have made no impression onmy heart; but the proofs they gave of their _honesty_ in the _first_led me to believe there must be _truth_ in the _last_; and the more Ilearn about it, the more I am convinced that I was right. Johnny Klinerepeatedly preached at my house before the war, but I paid very littleattention to what he said. I always admired his earnestness, and thesimplicity of his manner, but beyond these I paid him but littlerespect outside of the civilities of common decency. But now it isdifferent. I would willingly part with all I have to enjoy but onehour's conversation with him, to but tell him how I now feel towardhim in my _new life_, and how much I now appreciate what I then couldnot understand. "

SATURDAY, August 6. Love feast at Michael Wine's, in the Gap. AbsalomRodecap and wife are baptized by Jacob Miller. Fine day and evening. Iofficiate at love feast. Brother Martain Miller is with us, and hisfeelings are very deeply moved as he proceeds in his discourse. 

The Editor will here add what a very dear sister, now gone to heaven, told him shortly before her death. He read to her the above note inthe Diary, and all at once her face beamed with the happy recollectionand she exclaimed: "I was there at that love feast, and BrotherMartain Miller grew so warm and so happy in his theme that he got frombehind the table, came out into the middle of the room, and spoke asif talking to each one personally. "

We stay all night at Andrew Turner's. 

SUNDAY, August 7. Meeting at Hoover's schoolhouse. I baptize DavidHoover. 

MONDAY, August 29. Last night the sky presented a very wonderfulappearance. It was luminous with a scarlet light nearly throughout theentire night. What it may portend I know not. People may brand mesuperstitious, but I can not resist the impression that this, withother signs, betokens the shedding of blood in our land. 

WEDNESDAY, August 31. Daniel Thomas and I start on a journey to thewestern counties of Virginia. Stay first night at Nimrod Judy's, andhave night meeting at Zion. TEXT. --John 15:3. 

THURSDAY, September 1. Meeting and love feast at John Judy's on SouthMill Creek. Speak on John 14:6. 

FRIDAY, September 2. Meeting at Martain Wise's, near the Upper Track. Psalm 19:7, 8. 

SATURDAY, September 3. Cross the Branch mountain to William Adamson'sat the mouth of Seneca. Seneca is a small stream from the east side ofthe Alleghany mountain falling into the North Fork of the South Branchof the Potomac. The scenery at the mouth of Seneca is probablyunsurpassed by any in Virginia. The perpendicular walls of solid rockhundreds of feet high present a scene of surpassing grandeur. Nightmeeting at the meetinghouse on Seneca. Subject, Luke 24:46, 47. Stayall night at the widow Cooper's. Brother Daniel Thomas is very muchimpressed with the sublime sights we witnessed to-day. 

SUNDAY, September 4. Meeting at 10 o'clock. Subject, 1 Cor. 1:18. Council in the afternoon. Asa Jarman is elected speaker, andWashington Summerfield deacon. 

MONDAY, September 5. Meeting at Abraham Summerfield's. Stay all nightat Brother Levi Wilmot's. 

TUESDAY, September 6. Cross the Alleghany mountain; dine at Brother J. Simon's; call at Samuel Pirkey's; and stay at Charles W. Burk's inRandolph. We passed through extensive forests to-day of beautiful andmajestic timber, comprising wild cherry, tamarack, sugar-maple andother kinds of trees which invite the woodman's axe. The means fortransportation alone are wanting to make this an immensely profitablelumber region. 

WEDNESDAY, September 7. Go back to Brother Simon's for dinner and havenight meeting in the meetinghouse. John 15 is read. Heavy fog thismorning, but a fair day follows. 

THURSDAY, September 8. Meeting again at the same place. Same subjectwe spoke on yesterday continued to-day. Brother Daniel Thomas is ahost. He possesses the rare ability to adapt his words and thoughts tothe mental states of these plain-minded people. "Milk for babes;strong food for men, " seems to be his rule. And a wise rule it is. Ihave to guard against "inordinate affection" for him. 

FRIDAY, September 9. Still in Randolph County. Dine at John Simon's, and stay all right at Henry Wilson's. Pleasant weather. 

SATURDAY, September 10. Meeting begins at one o'clock. Love feast atnight. Fine day and evening. Jacob Nickolas is elected to thedeaconship. 

It may interest the reader to be informed that the two brethren arenow, and for some days have been, in a sparsely settled region. Highmountains separated the habitable valleys. Great progress has beenmade, and is still going on, in the upbuilding of the social state ofthese people, as well as the improvement of the country. Those livingin the highly cultivated States of our Union can hardly bring theirminds to realize the conditions in which these people lived at thetime that Brother Kline and Brother Thomas were laboring so faithfullyamong them. Let me sketch a picture of the average house, itssurroundings, and its occupants: It is a log house, built up bynotching the ends of the logs so as to fit together at the corners, and rises high enough to make one full story below and a half storyabove. A huge chimney of stone is built up on the outside, with thewide fireplace inside. The chinks between the logs are filled up witha mortar composed of clay and straw. The chimney is supplied with oneextra small flue at the side of the large flue, and at the bottom ofthis small flue, about four feet above the hearth, is a small openingfor light. This light is produced from the burning of small pieces ofrich pine knots placed in the small opening, and as one piece burnsout another is inserted, the smoke from the pine, the meanwhile, beingall carried off through the small flue. Above the door of entranceantlers in pairs may be seen carefully fastened to the side of thehouse, as evidences of success in deer hunting. And more than once didthe two brethren ministers feast on venison in the present journey, for it was the chosen season for deer hunting. When the house isapproached by a stranger, the father, if present, stands near the doorwith a doubtful look, as much as to ask within himself: "Who can thatbe, and what is fetching him here?" He has, however, a kind heartunder a rough exterior. His wife is diffident at first introduction, but gain her confidence by true Christian behavior, and you find theheart of the true woman in her. The children retire upon a stranger'sfirst entering the house: but let him show a love for them; let himlearn their names and ages as one by one they make their appearance, ranging in this respect according to the different degrees ofbackwardness and modesty with them; let him notice them with lovinglooks and gentle words, and they will soon play with his watch-chain, and ask him what it is for. 

I have now given an outline sketch of many a family in thesemountainous regions, in whose hearts Brother Kline never failed tofind a welcome, and in whose house a home. He loved the people and thepeople loved him. But all this has passed into history. The church hasnever had but one Johnny Kline, and it can never have another. Even ifborn, the conditions for his development, and the sphere for hislabors, have both passed away. The Editor is happy to feel that he, bya wonderful providence, has been made the humble instrument by whichthe life-work of a great and good man has been snatched from the jawsof oblivion. 

SUNDAY, September 11. Meeting at Brother Henry Wilson's. Luke 13 isread. Night meeting at Brother Jacob Nickolas's, in his house. Subject, Rom. 13:11, 12. Stay there all night. Very pleasant weather. 

MONDAY, September 12. Come to Philippa, in Barbour County. Stop atDavid Kline's. Dine at Peter Reid's. Afternoon meeting at Peck's Runmeetinghouse. Acts 3 is read. Stay all night at Philip Dupoy's. Fineday. 

TUESDAY, September 13. Come to Brother Joseph Houser's, two miles fromBuckhannon. Meeting and love feast. Matthew 20 is read. Fine day andevening. 

WEDNESDAY, September 14. Meeting. Subject, Acts 2:37, 38. One manbaptized. In council Jacob Houser was elected speaker, and BrotherHess deacon. 

THURSDAY, September 15. Come to Wilson Osborn's on Middle Fork river. After dinner, cross the mountain to Valley river; stop and stay allnight at William Kern's. 

FRIDAY, September 16. Cross Cheat mountain, thirty-five miles, and getto Brother John Riley's, where we stay all night. 

SATURDAY, September 17. Wonderful rain last night. Waters higher thanthey have been in a long time. Meeting at Liberty meetinghouse. Subject, Luke 24:46, 47. Stay all night at Adam Hevner's. Cloudy andmisty, but waters partly run off. 

SUNDAY, September 18. Sky almost clear this morning. Promise of a fairday. Meeting again at Liberty meetinghouse. Subject, "The GreatCommission, " Matt. 28:18, 19, 20. Come to John Riley's, where we stayall night. Clears up beautifully to-day. Our congregations have notbeen large, but they have appeared to pay attention to what has beensaid. A preacher of Brother Daniel Thomas's power cannot fail toimpress an audience. He enjoys the rare ability of analyzing andarranging his subject matter in a way that makes its presentation easyto be understood. I have observed a very important truth, and I amlearning its lessons more and more every day, that people can beinterested only in what they understand. Uneducated people, andchildren even, will listen with attention to what they understand. Paul perceived this truth. Hence he said: "I would rather speak fivewords with the understanding, than ten thousand in an unknown tongue. "Paul got at the very root of the truth, for his remarks imply that noman can make a thought clear to the mind of another unless it be firstclear to his own mind. "If the blind lead the blind, both will fallinto the ditch together. "

MONDAY, September 19. Dine at Adam Hevner's; come to Greenbank, toDunmore post office; then to Shenaberger's, but we cannot get acrossthe river. We then go five miles down the river and cross on a bridgeover to Knapp's Creek, and stay all night at William Harper's. 

TUESDAY, September 20. Afternoon meeting near Harper's. Subject, Heb. 12:12. Stay all night at the widow Harper's. 

WEDNESDAY, September 21. The widow Harper and Abraham Rankin aremarried this morning. Meeting at Andrew Harold's in Mt. Vernon. Subject, Matt. 7:21. After dinner we cross the Alleghany mountain toAlexander Gilmore's, on Back Creek. Night meeting at Green Hill. John1 is read. Stay all night at John Divner's. Much rain this morning. 

THURSDAY, September 22. We return to Gilmore's and get our horses, having walked from there to Green Hill and back to Divner's. FromGilmore's we cross over to Jackson's river, and have meeting at ValleyChapel. Brother Daniel Thomas preached to-day. His subject was 1 Cor. 1:8. Go with James Terry and take dinner with him. Night meeting atValley Chapel. Subject, "The Conversion of Saul. " Stay all night atJames Terry's. 

FRIDAY, September 23. Come to new meetinghouse on Stony Run. Preachthe funeral of Robert Gwynn. Subject, Heb. 9:28. Dine at DavidStephenson's. Come to Godlove Hindgartner's; night meeting; subject, Matthew 11, three last verses. Fine day. 

SATURDAY, September 24. Morning meeting at Hindgartner's. Subject, Matthew 7, last paragraph. After dinner preach the funeral of old manRobinson's wife. Subject, 1 Peter 1, last three verses. 

SUNDAY, September 25. Meeting again at Hindgartner's. Subject, Heb. 12:14. I could wish that thousands could have heard Brother DanielThomas to-day. As he spoke of the holiness without which no man shallsee the Lord, setting forth in strong and clear light what it is tolive a holy life, tears of penitence fell from many eyes. 

MONDAY, September 26. Come across to Liberty meetinghouse, on the BullPasture river in Highland County, Virginia. Subject, Luke 8:18. Dineat Dr. Pullen's; then come to Amos Deahl's on the Cow Pasture river inthe same county and stay all night. 

TUESDAY, September 27. Come by way of the Calf Pasture river, inAugusta County, to the pleasant home of Brother Daniel Thomas, whoseems very well pleased to find himself at home again and all well, after an absence with me of four weeks to the day. In Isaiah 52:7 weread these words: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet ofhim that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringethgood tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth. " These words prophetically set forth the Lord in thebeauty of his holy life and good will toward men. His feet symbolizehis outward life. This was beautiful in the highest degree. No angryword, no impure thought, no covetous feeling, no revengeful motive, nounholy desire ever found a place in his heart; but, instead of these, gentleness, goodness, meekness, kindness, temperance, mercy, forgiveness, and charity, or universal and unvarying good will towardmen, characterized the whole of his good life as the outflow of hisgood heart. In respect to these graces of our Lord, Brother DanielThomas sets an example worthy of imitation. In the four weeks we havespent together I have not heard a word from his lips that I thoughtunwise, or seen an act of his body or hands that I thought not good. This is my testimony of him in secret before God. 

WEDNESDAY, September 28. Get home. 

SUNDAY, October 2. Meeting and love feast at the Lost Rivermeetinghouse. Acts 3 is read. Brother John Harshberger officiates atlove feast. Stay all night at Jacob Mathias's. Pleasant day andevening. Brother Daniel Thomas and Brother John Harshberger in theirrelation to the work of the church remind me of the relation which thelead-horse bears to the off-wheel horse in a team of four. Each hashis place: the one as much needed as the other; varied in talent andusefulness, yet working together, the load goes on beautifully, andthe roughness of the way is forgotten. 

WEDNESDAY, October 5. Meeting and love feast at our meetinghouse. Great concourse of people present. Christian Keffer, of Maryland, andDavid Long are with us. Fine day and night. 

SATURDAY, October 15. Brother Kline and Brother John Harshbergerstarted in company of each other to the Piedmont counties on the eastside of the Blue Ridge mountain. How long they contemplated stayingthere, the Diary does not say. The first appointment they expected tofill was met without a congregation. It had either not been properlygiven out and circulated, or the people did not wish to come. 

Brother Kline preached one sermon on this trip, at a place called GoodHope, in the county of Madison, Virginia. But from the spirit of theDiary more than from its direct letter the inference is clear that thename belied the character of the place, and that instead of Good Hopeit should be Bad Despair. His subject was Rev. 14:6, "I saw anotherangel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel topreach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, andkindred, and tongue, and people. "

The selection of this text shows a lofty sense of propriety in BrotherKline. He was here among a people largely opposed to the views andfeelings of the Brethren on the slave question which was, at thisparticular time, fearfully agitating the public mind. But the abovetext was at once a passport in his hand to go "with the everlastinggospel" in his mouth to preach to every nation, and kindred, andtongue, and people. It showed at once that his mission was love, andthe end peace. Many preachers in the South about this time adopted thefollowing motto: "Keep politics out of religion; but put all thereligion you can into politics. " This means: Pour the pure water ofLife into the cesspools of wickedness and deceit to cleanse them. Thisis worse, if possible, than giving what is holy to dogs, or castingpearls before swine. It is as "the sons of God going in unto thedaughters of men, and bringing forth _giants_--" giants of iniquity. If every man and every woman in our land were filled with godliness, politics, in its popular sense, would vanish. Governments wouldcontinue, it is true, but the spirit of their administration wouldmake duty their joy, and love their law. 

Finding little encouragement in these parts, the two brethren soonstarted homeward through Page County, stopping one night at BrotherHamilton Varner's, and one night at Brother Isaac Spitler's, where, ateither place, they could again enjoy the breath of love and theheartbeat of peace. 

SATURDAY, December 31. At home. In this year I traveled 3, 929 miles, mostly on Nell's back. Good, patient Nell!

WEDNESDAY, February 29, 1860. Up to this date there is nothing ofspecial interest in the Diary. It is mainly a record of visits in theway of medical attendance upon the sick; matters relating to thechurch; meetings attended, and neighborhood items of business lookedafter and settled. Brother Kline assisted Brother John J. Bowman insurveying lands. He also wrote wills and deeds, making himself usefulin almost every way in which an active man of eminently practical goodsense can serve his neighborhood and country. I here give his entry inthe Diary for this day exactly as it stands, word for word:

 "WEDNESDAY, February 29. Go to Benjamin Miller's. Old Sister Miller is buried; seventy-four years, five months and ten days old; buried at Myers's graveyard. Preach at Green Mount; dine at Jacob Miller's; then come by Strine's home; rain in the afternoon. "

The Editor was present at this funeral, and very well remembers someof Brother Kline's words. He said that instead of being distressed orgrieved at the departure of one whose measure of life was so full ofthe good works of faith and love, thereby showing eminent fitness forheaven, we should rather rejoice. He spoke of the wisdom and fortitudewith which she had borne her separation from her husband, the dearlyremembered Elder Daniel Miller, years before. It is true, said he, herchildren cared for her with all the tender assiduities that love couldsuggest; they still could not completely fill the place of the one whoshe had fondly hoped would be the earthly comforter of her decliningyears. She lived and died with her youngest son, Benjamin Miller, who, at this time [1899], has the oversight of the Green Mount church. Shewas the mother of eighteen children. Sixteen of these grew up tomanhood and womanhood. Six of her sons, viz, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Benjamin and Frederick, were put into the ministry, and allserved the church acceptably. Most of these are now fallen asleep. Buttheir children are filling their places; and how long this remarkablesister may continue to work in the vineyard of the Lord, through herchildren and children's children, time only can tell. 

I well remember that Brother Kline, on this occasion, was the first torise. After a few brief but appropriate remarks, he lined out thatjoyful old hymn:

 "There is a land of pure delight; Where saints immortal reign. .. . "

At the close of the singing he led in prayer, and the burden of hisprayer was thanksgiving for the glorious hope set before us in theGospel. He then delivered a brief but feeling address suited to theoccasion; and Brother Benjamin Bowman, after giving some interestingfacts connected with the Miller family, closed the church services. 

THURSDAY, March 15. This day Brother Kline spends in Washington City. He visits the Representatives' chamber, the Senate chamber, the Patentoffice, and other places of public interest. His business, however, isat Alexandria, in connection with the Manassas Gap Railroad Company. He is in attendance at a meeting of the officers and stockholders ofsaid company in the city of Alexandria to-night; makes his report ofthe amount of stock in said company which Rockingham County is willingto take; hears it accepted, and next day returns home. Brother Klinewas deeply interested in this company's road. It is the same which nowpasses close along by his place; but he did not live to see itscompletion. 

THURSDAY, March 22. Council meeting at the old meetinghouse aboveHarrisonburg. Brother John Flory is elected to the Word, and JosephGood to the deaconship. Dine at William Byrd's and at night attend alecture on feet-washing in Dayton, Virginia. Stay all night at BrotherSolomon Garber's. 

FRIDAY, March 23. This day Brother Kline, in company of BrotherSolomon Garber, starts up the Valley of Virginia, on horseback, tothe District Conference appointed to meet at the Valley meetinghouse, in Botetourt County, on Friday, March 30; distant from Brother Kline'shome somewhat over one hundred miles. 

SATURDAY, March 24. Dine and feed at Brother Samuel Zink's; then on toBrother James Sprous's, five miles beyond; and from there to meetingat Chestnut Grove, two miles distant. Subject, 1 Thess. 5:9. 

Brother Daniel Brower, of Augusta County, joined company with themabout this time. On

SUNDAY, March 25, they have meeting at Carr's Creek meetinghouse, andstay all night at Brother Danner's. 

MONDAY, March 26. They stay at Brother William Runnell's. 

TUESDAY, March 27. They have meeting in Hampton schoolhouse; dine atJonas Hill's, and have night meeting at Rapp's church. They stay allnight at Mathias Rapp's. 

WEDNESDAY, March 28. Stay all night at John Pursley's. 

THURSDAY, March 29. Dine at Sister Sarah Grabeil's, and stay atBrother Peter Nininger's. 

FRIDAY, March 30 and SATURDAY, March 31. They attend conference at theValley meetinghouse. On

SUNDAY, April 1, they attend meeting at the church, and dividing outgo to other appointments in reach. 

MONDAY, April 2. They start homeward. 

SUNDAY, April 15. Brother James Turner is very sick. I wait on himto-day. 

SUNDAY, May 13. Meeting at Ritchey's schoolhouse. Hebrews 4 is read. Stay with James Turner all night. He seems a little better. 

This is the last night that Brother Kline ever stayed with BrotherJames Turner. On

MONDAY, May 14, he took leave of him and started on his way to theAnnual Meeting in Tennessee, never to see Brother Turner's face againin this world, for in his absence Brother Turner died. 

TUESDAY, May 15. Arrive at Brother Benjamin Moomaw's, where I stay allnight. 

WEDNESDAY, May 16. Call at Brother David Plain's; then to meeting atBethel. Subject, John 14:24. Dine at Brother Moomaw's. Sup at JacobBonsack's: then to night meeting. Brother Jacob Miller speaks. Hissubject is the General Epistle of Jude, his discourse being made up ofremarks upon the spirit and general scope of the epistle. Stay allnight at Daniel Kiser's. Fine weather. 

THURSDAY, May 17. Arrive at Brother John Lear's, who meets us at theUnion depot. Stay all night with him. 

FRIDAY, May 18. Meeting at Knapp's Creek meetinghouse. Matthew 5 isread. Dine at young Benjamin Basehore's. Then to meetinghouse again. Subject, "The Pure River of the Water of Life. " Revelation 22. Stayall night at Peter Basehore's. 

SATURDAY, May 19. Come to Joseph Bowman's; then go to Jonesborough, Washington County, Tennessee. Dr. Alpheus Dove is located here, and Ispend the day and night with him. 

SUNDAY, May 20. Stop at Conrad Basehore's. Forenoon meeting at theValley meetinghouse. Matthew 11 is read. Dine at Brother ConradBasehore's. Meeting in afternoon. John 3:7 is my subject. Sup atBrother Joseph Bowman's and stay there all night. 

MONDAY, May 21. Visit David Bowman's, Daniel Bowman's, Sears's, andget back to Joseph Bowman's for dinner. Toward evening go to BrotherDaniel Crouse's, where I stay all night. Fine weather. 

TUESDAY, May 22. Meeting in Brother Henry Swadley's barn. I give ageneral talk on the fifteenth chapter of John. Stay all night atBrother David Garst's. 

WEDNESDAY, May 23. Come to Henry Linaweaver's; dine at Brother SamuelMiller's, and in afternoon have meeting at the Seceder's meetinghouse. Subject, "The Great Prophet. " Stay all night at Brother John Nead's. Fine day. 

THURSDAY, May 24. Afternoon meeting at Brother Benjamin Basehore's. Mysubject, Matthew 11, last three verses. Stay there all night. 

FRIDAY, May 25. Stop at Emmanuel Arnold's. Meeting in the Limestonemeetinghouse. After meeting, deliberate in committee on the best waysand means for a more extended and general spread of the Gospel. Allthe members of the committee seemed to be impressed with theimportance of the matter under consideration. All agreed that it isnot contrary to gospel order for the church to help such preachers asare not able, from poverty, to do what their ability as ministerswould enable them to do, if they could spare the time from their workat home to go more. Many fields are still white unto the harvest. TheLord may be to-day saying: "I have much people in this city, " or inthis place. By this he means, ready to accept salvation and become hispeople whenever the door of the church is fairly opened up to them. Stay all night at Brother David Clepper's. 

SATURDAY, May 26. Meeting at the meetinghouse. D. P. Saylor, H. Koontz, and James Quinter all speak. Ephesians 2 was read. In the afternoonPeter Nead spoke to a very large and attentive audience. 

SUNDAY, May 27. A very heavy rain comes up to-day about meeting time. We nevertheless have forenoon and afternoon services in themeetinghouse. Stay all night at Brother Michael Basehore's. 

MONDAY, May 28. Gather at the meetinghouse. Organize. Take inquestions: discuss some of them. Fine, delightful day. Stay at BrotherEmmanuel Arnold's. 

TUESDAY, May 29. Get through with the business at three o'clock. Brother Quinter and I come to Jonesborough, where he delivers a sermonin the Presbyterian church. Subject, Rom. 1:17. TEXT. --"_The justshall live by faith. _"

This text was Luther's sword. With it he slew more of the enemies ofthe Reformation than Samson slew of the Philistines with the jawboneof an ass. The text readily suggests two questions. 

 _I. Who are the just?_

_II. What is faith?_

These two questions being clearly answered, the grand copula, uponwhich the meaning and force of the text depends, is readily understoodas to the quality of the life which it involves. It evidently means agood life, a holy life, an obedient life, a humble life, a pure lifeout of a pure heart. It means that the just or righteous shall live alife conformed in all respects to the character of that state of heartin which love to God holds dominant rule, and subordinate love to manprompts to a life of vital charity. 

I. _Who are the just?_ The just, in the sense of the text, are thosewho are righteous, and who desire to grow more and more righteous inGod's sight. Men may be righteous in their own sight, and veryunrighteous in God's sight. And precisely the reverse of this: theymay be great sinners in their own sight, and just or righteous inGod's sight. This last state was Paul's experience when he pronouncedhimself "the chief of sinners. " He felt that he was righteous or justin God's eye; but in his own eye, enlightened by the Word and Spiritof the Lord, he was vile. This consciousness gave vent to manyexclamations such as these: "O wretched man that I am! who shalldeliver me from the body of this death?" Again: "For I know that inme, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing. " On the otherhand, the Pharisee, who stood praying in the temple was righteous inhis own view of himself, and "thanked God that he was not as othermen"--a sinner like unto them, he meant, of course. This line ofthought suggests another question:

_How are men to become righteous or just?_ "For the scripture hathconcluded all under sin. " This same apostle tells us that "we arejustified [made righteous] by faith; . .. For with the heart manbelieveth unto righteousness. " Probably no passage of Scripture hasbeen subject to worse misconstructions than this one. It has been madeto teach that a mere declaration of faith in Christ procures theinstantaneous forgiveness of all sin, passes the sinner out of deathinto life, makes him a regenerate child of God, and gives him aninalienable title to citizenship in heaven. But I have not so learnedChrist, nor do I understand Paul to teach anything like this. I do notdeny that a sincere and heart confession of Christ is a step, thefirst step, to these heavenly blessings; but I do deny that Christianperfection rests upon a naked confession of him by the mouth. Thethoughtless sinner does not know Christ. He has never in heart so muchas asked the question: "Who is he, Lord, that I may believe on him?"God has never been in all his thoughts. "The world knew him not, " andthe world knows him not now. When one, then, is suddenly wrought uponby some influence as was the Philippian jailer, by which, in hisdistress, he cries out, "What must I do to be saved?" the answer thatPaul gave is exactly the right answer. "Believe in the Lord JesusChrist, and thou shalt be saved. " And this leads to my second and lastquestion:

_What is faith?_ I will here give Paul's definition. We come to God byfaith. "And he that cometh unto God"--or to Christ the same--"mustbelieve that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligentlyseek him. " Faith must, then, be the very first step in the directionof receiving good from the Lord. We see striking examples of this inthe life of Jesus on earth. What brought the throng from alldirections that attended and even pressed him? It was faith, thebelief that he could do them good. But it was not spiritual orheavenly good they sought so much as bodily good. Jesus reminded themof this in the words: "Ye seek me, not because of the miracles, --" notbecause you desire proofs of my divine power to save your souls frometernal death, --"but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled. "But true faith, the faith that saves the soul, the faith by which thejust shall live, is _a loving acceptance of the Word of God; everyword that proceedeth out of the mouth of God; for by this doth manlive_. And how does man live by it? By obeying it, by making itsprecepts the rule and guide of his life. By faith the Word becomes "alamp unto his path. " "It is as the light that shineth more and moreunto the perfect day. " All who believe the Lord's words, as containedin our New Testament, because they love their truth, and from theheart desire to live, --this means, order their lives and conduct bythem, --believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. And these have the promise ofeternal life: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his onlybegotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, buthave everlasting life. "

These were the leading thoughts in Brother Quinter's discourse to-day. We stay all night in Jonesborough with Dr. Alpheus Dove. 

WEDNESDAY, May 30. Go back to the meetinghouse where the AnnualMeeting was held; arrange some matters left back in our hands; then gotogether to Brother Jacob Nead's, where we stay all night. 

THURSDAY, May 31. Start homeward. 

SUNDAY, July 22. Meeting at Turner's schoolhouse in the Gap. BrotherSolomon Garber is with me. Mark 12 is read. Dine at the widow JamesTurner's, and go to James Fitzwater's, where we stay all night on ourway to some of the western counties of Virginia. 

The counties to which the two brethren were going are included in WestVirginia, which, as is well known, was organized a State during theRebellion. The people living among the mountains are generallyhospitable, and much attached to the scenes of their childhood andthat wild freedom of nature found in the mountains that surround them. The motto engraved upon the State Seal of West Virginia is veryexpressive and appropriate, and in Latin reads thus: "_Montani libersemper sunt_. " Translated, it reads thus: "Mountaineers are everfree. " The people are noted for the attention with which they listento the preaching of the Gospel. Brother Kline often spoke of thepleasure it gave him to preach in these sections, because the Word wasreceived with so much readiness. His success among them proved this. They were devotedly attached to him; and it is questionable if in anypart of the Brotherhood deeper grief was felt over his martyrdom thanthat which filled the hearts of the brethren and sisters and friendsin West Virginia. 

MONDAY, July 23. Cross the Shenandoah mountain over to the South Fork, and have meeting at Zion, in Hardy county, 2 Corinthians 5 was read. Dine at Nimrod Judy's, and in afternoon have a small gathering atLeonard Brake's on the Fork four miles below Zion, for social prayer. We then cross the Fork mountain to John Judy's, on South Mill Creek, where we have night meeting, and stay all night. Attended threemeetings to-day; and traveled thirty-three miles on Nell's back acrosstwo very high mountains. 

TUESDAY, July 24. Meeting at Isaac Judy's, about four miles higher upon the same creek. Brother Solomon Garber spoke from Luke 24:26, "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into hisglory?" He spoke with much clearness and order in his mind. Afterdinner we traveled by way of the Upper Track, across the South Branchmountain, sixteen miles, to Solomon Harman's, near the North Fork. Stay there all night. 

WEDNESDAY, July 25. On this journey Brother Kline has noted thedistance traveled over between one point and the next in most cases. Thus: Come to William Adamson's at the mouth of Seneca (five miles);then to Seneca meetinghouse (two miles); find a congregation; speakfrom John 3:14, 15, 16. Come to Jesse Harper's (two miles); dine; thento widow Cooper's (eight miles); stay all night. 

THURSDAY, July 26. Meeting at widow Cooper's; subject, Luke 14; dine;then have meeting at soldier White's. Subject, 1 John 3:4; then cometo Abraham Summerfield's, where we stay all night. Fine day. 

FRIDAY, July 27. Come to Levi Wilmot's (sixteen miles), and have a twoo'clock meeting. Subject, Matthew 5. Stay there all night. 

SATURDAY, July 28. Cross the mountain to Leading Creek to CharlesBurke's (eight miles); and after dinner have meeting at themeetinghouse (two miles). Council meeting continues till evening. Stayall night at Brother Simon's. 

SUNDAY, July 29. John 6 is read. Brother Solomon Garber speaks fromverses 44 and 45. Council meeting again; considerable discord; getthings partially settled by evening. Stay all night again at BrotherSimon's. 

MONDAY, July 30. Come to Burke's again. Stay all night at BrotherWilson's; fine day, but river high from yesterday's rain, and fords inbad condition and dangerous. 

TUESDAY, July 31. Come to Middle Fork of Cheat river (eight miles), but find the river past fording, and have to go round by the bridge(five miles), and on to Brother George Yager's (five miles), where wedine; then to the meetinghouse, where I speak on John 14:6. We thencome to Peck's Run. Meetinghouse and speak on Rev. 3:20, "Behold, Istand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open thedoor, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. "Stay all night at Philip Dupoy's. Much rain to-day. 

WEDNESDAY, August 1. Afternoon meeting at Houser's (ten miles); speakfrom John 3:16. Stay all night at Houser's. Fine day. 

THURSDAY, August 2. Meeting at ten o'clock, and love feast in theevening. Luke 14 is read. Brother Solomon Garber baptizes Mrs. JacobNeff. Fine day and night. The love feast to-night is a healing balm toour hearts. 

FRIDAY, August 3. Council meeting at Houser's meetinghouse. JosephHouser and Joseph Michael are forwarded to baptize, perform marriageceremonies, and do other work within the defined limits of theirdegree in the ministry. Come to Brother George Yager's (ten miles), where we stay all night. Fine day. I baptized two persons to-day. 

SATURDAY, August 4. After dinner come round by the bridge (six miles)to Middle Fork (five miles), to Union schoolhouse (six miles), andhave meeting. Subject, John 14:16, 17. Stay all night at WilliamWilson's. Clear and warm day. 

SUNDAY, August 5. Very heavy rain throughout the forenoon. Start atone o'clock to Union meetinghouse (seven miles); have meeting. Subject, Mark 4:24. Go to John Skidmore's (five miles), where we stayall night. 

MONDAY, August 6. Come to Josiah Simon's (four miles). We have meetingat the meetinghouse. Make remarks on the general scope of Hebrews 4, and particular remarks on the thirteenth verse. Counsel after meeting. Josiah Simon is forwarded to baptize. We stay all night at LeviWilmot's (six miles). 

TUESDAY, August 7. Dine at John Wiat's; then to Abraham Summerfield's(eighteen miles) to meeting. Subject, Titus 2:11, "For the grace ofGod that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men. " Stay allnight at Thomas S. White's. 

WEDNESDAY, August 8. Come to Seneca meetinghouse (twelve miles). Luke14 is read. Dine at Elburn's; stay all night at Ely Bland's (eightmiles). The entire time between Thursday, July 26, and the above datewe have spent in Randolph County. We are now in Pendleton County. 

THURSDAY, August 9. Come to Circleville on the North Fork of the SouthBranch (seven miles). Meeting in Circleville. Subject, Hebrews 12:1, 2, 3. Dine at Samuel Sollenberger's. Afternoon meeting. BrotherSolomon Garber speaks from Heb. 2:1, 2, 3. Stay all night at SolomonPharo's. 

FRIDAY, August 10. Come to Brother Noah H. Lamb's. Meeting at FriendRun schoolhouse (eight miles). Subject, John 1:11, 12, 13. Dine atNoah H. Lamb's. Meeting at schoolhouse again. Brother Solomon Garberspeaks on conversion and baptism. Nine persons are baptized, viz, NoahH. Lamb and wife, Henry Elyard and wife, Ban Lambert and wife, EliasWimer and wife, and John Wesley Lambert. Fine day but warm. BrotherSolomon Garber's remarks on conversion were very searching. It isdifficult to see how any one, after hearing such a discourse with anunderstanding mind, could be self-deceived. I have great hopes inregard to the genuineness of those who have been baptized to-day. Hisremarks on baptism were necessarily brief, but pointed and clear. Westay all night at Henry Elyard's. 

SATURDAY, August 11. Come to John Hammer's on the South Branch, a fewmiles below Franklin. Have meeting at the home of Jacob Hammer. Subject, Acts 10. Dine at Jacob Hammer's. Meeting in the afternoon. Solomon Garber speaks from James 1. Stay all night at John Hammer's. Fine day. 

SUNDAY, August 12. Come to Mountain Grove (four miles). Speak on John3:4, 5, 6, 7. Dine at John Eye's. Afternoon meeting at Lough's church. Brother Solomon Garber speaks from 2 Cor. 5:17. Come to Joel Siple'swhere we stay all night. 

MONDAY, August 13. Rain last night and this morning. Come to PeterWarnstaff's (seven miles), take dinner with him and his kind motherand sister; and at three o'clock start to John Fulk's, on top ofShenandoah mountain (eight miles), where we stay all night. 

TUESDAY, August 14. Stop awhile at Philip Ritchey's; dine at PhilipBaker's: and in evening get home. 

MONDAY, December 31. Cloudy this morning. Snow eleven inches deep. Iwork at my sleigh. Clears up prettily this evening. I have traveled inthe year 1860, 5, 686 miles; married five couples; preached twentyfunerals, ten for children under ten years of age, one between ten andtwenty, two between thirty and fifty, two between sixty and seventy, and five above seventy. 

TUESDAY, January 1, 1861. The year opens with dark and lowering cloudsin our national horizon. I feel a deep interest in the peace andprosperity of our country; but in my view both are sorely threatenednow. Secession is the cry further south; and I greatly fear itspoisonous breath is being wafted northward towards Virginia on thewings of fanatical discontent. A move is clearly on hand for holding aconvention at Richmond, Virginia; and while its advocates publiclydeny the charge, I, for one, feel sure that it signals the separationof our beloved old State from the family in which she has long livedand been happy. The perishable things of earth distress me not, onlyin so far as they affect the imperishable. Secession means war; andwar means tears and ashes and blood. It means bonds and imprisonments, and perhaps even death to many in our beloved Brotherhood, who, I havethe confidence to believe, will die, rather than disobey God by takingup arms. 

The Lord, by the mouth of Moses, says: "Be sure your sin will find youout. " It may be that the sin of holding three millions of human beingsunder the galling yoke of involuntary servitude has, like the bondageof Israel in Egypt, sent a cry to heaven for vengeance; a cry that hasnow reached the ear of God. I bow my head in prayer. All is dark savewhen I turn my eyes to him. He assures me in his Word that "all thingswork together for good to them that love him. " This is my ground ofhope for my beloved brethren and their wives and their children. Healone can provide for their safety and support. I believe he will doit. 

WEDNESDAY, January 30. Write a letter to John Letcher, Governor ofVirginia, in which I set before him in a brief way the doctrines whichwe as a body or church, known as Brethren, German Baptists orDunkards, have always held upon the subject of obedience to the"rightful authority and power of government. " We teach and are taughtobedience to the "powers that be;" believing as we do that "the powersthat be are ordained of God, " and under his divine sanction so far assuch powers keep within God's bounds. By _God's bounds_ we understandsuch laws and their administrations and enforcements as do notconflict with, oppose, or violate any precept or command contained inthe Divine Word which he has given for the moral and spiritualgovernment of his people. By _government_, to which we as a bodyacknowledge and teach our obligations of duty and obedience, weunderstand rightful human authority. And by this, again, weunderstand, as the Apostle Paul puts it, "the power that protects andblesses the good, and punishes the evildoer. " The general Governmentof the United States of America, constituted upon an inseparable unionof the several States, has proved itself to be of incalculable worthto its citizens and the world, and therefore we, as a church andpeople, are heart and soul opposed to any move which looks toward itsdismemberment. 

This is in substance what I wrote to John Letcher, Governor ofVirginia. 

I likewise attend Abraham Shue's sale: The candidates for seats in theConvention to meet in Richmond were on the ground, actively speakingboth publicly and privately. Mr. George Chrisman, one of them, a manof preëminent wisdom in things relating to government, publicly avowedhimself opposed to secession on the basis of both principle andpolicy. "On the ground of principle, " said he, "secession violates thepledge of sacred honor made by the several States when they set theirhands and seals to the Constitution of the United States. On theground of policy, " continued he, "the secession of Virginia willculminate in the breaking up of her long-cherished institutions, civil, social, and, to some extent, religious. "

FRIDAY, February 1. Write to John T. Harris, our representative inCongress. Beseech him to do all he can to avert the calamity that nowthreatens us, by pouring oil upon the troubled waters until thetempest of passion abates. I esteem him as an incorruptible patriot atheart. May the Lord guide him and all the other lawmakers of our land. 

SATURDAY, February 9. Martha Kline, wife of John B. Kline, dies verysuddenly to-day. 

SUNDAY, February 10. Funeral of our dear sister, Martha Kline, at ourmeetinghouse. TEXT. --"I have fought a good fight; I have finished mycourse; I have kept the faith. " Age, twenty-eight years and eightdays. 

FRIDAY, April 5. Council meeting at our meetinghouse, William Summersand wife, Harvey Fifer and wife, Sophia Fifer, Sally Wampler and SallyHelbert are to-day baptized by Jacob Miller. A terribly malignant typeof diphtheria has recently made its appearance in the ShenandoahValley and is now invading our immediate neighborhood. Four of AndrewCrist's children are now dangerously ill with the disease. Some inother families have died; and others are sick. The outlook, both as tohealth and peace, is very disheartening. But we are admonished in theDivine Word not to fear. The people of God have a better portion thanthis world can give--"an enduring substance, which death can neverreach. "

SUNDAY, April 7. Attend the funeral of Christian Shoemaker in the Gap. His age was about eighty years. 

SUNDAY, April 21. Meeting at our meetinghouse. Great excitement onaccount of secession and war movements. The volunteers are beingcalled out to enter the field of war, and God only knows what the endwill be. There is great commotion everywhere in the realm of thoughtand sentiment, men's hearts failing them for fear, the sea and thewaves of human passion roaring. 

THURSDAY, May 2. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. I this daybaptize Isaac Kline, Lucretia Spitzer, Joseph Wampler and wife, Rebecca Driver, Anna Kline and John McKee's wife. 

FRIDAY, May 3. Go to Nimrod Judy's on the South Fork, where I stay allnight. 

SATURDAY, May 4. Snow this morning. Have meeting at Jess Mitchell's. Second Corinthians 4 is read. Stay all night at John Davis's. 

SUNDAY, May 5. Meeting at Jacob Collers's on the Shenandoah mountain. Luke 10 is read. 

SUNDAY, May 12. Perform the marriage ceremony of James Fitzwater andCatharine Showalter, at the house of her father, Brother AnthonyShowalter. I then attend meeting at the Brush meetinghouse, and aftermeeting witness the baptism by Brother Jacob Spitzer of Mrs. Beahm, Mrs. Henry Frank, Mrs. Hottinger, and two of Michael Showalter'sdaughters. 

FRIDAY, May 17. At home calmly enjoying the company of Dr. JacobDriver, of Allen County, Ohio. 

The Editor was intimately acquainted with Dr. Driver; and as he andBrother Kline were lifelong friends and in later years of their livesbrethren, a brief reminiscence of Dr. Driver will here be given: JacobDriver was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, about the year 1801. His parents came from Pennsylvania, and their baptism into the churchof the Brethren is noted in this biography. About the year 1838, Jacob, their eldest son, became very strongly impressed with therational and logical arguments given by Dr. Samuel Thompson in a workwritten and published by him entitled: "GUIDE TO HEALTH. " This guideindicated and represented the way from sickness back to health asbeing very short and easy to find, exempt from dangers and free fromdoubt. Jacob Driver entered the field of medical practice, and hissuccess in that line added enthusiasm to his faith, by which as timewent on, mountains were removed. He soon deservedly acquired the titleof "Doctor;" and although not conferred by a medical college, stillthe title of "Doctor of Medicine" has rarely been conferred by diplomaupon a man more worthy to hold it, or borne with the honors of bettersuccess. His removal with his family to Allen County, Ohio, in theautumn of 1852, was deplored by many families in Rockingham, who hadlearned to depend upon him as their most trustworthy medical adviser. He died in Allen County about the year 1867, leaving an excellentlineage of sons and daughters, among whom Jacob, his youngest son, isnow an active minister in the church of the Brethren. The ties ofaffection which bound the hearts of Brother John Kline and JacobDriver into an inseparable union were those of a double brotherhood:brethren in church, and brethren in medical practice. 

SATURDAY, May 18. Dine at John Bowman's above Harrisonburg, and stayall night at Daniel Thomas's. 

SUNDAY, May 19. Meeting in the Beaver Creek meetinghouse and at twoother places near by. A very great concourse of people on the ground. The spiritual peace and composure of heart, however, usually manifestin the Brotherhood on all former occasions of this kind, is sadlyinterfered with now by the distracted state of our country. But theweather is pleasant, and we hope to have a good meeting. Preaching inthe meetinghouse to-night, and also in Dayton, Virginia. 

MONDAY, May 20. The Annual Meeting opens to-day at Beaver Creekmeetinghouse, in Rockingham County, Virginia. First, organize forcounsel; take in questions; have public preaching in forenoon. "Muchpeople. " In afternoon form subcommittees. Some rain and mist to-day. Stay all night at Martin Miller's. 

TUESDAY, May 21. Proceed with business to-day; work through fourcommittees. Cool but pleasant day. Stay all night at Isaac Miller's. 

WEDNESDAY, May 22. Get through with business by eleven o'clock, andthe Annual Meeting breaks up, most of those present from the North aswell as from the South carrying away with them heavier hearts thanthey ever before have borne from a meeting of this kind. Many prayerswere offered in the course of its progress in the behalf of ourcountry. The Shekinah of God's care may be gloriously waving over ourheads now, and we not able to see it. The Red Sea is before us, butJehovah will part its waters for us to go through unharmed. 

 When Egypt's king God's chosen tribes pursued, In crystal walls the admiring waters stood: When through the desert wilds he led their way, The rock relented, and poured forth a sea. What limits can Almighty Goodness know, When seas can harden, and when rocks can flow?

SATURDAY, June 1. Go to Jesse Mitchell's, in Pendleton County, Virginia, where I stay all night. 

SUNDAY, June 2. Meeting at Jesse Mitchell's. Speak from 1 Cor. 1:17. 

THURSDAY, June 6. Attend the burial of Brother Samuel Myers near thehead of Linville Creek. His age was forty-six years, eight months andeight days. He leaves a widow and comparatively young family to battlewith the ills of life. May God bless and keep them as he only can. 

SATURDAY, June 8. Dine at Philip Baker's on way to Pendleton County. Stay all night at George Cowger's on the South Fork. Delightfulweather. 

SUNDAY, June 9. Go to Brother Hughey Ratchford's on the Henkelmountain to see his sister Hannah, who is very sick of typhoid fever. Give medicine, and leave some for her and for Hughey's wife who isalso sick. Come back to John Fulk's on the Shenandoah mountain where Istay all night. 

MONDAY, June 10. Call at David Hoover's, Michael Wine's, WidowTurner's, and home. 

THURSDAY, June 13. Meeting for fasting and prayer at our meetinghouse. Matthew 5 is read. Fasting has been observed from remote antiquity, intimes of sorrow and mourning from afflictions and national distress. We have no direct command in the New Testament to fast, but we believeif it is done in the spirit of deep humility before God, withconfessions of sin and heartfelt desire to draw nearer to him in ourwalk and conversation, our fasting to-day will not be a meaninglessservice in his sight. Paul was "in fastings oft. " These he observed tokeep under his body, lest after having preached to others he himselfshould be a castaway. In regard to fasting in my own case, I can saythat it strengthens my heart, and nerves my spirit to resisttemptation. My love and faith and virtue are confirmed. Let us fast, not in appearance only, but in heart. 

SUNDAY, June 16. Meeting at our meetinghouse. I baptize John Walker, Jane and Frances Sherkey, John Grimm's wife, and Mrs. Clemm. 

TUESDAY, June 18. John Wine, Jacob Spitzer, and Christian Wine obtainlicense from our County Court to perform marriage ceremonies. 

TUESDAY, June 25. Stop at Philip Ritchey's; dine at John Fulk's;preach at Bethel church, in Pendleton County, and stay all night atPeter Warnstaff's. 

WEDNESDAY, June 26. Dine at Joel Siple's; go to Lough's church, butfind no congregation; come to Martain Wise's (John Bond's) and find agathering of people for night meeting. Speak from Second Corinthians5. Stay all night at Martain Wise's. 

THURSDAY, June 27. Meeting at Isaac Judy's; speak from Rev. 3:20. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. " Stay at Judy's all night. Butlittle else than war seems to be talked about or thought about. Itseems to be everywhere much the same. The Lord looks compassionatelyupon his people. He knows we are but dust. "As a father pitieth hischildren, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. "

FRIDAY, June 28. Preach at Philip Kesner's; funeral for MichaelRatchford's child. Stay all night at John Judy's. 

SATURDAY, June 29. Meeting at Jacob Collor's. Subject, John 1:11. Night meeting at Zion on the South Fork. Stay all night at SilasHenkel's on top of the mountain. 

SUNDAY, June 30. Stop at Hughey Ratchford's to see Sister Hannah andHughey's wife. They are both mending towards convalescence. From thereI go to William Davis's in Sweedlin Valley; find a gathering, andspeak from Matthew 5, first thirteen verses. Dine at Jesse Mitchell's, and in evening preach the funeral of Sister Elizabeth Freed, whom Ihad baptized just four weeks before. Subject, 1 Peter 1:24, 25. 

MONDAY, July 1. Dine at Philip Ritchey's; then home. 

THURSDAY, July 4. This evening, about seven o'clock, a wonderfulappearance was witnessed in the sky. A succession of meteoric balls offire flew through the air, apparently from west to east; attended byreports in rapid succession very much resembling those of heavy piecesof artillery and quite as loud. Some think this may be a providentialmockery of the pageantry and pride displayed on each succeedinganniversary of this day over our national greatness which has now, fora time at least, departed. 

SUNDAY, July 14. Meeting at our meetinghouse. I baptize John Driverand wife, Catharine Myers, Christian Zimmers and wife, Brady AnnParker, Mrs. Fahrney, Ruthy Light, Bettie Miller, Susie Kline, SalomaSmith, Martha Jane and Sarah Catharine Swartz, and Martha McMullen. 

SUNDAY, July 21. A very singular panic struck our part of the Valleythis afternoon. A report of negroes breaking out and committingfearful outrages flew as on the wings of the wind. Women werefrightened and men dismayed. It was, however, soon discovered to befalse. 

SUNDAY, October 20. Diphtheria is raging. In the past three weeks Ihave preached four funeral discourses for children between two andfour years of age. But parents have better promises for the childrenthat are taken than for those that are left. 

SATURDAY, November 9. Brother John Wine and I go to the South Fork. Preach funeral for William Ratcliff's child. Age, two years, fourmonths and thirteen days. Stay all night at Christian Dasher's. 

SUNDAY, November 10. Meeting at Jesse Mitchell's. Brother John Winespeaks on Jude, third verse. We stay all night at Samuel Trumbo's. 

THURSDAY, November 21. Attend the burial of old Mother Wine, themother of Christian, John, Michael, Samuel and George--four preachers, and one, Michael, deacon. Her age was seventy-one years, eight monthsand sixteen days. A woman of great usefulness in her community as ahelp in sickness, she will long be remembered. My subject fordiscourse was Rev. 14:12, 13. 

SUNDAY, November 24. Attend the burial of Hannah Zimmers, wife ofChristian Zimmers. Funeral services at Pine Grove meetinghouse. Herage was about fifty-seven years. TEXT. --"For here have we nocontinuing city, but we seek one to come. " Heb. 13:14. 

It is a blessed assurance which the Divine Word gives the afflictedand dying children of God, that they have "a city which hathfoundations; whose builder and maker is God. " From the fact that thecity has foundations we are clearly authorized to infer that it restsupon the immutable love, wisdom and power of God. It is not thebaseless fabric of a dream. There is reality about it. Imagination didnot construct it, for its builder and maker is God. This city is theNew Jerusalem, so beautifully described in the last part of the bookof Revelation. The foundations of the WALL of the city are theredescribed. There are twelve foundations, each of stone, and some ofthem more precious than diamonds. The city itself is built of gold, and its streets are paved with the same. I often rejoice in the hopeset before us; but not the foundationless hope of good from thisworld. Slaughter and blood are the order of the day here now. We haveat no time much to hope for from this world, but there is nothing tohope for now. We should rather rejoice than be grieved over thedeparture of God's children. They are safe. Beyond the reach ofsuffering, temptation and sin, they are safe in the city of God, whereno sickness, nor sorrow, nor pain, nor death can ever reach them more. 

SUNDAY, December 8. Meeting at Turner's schoolhouse, in the Gap. Catharine Fulk, daughter of Philip Ritchey, is baptized by me. Dine atthe widow Peggy Turner's, and stay all night at David Hoover's. 

FRIDAY, December 13. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. BrotherMichael B. E. Kline is elected speaker, and Brother Noah Rhodes deacon. 

FRIDAY, December 20. Write to John Hopkins, to John C. Woodson, and toCharles Lewis. I can but entreat these men to stand in defense of ourBrethren, and try to devise some plan by which they can be exemptedfrom the necessity of bearing arms. I feel sure that if we can berightly understood as to our faith and life, there will be some wayprovided for their exemption. The Brotherhood is a unit, heart andhand against arms-bearing. These things I make known to these men;not, however, in any spirit of defiance, but in the spirit of meeknessand obedience to what we in heart believe to be the will of the Lord. Many have already expressed to me their determination to flee fromtheir homes rather than disobey God. 

SUNDAY, December 29. Meeting in our meetinghouse. The two ministeringbrethren, John Huffman and Nathan Spitler, both from Page County, arewith us. 

MONDAY, December 30. Write to General Jackson and to Charles Lewis. 

TUESDAY, December 31. Traveled this year 3, 930 miles. Preachedthirty-eight funerals. Baptized about fifty converts. 

WEDNESDAY, January 1, 1862. At this time medicines were scarce andphysicians in the army. As a consequence of this the demands forBrother Kline's professional services as a physician were largelyincreased. The Diary for this year shows an almost incredible amountof labor performed by him in this line. He was called to go twentymiles to see patients on Lost River. He also treated patients inPendleton and Shenandoah counties, and many in Brock's Gap and in hisown and adjoining neighborhoods. He had no day of rest. In connectionwith all this labor and responsibility, the Brotherhood looked to himfor counsel and comfort on every hand. At the same time he wrote manyletters, not only to distant Brethren, but to men in civil andmilitary place and power. 

SATURDAY, February 15. He wrote a letter to John Letcher, at the timeGovernor of Virginia; another to Secretary Benjamin, and one toCharles H. Lewis. His leading object in all his correspondence withthese and other men in high civil and military positions was toacquaint and as far as possible familiarize the minds of these menwith the true idea as to who the Brethren are, what they have everbeen, and how they have come to regard arms-bearing as they do. 

The correspondence we are now considering may be regarded by some ashaving been a small thing. Some may say: "It is a small thing to writea letter to the President of the United States, or to a member of hisCabinet, or to a member of Congress, or to the Governor of one'sState. " A small thing, no doubt; in itself quite as small as to writeto any one else. It may be said that the greatness of all suchcorrespondence depends upon the magnitude of the subject involved. Letus look at the subject involved here. We see some thousands of themost devoted Christian people the world has ever known standing injeopardy; not one of all their number seems to know what to do. Theirsituation at this time reminds one of Israel camped on the mountainbeside the valley of Elah, in hearing of the guttural defiance of thegiant. At this critical hour, when something must be done, when somespecial but heretofore untried effort must be put forth to avert theimpending destruction, a MAN of the Brethren, unassuming in allrespects, about five feet seven inches in height, heavy-set, with alarge but symmetrical face, hair down to the neck beautifully partedfrom the forehead across the middle of the head, voluntarily sets towork in secret through the mails to see what can be done. God onlyknows the full measure of Brother John Kline's service and influencein this way. It is a true saying that "to succeed is the best proof ofsuccess, " and subsequent events show that Brother Kline fully realizedthis proof. As a humble observer of the movements of that day, andwith a tolerably clear recollection of them, the Editor can onlyexpress his belief that Brother Kline's correspondence, with his otherinfluence, contributed largely toward the enactment of the Confederateprovision by which all the members of regularly organized Christiandenominations or churches which have from their earliest establishmentuniformly taught and practiced as one tenet of their faithnon-arms-bearing and nonresistant principles, shall be perpetuallyexempt from all military duty to the Confederate States of America, orto any state belonging thereto, upon the payment of five hundreddollars to the person duly appointed to receive the same, for everymember so exempted, and otherwise subject to military duty underexisting orders. 

The above is not the "Law of Exemptions" in exact words, but it isthat part of it which was made for the Brethren, in _exact sense_. 

SATURDAY, April 5. This forenoon I am about home. In the afternoon Iam taken to Harrisonburg and put in the guard house. My place is inthe large jury room of the court house, up stairs, with others who arecaptives with myself. Rain this evening. 

SUNDAY, April 6. Rain and snow all last night, and continues on so allday. Have preaching in our captive hall. My subject is "Righteousness, Temperance, and a Judgment to Come. " I aimed at comforting my brothercaptives and myself with the recollection that Paul was once a captivelike ourselves, and that in this state of imprisonment he preachedupon the text which I have selected for this day. I said:

Brethren, if any have cause to tremble, we have none. Those shouldtremble who seek to lay obstacles in the way of others who aim to dogood and no evil. As a rule, prisoners are nervous and sometimestremble when taken into court: but judges are proverbially calm andself-composed. Hence the old adage: "As sober as a judge. " But thisorder is entirely reversed in the case of Paul before Felix. Here wesee that Paul is calm, collected and self-possessed, and that Felix isfirst nervous, and soon trembles all over. In this trial it appearsthat the judge is convicted of guilt by the prisoner himself, and thatthe prisoner shows himself clear. But this is not the only case inwhich an innocent criminal has stood before a guilty judge. Felix hadnever heard such a sermon before. All that he had ever heard were mostprobably eulogistic in character, and spoken in praise of the Romanemperor and his subordinates. Felix was one of these, and it wasnatural for him to appropriate quite a large share of this praise tohimself. But he did not find a eulogist in Paul. Panegyric had noplace in Paul's earnest nature. Life and death, holiness and sin weresubjects of moment too great and too real to be trifled with. If Paulwould have stooped to flattery he might have quickly obtained hisrelease, because Felix and those following him in office confessedthey found no cause of death in his case. They kept him bound merelyto please the flattering, deceitful Jews. 

He reasoned of righteousness first. And this logic was all new toFelix, who had never thought of righteousness or justice as being theend and object of government. Herod was a pretty fair specimen ofthose Roman rulers or kings as they were sometimes called, and theunrighteous cause for which he had the head of John the Baptist cutoff manifests the measure of his regard for justice. If history becorrect, Felix was not much in advance of him in this respect. He wasgovernor of Samaria at this time, and his headquarters and home wereat Cesarea on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It was in this samecity that Paul defended himself so heroically before Festus andAgrippa. Paul is silent as to the course of reasoning employed inbringing his threefold subject to bear with a weight upon the mind ofFelix. We may reasonably conclude that his first point was therighteousness of civil government; contrasting the corrupt andperverted ideas of rulers as they then existed in their minds uponthis feature, with what they ought rightfully to be. In thisconnection he did not fail to make occasional home thrusts similar tothe one made by Nathan when he said to David: "Thou art the man. "

It is a newly-discovered truth that the Bible reveals the only truebasis of civil government. That basis, from its lowest bottom to itshighest level, is love, or "good will toward men. " Government foundedupon any other basis is tyranny or despotism, the exact form beingdetermined by the depth of bondage and slavery into which the governedare willing to be pressed down, and by the will of the rulers as tohow low they are inclined to press them. The Constitution of the Romangovernment contained no trace of love. It was all force. Historyabundantly shows this. Neither justice in the administration of itslaws, nor temperance in the demands and exaction of tributes, nor ajudgment to come when accounts would be settled, was once thought of. Those in power knew nothing and thought nothing about any day of finalretribution. 

It is not very probable that Felix was made to tremble by anythingPaul may have said concerning civil government. The mind of Felix wastoo firmly fixed in his own ideas of civil righteousness to be deeplymoved or disturbed by anything a prisoner might say upon that point. His execution of Roman law according to his views of righteousness intheir administration was satisfactory to his sovereign at Rome; and toplease him, and thereby secure perpetual tenure of office, was theheight of his ambition. The cause of his trembling must then be foundin another quarter, or the adversary may say that Felix, just at thattime, happened to be taken with an ague chill, which Paul mistook forthe nervous agitation which he supposed to have been induced by thepower of his discourse. 

Felix was a pagan. His religion, if he had any belief at all in thesupernatural, was idolatry. Paul did not appeal to his affections, tohis emotional nature, but to his rational part. He _reasoned_ upon hisgreat subject. We may justly conclude that he proceeded in a waysimilar to that which he took in addressing the Athenians on Mars'Hill. "The God whom ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. "And he set him forth in a rational light. He told them about God'srighteousness. He told them that God had appointed a day in which hewould judge the world in RIGHTEOUSNESS by that man whom he hathordained, and of whom he hath given assurance or proof unto all men inthat he hath raised him from the dead. This man was Jesus Christ theLord. Here, also, he spoke of a JUDGMENT to come. And it becomes athing self-evident that a judgment to come is the main fact upon whichall moral and religious truth depends for its power over the heartsand lives of men. Take away from man all fear of accountability in afuture state, and his bestial appetites assert their sway. "Let us eatand drink, for to-morrow we die" gives loose rein to every passion, and lust holds high carnival. 

For our instruction here, it may be well to speak upon the subject of_righteousness_. What is it? Righteousness is obedience to law. Thisis its most general meaning. This is its human sense. In its divinesense it is obedience to the laws of God. Wherein the laws of mendepart from the laws of God obedience to their laws is disobedience toGod's laws. Here arises a conflict in which each individual may decidefor himself which he will do, the will of men or the will of God. Thedecision of the apostles was "to obey God rather than men. " By thisobedience they stood righteous in the eyes of God. To be sinners inthe sight of men gave them no distress, so long as they felt sure ofbeing righteous in the sight of God. 

Jesus is called Christ the righteous. He is set forth in the Word asthe only example of perfect righteousness the world has ever had, for"he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. " He challengedthe Jews with the question: "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" Theycould bring up no charge. Sin is the opposite of righteousness. It issin, or the love of sin, which is impersonated by our Lord in Matt. 10:28 as a monster of awful power: "And be not afraid of them whichkill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear himwhich is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. " The version ofthe same matter as given by Luke is terribly sublime: "Fear him, whichafter he hath killed hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say untoyou, Fear him. " Brethren and friends, this is the only power we havereal cause to be afraid of, and this is the enemy of allrighteousness. And this enemy is right in ourselves. We need not gofar to find him. Paul calls him by way of eminence as well as age "theold man of sin, " "the first Adam, " "the outward man, " because he loveswhat is outside of us, fleshly enjoyments. Sin, or the love of sin, isthe power that destroys both soul and body in hell. Righteousness iswhat saves; or, rather, righteousness in heart and life is salvation. If we look to the Lord in faith and prayer, by which I mean, if welove his Word and believe it with our heart, so as to make it the lawand guide of our life, at all times and in all ways, we are sure ofsalvation; for it is through righteousness, as well as through muchtribulation, that the saints shall inherit the promises. In theRevelation we read of a great multitude which no man could number, asstanding before the throne. What a high standing they have! But by wayof preparation for that honor they washed their robes and made themwhite in the blood of the Lamb. The robe of each was and is hiswedding garment. The Lamb is the Lord's Word, and the blood of thatLamb is the spirit and life of that Holy Word infused into our soulsand made effectual unto our salvation, by living a life of heartfeltobedience to his holy precepts. 

MONDAY, April 7. Rain and snow with sleet come down all day. Room verydamp and cold, with insufficient fire. Several brethren come to see meto-day. 

TUESDAY, April 8. Rain and snow continue as on yesterday. Our roomvery uncomfortable. 

WEDNESDAY, April 9. Still cloudy, with rain and snow. We have somepleasant conversations in the prison, with books and papers. But allthe public prints are so filled and taken up with war that they giveme but little enjoyment. The minds and spirits of nearly all theprisoners are so broken down by the state and prospects of the countrythat interesting and instructive conversations can hardly be held. 

THURSDAY, April 10. The following beloved brethren and dear sistercame in to see us to-day: John Zigler, John Wine and Christian Wine, Benjamin Miller, Joel Senger, and Catharine Showalter, daughter ofBrother Jacob Miller and wife of Brother Jackson Showalter. The sightand presence of these brethren refreshed us much; and the dear sistercarries sunshine with her wherever she goes. Last night and thismorning regiment after regiment passed through town on their way downthe valley in the direction of Winchester. 

SUNDAY, April 13. We have meeting to-day. I speak from Matt. 11:28, 29, 30: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and Iwill give you rest: take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I ammeek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls: formy yoke is easy, and my burden is light. "

MONDAY, April 14. To-day our two brethren, John and Joseph Cline, arereleased from imprisonment, and start for home to-night. 

TUESDAY, April 15. I am not well. The dampness of our room and thelack of comforts in the way of bedding and fuel have given me a coldfrom which I am very hoarse to-night. 

WEDNESDAY, April 16. There is talk that we are to be removed to NewMarket. The talk is correct. We leave here at twelve o'clock, and cometo Bethlehem church where we stay all night. This church is betweennine and ten miles northeast of Harrisonburg on the valley pikeleading from Staunton to Winchester. 

THURSDAY, April 17. Start for New Market; but after getting on twomiles hear the cannons at Mt. Jackson. We turn and go back toHarrisonburg. News comes of the retreat of Jackson's army. Front ofthe Federal army at New Market. Jackson halts for the night at LacySprings. 

FRIDAY, April 18. Great excitement and confusion in town. GeneralJackson with his army passes through in his retreat, and the Federaltroops are hourly looked for. Gabriel Heatwohl, Joseph Berry andmyself are released from the guard house. I dine at SamuelShacklett's; then walk out to Samuel Niswander's three miles, and ridefrom there to Jacob Miller's, where I stay all night. 

SATURDAY, April 19. Brother Benjamin Bowman brings me on my way homenearly to Christian Wine's. I walk the short distance to BrotherWine's; get a horse of him, and come home. 

SUNDAY, April 20. Easter. Cough very bad. 

WEDNESDAY, April 23. Federal cavalry through here now. Brother DanielMiller was taken last night by Confederate scouts. 

FRIDAY, May 9. Preach the funeral of Sister Polly Summers. Age, seventy-seven years, one month and sixteen days. 

TUESDAY, May 20. Preach the funeral of Sister Polly Holsinger. Age, seventy-seven years. Three sisters in our church buried so closetogether in time, and all so nearly the same age!

MONDAY, May 26. Sister Debby Bowman is buried to-day. I attend. Age, forty-two years, eleven months and twenty days. 

TUESDAY, May 27. Preach the funeral of Mrs. Stern. Age, fifty-sixyears, three months and twenty days. 

THURSDAY, May 29. Start to the Annual Meeting. Dine at JamesFitzwater's in the Gap; sup at Nimrod Judy's on the South Fork, andstay all night at Jacob Mongold's on the South Fork mountain. 

FRIDAY, May 30. Get my pass at Petersburg; dine at James Parks's; andstay all night at Martain Cosner's, in Hardy County. 

SATURDAY, May 31. Get to Thomas Clark's at three o'clock, and staythere all night. 

SUNDAY, June 1. Go to meeting at Brother Rinker's. Speak from Romanseighth chapter. Meeting again at three o'clock. Speak from Johnseventeenth chapter. Stay all night at Brother Rinker's. 

MONDAY, June 2. Come to Oakland in the morning to take the trainwestward, but cars are behind time. Get to Bellaire after night. Staythere all night, at Eagle Hotel. 

TUESDAY, June 3. Get to Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio, at threeo'clock in the afternoon. Stay all night at Brother Henry Yost's. 

WEDNESDAY, June 4. Visit Christian Forrer's. Go about through thecity. Then start, and get to place of Annual Meeting in afternoon. Stay all night at Brother Billheimer's. 

THURSDAY, June 5. Visit Solomon Stoner's; then to Farmersville, andback to Stoner's. 

FRIDAY, June 6. Visit Mary Trissel's. From there go to AbrahamAerbaugh's. From there go to meeting at Brother D. Miller's. Speakfrom Heb. 3:9. Fine weather. 

SATURDAY, June 7. Come to the place of the Annual Meeting. Preachingin forenoon and afternoon. Fine weather. Come back to D. Miller's. 

SUNDAY, June 8. An immense concourse of people. Meeting in fiveplaces, forenoon and afternoon. Fine weather continues. 

MONDAY, June 9. Commence taking in questions. Queries all get into-day. In evening I go to Brother George Miller's, and have a nightmeeting. Fine weather; clear and pleasant. 

TUESDAY, June 10. Discuss questions. Fine weather continues. Much loveand good feeling generally. Go to Salem and have evening meeting. Istay all night at Brother David Zigler's. 

WEDNESDAY, June 11. Meeting continues. Get through with the discussionof questions by quarter past three o'clock. Close in the usual way;and many hands and lips are met which may never meet again until theymeet where farewells are no more. Stay all night at the widow BenjaminMiller's. 

THURSDAY, June 12. Go to Dayton. Visit Brother Abraham Young's. Afterdinner go to Midway and stay there all night with Brother HenryZimmerman's. 

FRIDAY, June 13. Get to Pittsburg in the night. 

SATURDAY, June 14. Dine at Abraham Myers's, and stay all night atMartain Myers's. 

SUNDAY, June 15. Love feast at the Middle Creek meetinghouse. John 1is read. Stay all night at Jacob Miller's near by. 

MONDAY, June 16. Come to Daniel Miller's at Mechanicstown. Stay allnight. 

TUESDAY, June 17. Love feast; part of John 14 is read. Fine day. Stayat Brother Miller's again. 

WEDNESDAY, June 18. Council meeting. The case of Peter Myers and JohnFiga was brought up and settled. Come to David Beachley's and stay allnight. 

THURSDAY, June 19. Come to Frostburg in time to take the train toOakland, where I stay all night. 

FRIDAY, June 20. Come back to Brother Clark's in a hack, where I findNell, having left her with Brother Clark. The poor brute seems glad tosee me. I will never forget Brother Clark's kindness to me and Nell. Stay with him all night. 

SATURDAY, June 21. Visit old Sister Parks and pray with her. Dine atHyre's, and get to Brother John Mongold's on the mountain where I stayall night. 

SUNDAY, June 22. Get to Brother William Fitzwater's in the Gap fordinner, and get Nell shod. This was a thing of necessity, as one ofher shoes had come off crossing the mountain, and she was gettinglame. Come to Brother Michael Wine's, where I stay all night. 

MONDAY, June 23. Get home. 

SUNDAY, August 24. At John Mongold's on the South Fork mountain. Preach Absalom Whetzel's funeral. Age, twenty-three years, eightmonths and twenty-one days. 

Monday, August 25. Preach funeral of Isaac Rorabaugh at Adam Mallow's. Age, nineteen years, three months and twenty-one days. Stay all nightat Jacob Hevner's. 

TUESDAY, August 26. Forenoon meeting at the widow Henkel's. Afternoonmeeting at George Cowger's on the South Fork. Stay there all night. 

WEDNESDAY, August 27. Forenoon and afternoon meeting at JesseMitchell's. Jesse Mitchell is appointed minister of the Word, andHughey Ratchford is elected to the deaconship. 

THURSDAY, August 28. Stop at John Fulk's on top of the Shenandoahmountain, and get home in the evening. 

SATURDAY, September 6. Attend the burial of Michael Homan. Age, sixty-five years and eight months. He was a highly respected citizenof our community. 

SUNDAY, September 7. Am called to preach the funeral of EvalineAubrey's child at the home of her father, William Hevner. Diphtheriais raging. It almost rivals the sword in its destruction of life. Thesword cuts down the men in middle life, and diphtheria cuts down thechildren. 

SUNDAY, September 21. Meeting on the South Fork mountain. Old motherKesner, Jane Kesner and Jane Rorabaugh baptized by me. Stay all nightat young Philip Kesner's. 

MONDAY, September 22. Have night meeting and stay all night at thewidow Henkel's on top of the mountain. 

TUESDAY, September 23. Meeting at George Cowger's on the South Fork. After dinner I visit Jacob Hevner, who is sick, and stay with him allnight. 

WEDNESDAY, September 24. Cross the mountain to Jesse Mitchell's, andin the evening hold a love feast. We are disturbed by Southern scoutswho are present under the pretext of hunting up deserters from thearmy. Stay all night at Samuel Trumbo's. 

THURSDAY, September 25. Cross the Shenandoah mountain to Crab Run. Council meeting. Dine at Brother Isaac Whetzel's, and stay all nightat Brother James Fitzwater's. 

SATURDAY, October 4. Attend love feast at Beaver Creek meetinghouse. Stay at Martain Miller's. 

SUNDAY, October 5. Meeting at the Beaver Creek meetinghouse. Speakfrom John 14:1, "Let not your heart be troubled. " Peace is the exactopposite of trouble. And Jesus says: "Peace I leave with you: my peaceI give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let notyour heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid. "

To bring this subject to bear with due weight upon your minds I willspring this question: Did our Lord ever utter a precept with which itis impossible for man to comply? Wisdom and love answer with onevoice: He never did. "_Let not your heart be troubled_" is a precept. It flows out of that fatherly love which ever warmed the Savior'sheart. "Having loved his own, he loved them to the end. " The Lordneeded not that any should testify to him of man, for he knew what wasin man. He knew the uttermost of human power both to understand andobey his precepts and commands. He therefore knows that we _can keep_our hearts from being troubled. But man of himself can not do this. Our Lord's words, "Without me ye can do nothing, " apply as truly tokeeping the heart from being troubled as to any other human effort. Inthis as in all else pertaining to natural and spiritual life, we mustbe coworkers with God. 

MONDAY, October 6. Stop at Daniel Thomas's; dine at Jacob Thomas's;visit Solomon Garber's; and have night meeting in Dayton. Stay allnight at Dr. Abraham Sager's. 

TUESDAY, October 7. Attend a love feast at the Old meetinghouse. Stayall night at John Bowman's above Harrisonburg. 

WEDNESDAY, October 8. Go to see my old friend, Joseph Funk, andsucceed in bringing about a better state of feeling on his part towardme. He became reconciled. He had been somewhat ruffled in his feelingsby my "Strictures and Reply" to his published writings on baptism andfeet-washing. Dine with him; then home. 

SATURDAY, October 11. Meeting and love feast at the Lost Rivermeetinghouse. Stay all night at Celestine Whitmore's. 

SUNDAY, October 12. Meet at the Lost River meetinghouse. In councilMoses Myers is elected speaker. Stay all night at John Basehore's. 

MONDAY, October 20. Dine at John Fulk's. Have night meeting at JesseMitchell's. Stay there all night. 

TUESDAY, October 21. Have night meeting at George Cowger's. Stay thereall night. 

WEDNESDAY, October 22. Morning meeting at the widow Henkel's. Nightmeeting at George Kesner's. Stay there all night. 

THURSDAY, October 23. Forenoon meeting at Isaac Judy's. Stay all nightat Manasseh Judy's. 

FRIDAY, October 24. Go to John Judy's; then to D. Henkel's and toSolomon Hours's, and back to John Judy's, where we have meeting. Afterpreaching we repair to the clear water of Mill Creek, and I baptizeseven persons. Stay all night at Jacob May's. 

SUNDAY, November 2. Meeting at our meetinghouse. I this day baptizeten converts, whose names follow: David Rhodes, Daniel Zigler, GeorgeMoyers, William Fifer and wife, J. Crist and wife, Mary Whisler, Rebecca Trissel, and Katy Showalter. 

SATURDAY, November 15. Council at Green Mount. Benjamin Funk and W. C. Thurman regularly elected and put in as ministers of the Word. 

SUNDAY, November 16. Meeting at the Plains meetinghouse. HarrisonDaugherty and Anna Prophet are baptized by Samuel Wampler, while I goand baptize Harvey Elger. 

WEDNESDAY, November 19. Go to Katy Mullen's. Her sister Diana and hermother are both buried in one grave at Rader's church. Jacob Stirewaltand I speak on the occasion from Rev. 14:13. Age of Diana, fifty-threeyears; mother, seventy-one years. 

FRIDAY, November 21. Preach the funeral of Mrs. William Hevner in theGap. Age, seventy-first year. A kind and good mother in her family, and a friend to me has she been. 

THURSDAY, December 4. Go to Henry Neff's; draw money for the brethren;go to Harrisonburg and to Solomon Garber's. 

FRIDAY, December 5. Council meeting at Beaver Creek meetinghouse. Daniel Thomas is ordained. Stay with him all night. 

SATURDAY, December 6. Come to Harrisonburg; fix matters of businesswith the Confederate government agent; pay over money for theexemption of brethren. Come home; cold day. 

TUESDAY, December 16. Go to Harrisonburg; attend to seeing that thebrethren get certificates of exemption as provided by the ConfederateCongress. 

WEDNESDAY, December 31. I have traveled in this year 4, 791 miles;preached fifty-six funerals; nineteen for children under five years ofage; thirteen for children over five and under ten. Diphtheria hasdone a fatal work. Five for persons over ten and under twenty; threeover twenty and under thirty; one over thirty and under forty; fifteenover forty years of age. 

THURSDAY, January 1, 1863. Meeting of thanksgiving to the Lord for hiskind affection toward us in our meetinghouse. I have somewhere readthat in the reign of one of the sovereigns of Great Britain, when theoutlook of the kingdom was very dark and threatening, one of theking's advisors proposed appointing a day for public thanksgiving inall the churches throughout the realm. The king answered theproposition by saying that he could see nothing for which either he orthe nation had cause for special thanksgiving to God. The ministerresponded by saying that the king and the nation both had great causeto thank God _that things were no worse_. The king yielded and the daywas set. The Christian people assembled; the preachers recounted theblessings still left in the nation's store, with the rich promises ofGod to provide for the future as things should be needed, and therewas a day of thanksgiving in England the like of which is not oftenseen. 

It has been my experience, Brethren, and I think I have heard some ofyou say the same, that prosperity does not always make people mosttruly thankful. Great success in business is apt to foster a feelingof independence. Men may forget God. It was in the days of Israel'sprosperity in the goodly land of Goshen in Egypt that they forgot thename of the God of their fathers. When God appeared to Moses in Horeb, he had to tell him from out the burning bush what his name was, andalso by what name he should make him to be known to his brethren inEgypt. Some of the deepest heartfelt expressions of gratitude breakforth in times of misfortune. A brother once told me that he was awayfrom home when his barn was struck with lightning and burned to theground. At his return he beheld nothing but the smoking destruction ofhis gathered harvest. But when his children came running to meet him, and he saw them all safe, and their mother standing in the doorunharmed, he burst into an expression of thanksgiving, which, heconfessed to me, surpassed every other emotion of joy he had everfelt. Our best experiences come to us when we are made to realizeproperly the good that is still left us. 

We must look upon our exemption from army service as one proof ofthose interpositions in behalf of his children which our heavenlyFather has promised, and which he is constantly fulfilling. "Theeffectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. " God hasnot called us to prayer in vain. He invites us to come boldly to athrone of grace. Does he do this otherwise than with a will to hear?And the apostle's exhortation is: "In every thing give thanks, " for"all things work together for good to them that love God. "

Let our offerings this day be from the heart; and probably the bestproof we can have that they come from the heart is a willingness andcheerful readiness to give of our substance to the needy poor. We mustdivide out, Brethren, to those who have, on account of the warpressure, been unable to provide for themselves. Think of thebarefooted, half-clad and half-fed children in our land! I do notundervalue what you have already done. I know you have done much; butwe should not feel that the burden of duty has all rolled from ourshoulders so long as there is one needy brother or sister or child inour land. Brethren, I speak from my heart when I say that the churchhas never before enjoyed such an opportunity to grow rich, as thepresent offers. I mean rich in good works; rich in treasures laid upin heaven; rich in her title to an eternal inheritance in heaven, which our Lord calls "_the true riches_. "

SATURDAY, January 17. Buy of Samuel Shacklett (a merchant inHarrisonburg) one bolt of cotton cloth or muslin for Mary Hoover, forwhich I pay seventeen dollars; and four bunches cotton yarn for whichI pay thirty dollars. This shows the measure of confidence reposed inthe Confederate Government. 

WEDNESDAY, February 4. Visit General Jones's camp at New Market inbehalf of some of the soldiers. 

FRIDAY, February 13. Attend the burial of our dear sister, MaryFrances, wife of my nephew, John Kline. We did all we could for her;but that dreadful destroyer, diphtheria, would have its way, and inmuch anguish of heart we submit. She was a lovely and tender plant;too tender for this world. Her age was twenty years, ten months andeight days. 

SUNDAY, February 22. Meeting at our meetinghouse. Matthew 22 is read. Brother Benjamin Funk speaks. He and Brother Benjamin Driver were withme last night. Snow fell last night and to-day about ten inches deep. 

SUNDAY, March 8. Jacob Silvins's little son Jacob is buried to-day. This is the third one of his children I have helped to bury within thelast two weeks. 

TUESDAY, March 17. I am at Nimrod Judy's. I this day had a chance tosend a letter through the lines to Brother George Hoover, of Indiana. 

SUNDAY, March 29. Preach funeral for three of Brother See's children. Youngest, two years, five months and five days old; next, six years, ten months and five days; oldest, nine years, five months and sixteendays. They died of diphtheria. 

THURSDAY, April 2. Attend the Beaver Creek council meeting. JosephMiller is elected to the ministry of the Word, and Daniel Miller tothe deaconship. 

FRIDAY, April 3. Council meeting at the old meetinghouse. JosephBowman and Joseph Harshberger are elected to the deaconship. 

SATURDAY, April 4. Council meeting at the Mill Creek meetinghouse. Isaac Long is ordained, and Noah Flory is elected to the deaconship. Stay all night at old Daniel Wine's. 

SATURDAY, April 18. About one o'clock this morning Abraham Funk camefor me. A man by the name of George Sellers met with the very sadaccident of having his leg broken. He had been in the Southern army, and with a company of others who, like himself, were trying to maketheir way to places within the Northern lines, and thus be out of thereach of further molestation, he met with this misfortune. It happenedin this way: he was one of a company that was just leaving AbrahamFunk's by previous arrangement, about eleven o'clock in the night. Near Abraham Funk's house, about two miles west of Broadway, the roadruns along the North Fork of the Shenandoah river, where the bank isprobably one hundred feet high, and very steep. This part of the roadlay directly in the line of the company's route, and, unfortunately, just as they got into the road, right at this very steep place on thebank of the river, an alarm of "Rebel scouts" seized the wholecompany, and all together they went down to the river's edge, noneseriously hurt except Mr. Sellers, who had his leg broken. I made aframe this morning to hold the fractured parts in place, and hope hemay do well. We are keeping the whole matter a profound secret to savethe life of a good man. He was taken back to Abraham Funk's, where heis at this time receiving treatment in secret from me. 

SUNDAY, April 19. Meeting at our meetinghouse. Epistle of Jude isread. Abraham Glick is with us, and likewise Solomon Sherfey, ofTennessee. Go to Abraham Funk's. George Sellers is doing well. 

SUNDAY, April 26. Meeting at the Elk meetinghouse, in Page County, Virginia. I speak from Heb. 2:3. TEXT. --_"How shall we escape if weneglect so great salvation?"_

I always feel embarrassed when I attempt to speak from this text. Thesubject is so vast, and the matter so important, that my best effortsfall far below the just demands of my theme. Nothing can properly besaid to be saved which has never been lost or in danger of being lost. And in every case where anything is saved, the greatness of thesalvation depends upon the value of the thing saved, together with themeasure of effort and sacrifice required to effect it. Some years agoa very destructive fire was raging in the city of Pittsburg. Agentleman, who claimed to have been an eyewitness of the fire, relatedthe following incident to me. He said the firemen had just rescued afamily from a burning building, and thought they had all out, when oneof the rescued ladies looking around screamed out, "O, save myBessie!" "Where is she?" was cried out. "In the north room up stairs!"A noble-hearted fireman, almost exhausted, risked his life to rescuewhat he of course supposed to be a child; but what was his indignantsurprise on reaching the room, to find that the missing "Bessie" wasonly a pet cat! The enraged fireman kicked the cat and cursed itsmistress. But his feelings would have been different had Bessie been alittle child softly sleeping in its cradle. This incident may help usto realize the truth contained in the statement already made, that the_greatness_ of any salvation depends upon the _value_ of the thingsaved as well as upon the effort and sacrifice made to save it. 

It is plain that man's salvation is the subject of the text. But isman lost? And if lost, in what sense is he lost? We read in Matt. 18:11, "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. " It isman's _life_ that is lost--natural or bodily life, and supernatural orspiritual life. But is man's bodily life lost? It is, "for death hathpassed upon all men. " The sentence of bodily death: "It is appointedunto man once to die. " "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thoureturn. " If any supposes the death of the body to be a small thing, let such a one go to a well-filled graveyard and pass one hour inserious meditation in this silent city of the dead. Let him think ofthe tears that have fallen there, of the sighs of anguish that havereluctantly escaped from broken hearts. Let him think of the innocentbeauty and loveliness that lie buried there, of the hopes and the joysthat have been driven from the heart by the hand of the destroyer; andthen let him ask himself if "the wages of sin" is a thing of smallaccount. Let his mind run a little further, and he can but see thatthe graveyard's solemn tale to the end of the world must be yearlytold. Death here writes his name anew every passing season in thefresh mounds raised above the dead. And not only so, but the voice ofreason whispers into the ear of every passer-by the solemn word, "Thisplace is waiting for you. "

Now, an apostle says: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be; but weknow that when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall seehim as he is. " And another apostle, as if commenting on this passagesays: "He shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned likeunto his glorious body. " I now ask, Does not this show that thesalvation in the text is truly _a great salvation_? But I have as yetbut touched the hem of the garment. And, indeed, in our low andcontracted state of mental power here we are barely able with ourhighest and broadest reaches of thought to lay hold of more than thehem of salvation's garment. "Heaven is his throne, and the earth isthe footstool of his feet. " What the footstool is to the throne, nayto him that sits upon it, such are our highest and purest conceptionsto the salvation which the Lord has provided. "Eye hath not seen, norear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to know whatGod hath provided for them that love him. "

I stated that man's life is lost. I have said something about thebodily life that is lost by sin. I now turn to say something about thespiritual life that is lost by sin. Paul says, and I am sure he meanswhat he says: "To be carnally minded is death. " Now, what is it to becarnally minded? Or, in other words, what is the carnal mind? Paulanswers in a general way, that it is ENMITY against God. Such a degreeof enmity that all who are carnally minded cannot and do not love God, nor take pleasure in his service. Life is love; and love is life. Thespiritual _life_ that is lost by sin is what Jesus came to redeem andsave, and this life is man's love. Man's LOVE is perverted. It isturned away from the Lord God and the neighbor, and directed to selfand the world. And when a man loves himself more than God, and theworld with its sinful lusts and pleasures more than he does hisneighbor, he is carnally minded. 

Now let us turn to the Lord's words. In the Gospel recorded by Luke acertain lawyer is represented as asking the Lord this question:"Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said untohim: "What is written in the law? how readest thou?" He answeringsaid, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and withall thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; andthy neighbor as thyself. " Jesus said unto him, "Thou hast answeredright: this do, and thou shalt live. "

Brethren, does not this look like the key to salvation? Does it notopen the door to a view of eternal life and blessedness? Our Lordsays: "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. "When any one gives his heart to God in love like this, I think he isin a saved state. And is it not a great salvation? Perfect love ofthat which is good is perfect peace, because it drives evil from theheart, which is the cause of all human misery. But the Lord, and theLord only, can change man from darkness to light and from death untolife. He is the only Savior. He saves man by his Word and Holy Spirit. He stands at every man's door and knocks. If any man will open thedoor, he will enter that man's heart and dwell with him forever; andChrist in the heart is salvation and eternal life. 

THURSDAY, May 14. Go to Abraham Funk's. George Sellers is nearly well, and in fine spirits. At half past five o'clock I start to the AnnualMeeting. Stay all night at Jacob Wine's. 

FRIDAY, May 15. Dine and feed at Newman's furnace. Then go up throughthe Trout Run valley, cross the Church mountains and get into the LostRiver valley near the place where the river disappears at the base ofthe mountain. Stay all night at Landes's. I have seen no scouts orpickets to-day. 

SATURDAY, May 16. Get dinner at Jonathan Flory's, and stay all nightat Abraham Miller's. 

SUNDAY, May 17. Stay at Brother Abraham Miller's all day. Havepreaching in the afternoon. Stay all night again. 

MONDAY, May 18. Cross the Potomac river at Old Town; go up thetowpath; pass through Gibbontown near Flint Stone, and get to AbrahamRitchey's, where I stay all night. Traveled thirty-three miles to-day. 

TUESDAY, May 19. Get to Henry Hershberger's in Snake Spring valley, where I stay all night. Twenty-eight miles to-day. 

WEDNESDAY, May 20. Get to Brother Adam Snoberger's before dinner; butspend balance of day there and in making a few calls. Have eveningmeeting at the meetinghouse one mile away. Speak from John 10:9. Stayall night at Brother Snoberger's. 

THURSDAY, May 21. Come to Samuel Snider's; then to council meeting atmeetinghouse; and after dinner come to Brother Daniel Snoberger's atYellow Creek, where I stay all night. Fine day. It is ten miles fromBrother Snider's to Brother Snoberger's. 

FRIDAY, May 22. Meeting at the meetinghouse. Subject, Hebrews 1. Afterdinner go to Brother Leonard Furry's. Night meeting at themeetinghouse. I speak from Rom. 1:16. Stay at Brother L. Furry's allnight. Fine day. 

SATURDAY, May 23. Come fourteen miles to Clover Creek Meeting there inforenoon and afternoon. Stay all night at Brother Dellinger's. 

SUNDAY, May 24. Meeting at three places to-day. A delightful day as toweather; and should be enjoyable to all in the way of good speaking. 

MONDAY, May 25. Commence taking in questions in afternoon. Cloudy allday. Stay all night at Brother Dellinger's. 

TUESDAY, May 26. Discuss questions all day. Cloudy all forenoon, butclears up in afternoon. Stay all night at Brother John Brumbach's. 

WEDNESDAY, May 27. Discuss questions, but get through with business bytwo o'clock; and the Annual Meeting breaks up. I come to BrotherDaniel Snoberger's, where I stay all night. 

THURSDAY, May 28. Go to a store at Enterprise and buy a few articles. After dinner come through Snake Spring valley and across Bloody Run toJesse O'Neil's, where I stay all night. Fine day. 

FRIDAY, May 29. Come six miles to Chanyville; then eleven miles toGibbon; then two miles to John Deacon's where I get dinner and haveNell fed; then twenty miles to Brother Abraham Miller's in HampshireCounty, Virginia, where I stay all night. Fine day. 

SATURDAY, May 30. Come ten miles to Souer's, where I dine and feed;then five miles out to the pike, and eight miles to North River; thenthree miles to Brother Wilson's, but to get there have to ride twomiles out of the way to pass unmolested. Stay all night at BrotherWilson's. Rain to-day. 

SUNDAY, May 31. Come twenty-two miles to Nimrod Stradaman's, where Idine and feed; then sixteen miles to James Fitzwater's, where I stayall night. Fine day. 

MONDAY, June 1. Come ten miles to Michael Wine's; get dinner, and inafternoon cross the mountain and get home. 

It may not be out of place to call the reader's attention to severalpoints of special interest connected with this journey of BrotherKline to this the next to last Annual Meeting it was his privilege toattend. Let the reader think of the distance to be traveled over ingoing and coming--three hundred and thirty-four miles--all on the backof his favorite Nell. Over a good road, in a time of peace, withplenty of familiar friends by the way, such a distance with a goodhorse would be but a delightful recreation to one accustomed, as wasBrother Kline, to horse-back riding. But a great part of his way laythrough a mountainous and thinly-peopled country, with only a path insome places to direct his course; and, worst of all, he did not knowwhere he was safe from arrest, as army lines at this stage of the warwere almost constantly changing. How great, then, must have been hislove for the Brethren! Where can another man be found to compare withhim in fearless resolution to do what he believed would be pleasing tothe Lord and the Brethren, whom he loved more than he did his ownlife! Neither was he encouraged by the Brethren at home to go. Theyadvised him not to go. But his heart was fixed; and his loving soulwould have been filled with melancholy sadness to have stayed at homeand thought of the warm hearts and kind hands he might have met bygoing. He would rather see his Brethren and die, if necessary, than_live_ without the sight. 

From the time of his return from this journey to the close of the yearhe did not venture far from home in a northern direction. On thetwelfth day of August he and Jacob Wine went on the yearly visit priorto the visit council. They had to go to the counties of Pendleton andHardy, as the members in those counties were included in the districtover which Brother Kline was one of the overseers. They held visitcouncils over there, and on their return home the two brethren werearrested and taken before the military authorities on the eighteenthday of August, 1863. Brother Jacob Wine came home with Brother Klineto Brother Kline's house. They had been there but a short while whenthey were both arrested. They gave a satisfactory account of theirbusiness in those two counties, and were accordingly released. On thetwenty-fourth, just six days after the previous arrest, he was pickedup again and required to give account of himself. This he did in ahumble, truthful way, and was again let go. The following is on thelast page of the Diary for this year. 

In this year, 1863, I have traveled 4, 260 miles, all on horseback. Ihave preached thirty-eight funerals: _fourteen_ for children underfive years of age; _eight_ for children between the ages of five andten years; _six_ for persons between the ages of ten and twenty years;_three_ for persons between twenty and thirty years; _two_ for personsbetween thirty and forty years; _two_ for persons between forty andfifty years; _three_ for persons over eighty years of age. 

In the last five and one-half months of our beloved brother's life, orthat portion of it which he lived between the first day of January, 1864, and the fifteenth of June, the memorable day of his death, arenot very full of interest. By this it is meant that the state of warin Virginia, together with the hopeless condition of the Confederacyand the demoralizing tendency of that condition upon the soldiery ofthe land, raised insurmountable barriers in the way of activity on hispart. We find him mostly at home, save that he was much called to seethe sick and preach funerals in his immediate vicinity. 

SUNDAY, May 1, he attended meeting at Green Mount for the last time. He preached from Luke 19:7. The Editor was present, and still retainssome recollections of his line of thought; so that by means of these, together with the Diary notes of this discourse, a tolerably justreproduction of it may here be given. He seemed to be more thanusually pathetic in his delivery. In one of his tender appeals hecaught the writer's eye, and he can never forget the irresistible butrefreshing flow of tears that followed. 

 TEXT. --"_And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. _"

The Bible is a unit. The sum of its love and truth culminates in thedeclaration that "the Son of man came to seek and to save that whichwas lost. " The portion of the chapter read in your hearing, whichimmediately precedes my text, is a sufficient introduction to it. Thehistory of Zaccheus therein given is, or should be, familiar to all. But my text may comprise some instructive and comforting truth to us, which we, like those who attended the steps and heard the words of theLord in the flesh, may not so readily apprehend. 

The disciples were deeply impressed with the sinless purity of theirgreat Teacher. But they did not as yet understand the character of hismission. They could not rid their minds of the thought that his comingwas for the purpose of establishing, in some way, they knew not how, an earthly reign of power and glory which would eclipse all that earthhad ever beheld. Hence we read that at one time they wanted to takehim by force, and make him a king. At another time the mother of twoof his disciples interceded in behalf of her two sons that the onemight sit on his right and the other on his left in his kingdom. Whatsublime visions of worldly glory she had; and how deeply were her vainimaginations rebuked! "Ye know not what ye ask. "

These considerations aid us in our efforts to apprehend the characterof the impediments and obstacles in the way of our Savior's gloriouswork of love. And here springs up a thought which I will dwell uponfor a little. I can not avoid the belief, forced upon me as it is bywhat I see daily and have seen, that men do not widely differ now fromwhat men were in our Lord's time in the flesh. They do not love hisunqualified declaration--"My kingdom is not of this world"--any betternow than men did then. National greatness, in which the rich andpowerful may bear oppressive rule over the poor and weak, is theheight of their ambition. Such are not willing to eat and drink withpublicans and sinners. Things unseen and eternal are out of sight tomortal eyes. Men doubt the declaration of the Bible that:

 "Beyond this vale of tears, There is a life above Unmeasured by the flight of years: And all that life is love. "

It is this unbelief that fosters their love for the world and forthemselves. And the pride of heart that naturally goes with the loveof self is not willing to stoop to what is not highly esteemed amongmen. It is not hard to see from the words of my text that there was avery large measure of self-pride still clinging to the hearts of thosewho composed the crowd now in attendance upon our Lord on this hislast journey from Jericho to Jerusalem. They thought it a stoop inhim, and out of place that he should condescend to go to be guest witha man that is a sinner. It is plain from this that they did not knowthemselves. Like the Pharisee, they justified themselves, and wereready even to thank God that they were not like other men. But ourLord came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. Andwe should notice that by sinners he means such as _feel_ and _know_themselves to be sinners. Jesus adapted himself to the _felt_ wants ofthose he came to save. He had no sin-forgiving words for theself-righteous. He had no blessing for the proud in spirit. He had nopromise for those who exalted themselves. 

I love to contemplate this glorious feature of our blessed religion. The docile, teachable disposition of the little child, coupled withthe honest confession of Peter: "I am a sinful man, O Lord, " is thelow plane of feeling upon which the Savior enters the soul. It wasdeclared by a prophet respecting his first advent into the world:"Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall bemade low. " Mountains and hills in this passage signify the proud andself-exalted desires and lusts of the wicked man, which are to be laidlow because such states of heart and life forever oppose themselves tothe meekness and gentleness of Christ. But the principle of humility, signified by a valley, is to be exalted: not that humility exalteth orcan exalt itself; but this truly humble state of mind prepares man toreceive the Lord's saving truth, and this exalts a man. "He thathumbleth himself shall be exalted. "

For myself, Brethren, I can say with the Apostle Paul, that "in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is presentwith me, but to do that which is good is not. For the good which Iwould I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. .. . Idelight in the law of God after the inward man: but I perceive adifferent law in my members, warring against the will of my spirit, and bringing me into captivity to the sway of sin in my members. " Paulhere speaks of the inward man, and of the members or outward man. Thistakes my thought to the tabernacle in the wilderness. It had an outercourt and an inner sanctuary. The tables of God's holy law were placedin this most holy place. It was right in this most holy place, overthe mercy seat, which was the golden cover to the ark that containedthe tables of the law, that Jehovah had his dwelling place. It wasthere he talked with Moses. The outer court was for offerings, andserved as a place for the confession of sin and its forgiveness. Brethren, I am glad to think we are like this tabernacle, that we havea most holy place, an inner sanctuary, in the inmost of our heart, where Jesus has his dwelling place with us, and where his voice aloneis heard. In this holy of holies we feel his love, and it is there wesee his face. It is there that he appears to us the fairest among tenthousand, and the one altogether lovely. It is here that we sing:

 "Jesus, I love thy charming name; 'Tis music in mine ear; Fain would I sound it out so loud That earth and heaven might hear. 

 "Yes, thou art precious to my soul; My transport and my trust: Jewels to thee are gaudy toys, And gold is sordid dust. 

 "I'll speak the honors of thy name With my last fleeting breath: And, dying, clasp thee in my arms, The antidote of death. "

Brethren, this is what I have gained, it is what you have gained, itis what we all have gained by placing ourselves in sight of the Lordas he was passing by. In itself, it was a small thing that Zaccheusdid. The tree which he ascended was not hard to climb; he was nimble, for he _ran_ on before; and it did not take him long to climb, for hehad not much time. But in motive the act was great, because it wasdone to get a sight of Jesus the Lord. The Lord knew this, and knewalso that his motive was not one of idle curiosity, but honest desireto see him and to learn something more concerning him. And see how hewas blessed. Although he was looked down upon as being a sinner, andfelt in his heart that he was a sinner, still the blessed Saviorregarded it not out of place for him to go and be guest with him, andcrown the occasion with the joyful annunciation: "This day issalvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son ofAbraham. " All who believe in the Lord from the heart are sons ofAbraham, and heirs of God according to the promise. 

Now, when any one goes to church to hear the Gospel preached, andthereby to learn something about the Lord that he may have knowledgeof Jesus, he is doing in effect just what Zaccheus did. The same maybe said with regard to reading the Divine Word. It matters not howgreat a sinner he may have been. No one now is likely to be a greatersinner than was Mary Magdalene out of whom seven devils were cast; andyet the Lord could say of her: "Her sins, which are many, areforgiven, for she hath loved much. " A dying saint was once heard tosay: "Hunt up all my sins; pile them mountain high; one breath offaith sweeps them all away; and the more I'm forgiven the louder I'llsing. "

Ah, brethren and sisters, we can rejoice that the Lord condescended tobe a guest with us poor sinners. He proclaims salvation to every oneof us. And inasmuch as he has come in to sup with us and we with him, let us hold him by the feet, ever welcome to our hearts, and he willabide with us forever. 

It is in a feeling of unavoidable sadness we now approach the closingweeks of Brother Kline's life. We will now, with great care, trace hissteps going to and returning from the last Annual Meeting he was everpermitted to attend. 

FRIDAY, May 6. This is the day on which he started. He stayed thefirst night with Reuben Regelman, then living in the head of what wasthen called Germany, a remote section of Brock's Gap, and so called onaccount of the number of original German people who settled there nearthe close of the Revolutionary War. Regelman lived in a deep mountainretreat, just in the line of what appeared to Brother Kline his safestroute. 

SATURDAY, May 7. This day he crossed the Shenandoah mountain by anear-cut pathway, coming down into Sweedlin valley, in PendletonCounty. He next crossed the Sweedlin mountain by a pathway, at thefoot of which flows the beautiful mountain river called the SouthFork. He followed this stream about two miles through a deep gorgebetween Sweedlin mountain and the South Fork mountain, and got to thewidow Nelly Henkel's on top of the latter mountain in time for dinner. From there he went to Sister Mary Bargdoll's on the South Mill creek, where he stayed all night. He was now fifty miles on his way. Hereports the weather as being very pleasant so far. 

SUNDAY, May 8. This day he visited Enoch Hyre's. From there he went toold Brother Parks's. He then stopped on his way to read and pray withold Sister Parks, who was entirely blind. From here he went to BrotherMartain Cosner's, where he had afternoon meeting, and preached fromone of his favorite texts, the Lord's invitation to all, given inMatt. 11:28, 29, 30. He stayed all night at Brother Cosner's. All thefamilies he visited this day were then living northwest of Petersburg, in Grant County, West Virginia. He reports another beautiful day. Heis now sixty-nine miles from home. 

MONDAY, May 9. This day he had meeting by previous arrangement atAndrew Cosner's, six miles further on in the direction of his route. His subject was 1 Cor. 15:1, 2, 3. From here he went to Brother ThomasClark's, fifteen miles further on, where he stayed all night. Beautiful weather continues. 

TUESDAY, May 10. From Brother Clark's he went to Oakland, a station onthe B. & O. R. R. , thirteen miles from Brother Thomas Clark's. Here hetook the train at 9:30 P. M. , and Nell had rest. She had carried him onher back one hundred and four miles in four and one-half days. Shortstages, but terribly hard roads a large part of the way. He arrived atBellaire at half past six the next morning. He started for Dayton, Ohio, at seven, and got there at five in the evening. He stayed allnight at Brother Henry Flory's. 

THURSDAY, May 12. From here he went to a love feast at the Cave Creekmeetinghouse, but is silent as to how he got there. The second chapterof Hebrews was read. He stayed all night at Jonas Garber's. He says:"There was frost this morning, but a delightful day. "

FRIDAY, May 13. He took the train at Brookville station, seven milesfrom Brother Jonas Garber's, and arrived at Hagerstown, near the placeof the Annual Meeting. He stayed all night at Brother Samuel Eiler's. Another fine day. 

SATURDAY, May 14. He reports meeting at the meetinghouse and a greatconcourse of people. Also, a little rain to-day. 

SUNDAY, May 15. Preaching at six places. A wonderful gathering ofpeople. Night meeting in Hagerstown. A little rain to-day. I stay allnight in Hagerstown. 

MONDAY, May 16. To-day the Annual Meeting organizes for business. Forms subcommittees; takes in queries; holds its session inmeetinghouse. I stay all night at old Brother Eiler's. A littlesprinkle of rain to-day. 

TUESDAY, May 17. Discuss questions all day. Good order prevails. I amglad to witness the dawning of intelligence in the minds of ouryounger brethren in the ministry. We must keep up with the demands ofthe age; not in the vain show of worldly fashion and love for thingsnew; but in our desire and power by the use of all divinely-appointedmeans to commend the truth to every man's conscience by making it toshine in all directions more and more unto the perfect day. I am gladto see the zeal manifest in our younger brethren, and at the same timeequally glad to find it tempered with moderation. 

WEDNESDAY, May 18. Finish business at half past eleven o'clock. Afterdinner go to Brother James Wyatt's, where I stay all night. Also visitthe widow Sister Hardman. 

THURSDAY, May 19. Come to Hagerstown and dine at Brother Brown's. Ithen take cars to Andersontown, and come to Brother Peter Fesler's, six miles away. After supper have night meeting in Columbus, where Ispeak from Acts 4:13. Stay all night with Jeremiah Clemmens. 

Having been more than usually impressed at our meeting with theimportance of Christian brethren making their conversations and livesgive testimony to the sincerity and intelligence of their professionsof faith in Christ, I resolved to turn my discourse to that bearing, as much so as I could. With that view I took these words: TEXT. --_"Andthey took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. "_

A very plain and self-evident truth comes to mind at the opening of mydiscourse to-night. It is this truth, that no one can converseintelligently upon any subject he does not understand, nor accomplishany work of art without some previously acquired skill to do it. Tocomply with the demands imposed upon every human being by thesefundamental and stubborn realities, all the means of education for themind and training for the body are provided. Man stands alone andsingular in this regard. Birds can sing and build their nests withoutinstruction; and bees can form their delicate cells of wax without aguide. 

It is also a well-recognized fact that the pupil gives evidence of thecharacter and ability of his teacher, in all the lines of science andart. In the knowledge and practice of the things pertaining to man'sspiritual life on earth it is just the same. All that man does fromconscience, from what he believes to be his duty to God and to man, this he calls religious. If his faith and life are firmly based andestablished upon the Rock of God's eternal Truth, it can be known atonce who has been his teacher, and knowledge can be taken of him thathe has been with Jesus. 

I do not wish to reflect particularly here upon the lack of evidencesof this kind among professing Christians generally, nor do I wish toreflect censure upon the teachers under whose auspices theseprofessions have been made; but I do say, and am sorry, that from theconduct and life of many professors of religion it would be hard totell certainly that they were not Mohammedans or disciples ofConfucius. But banishing all fancy and superstition, and ignoring allreligious forms and ceremonies, there is a way of making the truthknown that one has been with Jesus. The key that opens to thisknowledge is wrapped up in these words of our Lord: "_By this shallall men know that ye are my disciples_, IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE FORANOTHER. "

Let us notice how this love was shown by Peter and John. I name themhere, because they are connected with my text. There lay a poorbeggar, lame from his mother's womb. He was but little noticed, saveas he was looked down upon with contempt. He asked an alms of Peterand John as they were about entering the temple. Peter might justlyhave said: "I have nothing in the way of silver or gold to give you, "and have thus excused himself from all further trouble about the man. But he did not treat the poor and impotent beggar in this way. He saidto him: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. "But this was not all. "He took him by the right hand, and LIFTED himup. " He was not only ready to instruct, but he was ready to HELP, andthat with his own hands. 

But I have not told all. The two disciples took to themselves no touchof credit for the lame man's being made to walk. Their love for theLord, and their desire to do good by publishing the news of hishealing and saving power, had so filled their hearts that there was noroom in them for any of the love of self and the world. Had they beenso disposed they might have taken to themselves great credit for whatthey had done. They might have indirectly favored the impression thatif the Lord was at the bottom of the miracle they were at the top, andvery important factors in it. But the conduct and temper of the twodisciples was far from anything like this. When the people rantogether, greatly wondering, Peter said: "Why marvel ye at this? orwhy look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holinesswe had made this man to walk?" He then directed the attention of thepeople to the crucified, risen and glorified Lord, to whose power andlove they ascribed all the honor. 

It is known without telling that such humility of heart and exaltationof the Lord is not natural with man. People of all grades, even theenemies of the Lord, take knowledge from such as manifest this spiritof love and meekness, that they have been and are with Jesus. In hislast conversation with his disciples he lifted his eyes to heaven andsaid: "Father, I will, that they whom thou hast given me be with mewhere I am, that they may behold my glory. " This prayer must have apresent fulfillment in every one of the Lord's people in this world, in order that they may have a future realization of it in the world tocome. To be with the Lord is to abide in him and he in us. "Abide inme, and I in you. " This is the crown of all blessedness. This is thegolden altar of sweet incense: the brightly burning lamp that lightsthe way through the door into the marriage feast. 

 "Forever with the Lord: Amen! so let it be: Life from the dead is in that word; 'Tis immortality. "

To be with Jesus is to be with him in affection and thought; to lovewhat he loves, and to believe what he teaches. One may be with Jesusin place, and yet be very far from him in spirit. This was exemplifiedby Judas. He sat at the same table with the Lord, but his heart, hismind and feelings were very far away. At that very time he wasplotting his destruction, for Judas was a devil from the beginning. Even Peter, just a little while after that, caught by the Lord's eye, went out and wept bitterly. It is not, therefore, a local or personalnearness which the Lord has in mind when he prays that all whom theFather hath given him may be with him, but a nearness of heart, in theaffection of love, and the obedience of faith. 

Brethren and friends, let me say to you, that it is the _duty_, andnot only the duty, but the highest attainment of Christian liberty, tobe with Jesus and to give knowledge to all around that one has notonly been, but now is every day with Jesus. True godliness, however, does not desire to make a display of itself; it seeks no prominence inthe world; neither does it aspire to receive the applauses of men. Itdoes not ride upon the tempest of religious disputes, nor clotheitself with the whirlwind of fanatical excitement. But, like theDivine Spirit from which it springs, it speaks in the still, smallvoice of tender compassion and love. Like its Lord, it enters a house, the house of the humble, contrite heart, and would have no man knowit; but it cannot be hid. 

Now, Brethren and friends, I have only touched some of the chords inthe beautiful anthem of my theme. I now leave it with you, hoping thatyou may learn every note in it; and by the sweet music of a good lifedelight the ears and warm the hearts of all who hear its richharmonies. Possibly you may never see my face or hear my voice again. I am now on my way back to Virginia, not knowing the things that shallbefall me there. It may be that bonds and afflictions abide me. But Ifeel that I have done nothing worthy of bonds or of death; and none ofthese things move me; neither count I my life dear unto myself, sothat I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I havereceived of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God. 

THURSDAY, May 19. Come to Hagerstown and dine at Brother Brown's. 

FRIDAY, May 20. Visit Sister Molly Clemmens; dine at Brother JacobFesler's; sup at Brother Peter Fesler's, and by request have meetingagain in Columbus to-night. My subject is Matt. 7:13, 14. Stay atPeter Fesler's all night. Warm and pleasant day. 

SATURDAY, May 21. Visit Andrew Fertig's, where I stay till afterdinner. I then come to Middletown; and from there to Fall Creekmeetinghouse, to Brother David Miller's meeting. John 14 is read. Ispeak upon the spirit and general scope of truth comprehended in thechapter. Jacob Fry and wife are baptized. I then go home with oldBrother Jacob Miller, and after supper go to Brother David Miller's, where I stay all night. Fine and warm day. 

SUNDAY, May 22. Visit Absalom Painter; he is sick, and I think poorly. Attend meeting at the meetinghouse. John 3 is read. I speak upon thenew birth, the most important matter that can possibly engage thethought and occupy the heart of man, inasmuch as without it, there isno salvation. Dine with Jacob Miller, who is a son of George Miller. In the afternoon visit Joseph Funk's and from there I go to GeorgeHoover's where I stay all night. A fine but warm day. 

MONDAY, May 23. Stay at George Hoover's till after dinner. In theafternoon call at Joseph's and John's, and visit the Sulphur Springs. Night meeting. Speak from First John, second chapter, last part of thetwenty-ninth verse: _"Every one that doeth righteousness is born ofhim. "_ A righteous life is the proof that one is born of God. Charity, which is the love of doing good, is the child of the new birth. Thisleads to righteousness or justice in all our dealings with oneanother. I can not love my brother and at the same time seek undueadvantage of him, or try to cheat him in any way. The same is true indealing with those outside the Brotherhood. This righteousness shutsdown the gate upon the stream of all evil affections and lusts, because it springs from that love which forever whispers in the heart:"All things, whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye evenso to them; for this is the law and the prophets. "

Stay all night at Brother Yost's. His wife is Brother Hoover'sdaughter. 

TUESDAY, May 24. Take cars at seven o'clock and get to Richmond atnine, and to Higgin's Station at eleven. From there I go to BrotherNead's, five miles away; and after dinner to meeting at themeetinghouse. Speak from Rom. 1:16, 17. After meeting come to BrotherJoseph Miller's, where I stay all night. Much rain this afternoon. 

WEDNESDAY, May 25. Go to Arebaugh's meetinghouse. Love feast. John 1is read. Stay all night at Brother Kensel's. 

This is the last love feast Brother Kline ever attended. Tender memorywill drop a tear as she looks into his loving eye and sees him takehis last farewell and leave his last loving kiss on lips that his willnever touch again. But we should remember that thirty-five years havepassed since then. Many who took the parting hand on earth then, have, one by one, since then, taken the meeting hand in heaven: "For God isnot the God of the dead, but of the living. "

THURSDAY, May 26. Come to Dayton; buy some articles; dine at BrotherHenry Yost's, and also sup there. Take cars at half past six in theevening and arrive at Columbus soon after nine. Stay there all night. 

FRIDAY, May 27. Get to Oakland in the evening, and stay all night atRogan White's tavern. Two hundred and eighty-six miles from Columbusto Oakland. 

SATURDAY, May 28. Come to Brother James Abernathy's in a hired hack, ten miles; and in afternoon come three miles to Brother ThomasClark's, where I have night meeting and stay all night. Fine day. 

SUNDAY, May 29. Come to Brother Zachariah Hendrick's, where I havemeeting. Speak from John 1:17. In afternoon come through the mountaintop to Sister Eve Idleman's, where I stay all night. Frost thismorning. 

MONDAY, May 30. Visit our old and blind Sister Parks; read for her andpray with her. Come to Enoch Hyre's and stay till after dinner. I thengo to Brother John Judy's, where I stay all night. Leave appointmentto preach his deceased wife's funeral on Sunday, June 26. 

TUESDAY, May 31. Call at Philip Kesner's; at Samuel Kesner's; crossthe mountain and call and get dinner at George Cowger's; then stopawhile at Philip Emswiler's; exchange a few pleasant words with friendPeter Warnstaff as I pass by his house; and get to Brother John Fulk'sin evening, where I stay all night. Fine, pleasant day. 

WEDNESDAY, June 1. Come by Michael Wine's; dine with him; then comeacross the mountain home. 

From this time to the memorable day of his martyrdom there is nothingin the Diary demanding special notice. Notice has already been takenof his calling at George Cowger's on the South Fork in PendletonCounty, West Virginia, on his way home from this his last journey. AtMr. Cowger's, while at the dinner table, he said: "I am threatened;they may take my life; but I do not fear them; they can only kill mybody. " This they accomplished. 

WEDNESDAY, June 15, 1864. He went to a blacksmith's shop a few milesaway from home; had Nell shod; and on his return was killed by, it issupposed, some concealed person or persons on a ridge of timber land afew miles away from home. Some account of his funeral has already beengiven in the introduction to this work. His body, when discovered, showed that it had been pierced by several bullets. But a smile restedon his face. The writer's own eyes witnessed this. It may be that thissmile was the reflection of the joy that thrilled his soul as hestepped out of his broken tenement of clay into the presence and lightof his Redeemer. Stephen's living face was as the face of an angel. Brother Kline's dead face was the face of a saint--no, not the face ofa saint, but the face of the earthly casket in which a saint hadlived, and labored, and rejoiced; and out of which he stepped into theglories of the eternal world. Amen!

_He Died at His Post. _

[Said to have been composed by Brother Kline on the death of JosephMiller, who died while on a visit to Ohio. ]

 Away from his home and the friends of his youth He hasted, the herald of mercy and truth, For the love of his Lord and to seek for the lost Soon, alas! was his fall, but he died at his post. 

 The stranger's eye wept that in life's brightest bloom One gifted so highly should sink to the tomb; For in order he led in the van of his host, And he fell like a soldier, he died at his post. 

 He wept not himself that his warfare was done, The battle was fought and the victory won, But he whispered of those whom his heart clung to most, "Tell my Brethren for me that I died at my post. "

 He asked not a stone to be sculptured with verse; He asked not that fame should his merits rehearse; But he asked as a boon when he gave up the ghost, That his Brethren might know that he died at his post. 

 Victorious his fall, for he rose as he fell, With Jesus his Master in glory to dwell. He has passed o'er the stream and has reached the bright court, For he fell like a martyr; he died at his post. 

 And can we the words of his exit forget? O, no, they are fresh in our memory yet. An example so brilliant shall not be lost; We will fall in the work, we will die at our post.