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 of

his mediatorial work, the center of his mediatorial prayer. From his

heart on the eternal throne, wafted down to his people on the divine

breath, hourly comes and is felt the power of his prayer: "Father, I

will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that

they may behold my glory which thou hast given me." This brief prayer

comprehends the divine end of all things--_man's salvation and God's

glory_. The miracles wrought by our Lord, the parables spoken, the

truths uttered, the victories gained in temptation, the rich tokens of

his love given, all, all had as their great end man's salvation and

God's glory--"that they might be with him where he is."

The only answer to the great question why the Lord did all this for

man'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 the

angels of glory were chanting their love song of "good will toward

men" 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 lost

he is able to save only such, and no others, as desire to be saved by

him. If it were possible for him to save man and elevate him to heaven

independently of any coöperation on man's part, then all would alike

be saved, for God is no respecter of persons. But it would be quite as

possible to compel or force any one to understand and love what he

naturally hates, or to follow with enjoyment and delight a way of life

he does not love, as it would be to save a human being without the

consent and coöperation of his mind and heart.

The scribes and Pharisees gave evident proof of the truth of the old

maxim: "Convince a man against his will, he is of the same opinion

still." The Lord proved before their eyes his heavenly mission and

divine character; their minds must have been convinced. But their

wills did not favor the convictions of their minds; that is, they did

not love the truth that was forced upon their minds, and so they

rejected him. It is from this element in the constitution of man's

soul or spirit that he must become as a little child, or he cannot

enter the kingdom of heaven. Becoming as a little child is what is

meant by being born again, without which no man shall see the kingdom

of heaven. We all know a little child is innocent, teachable; because

it is not lifted up in the pride of its own intelligence, nor

confirmed in a belief of what is not true from a love of what is not

good. Every one who enters through the narrow gate, and pursues the

narrow way that leads to life, is willing to be led by the Lord. It

may 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 no

increase, and it allows no diminution. He that addeth to or taketh

from the words of the prophecy of this book (the Bible), God shall

take away his part out of the book of life. This is a fearful warning

to all who would seek to make the gate and the way of eternal life any

broader than it is laid and settled by the Word of Life; and a similar

warning to any who would desire to make the gate and the way appear so

narrow as to discourage and dissuade others from entering. I said the

narrow 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 to

that truth. This leads to life eternal, because it leads to God. But

the gate and the way will do no one any good unless it be entered and

the way followed. And God compels no one to enter in opposition to

one's own will. Entrance is not of compulsion, but of choice. Life and

death are set before the sinner's eyes. The Bread of Life and the

Water of Life are placed within his reach. The Lord calls, saying:

"Why do ye spend your money for that which is not bread; and your

labor for that which satisfieth not? Come ye to the waters: and

whosoever 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 how

is the sinner to know when he is entering?" I answer that when the

sinner obeys God's holy truth from the heart he is then entering in by

the narrow gate. His obedience must be to God's Word, not to man's

word. Obedience to man's word takes man through the wide gate into the

broad road that leads to destruction. Repentance towards God and faith

in the Lord Jesus Christ are the two steps that take us in spirit

through the narrow gate. But these two acts and exercises of the mind

and heart mean immensely more than is generally imagined. Many seem to

think that repentance means no more than simply to confess that one is

a sinner in a sort of general way, and that faith is simply a

confessed belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. But God's Word

teaches far otherwise. I will here quote some of our Lord's sayings

which apply to repentance: "Except ye be converted, and become as

little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." This

points to repentance. Again: "If any man will come after me, let him

deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Self-denial is

repentance; and every true penitent goes through the narrow gate with

the cross on his shoulder, because the cross symbolizes the divine

truth upon which the love of self and the love of the world is

crucified. 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 meek

and teachable spirit of a little child may be lifted out of the mire

and filth and darkness of a sinful life into the glorious liberty of

the children of God.

If salvation is anything it is everything. This world, with all its

fleeting show and short-lived pleasures, is nothing in the comparison.

Salvation, or the life to which the narrow way conducts us, is so

glorious, so ineffably exalted above the loftiest conceptions of the

human mind, that the prophet Isaiah could justly say: "Since the

beginning of the world none have heard, nor perceived by the ear,

neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath prepared

for him that waiteth for him." Brethren, friends, we know not fully

what is prepared for all who wait upon the Lord, that is, who do his

will. 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 he

is there we may be also. We shall enter into his joy, the joy of the

Lord. He will come to every one of us at death. He will then raise our

redeemed souls into the life of heavenly bliss; for he is the

resurrection and the life of every one that loves him. It is the

privilege of every one to enter into life through the narrow gate. But

I cannot enter for you, nor tread the narrow way, nor obtain a crown

of glory for you. This is your own individual choice, your own

individual work--nay, it is the Lord's merciful, loving, gracious work

in you, for without him you can do nothing. But when you believe in

him and love him with all your heart, he finds a resting place in your

soul, 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 filling

appointments previously made through letters from Brother Kline. We

have to wonder a little when he found time to write them. But he was

his own secretary on gratuitous service, and he never even so much as

presented a bill for stationery or postal expenditures.

FRIDAY, September 21. This day finds the two brethren at Union

meetinghouse, in the Barker settlement, in Barbour County, Virginia.

Brother Miller spoke at this meeting from John 3:7. Space alone

forbids the insertion of his plain, practical sermon to-day. They

found, as usual, a hearty welcome here; and in truth the same may be

said of every place they visited. And why not? Even these primitive

people were quick to perceive and appreciate the good will with which

they had come. Besides, they made themselves sociable and entertaining

in the families under whose roofs they found shelter. Brother Kline

had an inexhaustible fund of information gained by reading and

traveling, and he was not reserved in the way of keeping it all to

himself. Brother Kline was what may be called a good conversationalist.

He did not flood your attention with words, nor bore you with tiresome

narratives of great exploits in which he was the hero. He would tell

you of sights he had seen, and experiences he had had in traveling and

otherwise, in a way that would so absorb you in the _narrative_ that

you lost sight of the man. He always aimed to exalt his _subject_ and

not the speaker. This was true in his preaching as well as in his

conversations.

SATURDAY, September 22. They came to Brother Elias Ovel's for dinner.

In the afternoon preaching in the meetinghouse and love feast at

night. Brother Miller served.

TUESDAY, September 25. They had meeting at Brother Peter Feiga's. An

election was held in which Samuel Feiga was elected speaker, and

Tobias 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 and

four days.

MONDAY, December 31. At home. I have this year traveled, mostly on

horseback, 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. Sleighing

is 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 very

deep, and as it is not drifted sleighing will be surpassingly fine.

MONDAY, January 21. Brother John Zigler of Timberville dies very

suddenly this morning, at the age of sixty-nine years, two months and

twenty-seven days. This is county court day in Harrisonburg. I am told

this evening by some who were present, that there were hundreds of

sleighs of all shapes and sizes to be seen in the streets. So far as

my knowledge extends, a scene like that has never before been

witnessed in Harrisonburg. The roads in all directions are in a

surpassingly fine condition for sleighing. The roads are all paved

with crystals more valuable than all the diamonds that have ever shone

in the crowns of kings.

FRIDAY, February 29. Council meeting at the Brick church, in Augusta

County. To-day we discuss the question of the propriety of making a

move to more generally propagate the Gospel. Most of the brethren and

sisters present seemed to be heartily in favor of the move. One

brother, John Harshberger, said: "If the Gospel is _not_ true, let us

eat and drink like other beasts, for to-morrow we die; but if the

Gospel _be_ true--and thanks be unto God, for we know it is true--it

is worthy of all acceptation; for it is the power of God unto

salvation to every one that believeth. But how can any one believe in

him of whom he has not heard? And how can any one hear without a

preacher? And how can any preach except he be sent? I am in favor of

trying to do more in every way than we have ever yet attempted, to

spread 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 Harshberger

and myself were appointed a committee to draw up a memorial on the

subject, to place before the next Annual Meeting.

SATURDAY, March 1. Council continues. The subject of divorce and

adultery is considered to-day. It is decided to send it to the Annual

Meeting, as also a query on proposition to district the churches, and

have general council meetings in those Districts. It is also

unanimously passed to have lamps in our meetinghouses. Pass some other

minor questions, and council breaks up.

SUNDAY, March 2. Meeting at the same place. Brother Benjamin Moomaw

speaks on Heb. 5:8, 9. He is a man of great power in the Word. I

regret that I cannot recall to memory all that he said, but I will

here give a condensed outline of what I remember. These are the words

of his text: "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the

things which he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the author

of eternal salvation to all them that obey him."

This is a remarkable passage of Scripture. It deals primarily with the

human nature of Christ. It is in this nature, the Divine humanity,

that God manifests himself to man. This humanity brought with it the

infirmities to which flesh is heir. This same apostle tells us that

Jesus Christ was "tempted in all points like as we are, yet without

sin." Innocence, freedom from all sin, is the orderly following of

obedience. In this happy consciousness he challenges the whole

Sanhedrim to convict him of sin. They could not do it; and Pilate

acknowledges before the infuriated mob: "I find no fault in this man."

From the part of the text, "yet learned he obedience by the things

which he suffered," we are rather to understand that he learned or

REALIZED _the blessedness of obedience_. In his own words: "He came

not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him." In his

last great prayer with his disciples he says: "And now, Father, I come

to thee, having finished the work thou didst give me to do." These

words portray his immaculate righteousness.

But let us look at some of the glorious testifications borne by the

Father to the honor of the Son. Let us turn to the first public act of

his manhood. I guess your minds all turn at once to the scene of his

baptism. Here are the pellucid waters of the Jordan coursing their way

to the Dead Sea. "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John

to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be

baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus said, Suffer it to

be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." This

righteousness is the righteousness of obedience. And notice, a few

moments later, the glory and honor with which it is crowned. The

opened heavens, the dove-like descent of the Spirit, the Father's

recognition, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased," must

have thrilled his heart with joy unspeakable. In this instance he

realized the blessedness of obedience; and the hearts of many since

that time have been made to thrill as they have gone up out of the

waters 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 the

temptations arising therefrom, which man is capable of suffering. But

never for one moment did his heart or hand swerve a hair from the line

of 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 devil

left him; and, behold! angels came and ministered unto him. Brethren,

have you ever thought of the precious food these angels brought to the

exhausted human nature of our Lord? He ate and drank with angels from

the skies. They poured the spiritual oil of joy and comfort into his

burdened soul. They brought fresh tokens of his Father's approval; and

we 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 own

individual experiences best. For one, I can say right here that I am

no stranger to temptation. The adversary of God's people has never yet

counted me out of the number he seeks to seduce. I confess he does not

try me at all times alike; but he does seem to come every time when I

am the least prepared effectually and instantly to repel his assaults.

If in preaching I happen to get off a fine thought or good sentiment

dressed out in a becoming attire of words, he tries to flatter my

vanity by making me believe that I am a great somebody. Brethren in

the ministry, how is it with you? I see from the nods you give, that

you have had similar experiences. At such times Herod's awful doom

flashes over me--how that in the midst of a beautiful oration he fell

dead, and right away was alive with worms consuming his body, and all

because he gave not God the glory. This generally gets me rid of him

on such occasions. At other times he comes with promises of worldly

honors, saying to me that if I will enter the arena of politics I may

count it as sure that I will be lifted to offices of honor and rich

emoluments, for, says he, "the whole scheme with all its workings is

in my hands, and to whomsoever I will, I give it." At such times I

baffle 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, far

above all principality and power. He is invested with all power in

heaven and earth; so that in him all things hold together, and the

integrity of the universe is preserved. He is the head over all things

to the church and has become the Author of eternal salvation unto all

them 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 humbled

himself to be baptized in the Jordan, suffered the temptation in the

wilderness, wept at the grave of Lazarus, went about doing good, being

homeless, with no place where to lay his head, a man of sorrows and

acquainted with grief? Only a little while ago, and the midnight

stillness of Gethsemane is gently broken by the words: "Father, if it

be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not my will, but

thine be done." The spirit of obedience abides with him in full

measure even in this trying hour; and if not uttered in words, it is

declared 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 of

obedience and his resistance of sin bear the strain of this final

test? Glory to his blessed name, it does. He says: "The prince of this

world cometh, and hath nothing in me." Ah, there is our salvation. The

prince 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 heart

that characterized his whole life was visible now. He even bore his

own cross; and I sometimes think that he voluntarily laid himself down

upon it, placed his hands and adjusted his feet for the nails; for he

had said before: "I lay down my life of myself: no man taketh it from

me. 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, is

firmly fixed in the ground. The sun has veiled his face; and darkness

broods over the land. With a loud voice he cries: "It is finished,"

and he gave up his spirit. This is the consummation of the suffering

by which the Captain of our salvation was perfected, and by which he

obtained all power in heaven and earth.

I can imagine there was now a shout of joy and a high jubilee in

heaven, and a growl of disappointment and defeat in hell. His body is

taken from the cross. Not a bone of him is broken. Joseph's new tomb

becomes its receptacle. Not long does it remain there. The bands of

death are loosed, and the glorified Lord forsakes the tomb. "Ought not

the Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his

glory?"

Notice, further, the glory and honor with which his obedience is

rewarded. In addition to the declarations bearing upon this subject

already quoted, I here add what Paul says to the Philippians:

"Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name

which is above every name: that in the name of Jesus every knee should

bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory

of God the Father."

We have now before us in the person of our Lord and Savior Jesus

Christ an example of perfect obedience. We have also noticed some of

its rewards. But when we attempt to speak of the rewards of obedience,

thought and language both fail; for heavenly bliss is ineffable, and

celestial glory eternal. Christ's glorification is past comprehension.

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard. But let us rejoice greatly this day

in the excellency of this knowledge of Christ. "He is able to save to

the uttermost all who come unto God by him." "He has become the author

of 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 the

obscurity of your mind as to how you stand in the sight of God? I do

not think any one need be in doubt as to this matter. Are you living a

life of obedience to Christ? Let us see. You surely have been

baptized. As baptism was his first public act, for you to follow his

example and walk in his steps it became you to submit to the same

ordinance expanded and illuminated as to its significance and use by

his subsequent teachings. This you did, and you did it in the true

spirit of obedience and love. You are no hypocrite, I am sure; for the

hypocrite never examines himself. He totally lacks the goodness and

sincerity and honesty that lead to self-examinations. The hypocrite

does not _love_ the house of God. He does not breathe freely in an

atmosphere of prayer. His highest ambition is to make a fair show in

the flesh, to secure some personal aggrandizement through his formal

professions.

You do not belong to this class. You feel in your heart that you love

Jesus, and often weep that you do not love him more. This very love

should assure your heart that you are a child of God, for "love is of

God, 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 the

ordinance of feet-washing. You eat the Lord's Supper as nearly after

his example as can be known, in honor of him, and partake of the

Communion of the bread and wine in remembrance of his broken body and

shed blood. In addition to all this you hate the inborn corruptions of

your 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 is

founded upon the assurance that there will be no sin or sorrow for sin

there, nor sinful thoughts. You even here rejoice many times, in the

sweet foretastes of that happy state. When you meet the loving eyes

and 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 such

times and on such occasions that you realize just what the apostle

means by what he says of the experience of some heavenly-minded

Christian brethren and sisters who lived and felt eighteen hundred

years ago very much as you feel now. Identifying himself with them, he

says: "We have all been made to sit together in heavenly places in

Christ Jesus." "Be thou faithful unto death, and God shall give thee

the 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 to

Michael Whitmore's for dinner; then to Valley meetinghouse in

afternoon, where he spoke from Acts 26; and stayed all night at Daniel

Glick's.

MONDAY, March 3. We anoint Brother Daniel Glick this morning. He is

very low in sickness. Come to Dayton to afternoon appointment, where I

speak 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 Linville

Creek, is elected to the deaconship. I feel that the right brother was

chosen, and entertain large hopes for his future.

FRIDAY, April 4. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. Brother Samuel

Zigler is elected to the deaconship. We might have selected a man of

more words; but I am persuaded that one of purer mind and heart could

not have been found. Brother Benjamin Bowman stays all night with me.

This evening he related to me a remarkable dream he had had not very

long before. To use his own words, as nearly as I can give them, he

said: "I dreamed that I had died, but found myself consciously awake

in the land of departed spirits. My own father met me. I knew him. The

joy with which he received and welcomed me I cannot describe. My next

experience was along a stream of very clear water. It did not appear

to be a very large stream, but its remarkable character impressed me

as singular. It flowed gently. It was not swift, but glided smoothly

along, uphill and downhill the same. Its speed never varied, and this

unaccountable characteristic struck me with surprise that waked me.

This is my interpretation of my dream," said he: "The clear stream of

water represents what the Christian should be. Its transparency

symbolizes the clear thought and intelligent understanding that he

should have respecting himself and his life. Self-knowledge should

enable him to see himself in clear light. This knowledge leads to a

clear understanding of his relation to God and man, and reveals

whether that relation is what it should be, or otherwise. The uniform

flow of the stream uphill and down, which so surprised me, symbolizes

that inward peace of mind and gentle flow of heavenly affections which

constitute the Christian's happiness in life. Though he have his _ups_

and _downs_ in life, his inward peace gently glides along. 'In the

world ye shall have tribulation; but in me ye shall have peace.' One

more thought. It is not natural for water to run uphill. Nothing short

of divine power can make water run uphill in an open channel such as

this had. This symbolizes the love and mercy of the Lord in our being

kept by his hand in these inwardly calm and heavenly frames of

feeling. Brother John, I never felt better from a dream in all my

life."

SATURDAY, April 12. Council meeting at Shaver's meetinghouse, in

Shenandoah County. Brother John Brindle is advanced.

SUNDAY, May 4. Meeting at Nathan Spitler's schoolhouse, in Page

County. Hamilton Varner and wife, and John Huffman's wife are baptized

to-day.

MONDAY, May 5. This day I start to the Annual Meeting, which is

appointed to meet about fourteen miles from Freeport, in Stephenson

County, on the extreme north border of Illinois, and about three miles

from Brother Young's. After being exposed to many dangers and

detentions, and one wreck on the way, I arrived safe at the place of

meeting on

SATURDAY, May 10. Stay at Brother Young's first night. A great

concourse 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 rooms

and take in queries. Stay all night on the meeting grounds. Rain all

day 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 half

past five o'clock. Stay again on meeting grounds. Although we have

some differences of opinion among us on minor points of order and

usages, I am happy to know that in all great matters of doctrine and

practice we are one. Whilst the meeting was in progress I was made to

think 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 or

bishop, with self-assumed authority and dignity; yet we hold together.

We acknowledge allegiance to but one king, and he is out of human

sight. 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, yet

believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."

On my way home from the meeting I visited Peter Fesler's, Jacob

Miller's, Samuel Freys's, Allen White's, Absalom Painter's, William

Mason's, John Strough's, John Miller's, Joseph Funk's, George

Hoover's, and John Snideman's, all in Indiana. I also preached at a

number of points in Indiana and Ohio.

SATURDAY, May 24. This evening David Bowman and I get to Abraham

Aerbach's in Ohio.

SUNDAY, May 25. Go to Bowman's meetinghouse, where I speak from

Hebrews 12. Dine at David Miller's, and stay all night at Isaac

Miller'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 this

evening. Stay with Philip Grabil till one o'clock in the night, when

we start for Springfield to take cars for home. Stop over a few days

in Hampshire County, Virginia, and arrive home safe on Thursday, June

5.

TUESDAY, June 17. This day I am fifty-nine years of age. When I was

young my ambition led me to hope that I might some day attain to

distinction in the world, and leave an imperishable name. I own with

shame before my God, that my heart was full of vanity. I now thank him

that 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 thy

truth. I trust thy love. May thy glory be the end of all my efforts in

life, 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 thus

ever to pray and to walk humbly before thee.

FRIDAY, August 22. This day Brother Kline left home for another

journey to the counties of Hardy and Randolph. He spent several days

in Hardy County, preaching among the Brethren and friends on the South

Fork, South Branch and beyond.

SUNDAY, August 24. Meeting at Bethel in forenoon; in afternoon at

Jacob Cosner's. TEXT.--3 John seventh verse. He has given us but a

touch of what he said here. I imagine his heart somewhat overflowed

with gratitude to these kind-hearted people in return for the love

they showed him. He read this third epistle of John to them; and I

here append the substance of part of his comment on it:

"There are great blessings in store for those who through love to the

Lord 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 the

apostle's days as now, many went forth bearing the precious seed of

God's Word, almost wholly dependent upon the charity of brethren and

friends to the cause, for food and shelter. They were encouraged to go

in 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 the

hire the Lord had in view. To encourage all to the duty as well as

privilege of kindly receiving his ministers and even his righteous

brethren 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 righteous

man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's

reward.' And he sublimely crowns all those who tender their love in

this way with the words: 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least

of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.' How faithfully these

tokens of love for the Lord and the Brethren were kept by the early

Christians, Paul with others abundantly testifies. However, to avoid

slanderous accusations which might be hurled at him by the adversaries

of the cross, he did not always avail himself of the proffered good.

Blessed are they who watch for and lay hold of opportunities to do

good in this way."

MONDAY, August 25. Meeting at Greenland. Thomas Lion baptizes one

person to-day. Stay all night at Thomas Clark's.

TUESDAY, August 26. This day, after meeting, I baptize James Abernathy

and wife.

WEDNESDAY, August 27. Meeting at David Feige's on the pike. Afternoon

meeting at West Union. Stay at Benjamin Beachley's.

THURSDAY, August 28. Ride twenty-nine miles to-day. Dine at Peter

Bolyard's and stay all night at Henry Wilson's.

FRIDAY, August 29. Meeting at meetinghouse. I baptize W. Oval and

wife. 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 Samuel

Perkeypine's, and stay at Brother John Skidmore's.

SUNDAY, August 31. Meeting at Josiah Simon's. After preaching have a

church council. Brother Charles Burke is forwarded to baptize; and

Brother Josiah Simon is elected to the Word. Brother John Skidmore is

elected 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 future

reference.

The Editor gives these outlines in the best shape he can put them as

follows:

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 line

between the false and the true in religious professions; between empty

formality on the one hand, and loving obedience on the other. It is a

very easy thing, and requires no previous preparation of heart by

self-examination, for very wicked and thoughtless people to call upon

the Lord in times of great danger, or in seasons of distress. Some

years ago a very thoughtless and irreligious family near my home lived

on the bank of a certain stream. Suddenly, after a great rain, their

house was surrounded by a flood of water that threatened its

destruction. They knew not what to do; and in their fright and

consternation they began to call on the Lord for help. He may have

heard 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 of

the Lord, and continued to live just as they had lived before.

Often have I heard of wicked people, when thrown prostrate upon beds

of affliction, calling upon the Lord, and even promising that if he

would raise them up again they would do better. But how often does it

turn out that such promises are either wantonly disregarded or

thoughtlessly broken! But why is this so? What is the cause? I will

tell you. Such prayers and promises do not proceed from a right

motive, and they do not aim at a right end. Self is the beginning and

the end of all such prayers and promises. And when self is again made

to feel easy by escape from danger, or recovery from sickness, there

is an end of prayer, and promises are forgotten. But such as I have

named are not the only class included in our Lord's meaning. If we

read carefully we may see that some who desire to make a fair show in

the flesh love to stand on the corners of the streets that they may be

heard calling on the Lord, making long prayers, that they may be seen

of men. Of such our Lord says: "Verily, they have their reward." Here

again the love of self and the world is the beginning and the end.

There is one more class justly belonging to the number of those

already described. This is a sad class indeed, although probably no

worse off than some others. I hope no one here will ever be found in

their number. You may read about them in the twenty-fifth chapter of

Matthew's Gospel. They are called the "foolish virgins." We all know

that a virgin is an unmarried woman who has kept the integrity of her

virtue unbroken. The ten spoken of in the chapter are virgins in a

figurative sense. They are so called because in appearance and

profession 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 my

path." Each one had this _lamp_ according to their understanding and

use of the Word. All denominations of Christians claim the Word as

their lamp or guide through the darkness of this world. But lamps

differ 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 brightly

to one may be darkness to another. "If thine eye be single, thy whole

body shall be full of light; but if thine eye be evil, thy whole body

shall 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's

Word, but their faith lacked the oil of love; it was not made perfect

by works in life proceeding from love to God and their neighbor. Oil

in the Scriptures stands for love. Priests and kings had to be

anointed with oil as a sign or emblem that they were to perform their

official duties from love. Hence the light that is fed by pure oil

beautifully 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 a

lamp destitute of oil symbolizes the life of the hypocrite, the vain

professor. It may burn for a little; but it will soon go out and leave

him in eternal darkness. The wise virgins represent those who make a

profession of faith in the light of truth and in the love of it. These

go in with the Lord to the marriage feast. But the foolish virgins

find the door shut. They call, "Lord, Lord, open to us." But he

answers by saying: "I know you not." "Not every one that saith unto me

Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth

the 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 the

importance and value of good works. I think that one who had spoken

that day went so far as to quote these words of the Lord: "Every good

tree bringeth forth good fruit." Good works are good fruit, he had

also said. He had quoted this passage too: "Every tree that bringeth

not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Evil works

are evil fruit, he had also said. And I feel sure he had quoted these

words of the Lord: "They that have done good shall come unto the

resurrection of life: but they that have done evil, unto the

resurrection of damnation." The friend who told me had ridden a part

of the way home with the preacher before referred to, and in speaking

to this friend he said: "These Dunkards are odd people. I occasionally

go 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 to

the 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 as

it is written: 'He that doeth good is of God; but he that doeth evil

hath not seen God.' 'A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit:

neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. By their fruits ye

shall KNOW them.'"

Brethren, let us think closely upon the closing words of my text: "He

that DOETH the will of my Father which is in heaven." An apostle says:

"This is the will of God, even your sanctification." Sanctification

means _holiness_, and holiness means conformity of heart and life to

God's Revealed Truth. The heart cannot be conformed to God's Revealed

Truth when the life is conformed to the world and sin. "No man can

serve two masters.... Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Jesus prays for

all that believe on him through the Word: "Sanctify them in thy truth.

Thy word is truth." We occasionally hear of some "_professing

sanctification_." From what I have been told, those making this

profession mean by it that they have attained to a state of sinless

perfection. This is a state to be devoutly wished, for it is the state

of the spirits of just men made perfect. Nothing shall enter that holy

city where they dwell "that defileth, or worketh abomination, or

maketh 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 Word

imply that it is a place and a state where the will of God is the

supreme law of life. "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is the

footstool of my feet." "Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is

God's throne." As heaven is God's throne, his will is the universal

law for all, and that law is love. I can think of no state so blessed

and happy as that where every one of the "multitude which no man can

number" "loves the Lord his God with all his heart, and his

neighbor"--every one of the assembly--"as he loves himself." And from

the Lord's Prayer it is to be inferred that his people on earth should

aim at the same state of perfection.

Let us examine this for a moment. Notice the very first petition after

the address: "Thy kingdom come." Is the significance of this petition

to be limited merely to the introduction of the kingdom of heaven into

places of this world where it has not yet been established? It includes

this, 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 two

petitions have a general significance, they have a most personal

application to the heart and life of every one offering them. We

sometimes wonder why the Lord's Prayer is so short. It is so because

the all of heaven, and the church on earth, is comprehended in doing

the 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 to

teach 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 until

our understandings are so filled with the knowledge of the glorious

truths of God's kingdom, and our hearts with the love of doing his

will that we can make no further progress in knowledge and wisdom, and

no 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 a

relation to every true Christian in the lines of example, power and

use somewhat like that which the harness has to a draught horse. The

horse 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 in

the Lord's appointed way--inwardly, through repentance towards God and

faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; outwardly, by a threefold immersion of

the body in pure water, the beautiful emblem of truth, in token of our

belief in the blessed trinity of God--is simply putting on the harness

for work in the Lord's vineyard. It is also the act of putting on the

Christian soldier's armor and entering the service. But of what use is

a helmet, sword and shield to an idler in the camp? Of what account is

harness, unless the horse that carries it is trained and made willing

to use it?

The apostles all speak much of _charity_, which is love to others

filled with a desire to do them good. This love is of God; for our

Lord was filled with it as "he went about doing good." It is this same

love or charity in God that has brought salvation to man. Paul and

Peter often call it _grace_, but it means the same thing. Moses and

the prophets mostly use the word _mercy_; but it also means the same.

These three words, _love, grace, mercy_, in their true sense, are

comprehended in the word CHARITY, which, as an attribute of God or a

conscious feeling in man, is the love of doing good in the desire to

make others good and happy. If _charity_ were made the life and spring

of man's love universally, peace and happiness would be the universal

order of man's life on earth. Millennial glory would crown humanity,

and the knowledge of the Lord would be its princely attire. Then the

wolf of worldly rapacity, having lost its power, would dwell with the

lamb. The leopard of crouching deceit, having been deprived of its

teeth and claws, would lie down with the kid. The young lion, tamed,

but his courage and strength reserved by being regenerated, would feed

with the calf; and the little child of innocent will and teachable

understanding would lead them.

But "the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until

now." We can not know fully all the blessedness to be realized by

doing 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 most

exalted happiness is comprehended in the welcome that all such as do

his 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, over

a 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 Washington

Summerfield. In the afternoon we have meeting at old man Summerfield's

on the Dry Fork of Cheat river. Washington Summerfield and his wife

and soldier White's wife are baptized to-day. Stay all night at John

Pennington's.

WEDNESDAY, September 3. Dine at Widow Cooper's on the Alleghany

mountain, and stay all night at Isaac Carr's on the North Fork.

THURSDAY, September 4. Meeting at Carr's. Come to Enoch Hyre's and

stay all night.

FRIDAY, September 5. Meeting at Hyre's. German W. Deadenborn is

baptized to-day. Come to Sister Mary Judy's; stay all night.

SATURDAY, September 6. Meeting at Sister Judy's. Brother Thomas Lion

is with me. Come to Peggy Dasher's; night meeting at Zion.

SUNDAY, September 7. Meeting at Henry Moyers's, in the Gap. In evening

get home.

THURSDAY, September 11. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. Decide

the question as to what the churches here in the slaveholding States

should require of any slaveowner desiring to come into the church. A

very delicate matter to act upon in the present sensitive condition of

public feeling on slavery. But it is the aim of the Brethren here not

to offend popular feeling, so long as that feeling does not attempt

any interference with what they regard and hold sacred as their line

of Christian duty. Should such opposition arise, which I greatly fear

will be the case at no distant day, it will then be seen that it is

the fixed purpose and resolve of the Brotherhood to "obey God rather

than men." It was decided in council that every slaveholder coming

into the church must give up his or her slaves as property; and yet

not turn them off houseless and homeless, but allow them to remain,

and labor, and be fed and clothed as usual, until suitable and lawful

provisions can be made for their complete emancipation.

THURSDAY, September 18. This day Brother Kline started on a journey up

the Valley of Virginia, to the counties of Augusta, Rockbridge,

Botetourt, Roanoke and Franklin. As usual, he was mounted on faithful

Nell's back. The reader need not be surprised to be told what the

writer heard Brother Kline tell about the somewhat remarkable sagacity

of Nell. She not only had her favorite places to stop at, but she had

her favorite roads to travel on. And it was not uncommon for her rider

to be forced into a mild but resolute contention with her, when he

wished to leave a road she had repeatedly traveled before.

Brother John Brower accompanied him from Augusta. Saturday, the

twenty-eighth, they crossed the Natural Bridge and got to Sister Sarah

Grabil's, where they met Brother Crumbaker. Sunday, the 21st, they

attended a love feast at the Valley meetinghouse, and stayed all night

at Brother Nininger's. Monday, the 22nd, they attended meeting again,

and stayed all night at Brother Benjamin Moomaw's. Next day they dined

at Brother Daniel Kiser's, and stayed all night at John Brubaker's in

Roanoke County. On this trip they visited or stayed over night with

Peter Crumbaker's, James Hayden's, Joseph Howard's, Joseph Weddell's,

Christian Bowman's, Daniel Neff's, Abraham Flory's, Abraham

Barnhart's, Jacob Miley's, Wendell Sites's, and Jacob Stover's. He got

home Friday, October 10.

On this journey Brother Kline attended nine meetings for ordinary

services, and six love feasts.

From this time on to the close of the year Brother Kline was actively

employed either at home or abroad. He made one trip to Page County. He

and Brother Solomon Garber took a journey through the counties of

Pendleton, 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 everywhere

they 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 own

glory 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 raging

all day and all last night. Thermometer down to zero all day.

MONDAY, January 19. Terrible snowstorm continues till evening. Snow

considerably drifted; but probably enough snow on the ground if evenly

distributed over its surface to make a depth of over two feet. Get

through reading "The Prince of the House of David."

MONDAY, February 2. Very cold to-night. Thermometer ten degrees below

zero.

FRIDAY, February 5. A general thaw.

SATURDAY, February 6. Go to Broadway to see the river. Tremendous

breaking up of the ice--tearing almost everything before it.

SATURDAY, April 4. Brother Jacob Wine and I attend a visit council

meeting in Page County. Elections are also held. Brother Nathan

Spitler is elected to preach the Word; and John Huffman is advanced to

baptize and perform the ceremony of marriage. Gideon Toben is elected

to the deaconship.

SATURDAY, April 18. Council meeting at the Flat Rock. Jacob Wine is

ordained. John Neff is advanced to the second grade; and Abraham Neff

is 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 his

wife on the subject of religion.

TUESDAY, May 19. Considerable snow to-day; but on low-lying sections

of country it melts almost as fast as it falls.

WEDNESDAY, May 20. The Blue Ridge, and the mountains on the west side

of the valley are all white with snow.

THURSDAY, May 21. This morning the tops of the western mountains are

still white with snow. The oldest weather records I have heard from

contain no account of snow so late in the spring as this anywhere in

Virginia.

FRIDAY, May 22. Peter Fesler and wife are with us here at my home. We

are all made to feel glad by their company.

FRIDAY, June 5. Go to John Lowry's to discuss some of our doctrines

with Jacob Stirewalt and Socrates Henkel, Lutheran preachers from New

Market, Virginia. It was no part of my aim in this private talk with

those preachers to work any change in their settled opinions regarding

the subjects of our controversy. I long ago learned that the

conversion of a theological sinner from the error of his ways is

hardly to be hoped for in any case. When the truth is loved for its

own sake it is not hard to find; and it is readily perceived when

found. It is then the pearl of great price for which a man will sell

all that he has to obtain it as his own. Luther was no doubt sincere

in much that he taught: but men may be sincere in holding very

erroneous dogmas, because of their being so deeply rooted in their

minds and their minds being so confirmed in them that it would be

almost like parting soul and body to give them up. It was said of

Luther, by one of the later reformers, that he cut a large piece out

of the Pope's pontifical robe as he left the Vatican, and kept it all

his life as a sacred relic. This is of course highly figurative, and

not to be understood literally; but to mean that he incorporated many

papal errors in his subsequent teachings. My object in meeting these

preachers at this place was to comply with the request of the family

for me to do so. Friend Lowry and his wife did not appear to see the

lines of truth and duty very clearly; and as they seemed desirous of

learning the way I thought it important for some one to present the

truth on one side, to oppose the error that was likely to be poured in

from the other side. The whole thing reminded me of what I often

do--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 James

Fitzwater's. He has been bitten by a copperhead snake. I succeed in

relieving 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 was

composed of hearers from far and near; and almost all classes, as to

intelligence and social standing, were represented. A man like myself,

who only occasionally strikes such a crowd, hardly knows how to adapt

himself to the situation. If he lets himself down to the comprehension

of the illiterate, the highbred city folks may say: "He is beneath his

calling." And if he lifts himself up to their standard of

appreciation, the unlearned go away without being able to say amen to

what they have heard. I decided, however, to follow the example of

Paul before Felix and Drusilla. He _reasoned_ of righteousness, _etc._

In the forty-fifth Psalm David says: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever

and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom is a scepter of righteousness.

Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness." A scepter is a kind

of staff borne by kings as an emblem of their authority. It is a

comfort to know that the scepter of Jehovah, as King of the universe,

is a scepter of righteousness. We could never know that God is

righteous, and that he loves righteousness, except by being told in

his Word of Truth. This world does not give unequivocal testimony to

the righteousness of God. The wicked bear rule, and the nations

tremble. Evil often overcomes good, and wrong triumphs over right.

Disease or accident lays the good man low in death; while the wicked

near by is left to exult in the strength of his arm. I say it is

comforting to know, in the midst of these apparent contradictory

evidences of the just government of the world, that God is

nevertheless righteous: and although iniquity largely bears rule and

carries the day, God still hates wickedness. God does not acquiesce in

the injustice and wrong that is being perpetrated in the world. He

merely permits it; and he permits it for the reason that he can not

arrest and put an end to it without destroying man's freedom. Man is

free as to his will and understanding--free to believe what is false

and to do what is wrong. But he is just as free to believe what is

true and to will what is good. This freedom is what makes him capable

of being reformed and saved.

It is self-evident that righteousness, which is right doing from right

willing, is the basis of all true order and happiness in earth and

heaven. "God is love," and he therefore loves righteousness because it

is good, and hates wickedness because it is evil. But man has fallen

from his primeval state of righteousness, and therefore he is not in a

condition of mind and heart fit for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit,

nor capable of enjoying the divine presence in the society of the pure

and good. Righteousness and holiness are related to each other very

much as the fruit is related to the tree that bears it. Holiness

corresponds with the sap, fiber, life and whatever else makes the tree

good; and righteousness corresponds with the fruit the good tree

bears; and "without holiness no man shall see the Lord."

But probably no subject in the line of human thought has given rise to

so many different opinions as the subject of how righteousness is to

be attained. The Jewish leaders and representatives in our Lord's day

upon earth were very exact in their outward lives. They kept clean the

_outside_ of the cup and of the platter. Their external conduct was

ordered to a rigid conformity to divine law. They endeavored to

establish a righteousness of their own; and to all human appearance

they succeeded; for the Lord himself said to them: "Ye make clean the

_outside_"--as vessels may appear clean _externally_. He also compared

them to beautiful monuments of marble sculptured after the highest

style of art and polished to shining perfection, set up over the dead.

But of this very class of men he said: "Except your righteousness

shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall

in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven." This proves that the

righteousness which they had was not the righteousness of the kingdom

of heaven.

Self-respect, or self-love, inclines almost every one, except the very

abandoned, to make a show of righteousness; that is, they want others

to think they are living right lives. No man who holds himself up to

respectability is willing to be called a thief, or a liar, or an

adulterer, or any other thing that is vile. He may be any or all of

these, yet he is not willing that it should be known, or even

suspected. Even _he_ desires to make a fair show in the flesh.

Others, again, who make no profession of religion, but who yet believe

in a supreme God and a future state of existence, desire to be

righteous before God and man. They are not like the scribes and

Pharisees, who attached virtue and merit to their rigid observance of

the ceremonial law of ordinances in their religion. These that I now

speak of are simply good moral men, who are honest in their dealings

and careful of the conduct of their lives generally. These do not

really desire to make any display of their righteousness. They wish

rather to be esteemed for their real worth; and not for any fancied or

spurious excellencies. They desire to live _above_ the just reproaches

of men, and the condemnation of God. They persuade themselves to think

that their righteousness is all that God can require.

But the most numerous of all the classes that seek after righteousness

is composed of those who trust in the righteousness of faith.

Righteousness or justification by faith was the password of the

Reformation. Martin Luther, misapplying Paul's utterance that "a man

is 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 merely

assenting to the statement that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Many

passages can be adduced from the epistolary writings in plausible

support of this theory of salvation. Although it is incomprehensible

how the righteousness of Christ can be applied to each individual

sinner on the bare ground of his merely giving assent to the doctrine

of 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 so

learned Christ," nor Paul either. "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." At the close of his sermon on the Mount,

in which is given all necessary instruction and encouragement for

living a righteous life from holy love in the heart, the Lord Jesus

says: "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and DOETH them, I will

liken him to a wise man who built his house upon a rock." And he said

to Peter: "Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of

hell shall not prevail against it." The rock is the great TRUTH that

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This truth involves every good

affection and thought and work of man. It takes in and requires

obedience to every divine command, and compliance with every divine

precept. When any one complies with these conditions of salvation

through the faith that sees and knows that God's Word is true because

it is understood and must be so, he is righteous in the sight of the

Lord, and necessarily in a state of salvation. He is then to "let his

light shine before men, that others seeing his GOOD WORKS may glorify

our Father in heaven."

For want of time I must pass over the subject of _temperance_, to say

something about "a judgment to come." And right here there are all

sorts of ideas and conjectures. But of all the subjects in the

universe, 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. And

we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. It is not to be

wondered at that Felix trembled under the weight of this great truth.

God's Word will be the basis of judgment. Says our Lord: "He that

rejecteth 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," so

does every word of his truth point to that great day for which all

other days were made. All the parables and miracles of our Lord, full

of 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 impressions

regarding the judgment to come. Let us not regard it as being an

occasion for the display of God's wrath; but let us rather look upon

it 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. A

criminal is arraigned before it. Testimony is received and evidence

drawn from it respecting the innocence or guilt of the accused. The

balance of testimony is altogether in his favor. He is acquitted. That

trial is a joy to that criminal, because it sets him right as to

character before the world. But suppose he is found guilty. Is it a

joy then? It is not. It is a grief. Why? Because his sin has found him

out. His real character is laid bare. But in their consignment of him

to the punishment prescribed by law, do the jury and the judge act

from wrath? They do not, but from a love of good will to all. The law

that condemns may have the appearance of wrath to the condemned; but

never to the innocent.

Judgment and reward will be according to works, and never according to

professions of faith, except where the professions are genuine, and

lead to good works from the love of doing good. I have met with some

who have manifested dread in contemplating the majesty of that great

day, the day of "a judgment to come." I feel warranted in making the

assertion that no one whose purpose in life is to do the will of our

Father in heaven has any just ground whatever to dread the coming of

that day. Justice never condemns the innocent. Just and wise laws are

never a terror to the good, and such are all the laws of God. In the

book of Revelation we read of those "who had gotten the victory over

the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number

of his name, saying: Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God

Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." These all

exulted in the prospect of a judgment to come, because they had gotten

the victory over the adversary of their souls and were ready for trial

before the King of saints whose ways are all _just_ and _true_. I once

read of a criminal who was deeply distressed at the near approach of

his trial. A friend endeavored to soothe his agitated feelings by

telling him that justice would be done him, and that he consequently

had no cause for fear. But the criminal was honest enough to confess

to his friend that JUSTICE was the very thing he was afraid of. I have

no doubt that this very same fear was what made Felix tremble before

Paul.

The Son of man, on the judgment seat, will be the very same in every

particular that he is now on the mercy seat. "Jesus Christ is the same

yesterday, and to-day, and forevermore." "The heavens shall depart as

a scroll; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up; but thou art the

same." By viewing him now as he is on the mercy seat we may see what

he will be on the judgment seat. The trembling waters of Galilee

became a pavement under his feet, and his disciples were thrown into

consternation by this miraculous approach of the Lord. But he

instantly dispelled their fears by the assurance: "It is I; BE NOT

AFRAID." Peter, James and John on the holy mount feared as they

entered the cloud and saw his glory; but he most tenderly said to

them: "FEAR NOT." John, on the isle of Patmos, beholding the glory of

his unveiled face, "fell at his feet as dead." But he laid his right

hand 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 no

arbitrary or despotic power exercised in "the judgment to come." "My

words shall judge you in the last day" is given by our Lord as the

standard of judgment. Is there one here who desires to know how he

will bear the searching ordeal of that day? If there is, let me say to

such a one, you can decide that question here in this world for

yourself. You have the Lord's word for this. "Verily, verily, I say

unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me,

hath eternal life, _and cometh not into judgment_, but hath passed out

of 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 hold

in my hand, called the Bible, is the revealed truth of God, and from

the heart are willing to obey its precepts under a sense of love and

duty to do the will of your Father in heaven therein revealed, and

continue faithful unto death, you have the assurance therein given

that the judgment to come will be a day of triumphant joy to your

soul. 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 an

apostle: "If we sin willfully, after that we have received the

knowledge 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 do

what 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 this

assertion. They drop from the lips of our Lord without the least show

of any design in him to _establish_ a great principle. The principle

had been established as an element of divine order before the Son of

man came into the world. It is a truth so simple that even little

children comprehend it. If a little child that has been taught any

correct ideas about salvation and heaven be asked a question like

this: "Who go to heaven?" it will at once answer with childlike

simplicity: "Good people go to heaven." If further interrogated as to

who good people are, it will say: "People who love one another and do

good." It is a truth intuitively known that good people are saved and

happy, and bad people lost and miserable.

"This is the judgment, that light is come into the world, but men

loved darkness rather than light, because THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL. Every

one that doeth evil hateth the light ... lest HIS DEEDS should be

reproved. But he who DOETH TRUTH cometh to the light, that his deeds

may be made manifest, because THEY ARE WROUGHT IN GOD. If ye know

these things, HAPPY ARE YE IF YE DO THEM. He that hath my commandments

AND DOETH THEM, he it is that loveth me ... and I will love him, and

will manifest myself to him; ... and will come to him, and make my

abode with him. He that loveth me not KEEPETH NOT MY WORDS. Ye are my

friends, 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 fruit

remaining it is to be understood that it goes with the child of God

through the judgment into heaven, and remains to eternity. In

Revelation we read these words: "Blessed are the dead which die in the

Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from

their 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 those

things which were written in the book, EVERY ONE ACCORDING TO THEIR

WORKS."

I might continue this multiplication of scripture passages to a much

greater number, but time forbids. Every passage I have quoted bears

either directly or indirectly upon the judgment to come. It remains a

thing of choice with every intelligent human being, whether he will be

prepared to face the shining judgment throne with joy, or quail before

it in terror. The Lord says to all: "Seek ye my face." What a blessed

response it would be for each one to answer as did the young Prophet

Samuel: "Thy face, Lord, will I seek."

TUESDAY, August 18. Brother Kline and Jacob Wine have night meeting at

Nimrod Judy's, in Hardy County. The conversion of Saul is their

subject. Acts 9.

WEDNESDAY, August 19. They have meeting at John Judy's on South Mill

Creek. TEXT.--"God is a Spirit." John 4:24. They speak on the

spiritual nature of true worship, and prove that ordinances in

connection with all the externals of worship, to be acceptable to God,

must be but the outward evidences of internal realities. They stay all

night at John Judy's.

THURSDAY, August 20. This day they have two meetings: forenoon at

Isaac Judy's; afternoon at Michael Mallow's. Stay at Adam Mallow's.

FRIDAY, August 21. Two meetings to-day. Forenoon at Bethel

church--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 the

afternoon cross the Shenandoah mountain into Brock's Gap.

SUNDAY, August 23. Meeting at Keplinger's chapel, where they meet

Benjamin Bowman and Solomon Garber. A joyful surprise. Brother

Benjamin Bowman speaks from Luke 8. He speaks mostly from these words

of the eighteenth verse: "Take heed how ye hear." From the outlines I

gather that he followed very closely the lines of thought here briefly

expressed.

He said: Hearing may be that of mere sound. Brutes hear in this way. A

horse, near the stand, may hear a sermon, but it will be that of mere

sound to him. I have known of _people_ hearing somewhat after the same

manner. They can tell nothing, and seem to remember nothing of what

they have heard. Some hear to criticise the preacher's style of

expression, including his language, modulation of his voice, and

gestures. Others hear as the Pharisees and Herodians tried to hear

Christ, "that they might catch him in his talk;" and like the scribes

and Pharisees, "laying in wait for him, to catch something out of his

mouth" with which to accuse him. But these are not the only profitless

hearings which the God-loving and soul-loving minister of the Gospel

has to mourn over. The lives of some _prove_ that they hear mainly

from a desire to make others think that they have great respect for

religion and the Word of God. They go to church and hear, but heed

nothing. "By their fruits shall ye KNOW them." If people were rightly

to obey the injunction of my text, all such heedless and profitless

hearing would be at an end.

But how is the injunction of the text to be obeyed? And how is one to

know 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 does

not point to the subject matter or the manner of the address, but to

the end _for_ which and to the spirit _in_ which it is heard. If the

heartfelt desire of the hearer is to learn truth, that he may be

enlightened and given to see the way of eternal life, he may feel

assured that his hearing is acceptable to God. He will then not be a

forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, and such a one shall be

blessed in his deed.

It is enjoined upon all to hear _intelligently_, for this belongs to

the _manner_ of hearing. No one can hear a sermon understandingly

without some previous knowledge of the subject matter of the

discourse. To acquire this knowledge every one should read and study

the Word of Divine Truth. It is able to make all "wise unto

salvation." Intelligent knowledge of the Scriptures can be acquired

only by patient study of them: but when they are studied to the

illumination of the understanding, the truth, like water in a well,

rises up into the understanding and meets you. We sometimes hear it

said of one who listens attentively and intelligently, "He seemed to

drink in every word spoken." This, I think, is what the Lord means by

these words to the woman at the well: "He that drinketh of this water

shall thirst again: but he that drinketh of the water that I shall

give him, shall never thirst; but it shall be in him a well of water

springing up into everlasting life." To hear the truth attentively and

understandingly is to drink it in, as we drink water when we are

thirsty.

What I have said, however important it may be to know, does not cover

the entire ground comprehended in the text. I must show you another

element which must exist in the _manner_ of all right hearing. That

element is _discrimination_. Without this, how is the hearer to know

whether the truth or its opposite is being preached? The comparison

may lack adaptability in some of its points, but I have heard it said

that some hearers are like young birds in their nest, ready to swallow

down anything put into their mouths. Such as hear in this way lack

_discrimination_; that is, they do not discern the difference between

what is true and what is false. This is particularly the case with

such as have been trained to regard what their own denominational

ministers preach as being the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but

the 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 justly

apply; for I know of no people who take so great pains to instil this

very belief into the minds of the young as you do." I can truthfully

say that such charges are not strange to me. But with all due respect

for such as differ from us in religious faith and practice, I do say

that we, as a denomination of Christian brethren, acknowledging no

teacher but Christ, no authority but his Word, have no will, wish or

desire to lead the truth and thus pervert, ignore or misapply any part

of it; but our will, wish and desire is to be led by the truth. And I

do not in my heart believe there is one member of our Brotherhood who

would desire to instill into the mind of his or her child any belief

or practice not sustained by a plain "_thus saith the Lord_." In this

very way the power of _discrimination_ is developed in the minds of

our young people, so that when they hear or read they do not question

whether this or that that they hear or read has for its authority the

Methodist Discipline, the Episcopal Prayer Book, or Lutheran

Catechism; but they at once perceive that it either has or has not the

sanction of God's Word. We are taught that in a spiritual sense no one

is to be called rabbi. "Be not ye called rabbi; for One is your

teacher, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father on the

earth; for one is your Father in heaven." How the mind might expatiate

here in making historic disclosures of the times and ways in which

this plain command of our Lord has been violated! Hearing the Word

preached, and the hearer not able to discern truth from falsehood, has

given 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_ they

hear, they never would have suffered themselves to be imposed upon as

they have been.

I now take up the last but not the least element in the _manner_ of

hearing. That element is _sincerity_; which I define to be a heartfelt

love for the truth. Paul puts it "Receiving the truth in the love of

it." The person who hears the truth lightly, thoughtlessly, carelessly

is not instructed by it. The same is true of one who hears with

prejudice against the truth. He refuses to be instructed, because he

does not love the truth he hears. Let me use an illustration here. Two

men once happened to meet at my house, one a Presbyterian and the

other a member of no church. After dinner the subject of feet-washing

was broached. After we had all talked awhile about it one of the men

asked me whereabouts in the Bible it was to be found. I turned to the

thirteenth chapter of John's Gospel, and he then asked me to read it

aloud. I did so. These two men listened attentively, so, at least,

they appeared to me. The Presbyterian friend very modestly gave it as

his opinion that the command is fully met by acts of hospitality, and

referred to the reception which Abraham gave the three angels who came

to his tent as proof of the correctness of his conclusion. Very little

more was said about it at that time. The two men, soon after, went

away together; and I had little or no conversation with either of them

for probably nearly a year afterward. But it so turned out that the

one who was not a professor of religion came to my house again, and

showed a desire to talk on the subject of feet-washing. I was ready to

answer such questions as he proposed; and he very soon expressed a

wish to know if I remembered having once read the thirteenth chapter

of John's Gospel to him when on a call at my house. I told him I did

remember it. "Your reading of that chapter," said he, "struck my mind

with so much force that I could not rid myself of the impression it

made. I never, until then, knew there was anything so plain in the

Scriptures, and so easy to understand. I had always thought the Bible

was a book of dark sayings, unintelligible to any but the learned; and

even in their hands doubtful as to its true interpretation. Since then

I have been reading it, especially the New Testament part of it, and

find so much that I can understand that I begin to love it." I have

only to add that this man soon applied for membership in our church,

was baptized, and manifested enthusiastic delight in obeying the

command, "So ought ye also to wash one another's feet," at the first

love feast he ever attended.

In connection with the case I have just described, the two men spoken

of heard with different ears. The ear of the first was so modified by

previous indoctrinations that it could almost shut itself in and

become deaf or callous when the plain truth was read: the ear of the

last was open to take in the truth; and the mind, being free from

prejudice, received the truth from the love of it. "Blessed are the

poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The Lord

includes all such hearers as the one I have just described, in the

promised blessing.

"Take heed HOW ye hear." In speaking on this text so much comes before

my mind that it is difficult for me to stop. I must say something to

the unconverted sinner. The Lord says to you: "Repent, for the kingdom

of heaven is at hand." This means that you should turn away from your

sins 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 will

abundantly pardon." And Jesus says: "Whosoever cometh unto me, I will

in no wise cast out." To come unto the Lord is to hear his Word with

full purpose of heart to understand it, see its truth, believe it and

obey it. I beg every unconverted person in this house to ask himself

just now: "How do I hear what the preacher has just now said? Do I

hear it with a thoughtless, careless ear? If I do, what is to become

of me? Can I bear to hear the voice from the judgment throne say:

'Depart, ye workers of iniquity, into everlasting fire'? Would I not

better 'seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while

he is near'?" O, that all might hear aright, repent and live, for with

the Lord there is plenteous redemption; and he is able to save to the

uttermost all who come unto God by him.

SUNDAY, September 6. Meeting at Turner's schoolhouse. William Miller

and wife, and Andrew Lamb's wife are baptized.

THURSDAY, September 24. This day finds Brother Kline and Solomon

Garber in Randolph County, Virginia, nearly one hundred miles from

home, holding a meeting. Both have come on horseback. They hold a

council meeting with the Brethren assembled. Joseph Houser is elected

to the deaconship. After meeting Brother Solomon Garber baptizes Mrs.

Houser and Diana Bainbridge.

SATURDAY, September 26. They have meeting in meetinghouse near Josiah

Simon's. Matt. 5:13 is the text. Brother Solomon Garber spoke first;

and the Diary notes are so suggestive of original thought that I give

them in a somewhat expanded form. TEXT.--"_Ye are the salt of the

earth._"

Jesus spoke by parables: and we are told that without a parable spoke

he not. My text is a parable. But what is a parable? A parable is a

way of teaching in which natural objects are used to represent or

symbolize spiritual realities. It is a way of comparing natural things

with spiritual things. This way of teaching is based upon the

correspondence existing between natural things and spiritual or

heavenly things. Thus: a natural birth corresponds to a spiritual

birth; natural water, to spiritual water, which is divine or heavenly

truth. Wind, which is air in motion, corresponds to the presence and

power of the Holy Spirit. Now notice, Jesus said to Nicodemus: "If I

have told you earthly things, and you believe or understand not, how

shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?" Nicodemus could

not understand how earthly things could symbolize or represent

spiritual things. Hence he asked: "How can these things be?"

I have tried to find out as nearly as possible what the word SALT is

used to represent, as found in my text. I have searched many books for

this one thing alone. But after all my investigations I am compelled

to rely upon my own judgment, and decide the matter for myself. I

notice, however, that salt is often spoken of in the Bible. All the

priestly offerings had to be salted with salt. There must, then, be a

high and holy significance in its use in this way.

Elisha succeeded Elijah in the prophetic office. Elijah had been

carried up to heaven in a chariot of fire, and Elisha had just

returned from the scene and sight of his master's glorification, and

was 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, ... but

the water is naught"--worthless, not fit to drink. And Elisha "went

forth 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 these

bitter waters of Jericho symbolize the truths of God's Word, as these

truths 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. Is

it not to his soul like the waters of Jericho--"naught," or nothing?

These men of Jericho are all around us, and you may find opportunities

to prove what I have said. I have repeatedly tried it. I have read

chapter after chapter of the divine Word to unconverted men, sometimes

to my own work hands who I knew cared nothing for religion, and whilst

they would not tell me to my face that they cared nothing for it, I

could find out by others, and by their own after lives that what they

heard was to their souls as the waters of Jericho were to the men of

that city. But when the salt of pure love for the Lord, and the desire

to leave off and forsake all sinful indulgences and worldly pleasures

by leading a new life in doing the Lord's will, enters a man the Word

becomes 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 spoke

the words of my text, the very embodiment of all the virtues of heart

and life which make the Word of the Lord sweet to the soul. To such

these beautiful words in the Song of Solomon apply: "He brought me to

the banqueting house: he stayed me with flagons of wine: he comforted

me with apples: his banner over me was love: yea, and HIS FRUIT _was

sweet to my taste_."

Now, to bring my text to something like a practical head, I must say

to every unconverted soul here: You must put the salt into the water

of God's Word for yourself. If you look to the Lord, and ask him to

give you eyes that you may see, and ears that you may hear, and a

heart that you may understand, you will also receive all the salt you

need to heal the Word and make it healing to your soul. But if you

neglect and despise or reject the offers of God's love, the very thing

that he has prepared for your eternal joy will be everlasting

bitterness to your soul. For one to know his duty and not at the same

time do it exposes him to the danger of being converted into a pillar

of bitter salt as Lot's wife was. She could not give up her love for

the world. She knew that she must not look back with longings for the

Sodom of the sinful life she had left; but she did look back, and her

awful 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 disciples

represented the charity and faith that sweeten and give to every word

of Divine Truth a gracious reception into the heart and life. In this

happy love the Christian sings of the Word of Life in the beautiful

sentiment 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 of

the truth which shone so dimly here, the love for that truth will be

sevenfold as the light of seven days all in one, which means fullness

of joy and pleasures forevermore.

SUNDAY, September 27. This day Brother Solomon Garber leaves

me after meeting, to attend to some appointments ahead. I stay to

debate with a Methodist preacher. In the afternoon I baptize Sister

Houser. Stay all night at Brother Pirkey's.

TUESDAY, September 29. In the afternoon meet the Methodist

preacher at Israel Methodist church. But I am sorry to say that

instead of going into a discussion with me on baptism and other

ordinances of God's house he suffered himself to run into an absurd

abuse of us, as if we might be doing much harm by our close adherence

to the teachings and examples of Christ and his apostles. I can pray

the Lord to have mercy upon him, and to open his eyes; for I was led

to believe, from what he said, that he had never read or thought much

outside of the Methodist Discipline.

WEDNESDAY, September 30. Meeting again in meetinghouse near

Brother Simon's. Speak on John 3:7. I baptize Brother Samuel Channel.

THURSDAY, October 1. Get Nell shod. Come to the Barker

settlement. Night meeting at Wilson's.

FRIDAY, October 2. Night meeting at Enoch Johnson's.

SATURDAY, October 3. Meeting and love feast at Brother Henry

Wilson's. Stay all night at Brother Elias Oval's.

SUNDAY, October 4. Meeting at the meetinghouse. Take the

voice of the church. Brother Henry Wilson is established. Brother

Elias Oval is advanced; and Brother William Oval is elected to the

Word.

MONDAY, October 5. Visit Elijah Skidmore; dine at Brother

Burke's; visit Joseph Workman; and come to Brother Simon's in the

evening. Brother Michael Lion, Brother Thomas Clark, and Brother

Martain Cosner are there when I arrive. I probably will never forget

the pleasure of meeting those brethren there and spending the night

and next day with them. Our love for each other here is a sweet

foretaste of the joy of heaven.

TUESDAY, October 6. Come to Brother Levi Wilmot's. Preach the

funeral of Brother Powers's wife.

WEDNESDAY, October 7. Dine at Abraham Summerfield's. Then to

William Adamson's at the mouth of Seneca Creek, where I stay all

night.

THURSDAY, October 8. Dine at Daniel Judy's. Stay all night at

Adam Ketterman's on top of the South Fork mountain.

FRIDAY, October 9. Get home.

SUNDAY, October 25. Meeting at Hoover's schoolhouse. I

baptize John Lamb and wife, and Mary Hoover.

SUNDAY, November 1. This day Brother Kline and Jacob Miller

are together at a meeting in a place called Powell's Fort. This is a

very singular conformation of country. It is entirely surrounded by

high mountain walls, with the exception of one notch or outlet for

drainage and a road. It is about twenty miles south of Winchester,

Virginia. Some well-to-do people live in this secluded abode. It is

likewise the point to which it is said that Washington had resolved to

retreat, with his army, rather than surrender to the British, in one

of the dark periods of the Revolutionary War. On this visit to the

Fort Brother Jacob Miller baptized three persons.

From this time to the close of the year, Brother Kline was mostly

employed in writing his "Apology and Defense of Baptism." He finished

the work on the thirty-first day of December. In the year 1857 he

traveled 3,967 miles.

FRIDAY, February 5, 1858. Attend council meeting at the Old

meetinghouse. Brother John Thomas is forwarded; Joseph Early is

elected to preach the Word; and Benjamin Byerly is elected to the

deaconship.

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 in

depth.

WEDNESDAY, March 10. This day completes the fortieth year of

my married life.

FRIDAY, March 26. Council meeting at the Brush meetinghouse.

George Wine, son of Samuel Wine, and John B. Kline are each elected to

the deaconship.

MONDAY, May 10. Brother Kline and Martain Miller, in company

of each other, start to the Annual Meeting. On the following Friday

they arrived at Brother J.P. Ebersole's, Ohio.

Between Saturday, May 15, and Friday, May 21, the two brethren in

company of each other attended four meetings, and visited families as

follows: Abraham Ebersole's, Daniel Rosenberger's, Jacob Leedy's,

Jonathan Dickey's, Michael Baserman's, Jacob Miller's, Samuel

Miller's, Daniel Miller's, Abraham Miller's.

FRIDAY, May 21, after dinner, they go to Lima and wait for

the train, which does not come in till ten o'clock at night. It had

run off the track near a place called Forest. The Diary note says: A

man was killed here by the western train while we were waiting. He got

between the woodpile and the cars. Death overtook him without a

moment's warning. If unprepared to die, how sad the thought of his

being launched into the "eternal deeps" of misery and despair! My eyes

often turn with sorrow to the hopeless condition of those who live

without God in the world. How men and women of common sense can be

satisfied to live year in and year out, on the verge of ruin, is a

mystery to me. A glow of enthusiasm often enters my soul, in which I

feel as if it would be an ineffable joy to me could I send my voice

all 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 they

would turn their ears to hear, would I love to say, pointing

heavenward: "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the

world." "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 on

him may have everlasting life."

We arrive at Fort Wayne quarter past one A.M. After breakfast take

train to Delphi; then go in hack ten miles to place of Annual Meeting.

Preaching in afternoon. Revelation 5 is read. Brother J. Quinter

speaks on the chapter. We take supper on the meeting grounds and then

go to Brother John Flory's to stay all night.

SUNDAY, May 23. A very great concourse of people on the

grounds. I speak from Revelation 5, the same chapter spoken from

yesterday. Some rain to-day. Stay all night at Brother John Flory's

again.

MONDAY, May 24. This morning much rain. Committees are

formed. 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 two

o'clock. Come to Delphi on a wagon. The sky partially clears up

to-day. We have night meeting in Delphi. Brethren John Wise, George

Hoover and myself speak on Romans, first chapter.

THURSDAY, May 27. Get back to Jacob Miller's near Lima. Clear

to-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 from

Hebrews 2. Stay all night at Brother Daniel Rosenberger's.

MONDAY, May 31. Meeting and love feast at same place. Matthew

19 is read. Rain in morning; clear in evening. Stay at Brother

Ebersole's.

TUESDAY, June 1. A beautiful morning. Take breakfast at the

meetinghouse. Have service. Read a farewell address, which I here

copy:

Brethren and sisters in the Lord, dearly beloved: Our greetings for

this time have been exchanged, and the atmosphere of love in which we

all have so freely breathed and moved since our first meeting together

must soon be exchanged for the atmosphere of the world. Our blessed

Lord meant a great deal when he said: "I am the door: by me if any man

enter in, he shall be saved; and shall go in and go out, and find

pasture." In meetings like this, and others we have for some while

been attending we feel that our spirits and souls and bodies are

visibly and experimentally in the fold, with the Great Shepherd in our

midst. We are "made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ

Jesus," warmed and cheered by "the Sun of Righteousness."

But the duties of life lay upon us the necessity of breaking up and

departing to our business and our homes. We must "go out," out among

the elements of the world, and do our part valiantly in the great

conflict of life--the conflict that forms our character and decides

forever whether we shall reign with saints in glory, or be captives

of hell. Let us, brethren and sisters, be cheered with the Lord's

promise, that even _out_ of the fold we shall find _pasture_,

something to increase our love for the Lord and for one another, and

strengthen our faith. How tenderly the Lord speaks to us, as though he

regarded 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 be

also." "In the world ye shall have tribulations; ... but be of good

cheer, ... in me ye shall have peace." In giving to each other the

parting hand and the holy kiss tears and good wishes are not out of

place. Connected with these a word of comfort to the feeble-minded, a

word of encouragement to the brother or sister of weak faith, a word

of gentle admonition whispered into the ear of the erring, a word of

caution to the rich, lest they be exalted and trust in their uncertain

riches, a word of approval and commendation to those who, like

Barnabas, are full of good works, may do an amount of good which

eternity alone can reveal.

And now, brethren and sisters, farewell. Be steadfast, unmovable;

always abounding in the work of the Lord; inasmuch as ye know that

your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Come to Carey for two o'clock meeting. Sup at Dr. Joseph Myers's. At

one A.M. take train for Columbiana. Sup with Brother Quinter. Stay

with 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 mostly

around home. He wrote many letters to prominent brethren in nearly all

of the States in which the Brethren had, at that time, representative

men. 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 to

the northwestern counties of Virginia, and cross over into Maryland

and Pennsylvania. _Regularly_, they have meetings every day. They

visit Nicholas Leatherman's, John Leatherman's, and Samuel Arnold's in

Hampshire County, Virginia. They visit David Beachley's, John C.

Lichty's, and Elias K. Beachley's; also Jonathan Kelso's, David

Livengood's and Franklin O. Livengood's, all in Maryland. We next find

them at Brother Flanigan's, on Hughs's river, where they stay all

night.

SUNDAY, August 15. Meeting. Speak on the Great Commission.

Roger Davis and wife baptized. Meeting in the afternoon. Continue on

the same text. Stay all night with Brother Martain Cochran. Fine

weather.

MONDAY, August 16. Meeting at Slab meetinghouse. Speak on

John 4: 29. Dine at Brother Cochran's. Sup at Brother Roger Davis's,

and have meeting at early candlelight. Brother John Wine speaks from

Rom. 1: 16.

TUESDAY, August 17. Get back to Oakland.

WEDNESDAY, August 18. Meeting at Thomas Clark's. Speak from

Matthew 12. Meeting in afternoon at Isaac Hays's. Martha and Mary, or

the _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 at

Samuel Barbee's, and stay at James Parks's. The two brethren had

several other meetings by the way, and on

MONDAY, August 23, they reached home.

FRIDAY, September 24. Meeting and love feast at our

meetinghouse. Andrew Crist and wife, Silas Turner, and Catharine

Showalter were baptized to-day.

SUNDAY, October 17. This day Christian Shoemaker, George

Rodecap and his mother, and William Ford and his wife were baptized.

MONDAY, October 18. Brother Kline started on another trip to

Maryland. Among the names of those whom he called on, or passed a

night with, we notice Samuel Zimmerman, Jacob Saylor, Sister Jordan,

Philip Boyle, John Roop, John Bowman, D.P. Saylor, William Nipe, Peter

Grassnicker, Daniel Rickerd, Jacob Wolf, and Mrs. Nipe.

WEDNESDAY, October 20. Love feast at Beaver Dam. Fine

weather, and a large gathering of people. Much brotherly love, and

general 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 Branch

meetinghouse.

SUNDAY, October 24. Love feast at the meetinghouse, near

Brother William Nipe's. Large gathering and fine weather.