,illustration3 ,,residence ,,of ,,elder 
,,john ,,kline4    ,,life ,,and ,,labors
 ,,of ,,elder ,,john ,,kline  ,,the     
,,martyr ,,missionary    ,,collated     
,,from ,,his ,,diary  ,by  ,,benjamin   
,,funk    ,,elgin1 ,,ill43 ,,brethren   
,,publishing ,,house1 #aijj4            
,,introduction4   ,in the burying ground
 of the ,linville's ,creek ,german      
,baptist church in ,rockingham ,county1 
,virginia1 there is to be seen a marble 
slab engraved with the name ,,john      
,,kline4  ,in walking through a cemetery
 and pensively viewing the memorials of 
the departed1 one question of deep      
interest often presses upon the mind and
 heart3 ,are these1 whose names are here
 recorded on slab and obelisk1 still    
alive and in the possession of conscious
 being1 or are they dead--    ,all to   
mouldering darkness gone2   ,all of     
conscious life bereft8  ,we turn to     
earth1 and from her lips the ear of     
reason catches deep-toned words of      
assurance that death is not the end of  

life4 ,the hue of the butterfly's wing1 
the flower of the grass1 the beauty of  
the vernal year1 these all1 all teach   
the sublime truth that all great endings
 are but great beginnings4 ,the voice of
 ,god from the unrolled page of plainer 
if not diviner truth1 says3 ,these are  
not dead1 but sleeping--they shall wake 
again4  ,satisfied on this point1 the   
next question turns to the lives and    
characters1 works and words of those who
 lie buried here4 ,were they good or    
bad8 ,are their spirits now in heaven1  
or somewhere else8 ,there are two       
classes1 however1 concerning whom no    
such questions arise4 ,the first class  
is made up of those who have died in    
their infancy2 and ever and anon while  
looking at the little lamb1 or rose bud1
 or young dove not yet fledged1 the     
words flow into the mind as from the    
lips of ,jesus3 ,of such is the kingdom 
of heaven4 ,the other class is composed 
of such as have given clear evidence1 by
 profession and life1 that they are the 

children of ,god4 ,the words for them   
come as did the others1 from the page of
 ,heavenly ,truth1 ,therefore are they  
continually before the throne1 and      
praise him day and night in his temple4 
,the epitaph of ,john ,kline is read    
without a doubt ever springing up in the
 mind of any one who knew him4 ,we saw  
him1 not as ,elisha saw ,elijah in      
sight1 ascend to heaven2 but with the   
eye of faith we saw him clothed in a    
celestial body2 and with the ear of     
faith we heard the welcome3 ,enter thou 
into the joy of thy ,lord4   ,,the      
,,annual ,,meeting ,,of #ahgh4  ,in the 
year #ahgh the ,brethren's ,annual      
,meeting was held with the ,linville's  
,creek church4 ,brethren and sisters    
from many sections of our ,union were   
present4 ,many graves in the cemetery by
 the meetinghouse were to be seen4      
,epitaphs were read by the throngs of   
people who walked around to view them4  
,few of these bore anything beyond the  
simple inscription of the name and the  

two facts that fall to the lot of all3  
,the time of birth and the time of      
death4  ,but there was one grave from   
whose humble mound each visitor seemed  
eager to pluck a flower1 a leaf1 or any 
other little thing that might be carried
 back home and enshrined in a casket for
 a memento of one never to be forgotten4
 ,that grave was the grave of ,john     
,kline4  ,one sister1 with tears in her 
eyes1 said3 ,he preached my mother's    
funeral4 ,another said3 ,he used to     
visit us in ,ohio2 and we always loved  
so much to see him come4 ,a brother     
said3 ,i traveled with him over two     
thousand miles1 and he was always one   
thing4 ,others said3 ,the meeting is    
lonesome without him4 ,he was at our    
love feast in ,pennsylvania the year he 
was killed1 said another4 ,it would be  
vain to attempt to follow up all the    
affectionate memories that were         
expressed by the loving throngs of      
sanctified hearts that surrounded his   
tomb4  ,in this book ,,elder ,,john     

,,kline is set forth not as dead1 but as
 alive2 as living and moving amongst us 
again4 ,his life work stands recorded on
 earth as well as in heaven4 ,with      
untiring perseverance ,brother ,kline   
kept a record of his work every day for 
a period of ,,twenty-,,nine ,,years4    
,these records contain two great facts  
common to the life of every man1 woman  
and child4  ,,first ,,fact4--,where he  
spent the day and night4  ,,second      
,,fact4--,how he spent the day and      
night4  ,a truthful record of these for 
many1 made public1 would blast their    
reputation abroad and blight their peace
 at home4 ,but not so with our beloved  
brother4 ,whilst it is true that he had 
no expectation of his ,diary ever being 
published1 it is equally true that it   
does not contain a single entry of which
 he has cause to be ashamed before man  
or ,god4 ,that the entries are faithful 
and true needs no proof other than the  
testimony that thousands still living   
are ready to bear to his untarnished    

name as a man honest and honorable in   
all things4  ,as a ,christian1 the      
beloved ministering brethren who spoke  
at his funeral are to-day not ashamed to
 apply to him the same words they       
applied to him then1 and which were     
taken as the subject of discourse on    
that occasion4 ,in speaking of his      
appointment to the ministry they took   
these words3 ,and they chose ,stephen1 a
 man full of faith and of the ,holy     
,ghost4 ,acts #f3e4 ,they also added the
 other words spoken of ,stephen in the  
eighth verse of the same chapter1 a man 
full of grace and power4 ,can anything  
loftier be said of a man's qualification
 for the work of the ministry8  ,as     
,stephen was the first ,christian       
martyr1 and ,brother ,kline the last    
then known1 they closed their discourses
 in heartfelt realization of these      
words3 ,and devout men carried ,stephen 
to his burial1 and made great           
lamentation over him4 ,we all took part 
in the lamentation--the writer himself  

being present and speaking on the       
occasion--and felt that the ruthless    
hand of violence had wickedly torn from 
our midst a friend and counsellor whose 
place could not be filled by any other4 
,as a kind-hearted1 loving mother puts  
her child's best new dress on it before 
taking it to church or in public1 so    
have ,i endeavored to clothe the diary  
of ,brother ,kline in a suitable attire 
of ,sunday clothes4 ,i sincerely believe
 that the work in this form will be     
highly acceptable to the ,brotherhood at
 large2 and as ,brother ,daniel ,hays   
says in a letter to me1 productive of   
much good4   ,,part ,,ii ,,of           
,,introduction4  ,this book1 if         
carefully read1 will instruct both young
 and old4 ,in this age of progress1 when
 the forces of nature and art are being 
applied to practical ends2 when men are 
running to and fro and knowledge is     
wonderfully increased1 it becomes us as 
intelligent ,christians to look around  
and see whether we are not living in    

perilous times4  ,far be it from me to  
discourage any one from seeking that    
knowledge which is good1 or from        
availing himself of the benefits to be  
derived from the arts and sciences2 but 
if this knowledge and these benefits are
 sought and gained only for worldly     
ends1 only to add to worldly            
accomplishments or worldly treasure1    
they are dangerous for time and ruinous 
for eternity4 ,what support can the soul
 have in its deep conflict with         
temptation1 or in the dark hour of      
affliction or bereavement1 when stayed  
on this world only8 ,in all the         
tenderness of a father's heart ,i turn  
to the youth of our land and say to them
 in the words of the best ,friend that  
,god himself could give3 ,seek ,,first  
the kingdom of ,god and his             
righteousness1 and all earthly blessings
 will be added unto you4  ,in the       
following pages you may see what one man
 may do by patient continuance in well  
doing4 ,brother ,kline was a man subject

 to like passions as we are4 ,he was    
once an infant just as you were1 and lay
 at his mother's breast4 ,he very well  
remembered1 when an old man1 how he felt
 when she made for him his first pair of
 pants4 ,when that kind mother put them 
on him1 pleased and smiling in the      
tenderness of her nature1 the first use 
that ,i made of my hands1 said he to me 
shortly before his death1 was to feel   
for the pockets4 ,we incline1 continued 
he1 to carry this feature of our boyhood
 into youth and age4 ,the pocket never  
ceases to be a very important appendage 
to our dress1 and the hand inclines to  
put into it every valuable thing it can4
  ,brother ,kline never went to school  
very much4 ,he learned to read and write
 both ,german and ,english2 and he also 
studied arithmetic4 ,further than this  
he never went in school4 ,he did not    
have the advantages of free schools as  
young people now have4 ,but you may     
learn from this that one may carry on   
his education after leaving school4 ,in 

fact1 schools only open the way for     
acquiring an education4  ,when a boy ,i 
was very fond of reading the lives of   
great men4 ,i did not then know very    
much about poetry1 but ,i surely did    
feel something of the fire that         
,longfellow has made to glow with so    
much heat and light in his ,psalm of    
,life4 ,i am glad to add1 by means of   
this book1 one more name to the list of 
great men1 so that in the lines which   
follow he too may be included4    ,lives
 of ,,great ,,men all remind us     ,we 
can make our lives sublime2   ,and      
departing1 leave behind us              
,footprints on the sands of ,time3      
,footprints1 that perhaps another       
,sailing o'er life's troubled main--    
,a forlorn and shipwrecked brother--    
,seeing1 may take heart again4  ,elder  
,john ,kline will be set forth in this  
work as one of the great ,,pioneer      
,,preachers of the ,cross4 ,a brief but 
clear outline of many of his sermons1   
together with the time and place of     

preaching them1 will be given4 ,many of 
the love feasts which he attended1 and  
the substance of what he said at some of
 them will also be noted4  ,he has left 
a record of the name of every family he 
ever visited in all the ,states1        
together with the day and year when such
 visits were made4 ,those brethren and  
sisters of the ,lord who still remember 
him1 will1 while reading this work1 live
 over again the years that have passed  
away and been almost forgotten4 ,you    
will again listen to the voice of his   
holy1 healing words at some love feast  
long ago gone by4 ,you will again sit   
with him by the old home hearthstone as 
it used to be when father and mother    
were living1 and all the brothers and   
sisters together in the room1 and hear  
him talk and sing1 and read and pray4   
,and will not this exercise of the mind 
and heart be pleasant8 ,will it not be  
profitable8 ,will it not serve to       
refresh your love to ,christ and the    
,brotherhood8 ,may it not rekindle in   

your heart a flame of that first and    
tender love which shone so brightly when
 first you saw the ,lord8 ,you then     
could sweetly sing3    ,jesus1 ,i my    
cross have taken1   ,all to leave and   
follow thee4  ,since that time many     
cares and toils and afflictions and     
bereavements1 perhaps1 have caused you  
to sigh in mournful memory3    ,what    
peaceful hours ,i then enjoyed6  and the
 heart-sobs sadly echo3    ,but they    
have left an aching void   ,the world   
can never fill4  ,in such seasons of    
sadness and despondency it is helpful to
 the heart to hold communion with the   
great and the good through the medium of
 their writings4 ,men who leave such    
comforting testimony behind them are a  
blessing to all within the circle of    
their influence while living1 and when  
dead they continue to speak4 ,their     
words are felt and blessed on both banks
 of the ,river of ,time as it flows down
 through the ages4  ,there were a few   
points in the life and character of     

,elder ,john ,kline which may very      
appropriately be referred to here4 ,i   
sincerely hope that all the youthful    
members of the ,brotherhood1 especially1
 may become acquainted with these       
points4  ,,the ,,first ,,point4--,he was
 truthful4 ,he never spoke positively   
about anything without first examining  
the matter carefully2 and even then he  
said about it only what he knew to be   
true4 ,how different this habit from    
that of many who speak positively about 
things which they do not well           
understand1 or which they are for the   
most part ignorant of6  ,,the ,,second  
,,point4--,he never spoke evil of any   
one4 ,it is not to be understood from   
this that he spoke good of every one4   
,on the contrary1 he spoke freely of the
 sinner and to the sinner2 warning him  
of his danger and pointing him to his   
impenitent doom4 ,but it is to be       
understood that he never spoke evil to  
injure any one4 ,whatever he said in    
that way was to reform and to bless4    

,his heart overflowed with love to all4 
,,the ,,third ,,point4--,he was         
temperate4 ,during a long personal      
acquaintance with him1 ,i never knew or 
heard of his taking a drink of ardent   
spirits or intoxicating liquor of any   
kind4 ,if he ever did use any at all1 it
 was only as a medicine4 ,but as he was 
very temperate in his eating1 and       
judiciously careful of himself          
generally1 he was rarely ever sick4     
,,the ,,fourth ,,point4--,he was        
abstemious4 ,this1 in connection with   
strict temperance and pure morality1    
made him a clean man4 ,his mouth was not
 polluted with chewing tobacco4 ,his    
nose was not defiled with snuffing      
tobacco4 ,his breath was not vitiated   
with smoking tobacco4 ,he consequently  
never used tobacco in anyway4 ,my dear  
young reader1 in all the love of my     
heart1 ,i urge you to go and do         
likewise1 that it may be well with thee4
     ,,life ,,and ,,labors  ,,of ,,the  
,,martyr ,,missionary  ,,elder ,,john   

,,kline4   ,we have no certain account  
of the time and place at which ,brother 
,kline was set forward to the ministry  
of the ,word4 ,on ,sunday1 ,feb4 #h1    
#ahce1 he spoke for the first time after
 his appointment to the ministry of the 
,word4 ,this much1 at least1 is inferred
 from its being the first entry made in 
his ,diary4  ,he1 and ,elder ,daniel    
,miller1 from near the head of          
,linville's ,creek1 in ,rockingham      
,county1 ,virginia1 were together at    
,john ,goughnour's1 west of the town of 
,woodstock1 in ,shenandoah ,county1     
,virginia4 ,the meeting was at          
,goughnour's dwelling house4 ,brother   
,miller put ,john ,kline forward to take
 the lead in speaking4 ,brother ,kline  
had previously selected the subject1 and
 thought upon it1 to be ready1 in the   
event of his being required to take the 
lead in speaking4 ,matthew #aa was read2
 and ,brother ,kline took his text4 ,it 
was verses #d1 #e and #f of the chapter 
read4 ,these are the words3 ,go and show

 ,john again those things which ye do   
hear and see3 the blind receive their   
sight1 and the lame walk1 the lepers are
 cleansed1 and the deaf hear1 the dead  
are raised up1 and the poor have the    
gospel preached to them4 ,and blessed is
 he1 whosoever shall not be offended in 
me4  ,it may be proper in the first     
place1 said he1 for us to inquire why   
,john sent the message to ,jesus which  
gave rise to the words of the text4 ,the
 message may appear strange to some1 as 
,john had1 not long before1 pointed out 
,jesus as the ,lamb of ,god that taketh 
away the sin of the world4 ,he had seen 
the ',heavenly ,dove' descend from the  
open heavens and abide upon him as he   
came up from the baptismal wave1 and had
 heard the ,father's voice from beneath 
the same uplifted veil3 ',this is my    
beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well        
pleased4' ,it is my belief that ,john   
had become doubtful4 ,the iron gates of 
,herod's castle had shut out from him   
all bodily comfort1 and with this his   

hope seemed to vanish4 ,this experience 
has had many a repetition in the        
realizations of good men since ,john's  
day4 ,he felt himself neglected4 ,if    
,jesus is the friend ,i took him to be1 
why does he not come to my rescue8 ,i do
 not understand him4 ,how can he feel   
satisfied to know that ,i am lying here 
in great bodily distress and perplexity 
of mind1 and put forth no effort to     
release me1 and thus restore me to      
useful activity in his service8 ,many1  
many1 not in ,herod's castle1 but in    
other castles1 such as beds of          
affliction1 castles of poverty1 castles 
of persecution1 castles of bodily       
infirmity1 castles of bereavement1      
castles of losses and crosses in one way
 and another1 have had the same         
experiences1 the same doubts and        
misgivings4  ,john resolved to try to   
find out about all this if possible4 ,so
 he sent the messengers4 ,here note the 
love of ,christ4 ,he does not upbraid   
,john for this half reproachful message4

 ,he calmly returns to him in the shape 
of an answer a series of the most       
wonderful truths the world has ever     
heard2 truths which1 in their spiritual 
sense1 comprehend the work of salvation 
on the part of ,jesus from the alpha to 
the omega4 ',go and show ,john again the
 things which ye do hear and see4' ,the 
use of the word 'again' implies that a  
similar answer had been returned to     
,john at least once before4 ,this       
testimony1 with the love in which it was
 sent1 may have refreshed ,john's love  
for ,jesus1 and reassured his faith4    
,the last words of the returned message 
contain something like a gentle reproof 
to ,john1 ',and blessed is he that is   
not offended in me4'  ,i think the ,lord
 knew that ,john had been somewhat      
offended in him2 that he had doubted his
 love1 or his wisdom1 or his power1 or  
all these together2 and that the ,lord's
 apparent neglect of him was traceable  
to a want of these perfections4 ,doubts 
of this kind1 from weakness of the flesh

 and spirit1 have often been known to   
invade the hearts of other good men1    
when the divine love has been partially 
veiled from sight in seasons of great   
distress4 ,even our ,lord himself upon  
the cross cried out1 ',my ,god1 my ,god1
 why hast thou forsaken me8' ,i cannot  
think that the divine love ever did     
forsake him for one instant4 ,it was so 
only in appearance to him4  ,the things 
connected with the life-work of ,jesus1 
which ,john's messengers had just seen  
and heard1 bore a much stronger         
testimony to his divinity and           
,messiahship than any declaration he    
could have made by mere affirmation4    
,here is verified the old proverb3      
',actions speak louder than words4' ,all
 may see a valuable lesson here4 ,we are
 commanded to let our light shine4 ,what
 an honor it would be to ,christ and the
 church1 if every member of it would be 
able to point to his good works as      
proofs of the sincerity and genuineness 
of his religious profession6            

,notwithstanding ,john's doubts and     
impatience1 the ,lord still loved him   
tenderly2 and after the messengers had  
departed1 he said to the multitude3     
',among them that are born of women     
there hath not risen a greater than     
,john the ,baptist4' ,our way would have
 been to include this encomium in the   
message1 and let ,john hear it4 ,in our 
way of thinking this would have done him
 more good than the other4 ,but as the  
heaven is high above the earth1 so high 
are the ,lord's thoughts above our      
thoughts1 and his ways above our ways4  
,could our eyes catch a glimpse of the  
bliss that thrills ,john's heart in     
heaven to-day1 we would no longer wonder
 why the ,lord left him lie in ,herod's 
castle4   ,sermon by ,elder ,john       
,kline4  ,preached at ,forrer's1 in     
,page ,county1 ,virginia1 ,sunday1      
,february #ae1 #ahce4      ,,text4--,and
 the angel said unto him1 ,gird thyself1
 and bind on thy     sandals3 and so he 
did4 ,and he saith unto him3 ,cast thy  

garment     about thee1 and follow      
me4--,acts #ab3h4  ,peter's hands were  
chained1 and he was lying in a cold and 
gloomy prison in ,jerusalem4 ,herod1 who
 was at that time viceroy of ,jerusalem 
and ,judea1 had imprisoned ,peter just  
to please the ,jews4 ,these were the    
bitter enemies of ,christ4  ,it looks to
 us as if it would hardly be worth while
 to pray for the recovery of a sheep    
already dragged into a den of wolves1   
and lying there only waiting to be      
devoured4 ,but the saints at ,jerusalem 
did pray for ,peter1 and they had to    
pray secretly too4 ,you may be sure they
 did not pray to be heard of men4 ,they 
were only afraid that men might hear4   
,but there was one that did hear4 ,for  
the angel of the ,lord came upon him1   
and a light shined in the prison3 and he
 smote ,peter on the side1 and raised   
him up1 saying1 ,arise up quickly4 ,and 
his chains fell off from his hands4     
,you know something about ,peter's      
disposition4 ,he often spoke without    

thinking very well what it might be best
 to say2 and sometimes he acted without 
thinking what it might be best to do4   
,on this occasion ,i do believe that he 
would have followed the angel through   
the streets of ,jerusalem1 bare-footed  
and in his night clothes1 if he had not 
kindly ordered him to gird himself and  
bind on his sandals and cast his garment
 about him4  ,i1 for one1 do believe    
that all the miracles and providences   
wrought by the ,lord and recorded in his
 ,word are for the instruction and      
ultimate good of all who read or hear   
them4   ,,the ,,lessons ,,of            
,,instruction4  ,i4 ,sometimes men who  
have been subject to very bad habits    
are1 by the ,gospel and the ,holy       
,spirit1 led to forsake them4 ,they form
 new loves4 ,they find joy in a new     
life4 ,old things with them have passed 
away4 ,they come from the baptismal wave
 clad1 as it were1 in a new garment1    
even the beautiful garment of salvation2
 and the new song in their mouth is     

praise to our ,god4 ,i can name some of 
this class in our church who have run   
well2 some who have fought the good     
fight of faith with unflinching courage 
and resolution to victory complete4 ,but
 others have been made to weep and      
lament from the fearful truth that this 
same beloved ,brother ,peter tells us1  
that our adversary1 the devil1 as a     
roaring lion1 walketh about1 seeking    
whom he may devour1 for they have been  
devoured by him4  ,in the garden of     
,eden the devil came to ,eve in the form
 of a serpent4 ,i imagine this to be his
 most natural form4 ,we sometimes see   
him caricatured as a man with horns and 
cloven feet4 ,this is a mistake4 ,a man 
in this form would make a frightful     
appearance4 ,but the devil never        
approaches any one in a way to frighten 
him4 ,he is too cunning for that4 ,a fox
 takes care not to frighten away his    
prey4 ,even the lion1 when he is seeking
 his prey1 never roars at that time1 but
 crouches and hides in the tall grass or

 thicket until his prey comes near      
enough1 and then he springs upon it with
 a single bound4 ,the reason why ,peter 
calls him a roaring lion is because he  
roars furiously after his prey is in his
 power4 ,his roaring then is but a note 
of victory and defiance4 ,the devil knew
 that he would not frighten ,eve by     
coming to her in the form he did1       
because she had never then1 as yet1     
known anything of evil4 ,but when he    
comes to men now in the serpent form1 he
 comes as a snake in the grass4  ,i     
sometimes think that age adds shrewdness
 to the devil's plans4 ,he comes to men 
in so many forms and ways1 first to     
delude and then to destroy1 that they   
may be called legion4 ,but1 as ,paul    
says1 ,we are not ignorant of his       
devices1 for ,satan is transformed into 
an angel of light4  ,he learns to know  
every brother's and sister's weak point4
 ,to the brother who has been fond of   
ardent spirits he comes behind the      
deceitful1 covetous smile of the        

rumseller4 ,in this instance the order  
of the fable is reversed4 ,there the ass
 put on the lion's skin2 here the lion  
puts on the skin of the ass4 ,to the    
brother whose weakness is adultery he   
comes in the form of a harlot1 jeweled  
and crowned4 ,to the brother whose      
special sin has been covetousness he    
comes as a friend4 ,he takes him by the 
hand1 leads him to the top of some high 
mountain1 there shows him the kingdoms  
of the world and the glory of them1 and 
pledges to him the enjoyment of all this
 glory and power if he will but fall    
down and worship him4  ,now1 ,herod was 
a type of this devil1 and the prison in 
which ,peter was chained is a type of   
the horrible pit into which many a      
good-meaning ,christian has been cast by
 him4 ,but even for such there is quite 
as much hope as there was for ,peter4   
,the ,lord is ever nigh to redeem and to
 save4 ,but there must be a willing     
mind4 ,if ,peter had said in his        
half-asleep state1 ,just leave me       

alone--,i'll come after awhile--,i'm too
 sleepy to go now--what then8 ,it would 
have been impossible for the ,lord to   
rescue him1 if he had not been willing  
to be rescued by the ,lord4  ,some1 who 
have been taken captive by the devil at 
his will1 keep awake in a certain sense4
 ,the pall of darkness and deep sleep   
has not yet settled down upon them4     
,they are conscious of their situation4 
,they know and feel that they are in the
 hands of the enemy1 but how to escape  
is the trouble with them4 ,if such would
 only have the mind and will to do as   
,christian and ,hopeful did in ,doubting
 ,castle1 they could readily find a key 
in their bosoms with which to unlock    
every gate1 and thus make their escape4 
,,ii4 ,in this respect they differ from 
,peter1 for he was sleeping between two 
soldiers4 ,besides this1 there were men 
stationed at the door to keep watch all 
night4 ,but the ,lord is prepared for   
every emergency4 ,what storm can sink a 
ship when ,omnipotence is at the helm8  

,if you or ,i1 brethren1 were to see a  
brother confined and guarded as ,peter  
was1 ,i greatly fear we would utterly   
despair of ever seeing him rescued2     
especially so if public sentiment were  
rife with malice and rage against him4  
,i fear we would say1 ,it is no use to  
pray for that man4 ,nothing short of a  
miracle can save that man2 and miracles 
are not wrought by prayer nowadays4 ,but
 the loving hearts gathered together in 
secret places in ,jerusalem thought not 
so4 ,they made unceasing prayer for him4
  ,now let us note the order in which   
the ,lord proceeded to answer these     
prayers4 ,he came to ,peter and smote   
him4 ,whether the stroke was light or   
heavy is a thing of little consequence4 
,it succeeded in awaking the man4 ,this 
was its object4 ,i think the ,lord gave 
,peter only a slight tap on the side1   
because he was not hard to wake up that 
night4 ,but there are some1 and ,i have 
known such1 whom the ,lord had to smite 
very hard to stir them from their sleep4

 ,they open their eyes in amazement and 
wonder why they have been so smitten4   
,unfortunately for some of this class1  
they open their eyes1 but they see not2 
they hear1 but they heed not4 ,i think  
,i have known a few such2 and ,i fear   
the ,lord said of them what he said of  
,ephraim3 ,he is joined to his idols1   
let him alone4  ,,iii4 ,there is a third
 class1 and they compose a great        
multitude1 who have1 so to speak1 grown 
up in the devil's prison house1 and have
 grown so used to his ways that they are
 willing to stay there4 ,these may be   
said to be bound with two chains4 ,their
 love of the world is one chain1 and    
their love of self is the other4 ,i may 
be addressing some now who are thus     
bound4 ,let us see4 ,jesus says3 ,thou  
shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all  
thy heart1 and with all thy soul1 and   
with all thy mind4 ,this is the first   
and great commandment4 ,and a second is 
like to it which is this3 ,thou shalt   
love thy neighbor as thyself4 ,does     

every one who is now under the sound of 
my voice do this8 ,are you sure1 my     
friend1 that you love ,god more than the
 world1 and that you love your neighbor 
as yourself8 ,what proof have you to    
give of this8 ,jesus again says3 ,if ye 
love me1 keep my commandments4 ,he that 
loveth me will keep my words4 ,there can
 be nothing more perfectly in harmony   
with human nature in all its phases than
 these declarations of our ,lord4 ,where
 is the subject that is unwilling to    
render obedience to the prince or king  
that he loves8 ,where is the loving     
child that refuses to obey its parents8 
,i tell you that obedience is the test  
and proof of love4 ,do you obey our     
,lord ,jesus ,christ8 ,do you say ,no8  
,then1 my dear friend1 let me say to    
you1 in all candor and love1 you do not 
love him4 ,you may imagine that you do1 
but your imagination on this point is a 
delusion4 ,but perhaps you are ashamed  
to confess him4 ,hear again what the    
,lord says3 ,he that is ashamed of me   

and my words1 of him will the ,son of   
man be ashamed when he shall come in his
 glory4  ,but perhaps you ask3 ,how am  
,i to get rid of my chains8 ,get rid of 
them1 my dear unconverted friend1 just  
as ,peter got rid of his4 ,the ,lord is 
just as willing and as able to rescue   
you from the chains of sin and the      
thraldom of bad habits as he was to     
rescue ,peter from the chains with which
 the ,roman guard had bound him4 ,the   
,lord came to him1 not in darkness1 but 
in light4 ,he brought the light with    
him4 ,he never works in darkness4 ,even 
when he was about to fashion the world1 
the first thing he did was to throw a   
flood of light all over its wide1       
chaotic surface4 ,but the light which he
 caused to shine in the prison did not  
wake ,peter up1 although it must have   
shone in his eyes4 ,so he smote him on  
the side1 and no doubt shook him gently4
  ,peter opened his eyes and saw the    
light4 ,the angel raised him up1 saying1
 ,arise up quickly4 ,at the very first  

move he made to stand on his feet1 his  
chains got loose1 and when he rose to   
his feet they fell right off4 ,this is  
the way you are to get rid of your      
chains4 ,the ,lord comes to you as he is
 present now and says to you1 ,arise up 
quickly1 and follow me4 ,the very moment
 you firmly resolve to obey him in love1
 that very moment will your chains begin
 to get loose2 and when you arise to    
follow him in the way his ,word directs1
 they will fall off4  ,you may here see 
how the ,lord works with man4 ,it is    
said the angel raised ,peter up2 and at 
the same time1 while he had hold of him1
 he ordered ,peter to arise up quickly4 
,this is just the way we would do in    
trying to get one awake and up1 whom we 
dearly loved if he was in great danger4 
,an infant we would pick up and carry   
out2 but one in health and strength we  
would expect to act for himself2 we1 at 
the same time1 doing what might be      
necessary on our part4 ,just so the     
,lord acts with every poor sinner4 ,he  

comes with light and he comes in love4  
,sinner1 ,i am sure he has come to you  
to-day4 ,he is saying to you now1 ,rise 
up quickly1 and follow me4  ,and where  
does the good ,lord propose to lead the 
sinner8 ,he offers to lead you out of   
your prison house of sin into the       
glorious liberty of the children of     
,god4 ,he proposes to take you out of   
darkness into his marvelous light4 ,he  
will1 if you but rise up and follow him1
 give you eternal life1 and a home in   
heaven forever1 free from sickness1     
sorrow1 pain and death4 ,will you not go
 with him8   ,,visit ,,to ,a ,,sick     
,,woman4  ,after preaching the above    
sermon1 ,brother ,kline1 in company with
 ,brother ,kagey1 visited a sick woman  
living on ,forrer's land4 ,he says3 ,she
 seemed to be suffering a good deal in  
body2 but more1 ,i think1 in spirit4 ,we
 told her that ,christ ,jesus was the   
only substantial hope we had to set     
before her2 that faith in him would     
bring salvation and peace to her soul4  

,i read to her from the ,sermon on the  
,mount3 ',ask1 and it shall be given    
you2 seek1 and ye shall find2 knock1 and
 it shall be opened unto you3 for if ye 
know how to give good gifts unto your   
children1 how much more shall your      
,father who is in heaven give good      
things unto them that ask him4' ,the    
best thing that our heavenly ,father can
 give us is a heart to love and obey    
him4 ,god works in us both to will and  
to do the things that please him2 but we
 at the same time must have a willing   
mind to do them4 ,in this way we come to
 be co-workers with ,god4  ',baptism1'  
,i said to her1 is the first public act 
of obedience required at our hands4     
,here our sins are in figure washed     
away2 for baptism is called in the ,word
 'the washing of regeneration4' ,as a   
newborn child is washed before it is    
clothed and set before the family1 so   
the newborn child of ,god must be washed
 and made pure before he or she can come
 into the church as a full member4 ,but 

the baptism of the child of ,god denotes
 a spiritual cleansing2 whilst the      
washing or bathing of a newborn infant  
means only bodily cleansing4 ,hence     
,peter says that 'baptism is not the    
putting away of the filth of the flesh1 
but the answer of a good conscience     
toward ,god4' ,this means that it fills 
the heart with a sense or feeling of    
'righteousness1 peace and joy in the    
,holy ,ghost4'  ,after instructing her  
awhile in this way we ended our call    
with prayer4  ,on ,sunday1 ,march #ae1  
there was meeting in   ,,daniel         
,,miller',s ,,dwelling ,,house4  ,this  
is about five miles north of            
,harrisonburg1 in ,rockingham ,county1  
,virginia4 ,it is at present occupied by
 ,benjamin ,miller1 the youngest son of 
,daniel ,miller4 ,he stands high as     
overseer of the ,greenmount church4 ,he 
has a numerous family of intelligent and
 godly children1 all now grown up1 and  
members of the ,brethren church4  ,at   
the time of this meeting1 ,brother      

,daniel ,miller's family was young1 and 
most of the children were at home1      
eighteen in all2 and all children of one
 mother4 ,brother ,kline says3 ,i felt  
deeply impressed with the weighty       
responsibility resting upon the father  
and mother of this pleasant and orderly 
household2 and not upon them only1 but  
upon us also1 who are preachers of the  
,word4 ,in this feeling1 ,i proposed the
 reading of the fifteenth chapter of    
,john's ,gospel4 ,i spoke briefly from  
these words3 ',if ,i had not come and   
spoken unto them1 they had not had sin4'
 ,john #ae3bb4   ,sermon4  ,these words 
are a part of our ,lord's farewell      
counsel to his little band of chosen    
disciples4 ,this was just before his    
betrayal into the hands of his          
murderers4 ,he spoke to them about this 
sinful world4 ,he told them how the     
people of the world would treat them1   
and what they would think of the        
glorious ,gospel which they were soon to
 proclaim4 ',in the world1' said he to  

them1 'ye shall have tribulation2 but in
 me1 ye shall have peace4' ,the text    
does not teach that men who are ignorant
 of ,god's ,word are sinless2 neither   
does it teach that the doctrine which   
our blessed ,savior taught tends to make
 men sinners4 ,oh1 no6 ,but this is what
 it means3 ,that ,god is so merciful and
 gracious that until men are instructed 
and warned of their danger1 he does not 
hold them severely accountable4 ,but    
when the light of truth is shed around  
them1 and the way of life and salvation 
pointed out to them1 and they then shut 
their eyes to the light and close their 
hearts to knowledge1 he holds them      
accountable1 and deals with them as     
sinners4  ,i feel now to address a few  
words to the dear young people who are  
assembled here4 ,the ,lord bless you in 
the dew of your youth1 while your hearts
 are yet tender2 before age and sin have
 made you hard1 give your hearts to     
,god4 ,this you can do by loving our    
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who laid down his 

life for you4 ,when you love him with   
the heart1 you believe on him with the  
heart2 and when you believe on him with 
the heart1 you have a desire in your    
heart to obey him by doing his          
commandments4 ,you will purify your     
souls by obeying the truth4 ',remember  
now thy ,creator in the days of thy     
youth4' ',seek the ,lord while he may be
 found2 call ye upon him while he is    
near2' for1 saith he1 'they that seek me
 early shall find me4'  ,but you may    
desire to know how you are to seek the  
,lord1 and where you are to look for    
him4 ,i hope you are thinking of this   
now2 so ,i will tell you4 ,the only     
place where the ,lord can be found is in
 his ,holy ,word4 ,there you find him in
 the form of the man ,christ ,jesus4    
,and whilst he is there set forth as the
 'man of sorrows and acquainted with    
grief1' he is also set forth as the     
'true ,god and eternal life4' ,he there 
says3 ',if any man thirst1 let him come 
unto me and drink4' ',and he that       

drinketh of the water that ,i will give 
unto him shall never thirst4' ,this     
water is the ,,truth of his ,word4 ,it  
so fills the soul with love and light   
and joy and peace1 as to become a       
fountain of delight within us4 ,reading 
,god's ,word in the right spirit is     
drinking of the ,water of ,life4 ,when  
this truth finds a place in the memory  
through the love of it1 the memory keeps
 our thoughts perpetually supplied with 
it1 and thus it becomes1 as our ,lord   
says1 'a fountain within us unto        
everlasting life4'  ,,saturday1 ,march  
#ba1 ,brother ,kline1 in company with   
,brother ,daniel ,miller1 went to       
,brock's ,gap1 and spent the night at   
,brother ,sunafrank's4   ,,brock',s     
,,gap4  ,this is a small area of country
 in ,rockingham ,county1 ,virginia1     
containing about one hundred and fifty  
square miles4 ,it is the head basin of  
the north fork of the ,shenandoah river4
 ,it is almost completely surrounded by 
high and rugged mountains2 and where the

 river has broken a gap for its outlet  
the scenery is not surpassed by that of 
,harper's ,ferry4  ,a considerable      
number of people live in it1 and there  
are some good farms and thrifty farmers4
 ,in ,brother ,kline's day ,brock's ,gap
 was only a mission field4 ,at this time
 the ,german ,baptist ,brethren have two
 well-built and commodious houses of    
worship in it4 ,at the time ,brother    
,kline commenced preaching there they   
had no house of worship and the         
membership was very small4 ,the         
membership at this time includes some   
from nearly all the leading families in 
the section4 ,the ,fulks1 ,fawleys1     
,richies1 ,hevners1 ,moyerses1 ,smiths1 
,doves1 ,lambs1 ,shoemakers1 and many   
others are represented in the           
,brotherhood4  ,,sunday1 ,march         
#ba4--,the two brethren crossed the     
,shenandoah mountain and arrived in     
,,sweedlin ,,valley4  ,this valley lies 
in ,pendleton ,county1 ,west ,virginia4 
,it extends northward along the west    

foot of the ,shenandoah mountain for    
about eight miles1 and is separated from
 the ,south ,fork valley west of it by  
,sweedlin mountain4 ,it is the          
habitation of a good many families1 is  
exceedingly picturesque1 and is in some 
respects beautiful4  ,the two brethren  
were called here to preach the funeral  
of old ,brother ,nazlerode4 ,his father 
had been a ,hessian1 and served under   
,british colors in the ,american        
,revolution4 ,at the close of the war   
he1 with many others1 declined returning
 to his native home in ,hesse-,darmstadt
 in ,germany1 and decided to stay in    
,america4 ,but this class of citizens   
was not very welcome among the patriots 
of ,american liberty4 ,they were looked 
upon with a degree of opprobrium2 and   
hence they sought homes in the more     
remote and secluded valleys among the   
mountains4 ,brother ,nazlerode had died 
some time before4 ,the preaching was at 
the house where the old brother had     
lived4   ,sermon by ,daniel ,miller4    

,brother ,daniel ,miller spoke first in 
the ,german language4 ,he took for his  
subject #a ,pet4 #a3bd1 #be4 ,for all   
flesh is as grass1 and all the glory of 
man as the flower of grass3 444 but the 
word of the ,lord endureth forever4  ,he
 spoke very beautifully and impressively
 on the short-lived pleasures of earth4 
,he said that the new birth and the new 
life1 which lift man to ,god and fit him
 for heaven1 are not begotten of the    
corruptible seed of man1 but of ,god    
through the ,word of his ,truth1 which  
liveth and abideth forever4 ,he pointed 
them to ,jesus as the ,lamb of ,god that
 taketh away the sin of the world4 ,he  
then1 in a very affectionate manner1    
exhorted all to accept the salvation    
offered and walk in the way that our    
,lord has made plain in his ,word4      
,brother ,kline followed and said3      
,brother ,daniel and ,i both felt moved 
to pity when we considered the situation
 of these people4 ,they have a poor     
chance to hear the ,gospel1 and but few 

of them can read the ,bible4 ,we closed 
the services suitably1 and then went to 
friend ,jacob ,wansturf's and spent the 
night4  ,,monday1 ,april #ac4--;,brother
 ,kline1 in company with ,brother       
,frederic ,kline1 went to ,brock's ,gap 
on the yearly visit4 ,he says3 ,we found
 some of the members in a very poor     
condition4 ,one sister1 in particular1  
moved my feelings deeply4 ,her husband  
is somewhat dissipated and does not     
provide for his family as he should4    
,she is the mother of three small       
children2 and1 judging from their       
present appearance1 they have undergone 
a good deal of suffering for want of    
food and clothing4 ,none of them have   
any shoes2 and the thin coverings they  
have on are so patched and darned that  
one can hardly tell the kind of goods   
they were originally made of4  ,i       
inquired how they were off in the way of
 food4 ,she replied that they had about 
a peck of corn meal in the house and    
several bushels of potatoes buried in   

the garden2 and she reckoned they could 
do right well till she could get some   
more washing and other work to do4 ,i   
gave that patient1 uncomplaining sister 
three dollars out of my own pocket      
money4 ',it is more blessed to give than
 to receive4' ,there is a day coming    
when we shall more fully realize this   
truth than now4   ,,the ,,yearly ,,visit
 ,,continued4  ,,tuesday1 ,april        
#ad4--,we have found a quiet and        
peaceable state of feeling in the       
,brotherhood generally4 ,there is1      
however1 among the younger members1 too 
great a tendency to conform to the world
 in dress and conversation4   ,,meeting 
,,at ,,benjamin ,,bowman',s4  ,,friday1 
,april #ag4--;,his son1 ,samuel ,bowman1
 was baptized to-day1 and the subject of
 discourse was the baptism of ,jesus as 
recorded in ,mark's ,gospel4 ,john seems
 to have been a sort of open link by    
which the chain of prophecy in the ,old 
,testament was united with the chain of 
its fulfillment in the ,new4 ,as a      

prophet1 he went forth in the spirit and
 power of ,elijah4 ,but ,elijah of old  
uttered his prophecies surrounded by    
midnight darkness4 ,john utters his in  
the light of the rising ,sun of         
,righteousness2 and they all point to   
the future glory of that ,sun4 ,the ,sun
 rose publicly from the waters of       
,jordan in the person of our ,lord and  
,savior ,jesus ,christ1 when the ,spirit
 of ,god in the form of a dove descended
 upon him1 and a voice came out of      
heaven1 ',this is my beloved ,son in    
whom ,i am well pleased4'  ,what a      
recognition6 ,what a reception6 ,and    
will not our heavenly ,father meet every
 true-hearted believer in the same way1 
as he rises from the baptismal wave8    
,not visibly1 to his natural eye2 not   
audibly1 to his natural ear2 but by the 
,holy ,spirit bearing witness with his  
spirit that he is a child of ,god4 ,for 
'baptism is the answer of a good        
conscience toward ,god4' ,this is its   
first blessed power4   ,sermon by ,elder

 ,john ,kline4  ,a ,funeral ,sermon at  
,sunafrank's in ,brock's ,gap1 ,sunday1 
,april #bf4      ,,text4--,verily1      
verily1 ,i say unto you1 the hour       
cometh1 and now is1     when the dead   
shall hear the voice of the ,son of     
,god2 and they     that hear shall      
live4--,john #e3be4  ,the ,lord spoke   
these words to the ,jews4 ,they would   
not believe that he was the ,son of     
,god4 ,they sought to kill him1 not only
 because he had broken the ,sabbath by  
healing a man on that day1 but also     
because he said that ,god was his       
,father1 making himself equal with ,god4
 ,in his reply to them he uttered some  
of the most wonderful truths the world  
has ever heard4 ,he said3 ,,the ,,dead  
,,shall ,,hear4  ,in the ear of a ,jew  
these words had an ominous ring4 ,they  
could not gainsay them in a direct way1 
because the ,lord had1 that very day1   
and before their eyes1 wrought a miracle
 which was almost equal to that of      
making a dead man hear4 ,it appears     

strange to us that any class of people  
could harbor feelings of enmity toward  
one so kind and good as ,jesus was4 ,but
 the ,jews were a very proud people1 and
 exceedingly vain in their imaginations4
 ,and because the ,lord would not       
flatter them1 and give them credit for  
great knowledge and wisdom in divine    
things1 they fell out with him and hated
 him4  ,jesus does not say that all the 
dead shall hear4 ,but he does mean that 
all shall have a chance and the power to
 hear if they will4 ,but who are the    
,,dead of whom he speaks8 ,they are all 
who are not spiritually alive2 ,jews and
 ,gentiles4 ,the ,scriptures in many    
places speak of men as dead who are     
bodily alive4 ,they are dead in one way1
 and alive in another4 ,i will explain  
this4 ,in respect to faith in the ,lord 
and love to him1 the ,jews were dead4   
,there was no spiritual life in them4   
,jewish worship was all an outward1     
external thing4 ,but ,god regards a     
man's spirit1 his heart4 ,for they that 

worship him must worship him in spirit  
and in truth2 for the ,father seeketh   
such to worship him4  ,there stands a   
tree4 ,it is just now in full bloom1 and
 the sight is beautiful4 ,a few months  
ago that tree was dead in one sense and 
alive in another4 ,it was winter-dead4  
,there were neither leaves1 blossoms nor
 fruit upon it4 ,had it continued in    
that state1 it would be cut down as a   
worthless thing4 ,but it had a          
receptacle of life1 and that life is in 
the sun which imparts heat and light to 
everything4 ,the sun makes the earth    
warm2 the watery vapors to ascend and   
form clouds which give rain2 the sap to 
rise and form itself into leaves1       
blossoms and fruits4 ,every unconverted 
man and woman1 just like that tree in   
winter1 is dead as to all divine or     
heavenly life in the soul4 ,let us see3 
,he is dead as to faith in our ,lord    
,jesus ,christ4 ,he does not love him4  
,he lives just as if there were no ,god 
to love and obey2 no hell to shun2 no   

heaven to obtain4 ,he does not love the 
people of ,god as such4 ,but1           
notwithstanding all this1 he has a      
capacity1 such as ,god has given to     
every man1 to be made alive in ,christ  
,jesus4 ,christ is called the ,sun of   
,righteousness4 ,he is so called because
 he1 like the sun in our sky1 rises and 
shines upon the evil and the good2 and  
whosoever opens his heart to the light  
of this ,sun is filled with the light of
 truth and love1 and made alive to walk 
in the way of righteousness before him4 
,this light comes through his ,word1 the
 ,gospel of our salvation1 as it is     
proclaimed by his faithful ministers1   
and falls upon every sinner4 ,if the    
sinner will open his ears to the voice1 
and his eyes to the light1 the promise  
in the text is that he shall live4      
,jesus says3 ,i am the light of the     
world4 ,he that followeth me shall have 
the light of ,,life4 ,in him is light1  
and the light is the ,,life of men4 ,but
 if the sinner1 like the owl1 closes his

 eyes to the light of truth1 and his    
ears to the voice of the ,lord1 he will 
abide in death1 and1 like the owl1 love 
darkness rather than light forever4     
,,sunday1 ,july #ai1 ,magdalena ,wampler
 and ,john ,miller's wife baptized4     
,sermon by ,elder ,daniel ,miller4  ,in 
the ,german ,language1 at the           
,linville's ,creek ,meetinghouse4       
,,text4--,and there went out unto him   
all the country of ,juda1 and     all   
they of ,jerusalem2 and they were       
baptized of him in the river            
,jordan1 confessing their sins4--,mark  
#a3e4  ,judging from the multitudes that
 went out to ,john's baptism1 his       
preaching must have created a lively    
sensation in ,jerusalem and ,juda4 ,all 
who went out were ,jews4 ,in justice to 
the text1 we must notice the fact that  
the word ,,all1 as there used1 applies  
only to the common people4 ,these came  
to ,john confessing their sins4 ,he     
pointed them to the ,lamb of ,god which 
taketh away the sin of the world4 ,the  

scribes and ,pharisees and lawyers1 the 
chief men of ,juda and ,jerusalem1 went 
not out to be baptized of ,john4 ,these 
had no sins to confess2 no ignorance to 
deplore2 no spiritual ailments or       
infirmities4 ,they that be whole have no
 need of the physician1 but they that   
are sick4  ,it was with the common      
people that ,john succeeded in preparing
 the way of the ,lord4 ,may we not also 
do the same8 ,when we induce men to     
think upon the subject of religion1 when
 we persuade them to repent and believe 
the ,gospel1 we too are preparing the   
way of the ,lord4 ,the ,word of ,truth  
does not have free course all over the  
world yet4 ,many amongst us oppose it4  
,millions far away are still in pagan   
darkness4 ,but every soul that truly    
believes in ,jesus and is baptized has  
the promise of salvation2 and every such
 soul is a fresh light in the world's   
darkness4 ,the more of such lights we   
can get to shine in the world the       
lighter will it grow1 and the more and  

more will the way of the ,lord be       
prepared4  ,in ,john's day the people   
were not ashamed to come and be immersed
 in the ,jordan4 ,there does not seem to
 have been any doubt or uncertainty with
 them as to the mode or form of baptism4
 ,every one went to the river ,jordan4  
,if a few drops of water1 applied to    
some part of the body1 had answered the 
end of baptism as well as the immersion 
of the whole body in water1 ,i think    
most of them would have saved themselves
 this long journey4 ,they would have    
called ,john to ,jerusalem1 to that     
wealthy and populous city4 ,he could    
have just passed through the streets    
with a pail or pitcher of water in his  
hand1 and with little trouble could have
 applied a few drops to the head or face
 of each one that asked it4  ,for want  
of room1 we now pass over all the       
entries in the ,diary from ,july #ai to 
,september #aa4 ,this time was actively 
taken up by our beloved brother in      
attending love feasts1 council meetings 

and regular appointments4 ,in body he   
was robust1 vigorous and active3 in     
spirit he had long reaches of faith and 
hope and love4 ,this incited him to     
great activity2 and ,i often heard him  
say3 ,an hour misspent or trifled away  
is just so much time given to ,satan4   
,,journey ,,to ,,ohio ,,and ,,return    
,,through ,,kentucky ,,and ,,tennessee4 
,this journey occupied two months to the
 day4 ,friday1 ,september #aa1 he passed
 up through ,brock's ,gap1 and down the 
,lost ,river ,valley4   ,,lost ,,river4 
,this is a small but very clear and     
beautiful stream in ,hardy ,county1     
,west ,virginia4 ,it flows through a    
rich and delightful valley between      
,church mountain on its eastern side    
next to ,shenandoah ,county1 ,virginia1 
and the ,south ,branch mountain on its  
western side4 ,after a course of about  
twenty miles in a northeasterly         
direction it suddenly disappears at the 
base of a mountain extending like a huge
 dam across the valley4 ,after a        

subterranean passage of a few miles it  
reappears on the opposite side clear as 
crystal4 ,from this point to its mouth  
in the ,potomac it bears the name of    
,ca-capon or ,capon4 ,tradition says    
this is an ,indian name1 and means      
,,found4 ,this stream1 from its head to 
its mouth1 may aptly represent the life1
 death and resurrection of the          
,christian4   ,,state ,,of ,,the        
,,country4  ,for the information of the 
young especially1 many of whom it is    
hoped will read this book1 ,i will give 
a brief description of the state of the 
country through which our beloved       
brother expected to travel1 partly alone
 and on horseback4 ,no doubt you have   
read the story of ,george ,washington1  
not quite twenty-one years of age1      
starting on horseback with only a single
 companion1 to carry a letter from      
,dinwiddie1 ,governor of ,virginia1 to  
the commander of the ,french military   
forces at ,venango1 in the extreme      
northwestern part of ,pennsylvania4     

,washington delivered the letter and    
returned the answer4 ,many books of     
,american history give an account of    
this wonderful achievement1 and praise  
the man who performed it4  ,brother     
,kline1 in part1 passed over very nearly
 the same ground on this journey that   
,washington had passed over on his4     
,washington went with a motive          
altogether worldly4 ,he was complying   
with the wish of the governor of his    
,state4 ,brother ,kline went with a     
motive as far transcending in sublimity 
and importance anything appearing in    
that of ,washington as heaven is high   
above the earth1 and the thoughts and   
ways of ,god are above those of men4 ,he
 went to raise men from the depths of   
sin into which they had so deeply       
fallen1 and exalt them to companionship 
with angels in the skies4 ,his mission  
was to turn men from darkness to light1 
and from the power of ,satan to ,god4   
,he laid no claim to any power within   
himself to do this2 but he went in the  

fellowship of the ,holy ,spirit1 and in 
the power of him who is able and mighty 
to save4  ,we must bear in mind1 too1   
that this journey was undertaken more   
than fifty-eight years ago4 ,a very     
large part of the country through which 
he had to pass was yet in a state of    
virgin forest4 ,no railroads bore the   
lightning trains on their bosoms4 ,very 
few houses in much of the country were  
to be seen2 and many of these offered   
little besides shelter1 and some barely 
that4 ,there were hardly any bridges4   
,broad and deep rivers had to be forded 
on horseback1 or crossed in what the    
,indians called a ,,canoe4 ,this is a   
kind of long boat made from the body of 
a single tree1 by cutting or burning out
 the inside1 and leaving the bottom1    
ends and sides like a trough4 ,he       
reports having crossed some streams in  
this kind of a boat4 ,his life was      
several times endangered by crossing    
deep waters4  ,,saturday1 ,september    
#ab1 he arrived at ,abbey ,arnold's1 in 

,hampshire ,county1 ,west ,virginia4 ,on
 the thirteenth he attended a love feast
 at ,daniel ,arnold's nearby1 and       
reports a very joyful meeting with the  
,brethren whom he had not seen for a    
time4  ,,monday1 ,september #ad1 he took
 leave of the ,brethren in ,hampshire   
,county1 and directed his course through
 ,maryland into ,pennsylvania2 and on   
,friday1 ,september #ah1 he crossed the 
,ohio river1 two and one-half miles     
below ,acreton4 ,he was ferried across  
in a flatboat4  ,,sunday1 ,september    
#bj1 he arrived at ,brother ,george     
,hoke's4 ,he says3 ,i have been exposed 
to some bad weather1 and have passed    
over some bad roads2 but to meet such a 
dear and kind brother as ,george ,hoke1 
and be received in such a pleasant way  
as ,i have been by the dear brother and 
family1 is more than a compensation for 
all the exposure and toil it has cost4  
,as nearly as ,i can1 ,i will now give  
the substance and manner of a           
conversation which took place the same  

evening between ,brother ,kline and     
,brother ,hoke4 ,the ,diary is silent   
upon it1 but ,brother ,kline related it 
to me himself in the year #ahfb4        
,brother ,jacob ,miller1 of ,greenmount1
 ,virginia1 told me afterwards that     
,brother ,kline had related the same to 
him4 ,the weather being a little cool   
and damp1 the two brethren sat by the   
fire4 ,i will name the parties in the   
order of the conversation4              
,,kline4--,why do not we ordain deacons 
in the same way the seven were ordained 
at ,jerusalem8  ,,hoke4--,do you think  
the seven were deacons8  ,k4--,yes1 ,i  
have always thought so4  ,h4--,i do not 
think they were4  ,k4--,well1 here is a 
difference of opinion between brethren4 
,h4--,let us try to get together on this
 point4  ,k4--,i desire1 above all      
things1 to know the truth1 and to see   
eye to eye with all the ,brethren on    
every point of ,holy ,writ4  ,h4--,so do
 ,i4 ,now let us see4 ,i do not think   
the seven were deacons1 because they are

 nowhere called deacons4 ,have we a just
 right to call them deacons when the    
,word does not call them so8 ,again3 ,i 
must think the church at ,jerusalem was 
fully organized before any demand was   
found for the appointment of the seven4 
,did it not have deacons at the start8  
,who attended to gathering up food and  
hunting shelter1 and making general     
provisions for the comfortable          
entertainment of thousands of brethren  
and sisters1 and their children besides8
 ,i rather think that the deacons       
already in office attended to these     
things4 ,but the number of the brethren 
increased so rapidly that the deacons   
needed help in the way of general       
oversight1 and the most natural thing in
 the world would be for them to apply to
 the apostles for advice in regard to   
the matter4 ,but the apostles replied1  
,it is not reason that we should ,,leave
 the ,word of ,god and serve tables4    
,this proves that they had not done so  
before1 and that it would not be right  

for them to do so now4 ,hence the       
importance of getting men of real       
executive ability to serve the present  
necessity4 ,such ability and fitness    
they found in the seven whom they set   
apart to that work4 ,but they must not  
only possess business tact2 they must be
 men full of the ,holy ,ghost and       
wisdom1 and men of honest report1 whose 
record in life proved their ,,honesty4  
,this1 ,brother ,john1 is my opinion as 
to the reason why the apostles were so  
particular on this point4 ,these seven  
men would certainly have a great deal   
entrusted to their general keeping2 and 
unless they were honest1 they might take
 advantage and make personal gain out of
 it4 ,they soon got things so arranged  
in the hands of the deacons1 that       
,stephen1 one of the seven1 could leave 
and give all of his time1 or most of it1
 to preaching2 for we are directly      
informed that the opposing ,jews were   
not able to withstand the wisdom and the
 spirit in which he spake4 ,right on the

 strength of this began the terrific    
persecution which soon resulted in the  
martyrdom of ,stephen1 and eventuated in
 the dispersion from ,jerusalem of all  
the leaders and most of the influential 
and well-known members of the body4     
,philip only1 of all the seven except   
,stephen1 is mentioned in the ,new      
,testament after this4 ,it seems that   
after he had preached for some time he  
married and settled down at ,csarea1    
where1 years after1 ,paul found him1 and
 spoke of him as one of the seven--not  
deacons--although it would have been    
very easy for ,paul to call him such1   
had he been a deacon4 ,paul here calls  
him ,philip the evangelist4 ,acts #ba3h4
  ,k4--,i must admit1 ,brother ,george1 
that your argument is fair and pointed1 
and ,i will reconsider the whole        
subject4 ,i never before saw the office 
and appointment of the seven in the     
light in which you have presented it to 
me this evening4  ,h4--,i believe there 
are points in addition to those already 

given1 but you may find them yourself4  
,,monday1 ,september #ba1 ,brother      
,kline attended a love feast at ,brother
 ,snider's4  ,,wednesday1 ,september    
#bc1 he attended another at ,brother    
,samuel ,mishler's4 ,he spoke           
beautifully on #a ,john #c3b3 ,beloved1 
now are we the sons of ,god2 and it doth
 not yet appear what we shall be2 but we
 know that when he shall appear1 we     
shall be like him4   ,a ,,short         
,,discourse4  ,in my view1 there is no  
passage in the ,bible which requires a  
stronger faith to believe it fully than 
the one just quoted4 ,no passage that ,i
 know of sets forth in such lofty terms 
of description the exaltation and glory 
of the redeemed4 ,often have ,i heard   
persons express their wonder that ,jesus
 did not tell us more about heaven and  
the future state4 ,this text itself     
tells us infinitely more about this than
 we are capable of comprehending4 ,let  
us think a little4  ,i4 ,it tells us    
that we are now the ,,sons ,,of ,,god4  

,to be the son of a rich man is esteemed
 a great boon2 to be the son of a king  
is an honor and fortune enjoyed by few4 
,but what are favors like these compared
 with being a son of ,god6 ,no wonder   
,john says in another place3 ,behold1   
what manner of love the ,father hath    
bestowed upon us1 that we should be     
called the sons of ,god6 ,take the words
 of my text all to yourself1 my brother1
 my sister3 believe it2 love it2 and    
ever rejoice in the light of it4 ,you   
desire to know how you attained to this 
high distinction4 ,i will tell you4     
,jesus came to you in his blessed ,word 
with the assurance that as many as      
receive him1 to them gives he power to  
become the sons of ,god1 even to them   
that believe on his name2 which are     
born1 not of blood2 nor of the will of  
the flesh2 nor of the will of man2 but  
of ,god4    ,this promise ever shall    
endure1   ,till suns shall rise and set 
no more4  ,you received the ,lord by    
believing on his name4 ,this is faith4  

,you believed with your heart2 that is1 
your faith was full of love1 and your   
love was attended and followed by       
obedience1 and this made your faith     
complete4 ,it is yours now to rejoice in
 hope of the glory of ,god4  ,,ii4 ,but 
you can hardly believe that you are to  
be just like ,christ4 ,on the mount you 
saw him glorified4 ,his face did shine  
as the sun1 and his outward form was    
white as the light4 ,now ,paul says3 ,he
 shall change our vile bodies that they 
may be fashioned like unto the body of  
his glory4 ,then shall the righteous    
shine as the sun in the kingdom of their
 ,father4  ,o brethren1 let us look at  
the bright side of the ,christian's     
life1 for it has a bright side1 and that
 is the side next to heaven1 on which   
the light of heaven forever falls4 ,i am
 not unmindful of the fact that1        
figuratively speaking1 one side is      
turned to earth1 and the earth in many  
respects is a very dark place4 ,on the  
earth-side clouds and darkness are the  

habitation of his throne2 but on the    
heaven-side the city hath no need of the
 sun to shine in it1 for the ,lord ,god 
and the ,lamb are the light thereof2 and
 there shall be no night there4 ,we are 
fellow-citizens with the saints in      
glory1 and of the household of ,god4    
,oh1 brethren1 let us walk worthy of our
 high calling4 ,rejoice evermore4 ,pray 
without ceasing4 ,in every thing give   
thanks3 for this is the will of ,god    
concerning you4  ,,friday1 ,september   
#be4 ,brother ,kline passed through     
,jerome1 ,petersburg and ,mansfield and 
got to ,brother ,john ,hoover's4        
,,monday1 ,september #bh4 ,this evening1
 says he1 ,i am at ,judge ,watts's4     
,having been unavoidably delayed by     
having to get my horse shod1 darkness   
overtook me five miles away from here1  
and nothing but a continuation of thick 
woods appeared in every direction4 ,more
 than this1 the wolves set up a howling 
in a very threatening manner4 ,had ,i   
been compelled to pass the night in the 

woods1 ,i would have been in danger of  
being devoured by them4 ,whilst alone in
 the darkness ,i thought1 ,how quickly  
would these ravenous creatures fall upon
 and devour an unprotected sheep6 ,and  
how surely would the wolves from        
,satan's den fall upon us and make a    
prey of our souls if ,jesus1 the ,good  
,shepherd1 did not guard and protect us 
through the spiritual darkness of this  
world6 ,several verses of one of ,watts'
 old 'cradle hymns' came to my mind     
whilst thinking over these things4 ,they
 run thus3    ',once1 as oppressed with 
sleep ,i lay1     ,with pining hunger   
bold1   ,a prowling enemy came by1      
,and robbed my little fold4   ,but      
,thou1 ,great ,shepherd1 dost not sleep 
,nor slumber oft like me2   ,so that no 
foe can steal a sheep     ,eternally    
from ,thee4'  ,,tuesday1 ,september #bi4
 ,this evening ,i am at ,brother        
,abraham ,miller's in ,allen ,county1   
,ohio4 ,from ,judge ,watts's to this    
place is only five miles4 ,but how      

different my feelings this evening from 
what they were last evening6 ,then ,i   
was alone in the woods1 in hearing of   
wolves in several directions1 with      
darkness on every side2 now ,i am here  
with my beloved brother and his pleasant
 family4 ,oh1 what will it be1 what the 
ineffable joy to find ourselves1 some   
day1 in heaven1 eternally safe from all 
danger and harm6  ,brother ,kline spent 
the time between this and the next      
,sunday in traveling and visiting4      
,,sunday1 ,october #d1 he attended a    
love feast at which he made some very   
beautiful and appropriate remarks on    
,luke #d4 ,there is1 said he1 much of   
human nature set forth in this chapter4 
,so long as ,jesus spoke of the things  
that pleased the assembled ,jews they   
'all wondered at the gracious words     
which proceeded out of his mouth4' ,they
 applied these gracious words to        
themselves1 and flattered themselves    
into the belief that they were ',god's  
favorites' on account of their inherent 

virtues4 ,but when the ,lord indirectly 
spoke of them as starving widows in     
,god's sight1 and filthy lepers1 'all in
 the synagogue were filled with wrath4' 
,when flowers are thrown upon the       
surface of a calm lake--so the poets    
say--the lake is made to smile with     
dimples of delight2 but when heavy      
storms of truth are thrown in1 the mud  
at the bottom is stirred up1 and the    
lake boils with filth4 ,brethren1 let us
 try to 'cleanse ourselves from all     
filthiness of the flesh and spirit1     
perfecting holiness in the fear of the  
,lord2' and then we will not get angry  
when the truth is presented4  ,i would  
like very much to give the name of every
 family with which ,brother ,kline      
passed a night throughout this entire   
journey1 and also the name of every     
brother and sister and family called on1
 but want of space absolutely forbids4  
,october #e and #f were spent at a      
council meeting near ,brother           
,butterbaugh's4 ,he does not say1 but ,i

 guess this was in ,montgomery ,county1 
,ohio4 ,the names--,samuel ,fouse1      
,david ,miller1 ,abraham ,erbaugh1      
,samuel ,kline1 ,john ,brower1 ,abraham 
,flory--all occur in close connection as
 having been visited by him4  ,,sunday1 
,october #aa4 ,brother ,kline attended a
 meeting at which he reports ,jacob     
,rife1 ,john ,garber1 ,james ,smith and 
,george ,miller1 all from ,virginia1 as 
being present with their families4 ,they
 have come to find homes in ,ohio4 ,they
 had arrived there on ,friday before1   
which was ,october #i4 ,it may be very  
gratifying to the children and          
grandchildren of these parents to find  
out the exact day on which their fathers
 and mothers arrived in the county and  
,state where they settled4  ,,monday1   
,october #ab4 ,meeting at ,brother      
,hoffert's4 ,brother ,kline spoke to-day
 on ,matthew #be4 ,i can give only a    
slight touch of his discourse3 ,this    
chapter1 said he1 is full of wonders4   
,the parable of the talents2 the parable

 of the ten virgins2 and a description  
of the general judgment4 ,both parables 
are intimately connected with the       
judgment1 and indicate the broad basis  
on which it will be conducted4 ,i       
believe that the virgins in the parable 
represent professors of ,christianity4  
,they all had lamps4 ,they all slumbered
 and slept4 ,in these two respects they 
were all alike4  ,but the great         
difference between them at once appears1
 when the announcement is suddenly made1
 ',behold1 the bridegroom cometh6 go ye 
out to meet him4' ,then the folly of the
 foolish1 and the wisdom of the wise is 
first disclosed4 ,the foolish had       
provided no oil for the replenishing of 
their lamps4 ,i fear they were like too 
many now1 who1 in the heat of           
excitement1 under the influence of      
misguided instructors1 blindly fall into
 the ranks of those who take the name of
 ,christ in one hand and the fashions   
and pleasures of the world in the other1
 and thus move on through life4 ,alas6  

such have lamps that may answer for this
 life1 and oil enough and of a kind to  
keep their lamps aglow while living in  
this world2 but when the day of trial   
shall come their lamps will prove       
useless for want of the right kind of   
oil4 ,the only oil that will burn in the
 presence of ,jesus1 and whose light he 
will own1 is the oil of heavenly love   
proved by a life of self-denial and     
obedience to his ,word4 ,lord1 help us1 
that we all may love thee more1 and     
through obedient faith in thee find the 
door of heaven open to our ransomed     
spirits4  ,,wednesday1 ,october #ad4    
,our beloved brother now takes leave of 
the brethren and sisters in ,ohio and   
starts on his way to ,tennessee4 ,on the
 fifteenth he is ferried across the     
river from ,cincinnati to ,covington in 
a flatboat1 and from this point he      
pushes on to ,lexington1 ,ky41 which he 
reaches on the seventeenth1 having      
traveled from home to that point1 #ghh  
miles4 ,think of it6 ,the toil of this  

journey1 on horseback2 over rough or bad
 roads2 through thinly settled sections 
of country1 and dark forests2 in sight  
of ,indians1 and in hearing of wolves2  
more than sixty years ago2 and all for  
,christ and a burning love for his      
people4 ,well could he say what he      
publicly expressed at a love feast at   
the ,linville's ,creek meetinghouse some
 years after this3 ,i have a house that 
will accommodate fifty3 and a heart to  
accommodate a hundred if they could find
 room in my house4  ,he pushed on1      
scaled the ,cumberland mountains2 got   
across the ,cumberland and ,clinch      
rivers as best he could1 as both were   
high from the recent rains1 and arrived 
,,friday1 ,october #bc1 at ,christian   
,shank's1 in ,east ,tennessee4 ,on the  
day before he stood by the tree that    
marks the spot where the ,states of     
,virginia and ,kentucky corner on the   
line of ,tennessee4 ,he says3 ,i could  
not help thinking while there1 ,what a  
glorious country we have in prospect1   

and what a goodly land it may come to   
be1 if the people can be induced to turn
 to the ,lord and become faithful       
followers of the meek and lowly ,jesus4 
,what a work we have to do6 ,how much   
wickedness have ,i witnessed on my way  
since ,i left home6 ,in our way of      
looking at it1 enough to sink a world4  
,by turning once around ,i can look over
 a part of three ,states2 but how few of
 the followers of the ,lord are found in
 each1 compared with the number who know
 him not1 and who ask not for him4  ,he 
reports delightful weather4 ,after      
spending some days among the ,bowmans1  
,zimmermans1 ,crouses1 ,garbers1        
,basehores1 and others1 attending love  
feasts1 councils and appointments for   
preaching1 he reports a night meeting at
 ,hase's schoolhouse4 ,this was on the  
night of  ,,thursday1 ,october #bi4 ,the
 people were somewhat ,calvinistic in   
their views1 and his discourse was so   
pointed in that direction that ,i will  
give a few thoughts presented in it4    

,sermon by ,elder ,john ,kline4         
,preached at ,hase's ,schoolhouse1      
,tennessee4      ,,text4--,enter ye in  
at the strait gate4--,matt4 #g3ac4  ,i  
tried to impress upon all present the   
danger of continuing in the broad road  
of sin4 ,this includes every lust of the
 flesh1 everything the heart desires    
through the eyes1 and all the pride and 
vanity of life4 ,i said to this         
audience3 ,i learn that there is quite a
 ,calvinistic or predestinarian         
sentiment in this community2 and from   
the expression of the countenances of   
some of you ,i fancy ,i hear some of you
 saying to yourselves3 ,how can a dead  
man hear1 except the ,lord first give   
him life2 or a blind man see1 except the
 ,lord first open his eyes8 ,i will     
answer your questions in order4         
,lazarus had been dead four days4 ,jesus
 called to him with a loud voice to come
 forth4 ,how could ,jesus expect the    
dead ,lazarus to hear8 ,why did he call8
 ,why did he not first make him alive2  

and then after he found out that he was 
alive1 and stirring round in the grave1 
call to him and tell him to come out of 
that dark place8 ,this is precisely the 
way a ,calvinist would think he ought to
 have done4 ,but ,calvinism was not     
known in the ,lord's day1 and so he took
 a very different way4 ,he threw his    
voice into that cave1 and it went right 
into the ear of the dead ,lazarus1      
because his power went with the words1  
and the very instant they struck the ear
 of ,lazarus the life was in his body   
and he heard4 ,thunder and lightning    
always go together2 but ,calvinists     
think the lightning must always be      
first4  ,the resurrection of ,lazarus is
 a clear exemplification of our ,lord's 
meaning where he says3 ,my words are    
,,spirit1 and they are ,,life4 ,no      
sooner did the ,lord call to ,lazarus   
than his heart began to beat and his    
lungs began to breathe4 ,the ,lord's    
words to him were life and breath4      
,spirit in one sense means breath2 and  

life means a beating of the heart2 for  
as long as man's heart beats there is   
life in him4 ,is any one here to-night  
willing to charge our ,lord with the    
folly1 the madness of commanding one of 
his creatures to do what he knows he    
cannot do8  ,sinner1 if the popular view
 of election be correct1 ,i have a word 
of comfort for you right here4 ,in ,jer4
 #ac3ba we read this question3 ,what    
wilt thou say when he shall punish thee8
 ,i will tell you what to say4 ,when you
 stand before his judgment seat and hear
 from his lips1 ,depart1 thou cursed    
into everlasting fire1 just say to him3 
,why do you condemn me8 ,you told me to 
enter in at the straight gate1 it is    
true2 but you did not give me the power 
to move in that direction4 ,i was blind1
 too1 and you did not open my eyes4 ,i  
was all leprous with sin2 ,i knew that  
all the time2 but you did not cleanse   
me1 although you cleansed others4 ,i am 
told that you say in your ,word that you
 are no respecter of persons2 how then  

can you make such a difference in your  
treatment of men1 when you have         
'included all under sin8'  ,now ,i say  
to you1 poor sinner1 the ,lord never    
will and he never can send you to hell  
with such questions in your mouth and in
 your heart4  ,there is no need of one  
sinner under the sound of my voice going
 to hell1 because ,jesus is the ,,strait
 ,,gate and he is the ,,narrow ,,way    
,,of ,,life2 and wherever his ,gospel is
 preached his power goes with it1 just  
as it went with his voice into the grave
 of ,lazarus1 or fell upon the bier of  
the widow's son4 ,the blind man did not 
see until he went to the pool of ,siloam
 and washed2 but did not the power of   
,christ go with him8  ,say not then1 ,o 
sinner1 ,i have not the power to        
believe1 repent and obey the ,gospel4   
,you have the power4 ,god is giving you 
now1 this very moment1 all the power you
 need to reach hither your hand and take
 the gift of his grace4 ,he has already 
opened your eyes to see the light of his

 truth2 and were ,i to say to you this  
night that you are too dead to feel your
 duty2 too blind to see the path2 and   
too grossly ignorant to know your right 
hand from your left hand in spiritual   
things1 you would feel yourself grossly 
insulted by me4 ,but ,i do not say so2  
,i do not believe so2 and in this       
connection--and ,i beg you to think     
seriously upon it1 to read the ,bible   
and pray over it--,i must repeat the    
language of ,jeremiah3 ,what wilt thou  
,,say1 when he shall punish thee8       
,,sunday1 ,november #a4 ,meeting and    
love feast at ,bowman's meetinghouse4   
,this was ,brother ,kline's last meeting
 with the ,tennessee ,brethren on this  
visit among them4 ,i must extend the    
outlines of his discourse as it was his 
last among them for some years4   ,a    
,short ,discourse by ,elder ,john       
,kline4      ,,text4--,he died for all1 
that they which live should no longer   
live     unto themselves1 but unto him1 
who1 for their sakes1 died and rose     

again4  ,this was ,christ4 ,our natural 
feelings and desires are selfish4 ,jesus
 has given us the clearest example of   
unselfish love the universe has ever    
witnessed4 ,for ,god commendeth his love
 to us--that is1 he shows the exceeding 
greatness of it--in that1 when we were  
enemies1 ,christ died for us4 ,i do not 
believe that we ever1 in this world1 can
 fully understand the merits of our     
,savior's life1 death and resurrection4 
,enough for us to know that he has      
opened a new and living way by which we 
may come back to our heavenly ,father   
and be his children again4  ,do you know
 that ,adam was a son of ,god8 ,luke    
calls him so4 ,but he1 like ,esau after 
him1 sold his birthright1 lost the      
divine image in which ,god had created  
him1 and fell from his sonship4 ,but now
 we read3 ,he that spared not his own   
,son1 but delivered him up for us all1  
how shall he not1 with him also1 freely 
give us all things8 ,the phrase1 all    
things1 as here used1 includes a        

restoration to our former sonship with  
,god4 ,we1 as the children of ,god1 are 
exhorted to follow in the steps of our  
blessed ,lord4 ,this not only means that
 we are to shun evils and bear reproach1
 but it also means that we are not to   
live unto ourselves and for ourselves   
alone1 but unto him and his people2 for 
,he went about doing good4  ,john says3 
,we love him because he first loved us4 
,we1 who are here assembled in his name1
 can truthfully repeat this language4   
,but how do we prove to ourselves and   
the world that we ,,do love him8 ,it is 
by letting our light shine4 ,men do not 
light a candle and put it under a       
bushel4 ,a city on a hill cannot be hid4
 ,brethren1 ,i hope we have all made    
clean the ,,inside of the cup and the   
platter2 for this is the only way in    
which the outside can be kept clean4 ,a 
pure life flows out of a clean heart1   
and it can come from no other source4   
,we show our love to the ,lord by       
observing his ordinances3 by baptism1 by

 washing one another's feet1 by         
partaking with each other of the ,lord's
 ,supper1 by communing with him in his  
broken body and shed blood1 symbolized  
by the bread and wine3 next1 in denying 
ourselves of all ungodliness and worldly
 lusts1 and living soberly1 righteously1
 and godly in this present world4       
,think on this last text a little bit4  
,soberly means calmly sincere2 not moved
 by fits of excitement4 ,righteously    
means doing right2 right toward ,god by 
obedience1 and right toward men in our  
dealings with them and in our influence 
upon them4 ,many a brother has ruined   
his power for good by not being         
watchful4 ,he told jokes4 ,he delighted 
in frivolous1 trifling things4 ,he put  
on a square face at church1 to be sure2 
but a little disappointment would       
lengthen it fearfully1 and a little fun 
or glee would broaden it out of all     
,christian shape4  ,for the benefit of  
such and all1 ,i will define the last   
but not least word in the apostle's     

category--godly4 ,brethren1 this means  
,,like ,god2 and it includes all the    
rest1 for ,god is love4 ,to abide in    
,god is to live in holy1 heavenly love4 
,abide in me1 and ,i in you4 ,wonderful1
 wonderful words6 ,this is heaven on    
earth4  ,the apostle says3 ,we have been
 made to sit together in heavenly places
 in ,christ ,jesus4 ,a beautiful figure4
 ,we sit in the sun1 or in sunny places1
 when the light of the sun falls upon us
 in that position4 ,we sit in heaven1 or
 in heavenly places1 when the light of  
heaven with its love falls full into our
 souls4 ,i feel like giving utterance to
 the emotion of my heart in that sweet  
old love-song of ours3    ,my willing   
soul would stay     ,in such a place as 
this2   ,and sit and sing herself away1 
,to everlasting bliss4    ,here the     
,redeemer's voice     ,sheds heavenly   
peace around2   ,and life and           
everlasting joys     ,attend the        
blissful sound4  ,and now ,i will close 
in the words of ,paul's valedictory to  

the saints at ,corinth3 ,finally1       
brethren1 farewell3 ,be of good comfort2
 be of one mind2 live in peace4 ,and the
 ,god of love and peace shall be with   
you4 ,amen6  ,,tuesday1 ,november #c4   
,our beloved brother started on his     
homeward way down the ,valley of        
,virginia4 ,he passed through ,abingdon1
 ,salem1 ,lexington and ,staunton1 and  
on  ,,tuesday1 ,november #aj1 he reached
 home after an absence of two months to 
the day4 ,he says3 ,i have been absent  
from home just two months to the day2   
and in this time ,i have traveled on    
horseback #a1cag miles4 ,with much      
thankfulness to our ,father in heaven1  
do ,i recount my protection and         
preservation through the dangers and    
toils of traveling2 the strength and    
support given me in preaching the ,word2
 and the great joy ,i have had in       
meeting so many dear brethren and       
sisters in the ,lord4 ,amen6  ,thus     
closes one of the most remarkable       
missionary tours on record4 ,one would  

feel sad to think that no memorial      
should be reared in commemoration of it4
 ,but the heart finds relief in the     
thought that this book will perpetuate  
the memory of it to future generations1 
as a tale that will never grow old4     
,brother ,kline spent the remainder of  
the year about home2 in visiting the    
sick2 in attending to his domestic      
interests2 and in preaching at the      
different appointments in the district4 
,the ,brethren at this time had but few 
houses of worship4 ,they consequently   
held meetings in the dwelling houses of 
,brethren2 some of which had been       
constructed with an eye to that end4    
,,brother ,,kline',s ,,opinions         
,,relative ,,to ,,the ,,practice ,,of   
,,medicine4  ,the ,diary shows that in  
the course of this year1 ,brother ,kline
 entered a new field of useful activity4
 ,in his desire to do good2 in his heart
 of general beneficence1 we are reminded
 of the philanthropy of ,howard and     
,wilberforce4 ,they1 it is true1 wrought

 in a wider sphere1 and operated on a   
grander scale2 but it may be seriously  
questioned whether they had any more of 
the love of ,god in their hearts1 or any
 deeper sympathy for suffering humanity 
in their souls1 than was to be found in 
our truly devoted pattern of genuine    
benevolence1 ,elder ,john ,kline4 ,this 
new field was that of administering     
medical relief to the afflicted4        
,,friday1 ,january #a1 #ahcf4 ,he says3 
,i have long had doubts in regard to the
 curative efficacy and health-restoring 
virtue of the regularly established     
course of medical practice of the       
present day4 ,active depletion of the   
body1 by copious blood-letting1         
blistering1 drastic cathartics and      
starving1 is1 to my mind1 not the best  
way to eradicate disease and restore the
 diseased human body to its normal      
state4 ,i am well aware that every age  
has had its own way of treating         
diseases1 and every age has thought its 
own way the best2 but fashion and custom

 have1 no doubt1 had quite a controling 
power in this as in other things2 and   
'the fashion of the world passeth away1'
 because there is little or nothing of  
substantial good in it4   ,,samuel      
,,thompson4  ,dr4 ,samuel ,thompson1 of 
,vermont1 is introducing a new system of
 medical practice which ,i believe to be
 more in accordance with the laws of    
life and health than any ,i know of4    
,his maxim1 applied to disease1 is3     
',,remove ,,the ,,cause1 ,,and ,,the    
,,effect ,,will ,,cease4'  ,every       
diseased condition of the body is the   
effect of some cause4 ,this cause being 
removed1 the disease1 either simple or  
complex1 must yield to the restorative  
forces of nature4 ,but to diminish the  
activity of these forces1 by copious    
depletion of the body1 to be followed by
 a regimen so severe as to withhold1    
almost absolutely1 the nourishment and  
support nature demands1 is1 in my view1 
to say the least1 irrational4  ,had     
,brother ,kline penned these words fifty

 years later in the century1 they could 
not be more in harmony with the popular 
theory of medical science as it is      
taught in the schools of the present    
day4 ,they are almost prophetic4 ,he    
goes on3 ,i am therefore determined to  
try the new way of treating disease1 and
 see what ,i can do with it4 ,i feel    
sure it will do no harm1 even if it does
 but little or no good4  ,his subsequent
 success as a physician for many years  
proves that he was not mistaken in the  
conclusions at which he arrived         
preparatory to his entering the field of
 medical practice4  ,he procured his    
remedies in their virgin purity from the
 mountains1 meadows and woods1 either in
 person1 with hoe in hand1 or through   
agents whom he employed for the work4   
,lobelia1 ,boneset1 ,pleurisy-,root1    
,black-,cohosh1 ,blue-,cohosh1          
,lady's-slipper1 ,red ,raspberry1       
,ginseng1 ,spignet1 ,black-,root1       
,seneca-,snake-,root1 ,gentian1         
,may-,apple1 ,golden-,rod1 and many     

other roots and herbs were quite        
familiar to him1 not only as they were  
seen growing in their native mountains1 
fields and forests1 but also as to their
 medical properties and uses4  ,no      
recreation could be more delightful to  
the true lover of nature than to get on 
a good horse and go with him to see the 
,brethren1 as he called it4 ,this may   
sound a little odd2 but the reader must 
know that ,brother ,kline rarely went on
 an errand with a single aim4 ,his      
object seemed to be to crowd into his   
life all the service for both ,god and  
man that it was possible for him to do4 
,in this desire to do good he would     
sometimes humorously repeat the old     
saying3 ,kill as many birds with one    
stone as you can4  ,when the season     
approached for gathering roots and herbs
 he would sometimes write to the        
,brethren among the mountains of ,west  
,virginia1 that they might expect him to
 be with them at a given time4 ,this    
announcement always sent a thrill of joy

 through their hearts4 ,the news of his 
coming spread rapidly2 and he was sure  
of large congregations for that sparsely
 settled country4  ,one ,sunday1 toward 
the close of his life1 he said to me3   
,brother ,b----1 would it suit you to go
 with me over to ,pendleton and ,hardy8 
,i have a line of meetings in view2 and 
if it would suit you to go with me ,i   
will be very glad of your company4 ,i   
want to gather some medicines by the    
way1 and as you are fond of rambling    
among the mountains you may enjoy the   
trip and make yourself useful at the    
same time4  ,i agreed to go4 ,so on     
,thursday morning about the latter part 
of ,july1 very early1 we mounted our    
horses4 ,old ,nell--as he called his    
favorite riding mare1 that had up to    
that time1 as his ,diary will show1     
carried him on her back over thirty     
thousand miles--seemed to understand    
where we were starting for1 and how fast
 she ought to go4 ,in the early part of 
the day she walked very moderately2 but 

as the hours went by she quickened her  
gait1 and really walked with a livelier 
step in the evening than she had in the 
fore part of the day4 ,soon after our   
arrival the people began to come        
together for night meeting at the house 
where we staid4  ,after a most          
refreshing supper and a little rest we  
were ready to engage in the sacred      
duties of worship4 ,brother ,kline very 
kindly took the lead in the services1   
and in a very plain way delivered one of
 the best discourses ,i have ever heard 
on ,col4 #a3ab4 ,this is the ,,text3    
,giving thanks to the ,father1 who hath 
made us meet to be partakers of the     
inheritance of the saints in light4  ,he
 showed1 in a very impressive way1 that 
if an heir to an estate is not qualified
 to appreciate that estate1 to enjoy it 
by making a right use of it1 it can do  
him but little good4 ,from this thought 
his mind ascended heavenward2 and he    
said that heaven1 with all its glory and
 bliss1 can never be a desirable        

inheritance to any but to those who are 
qualified or prepared for it4 ,those who
 are thus qualified are described in the
 text as the saints in light4 ,he then  
drew a most lively picture of the       
difference between a saint in light and 
a sinner in darkness4 ,it almost chilled
 my blood to see how low in the scale of
 intelligent beings the one stands      
contrasted with the lofty elevation of  
the other4  ,the next day we repaired to
 the ,shenandoah mountain to procure    
medical herbs4 ,we went up into a very  
deep and rich hollow1 where it looked as
 if the rays of the sun could hardly    
penetrate1 and soon ,i saw his face     
light up with something that evidently  
pleased him4 ,ah6 here it is1 said he4  
,what is here8 ,i asked4 ,don't you see 
this patch of ,ginseng8 he replied4 ,is 
this ,ginseng8 ,it is my first sight of 
it4  ,as ,i was much younger than he ,i 
insisted upon using the hoe2 but no6 ,he
 was so pleased that he seemed to want  
to do all the digging himself4 ,when a  

supply of ,ginseng was obtained we went 
to the top of the ridge1 where we found 
a considerable quantity of              
,seneca-,snake-,root1 an article very   
much in demand at the present day4  ,the
 next thing sought for was the ,red     
,raspberry4 ,we hunted and hunted1 and  
were on the point of giving up the      
quest1 when1 at the extreme head of a   
very rough mountain hollow1 we          
discovered a patch of the bushes4 ,they 
were full of berries of a bright        
scarlet1 resembling somewhat in form the
 common raspberry1 but in some other    
respects they were quite different4     
,they were very beautiful4 ,if the plant
 would bear domestication it would be   
highly ornamental4 ,having filled a poke
 with the raspberry leaves1 we set out  
to return to the place where we had left
 our horses4 ,i doubt exceedingly       
whether ,i could have found the spot2   
but his familiarity with the mountains  
generally1 and his acute perception of  
topographical relations in particular1  

enabled him to find the place without   
difficulty4  ,on our way back to where  
we had left our horses1 however1 we came
 across a patch of ,golden ,seal4 ,this 
is a graceful plant1 each one having a  
single calyx enclosing the seeds1       
somewhat in the shape of a button or    
seal of a bright yellow color2 hence its
 name4 ,the root of this plant1 said he1
 is an excellent alterative and tonic4  
,we dug up the yellow roots with zest2  
but being by this time very hungry1 ,i  
began to fear that we might come across 
a patch of something else that might    
still longer delay our return4 ,but he  
seemed satisfied with his success1 and  
we found our horses all right4 ,old     
,nell had1 however1 loosed the strap of 
her halter1 and was quietly browsing    
around4 ,when she heard us coming she   
threw up her head2 and at the call of   
his voice she came up to him4  ,it was  
past two o'clock when we got back to    
,brother ,judy's4 ,dinner was soon      
served2 and to this day ,i do feel that 

if ever ,i have been truly thankful for 
the good things of this life it was     
then4  ,we followed up the line of      
appointments to the last one1 and       
returned home4  ,and now1 my dear       
reader1 ,i can truly say1 that if it is 
as pleasant to you to read these        
reminiscences as it is to me to write   
them1 you are well repaid4   ,sermon by 
,peter ,nead4  ,preached at the         
,linville's ,creek ,meetinghouse1       
,sunday1 ,january #c1 #ahcf4            
,,text4--,unto you therefore which      
believe he is precious4--,i ,pet4 #b3g4 
,dear ,brethren1 this chapter is full of
 instruction and encouragement4 ,peter  
knew by experience what it is to        
backslide4 ,now1 that he is restored    
again to full fellowship with the ,lord 
and the church1 ,jesus seems nearer and 
more precious to him than ever before4  
,in the seventh verse he says3 ,unto you
 therefore which believe he is precious4
 ,i know he must be so1 because he is so
 precious to me4 ,i shamefully denied   

him when he most needed my loving       
support1 and swore that ,i did not know 
him in the darkest hour of his          
temptation4 ,who can comprehend his     
grace8 ,the meekness1 the gentleness1   
the calmness of his forgiving heart     
under trials the deepest1 under         
persecutions the greatest1 even unto    
death1 are surely worthy of ,god        
incarnate4  ',i know not the man' were  
the very last words he heard me utter on
 his way through tribulations to the    
cross2 and ,i added oaths to the        
declaration4 ,i now fail to find words  
to express my surprise and joy at the   
message he sent me on the morning of his
 resurrection4 ,when he was placed in   
the tomb ,i had no hope of his ever     
coming out thence4 ,but what surprised  
and overcame me more than the direct    
news of his rising was the special      
message of love he sent me by the women 
who saw him first4 ,he said to them3    
',go and tell my disciples ,,and        
,,peter1 that ,i go into ,galilee1 and  

there they shall see me4' ,his forgiving
 love singled me out as one of its      
special objects1 because ,i was such a  
vile sinner1 and had treated him so     
badly4 ,brother ,paul calls himself the 
'chief of sinners1' because he          
persecuted the saints of ,god2 but ,i   
feel that ,i must be1 for ,i denied his 
,son4 ,truly did ,paul say of all such  
great sinners as we are3 ',where sin    
abounded1 grace did also much more      
abound4' ,thanks to my risen ,lord1 ,i  
can now with heart and voice join the   
chorus of those that sing3    ',o1 the  
length and the breadth1   ,and the depth
 and the height     ,of the love of     
,christ6   ,it passeth all              
understanding6  ,i have here represented
 ,peter as giving us some of his        
experiences2 and ,i believe that my     
representations are correct2 for in the 
chapter next preceding the one just     
read1 we find this joyful exclamation3  
,blessed be the ,god and ,father of our 
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 which according to

 his ,,abundant ,,mercy hath begotten us
 again unto a lively hope by the        
resurrection of ,jesus ,christ from the 
dead4 ,i must think that the mercy was  
much more abundant than ,peter expected1
 for it wrought an effect upon him which
 he calls a regeneration1 or a sort of  
new birth4 ,at any rate1 he says he was 
,,begotten ,,again4 ,it looks as if it  
made a new man of him4 ,it gave him new 
life4 ,he never denied his ,lord again4 
,when called to fulfill the prophecy of 
the ,lord concerning the death by which 
he was to glorify ,god1 he faltered not1
 but met it as seeing him who is        
invisible4  ,brethren1 some of us may1  
at times1 have a taste of ,peter's      
experience4 ,we feel so vile in our own 
eyes1 that1 like him1 we go out1 and    
over our sins weep bitterly4 ,ah1 but   
these are pearly tears in ,god's sight4 
,though we may not know it1 though we   
may still feel too bad to repair1 on    
bended knees1 to a throne of grace1 yet 
,god knows how to value them4 ,they are 

precious in his sight2 and it is your   
experience and mine that after seasons  
of this kind he sends us the brightest  
tokens of his love1 and we are joyfully 
amazed that it is so4  ,i once1 when a  
boy1 disobeyed my father4 ,i have in    
mind a particular instance of           
disobedience1 and of a character very   
trying to his patience4 ,when ,i came   
rightly to myself and realized my sin ,i
 was afraid to meet him4 ,he discovered1
 without any confession on my part1 what
 ,i had done4 ,i expected severe        
punishment4 ,to my surprise he met me   
with a smile4 ,taking me by the hand he 
said3 ,let us go out into the orchard4  
,we sat down upon the fallen trunk of an
 apple tree1 and gently placing one arm 
around my neck1 he said3 ,peter1 do you 
know that ,i love you8 ,i instantly     
broke down under the weight of this arm 
of love1 and answered as well as my sobs
 would let me1 ,yes1 sir6 ,do you love  
me8 he next said4 ,again ,i answered1   
,yes1 sir6 ,then never again disobey me1

 my boy1 and we will have a sweet and   
happy life together4 ,and ,i can say    
from my heart1 right here1 ,i never did4
  ,i now think1 dear ,brethren1 that you
 are prepared to understand what ,peter 
meant by the words3 ,unto you therefore 
which believe he is precious4 ,you feel 
that he is precious to you1 because he  
has taken away your sins by giving you a
 new heart and filling you with his     
love4 ,you can now say with the ,apostle
 ,john3 ,we love him because he first   
loved us4 ,now then1 inasmuch as ye love
 him1 abide in his love1 and the ,god of
 love and peace shall be with you4 ,may 
his grace1 mercy and peace be with us   
all forever4 ,amen6   ,sermon by ,elder 
,john ,kline4  ,preached at ,tobbins1   
,sunday1 ,january #aj4      ,,text4--,as
 ye therefore have received ,christ     
,jesus the ,lord1 so walk     ye in     
him4--,col4 #b3f4  ,paul addressed these
 words to the church at ,colosse1 a city
 of ,asia ,minor1 in the ,roman province
 called ,phrygia4 ,it may be of interest

 to you for me to tell you something    
about the character of these people at  
the time ,paul first visited them4      
,ancient history gives a very dark      
picture of this4 ,what ,paul said of    
,athens applied equally to ,colosse3    
,the city was wholly given to idolatry4 
,the lower classes1 especially1 were    
very ignorant1 having no knowledge of   
,god save that which the light of nature
 gave them4  ,but when ,paul went into  
their midst1 preaching the ,gospel of   
salvation1 the prophecy of ,isaiah1     
concerning ,zebulon and ,naphtali1 was  
fulfilled unto them1 as it had been     
before at ,capernaum on the shore of the
 ,galilean ,sea3 ,the people which sat  
in darkness saw a great light2 and to   
them which sat in the region and shadow 
of death1 to them did light spring up4  
,they opened their eyes to the light and
 rejoiced to see it2 and their hearts to
 the love it revealed1 and they took it 
in4 ,they accepted ,christ ,jesus the   
,lord in all his fullness4 ,faith became

 to them a living principle4 ,they felt 
its truth as surely as though with their
 natural eyes and ears they saw and     
heard all that it comprehended for time 
and eternity1 for earth and heaven4     
,but you want to know how ,i find all   
this out4 ,turn with me to the first    
chapter of ,paul's letter to them1 and  
,i will show you4 ,now notice that right
 in the beginning he addresses them as  
,,saints and ,,faithful ,,brethren in   
,christ4 ,by saints he means that they  
are holy2 and by faithful brethren he   
means to tell how they got to be so4    
,this1 ,i think1 is saying a good deal  
for them2 but he goes on3 ,we give      
thanks to ,god1 the ,father of our ,lord
 ,jesus ,christ1 praying always for you2
 having heard of your ,,faith in ,christ
 ,jesus2 and of the ,,love which ye have
 toward ,,all the saints1 because of the
 ,,hope which is laid up for you in the 
heavens4  ,you now see that these       
,colossian brethren had the three       
essentials that distinguish a ,christian

 from a pagan1 a saint from a sinner1   
and an angel of light from a demon of   
darkness4 ,these three are faith1 hope  
and love2 but of these ,paul says that  
love is the greatest4 ,this they had in 
large measure1 because it extended      
toward ,,all the saints4 ,it is natural 
for every ,christian to love ,,some of  
the saints when he is free to pick and  
choose2 but to love ,,all is quite      
another thing4  ,if you will            
thoughtfully read this first chapter    
through1 you will see the high place    
these ,colossian brethren held in       
,paul's confidence1 not only as to faith
 and love1 but also as to the           
enlightenment of their understandings   
with heavenly wisdom4 ,he sets forth our
 ,lord ,jesus ,christ as the triune     
,god--,creator1 ,redeemer and           
,savior--in loftier terms than are to be
 found anywhere else in his epistles4   
,had there been any doubt in his mind as
 to their ability to understand these   
revelations1 and thus profit by them1   

they would have been withheld4 ,he would
 have fed them with milk1 as he did his 
,corinthian and ,hebrew brethren1 and   
not with strong food4  ,my text says3   
,as ye therefore have received ,christ  
,jesus the ,lord1 so walk ye in him4    
,they had received him in faith1 and    
hope1 and love4 ,so were they instructed
 to walk in him4 ,ye have been buried   
with him in baptism1 wherein ye were    
also raised with him through faith in   
the working of ,god who raised him from 
the dead4 ,inasmuch then1 as ye were    
raised together with ,christ1 seek the  
things that are above where ,christ is  
seated on the right hand of ,god4 ,set  
your affections on the things above1 not
 on the things that are upon the earth4 
,for ye died2 and the new life which ye 
now live1 ye live by faith in the ,son  
of ,god who loved you and gave himself  
for you4 ,avoid fornication1            
uncleanness1 passion1 evil desire1 and  
covetousness which is idolatry2 for the 
wrath of ,god is revealed against all   

these things4 ,and ye know that a little
 while ago ,,ye ,,lived ,,and ,,walked  
,,in ,,all ,,these ,,things4 ,this last 
quotation tells what these brethren had 
been1 and the foregoing quotations show 
what they were when ,paul wrote to them4
  ,after a careful study of these good  
instructions1 these faithful brethren   
could not mistake the way in which they 
were to walk4 ,paul not only showed them
 how to get into the good way in the    
first place1 but he also told them how  
to keep in the way4 ,it is one thing to 
get into the right road to any place1   
but it is quite another thing to keep   
it4 ,in writing to his ,galatian        
brethren1 ,paul says3 ,ye did run well  
for awhile2 who turned you out of the   
way8 ,ah1 brethren1 there are many      
by-roads leading off from the king's    
highway4 ,i have known brethren and     
sisters to start well1 to all           
appearance1 and run well for a time2 but
 by and by the cares of the world and   
the deceitfulness of riches1 and other  

things1 like the thorns in the parable1 
choked the ,word in their hearts1 so    
that they brought forth no fruit unto   
perfection4   ,,an ,,illustration4  ,in 
my travels among the mountains of our   
,virginia ,i have often seen the laurel 
holding out its evergreen but poisonous 
leaves in sprays of most enticing       
beauty4 ,miles and miles of road1 in one
 unbroken stretch1 may there be seen    
densely hedged on either hand by this   
beautiful emblem of sin and death4      
,herds of cattle and flocks of sheep are
 every year driven over these roads4    
,every herdsman and shepherd knows the  
danger to be apprehended from the       
inclination of some of either kind to   
sidle off from the plain and beaten     
track and pluck the green leaves of the 
laurel to their own destruction4  ,many 
a time have ,i overtaken flocks of      
sheep1 some of which were lying along   
the road down with the staggers4 ,this  
last is the name of the disease which is
 brought on by taking laurel4 ,the old  

sheep avoid it4 ,they will not taste it4
 ,the young sheep and lambs are the only
 ones that incline first to taste and   
then eat it4 ,it is hardly necessary for
 me to point out to you the lesson of   
instruction to be gathered from what ,i 
have just said4 ,the staggers1 by       
veterinary surgeons1 is said to be a    
kind of drunkenness often fatal in its  
effects4  ,the ,prophet ,isaiah speaks  
of some who are drunken1 but not with   
wine2 who stagger1 but not with strong  
drink4 ,i fancy ,i hear someone in the  
congregation say3 ,i guess they must    
have taken laurel4 ,precisely so1       
friend6 ,they took the very laurel that 
has been the ruin of thousands of the   
,lord's sheep and lambs4 ,let me tell   
you exactly what ,i mean4  ,the love of 
worldly pleasure is laurel of one kind4 
,it blooms forth in the desire for fine 
dress1 gay company1 night gatherings1   
social parties1 and the like things4    
,worldly treasure is laurel of another  
kind4 ,it blooms forth in the desire for

 worldly possessions1 no matter how     
obtained1 and only to gratify selfish   
ends4 ,i have known some old sheep to   
take this kind4  ,ambition to be great  
and highly honored is still another     
kind4 ,this is the deer-tongued laurel1 
the very tallest kind that grows1 and   
has the richest looking flowers4 ,but it
 is just as poisonous as any1 and it    
blooms forth in the desire to be admired
 for beauty1 to be looked up to for     
superior power and wisdom1 and to be    
held in high honor for great deeds4 ,i  
have known some old sheep and even      
leaders of the flock to eat of this kind
 until they staggered considerably4 ,it 
was plainly visible in their steps that 
their heads were not exactly level4 ,i  
am glad1 however1 to be able to say1    
that in the flock to which we belong1 ,i
 have met with very few who ever gave   
any signs of being afflicted in the way 
last described4  ,in his letter to the  
,philippian brethren1 ,paul says3 ,for  
many walk1 of whom ,i told you often1   

and now tell you even weeping1 that they
 are the enemies of the cross of        
,christ4  ,but1 brethren1 there is a    
remedy for all these evils4 ,god has    
provided the remedy4 ,nor is it a bitter
 draught4 ,it is the milk and wine of   
his ,word4 ,both mean ,,truth4 ,i used  
to wonder why the ,prophet ,isaiah used 
both terms1 when both mean the same     
thing4 ,now ,i will tell you4 ,he says3 
,come unto me1 buy ,,wine and ,,milk1   
yea1 buy ,,wine and ,,milk without      
money1 and without price4 ,milk is      
,,truth in its simplest and plainest    
forms4 ,gospel truth presented in a way 
that very young and uninstructed minds  
may readily take it in1 is what ,paul   
calls milk for babes4 ,but wine is the  
very same ,,truth extended and expanded 
into forms of instruction adapted to the
 understandings of men in ,christ       
,jesus4  ,all are invited and even      
exhorted to come2 to come to the        
fountain that was opened in the house of
 ,david4 ,it is the same that is meant  

by the river of the water of life which 
proceedeth from the throne of ,god and  
of the ,lamb4 ,i exhort every one1 both 
old and young1 to study ,god's ,word for
 the truth it contains1 represented by  
the beautiful symbols set before you    
therein4 ,even the unconverted sinner is
 invited to come and take of the water  
of life freely4    ,here pardon1 love1  
and joy divine     ,in rich effusion    
flow1   ,for guilty sinners lost in sin 
,and doomed to endless woe4  ,the       
interval between the last given date and
 ,,monday1 ,february #ae1 has nothing in
 it claiming special notice4 ,but here  
he says3 ,to-day ,i attended the funeral
 of little ,susanna ,brower1 who died   
yesterday morning4 ,as it is our        
privilege to 'rejoice with those who do 
rejoice1' so it is our duty to 'weep    
with those that weep4 ,i could but weep 
to see the remains of this interesting  
little girl laid in the cold and silent 
grave4 ,i think it was the ancient      
,romans who personified ,,death in the  

form of a walking skeleton1 scythe in   
hand1 cutting down whatever the whim of 
his fancy might suggest4 ,this          
representation may accord with the      
relentless strokes his scythe is        
sometimes seen to make2 but the light of
 heaven reveals a ,hand that holds his  
bony arm within its grasp2 and that     
,hand is the hand of our ,god4 ,for1    
',not a sparrow to the ground may fall  
,but our ,father's in it3 ,heart of     
,love that governs all4   ,even the very
 hairs of your head are all numbered4'  
,heaven is largely made up of children2 
and until every crown shall have a head1
 and every white robe have a wearer1    
,god will recall his own4  ,,wednesday1 
,march #af4 ,brother ,daniel ,trump and 
,sister ,polly ,moyers were both buried 
to-day4 ,these make six funerals that ,i
 have attended in the space of four     
weeks4    ,one by one1 we cross the     
,river2     ,one by one1 we're ferried  
o'er2   ,one by one1 the crowns are     
given     ,on the bright1 celestial     

shore4   ,sermon by ,elder ,john ,kline4
  ,preached at the ,old ,brick          
,meetinghouse1 ,augusta ,county1        
,virginia1 ,sunday1 ,april #bd4         
,,text4--,lest there be any 444 profane 
person1 as ,esau1 who for one     morsel
 of meat sold his birthright4 ,for ye   
know how that afterward1     when he    
would have inherited the blessing1 he   
was rejected3 for he     found no place 
of repentance1 though he sought it      
carefully with     tears4--,heb4 #ab3af1
 #ag4  ,esau and ,jacob were twin sons  
of ,isaac4 ,but ,esau was born first2   
and this1 according to the law of       
primogeniture in that day1 gave him     
special privileges1 among which was the 
right on his part to a double portion of
 the heritage to be received from the   
father4  ,this right ,jacob             
treacherously bought of his brother     
,esau4 ,rebekah1 their mother1 was      
favorable to the contract1 and laid the 
plan for its successful completion4     
,esau had been unsuccessful in his      

pursuit of game1 and soon found himself 
in a famishing condition4 ,jacob took   
advantage of this1 and proposed to      
purchase the birthright4 ,he said to    
,esau3 ,sell me this day thy birthright4
 ,and ,esau said3 ,behold1 ,i am at the 
point to die2 and what profit shall this
 birthright do to me8 ,and he sold his  
birthright to ,jacob4 ,then ,jacob gave 
,esau bread and a mess of lentiles2 and 
he did eat and drink1 and rose up and   
went his way3 thus ,esau despised his   
birthright4  ,esau is here regarded as a
 profane or wicked person1 because he   
did not more highly esteem the blessing 
to which he was born4 ,paul refers to   
this fact1 to teach us that it is our   
duty1 as the regenerated or firstborn   
children of ,god1 to place a very high  
value upon our relation to him conferred
 by this birth4  ,esau found no place of
 repentance1 though he sought it        
carefully with tears4 ,this means that  
all his sorrow or regret for the foolish
 bargain he had made would not and could

 not place him back where he was before4
 ,the blessing of his father had been   
given to another past all possibility of
 calling it back4 ,i do not1 and can    
not1 however1 as some do1 apply this to 
the sin against the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the  
blessing of ,jacob was all external4 ,it
 comprehended only earthly things4 ,i   
will read it1 so that you may hear it3  
,god give thee of the dew of heaven1 and
 the fatness of the earth1 and plenty of
 corn and wine3 let people serve thee1  
and nations bow down to thee3 be lord   
over thy brethren1 and let thy mother's 
sons bow down to thee3 cursed be every  
one that curseth thee2 and blessed be he
 that blesseth thee4 ,there is nothing  
in all this giving ,jacob any claim to  
special favor from ,god1 beyond that of 
mere earthly good4 ,neither does the    
sale of the birthright exclude ,esau    
from any higher claim4 ,he did not sell 
his right to serve the ,lord1 and thus  
inherit a heavenly blessing4  ,the      
people of ,god sometimes do things in   

the way of sin that cause them deep     
distress4 ,at the same time they do not 
shut themselves irrevocably out of      
heaven1 because repentance and          
reformation of life will reinstate them 
into the divine favor1 and place them   
back into the good way again4 ,but such 
may lose much1 both in the church and   
the world by the misstep4 ,after the sin
 of adultery1 for example1 has been     
fairly proved against a brother or      
sister1 he can hardly reinstate himself 
fully into his former standing either in
 the church or in society at large4     
,thus is he like ,esau4 ,he has sold his
 birthright2 yet still the ,lord is     
ready1 with outstretched arms1 to       
receive him the moment he resolves to   
return1 just as the loving father       
received his prodigal son4 ,thus it is  
with many other sins4 ,they leave a     
sting in the heart which may rankle and 
fester a long time2 and a stigma in the 
character which may never1 in this      
world1 be entirely wiped out4  ,in      

regard to the relation of ,esau and     
,jacob1 one more thought presses upon my
 mind1 and ,i will give it utterance4   
,in ,jehovah's prophecy to ,rebekah     
before the birth of the children1 these 
words from his own lips were spoken3    
,the elder shall serve the younger4 ,and
 in the prophecy of ,malachi1 the ,lord 
,jehovah is represented by the prophet  
as saying3 ,i loved ,jacob2 ,i hated    
,esau4 ,paul to the ,romans quotes both 
these passages4  ,the ,bible reader     
justly enquires3 ,why this opposition to
 ,esau and this favor to ,jacob1 when   
the children1 as yet unborn1 had done   
neither good nor evil8 ,paul says it    
was3 ,that the purpose of ,god according
 to election might stand1 not of works1 
but of him that calleth4 ,brethren1 ,i  
do sincerely believe that right here we 
find the key to many obscure passages in
 ,paul's writings on the subject of     
election and predestination4 ,god can do
 nothing without means4 ,ends as surely 
imply means as effects imply causes4    

,esau and ,jacob are the ,lord's chosen1
 elected1 predestinated means of        
teaching his people a lesson of         
instruction that covers the whole ground
 of every ,christian's state and        
experience from the alpha to the omega4 
,every true child of ,god possesses two 
distinct natures4 ,a knowledge of this  
wonderful truth lies within the range of
 every one's experience4 ,but it is     
equally confirmed by divine revelation4 
,paul calls the one nature or           
consciousness the ,,outward ,,man1 and  
the other the ,,inward ,,man4 ,the one  
bears the image of the first ,adam1 and 
is of the earth earthy2 the other bears 
the image of the last ,adam who is the  
,lord1 and is heavenly4 ,esau represents
 the first2 and1 as such1 he can not    
inherit the heavenly birthright1 because
 he is carnal1 and flesh and blood      
cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven4   
,as the antitype of this great truth    
which underlies the scheme of           
redemption1 ,god could not but hate     

,esau1 because the lust of the flesh1   
and the lust of the eyes1 and the pride 
of life1 are not of the ,father1 but are
 of the world4 ,but ,jacob he loved1    
because ,jacob is the child born of ,god
 in the image of our ,lord ,jesus       
,christ1 the inner man1 which after     
,god1 is created in righteousness and   
true holiness4 ,the elder shall serve   
the younger4 ,this means that the       
natural body must be brought under      
subjection and serve the spiritual body4
 ,for there is a natural body first     
born1 and there is a spiritual body last
 born4  ,in another place ,paul uses    
lofty terms to designate these two4 ,he 
there calls the one the earthly house of
 this tabernacle1 which must perish2 the
 other a building of ,god1 a house not  
made with hands--,god's hands--eternal  
in the heavens4 ,the reason why he says 
in the heavens is because it is in the  
light of heaven2 just as he says in     
another place1 ,we have been made to sit
 together in heavenly places1 by which  

he correlatively means just the same    
that we mean when we say we sit in the  
sun1 meaning that we sit where the light
 of the sun shines upon us4  ,now1      
,brethren beloved1 ,i have been very    
brief on a subject that might be        
profitably expanded into a volume4 ,i   
hope that ,i have given you points by   
which you may take the subject and think
 upon it for yourselves2 and thus add   
faith to faith1 and knowledge to        
knowledge4 ,may ,god add his blessing to
 what ,i have said1 that it may prove to
 be strength in much weakness4  ,during 
the interval between the twenty-fourth  
and the twenty-eighth1 ,brother ,kline  
visited many ,brethren in ,augusta      
,county1 ,virginia4  ,,thursday1 ,april 
#bh1 he attended a love feast at the    
brick meetinghouse4 ,of this he says3   
,the afternoon meeting was well         
attended4 ,the second chapter of        
,peter's first letter was read4 ,much   
good instruction for self-examination   
was given1 both in ,german and ,english1

 from the general scope of the chapter4 
,i made a few remarks on the middle     
clause in the seventeenth verse3 ',love 
the brotherhood4'  ,i fear we do not    
speak and exhort one another as plainly 
and warmly as we should on this most    
essential part of every true believer's 
experience and life4 ,what keeps us a   
united and happy people8 ,love of the   
,brotherhood4 ,what keeps us from       
quarreling with one another1 from       
slandering and defrauding one another8  
,love of the ,brotherhood4 ,what keeps  
alive our sympathies for each other in  
times of distress and in seasons of     
sorrow8 ,love of the ,brotherhood4      
,this is the golden chain that binds us 
together on earth1 and will forever bind
 us together in heaven4 ,as the rain    
first comes from the sea1 and after     
refreshing and beautifying the land goes
 back to the sea again1 so it is through
 us1 ,brethren1 that the love we receive
 from ,christ here will be made perfect 
and return to him there4 ,oh1 ,brethren1

 'let us not love in word only1 but in  
deed and in truth4'  ,,wednesday1 ,may  
#d4 ,peter ,nead and ,daniel ,garber    
started to the ,annual ,meeting4        
,,sunday1 ,may #bb4 ,meeting at the     
,linville's ,creek meetinghouse4        
,brother ,kline spoke briefly on ,acts  
#b4 ,he said3 ,as this is the           
traditional day on which the ,holy      
,spirit was poured out in a miraculous  
way1 so that the whole house wherein the
 apostles and brethren were sitting was 
filled with his presence1 so that they  
were all baptized in the ,holy ,spirit  
and in the heavenly fire1 we think it   
good to meditate and speak upon these   
things4  ,it may be that we err by      
believing that each apostle was endowed 
with the gift of all the tongues here   
enumerated4 ,it would be natural1 ,i    
think1 for those who spoke the same     
tongue to sit or stand together in      
companies4 ,we may1 even at the present 
day1 see examples and instances of this 
in large cities and public places4 ,here

 we see a group of ,germans4 ,there1 a  
company of ,swedes1 or ,dutch1 or       
,italians4 ,people of the same          
nationality as naturally seek for each  
other as birds seek for their own kind4 
,the order appears beautiful to our     
minds in the light of this              
interpretation4 ,each apostle was gifted
 by the ,spirit to speak in one tongue  
at least4 ,if we go to the pains to     
count1 we will find there were nearly as
 many apostles as nationalities         
represented4 ,in this way all could     
speak at the same time2 each one to his 
own group or class of hearers1 in gentle
 tones of voice2 and all in the house   
hear at least one speak in the tongue in
 which he was born4 ,this interpretation
 relieves the mind of the apparent      
confusion which seems to have pervaded  
that assembly1 from a mere cursory      
reading of the account given of it in   
the second chapter of the ,acts4  ,i    
pray ,god1 that our dear ,brethren in   
,yearly ,meeting to-day and to its close

 may all1 like the apostles1 be of one  
mind and speak the same thing4          
,,sunday1 ,june #e4 ,meeting at the ,dry
 ,fork4 ,brother ,kline made a few      
remarks upon ,eph4 #e3ad1 ,awake thou   
that sleepest1 and arise from the dead1 
and ,christ shall give thee light4  ,we 
called upon the drowsy1 sleeping sinner 
to arise from his deadness and          
indifference1 pointing him to the       
promise that ,christ would shine upon   
him and give him the light of life4     
,whilst speaking on this subject to-day1
 ,i related what was said to be a well  
authenticated fact which ,i lately read4
  ,an ,indian1 one evening1 tied his    
canoe fast to a tree not far above the  
falls of ,niagara4 ,feeling that all was
 secure1 he lay down in his canoe and   
went to sleep4 ,just about the break of 
day the fastening from some cause got   
loose4 ,very probably the cord was      
untied by some mischievous person4 ,the 
,indian continued to sleep4 ,noiselessly
 the canoe glided down the stream1      

nearer and yet nearer the awful brink1  
softly rocking its sleeping victim to   
destruction4 ,just before the frightful 
leap1 roused by the thunder of the      
cataract1 the poor ,indian awoke1 only  
in time to see himself hurled into      
eternity4  ,o1 how many unconverted men 
and women are borne down upon the stream
 of time1 unconcerned1 thoughtless1     
careless of the doom that so surely     
awaits them6   ,sermon by ,elder ,daniel
 ,miller 7,german74  ,at ,lost ,river   
,meetinghouse1 ,west ,virginia1 ,sunday1
 ,july #c4      ,,text4--,but as many as
 received him1 to them gave he power to 
become     the sons of ,god1 even to    
them that believe on his name3 which    
were     born1 not of blood1 nor of the 
will of the flesh1 nor of the will      
of man1 but of ,god4--,john #a3ab1 #ac4 
,this ,scripture has a very deep        
meaning2 and it should be well          
understood1 since the power in us to    
become children or sons of ,god depends 
on the nature of our birth4 ,if this be 

in any other nature than that of ,god1  
it is like counterfeit money2 it may    
look to be all right1 and pass current  
for a while1 but it will not bear the   
test of a rigid scrutiny4  ,some are    
born of blood4 ,such may be those who   
adhere to a certain church1 and hold    
certain articles of faith without       
examining the ,word1 because their      
father and mother and other blood       
relatives held the same1 lived and died 
in that faith1 and lie buried in the    
churchyard where they worshiped4  ,some 
are born of the will of the flesh4 ,such
 may be those who make a profession of  
religion2 but because they cannot have  
their own way in everything1 and take   
the lusts of the flesh with them under  
the cloak of a ,christian profession1   
they either forsake the people of ,god  
entirely or else never come into their  
number4  ,some are born of the will of  
man4 ,such may be those who suffer      
themselves to be influenced by others2  
coaxed1 persuaded1 nor even induced by  

the promise of reward1 to join a certain
 church and worship in a certain way1   
because it is fashionable and in good   
style4  ,some are born of ,god4 ,such   
are those who out of an honest heart    
bring forth the fruit of the ,spirit    
unto perfection4  ,paul1 in his letter  
to the ,galatians1 shows the striking   
contrast between the fruit of man's     
fleshly1 sensual or animal nature and   
that of his spiritual or renewed nature4
 ,the first he calls ,,the ,,flesh2 the 
last1 ,,the ,,spirit4 ,man's spirit is  
what is born again4 ,in one place he    
designates the new birth as being       
renewed in the spirit of the mind4 ,in  
another place as dead to the world1 but 
alive unto ,god4 ,the prayer of such is3
 ,lord1 what wouldst ,,thou have me to  
do8 ,finding a clear answer to this     
prayer in the ,word of ,truth1 they are 
willing to follow its leadings4 ,they   
descend into the baptismal wave for the 
remission of sins4 ,they go into the    
house of ,god and are not above stooping

 to wash one another's feet4 ,they eat  
the ,lord's ,supper4 ,they commune with 
him in the emblems of his broken body   
and shed blood4 ,they continue to walk  
as nearly as they can in all the        
commands and ordinances of the ,lord    
blameless4  ,the difference between the 
present and future state of the man who 
lives after the flesh and that of the   
man who lives after the spirit is very  
sharply marked in many places in ,paul's
 writings1 in words that cannot be      
easily misunderstood4 ,he uses such     
language as this3 ,for if ye live after 
the flesh1 ye shall die3 but if ye      
through the ,spirit do mortify the deeds
 lusts of the body1 ye shall live4 ,to  
be carnally minded is death2 but to be  
spiritually minded is life and peace4   
,he that soweth to his flesh1 shall of  
the flesh reap corruption2 but he that  
soweth to the ,spirit1 shall of the     
,spirit reap life everlasting4 ,for the 
wages of sin is death2 but the gift of  
,god1--which is the new birth1--is      

eternal life1 through ,jesus ,christ our
 ,lord4  ,all these quotations are in   
perfect accord with our ,lord's closing 
words to the ,sermon on the ,mount3     
,every one that heareth these sayings of
 mine1 and doeth them not1 shall be     
likened unto a foolish man1 which built 
his house upon the sand3 444 and it     
fell3 and great was the fall of it4  ,i 
do not think it is very hard for any one
 to tell the kind of birth he is of4 ,as
 an individual can tell by looking in a 
glass1 if in no other way1 whether he is
 black or white1 so the professor of    
religion1 by turning to the ,gospel     
,mirror1 can see what kind of a birth he
 is of4  ,i sometimes feel sorry when ,i
 think that a child has no control over 
its own natural birth4 ,if it is born   
black and into slavery1 poor little     
thing1 there it has to remain for life1 
and bear and suffer all the evils       
incident to its color and condition4 ,if
 one is born with natural deformities   
which baffle all surgical skill2 or with

 blindness or deafness past all remedy2 
we can but pity and weep4 ,true1 our    
sympathies are aroused1 and but for such
 objects probably the very purest and   
noblest springs in our nature would     
remain forever sealed with ice4  ,but1  
thanks to our ,god1 no such unalterable 
conditions ever attend man's spiritual  
birth4 ,he himself is a party to the    
covenant under which every spiritual    
birth is effected from conception to    
parturition4 ,god is one party2 and man1
 in whom the new spiritual birth is to  
be effected1 is the other party4 ,this  
,i speak in respect to the divine1      
heavenly birth4 ,men are the parties on 
both sides in all the other births      
spoken of in the text4 ,god has nothing 
to do with them4  ,the ,jews were nearly
 all born after these ways4 ,most of    
them seem to have been born of blood4   
,we have ,abraham to our father4 ,some  
were born of the will of the flesh1 for 
when the ,lord told them the truth they 
took up stones to stone him4 ,these were

 included among those to whom he said3  
,ye are of your father the devil4 ,the  
will of the flesh and the will of the   
devil in spiritual things is one and the
 same4 ,some among them seem to have    
been born of the will of man4 ,there may
 have been a good many of this class4   
,when the ,lord was teaching in         
,jerusalem many asked the question2     
,have any of the rulers believed on him8
 ,such were the children of the rulers1 
born of their will4  ,one fact is true  
of all these births2 no matter how      
black1 or deformed1 or blind1 or deaf1  
all these were spiritually1 they were   
all born just as they wished to be2 and 
all chose1 with comparatively few       
exceptions1 to remain in the state in   
which they were born4 ,on the day of the
 crucifixion spirits from all classes of
 births culminated in the cry3 ,his     
blood be on us and our children4  ,i    
hope what ,i have said may awaken some  
thought in the mind of each hearer1 as  
to the state of his own heart4 ,do ,i   

love the ,lord my ,god with all my      
heart1 and my brother as ,i love myself8
 ,do ,i show this love in my dealings   
with him1 and in my daily conduct       
towards him8 ,do ,i show my love to the 
,lord by walking continually in his     
ways8 ,enoch walked with him thus for   
three hundred years4 ,am ,i careful to  
follow his example during the few years 
allotted me here8 ,if ,i do not love my 
brother and find delight in his company 
here1 how can ,i be happy with him in   
heaven8 ,if ,i do not love the ,lord    
here1 in whose love alone there is      
bliss1 what will heaven be to me8  ,no  
wonder the doom of the hypocrite is so  
fearful6 ,when his cloak is removed and 
the wolf appears in the presence of the 
angels1 will they not shrink from him as
 one of us would shrink from a viper    
coiled about our feet8  ,brethren1 let  
us be steadfast1 unmovable1 always      
abounding in the work of the ,lord2     
forasmuch as we know that our labor is  
not in vain in the ,lord4  ,brother     

,kline bore a hearty testimony to       
,brother ,miller's discourse throughout4
   ,a ,short ,discourse by ,elder       
,daniel ,garber4  ,sunday1 ,august #g4  
,,text4--,for the law was given by      
,moses1 but grace and truth came by     
,jesus ,christ4--,john #a3ag4  ,by the  
law spoken of in the text we are to     
understand the ,decalogue1 or ,ten      
,commandments1 as they are usually      
called4 ,we are not to understand that  
this law is not truth4 ,far from it4 ,it
 is truth so sacred and holy in ,god's  
sight that he directed ,moses to        
construct an ark or small chest out of  
pure gold and place therein the two     
stone tablets on which the law was      
engraved by the finger of ,god1 and keep
 them there forever4  ,jesus the ,lord  
honored it4 ,he fulfilled it1 not only  
in the letter1 but in the spirit4 ,his  
outward life was so righteous that none 
could convict him of sin4 ,he was holy1 
harmless1 undefiled1 and separate from  
sinners3 not separate in the sense of   

not eating and drinking with them1 of   
not associating and conversing with     
them2 but separate in the sense that he 
was not1 like them1 a transgressor of   
the law of ,god4  ,the ,lord's heart and
 hand were together in all he did4 ,his 
thoughts and his words were one4 ,his   
looks1 and all the expressions of his   
face1 were but images of the love       
within4 ,his denunciations against      
,pharisaical hypocrisy1 cloaked under   
the guise of outward rectitude1 were    
like an avalanche of snow and ice1      
unlocked by the rays of the ,sun of     
,righteousness4  ,jesus said3 ,it is    
easier for heaven and earth to pass away
 than for one tittle of the law to fail4
 ,a tittle is a very small point in a   
letter4 ,many ,hebrew letters have dots 
or tittles4 ,a change in the tittles of 
the letters that compose a word changes 
the meaning of the word4 ,but ,jesus    
says not a tittle shall pass from the   
law4 ,it will to eternity mean just what
 it means now1 and will continue to be  

the bond of union with saints and angels
 forever in heaven4 ,it is all love4    
,love is the alpha and the omega of the 
law2 for the law is of ,god1 and ,god is
 love4  ,some people call ,,mercy ,god's
 darling attribute4 ,they clothe her in 
a white robe down to the feet2 they fill
 her eyes with the milk of human        
kindness and her mouth with the tender  
words of forgiveness4 ,but ,,justice is 
a very different personification in     
their eye4 ,he is not only masculine as 
to gender1 but all his looks and ways   
have an air of condemnation in them4 ,he
 is a dark-faced1 frowning judge1       
forever watching with keenest eye not   
only the outward life of every man1 but 
his mind and heart within2 and is always
 ready to pass judgment against every   
one guilty of the slightest             
transgression and disobedience4  ,such  
conceptions may not be sinful2 but they 
are very far from agreeing with the     
revelations ,god has made of himself to 
men4 ,in these he discloses himself as a

 ,god merciful and gracious2 abundant in
 goodness and truth2 keeping mercy for  
thousands2 slow to anger2 ready to      
pardon2 and of great kindness4          
7,nehemiah #i3ag47 ,he is just1 it is   
true4 ,but what is justice8 ,i answer   
that justice1 in its highest and        
divinest sense1 is equal good and equal 
right to all4 ,and does not this imply  
love8 ,i do unhesitatingly declare that 
there is quite as much love in the      
administrations of justice as there is  
in the bestowments of mercy4  ,in       
justice1 however1 the love appears in   
one light2 and in mercy or grace the    
love appears in another4 ,god's love for
 the holy angels and the spirits of just
 men made perfect is unmixed love1 or   
the love of complacency4 ,this          
manifestation of his love is ,,justice  
in its highest and purest sense4 ,god's 
love for sinners who have transgressed  
his law1 and who1 on this account1 are  
miserable and wretched1 and poor1 and   
blind1 and naked1 is mixed love4 ,it is 

mixed with pity1 and is what is called  
the love of compassion4 ,this           
manifestation of his love is ,,grace in 
its highest and purest sense4 ,this is  
just what our ,lord ,jesus ,christ      
brought with him4 ,if all the race of   
mankind had continued righteous1 as man 
was when first brought into being1 the  
word ,,grace would never have had a     
place in heaven's vocabulary4 ,but since
 man has fallen1 fallen into sin1 into  
death both corporeal and spiritual1 into
 sickness and sorrow1 into labor for his
 bread1 into hunger and thirst1 and     
anxieties and cares1 ,god has ever      
pitied him4 ,instead of our ,lord's     
saying1 ,god so loved the world1 he     
might have said1 ,god so ,,pitied the   
world4  ,in reading the ,new ,testament 
now you need not wonder why the word    
,,grace is so often met with4 ,it means 
just what ,jesus has brought into the   
world--love for sinners4 ,he came not to
 condemn the world1 but to save the     
world4 ,but notice1 he brought not only 

love but truth with it1 and truth is    
neither more nor less than the forms or 
manifestations of true love4 ,let me    
illustrate this4 ,you love your brother4
 ,but he does not know it until you     
manifest your love by the thousand ways 
that are open for this in your          
associations and dealings with him4     
,every manifestation of this love is a  
truth by which you prove that you do    
love him4  ,how does our ,lord prove    
that he loves sinners8 ,by the ,,truth  
that manifests or shows it4 ,in the     
first place he went about doing good1 in
 the way of healing the sick1 giving    
sight to the blind1 cleansing the       
lepers1 making the lame to walk1 the    
deaf to hear1 and the dead to come to   
life4 ,in the next place he showed his  
love by the meekness and patience with  
which he bore the scoffs and sneers1 and
 persecutions of the opposing ,jews4 ,in
 the next place1 by the promises of     
eternal life and salvation which he gave
 to the very worst of sinners1 on the   

easy terms that they repent of their    
sins1 by turning to ,god and living a   
life of faithful obedience to his ,word4
 ,in the next place1--and all the other 
proofs culminate in this1--by dying upon
 the cross1 by which he atoned for the  
sins of the whole world4 ,in this1 his  
last temptation1 he conquered sin1 death
 and hell2 and as a mighty ,conqueror he
 has become the ,captain of our         
salvation and the ,author of eternal    
life to all them that obey him4  ,but   
light will not enter the eye that is    
closed2 neither will the words of grace 
and truth enter the heart unless there  
be a will to take them in4 ,some here   
present1 ,i feel sure1 have taken the   
words in1 and ye rejoice in hope of the 
glory of ,god4 ,yours is the joy that no
 man taketh from you4 ,yours is an      
unfailing treasure in the heavens4      
,yours to sing3    ,should earth against
 my soul engage1     ,and fiery darts be
 hurled2   ,now ,i can smile at ,satan's
 rage     ,and face a frowning world4   

,let cares1 like a wild deluge1 come1   
,and storms of sorrow fall1   ,so ,i but
 safely reach my home1     ,my ,god1 my 
heaven1 my all4    ,there shall ,i bathe
 my weary soul     ,in seas of heavenly 
rest2   ,and not a wave of trouble roll 
,across my peaceful breast4  ,but ,i am 
sad to think how many there are who have
 never yet tasted that the ,lord is     
gracious4 ,may ,i not induce some to    
look to him to-day8 ,there is life in a 
look when it springs from love and is   
followed by obedience4 ,look unto me1   
saith the ,lord1 and be ye saved1 all ye
 ends of the earth4 ,sinner1 thou art   
one of these ends4 ,look and live4      
,,baptismal ,,scene ,,at ,,benjamin     
,,bowman',s1 ,,sunday1 ,,august #bi4    
,peter ,driver and wife1 and ,benjamin  
,byerly were baptized to-day4  ,whilst  
it is our delight and joy to see even   
the vilest and the lowest come into the 
church through the divinely appointed   
way1 still it is an additional pleasure1
 especially in the view of helpfulness  

to the cause1 when such excellent and   
true-hearted people as those above named
 cast in their lot with us4  ,these dear
 people will draw their children into   
the church where they are1 and many of  
the grandchildren will follow their     
steps4 ,thus will they sow the seeds of 
a good life by the power of example1 and
 others will reap the harvest4 ,these1  
in turn1 will sow again for others1     
until1 after awhile1 all will realize   
the truth of our ,lord's words3 ,he that
 soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice 
together4   ,,love ,,feast ,,at ,,beaver
 ,,creek ,,meetinghouse1 ,,saturday1    
,,september #bd4  ,preparatory services 
began at two ,p4,m4 ,second ,corinthians
 #e was read4 ,there was much good      
speaking4 ,one brother's remarks on the 
ninth verse deeply interested me4 ,they 
were in substance as follows3           
,,text4--,wherefore also we make it our 
aim1 whether at home or absent1 to be   
well-pleasing unto him4  ,no better aim 
can ever have place in the breast of man

 or angel4 ,but how natural it is for us
 to aim to please ourselves and others6 
,there is no wrong in trying to please  
others1 when that aim does not conflict 
with what pleases ,god4 ,but for any    
one1 especially a minister of the       
,gospel1 to make it his chief aim to    
please others1 that he may become       
popular and be highly esteemed of men1  
is an abomination to ,god4  ,whether we 
are as humble and self-denying in all   
things as we should be1 is a subject for
 self-examination1 not only on the part 
of our lay brethren1 but as well on the 
part of us who are ministers of the     
,word4 ,self-love is self-worship4 ,thou
 shalt worship the ,lord thy ,god1 and  
him only shalt thou serve1 is as true   
to-day as when it was hurled against the
 devil from the lips of ,jesus ,christ4 
,worship is love2 and love unites us to 
the ,lord1 as the branch is united with 
the vine which is its life4 ,man has no 
spiritual life in himself other than    
what comes from the ,lord4  ,a man's    

home life is his real life4 ,in the     
presence of his family1 when no         
stranger's eye or ear is nigh1 he is out
 and out himself1 and he then and there 
appears in his real character4 ,but when
 absent1 either among his brethren or   
strangers1 he aims to put the best foot 
foremost and leave a favorable          
impression4 ,i do not say that this is  
true of every one2 but ,i do say1 and   
say it from the depth of my soul's      
deepest affection1 that the apostle's   
resolution should be true in the heart  
of every brother and sister3 ,we make it
 our aim1 whether at home or abroad1 to 
be well-pleasing unto ,god4             
,,baptismal ,,scene ,,at ,,the          
,,linville',s ,,creek ,,meetinghouse1   
,,sunday1 ,,october #i4  ,john ,zigler  
and wife1 ,celestine ,whitmore and wife1
 and ,david ,haller were baptized       
to-day4  ,i rejoice that these good     
people have cast in their lot with us2  
and hope that they will prove to be a   
blessing and an ornament in the church4 

,brother ,david ,haller is a very       
sensible and active man1 with a young   
family1 and he can do much for the good 
cause4 ,brother ,celestine ,whitmore    
will exert a good influence on ,lost    
,river4 ,and ,brother ,john ,zigler will
 show to the world how an active        
business may be carried on in a godly   
way4 ,for as many of you as were        
baptized into ,christ1 did put on       
,christ4  ,history tells us that        
,xenophon1 in his famous retreat from   
,cunaxa1 wore a wolfskin about his      
shoulders and breast4 ,this was becoming
 to him as the general of an army of    
,greeks trained to slaughter1 and bent  
on cutting his way through all          
opposition with the sword4 ,it might    
also have been a suitable covering for  
each soldier in his army2 since the     
uniform of an army is thought to        
signify1 in some measure1 the spirit by 
which the soldiers are incited to       
action4  ,the uniform of the soldier in 
the army of the ,lord should1 therefore1

 signify the spirit and mind that is in 
him4 ,if the spirit is that of          
nonconformity to the world1 so should   
the dress or uniform be4 ,if the spirit 
is that of meekness1 humility1 kindness1
 goodness1 purity1 peace and love1 the  
dress of both sexes1 each in its        
appropriate form1 should correspond to  
these affections of the heart4          
,,thursday1 ,october #bj4 ,brother      
,kline and ,daniel ,garber started to   
,,the ,,glades4  ,the ,diary does not   
say where ,,the ,,glades are1 but1 from 
the churches and ,brethren visited1 it  
is inferred that they lie in the        
southern part of western ,pennsylvania4 
,among the places named at which they   
attended meetings may be mentioned      
,abraham ,beachley's2 ,myers's          
schoolhouse2 ,william ,miller's2        
,brother ,blaugh's2 ,berben2 ,brother   
,moser's2 ,dr4 ,krone's2 ,jacob ,myers's
 and ,bearkles4 ,at the last-named place
 a council meeting was held at which    
brethren ,cover and ,fahrney were       

established in the second degree of the 
ministry4 ,they both1 so the ,diary     
says1 have a good report from those that
 are without1 as well as from those that
 are within4  ,on their homeward way our
 two brethren had night meeting at      
,abbey ,arnold's in ,hampshire ,county1 
,virginia4 ,the last chapter of         
,revelation was read4 ,brother ,kline   
says3 ,toward the close of my discourse 
,i gave a farewell invitation to sinners
 to come and take of the ',water of     
,life freely4' ,after meeting one man   
came to me and said that he was tired of
 drinking of the bitter waters of sin   
and thirsted for the sweet ',water of   
,life4' ,i told him that our ,lord      
,jesus ,christ1 who is the ,way1 the    
,truth and the ,life as revealed in his 
,word1 is the ,water of ,life1 that our 
loving acceptance of the truth of his   
,word as a matter of faith1 and our     
living a life of obedience to ,god in   
conformity with that truth is drinking  
the ,water of ,life4 ,it then becomes   

eternal life to our souls4 ,i tried to  
encourage him to drink in this way2 but 
,i do not know what he may do4          
,,departed ,,ministers4  ,some things   
may appear in this book that are of     
little interest to the general reader4  
,in this respect1 however1 it may not   
differ from many other books4 ,the      
reader should kindly bear in mind that  
nearly all of the ministers and other   
,brethren whose names appear1 in the    
fore part of the work especially1 are   
known on earth no more1 save as they    
live in the memory of those whom they   
have left behind4  ,in the list of      
deceased ministers are to be seen the   
names of ,peter ,nead1 ,abraham ,flory1 
,daniel ,garber1 ,daniel ,miller1       
,martain ,miller1 ,george ,hoke1        
,benjamin ,bowman1 ,jacob ,wyne1 ,john  
,wyne1 ,daniel ,thomas1 ,john           
,harshberger1 and a host of others4 ,the
 records of these noble ministers of the
 ,word are on high4 ,no earthly         
monuments have ever been reared in honor

 of their achievements2 and they need   
none4 ,the good they have done by       
leaving the world and the church better 
off than they found them has won for    
them a crown of glory in heaven as      
imperishable as the throne of the       
eternal4 ,the reader should remember    
that a sort of filial love for these men
 still lingers in the memory of many1   
who1 in their younger days were         
personally acquainted with them4 ,they  
heard them preach2 and they looked up to
 them as children to parents4 ,a lock of
 hair from a loved one long since passed
 away1 is a little thing1--a very little
 thing in the eye of a stranger1--but in
 the eye of a loving friend it is above 
price4 ,so some things in this work1    
apparently trivial to the general       
reader1 may be highly prized by others4 
,i will give1 for an example1 the       
following statement3  ,,monday1         
,november #ba4 ,peter ,nead and         
,benjamin ,bowman go with me to         
,harrisonburg1 and obtain license of the

 ,county ,court of ,rockingham ,county1 
,virginia1 to perform the ceremony of   
marriage4  ,this statement1 taken from  
the ,diary1 may seem of no consequence  
to some2 they may feel1 as their eyes   
glance over it1 that it is of no        
interest to them2 when at the same time1
 to others it will be an incident they  
will never forget4 ,many can now say    
that one or the other of these ministers
 performed the ceremony when their      
father and mother were married4 ,one or 
the other of these names stands upon the
 ,marriage ,record in many an old       
,family ,bible4 ,even the grandchildren 
will find interest in things like these2
 and to learn more about these1 and many
 other great and good men who have lived
 and died in the church of the          
,brethren1 will not only interest the   
mind1 but improve the heart4   ,a       
,,magnificent ,,display ,,of ,,the      
,,aurora ,,borealis4  ,,thursday1       
,january #bf4 ,this night1 says the     
,diary1 a very wonderful display of the 

,aurora borealis was witnessed4 ,the sky
 was all over a bright red1 with white  
streaks streaming up from the north4    
,the sight was wonderfully grand4 ,as to
 the cause of this sublimely beautiful  
phenomenon various opinions have been   
held1 and various theories launched upon
 the waves of scientific thought2 but   
none1 as yet1 to my knowledge1 have     
covered the ground of a satisfactory    
solution4 ,let the cause be what it may1
 there seems to be no good reason for   
fearing any harm to the earth or its    
inhabitants from its occasional         
appearance4  ,i have since learned1     
however1 that many people were          
frightened at the sight1 and feared that
 the last day was at hand4 ,one sister  
in particular1 not far from here1 wrung 
her hands screaming almost              
spasmodically1 fearing in her soul that 
the next thing would be the sound of the
 last trumpet4  ,some may smile at this2
 but suppose the trumpet had then       
sounded6 ,would those who now smile1 or 

perhaps laugh1 have been able to hear   
the thunder of its voice with a steadier
 nerve than she8 ,her faith was strong2 
nay1 too strong for the weakness of her 
feeble body4 ,she believed every word of
 ,divine ,truth4 ,she believed in a     
final judgment1 than which nothing is   
more positively declared in the sacred  
,scriptures4 ,but because she had never 
seen such a sight before1 and as no one 
could account for it1 the conclusion was
 quickly reached that it was            
supernatural and sent as a herald of the
 coming ,lord4  ,but he will come1 and  
every eye shall see him4 ,but who shall 
abide the day of his coming8 ,only they 
who shelter under the almighty wings of 
,jesus4 ,how often--said he to          
,jerusalem1 and now to every one        
else--would ,i have gathered thy        
children together1 even as a hen doth   
gather her chickens under her wings4 ,to
 those who laugh at sacred things now1  
it may then be said what follows in the 
above connection3 ,behold1 your house is

 left unto you desolate4    ,hide me1 ,o
 my ,savior1 hide2   ',neath the shadow 
of thy wing4  ,the above phenomenon     
lasted till midnight4  ,,sunday1        
,february #ab4 ,peter ,nead was with me 
at the ,plains to-day4 ,whether ,brother
 ,kline saw or heard something in ,peter
 ,nead to-day that especially wrought   
upon his attention1 he does not say2 but
 this follows in the entry3 ,brother    
,nead gives promise of becoming a very  
able speaker and a very useful man4 ,may
 the ,lord prosper him in all he sets   
his heart and hand to in his service4   
,the church now knows the singular      
correctness of ,brother ,kline's        
estimate of the man1 written over sixty 
years ago4  ,brother ,nead1 like many   
other good and live men1 may have had   
some apparent eccentricities in the     
direction of practical conservatism and 
the like2 but1 take him through and     
through1 it is questionable if the      
church has ever been favored with a     
purer or sounder man4  ,,thursday1 ,may 

#d4 ,preparations are being made to-day 
for the ,annual ,meeting4 ,the brethren 
and sisters are all alive with desire to
 make all the visiting brethren and     
sisters as comfortable as possible      
during the meeting4  ,the ,diary reports
 the arrival1 during the next week1 of  
brethren from ,tennessee1 ,pennsylvania 
and ,ohio4 ,among those named are ,john 
and ,joseph ,bowman1 ,henry ,kurtz1     
,george ,hoke and ,brother ,yant4       
,,thursday1 ,may #aa4 ,brother ,beachley
 arrived4 ,brother ,kline reports       
something like a heavenly feeling       
permeating the heart at the sight of the
 arrival of those beloved brethren4     
,they all stopped with ,brother ,kline1 
whose house and heart both were large   
enough for their reception and          
entertainment4  ,as editor of this book1
 what would ,i not give for an exact    
report of the heart-refreshing          
conversations and sweet interchanges of 
thought and sentiment enjoyed by this   
group of heavenly-minded brethren1      

during their sojourn here6 ,as a relief1
 however1 to this thought another comes 
to mind1 that this same group are again 
together1 not for a ,yearly ,meeting1   
but for an eternal meeting4 ,the last   
one has been called to glory4 ,the cross
 then2 the crown now4  ,the interviews  
of brethren with each other fifty or    
sixty years ago present a striking      
contrast when placed side by side with  
those of the present day4 ,the native   
simplicity1 the artless manners1 and the
 honest motives of all betokened a      
purity of heart and life that was truly 
charming4 ,we mourn the absence of these
 marks of genuine piety1 when at the    
present day1 we see artistic display1   
formality1 stiffness1 and a putting on  
of studied courtesies and civilities on 
the part of many4 ,the exterior of the  
hive is more ornamental now than it was 
then1 and the swarm may have the        
appearance of better order in some of   
its workings1 but it is a question      
whether there is as much pure honey     

inside4 ,the robe may be more showy1 but
 there is less wool in the nap4         
,,friday1 ,may #ab1 and ,,saturday1 ,may
 #ac1 were spent at the meetinghouse    
preparing to have everything in order4  
,,yearly ,,meeting ,,begins4            
,introductory ,sermon by ,elder ,george 
,hoke1 of ,ohio1 ,sunday1 ,may #ad4     
,,text4--,and it came to pass1 that     
while they communed together and        
reasoned1 ,jesus himself drew near1 and 
went with them4--,luke     #bd3ae4  ,to 
the true child of ,god no conceptions of
 bliss are worthy of being compared with
 those that flow from an ideal          
companionship and association with our  
,lord ,jesus ,christ4    ,to dwell with 
him2 to feel his love1   ,is heavenly   
bliss enjoyed above3   ,and the sweet   
expectation now   ,is the same bliss    
begun below4  ,the text selected is     
suited to the occasion that has brought 
many of us together4 ,we have met to    
commune in our thoughts with each other1
 and to reason together4 ,since the     

first hour of my arrival here ,i could  
but notice the delight1 and even joy1 on
 the part of many at meeting former     
acquaintances and renewing the ties of  
love1 both social and ,christian1 that  
have bound us together in one common    
,brotherhood for years in the past1 and 
which are still to bind us and our      
children's children together in the     
future on earth and the eternity in     
glory4  ,the subject for to-day         
naturally divides itself into three     
propositions3      ,i4 ,they communed   
and reasoned together4    ,,ii4 ,jesus  
himself drew near4   ,,iii4 ,jesus      
himself went with them4  ,we readily    
enough1 at the start1 inquire who they  
were that communed and reasoned         
together4 ,this we never can know with  
certainty1 until the scales of mortality
 drop from our eyes4 ,one1 we are told1 
was ,cleopas by name4 ,it may have been 
the same ,cleopas whose wife had stood  
by the cross4 ,some think the other was 
,luke1 the writer of the ,evangel1 whom 

,paul calls the beloved physician4      
,slowly and sadly1 with crushed hopes   
and broken hearts1 these two loving     
disciples of our ,lord were wending     
their way from the scenes of confusion  
that had attended his crucifixion in    
,jerusalem to a quiet little village    
about eight miles distant1 called       
,emmaus4 ,here1 at least1 they hoped to 
find exemption from the taunts and      
sneers of the infatuated mob in the     
city1 whose mutterings were still to be 
heard in the distance1 like those of a  
cyclone that has done its work4   ,i4   
,,they ,,communed ,,and ,,reasoned      
,,together4  ,the particular point in   
their conversation is not stated1 but it
 is included in the general topic which 
is given as the things which have       
happened in ,jerusalem concerning ,jesus
 of ,nazareth4 ,the imagination here    
finds scope to multiply themes without  
limit1 on which they could reason1 and  
over which they could be sad4 ,at this  
very point of time1 just when despair1  

like darkness at the close of an evening
 twilight1 had settled down upon the    
entire landscape of their mental sight1 
,,ii4 ,,jesus ,,himself ,,drew ,,near4  
,but their eyes were holden that they   
should not know him4 ,this simple       
statement has more than once caused     
smiles in tears2 smiles at the half     
playfulness of ,jesus talking to these  
two beloved disciples as a tender father
 sometimes talks to his little children2
 and tears at the condescending love of 
,christ our ,god and ,lord1 walking as a
 wayfaring man with two of his          
heartbroken creatures4 ,can you take    
this in1 and not fall at his feet and   
kiss them8 ,can you take this in1 and   
not look up into his face smiling       
through your tears8  ,and then he said3 
,behooved it not the ,christ to suffer  
these things and to enter into his      
glory8 ,this very sentence1 by which he 
shed the first rays of light upon the   
dark waters of their storm-beaten       
bosoms1 tells the whole tale of         

,christ's redeeming love4 ,the cross and
 crown6 ,joy of earth and bliss of      
heaven6 ,the cross of dishonor2 the     
crown of glory6 ,the cross of death2 the
 crown of life6  ,but their eyes were   
holden1 that they should not know him4  
,he came as the divine ,word4 ,he is the
 truth and the life of the ,word2 for   
the ,word was made flesh1 and dwelt     
among us4 ,though they knew not that it 
was he1 still their hearts did burn     
within them as he opened unto them the  
scriptures4 ,beginning at ,moses he     
interpreted to them in all the          
,scriptures the things concerning       
himself4 ,they do not tell us the       
passages he quoted and explained2 but it
 is believed we have them all in our    
,bibles4 ,i think it is evident we have 
all the ,scriptures now that were extant
 then2 and it is our great privilege to 
hunt up for ourselves and others these  
broken pieces of the ,bread of ,life4   
,the word ,,holden means simply1 held   
back2 restrained4 ,for wise reasons he  

held back the sight of their eyes that  
they should not know him4 ,had they     
known him at first sight1 it would have 
interfered with and prevented the       
accomplishment of his gracious purpose  
to make himself known in the breaking of
 bread4 ,in this very act he has taught 
his people one of the most precious     
lessons in all the ,christian's         
experiences4 ,he is the ,bread of       
eternal ,life4 ,his whole ,word is but  
one great loaf1 and he is that loaf4    
,and how my soul quivers with the       
thought that if we invite him in as     
these loving disciples did1 and ask him 
to abide with us1 he will take a seat   
with us at table1 and break unto us the 
,bread of ,life4 ,our spiritual eyes    
will be opened1 and we shall joyfully   
know him4 ,then will    ,our hearts grow
 warm with heavenly fire2   ,and kindle 
with a pure desire2   ,while our blest  
,savior from above   ,feeds all our     
souls with holy love4  ,none but those  
that know the ,lord1   ,and taste the   

sweetness of his ,word1  can ever know  
the joys of his salvation4   ,,iii4     
,,jesus ,,himself ,,went ,,with ,,them4 
,we are not informed how many of the    
sixty furloughs they had already passed 
over on their way when ,jesus himself   
drew near1 and went with them2 but from 
the loving kindness of our ,lord we     
readily conclude they had not gone very 
far4 ,can a mother forget her sucking   
child8 ,yea1 she may forget2 yet will   
not ,i forget thee4 ,he knew the depth  
of their disappointment and the grief   
that followed when they could say3 ,we  
hoped that it was he which should redeem
 ,israel4 ,we hoped--2 but alas6 all    
hope is now forever gone4 ,it lies      
buried with him in his tomb4  ,if one   
born blind could unexpectedly open his  
eyes to see the light of the morning sun
 in a cloudless sky1 the surprise and   
joy could not be greater than were these
 to the two sitting at the table4 ,they 
forgot to eat4 ,they were so filled with
 the sight of the ,lord that their      

hunger for that which merely represented
 him was all gone4 ,they not only saw   
the proof of his resurrection2 but in   
him they felt the resurrection of their 
own buried faith1 and hope1 and love4   
,they rose up that very hour1-- ,i do   
not believe they sat still one minute   
after he vanished out of their          
sight--and returned to ,jerusalem1 and  
found the eleven gathered together1 444 
saying1 ,the ,lord is risen indeed1 and 
hath appeared to ,simon4 ,this was to   
them one of the wonders connected with  
his rising1 as ,simon had so shamefully 
denied him so shortly before4 ,but such 
is the fullness of his grace1 that where
 sin abounds1 grace does much more      
abound unto all such as are willing to  
receive it4  ,some people do not believe
 the story of the resurrection4 ,but1   
strange to say1 they can believe        
something a hundred times less          
reasonable1 and absolutely false4 ,they 
can believe that a ,,lie has done more  
to better the condition of mankind in   

this world than all the truth that has  
ever been told4 ,the resurrection of    
,jesus ,christ is the keystone to the   
great arch upon which rest all the      
truths of ,divine ,revelation4 ,destroy 
this1 and the arch1 with all upon it1   
falls a pile of ruins4  ,there is one   
special fact connected with the ,lord's 
resurrection which we must not forget4  
,he never appeared to any but his own4  
,they1 only1 had eyes to see him4 ,some 
may wonder why he did not go out into   
the streets of ,jerusalem and there1 to 
gaping crowds1 show his risen form with 
the nail prints and the spear mark still
 fresh in his hands and his feet1 and in
 his side4 ,in answer to this ,i have   
but little to say1 more than that he was
 ever averse to casting pearls before   
swine or giving that which is holy unto 
dogs4 ,i will add this1 however1 that as
 none but spiritual eyes can see him    
now1 so none but spiritual eyes could   
see him then4 ,this is what he meant by 
saying3 ,yet a little while1 and the    

world beholdeth me no more2 but ye      
behold me3 because ,i live1 ye shall    
live also4  ,and now1 my dear ,brethren1
 what have we learned by our meditation 
to-day8 ,if we have learned to know the 
,lord a little better1 that we may draw 
nearer to him1 we are edified1 and our  
preaching and hearing have not been     
void4 ,in all our communings with him1  
,brethren1 let us believe and love with 
all our hearts4 ,in our reasonings      
together let us know and feel that he is
 nigh1 even at hand4 ,when we are in the
 way of duty1 we love to feel that      
,jesus is with us1 that he knows all we 
think1 and sees all we do2 but when out 
of the way1 when walking in forbidden   
paths1 how abashed and confused would we
 feel1 if ,jesus himself were to draw   
near6 ,o brethren and sisters1 let us so
 live1 that every thought and word and  
act of our lives may be fit for his eye4
 ,lord1 give us grace so to live4 ,amen6
   ,,yearly ,,meeting ,,opens  ,at the  
,linville's ,creek ,church1 ,monday1    

,may #ae4  ,brethren ,henry ,kurtz1     
,john ,garber1 ,umstead and ,price spoke
 in exposition of the ,word and doctrine
 in the forenoon meeting1 which opened  
at #h ,a4,m4  ,brother ,price took the  
lead1 and spoke from #a ,peter #a3ab4 ,i
 will give a faithful report of his     
discourse as nearly exact as it can be  
made from the very brief outlines left  
by ,brother ,kline4 ,had the thought    
ever entered ,brother ,kline's mind that
 his ,diary might at some future day be 
published in a regularly prepared form1 
,i feel sure he would have left more    
extended entries on points of intense   
interest4      ,,text4--,which things   
the angels desire to look into4         
,salvation is infinitely the most       
momentous subject that can engage the   
thoughts of men4 ,it embraces a         
knowledge of ,god on the one hand and a 
knowledge of man on the other4 ,it is a 
pleasing thought that as the knowledge  
of ,god is unfolded to the mind1 a      
knowledge of man's own sinful and lost  

condition flows in along with it2 so    
that the very same light which enables  
him to perceive the love and goodness   
and truth and holiness of ,god imparts  
to him at the same time a view of his   
own sinful state4 ,he is led to see and 
feel in himself a spiritual condition   
which is the very opposite of that which
 he discovers in ,god his ,creator1     
,preserver and bountiful ,benefactor4   
,the ,bible tells us that in the        
beginning ,god made man upright1 that he
 created him in his own image1 after his
 own likeness1 and pronounced him1 with 
all else that he had made1 very good4   
,but how is man now8 ,what is his moral 
and spiritual condition8 ,i appeal to   
the heart experience of every one in    
this house for an answer4 ,brother1     
there is no charge on the part of the   
church against you4 ,the church has     
never at any time preferred a charge    
against you4 ,you are loved and held in 
high esteem by all the brethren and     
sisters4 ,the laws of your land have    

never brought an accusation against you4
 ,you have1 in the most minute          
particulars1 been a law-abiding citizen4
 ,more than all this1 you labor to do   
all the good you can1 by feeding and    
clothing the poor2 by helping to keep up
 the church1 and by aiding in the spread
 of the ,gospel4 ,you also help your    
neighborhood1 county and ,state by      
paying all your dues and by voluntary   
contributions of money or labor to      
public improvements1 education and      
whatever else may be for the general    
good1 as necessity may demand4  ,but1   
with all these excellencies in your     
character and life in full view1 ,i ask 
you1 as in the presence of ,god3 ,do you
 feel in your heart that you are a good 
man8 ,would you be willing for the world
 and the church to know every thought   
and imagination and desire that enters  
your heart and passes through your mind 
in the short space of one day of your   
life8 ,do you feel that all within is   
fit for the eye of ,god8 ,i know1 or    

think ,i know1 just what is in your     
mind1 and your answer is in words like  
these3 ,i do not feel that ,i am good4  
,it is only by constant watchfulness1 by
 looking to ,jesus in his ,word1 and by 
reading his ,word with prayer1 in       
connection with my attendance upon the  
ordinances of his house1 that ,i am     
enabled to walk in the path ,i go1 and  
lead the life ,i do4    ',he ,,leadeth  
me3 ,,he leadeth me3   ,by his own hand 
he leadeth me4'  ,his promise1 ',lo1 ,i 
am with you alway1 even unto the end of 
the world1' sustains my hope and assures
 me that 'he will never leave me1 nor   
forsake me4' ,thus1 ,god being my       
helper1 ,i do all the good ,i can1 and  
shun the evil4 ,in this way ',i labor1  
whether at home or absent1 to be        
well-pleasing to him2 and work out my   
own salvation with fear and trembling2' 
feeling1 however1 at the same time1 a   
blessed assurance that it is ,god who   
worketh in me both to will and to do the
 things that are pleasing in his sight4 

,brethren1 this is salvation4 ,it is the
 sum of the things which many prophets  
and wise men desired to see1 and saw    
them not2 and to hear1 and heard them   
not4 ,but let us look at the divine     
forces1 brother1 that have wrought in   
you this wonderful change from a life of
 self-love1 into which you were born by 
nature1 to a life of divine love1       
joyful1 holy1 heavenly love to ,god and 
your brother1 into which you have been  
born by the ,spirit4  ,peter tells us   
something about this in the chapter     
read4 ,he here says3 ,ye were           
,,redeemed1 not with corruptible things1
 with silver or gold1 from your vain    
manner of life handed down from your    
fathers2 but with the precious blood1 as
 of a lamb without blemish and without  
spot1 even the blood of ,christ4444 ,ye 
have purified your souls in your        
obedience to the truth2 444 having been 
begotten or born again1 444 through the 
word of ,god1 which liveth and abideth4 
,he now introduces the contrast between 

man's natural birth and his spiritual   
birth3 ,that which is born of the flesh 
is flesh2 and that which is born of the 
,spirit is spirit2 and he says3    ,all 
flesh is as grass1   ,and all the glory 
thereof as the flower of grass4   ,the  
grass withereth1 and the flower falleth4
  ,dust thou art1 and unto dust shalt   
thou return1 is the doom of flesh and   
blood sealed to every mortal as a       
consequence of sin4 ,no wonder the grave
 is sad and lonely to the contemplation 
of those who have no hope of aught of   
life or love beyond it4 ,it is sad to   
think how many have no higher claim to  
life and happiness than mere fleshly1   
bodily existence4 ,but our ,lord hath   
brought life and immortality to light1  
and    ,the good ,spirit of the ,lord   
,reveals a heaven to come2   ,the beams 
of glory in his ,word     ,allure and   
guide us home4  ,beloved1 now are we the
 children of ,god1 and it is not yet    
made manifest what we shall be2 but we  
know that we have the promise of an     

inheritance incorruptible1 and          
undefiled1 and that fadeth not away4    
,brethren1 this inheritance which ,peter
 talks of--what do you think about it8  
,is it something extraneous to the man1 
something outside of him8 ,or is it     
something intrinsic to the man in his   
renewed state1 something internal1      
something inside of him8 ,i1 for one1   
believe that man's eternal and blissful 
inheritance1 which ,peter and ,john and 
,paul describe in such glowing terms1 is
 in the man himself1 in his adaptation  
to the bliss-inspiring garniture of     
heaven4 ,it is ,christ in him the hope  
of glory4  ,this exalted and blissful   
state of man redeemed is what ,peter    
calls his inheritance which is          
incorruptible4 ,think of it1 ,brethren4 
,no more sin to bewail2 no more sickness
 to suffer2 no more death to dread6 ,it 
is also undefiled4 ,no more filthiness  
of the flesh2 neither idolatry1 nor     
adultery1 nor whatsoever loveth and     
maketh a lie4 ,and that fadeth not away4

 ,the luster of the eye2 the bloom of   
the cheek2 the facial expressions of    
beauty and love1 purity and truth1 know 
nothing of decay in the amaranthine     
bowers of spotless purity4  ,we often   
wonder about heaven4 ,but ,i will tell  
you1 ,brethren1 what ,i believe about   
it4 ,i do believe in my very soul that  
every ,christian man1 after the death of
 his body1 finds himself in the very    
heaven he takes with him from this      
world2 and that every man's heaven is   
the ,,love and the ,,truth that abound  
in his mind and heart4 ,if his heart is 
filled with love to ,god and to his     
brother1 and his mind stored with the   
truth of ,god as revealed in his ,son   
,jesus ,christ1 that man's heaven is in 
him4 ,do you remember1 ,brethren1 that  
when ,jesus was on earth he said that he
 was also at the same time in heaven8   
,now let me show you this4 ,he says to  
,nicodemus3 ,no man hath ascended to    
heaven1 but he that came down from      
heaven1 even the ,son of man ,,which    

,,is ,,in ,,heaven4 ,john #c3ac4  ,and  
right here a difficulty confronts us    
which we must try to settle4 ,did not   
,elijah ascend to heaven8 ,how about    
,moses8 ,these two redeemed saints were 
both of them in heaven at the very time 
our ,lord said this to ,nicodemus4 ,very
 shortly after this conversation they   
made their appearance1 not only to      
,jesus1 but to ,peter and ,james and    
,john on the holy mount in glory4 ,how  
had they gotten there8 ,i will tell you 
just what ,i think our ,lord meant4 ,he 
meant to teach that stupid1             
materialistic ,nicodemus that people do 
not go to heaven by merely ascending1   
like as one would ascend or go up from a
 lower room in a building to a higher   
one4 ,he meant to teach him that heaven 
must be in the man1 inwrought into his  
character and life4 ,this follows in    
perfect harmony with what he had just   
before told him about the new birth and 
a change of heart4 ,that which is born  
of the flesh is flesh1 and nothing more4

 ,but ,paul says3 ,ye are not in the    
flesh1 but in the spirit1 if so be that 
the ,spirit of ,god dwell in you4       
,elijah had not really ascended4 ,the   
,lord just took him up as he had taken  
,enoch many years before4 ,he was in    
heaven whilst on earth1 just as ,jesus  
was4 ,the only change he underwent in   
his departure from this world was a     
change in the relations of his state4   
,while here his state was a heavenly    
state1 but surrounded by earthly things4
 ,after his departure from earth his    
state was the same2 but his surroundings
 were heavenly1 and he could feel at    
home4   ,,the ,,angels4  ,no wonder1    
,brethren1 that the angels desire to    
look into these things4 ,some very good 
and wise men are of the opinion that all
 the angels of heaven are none other    
than saints redeemed from the earth4    
,how this may be ,i do not know2 but    
some things that the ,bible says about  
angels seem to favor this conclusion4   
,the main thing in this direction is the

 deep interest they have always felt1   
and the active part they have always    
taken in the things of man's salvation4 
,paul covers this whole ground by a     
single sweep of his pen4 ,are they not  
all1 says he1 ministering spirits1 sent 
forth to minister for them who shall be 
heirs of salvation8 ,of course he means 
by the heirs of salvation those still   
tabernacling in the flesh1 and still    
exposed to the ups and downs of the     
waves of life4  ,i think1 though1 that  
one reason why the angels feel such a   
deep interest in the things of man's    
salvation is because they are there--in 
heaven1 ,i mean--always beholding the   
face of our ,father who is in heaven4   
,they see and feel the glory2 they know 
the bliss of that celestial state4 ,so  
full of love are they even for poor1    
fallen1 lost1 ruined man that we are    
told by the ,lord himself that there is 
joy in the presence of the angels of    
,god over one sinner that repenteth4    
,their joy in this is commensurate with 

the exalted knowledge they have of the  
blessedness of true penitence4 ,in it   
they see light shining in the darkness  
of the poor sinner's heart4 ,peace to   
the waves of his storm-beaten soul1--a  
new creature in the image of their and  
our ,lord ,jesus ,christ coming forth   
into the enjoyment of a new life in him2
 deliverance from the bondage and power 
of sin1 and restoration to the glorious 
liberty of the children of ,god6 ,how   
much more than all this they see in the 
return of one soul to ,god4 ,i do not   
know2 and we never can know fully until 
we go up higher4    ,the blessedness of 
those above1     ,why longs my panting  
soul to know8   ,for future bliss ,i    
know is ,,love1     ,and love is felt by
 saints below4    ,but love so pure1    
exalted high     ,beyond compute1 beyond
 compare--   ,no eagle wing that height 
may fly2     ,no mortal breathe that    
upper air4    ,there1 love springs pure 
and unrepressed2     ,there1 all are    
loved1 and love again4   ,love fills    

each burning cherub's breast2     ,love 
fires each flaming seraph train4        
,soon1 soon shall ,i1 this conflict     
o'er1     ,from sin be freed1 with love 
be fired2   ,soon1 soon in heaven1 my   
,god adore1     ,with love1 celestial   
love inspired4  ,and right here this    
thought comes to mind3 ,if angels are so
 much interested in the salvation of    
men1 should not men be quite as deeply  
interested in the salvation of one      
another8 ,if there are such exultant    
emotions of joy in the bosoms of angels 
over one sinner that repents1 should    
there not be an equal measure of joy in 
the bosoms of men from the same cause8  
,but the text says3 ,the angels desire  
to look into these things4 ,we should   
not infer from this that their knowledge
 of the way of salvation is limited1 or 
that they meet with difficulties in the 
way of understanding it4 ,oh1 no6 ,their
 desires are being constantly met and   
supplied with the means of acquiring    
knowledge upon this subject1 fully up to

 the measure of each one's capacity to  
take it in4 ,we may1 therefore1 justly  
infer from the text that the subject is 
immensely vast in its proportions and   
range4  ,as salvation is infinite in    
respect to the ,,truths contained in it 
and connected with it1 so is it also    
eternal in respect to the ,,scenes and  
experiences through which the redeemed  
will be forever passing4    ,could we1  
so rich in rapture1 fear an end1   ,that
 ghastly thought would drink up all our 
joy2   ,and quite unparadise the realms 
of light4  ,and here1 dear brethren and 
sisters1 another thought comes to mind  
suggesting another question3 ,if angels 
desire to look into the things of man's 
salvation1 should not men have an equal 
desire to look into them8 ,should not   
those who still have the stream to      
cross1 and to whom the ford looks       
somewhat dark and uncertain1 be quite as
 much interested in it1 and in all      
connected with it1 as those who are     
safely landed on the other shore8 ,think

 of this1 will you8 ,let me impress this
 thought3 ,if the angels1 who are out of
 the reach of all harm and danger1 feel 
such a glow of interest to learn all    
they can about the way in which all are 
saved2 should not men1 who are still    
exposed to danger1 feel an equal or a   
still deeper interest8  ,but how is it  
with the bulk of professors8 ,who of    
you1 my dear ,brethren1 make the ,bible 
the man of your counsel8 ,who of you    
read and study it with that devotion of 
faith which makes you feel that your    
eternal life is in that ,word8 ,with joy
 would ,i give you the touch of heaven's
 galvanism to quicken your souls to a   
livelier sense of the transcendent      
importance of this matter4 ,i feel sure 
that many of you do read4 ,you love your
 ,bible because it tells you of your sin
 and your ,savior1 of your cross and    
your crown4 ,but how is it with many8   
,they read some1 no doubt2 partly from a
 sense of duty and to quiet their       
consciences2 but not1 ,i fear1 with a   

deep and inmost desire to learn the     
things of salvation4  ,brethren1 if the 
,bible be true1 it is tremendously true4
 ,it is true with a power that lifts the
 contrite1 penitent1 faithful follower  
of our ,lord to the gates of the ,holy  
,city1 and opens them to him2 and it is 
true with a power that sinks the        
faithless1 impenitent1 careless1        
sin-loving sinner to hell4 ,to which    
class do ,i belong8 ,with which class am
 ,i going to spend a long eternity8 ,i  
am happy to see in the luster of many an
 eye here the evidence of your being in 
the class first named1 and on the side  
of salvation4 ,god grant that all may be
 in that number2 and in a better world  
and a purer life1 with angels on high1  
sing the song of ,moses and the song of 
the ,lamb4  ,brother ,price was followed
 by brethren ,john ,garber1 ,henry      
,kurtz and ,umstead1 all bearing        
testimony more or less extended4 ,the   
services were brought to a close1 and an
 intermission was given4 ,in the        

afternoon queries were taken in4        
,,tuesday1 ,may #af4 ,the meeting was   
continued to-day4 ,seven queries were   
disposed of4 ,love and harmony abound4  
,,wednesday1 ,may #ag4 ,the meeting was 
brought to a close to-day4 ,the business
 being all disposed of1 it broke up in  
the afternoon by the singing of the     
hymn3    ,blest be the dear uniting love
     ,that will not let us part2   ,our 
bodies far apart may move1     ,we still
 are joined in heart4  ,o my ,god1 ,i   
pray that we1 as thy dear people1 may   
ever be thus joined in heart2 that we   
may ever be of one mind and speak the   
same thing2 that thy ,spirit may fill us
 and guide us into a clear understanding
 of thy revealed will that we may not   
err therein2 that we may keep all pride 
and emulation of the flesh out of our   
hearts2 that each one may esteem another
 better than himself with all lowliness 
and meekness2 with long-suffering2      
forbearing one another in love2         
endeavoring to keep the unity of the    

,spirit in the bond of peace2 till we   
all come in the unity of the faith and  
of the knowledge of the ,son of ,god    
unto a perfect man2 unto the measure of 
the stature of the fullness of ,christ4 
,amen6  ,,thursday1 ,may #ah4 ,some of  
the ,brethren from a distance start home
 to-day4 ,set things in order at the    
meetinghouse4 ,while thus engaged our   
thoughts would turn to the pleasant     
season of brotherly communion we had    
just passed through4 ,i can but wish and
 pray that the same spirit of love and  
union may pervade every meeting yet to  
be held in the ,brotherhood1 through all
 time1 to the end of the world4         
,,thursday1 ,august #aj4 ,benjamin      
,bowman and ,samuel ,wampler were       
established in the ministry to-day1 in a
 council at our meetinghouse4           
,,tuesday1 ,august #bi4 ,brother ,kline 
and ,brother ,flory start to ,maryland  
and ,pennsylvania on horseback4 ,brother
 ,abraham ,flory1 by the way1 was a     
suitable companion for ,brother ,kline4 

,he loved home1 it is true1 and he had a
 home worthy of being loved4 ,but when  
he made up his mind to go he left all   
his home cares behind2 and1 like        
,abraham of old1 he said to these       
servants of life3 ,stay ye here while ,i
 go yonder to worship2 and ,i will      
return again unto you4 ,he consequently 
never fretted about home in his absence2
 but was habitually calm and            
self-possessed4 ,even a rainy day or    
high water did not interfere with the   
equilibrium of his mild temper4  ,these 
two brethren were well mounted4 ,their  
horses were good travelers1 not only as 
to gait1 but bottom as well4 ,this1 in  
common parlance1 means great power of   
endurance4 ,we must not forget that this
 journey was undertaken more than sixty 
years ago4 ,the two travelers did not   
know what weather they might have to    
contend with on a journey which was to  
occupy more than five weeks4 ,umbrellas 
were rare in that day2 but even if they 
had been abundant they were too much    

after the fashion to have been used by  
these unfashionable brethren4 ,indeed   
umbrellas were not used by the          
,brotherhood1 at least in ,virginia1    
until many years after this4  ,a ,,great
 ,,coat1 made of heavy and compact      
stuff1 with long skirts reaching to the 
feet1 and a large cape attached1        
covering completely the shoulders1 and  
buttoning over the breast1 constituted a
 covering defying both rain and storm4  
,superadded to this was a very          
broad-brimmed hat of solid felt4 ,every 
saddle in that day was provided with    
what was called a coat-pad4 ,this was a 
flat leather pad fastened to the saddle 
just behind the seat1 and furnished with
 straps and buckles so as to hold an    
overcoat1 when properly rolled up and   
fastened1 in perfect order whilst       
traveling4 ,leather saddlebags well     
stocked with changes of clean underwear 
completed the outfit4  ,thus equipped1  
these two brethren started on their     
journey4 ,their spirit in all this      

reminds one of what passed between two  
ministering brethren of another         
persuasion who were traveling together1 
neither so well equipped nor mounted1   
but on foot4 ,trudging along in the face
 of foul weather to meet an engagement1 
,comer said to ,proctor3    ,i don't    
mind the rain   ,if souls ,i may gain4  
,to which ,proctor instantly replied to 
,comer3    ,i can face every storm of   
rain and foul weather1   ,when ,i and my
 ,lord are walking together4  ,wherever 
,brother ,kline and his companion went  
they were recognized1 whether personally
 known or not1 as ,,dunkard ,,preachers4
 ,no doubt the sneer was sometimes      
thrust at them1 and the lip curled with 
contempt by those whose stolid ignorance
 and stupid brains had locked the door  
against the inflow of good breeding and 
truth4 ,but in the eyes of all honest1  
sincere-minded people their mission was 
one of mercy1 truth and love2 and they  
were loved and respected accordingly4   
,near the close of the third day of     

travel1 they passed   ,,harper',s       
,,ferry4  ,brother ,kline's experienced 
eye took in the whole scene at one view4
 ,he says3 ,the scenery here is greatly 
surpassed by that of many places within 
the ,allegheny ranges4 ,it is not nearly
 equal to the ,south ,branch ,gap below 
,petersburg in ,hardy ,county1          
,virginia2 nor does it at all compare1  
in sublime grandeur1 with the ,rocks at 
the mouth of the ,seneca1 in ,pendleton 
,county1 ,virginia4 ,it is tame in      
comparison with either of these places4 
,but so goes the world4 ,it is with     
places as with people4 ,when one gets a 
name by being lauded high by some       
distinguished personage1 as ,thomas     
,jefferson1 for example1 he soon has the
 eyes and the ears of the world2 whilst 
others1 more worthy1 perhaps1 in all the
 elements of true greatness1 are left   
unnoticed and unknown4 ,this thought    
awakens my recollection of a stanza in  
,gray's ',elegy4' ,it touches tenderly  
and beautifully upon the neglect and    

lack of appreciation often experienced  
by real beauty1 virtue and goodness4    
,here is the verse3    ',full many a gem
 of purest ray serene1     ,the dark1   
unfathomed caves of ocean bear2   ,full 
many a flower is born to blush unseen1  
,and waste its sweetness on the desert  
air4'  ,but we must tone our criticisms 
down to a just standard4 ,the lack of   
fame with many justly meriting it is not
 their own fault1 nor is it the fault of
 the world2 but the trouble lies greatly
 in the place of their birth and in the 
surroundings of their lives4 ,if the    
,south ,branch ,gap had had its birth at
 ,harper's ,ferry the summit of its fame
 would reach the clouds2 whilst         
,harper's ,ferry1 born among the rugged 
recesses of the ,alleghenies1 would     
never be thought of4 ,the world is not  
so partial and full of favoritism as we 
think4 ,it readily takes up what suits  
its uses and its tastes1 without        
stopping to inquire whether there might 
not be something better found4          

,crossing the ,potomac at the ,ferry1   
they go to ,brother ,letherman's and    
spend the night4  ,,friday1 ,september  
#a4 ,love feast at ,brother ,herschman's
 in ,middle ,valley4 ,luke #c was read4 
,three persons were baptized4 ,next day 
the brethren go to ,beaver ,dam1 and    
pass the night at ,john ,garber's4  ,at 
this time letter postage was very high1 
as much as twenty-five cents on some    
letters2 and the transportation of mails
 very slow4 ,regardless of this1        
however1 by means of letters1 ,brother  
,kline knew just where to go and what to
 expect before starting on a journey4   
,appointments for preaching1 councils   
and love feasts fell in the line of his 
route from beginning to end4 ,have a    
little bit of patience1 please1 and let 
me quote the entries just as ,i find    
them in the ,diary for this journey4 ,if
 they do not interest you1 they may     
interest others deeply1 especially the  
children and the grandchildren of the   
good people named in them4  ,,sunday1   

,september #c4 ,love feast at ,beaver   
,dam4 ,luke #ad was read4 ,three persons
 were baptized4  ,,monday1 #d4 ,visit   
,brother ,deah's and ,saylor's1 and stay
 all night at ,joseph ,engle's4         
,,tuesday1 #e4 ,meeting at ,pipe ,creek4
 ,luke #af was read4 ,stay all night at 
,peter ,royer's4  ,,wednesday1 #f4      
,meeting at ,rupp's4 ,john #a was read4 
,stay all night at ,christian ,royer's4 
,,thursday1 #g4 ,stay at ,brother       
,keeney's4  ,,friday1 #h4 ,love feast at
 ,brother ,keeney's4 ,john #ah was read4
  ,,saturday1 #i4 ,visit ,jacob         
,myers's4 ,stay all night at ,david     
,brillhardt's4  ,the families visited in
 the order of ,brother ,kline and       
,brother ,flory's route were as follows3
 ,christian ,longenacker's1 ,john       
,zug's1 ,abraham ,zug's1 ,daniel ,zug's1
 ,jacob ,gipe's1 ,john ,gipe's1 ,abraham
 ,harshey's1 ,shoemaker's1 ,brother     
,myers's on the other side of the       
,susquehanna1 ,andrew ,deardorf's1      
,david ,pfoutz1 ,fogelsanger's1 ,john   

,stauffer's1 ,brother ,royer's1 ,brother
 ,holsinger's1 ,welty's1 ,fahrney's1    
,joseph ,emert's1 ,eschleman's1 ,david  
,kinsey's1 ,brother ,martain's1 ,james  
,tabler's2 ,carter's1 in ,frederick     
,county1 ,virginia1 ,jonas ,goughnour's1
 in ,shenandoah ,county1 ,virginia2 and 
home ,tuesday1 ,october #c4  ,brother   
,flory and ,i did not separate for one  
day or night on this journey4 ,he       
preached a good deal1 and has1 ,i think1
 left a very good impression4 ,he       
related a little incident about a local 
preacher with whom he was personally    
acquainted1 and which he stated for a   
fact1 that has several times amused me4 
,it came in at a suitable place in one  
of his discourses4 ,the preacher had    
been regularly receiving one hundred    
dollars a year from his ,conference1 for
 stated preachings to several poor      
congregations not far from his home4    
,the preacher owned a farm and a mill1  
both at the same time2 and with the two 
combined he became independent4 ,his    

brethren saw this and concluded that he 
ought no longer be paid the hundred     
dollars a year2 so the pay was withheld4
 ,but his preaching stopped as suddenly 
as his pay4 ,when asked about the cause 
of this he pointed to his mill wheel and
 said3 ,do you suppose that that wheel  
will run if you keep the water off8     
,the brethren and sisters generally     
appeared to be alive to their spiritual 
interests4 ,the meetings were usually   
well attended1 and good attention was   
paid to the preaching4 ,in some places1 
however1 worldliness in dress and       
manners is becoming too apparent4  ,in  
,maryland we happened to fall in company
 with a man traveling our course1 who   
represented himself as a ,united        
,brethren preacher4 ,he was very plainly
 dressed himself1 and as we were plain  
,i guess he thought that to give his    
conversation a turn upon the fashions of
 the world would not be unpleasant to   
us4 ,at any rate he went on to tell how 
pride was gradually creeping1 inch by   

inch1 into his own denomination2 and1   
worst of all1 said he1 it looks like it 
is beginning to take hold of some of our
 preachers4 ,he then stated that at     
their last yearly ,conference1 the      
bishop had scored some of them fearfully
 about it4 ,he then repeated what the   
bishop had said on the occasion about   
the   ,,origin ,,of ,,fashions4  ,some  
of you may be curious to know from what 
place the ,american people obtain their 
fashions4 ,i will tell you4 ,they get   
them from ,new ,york ,city4 ,and from   
what place does ,new ,york ,city get    
them8 ,from ,london4 ,and from what     
place does ,london get them8 ,from      
,paris4 ,and from what place does ,paris
 get them8 ,i answer1 said the bishop1  
that ,paris gets them from hell through 
the devil and his agents4  ,in the      
journey from which ,i have just returned
 ,i preached twenty times2 attended     
eight love feasts2 visited and conversed
 with many families on religious topics4
 ,in all this service1 if ,i know my own

 heart1 ,i have been actuated by no     
selfish motives4 ,as ,paul said3 ,i     
desire that my service may be acceptable
 to the saints2 but to make it so1 ,i   
have used no deceit1 no flattery1 and   
have put forth no effort of any kind    
save that of trying1 by the grace of    
,god1 to make myself a faithful minister
 of ,jesus ,christ4 ,as one called to   
preach the ,gospel1 this is my duty at  
all times4 ,conscious of this1 ,i aim to
 be instant in season1 out of season4   
,may ,god bless our labors1 including   
those of the dear brother who was with  
me4 ,paul may plant1 and ,apollos water2
 but ,god only can give the increase4   
,we must1 by his grace1 use all means to
 keep the ,brotherhood pure1 by         
defending it against the inroads of     
worldliness and pride in every form4    
,may ,god forgive all our sins4 ,amen6  
,,sunday1 ,october #ae4 ,brethren       
,martain ,myers and ,samuel ,lehman were
 with us at our meeting to-day4 ,they   
spoke beautifully on ,john #e3bd4       

,resolutions ,made by ,elder ,john      
,kline1  ,monday1 ,january #a1 #ahch4   
,he says3 ,i now resolve    ,to do all  
the good ,i can this year4    ,to shun  
all evil in thought1 word1 and deed as  
far as ,i can4    ,to learn all ,i can  
of wholesome truth4    ,to make the best
 use ,i can of what ,i learn and know4  
,to do all this   with an eye single to 
the glory of ,god and the good of       
mankind4  ,could any one resolve better8
 ,could an angel from heaven1 if sent   
down to live with men on earth1 resolve 
to a better purpose8 ,but it is easier  
to resolve than to carry into effect2   
easier to think wisely than to act      
wisely2 easier to plan well than to     
execute4 ,but of this one thing ,i am   
sure3 ,if ,brother ,kline failed in any 
of the above resolutions1 his failure   
was not chargeable to his will1 but to  
his weakness4 ,even ,paul could say3 ,to
 will is present with me1 but how to    
perform that which is good ,i find not4 
,when ,i would do good1 evil is present 

with me4 ,the cause of this conflict in 
the course of every ,christian's        
experience is what has been very        
appropriately called indwelling sin4    
,the serpent's head may be bruised to   
death1 but the tail will not die until  
the sun goes down4 ,it is true1 the tail
 is not at the dangerous end of a snake2
 but while the tail rattles and wriggles
 it gives evidence that there is still  
some life left2 and before one turns    
away from it in the satisfied assurance 
that it needs no further attention it   
might be well for him to look again and 
make sure1 beyond all doubt1 that the   
head end has been crushed to death4   ,a
 ,funeral ,sermon by ,elder ,john       
,kline4  ,at the ,burial of ,mrs4       
,lauck1 ,feb4 #g4      ,,text4--,man    
that is born of woman1 is of few days1  
and full of     trouble ,he cometh forth
 as a flower1 and is cut down3 he fleeth
     also as a shadow1 and continueth   
not4--,job #ad3a1 #b4  ,the bulk of     
,divine ,truth is addressed to our      

faith4 ,we are not expected to receive  
it as we receive knowledge that is based
 upon our own experience1 or upon the   
experience of others4 ,god expects us to
 take his ,word for the truth of what he
 says1 whether we fully understand it or
 not4 ,he addresses our faith1 as a     
father does his child when he seeks to  
inculcate some truth or principle which 
the child cannot fully comprehend4 ,but 
the text selected for this occasion is  
not of this character4 ,it is addressed 
to our knowledge and every day's        
observation and experience4 ,we have    
only to look at ourselves and at others 
to see and feel the truth that it tells4
 ,it is not1 therefore1 given to teach1 
so much as to remind us of what1 in the 
busy whirl of life1 we may for a time   
partially forget4 ,the benefit of being 
reminded of our mortality comes to us in
 the way of leading us to seek for      
something better than this world can    
give4  ,the phraseology of the text is  
exquisitely beautiful4 ,notice the      

smoothness of its rhythm1 the simplicity
 of its style1 the harmony of its       
cadences3 ,man that is born of woman1 is
 of few days1 and full of trouble4 ,this
 is the direct opposite of what all     
naturally desire4 ,all living human     
beings would rejoice in a life of many  
days1 exempt from trouble4 ,he cometh   
forth like a flower4    ,they bloom in  
beauty1 side by side2     ,they fill one
 home with glee4  ,this is pleasant to  
contemplate2 and if the beauty could but
 last1 forever free from all decay1 few 
would wish for aught of life or love    
beyond the things of time and sense4    
,but1 alas6 he is cut down-- and soon   
,their graves are severed far and wide1 
,by mount1 and stream1 and sea2  and    
these graves all tell a tale of buried  
hopes1 buried love1 buried peace4       
,the same fond mother bent at night     
,o'er each fair sleeping brow2   ,she   
had each folded flower in sight3        
,where are those dreamers now6  ,we can 
but sigh our sadness in the closing     

lines of this beautiful poem--    ,alas1
 for love6 if thou wert all2     ,and   
naught beyond1 ,o earth6  ,thus do      
,inspiration and ,poetry alike paint the
 sombre realities of life and death2 and
 point to death as the doom of life4    
,but ,i do not love to dwell upon these 
sad scenes1 and will turn your attention
 at once to a birth that knows no death1
 to a flower that never fades1 to a     
beauty that knows no decay4 ,and can    
this be true8 ,can it be that there is a
 deathless life1 a fadeless flower1 a   
shadowless beauty8 ,it may be that some 
of you are skeptical about things like  
these4 ,you may have the unbelief that  
held the heart of ,aaron ,burr's        
daughter against all comfort1 when she  
saw her son die4 ,in her agony of       
despair she cried out3 ,omnipotence     
itself can never restore to me what ,i  
have lost in my only boy4  ,your faces  
may be turned the wrong way4 ,you may be
 like ,lot's wife1 looking back4 ,and   
one might just as well talk to a pillar 

of salt about the glory1 and the beauty1
 and the bliss of the eternal state of  
the righteous after death1 as to talk to
 men whose backs are heavenward and     
their faces earthward4 ,you have no eyes
 in the back part of your heads4 ,your  
ears are set to hear what is said to    
your face1 and to catch the sounds that 
meet you in front4 ,you must turn       
yourselves round4 ,and more than all    
this1 you must open the eyes of your    
understandings that the light may shine 
in1 and take the wads of earthly wax out
 of your ears that you may hear the     
,savior's words of spirit and life1 and 
loose the strings of your hearts that   
the good and truth of ,god's ,word may  
enter4 ,if you will do this ,i will show
 you wonderful things4 ,i will show you 
a fountain from which1 if you drink1 you
 will never thirst again4 ,not like the 
fabled ,fountain of ,youth1 which many  
sought1 but never found4 ,the fountain  
,i mean has been found by millions of   
the human race4 ,it has quenched their  

thirst forever4  ,do not1 ,i beseech    
you1 understand me to mean that one     
drink of its water is sufficient to do  
this4 ,no6 no6 ,but ,i do mean that     
after you have come to the spring and   
taken one drink it is your privilege to 
stay by it forever3 nay1 more2 the      
spring1 like the ,rock in the           
wilderness1 will follow you wherever you
 go2 and by and by a spring will be     
opened up in your own heart1 flowing    
with the same sweet water of everlasting
 ,life1 and then you can sing3    ,i    
heard the voice of ,jesus say1          
,behold1 ,i freely give   ,the ,living  
,water3 thirsty one1     ,stoop down and
 drink1 and live4    ,i came to ,jesus1 
and ,i drank     ,of that life-giving   
stream3   ,my thirst was quenched2 my   
soul revived3     ,and now ,i live in   
,him4  ,but ,i will show you bread also4
 ,it is wonderful bread4 ,the           
,israelites1 many centuries ago1 kept a 
representation of this bread upon the   
table connected with their altar of     

worship2 and they called it showbread1  
because it showed something to come4 ,a 
kind of bread also fell upon the face of
 the ground all around them1 when they  
were encamped in the wilderness2 and    
they called it ,,manna4 ,they gathered  
this in the morning1 and the supply     
never failed4 ,but it did not keep them 
from dying4 ,they died all the same as  
if they had lived on wheat bread1 as we 
do4 ,it is of this that ,jesus says3    
,your fathers did eat of the manna in   
the wilderness1 and they died4 ,but our 
,lord1 in speaking of the ,bread of     
,life1 which is none other than the     
great love of ,god in ,christ ,jesus1   
says3 ,this is the bread which cometh   
down out of heaven1 that a man may eat  
thereof1 and not die4 ,i am the living  
bread which came down out of heaven3 if 
any man eat of this bread he shall      
,,live ,,forever4  ,live forever6 ,does 
not that sound pleasant in your ears8   
,does it not have the note of solid     
comfort8 ,if you believe it1 it does4   

,it is on this account that our ,lord   
says so much about ,,faith4 ,faith makes
 a man thirsty for the water of eternal 
life1 and faith makes a man hungry for  
the bread of eternal life4 ,millions in 
heaven to-day1 each one out of his own  
heart1 can sing3    ,i heard the voice  
of ,jesus say3     ,i am the ,bread of  
,life3   ,eat of this ,bread1 ,o hungry 
one1     ,and have eternal life4    ,i  
took the ,bread he gave me then3     ,my
 hungry soul it fed2   ,for this1 he    
said1 ,i gave my life1     ,and on the  
cross ,i bled4  ,when our ,lord was on  
earth he spoke to the people and to his 
disciples mostly in parables4 ,in fact  
we are told that without a parable spake
 he not unto them4 ,it is from this that
 so many similitudes1 and metaphors1 and
 figures of speech are found in the ,new
 ,testament4 ,thus1 water and wine1 in  
many places1 mean divine truth2 and     
bread means divine love4 ,and now ,i    
will venture to make a statement for the
 consideration of every thinking mind in

 this house--a statement which1 if it be
 true1 is of infinite and eternal       
importance--and it is this3 ,love and   
truth support and keep life in man's    
spirit1 just as bread and water support 
and keep life in man's body4  ,jesus    
said to the tempter3 ,man does not live 
by bread alone4 ,do any of you suppose  
that ,jesus meant to inform the devil   
that man needs other kinds of food in   
addition1 such as meats1 and fruits1 and
 vegetables8 ,he had no such thought4   
,he did not mean to inform or instruct  
the devil by anything he said to him4   
,but he did mean to teach his tried and 
tempted followers to the end of time    
that love and truth are the very life   
and support of man's spirit4 ,my words1 
says he1 are spirit1 and they are life4 
,man may love1 and ardently love1 what  
is evil4 ,but divine truth tells him    
what to love4 ,hence our ,lord's answer 
is about equivalent to this3 ,man does  
not live by bread love alone2 but by    
water also1 which is the truth of every 

word which proceedeth out of the mouth  
of ,god4  ,and now1 in conclusion1 ,i   
will ask you1 friends1 do any of you    
desire everlasting life8 ,if you do1 ,i 
say unto you1 ,come to ,jesus4 ,accept  
his love4 ,he loved you and gave himself
 for you4 ,accept him by faith4 ,he is  
the ,bread of eternal ,life4 ,believe on
 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou     
shalt be saved4 ,he invites you to come 
and take of the water of life freely4   
,this water is none other than the truth
 of his ,word4 ,be filled with it4 ,be  
immersed in it4 ,as a most impressive   
emblem of your willingness to be thus1  
submit to the ordinance of baptism in   
the name of the ,father1 and of the     
,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4  ,by your
 immersion in the name of the ,father   
you declare to the world1 and say to the
 church that you believe that ,god the  
,father loves you1 and wills your       
salvation2 that you accept his love in  
faith1 and prove your faith by this act4
 ,by your immersion in the name of the  

,son you profess your faith in the      
efficacy and sufficiency of what ,jesus 
,christ did to save you1 that he is the 
,word made flesh1 and that men should   
honor him1 even as they honor the       
,father4 ,by your immersion in the name 
of the ,holy ,ghost you profess your    
faith in the power and everlasting      
presence of the ,holy ,spirit in your   
heart1 to lead you into all truth1 to   
make you more and more holy by means of 
this truth1 until you are filled with   
it1 thoroughly leavened with the leaven 
of truth and sincerity4 ,the ,holy      
,spirit is called ,the ,spirit of       
,truth1 and if the truth make you free1 
ye shall be free indeed2 free from      
falsities in your faith4 ,what benefit  
can there be in believing what is not   
true8 ,whoever yet found any substantial
 good in believing a delusion1 a        
falsehood1 an error8 ,but we do read of 
some who believe a lie that they may be 
damned4 ,this sounds rough ,i know2 but 
it is their own fault1 because they love

 a lie2 and whosoever loveth a lie is   
excluded1 shut out of the ,holy ,city1  
because nothing but truth and love can  
enter there4 ,i again call upon every   
one here present to believe on the ,lord
 ,jesus ,christ1 and1 believing1 he     
shall have life in his name4   ,,an     
,,encouraging ,,thought4  ,the following
 encouraging thought comes into ,brother
 ,kline's mind in connection with a     
review of his work on ,lost river4 ,it  
is dated3  ,,sunday1 ,february #ah4 ,one
 man may sometimes strike a hard stone a
 good many times without breaking it2   
when another may take the same hammer1  
strike it in a slightly different place1
 or in a different way1 and it falls to 
pieces4 ,it may be that the first man's 
strokes accomplished more than he knew  
of4 ,the force of his blows may have    
diminished the solidity of the stone1   
and thus made it easier for the second  
man to break4 ,if ,i cannot see much    
fruit of my labor here now1 perhaps     
some1 who will come after me1 may4      

,,the ,,cove4  ,,sunday1 ,april #bb4    
,brother ,kline and ,daniel ,miller had 
meeting in a place among the mountains  
in ,hardy ,county1 ,virginia1 called the
 ,cove4 ,this consists of an area of    
country so nearly enclosed by mountains 
of a somewhat circular form that it has 
but one outlet both for its streams and 
its inhabitants4 ,viewed from the summit
 of some neighboring peak it has the    
appearance of a vast amphitheatre whose 
dome is the sky1 whose floor is a       
variegation of corn and wheat fields    
interspersed with beautiful green       
meadows1 and whose walls are the        
substantial mountain masonry of nature's
 own sublime art4 ,here these two       
beloved brethren broke the ,bread of    
,life to a small gathering of people1   
mostly residents of the place we have   
described4  ,acts #c was read4 ,after   
many instructive remarks by ,brother    
,kline concerning the great ,prophet    
spoken of in the latter part of the     
chapter1 ,brother ,daniel ,miller       

followed with a brief discourse1 so     
clear1 so pointed1 so forcible1 that ,i 
will give his remarks as nearly as ,i   
can in the order and manner in which he 
presented them4  ,he first endeavored to
 draw the attention of the unconverted  
part of the audience specifically to    
these words3 ,every soul1 which will not
 hearken to that prophet1 shall be      
utterly destroyed4 ,i know of no        
expression in the ,bible1 said he1 more 
sharply pointed than this4 ,the word    
'destroyed1' as here used1 does not mean
 blotted out of existence4 ,but it does 
mean cast out as evil1 unfit for the    
companionship of ,god's people in       
heaven4 ,in much the same sense of the  
word it is said that intemperance       
destroys men4 ,it unfits them for the   
duties of life1 and for the society of  
the pure and the good4  ,a ship may be  
said to be destroyed even though its    
dismantled hulk still floats upon the   
sea1 borne by the waves and driven by   
the winds4 ,a fruit tree is destroyed   

when a worm1 secretly gnawing at its    
root1 girdles it with a belt of         
deadness4 ,it may still stand1 but      
fruitless and lifeless4 ,an eye is      
destroyed when it becomes so far injured
 by disease or accident as to be forever
 out of the reach of power to restore   
its sight4  ,and is this the sense in   
which every soul will be destroyed who  
refuses to hear this ,prophet8 ,most    
assuredly it is4 ,o1 friends1 how shall 
,i tell you the difference between a    
soul saved and a soul destroyed8 ,the   
one is forever happy1 the other forever 
miserable4 ,the one is an eye that sees 
and enjoys all the beauties of earth and
 sky1 the other is an eye forever blind4
 ,the one is an ear that will forever   
hear the melodies of heaven1 the other  
is an ear forever deaf to all but the   
wailings of hell4 ,the one is a ship    
completely rigged and fitted to bear    
herself nobly and safely over the       
surging surface of a stormy sea1 the    
other1 a floating hulk2 mastless1       

sailorless1 only waiting to be cast upon
 some desert shore to rot4  ,but no one 
can ever have a just excuse for being   
thus destroyed2 for it is plain that    
whosoever hears this ,prophet shall be  
saved4 ,jesus ,christ is a wonderful    
,savior4 ',he is able to save to the    
uttermost all who come unto ,god through
 him4' ,will not you come8 ',god so     
loved the world1 that he gave his only  
begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth 
on him should not perish1 but have      
eternal life4 ,for ,god sent not his    
,son into the world to condemn the      
world1 but to save the world4' ,the text
 does not say that ,,god will destroy   
every soul that will not hearken to that
 ,prophet4 ,i do not believe that this  
is meant4 ,our ,lord says in one place3 
',fear him1 who1 after he hath killed   
the body1 is able to destroy both soul  
and body in hell3 yea1 ,i say unto you1 
,fear him4' ,who is this that is thus to
 be feared8 ,i tell you that it is      
,,sin1 impersonated in the devil4 ,sin1 

,,sin is what is able to destroy both   
soul and body in hell4 ,sin1            
disobedience to ,god1 transgression of  
,god's law1 has placed the seal of death
 upon every living human body in the    
world2 and sin has stamped the seal of  
death upon every unsaved soul in hell4  
,o friends1 ,i am afraid of sin4 ,i am  
afraid to disobey my ,god and ,savior4  
,i am more afraid of sin than ,i would  
be of smallpox in an infected district4 
,i am more afraid of sin than ,i would  
be of leprosy on the plains of ,syria4  
,that or this could only kill my body2  
but ,,sin is able to destroy both my    
soul and body in hell4  ,it is plain    
that to hear the voice of that ,prophet1
 who is none other than our ,lord ,jesus
 ,christ1 to hear his voice with an ear 
to find out what he says and what he    
wants us to do1 and then in love and    
faith to do it1 is the only way any soul
 has by which to escape the threatened  
destruction4 ,i wish that ,i could      
implant in the heart of every sinner    

here to-day such a fear of sin and its  
awful consequences as would lead him to 
flee for refuge1 to lay hold of the hope
 set before us in the ,gospel4 ,our     
,lord and ,savior ,jesus ,christ is this
 house of refuge4 ,sinner1 come to him4 
,no1 no6 ,you need not do that1 for he  
comes to you1 and you only need rise up 
and open the door and let him in4   ,a  
,,singular ,,phenomenon4  ,,friday1     
,june #a4 ,this day1 says the ,diary1 ,i
 witnessed a very wonderful appearance  
about the sun4 ,about eleven o'clock ,i 
saw a bright circle around the sun like 
a rainbow1 with the sun in the center4  
,at the same time there was another     
circle somewhat larger than this1 on the
 west side of the sun2 and the east side
 of this ring rested upon the face of   
the sun4 ,at the points where the rings 
crossed each other there was a peculiar 
brightness and blending of colors4 ,the 
whole was a sublime and beautiful sight4
   ,sermon by ,benjamin ,bowman4        
,preached in ,brock's ,gap1 ,virginia1  

,june #ag4      ,,text4--,there         
remaineth1 therefore1 a rest to the     
people of     ,god4--,heb4 #d3i4        
,,from ,,notes ,,in ,,the ,,diary4  ,we 
are informed by the ,apostle of the     
,gentiles that the sojourn of the       
children of ,israel in the wilderness   
and the subsequent dealings of ,jehovah 
with them were examples to us who live  
under the gospel dispensation4 ,these   
examples comprise two great facts3      
,i4 ,their obedience was always attended
 with blessings4    ,,ii4 ,their        
disobedience was always attended with   
sufferings4  ,these two great facts     
comprehend the all of man's life and    
experience in both worlds1 from the     
alpha to the omega4 ,i am well aware    
that many in this assembly are not      
,bible readers4 ,i will therefore give  
you a brief sketch of the children of   
,jacob or ,israel as ,i find it in the  
books of ,moses and the book of ,joshua1
 which comprise the first six books of  
the ,bible4  ,jacob1 who is also called 

,israel1 was the grandson of ,abraham4  
,he had twelve sons1 of whom ,joseph was
 the next to the youngest4 ,these twelve
 sons1 with their descendants through   
all time1 are called the children of    
,israel4 ,later on they are also called 
,jews4 ,the ,jews of the present day    
claim to be the descendants of these    
twelve sons of ,jacob or ,israel4       
,joseph's older brothers became envious 
of him and sold him to a company of     
merchants who carried him into ,egypt4  
,here he was elevated by the ,lord to a 
position of great power1 to a place and 
power next to the king on his throne4   
,soon after this a very grievous famine 
came upon the land of ,canaan1 the      
country in which ,israel1 with his other
 sons1 still lived4 ,they heard that    
there was plenty of food in ,egypt1 and 
so ,jacob sent his sons there to buy    
grain for bread4 ,when they arrived in  
,egypt1 to their great surprise1 they   
found their brother ,joseph there1 whom 
they had sold to the merchants for      

thirty pieces of silver4 ,he received   
them kindly1 supplied their immediate   
wants1 and very soon made arrangements  
for them and their father ,jacob to come
 down to ,egypt and live with him4 ,and 
,jacob went down into ,egypt and lived  
with his son ,joseph till he died4      
,these ,israelites grew and multiplied  
in ,egypt until they became a great     
people4 ,but the time came when the     
,egyptians oppressed them1 laying heavy 
burdens upon them2 and treated them as  
slaves4 ,at this time the ,lord said to 
,moses3 ,i have seen the affliction of  
my people in ,egypt2 and ,i now send    
thee thither to bring them out of that  
land1 and into a land that ,i will tell 
thee of4 ,under the leadership of       
,moses1 the most interesting and        
instructive part of their history is    
found4  ,after a succession of miracles1
 wrought by ,jehovah through ,moses1    
,pharaoh1 the king of ,egypt1 agreed to 
let them go4 ,but they had to pass      
through a desert and uninhabited        

country1 which lay between ,egypt and   
the land of ,canaan4 ,pharaoh knew this1
 and to get revenge for the way the     
,lord had compelled him to let them go  
he gathered a very large army and       
pursued after them4 ,just at the time   
,pharaoh thought he had them in his     
power1 and when the whole camp of       
,israel trembled with fear of being     
suddenly destroyed by the hosts of the  
,egyptians1 the ,lord opened a passage  
for the children of ,israel through the 
,,red ,,sea4  ,the ,red ,sea1 at this   
place1 had a very smooth bottom of sand1
 as has been discovered since1 although 
it is very deep1 and perhaps twenty     
miles across4 ,the water stood like a   
wall on both sides of this passage4     
,some of you may think this could not   
be4 ,i will here relate the substance of
 a conversation1 which is said to have  
really taken place between the first    
,english minister to ,siam1 and the king
 of that country4 ,siam is a very hot   
country in the south part of ,asia4     

,there is never any winter1 or even cool
 weather1 in that country4 ,so the      
people there know nothing of ice1 and   
even the king himself had never heard of
 any such thing4 ,the ,english minister 
told him many things about ,england and 
other countries1 and among other things 
referred to the effect of cold upon     
water1 that it makes it hard4  ,you do  
not say1 said the king1 that water gets 
hard in your country6 ,indeed ,i do1    
said the minister4 ,it sometimes gets so
 hard all over the surface of broad     
rivers and lakes that men1 and even     
heavy beasts1 may walk upon it with dry 
feet2 and if your heavy elephants were  
there1 even they could walk upon the    
hard water too4 ,i have1 thus far1      
replied the king1 been willing to listen
 to you1 and believe what you say2 but  
now ,i know you lie4  ,so it may be with
 some who read or hear the story of the 
children of ,israel4 ,they may think it 
all reasonable and fair enough1 until   
they come to the passage through the    

,red ,sea3 there faith stumbles and     
falls4 ,but we must never forget that   
all things1 not self-contradictory1 are 
possible with ,god4 ,it is just as      
possible and easy for him to crystallize
 the billows of an ocean as to freeze a 
drop of dew on a blade of grass4 ,at the
 command of ,moses they enter this      
avenue through the deep1 walled by the  
waves1 and roofed by the sky4 ,surely no
 eyes but theirs ever witnessed so      
sublime a sight4    ,water to right of  
them2   ,water to left of them2   ,water
 in front of them2  while over their    
heads passed the cloud of ,jehovah's    
presence and glory to follow in their   
rear2 at once to hide them from the     
sight1 and to shield them from the      
attack of the enemy that was pursuing   
them4 ,i can hardly ever read this      
simple statement without a tear4 ,the   
kindness1 the love of the ,lord in thus 
placing himself between his children and
 their enemies1 like as a tender father 
would shield his offsprings from danger1

 always melts my heart4 ,but this is    
just the way the ,lord always does4 ,if 
his own dear people will but shelter    
under his wings1 the devil will never be
 able to get one of them4  ,some of you 
may wonder why the ,lord did not close  
up the way behind them1 after they were 
all in1 so that ,pharaoh and his hosts  
would be compelled to stay back4 ,but   
,god knew best4 ,he is wiser than men4  
,he allowed the ,egyptian army to enter4
 ,they followed just as close behind the
 ,israelites as the ,lord would let them
 come4 ,the way was still open1 and     
,pharaoh1 no doubt1 thought the way as  
free for him1 and quite as safe too1 as 
for ,moses4 ,his intention was to       
slaughter the whole camp of ,israel as  
soon as his army got through4 ,but see  
how he failed6 ,the salvation of ,moses 
was the destruction of ,pharaoh4 ,when  
the children of ,israel had all reached 
the land in safety they ascended the    
hills on the shore to look back at the  
long train of ,pharaoh's host4 ,but what

 did their eyes behold6 ,all at once the
 walls of water broke down2 and the sea 
closed over them4  ,it seems strange to 
us now that ,pharaoh would venture to   
follow the ,israelites4 ,we now think he
 might have known it would prove his own
 destruction4 ,but this is one example  
of the folly of which ,satan is always  
guilty4 ,at the very time he thinks     
victory is within his grasp             
disappointment and defeat overtake him4 
,let me show you another instance of    
this4  ,for some time he had been       
plotting the destruction of our ,lord   
,jesus ,christ4 ,one time he tried to   
have him cast down a very steep place on
 the side of a hill4 ,but he failed4 ,at
 another time he tried to have him      
stoned to death4 ,but the ,lord escaped 
out of his hands4 ,at last1 however1 he 
succeeded in having him put to death4   
,he entered into the heart of a man by  
the name of ,judas1 and made            
arrangements with him to betray our     
,lord into the hands of his enemies4    

,the plot was successful1 and when      
,satan saw our ,lord expiring on the    
cross he felt jubilant over the victory 
he had gained1 in the belief that he had
 now rid the world of its most dangerous
 foe to his kingdom4 ,but you see how it
 turned out4 ,the resurrection and      
glorification of our ,lord have given   
such a deathblow to ,satan's power that1
 after awhile1 the eyes of all heaven   
will see that old ,serpent1 the devil1  
and ,satan cast into the lake that      
burneth with fire and brimstone1 which  
is the second death4  ,after the        
children of ,israel all got through the 
,red ,sea they formed a camp on its     
eastern shore1 and each family prepared 
the food they had brought with them to  
eat4 ,but the supply soon gave out1 and 
as there was none to be had in the      
desert where they were encamped they    
began to fear that they must all starve4
 ,they complained to ,moses1 and he     
carried their complaints to the ,lord4  
,very soon the manna began to fall in   

abundance4   ,,the ,,manna4  ,this was a
 kind of bread which fell all over the  
ground at night1 and looked like        
hoar-frost4 ,they gathered it every     
morning1 except the morning of the      
,sabbath day4 ,it was just what they    
needed to satisfy their hunger and      
impart health and strength to their     
bodies4  ,the ,lord also caused a great 
spring of fresh water to burst out of a 
solid rock near the camp2 and thus they 
were supplied with water4  ,we can      
hardly see how these people could ever  
turn against the ,lord and become       
unthankful and disobedient toward him   
after he had been so kind and done so   
much for them4 ,but they became so4     
,they even went so far as to make a     
golden calf to worship instead of       
,jehovah1 who had brought them through  
the ,red ,sea4 ,for this they were      
sorely punished4  ,after awhile ,moses  
died1 and ,joshua led them into the land
 of ,canaan1 after they had wandered    
about in the wilderness under ,moses for

 the space of forty years4 ,the land of 
,canaan was a good land1 flowing with   
milk and honey1 and if they had been    
willing to serve the ,lord by obeying   
his commands they would have found rest 
and peace4 ,but they never found either 
rest or peace1 because they were never  
able to drive their enemies from the    
land4 ,they found many enemies in the   
land when they entered it1 and on       
account of their disobedience to the    
,lord they were unable to rid the land  
of ,canaan of them4 ,this is what is    
meant by the verse that next precedes my
 text3 ,for if ,joshua had given them   
rest1 the ,lord would not have spoken of
 another day4  ,but as ,joshua failed to
 do this1 on account of their           
disobedience1 we have the words of the  
text3 ,there remaineth therefore a rest 
unto the people of ,god4 ,but where is  
that rest8 ,in the beautiful lines of   
,montgomery we ask3    ,oh1 where shall 
rest be found8     ,rest for the weary  
soul3   ',twere vain the ocean's depth  

to sound2     ,or pierce to either pole4
   ,this world can never give     ,the  
rest for which we sigh4  ,where may be  
found that favored spot in whose        
delightful shade the soul may fold her  
wings and be at rest8 ,i imagine that   
some of you are now saying to           
yourselves1 ,this rest is in heaven4 ,in
 this you are right1 in one sense4      
,heaven is a place of rest to those who 
are prepared for it4 ,but let me say to 
you in all candor and love that heaven  
is rest only to those who first find    
rest here in our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4  
,he is now calling to every sin-burdened
 sinner3 ,come unto me1 all ye that     
labor and are heavy laden1 and ,i will  
give you rest4 ,the hardened unbeliever 
could no more be happy in heaven1 even  
if allowed to enter there1 than a fish  
could be happy out of water4 ,heaven is 
not the sinner's element4 ,besides1 an  
unconverted sinner can never get there4 
,those holy gates forever bar           
,pollution1 sin1 and shame2   ,for none 

can find admittance there1     ,but     
followers of the ,lamb4  ,rest must     
first be found in ,jesus by coming to   
him1 accepting his yoke1 and working in 
his service4 ,and to encourage all to do
 this he himself says3 ,my yoke is easy1
 and my burden is light4 ,if you want to
 find out how easy his yoke is1 and how 
light his burden1 take it upon you1 and 
see if it does not give your soul rest4 
,i sincerely believe that ,charles      
,wesley1 long ago1 gave expression to   
feelings similar to those of some in    
this house1 in the lines of a beautiful 
hymn1 a part of which ,i will repeat4   
,see if it does not find an echo in your
 soul3    ,o1 that my load of sin were  
gone6     ,o1 that ,i could at last     
submit1   ,at ,jesus' feet to lay it    
down6     ,to lay my soul at ,jesus'    
feet6    ,rest for my soul1 ,i long to  
find3     ,savior of all1 if mine thou  
art1   ,give me thy meek and lowly mind2
     ,and stamp thine image on my heart4
    ,break off the yoke of inbred sin3  

,and fully set my spirit free3   ,i     
cannot rest till pure within3     ,till 
,i am wholly lost in thee4  ,you will   
realize the truthfulness of every one of
 these lines by coming to ,jesus and    
fully consecrating your life to him4    
,but rest does not necessarily imply    
inactivity4 ,it means a heart and mind  
at peace4 ,it means a heart filled with 
love to ,god and his people4 ,it means a
 life of good works1 wrought in         
righteousness1 peace and joy in the     
,holy ,ghost4 ,this is the rest that    
remaineth unto the people of ,god4 ,it  
begins here2 it goes on eternally in the
 heavens4   ,,the ,,yellow ,,springs 7at
 present ,orkney ,springs74  ,this      
health and pleasure resort is near the  
head of ,stony ,creek1 in ,shenandoah   
,county1 ,virginia4 ,it is now          
universally known by the name of ,orkney
 ,springs4 ,it is beautifully situated  
near the eastern base of the ,church    
mountain4 ,from the yellow color of the 
sediment1 left by its chalybeate waters1

 it first got the name of ,yellow       
,springs4  ,it was1 for many years1 a   
favorite health resort for the ,german  
population of ,rockingham and           
,shenandoah ,counties in ,virginia4     
,almost every ,sunday during the spring 
season1 there would be preaching there  
by the ever earnest ,german ,baptist    
,brethren4 ,attentive audiences would   
assemble under the shade trees1 and on  
rustic seats listen to the plain but    
earnest sermons of such men as ,john    
,kline1 ,peter ,nead1 ,samuel ,wampler  
and others4 ,all was quiet and order4   
,but the goddess of fashion soon found  
her way to this lovely spot1 and a long 
train of worshipers at her shrine1 robed
 in rustling silks and sparkling with   
jewels1 followed her leadings4 ,in a few
 years not only the character1 but the  
very name of the place was changed4 ,it 
is at this time a very popular pleasure 
resort for the rich and fashionable4    
,on ,,sunday1 ,august #ai1 ,brother     
,kline delivered a very interesting and 

instructive discourse at the above-named
 place4 ,it is with profound emotions of
 gratitude that ,i report this sermon4  
,i was there myself and heard it4       
,whilst ,i do not retain in memory much 
of the substance of it1 being at the    
time very young1 ,i do well remember the
 feelings of veneration and regard for  
the preacher with which his earnest     
manner and kind looks impressed me4     
,little did ,i then think that          
fifty-five years from that date ,i would
 be expanding that discourse1 and thus  
preparing it for the eyes of the world1 
from the leaflets of the ,diary that was
 then being faithfully kept by that good
 man4   ,sermon by ,elder ,john ,kline4 
,preached at ,orkney ,springs1 ,sunday1 
,august #ai4      ,,text4--,whosoever   
will1 let him take of the water of life 
freely4--,rev4 #bb3ag4  ,in view of our 
surroundings and the attractions that   
have drawn so many of us to this quiet  
and beautiful mountain retreat1 ,i feel 
that the subject selected for to-day    

suits the occasion4  ,when ,i look at a 
mountain spring and see the wavelets    
playing on their pebbly beds1 or chasing
 one another down their steep descent1  
,i am ever led to think how free from   
all the taints of sin these innocent    
drops of water are6 ,not one of them has
 ever transgressed the divine law of its
 being4 ,not one has ever failed in a   
single point to fulfill its mission4    
,are you thirsty8 ,they never refuse to 
quench your thirst4 ,does your field    
need rain8 ,they never refuse to wet the
 ground4 ,always ready1 they cheerfully 
serve the behests of ,god and man4  ,the
 diversity of the applications and uses 
of water1 the variety of its forms--its 
frozen state in that of ice1 its fluid  
state in that of a liquid1 its ariform  
state in that of clouds and other modes 
of atmospheric suspension--all these1   
together with its transparency and      
cleansing power make it a most          
appropriate emblem of ,,divine ,,truth4 
,as such1 water is much spoken of by the

 prophets in the ,old ,testament1 and by
 our ,lord in the ,new4 ,i will here    
quote some passages from each3  ,then   
with gladness shall ye draw waters out  
of the wells of salvation4 ,isaiah      
#ab3c4 ,what can be meant by the wells  
of salvation1 but the fountains of truth
 in ,god's ,word8  ,by way of describing
 the abundance of the supply of truths  
from this source ,i will here quote from
 the forty-first chapter of ,isaiah1 as 
follows3 ,i will open rivers in high    
places1 and fountains in the midst of   
the valleys3 ,i will make the wilderness
 a pool of water1 and the dry land      
springs of water3 444 that they may see1
 and know1 and consider1 and understand4
 ,one man is a hillside2 another is a   
valley4 ,one man is a desert2 you think 
he never can be made to produce         
anything4 ,but he shall be supplied1 and
 thus be made to blossom as the rose4   
,others are dry land of a general       
character2 but there is water enough to 
make all fruitful3 so that instead of   

the thorn1 the myrtle2 and instead of   
the thistle1 the fig2 and instead of the
 deadly upas1 the olive shall grow4  ,in
 ,jeremiah's description of the         
departure of the ,jews from the ,,truths
 of ,god's ,word we find the following  
complaint against them from the mouth of
 the ,lord himself1 recorded in ,jer4   
#b3ac1 ,my people have committed two    
evils2 they have forsaken me1 the       
fountain of living waters1 and hewed    
them out cisterns1 broken cisterns1 that
 can hold no water4 ,this can mean      
nothing1 spiritually1 but a departure   
from the ,,truth of ,god as revealed1   
and substituting in its place some false
 doctrine of man's own invention4       
,jesus said3 ,if any man thirst1 let him
 come to me1 and drink4 ,for1 said he3  
,my words are spirit1 and they are life4
 ,his words are the water of life4 ,this
 explains my text4  ,it might surprise  
some of you if ,i were to point to that 
spring yonder and say1 ,there flows the 
water of life4 ,but would ,i not tell   

the truth8 ,can man or beast live one   
moment without it8 ,let us think a      
little4 ,what is your blood8 ,it is     
water1 holding in solution the various  
elements with which your bones1 and     
sinews1 and muscles1 and nerves1 and    
other tissues of your body are to be    
supplied and nourished4 ,can man or     
beast live a moment without blood8 ,then
 they cannot live a moment without      
water4 ,can trees and plants live a     
moment without sap8 ,they cannot1       
because their sap is their blood4 ,but  
the water of that spring1 indispensable 
as it is to your bodily life1 ceases as 
to its uses in this respect when this   
end is met2 and if man had no life other
 than that of mere corporeal or animal  
existence1 no other water would ever be 
demanded by him4 ,in that case there    
would be no need of the invitation given
 in the text4  ,but every human being   
has a twofold nature4 ,he has a         
spiritual body as well as a natural     
body4 ,paul says3 ,if there is a natural

 body1 there is also a spiritual body4  
,man's natural or physical organization 
consists of flesh and blood4 ,paul calls
 this the outer man4 ,this is man's     
animal or sensuous nature4 ,man's       
spiritual body consists of will and     
understanding4 ,paul calls this the     
inner man2 because it is the interior1  
hidden man of the heart4 ,this is       
capable of becoming the higher1 nobler1 
better part of man1 because it is the   
house of his affections and thoughts1 of
 his loves and enjoyments4  ,there is a 
wonderful difference between the two    
natures2 and yet the one corresponds to 
the other so perfectly that in all of   
man's experiences1 in all that pertains 
to his life in this world1 the two      
natures make one man4 ,whilst this is   
so1 we must not forget that our natural 
bodies are mortal2 they will soon die4  
,but our spiritual bodies are immortal2 
they will never die4 ,this is quite as  
true of the evil as of the good4 ,the   
spiritual bodies or souls of men will   

live on1 after the death of their       
natural bodies1 through the countless   
ages of eternity1--the good1 in the     
enjoyments of ineffable bliss2 the evil1
 in the sufferings of deepest woe4  ,and
 is this true8 ,can it be that one or   
the other of these experiences is sure  
to be realized by every one present here
 to-day8 ,can it be so8 ,or am ,i here  
just beating the air to make you and me 
hear myself talk8 ,i solemnly protest   
that ,i am not here for that purpose4 ,i
 have a higher aim1 a nobler end4 ,but  
let me point you to my authority for    
what ,i say1 and show you the ,rock on  
which my faith is built4 ,all the       
authority which any man dare claim on   
this subject is found in ,god's revealed
 ,word4 ,i will here quote a few        
passages3  ,when the ,son of man shall  
come in his glory1 and all the holy     
angels with him1 then shall he sit on   
the throne of his glory3 and before him 
shall be gathered all the nations2 and  
he shall separate them one from another1

 as a shepherd divideth his sheep from  
the goats4444 ,then shall the ,king say 
unto them on his right hand1 ,come ye   
blessed of my ,father1 inherit the      
kingdom prepared for you4444 ,then shall
 he say also unto them on the left hand1
 ,depart from me1 ye cursed1 into       
everlasting fire4444 ,and these shall go
 away into everlasting punishment2 but  
the righteous into life eternal4  ,these
 words are the words of our ,lord ,jesus
 ,christ2 he here portrays1 in one grand
 view1 the good state of the righteous  
in the next world and the evil state of 
the unrighteous4 ,in the very inmost of 
my heart ,i believe what our ,lord here 
says1 and out of the abundance of my    
heart my mouth now speaks4 ,i also      
sincerely believe1 friends1 that every  
one here to-day can most surely         
determine for himself1 even while living
 in this world1 whether he will be happy
 in heaven forever1 or miserable in an  
everlasting hell4 ,you may justly ask1  
,how can this be determined8  ,i answer 

that a man's life in this world         
determines this for every individual1 as
 surely as the fruit of a tree makes the
 quality of the tree known4 ,notice     
these passages from ,paul's writings3   
,he that soweth to his flesh1 shall of  
the flesh reap corruption2 but he that  
soweth to the ,spirit1 shall of the     
,spirit reap life everlasting4 ,to be   
carnally minded is death2 but to be     
spiritually minded is life and peace4   
,god will reward every man according to 
his works4  ,every intelligent man can  
know with certainty what kind of seed he
 is sowing4 ,is he sowing the seeds of  
love and good will to his neighbor1 the 
seeds of peace1 and order1 and comfort1 
the seeds of faith1 and hope1 and love8 
,he surely can know what his will is1 at
 least2 and if there be first a willing 
mind1 it is accepted of a man according 
to what he hath2 and if he does his all 
it is the widow's mite in ,god's eye4   
,every intelligent man can know with    
certainty whether he loves ,god or loves

 him not4 ,his readiness to keep his    
commandments is the proof of this both  
ways4 ,i tell you1 friends1 there is no 
getting around this4 ,your obedience to 
our ,lord is the unquestionable and     
undeviating test of your love4 ,he that 
loveth me1 keepeth my words4 ,he that   
loveth me not1 keepeth not my sayings4  
,a good man1 out of the good treasure of
 his heart1 bringeth forth good things3 
but an evil man1 out of the evil        
treasure of his heart1 bringeth forth   
evil things4 ,is not this plain8  ,it   
may now be asked1 ,how is an evil man to
 become good8 ,no question of deeper    
interest can ever be asked4 ,no answer  
of deeper importance can ever be given4 
,the ,lord direct me in this4 ,relying  
on his ,word1 ,i answer1 that the very  
first step in the direction of this     
change is to respond to the invitation  
given in my text3 ,whosoever will1 let  
him take of the water of life freely4   
,jesus says to ,nicodemus3 ,except a man
 be born of water and of the ,spirit1 he

 cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4 
,to be born of water is to drink of the 
water of life--the ,,truth of ,god's    
,word--by hearing it1 by loving it1 by  
believing it1 by obeying it1 until it   
makes a new man out of him1--a new man  
in the image of ,christ our ,lord4  ,as 
a most impressive and appropriate emblem
 of this change water baptism has been  
ordained by the ,lord2 and every convert
 to ,jesus ,christ is commanded to      
submit1 cheerfully in love1 to this     
ordinance4 ,baptism1 say what you       
please1 is one of the first fruits of   
this change4 ,to the church it is the   
external act of the internal birth4 ,to 
be born of the ,spirit is to live the   
life and enjoy the blessedness of the   
kingdom of ,god1 which is a life of     
righteousness1 a life of peace1 a life  
of joy in the ,holy ,ghost4  ,all this  
is effected by taking the water of life 
freely1 by drinking in the ,,truth of   
,god's ,word because one loves it1      
because one desires in the heart to be  

saved1 because one desires in the heart 
to glorify ,god and enjoy him forever4  
,if any man thirst1 says ,jesus1 let him
 come unto me1 and drink4 ,the water of 
this mineral spring here can do no one  
any good except he drink it4 ,but not   
one of us can go to that spring yonder  
and take a drink of water from it       
without the power of ,god in us4 ,in him
 we live1 and move1 and have our being4 
,but he gives us the power so freely    
that in the use of it we are unconscious
 of any power within us but our own4 ,so
 with drinking of the water of life4    
,the power of every one to drink is all 
of the ,lord1 but is so freely given by 
him1 and so freely used by us1 that it  
is to all intents and purposes the very 
same as if it were all of ourselves3 and
 this makes us accountable4  ,jesus     
wants every man's will to drink the     
water of life4 ,a sick man may come here
 to regain his health4 ,but upon tasting
 it he may say1 ,i do not like this     
water2 ,i have no thirst for it2 let me 

have some of another kind4 ,but his     
physician says3 ,you must drink it or   
you will die4 ,he obeys his physician   
and drinks the water4 ,after awhile he  
begins to feel better1 and as his health
 improves the water tastes more natural 
to him2 and by and by1 as he regains his
 health1 he loves it and feels loath to 
leave the spring4 ,but no one ever need 
leave the fountain of divine love and   
truth3 for if a man drink of it freely  
to the healing of his soul1 it will be  
in him a well of water1 springing up    
into everlasting life and he will love  
it more and more4  ,in a large spring   
you will hardly ever see all the water  
come from one orifice or opening4 ,it   
boils up through the sand and pebbles in
 many places2 and one observer will     
think this the main stream1 and another 
that4 ,so with the water of eternal     
life4 ,it is not all found in one verse2
 nor in one chapter3 nor in one book    
even4 ,jesus said to the devil3 ,man    
liveth by every word that proceedeth out

 of the mouth of ,god4  ,ah1 friends1   
time would fail me1 were ,i to attempt  
to bring to your minds the many precious
 promises we have in ,jesus ,christ4    
,his ,word is full of them2 and ,i most 
affectionately exhort every one here    
to-day to go to that ,word and find the 
water of eternal life4    ,you may sit  
by the spring2   ,and in your soul you  
may sing3    ,i heard the voice of      
,jesus say3     ,behold1 ,i freely give 
,the ,living ,water2 thirsty one1       
,stoop down1 and drink1 and live4    ,i 
came to ,jesus1 and ,i drank     ,of    
that life-giving stream3   ,my thirst   
was quenched2 my soul revived2     ,and 
now ,i live in him4   ,,direct ,,from   
,,the ,,diary4  ,,thursday1 ,october #d1
 #ahch4 ,attended the funeral of one of 
,brother ,christian ,niswander's sons4  
,his age was thirteen years and one     
month4  ,,monday1 ,october #h4 ,attended
 the funeral of another one of          
,christian ,niswander's children to-day4
 ,age1 nine years1 nine months and      

twenty-one days4  ,,sunday1 ,october    
#ad4 ,i attended the funeral of         
,susanna1 daughter of ,brother          
,christian ,niswander1 to-day4 ,she was 
fifteen years and nearly seven months   
old4 ,this is the third child that this 
deeply bereaved family have been called 
to part with in the brief space of ten  
days4 ,gladly would we pour into their  
bleeding bosoms the oil of consolation4 
,we weep with them that weep4 ,our tears
 mingle with theirs4 ,we lead the way   
with them to the throne of grace4 ,our  
,father on high1 pity them1 and do for  
them exceeding abundantly above all we  
can ask or think4 ,help them to feel    
that their dear children are not dead2  
that their deathless spirits have soared
 above all sickness1 sorrow1 pain and   
death4 ,thus we pray1 and thus we try to
 comfort4 ,but our feeble1 tender1      
sympathizing natures sink under the load
 of grief2 and the eye of faith but     
feebly catches the rays of hope that    
beam from the pages of ,heavenly ,truth4

 ,verily1 here we see through a glass   
darkly4   ,sermon by ,elder ,daniel     
,garber4  ,preached at ,arnold's        
,meetinghouse1 ,sunday1 ,october #bh4   
,this sermon was delivered in the course
 of a visit brethren ,kline and ,garber 
were making among the churches and      
,brethren in ,hampshire ,county1 ,west  
,virginia4 ,they left home ,october #be1
 and returned ,october #ca1 by way of   
,moorefield and the ,south ,fork in     
,pendleton ,county1 ,west ,virginia4    
,,text4--,be ye therefore followers of  
,god1 as dear children2 and     walk in 
love4--,eph4 #e3a1 #b4  ,some one has   
said of this letter to the ,ephesians   
that it is the whole ,gospel in a       
nutshell4 ,this may be true2 but ,i must
 confess for myself that in some parts  
the shell is so very hard1 that in my   
efforts to crack it the broken          
fragments1 under the hammer of          
investigation1 fly out of sight1 with   
the kernel still sticking in them4 ,it  
may be that ,peter had some of these    

hard shells in mind when he said3 ,our  
beloved brother ,paul hath written many 
things hard to be understood2 which they
 that are unlearned and unstable wrest1 
as they also do the other scriptures1   
unto their own destruction4 ,the ,lord  
forbid that ,i should thus do with any  
of the ,scriptures4  ,i am delighted to 
say1 in full view of all this1 that     
there is not much danger of the honest  
seeker for truth being misled by        
anything ,brother ,paul has left on     
record4 ,if there is any danger at all  
of this kind1 ,i think it is to be found
 in giving what he says on election and 
predestination a wrong interpretation4  
,i have been frequently asked how ,i    
interpret his strikingly bold utterances
 on this subject1 and how ,i reconcile  
them with my belief in the absolute     
freedom of the human will4  ,in the     
first place1 ,i unhesitatingly profess  
my belief in the absolute freedom of    
man's will4 ,how else could man comply  
with the injunction given in the text3  

,walk in love8 ,if he has no will of his
 own1 why give him a command8 ,this     
freedom of man's will is a logical      
necessity4 ,reason demands it4 ,now1 let
 us look at this a little4 ,if man is   
not free to choose between good and     
evil2 between right and wrong2 between  
truth and falsity2 wherein lies the     
reasonableness of instructing him8 of   
exhorting him to do what is right1 and  
to shun what is wrong8 of commanding him
 to do good1 with promises of reward for
 his obedience1 and threatenings of     
judgment and fiery indignation as the   
sure penalties of his disobedience and  
sin8  ,some admit the freedom of man's  
will to do evil1 but not to do good4    
,but do you not see that if this be true
 man's will is only half free--free to  
act in one direction1 but not in        
another8 ,on this assumption1 where is  
the reasonableness of giving him        
admonitions1 invitations and entreaties 
to do good1 when he has not the power   
within him to comply8  ,you may answer  

by quoting the ,lord's words3 ,without  
me ye can do nothing4 ,i fully believe  
these words of our ,lord4 ,but if you   
apply them specifically to the will1    
they prove that men can do neither good 
nor evil without the ,lord4 ,this you   
may not admit2 but ,i believe it is just
 what our ,lord meant4 ,all life is from
 him as ,god4 ,all beings1 the evil as  
well as the good1 live and move in him4 
,i believe that our ,lord is1 every hour
 and every moment of every man's life1  
seeking to turn the heart1 the ,,will of
 the man from evil to good1 from        
darkness to light1 and from the power of
 ,satan to himself4 ,he causeth his sun 
to rise on the evil and the good2 and   
sendeth his rain on the just and on the 
unjust4  ,the light and heat of the sun1
 as well as the falling of the rain1 are
 beautiful emblems of the life-giving   
love of our heavenly ,father4 ,he freely
 imparts the power to every one who     
hears the words of gospel grace1 to love
 and obey him if he will2 to turn from  

his sins1 and walk in newness of life4  
,it is the goodness of ,god that leads  
men to repentance2 and repentance is    
neither more nor less1 and nothing else 
than a change of one's love or will from
 evil to good2 from the love of self and
 the world to ,god supremely4  ,thus    
briefly have ,i sought to prepare your  
minds for a few remarks ,i propose      
making on the doctrine of election4     
,election simply means a choosing4 ,it  
is an undeniable fact that our ,lord    
,jesus ,christ elects1 chooses1 accepts 
every one that truly repents or turns   
his heart from evil to good4 ,him that  
cometh unto me1 says he1 ,i will in no  
wise cast out4 ,he that believeth and is
 baptized1 ,,shall ,,be ,,saved4        
,,whosoever ,,will1 let him take of the 
water of life freely4 ,,truth is the    
broad platform on which the elect of    
,god forever stand2 and ,,love is the   
golden chain that first drew and forever
 binds them there4   ,,predestination4  
,there is not a living thing upon the   

face of the earth but is predestinated  
to a certain end4 ,the horse1 in his    
very creation1 is predestinated to be   
the horse in kind1 and to serve the end 
of his creation2 and his nature and     
characteristics as such admit of no     
change4 ,predestination is one of the   
essentials of ,god's eternal order4 ,if 
the horse1 or the ox1 or anything else  
which ,god has created1 could be changed
 from the nature and order of its       
creation1 confusion would be the        
inevitable result4  ,i do not wonder    
that ,paul wrote what he did upon       
predestination1 because it implies the  
immutable1 eternal order of ,god's love 
and wisdom4 ,heaven and earth may pass  
away1 but ,christ's love shall never    
pass away from the lowliest and poorest 
soul that loves and obeys him4 ,his love
 to ,christ is the seal of his          
predestination to eternal life4  ,he    
that believeth the ,son hath life2 but  
he that believeth not the ,son shall not
 see life2 but the wrath of ,god abideth

 on him4 ,this is the sum of election   
and predestination4 ,god's eternal love 
has given to man the way of man's       
salvation4 ,all who choose that way are 
on that very account elected and        
predestinated to eternal life in heaven4
 ,elected1 because this fits them for   
heaven3 predestinated1 because it is    
,god's eternal purpose to save all such4
 ,predestination applies equally to the 
impenitent2 because1 according to the   
same plan and the principles involved in
 it1 they must be forever lost4         
,nothing can be more reasonable than    
that ,god's elect1 the people of his    
choice1 should be holy and without blame
 before him in love2 that they should be
 followers of ,god as dear children1 and
 walk in love4 ,this is both the cause  
and the proof of their election to      
eternal life4  ,if you will take the    
pains to look into a dictionary for the 
word ,,walk1 you will find that it      
means3 ,to conduct one's self2 to order 
one's life4 ,every man feels in himself 

the power to order his own life         
according to what is just and right in  
the sight of ,god and men4 ,to regard   
man in any other light would be to place
 him on a level with the brute4 ,it     
would be taking away from him his moral 
feelings1 and depriving him of the just 
exercise of his will through the        
understanding4 ,whilst man feels in     
himself this power1 still he must not   
forget that all life is from ,god1 and  
that without ,god man is nothing4       
,herein is love2 not that we loved ,god1
 but that he loved us4 ,and every true  
child of his can say3 ,i love him       
because he first loved me4  ,sinner1 let
 me say to you that ,god loves you and  
wills your salvation4 ,but he cannot    
save you without your will to be saved  
by him4 ,you must reciprocate his love4 
,you must answer his call4 ,you must    
obey his voice4 ,his ,holy ,spirit is   
now saying to you3 ,be thou reconciled  
to ,god4 ,turn thou1 turn thou1 for why 
wilt thou die8 ,you need not pause and  

wonder whether or not you are one of his
 elect4 ,i can answer this myself4 ,i   
say to you that in your present state   
you most assuredly are not one of his   
elect4 ,but if you truly repent of your 
sins by giving your heart to him in love
 and obedient faith1 just as surely as  
his ,word is true1 you will become to be
 one of his elect2 for election is      
salvation4 ,but if you stay away1 who is
 to blame8 ,he that will not plough by  
reason of the cold1 shall beg in        
harvest4 ,if you fail to sow1 where will
 your ingathering be8 ,but note this3   
,he that soweth to his flesh1 shall of  
the flesh reap corruption2 but he that  
soweth to the ,spirit1 shall of the     
,spirit reap life everlasting4 ,to sow  
to the ,spirit is to do the will of ,god
 from love to ,god2 and to all who do   
this1 the promise is sure4  ,brethren   
and sisters1 ,i must exhort you to      
remember the text4 ,don't forget it as  
you go home after meeting closes4 ,when 
you get home look for it4 ,some of you1 

,i fear1 have already forgotten the     
place where it is found2 so ,i will tell
 you again4 ,it is the first1 and part  
of the second verse of the fifth chapter
 of ,paul's letter to the ,ephesians4   
,these are the words3 ,be ye therefore  
followers of ,god as dear children2 and 
walk in love4  ,you know that good      
children imitate good parents4 ,they    
follow their examples4 ,now ye are      
called to follow the leadings of ,god1  
to imitate the examples of love he has  
set before you4 ,let me present to you  
some of these3 ,if any of you have a    
quarrel against any1 even as ,christ    
forgave you1 so also do ye4 ,this is the
 best way to settle a quarrel ,i have   
ever found4  ,here is another3 ,all     
things whatsoever ye would that men     
should do unto you1 do ye even so unto  
them2 for this is the law and the       
prophets4 ,this means that all that ,god
 has ever spoken to man is to the end   
that each one love his neighbor as he   
loves himself4 ,no one can be a true    

neighbor who does not love ,god4 ,the   
neighbor1 then1 that is to be loved in  
this way must be a brother or sister in 
the ,lord2 and none but a brother or    
sister in the ,lord is capable of loving
 in this way1 and to this degree4 ,so   
you see that love to the neighbor1 such 
as the law of ,christ sets forth1       
implies supreme love to ,god4 ,this love
 makes heaven here1 and there1 and      
everywhere4  ,here is one more3 ,love   
not in word only1 but in deed and in    
truth4 ,he that hath this world's good1 
and seeth his brother have need1 and    
shutteth up his bowels of compassion    
from him1 how dwelleth the love of ,god 
in him8  ,brethren1 the devil does not  
like the odor of ,,charity and ,,faith  
in the church4 ,it is worse in his nose 
than the smoke of burning brimstone4 ,if
 you want to keep him out of the church1
 all you have to do is to keep brightly 
burning the fire of love on the altar of
 every heart2 and from these altars1 all
 together1 there will ascend the odor of

 an incense that will put the devil to  
flight and keep him away forever4       
,,friday1 ,december #g4 ,brother ,kline1
 in company with brethren ,brower and   
,rodecap1 started to   ,,the ,,pastures4
  ,the ,pastures comprise a considerable
 scope of rich grazing country in the   
western part of ,augusta ,county and the
 eastern part of ,highland ,county1     
,virginia4 ,this section is watered by  
two principal rivers of small size1     
respectively called the ,calf ,pasture  
and the ,cow ,pasture4 ,they are        
tributaries of the ,james river in      
,virginia4 ,here these brethren preached
 day and night for some time4  ,we      
rarely find anything amusing in the     
,diary4 ,brother ,kline's mind and heart
 were too deeply imbued with sincerity  
in religion and the life flowing out of 
it1 to give place to things of a light  
or trivial character4 ,but for once1 on 
this journey1 we find one entry that    
brings a smile to the face3 ,one        
evening1 when they were all seated      

around the fire at ,brother ,henry      
,snell's the conversation turned upon a 
company of ,indians that had1 shortly   
before1 passed along that way4 ,they    
asked permission to spend the night in  
one of ,brother ,snell's outbuildings1  
which was cheerfully granted4  ,these   
,indians1 ,brother ,snell went on to    
relate1 had killed a wild turkey on     
their way that day1 and in the evening  
asked the family for a suitable vessel  
in which to cook it4 ,this being        
furnished1 they went on to prepare the  
turkey for the pot4 ,this they did in   
true ,indian style4 ,two squaws went    
through the performance4 ,one took hold 
of one wing1 and the other took hold of 
the other wing2 and thus between the two
 most of the feathers were removed4     
,they then opened the bird1 removing    
such of the internal viscera as were    
thought not fit for food1 washed it in a
 vessel of water1 and then put it on to 
cook in the very same water they had    
washed it in4  ,brother ,kline could not

 help applying the last point in the    
above incident to some features in the  
lives of men4 ,he says3 ,that minister  
who gets up and in a beautiful and      
glowing discourse sets forth the        
,christian 'cleansed from all filthiness
 of the flesh and spirit2' and then     
comes down to mix with the world1 and   
follow its fashions and vanities1 is    
cooking his turkey in the same water he 
washed it in4 ,that professor of        
religion who1 to appearance1 makes a    
very humble confession of his sins1 with
 seeming repentance and deep contrition 
of heart1 only to go away and thrust    
himself again into the filthiness of his
 former life1 is cooking his turkey in  
the same water he washed it in4         
,,reflections ,,on ,,the ,,close ,,of   
,,the ,,year4 ,,from ,,the ,,entry ,,of 
,,december #ca4  ,this evening closes   
the work of another year4 ,the record of
 this year is now nearly complete4 ,have
 ,i any idea of that record8 ,i think ,i
 have4 ,of one thing ,i feel sure4 ,it  

has not been kept with paper1 pen and   
ink4 ,neither has it been written in the
 skies4 ,each one's yearly record is    
written by no hand but his own1 and upon
 no tablet but that of his own heart4   
,each one's ,,life1 therefore1 is his   
record4 ,this1 before ,god and the      
angels1 is a faithful transcript of his 
mind and heart within4 ,a good man1 out 
of the good treasure of his heart1      
bringeth forth good things2 likewise an 
evil man1 out of the evil treasure of   
his heart1 bringeth forth evil things4  
,the good things of the one and the evil
 things of the other constitute the life
 record of every man4 ,this makes       
character1 and character is the basis on
 which men make up their opinions of one
 another2 but the ,,heart1 out of which 
the character grows1 is the ,,book that 
will be opened before the throne1 out of
 which every one will be judged4 ,a good
 heart is each redeemed saint's ,,book  
,,of ,,life3 and an evil heart is each  
lost soul's book of condemnation4       

,hence we are told by our ,lord that    
every idle word that men shall speak1   
they shall give account thereof in the  
day of judgment2 and that whatsoever is 
spoken in the ear in the closet shall be
 proclaimed upon the housetop4 ,good    
words leave the lines of their light    
upon the heart's love-tablet2 but evil  
words leave their shadows in the        
chambers of the soul1 and deepen the    
darkness there4   ,sermon by ,elder     
,john ,kline4  ,preached on ,lost       
,river1 ,west ,virginia1 ,march #c4     
,,text4--,enter ye in by the narrow     
gate3 for wide is the gate1 and         
broad is the way1 that leadeth to       
destruction1 and many be they     that  
enter in thereby4 ,for narrow is the    
gate1 and straitened the     way1 that  
leadeth unto life1 and few be they that 
find it4--,matt4     #g3ac1 #ad4  ,it is
 declared that our ,lord spake to his   
disciples in parables2 and without a    
parable spake he not unto them4 ,a      
parable is a brief statement of such    

facts as men are well acquainted with2  
which facts are designed to correspond  
to or represent things they are not well
 acquainted with4 ,every parable1 then1 
carries with it two lines of thought4   
,the one line is natural1 and is based  
upon the natural things given in the    
parable4 ,the other line is spiritual1  
and follows the natural line1 as a      
shadow follows its substance4 ,my text  
is not properly a parable1 but it is in 
the parabolic form1 and must be treated 
as such4  ,we notice at once the two    
gates and the two ways4 ,we also notice 
that these two ways or roads lead in    
opposite directions and to opposite     
destinies4 ,these statements the        
simplest mind can lay hold of4 ,even    
young children know what gates are1 and 
what roads are4 ,they can also look in  
thought toward the ends of roads1 and   
comprehend1 in some measure at least1   
what is meant when they are told that   
one road ends in a great fire that will 
burn forever1 and that the other ends in

 a delightful garden where flowers of   
beauty and fragrance1 with fruits of    
exquisite taste and healthfulness1 hang 
upon trees and vines of unfading        
loveliness4  ,it is never necessary to  
speak to the simple-minded man or child 
about the freedom of the human will4    
,their lessons in this are learned from 
observation and experience4 ,by         
experience every one knows that he has  
the power to choose what he likes and to
 reject what he does not like4 ,even    
beasts1 and birds1 and reptiles do the  
same4 ,they choose and appropriate the  
foods they like4 ,they mate together    
according to the same free will1 which  
is their love4 ,birds select their      
roosting places1 and construct their    
nests where and how they will4 ,foxes   
have holes2 but this is so because ,god 
first made the caverns in the rocks1 and
 the foxes afterward chose them for     
their habitations4 ,every unit in the   
whole animate world1 not only chooses   
the place of its abode1 but also the    

modes and means of its subsistence4     
,even plants in a state of nature       
conform to this general law4 ,shall man1
 born to glorify ,god and enjoy him     
forever1 be cut short in the free       
exercise of his will8 ,i cannot believe 
it4 ,but ,i do believe that the         
brightest saint in heaven is where he is
 because it was first his will to go    
there2 and being there1 it is forever   
his will to stay4  ,i am not ignorant of
 the arguments advanced by the other    
side4 ,many good1 but1 ,i believe       
misguided men1 hold the opinion that man
 is so depraved as to his will1 so lost 
to all sense and understanding of what  
is good1 that he is wholly incapable of 
choosing the right and shunning the     
wrong4 ,but ,i believe the ,lord knows  
just what man can do and what man cannot
 do4 ,and it is a thing self-evident to 
my mind that ,goodness and ,wisdom has  
never yet commanded man to do anything  
that is out of man's power to do4  ,let 
us grant that man is dead in trespasses 

and sins1 as ,paul represents him4 ,but 
does not ,jesus say3 ,my words are      
spirit and they are life8 ,the ,lord's  
words have ,,life in them2 and if man   
will but hear them with his natural ear1
 as you now hear me speak1 and then be  
not a forgetful hearer1 but be a doer of
 the ,word2 this man shall be blessed in
 his deed2 and soon be filled with the  
new life of ,god4  ,the text opens in   
these words3 ,enter ye in at the narrow 
gate4 ,this is impossible for any one to
 do without his knowing what the narrow 
gate is1 and where it is4 ,whilst we    
have no direct and positive information 
upon this point in connection with the  
text1 we still may learn something by   
noticing into what it opens4 ,the narrow
 gate opens into the narrow way1 and    
this leads to ,,life4 ,the narrow gate  
and the narrow way are one4 ,i mean by  
this that entering the narrow gate means
 making a start in the direction of a   
good life1 and walking in the narrow way
 is progress in a good life4 ,but where 

is the gate1 and where is the way8 ,i   
answer3    ,the ,gate is before you1 and
 so is the ,way2   ,the ,gate is wide   
open1 and no toll to pay4  and this gate
 is our ,lord ,jesus ,christ as set     
forth in his ,word4    ,where'er we seek
 ,him1 ,he is found2   ,and every place 
is holy ground6  ,but1 my dear hearers1 
do not for a moment imagine that it is a
 small thing to make the change here    
implied4 ,first1 it means a change of   
the heart or will4 ,of course no one    
ever leaves a road that leads in one    
direction1 to turn right around and     
enter upon another that leads in the    
very opposite direction1 without a great
 change of mind4 ,second1 it implies    
that there has been new light imparted1 
new truth received into the mind4 ,this 
new truth teaches the understanding that
 it is neither wise nor safe to keep the
 broad road1 because it leads to        
destruction4 ,fear of destruction1 then1
 on the one hand1 and the love of life  
on the other are involved in this       

change4  ,i am just now reminded of what
 we are told in history that a great    
man1 many years ago1 left his home in   
,europe and came across the ,atlantic   
ocean in his own ship to hunt for the   
fountain of youth that was confidently  
believed to exist somewhere in the wilds
 of ,america4 ,this fountain1 it was    
said1 possessed the virtue of imparting 
youth to the aged1 and life and health  
to the sick and dying4 ,to the dying it 
was1 ,drink and live2 to the aged it    
was1 ,bathe in its waters and return to 
the vigor and beauty of youth4 ,as this 
great man was far advanced in age he    
thought it would be ,,wise to make an   
effort to find this fountain1 which     
never has existed but in the            
imaginations of silly men2 and never    
will exist in any other way in this     
world4 ,of course he failed to find it2 
and1 worst of all1 he died in the vain  
effort4  ,but not so with any that have 
ever entered into the narrow way through
 the narrow gate4 ,it surely leads to   

life1 as thousands now living in this   
world can testify4 ,it does appear to me
 that this change is quite as rational1 
quite as harmonious with man's common   
sense1 as anything that he does in the  
daily course of his life's experiences  
and operations4 ,the intelligent1       
rational man acts from reason in all the
 affairs of life4 ,what he loves he     
calls good1 and what he fears or hates  
he calls evil4 ,this he shuns and that  
he covets1 and puts forth every effort  
of mind and body to gain it4  ,in this  
fact we find the truth of our ,lord's   
words verified3 ,the children of this   
world are wiser in their generation than
 the children of light4 ,the word       
,,generation in this place means state  
or condition from which proceeds a given
 manner of life1 and daily attention to 
business4 ,the men of the world are     
active as to their works1 and watchful  
as to their interests4 ,this            
watchfulness and activity is what our   
,lord calls their wisdom1 and in its    

degree it exceeds that of the children  
of light4 ,our minds and wills act as   
freely in choosing the things of        
religion1 and doing the duties connected
 therewith1 as they do in the things    
that belong to this life only4  ,but we 
must not forget that every one who      
enters in by the narrow gate is but a   
child in experience when he first       
enters4 ,he is but a lamb4 ,but the     
,good ,shepherd and ,father go with him1
 leading him and feeding him4 ,like     
,enoch1 he walks with ,god4  ,the text  
does not say that the narrow way is     
life2 but that it leads unto life4 ,to  
my mind it is clear that whenever the   
sinner forsakes his way1 and the        
unrighteous man his thoughts1 he then   
and there enters in by the narrow gate4 
,this is repentance4 ,he returns to the 
,lord by the narrow way3 and the ,lord  
is life4  ,it may well be asked why the 
gate and the way are narrow4 ,the narrow
 gate is the ,,truth of ,god's ,word as 
it is first found and loved3 and the    

narrow way is the same ,,truth as it is 
followed and obeyed4 ,truth is always a 
straight or narrow track1 because any   
departure therefrom1 either to the right
 or left1 is error and falsity4  ,jesus 
says3 ,i am the door3 by me if any man  
enter in1 he shall be saved4 ,this door 
is just as narrow as the gate4 ,he also 
says3 ,i am the way4 ,as such1 he is so 
narrow that1 as the prophet represents1 
it is as if a fire of destruction were  
on the one hand and a flood of wrath on 
the other4 ,ah1 ,brethren1 the truth can
 never be made to bend4 ,it is as the   
builder's line to the foundation2 and as
 the plumb line to the column4  ,to such
 as walk in the narrow way our ,lord    
says3 ,i give unto them eternal life2   
and they shall never perish4 ,is not    
this encouraging8 ,it is to be in the   
,lord1 and the ,lord in us4 ,it is to be
 a live and fruitful branch of the true 
,vine4 ,it is to be a son of ,god1 an   
heir of ,god1 and a joint heir with     
,christ4 ,it is1 when the coil of       

mortality is laid aside1 to shine as the
 sun in the kingdom of our ,father in   
heaven4  ,it would afford me much joy to
 find some here to-day ready to enter in
 by the narrow gate4 ,do ,i hear some   
one say3 ,i feel that ,i ought to leave 
the broad road that ends in destruction1
 but ,i cannot8 ,it is true1 you can of 
yourself do nothing4 ,if left to        
yourself you would never draw another   
breath2 you would never again move your 
hand or foot4 ,but for the              
life-supporting power of the good ,lord 
you would instantly be a dead man or    
woman in every sense4 ,do not forget    
that in ,god you live1 and move1 and    
have your being4 ,this is as certainly  
and as literally true of every man's    
natural life as of his spiritual life4  
,god is constantly present with you2 for
 without him you can do nothing4  ,now1 
since he is ever present with you1      
sustaining a life which you acknowledge 
is not being spent in his service and to
 his glory1 will he not much more give  

you at the same time power and love and 
faith to do his will8 ,o1 try him4 ,try 
my ,lord in one sincere1 humble1 honest1
 fervent prayer4 ,say1 ,lord1 open my   
eyes4 ,take away my heart of stone1 and 
give me a heart of flesh4 ,create in me 
a clean heart2 and renew a right spirit 
within me4 ,my friend1 the moment you   
sincerely wish to do his will by loving 
and obeying him he will enable you to do
 so1 as surely as he now enables you to 
rise to your feet and walk home1 or go  
wherever you will and do what you       
choose4  ,it is not a small thing the   
,lord means when he says3 ,consider the 
lilies of the field1 444 they toil not1 
neither do they spin3 and yet ,i say    
unto you1 ,that ,solomon in all his     
glory was not arrayed like one of these4
 ,if ,god so clothe the grass of the    
field1 444 shall he not much more clothe
 you8  ,my friend1 let me here impress  
your mind with the sublime truth that it
 is quite as much in accordance with the
 ,lord's way1 and quite as harmonious   

with his love1 to clothe you with power 
to do his will as to clothe the grass of
 the field with beauty4 ,he gives life  
and beauty to every sparrow4 ,are you   
not more in his eye than many sparrows8 
,even the very hairs of your head are   
all numbered4 ,o friend1 think of it4   
,he even hears the young ravens when    
they cry4 ,and will he let your soul    
perish8 ,will he suffer your naked soul 
to sink into hell when you cry to him   
for help8 ,perish the thought6 ,for it  
is a faithful saying1 and worthy of all 
acceptation1 that ,christ ,jesus came   
into the world to save sinners2 not to  
condemn them4  ,,what ,,is ,,it ,,to    
,,be ,,saved8 ,let the ,lord answer3 ,he
 that heareth my word1 and believeth him
 that sent me1 hath everlasting life1   
and shall not come into condemnation2   
but is passed out of death unto life4   
,this is salvation4   ,,the ,,forest4   
,this is a section of country in the    
southwestern part of ,shenandoah        
,county1 ,virginia4 ,in early days it   

was very densely timbered1 and its few  
scattered inhabitants were said to live 
in the forest or woods4 ,in this way    
they were locally distinguished from    
those living in the eastern part of the 
county1 along the ,north ,fork of the   
,shenandoah river4 ,at present it is one
 of the wealthiest and most highly      
cultivated sections of the county4 ,the 
population is largely composed of       
,german ,baptist ,brethren4 ,many of    
these are now distinguished for piety   
and usefulness4 ,in this number we find 
the names of ,peter ,myers1 ,benjamin   
,wine1 ,daniel ,wine1 ,christian        
,haller1 ,samuel ,garber1 ,martain      
,garber and others1 with their          
descendants1 many of whom are church    
members4 ,brother ,daniel ,hays married 
in this section1 and formerly resided   
there2 but he now lives near ,broadway1 
in ,rockingham ,county1 ,virginia4      
,among the deceased from this section1  
posterity will long remember the name of
 ,jacob ,wine1 who was1 for many years1 

so noted for his liberality and activity
 in the ministry4 ,his uncle1 ,michael  
,wine1 was1 perhaps1 no less            
distinguished for his outspoken         
opposition against everything he did not
 like1 as well as for his earnest       
defense of what he believed to be good  
and true4 ,such men1 by force of        
character in the direction of right1    
secretly carve their names upon the rock
 of memory1 where they defy the surges  
of time4  ,here may be seen the old     
,flat ,rock meetinghouse1 a substantial 
brick structure1 so-called from the rock
 on which it stands4 ,this is limestone1
 and presents a comparatively smooth and
 level surface1 probably two hundred and
 fifty feet in length1 by two hundred   
feet in breadth4 ,the formation is      
wonderful1 and affords a striking emblem
 of the ,rock of ,truth on which are    
founded the doctrines and practices of  
the ,brethren4  ,may #aj1 #aa and #ab   
were spent by ,brother ,kline in        
visiting1 mostly with a view to         

religious conversations and             
instructions4 ,in these three days he   
visited ,martain ,good's1 ,abraham      
,glick's1 ,christian ,garber's1 ,david  
,wampler's1 ,peter ,nead's1 ,george     
,kline's and ,daniel ,glick's4          
,,thursday1 ,may #ac1 there was council 
meeting at ,christian ,garber's4 ,john  
,wine1 ,john ,harshberger and ,joseph   
,miller were elected for speakers4      
,martain ,miller and ,solomon ,garber   
were elected for deacons4  ,,sunday1    
,june #f4 ,meeting at the ,flat ,rock4  
,i baptized ,emanuel ,grabil and        
,christian ,funkhouser4 ,john #c was    
read4  ,,sunday1 ,june #ac4 ,meeting at 
our meetinghouse4 ,matthew #c was read4 
,i baptized ,james ,mauck and ,susanna  
,shull4  ,,sunday1 ,july #ah4 ,meeting  
at ,jesse ,whetzel's on ,lost ,river4   
,acts #c was read4 ,brother ,daniel     
,miller is with me4 ,in the afternoon we
 had meeting again1 and ,brother ,jacob 
,motz was baptized4   ,sermon by ,elder 
,john ,kline4  ,preached at ,william    

,fitzwater's1 ,august #h4               
,,text4--,we beseech you on behalf of   
,christ1 be ye reconciled to            
,god4--#b ,cor4 #e3bj4  ,every chapter  
and every verse of ,gospel ,truth       
discloses the love of ,god in one way or
 another4 ,our ,lord came into the      
world1 not to condemn the world1 but to 
save the world2 and all the words that  
make that salvation known to men are    
words of love4 ,i am sure we think too  
little upon   ,,the ,,love ,,of ,,god4  
,in my talks with sinners ,i very often 
discover in them a sort of impression   
that ,god is their enemy4 ,i would not1 
on any account1 intentionally           
misrepresent a single individual2 either
 as to the opinions he may hold or the  
secret sentiments he may entertain2 but 
,i am impressed with the belief that if 
the hearts of many1 if not all1         
unconverted persons could be laid open  
to view1 they would in their inmost     
recesses disclose the belief or         
impression that ,god is not their       

friend2 that he does not wish them well2
 that he is only bearing with them until
 it suits his time to cut them off and  
send them to hell4 ,this sentiment      
springs from a consciousness of sins    
indulged and duties neglected4 ,hence1  
when such fall into deep affliction1    
when danger threatens or destruction    
impends1 they call on ,god to have mercy
 upon them2 and beg him to turn away his
 wrath4  ,a wrong interpretation of many
 passages in the ,bible tends to foster 
this impression4 ,i will here quote a   
few passages of this kind1 and then     
interpret them according to what ,i     
believe to be the truth4 ,when the      
children of ,israel were about ready to 
cross the ,jordan over into the land of 
,canaan1 ,moses said to them3 ,remember1
 and forget not1 how thou provokedst the
 ,lord thy ,god ,,to ,,wrath in the     
wilderness4444 ,also in ,horeb ye       
provoked the ,lord ,,to ,,wrath1 so that
 the ,lord ,,was ,,angry with you1 to   
have destroyed you4 ,deut4 #i3g1 #h4    

,the ,old ,testament abounds with       
passages of similar import1 and many are
 found in the ,new ,testament4 ,but let 
us examine carefully the kind of wrath  
and anger to which the ,lord may be     
provoked4 ,it cannot be such wrath as   
men and devils feel4 ,in ,rev4 #ab3ab we
 read these words3 ,the devil is come   
down unto you1 having great ,,wrath1    
because he knoweth that he hath but a   
short time4  ,we can not1 we dare not1  
think for a moment that the word wrath1 
when spoken of ,god1 means the same as  
when spoken of the devil4 ,the devil's  
wrath implies a feeling in him to do all
 the evil and mischief he can4 ,but the 
wrath of ,god cannot mean anything like 
this2 because1 when his wrath burns the 
fiercest1 he is still ever ready to     
forgive all who repent and turn from    
evil4 ,nay1 he even entreats and        
beseeches men to be reconciled to him1  
that his anger may be turned away4 ,i   
might quote many passages in proof of   
this4 ,i have time to give but one from 

the ,old ,testament4 ,when the ,lord    
made an end of laying before the        
children of ,israel the blessings and   
the curses1 he wound up all by saying3  
,and there shall cleave naught of the   
cursed thing to thine hand3 that the    
,lord may turn from the fierceness of   
his anger1 and show thee mercy1 and have
 compassion upon thee1 and multiply     
thee1 as he hath sworn unto thy fathers2
 when thou shalt hearken to the voice of
 the ,lord thy ,god4  ,an appeal to the 
light of reason must convince any       
unprejudiced mind that our heavenly     
,father is angry and wrathful toward no 
one1 in the sense of willing evil to    
him1 or of seeking an opportunity to do 
him mischief4 ,men may1 and no doubt    
often do1 have this feeling2 but it is a
 wicked feeling4 ,perish the thought of 
such wrath ever having a place in the   
heart of our heavenly ,father4 ,the     
,apostle ,peter says3 ,the ,lord is     
long-suffering toward us1 ,,not         
,,willing that ,,any ,,should ,,perish1 

but that all should come to repentance4 
,but let us crown all this argument with
 the ,lord's sunrise upon the night of  
,nicodemus4 ,here it is3 ,god so loved  
the world1--the very worst1 and         
wickedest1 and most depraved and        
abandoned part of it2 he made no        
exceptions--that he gave his only       
begotten ,son1 that ,,whosoever         
believeth on him should not perish1 but 
have everlasting life4 ,for ,god sent   
not his ,son into the world to condemn  
the world2 but that the world through   
him might be saved4  ,do not imagine    
that ,god1 our ,creator1 took a spell of
 love and good will when he sent his    
,son into the world4 ,god does not take 
spells1 either of love or wrath4 ,he is 
the same yesterday1 to-day and          
forevermore4 ,the same ,god who brought 
destruction upon the disobedient1       
wayward1 unthankful tribes of ,israel1  
is the ,god who so loved the world4 ,he 
loved it then1 just as he loves it now4 
,he loves it now1 just as he did when he

 sent his ,son to die for its sins4 ,but
 let us inquire a little further into   
the nature of the   ,,divine ,,wrath4   
,when ,i am crossing deep water ,i      
always find it best to be calm1 go      
slowly and steadily1 and look well to   
the point where ,i expect to land4 ,the 
wrath of ,god is such only in           
appearance4 ,the real wrath is in man1  
and upon man4 ,let me explain this4 ,our
 blessed ,savior says3 ,be ye therefore 
perfect even as your ,father which is in
 heaven is perfect3 for he maketh his   
sun to rise on the evil and on the good1
 and sendeth rain on the just and on the
 unjust4  ,there lies a man who gave    
himself up to intemperance4 ,alcohol had
 permeated his body1 carrying its deadly
 poison into every nerve1 and fibre1 and
 tissue of his entire organism4 ,he     
exposed himself to the sun's rays on a  
very hot day1 and he fell dead from     
sunstroke4 ,the ,,wrath of the sun      
destroyed his life4 ,god made the sun to
 rise on the morning of that day2 and   

,god filled the sun with its heat2 but  
it was wrathful to the man who was not  
prepared for it1 and to no one else4    
,nature everywhere rejoiced in its light
 and heat2 the corn grew2 the hay was   
cured2 and devout hearts thanked the    
,lord for that lovely day4  ,right      
there1 on that sand1 is where a man once
 built his house4 ,he was told by many  
that it was not a safe place to build a 
dwelling house1 that it would certainly 
be in danger of being swept away by high
 water4 ,he would not hear1 but went on 
building2 and finally he moved in4 ,but 
great ,,wrath came upon him2 for in one 
night his house1 with all in it1        
including himself1 was washed away4     
,wise people all over the land rejoiced 
to see the rain4 ,it had been a dry     
time1 and everybody said3 ,what a fine  
rain6 ,it has replenished our wells and 
flushed up our springs4 ,the mills can  
now start up again4 ,when the ground    
dries off a little people can go to     
plowing again4 ,but this very same rain 

was destruction and ,,wrath to the      
foolish man who had built his house in  
the way of its flood4  ,you may now     
better understand what ,i mean by saying
 that the wrath of ,god is not wrath as 
we usually understand the word to mean2 
but wrath only in appearance4 ,the ,lord
 did not send the flood to destroy that 
man's house2 the flood was just as      
necessary as the rain1 and its end quite
 as benevolent4 ,the destruction of the 
man's house was purely the result of his
 own folly4  ,all just laws are founded 
upon love1 because their highest end and
 aim is to protect the good4 ,but the   
law1 which is holy1 just1 and good1 is  
full of ,,wrath to the evil doer when it
 overtakes and punishes him for his     
crimes4 ,but does the good law1 which   
essentially is nothing but love1 change8
 ,is it to-day in a good humor1 and     
to-morrow angry8 ,such is our heavenly  
,father4 ,to the wise and good he is    
love1 both in appearance and essence2   
but to the foolish and evil1 the very   

same unchangeable love assumes the      
appearance of anger and wrath4 ,you are 
now prepared for   ,,the ,,text4  ,now  
then we are ambassadors for ,christ1 as 
though ,god did beseech you by us3 we   
pray you in ,christ's stead1 be ye      
reconciled to ,god4 ,the life of ,jesus 
on earth was a life of love4 ,a part of 
the angelic chorus as it floated down   
from the skies1 announcing the birth of 
the ,son of ,god1 was3 ,,good ,,will    
,,toward ,,men4 ,good will toward men   
was everywhere manifested by our ,lord  
in the life he lived and in the death he
 died4 ,in his life he went about doing 
good2 and no part of that good gave him 
deeper joy than to see sinners repent of
 their sins4  ,the burden of ,john's    
ministry1 by which the way of the ,lord 
was prepared1 had for its keynote3      
,repent1 and bring forth fruits meet for
 corresponding to repentance4 ,when our 
,lord sent out the twelve to preach1 he 
charged them to say3 ,repent1 for the   
kingdom of heaven is at hand4 ,right    

here ,i wish to impress your minds      
deeply with this thought that repentance
 and reconciliation mean one and the    
same thing2 at least1 there can be no   
reconciliation without repentance4      
,reconciliation is repentance made      
perfect4  ,what keeps men in a state of 
enmity toward each other8 ,it is pride1 
self-will1 and self-love4  ,pride says3 
,i will not bow to him4 ,he has got to  
come to me4  ,self-,will says3 ,if he   
will not accede to my terms1 there will 
be no reconciliation4  ,self-,love says3
 ,what would others think of me1 were ,i
 to humble myself to him8  ,it is       
self-evident that just so long as this  
state of feeling exists with the        
parties1 the enmity will remain4 ,where 
deep enmity exists1 both parties may be 
in fault1 as is often the case2 but this
 is not necessarily so4 ,there are cases
 where the fault and enmity are all on  
one side1 and nothing but love and a    
desire for reconciliation on the other4 
,i just now call to mind a case of this 

kind4 ,an avowed infidel had been at    
considerable expense to have his        
daughter educated in the refinements of 
learning and art4 ,she excelled in      
these1 and became her father's pride4   
,but a day came when her heart was      
stirred within her4 ,accidentally       
meeting with these words of ,paul1 ,she 
that liveth in pleasure is dead while   
she liveth1 her mind was led to think   
and wonder what they could mean4 ,her   
father had taught her to look upon      
religion as a thing of mere             
superstition1 and to treat the ,bible as
 a book of fables and delusions4 ,but   
these words clung to her thoughts1 and  
with them some others which fell from   
the lips of the minister who preached   
where she sometimes went to church4     
,finally she opened her heart to a      
minister who took great care to instruct
 her in the way of salvation1 and gave  
her a ,bible4 ,this she read to the     
illumination of her mind and heart1 made
 an open profession of her faith1 was   

baptized1 and would have gone on her way
 rejoicing every day but for one thing4 
,that one thing was her father's        
displeasure4 ,his daughter's conduct in 
the things of religion had wounded his  
pride4 ,he became wrathful1 and for a   
time lost his self-control4 ,in this    
outburst of passion he ejected her from 
her home1 and threatened her minister   
with violence4 ,in this case you readily
 see that the fault and enmity are all  
on one side1 and if a reconciliation is 
ever effected it must be based upon the 
repentance of the guilty party4  ,i see 
you are interested to know how all this 
turned out4 ,i will tell you very       
briefly4 ,about two years after the     
above occurrence the lady's father met  
with a very serious accident1 in which  
his leg was broken and his body         
otherwise injured4 ,his recovery was    
slow4 ,when he could begin to sit up a  
little he thought what a comfort it     
would be to have his daughter's company1
 if she still were as she once had been4

  ,waiving all this1 he resolved to ask 
her to come back home4 ,she had been    
with her uncle all this while4 ,having  
returned home in compliance with her    
father's request1 she showed him all the
 kindness and attention in her power4   
,one day1 when the two were alone       
together in the room1 he asked her what 
had induced her to treat him as she had 
done4 ,her tearful eyes and gentle      
words1 as she told him of the love of   
,christ which had constrained her to do 
as she had done1 of the joy and         
consolation she felt in his service1 of 
her bright hope of bliss with angels and
 glorified saints in heaven so impressed
 him that he listened with rapt         
attention4 ,he had never been so talked 
to before4 ,from this time on1 up to his
 complete recovery1 conversations on the
 subject of religion were of daily      
occurrence2 and ,i am happy to say that 
they resulted in deep and godly         
repentance on his part1 which effected a
 reconciliation to his daughter and her 

minister forever4  ,my dear1 unconverted
 friends1 the enmity between you and    
your ,god1 like the enmity of this      
father towards his daughter1 is all on  
one side1 and that is your side4 ,no    
steps are needed to reconcile ,god to   
man4 ,no such steps ever have been      
needed1 because ,god holds no enmity in 
his heart towards men4 ,his words of    
invitation1 ,come unto me1 and ,i will  
give you rest1 mean love1 love to the   
guilty4 ,if any man thirst1 let him come
 unto me and drink1 means love4 ,his    
bleeding heart on the cross1 and his    
bleeding hands1 and his bleeding feet   
and his side1 all1 all mean love4 ,he   
ever loves you1 and asks you to be      
reconciled to him4 ,he is not visibly   
here now1 but he has committed to his   
faithful ministers this word of         
reconciliation2 and as a very humble one
 of their number ,i take up the refrain1
 and in the words of my text ,i say to  
you and to all3 ,now then1 ,i am an     
ambassador for ,christ1 as though ,god  

did beseech you by me3 ,i pray you in   
,christ's stead1 be ye reconciled to    
,god4   ,,elder ,,john ,,kline ,,and    
,,isaac ,,long ,,visit ,,pennsylvania4  
,,thursday1 ,august #ab1 the two        
brethren started on their journey4 ,they
 attended council meeting at the ,flat  
,rock4 ,here they took leave of the     
,brethren1 and started on a journey that
 was to occupy about five weeks4        
,brother ,kline1 as was his custom when 
his spirit stirred him to go on a       
journey of this kind1 had sent many     
appointments ahead2 and many were       
eagerly expecting and hopefully awaiting
 his arrival4  ,the imagination can find
 much pleasure in accompanying these two
 brethren on this protracted visit to   
the churches4 ,both on horseback1 they  
had every opportunity to view the       
country as they passed along2 and many  
must have been the remarks and          
observations suggested by things along  
the way4 ,brother ,kline's mind was     
peculiarly active1 and his temper and   

social disposition genial in an eminent 
degree4 ,it was never my privilege to be
 with him on one of these protracted    
excursions1 but from the short ones ,i  
occasionally took with him in later     
years1 ,i feel sure that each day1 all  
else favorable1 was a sort of heavenly  
delight4  ,seeing a fine looking tree in
 the forest1 whose leaves and branches  
and general appearance showed that it   
was solid to the core1 straight grained1
 and deeply and firmly rooted in the    
soil1 he would say3 ,that tree is a fair
 representation of a good church member4
 ,he stands upright4 ,you see he does   
not lean to one side or the other4 ,he  
holds his head high in the perpendicular
 line of justice and truth4 ,the        
squirrels that run up and down on his   
trunk and over his ,branches do not     
annoy him3 these are his little         
charities4 ,they feed on his fruit1 to  
be sure2 but a pleasant smile is all the
 account he takes of them4 ,you tap him 
with a mallet1 and his trunk gives out a

 dull but certain sound of solidity to  
the core4 ,there is no wind-shake about 
him4 ,his thrifty appearance proves     
this4 ,the storms1 in the church and out
 of the church1 have never disturbed the
 solid texture of his faith and         
,christian integrity4 ,he is not twisty4
 ,the fibers that compose his huge trunk
 are just like his principles2 they all 
run straight up and down4 ,you always   
know how to take him1 and what to depend
 on when you have him4  ,but there      
stands another tree of a very different 
character4 ,tap that tree1 and the      
drum-like sound tells you at once that  
it is hollow4 ,you can see1 too1 by the 
furrows in the bark not running up and  
down in perpendicular lines1 that it is 
twisty4 ,it can hardly be said to be    
wind-shaken1 for there is not enough    
solid timber in it to be affected in    
that way4 ,the few nuts or acorns which 
it bears are worthless2 for there is not
 sufficient vitality about it to mature 
its fruit4 ,it would have been to the   

ground long ago but for the support     
given it by that other tree on which it 
leans4 ,i leave you to form your own    
opinion of the church member represented
 by this tree4 ,i hope there are not    
many such1 for if there were ,i fear we 
would not be able to find enough solid  
material to build a house that would    
stand4  ,brother ,kline was gifted with 
that fortunate cast of mind which       
enabled him to draw from nature themes  
for thought and conversation1 which     
added much to his happiness when alone1 
and to his geniality in company2 and not
 only so1 but even in his preaching he  
drew largely from the magazines of      
,god's creation4 ,i have not a doubt    
that if all the items of interest that  
passed between himself and ,brother     
,long1 in the way of conversations on   
this journey1 could be collected and    
presented in proper form they would make
 a most instructive and entertaining    
volume4 ,i sometimes fear that the      
world's best thought escapes its hands4 

,it may1 however1 so turn out that after
 awhile stenography will set her        
delicate nets and catch these wild birds
 which now flit by us on such active    
wing that we catch but a glimpse of     
their forms and beauty4  ,,friday1      
,august #ac1 the two brethren got to    
,jonas ,goughnour's1 below ,woodstock1  
in ,shenandoah ,county1 ,virginia4 ,they
 had meeting in a schoolhouse near by4  
,brother ,isaac ,long1 at this early    
day1 gave clear indications of the      
ability and usefulness which have       
characterized his ministry to the       
present time4 ,trained to correct       
business habits from early youth1 he    
carried them over into his church work2 
and judging by his success1 to plan and 
to perform1 to design and to execute1   
with him mean one and the same thing4   
,between the fourteenth and twentieth of
 ,august the two brethren visited ,john 
,rowland's1 ,emanuel ,long's1 ,joseph   
,long's1 ,daniel ,reichert's1 ,daniel   
,long's1 ,david ,kinsey's and ,john     

,brandt's4  ,,friday1 ,august #bj4 ,the 
two brethren1 in company with ,david    
,kinsey and ,john ,brandt1 go to        
,brother ,nussbaum's4 ,they went through
 ,london1 ,path ,valley and             
,fennelsburg4 ,they must have had a long
 ride this day2 but who could think the 
road long with such company8 ,the next  
day they went towards ,huntingdon4      
,brother ,kline says they crossed a     
tolerably high mountain this day1 and   
dined at ,brother ,jacob ,berket's4  ,i 
wonder how they kept him from wandering 
off and hunting for medicinal roots and 
herbs while crossing that mountain4 ,you
 may be sure that no patch of ,lady's   
,slipper1 ,golden-,seal or ,golden-,rod 
escaped his eye4 ,the absence of a hoe  
is all that saved them from a deal of   
trouble with him4 ,they went on through 
,shirleysburg1 and got to ,brother      
,andrew ,spanogle's about sunset4       
,following ,brother ,kline on this and  
similar journeys1 by means of the       
,diary1 enthuses my soul with an        

undefinable longing to have been with   
him4 ,the excitement1 and danger1 and   
hurry and bustle constantly incident to 
travel at the present day were all      
unfelt and unfeared by this company4    
,brother ,kline's habit was ever to rise
 early2 and1 especially on excursions   
like the present1 would he often rise   
before the family and walk out to take  
the air1 as he said1 and see the sun    
rise4 ,this he did even when the days   
were at their longest4 ,to get up with  
him and take a walk before breakfast to 
some elevation not distant from his     
lodging place1 and hear him discourse   
upon the rising sun1 the balminess of   
the air1 the clearness of the water1 the
 songs of the birds1 the delicate tints 
and wonderful mechanism of the flowers  
of fields and woods1 was a treat of rare
 enjoyment4  ,,sunday1 ,august #ae4     
,they all attended a meeting and love   
feast4 ,john #ae was read4 ,five persons
 were baptized4 ,the four brethren      
stayed all night at ,brother            

,umbenhaver's4 ,on the twenty-third they
 dined at ,brother ,seacrist's2 then    
crossed the ,juniata to ,waynesboro and 
stayed all night at ,brother ,kensel's4 
,on the twenty-fourth they attended a   
love feast near ,brother ,samuel        
,myers's4 ,hebrews #b was read4 ,one    
person baptized4 ,on the twenty-fifth   
they went to ,brother ,dolyman's4 ,on   
the twenty-sixth they went through      
,lewistown2 then down the canal to      
,mifflinburg1 and on to ,michael        
,basehore's1 where they had meeting4    
,acts #aj was read4 ,from this place    
they went to ,david ,myers's1 where they
 had night meeting4 ,mark #aa was read4 
,from some unknown cause1 here is the   
first sermon outlined by ,brother ,kline
 in all this journey4 ,he may have been 
too busy1 at times1 to give the         
outlines2 and at other times may not    
have felt like doing it4 ,there is so   
much originality of thought in the      
outlines that ,i here reproduce his     
discourse as nearly as possible4        

,sermon by ,elder ,john ,kline4         
,preached at ,david ,myers's1 in        
,pennsylvania1 ,august #bf4             
,,text4--,by what authority doest thou  
these things8  ,it was an exceedingly   
bold act on the part of our ,lord to    
cleanse the temple at ,jerusalem in the 
way he did it4 ,in justification of his 
right to do this he appealed to what was
 written3 ,my house shall be called of  
all nations the house of prayer1 but ye 
have made it a den of thieves4 ,but     
reference to this authority involved    
other questions of grave import in the  
minds of the scribes and ,pharisees4    
,they wished to doubt his right to      
appeal to this ,scripture1 because they 
were unwilling to concede his claim to  
the divine sonship4 ,to raise as strong 
a breast of opposition against him as   
possible1 there come to him in the      
temple the chief priests1 and the       
scribes1 and the elders1 and say to him1
 ,by what authority doest thou these    
things8  ,most unexpectedly to them1    

they were confronted by another question
 quite as direct1 from whose point and  
power they quailed3 ,the baptism of     
,john1 was it from heaven1 or of men8   
,whilst many of the scribes and         
,pharisees and elders had never         
condescended to show ,john enough       
respect even to be present at any time  
when he was baptizing in the ,jordan1   
still they knew1 and felt most keenly1  
the power of his teachings and work upon
 the common people2 for all held ,john  
to be a prophet2 but the ,pharisees and 
lawyers rejected the counsel of ,god    
against themselves1 being not baptized  
of him1 ,john4  ,to all human           
appearance1 the influence of the baptism
 and teachings of ,john1 upon the common
 people1 saved our ,lord's life upon    
this and probably other occasions1 for  
the scribes and chief priests sought    
opportunity to destroy him2 but they    
feared the common people4 ,in this we   
discover traces of the good accomplished
 by ,john's mission1 which was to make  

ready a people prepared for the ,lord2  
and this people was the common people4  
,our ,lord1 however1 had a much higher  
thought and loftier end in the question 
he put to these men than that of merely 
saving his life by the facts involved in
 the question4  ,when a minister1 either
 diplomatic or religious1 on foreign    
soil1 is asked for his authority1 it is 
absolutely necessary for him to produce 
satisfactory credentials of his         
investment with the office and the honor
 he may claim4 ,our ,lord's credentials 
must be clear and satisfactory1 beyond  
those of any other minister1 because no 
others ever have been or can be         
subjected to such a rigid scrutiny and  
to such scathing tests as those were    
which he bore4 ,they must present a more
 imposing front than that of the power  
to work miracles4 ,others had wrought   
miracles before4 ,moses had made the    
bottom of the ,red ,sea dry ground2 and 
with a single stroke of his rod had     
cleft a mighty rock to the gushing forth

 of a flood of water from it4 ,elijah   
had raised the widow's dead son1 and had
 kept her cruse of oil and her barrel of
 meal replenished2 so that the famine   
came not nigh her door4 ,the walls of   
,jericho had fallen under the sound of  
,joshua's band of rams'-horn trumpeters2
 and1 in fact1 miracles had1 in one way 
or another1 been connected with almost  
all the events recorded in the ,jewish  
,scriptures4 ,on the evidence of these  
facts the scribes and ,pharisees said to
 him in scorn3 ,art thou greater than   
our fathers1 which are dead8 and ,moses1
 and the prophets1 which are dead8  ,you
 may now perceive how necessary it was  
for our ,lord to have some higher claim 
to authority1 in the eyes of these      
unbelieving ,jews1 than they were       
willing to see in his power to work     
miracles4 ,this higher testimony to his 
authority was given by his ,father1     
signed and sealed by the ,holy ,spirit1 
in the presence of witnesses1 as ,jesus 
came up out of the water when he was    

baptized4 ,it was on the bank of the    
,jordan that the heavens were opened    
unto him1 and he saw the ,spirit of ,god
 descending as a dove1 and coming upon  
him2 and lo1 a voice out of the heavens1
 saying1 ,this is my beloved ,son1 in   
whom ,i am well pleased4 ,to this fact  
all four of the evangelists bear        
testimony1 in nearly the same words4    
,peter1 in an address recorded in the   
first chapter of the ,acts1 indirectly  
affirms that many witnessed our ,lord's 
baptism and the attendant manifestations
 from heaven4 ,to his mind it was an    
essential part of the qualifications of 
a candidate for the apostleship1 that he
 had been a witness of our ,lord's      
baptism1 as well as of his resurrection4
 ,and why not8 ,the proofs of his       
,sonship1 of his ,messiahship1 of his   
union or oneness with the ,father1 of   
the ,father's love for him1 and of the  
acceptableness of the ,son's work and   
obedience1 were as clear and undeniable 
in the first as in the last4  ,after a  

brief consultation among themselves over
 the question propounded unto them by   
our ,lord1 these deceitful ,jews decided
 that the most expedient answer they    
could frame would be to confess that    
they could not tell4 ,no wonder1 now1   
that he told them that the publicans and
 harlots would enter the kingdom of     
heaven before they would4 ,we may here  
see a verification of the fact that     
,,love must precede ,,faith4 ,the truth 
may be forced upon one1 and he be       
compelled to acknowledge it2 yet1 unless
 he falls in love with that truth1 he   
will not believe it as a thing of       
,,faith1 and will not think and act     
correspondingly thereto4    ,convince a 
man against his will--   ,he's of the   
same opinion still4  ,we may here1 very 
properly1 inquire why the heavenly      
testimony was given at our ,lord's      
baptism4 ,why were the ,father's        
acknowledgment and approval of his      
beloved ,son not given in the temple of 
,jerusalem1 in the presence of his      

enemies1 that they might be convinced2  
or in one of its populous streets on a  
public day1 that the world1 in a        
representative sense1 might know of him8
 ,it is impossible for men or angels to 
know the mind of the ,lord where he has 
not revealed it4 ,he has withheld from  
us any direct information on this point2
 but we may draw some inferential       
conclusions1 which may serve to satisfy 
the mind and rest the heart4  ,it is a  
matter of fact that the ,father never   
put his ,son on exhibition2 neither did 
the ,son ever seek any place of honor or
 distinction before men4 ,he was meek   
and lowly in heart4 ,the ,word made     
flesh1 the ,way and the ,truth and the  
,life did not appear on earth to be     
gazed at as a thing of mere curiosity1  
nor examined and handled as an article  
of merchandise4  ,men have their        
opinions2 and especially at this day is 
there a decided tendency with many to   
make a show of their denominational     
strength and numerical importance2 but1 

really1 it appears to me that the ,son  
of ,god shunned observation1 and        
apparently shrank from the echo of his  
fame4 ,more than once did he kindly     
request those with him to say nothing   
about some sublime manifestation of     
divine power and love which he had just 
given4  ,whatever else baptism may      
signify1 to my mind it is plain that it 
is the visible door to the visible      
kingdom of heaven on earth4 ,christ the 
,lord is ,king of that kingdom2 and as  
such it behooved him to enter it by the 
same door through which he has commanded
 that all his future subjects shall     
enter2 and that door is water baptism4  
,he that entereth in by the door is the 
shepherd of the sheep4 ,to him the      
porter openeth2 and the sheep hear his  
voice4 ,the fold is the kingdom2 the    
shepherd is the ,lord2 and the porter is
 ,john the ,baptist4  ,how fitting that 
the divine recognition be given at the  
door of the kingdom in which the ,lord  
is to be crowned ,king of kings4 ,a few 

honest-hearted witnesses were all the   
,father wished1 before whom to make     
known this glorious disclosure of love  
for his ,son4  ,baptism is not the      
putting away of the filth of the flesh4 
,this is not its legitimate result4 ,its
 effect is the answer of a good         
conscience toward ,god4 ,when one       
submits to this ordinance in the right  
spirit1 and it is properly administered1
 it never fails of being followed by    
this happy experience4 ,it gives the    
heart peace and rest in ,christ4 ,the   
eunuch went on his way rejoicing4 ,the  
jailer rejoiced1 believing in ,god with 
all his house4 ,these rejoicings        
followed baptism in each case4 ,the     
,psalmist says3 ,the testimony of the   
,lord is sure1 enlightening the eyes3   
the statutes of the ,lord are pure1     
rejoicing the heart4 ,more are they to  
be desired than gold2 yea1 than much    
fine gold2 for in the keeping of them   
there is great reward4  ,baptism is both
 a testimony and a statute4 ,it is a    

testimony because it bears witness to   
the truth by the joy it imparts2 and it 
is a statute because it is a written    
command of ,god which it is the duty of 
every believer to obey2 and in the      
keeping of it there is great reward4    
,,friday1 ,august #bg4 ,they had meeting
 at ,henry ,hart's4 ,acts #c was read4  
,two brethren were advanced from the    
deaconship to the ministry of the ,word1
 and two were elected to the deaconship4
 ,the twenty-eighth they spent mostly   
with ,brother ,john ,royer4 ,the        
twenty-ninth they attended two meetings3
 one at ,brother ,joel ,royer's1 and the
 other near the same place4 ,at ,joel   
,royer's1 ,brother ,isaac ,long took the
 lead in speaking2 and from the outlines
 of his discourse1 given in the ,diary1 
,i am assured it is worthy of being     
expanded into a sermon1 and of holding a
 prominent place in this work4   ,sermon
 by ,elder ,isaac ,long1 of ,virginia4  
,preached at ,joel ,royer's1 in         
,pennsylvania1 ,august #bi4             

,,text4--,a sower went out to sow his   
seed4  ,there is one feature about my   
text for to-day that is likely to draw  
at least momentary attention4 ,that     
feature is its simplicity4 ,i am glad to
 hope that this may give rise to a query
 in the mind of each hearer in substance
 something like this3 ,what can he have 
to say on such a simple text as that8 ,i
 am going to listen and see what he will
 make of it4 ,i see your eyes have      
turned to me now2 but1 beloved brethren 
and sisters1 whilst the eyes of your    
bodies are turned to me from feelings of
 curiosity1 ,i beg that the eyes of your
 understandings and hearts may be turned
 to the ,lord1 for grace1 on my part to 
speak1 and on your part to hear4  ,the  
text1 in its simplicity of phraseology  
and external sense1 looks like a nut    
without a kernel4 ,it comes to the ear  
like the uncertain sound of a trumpet3  
,a sower went out to sow his seed4 ,no  
part of the farmer's work1 however1 is  
more common in its seasons than this2   

and ,i may add with emphasis1 that no   
part of the farmer's work in its seasons
 is more important than this4 ,the life 
of the world depends upon two great     
facts--seeding and harvesting2 and when 
the ,lord established his covenant with 
,noah after the flood1 two of the       
essential provisions of that covenant   
were couched in these words3 ,while the 
earth remaineth1 seedtime and harvest   
shall not cease4 ,i never read that     
covenant but with delight1 because ,i   
love farming1 and when at home farming  
is my business4 ,here is my covenant    
with the ,lord1 and my assurance that my
 seedings will be blessed4  ,there is   
one thing in the provisions of that     
covenant to which ,i wish to call       
special attention4 ,it is all found in  
one compound word1 and that word is     
,,seed-,,time4  ,it does not read       
seeding and harvest4 ,seeding means the 
act of sowing seed4 ,the ,lord in his   
covenant does not say that this shall   
not cease2 because the act of sowing    

seed or seeding depends upon man3 he    
only assures man that seedtime1 or the  
time for sowing seed1 shall not cease4  
,but notice the other part4 ,he does not
 say harvest-time2 but he says that     
harvest shall not cease1 because he     
makes the harvest4 ,he speaks positively
 here of results1 as being able and     
forever willing to fulfill what he      
covenants to do4 ,in this covenant1     
man's work is implied as well as ,god's 
work4 ,man's part of the work is to sow 
the seed when the time is given4 ,god's 
part is to bless the seed sown1 by      
giving the harvest4 ,in all of man's    
labor pertaining to providing for the   
support and comfort of his body1 we are 
coworkers with ,god4  ,our heavenly     
,father deals with us as children4 ,by  
natural things he instructs us in       
spiritual things4 ,paul says2 ,first    
that which is natural2 afterward that   
which is spiritual4 ,this is ,god's     
order4   ,,reason ,,and ,,faith4  ,some 
think that reason must yield to faith4  

,others think that faith must yield to  
reason4 ,the opinions on both sides are 
wrong1 because both imply a conflict    
between reason and faith1 when in       
,,truth no such conflict ever has       
existed1 nor can it exist4 ,reason is   
neither more nor less than the          
intelligent operations of the mind in   
seeking to know the truth2 and faith is 
but a willing acceptance and            
acknowledgment of that truth when it is 
known4 ,in one way of looking at it1    
faith and knowledge are one2 only faith 
is a loving acceptance1 by the ,,will1  
of what the ,,understanding is assured  
of being true4 ,what the understanding  
doubts can never be received by the will
 as a thing of faith4  ,,wisdom is the  
union of faith and knowledge in man1 and
 becomes more and more his guiding light
 in all intelligent action4 ,if man's   
wisdom be merely that of earth1 it is   
not genuine2 but if it be heavenly1 it  
is true wisdom1 and leads more and more 
to ,god1 and eternal life in him4       

,wisdom says that there must be a sort  
of reciprocal correspondence between the
 seed and the ground on which it is     
sown4 ,this fact involves several       
principles based upon experience4 ,the  
sower must know what kind of seed he is 
sowing4 ,it may be of wheat or some     
other grain4 ,he should know what       
preparation the ground requires to make 
the hoped-for harvest4 ,he should know  
what fertilizers and stimulants are     
likely to do most good4 ,he should also 
know the right time for sowing his seed4
  ,a mere knowledge of these principles1
 however1 is not sufficient4 ,there must
 be a practical application of them1 in 
the way of complying with the necessary 
conditions1 or the sowing will prove a  
failure4 ,the seed that fell by the     
wayside was picked up by the birds4     
,that which fell on the rock perished4  
,that which fell among the thorns was   
soon overcome by their superior rankness
 of growth1 and it made nothing4 ,only  
that which fell into good ground made a 

remunerative return4   ,,man',s ,,will  
,,is ,,the ,,field4  ,i may say to you  
now that man's will is the field which  
our ,lord meant in the parable here     
recorded2 and the seed is the ,word of  
,god4  ,notwithstanding the practical   
explanation given of this parable by our
 ,lord1 a degree of obscurity still     
broods over it in the minds of many     
,bible interpreters4 ,what made the bad 
ground bad2 and what made the good      
ground good1 and how the bad ground is  
to be made good and productive1 are     
questions that puzzle the minds of many4
 ,some may not agree with me2 but ,i do 
believe that the diversities in human   
nature1 set forth and described by our  
,lord in this parable1 all relate to the
 ,,will4 ,what makes the difference     
between a good man1 and a bad man8      
,brethren1 it is the ,,will4 ,a good man
 does good from a good will1 and a bad  
man does bad from a bad will4  ,let us  
take the wayside hearer4 ,there is no   
defect about his understanding4 ,his    

head is as clear in matters of business 
as any man's4 ,he understands what the  
preacher says when he is sowing the     
seeds of gospel truth as readily as any 
one in the congregation4 ,why then does 
the devil take away the ,word out of his
 heart8 ,i answer1 because the devil is 
very fond of doing that sort of work2   
and the man does not object4 ,in other  
words1 the wayside hearer has no ,,will 
to keep the ,word in his heart4 ,if he  
had a will to keep the ,word in his     
heart1 and live conformably to it1 the  
gates of hell could not prevail against 
it4 ,he would then be good ground       
according to the measure of his         
capacity1 and the life of love and      
obedience growing out of it4  ,take the 
rock-hearer next4 ,he has a very thin   
skin of soil over the surface of the    
rock that lies underneath4 ,from the way
 he goes to meeting and talks about     
religion1 you might readily conclude    
that all he needs to become a bright    
light in the church is a little         

encouragement4 ,he says3 ,that was a    
splendid sermon we heard to-day4 ,it did
 me good to hear that man talk4 ,i could
 listen to him for a week2 and he tells 
the truth2 for if the man stays a week1 
and works up something of an excitement1
 this rock-hearer will go every night   
and praise every sermon4 ,i am sorry to 
say1 however1 that the devil does not   
try very hard to get the ,word out of   
that man's heart1 because he knows that 
if he leaves it alone just a little     
while it will die out of itself4 ,the   
real trouble with this man is a want of 
,,will to reduce to practice the truth  
received into the understanding4 ,the   
rock1 underneath the skin of soil that  
hides it1 is a ,,will which is wholly   
averse to the life of self-denial and   
godly obedience set forth in the ,word  
which he hears4 ,he loves the world and 
himself more than ,god2 and the delight 
or joy with which he hears the ,word is 
all in the understanding4 ,the words of 
life and salvation fade from his memory1

 because there is no desire in his heart
 or ,,will to retain them1 as the things
 that belong to his everlasting peace4  
,next in order comes the thorny-ground  
hearer4 ,he may be a man of talent1     
perhaps a genius4 ,naturally thoughtful 
and ambitious1 he covets both wealth and
 honors4 ,he is not entirely forgetful  
of the claims of religion upon him4 ,he 
goes to church with his family2 behaves 
genteelly2 invites the ministers to his 
house1 and entertains them very         
hospitably4 ,he thinks religion a very  
good thing in society1 and one that     
ought to be encouraged4 ,you often hear 
people say of him3 ,what a pity he is   
not a member of the church3 how much    
good he could do6 ,in all matters of    
public interest he takes an active part4
 ,during an electoral canvass he is all 
astir1 and wonders how any one can be   
indifferent at such a time1 or even show
 a moderate degree of coolness4 ,he is a
 useful man in society1 and his loss    
would be keenly felt by the community4  

,the real trouble with this man is akin 
to that of all the rest4 ,it has its    
seat right in the ,,will4 ,he loves the 
world1 and the world loves him2 and to  
hold his place in society he must comply
 with its demands4 ,he must not be      
scrupulous about small matters4 ,he must
 take a drink with a friend4 ,if invited
 to take part in some pastime or popular
 amusement1 even if it be of doubtful   
moral character1 he dare not decline the
 invitation4 ,if memory should even blow
 the ashes from some live coals of      
truth1 and conscience remonstrate1 he   
must ignore all weakness of that kind4  
,such and such-like are the thorns that 
choke the ,word1 and it brings no fruit 
to perfection4  ,last1 but not least1   
comes the good-ground hearer4 ,i have   
reason to believe that most of you know 
him from your own experience2 therefore 
,i will not describe him here4 ,but     
before ,i conclude ,i desire to direct  
your attention to a few points more in  
the line of my thought4  ,who is to     

blame or to incur the responsibility for
 the failures of fruit in the three     
classes of hearers given in the parable8
 ,some say the devil is to blame1       
because he throws every obstacle and    
impediment that lies in his power in the
 way of the growth of the seed4 ,others 
say the ,lord is to blame for not having
 made the ground better by nature4      
,others again say--and these say what is
 true--that the hearers are to blame4   
,the ,word came with just as much power 
to these unfruitful classes as it did to
 the good-ground hearer4 ,but it was not
 mixed with faith in them that heard4   
,whose fault was it that they did not   
believe8 ,manifestly their own4  ,i     
fully believe that man's will is free4  
,and ,i do also believe in my very soul 
that it would be the pleasure of the    
,lord to save every human being born    
into existence4 ,as ,i live1 saith the  
,lord ,god1 ,i have no pleasure in the  
death of the wicked2 but that the wicked
 turn from his way and live4 ,make you a

 new heart and a new spirit3 for why    
will ye die1 ,o house of ,israel8       
,ezekiel #cc3aa and #ah3ca4  ,but man's 
will cannot be forced4 ,the ,lord cannot
 compel any one to love him1 any more   
than one of us can force a man to be our
 friend who inwardly hates us4 ,the     
,lord is every day seeking to turn the  
hearts of men to himself through the    
life-giving1 holy1 healing power of the 
,word of gospel grace4 ,he does this    
through the faithful ministers who      
preach it4 ,in this way he causes the   
sun of truth and love to rise and shine 
upon even the very worst of sinners1 and
 sends the rain of his grace to fall    
upon them4 ,without the sun and the rain
 the seed would forever lie dead in the 
ground2 but what is very wonderful in   
the gospel seed is the fact that it     
carries along with itself1 as it falls  
upon the ground1 all the light1 and     
heat1 and moisture it needs4 ,our       
blessed ,lord says3 ,my words are       
spirit1 and they are life4  ,in         

illustration of this let us notice the  
power of his words in several instances 
recorded in the ,new ,testament         
,scriptures4 ,let me refer to ,jairus's 
daughter4 ,she was dead4 ,every one     
could know this that saw her4 ,jesus    
said to this dead girl3 ,maiden1 arise4 
,her spirit came back into her4 ,the    
heart1 that before was pulseless and    
still1 began to beat2 and the breast1   
over which the pall of death had fallen1
 began to heave4 ,in obedience to his   
word she rose up and lived4 ,were not   
his words spirit and life to this girl8 
,the very same thing took place with the
 dead boy1 the only son of the widow of 
,nain4 ,things no less wonderful were of
 daily occurrence in the life of ,jesus4
 ,the cleansing of the lepers1 the      
healing of the sick1 the casting out of 
devils1 all1 all proved the spirit and  
life that are in his words4  ,his words1
 however1 have not only natural life and
 breath in them2 but they have spiritual
 life and breath2 and this means eternal

 life4 ,my brother1 my sister1 if the   
,word of ,christ is in your heart you   
have a holy1 heavenly beating there of  
love to ,god and love to all his dear   
people2 and you have a holy1 heavenly   
breathing after more knowledge of his   
words1 and for larger and clearer views 
of the revelations of his grace4 ,these 
are proofs of the inward1 heavenly life 
in the soul4   ,,do ,,not ,,forget ,,the
 ,,text4  ,every intelligent human being
 is a sower of some kind of seed4 ,every
 one is either sowing the ,word of ,god 
or the word and spirit of some one else2
 but let the seed be of whatever kind it
 may1 this thing is sure3 ,whatsoever a 
man soweth1 that shall he also reap4 ,he
 that soweth to his flesh1 shall of the 
flesh reap corruption2 but he that      
soweth to the ,spirit1 shall of the     
,spirit reap life everlasting4 ,sowing  
to the flesh is living after the flesh  
with its affections and lusts2 but      
sowing to the ,spirit is crucifying and 
mortifying the flesh1 and living the new

 life of faith1 and hope1 and love4     
,brethren and sisters1 there is a       
mighty1 mighty difference between the   
two4 ,what has the mere fleshly1 carnal 
mind to hope for in the world to come8  
,it can feel no delight1 no enjoyment in
 heavenly things1 such as love to ,god  
and love to man4 ,it knows nothing of   
that love which is the bond of          
perfectness4  ,you can always tell what 
a man's love is by the company he keeps4
 ,if his love is of worldly things only1
 you will see him in worldly company1   
and hear him talk only of worldly       
things4 ,notice the books and papers he 
reads4 ,they are of the same character4 
,he enjoys no other readings4 ,he       
delights in no other company and        
conversations4 ,this man is sowing to   
the flesh1 and he will be sure to reap  
corruption4 ,his treasure is all on the 
earth2 his harvest is here2 and he is   
sowing no seed for a harvest of glory   
and bliss in the world to come4  ,the   
good ground hearer is a very different  

man1 and he sows far different seed4    
,,his ,,seed ,,is ,,divine ,,truth1     
,,and ,,his ,,field ,,is ,,his ,,own    
,,spirit4 ,he digs up the thorns and the
 thistles by the roots2 destroys the    
serpents1 and drives out the wolves and 
the foxes4 ,in this way he mortifies the
 body of sin and crucifies the flesh    
with its affections and lusts4 ,in a    
well prepared soil he plants the fig and
 the olive1 the vine and the            
pomegranate4 ,in the place where the    
lion lay1 the calf shall lie down in    
peace2 and instead of the wolf and the  
fox1 the sheep and her lamb shall feed  
in safety4 ,where the serpent hissed and
 the basilisk was waiting to sting1 the 
myrtle and the rose shall bloom4 ,thus  
is the desert made to rejoice and the   
wilderness to bloom4 ,the man who thus  
subdues and cultivates his own spirit   
that is within him1 all by the help of  
,god1 is sure to be everlastingly       
blessed in his deed4 ,he will reap a    
rich harvest of righteousness1 peace and

 joy in the ,holy ,ghost1 here and      
eternally in the heavens4  ,,friday1    
,september #ag4 ,the two brethren       
reached home4 ,of this ,brother ,kline  
says3 ,brother ,isaac ,long and ,i have 
been together nearly all the time on    
this journey1 which has occupied just   
five weeks4 ,it makes me feel somewhat  
lonely to part hands with such an       
agreeable companion in labor2 so        
cheerful2 so full of the ,spirit2 so    
wise in counsel2 so clear in judgment4  
,i feel that we have been together in   
heavenly places in ,christ ,jesus4 ,ah1 
well6 not long till we shall no more    
take the parting hand6 ,the ,brethren   
everywhere showed us much love4 ,may the
 ,lord continue to bless them1 both     
temporally and spiritually4  ,between   
the twenty-ninth of ,august and the     
above date they attended quite a number 
of love feasts and other meetings4 ,the 
,diary reports many families visited in 
,huntingdon and ,bedford ,counties4     
,probably many of the older brethren and

 sisters1 then belonging to the families
 named1 may still remember this visit4  
,among the names reported are to be     
found the ,spanogles1 ,altebergers1     
,becks or ,bocks1 ,allebaughs1 ,browns1 
,bicheys1 ,sniders1 and others4  ,want  
of space absolutely forbids any further 
notice of the ,diary for this year4     
,,sunday1 ,january #bc4 ,peter ,nead is 
with us to-day at our meetinghouse4 ,he 
spoke at some length from ,acts #ac4 ,to
 those who could follow him his         
discourse was very instructive4 ,he     
traced ,paul in his journeys with       
,barnabas and ,john1 from the first     
place named in the chapter to the last4 
,,sunday1 ,april #c4 ,meeting at ,samuel
 ,wine's in the ,brush4 ,luke #ad was   
read4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #aj4 ,brother    
,kline1 in company with ,abraham ,stoner
 and ,david ,kline1 started to the      
,annual ,meeting4 ,on the evening of the
 twelfth they got to ,william ,deahl's1 
near the place of meeting4  ,,friday1   
,may #ac4 ,council meeting opened4 ,many

 ,brethren present4 ,he says3 ,the      
acquaintance1 brethren and sisters form 
with each other at these meetings1 is   
not the least good accomplished by them4
 ,we stay to-night at ,solon ,garber's4 
,,sunday1 ,may #ae4 ,public meeting     
to-day4 ,matthew #aa was read4 ,love    
feast to-night4 ,we stay all night at   
,william ,deahl's4  ,,monday1 ,may #af4 
,started homeward1 and got as far as to 
,brother ,b4 ,bear's4  ,,friday1 ,may   
#bj4 ,got home this evening4 ,often will
 my thoughts return to the churches     
attended and the homes visited4 ,i could
 not help cautioning the ,brethren in   
some of the congregations against the   
inroads of pride and fashion4 ,the      
younger members1 particularly1 need to  
be instructed in regard to these things1
 that they may avoid conformity to the  
world in dress and other things2 not    
because the church1 as such1 opposes    
them in it2 but because the ,word and   
,spirit of the ,lord opposes them in it4
 ,the love of ,christ1 that is1 our love

 for him and his people1 and the way of 
holiness1 lead to a life of self-denial 
for his sake4 ,the new nature in ,christ
 does not crave the vain and often      
hurtful fashions of the world4 ,it is   
best1 for both body and soul1 to dress  
plainly1 but comfortably2 and to live1  
in every respect1 according to the same 
rule4 ,the godliness that is profitable 
unto all things1 having promise of the  
life that now is and also of that which 
is to come1 is not conformed to this    
world4  ,,thursday1 ,june #b4 ,council  
meeting at the old ,garber meetinghouse4
 ,the subject of marrying was under     
consideration4 ,it was laid to continue 
as the church has heretofore held it4   
,the enemy of souls was ready to        
interfere with the holiness and         
innocence of our first parents in the   
garden of ,eden4 ,time has not changed  
his nature4 ,nothing but the flaming    
sword of ,god's ,word and ,spirit can   
keep him out of the church4 ,the flaming
 sword6 ,it gives light and heat to the 

children of ,god2 but threatens         
destruction to their enemies4 ,all      
should bear this sword2 not sheathed in 
a scabbard1 but forever held high in the
 right hand1 ready to be used whenever  
the enemy approaches4  ,,saturday1      
,august #ac4 ,daniel ,miller and ,i go  
to ,brother ,nasselrodt's in ,brock's   
,gap and take dinner with him4 ,in the  
afternoon we go on to ,lost ,river1 and 
stay all night at ,jacob ,motz's4       
,,sunday1 ,august #ad4 ,meeting at      
,brother ,motz's4 ,john #ae was read4   
,after meeting we went to the ,yellow   
,spring1 where we stayed all night4     
,,sunday1 ,august #ba4 ,meeting at      
,neff's schoolhouse4 ,matthew #be was   
read4 ,also meeting at ,samuel ,wine's  
in the ,brush4 ,matthew #be was read    
there4 ,also meeting at ,pleasant       
,valley4 ,brother ,koontz was baptized4 
,,wednesday1 ,august #bd4 ,went to      
,benjamin ,bowman's and back home4 ,we  
have had a wonderful rain to-day4       
,waters higher than they have been for  

twenty-eight years4  ,,sunday1          
,september #d4 ,meeting in our          
meetinghouse4 ,romans #f was read4 ,john
 ,miller and ,abraham ,deitrich's wife  
were baptized by ,benjamin ,bowman4     
,,thursday1 ,september #h4 ,anna        
,brother ,kline's wife and ,i go to     
,lost ,river to attend a love feast4 ,we
 stay all night at ,celestine           
,whitmore's4  ,,sunday1 ,september #aa4 
,meeting and love feast at ,mathias's4  
,hebrews #h is read4 ,we have a         
delightful day and night1 and many      
people are assembled4 ,i speak on the   
chapter read1 and also upon the general 
scope and design of the epistle to the  
,hebrews4 ,hebrews1 and ,jews1 and      
,israelites are all one2 each being only
 a different name for the same race of  
people4 ,the name ,hebrew and ,hebrews  
appears to have been derived from ,eber 
or ,heber1 the grandson of ,shem4 ,the  
name ,jew and ,jews is supposed to have 
been derived from ,judah1 one of the    
sons of ,jacob4 ,the name ,israelite and

 ,israelites was derived from ,jacob1   
whom the angel of the ,lord called      
,israel4  ,this epistle was written to  
the ,hebrews1 or ,jewish ,christians1 to
 remove from their minds some           
difficulties and obscurities in their   
way of rightly understanding the way of 
salvation provided by our ,lord ,jesus  
,christ4 ,on account of their former    
connection with the ceremonial law and  
the ,mosaic ritual1 it was hard for them
 to see and appreciate the simplicity   
that is in ,christ4 ,like ,naaman the   
,syrian1 they thought the ceremonial    
part should possess more parade and     
show1 to have in it the required virtue4
 ,he thought that bathing his body seven
 times in the river ,jordan was a       
ceremony too simple to remove his       
leprosy3 so these ,hebrew ,christians   
thought the simple ordinances of the    
house of ,god were too insignificant to 
take away their sins4 ,they had been    
instructed in the ordinances of a       
worldly sanctuary and a worldly         

priesthood4 ,as ,christ had abolished   
all these1 by giving to the church the  
spiritual substance of which these were 
the shadow1 it was necessary that they  
be very particularly and plainly taught 
how this was done4 ,the writer of this  
epistle has shown this in very clear    
light4  ,the chapter read speaks of the 
,true ,tabernacle1 which the ,lord      
pitched1 and not man4 ,it presents      
,jesus as the ,mediator of a better     
covenant1 which has been established    
upon better promises4 ,this is the      
covenant3 ,i will put my laws into their
 mind1 and on their heart also will ,i  
write them3 ,i will be to them a ,god2  
and they shall be to me a people4 ,for  
,i will be merciful to their            
unrighteousness1 and their sins and     
their iniquities will ,i remember no    
more4 ,these are cheering words3 ,their 
sins will ,i remember no more4 ,beloved 
brethren and sisters1 this is precisely 
the way ,god deals with every one of his
 truly penitent and obedient children4  

,he remembers their sins no more4 ,no   
matter how great sinners they have been1
 no matter how they have abused and     
dishonored him1 he holds nothing against
 them4 ,in this we may see the spirit we
 should all possess4 ,we are all        
commanded to be followers of ,god1 as   
dear children1 and walk in love4  ,i    
have sometimes heard a brother or a     
sister say3 ,i can forgive1 but ,i      
cannot forget4 ,brethren1 we would not  
feel very well if the ,lord were to say 
this to us and of us4 ,how would we be  
made to feel if our blessed ,lord were  
to say to each of us3 ,i am willing to  
forgive your trespasses against me2 ,i  
am willing to save you1 because ,i have 
promised to save all who repent and     
believe my ,gospel2 but ,i can never    
forget the way you have treated me1 and 
will never be willing to trust you as ,i
 could have trusted you2 and can never  
again have the same confidence in you   
that ,i would have had1 had you treated 
me in a different way8 ,such forgiveness

 as this on the part of our ,lord toward
 us would rob salvation of all its joy4 
,it would turn the sun into darkness and
 the moon into blood4 ,it would change  
the harmony of heaven into notes of     
discord in our ears4 ,but this would be 
the very sort of forgiveness that is    
implied in the saying3 ,i can forgive1  
but ,i cannot forget4  ,notice1 however1
 the care and the order apparent in the 
insertion of that loving clause1 and    
your sins will ,i remember no more4     
,notice the introduction3 ,i will be to 
you a ,god2 and ye shall be to me a     
people4 ,in what follows the ,divine    
,love is strongly marked3 ,for ,i will  
be merciful to your iniquities1 and your
 sins will ,i remember no more4 ,this   
last crowns it all4 ,the same thing is  
meant by the prophet in another place   
where the ,lord says3 ,as far as the    
east is from the west1 so far have ,i   
removed your sins from you2 and again3  
,he hath cast our sins into the bottom  
of the sea2 so deep down are they that  

they will never rise up against us any  
more4  ,such must our forgiveness of one
 another be1 brethren and sisters1 if we
 would imitate the ,lord4 ,we should    
never forget that genuine forgiveness   
implies a complete forgetfulness of all 
trespasses in the past4 ,our ,lord says3
 ,if ye forgive not men their           
trespasses1 neither will your ,father in
 heaven forgive your trespasses4 ,to    
forgive from the heart is to forgive in 
love2 and love thinketh no ill of one's 
brother or sister4  ,let each one       
examine himself4 ,if you feel in your   
heart that you love the ,lord your ,god 
with all your heart1 and your brother   
and your sister in the ,lord as you love
 yourself1 ,i feel authorized in behalf 
of ,christ and the church to say to you 
that ,jesus will remember your sins no  
more4 ,you have a right to sing the     
song3    ,savior1 more than life to me1 
,i am clinging close to thee2   ,let thy
 blood1 by faith applied1   ,keep me    
ever near thy side4   ,every day and    

every hour1   ,let me feel thy cleansing
 power1   ,till my soul is lost in love1
   ,in a brighter world above4          
,,tuesday1 ,september #bj4 ,love feast  
at our meetinghouse4 ,john #c was read4 
,david ,correll and ,abraham ,miller and
 his wife were baptized4  ,,wednesday1  
,september #ba4 ,benjamin ,bowman and ,i
 start very early to ,hampshire ,county1
 ,virginia4 ,we get dinner at           
,rorabaugh's1 and reach ,moorefield by  
night1 after a ride on horseback of     
forty-seven miles4  ,,thursday1         
,september #bb4 ,go to ,david           
,vanmeter's for breakfast2 reach ,abbey 
,arnold's for dinner1 and get to the    
love feast at ,david ,arnold's just     
after the first meeting4 ,we have       
delightful weather1 good order in the   
house1 and a pleasant meeting4          
,,friday1 ,september #bc4 ,meeting      
again4 ,revelation #c is read4 ,stay at 
,david ,arnold's all night4  ,,saturday1
 ,september #bd4 ,go to ,joseph         
,arnold's1 and in the afternoon to      

,joseph ,leatherman's1 where we have    
night meeting4 ,i speak on ,luke #bd3dh4
  ,,sunday1 ,september #be4 ,attend a   
love feast at ,solomon ,michael's4      
,revelation #c is read4  ,,monday1      
,september #bf4 ,homeward through       
,petersburg2 dine at ,isaac ,shobe's2   
then to night meeting at ,sister ,chlora
 ,judy's4 ,we speak on ,matthew #aa4    
,stay all night4  ,,tuesday1 ,september 
#bg4 ,cross the ,south ,fork mountain   
over to ,jacob ,warnstaff's1 where we   
have an afternoon meeting4 ,speak on    
,luke #bh4 ,we also have night meeting  
at the same place4 ,brother ,benjamin   
speaks on ,luke #af4 ,his talks are not 
lengthy1 but they are very pointed1 and 
prove that they come from a thoughtful  
and studious mind4  ,,wednesday1        
,september #bh4 ,we both get home4      
,,sunday1 ,october #b4 ,meeting at      
,henry ,huffman's in ,page ,county1     
,virginia4 ,mark #a is read4 ,isaac     
,spitler is baptized4  ,,saturday1      
,december #c4 ,samuel ,wampler and ,i go

 to ,lost ,river4 ,we stay all night at 
,silas ,randall's4  ,,sunday1 ,december 
#d4 ,meeting at ,brother ,celestine     
,whitmore's4 ,matthew #g is read4 ,silas
 ,randall and his wife are baptized4 ,we
 stay all night at ,celestine           
,whitmore's4  ,,sunday1 ,january #a1    
#ahdc4 ,i and ,frederic ,kline go to    
,george ,fulk's schoolhouse in the ,gap4
 ,we have meeting1 and ,i speak on ,john
 #ae4 ,we dine at ,george ,fulk's1 and  
in the evening return home4  ,,sunday1  
,february #ai4 ,meeting at our          
meetinghouse4 ,john #c is read4 ,in     
afternoon ,peter ,nead and ,i go up to  
,benjamin ,bowman's1 at the head of     
,linville's ,creek1 where we have night 
meeting4 ,brother ,nead speaks very     
beautifully on ,john #ae3ad1 ,ye are my 
friends if ye do whatsoever ,i command  
you4  ,,thursday1 ,march #cj4 ,visit    
,dr4 ,newham1 and take him through a    
course of medicine4 ,this last          
expression frequently appears in        
,brother ,kline's ,diary4 ,the phrase1  

course of medicine1 was first introduced
 by ,dr4 ,samuel ,thompson1 the founder 
and propagator of what afterwards       
assumed the name of ,the ,thompsonian   
,system of ,medical ,practice4 ,to the  
minds of many very worthy and sensible  
people in ,virginia and other ,states1  
,dr4 ,thompson's definitions of disease1
 and his corresponding views of their   
treatment1 appeared quite reasonable4   
,they met with great favor in some      
communities1 and by many were           
enthusiastically received4 ,among the   
latter ,brother ,john ,kline stood in   
the foremost rank4 ,he espoused the     
,theory and ,practice of ,dr4 ,samuel   
,thompson with unreserved confidence4   
,in his zeal to do good with it he      
furnished the medicines and administered
 them to hundreds of the afflicted2 and 
to many free of charge4  ,the phrase1   
course of medicine1 was meant to        
comprehend in its signification the     
whole routine of treatment demanded by  
nature to rid itself of disease4 ,this  

usually consisted of a ,lobelia emetic  
or vomit1 more or less thorough as the  
symptoms of the impending disease       
appeared to require4 ,preparatory to    
this vomit1 and in connection with it1  
warm and stimulating infusions or teas  
were administered to induce very active 
sweating1 or free perspiration1 as it   
was called4 ,as an aid to this1 steaming
 the patient was sometimes resorted to4 
,the course usually took up several     
hours4 ,after all was gone through with1
 the patient was allowed to rest1       
excepting1 however1 the administration  
of a few mild sedatives or soothing     
nervines1 to induce sleep4 ,the reader  
may conclude that the patient very      
likely needed rest after all this       
treatment4  ,prejudice against the      
system has grown old1 and nearly died   
out2 and1 at this point of distance in  
time1 it may be calmly said that the    
course of medicine very often seemed to 
do much good4 ,many were ready1 at any  
time1 to bear testimony in behalf of its

 efficacy in their own individual cases1
 and in those in their families2 and it 
is hard to conclude that mere confidence
 in the treatment1 and in the hands by  
which it was administered1 could effect 
so much good4  ,brother ,kline went into
 it with a sort of zest and zeal that   
looked a little as if he might have     
hitched it to his train of religious    
duties4 ,be this as it may1 one truth is
 sure1 a truth which ,wordsworth has    
beautifully woven into the poetic lines 
which follow3    ,the sick he soothed2  
the hungry fed2     ,bade pain and      
anguish flee3   ,he loved to raise the  
downcast head     ,of friendless        
poverty4  ,,sunday1 ,may #bh4 ,to-day we
 held our first regular meeting in our  
new house4 ,it has been decided to name 
it ,the ,brush ,meetinghouse4 ,this is a
 frame building1 constructed by         
,christian and ,john ,wine1 sons of     
,samuel ,wine4  ,the ,brush is a small  
section of country in ,rockingham       
,county1 ,virginia4 ,it lies between the

 ,north mountain on the west side and   
,linville's ,creek on the east2 and     
between the ,north ,fork of the         
,shenandoah river on the north and the  
head waters of ,muddy ,creek on the     
south4 ,it comprises1 probably1 sixteen 
square miles4  ,samuel ,wine1 one of the
 pioneers of the ,german ,baptist       
,brethren1 raised a very useful and     
respectable family in the very heart of 
the ,brush4 ,of his sons1 ,christian1   
and ,john1 and ,samuel1 and ,george were
 set to the ministry of the ,word in the
 church of their father's choice4       
,michael1 the only other son1 is a      
deacon4  ,jacob ,mitchell1 who spent his
 last years in the same ,brotherhood1   
raised a very respectable and           
intelligent family in the ,brush1 at the
 place now occupied by his son ,joseph  
,a4 ,mitchell1 and officially known as  
,cherry ,grove2 that name having been   
given to the post office kept at the    
place1 from the great abundance of sweet
 cherries which for many years have     

grown there and in the vicinity to great
 perfection4  ,anthony ,showalter1      
father of ,john ,a4 ,showalter1 and     
grandfather of ,anthony ,j4 ,showalter1 
both favorably known as composers and   
teachers of music1--raised a numerous   
family of noble boys and girls in the   
same section1 nearly1 if not quite all  
of them1 members of the ,brethren       
church4  ,all of the above-named        
brethren were personal friends of       
,brother ,kline1 who often visited them 
at their homes4  ,david ,haller1 whose  
name is often seen in the ,diary1 was   
another intimate friend of ,brother     
,kline4 ,he held membership in the      
church many years1 and assisted in      
building the ,brush meetinghouse4 ,from 
what has been said of the ,brush1 it    
appears to have been favorable to the   
reproduction of the race1 both          
numerically and substantially4 ,brother 
,david ,haller had born unto him from a 
first and second marriage twenty-two    
children1 nearly all of whom grew up to 

manhood or womanhood4 ,the question was 
once asked3 ,can any good thing come out
 of ,nazareth8 ,history forever answers1
 yes6 ,truth echoes the same answer to  
the same question1 applied to the       
,brush4  ,,sunday1 ,june #d4 ,meeting at
 the ,flat ,rock4 ,mary ,pope is        
baptized4  ,,sunday1 ,june #be4 ,meeting
 at the ,powder ,spring4 ,peter ,beacher
 is baptized4 ,we dine at ,abraham      
,funkhouser's and stay all night at     
,abraham ,swartz's4  ,,thursday1 ,june  
#bi4 ,attend a very sad funeral to-day4 
,brother ,john ,zigler's child was      
drowned1 and quite dead when discovered4
 ,it was one year1 seven months and     
twenty-eight days old4 ,the death of a  
child is always distressing2 but when   
death comes by accident1 it is much more
 so4 ,brother ,john ,zigler lives in    
,timberville1 ,rockingham ,county1      
,virginia4  ,,monday1 ,july #aj4 ,dine  
at ,sister ,judy ,deitrick's4 ,call on  
,dr4 ,biggs1 whose headquarters are at  
,john ,higgins's4 ,he is a straight up  

and down ,thompsonian doctor4 ,he seems 
to fear no opposition4 ,he says that    
such plain1 common-sense principles as  
underlie ,thompson's ,system of medical 
practice must stand the test of time1   
and eventually win the day4 ,he says    
that ,dr4 ,thompson was the first to    
formulate the ,axiom3 ,remove the cause1
 and the effect will cease4 ,disease is 
removed from the body by expelling the  
cause4 ,nature1 when the cause of       
disease is removed1 will of herself1    
restore health to the body4 ,reduce the 
strength of the patient1 and you reduce 
the patient's power to get well4 ,do    
bleeding1 blistering1 starving and      
drastic purges strengthen the vital     
forces1 or add power to the recuperative
 system8 ,no6 ,all these tend to reduce 
the restorative forces by weakening the 
alimentary1 respiratory1 circulatory and
 nervous systems of the body2 the only  
powers upon which the physician may     
rely1 and to which he dare look for the 
restoration of the sick to health4 ,such

 are the convictions which the doctor   
expressed to me in the brief interview  
,i had with him to-day4 ,stay all night 
at ,joseph ,miller's4  ,,saturday1 ,july
 #ae4 ,brother ,daniel ,miller and ,i go
 to ,brock's ,gap1 dine at ,george      
,moyers's1 and stay all night at        
,celestine ,whitmore's4  ,,sunday1 ,july
 #af4 ,i baptize ,magdalena ,moyers and 
,barbara ,tusing4 ,we stay all night at 
,charles ,snider's4  ,,friday1 ,august  
#aa4 ,attend harvest meeting at the     
,flat ,rock4 ,it behooves us1 at these  
meetings1 to be on our guard1 lest we   
fall into a feeling of                  
self-satisfaction4 ,i mean by this that 
it is possible for us to become so well 
satisfied with ourselves now that we    
have returned thanks to the ,lord for   
the rich gifts of his love1 in the      
bountiful harvest we have just gathered1
 that we have no need of being watchful 
as to the use we make of it4 ,brethren1 
if our thankfulness be from the heart1  
this very feeling will lead us into a   

desire to make a right use of what the  
,lord has given4 ,perhaps it would be   
better for us to take up more time at   
our harvest meeting in talking about the
 ways and means of using the gifts of   
,god1 and how best to apply them to the 
end that will do most good to one       
another and the poor1 and thus most     
honor and glorify him4 ,i made remarks  
similar to these1 and think that ,i will
 speak more on the same line of thought 
to-morrow4  ,,saturday1 ,august #ab4    
,harvest meeting at our meetinghouse4   
,after meeting1 go up to ,isaac         
,ritchey's in ,brock's ,gap1 and stay   
all night4  ,,sunday1 ,august #ac4      
,jacob ,stirewalt1 a ,lutheran minister1
 preaches and administers the sacrament 
at ,sowders's church to-day4 ,i happen  
to be present1 and am reminded of my    
boyhood experience in ,pennsylvania1    
when ,i used to be in the ,lutheran     
church on such occasions1 and when it   
often fell to my lot to pump wind for   
the organ4 ,in the afternoon we have    

meeting at ,jacob ,whetzel's4 ,i stay   
all night at ,james ,fitzwaters's4      
,,sunday1 ,august #bg4 ,meeting at      
,daniel ,garber's4 ,matthew #ac is read4
 ,brother ,daniel ,miller baptized three
 persons to-day4 ,this day also ,samuel 
and ,joseph ,good and their wives are   
baptized4  ,,friday1 ,september #ae4    
,creek and river very high4 ,a great    
freshet4 ,a very wonderful washout      
occurred in the side of the ,north      
mountain1 above ,turleytown1 back of    
,elijah ,baker's4 ,it is supposed to    
have been caused by a waterspout or     
cloud-burst1 as it is sometimes called4 
,a great flood of water seemed to fall  
on the side of the mountain on a small  
patch of ground1 uprooting trees1       
overturning rocks1 and carrying all in  
one huge mass into the hollow below1    
where they lodged4 ,the flood1 rolling  
on1 carried off ,moses ,pumphrey's      
milk-house1 and did some other damage4  
,,wednesday1 ,october #d4 ,meeting and  
love feast at ,beaver ,creek4 ,hebrews  

#ab is read4 ,the brethren and sisters  
were exhorted to follow after peace1 and
 the holiness without which no one shall
 see the ,lord2 to take heed lest any   
fall short of the grace of ,god by      
living unholy lives4 ,whilst it is the  
duty of the housekeepers to look after  
the purity and order of the church at   
all times1 still it does appear that a  
special eye should be had on the body at
 the times of our love feasts4 ,all     
things are naked and open to the eyes of
 him with whom we have to do4 ,there    
should be no spots in our feasts of     
love4 ,all should be unspotted love and 
purity in ,christ ,jesus4 ,otherwise our
 services may not be acceptable to him4 
,if there be anyone amongst us to-day   
who feels and knows in his own heart    
that he is a fornicator or profane      
person as ,esau was1 any one that is    
conscious of having in himself any      
feeling of bitterness towards the body  
or any member of it2 ,i hereby1         
according to authority from the ,lord1  

admonish such not to approach the table 
of the ,lord4 ,such sins should be      
publicly confessed before the church2   
and according to the words of the ,lord1
 the church has authority to loose the  
brother or sister from such sins1 when  
deeply and duly repented of4 ,whatsoever
 ye shall loose on earth1 shall be      
loosed in heaven4  ,but ,i here entreat 
all to think soberly4 ,let none stay    
away from the table of the ,lord on     
account of a feeling of unworthiness    
before ,god4 ,for the sacrifices of ,god
 are a broken spirit3 a broken and a    
contrite heart1 ,o ,god1 thou wilt not  
despise4 ,when we are meek and lowly in 
heart under a deep sense of unworthiness
 and shortcomings1 then it is that the  
spirit is bearing witness with our      
spirits4 ,though free from sin1 still   
our ,lord confessed that he himself was 
meek and lowly in heart4 ,humble        
yourselves1 therefore1 under the mighty 
hand of ,god1 that he may exalt you in  
due time4 ,he that humbleth himself     

shall be exalted4  ,after such          
exhortations and instructions the       
brethren and sisters joined in singing  
that heart-cheering old hymn3    ,arise1
 my soul1 arise2     ,shake off thy     
guilty fears3   ,the ,bleeding          
,sacrifice     ,in my behalf appears4   
,before the ,throne my surety stands2   
,my name is written on his hands4  ,we  
have had good weather all this day and  
night1 and a fine meeting4  ,,monday1   
,october #af4 ,between this date and the
 twenty-third ,brother ,kline1 in       
company with ,anna1 his wife1 visited   
the following named families3 ,daniel   
,glick's1 ,david ,wampler's1 ,widow     
,george ,kline's1 ,samuel ,miller's1    
,jonas ,wampler's1 ,daniel ,wampler's1  
,jacob ,hoover's above ,staunton1 ,joel 
,garber's1 ,jacob ,zigler's1 ,christian 
,kline's1 ,jacob ,wine's1 ,martain      
,good's1 ,joseph ,miller's1 ,daniel     
,garber's1 ,frederic ,kline's1 ,jacob   
,earley's and ,flory's4 ,he attended a  
number of meetings in connection with   

the foregoing visits1 and reports the   
,brethren and relatives generally well4 
,,wednesday1 ,october #be4 ,brother     
,kline started to ,hampshire ,county1   
,west ,virginia4 ,he went by way of the 
,south ,fork and ,moorefield in ,hardy  
,county1 ,west ,virginia2 and got to    
,brother ,nicolas ,leatherman's by      
,thursday night1 after two very hard    
days' ride on horseback4 ,on this       
journey he visited ,john ,leatherman's1 
,daniel ,arnold's1 ,joseph ,arnold's1   
,david ,good's1 ,solomon ,michael's and 
others4 ,he attended a love feast and   
one other meeting at ,arnold's          
meetinghouse1 and had night meeting at  
,solomon ,michael's4 ,here his subject  
was the baptism of ,john4 ,from ,solomon
 ,michael's he went to ,brother         
,stingley's in the west part of ,hardy  
,county1 ,west ,virginia1 where he met  
and filled an appointment for preaching4
 ,from this place he went to ,parks's2  
and on  ,,wednesday1 ,november #a1 he   
took dinner at ,saul ,hyre's1 above     

,petersburg1 and stayed all night at    
,isaac ,shobe's4  ,,thursday1 ,november 
#b4 ,he had meeting at the widow ,chlora
 ,judy's on ,mill ,creek1 where he spoke
 from ,john #a3bi4 ,behold the ,lamb of 
,god1 which taketh away the sin of the  
world4 ,the next day he had meeting at  
,rorabaugh's on the ,south ,fork2 and in
 the afternoon went across the          
,shenandoah mountain to ,brother        
,nesselrodt's4 ,he says3 ,i crossed two 
very high mountains to-day4 ,it is      
cloudy and cold1 threatening snow4      
,,saturday1 ,november #d4 ,snowing fast 
this morning4 ,go on to ,mathias's on   
,lost ,river1 where ,i meet a small     
gathering of people at night4 ,snows    
fast all day1 and meeting small2 but ,i 
nevertheless speak as best ,i can on the
 last two verses of the ninth chapter of
 ,john4 ,these are the words1 and what  
follows is an outline in substance of   
what ,i said3 ,and many came unto him2  
and they said1 ,john indeed did no sign3
 but all things whatsoever ,john spake  

of this man were true4 ,and many        
believed on him there4 ,our ,lord's work
 on earth in the flesh1 was now fast    
drawing to a close4 ,honest hearts were 
accepting him as the ,savior of the     
world4 ,his enemies1 on the other hand1 
were becoming more violent in their     
opposition to him1 on the ground that if
 they would let him go all men would    
believe on him4 ,one striking feature of
 our ,lord's spirit and doctrine was    
that of nonresistance of personal or    
bodily enemies4 ,my kingdom1 said he1 is
 not of this world2 else would my       
servants fight4 ,ignorant of the power  
of love1 these ,jewish enemies of our   
,lord could foresee nothing in the      
tendencies of his doctrines but the     
destruction of their city ,jerusalem1   
and the same also of their nationality  
as a people4  ,although ,john did no    
sign or miracle1 still he told the truth
 about ,jesus2 and inasmuch as he did   
this in the beginning of our ,lord's    
ministry1 and was beheaded soon after1  

it was in itself strong evidence in     
favor of our ,lord's ,messiahship4 ,the 
people could plainly see the agreement  
between the life and teachings of       
,christ and what ,john had said they    
would be4 ,the agreement was too exact  
and uniform to be accidental4 ,this led 
many to believe on him4 ,they alleged   
that all things whatsoever ,john spake  
of this man were true2 and they came    
unto him4 ,in this they showed their    
wisdom4 ,how they hung upon his words6  
,how their hearts did burn as he opened 
unto them the ,scriptures6 ,like ,mary1 
many sat at his feet and heard his      
words4  ,at the present day1 when any   
begin to inquire the way of salvation1  
instead of going to the ,word wherein   
the way is plainly revealed1 and the    
,lord may be found1 they go to their    
preacher1 or to others whom they regard 
as safe guides1 or to books that purport
 to lead inquirers into the right way2  
and very often they are wrongly taught  
and misled4 ,if there be one here       

to-night who is anxiously inquiring the 
way to ,jesus1 ,i say to him3 ,behold   
the ,lamb of ,god that taketh away the  
sin of the world6 ,whosoever shall      
confess me before men1 him will ,i      
confess before my ,father and the holy  
angels4 ,whosoever shall call on the    
name of the ,lord shall be saved3 for   
with the heart man believeth unto       
righteousness1 and with the mouth       
confession is made unto salvation4 ,a   
good many tongues are found in the mouth
 with which men make confession unto    
salvation4 ,but they all speak the same 
thing1 and the thing which they all     
speak is humble obedience to the ,word  
of the ,lord4 ,baptism is one tongue4   
,feet-washing is another tongue4 ,the   
,lord's ,supper is another tongue4 ,the 
,communion is another tongue4 ,a quiet1 
honest and peaceable life is another    
tongue1 and one that speaks very loud   
for ,christ4 ,temperance in eating and  
drinking1 and abstemiousness in the way 
of rejecting the use of all unnecessary 

or injurious things is another tongue of
 power on the ,lord's side4 ,come to    
,jesus4 ,confess him in these ways1 and 
thou shall live4  ,,sunday1 ,december   
#ca4 ,meeting on ,lost ,river4 ,matthew 
#b is read4 ,stay all night at          
,christian ,halterman's4  ,it is said   
that the centipede has a hundred feet4  
,it may have2 and it does seem that     
superstition1 or the belief in          
supernatural things of a trivial nature 
has quite as many2 and1 like the fabled 
animal of ancient times1 has also a     
hundred heads4  ,this evening ,i        
overheard a conversation among some     
young people where ,i stayed1 in which  
one said that every ,new ,year's night1 
that is1 the night in which the ,new    
,year comes in1 the cattle and sheep all
 get on their knees1 as if they might be
 in a devotional posture of body4 ,they 
talked as if they really believed that  
this might be so4 ,i do not know how    
this impression has come about2 but ,i  
have heard this before1 and guess that  

some mischievous or sportive person     
tried to make some one else believe that
 cattle and sheep kneel only on ,new    
,year's night1 when the truth is that   
they kneel whenever they lie down to    
rest4 ,i have often thought it a pity   
that people are so ready to believe in  
marvelous and supernatural things which 
can do them no good1 and so backward to 
believe the most marvelous truth the    
world has ever known2 the truth that    
,god has provided eternal life and      
salvation for all who are willing to    
accept it on the easy terms upon which  
it is offered4  ,in this year ,i have   
traveled1 mostly on horseback1 three    
thousand1 two hundred and sixty miles4  
,,monday1 ,january #a1 #ahdd4 ,i feel   
sure that the work of the year cannot be
 entered upon more suitably than by     
making arrangements for building a house
 of worship unto the ,lord4 ,the need of
 a house of this kind has long been felt
 among the ,brethren on ,lost ,river4   
,we have here1 as elsewhere1 not shunned

 to declare the whole counsel of ,god   
publicly1 as ,paul says he did among the
 ,ephesian brethren1 and that from house
 to house4 ,but it is best to have a    
stated place of worship1 and with this  
in view we have this day made           
arrangements to build a meetinghouse1 to
 be known as the ,lost ,river           
meetinghouse4 ,celestine ,whitmore1     
,jacob ,mathias and ,silas ,randall have
 been elected trustees2 and ,celestine  
,whitmore1 one of the number1 has been  
elected master builder4  ,,saturday1    
,february #bd4 ,raise the new           
meetinghouse on ,lost ,river4 ,stay all 
night at ,silas ,randall's4  ,,tuesday1 
,march #bf4 ,my dear old father dies    
this night1 at forty minutes past three 
o'clock in the morning4 ,he has lived to
 a great age1 has seen all of his       
children settled in life and doing well1
 has served his day and generation to   
good purpose by a faithful discharge of 
duty as a husband and father in his own 
family2 as a kind and ever-obliging     

neighbor in his community2 and far1 very
 far outweighing all these1 he has      
honored his ,god by embracing the faith 
set forth in the ,gospel of the ,son of 
,god1 the faith that works by love1 that
 purifies the heart1 and that overcomes 
the world4 ,all great endings are but   
great beginnings4 ,the end of our       
,savior's life on earth was but the     
beginning of his life of ineffable glory
 and exaltation in heaven4 ,as the ,head
 is1 so shall the members be4 ,in his   
own measure1 as it hath pleased the     
,lord to give my father grace1 so shall 
his reward in glory be4 ,death is the   
door through which we enter life4       
,farewell6 we meet no more     ,on this 
side heaven3   ,the parting scene is    
o'er1     ,the last sad look is given1  
,farewell6 ,o may we meet     ,in heaven
 above3   ,and there1 in union sweet1   
,sing of a ,savior's love4  ,,thursday1 
,march #bh4 ,daniel ,miller and         
,benjamin ,bowman preach father's       
funeral4 ,the earth that covers the body

 and hides it from sight does not bury  
our hopes4 ,the anchor of the soul is   
sure and steadfast4 ,it has its hold    
upon the things within the veil1 which  
are eternal and immovable4 ,i will not  
sorrow as those who have no hope4       
,father's age was eighty years1 eight   
months and twenty-two days4   ,sermon by
 ,elder ,john ,kline4  ,preached at ,old
 ,father ,kagey's1 ,sunday1 ,march #ca4 
,,text4--,for which cause we faint not2 
but though our outward man     perish1  
yet the inward man is renewed day by    
day4--#b ,cor4 #d3af4  ,our heavenly    
,father makes known to his children the 
things necessary for their instruction  
in the way of a holy life1 that they may
 do his will in all things and live     
well-pleasing to him at all times4 ,to  
this end many precious promises are held
 up to our spiritual vision1 and many   
encouragements set forth to animate us  
to love and duty4 ,hence ,paul says3    
,for this cause we faint not4 ,even     
though our outward man perish1 that is1 

show signs of decay and approaching     
death1 yet the inward man is renewed day
 by day4 ,this natural body in which we 
live and move1 in which we serve and    
suffer1 is what ,paul calls the outward 
man4 ,elsewhere it is called a natural  
body4 ,it is the offspring of the       
natural act of generation between the   
father and mother1 and is in its nature 
bone of their bone and flesh of their   
flesh4 ,this is why it is called a      
natural body4 ,in the text it is called 
the outward man1 because it is the      
external part of the man2 is visible2   
has weight2 may be handled and felt2 and
 is the medium of direct sensation4 ,it 
is also the seat of suffering and sin1  
and is subject to death and             
decomposition as its end4 ,of this body 
it is written3 ,dust thou art2 and unto 
dust shalt thou return4 ,paul says3 ,in 
me1 that is1 in my flesh1 there dwelleth
 no good thing4 ,he is very particular  
to tell us in which part of him it is   
where no good thing dwelleth4 ,he says3 

,in my flesh4  ,but there is an inward  
man about which none of these things can
 be said4 ,this is elsewhere called a   
spiritual body4 ,it is so called because
 it is born not of blood1 nor of the    
will of the flesh1 nor of the will of   
man1 but of ,god4 ,it is also called a  
new creature in ,christ ,jesus4         
,generation1 in a natural sense1 implies
 the begetting and bringing forth of the
 natural body the outward man1 the old  
man2 but regeneration implies the       
begetting and bringing forth of the     
spiritual body1 the inward man1 the new 
man1 which after ,god is created in     
righteousness and true holiness4 ,peter 
says3 ,born again1 not of corruptible   
seed1 but of incorruptible1 by the word 
of ,god1 which liveth and abideth       
forever4  ,but it matters not how good a
 thing may be1 if it is out of our reach
 or beyond our power to get1 it can do  
us no good4 ,but the new life in the    
soul1 the eternal life of the spirit1 is
 not out of the reach of any1 is in     

reach of all4 ,even the dead shall hear 
his voice1 and they that hear shall     
live4 ,he that heareth my word1 and     
believeth him that sent me1 hath        
everlasting life4 ,whosoever cometh unto
 me1 ,i will in no wise cast out4 ,he   
that soweth to the ,spirit1 shall of the
 ,spirit reap life everlasting4 ,this is
 life eternal that they might know thee1
 the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ 
whom thou hast sent4 ,if any man be in  
,christ1 he is a new creature3 old      
things have passed away2 behold1 all    
things have become new4  ,obedience to  
the ordinances of ,god's house has its  
place here in connection with faith4 ,by
 works is faith made perfect4 ,the first
 command that ,paul received in         
connection with his conversion was3     
,arise1 and be baptized1 and wash away  
thy sins1 calling upon the name of the  
,lord4 ,the instruction of ,peter to the
 convicts on the day of ,pentecost was3 
,repent1 and be baptized1 every one of  
you in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 for  

the remission of sins1 and ye shall     
receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4   
,in preaching ,jesus to the eunuch      
,philip evidently preached our ,lord's  
baptism1 else what would the eunuch have
 known about baptism8 ,how else can we  
account for his remark to ,philip and   
implied request3 ,see1 here is water1   
what doth hinder me to be baptized8 ,if 
thou believest with all thine heart1    
thou mayest1 was ,philip's answer4      
,sinner1 you are invited to come and    
take of the water of life freely4 ,come1
 believe1 obey1 and live forever4       
,,friday1 ,april #ab4 ,plant corn in the
 lower field4  ,,saturday1 ,april #ac4  
,finish planting the lower field4 ,i    
never plant corn or commit any seed to  
the earth1 but ,i am filled with wonder 
in the contemplation of ,god's power4   
,in my thoughts over things of this kind
 my mind and heart find pleasant relief1
 by recalling in memory the beautiful   
similitude which ,mark1 alone of all the
 evangelists1 has left on record for us4

 ,these are his words3 ,and he the ,lord
 said1 ,so is the kingdom of ,god1 as if
 a man should cast seed upon the earth1 
and should sleep and rise night and day1
 and the seed should spring up and grow1
 he knoweth not how4 ,the earth beareth 
fruit of herself2 first the blade1 then 
the ear1 then the full corn in the ear4 
,these words greatly encourage me to    
labor more faithfully in the ministry of
 the ,word3 for as we know the ,lord has
 power to make the dry seed in the dry  
ground grow unto a rich harvest1 we know
 not how1 so has he power to make the   
seeds of his truth spring up and grow in
 the hearts of men unto a harvest of    
eternal blessedness in heaven4 ,but as  
the corn must be tended1 the field kept 
clean1 and the ground kept in order     
during the growing season1 so must the  
,word in the heart be guarded from the  
inroads of evils1 such as are clearly   
described in the ,lord's own words4     
,,saturday1 ,april #bj4 ,council meeting
 to-day on ,lost ,river4 ,celestine     

,whitmore elected speaker1 and ,silas   
,randall elected deacon4 ,stay all night
 at ,john ,miller's4  ,,sunday1 ,april  
#ba4 ,meeting at ,whitmore's4 ,luke #ad 
is read4 ,humility was my subject       
to-day1 founded on the words of the     
eleventh verse4 ,pride is the opposite  
of humility4 ,the proud man exalts      
himself and refuses to follow in the    
footsteps of the meek and lowly ,jesus4 
,god resisteth the proud1 but giveth    
grace to the humble4 ,so says the       
,apostle ,james4 ,and why is this so8   
,because the proud man1 in his sense of 
self-sufficiency1 feels no want at the  
present which he thinks he is not able  
to supply1 and dreads no want in the    
future1 either because he does not think
 of any future life1 or because he has  
persuaded himself to believe there is no
 future state of existence4 ,god can    
never give grace to such a man1 in such 
a state1 because he will not receive it4
 ,a thing may be offered1 but it can    
never be said to be given unless it is  

received4 ,wherefore the ,apostle ,peter
 says3 ,humble yourselves therefore1    
under the mighty hand of ,god1 that he  
may exalt you in due time4 ,when ,god   
exalts a man1 when ,god lifts a man up1 
he then is lifted up1 he then is        
exalted1 sure enough4 ,this is the      
exaltation to which we may truthfully   
apply ,paul's exultation3 ,eye hath not 
seen1 nor ear heard1 neither hath it    
entered into the heart of man to        
conceive what ,god hath prepared for    
them that love him4  ,,sunday1 ,may #ab4
 ,meeting in our meetinghouse4          
,ephesians #d is read4 ,samuel ,myers   
and his wife are baptized4  ,,tuesday1  
,may #ad4 ,council meeting to-day at our
 meetinghouse4 ,john ,bowman1 of        
,franklin ,county1 ,virginia1 and       
,brother ,barnhardt1 of ,roanoke        
,county1 ,virginia1 were with us to-day2
 and they are with me this evening to   
stay all night4  ,,thursday1 ,may #af4  
,raise the mill1 and in the afternoon go
 to the ,gap and marry ,george ,fawley  

and ,catharine ,fulk4  ,,saturday1 ,june
 #a4 ,love feast to-day at our          
meetinghouse4 ,brother ,daniel          
,barnhardt1 of ,roanoke ,county1        
,virginia1 and ,brother ,john ,bowman1  
of ,franklin ,county1 ,virginia1 and    
,brother ,peter ,nead were with us4 ,we 
had much good speaking by the visiting  
brethren on the #ajth chapter of ,john  
and other passages of ,scripture4       
,,sunday1 ,june #b4 ,go to ,daniel      
,miller's to meeting4 ,luke #ad is read4
 ,i then go to ,joseph ,miller's where  
,i stay all night4  ,,monday1 ,june #aj4
 ,this morning the intelligence comes of
 the sudden death of ,reuben ,yount4 ,he
 was found lying dead in the road4 ,it  
is supposed that he was killed by being 
thrown from his horse on his way home   
last evening4  ,,tuesday1 ,june #aa4    
,reuben ,yount was buried to-day4 ,age1 
twenty-five years and thirteen days4    
,verily the sons of men sink into the   
grave like raindrops into the sea1 and  
are seen no more4 ,as unexpectedly as   

the pitcher is broken at the fountain1  
even before it is filled with water1 so 
unexpectedly does death come to many4   
,,monday1 ,june #bd4 ,finish making hay4
 ,we have about twenty-two tons in all4 
,,sunday1 ,june #cj4 ,meeting at        
,frederic ,kline's1 near ,dayton1       
,virginia4 ,six persons baptized4       
,,sunday1 ,july #g4 ,meeting at our     
meetinghouse4 ,john ,kave and wife1     
,katy ,keysayer1 ,betsy ,holsinger1     
,polly ,knopp1 ,katy ,fry and ,betsy    
,andes were baptized to-day4 ,daniel    
,miller baptized them4  ,,saturday1     
,july #bg4 ,harvest meeting at ,copp's  
schoolhouse in ,shenandoah ,county1     
,virginia4  ,,wednesday1 ,july #ca4     
,harvest meeting at the ,brush          
meetinghouse4  ,,thursday1 ,august #a4  
,go to harvest meeting at ,daniel       
,garber's meetinghouse4 ,stay all night 
at ,john ,myers's in ,augusta ,county1  
,virginia4  ,,friday1 ,august #b4 ,love 
feast at the ,brick meetinghouse4 ,luke 
#ad was read4 ,one brother spoke        

impressively on the last three words in 
the first verse3 ,,they ,,watched ,,him4
 ,said he1 ,the enemies of the ,lord    
most likely did this4 ,they were ever   
eager to find some ground of accusation 
against him4 ,but the ,lord was not     
alone in this4 ',a servant is not       
greater than his lord4' ,we1 ,brethren1 
are liable to be watched4 ,and ,i think 
,i may say truthfully that we are       
watched not only by our enemies1 but by 
our friends too4 ,but there is a great  
difference between the eye of an enemy  
and the eye of a friend4 ,the eye of an 
enemy seeks for faults with which to    
accuse and persecute2 and when no real  
fault can be found the evil eye seeks to
 make faults by looking at our actions  
and motives in a false light1 and if    
possible getting others to regard them  
in the same false light4 ,but not so the
 eye of a friend4 ,a wise father watches
 his children1 not to find faults with  
which to accuse1 but in love to correct 
by pointing out their evil tendencies   

and the end to which they lead4  ,so1   
dear brethren and sisters1 should we    
watch one another in the house of ,god4 
,we should never be quick to take       
offense when some brother or sister out 
of pure love for us kindly warns us of  
some fault that we may not be fully     
conscious of4  ,in words as nearly like 
the above as ,i can give them1 and in   
many others1 did the brother exhort the 
church4  ,,sunday1 ,august #be4 ,attend 
meeting at the ,flat ,rock4 ,first      
,corinthians #a is read4 ,louis         
,nasselrodt and wife and ,henry         
,strawdeman and wife were baptized4 ,i  
baptized them4  ,,sunday1 ,september #a4
 ,meeting at our meetinghouse4          
,colossians #b was read4 ,philip ,bible 
and wife1 ,adam ,hevner and wife1       
,william ,andes1 ,samuel ,zigler1       
,christian ,krider and old ,mother      
,minick were baptized to-day4  ,,sunday1
 ,september #h4 ,meeting at ,stoner's   
to-day4 ,romans #f was read4 ,i baptized
 ,christian ,krider's wife to-day4      

,with ,elder ,john ,kline to plan was to
 do2 to propose in mind was to perform  
in act2 ever though1 let it be          
remembered1 by the help of the ,lord4   
,his will1 and not mine1 be done1 was   
,brother ,kline's motto4 ,the following 
notes are word for word from the fly    
leaves of his ,diary for the present    
year4 ,they are inserted here for two   
reasons4 ,first1 to show that he formed 
a purpose and laid down a plan before   
acting4 ,in the following pages it will 
be seen how faithfully the plan laid out
 in the ,diary was executed4 ,second1 to
 show something of the confidence       
reposed in his genuine honesty1 and his 
business capacity as a man4--,,editor4  
,i have in contemplation to take the    
following route to ,ohio3 ,start on the 
seventeenth of ,september1 and on the   
eighteenth have an afternoon meeting at 
,parks's1 in ,hardy ,county1 ,virginia  
now ,west ,virginia2 on the twenty-first
 to stop at ,jacob ,thomas's in ,preston
 ,county1 ,virginia2 on the             

twenty-second to be at ,george's ,creek2
 on the twenty-sixth to be at ,bull     
,creek1 ,columbiana ,county1 ,ohio2 on  
the eighth and ninth of ,october to be  
at ,bucyrus1 ,crawford ,county1 ,ohio2  
on the twelfth to be at ,sugar ,creek1  
in ,allen ,county1 ,ohio2 on the        
sixteenth1 seventeenth1 eighteenth and  
nineteenth in ,henry ,county1 ,indiana2 
on the evening of the twenty-third to be
 at ,bear ,creek1 ,montgomery ,county1  
,ohio4 ,things which ,i have to attend  
to on my trip to ,ohio and ,indiana3    
,to inquire of ,george ,weaver about a  
legacy of ,william ,toppin1 orphan of   
,thomas ,toppin4  ,received of ,jacob   
,hoover #gc4db to be paid over as       
follows3      ,to ,george ,hoover1      
#ag4eg     ,to ,peter ,fesler1          
#ag4eg     ,to ,elizabeth ,fesler1      
#ch4bh                            ------
                            #gc4db  ,to 
get some rents of ,joseph ,garber for   
,susanna ,garber4      ,to pay over to  
,betsy ,fesler1      #bjj4jj     ,to pay

 over to ,george ,hoover1       #ej4jj  
,this money ,i received of ,aunt ,katy  
,hoover4  ,to collect some money of     
,mahoney and of ,john ,kline for        
,ziglers4 ,i hold papers for the same4  
,to collect money of ,jacob ,leedy in   
,columbiana ,county1 ,ohio1 for ,peter  
,nead4  ,to collect money of ,john      
,garber1 of ,montgomery ,county1 ,ohio1 
for ,solomon ,garber1 of ,rockingham    
,county1 ,virginia4 ,i am to let ,john  
,garber have the note if he pays        
#aej4jj4  ,,tuesday1 ,september #ag4    
,brother ,george ,r4 ,hedrick and ,i    
start from my home this morning1 on     
horseback1 for ,ohio4 ,we dine at       
,william ,fitzwater's1 in ,brock's ,gap1
 and arrive in the evening at ,isaac    
,dasher's on the ,south ,fork1 ,hardy   
,county1 ,virginia1 where we stay over  
night4  ,,wednesday1 ,september #ah4    
,come to ,isaac ,shobe's for breakfast1 
and on to ,parks's for dinner4 ,meeting 
in the afternoon at ,parks's4 ,john #c  
is read4 ,on the way to-day ,brother    

,hedrick and ,i talked over the         
interpretation we are to give the       
,lord's words in the thirteenth verse of
 the chapter read this afternoon4 ,these
 are the words3 ,and no man hath        
ascended up to heaven4 ,i asked ,brother
 ,hedrick if ,elijah had not ascended to
 heaven8 ,i quoted to him the very words
 recorded in the eleventh verse of the  
second chapter of ,second ,kings3 ,and  
,elijah went up by a whirlwind into     
heaven4 ,brother ,hedrick confessed that
 a first thought on our ,lord's words   
might lead the mind to conclude that    
there is a want of harmony between what 
he says to ,nicodemus and what is       
plainly said of ,elijah4 ,but he removed
 the difficulty from my mind at once by 
explaining the ,lord's words to mean    
that no one in his own strength or by   
virtue of his own power had ascended to 
heaven4 ,elijah went up to heaven1 it is
 true1 said he1 but the horses of fire  
and the chariot of fire by which he went
 up1 beautifully and impressively       

symbolize the ,lord's hand by which he  
was taken up4 ,and besides this1 we read
 in #b ,kings #b3a1 ',and it came to    
pass when the ,lord would take up       
,elijah into heaven by a whirlwind1 that
 ,elijah went with ,elisha from         
,gilgal4' ,here it is plainly implied   
that the ,lord took up ,elijah into     
heaven4 ,and this falls in as a part of 
the great lesson the ,lord was seeking  
to impress upon the mind of ,nicodemus1 
the great truth that the ,lord alone has
 power to lift men1 through the         
regeneration1 up to heaven4 ,stay all   
night at ,parks's4  ,,thursday1         
,september #ai4 ,we go to ,stingley's   
for breakfast2 to ,eliza ,hays's for    
dinner 7still in ,hardy ,county1        
,virginia71 and stay all night at       
,gilpin's4 ,we are now within sixteen   
miles of the ,maryland line4  ,,friday1 
,september #bj4 ,to-day we passed       
through what is called the ,glades and  
,wilderness1 to the ,briery mountain4 ,a
 very lonely road2 but the companionship

 of a man and a brother like ,george    
,hedrick makes solitude enjoyable4 ,only
 those who have experienced the         
agreeableness of a bright1 serene1 calm 
and contented mind and heart1 such as ,i
 find in ,brother ,hedrick1 can ever    
realize the pleasure of such company4   
,it does seem to me that we can almost  
adopt toward each other the beautiful   
sentiment of love which ,ruth expressed 
for ,naomi3 ,whither thou goest ,i will 
go1 and where thou lodgest ,i will      
lodge4 ,thy people shall be my people4  
,where thou diest ,i will die1 and there
 will ,i be buried4 ,we fed our horses  
and took breakfast at ,smith's tavern1  
in ,preston ,county1 ,virginia2 took    
dinner at ,bransonville1 and find       
ourselves here at ,brother ,jacob       
,thomas's1 where we are spending the    
night4  ,,saturday1 ,september #ba4     
,meeting in the schoolhouse near        
,brother ,thomas's4 ,deuteronomy1       
eighteenth chapter is read4 ,i spoke on 
the latter portion of the chapter read1 

from the fifteenth verse to the end4 ,i 
spoke particularly on the following     
words3 ,the ,lord thy ,god will raise up
 unto thee a ,prophet from the midst of 
thee1 of thy brethren1 like unto me2    
unto him ye shall hearken4 ,this was    
spoken to the children of ,israel4 ,what
 follows was spoken directly to ,moses3 
,i will raise them up a ,prophet from   
among their brethren1 like unto thee2   
and ,i will put my words in his mouth1  
and he shall speak unto them all that ,i
 shall command him4 ,and it shall come  
to pass1 that whosoever will not hearken
 unto my words which he shall speak in  
my name1 ,i will require it of him4 ,i  
tried to show these people the great    
danger there is in a life of sin4 ,the  
great ,prophet spoken of and promised in
 the words of my text is none other than
 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,in the      
fullness of time he appeared4 ,the      
prophecy just read was recorded by      
,moses very nearly fifteen hundred years
 before it was fulfilled by the         

appearing of our ,savior4 ,this single  
consideration may serve to remind us of 
the faithfulness of ,god in fulfilling  
his ,word4 ,and our blessed ,lord while 
in the flesh more than once turned the  
eyes of his disciples to the prophecies 
that foretold his coming4 ,in one place 
he said to the people3 ,think not that  
,i am come to destroy the law or the    
prophets3 ,i am not come to destroy1 but
 to fulfill4 ,after his resurrection1 on
 his way to ,emmaus1 in company with two
 of his sorrowing disciples who had not 
yet fully learned the truth of his      
having risen1 he said in reference to   
his sufferings and death3 ,these are the
 words which ,i spake unto you1 while ,i
 was yet with you1 that all things must 
be fulfilled which were written in the  
law of ,moses1 and in the prophets1 and 
in the psalms1 concerning me4  ,i am now
 prepared to tell you1 and ,i trust you 
are prepared to hear some of the        
particulars in which ,christ ,jesus was 
like unto ,moses4 ,you know the text    

says3 ,a ,prophet like unto me4 ,this is
 the language of ,moses4 ,the ,lord ,god
 had just before told him this4 ,we will
 now turn to some of the points in the  
comparison of ,moses with ,christ4      
,moses told the people to believe what  
he told them and obey the commands he   
gave them4 ,he taught them that if they 
would obey the commands and ordinances  
which ,god gave and established through 
him they would receive the favor of the 
,lord1 and that as a reward for their   
obedience he would bless them           
exceedingly4 ,but if they would turn    
away from him1 he would turn away from  
them1 and multiply their troubles       
greatly4 ,christ ,jesus does the same4  
,just at the close of the most wonderful
 sermon the world has ever heard        
preached1 a sermon in which all the     
moral and spiritual relations of men to 
each other and to ,god1 together with   
the duties growing out of these         
relations1 are set forth the ,lord says3
 ,whosoever heareth these sayings of    

mine1 and doeth them1 ,i will liken him 
unto a wise man1 which built his house  
upon a rock3 and the rain descended1 and
 the floods came1 and the winds blew1   
and beat upon that house2 and it fell   
not3 for it was founded upon a rock4    
,and every one that heareth these       
sayings of mine1 and doeth them not1    
shall be likened unto a foolish man1    
which built his house upon the sand3 and
 the rain descended1 and the floods     
came1 and the winds blew1 and beat upon 
that house2 and it fell3 and great was  
the fall of it4  ,friends1 let me say to
 you that each and every one of you is  
building a house for himself on one or  
the other of these foundations4 ,your   
life1 your every-day life1 from         
beginning to end1 is the house you are  
building4 ,if your life1 from love to   
the ,lord1 is based upon the solid rock 
of his ,revealed ,truth1 it will stand  
the temptations and trials symbolized by
 the floods and winds2 but if not1 it   
will never be able to stand1 and great  

will be its fall4 ,some may think that  
because ,god is long-suffering1 and does
 not punish sin in this world so        
manifestly as he sometimes did in former
 times1 he is becoming more merciful and
 takes less account of sin than         
formerly4 ,but this is a very great     
mistake4 ,god has always been quite as  
merciful as he could be consistently    
with his justice and holiness2 and the  
warning given in ,hebrews #b3b should be
 heeded4 ,this is the warning3 ,if every
 transgression and disobedience under   
,moses1 received a just recompense of   
reward1 how shall we escape if we       
neglect so great salvation8 ,notice this
 also from the same book3 ,he that      
despised ,moses' law died without mercy 
under two or three witnesses3 of how    
much sorer punishment1 suppose ye1 shall
 he be thought worthy1 who hath trodden 
under foot the ,son of ,god1 and hath   
counted the blood of the covenant1      
wherewith he was sanctified1 an unholy  
thing1 and hath done despite unto the   

,spirit of grace8  ,again3 ,the children
 of ,israel were baptized unto ,moses1  
that is1 into a visible covenant with   
him1 in the cloud and in the ,red ,sea1 
as they passed through4 ,in this act of 
baptism1 by which they declared their   
willingness to follow him as their      
leader1 but the one action was required1
 and that action was their passing      
between the walls of water on the right 
hand and on the left hand1 with the     
cloud overhead completely shutting them 
in from the world4 ,but the ,christian1 
to be a true follower of the great      
,prophet of whom we are particularly    
speaking1 is required to submit to a    
threefold baptism1 which is an immersion
 of the body in water in the name of the
 ,father who loved us and gave his ,son2
 another immersion in the name of the   
,son who redeems and saves us2 and      
lastly an immersion in the name of the  
,holy ,ghost who convinces of sin1 who  
comforts us1 enlightens us as to our    
duties1 sanctifies and makes us meet for

 heaven4  ,again3 ,moses gave the people
 water from the ,rock4 ,christ ,jesus   
gives his people the water of life4 ,he 
says3 ,if any man thirst1 let him come  
unto me1 and drink4  ,again3 ,moses fed 
the people with manna1 which they       
gathered every morning from the ground4 
,christ feeds his people with the       
heavenly manna1 which ,i take to be the 
great and eternal love of the ,father   
contained in the blessed words of truth 
which his ,son has declared to the      
world4  ,in such and many other words   
did ,i speak unto these people1 seeking 
to instruct them in the things of       
salvation1 and induce some of them1 at  
least1 to turn to the ,lord4 ,after     
meeting we dined at ,brother ,thomas's1 
and started for ,george's ,creek2       
crossed ,laurel mountain to             
,hagtonsville1 then to ,brother ,joseph 
,leatherman's1 in ,fayette ,county1     
,pennsylvania1 where we stay all night4 
,,sunday1 ,september #bb4 ,go to        
,george's ,creek meetinghouse4 ,we have 

forenoon and afternoon meeting4 ,second 
,corinthians #f is read in the forenoon 
meeting4 ,in the #c o'clock meeting     
,luke #ad is read4 ,i speak on the great
 supper1 from the sixteenth to the      
twenty-fourth verse4  ,whilst ,i am a   
stranger to most of you1 ,i nevertheless
 feel assured by the signs ,i witness   
that ,i can confidingly and             
affectionately address some of you1 and 
,i trust a goodly number too1 as beloved
 brethren and sisters4 ,this is1 so far1
 as it should be4 ,but what would be the
 joy of my heart1 and what would be the 
joy of heart with each one of you1 could
 it be said that this entire            
congregation is of one mind and all     
speak the same thing6 ,but the words of 
my text1 harmonizing with the closing   
words of another parable1 recorded by   
,matthew1 which declare that many are   
called1 but few chosen1 may continue to 
be true1 for a long time yet to come4   
,whilst the advocates of election and   
predestination claim this as one of     

their proof texts1 to my mind it proves 
the exact reverse4 ,many are called4    
,here1 if ,i mistake not1 the ,german   
has it3 ,the many are called4 ,i take   
this to mean that all are called4 ,now  
compare this with what is said here in  
my text3 ,then the master of the house1 
being angry1 said to his servant1 ,go   
out quickly into the streets and lanes  
of the city1 and bring in hither the    
poor1 and the maimed1 and the halt1 and 
the blind4 ,and the servant said1 ,lord1
 it is done as thou hast commanded1 and 
yet there is room4 ,and the ,lord said  
unto the servant1 ,go out into the      
highways and hedges1 and compel them to 
come in1 that my house may be filled4   
,this surely proves that all are called 
or invited to the great supper4 ,first1 
the ,jews were invited4 ,when ,jesus    
sent forth the twelve he commanded them 
saying2 ,go not into the way of the     
,gentiles1 and into any city of the     
,samaritans enter ye not3 but go rather 
to the lost sheep of the house of       

,israel4 ,here it is plain that the     
,jews were the first to be invited4 ,but
 they all with one mind began to make   
excuse4 ,next then the poor of the city 
were invited4 ,still there was room4    
,next the off-casts and beggars were    
invited4 ,these included the very lowest
 of the ,gentile nations1 and comprehend
 all that live1 every creature4  ,now ,i
 ask1 in the name of all that is        
reasonable1 can we1 dare we1 accuse the 
,lord of dealing deceitfully8 ,perish   
the thought forever4 ,no6 ,he invites   
all because it is his blessed will to   
see all come and sit at his table spread
 with the great love feast which he has 
prepared for all who are willing and    
desire to come4 ,this very thought is   
the joy of my heart and the boast of my 
tongue4 ,and it is a joy which no man   
taketh from me1 because it rests on the 
rock of ,divine ,truth4 ,but a          
preparation is necessary4 ,we can hardly
 separate the parable under             
consideration from the one recorded in  

,matthew twenty-second chapter4 ,there  
we read of a wedding dinner made by a   
king1 to celebrate the marriage of his  
son4 ,and when the king came in he saw  
there a man who had not on a wedding    
garment4 ,and the king said3 ,friend1   
how camest thou in hither not having a  
wedding garment8 ,and he was speechless4
 ,and why was he speechless8 ,if he     
would have had any reasonable excuse to 
offer for the unprepared appearance     
which he made1 would he have been       
speechless8 ,reason says at once4 ,he   
would have urged his inability to       
procure a suitable dress for the        
occasion1 as the cause for his appearing
 in the way he did1 if any such cause   
had existed4 ,and the king knew this    
full well2 otherwise he would not have  
required all to have on the wedding     
garment4  ,i now call your attention to 
the closing words of the parable3 ,i say
 unto you1 ,that none of those men which
 were bidden shall taste of my supper4  
,the reason for this is found in the    

fact that they would not come4 ,they    
were the first to be invited4 ,had they 
come1 they would have received the right
 hand of welcome4 ,but notice the       
unreasonable excuses they made4 ,one had
 bought a piece of ground1 and he must  
go and see it1 as if night were the time
 to look at land4 ,another must try the 
five yoke of oxen he had that day       
bought1 as if night were the best time  
to do this4 ,another had married a wife 
and could not come1 as if night were not
 a suitable time to enjoy a rich supper 
with his bride4 ,we wonder at these vain
 and almost unnatural excuses2 but do we
 find the excuses of men any more       
reasonable to-day8 ,men hazard their    
souls in a life of sin1 not for want of 
invitations1 entreaties and warnings    
from the ,lord to come unto him1 but    
because they will not4 ,the ,lord pleads
 with men to-day1 just as he pleaded    
with ,israel centuries ago4 ,hear what  
he says to ,israel by the mouth of the  
,prophet ,ezekiel3 ,repent1 and turn    

yourselves from all your transgressions2
 so iniquity shall not be your ruin4    
,cast away from you all your            
transgressions1 444 and make you a new  
heart and a new spirit3 for why will ye 
die1 ,o house of ,israel8 ,for ,i have  
no pleasure in the death of him that    
dieth1 saith the ,lord ,god3 wherefore  
turn yourselves and live ye4  ,and now1 
,brethren and friends1 to make a brief  
application of some of the great        
principles laid down1 ,i will say that  
the ,lord's ,supper is the great love   
feast which he has prepared for you1 for
 me1 for all4 ,this great love feast1 of
 which our own ordinance by his         
appointment1 and bearing the same name1 
is a beautiful and fitting emblem1 is   
neither more nor less than the bountiful
 provisions ,christ has made for the    
salvation of all4 ,these provisions are 
the great truths of his ,word1 filled   
with his love4 ,the ,lord ,jesus says3  
,i am the bread of life4 ,to the ,jews  
he said3 ,your fathers did eat the manna

 in the wilderness1 and they died4 ,if  
any man eat of the bread which ,i shall 
give him1 he shall live forever4 ,when  
we are faithfully obeying the ,lord from
 love in our hearts1 we are eating this 
life-giving bread4 ,every truth which   
the ,lord has revealed1 and by which the
 spiritual man is fed as to his soul1   
may be regarded as a component part of  
this great feast4  ,jesus said to the   
tempter3 ,man doth not live by bread    
alone1 but by every word that proceedeth
 out of the mouth of ,god4 ,the tempter 
here meant material bread for the body1 
and the ,lord answered him according to 
that meaning4 ,this is the kind of      
bread1 material bread1 with which the   
devil seeks to satisfy every demand of  
our being4 ,it embraces everything the  
natural appetite of man craves4 ,the    
devil is ever seeking to lead men to    
feed on the husks which the swine do    
eat1 and to be satisfied with that kind 
of food4 ,but the blessed ,lord ,jesus  
resists the tempter1 and continually    

seeks to lead men into a higher1 nobler 
and heavenly life4 ,he says to every    
sinner3 ,arise1 and go to thy ,father1  
and say unto him1 ,father1 ,i have      
sinned before heaven1 and in thy sight1 
and am no more worthy to be called thy  
son4 ,this is repentance4 ,this is the  
first move man makes in the way of      
approach to the feast the ,lord has     
prepared4 ,man liveth by every word that
 proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god4   
,this embraces all of ,revealed ,truth4 
,every law1 every precept1 every        
prophecy1 every parable has some        
outflowing1 healing virtue1 some        
life-imparting power4 ,we touch the hem 
of its garment when we read or hear in  
sincerity of heart4 ,o sinner1 come and 
partake of this feast1 and thy soul     
shall live4  ,we stay all night with    
,david ,longenacre4  ,,monday1          
,september #bc4 ,on towards ,ohio4 ,dine
 and feed our horses at ,brother ,david 
,wise's4 ,this evening we are at ,hays's
 tavern in ,washington1 ,washington     

,county1 ,pennsylvania1 where we#a stay 
all night4  ,,tuesday1 ,september #bd4  
,go to ,hickorytown where we feed our   
horses and get breakfast4 ,then on      
through ,burgitsville and ,florencetown 
to ,frankford1 in ,beaver ,county1      
,pennsylvania1 where we feed and dine at
 ,duncan's tavern4 ,then on to          
,georgetown1 where we cross the ,ohio   
river in a horse-boat1 and stay all     
night at ,smith's tavern4 ,a lonesome   
ride to-day1 because we have seen no    
,brethren4      #a ,brother ,kline in   
the ,diary almost invariably puts it    
,stay     all night4 ,i am not willing  
to depart from his usage in             
this4--,,ed4  ,,wednesday1 ,september   
#be4 ,breakfast and feed in ,darlington 
at ,dunlap's tavern4 ,then on to ,new   
,middletown to ,daniel ,summers's2 and  
this evening  reach ,brother ,henry     
,kurtz's in ,columbiana ,county1 where  
we stay all night4  ,,thursday1         
,september #bf4 ,meeting at ,brother    
,haas's4 ,hebrews #h is read4 ,love     

feast this evening4 ,come back to       
,brother ,kurtz's and stay all night4   
,paul has told us more than once of the 
joy he felt1 and how his heart was      
refreshed on meeting dear brethren and  
sisters whom he had not seen for a time4
 ,in meeting the brethren and sisters   
here and elsewhere we experience much of
 the same feeling4 ,they everywhere make
 us feel at home1 and show us more love 
and give us more attention than we      
deserve4 ,what a blessed thing it is to 
be filled with the love of ,christ6     
,this implants love in the heart for the
 ,brethren4 ,john says3 ,we know that we
 have passed out of death into life1    
because we love the brethren4 ,this is  
the first-fruits of the tree of life in 
our hearts4  ,,friday1 ,september #bg4  
,go westward through ,greene1 ,salem1   
,damascus1 ,westville1 and on to        
,brother ,joseph ,bollinger's1 where we 
stay all night4  ,,saturday1 ,september 
#bh4 ,meeting4 ,john #c is read4        
,evening meeting at ,brother ,metse's1  

where we stay all night4 ,hebrews #ab is
 read4 ,begins to snow this evening1 and
 continues all night4  ,,sunday1        
,september #bi4 ,meeting in the         
,franklin ,lutheran church4 ,matthew #g 
is read4 ,after meeting we come to      
,brother ,david ,sommers's4 ,evening    
meeting4 ,john #aj is read4 ,stay all   
night with ,brother ,sommers4 ,the      
weather has cleared up4  ,,monday1      
,september #cj4 ,visit ,michael ,dickey 
who is very sick4 ,we then attend a     
meeting at ,eli ,dickey's1 in ,starke   
,county4 ,galatians #c is read4 ,stay   
all night with ,brother ,dickey4        
,,tuesday1 ,october #a4 ,on westward1   
through ,canton1 ,massilon1 ,brooklin1  
,dover1 ,wayne ,county1 to ,brother     
,jacob ,kurtz's1 where we have night    
meeting4 ,matthew #i is read4 ,fine     
weather4  ,,wednesday1 ,october #b4     
,pass through ,jefferson1 ,pittsburg1   
and on to ,brother ,lucas's1 where we   
have meeting4 ,second ,corinthians #b is
 read4 ,i spoke awhile on the last      

verse1 particularly on these words3     
,corrupting the word of ,god4 ,in the   
margin the translation of this part of  
the verse is somewhat different1 and1 if
 ,i mistake not1 is sustained by the    
,german of ,luther4 ,it is this3 ,making
 merchandise of the word of ,god4 ,i    
regard this as the more literal of the  
two renderings4 ,but they both mean very
 nearly the same1 with this slight      
difference1 that the one strikes more at
 the cause1 while the other regards     
particularly the effect of handling the 
word of ,god deceitfully4 ,men who make 
merchandise of the ,word of ,god are    
exactly in line with the ,pharisees as  
the ,lord described them3 ,verily1 they 
have their reward4 ,jesus says3 ,provide
 yourselves purses which wax not old2 a 
treasure in the heavens which faileth   
not4 ,but those who make merchandise of 
the ,word of ,god provide purses for    
themselves1 for this life1 which do wax 
old2 and they lay up their treasures    
here4 ,sad to say1 such corrupt the     

,word by handling it deceitfully1 that  
they may make the things of religion    
pleasing to the natural man1 and thereby
 draw numbers to their side4 ,but1      
brethren and sisters1 ,i hardly need    
tell you that this world is no friend to
 grace--no friend to ,god--no friend to 
your souls4 ,except a man deny himself1 
and take up his cross daily1 he cannot  
be my disciple4 ,how different these    
words of ,jesus are from some remarks ,i
 heard one of those gospel merchants    
make from his stand not long since4 ,i  
give them as nearly as ,i can4 ,said he3
 ,religion is natural to man4 ,and that 
religion is the best which enables a man
 or a woman1 in the easiest and most    
respectable way1 to lead a good moral   
and civil life in this world4 ,christ is
 your righteousness1 and he gives you   
your necessary fitness for heaven       
without any effort on your part1 any    
more than to just believe on him2 so all
 you have to do is to sustain a         
respectable standing in the church1 by  

attending to its ordinances1 and you are
 and forever will be all right4  ,now ,i
 would ask if such talk as this is not  
corrupting the ,word8 ,how any man1 in  
the face of the sermon on the ,mount1 in
 which the deepest humility of heart--in
 the way of self-denial1 forgiveness of 
enemies1 love of the truth1 obedience to
 every commandment1 from supreme love to
 ,god--and the lowest self-abasement is 
laid down and set forth in the clearest 
light and plainest injunctions--how1 ,i 
say1 in the face of all this1 can a man 
speak in this way8 ,and more4 ,hear the 
awful1 terrific denunciation at the     
close of this sermon3 ,he that heareth  
these sayings of mine1 and doeth them   
not1 shall be likened unto a foolish    
man1 which built his house upon the     
sand3 and the rain descended1 and the   
floods came1 and the winds blew1 and    
beat upon that house1 and it fell3 and  
great was the fall of it4 ,ah6          
,brethren1 something more than a desire 
to appear respectable in the eyes of the

 world1 and hold an honorable place in  
the church1 so called1 is necessary to  
withstand the floods and storms of      
temptations that are sure to try us in  
this world4 ,this is why so many make   
shipwreck4 ,they do not count the cost2 
and this is why they desire to make     
peace1 when they see and feel the army  
of twenty thousand temptations coming   
against them1 and they have only ten    
thousand1 very poorly equipped1 to      
resist their attack4  ,the temptations  
to conform to the vain fashions of the  
world1 especially with the young1 may be
 called legion4 ,the temptations to     
commit adultery are a host4 ,i speak    
plainly1 ,brethren1 but ,i must not     
corrupt the ,word4 ,the temptation to   
acquire property from the avaricious    
love of wealth1 more than we can use    
ourselves or handle to good ends1 comes 
as the prince of darkness with clouds   
that shut out the light of heaven from  
our sight4 ,brethren and sisters1 as ,i 
love you all dearly1 let me say to you  

at the close of my remarks that the     
,lord says3 ,the scriptures cannot be   
broken4 ,no man can intentionally break 
the ,scriptures and be saved4 ,we dare  
not corrupt the ,word of ,god4  ,after  
meeting we go to ,brother ,john         
,shoemaker's1 where we have night       
meeting1 and stay all night4 ,ephesians 
#f is read4  ,,thursday1 ,october #c4   
,take the ,ashland road to ,brother     
,joseph ,rupp's1 near ,ashland1 ,ashland
 ,county1 where we have meeting4 ,luke  
#ad is read4 ,stay this afternoon and   
night with ,brother ,rupp4  ,,friday1   
,october #d4 ,go to ,brother ,jacob     
,whisler's1 six miles north of          
,mansfield4 ,meeting at #c o'clock4     
,john #ad is read4 ,to-day we crossed   
the ,black ,fork of the ,mohican4 ,stay 
all night with ,brother ,whisler4       
,,saturday1 ,october #e4 ,on westward   
through ,shelby1 to ,brother ,samuel    
,cover's in ,crawford ,county1 where we 
have night meeting4 ,last part of ,acts 
#c is read4 ,stay all night with        

,brother ,cover4  ,,sunday1 ,october #f4
 ,meeting4 ,matthew #g is read4 ,stay   
all night with ,brother ,martain        
,hestand4  ,,monday1 ,october #g4 ,visit
 ,william ,lupton1 but not finding him  
at home1 make settlement with his son of
 business connected with ,hoover's      
estate4 ,look over ,hoover's land1 and  
stay all night at ,bender's4 ,fine day4 
,,tuesday1 ,october #i4 ,meeting at     
,brother ,hestand's in afternoon4       
,matthew #aj is read4 ,night meeting at 
,brother ,clark's4 ,part of ,john #c is 
read4 ,stay all night at ,brother       
,clark's4 ,fine day4  ,,wednesday1      
,october #i4 ,start for ,allen ,county4 
,dine and feed at ,upper ,sandusky2 then
 on to ,huston's1 in ,hardin ,county4   
,bad road from the ,bellefontaine road  
for twelve miles4 ,stay all night at    
,huston's4  ,,thursday1 ,october #aj4   
,by ,williamsburg1 breakfast and feed at
 ,michael ,baserman's1 and on to        
,abraham ,miller's in ,allen ,county1   
where we stay all night4 ,brother       

,hedrick and ,i have slept together in  
the same bed every night since we left  
home4  ,,friday1 ,october #aa4 ,stay at 
,brother ,miller's till after dinner1   
then go to ,brother ,samuel ,miller's1  
where we stay all night4  ,,saturday1   
,october #ab4 ,pass through ,lima1 dine 
and feed in ,wapokaneta1 and stay all   
night at ,shannon's tavern4  ,,sunday1  
,october #ac4 ,go to ,brother ,joseph   
,risser's1 dine and feed1 then to       
,brother ,jacob ,basehore's1 where we   
leave our horses and walk two and       
one-half miles to meeting and back to   
,brother ,basehore's4 ,night meeting at 
,brother ,cabell's4 ,first ,john #c is  
read4 ,stay all night at ,brother       
,basehore's1 in ,miami ,county4 ,fine   
day4  ,,monday1 ,october #ad4 ,westward 
through ,greenville to ,brother ,emanuel
 ,flory's in ,darke ,county1 where we   
dine and feed2 then on to ,winchester in
 ,indiana1 and stay all night at        
,acker's tavern4 ,we are now in         
,randolph ,county1 ,indiana4 ,if we were

 among false brethren in this new       
country1 as ,paul says he once was in   
the land in which he traveled1 situated 
as we are in respect to bad roads1 a    
long way from our homes1 with no means  
of conveyance except the backs of our   
horses to carry us to ,virginia1 the    
prospect of our stay here1 and our hopes
 of safe return1 might be gloomy indeed4
 ,but1 thanks to the good ,lord1 we are 
not among false brethren4 ,our ,brethren
 are true ,brethren wherever we find    
them4 ,there may be some hypocrites1    
,god knows2 but ,i know of none4        
,brother ,hedrick and ,i have repeatedly
 discoursed on this subject in our      
travels together1 and neither he nor ,i 
have in a single instance met with a    
brother or sister that has not1 in our  
presence at least1 shown something of   
the gentleness and meekness of ,christ4 
,we are made to feel at home wherever we
 go among them1 and these considerations
 strengthen our faith and encourage the 
assurance that the ,gospel which we as a

 band of ,christians preach and         
practice1 and which works mightily in   
the hearts of the dear ,brethren        
everywhere1 is of ,god4 ,by their fruits
 ye shall know them4  ,,friday1 ,october
 #aa4 ,still westward through ,cameron1 
to ,brother ,fullhearts1 where we feed  
our horses and get dinner4 ,we then     
cross the ,white river to ,muncie in    
,delaware ,county1 and stay all night   
with ,david ,bowers4 ,rough1 windy and  
rainy day4  ,,wednesday1 ,october #af4  
,visit the following named families1 in 
nearly all of which we find members of  
our ,brotherhood4 ,we first visit       
,sowerwine's1 then ,joseph ,coffman's1  
,sheets's1 ,jacob ,good's1 ,absalom     
,painter's and ,george ,hoover's4 ,at   
the last-named place we have night      
meeting and stay all night4 ,we are now 
in ,henry ,county1 ,indiana4            
,,thursday1 ,october #ag4 ,meeting at   
,jacob ,brunk's4 ,mark #a is read4 ,then
 to ,peter ,fesler's1 where we have     
night meeting4 ,acts #c is read4 ,stay  

all night with ,brother ,fesler4        
,,friday1 ,october #ah4 ,come to        
,middletown and get a letter from home4 
,glad to hear that all are well1 but    
sorry to learn of some deaths4 ,leaving 
,middletown1 we go eastward to ,brother 
,david ,hartman's1 in ,wayne ,county1   
where we stay all night4 ,raining all   
day1 and in afternoon it falls in       
torrents4  ,,saturday1 ,october #ai4    
,love feast at ,brother ,abraham        
,hoover's4 ,john #a is read4 ,stay all  
night at ,brother ,david ,hartman's4    
,clear and cold4  ,,sunday1 ,october    
#bj4 ,forenoon meeting4 ,acts #c was    
read4 ,i spoke on verse twenty-second3  
,subject1 ,the ,great ,prophet4 ,meeting
 again at one o'clock4 ,i speak on ,mark
 #a3bg4 ,text3 ,and they were all       
amazed1 insomuch that they questioned   
among themselves1 saying1 ,what thing is
 this8 ,what new doctrine is this8  ,the
 ,jews could well ask the question set  
forth in the text3 ,what new doctrine is
 this8 ,to them the teachings of ,christ

 were all new4 ,whilst he came not to   
destroy the law or the prophets1 but to 
fulfill1 nevertheless his fulfillment of
 them was so spiritual1 so essentially  
holy1 so pure in motive1 so beneficent  
in act1 that the ,jews were entire      
strangers to it3 or probably better1 it 
was strange and new to them4 ,even      
,nicodemus1 a ruler among the ,jews1    
failed to perceive what ,jesus meant    
when he told him about the nature and   
necessity of the new birth4 ,our ,lord  
manifests something of surprise at the  
ignorance and stupidity of ,nicodemus4  
,such ignorance as ,nicodemus exposes in
 the presence of ,christ appears to us  
as wholly inexcusable1 when we look at  
what had already been taught on the     
subject of a change of heart1 or        
regeneration1 in the law of ,moses and  
the prophets4  ,enoch1 the seventh from 
,adam1 walked with ,god three hundred   
years1 and never saw death1 for ,god    
took him4 ,did he walk with ,god in a   
fleshly mind1 or in a spiritual mind8   

,hear what ,jesus and ,paul say3 ,that  
which is born of the flesh1 is flesh1   
and ,paul says3 ,therein dwelleth no    
good thing4 ,but that which is born of  
the ,spirit is spirit1 and therein serve
 we the ,lord acceptably4 ,abraham1     
,isaac and ,jacob1 ,moses and ,elijah   
are to-day in the heavens4 ,are they    
there in the flesh8 ,nay1 verily1 but in
 the spirit2 in the new nature which    
,god had implanted in them4 ,flesh and  
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of     
heaven4  ,and what shall ,i say more8   
for the time would fail me to tell of   
,gideon1 and of ,barak1 and of ,samson1 
and of ,jephtha2 of ,david also1 and    
,samuel1 who prayed3 ,create in me a    
clean heart1 and renew a right spirit   
within me4 ,but the ,jews had become    
carnal1 fleshly minded1 and1 like       
,nicodemus1 were unable to see the      
spirituality of their own ,word4 ,how1  
then1 could they apprehend the grace or 
see the truth which came by ,jesus      
,christ6 ,let us1 ,brethren1 search the 

,scriptures and acquaint ourselves much 
with the ,gospel of our salvation1 so   
that when we read or hear1 it may not be
 to us as it was to the ,jews1 a new    
doctrine1 but the    ,old1 old story1   
,of ,jesus and his love4  ,this is      
nearly the substance of what ,i said4   
,night meeting at ,samuel ,cave's4 ,i   
speak from ,john #a3bi4 ,fine day4 ,we  
stay all night with ,brother ,cave4 ,we 
are now in ,wayne ,county4  ,,monday1   
,october #ba4 ,start eastward to        
,william ,minnick's1 and on through     
,richmond1 by ,eaton1 ,preble ,county1  
,ohio1 to ,samuel ,showalter's1 where we
 stay all night4  ,,tuesday1 ,october   
#bb4 ,get dinner at ,jacob ,trout's3    
visit ,john ,brower's1 and stay all     
night at ,solomon ,stoner's4 ,fine day4 
,,wednesday1 ,october #bc4 ,visit       
,joseph ,kline's1 ,samuel ,kline's1     
,david ,dristle's1 and have night       
meeting at ,david ,bowman's4 ,matthew   
#be is read4 ,stay all night at ,brother
 ,dristle's4 ,our gatherings for worship

 and attendance upon the ,word1 as a    
rule1 have not been large2 but people   
generally appear to pay heed to what is 
spoken1 and we trust the good seed may  
find a lodgment in many an honest and   
sincere heart4  ,,thursday1 ,october    
#bd4 ,meeting at ,bowman's meetinghouse4
 ,luke #ad is read4 ,stay all night at  
,brother ,abraham ,aerbaugh's4          
,,friday1 ,october #be4 ,visit ,george  
,miller's1 ,sally ,aerbaugh's1 ,daniel  
,garber's1 ,john ,garber's1 ,david      
,miller's1 and ,joseph ,garber's1 where 
we stay all night4 ,fine weather4       
,,saturday1 ,october #bf4 ,visit ,felix 
,landes's1 and go to night meeting at   
,philip ,wampler's4 ,matthew #aa is     
read4 ,stay all night at ,philip        
,wampler's4  ,,sunday1 ,october #bg4    
,meeting at the ,bowman meetinghouse4   
,acts #c is read4 ,i then visit ,brother
 ,brumbaugh1 who is very low in         
sickness2 and also visit ,henry         
,harshbarger1 and stay all night at     
,john ,kline's4  ,,monday1 ,october #bh4

 ,go to ,dayton1 and after spending some
 time in visiting the factories and     
other points of interest in the city1 we
 start towards ,cincinnati1 and stay all
 night in ,miamisburg1 at ,zimmers's    
tavern4  ,,tuesday1 ,october #bi4 ,pass 
through ,butler ,county into ,hamilton1 
and stay all night in ,cincinnati1 at   
the ,franklin ,house1 kept by ,ross4    
,,wednesday1 ,october #cj4 ,visit ,dr4  
,curtis and settle with him4 ,dr4       
,curtis was at this time a very noted   
,thompsonian doctor located in          
,cincinnati4 ,he was editor of the      
,botanic ,medical ,recorder1 a journal  
which was very popular with the         
advocates of the ,thompsonian practice  
of medicine in its day2 and also author 
of a series of lectures in the same     
line4--,,ed4 ,dr4 ,curtis appears to me 
as a very kind1 open-hearted1           
well-informed man4 ,he seems to be very 
confident as to the future success and  
final triumph of his favorite system of 
medical theory and practice4 ,why should

 we not1 said he1 feel as sure that the 
might of truth will prevail in this as  
in other things8 ,it may be that further
 experience will shear off some things  
that we now hold2 and add on to our     
system some others which we as yet lack2
 but the great principles of truth which
 underlie our medical creed must remain 
unshaken1 while the laws of health and  
the inroads of disease remain as they   
are to-day4 ,we then visited the city   
markets1 and about #aj o'clock started  
for ,clermont ,county1 and got to ,john 
,dickey's tavern1 where we stay all     
night4  ,,thursday1 ,october #ca4 ,on to
 ,hillsborough in ,highland ,county2    
dine and feed at ,jacob ,runyon's1 and  
stay all night at ,elijah ,thurman's4   
,,friday1 ,november #a4 ,on into ,ross  
,county1 and stay all night at ,david   
,kline's4  ,,saturday1 ,november #b4    
,cross ,deer ,creek and push on across  
the ,scioto river at ,boggs's ,mills1   
and get to ,sampson ,zimmerman's1 in    
,hocking ,county1 where we stay all     

night4  ,,sunday1 ,november #c4 ,on     
through ,logan on the ,hocking river2   
then down the same river to ,warren's   
tavern1 near ,athens1 in ,athens        
,county1 where we stay all night4 ,the  
,hocking ,valley is a fine1 rich        
country1 and ,i feel to encourage some  
of our younger people to come here and  
get good cheap homes4 ,in this way they 
might establish the church here1 and    
thus prepare the way of the ,lord as    
,john did in the wilderness of ,judea4  
,what an opening there is here for good1
 industrious people6  ,,monday1         
,november #d4 ,down the ,hocking river  
to where the road takes off towards     
,parkersburg in ,virginia1 near which   
place we cross the ,ohio river in a     
horse boat1 and stay all night at ,henry
 ,dill's entertainment1 in ,wood        
,county1 ,virginia4  ,,tuesday1         
,november #e4 ,to-day we travel         
thirty-nine and one-half miles on the   
,parkersburg turnpike1 and stay all     
night at ,isaac ,martain's1 in ,ritchie 

,county1 ,virginia4  ,,wednesday1       
,november #f4 ,keep the turnpike all    
day4 ,dine and feed our horses at       
,neeley's tavern1 and stay all night at 
,clinch's1 three miles west of          
,clarksburg1 in ,harrison ,county4      
,,thursday1 ,november #g4 ,through      
,clarksburg1 ,prunty ,town1 ,evansville 
and on to ,j4 ,stone's tavern1 in       
,preston ,county1 where we stay all     
night4  ,,friday1 ,november #h4 ,cross  
,laurel mountain1 ,cheat river1 and on  
to top of ,cheat mountain1 where we dine
 and feed at ,stemple's tavern near     
,west ,union2 then to ,north ,branch to 
,hays's where we stay all night4 ,fine  
day4  ,,saturday1 ,november #i4 ,go to  
,stingley's1 dine and feed2 stop awhile 
with old ,sister ,parks2 then on to     
,enoch ,hyre's1 on the ,south ,branch1  
near ,petersburg1 ,hardy ,county1       
,virginia1 where we stay all night4     
,fine weather4  ,,sunday1 ,november #aj4
 ,i do not like to travel far on this   
day1 but there being no meeting in reach

 of us1 and both eager to get as near   
home as possible1 we leave ,sister      
,hyre's1 stop a little with ,isaac      
,shobe's on ,mill ,creek1 dine and feed 
at ,isaac ,dasher's1 on the ,south      
,fork1 and stay all night at ,jacob     
,whetzel's1 in ,brock's ,gap1           
,rockingham ,county1 ,virginia4 ,fine   
weather continues4  ,,monday1 ,november 
#aa4 ,home to-day4 ,find all well1 but  
some sickness in the neighborhood       
around4 ,on the journey from which ,i   
have just returned1 ,i traveled #a1bga  
miles on horse-back1 one beast carrying 
me safely all of that distance4 ,the    
roads we traveled were in many places   
just as nature formed them1 the hand of 
man having done but little more than cut
 the timber out and remove impassable   
obstructions4 ,we crossed high and      
rugged mountains1 and forded dangerous  
streams4 ,but in the ,west the people   
are waking up to the importance of      
improving the public roads4 ,the        
abundant natural wealth of that country1

 when properly developed by wise        
industry1 will respond in such lavish   
abundance that there will be no lack of 
means to build the best of roads1 and in
 every respect to raise the country     
generally to that state of beauty by    
high culture1 which ministers to the    
comfort and usefulness of its people4   
,the ,baltimore  ,ohio railroad will    
soon be completed to ,wheeling1 and this
 road1 in connection with other roads   
likely to be built and connect with it1 
will open a very active traffic between 
that city and the ,east4 ,i feel like   
saying to the ,brethren everywhere that 
now is the time to sow the pure seeds of
 ,gospel ,truth in the ,west4 ,if this  
be not done1 tares will be sure to grow 
and multiply where the wheat of holy    
love should abound4 ,such fields of     
humanity1 so full of life and vigor1    
will never remain unproductive4         
,education and civil law may help to    
control and keep in bounds the flood of 
moral and intellectual power flowing    

from them2 but if the hand of sanctified
 religion be not put forth to give it   
proper direction1 they will turn out to 
be a moral wilderness of sin1 filled    
with all the wild beasts of human       
passion1 and every hateful bird4  ,in   
the time of my absence ,eli ,spitzer and
 wife1 ,polly ,hindgardner1 and another 
woman were baptized4 ,this was done     
,september #ah4 ,on the twenty-second   
there was a love feast at the ,lost     
,river meetinghouse2 and about that time
 ,samuel ,toppan and wife1 and three    
other persons1 all on ,stony ,creek1    
were baptized4 ,thomas ,lampkin and     
,polly ,fridley1 and another sister were
 also baptized in my absence4  ,,monday1
 ,december #af4 ,to-day ,i preach the   
funeral of old ,brother ,john ,wine in  
the ,forest4 ,text1 ,rev4 #ad3ac1       
,blessed are the dead which die in the  
,lord from henceforth3 ,yea1 saith the  
,spirit1 that they may rest from their  
labors2 and their works do follow them4 
,i aimed to set forth1 in the practical 

part of my discourse1 a few thoughts    
based on the last part of the verse3    
,their works do follow them4 ,our works 
are as sure to follow us from this world
 to the next as they are when we remove 
from one place to another in this4 ,let 
any one come among us1 no matter from   
where1 and he brings his character with 
him4 ,if that is good1 good works will  
follow him4 ,they follow not only in the
 way of reports we may receive from     
those among whom he lived before he came
 among us1 but they follow all he does  
while here4 ,in this consists the       
blessedness of those who die in the     
,lord4 ,in heaven the same good works   
follow them in all they do1 only in much
 greater perfection1 that accorded with 
the good will in their hearts that      
characterized their lives while here4   
,the lives of good men are so conjoined 
with the ,lord1 because from the ,lord1 
that whatever good they do in the way of
 helping others he accounts it as done  
to him4 ,indeed1 this blessed following 

is the ground of proof that they are of 
his sheep4 ,inasmuch as ye have done it 
unto the least of these my brethren1 ye 
have done it unto me4 ,will not that be 
a glorious and happy following8 ,is it  
not something worth sacrificing our life
 and our all in this world for8 ,and    
that day will surely come4 ,just as sure
 as we live it will come1 for the       
,scripture cannot be broken4 ,this      
blessed following of good works will be 
sure to receive on that day the welcome 
plaudit3 ,well done1 good and faithful  
servant2 enter thou into the joy of thy 
,lord4  ,,wednesday1 ,december #be4     
,christmas day4 ,meeting in ,keagey's   
schoolhouse4 ,matthew #b was read4      
,brother ,daniel ,miller spoke          
beautifully in the ,german language on  
the advent of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,his    
main subject was the love of the        
,father1 the good will toward men that  
gave the only begotten ,son to redeem   
and save them4  ,he said3 ,the day is   
unimportant4 ,we may have ,christ's     

birthday correct1 or we may not4 ,i am  
not historian enough to speak positively
 on this point4 ,but one thing there is 
upon which ,i can speak positively2 and 
all the enemies of ,jesus are unable to 
wrest the conviction of that truth from 
my heart2 and that thing is this1 that  
',god so loved the world1 that he gave  
his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever  
believeth on him should not perish1 but 
have everlasting life4 ,for ,god sent   
not his ,son into the world to condemn  
the world1 but that the world through   
him might be saved4' ,it has pleased our
 heavenly ,father to tell us about our  
,savior's birth2 how lowly it was1 in a 
stable2 and that he was laid in a       
manger1 which means a kind of box from  
which horses take their food2 and that a
 star in the east1 sometimes called the 
,star of ,bethlehem1 guided the wise men
 who came from the east to see the      
infant1 ,jesus1 to the place where he   
lay4 ,those good men hardly knew that   
this beautiful star was but an emblem of

 the leadings of ,god's revealed ,truth4
 ,but it is so2 for all the light of    
prophecy centered in that star which    
showed the time and place of the birth  
of the ,son of ,god4 ,some seem to think
 the star was only a natural light1 such
 as natural eyes could see1 but ,i do   
not think so4 ,i rather think it was a  
heavenly light1 and that it could be    
seen only by such as loved the hope of  
our ,lord's coming and were ready to    
rejoice at his birth4  ,we have the     
brighter light of his more clearly      
revealed ,word1 by which we are enabled 
to find1 not an infant ,savior1 but a   
,savior grown up to perfect manhood made
 perfect through sufferings ending in   
his death upon the cross4 ,we find him  
as the risen and glorified ,lord with   
power to save to the uttermost all who  
come unto ,god by him4 ,his heavenly    
truth is to us now and to all who are   
willing to open their eyes and see1 as  
the ,sun of ,righteousness2 'for we are 
not of the night1 nor of darkness1 but  

we are all the children of light1 and   
the children of the day4' ,paul here    
means such as are true ,christians4 ,i  
love to preach the ,gospel2 but ,i love 
still more to see men and women open    
their eyes to the light of its truth1   
and their hearts to the warmth of its   
love4 ,in this way they are led to seek 
the ,lord2 and the promise is3 ',every  
one that seeketh findeth2 and to him    
that knocketh1 it shall be opened4'     
,one more thing ,i must notice4 ,these  
wise men brought gifts to the infant    
,jesus4 ,i suppose these were the first 
,christmas gifts ever made2 and the     
custom of making presents at this time  
has probably been kept up ever since4   
,if presents are made on this day with  
an eye to the gift of ,god's love1 they 
will be acceptable in his eye2 but if   
made lightly1 simply to comply with     
custom or fashion1 they have no promise4
  ,i must yet add this from the         
brother's beautiful discourse4 ,he said3
 ,the greatest of all the ,christmas    

gifts that man ever has received1 or    
that even ,god himself can bestow1 was  
made on that first ,christmas day4 ,some
 of you may not think as ,i do about it1
 but on that day ,god gave to the world 
his own and only beloved ,son1 and to my
 eyes1 and ,i hope to the eyes of many  
of you1 he is the fairest of all the    
fair1 and the one altogether lovely4 ,i 
lay all the gold1 and the frankincense1 
and the myrrh of my heart's best        
affections as thank offerings at his    
feet on this ,christmas day4 ,brethren1 
,god has made his most costly gift to us
 in the person of his ,son2 should we   
not be willing to reciprocate this gift 
with the most precious gift we are able 
to offer8 ,and what is the most precious
 thing in his sight that we can give8   
,it is our love in return for his love  
to us4 ,if we do make this return in    
fullness1 we place ourselves in a state 
of highest blessedness1 described by    
,john in few words3 ',we love him1      
because he first loved us4' ,this is a  

heavenly state1 and it must be the basis
 of all the bliss of saints and angels4 
,i wish ,i had time to give more than   
this mere outline of the brother's      
excellent discourse in the ,german      
language1 but ,i must leave off4 ,we    
have night meeting at ,koontz's1 where  
,brother ,daniel ,miller and ,i stay all
 night4  ,,tuesday1 ,december #ca4 ,i   
have traveled since last ,new ,year's   
day1 nearly all on horseback1 #c1hbg    
miles4 ,the year's work is done4 ,the   
record on high is made4 ,does it stand  
favorably in my behalf for the life to  
come1 or have ,i received my reward     
here8 ,i can only pray my ,father in    
heaven to forgive the wrong and bless   
the right4 ,this is my evening prayer at
 all times1 but especially do ,i offer  
it now at the closing hour of the year4 
,,saturday1 ,january #d4 ,go to ,isaac  
,myer's on ,stony ,creek1 and stay at   
,louis ,naselrodt's all night4          
,,sunday1 ,january #e4 ,meeting in the  
,sulphur ,spring schoolhouse4 ,acts #c  

is read4 ,stay at ,brother ,william     
,andes's all night4  ,,monday1 ,january 
#f4 ,return home4 ,snows all day4       
,,thursday1 ,january #bc4 ,solemnize the
 marriage of ,david ,hoover1 near       
,plain's ,mill1 and ,mary ,zigler1 of   
,timberville4  ,,sunday1 ,january #bf4  
,attend the funeral of ,mrs4 ,kootz1    
mother of our ,state ,senator1 ,samuel  
,kootz4 ,her age was seventy-three      
years1 five months and twenty-eight     
days4  ,,wednesday1 ,february #ab4      
,attend the funeral of old mother       
,shultz4 ,her age was seventy-five      
years4 ,i speak from ,isaiah #c3aj1 #aa4
 ,text3 ,say ye to the righteous1 that  
it shall be well with them3 for they    
shall eat the fruit of their doings4    
,woe unto the wicked6 it shall be ill   
with them3 for the reward of their hands
 shall be given them4  ,i regard these  
words of the prophet as being true1 not 
only as applying to the world to come1  
but as applying with equal power to the 
life of man in this world4 ,a life of   

honesty1 integrity1 righteousness1 in   
all we do1 is not only policy or wisdom 
in respect to the world to come1 but it 
is the best policy or highest wisdom in 
all the affairs of this life4 ,it       
secures the best results because it     
makes use of the best means to promote  
our own happiness here1 and the         
happiness of all within the sphere of   
our influence4 ,says the ,psalmist3 ,the
 leaf of the righteous shall not wither1
 and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper4 
,he shall flourish like the palm tree4  
,we are told that the palm tree1 to     
which the righteous are here compared1  
is not only a very beautiful tree1 but a
 very useful tree4 ,it casts a very     
delightful shade in the hot climates    
where it grows2 from the abundance of   
its sap it affords water to the thirsty2
 and its excellent fruit supplies food  
to the hungry4  ,whilst godliness1 as   
,paul says1 is profitable unto all      
things1 having promise of the life that 
now is1 and also of that which is to    

come2 still1 the life to come is what   
should chiefly concern us here4 ,our    
time in this world is so short1 so      
brief1 that it makes but little         
difference whether we are poor or rich1 
whether we weep or rejoice1 whether we  
be sick or well1 provided we have a     
clear title to a heavenly home1 a clear 
title to an inheritance that is         
incorruptible1 undefiled1 and that      
fadeth not away4 ,we may just as        
certainly get a true title to this      
heavenly possession by a proper course  
of life here as we can to a farm or any 
other property we may buy and pay for4  
,the difference1 however1 between the   
title to earthly possessions and that to
 a heavenly estate is that the first is 
visible to our natural eyes1 and the    
last is not4 ,how justly the old adage1 
that a bird in the hand is worth two in 
the bush1 applies to the views and      
decisions of great numbers of people6   
,they talk of not risking a certainty   
for an uncertainty1--the very thing they

 are doing4 ,such make no preparation   
for death and eternity which are        
certainties2 but all for life in this   
world1 which is an uncertainty4  ,but to
 be faithful to my calling1 friends1 ,i 
must repeat the last part of my text1 if
 nothing more4 ,hear it1 take the       
warning of its terrific words1 for it is
 ,god's warning and not mine4 ,here it  
is3 ,woe unto the wicked6 it shall be   
ill with them1 for the reward of their  
hands shall be given them4 ,these words 
should strike terror into the hearts of 
the ungodly4 ,the word reward means     
recompense1 and recompense means payment
 for work done or services performed4   
,but1 according to all just laws1 the   
one in whose service we labor is the one
 to whom we have a just right to look   
for our pay4 ,now ,i ask you to tell me 
whom you serve4 ,can you say in your    
heart1 ,i am serving the ,lord8 ,if not 
the ,lord1 whom do you serve8 ,satan1   
the ,devil1 the old ,serpent1 the world 
and the flesh4 ,these are what you      

serve1 and these are the one--for all   
together make but one--to whom you are  
to look for your reward4 ,and let me    
tell you from love in my heart for your 
soul1 that your life in the service of  
the devil is a life of sin1 and the     
reward or wages of sin is death2 not    
extinction1 but a state of deadness to  
all blessedness and happiness forever4  
,but you say1 ,i cannot bear such a     
thought4 ,neither can ,i4 ,come then    
with us1 as the prophet says1 and we    
will do you good4 ,turn from sin and    
seek the ,lord4 ,serve him1 and your    
reward will be glory1 honor1 immortality
 and eternal life4  ,,friday1 ,february 
#bh4 ,father ,wampler died at eleven    
o'clock to-day4  ,,sunday1 ,march #b4   
,father ,wampler was buried to-day4 ,his
 age was seventy-six years1 five months 
and seventeen days4 ,he was the father  
of ,anna ,kline1 my beloved wife1 and of
 ,samuel ,wampler1 one of our ministers4
 ,he was the grandfather of a very      
numerous line of grandchildren1 among   

whom are many excellent members of the  
,brethren church4  ,,saturday1 ,march   
#h4 ,samuel ,wampler and ,i go to ,page 
,county4 ,we have night meeting at      
,isaac ,spitler's4 ,i speak from ,john  
#a3af4 ,text3 ,and of his fulness have  
all we received4  ,the ,apostle ,john   
made his record of the ,gospel sometime 
after the other evangelists had written 
theirs4 ,this fact accounts for the many
 things given by ,john which are omitted
 by the others4 ,he wrote it long after 
the day of ,pentecost1 and after he had 
seen the church established in ,judea1  
and in the regions of ,asia under the   
ministries of ,paul1 and ,silas1 and    
,barnabas1 and ,peter1 and others4 ,he  
saw a tendency in the churches even in  
his day to depart from ,god's           
ordinances2 and led by the ,divine      
,spirit he felt it his duty to set these
 forth in their simplicity and          
plainness1 as he had seen them          
instituted and exemplified in his own   
personal presence by the ,lord himself4 

,i think it is clear that the corruption
 in the ,corinthian church had broken   
out before ,john wrote4 ,paul tried to  
check this disorder by a letter1 and    
instruct them in that way as far as he  
could at the time2 but at the close he  
adds3 ,the rest will ,i set in order    
when ,i come4 ,i am free to express the 
belief here1 that ,paul wanted to see   
,john and learn from him all about      
feet-washing and the ,lord's ,supper4   
,up to this time ,paul had not taught   
the ,corinthian brethren anything about 
these ordinances4 ,he had only taught   
them baptism and the ,communion1 as he  
had received them from the ,lord by     
reading the accounts given of them in   
the records made by the other           
evangelists4 ,hence ,john finds it      
necessary to give a particular account  
of the institution of feet-washing and  
the ,lord's ,supper1 from beginning to  
end1 with the same exact care that      
characterizes everything else which he  
has written4 ,john can well record the  

words of my text3 ,and of his fulness   
have all we received4 ,jesus has left   
nothing incomplete4 ,there is fullness  
and completeness in his life and        
examples1 in his doctrines and          
practices1 and in his objects and their 
accomplishment4  ,near the close of     
,paul's life he wrote a kind of love    
letter to his son ,timothy1 as he calls 
him1 in which he says3 ,all scripture is
 given by inspiration of ,god1 and is   
profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1   
for correction1 for instruction in      
righteousness2 that the man of ,god1    
meaning the church1 may be perfect1     
thoroughly furnished unto all good      
works4 ,there is no place for a doubt in
 my mind that ,paul wrote this letter to
 ,timothy after ,john had made his      
gospel record4 ,he therefore includes   
the ,gospel recorded by ,john in his    
comprehensive expression that all       
scripture is given by divine            
inspiration4 ,in this view of the case1 
,paul could well insert the words1 and  

is profitable for ,,correction1 for     
,,instruction in righteousness1 because 
he himself had been corrected and       
instructed by it4  ,and now1 brethren   
and sisters1 and as many as hear me     
to-day1 let us go to the fullness of his
 love as it is tied up in his ,word4    
,let us open these bundles of grace with
 penitent hearts and tearful eyes1 and  
the peace of pardon1 like the odor of   
the ointment from ,mary's broken box1   
will flow over our souls4 ,then with    
joyful heart each one may say3 ,of his  
fulness have all we received4 ,but we   
constantly need fresh supplies4 ,we     
naturally run dry4 ,the anaconda1 it is 
said1 can live three months on one meal4
 ,but he can do this only in a state of 
absolute inactivity4 ,god does not      
expect us to live in a state of constant
 inactivity as this serpent does2 he    
expects us to work for him1 and the     
workingman has need of daily food and   
drink4 ,let us so live that we may all  
joyfully approach some one of the pearly

 portals of the ,golden ,city1 and      
receive the angel keeper's welcome      
there3 ,of his fulness hast thou        
received3 enter thou into the joy of thy
 ,lord4  ,,sunday1 ,march #i4 ,meeting  
at ,lionberger's schoolhouse4 ,romans   
#aj is read4 ,dine at ,lionberger's1 and
 come to ,abraham ,rothgeb's            
7,rodecap's7 on ,mill ,run1 where we    
have night meeting1 and stay all night4 
,i speak from the latter part of ,acts  
#c4 ,subject1 ,the ,great ,prophet4     
,,saturday1 ,march #ae4 ,this day ,i    
mail a letter to ,henry ,kurtz2 one to  
,daniel ,arnold2 one to ,jacob          
,basehore1 and one to ,philip ,wampler4 
,,tuesday1 ,april #a4 ,council meeting  
in the ,garber's meetinghouse4 ,two of  
,brother ,daniel ,miller's sons1 viz1   
,joseph and ,jacob1 are elected to the  
deaconship4  ,,saturday1 ,april #e4     
,council meeting at our meetinghouse4   
,brother ,abraham ,knopp is elected     
speaker1 and two sons of ,brother       
,samuel ,wine in the ,brush1 viz1       

,christian and ,samuel1 are elected to  
the deaconship4  ,,tuesday1 ,april #h4  
,council meeting at the ,flat ,rock4    
,isaac ,myers is elected speaker2 and   
,john ,neff1 ,jacob ,wine1 and ,john    
,hindgartner are elected to the         
deaconship4 ,daniel ,miller and ,i go to
 the widow ,wilkins's and stay all      
night4  ,,wednesday1 ,april #i4 ,we     
attend council meeting in ,shaffer's    
meetinghouse to-day4 ,john ,copp and    
,thomas ,baker are elected to the       
deaconship4 ,we stay all night with     
,brother ,george ,shaffer in ,shenandoah
 ,county1 ,virginia4  ,,tuesday1 ,april 
#bi4 ,prepare for love feast at our     
meetinghouse4 ,brother ,henry ,kurtz and
 ,brother ,shively come to my house     
to-day and are with us to-night4 ,to say
 the least1 it is exceedingly pleasant  
to have such company4 ,we heard some    
good speaking done by them at our love  
feast this evening and night4           
,,saturday1 ,may #c4 ,start1 in company 
with brethren ,kurtz and ,shively1 for  

,botetourt ,county1 ,virginia4 ,get as  
far as ,brother ,jacob ,humbert's in    
,augusta ,county1 where we stay all     
night4  ,,sunday1 ,may #d4 ,love feast  
at the ,brick meetinghouse to-day4      
,,monday1 ,may #e4 ,dine at ,brother    
,coffman's and stay all night at        
,brother ,jacob ,forrer's4  ,,tuesday1  
,may #f4 ,through ,greenville1 and on to
 ,layman's tavern1 in ,fairfield1 for   
dinner4 ,stop a little in ,lexington1   
then on to ,siler's tavern1 where we    
stay all night4  ,,wednesday1 ,may #g4  
,get breakfast and feed our horses at   
,luster's tavern at the ,natural        
,bridge4 ,this is one of nature's       
wonderful curiosities4 ,but it does not 
strike me with that degree of           
astonishment which many seem to feel on 
a first sight of it4 ,i am so familiar  
with ,god's sublime works among the     
mountains of ,virginia and those of     
other states that the view does not     
impress me with that sense of sublimity 
and awful grandeur that one might expect

 from reading the descriptions given of 
it4 ,the ,natural ,bridge appears to me 
to be nothing more than the remains of a
 cave1 nearly all of the roof of which  
has long since fallen in and been washed
 away4 ,there are many natural bridges  
in ,virginia and ,kentucky1 but they are
 mostly underground4 ,from the ,bridge  
we go on to ,brother ,peter             
,ninsinger's1 where we stay all night4  
,,thursday1 ,may #h4 ,get to ,brother   
,benjamin ,moomaw's for dinner4 ,brother
 ,moomaw gives promise of great         
usefulness4 ,we then go to ,brother     
,barnhardt's1 where we stay all night4  
,,friday1 ,may #i4 ,the ,yearly ,meeting
 opens to-day4 ,many ,brethren are      
present4 ,we stay all night at ,brother 
,haut's4  ,,saturday1 ,may #aj4 ,back to
 meeting at ,brother ,barnhardt's4      
,council continues till noon to-day1    
then public meeting begins4 ,we have a  
love feast out in the orchard this      
evening and night4 ,i stay all night at 
,brother ,eller's4  ,,sunday1 ,may #aa4 

,meeting to-day4 ,john #g is read4      
,brother ,henry ,kurtz spoke from the   
eighteenth verse4 ,text3 ,he that       
speaketh of himself seeketh his own     
glory3 but he that seeketh his glory    
that sent him1 the same is true1 and no 
unrighteousness is in him4 ,the brother 
spoke in substance what ,i here give in 
small space4 ,he said3  ,these are the  
words of ,jesus ,christ1 who knew what  
was in man4 ,it becomes every minister  
who preaches the ,word1 to examine      
himself prayerfully1 in the light of    
,holy ,truth1 to know certainly what    
impels him to the work4 ,if1 by such    
examination1 he becomes assured that the
 love of ,christ and for ,christ lures  
him on1 and that the salvation of souls 
and the consequent glory of the ,lord is
 the beginning and the end of his       
motives1 he can go on with heart and    
tongue1 under the ,lord's banner1       
defying the very gates of hell4 ,but if 
the love of self and the love of the    
world enter as the chief elements of his

 power and will in the work1 it would be
 better for him1 better for the cause1  
and less dishonorable to the ,lord if he
 would stop off short4 ,i will here     
repeat the text4 ,you may now be better 
prepared to perceive the warmth of its  
power and the light of its truth4 ',he  
that speaketh of himself'--or as the    
,greek more nearly and fully puts it1   
,,from himself1 from love to himself the
 meaning is--'seeketh his own glory4'   
,this is self-evidently true1 for such a
 one can have the glory of no one else  
to seek4 ,self1 the love of self1 fills 
his eye and heart4 ,and1 like the       
,pharisee1 verily1 he has his reward4   
,but1 my beloved ,brethren1 especially  
you who have been set to the work of the
 ministry1 ,i can say from my heart that
 ,i have but little apprehension that   
you are led on in your work by any other
 than a right motive4 ,i do believe1    
from all that ,i know of you personally1
 as well as by reputation1 that each one
 of you1 with perhaps a somewhat varied 

perception of their exalted meaning and 
power1 can adopt ,paul's words3 ',the   
love of ,christ constrains me4' ',woe   
unto me if ,i preach not the ,gospel1   
for it is the power of ,god unto        
salvation4'  ,there is one feature      
particularly in the order of our        
ministry that ,i have always advocated1 
and expect by the grace of ,god to      
advocate to the last1 and that is an    
unsalaried ministry4 ,the world will say
 to me right here3 ',you are working    
against your own interest4 ,you are     
destroying the race that would bring    
water to your mill4 ,you are breaking   
the wagon that would carry grain to your
 storehouse4' ,in answer to this ,i have
 to say that ,god never meant for the   
,gospel to be used as a means for       
getting water to the preacher's mill1 or
 grain into his garner4 ,when the       
,gospel is converted into merchandise1  
the preacher becomes a merchant1 and    
like all other merchants it becomes his 
interest to handle his goods in a way   

that will please his customers1 and put 
them in such shape and procure for them 
such kinds1 whether good1 bad1 or       
indifferent1 as will suit their fancies 
and please their tastes4 ',the love of  
money is a root of all evil1' no less in
 the ministry than anywhere else4  ',but
 he that seeketh the glory of him that  
sent him1 the same is true1 and no      
unrighteousness is in him4' ,how        
wonderfully did our ,lord fulfill his   
mission6 ,even on the banks of the      
,jordan1 when ,john had already         
expressed his unworthiness to untie the 
latchet of his shoe1 still more so to   
baptize him1 he said3 ',thus it becometh
 us to fulfill all righteousness4' ,and 
the ,father answered1 and the ,holy     
,spirit bare witness4 ',this is my      
beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well        
pleased4' ,brethren1  our ,lord's maxim1
 expressed in these words1 ',i came not 
to do mine  own will1 but the will of   
him that sent me1' should be the        
watchword  with every one of us4 ,and if

 the truth leads us through the waters  
of  the ,jordan1 or into the fire of    
persecution1 let us still deny          
ourselves1 bear the cross1 and say3     
',thus it becometh us to fulfill  all   
righteousness2' and we1 in heart1 in a  
conscience void of offense  toward ,god1
 will be sure to receive the heavenly   
recognition3 ',this  is my beloved ,son1
 in whom ,i am well pleased4'  ,but it  
is not to be inferred from anything ,i  
may have said that a minister should not
 have a decent regard for the manner and
 the style of language in which he      
proclaims the ,gospel of ,christ4 ,the  
most faithful and skilled workmen in any
 craft are1 as a rule1 the most careful 
in regard to the quality and fitness of 
the tools they employ1 as well as about 
the manner in which they handle them4   
,paul instructs ,timothy to 'study to   
show himself approved unto ,god1 a      
workman that needeth not to be ashamed1 
rightly dividing the word of truth4'    
,when a man seeks the honor1 the wealth 

and general interest and success of his 
employer he gives proof of his honesty  
in the service1 and also of love in his 
heart for him4 ,these two principles    
underlie all right work for the         
,lord1--honesty and love2 childlike     
simplicity and sincerity4 ,brethren1 let
 us not aspire to the high things of the
 world1 but to the meekness and         
gentleness of ,christ4  ,i wish many    
more could have heard the brother's     
edifying discourse4  ,after the forenoon
 meeting was dismissed1 brethren ,henry 
,kurtz1 ,shively1 ,christian ,kline and 
myself start homeward1 and come to      
,brother ,daniel ,kinsey's1 where we    
stay all night4  ,,monday1 ,may #ab4 ,we
 all get to ,siler's tavern1 where we   
stay all night4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #ac4   
,we pass through ,lexington1 ,fairfield1
 ,greenville1 and on to ,jacob          
,forrer's1 where we all stay over night4
 ,we have fine weather4  ,,wednesday1   
,may #ad4 ,we all come to ,brother      
,abraham ,garber's1 and after dinner go 

to meeting at the meetinghouse4 ,hebrews
 #ab is read4 ,stay all night at        
,brother ,john ,myers's4  ,,thursday1   
,may #ae4 ,all go to ,brother ,frederic 
,kline's1 near ,dayton1 ,virginia1 for  
dinner4 ,call at ,brother ,daniel       
,garber's1 and in evening get back to my
 house4  ,,friday1 ,may #af4 ,in        
afternoon we have meeting in ,brother   
,samuel ,kline's dwelling house4        
,brother ,shively speaks from ,john     
#d3ad1 #ae4 ,text3 ,but whosoever       
drinketh of the water that ,i shall give
 him shall never thirst2 but the water  
that ,i shall give him shall be in him a
 well of water springing up into        
everlasting life4 ,the woman saith unto 
him1 ,sir1 give me this water1 that ,i  
thirst not1 neither come hither to draw4
  ,i here give1 as nearly as ,i can1 a  
brief outline of ,brother ,shively's    
interesting discourse4 ,he spoke of     
water3 its purity1 its beauty1 its      
utility1 its abundance4  ,water1 said   
he1 when it is free from all extraneous 

substances1 is the purest thing in the  
world4 ,the curse that fell upon the    
ground1 whereby it would no longer yield
 its spontaneous increase to support and
 comfort man1 doomed it to bring forth  
thorns and thistles instead4 ',in the   
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy    
bread4' ',dust thou art1 and unto dust  
shalt thou return4' ,these fearful words
 are still true of the ground to-day4   
,wherever man inhabits the earth1 labor1
 sweat and constant attention are the   
price which has to be paid for          
comfortable subsistence in this world4  
,but water is not included in all this4 
,it really is not a constituent of the  
ground4 ,it may be in the ground1 but it
 is not of it2 and its tendency is to   
leave the ground as quickly as possible1
 under favoring conditions1 as though it
 felt that ground is not its place4 ,the
 ground gives rise to poisonous vapors  
which produce disease2 but pure water   
never does4 ,the only impurities that   
ever enter water come from the ground as

 their original source4  ,it is probable
 that on this account our ,lord used    
water to represent the divine truth of  
his ,word4 ,let us turn to the testimony
 we may gather on this subject4 ,first  
to my text1 ',he that drinketh of the   
water that ,i shall give him shall never
 thirst4' ,i believe that this means the
 truth of his ,word4 ,what else could it
 mean8 ,now again3 ',blessed are they   
that do hunger and thirst after         
righteousness3 for they shall be        
filled4' ,filled with what8 ,i believe  
that such will be filled with the love  
of ,god and man1 through a knowledge of 
the truth1 to such a degree that they   
will seek to live righteous lives4 ',he 
that ,,doeth truth is righteous4' #a    
,john #c3g4  ,again3 ,our ,lord says3   
',if any man thirst1 let him come unto  
me and drink4' ,and what is the drink   
the ,lord will give8 ,not elementary    
water1 ,i am sure2 but if you will allow
 the expression1 ,i will call it        
spiritual water4 ,let us return to the  

text again4 ,if you will trace the      
chapter throughout1 you will see how    
gently and tenderly the ,lord approached
 the dark mind of this woman4 ,he told  
her of things in her life that no       
stranger would be likely to know4 ,in   
this way he gained her confidence4 ,she 
said3 ',i perceive thou art a prophet4' 
,this was one point gained4 ,next he    
told her that 'ye' 7including the class 
of ,samaritans to whom she belonged7    
'worship ye know not what4 ,we know what
 we worship4' ,this was another step    
with the cup of living water in his hand
 to apply to her lips4 ,his next step   
was to tell her that ,god is a ,spirit1 
and that all true worship must be from  
the heart1 'in spirit and in truth1' and
 that the ,father seeketh such to       
worship him4 ,i do suppose this is the  
first time she ever heard ,god called   
,father4 ,it was new to her1 so new that
 she confessed her belief in a coming   
,messias1 who would be able to tell her 
all things2 but that he would come in   

the spirit and love of a kind ,father   
exceeded all her hopes4  ,and say1      
,brethren1 did not this poor woman take 
the cup from the ,lord's hand and drink 
of the ,water of ,life8 ,i think she    
did1 for she turned missionary right    
away1 and if you will read the          
thirty-ninth verse you will see         
something of her success1 for 'many of  
the ,samaritans 444 believed on him for 
the saying of the woman1 which          
testified1 ,he told me all that ever ,i 
did4'  ,i will now quote one more text  
to show that this living water1 or      
life-giving water1 also represents the  
,holy ,ghost in his enlightening power  
and love4 ',he that believeth on me as  
the scripture hath said1 out of his     
belly shall flow rivers of living water4
 ,but this spake he of the spirit1 which
 they that believe on him should        
receive4' ,here1 it does seem to me1 the
 believer in ,christ is compared to a   
spring of pure water4 ,what makes a     
spring flow1 and keep on flowing even in

 dry weather8 ,it must be that deep down
 in the veins of the rocks1 away out of 
sight1 it is being constantly fed by an 
influx of pure water4 ,what a lesson we 
have here6 ,brethren1 the ,spirit1 or   
what is the same thing again1 the truth 
of ,god's holy ,word1 must not lie      
dormant in us4 ,we must1 as the passage 
quoted puts it1 we must give out rivers 
of living water4 ,these rivers flow out 
of our hearts into everything of our    
lives in a way to make others know that 
we are full of the water of life4  ,i   
very lately read about the ,dead ,sea4  
,and how did it get its name8 ,i will   
tell you4 ,it got the name ',dead ,sea' 
from its resemblance to a human being   
who is constantly taking in ,god's      
gifts1 and giving nothing out in any    
visible way4 ,if you will look at a map 
of ,palestine you will there see that   
the river ,jordan is constantly pouring 
its flood of fresh water into this sea2 
but with all this influx of fresh water 
this sea is so full of all manner of    

impurities that even fish cannot live in
 it1 and no waterfowls1 ,i am told1 are 
ever seen on its shores4 ,truly it      
deserves to be called ',dead ,sea4' ,it 
has no outlet2 no refreshing stream ever
 flows from its bosom4  ,but1 ,brethren1
 if we are truly alive in the ,lord we  
will be like the garden of ,eden that   
sent out a river to water the garden1   
whence it was parted and became four    
heads1 and each head was a river4 ,does 
not all this throw some light on what   
our ,lord meant in what he said to the  
woman1 ',it shalt be in him a well of   
water1 springing up into everlasting    
life2' and this3 ',out of his belly     
shall flow rivers of living water8'     
,there is nothing like a dead sea here4 
,all1 all is life from the ,lord4 ,but  
water is beautiful4 ,who does not admire
 a clear1 flowing spring or river6 ,in  
this respect water is an emblem of the  
,lord's ,word4 ,can any one read the    
,scriptures1 and not be struck with     
their beauty8 ,take1 for an example1 the

 story of creation4 ,even children see  
its beauty and love it4 ,take the last  
two chapters of ,revelation4 ,who can   
read them without perceiving in them a  
beauty that is all divine8 ,the ,bible  
opens in beauty and closes in beauty4   
,and now1 dear ,brethren1 whilst my     
subject has only been touched a little1 
,i will close by briefly directing your 
minds and hearts to the river that ,john
 saw in vision1 clear as crystal1       
proceeding out of the throne of ,god and
 of the ,lamb4 ,i believe this river to 
be a symbol of ,god's love and truth4   
,it proceeded from the throne of ,god4  
,now1 'heaven is his throne1 and the    
earth is his footstool4'  ,you know the 
,lord said to the ,pharisees3 ',the     
baptism of ,john1 was it from heaven1 or
 of men8' ,they would not answer4 ,but  
we can answer4 ,it was from heaven4 ,it 
was performed in the beauty and         
clearness of the truth that the ,lord   
,jesus brought from heaven4 ,it         
proceeded from the throne of ,god4 ,what

 a high origin our baptism has6 ,it is  
from heaven4 ,and the immersion of our  
bodies three times in water symbolizes1 
in a way more impressive than anything  
else ever could1 that we have implicit  
faith in the love1 wisdom and power of  
the divine ,trinity of ,father1 ,son and
 ,holy ,ghost4 ,there is a trinity in   
every good thing we do4 ,there must be  
the love to prompt or make the start1   
the wisdom to direct this love          
intelligently1 and the power to execute 
what is in the will and understanding to
 be done4 ,our trine immersion of the   
body in water1 the beautiful emblem of  
truth1 shows our acceptance of it       
internally and externally1 in life1 in  
death1 in heaven4  ,one more thought1   
and ,i will close4 ,once within the     
city1 we shall thirst no more3 ',for the
 ,lamb which is in the midst of the     
throne shall lead us to fountains of    
living water4' ,all darkness will be    
removed4 ,what is obscure here will be  
light there4 ,for now we know in part4  

,there we shall know even as we are     
known4 ,amen6  ,,saturday1 ,may #ag4    
,brethren ,kurtz and ,shively go to     
,lost ,river4 ,dine at ,james           
,fitzwater's1 and stay all night at     
,celestine ,whitmore's4  ,,sunday1 ,may 
#ah4 ,meeting at the ,lost ,river       
meetinghouse4 ,matthew #g is read4 ,the 
brethren both take part in the speaking 
to-day4 ,dine at ,jacob ,motz's1 then   
take leave of the dear brethren1 ,kurtz 
and ,shively1 and come home4 ,those two 
brethren and ,i were together three     
weeks1 lacking only two days4 ,the      
pleasant conversations we had1 the unity
 of our faith1 and the oneness of our   
aims in life have wrought in us an      
attachment for each other that made     
separation painful4 ,but we parted not  
without hope of meeting again4          
,,friday1 ,july #be4 ,harvest meeting at
 our meetinghouse to-day4 ,luke #af was 
read4 ,the singing of devotional hymns1 
the offering of thanksgiving prayers1   
with instructions as to the way in which

 the worldly gifts of our heavenly      
,father to us may be most wisely used1  
occupied the time we spent together4    
,how best to help the poor has been a   
matter of much thought with me4 ,if we  
give to such as are able to work and    
support themselves1 but do not1 we      
rather encourage them in their habits of
 idleness4 ,if we do not give to them1  
they complain that we care but little   
for them1 and do not feel toward them as
 we should4 ,i think the best way to    
help such is to encourage them to honest
 labor by aiding them to procure        
situations in which they can support    
themselves4 ,if they then fail to       
provide for their families1 ,i think    
they should be visited by a committee   
and instructed in regard to what ,paul  
says3 ,he that provideth not for his    
own1 especially those of his own house1 
hath denied the faith1 and is worse than
 an unbeliever4 ,paul never aimed this  
stroke of condemnation at any who are   
not able to provide for themselves4 ,i  

am glad to think that we have but very  
few poor members who are not able to    
help themselves4 ,these are the ones of 
whom the ,lord said3 ,the poor ye have  
always with you1 and whenever ye will ye
 may do them good4 ,in respect to such  
he also said3 ,it is more blessed to    
give than to receive4  ,,sunday1 ,august
 #c4 ,meeting in our meetinghouse4      
,first ,peter #c is read4 ,daniel       
,glick1 ,hildebrandt1 ,sister ,trump1   
,mary and ,susanna ,miller were baptized
 to-day4  ,,sunday1 ,september #g4      
,meeting at ,motz's4 ,john #c is read4  
,nimrod ,judy and wife1 ,susan ,randall1
 ,mrs4 ,shireman1 the widow ,toppan and 
,mrs4 ,ridenour were baptized by me     
to-day4 ,we have a love feast this      
evening4  ,,monday1 ,september #h4      
,return home4 ,in my absence1 on the    
thirtieth day of ,august1 the following 
named persons were baptized in the      
,linville's ,creek near my house3 ,john 
,wine and wife1 ,elizabeth ,glick1 ,mrs4
 ,funk1 ,mrs4 ,rodecap1 ,mrs4 ,miller1  

and a young ,sister ,niswander4         
,,friday1 ,september #ab4 ,attend our   
two days' council meeting above         
,harrisonburg4 ,stop on my way there1   
and assist in anointing ,brother ,daniel
 ,garber with oil in the name of the    
,lord4  ,,friday1 ,september #bf4 ,start
 to ,albemarle ,county1 ,virginia4      
,benjamin ,bowman is with me4 ,stay all 
night at ,john ,leedy's4  ,,saturday1   
,september #bg4 ,cross the ,shenandoah  
river in a horse boat2 dine and feed at 
,sipe's2 cross the ,blue ,ridge mountain
 and on to ,nesterville4 ,stay all night
 at ,henry ,coverston's4  ,,sunday1     
,september #bh4 ,we have meeting in the 
,methodist church4 ,the latter part of  
,luke #bd is read4 ,henry ,coverston and
 wife were baptized by ,benjamin        
,bowman4 ,i think this is the first     
administration of the ordinance of      
baptism ever performed by the ,brethren 
on the east side of the ,blue ,ridge in 
,virginia4  ,,monday1 ,september #bi4   
,get home after a ride on horseback     

to-day of forty-three miles4 ,we got    
dinner and fed our horses at ,donovan's4
  ,,saturday1 ,october #aa4 ,meeting and
 love feast at the ,flat ,rock4 ,luke   
#ac is read4 ,benjamin ,bowman baptized 
,john ,rorabaugh and wife4  ,,thursday1 
,october #af4 ,daniel ,miller and       
,daniel ,yount1 in company with myself1 
start to ,hampshire ,county1 ,virginia4 
,we get to ,jacob ,warnstaff's1 in      
,pendleton ,county1 ,virginia1 where we 
stay all night4  ,,friday1 ,october #ag4
 ,we have meeting at ,bethel church4    
,matthew #aa is read4 ,cross the ,south 
,fork mountain and stay all night at    
,chlora ,judy's4 ,i am not surprised    
that these people are fond of hunting4  
,several deer crossed our path in front 
of us to-day4  ,,saturday1 ,october #ah4
 ,meeting at ,chlora ,judy's4 ,romans #f
 is read4 ,magdalena ,rorabaugh is      
baptized4 ,brother ,daniel ,miller spoke
 in the ,german on the twelfth verse of 
the chapter read2 and ,i interpreted to 
such as could not well understand       

,german1 following him4 ,text3 ,let not 
sin therefore reign in your mortal body4
  ,he said3 ,man1 as he first came from 
the hand of his ,creator1 was not a     
sinner4 ,he was included in the creation
 which ,god had just finished1 and upon 
which he looked down and said that it   
was 'good1 yea1 very good4' ,with this  
agree the words of ,solomon1 greatly    
gifted in wisdom4 ,after going over and 
investigating the whole human family1 as
 far as his knowledge and wisdom enabled
 him to go1 he returned to his own      
reflections and expressed the sad       
conclusion of his mind in these words3  
',lo1 this only have ,i found1 that ,god
 made man upright3 but they have sought 
out many inventions4' ,the ,word of ,god
 from beginning to end shows us that man
 is no longer upright4 ,the inventions  
which ,solomon speaks of are inventions 
of evil4 ,they are not good inventions4 
,in the opening chapters of the ,bible  
we learn how man fell from the high and 
holy state in which he was created4 ,it 

is there declared that ',god made man in
 his own image1 in the image of ,god    
made he him4'  ,the ,apostle ,john says 
that ',god is light4' ,by this ,i       
understand him to mean that ,god is     
infinitely wise1 knowing all truth4 ,the
 same apostle says that ',god is love4' 
,by this ,i understand that the ,lord   
,god has a will for good to every       
creature that he has made4 ,that he has 
no other feeling than that of love for  
the human race and for every individual 
of the human family4 ,now1 it was in the
 image and likeness of ,god that man was
 made at his first creation4 ,is it not 
plain from this1 then1 that he must have
 been wise in regard to the things of   
his understanding1 and filled with love 
in his heart for all that is truly good8
 ,in this state he could love the ,lord 
his ,god with all his heart1 and with   
all his strength1 and love his neighbor 
as he loved himself4 ,but what does the 
,bible1 and what does the history of the
 world tell us about man ever since he  

fell from this heavenly state in which  
he was first created8 ,the ,bible       
declares that the 'heart of man is      
deceitful above all things1 and         
desperately wicked4' ,the ,lord said to 
the ,pharisees1 a class of people who   
even claimed to be religious3 ',ye are  
of your father the devil2 and the works 
of your father ye do4' ,from the ,bible 
we turn to the history of man's career  
through all the ages down to the present
 time1 and we find its lines all written
 in characters of blood4 ,revenge1      
murder1 cruelty1 deceit1 malice and     
ill-will of one toward another are      
manifest on almost every page of        
history4  ,but in the very face of all  
this evil ,god still loved the world2   
and he so loved it that he gave his only
 begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth
 on him should not perish1 but have     
everlasting life4 ,and ,i declare him to
 you to-day as my ,savior and your      
,savior2 able to save to the uttermost  
all who come unto ,god through him4 ,and

 what does he save us from8 ,he saves us
 from hell4 ,and what is hell8 ,i say to
 you that it is the place where the     
devil1 and all his angels and evil      
spirits of men live after they leave    
this world4 ,it is the fire prepared for
 the devil and his angels4 ,it is the   
everlasting fire into which the accursed
 depart4 ,it is the place from which the
 rich man lifted up his eyes1 tormented1
 as he himself confessed1 sorely        
tormented in this flame4 ,but1 dear     
friends1 ,god does not will that any of 
us should go to hell2 for he says3 ',as 
,i live1 ,i have no pleasure in the     
death of a sinner1 but would that all   
should turn and live4'  ,and he tells us
 how we are to turn and live4 ,he says  
to all3 ',repent1 for the kingdom of    
heaven is at hand4' ,repent1 that your  
sins may be blotted out4 ,and what is it
 to repent8 ,it is to turn away the     
heart from the love of sin4 ,it is to   
die unto sin and live unto ,god4 ,the   
meaning of my text is not to let sin    

reign in our mortal bodies to fulfill   
the lusts thereof4 ,and what does true  
repentance lead to8 ,it leads to a life 
of obedience to all the commands of our 
,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ',repent1 and be  
baptized every one of you in the name1' 
that means in obedience to the command  
'of ,jesus ,christ1 444 and ye shall    
receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4   
,for the promise is unto you1 and to    
your children1 and to all that are afar 
off1 even as many as the ,lord our ,god 
shall call4' ,this takes in all4 ,it may
 be that some who hear me to-day are    
very far off4 ,still1 friend1 the       
promise is to you4 ,and more3 ,i am sure
 you are hearing the ,gospel to-day1 so 
,god is calling you now1 and the promise
 is to as many as the ,lord our ,god    
shall call1 and this means every one who
 hears the ,gospel sound4  ,when ,i was 
young ,i was afraid ,i had sinned       
against the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but ,i found 
some precious words from the lips of our
 blessed ,lord himself that took away   

all my fear and gave me a hope which has
 never1 up to this time1 left my heart4 
,you begin to wonder what precious words
 these were4 ,i will tell you where they
 are and you can find them yourself4    
,john's ,gospel1 sixth chapter1 and the 
thirty-seventh verse is where they are1 
and these are the words3 ',and whosoever
 cometh unto me ,i will in no wise cast 
out4' ,the word whosoever takes in every
 one1 without exception4 ,i tell you    
joyfully1 it took me in1 and it has kept
 me in1 and by the grace of ,god it will
 keep me in forever4  ,as ,i have told  
you some things the ,bible says about   
death and hell1 ,i must tell you a few  
things it says about life and heaven4   
,jesus says3 ',i am the resurrection1   
and the life3 he that believeth in me1  
though he were dead' 7as to his body71  
'yet shall he live3 and whosoever liveth
 and believeth in me shall never die4'  
,o1 can this be true8 ,yes1 it is true1 
because ,jesus never said what is not   
true4 ,he is life and truth1 and when we

 have him in our hearts we have the     
witness in ourselves that what he says  
is true4 ,we then 'know of the doctrine 
that it is of ,god4' ,our bodies will   
all die1 but the real man is more than  
the natural body4 ,paul tells us about a
 spiritual body that will never see     
death4 ,this is what ,jesus says 'shall 
never die4' ,this is the body that will 
rise and live forever4  ,our ,lord said 
to his disciples3 ',i go to prepare a   
place for you4' ,the place which the    
,lord prepares is heaven4 ,in his prayer
 he said3 ',father1 ,i will that they   
also1 whom thou hast given me1 be with  
me where ,i am2 that they may behold my 
glory4' ,where is the ,lord's glory1 and
 where is he in his glory8 ,we read that
 he ascended to heaven4 ,he is in       
heaven1 the heaven of glory and bliss to
 which he ascended4 ,he is there        
preparing a place for you and for me1 if
 we live faithful to him by our         
obedience to his commands4 ,let us be   
faithful to him1 that we may be         

accounted worthy to enter in through the
 gates into the city4  ,after dinner we 
all go to ,isaac ,shobe's1 where we have
 night meeting and stay all night4      
,,sunday1 ,october #ai4 ,we have meeting
 at ,brother ,jacob ,high's4 ,acts #c is
 read4 ,also night meeting at ,parks's  
where we stay4  ,,monday1 ,october #bj4 
,meeting at ,solomon ,michael's1 where  
we stay all night4  ,,tuesday1 ,october 
#ba4 ,meeting at ,joseph ,arnold's1 on  
,patterson's ,creek1 in ,hampshire      
,county1 ,virginia4 ,i spoke to-day on  
#b ,timothy #a3ac4 ,text3 ,hold fast the
 form of sound words4  ,this passage of 
,scripture is a part of the fatherly    
instruction ,paul gave his spiritual son
 ,timothy4 ,god's works and man's works 
in the conversion and regeneration of   
man are so blended1 so connected and    
identified one with the other that ,paul
 sometimes speaks of doing what none but
 ,god himself can do4 ,thus to the      
,corinthians he said3 ,for ,i have      
begotten you through the gospel4 ,and to

 ,philemon he said3 ,i beseech thee for 
my son ,onesimus1 whom ,i have begotten 
in my bonds4 ,these passages show how   
clearly the true child of ,god stands   
connected with the ,holy ,spirit1 in his
 blessed work of regenerating man and   
qualifying him for heaven4 ,the         
conjunction of effort may be compared   
with what we see and know to exist in   
husband and wife4 ,when the twain are   
really one flesh1 one heart1 one mind1  
what is done by the one is regarded as  
done by the other4 ,it must be in a     
sense somewhat like this that ,paul     
calls ,timothy his son4 ,the aged ,john 
also says3 ,i have no greater joy than  
to hear that my children walk in truth4 
,he here means spiritual children4 ,he  
calls them his children from the love he
 has for them1 and the fatherly care he 
has over them1 and the fatherly         
instruction he gives them4 ,they are    
near to him1 as children are to their   
own parents1 and when he sees or hears  
that they receive the truth and walk in 

it1 it gives him joy4  ,when ,paul      
addressed the words of my text to       
,timothy1 most of the ,new ,testament   
had been written4 ,it is to the ,new    
,testament ,scriptures that he calls    
,timothy's special attention1 where he  
says3 ,it is profitable for doctrine1   
for reproof1 for correction1 for        
instruction in righteousness3 that the  
man of ,god may be perfect1 thoroughly  
furnished unto all good works4 ,here1 in
 these ,scriptures1 is to be found the  
,,form of sound words which ,timothy is 
admonished to hold fast4 ,this          
instruction harmonizes with what was    
said to the angel of the church in      
,thyatira3 ,but that which ye have1 hold
 fast till ,i come4 ,and in the last of 
the book of ,revelation there are awful 
warnings given against adding to or     
taking from what ,god has spoken4 ,the  
temptation to skip over1 misquote1 and  
misinterpret the ,scriptures must be    
very great1 as it is to these three     
sources that nearly or quite all the    

denominational differences among        
professing ,christians can be traced4   
,brethren1 it becomes us to be very     
careful here1 lest ,satan should get an 
advantage of us2 for we are not ignorant
 of his devices4 ,i believe a departure 
from the form of sound words mainly     
accounts for the many errors in doctrine
 and practice which exist among         
professing ,christians to-day4 ,a       
departure from the form of our ,lord's  
great commission has not only perverted 
the ordinance of baptism by applying it 
to infants2 but it has destroyed the    
ordinance itself by setting aside trine 
immersion1 which it so plainly teaches4 
,and what shall we say of the ordinance 
of feet-washing6 ,when a parent or      
teacher wishes to impart to his child or
 pupil a clear understanding of some    
duty or obligation1 he usually feels    
relieved of all further responsibility  
when he has given the necessary         
instruction to his child or pupil in    
words which he knows can be understood4 

,but in the institution of the ordinance
 of feet-washing our ,lord did not      
depend upon oral instruction to impart a
 clear knowledge of his will2 but he    
went through the performance himself1   
and at the close he said3 ,i have given 
you an example1 that ye should do as ,i 
have done to you4 ,are not these sound  
words8 ,what are sound words1 and what  
is their form8 ,i answer that sound     
words are words which have no doubtful  
meaning2 and the form of sound words is 
such a use of them as clearly expresses 
and conveys to the mind of the reader or
 hearer just what the writer or speaker 
wants him to know4 ,but do the so-called
 churches hold fast these words8 ,no1   
they do not4 ,they let them go as things
 out of date1 or unnecessary at the     
present advanced stage of enlightened   
thought4 ,but if the light that is in   
them be darkness1 how great is that     
darkness6  ,i can say of the ,lord's    
,supper1 which ,jude calls a feast of   
charity1 or love feast1 which is the    

same1 and which the ,lord instituted in 
connection with feet-washing1 just what 
,i have said of this ordinance4 ,it is  
let go4 ,these1 with many other         
omissions and errors1 have crept into   
the so-called ,christian faith and      
practice1 by letting go the form of     
sound words4 ,still more4 ,the          
injunctions to nonconformity to the     
world in dress and other things are all 
let go instead of being held fast1 and  
loose reins are given to all manner of  
worldly forms and fashions4 ,professing 
,christians even defraud one another    
through covetousness1 which is idolatry1
 going to law one with another4 ,they   
also do not hesitate to bear arms in    
war1 which is the greatest of all       
earthly evils4  ,brethren and friends1  
,i do not speak in this way from any    
feeling of ill-will toward any1 but from
 the depth of love in my heart2 for     
there is no joy that could be compared  
with the joy that ,i would feel could ,i
 see the whole ,christian world bowing1 

meekly bowing under the weight and power
 of ,god's revealed ,truth4 ,our way1   
,brethren1 is to hold fast the form of  
sound words4 ,as we expect to have a    
love feast here on to-morrow evening1   
let each one examine himself to see     
whether in his faith or in his works he 
may have departed from the form of sound
 words of warning1 of encouragement1 of 
instruction1 of exhortation1 of         
doctrine4 ,and it most assuredly becomes
 us to inquire whether we have done our 
duty in the way of searching the        
,scriptures1 giving ourselves to        
reading1 to meditation1 to prayer4 ,we  
are too apt to seek for what pleases the
 taste of the natural mind1 to the      
neglect of what is necessary to refresh 
the spiritual mind and keep that healthy
 and strong4  ,as there was but one rock
 in the wilderness from which all the   
tribes of ,israel were supplied with    
natural water1 so to us1 ,god's         
spiritual ,israel1 there is but one     
,rock from which flows to us the water  

of life1 and that ,rock is ,christ      
,jesus in his ,word4 ,on this ,rock the 
church is founded1 and ,i rejoice to    
know that the gates of hell shall not   
prevail against it4  ,,wednesday1       
,october #bb4 ,love feast to-day4       
,matthew #bc is read4  ,,thursday1      
,october #bc4 ,meeting4 ,matthew #ac is 
read4 ,brother ,daniel ,miller goes to  
the ,greenland ,gap4 ,i stay all night  
at old ,brother ,arnold's4  ,,friday1   
,october #bd4 ,i and ,daniel ,yount     
start for home4 ,we dine at ,sister     
,high's1 and stay all night at          
,vanmeter's4  ,,saturday1 ,october #be4 
,dine at ,elijah ,judy's1 and stay all  
night at ,isaac ,dasher's on the ,south 
,fork1 ,hardy ,county4  ,,sunday1       
,october #bf4 ,meeting at ,rorabaugh's4 
,john #aj is read4 ,i baptized ,lydia   
,shireman4 ,stay all night at           
,rorabaugh's4  ,,monday1 ,october #bg4  
,preach funeral of ,joseph ,reel's      
daughter4 ,age1 seven years and nine    
months4 ,stay all night at ,james       

,fitzwater's in the ,gap4  ,,tuesday1   
,october #bh4 ,reached home4            
,,saturday1 ,november #h4 ,brother      
,benjamin ,moomaw and family1 from      
,roanoke ,county1 come to my house this 
evening4  ,,sunday1 ,november #i4       
,brother ,george ,kline's little ,daniel
 died to-night4 ,i was with him when he 
died4 ,just three years and four days   
old4 ,how deep the grief with which this
 kind family is stricken6 ,on ,tuesday1 
,october #ba1 while ,i was in ,hampshire
 ,county1 ,virginia1 ,anna1 aged seven  
years1 two months and nineteen days1 was
 laid in the cold grave4 ,on the        
thirty-first1 only nine days later1     
little ,mary passed away1 aged four     
years1 seven months and eleven days4    
,and now1 only nine days later still1   
another1 little ,daniel1 passes away4   
,all three bright1 promising1 happy     
children4 ,we can only lift up our      
voices and weep4 ,the only light that   
breaks in upon the darkness of this     
providence comes from heaven4 ,there is 

light beyond the cloud that now hangs so
 darkly and heavily in the sky above our
 heads4 ,god is our refuge4 ,his promise
 is3 ,when thou passest through the deep
 waters1 ,i will be with thee4 ,thou    
wilt not leave nor forsake us now4 ,the 
little lambs have been gathered into his
 arms4 ,he took them into his arms and  
blessed them here2 how much more can he 
bless them there1 for of such is the    
kingdom of heaven4  ,,thursday1         
,november #bg4 ,have night meeting in   
,winchester1 ,virginia1 in the          
,methodist church4 ,i speak from ,luke  
#ac4 ,subject3 ,the ,strait ,gate4 ,stay
 all night at ,henry ,krumm's4          
,,friday1 ,november #bh4 ,breakfast at  
,brother ,fahnestock's2 dine at ,brother
 ,mummert's1 and have night meeting in  
the ,quaker meetinghouse4 ,speak on     
,john #d3bd4 ,text3 ,god is a ,spirit2  
and they that worship him must worship  
in spirit and in truth4 ,as the house in
 which we have met for worship this     
evening has been erected by the         

,friends1 or ,quakers1 and called after 
their name1 ,i feel that it will not be 
out of place for me to speak from a     
passage of ,scripture upon which they   
very much rely1 as a strong support to  
their faith and ways of worship4 ,i     
must1 at the same time1 confess that ,i 
love these people dearly1 as far as my  
acquaintance with them goes4 ,their     
views and convictions in regard to      
simplicity in manners1 and plainness in 
dress1 and general nonconformity to the 
world2 in regard to bearing arms1 and   
using human laws in the adjustment of   
difficulties between brethren1 are so   
very much like our own that ,i cannot   
avoid a strong attachment to them in my 
religious sympathies4 ,and ,i would not 
desire to eradicate this sympathy from  
my heart if ,i could4 ,these            
considerations1 in connection with my   
early knowledge of them in ,pennsylvania
 as being an honest and virtuous people1
 have always kept me in friendly love   
with the ,quakers4  ,the language of my 

text is part of the instruction given by
 our ,lord to the ,samaritan woman at   
the well4 ,she said to him3 ,our fathers
 worshiped in this mountain2 but ye     
meaning the ,jews say that ,jerusalem is
 the place where men ought to worship4  
,she alluded to the temple1 ,i suppose4 
,but our ,lord at one stroke levels     
every support on which these false      
conceptions of him rested in her mind1  
by assuring her that ,god is a universal
 ,spirit1 and not confined to any one   
place2 and that the worship which he    
delights in is not that of form and     
ceremony1 but that of the heart1 in the 
inner man1 in spirit and in truth4 ,the 
meaning of my text also lays the axe at 
the root of all hypocrisy and spurious  
professions of religion4  ,in addition  
to all this it sets up the only true    
sanctuary for his worship on earth1 the 
sanctuary which is found in the heart of
 every sincere and obedient believer in 
him4 ,paul says to the ,corinthian      
brethren3 ,know ye not that ye are the  

sanctuary of ,god8 ,if any man defile   
the sanctuary of ,god1 him will ,god    
destroy2 for the sanctuary of ,god is   
holy1 which sanctuary ye are4  ,every   
step the sinner takes in his return to  
,god1 and every step the ,christian     
takes in his walk with ,god1 must be in 
spirit and truth4 ,repentance is        
heartfelt hatred of sin4 ,faith is a    
loving acceptance of ,jesus as the ,way1
 the ,truth and the ,life4 ,for with the
 heart man believeth unto righteousness1
 and with the mouth confession is made  
unto salvation4 ,this confession        
includes all the ordinances of ,god's   
house1 which is the church of the living
 ,god4 ,how men can think1 as many seem 
to think1 that they can confess ,christ 
in spirit and truth1 and at the same    
time reject the chief means by which    
,christ intends this confession to be   
made public1 ,i can not see4 ,baptism1  
or the immersion of the body in water by
 a proper administrator1 in the name of 
the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the

 ,holy ,ghost1 is either laid aside     
entirely1 or argued out of form1 or very
 lightly regarded4 ,the ordinance of    
feet-washing1 the salutation of the     
kiss1 and the ,lord's ,supper are       
entirely cast away4 ,in love ,i say all 
this1 because ,i burn with desire to see
 the ,truth accepted in the love of it  
and obeyed from the heart4 ,when man    
does this1 like little ,samuel of old1  
he responds to the call of the ,father  
who seeketh such to worship him4        
,,wednesday1 ,december #ca4 ,in the year
 that is just closing1 ,i have traveled 
#c1egh miles4 ,this ,i have done mostly 
on horseback4 ,i have done what ,i could
 for ,god and humanity4 ,i hope that    
when ,i come to die ,i may not have     
cause for deep regrets1 or to mourn over
 a misspent life4 ,i hope to lay my body
 down in peace1 in the bright hope of a 
glorious waking up at the call of my    
,lord4  ,,thursday1 ,january #h1 #ahdf4 
,go to ,christian ,shoemaker's in the   
,gap and perform the marriage ceremony  

of ,john ,c4 ,miller and ,deborah       
,shoemaker4 ,stay all night at ,ely     
,spitzer's4  ,,thursday1 ,january #ae4  
,write a letter to ,henry ,kurtz1 and   
one to ,george ,hoke4  ,,tuesday1       
,february #ag4 ,make an amicable        
adjustment of complicated business      
matters between the widow ,judith       
,detrick and ,abraham ,detrick4 ,it is  
pleasant to straighten between members  
of our body business matters which      
present a somewhat crooked and tangled  
appearance1 when all the parties are    
willing to have things adjusted through 
the mediation of disinterested          
,brethren4 ,how much better this than to
 go to law6 ,the tendency of private    
adjustments by arbitration is to heal   
over breaches of friendship and love    
between members2 but going to law before
 the world is almost sure to widen them4
 ,i am glad to be able to add1 here1    
that ,i say this1 not from any          
experience with law that ,i have ever   
had in my own case1 or in that of any of

 the ,brethren2 but ,i speak it from    
what ,i have observed in others who have
 gone to law4  ,,thursday1 ,february    
#bf4 ,go to ,david ,kline's and perform 
the marriage ceremony of ,abraham ,neff 
and ,elizabeth ,kline4  ,,tuesday1      
,march #c4 ,perform the marriage        
ceremony of ,josiah ,sowder and         
,elizabeth ,dove4  ,,saturday1 ,march   
#ba4 ,abraham ,knopp and ,i go to ,lost 
,river4 ,stay all night at ,jacob       
,motz's4  ,,sunday1 ,march #bb4 ,meeting
 at the ,lost ,river meetinghouse4 ,luke
 #bd is read4 ,come to ,abel ,dove's and
 perform two marriage ceremonies2 one   
for ,isaac ,whetzel and ,catharine      
,dove2 the other for ,michael ,myers and
 ,julia ,ann ,dove4 ,stay all night4    
,,sunday1 ,april #e4 ,meeting at the    
,flat ,rock4 ,john #f is read4 ,brethren
 sent out on the yearly visit4 ,i and   
,jacob ,wine go together4 ,we stay all  
night at the widow ,cherryholms's in    
,brock's ,gap4  ,,tuesday1 ,april #g4   
,we get through with the visit4 ,the    

members generally expressed themselves  
as being in sympathy and full fellowship
 with the church4 ,we hope they told the
 truth4  ,,wednesday1 ,april #h4        
,council meeting at the ,flat ,rock4    
,jacob ,wine is elected speaker4 ,he    
gives promise of becoming an able and   
active worker in the vineyard of the    
,lord4  ,,friday1 ,april #aj4 ,council  
meeting in the ,brush meetinghouse4     
,joseph ,miller1 son of ,daniel ,miller1
 is elected speaker4 ,john ,wine1 son of
 ,samuel ,wine in the ,brush1 and ,john 
,miller1 are elected to the deaconship4 
,,saturday1 ,april #aa4 ,council meeting
 in the old ,garber meetinghouse4       
,solomon ,garber is elected speaker4 ,he
 likewise gives promise of becoming a   
very useful man in his calling4 ,surely 
the ,lord has established a beautiful   
order in his house4 ,whatsoever ye shall
 bind on earth1 shall be bound in       
heaven4 ,when the church fairly chooses 
a brother to any office or service1 to  
the ministry of the ,word or to attend  

to the temporal duties connected with   
keeping the ,lord's house according to  
order1 he need no longer question as to 
whether the ,lord has called him or not4
 ,the ,lord uses the church to show his 
will in these things4 ,lo6 ,i am with   
you alway1 even unto the end of the     
world4 ,i was once very much impressed  
with the answer a beloved brother gave  
in the presence of some three or four   
others1 just outside the meetinghouse1  
after an election had been held just    
about an hour before4 ,the church had   
voted for two1 only one of whom was     
needed4 ,the vote had been so nearly a  
tie that the brother elected had a      
majority of but one4 ,some one asked3   
,are we to infer from this that the     
,lord wanted both of these brethren     
elected8 ,the brother above referred to 
answered promptly1 ,no1 he only wanted  
to show that both were fit for the      
place4  ,michael ,flory and ,samuel     
,long are elected to the deaconship4    
,,friday1 ,april #ag4 ,go on the visit  

in the ,cove1 in company of ,jacob      
,mathias4  ,,saturday1 ,april #ah4      
,finish the visit in time to have       
council meeting in the ,lost ,river     
meetinghouse4 ,in all my visiting this  
spring but very little complaint or     
dissatisfaction has been laid4 ,our     
council meetings1 too1 have been        
harmonious4 ,the members generally show 
a heartfelt will to live in the church1 
to be built up in the church1 and to    
help to build up the church so long as  
the church keeps house according to     
,god's order4  ,,monday1 ,april #bj4    
,get home in the night4 ,go right on to 
,john ,zigler's4 ,catharine is very     
sick4 ,she dies at #d o'clock in the    
morning4  ,,wednesday1 ,april #bb4      
,catharine ,zigler is buried to-day4    
,,friday1 ,april #bd4 ,jacob ,wine1     
,joseph ,miller and ,i go to ,forrer's  
furnace in ,page ,county1 ,virginia1 and
 have night meeting4 ,jacob ,wine speaks
 from ,john #a3bi4 ,he prefers the      
,german language4 ,he makes a right good

 stagger even in ,english for a         
beginner1 but he will need much practice
 before he can use this language with   
much freedom4 ,but it is not by the     
might nor the power of man that souls   
are saved1 but by the might and power of
 the ,lord working with man4            
,,saturday1 ,april #be4 ,dine at ,isaac 
,spitler's1 and stay all night at ,john 
,huffman's1 both in ,page ,county4      
,,friday1 ,may #h4 ,go to ,brother ,john
 ,harshbarger's on my way to ,albemarle4
  ,,saturday1 ,may #i4 ,he and ,i go to 
the ,ferry on the ,shenandoah river1 but
 finding the river too high to ferry in 
a horse boat1 we go around by the       
bridge1 and get to ,brother ,coverston's
 in the night4  ,,sunday1 ,may #aj4     
,meeting at ,brother ,coverston's4      
,matthew #g is read4 ,the ,strait ,gate 
is the subject4  ,,monday1 ,may #aa4    
,dine at ,john ,conrad's1 and come      
across the mountains by a desperate     
path1 home2 thirty-eight miles4 ,the    
path by which we came to-day is almost  

or quite as steep in places as          
stairsteps1 and very rough from large   
stones in its bed1 with others          
projecting into it on either side4      
,brother ,john was in front of me slowly
 leading his horse down one of the very 
steep places1 when his saddlebags slid  
out of the saddle down over the horse's 
neck and fell on his arm4 ,he pleasantly
 looked back at me saying in a very     
cheerful way1 ,it looks as if my baggage
 wants to go ahead of the horse that    
carries it4  ,,wednesday1 ,may #ac4     
,love feast at our meetinghouse4 ,five  
persons baptized4 ,brethren ,john       
,bowman1 from ,franklin ,county1 and    
,john ,barnhardt are with us4 ,they are 
this far on their way to the ,annual    
,meeting4  ,,friday1 ,may #ae4 ,start to
 ,pennsylvania4  ,,saturday1 ,may #af4  
,through ,winchester1 ,virginia2        
,opequon past fording1 go round by the  
bridge1 and stay all night at           
,smithfield4  ,,sunday1 ,may #ag4       
,through ,charlestown1 by ,harper's     

,ferry and ,fredericktown1 on to ,daniel
 ,bowers's1 where we stay all night4    
,,monday1 ,may #ah4 ,get to ,uncle ,john
 ,garber's1 where we stay all night4    
,,tuesday1 ,may #ai4 ,spend day in      
visiting ,henry ,beecher's1 ,widow      
,deahl's1 ,william ,deahl's1 and get    
back to ,uncle ,john ,garber's4         
,,wednesday1 ,may #bj4 ,visit ,john     
,pfoutz's1 ,jacob ,saylor's and ,solomon
 ,garber's1 where we stay all night4    
,,thursday1 ,may #ba4 ,get to ,brother  
,george ,deardorf's1 where we stay all  
night4  ,,friday1 ,may #bb4 ,get to     
,brother ,balsbaugh's1 beyond           
,harrisburg4  ,,saturday1 ,may #bc4     
,meeting and love feast at ,brother     
,balsbaugh's4 ,seven persons baptized   
to-day4  ,,sunday1 ,may #bd4 ,visit     
,george ,copp's1 ,joseph ,long's1       
,christian ,gipe's1 and stay all night  
at ,abraham ,gipe's4 ,in all my visits  
,i make it a point not to leave a house 
without making an effort to speak on the
 subject of religion1 and say something 

that may leave an impression for good4  
,,monday1 ,may #be4 ,meeting4 ,acts #aj 
is read4 ,visit ,brother ,shank's1 and  
stay all night at ,david ,zug's4        
,,tuesday1 ,may #bf4 ,meeting4 ,romans  
#f is read4 ,visit ,george ,fesler's1   
,michael ,fesler's1 and stay all night  
at ,benjamin ,landis's4  ,,wednesday1   
,may #bg4 ,visit ,daniel ,zug's and     
several other families2 and at #aa      
o'clock meeting begins preparatory to   
love feast this evening4 ,first ,peter  
#a is read4 ,stay all night at ,brother 
,minick's4  ,,thursday1 ,may #bh4       
,meeting at #aa o'clock4 ,john #e is    
read4 ,in afternoon visit ,john         
,royer's1 and stay all night at ,george 
,keller's4  ,,friday1 ,may #bi4 ,yearly 
,meeting begins4 ,many brethren and     
sisters present4  ,,saturday1 ,may #cj4 
,the ,yearly ,council closes at noon4   
,much love and union exists in the      
,brotherhood4 ,public meeting this      
afternoon1 and love feast to-night4     
,much spiritual joy is manifested by the

 singing of hymns and the offering of   
prayers4 ,may our heavenly ,father grant
 that the same love and union may       
continue with us to the end of the      
world4 ,our ,yearly ,meetings will      
continue to do much good so long as they
 show to the world our love for one     
another4 ,hereby shall all men know that
 ye are my disciples1 if ye have love   
for one another4  ,from this meeting    
,brother ,kline set his face homeward1  
but on the way he managed to attend six 
appointments for preaching1 and two love
 feasts besides4 ,in tracing his course 
on his journeys1 and noting the amount  
of active service he performed in the   
way of preaching and visiting1 one is   
forcibly impressed with the proofs he   
gives of the order and system that must 
have characterized and attended his     
labors4 ,not unfrequently he has one or 
two appointments ahead for every day in 
the week2 and with only a very few      
exceptions in the whole course of his   
life1 and they were on account of       

sickness1 he never failed to meet the   
congregations that were looking for him4
 ,soon after getting home from this     
journey he attended to gathering the    
grass and grain harvests on his own     
farm4 ,he reports twenty-eight tons of  
hay made this year4 ,he likewise had a  
tolerably large wheat harvest4 ,about   
the eighteenth of ,june heavy rains set 
in1 and they continued to fall at       
intervals of only a day or two apart for
 the next six or seven weeks4 ,the      
,diary reports a very heavy rain on     
,sunday1 ,june #bh4 ,from this time on  
for the next six days it reports a      
flooding rain every day1 and very high  
waters4 ,the grain suffered very much on
 account of continued wet weather for   
many days following4 ,this has ever     
since been known as the wet harvest4    
,much of the wheat sprouted in the head 
before it could be cut2 and much of what
 stood in shocks suffered in the same   
way4 ,the ,diary for ,july #ae says3 ,we
 finished hauling in our grain to-day1  

some of which had stood in shocks over  
three weeks4 ,such extraordinary seasons
 come along once in a while2 but ,i do  
imagine it will be a good while in the  
future before people can generally say1 
',i never saw such a wet harvest as     
this1' alluding to the one they may then
 be passing through4  ,between this time
 and the first day of ,august1 ,brother 
,kline went on another tour to the      
county of ,hardy1 in which he attended  
several meetings2 baptized ,rebecca1    
wife of ,elijah ,judy1 on ,saturday1    
,july #aa2 and performed the marriage   
ceremony of ,george ,runion and ,susan  
,aubrey1 on the thirteenth4  ,,sunday1  
,july #bf4 ,meeting at ,jacob           
,whetzel's4 ,matthew #bd is read4 ,i    
baptized ,jacob ,pope and his wife4     
,,sunday1 ,august #b4 ,meeting at our   
meetinghouse4 ,samuel ,kline and ,samuel
 ,roller and his wife are baptized4     
,,monday1 ,august #aj4 ,this day        
,brother ,kline started on a journey to 
,ohio1 in company with ,george ,hoover1 

,joseph ,miller1 ,katy ,hoover and      
,benjamin ,wampler4 ,they went in two   
carriages across the western part of the
 ,state of ,virginia 7now ,west         
,virginia7 into ,pennsylvania1 and      
through the western part of that ,state 
into ,ohio4 ,as this trip was made      
specially memorable by a very severe    
spell of sickness which ,brother ,kline 
passed through while making it1 as well 
as by the sad effect it had upon his    
beloved wife1 ,anna1 at home1 the editor
 will be very particular in giving1 from
 the ,diary1 all the points of interest 
connected with it4  ,the second day they
 crossed the ,south ,branch mountain by 
what is called the ,howard's ,lick road4
 ,the view from the top of this is      
perhaps unsurpassed by any point in the 
entire range4 ,a very large part of     
,hardy ,county1 with its magnificent    
streams and rich bottoms1 is visible to 
the eye4 ,the town of ,moorefield from  
this view reminds one of a child        
sleeping in its cradle4  ,brother       

,kline1 as usual1 had a line of         
appointments for meetings by the way1   
and he met them as regularly and timely 
as a train of cars gets to its destined 
stations4 ,he must have had the name and
 address of almost every prominent      
member in the denomination1 and they    
must have had implicit confidence in his
 word2 for the ,diary nowhere intimates 
that he was ever disappointed by not    
finding the expected congregation when  
the weather permitted4 ,nothing of any  
special interest occurred until the     
night of ,saturday1 ,august #ae1 at     
which time we find the company at       
,colley's tavern in ,fayette ,county1   
,pennsylvania4 ,at this place ,brother  
,kline complains of being sick4 ,he     
takes some medicine and is able again to
 travel on through the next three days1 
and fill one appointment4 ,but on       
,,wednesday1 ,august #ai1 there is an   
appointment in waiting for him which he 
cannot attend4 ,he says3 ,i am sick4    
,cannot go4 ,bowling ,green was the     

place4 ,he is now at ,john ,shelly's4   
,notwithstanding his illness1 he1 with  
the company1 traveled thirty-one miles  
the next day2 and the day after attended
 a love feast at ,brother ,daniel       
,wise's4  ,his next appointment was at  
,brother ,shively's4 ,he requests       
,george ,hoover and ,joseph ,miller to  
go on to that place1 while he remains at
 ,brother ,wise's with ,benjamin        
,wampler and ,katy ,hoover4 ,he says    
again3 ,i am sick4 ,on the evening of   
,,sunday1 ,august #bc1 we find him at   
,brother ,hershey's1 near ,lewistown4   
,he says in the entry for that evening3 
,i am still sick4 ,take more medicine   
to-night4 ,on  ,,monday1 ,august #bd1 he
 sent for ,dr4 ,jacob ,myers1 who gave  
him a course of medical treatment4 ,the 
doctor came again the next day1 and gave
 him another course of treatment4 ,he   
says3 ,i took another emetic of lobelia 
to-day1 and perspired freely4 ,if       
lobelia is the poisonous drug that some 
seem to think it is1 we can hardly      

account for the improvement which       
,brother ,kline reports to have         
experienced in his feelings1 following  
every administration of it4 ,for on the 
next day1  ,,wednesday1 ,august #bf1 he 
says3 ,i feel some better to-day2 so    
much so that ,i write my will4          
,,thursday1 ,august #bg4 ,his own words3
 ,start again1 and pass through ,canton1
 ,massillon1 ,brookfield1 ,greeneville1 
,dover1 and on to ,brother ,jacob       
,kurtz's1 where we stay all night4 ,we  
have to wonder how a man laboring under 
a well-defined attack of typhoid fever  
could keep on going for twelve          
consecutive days before the final       
breakdown came4 ,it makes one think of  
,paul1 who could even be stoned until he
 was thought to be dead1 and next day be
 found preaching again4 ,but the crisis 
with ,brother ,kline came at last4 ,the 
entry in the ,diary for  ,,friday1      
,august #bh1 says3 ,to-day ,brother     
,hoover and ,brother ,miller1 at my     
request1 leave me2 ,brother ,wampler and

 ,sister ,katy remain with me4 ,what a  
precious thing love is6 ,my dear        
,brethren have not only staid with me   
day and night1 but they have constantly 
watched for opportunities to minister to
 my comfort or necessities4 ,the ,lord  
reward them abundantly in this life and 
the next3 and bless them at the meetings
 which ,i now feel ,i cannot attend4    
,dr4 ,overholtz comes at my request and 
gives me medicine4  ,,saturday1 ,august 
#bi4 ,suffer extremely1 but not quite so
 much as last night4 ,i now feel as if  
,i were just on a balance between life  
and death3 almost gone4  ,,sunday1      
,august #cj4 ,dr4 ,overholtz comes again
 and gives me another course of         
medicines4 ,i am slightly relieved1 but 
still suffer very much4 ,the ,doctor    
reports fever not as high as yesterday4 
,,monday1 ,august #ca4 ,rest to-day1 but
 am very weak4  ,,tuesday1 ,september   
#a4 ,doctor does not come to-day4  ,for 
some days past the ,diary has been kept 
in a strange hand4 ,some kind but       

intelligent friend has made the daily   
records in perfect imitation of ,brother
 ,kline's unaffected style and manner4  
,,saturday1 ,september #e4 ,the ,doctor 
is here1 but does not give me medicine4 
,i write a letter home4  ,this letter   
created overwhelming distress in the    
mind of ,anna1 ,brother ,kline's wife4  
,she had heard about his illness prior  
to this time2 but when she read this    
letter her mind seemed to give way1 and 
when ,brother ,kline got back home he   
found her very ill1 both in body and    
mind4 ,they told him at home that when  
she read the letter all hope of ever    
seeing him again vanished1 and the shock
 was more than her sensitive nature     
could bear4 ,it is very sad to relate1  
but true1 that she never again seemed   
fairly to realize his being in her      
presence4 ,his kindness to her was shown
 in unremitting attentions1 to the day  
of his death2 and ,i am persuaded that  
few men could be found to bear such a   
dire calamity with so much patience and 

resignation4  ,there were no entries    
made in the ,diary from ,september #a1  
to the fifth4 ,he must have been very   
sick indeed1 during the three days that 
are omitted4  ,,saturday1 ,september #f4
 ,he says3 ,brother ,samuel ,buck gives 
me a course of medicine2 it works well4 
,fever entirely broken4 ,have some      
appetite4 ,begin to mend4  ,,monday1 #g4
 ,to-day ,i have rest4 ,eat some toast  
bread4  ,,tuesday1 #h4 ,still continue  
to mend1 but somewhat slowly4           
,,wednesday1 #i4 ,take another course of
 medicines4  ,,thursday1 #aj4 ,feel very
 much better4 ,can be up some4          
,,friday1 #aa4 ,still mending4          
,,saturday1 #ab4 ,doing well4 ,write a  
letter home1 and one to ,william        
,lupton4  ,,sunday1 #ac4 ,still continue
 to do well4  ,,monday1 #ad4 ,still     
well1 but sit out in the cool air too   
long1 and take a slight backset4        
,,tuesday1 #ae4 ,do not feel so well1   
but appetite good4  ,,wednesday1 #af4   
,still not very well1 but appetite good4

  ,,thursday1 #ag4 ,do not feel very    
well4 ,dr4 ,overholtz comes again1 and  
gives me another course of medicines4   
,,friday1 #ah4 ,feel a little better    
again4  ,,saturday1 #ai4 ,not much      
change from yesterday4  ,,sunday1 #bj4  
,dr4 ,overholtz gives me another course 
of medicines4  ,,monday1 #ba4 ,do not   
feel entirely relieved yet4  ,,tuesday1 
#bb4 ,take another course of medicines1 
and am much relieved4  ,,wednesday1 #bc4
 ,brother ,benjamin ,wampler takes me in
 the carriage to ,brother ,buck's1 two  
miles off1 and back home4  ,,thursday1  
#bd4 ,much rain to-day4 ,cannot ride    
out4  ,,friday1 #be4 ,brother ,benjamin 
takes me to ,brother ,samuel ,myers's   
to-day1 and back home4 ,rain in the     
afternoon4  ,,saturday1 #bf4 ,paint the 
top of carriage1 and do some other work 
to it4  ,,sunday1 #bg4 ,visit ,brother  
,reuben ,pinkerton and return home4 ,how
 very kind all of these dear people have
 been to me6 ,they will accept nothing  
in return for all their kindness to me1 

but my gratitude and love1 and1 heaven  
knows1 my heart is full of that4        
,,tuesday1 #bi4 ,go to ,brother         
,jonathan ,gaines's for dinner2 then to 
,wooster1 and stay all night with ,dr4  
,overholtz4  ,,wednesday1 #cj4 ,go to   
the bank in ,wooster and attend to some 
other business4 ,dine with ,dr4         
,overholtz1 and in evening get back home
 to ,brother ,jacob ,kurtz's4           
,,thursday1 ,october #a4 ,fix to start  
towards home4  ,,friday1 ,october #b4   
,take leave of my very dear ,brother    
,jacob ,kurtz and family1 who have      
nursed and cared for me through all of  
my sickness4 ,such kindness as he and   
his family have shown me relieves       
affliction of half its distress4 ,it is 
almost a luxury to be sick where so much
 love is shown4 ,i can never forget     
,brother ,benjamin ,wampler4 ,he is so  
calm and gentle in the sick room that   
his very presence is a comfort to the   
sick4  ,the ,diary does not contain     
anything of special interest on their   

way home4 ,brother ,kline noted the     
distance traveled over each day1 from   
the time they left ,brother ,jacob      
,kurtz's till he arrived at his own     
home4 ,according to his report the whole
 distance was #bfd miles4 ,this they    
made in eleven days4 ,their average     
daily rate of travel was just           
twenty-four miles4 ,they arrived at his 
house on the evening of the twelfth1    
having left ,brother ,kurtz's the       
morning of the second day of ,october4  
,brother ,kline often notes some        
reference to the satisfaction of getting
 back home after a long absence2 and it 
is painful to find a record the exact   
reverse in this instance4 ,but no murmur
 at the ,divine ,will1 or word of       
impatience or complaint against any one 
is to be found on the page of the       
,diary4  ,from this time to the close of
 the year ,brother ,kline never went far
 from home4 ,a few marriages solemnized1
 funerals preached1 neighborhood medical
 visits1 and near-by meetings attended  

make the sum of his work from home4 ,his
 afflicted wife required his daily      
attentions4  ,,thursday1 ,january #ba4  
,perform the marriage ceremony of       
,josiah ,wampler and ,mary ,kline4      
,,tuesday1 ,february #bc4 ,go to        
,michael ,wine's and perform the        
marriage ceremony of ,isaac ,harpine and
 ,barbara ,wine4  ,,thursday1 ,march #d4
 ,perform the marriage ceremony of      
,william ,andes and ,catharine ,miller1 
at the widow ,miller's in the ,forest4  
,,wednesday1 ,march #ca4 ,dr4 ,newham is
 at my house to-day4 ,we start my new   
electro-magnetic machine1 and give ,anna
 an electric shock1 in the hope of its  
vitalizing her enfeebled nerves4 ,dr4   
,newham regards her case as not being   
out of the reach of relief by a course  
of protracted and judiciously applied   
medical treatment4  ,,thursday1 ,april  
#a4 ,council meeting at the ,brush      
meetinghouse4 ,perform the marriage     
ceremony of ,seth ,alger and ,rosina    
,fifer4  ,,saturday1 ,april #c4 ,abraham

 ,knopp and ,i go to ,page ,county4     
,call to see old ,sister ,gibbons who   
has reached a very high age4 ,we read   
and prayed with her1 and her heart      
seemed to overflow with joy4 ,she said3 
,i love all the friends of ,jesus4      
,brethren1 ,i will soon be gone2 but ,i 
hope the ,lord may leave you here many  
years yet to do his blessed will1 by    
calling many sinners from darkness to   
light1 and by comforting his saints as  
you have comforted me this day4 ,when we
 took leave of her she said3 ,farewell3 
and may the ,god of love and peace be   
with you4 ,sister ,gibbons is the mother
 of ,samuel ,gibbons1 and is now living 
with him on the ,hawksbill ,creek1 not  
far from the town of ,luray1 in ,page   
,county1 ,virginia4  ,,sunday1 ,april   
#d4 ,the brethren and sisters meet us   
very early this morning for prayer and  
exhortation on the visit2 after which   
the regular public meeting opens4 ,john 
#e is read4 ,dine at ,isaac ,spitler's1 
and stay all night at ,henry ,gander's4 

,,friday1 ,april #af4 ,abraham ,knopp   
and ,i go to ,lost ,river4 ,attend the  
burial of ,celestine ,whitmore's child4 
,age1 seven years1 four months1 and one 
day4 ,in afternoon ,jacob ,pope and ,i  
go on to the visit4 ,stay all night at  
,henry ,moyers's4  ,,saturday1 ,april   
#ag4 ,after getting through with the    
visit we have council meeting4 ,the     
reports brought in by the visiting      
brethren are mostly encouraging1 and    
show a good spirit existing in the      
,brotherhood4  ,,sunday1 ,april #ah4    
,meeting at the meetinghouse4 ,luke #ab 
is read4 ,after meeting perform the     
marriage ceremony of ,washington ,cook  
and ,anna ,jane ,parker at ,brother     
,whitmore's2 then come to ,william      
,fitzwar's and perform the marriage     
ceremony of ,frederick ,nasselrodt and  
,catherine ,weatherholtz4 ,get home at  
nine o'clock in the night4  ,,thursday1 
,april #bi4 ,perform the marriage       
ceremony of ,william ,halterman and     
,elizabeth ,may1 at ,samuel ,may's1 in  

the ,gap4  ,,sunday1 ,may #b4 ,meeting  
at ,nasselrodt's in the ,gap4 ,i        
baptized ,lotty ,koon4  ,,tuesday1 ,may 
#ah4 ,on this day ,brother ,kline starts
 to the ,annual ,meeting4 ,he takes     
,anna and ,sister ,betty ,knopp with    
him4 ,they get to the widow ,nipe's in  
the evening of the nineteenth4 ,he left 
,anna and ,sister ,betty at this place1 
whilst he went on to the ,annual        
,meeting at ,brother ,jacob             
,deardorff's1 which opened ,friday1 ,may
 #ba4 ,the business features of the     
meeting closed on ,saturday1 ,may #bb2  
and on ,sunday1 ,may #bc1 he started    
back after the eleven o'clock service4  
,he found ,anna somewhat more cheerful  
than usual4 ,she stood the trip         
remarkably well4 ,from some cause1 ,i   
know not what1 he gives not a word of   
comment on the state of feeling1 matters
 considered1 or anything else pertaining
 to it4  ,,friday1 ,may #bh4 ,we have a 
love feast at our meetinghouse4 ,union  
in the evening4 ,a fine day and good    

behavior4 ,some of the older ,brethren  
will no doubt know what ,brother ,kline 
means by the word union1 here and       
elsewhere used in the ,diary in a       
specific sense4  ,,tuesday1 ,june #h4   
,to-day ,i attended two buryings in one 
graveyard4 ,christian ,eversole1 age1   
sixty-nine years2 and ,samuel ,bowers1  
age1 twenty years2 both buried at the   
,brush meetinghouse4  ,,saturday1 ,july 
#c4 ,cross the ,blue ,ridge mountain    
to-day1 and get to ,henry ,coverston's  
late this evening4  ,,sunday1 ,july #d4 
,meeting in the ,methodist meetinghouse4
 ,john #d is read4 ,i spoke as best ,i  
could on the ,water of ,life and kindred
 topics1 but in this country we feel    
sadly the want of encouragement and     
sympathy which we are used to in our own
 houses and congregations4 ,our         
doctrinal views and practices as a      
denomination are not well understood in 
,albemarle ,county1 ,virginia4 ,the     
prevailing denominations here are       
,baptists and ,methodists4 ,we have one 

consolation1 however1 even here4 ,we can
 preach the ,gospel to the poor1 and    
they are ready to hear it4 ,but there is
 one barrier between us and the wealthy 
classes which will continue1 ,god only  
knows how long2 and that barrier is     
,african slavery4 ,many1 seemingly good 
and reasonable people1 in this country  
justify themselves in their own eyes1   
even on scripture grounds1 for taking   
part in and encouraging the holding of  
slaves4 ,i fear1 however1 that the god  
of this world has blinded their eyes1 so
 that seeing they see not1 and hearing  
they understand not4  ,a gentleman whom 
,i met here and who said that he had    
traveled a great deal in the            
slave-holding ,states1 told me that he  
witnessed the sale of some slaves in a  
town in ,north ,carolina4 ,a mother and 
her three children1 two boys and a girl1
 were put up for sale separately4 ,it   
happened that the mother was bought by  
one man1 the two boys by another1 and   
the daughter by a third4 ,the daughter  

was twelve years old2 and the boys      
respectively eight and ten4 ,they were  
now to be parted1 never to see each     
other more4 ,there was no hope left them
 of ever hearing from each other again4 
,the gentleman said the little boys did 
not seem to mind it so very much2 but1  
said he1 the agony of the mother1 and   
the distress of the daughter were past  
description4 ,it is to be hoped that    
such heart-rending scenes are not often 
to be witnessed2 and ,i do believe that 
the time is not far distant when the sun
 will rise and set upon our land        
cleansed of this foul stain1 though it  
may be cleansed with blood4 ,i would    
rejoice to think that my eyes might see 
that bright morning2 but ,i can have no 
hope of that4  ,,tuesday1 ,july #f4 ,on 
this day ,brother ,kline made           
arrangements to move to ,orkney ,springs
 with ,anna4 ,some account of this place
 is given elsewhere in this work1 and   
need not be repeated here4 ,he and ,anna
 staid here about five weeks1 and he    

reports her general health as being much
 improved by the use of the different   
waters1 as well as by the cheerful      
society she enjoyed4 ,whilst staying at 
this place ,brother ,kline reports some 
interesting acquaintances made with     
several noted persons whom he had only  
casually seen before4 ,among these was  
the ,rev4 ,henry ,brown1 a ,presbyterian
 minister of ,harrisonburg4  ,,saturday1
 ,july #ag1 he says3 ,take a walk over  
some of the surrounding eminences with  
preacher ,henry ,brown of ,harrisonburg1
 ,virginia4 ,mr4 ,brown is a very       
sociable and pleasant man to be with4   
,whilst we differ on a good many points 
of ,christian doctrine1 we can still    
walk and talk together sociably2 and ,i 
enjoy his company very much4 ,it would  
be pleasant to believe1 did the         
,scriptures warrant the conclusion1 that
 all the differences which mark the     
divisions of ,christians here will melt 
away in love and be forgotten there4 ,of
 one thing ,i am sure3 ,no one will ever

 have a just right to boast of his own  
goodness1 or lay claim to preferment on 
the score of his own obedience4 ,when   
ye1 says our ,savior1 have done all     
these things that were commanded you1   
say1 ,we are unprofitable servants3 we  
have done that which it was our duty to 
do4 ,whilst it is true that the         
,presbyterians are zealous advocates of 
education and moral improvement1 and as 
a people exhibit in their daily lives   
many ,christian virtues and graces1     
still ,i fear they are occupying        
dangerous ground by rejecting some of   
the plain commands of our ,lord ,jesus4 
,if the righteous scarcely be saved1    
where shall the disobedient appear8 ,i  
know of no righteousness but that of    
obedient faith1 or1 as ,paul puts it1   
the righteousness of faith that works or
 obeys from love1 and in this way       
purifies the heart4 ,a hungering and    
thirsting after this righteousness      
,gives exercise to faith and love2      
,brings every blessing from above4  ,if 

this dear ,christian friend is in       
darkness as to the nature of obedience  
and its blessed fruits1 himself misled  
and misleading others1 ,i pray that the 
scales may drop from his eyes1 that he  
may see clearly the whole truth which   
,god has placed in the line of our duty 
to do and teach4  ,,sunday1 ,july #ah4  
,friend ,henry ,brown preached to-day4  
,he is a very clear and pleasant talker4
 ,in his discourse1 however1 he made me 
think of some beautiful birds that hop  
over what they do not wish to touch1 and
 take hold gracefully of what they are  
pleased to alight upon4  ,,thursday1    
,august #ab4 ,this day ,brother ,kline  
moved back home4 ,he says3 ,anna much   
improved in health4 ,the season at the  
,springs has been quite pleasant1 with  
the exception of atmospheric dampness   
from the abundance of rain we had while 
there4  ,,monday1 ,august #bc4 ,this day
 ,brother ,kline started on another     
journey to ,pennsylvania4 ,it may be    
irksome to the general reader to follow 

his daily steps from this date to the   
thirteenth of ,september1 the day on    
which he returned home1 so ,i will only 
name the families he visited or stayed  
with all night1 in the order given in   
the ,diary4 ,his habit on this was the  
same as on other journeys of like       
motive2 he preached as he went1 and     
never failed holding family worship     
where he stayed all night1 when well    
enough to do so4 ,few of those that were
 fathers and mothers then are living    
now2 but their children and             
grandchildren may be living1 to whom    
these reminiscences will1 doubtless1 be 
pleasant4 ,reflections like these       
instinctively impress us with a         
consciousness of time's rapid flight2   
and make us1 who were young then1       
realize1 with more or less acuteness of 
perception1 the impressive truth that   
we1 too1 are growing old4 ,to such of my
 readers as find no pleasure or profit  
in things of this kind ,i gently say3   
,pass over it as you would an           

advertisement in which you feel no      
interest1 in a newspaper you may be     
perusing3 ,daniel ,fahrney's2 ,john     
,shank's1 near ,greencastle2 ,william   
,etter's2 ,allen ,mohler's2 ,john       
,sollenberger's2 ,george ,copp's2 ,dr4  
,fahnestock's1 in ,middletown1          
,pennsylvania2 ,abraham ,gipe's1 near   
,lebanon2 ,jacob ,gipe's2 ,abraham      
,balsbaugh's2 ,peter ,miller's1 this    
side ,harrisburg2 ,george ,deardorf's2  
,daniel ,longenacre's2 ,widow ,bowman's1
 near ,middletown1 ,maryland2 ,john     
,garber's1 ,jr42 ,john ,garber's1 ,sr42 
,jacob ,rupp's2 ,nathaniel ,bondsack's2 
,jacob ,saylor's2 ,william ,deahl's2    
,david ,reinhardt's2 ,sherk's1 near     
,sharpsburg2 ,fahnestock's1 near        
,winchester1 ,virginia2 ,george         
,shaver's1 in ,shenandoah ,county1      
,virginia4  ,some may say3 ,this reads  
like a bill of goods with the prices    
omitted4 ,but think a little1 my friend4
 ,let us suppose that business would    
compel you to mount the back of a horse 

away off in ,rockingham ,county1        
,virginia1 and travel day after day1    
until you had completed the round of    
visiting every family above named2 and  
in addition to this attend a meeting of 
some kind every day or two1 and yet be  
compelled to do all this in the short   
space of twenty-one days2 would you not 
think it a task worthy of mention8 ,now 
,brother ,kline did all this1 but not on
 the score of any business interest     
whatever4 ,instead of seeking any       
worldly gain by it1 the direct opposite 
was the truth1 for he came home with    
less money in his pocket than he started
 with4 ,it was just what he expected and
 felt assured would be the case4 ,but he
 went4 ,and what induced him to go8 ,the
 love of ,christ constrained him4 ,the  
love of doing good to others by pointing
 out the way of salvation to them4 ,have
 ,i1 have you1 such love8  ,between the 
last date given and the twenty-first of 
,october ,brother ,kline attended a love
 feast at ,beaver ,creek1 ,virginia2 one

 on ,lost ,river2 and one at ,flat      
,rock4 ,besides these1 he attended the  
regular ,sunday meetings1 council       
meetings1 and visited1 medically1 a     
considerable number of patients4 ,he    
reports much rain in ,october1 and      
several times his life was endangered   
crossing high waters4  ,,friday1        
,october #bb4 ,on this day he started on
 a journey across the mountains of      
western ,virginia4 ,he followed a line  
of love feasts and other meetings       
through the counties of ,hampshire1     
,virginia2 ,garret1 ,maryland2 ,preston 
and ,monongalia1 ,virginia1 to ,dunkard 
,creek in ,pennsylvania1 not far this   
side of ,wheeling4 ,he returned over    
nearly the same route by which he went1 
filling appointments he left on his way 
out4 ,he reports1 on this journey1 #cga 
miles traveled on horseback1 over some  
rugged mountains and bad roads much of  
the way4 ,he arrived home ,november #d1 
after an absence of two weeks4          
,,tuesday1 ,november #cj4 ,attend the   

burial of old ,mother ,horn4 ,age1      
ninety years1 two months and two days4  
,,sunday1 ,december #e4 ,attend the     
burial of old ,mother ,conrad4 ,age1    
eighty-five years and nine months4      
,,wednesday1 ,december #ae4 ,louis and  
,samuel ,kline1 of ,pennsylvania1 visit 
us4 ,i take them around to see their and
 my kindred4  ,,tuesday1 ,december #ba4 
,perform the marriage ceremony of       
,samuel ,hinegartner and ,catharine     
,ralls1 at ,christian ,crider's4        
,,friday1 ,december #ca4 ,meeting of    
general council in our meetinghouse4 ,in
 the year that is now about to close ,i 
have traveled #c1dbd miles1 nearly all  
on horseback4 ,the work of another year 
is done2 and the record has passed into 
eternity4 ,as clay1 once formed by the  
hand of the potter and burnt in a kiln  
can never be reduced to clay again and  
worked over into other forms1 so our    
deeds in life1 once done1 are done      
forever4 ,a vase may be broken1 it is   
true1 but the fragments are apt to      

reveal the form of the vessel from which
 they came4 ,so the hand of jealousy1 of
 envy1 of persecution even1 may shatter 
the results of our best efforts here2   
but ,god will gather up the pieces and  
be able to tell by their appearance and 
quality that they belonged to a vessel  
of honor in his sight4 ,seeds sometimes 
lie a long time in the ground before    
they grow and make a blade2 so it may be
 with much of the good seed that ,i and 
others of our beloved ,brotherhood have 
sown this year4 ,backward springs and   
other unfavorable states of weather     
during the early part of the growing    
season are sometimes followed by rich   
harvests4 ,we do not know what the      
future may bring forth1 but we do know  
that ,jesus ,christ is the same         
yesterday1 to-day1 and forever4 ,in him 
,i trust4  ,,sunday1 ,january #a4       
,attend the burial of old ,mother ,baer1
 at ,brother ,george ,kline's4 ,age1    
ninety-six years1 four months and twenty
 days4  ,,thursday1 ,february #c4       

,perform the marriage ceremony of       
,michael ,may and ,julian ,custer at    
,george ,riddle's4  ,about this time    
,brother ,kline became deeply interested
 in the construction and erection of a  
bridge across a ford in the ,north ,fork
 of the ,shenandoah river4 ,his design  
in this1 however1 included more than the
 avoidance of one dangerous ford2 it    
took in two others4 ,it was equivalent  
to spanning three bad fords with one    
bridge4 ,his plan1 which has since been 
exactly carried into effect1 was to cut 
down the end of the mountain in the ,gap
 where it projects into the river1 open 
up a good highway through the cut1 and  
thus shorten the distance very          
materially and shun two dangerous and   
ever-shifting fords1 one above and the  
other below the cut4 ,his patience and  
perseverance in this great enterprise   
yielded to no discouragements1 and he   
saw the bridge built1 and the projecting
 end of the mountain cut down4 ,like all
 other men who have embarked in great   

enterprises above or beyond the grasp of
 ordinary comprehension1 he had to      
combat opposition from some who should1 
on the score of direct personal interest
 in the improvement1 have been most     
willing to aid in the work4 ,brother    
,kline did not live to see his design   
fully executed1 but it has been carried 
into effect within the last decade by   
the construction of a new bridge upon   
the old abutments1 and a new road on the
 very line he proposed4 ,as the         
improvement under consideration is a    
very great one1 and originally          
undertaken by individual contributions2 
and as future generations may wish to   
know who the prime movers were1 and when
 the first move was made1 the following 
entry in the ,diary will be given here3 
,,friday1 ,february #be4 ,attend a      
meeting of some public-spirited men1 at 
,samuel ,coots's store near the ,gap1   
for the purpose of agreeing upon the    
construction of a bridge across the     
river near the store2 for cutting down  

the face of the ,gap ,rock2 for making a
 new road through the ,cut2 and for     
raising funds to meet the same4  ,samuel
 ,coots1 ,state ,senator from           
,rockingham ,county1 took an active     
part4 ,abraham ,funk1 ,benjamin ,bowman1
 ,john ,j4 ,bowman1 with many other     
prominent citizens1 nearly or quite all 
of whom have passed away1 deserve to    
have their names enrolled as patrons of 
the enterprise4  ,,wednesday1 ,march #h4
 ,attend the burial of ,brother ,david  
,hollar's wife to-day4 ,age1 forty-seven
 years and five months4  ,,friday1      
,march #aj4 ,go to ,michael ,wine's and 
attend the burial of his mother4 ,age1  
ninety-three years1 three months and    
fourteen days4  ,,wednesday1 ,april #ab4
 ,attend the funeral of ,mrs4 ,wells    
,hevner in the ,gap4 ,age1 thirty-three 
years4  ,,thursday1 ,april #ac4 ,council
 meeting at our meetinghouse4 ,samuel   
,wampler and myself are established in  
the ministry1 and ,joseph ,miller       
advanced4  ,,friday1 ,april #ad4        

,council meeting at the ,flat ,rock4    
,jacob ,wine is advanced to the second  
grade in the ministry of the ,word4     
,,monday1 ,april #ag4 ,council meeting  
in the ,lost ,river meetinghouse4 ,jacob
 ,pope is chosen speaker4  ,,friday1    
,april #ba4 ,council meeting in the ,old
 ,garber meetinghouse4 ,solomon ,garber 
is advanced to the second degree in the 
ministry of the ,word4 ,sarah ,norman is
 reinstated to the fellowship of the    
church4  ,,wednesday1 ,april #bf4       
,attend the funeral of the widow ,sister
 ,cherryholms in the ,gap4 ,age1        
fifty-nine years4 ,sister ,c4 was a     
woman of real force of character4 ,her  
house was a welcome shelter for the     
,brethren and others who often visited  
her4  ,,monday1 ,may #a4 ,attend the    
funeral of old ,sister ,evers1 widow of 
,john ,evers4 ,she died at ,john        
,hawse's4 ,age1 seventy-two years1 three
 months and three days4  ,,wednesday1   
,may #c4 ,brother ,benjamin ,bowman1    
with ,sister ,catharine his wife1 and   

,brother ,john ,wine1 with ,anna and    
myself1 start to ,ohio4 ,we go in two   
carriages4 ,to such as are not used to  
traveling in this way a journey to ,ohio
 and back in a two-horse carriage1 over 
all kinds of roads1 through all the     
changes of weather likely to occur at   
this season1 and ,i may add1 among all  
kinds of people1 might look like an     
undesirable undertaking4 ,but for myself
 ,i can say ,i do not dread making the  
start4 ,i am best satisfied and most    
delighted when doing something for ,god 
and humanity4 ,but the company ,i have  
on this visit makes the anticipation of 
it especially pleasant4 ,brother ,john  
,wine is a live man2 cheerful1 but ever 
earnest and sincere2 lively1 but never  
light or frivolous4 ,his mind is always 
inquisitive1 seeking for knowledge in   
every line of truth4 ,hence he asks many
 questions4 ,if your answers involve any
 doubt as to their correctness1 or fail 
of the clearness he thinks should appear
 in the instructions of a teacher to his

 pupil1 he will dispute a whole day with
 you on a single question1 rather than  
appear to be satisfied with your answer 
when he is not4 ,with a mind hard and   
sharp as flint1 he strikes fire out of  
everything he hits4 ,but he has sense   
enough1 and goodness enough1 never to   
strike fire where he has reason to fear 
there may be danger of causing an       
explosion4 ,he is the son of ,samuel1 in
 the ,brush1 and brother of ,christian  
,wine4 ,he married ,elizabeth1 daughter 
of ,john ,zigler1 in ,timberville1      
,rockingham ,county1 ,virginia4 ,he now 
resides on his farm about two miles away
 from where he was born and raised4 ,he 
is an eminently good and useful brother4
  ,benjamin ,bowman is the son of       
,benjamin ,bowman1 who settled in       
,rockingham ,county1 ,virginia1 about or
 very soon after the breaking up of the 
war of the ,revolution4 ,this elder     
,benjamin ,bowman had three             
sons1--,samuel1 ,benjamin and           
,john1--all of whom married1 raised     

highly respectable families1 lived and  
died in the same county in which they   
were born4 ,these all became members of 
our ,brotherhood2 and ,benjamin is at   
this time a very active and acceptable  
preacher of the ,word1 and promises to  
be a very agreeable companion on the    
journey we have now undertaken together4
 ,he is no great talker in the way of   
conversation1 but what he says is       
generally to the point4 ,very           
considerate in forming an opinion1 and  
exceedingly careful in reaching a       
conclusion1 he is not likely to be wrong
 in anything he asserts to be true4 ,by 
means of these habits assiduously       
cultivated1 he has built up a reputation
 for reliability which not only aids him
 in business1 but stamps the seal of    
truth on his discourses from the        
ministerial stand4 ,he will not readily 
debate a matter you may present to his  
mind1 even if his views do not coincide 
with yours at the time2 but after due   
consideration he will let you hear from 

him with arguments not to be refuted4   
,we stay first night at ,celestine      
,whitmore's on ,lost ,river4            
,,thursday1 ,may #d4 ,after we were on  
the way this morning ,anna changed her  
mind and preferred going back to        
,brother ,whitmore's4 ,so we took her   
back1 and they will convey her home4    
,travel thirty-three miles1 and stay    
second night at ,joseph ,smith's4       
,,friday1 ,may #e4 ,go through ,romney1 
,virginia1 and at the end of thirty-five
 miles stay third night at ,mc,naer's4  
,,saturday1 ,may #f4 ,go through        
,frostburg1 and come to ,jacob          
,lighty's4 ,we have night meeting4 ,i   
speak on ,acts #ag3cj4 ,,text4--,the    
times of this ignorance ,god winked at2 
but now commandeth all men everywhere to
 repent4  ,athens1 the capital of       
,greece1 was a large city4 ,it was noted
 as the chief seat of ,grecian learning1
 refinement of taste1 cultivation of    
genius1 and skill in the production of  
almost everything belonging to the fine 

arts4 ,it had its philosophers1         
statesmen1 orators1 lawyers1 priests1   
poets and painters4 ,it had its high and
 low orders in society4 ,but when ,paul 
beheld the city his spirit was moved in 
him1 for he saw that it was wholly given
 to idolatry4 ,some of the ,epicurean   
and ,stoic philosophers encountered him 
and said3 ,he seemeth to be a           
setterforth of strange gods4 ,they said 
this among themselves1 because he       
preached unto them ,jesus and the       
resurrection4 ,but they did not seem    
inclined to do him injury as the ,jews  
had done in some other places1 but gave 
him a chance to speak in the ,areopagus1
 a large building in the city called the
 ,hill of ,mars1 or ,mars' ,hill4 ,in   
this building ,paul preached a wonderful
 sermon1 the whole of which you may read
 in ,acts seventeenth chapter4  ,but    
to-night ,i wish to speak on just one   
thing that ,paul said in that sermon1   
and these are the words3 ,god commandeth
 all men everywhere to repent4 ,when we 

are commanded to do something1 we like  
to know what it is we are commanded to  
do4 ,now ,i will tell you4 ,it is to    
repent4 ,but you may say1 ,i do not     
exactly know what that means4 ,i will   
now tell you about all ,i know of the   
meaning of the words repent and         
repentance4 ,the ,lord ,jesus knew      
exactly what these words mean1 and ,i   
will give you his definition4 ,he said  
to the ,jews3 ,the men of ,nineveh      
repented at the preaching of ,jonah4    
,now let us turn to the book of ,jonah  
in the ,old ,testament and see what the 
men of ,nineveh did at the preaching of 
,jonah1 and we will then understand what
 the ,lord meant when he said they      
repented4 ,you must know what ,jonah's  
sermon was4 ,it was so plain that all   
could understand it1 and so short that  
all could remember it1 ,this is the     
sermon3 ,yet forty days and ,nineveh    
shall be destroyed4 ,the city had more  
than a hundred and twenty thousand      
people in it2 and it took ,jonah three  

days to go from one end to the other    
with his message of destruction2 but at 
the end of the first day the people of  
,nineveh believed ,god2 and when the    
word came unto the king of ,nineveh he  
arose from his throne1 and laid his robe
 from him1 and put on sackcloth1 and sat
 in ashes and said3 ,let man and beast  
be covered with sackcloth1 and cry      
mightily to ,god2 yea1 let them turn1   
every one from his evil way4 ,and ,god  
saw their works1 that they turned from  
their evil way4  ,now1 notice1 when ,god
 commands all men everywhere to repent1 
he means for them to do what the        
,ninevites did1 but in a more           
spiritually enlightened way4 ,they      
believed ,god4 ,this is the first step  
in repentance1 as this same apostle     
says3 ,he that would come unto ,god must
 believe that he is1 and that he is a   
rewarder of them that diligently seek   
him4 ,the ,ninevites had no written word
 as we have1 that gives us intelligent  
knowledge of ,god as he is revealed in  

the face of his ,son ,jesus ,christ4    
,all they knew of him was from          
tradition1 and what they could see of   
him in his works4 ,but they believed    
,god1 and gave proof of it by turning   
from their evil way4 ,now1 friends1 this
 is just what ,god commands all men to  
do4 ,this is what he commands every     
impenitent man and woman in this house  
to do to-night4  ,but some of you may   
say3 ,i have no evil way from which to  
turn4 ,i do an honest business2 ,i lead 
a sober life2 ,i am true to my marriage 
vows1 and live a moral and orderly life 
generally4 ,what lack ,i yet8 ,let me   
ask you3 ,why do you live in this       
orderly and consistent way8 ,is it      
because you love the ,lord your ,god    
with all your heart1 and with all your  
soul1 and with all your mind1 and with  
all your strength1 and your neighbor as 
yourself8 ,if you can truly say that    
this love is the hand that leads and    
draws you in your good life1 ,i say1    
,thank ,god6 ,i have found a brother of 

whom ,i am not ashamed4 ,but anything   
short of this love is short of what ,god
 requires1 and you with the rest are    
called upon to repent4 ,you still have a
 way that is evil in ,god's sight4 ,that
 way is the love of self and the love of
 the world4 ,the ,pharisees were just as
 particular and careful in regard to    
their moral or outside life as you can  
ever be2 and still the ,lord said to his
 disciples3 ,except your righteousness  
exceed the righteousness of the scribes 
and ,pharisees1 ye can in no wise enter 
the kingdom of heaven4 ,their           
righteousness proceeded all from the    
love of self and the world4 ,their      
ambition culminated in the honor1       
respectability1 credit and wealth such a
 life procured for them2 and on this    
account the ,lord ,jesus said of them3  
,verily1 they have their reward4  ,but  
our blessed ,lord says again3 ,except a 
man deny himself1 and take up his cross 
daily1 he cannot be my disciple4 ,this  
means repentance4 ,it is commendable in 

the eye of society of almost every grade
 to live a decent1 orderly1 virtuous    
life2 but if this sort of life be led   
from any motive short of the love of    
,god1 what is said of the ,pharisees    
must also be said of this3 ,ye make     
clean the ,,outside of the cup and the  
platter1 but the inside is full of      
hypocrisy and deceit4 ,now1 true        
repentance makes clean the ,,inside of  
the cup and the platter1 that the       
outside may be clean also4              
,repentance is to leave     ,the things 
we dearly love2   ,and o'er our sins to 
grieve1     ,and seek the things above4 
,after meeting we go to ,david          
,beichley's1 and stay fourth night4     
,,sunday1 ,may #g4 ,meeting at ,jacob   
,fige's4 ,john #e is read4 ,then come to
 ,jacob ,miller's1 near ,milford1 and   
have night meeting in a schoolhouse near
 by4 ,stay fifth night with ,brother    
,miller4  ,,monday1 ,may #h4 ,go to     
council meeting at ,joseph ,lighty's4   
,an election for deacons is held4 ,stay 

sixth night at ,christian ,miller's4    
,rain this afternoon and night4         
,,tuesday1 ,may #i4 ,dine at ,emanuel   
,beichley's on ,indian ,creek1 and stay 
seventh night at ,joseph ,folger's1 near
 ,mt4 ,pleasant4  ,,wednesday1 ,may #aj4
 ,stay eighth night at ,beidler's       
tavern1 in ,east ,liberty4  ,,thursday1 
,may #aa4 ,breakfast and dine in        
,pittsburg1 and stay ninth night in     
,economy4  ,,friday1 ,may #ab4 ,stay    
tenth night at ,jacob ,leedy's1 near    
,new ,middleton4  ,,saturday1 ,may #ac4 
,get here to my dear ,brother ,henry    
,kurtz's1 where we stay eleventh night4 
,,sunday1 ,may #ad4 ,meeting at ,brother
 ,jacob ,summers's near by4 ,ephesians  
#f is read4 ,brother ,benjamin speaks   
first1 and ,john follows him4 ,they     
speak of the ,christian's armor2 that it
 is not for the flesh1 but for the      
spirit2 that it is not for defense      
against persecution and trials in our   
life here1 but for defense against the  
wiles of the devil2 that it should be   

constantly worn1 and kept bright by     
daily use4 ,after meeting the ,brethren 
agree to have a little love feast this  
evening1 and a good time we have4 ,stay 
twelfth night at ,brother ,henry        
,kurtz's4  ,,monday1 ,may #ae4 ,pass    
through a number of little towns and    
villages and at the end of forty-four   
miles to-day find ourselves pleasantly  
received by my very dear ,brother       
,george ,hoke1 with whom we stay        
thirteenth night4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #af4 
,meeting at ,brother ,solomon ,kiser's4 
,mark #a is read4 ,three persons        
baptized4 ,stay fourteenth night at     
,brother ,michael ,sprinkel's1 near     
,mc,donelsville4  ,,wednesday1 ,may #ag4
 ,get to ,brother ,jacob ,kurtz's1 where
 ,i have the pleasure of meeting again  
the dear family that showed me so much  
kindness two years ago4 ,stay fifteenth 
and sixteenth nights here4 ,if the      
meeting with those we love1 and a brief 
stay with them1 can give us so much joy 
here in our imperfect state1 what will  

be the measure of our joy when we meet  
in that world where all is perfection1  
and partings are known no more6 ,in his 
presence there is fullness of joy3 and  
at his right hand there are pleasures   
forevermore4  ,,thursday1 ,may #ah4     
,evening meeting here at ,brother ,jacob
 ,kurtz's1 where we stay sixteenth      
night4  ,,friday1 ,may #ai4 ,meeting in 
,river ,brethren's meetinghouse1 near   
,george ,harting's4 ,luke #ad is read4  
,come to ,wooster1 ,wayne ,county1 and  
stay seventeenth night at ,john         
,overholtz's4  ,,saturday1 ,may #bj4    
,meeting in the ,campbellite            
meetinghouse4 ,john #d is read4 ,evening
 meeting at ,brother ,john ,shoemaker's4
 ,john #ae is read4 ,stay there         
eighteenth night4 ,heavy rain to-day and
 night4  ,,sunday1 ,may #ba4 ,meeting at
 ,brother ,eli ,dickey's4 ,revelation   
#ba is read4 ,brother ,benjamin ,bowman 
gave us some delightful thoughts        
suggested by these words3 ,behold6 ,i   
make all things new4 ,he said3 ,this    

promise is generally thought to point   
for its fulfillment to the golden day   
when ,god's people shall realize in fact
 what ,john saw in vision1--'a new      
heaven and a new earth4' ,i believe that
 day is coming4 ,i believe the          
tabernacle of ,god will be with men2    
that ,god will dwell with them in that  
,holy ,city1 the ,new ,jerusalem4 ,but  
,i ask here1 first of all1 whence arises
 the necessity for making all things    
new8 ,if the existing order of things is
 faultless1 why this renovation8 ,there 
must be imperfection1 there must be a   
defect somewhere4 ,whatever else these  
words may comprehend1 ,i for one regard 
them as applying to the church as it    
will then appear1 as ,solomon describes 
it1 'comely as ,jerusalem2' the ,new    
,jerusalem he means2 'and terrible' in  
the power of its righteousness and      
truth1 'as an army with banners4'       
,notice right here the striking         
similarity of the text to what ,paul    
says4 ,what does my text say8 ',behold1 

,i make all things new4' ,what does     
,paul say8 ',if any man be in ,christ1  
he is a new creature4 ,old things are   
passed away4 ,behold1 all things are    
become new4' ,what is it to be in       
,christ8 ,it is to be filled with his   
truth as a sponge is filled with water  
when immersed in it4 ,it is to be filled
 with gospel light as a healthy eye is  
filled with light in the blaze of a     
clear day4 ,and when the spiritual eye  
is single1 that is healthy1 not         
double-sighted1 our ,lord says the whole
 spiritual body shall be full of light4 
,the light is in the body1 because the  
body is in the light4 ,i mean just what 
the ,lord meant1 the spiritual body1 for
 ,paul says3 ',there is a natural body1 
and there is a spiritual body4' ,but he 
goes on and says3 ',however1 that which 
is natural is first4' ,this we can all  
see and know4 ,we know that we were not 
naturally born of ,god4 ',that which is 
born of the flesh is flesh2 and that    
which is born of the ,spirit is spirit1'

 and what is born of the ,spirit is the 
spiritual body4  ,to be in ,christ is to
 be in his love4 ,i was once asked this 
question by an individual who probably  
wished to puzzle me4 ,he said3 ',you    
preach that a man must be in ,christ to 
be saved1 and at the same time say that 
,christ must be in the man4 ,how is     
this8' ,i answer by using a very plain  
illustration4 ,i said to him3 ,when you 
get uncomfortably cool in the shade1 and
 move to where the sun can shine full   
upon your body1 do you not feel its     
warmth8 ,now1 ,i said to him1 the warmth
 of the sun is in your body1 because    
your body is in the warmth of the sun4  
,just so we may say it is with us in a  
spiritual sense4 ,the love of ,christ   
enters our hearts when we place         
ourselves where that love can reach us4 
,now let me say1 by way of digression   
from my main point that the love of     
,christ will never enter a man in a     
drinking saloon or in a gambling hall1  
because it is not there4 ,such places   

are as destitute of the truth and divine
 love of ,christ as the darkest and     
coldest night is destitute of the light 
and heat of the sun4 ',behold1 ,i make  
all things new4' ,this is just what the 
,lord will do in every man's mind and   
heart1 spirit and soul1 thoughts and    
affections1 purposes and their          
accomplishments1 who opens the door and 
bids him come in4 ,this is the glorious 
work of regeneration4  ,but1 ,brethren  
beloved1 let us inquire a little as to  
whether the church1 our own church ,i   
mean1 needs to be made over anew1 or as 
we may say1 needs to be renovated4 ,can 
any brother or sister in this house say3
 ',i am just as pure in heart as ,i     
desire to be4 ,my faith never grows     
weak2 my love never grows cold4 ,i am as
 innocent and pure in all my affections 
and thoughts as a little child4 ,i have 
no jealousy or envy in my soul4 ,i never
 get angry1 or think of wishing evil to 
any one4 ,i have the spirit of ,christ  
in me in all perfection1 and have       

purified myself even as he is pure'8 ,i 
repeat the question with emphasis1 ,is  
there a soul in this house who can      
truthfully say all this8 ,i can answer  
boldly that there is not1 for it is not 
given to man away down in his imperfect 
state here to have such sinless         
perfection4 ,the most heavenly-minded   
amongst us have often to mourn over our 
shortcomings2 and the holiest man or    
woman1 looking into his or her own heart
 with an eye filled with the light of   
gospel truth1 can but at the best say1  
with the poor publican3 ',god be        
merciful to me a sinner4'  ,but there is
 a day coming when all things shall be  
made new1 and we shall be made new with 
the rest4 ,i do not want to be          
understood here1 however1 as believing  
that ,god will in any sense force his   
renewing power upon any one2 or that    
this renewing power will be enjoyed in  
the world to come by any but such as    
earnestly desired it here4 ,i believe   
that when we get into the other life our

 eyes will open to such clear visions of
 the beauty of holiness and the         
excellencies of heavenly love1 all      
thoughts of evil will be rejected with a
 repugnance something like what we would
 feel here by having the most offensive 
or poisonous substance thrust into our  
mouth4 ,it is declared concerning the   
,new ,jerusalem that nothing shall enter
 therein that defileth1 or worketh      
abomination1 or maketh a lie4 ,nothing  
shall enter therein that defileth4 ,our 
,lord has graciously told us the things 
that defile a man4 ,he says3 ',evil     
thoughts1 adulteries1 fornications1     
murders1 thefts1 covetousness1          
wickedness1 lasciviousness1 an evil eye1
 blasphemy1 pride1 foolishness3 all     
these evil things come from within1 and 
defile the man4' ,now1 these are the    
,lord's own words2 and they enable us to
 understand just what is meant by the   
words1 'nothing shall enter therein that
 defileth4'  ,now1 ,brethren1 when the  
angels that meet us at the gate of the  

,golden ,city shall take of the blood of
 the ,lamb1 and1 with gentle hands1 wash
 away every stain of defilement from the
 sins here enumerated1 and we1 thus     
cleansed1 find ourselves safe1 forever  
safe1 within its blessed walls1 will we 
not shout and say3 ',behold6 all things 
have become new'8  ,stay nineteenth     
night with ,brother ,eli ,dickey4 ,we   
are now in ,ashland ,county1 ,ohio4     
,heavy rains to-day1 and waters very    
high4  ,,monday1 ,may #bb4 ,pass through
 ,richland ,county1 and stay twentieth  
night with ,brother ,samuel ,shaffner1  
four miles from ,bucyrus in ,crawford   
,county4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #bc4 ,night   
meeting at ,benton4 ,subject3 ,the      
,miracles of ,christ's ,healing ,power4 
,,text4--,and he healed all that came   
unto him4  ,we hardly need being told   
that man is composed of body and soul2  
that the body is the visible1 material  
part of man1 in which the soul1 man's   
invisible part1 finds its home4 ,man's  
material part is but little superior to 

that of the rest of the animal creation4
 ,it is subject to the same laws4 ,it   
must be fed and sheltered4 ,it finds    
enjoyment in food and drink1 and        
comfortable surroundings1 very nearly   
akin to what we see in the life of      
brutes4 ,like them it is subject to     
natural decay1 liable to disease2 and   
like them1 must die4 ,but man is in     
possession of capacities and            
capabilities infinitely superior to     
anything the rest of ,god's sentient    
creation enjoys4 ,he has a soul which is
 capable of unlimited attainments in the
 knowledge and love of ,god1 and in the 
knowledge and love of his fellowman4    
,the heathen philosophers supposed they 
had done their whole duty to themselves 
and the world when they could vainly    
believe that they had realized in their 
experiences what they thought a         
compliance with their favorite maxim3   
,know thou thyself4 ,whilst ,christians 
believe and feel that self-knowledge1 or
 the knowledge of one's self1 is very   

important1 at the same time they have   
longing aspirations to know all they can
 of the ,being who created this self1   
this thinking1 reasoning1 loving1       
restless thing within them1 called a    
living soul4 ,brutes have no            
aspirations1 no desires of this kind4   
,right here we may see what ,god loves4 
,it was not man's animal or bodily life 
that brought the ,lord into our world1  
for this is not the man4 ,it is the soul
 or spirit within the body that is the  
real man1 and all these souls           
collectively make the world that ,god so
 loved that he gave his only begotten   
,son to save it4 ,god never loved       
trifles4 ,the fact that ,god loved the  
world of man is proof that man1 as a    
being capable of glorifying ,god by     
reciprocating his love1 was worthy of   
it4 ,this key opens the way to a glimpse
 of man's high destiny1 attainable by   
his taking hold of the ,hand reached    
down in love to lift him up4 ,god's     
,word is the only book that can give man

 a true knowledge of himself4 ,it is the
 only source from which he can learn    
that he is a sinner by his habitual     
transgressions of the great1 law of love
 that would bind all the units of ,god's
 intelligent creation into a brotherhood
 of ineffable and eternal happiness4 ,it
 was to redeem man from this deplorable 
state1 and deliver him from the         
destroying power of sin1 that ,jesus    
came into the world4 ,but when he came  
he found man so low down in the darkness
 of ignorance1 so stupid and slow to    
open his eyes1 so benumbed by the       
chilling power of the love of self1 so  
infested and possessed by evil spirits  
of hell1 that but little impression     
could be made upon him1 except such as  
could be felt and seen by means of his  
bodily senses4  ,these statements1 which
 are true1 account for the miracles     
wrought by the ,lord4 ,in working them1 
however1 he had a two-fold purpose4 ,the
 first was to arouse the people from    
their dormant state to one of           

consciousness that a ,being of superior 
power was among them4 ,this they were   
made to feel by his healing touch1 his  
cleansing hand1 and his life-restoring  
virtue4 ,and what was the effect of all 
this8 ,it had very much the same effect 
in one way that kindness toward children
 in the way of giving them little       
presents1 and gentleness and tenderness 
in the way of gratifying their bodily   
desires and wishes1 has upon them4 ,they
 love the one who treats them in such   
ways4 ,now1 the ,lord healed the people4
 ,he healed all that came to him1 of    
whatever bodily ill they were suffering4
 ,he fed them1 too1 and did it all so   
lovingly that they believed him to be   
the best and most powerful ,friend they 
had ever known4 ,they followed him in   
throngs4 ,they felt secure1 bodily      
secure and safe when they were with him4
 ,but we must not forget that they      
followed him1 not on account of the     
words he had spoken to them1 the        
instructions he had imparted1 but for   

the loaves and the fishes4 ,we almost   
instinctively say1 in our meditations   
upon these things3 ,what a pity they    
could not discover in him something     
higher to believe in and love than the  
mere power and will to heal their bodily
 ills and minister to their bodily      
wants6 ,this strong faith in his power  
and readiness to minister in a          
miraculous way to their external1       
worldly enjoyments and comforts is what 
led them to try to take him by force and
 make him their king4 ,having now given 
you his first object in working         
miracles1 ,i turn to the second4  ,here 
a great field for thought opens to our  
view1 from which a volume could be      
written4 ,every miracle the ,lord       
wrought1 just like every parable he     
spoke1 has a double line of truth1 an   
inner and an outer sense4 ,these are    
related to each other as the soul and   
body are related4 ,jesus says3 ,my words
 are spirit1 and they are life4 ,his    
miracles1 when rightly understood1 are  

the same4 ,they are spirit and they are 
life4 ,their spirit and life enter us   
through the light they contain4 ,let us 
look at one or two with a view to find  
what spirit and life we can3 ,one       
,sabbath day ,jesus met a man in a      
,jewish house of worship1 called a      
synagogue1 whose right hand was         
,,withered4 ,notice1 the man's hand was 
withered4 ,this means that it was dead1 
just as we mean that a plant is dead    
when it is withered1 or so nearly dead  
that its life is almost gone4 ,this     
man's hand must have been powerless4 ,he
 could not use it to do anything2 and it
 was his right hand4 ,he could not move 
a joint of it4 ,it was simply powerless4
  ,but notice particularly what ,jesus  
commanded him to do4 ,he said to this   
very man3 ,stretch forth thy hand4 ,does
 not that look like an unreasonable     
command8 ,the man might have plausibly  
said3 ,i cannot do this4 ,i have not    
been able to reach my hand to my mouth  
in the past year4 ,i can not do as you  

tell me4 ,but instead of urging         
objections he instantly obeyed1 for the 
words1 ,stretch forth thy hand1 were not
 more than out of the ,lord's mouth when
 we read1 ,and he did so3 and his hand  
was restored whole as the other4 ,now ,i
 ask1 ,did this man have any part to    
act1 or duty to perform in this miracle 
of healing8 ,i answer1 ,he did2 and     
without his obedient coperation his hand
 would have been left dangling powerless
 at his side4  ,is there not a lesson   
here8 ,let us try to gather crumbs of   
instruction from it4 ,if you take your  
,bible and concordance1 and hunt up the 
places where the expression right hand  
is used1 you will plainly see that right
 hand1 when spoken of as the right hand 
of ,god1 means power1 the power of ,god4
 ,as applying to man1 it means the same1
 the power of man4 ,in this sense the   
right hand of every unconverted man and 
woman is withered under the blighting   
curse of sin4 ,but ,jesus is present to 
heal4 ,he is ever ready to heal all who 

have need of healing now1 just as truly 
as when he was visibly among men4 ,but  
he cannot heal you without your willing 
consent to obey his commands4 ,he first 
of all commands you to repent1 for now  
,god commandeth all men everywhere to   
repent4 ,the moment you are willing to  
obey this command1 that moment he will  
give you the power to obey4 ,without aid
 from the power of the ,lord that man   
never could have stretched forth his    
withered hand2 but the instant he was   
willing to obey1 that very instant he   
received the power to obey4  ,again he  
says3 ,give me thy heart4 ,but your     
heart is all withered too4 ,it is so    
chilled and blighted by the cold1 and   
damp1 and darkness of sin1 that1 like   
the man's right hand1 without help of   
the ,lord1 it is powerless4 ,but the    
instant you feel a desire to give your  
heart to the ,lord1 such desire as the  
blind beggar had to receive his sight2  
such desire as the poor leper had to be 
cleansed2 such desire as the publican   

had that ,god would be merciful to him a
 sinner2 ,i say the instant you feel    
such desire to give your heart to ,god1 
that instant he will give you power to  
do so4 ,it surely was a great relief to 
that man to have his withered hand      
restored to healthy activity4 ,it may   
not have been very painful2 indeed1 it  
may have been so lifeless that there was
 not much feeling in it4 ,so it may be  
with your heart4 ,and let me say to you 
that if you really give ,god your heart 
in faith and love he will so effectually
 heal it that it will beat with new     
life1 and the warm blood of love and    
truth from his ,word will flow through  
it until your greatest joy will be found
 in doing his will4  ,stay twenty-first 
night in ,benton4  ,,wednesday1 ,may    
#bd4 ,stay twenty-second night at       
,lupton's4  ,,thursday1 ,may #be4 ,go to
 ,squire ,knapp's and make deeds4 ,then 
to meeting at ,brother ,heastand's4     
,part of ,john #a is read4 ,in afternoon
 return to ,lupton's and finish business

 with him4 ,stay twenty-third night at  
,lupton's4 ,fine weather4  ,,friday1    
,may #bf4 ,stay twenty-fourth night at  
,brother ,jacob ,bowers's4 ,beautiful   
weather4  ,,saturday1 ,may #bg4 ,council
 meeting at ,brother ,jacob ,bowers's1  
,jr4 ,night meeting at ,brother         
,thomas's1 where we stay twenty-fifth   
night4 ,fine weather continues4         
,,sunday1 ,may #bh4 ,meeting at ,brother
 ,jacob ,bowers's1 ,sr4 ,speak from     
,matthew #c4 ,john's baptism was unto   
repentance4 ,the people came to him and 
were immersed of him in the ,jordan1    
confessing their sins4 ,this was their  
first step in repentance4 ,from this    
they were to keep on bringing forth     
fruits meet for1 or corresponding to1   
repentance4 ,the outside life was to be 
the exponent of the penitent heart      
within4 ,he also pointed them to him who
 was to come after him1 that is1        
,christ4 ,he would baptize them in the  
,holy ,spirit and fire4 ,this was       
literally fulfilled on the day of       

,pentecost4 ,baptize one person to-day4 
,stay twenty-sixth night at ,brother    
,rotebauch's4  ,,monday1 ,may #bi4 ,go  
westward to ,daniel ,miller's1 ,solomon 
,wine's1 ,jacob ,miller's1 and stay     
twenty-seventh night at ,samuel         
,miller's4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #cj4 ,after 
meeting we go to ,isaac ,miller's in    
,richland ,county1 where we stay        
twenty-eighth night4  ,,wednesday1 ,may 
#ca4 ,stay twenty-ninth night at ,jacob 
,miller's4  ,,thursday1 ,june #a4 ,visit
 ,daniel ,wine's1 ,david ,good's1 ,jacob
 ,earley's1 ,david ,weaver's1 where we  
have meeting2 then go to ,samuel        
,earley's1 where we stay thirtieth      
night4 ,a very fine day4  ,,friday1     
,june #b4 ,stay thirty-first night in   
,tymocaty4  ,,saturday1 ,june #c4 ,dine 
in ,upper ,sandusky1 and stay           
thirty-second night at ,brother         
,heastand's4 ,rain this forenoon4       
,,sunday1 ,june #d4 ,meeting at ,brother
 ,solomon ,miller's on ,silver ,creek4  
,first ,peter #b is read4 ,two persons  

baptized4 ,evening meeting at ,stone    
meetinghouse1 on ,honey ,creek near     
,david ,rupp's4 ,luke #ad is read4 ,stay
 thirty-third night at ,brother ,rupp's4
  ,,monday1 ,june #e4 ,stay             
thirty-fourth night with ,brother ,isaac
 ,hartzog4  ,,tuesday1 ,june #f4 ,stay  
thirty-fifth night with ,brother ,jacob 
,harshbarger4 ,fine day4  ,,wednesday1  
,june #g4 ,stay thirty-sixth night with 
,brother ,cober4  ,,thursday1 ,june #h4 
,stay thirty-seventh night with ,brother
 ,jonas ,kline1 nine miles from         
,ashland4  ,,friday1 ,june #i4 ,get back
 to ,brother ,jacob ,kurtz's1 eight     
miles from ,wooster1 in ,wayne ,county1 
where we stay thirty-eighth night4 ,fine
 day4  ,,saturday1 ,june #aj4 ,annual   
,meeting begins4 ,peter ,nead and ,i    
speak4 ,three persons baptized4 ,love   
feast this evening4 ,delightful weather4
 ,stay thirty-ninth night at ,brother   
,kurtz's place4  ,,sunday1 ,june #aa4   
,public meeting to-day4 ,a great        
concourse of people4 ,preaching at both 

house and barn4 ,fine weather continues4
 ,stay fortieth night at same place4    
,,monday1 ,june #ab4 ,council meeting is
 ready for questions4 ,but few are      
handled4 ,business goes on slowly4 ,stay
 forty-first night at same place4 ,fine1
 clear day4  ,,tuesday1 ,june #ac4 ,this
 day we progress briskly4 ,much business
 is transacted4 ,very fine weather      
continues4  ,,wednesday1 ,june #ad4     
,finish business1 and in afternoon we   
come to ,brother ,sprinkel's1 one mile  
from ,canton1 ,stark ,county1 where we  
stay forty-third night4 ,very fine      
weather1 but somewhat dusty4            
,,thursday1 ,june #ae4 ,call at ,brother
 ,george ,shiveley's2 and have night    
meeting at ,brother ,rothrock's1 where  
we stay forty-fourth night4 ,speak on   
,john #a4 ,warm day4  ,,friday1 ,june   
#af4 ,stay forty-fifth night at ,john   
,shelly's1 five miles from ,richmond1   
,jefferson ,county4 ,fine weather4      
,,sunday1 ,june #ah4 ,dine with ,brother
 ,jacob ,shideler's and stay            

forty-seventh night with ,charles       
,guthrie1 near ,brownsville1 in ,fayette
 ,county1 ,pennsylvania4 ,rain to-day4  
,,monday1 ,june #ai4 ,stay forty-eighth 
night with ,brother ,michael ,thomas4   
,rain this afternoon and night4         
,,wednesday1 ,june #ba4 ,stay fiftieth  
night at ,brother ,daniel ,arnold's in  
,hampshire ,county1 ,virginia4          
,,thursday1 ,june #bb4 ,dine at ,brother
 ,zachariah ,arnold's and stay          
fifty-first night in ,moorefield1 ,hardy
 ,county1 ,virginia4  ,,friday1 ,june   
#bc4 ,dine at ,isaac ,dasher's in ,hardy
 ,county1 and stay fifty-second night at
 ,william ,fitzwater's1 in ,rockingham  
,county1 ,virginia4  ,,saturday1 ,june  
#bd4 ,breakfast at ,daniel ,fulk's at   
foot of ,mt4 ,pleasant in ,brock's ,gap1
 and then home4 ,on this journey        
,brother ,john ,wine and ,i traveled in 
my carriage #a1jhc miles4 ,brother      
,benjamin ,bowman was not with us all   
the time4 ,he left us after we got among
 relatives and acquaintances who were   

not the same1 in these respects1 to us  
that they were to him4 ,otherwise they  
were the same to both alike1 for they   
were nearly all ,brethren4 ,but we met  
again at the ,annual ,meeting1 and      
returned home together4 ,we had much    
pleasant conversation on the way1 and   
endeavored to build each other up by    
giving a religious turn to our          
discourses4 ,they are both clear-headed 
thinkers4 ,i feel sure the time has been
 well spent by our mutually improving   
each other1 aside from the good ,i hope 
we have done to others4 ,may our        
heavenly ,father bless this happy       
journey to the present and everlasting  
good of all who may have heard our      
public or private words of warning1 of  
instruction1 of encouragement to the    
weak1 of confirmation to the strong1 is 
my prayer4 ,amen4  ,anna was safely     
conveyed home1 nicely and tenderly cared
 for in my absence1 and ,i find her as  
well as ,i could expect4  ,,thursday1   
,july #ac4 ,perform the marriage        

ceremony of ,william ,carrier and       
,barbara ,summers4  ,,wednesday1 ,july  
#bf4 ,meeting at ,forrer's ,furnace4 ,i 
speak on the fiftieth verse of the one  
hundred and nineteenth ,psalm4          
,,text4--,this is my comfort in my      
affliction4 ,i have chosen this subject 
on account of the afflictions which some
 of you have lately passed through1 and 
which are1 ,i learn1 still clinging to  
others in this neighborhood4 ,as ,i have
 been called--or sincerely believe that 
,i have been called--to administer      
medical relief to the sick1 and have    
thus had much experience in the sick    
room1 and by the sick bed1 ,i will      
venture to offer some observations      
regarding the ways in which the sick    
should be cared for and nursed1 that    
they may be comforted in their          
afflictions as to their bodily feelings4
 ,this done1 ,i will endeavor to say    
something regarding the ways in which   
their souls may be comforted4  ,the bed 
for the sick should be soft1 but not    

heating4 ,nothing can be more regularly 
and uniformly comforting to the         
afflicted than a soft and easy bed4 ,it 
need not be costly4 ,clean straw of     
oats1 cut fine1 is my preference over   
all other materials4 ,to stir the bed1  
the patient need not be taken out1 but  
gently1 very slowly and tenderly1 moved 
to the opposite side first prepared1    
left there awhile1 and then in the same 
gentle way returned to the front1       
similarly prepared4 ,cleanliness is next
 to religion1 pure and undefiled1 in the
 sick room4 ,all fumes of tobacco or    
other unpleasant smells should not be   
allowed for a moment in the sick room4  
,all offensive odors can most readily be
 gotten rid of by ventilation4 ,this can
 be best secured by opening doors or    
windows1 or both1 if necessary4 ,this   
should be repeatedly done daily in all  
weathers4 ,at this season windows should
 be open all the time2 but the patient  
should not be exposed to heavy draughts 
of air4 ,unnecessary conversation is    

very distressing to most sick people1   
even though the words be spoken low or  
in a whisper4 ,some of you1 no doubt1   
have had experience of this fact4       
,people kindly feel it a duty to visit  
the sick4 ,one does not know that       
another is going1 and each being        
impelled by a sense of duty1 more go    
than can be needed2 and in determining  
who shall return home1 and who shall    
stay1 conversations take place that are 
often very distressing to the patient4  
,i remember a conversation ,i had with  
one of my own patients once1 who had    
just shortly before that time recovered 
from a severe and protracted illness4   
,he said to me3 ,brother ,john1 do try  
to set the people right about visiting  
the sick4 ,there is so much wrong about 
it the way it is carried on now that    
very often more harm than good is done4 
,i remember1 said he1 one night while ,i
 was sick4 ,you had been coming1 ,i     
think1 near three weeks1 and ,i was     
beginning to mend4 ,in the evening ,i   

felt so much better ,i thought ,i was   
going to rest well and get some good1   
natural sleep4 ,but about eight o'clock 
several neighbors came in who got to    
talking2 and seeing that ,i appeared    
better they were encouraged to keep on1 
under the impression that ,i was strong 
enough now to stand it4 ,ah1 continued  
he1 they did not know they were almost  
killing me2 for ,i became restless2 and 
being very weak every nerve and fiber in
 my body seemed to be excited into a    
state of distressful commotion1 from    
which ,i did not fairly recover during  
the next three days4 ,when you came     
again you gave very strict orders not to
 allow more than one attendant in the   
room at a time1 aside from the nurse2   
and after that ,i began to mend again   
and got well4  ,one thing more1 and ,i  
will leave this feature of the subject4 
,this1 although last in order1 is first 
in importance1 because it is the very   
basis of recovery4 ,i mean food and     
drink4 ,very sick patients1 we all know1

 can take1 and require very little2 but 
that little is all-important both as to 
quality1 and uniformity as to quantity1 
and exact regularity as to time in its  
administration4 ,i will say here with   
emphasis1 that in no regard is it more  
important to comply punctiliously with  
the instructions of an intelligent      
physician1 than in the nourishment given
 the sick4 ,without nourishment1        
recovery in any case is impossible4 ,how
 very important1 then1 that it be       
rightly composed and properly           
administered6 ,food should be made as   
attractive to the patient as possible4  
,this should be carefully kept in mind  
when preparing it for patients in a     
state of convalescence or recovery4 ,the
 nerves of the stomach at such time are 
often very sensitive1 and small         
excellencies in its quality will be     
highly appreciated1 and slight          
deficiencies as readily detected4  ,you 
remember1 ,i started out with the text3 
,this is my comfort in my affliction4 ,i

 have tried to give you some bits of    
counsel as to the means and ways by     
which the afflicted may be comforted    
physically4 ,i now turn to the means and
 ways by which they may be comforted    
spiritually4 ,but here a difficulty     
confronts us at the very start4 ,we     
cannot make pathological examinations of
 the soul's distress1 and conclude from 
these what therapeutic agents to employ 
for its relief1 as we can in that of the
 body4 ,in the last we are governed     
almost exclusively by the visible and   
tangible symptoms2 but regarding the    
first1 we are deprived of all these1 and
 are compelled to rely mainly upon the  
oral testimony of the sufferer himself4 
,i have repeatedly been called to the   
bedside of the dying in compliance with 
their wish to receive some comfort1 some
 consolation in their last moments1     
before launching out on the unknown deep
 of eternity4 ,but1 alas6 with the      
exception of a few1 paid to humble and  
obedient followers of the meek and lowly

 ,jesus1 nearly all such visits have    
caused me to feel my own absolute       
incompetence to do them any good1 and   
only left me to witness the sun of their
 life go down in clouds and darkness4   
,but ,david says3 ,,this is my comfort  
in my affliction4 ,in saying this he    
must have in mind some particular idea2 
some state of feeling springing out of  
some previous preparation of heart1     
which he can claim as his comfort in his
 affliction4 ,the few verses preceding  
the text give a clew to this very state 
of mind and heart4 ,let us look over    
them and see what it was4 ,in verse #dd 
he says3 ,i will keep thy law           
continually for ever and ever4 ,verse   
#de3 ,i seek thy precepts4 ,verse #df3  
,of thy testimonies also1 ,i will not be
 ashamed4 ,verse #dg3 ,i delight myself 
in thy commandments which ,i have loved4
 ,these declarations make manifest      
,david's love for the ,lord2 and the joy
 springing out of this love is what he  
calls his comfort in his affliction4    

,it was once my privilege1 and ,i can   
say my happy privilege1 to pass a night 
beside the dying bed of a faithful      
minister of the ,word4 ,his deathless   
and joyful spirit took its flight from  
earth about four o'clock the following  
morning4 ,he did not suffer much pain1  
and had strength to express his feelings
 and thoughts to a limited degree4 ,his 
mind was clear4 ,he was dying of a      
hemorrhage which no power on earth could
 check4 ,his comfort in his affliction  
was so great that from the joy and peace
 in his soul he distinctly said to me1  
in these exact words3 ,this is the      
happiest night of my life4 ,he would    
sometimes say3 ,i love ,god4 ,i love all
 his dear people4 ,i will soon join the 
spirits of just men made perfect4 ,about
 four o'clock in the morning he asked to
 be turned in the bed1 and he was gone4 
,ah1 friends1 this brother had comfort  
in his affliction2 nay1 more1           
unspeakable comfort in death4 ,this is  
what all may enjoy in a greater or less 

degree1 who are laid on beds of         
affliction4 ,a good life1 a life lived  
in obedience to the commandments of our 
,lord1 is sure to bring peace to the    
soul when we are in health1 and this    
peace will not leave or forsake us when 
affliction or misfortune overtakes us4  
,our ,lord says3 ,peace ,i leave with   
you2 my peace ,i give unto you3 not as  
the world giveth1 give ,i unto you4     
,again he says3 ,take my yoke upon you1 
and learn of me1 and ye shall find rest 
unto your souls4 ,we take his yoke upon 
us when we repent of our sins1 believe  
on his name1 love to do his commands1   
come over freely and fully on his side1 
and work for him4 ,instead of working   
for what is perishable1 we work for that
 which endureth to everlasting life4 ,we
 come out of the darkness of sin and    
death into the glorious liberty of the  
children of ,god4 ,for the wages of sin 
is death1 but the gift of ,god is       
eternal life in ,christ ,jesus our      
,lord4  ,,monday1 ,july #ca4 ,harvest   

meeting at the ,flat ,rock4 ,david      
,kline is elected speaker4  ,,saturday1 
,august #bf4 ,the job of building the   
abutments for the bridge at ,coots's is 
let to contract4  ,,monday1 ,august #bh4
 ,attend the burial of ,brother ,solomon
 ,garber4 ,age1 fifty-four years1 five  
months and twenty-nine days4            
,,wednesday1 ,november #a4 ,on this day 
,brother ,kline1 in company with ,joseph
 ,miller1 son of ,daniel ,miller near   
head of ,linville's ,creek1 started on a
 journey to ,west ,virginia4 ,they got  
to ,jacob ,warnstaff's first day--had   
night meeting in ,bethel meetinghouse1  
near by2 meeting at ,chlora ,judy's1 on 
,mill ,creek1 next night2 meeting at    
,james ,parks's1 on ,looney's ,creek1   
the night following4 ,i will dress up   
the skeleton of the sermon ,brother     
,kline preached here1 as best ,i can4   
,romans #ad3g4 ,,text4--,for none of us 
liveth to himself4  ,the phrase none of 
us1 as used in the text1 means not one  
of us4 ,i say this to give emphasis to  

this part of my subject4  ,the social   
element1 or love for society1 is deeply 
impressed upon all the animate world4   
,we feel the truth of a very common     
saying--birds of a feather will flock   
together--every time it is repeated in  
our hearing4 ,this expression1 in its   
most comprehensive sense1 applies to    
everything having life and volition or  
the power to will4 ,it is seen in the   
fishes of the sea1 in the birds of the  
air1 and in all the denizens of earth1  
from insects and worms up to the highest
 forms of organic brute life1 and in    
man4 ,this love for society1 or company1
 or companionship1 is so strong that it 
is the bond of the universe4 ,without it
 nothing living could subsist4 ,to make 
this thought clear to your              
understandings1 let me just call your   
minds to reflect a little upon what the 
state of things would be in the natural 
world if this law of love were reversed 
in the brute creation4 ,our domestic    
animals1 instead of feeding together in 

harmonious and peaceable flocks and     
herds1 would instantly turn to fighting 
and seeking to destroy each other4 ,the 
earth would soon be strewn with the dead
 bodies of beasts and birds1 and the    
waves of the sea would throw drifts of  
dead fishes upon the shore4 ,but1       
fortunately for man1 this love has never
 been perverted in the lower orders of  
creation4 ,each kind loves its own kind1
 and seeks its propagation4 ,but man has
 fallen from this love1 the love of his 
fellowman1 into a state of feeling in   
some respects the very opposite1 which  
is hate4 ,let the history of the world  
but unfold her page1 and the truth of   
what ,i have just said will appear in   
lines written with human blood4 ,it is  
from this1 and this alone1 that human   
laws have been instituted4 ,it is       
self-preservation4 ,this is the one     
single origin and basis of all human    
law4 ,what protects me from the wrath or
 cupidity of those who would destroy or 
devour me1 protects you2 and inasmuch as

 all desire such protection1 human      
governments1 and laws with fearful      
penalties annexed1 have been instituted4
 ,right here1 in a civil and social     
sense1 the words of my text apply with  
profound meaning3 ,for none of us liveth
 to himself4 ,they apply to every       
statute in every national code1 as well 
as to every local law in every land4    
,but human laws restrain by fear1 and   
,god would have all restraint from evil 
to spring from love4 ,the gulf between  
these two principles is immeasurably    
wide and deep1 quite as much so as the  
chasm between heaven and hell4 ,i said3 
,human laws restrain by fear4 ,why does 
the heart murderer not kill8 ,he is     
afraid that if he kills me1 and it is   
found out on him1 somebody else will    
kill him who feels himself in as much   
danger from his bloody hand as ,i was4  
,why does the heart-rogue not steal8 ,he
 is afraid his booty may not balance    
what it may cost in the way of          
punishment4 ,so with all criminality4   

,with those who have not the love of    
,god in their hearts1 nor the love of   
their neighbor which springs out of this
 love1 nothing but fear restrains them  
from the worst of crimes4 ,but this is a
 very unhappy state to be in1 because   
all fear hath torment4 ,human beings can
 never be happy in their social         
relations1 when the fear and dread of   
each other is the governing principle in
 their lives4 ,the heart of man was     
originally created for the exercise of  
love1 for perfect love1 which knows no  
fear4 ,all the happiness and peace of   
heaven spring out of love made perfect4 
,there love springs pure and            
unrepressed2     ,there all are loved1  
and love again3   ,love warms each      
angel's glowing breast3     ,love fills 
each shining saintly train4  ,fear1 with
 its long and varied list of torments1  
primarily springs from a sense of guilt4
 ,we have a clear example in proof of   
this in the third chapter of ,genesis4  
,immediately after the fall ,adam is    

represented as saying to the ,lord3 ,i  
heard thy voice in the garden1 and ,i   
was afraid1 and ,i hid myself4 ,now1    
,adam had heard that voice before2 it   
was the voice of love2 but1 oh6 how     
changed6 ,the voice itself was not      
changed2 but the ear that heard1 and the
 eye that saw1 and the heart that felt  
its power1 these1 these were changed4   
,ever since that sad day man has been   
subject to fear1 and has sought to hide 
himself from the presence of the ,lord4 
,but the ,lord ,god still loved ,adam1  
and right there and then gave a promise 
to save man4 ,that promise is in these  
words3 ,i will put enmity between her   
seed and thy seed3 it shall bruise thy  
head1 and thou shalt bruise his heel4   
,this was spoken to the serpent4 ,christ
 ,jesus our ,lord is the seed of the    
woman4 ,he bruises the serpent's head   
under our feet whenever we sincerely    
desire him to do so4 ,the head of the   
serpent stands for sin and transgression
 of ,god's holy law in all its forms1   

with the evil loves which prompt us     
thereto4 ,the heel which the serpent    
shall bruise is man's natural body1 and 
the natural feelings incident to him    
from his connection with this body4     
,diseases1 the infirmities of age1 with 
all the pains and anguish of body and   
mind2 yea1 death itself1 and the fear of
 death1 all1 all are but the bruises    
which the serpent1 the devil and ,satan 
is inflicting upon the heel of the      
woman's seed4  ,but1 ,brethren1 ,christ 
is bruising the head of the serpent     
daily under our feet4 ,every temptation 
to do some forbidden thing1 every       
inclination to indulge evil and impure  
desires and thoughts1 fairly resisted   
and overcome1 is just that much of the  
serpent's head1 of his very life1       
bruised and crushed under our feet4     
,now1 it appears to us as if we did all 
this of ourselves1 and in our own       
strength4 ,but this is very far from the
 truth4 ,jesus says3 ,without me ye can 
do nothing4 ,i am the way1 the truth and

 the life4 ,all the spiritual life1     
which embraces all pure and holy        
thoughts1 affections1 motives1 with all 
the truth and holy love in the          
,christian's soul1 is from the ,lord4   
,man of himself is nothing but evil1 and
 but for the ,lord's redeeming and      
saving arm would forever sink to lower  
and yet lower depths of ruin4 ,but just 
turn with me to the twenty-first chapter
 of ,revelation1 fourth verse1 and see  
to what the ,lord offers to exalt man4  
,we there read3 ,and ,god shall wipe    
away all tears from their eyes2 and     
there shall be no more death1 neither   
sorrow1 nor crying1 neither shall there 
be any more pain2 for the former things 
are passed away4 ,there is quite an     
excitement over ,california at this     
time4 ,thousands have left their homes  
to try their fortunes in the far-off    
land of gold4 ,some have already        
perished in the attempt to reach the    
shining ,eldorado1 and many more may    
have to suffer the same sad experience4 

,but the ,gospel invites the sinner to a
 city whose gates are of pearl1 and     
whose streets are paved with gold1 and  
where the society is exempt from all the
 ills of life2 for there they die no    
more4  ,brethren1 let us live not for   
ourselves1 but for others1 as far as    
lies in our power4 ,our love feasts show
 our love for one another1 and our      
social equality with each other insomuch
 as we all eat together3 and our        
beautiful order in washing one another's
 feet sets forth our readiness to help  
one another in the ,christian life1 for 
none of us liveth to himself4           
,,saturday1 ,november #d4 ,the two      
brethren have forenoon meeting at old   
,brother ,parks's1 and ,joseph ,miller  
speaks in a somewhat general way on     
,first ,corinthians #ae4 ,in the evening
 they have meeting at ,enoch ,hyre's1   
and ,brother ,kline speaks on ,john     
#ad3f4 ,,text4--,i am the way4 ,his     
thoughts on this passage are so original
 and instructive that ,i will endeavor  

to extend and elucidate them as best ,i 
can4  ,this passage1 said he1           
comprehends the whole ,christ as the    
,son of man4 ,as the way1 the holy way1 
we may trace and follow his steps1 and  
walk in him from the manger to the      
cross2 from the cross to the grave2 and 
from the grave to his exaltation at the 
right hand of the ,father in heaven4 ,of
 this way the prophet ,isaiah speaks in 
these words3 ,and an highway shall be   
there1 and it shall be called1 ,the way 
of holiness2 the unclean shall not pass 
over it2 444 but the redeemed shall walk
 therein4 ,is not this a delightful view
 of ,christian life as it was           
exemplified by our ,lord6 ,the prophet  
calls it the highway of our ,god4 ,like 
the way of ,noah's ark1 it is above the 
tops of the loftiest mountains of sin   
and death and destruction4 ,like the way
 of the ark again1 it is the way of     
holiness1 for righteous ,noah and his   
family are upon it4  ,but ,i wish to    
call the attention of all here to-night 

to the particular line of truth and     
motive the ,lord had in mind when he    
said1 ,i am the way4 ,by thus pointing  
out the way1 and showing that eternal   
life and happiness are the blessed      
reward of walking in it1 ,i hope to     
induce some here to-night to enter it4  
,i might here generalize somewhat by    
calling your attention to the fact that 
it is natural for us all1 when going    
anywhere1 to feel best satisfied when we
 know the way we are on is the right way
 to where we want to go4 ,it is true1   
however1 one may tramp along through    
life over public roads1 merely to get a 
subsistence from the fragments he may   
pick up by the way1 and be wholly       
indifferent as to where the road is     
conducting him4 ,i will not say that    
such a life is a fair representation of 
the thoughtless sinner's way1 as regards
 all preparation for a future state of  
existence1 but ,i will ask him if it is 
not so8 ,but let us particularize4  ,the
 first recorded words that ,jesus       

uttered were spoken by him when he was  
twelve years old4 ,they were addressed  
by him to his parents when they found   
him in the temple3 ,how is it that ye   
sought me sorrowing8 ,did ye not know   
that ,i must be about my ,father's      
business8 ,this was his first public    
step in the way we are to follow4 ,we   
all have the same ,father to love and   
obey that ,jesus had1 and he is none    
other than the ,god who made us4 ,it is 
his business to fit and prepare us for  
everlasting happiness2 and when we are  
about his business as ,jesus was we are 
reciprocating his love by doing his     
pleasure4 ,but this was only the        
beginning4 ,no further record of ,jesus 
is given until about eighteen years     
after1 when he came to the ,jordan to be
 baptized of ,john4 ,but ,john said3 ,i 
have need to be baptized of thee1 and   
comest thou to me8 ,but ,jesus said1    
,suffer it to be so now2 for thus it    
becometh us to fulfill all              
righteousness4  ,some may think lightly 

of baptism1 but if it became the ,king  
of glory to be baptized in water to     
fulfill all righteousness1 how can any  
one esteem it lightly1 who has any      
regard for his soul8 ,since he himself  
is the way1 can we rationally conclude  
that he would do anything for a guide to
 us that is unimportant8 ,he had no sins
 to confess1 it is true2 but still he   
must be baptized to fulfill all         
righteousness4 ,how important1 then1    
must it be for us to submit to this     
ordinance1 who are all defiled with sin6
    ,ashamed of ,jesus6 yes ,i may      
,when ,i've no sins to wash away3   ,no 
guilt to shun1 no good to crave2   ,no  
love to give1 no soul to save4  ,but now
 ,i must call your attention to his     
,sermon on the ,mount4 ,this is the most
 instructive1 truth-abounding and       
love-abounding sermon the world has ever
 heard4 ,it is a summary of the love1   
the truth1 the purity of heart1 the     
humility of soul1 the poverty of spirit1
 the hungering and thirsting for        

righteousness1 the forgiveness1 the     
charity1 the meekness of the true child 
of ,god4 ,hence our blessed ,lord says  
right at the close3 ,whosoever heareth  
these sayings of mine1 and doeth them1  
,i will liken him unto a wise man1 which
 built his house upon a rock3 and the   
rain descended1 and the floods came1 and
 the winds blew1 and beat upon that     
house2 and it fell not3 for it was      
founded upon a rock4 ,i want to tell you
 right here that ,jesus fulfilled every 
jot and tittle of its truth in all its  
varied and minute applications1 in the  
pure and holy life he lived on earth4   
,he thus became the way4  ,i have       
sometimes been accosted by others on    
this wise3 ,you teach a doctrine of     
works6 ,you teach that people must do so
 and so to be saved4 ,i understand the  
,word to teach that ,christians are     
saved by faith without works4 ,i have   
occasionally answered such accusations1 
,i fear1 perhaps1 in not the true spirit
 of meekness1 by retorting that if some 

professing ,christians are ever saved at
 all it will surely be without any works
 on their part4 ,but usually1 when ,i am
 rightly at myself1 or better1 when my  
heart is with the ,lord1 both in        
answering and preaching1 ,i say1 ,we as 
,brethren believe and teach that faith  
without works is dead4 ,all good works  
are done in faith4 ,and no man can      
believe in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ with
 his heart1 without loving him2 because 
faith is a loving acceptance of all the 
truth revealed by the ,lord to man4 ,our
 heartfelt reception of that truth leads
 to obedience1 and obedience is good    
works4 ,for by works faith is made      
perfect4 ,when he says3 ,this ,,do1 and 
thou shalt live1 he does not lose sight 
of the loving faith in which it is to be
 done4 ,when he says3 ,so let your light
 shine before men1 that they may see    
your ,,good ,,works1 and glorify--,,you8
 ,no6--your ,father1 which is in heaven4
 ,it is by good works1 then1 that we are
 to glorify our ,father which is in     

heaven4  ,again to the ,sermon on the   
,mount4 ,i told you a while ago that    
this sermon sets forth the living way1  
or the living ,christ4 ,all the parables
 and miracles aim at nothing higher than
 to prepare the minds and hearts of the 
people to do1 in an enlightened way1 the
 things commanded and taught in that    
wonderful sermon4 ,obedience to all the 
ordinances of ,god's house is but a     
showing to the life and in the life that
 meekness1 that state of heart purity1  
that forgiveness1 that charity or       
brotherly love1 that heavenly           
mindedness1 which shine forth in clear  
light there4 ,but all the good there is 
in that sermon consists in the doing of 
it4 ,i may think of loving my enemy1 and
 of praying for him1 and of forgiving   
him1 but will the thought avail         
anything1 unless ,i carry my thought out
 in the acts of my life8 ,our ,lord     
prayed for his enemies even on the      
cross4 ,they had nailed him there1 so   
unjustly too2 but in the anguish of his 

distress he said3 ,father1 forgive them2
 they know not what they do4  ,one      
thought more1 and ,i will close4 ,we    
must not forget that the ,lord1 by his  
,holy ,spirit1 is the life of the way4  
,of ourselves1 and left to ourselves1 we
 could never enter the way4 ,without the
 ,lord's power in us through his ,holy  
,spirit we can do nothing4 ,this great  
truth in its fullness1 accepted and     
believed in the heart1 is the highest   
attainment in faith that man is capable 
of4 ,the deeper and warmer our love for 
the ,lord is1 the clearer and stronger  
our faith grows2 and the clearer and    
stronger our faith is in him1 the firmer
 are our assurances that he is our life4
 ,we feel so free1 so at liberty to do  
just what we will1 either good or bad1  
that the truth of our absolute          
dependence upon ,god for every good     
affection and thought1 for every good   
motive and its attainment1 is a lesson  
we are slow to learn4 ,peter had not    
learned this lesson when1 confident in  

his own strength1 he declared that he   
would not forsake the ,lord4 ,it is this
 sense of our own weakness that leads us
 to pray4 ,prayer must proceed from the 
heart4 ,otherwise it is not prayer1 but 
a mere form of words4 ,the ,lord will   
never help any one spiritually who does 
not feel the need of divine help4 ,saul 
was struck down when the divine light   
flashed upon him with a radiance above  
the brightness of the sun2 but that     
light only blinded him4 ,the ,lord then 
sent ,ananias to inquire in the house of
 ,judas in ,damascus for one called     
,saul of ,tarsus3 ,for1 said he1 behold 
he prayeth4 ,without this prayer ,saul  
would nevermore have seen anything4     
,this prayer was the opening of his     
heart to do the will of the ,lord1 for  
in it he said3 ,lord1 what wouldst thou 
have me to do8 ,i need only add here    
that the very first thing he was        
commanded to do was3 ,arise1 and be     
baptized1 and wash away thy sins1       
calling on the name of the ,lord4       

,,sunday1 ,november #e4 ,the two        
brethren had meeting at ,isaac ,shobe's 
and stayed all night at ,jacob          
,bargdoll's4 ,on  ,,monday1 ,november   
#f1 they had morning meeting at ,isaac  
,dasher's1 and night meeting at ,nimrod 
,judy's1 where they stay all night4     
,,tuesday1 ,november #g4 ,they dine at  
,william ,hevner's in ,brock's ,gap1 and
 reach home in the evening4  ,the editor
 is making these transcripts from the   
,diary ,january #bf1 #ahii2 just a      
little over fifty years after the       
entries were made4 ,he was then a young 
man2 and the current of life's forces1  
like a mighty river1 has borne him on   
its bosom over a large part of the      
territory--especially in the two        
,virginias--traveled over and preached  
over and prayed over by our long since  
sainted brother1 ,elder ,john ,kline4   
,he lived to see good results from his  
labors1 but they were not strikingly    
conspicuous4 ,as the ,diary shows1 now  
and then a brother1 a sister1 applies   

for1 and receives baptism at his hands4 
,but we must not overlook the truth that
 he was breaking the ice of indifference
 to all the claims of religion in the   
minds and hearts of these people4 ,he   
was the very first minister in the      
,brotherhood to begin and carry on what 
may be called an aggressive effort to   
spread a knowledge of gospel truth      
through the present counties of         
,pendleton1 ,hardy1 ,grant1 ,hampshire1 
,mineral1 ,randolph and ,pocahontas in  
what is now ,west ,virginia4 ,other     
active and able ministers of that day1 a
 few of whom ,i will here name1 all     
living in the ,shenandoah ,valley1 would
 cheerfully go with him2 but he led the 
way4 ,those whose names ,i will give    
were ,benjamin ,bowman1 ,daniel ,miller1
 ,abraham ,flory1 ,isaac ,long1 father  
of the very excellent and able preacher 
,isaac ,long1 ,jr41 ,martain ,miller1   
brother of ,daniel2 ,john ,harshbarger1 
and a little later on ,jacob ,wine and  
,christian ,wine4 ,these are all gone to

 the heavenly shore1 to live in the     
paradise of ,god4 ,but their works do   
follow them4 ,they follow them1 and will
 follow them to the end of time1 in the 
form of new houses of worship erected by
 a largely increased and increasing     
membership2 by an increase of           
enlightened piety1 as exemplified in its
 possessors by their nonconformity to   
the world and their attendance upon the 
ordinances of ,god's house4 ,here1      
however1 we see only the beginning of   
the good fruits from their sowings4 ,the
 records of the book of life2 the palms2
 the white robes and crowns2 the song of
 ,moses and the song of the ,lamb will  
better tell than we ever can here the   
exceeding preciousness and excellence of
 their works4  ,,thursday1 ,december #g4
 ,perform the marriage ceremony of      
,benjamin ,wampler and ,anna ,driver at 
,mother ,wampler's2 also the marriage   
ceremony of ,eli ,summers and ,sophia   
,frank4  ,,sunday1 ,december #bd4 ,get  
word of the death of ,uncle ,frederic   

,kline4 ,go up to his place4  ,,monday1 
,december #be4 ,uncle ,frederic is      
buried to-day4 ,age1 seventy-five years1
 ten months and fourteen days4 ,stay all
 night at ,christian ,garber's4         
,,thursday1 ,december #bh4 ,perform the 
marriage ceremony of ,michael ,b4,e4    
,kline and ,elizabeth ,rhodes4          
,,sunday1 ,december #ca4 ,at home4 ,i   
have traveled in the year that is just  
at its close #d1daa miles4 ,the year    
appears very short4 ,when ,i review its 
labors and toils ,i am forced to reflect
 upon the imperfection of my work4 ,i   
have never delivered a discourse that   
was satisfactory to me throughout4 ,i   
hardly ever fail to see some lack of    
thought right where ,i wanted to make   
the truth clear and impressive4 ,often  
and often the reflections of my mind1 as
 it were1 hear a voice within saying3   
,why did you not put it this way8 ,why  
did you not think of that very          
appropriate passage of ,scripture1 which
 would have fit the place so nicely1 and

 have been so expressive8 ,i do not     
suppose that any one will see this      
little book while ,i live4 ,after ,i am 
gone it may he consigned to some dark   
closet1 with the rest of its kind1 as   
useless rubbish4 ,but should it ever    
fall into the hands of any minister of  
the ,word who may be afflicted in his   
work with thoughts akin to those ,i have
 expressed in this review of the year1  
,i beg him to be encouraged rather than 
discouraged by them4 ,i believe they are
 messages from the ,lord1 who constantly
 seeks our highest good and greatest    
usefulness4 ,satan1 if he could1 would  
induce us to believe that we are all    
right1 just what we should be2 and in   
this way inflate us with a profound     
sense of our own importance1 and in this
 pride of heart make us esteem ourselves
 greatly superior to all others4 ,how   
this feeling differs from that          
inculcated by ,paul3 ,let each esteem   
another better than himself6 ,how       
different1 too1 from the words of the   

meek and lowly ,jesus3 ,he that humbleth
 himself shall be exalted6 ,these       
reviews and criticisms of our works and 
ways tend to make us more thoughtful and
 circumspect in the future4 ,we seek to 
have our lacks supplied1 our wants      
relieved1 and are induced thereby to    
apply our minds to the study of the     
,word with more vigor1 looking at the   
same time to the ,lord for the          
enlightening guidance of his ,holy      
,spirit4 ,it now lacks just ten minutes 
of midnight4 ,i will retire with the    
retiring year1 wishing to all a         
good-night1 and joyful eyes to behold   
the dawn of the new year4  ,,thursday1  
,february #bb4 ,hear the distant report 
of cannon in commemoration of the birth 
of ,george ,washington1 which is said to
 have occurred on the twenty-second day 
of ,february1 #agcb4 ,it is presumable  
that those who find pleasure in public  
demonstrations of this sort are moved by
 what they regard as patriotic feelings 
and principles4 ,let their motives and  

enjoyments spring from what they may1   
they have a lawful right to celebrate   
the anniversary of his birth in any     
civil way they may choose4 ,but ,i have 
a somewhat higher conception of true    
patriotism than can be represented by   
the firing of guns which give forth     
nothing but meaningless sound4 ,i am    
glad1 however1 that these guns report   
harmless sound1 and nothing more4 ,if   
some public speakers would do the same1 
it might be better both for them and    
their hearers4 ,my highest conception of
 patriotism is found in the man who     
loves the ,lord his ,god with all his   
heart and his neighbor as himself4 ,out 
of these affections spring the          
subordinate love for one's country2 love
 truly virtuous for one's companion and 
children1 relatives and friends2 and in 
its most comprehensive sense takes in   
the whole human family4 ,were this love 
universal1 the word patriotism1 in its  
specific sense1 meaning such a love for 
one's country as makes its possessors   

ready and willing to take up arms in its
 defense1 might be appropriately        
expunged from every national vocabulary4
  ,perform the marriage ceremony of     
,isaac ,brady and ,leanna ,hulvey1 at   
,john ,hulvey's4  ,,saturday1 ,march #c4
 ,night meeting at ,john ,mongold's on  
,lost ,river4 ,i speak from ,luke       
#aj3db4 ,,text4--,but one thing is      
needful4  ,various interpretations have 
been given of this text4 ,having given  
it a good deal of thought myself1 from  
the belief that a right understanding of
 the passage is all-important1 ,i will  
endeavor to make clear to your minds    
what appears to me the ,lord's meaning4 
,all of you take time to-morrow to read 
the tenth chapter of ,luke1 and you may 
see many things ,i will not take time to
 notice to-night4  ,but one thing is    
needful4 ,if one were to come to each of
 you privately to-night1 and say to you3
 ,i have plenty of this world's goods to
 give away1 tell me what you need1 and  
,i will supply you1 and remove all doubt

 from your mind of his meaning to do    
what he said1 we might be surprised at  
the varied answers and statements that  
he would receive4 ,possibly--but ,i     
sincerely hope there are none such here 
to-night--some might say tobacco1 or    
snuff1 or whisky4 ,there are1 however1  
many things really needed for the       
support of life in this world1 and it is
 a part of wisdom to know our real      
needs1 and how best to supply them4 ,our
 ,lord1 on one occasion1 referred to the
 two most general needs of people1--food
 and clothing1--in which he instructed  
them not to be forgetful of ,god in all 
their efforts to obtain these1 for1 said
 he1 ,your heavenly ,father knoweth that
 ye have need of all these things4  ,our
 ,lord does not limit our bodily wants  
to one thing2 so it cannot be any       
worldly good he has in view4 ,it must   
then be a need above1 and of vastly more
 importance than any worldly            
consideration4 ,on one occasion our     
,lord uttered a self-evident truth in   

these words3 ,he that walketh in        
darkness knoweth not whither he goeth4  
,by darkness in this place ignorance of 
divine and spiritual things is meant4   
,again3 ,the people which sat in        
darkness saw great light2 and to them   
which sat in the region and shadow of   
death1 light is sprung up4 ,in this     
passage darkness means ignorance and    
light means knowledge from teaching4    
,sitting in the region and shadow of    
death is a figure so strong in its      
import that we hardly know how to show  
forth its full significance4 ,sitting   
implies an easy state of mind and       
feeling4 ,the region of death signifies 
the place where the love of self and the
 love of the world bear rule1 and find  
their gratification and satisfaction in 
worldly enjoyments1 and that place is   
man's depraved and spiritually dead     
heart4 ,the shadow of death signifies   
that beclouded state of the             
understanding which is the inevitable   
consequence of being satisfied to sit in

 darkness4 ,is not this altogether a    
frightful picture of man's unenlightened
 and unregenerate state8 ,but it is a   
true picture1 for it is given by the    
,lord1 who knows what man is and what is
 in man4  ,have ,i wandered away from my
 text8 ,by no means4 ,i have held up    
this picture to show that man is so     
deeply sunk in darkness or ignorance    
regarding himself and ,god that without 
instruction in the truths of ,god's holy
 ,word he does not know and he never    
would know what he does need4 ,prior to 
the discovery of ,america the native    
,indian did not know that he needed     
anything beyond what he then had in a   
natural way4  ,when the white man came  
and got acquainted with him he might    
have addressed him in the exact words of
 my text as applied to his social1 moral
 and civil state and surroundings3 ,one 
thing is needful4 ,that one thing1      
properly infused and evolved1 and in    
connection with such infusion and       
evolution therefrom1 properly applied to

 use1 would have transformed him from a 
savage to a civilized state2 from       
temporal misery and wretchedness into   
the enjoyments of life1 liberty and the 
high pursuits of happiness4  ,you may   
now wonder what that one thing would    
have been4 ,one word expresses it all1  
and that word is ,,education4 ,the      
wonderful gifts of divine goodness1 in  
the shape of latent treasures of coal1  
iron1 and the precious metals2 the      
exhaustless fertility of ,american      
soils2 the salubrity of its climates2   
the boundless power of its falling      
streams1 all1 all these were here for   
the ,indian alone1 for hundreds1 perhaps
 thousands of years before the white man
 came4 ,why did he not use them8        
,because he lacked the one thing        
needful1 the proper education or        
development of his mind1 the knowledge  
of understanding the ways and means of  
converting the heterogeneous into the   
homogeneous2 the useless into the       
useful2 the ill-formed into the         

suitable4 ,what the ,indian lacked is   
the very basis of the white man's       
individual and national prosperity4  ,i 
have here laid a broad foundation on    
which ,i hope to erect a superstructure 
of doctrine that may do us all good4 ,i 
will here say that ,,education into the 
knowledge and love of ,god's revealed   
,truth in its true relation to man's    
life is the one thing needful to every  
human being4 ,i use the word ,,education
 in its most comprehensive and exalted  
sense1 that of preparing the mind and   
heart for the attainment of the highest 
and noblest ends of life on earth and in
 heaven4 ,in this sense it takes in     
salvation with its happy experiences and
 results4 ,it takes in regeneration1    
that wonderful and radical change in man
 wrought by ,god through his ,holy      
,spirit1 by which man passes from       
darkness to light1 and out of death into
 life4  ,the word disciple means a      
learner1 one who is receiving           
instruction4 ,our ,lord had twelve      

disciples whom he was training in a     
special way for a special work4 ,he was 
divinely educating them4 ,he was opening
 their minds and hearts as he opened    
,lydia's heart so that she attended the 
things spoken of by ,paul4 ,he was      
imparting to them by parables1 by       
miracles1 and by private                
interpretations1 and still above all by 
the examples he set1 the means of       
acquiring this spiritual1 this divine1  
this heavenly education that would carry
 them through life by his help1 and make
 them the very pillars and grounds of   
the truth when they should behold ,his  
face no more on earth4 ,this heavenly   
training1 then1 or the training of man's
 mind and heart for a heavenly life on  
earth and for the ineffable enjoyment of
 that life above1 is the one thing      
needful4 ,a deep consciousness of this  
is what led ,mary to sit at the ,lord's 
feet and hear his words4 ,the want of   
this left ,martha to be careful and     
troubled about many things--things of   

time and sense4 ,a desire for this high 
attainment caused ,david to sing so     
sweetly these beautiful words3 ,one     
thing have ,i desired of the ,lord1 and 
that will ,i seek after3 that ,i may    
dwell in the house of the ,lord all the 
days of my life4 ,by dwelling in the    
house of the ,lord ,david meant with the
 ,lord's people3 and as the ,lord is    
always in his house with his people1    
dwelling in his house is dwelling with  
him4 ,all1 in every age1 who sincerely  
desire to know the ,lord1 to do his     
will1 and enjoy his presence1 desire to 
dwell in his house1 which is the church 
of the living ,god4 ,they desire1 like  
,mary1 to sit at his feet and hear his  
words4 ,they sit at his feet and hear   
his words when in deep humility of soul 
they hear his ,gospel preached1 or sung1
 or prayed2 or when they read it        
themselves4  ,can ,i not prevail on some
 here to-night to accept ,mary's happy  
choice1 to choose that good part which  
shall not be taken away from them8      

,,sunday1 ,march #d4 ,meeting at        
,nesselrodt's4 ,john #ac is read4 ,stay 
all night at ,james ,fitzwater's1 and   
come home next day4  ,,friday1 ,march   
#af4 ,jacob ,ritchey in the ,gap is     
taken with a very severe attack of cramp
 colic4 ,i relieve him speedily and     
effectually by means of active          
treatment4 ,i found him in a state of   
almost indescribable distress from the  
acute pains he had4 ,i decided very     
quickly1 after a brief examination1 that
 the cause of his trouble lay in a      
spasmodic contraction of the muscles of 
the bowels4 ,the powerfully             
antispasmodic action of lobelia and     
steaming caused the nerves to let go    
their abnormal grip1 and he was well4   
,,saturday1 ,march #ca4 ,council meeting
 at ,shaver's meetinghouse below        
,woodstock in ,shenandoah ,county1      
,virginia4 ,brother ,george ,shaver is  
established in the ministry1 and        
,brother ,neyhiser advanced4  ,,friday1 
,april #ac4 ,council meeting in the     

,brush meetinghouse4 ,jacob ,miller1 son
 of ,daniel ,miller1 is elected to the  
ministry of the ,word4  ,,friday1 ,april
 #bj4 ,on this day ,brother ,kline1 in  
company with ,brother ,benjamin ,bowman1
 started on a journey to some of the    
western counties of ,virginia1 now ,west
 ,virginia4 ,the first day they got to  
the widow ,miller's1 on ,briery ,branch1
 in the southwest corner of ,rockingham 
,county4 ,the next day they went through
 ,north ,river ,gap and got to ,henry   
,sanger's1 in ,highland ,county1        
,virginia1 where they had night meeting4
 ,here ,brother ,bowman delivered a     
discourse1 which1 according to the      
outlines in the ,diary1 was so pregnant 
with original thought characteristic of 
the man that ,i will endeavor to expand 
its contracted form and give it a more  
readable shape4 ,,text4--,then said     
,jesus to those ,jews which believed on 
him3 ,if ye continue in my word1 then   
are ye my disciples indeed2 and ye shall
 know the truth1 and the truth shall    

make you free4  ,there was great        
diversity of feeling among the ,jews in 
,christ's day1 just as there is among   
,gentiles now4 ,some were flint2 others1
 clay in the hand of the potter4 ,the   
common people heard him gladly2 but the 
scribes and ,pharisees resisted the     
counsel of ,god against themselves4 ,if 
we read the entire chapter carefully it 
will give us a more impressive view of  
and a clearer insight into the stubborn 
hardness of the ,jewish heart than any  
other single chapter that ,i can now    
think of4 ,the ,jews were so wedded to  
their worldly sanctuary1 so in love with
 the representative forms of worship1   
that they could receive no just ideas of
 genuine spiritual worship4 ,let me draw
 a comparison here4 ,many people seem to
 think themselves rich when they have   
plenty of money either in hand or       
standing out on interest4 ,they think so
 from the fact that money represents    
every exchangeable commodity of worldly 
goods4 ,in it they behold the supply of 

every bodily want1 the service they need
 and the honor they crave4  ,this is    
something like what the scribes and     
,pharisees1 the elders and priests saw  
in their religion4 ,and these worldly   
emoluments and benefits are what they   
feared would be taken away from them1   
should the great principles of love to  
,god and love to man1 inculcated by our 
,savior1 be generally received4 ,they   
said3 ,if we let him thus alone1 all men
 will believe on him2 and the ,romans   
will come and take away both our place  
and our nation4  ,the ,roman power had a
 civil regard for the temple so long as 
it retained its dignity as the national 
house of ,jewish worship4 ,should it1   
however1 lose this honor by being no    
longer needed and used as such1 the     
,romans would withhold this regard and  
convert it--as was actually done years  
afterward--into a barrack for soldiers4 
,where would then be the salaried       
scribe1 the domineering and overbearing 
elder1 the rich but hypocritical        

,pharisee1 and the pompous high priest8 
,their place and their nation would be  
gone4 ,these considerations1 in         
connection with their inbred conceits   
that they were the peculiar1 chosen and 
exclusive people of ,god1 caused them to
 reject the ,lord4 ,he came unto his own
 and his own received him not4 ,but some
 did receive him1 and as many as        
received him1 to them gave he power to  
become the sons of ,god1 even to them   
that believed on his name4 ,it was to   
such as believed on him that the words  
of my text were addressed4 ,the text    
gave them1 and it gives the same to us1 
three promises by the mouth of him whose
 word is yea and amen4  ,first promise3 
,if ye abide in my word1 then are ye    
truly my disciples4  ,second promise3   
,and ye shall know the truth4  ,third   
promise3 ,and the truth shall make you  
free4  ,these promises are all so full  
of love and truth that a long and       
instructive discourse might be based    
upon each one separately1 and then much 

of their subject matter remain          
untouched4 ,we are told how we may be   
true disciples of the ,lord4 ,a disciple
 is a learner1 one who is receiving     
instruction because of a sincere desire 
in him to know the truth4 ,we are truly 
his disciples when we abide in his      
,word4 ,what is the meaning of the      
clause1 ,if ye abide in my word8 ,let   
,james1 the apostle of charity1 answer3 
,if a man be not a forgetful hearer of  
the word1 but a doer that worketh1 this 
man shall be blessed in his doing4 ,for 
myself1 ,i must say that learning the   
lessons of ,christ is very much like    
learning the lessons given in almost any
 other branch of knowledge4 ,we send our
 children to school4 ,some take delight 
in their books1 and make satisfactory   
progress4 ,others1 that have the same   
opportunities to learn1 seem to take    
very little interest in their lessons or
 in the instructions of their teachers1 
and move on very slowly4 ,why is this8  
,it is mainly a lack of love for study4 

,one hungers and thirsts for knowledge1 
another does not4 ,but the one that     
loves to acquire knowledge is the one   
that abides in the instructions of his  
teacher and his books1 and he is a true 
disciple or learner4 ,it is very much   
the same way in the school of ,christ4  
,some hear1 obey and profit greatly by  
what they hear4 ,such abide in his      
words4 ,such are his true disciples4    
,some one may ask3 ,what are his words  
in which man must abide8 ,i answer1     
,they are all the words he has spoken4  
,man liveth by every ,word that         
proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god4    
,jesus never uttered an idle or         
unnecessary word4 ,all his words are    
spirit and they are life4 ,in his last  
great prayer our ,lord lifted up his    
eyes and said3 ,father1 sanctify them   
through thy truth3 thy word is truth4   
,remember1 too1 that the ,son spake none
 but the ,father's words2 for he said to
 those very wicked ,jews who sought his 
life3 ,the things which ,i heard from   

the ,father1 these speak ,i unto the    
world4 ,moses1 the prophets1 and the    
,psalms of the ,old ,testament2 and the 
writings of the ,new ,testament comprise
 the entire ,word of ,god4 ,it was of   
the life-giving power of this ,word1    
,old and ,new1 that the angel said to   
,john on the isle of ,patmos3 ,the      
testimony of ,jesus is the spirit of    
prophecy4 ,all teaching is prophecy2 and
 all teachers of ,divine ,truth are     
prophets4 ,and as the spirit and meaning
 of all the words ,god has ever declared
 to man in their most exalted sense bear
 witness of ,jesus and set him forth as 
the very life and truth and way1 this1  
therefore1 is what is meant in what the 
angel said to ,john4 ,and the ,word     
became flesh and dwelt among us1 full of
 grace and truth4 ,this ,word made flesh
 was none other than our ,lord ,jesus   
,christ4 ,to abide in his ,word is to   
live in him as the way1 the truth and   
the life4 ,in this state we are truly   
his disciples4 ,we will now turn our    

thoughts to the  ,,second               
,,promise4--,and ye shall know the      
truth4 ,this promise will surely be     
realized by every one1 without          
exception1 who abides in the words of   
the ,lord4 ,it is a promise very much   
like that other in these words3 ,if any 
man will do his will1 he shall know of  
the doctrine1 whether it be of ,god1 or 
whether ,i speak of myself4 ,books have 
been written in defense of the truth of 
,divine ,revelation4 ,i have read       
several4 ,they are ably written1 and    
with good intentions4 ,but ,i doubt if  
any unbeliever has ever been converted  
by any of them4 ,in the first place1    
unbelievers are not likely to read books
 on such subjects2 and in the second    
place1 without a heartfelt desire to    
know the truth1 they would not be       
persuaded though one should arise from  
the dead4 ,to one who loves the truth1  
the truth bears witness of itself4 ,it  
is self-evidencing in its own light4 ,it
 bears its own testimony4  ,i not long  

since read what purported to be a true  
story of a man by the name of ,casper   
,hauser1 who had been intentionally     
brought up in a dark cave from his very 
infancy4 ,up to mature manhood he had   
never seen a ray of light1 except what  
proceeded from the dim lantern which his
 keeper used in supplying him with food 
and other things4 ,had this man been    
told1 while in the cave1 of the         
wonderful light of the sun and the      
beauties of the outside world1 he would 
not have been able to understand what   
was told him4 ,but if he would have been
 willing to take the hand of some true  
friend and be led out into the light1 he
 would not have needed any argument to  
convince him that what he had heard was 
true4 ,like the queen of ,sheba1 when   
she visited ,king ,solomon1 he might    
have said3 ,it was a true report ,i     
heard1 but now mine eyes have seen it1  
and the half had not been told me4  ,let
 me say to you1 friends1 that right here
 in this ,divine ,word is one greater   

than ,solomon1 whose eyes are as a flame
 of fire to illuminate the sinner's dark
 understanding1 and whose countenance is
 as the sun shining in his strength to  
warm and cheer the sinner's cold and    
cheerless heart4 ,that one is ,jesus4   
,as the ,divine ,word1 he revealed his  
glory on the mount1 and ,peter in the   
joyfulness of his heart said3 ,lord1 it 
is good to be here4 ,how often does the 
true disciple1 when the ,word is        
revealed to his heart1 in the warmth of 
its love and light of its truth1 feel   
like exclaiming in the same words3      
,lord1 it is good to be here6 ,but not  
all know the truth2 and we ask1 ,why is 
it so8 ,in answering this question      
several things have to be kept in mind4 
,some--but very few in our land--are not
 in reach of the preached ,word1 are not
 instructed so as to be able to read it1
 and are so situated socially as to hear
 nothing of the ,gospel4 ,some are born 
deaf1 who can neither hear nor read4    
,some are born idiots who are incapable 

of understanding4 ,with such ignorance  
is no sin4 ,but what shall we say of the
 great army of unbelievers who1 in the  
very blaze of gospel light1 shut their  
eyes and1 like the ,gergesenes1 beseech 
the ,lord to depart out of their        
borders4 ,these love darkness rather    
than light2 and they will not come to   
the light4 ,this answers the question1  
,why do not all know the truth8 ,they   
will not abide in his words4 ,they will 
not do the truth3 ,for he that doeth the
 truth cometh to the light4 ,we now turn
 to the  ,,third ,,promise4--,and the   
truth shall make you free4 ,this is the 
most precious promise of all4 ,it is    
just what the truth will do for every   
one who knows the truth and obeys it in 
his life4 ,it will make him free4 ,like 
the ,jews1 some may say1 ,we have never 
been in bondage4 ,we are free now1 and  
how can you say1 ,the truth shall make  
us free8 ,the ,lord may answer you on   
that4 ,the ,jews claimed the same       
freedom that you claim4 ,they said3 ,we 

be ,abraham's seed1 and have never been 
in bondage to any man4 ,but ,jesus      
answered3 ,verily1 verily ,i say unto   
you1 ,every one that committeth sin is  
the bondservant of sin4 ,you decide now 
for yourself whether you are a          
bondservant or a free man4 ,do you      
commit sin in the love of it8 ,do you   
willingly transgress ,god's holy law    
contained in the ,ten ,commandments8 ,if
 so1 ,jesus says you are a bondservant  
of sin4 ,paul says the same in these    
words3 ,to whom ye yield yourselves     
servants to obey1 his servants ye are1  
whether of sin unto death2 or of        
obedience unto righteousness4  ,again3  
,you are commanded to repent and believe
 the ,gospel4 ,you are commanded to be  
baptized1 confessing your sins4 ,have   
you complied with these plain precepts  
of ,holy ,truth8 ,if not1 the seal of   
bondage is still upon you1 and every day
 you live in sin stamps that seal deeper
 and yet deeper upon your heart4 ,but   
there is balm in ,gilead for you if you 

will accept it2 and there is a physician
 there for you1 if you will but let him 
administer the remedy4 ,that balm is the
 heavenly1 holy1 healing ,word of the   
,lord1 and that ,physician is the ,lord 
himself4 ,do you ask how you are to take
 it8 ,take it in faith1 for he that     
believeth is not condemned2 but he that 
believeth not is condemned already1     
because he hath not believed on the name
 of the only begotten ,son of ,god4     
,and the truth shall make you free4     
,thousands on earth and millions in     
glory bear testimony to the truth in    
these words4 ,a living1 loving belief in
 the words of ,jesus2 a faith that works
 from love and purifies the heart is the
 only power that will break the yoke of 
sin4 ,this faith ,god is ever ready1    
through his ,holy ,spirit1 to help you  
to have4 ,of yourself you can do        
nothing2 but the very last words ,jesus 
uttered on earth were these1 ,lo6 ,i am 
with you to the end of the world4       
,,sunday1 ,april #bb4 ,the two brethren 

had meeting at ,doe ,hill1 in ,highland 
,county4 ,they took dinner at ,joel     
,siple's1 and had night meeting at      
,george ,wine's4 ,on the twenty-third   
they went down the ,south ,fork to      
,jacob ,stone's and had meeting in one  
of his outbuildings4 ,in the afternoon  
they had meeting at the widow ,hoover's 
on the ,fork1 and stayed all night at   
,dr4 ,john ,keister's4 ,on the          
twenty-fourth they had meeting at       
,bethel church in the forenoon2 got     
dinner at ,jacob ,warnstaff's1 and in   
the afternoon have meeting at ,zion     
church in ,hardy ,county4 ,they stayed  
all night at the widow ,peggy ,dasher's4
 ,mrs4 ,dasher 7quoting from ,diary7 is 
a member of the ,methodist denomination1
 and a very kind and hospitable woman4  
,she lives up to her ,christian         
profession as taught by her ,discipline4
 ,we held family worship in her house   
and tried to impress upon the minds of  
her sons1 who are intelligent and       
promising young men1 the one thing      

needful1 the giving of their hearts to  
the ,lord4  ,,wednesday1 ,april #be4    
,they had meeting at ,nimrod ,judy's4   
,brother ,kline spoke from ,matthew     
#ah3aa4 ,,text4--,the ,son of man is    
come to save that which was lost4  ,if  
man could fairly realize what he has    
lost through sin2 and what may be gained
 by forsaking all for ,christ2 in other 
words1 what it is to be lost1 and what  
it is to be saved1 he could not rest    
satisfied to remain one moment longer in
 his sin-ruined state4 ,like the        
,philippian jailer1 he would instantly  
cry out1 ,what must ,i do to be saved8  
,like the people on the day of          
,pentecost1 being pierced as to their   
hearts by what they heard and saw1 he   
would say3 ,brethren1 what shall ,i do8 
,the ,son of man is come to save that   
which was lost4 ,it is of the utmost    
importance to know what was lost1 so as 
to know what it is that the ,son of man 
came to save4 ,i will try to tell you   
this4 ,it is you1 it is ,i1 it is every 

human being upon the face of the earth4 
,and are all lost8 ,yes1 without an     
exception4 ,to what extent are we all   
lost8 ,to the extent of all that is of  
us--body1 spirit and soul4 ,and are our 
bodies lost8 ,yes1 our bodies are lost  
to all that ,god intended them to be4   
,our bodies were never designed to be   
the abodes of disease and suffering2    
neither were they intended to be subject
 to infirmity from age4 ,when ,god      
looked down upon a finished creation he 
saw that it was good1 yea1 very good4   
,can this be said of our bodies now8    
,let the blind1 the deaf1 the lame1 the 
countless sufferers on beds of          
affliction1 the child-bearing mother1   
the decrepit consumptive1 the rheumatic 
invalid1 let these say whether our      
bodies are very good now4 ,and how about
 our spirits8 ,i use the term spirit    
here in the sense of its being the basis
 of human perception and thought4 ,are  
our spirits or minds very good8 ,let    
those who are trying to learn and look  

into the secrets of knowledge and       
science answer this4 ,from the child in 
school to the highest rank in           
scholarship ever held by any man1 the   
same complaint comes up1 that lessons   
are hard1 and what is acquired as       
knowledge is very unsatisfactory4  ,but 
,i have touched only the hem of sin's   
garment in what ,i have said4 ,if the   
soul or will of man were still very     
good1 ,i mean to say here that if man   
had not lost his love for his fellow-man
 and his love for ,god2 in other words1 
if man still loved the ,lord his ,god   
with all his heart and his neighbor as  
himself1 feebleness of body and weakness
 of mind would be matters of small      
moment4 ,the body is soon done with any 
way2 and the mind or intellect is still 
sufficiently clear for all the purposes 
of life in this world2 and when once    
disengaged from the body that here clogs
 and fetters it1--as it will be at      
death1--in the hope of being lifted to a
 higher sphere of perception and        

thought1 the loss to man suffered by the
 fall in these two departments of his   
being would be comparatively small4     
,but man's will or inmost love is the   
secret spring of life4 ,from this all   
his affections flow2 and right here we  
find his ,marah1 the bitter waters of   
his soul4 ,in reading the story of the  
children of ,israel in the wilderness we
 learn that they came to a place where  
the waters were all bitter4 ,brethren1  
that place is right in our own hearts4  
,our hearts are the springs from which  
these bitter waters flow in the form of 
evil thoughts1 adulteries1 fornications1
 murders1 thefts1 covetousness1         
wickedness1 deceit1 lasciviousness1 an  
evil eye1 blasphemy1 pride1 foolishness4
 ,mark #g3ba1 #bb4 ,what an outflow of  
bitterness6 ,enough to flood a world to 
destruction6 ,and this destruction had  
come1 and its arm would have held its   
power over man eternally1 had not the   
great ,prophet1 the ,moses of love1 come
 and cast a tree into the waters whereby

 they were made sweet4 ,the ,lord in his
 ,word is this tree4 ,he is the tree of 
life1 whose leaves are for the healing  
of the nations4 ,his voice comes to us  
from far3 ,i am the ,lord that healeth  
thee2 for the ,son of man came to save  
that which was lost4  ,it is of infinite
 importance for us to know how he saves 
us1 what we are expected to do1 how we  
are to work with him and to what extent4
 ,i will try to give some light on this 
from the ,word itself4 ,jesus said to   
his disciples3 ,if any man walk in the  
day1 he stumbleth not1 because he seeth 
the light of this world4 ,but if a man  
walk in the night1 he stumbleth1 because
 there is no light in him4 ,this        
beautiful and striking parable1 showing 
the benefit of knowledge and the        
disadvantage of ignorance1 lights the   
sinner's way for his first step toward  
the ,lord4 ,knowledge1 which is light   
from the ,lord through his ,word1 is the
 very first thing every one must        
receive4 ,the sinner first receives the 

clay and the spittle applied to his     
blind eyes4 ,he does not get his sight  
from this application4 ,when he hears   
the ,gospel with something of a desire  
to have his eyes opened he is receiving 
this anointing of his eyes4 ,he must go 
to the pool of ,siloam and wash before  
he can have sight4 ,this washing in the 
pool is the first step in that humble   
spirit of obedience by which the        
understanding is cleared up and prepared
 to know the ,lord4 ,when any sinner    
gets this far the ,lord is sure to find 
him and whisper in his heart3 ,dost thou
 believe on the ,son of ,god8 ,every    
true penitent sinner1 with his eyes     
open1 will answer in heart3 ,who is he1 
,lord1 that ,i might believe on him8    
,then the joyful response will be       
whispered again3 ,thou hast both seen   
him1 and it is he that talketh with     
thee4 ,the ,lord meets the returning    
sinner in his blessed ,word1 and there  
he shows himself to him1 and there he   
talks with him4  ,water1 in many places 

in the ,old as well as the ,new         
,testament1 is the emblem or symbol of  
,divine ,truth4 ,i need not say that    
without water man cannot live4 ,his body
 is largely composed of water4 ,it is   
consequently essential as a beverage2   
and as an ablution1 indispensable to    
cleanliness4 ,reading and hearing the   
,word of ,divine ,truth from a real     
thirst or desire to know the truth1 is  
what is spiritually symbolized by       
drinking water4 ,this may be proved by  
what the ,lord said to the ,samaritan   
woman3 ,he that drinketh of the water   
that ,i shall give him1 shall never     
thirst2 for it shall be in him a well of
 water springing up into everlasting    
life4 ,by the expression1 never thirst1 
,jesus does not mean that there will    
never be any further inclination to     
drink the water of life1 but he means   
that there will in that soul never be   
any more perishing1 dying thirst1 for   
the water of life will be like a spring 
in the heart that will flow on forever  

from the ,lord4 ,it will be the rock in 
the wilderness that supplied the camp of
 ,israel with water1 and that ,rock is  
,christ4  ,but again4 ,the sinner's     
whole inner man is defiled with sin4    
,this may be illustrated by the spots   
and scales and raw blotches on the skin1
 caused by the disease called leprosy4  
,this disease affected every part of the
 body2 but1 like smallpox and some other
 kindred affections1 it made itself     
mostly visible upon the surface of the  
body4 ,it gave the victim a horrible    
appearance1 so much so that no one was  
willing but such as were similarly      
afflicted1 to go near a leper4 ,but the 
water of ,divine ,truth will effectually
 and forever wash away all this filth   
and loathsomeness from the redeemed     
sinner's soul and prepare his spiritual 
body for that bright array of fine      
linen1 clean and white1 in which the    
saints shall be clothed as a fit emblem 
of their righteousness4 ,paul calls all 
this the washing of regeneration4 ,in   

that great change1 without which no man 
can see the kingdom of heaven1 called   
regeneration1 or the new birth1 wrought 
by ,god only1 the water of truth is the 
means employed4 ,this is so evident that
 water is specifically named in         
connection with it in these words3      
,except a man be born of water1 and the 
,spirit1 he cannot enter the kingdom of 
heaven4  ,ananias did not forget this   
when instructing the penitent ,saul of  
,tarsus2 for at the close of all the    
words the ,lord had authorized him to   
say to ,saul1 we find these3 ,and now1  
why tarriest thou8 ,arise1 and be       
baptized1 and wash away thy sins1       
calling upon the name of the ,lord4 ,and
 ,saul arose and was baptized4 ,saul's  
sins were not washed away by the water  
in which his body was baptized1 but that
 water symbolized the truth1 the ,lord's
 truth1 that does wash away sins4 ,and  
his being immersed in it in each of the 
three names1 according to the great     
commission which the ,lord had given    

some time before1 signified his faith in
 the ,word of the ,father and of the    
,son and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,peter    
says3 ,baptism is not the washing away  
of the filth of the flesh1 but ,i feel  
authorized to say that it is the outward
 sign or emblem of the power of divine  
truth to wash away the filth of the     
soul4 ,the change in ,saul1 wrought by  
this act as the crown of obedience1 was 
so great that from this time on he was a
 new man1 and had a new name1 for he was
 called ,paul ever after4  ,but we must 
not forget that salvation is all of     
,god4 ,of ourselves we can do nothing4  
,jesus is the way1 the truth and the    
life4 ,all that man can do is to take   
the ,lord's hand and be led in the way2 
to open his eyes to the light1 and his  
ears to the truth1 and his heart to the 
life1 in faith receiving1 and in life   
living the precepts that make him wise  
unto salvation4  ,,thursday1 ,april #bf4
 ,the two brethren preached the funeral 
of ,isaac ,shobe's mother4 ,she had     

passed away shortly before1 at the high 
age of ninety-four years4 ,they spoke   
from ,first ,corinthians #ae4 ,from here
 they went to ,james ,parks's and had   
night meeting4 ,the next day they had   
meeting at ,william ,parks's2 and on    
,,saturday1 ,april #bh1 they had meeting
 at ,enoch ,hyre's in forenoon1 and at  
,elijah ,judy's at night4 ,they anointed
 ,sister ,elijah ,judy with oil in the  
name of the ,lord4  ,,sunday1 ,april    
#bi4 ,they had meeting at ,sister       
,chlora ,judy's in the forenoon1 and    
then crossed the ,fork mountain to      
,nimrod ,judy's1 where they had night   
meeting and stayed all night4  ,,monday1
 ,april #cj4 ,they got home4 ,quoting   
from the ,diary ,brother ,kline says3 ,i
 love to go among the mountains4 ,the   
people there seem to pay better         
attention to what is said1 and manifest 
better behavior at our meetings than    
they do in the thickly-settled and more 
fashionable sections of our ,state4 ,it 
is true that ignorance and poverty      

abound in some places2 but are the souls
 of the poor less dear to the ,lord than
 the souls of the rich8 ,on one occasion
 our ,lord referred to the fact that the
 ,gospel was preached to the poor as a  
proof of its heavenly origin4 ,but there
 are intelligent people living among    
those mountains4 ,and in the way of     
hospitality and genuine kindness1       
meeting you with a smile and a hearty   
welcome1 they are probably unsurpassed  
as a people1 rich and poor alike4  ,the 
high regard in which ,brother ,kline    
held the people of the western part of  
the old ,state of ,virginia1 and the    
reciprocation of that regard by their   
high appreciation of him and his        
mission1 accounts for the many visits he
 made among them1 and his devotion to   
their spiritual welfare4 ,nor was his   
work evanescent4 ,the seal of his       
influence was so deeply impressed upon  
their affections and memories that      
to-day1 after the lapse of fifty years1 
its stamp is almost as fresh as when    

first made4 ,nor is this a matter of    
wonder or surprise4 ,the sermons ,i have
 set in order were substantially        
preached by him and other ministers1    
mostly led into that section by him2 and
 the power of such discourses1 together 
with the worship and instructions held  
and given in families wherever he       
stayed1 had an influence that will never
 be forgotten4 ,the writer's own        
personal acquaintance with the people   
living in sections of his vast district 
of labor gives him to know that the name
 of ,john ,kline is still as a household
 word with many of them4 ,nor is this   
all4 ,the indoctrination of these people
 into the beliefs and practices of      
,revealed ,truth as held by the         
,brethren was so profound1 so clear1 so 
convincing1 that they to-day stand      
abreast of others in defense of these   
doctrines as at first received1 in the  
face of all the isms and religious      
innovations of the times4  ,,friday1    
,may #ah4 ,start to the ,annual         

,meeting4 ,ride ,nell4 ,stay first night
 at ,isaac ,dasher's4  ,on this journey 
the ,editor can not depart from the     
simple but beautiful and almost         
childlike daily entries in the ,diary4  
,if they appear monotonous to the       
reader1 the ,editor begs him to leaf    
over them and find something that will  
suit his taste better4 ,he must1        
however1 say something about ,nell4 ,she
 proved to be a very remarkable mare    
indeed4 ,for strength and endurance1    
through cold and heat1 in hunger and    
thirst1 over mountains numberless and   
pathless woods and valleys1 on long and 
exhausting journeys1 ,nell has had few  
equals4 ,history has not been willing to
 drop the name of ,bucephalus2 and ,nell
 is more worthy of a place on its roll4 
,he bore a conqueror for a corruptible  
crown3 she bore a conqueror for an      
incorruptible crown4 ,his was an earthly
 service2 hers a heavenly4 ,the name of 
,nell1 under very peculiar and          
distressing surroundings1 will appear   

again4  ,,saturday1 ,may #ai4 ,meeting  
at ,elijah ,judy's4 ,hebrews #ab is     
read4 ,after meeting go to ,james       
,parks's1 and stay second night4        
,,sunday1 ,may #bj4 ,meeting at ,patch's
 church on ,looney's ,creek in ,hardy   
,county1 ,virginia4 ,speak from ,acts   
#b4 ,dine at ,john ,stingley's4 ,have   
night meeting at ,jacob ,cosner's1 where
 ,i speak on ,hebrews #ab1 and stay     
third night4  ,,monday1 ,may #ba4 ,come 
to meeting at ,solomon ,michael's4      
,elections are held4 ,thomas ,clarke and
 ,michael ,lion are established2        
,william ,michael is elected speaker2   
,william ,george and ,thomas ,lion are  
elected deacons4 ,come to ,samuel       
,arnold's on ,new ,creek1 and stay      
fourth night4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #bb4     
,dine at ,robert ,broadwater's on the   
,alleghany1 and stay fifth night at ,eli
 ,whetzel's4  ,,wednesday1 ,may #bc4    
,meeting and elections4 ,first ,john is 
read4 ,john ,ogg is elected speaker1 and
 ,eli ,whetzel deacon4 ,love feast in   

the evening4 ,a little company of       
brethren and sisters1 with the ,lord in 
our midst4 ,a time ,i shall probably    
never forget4 ,stay sixth night with    
,brother ,whetzel4  ,,thursday1 ,may    
#bd4 ,meeting at the ,greenville church4
 ,matthew #e is read4 ,in the evening   
have meeting in a schoolhouse near the  
widow ,berkley's1 and stay seventh night
 at her house4  ,,friday1 ,may #be4     
,meeting in a schoolhouse near ,daniel  
,beachley's4 ,matthew #bd is read4 ,five
 persons baptized4 ,stay eighth night at
 ,john ,beachley's near the ,berlin     
meetinghouse4  ,,saturday1 ,may #bf4    
,meeting at the meetinghouse4 ,john #c  
is read4 ,stay ninth night at ,brother  
,j4 ,beachley's4  ,,sunday1 ,may #bg4   
,meeting at the meetinghouse4 ,acts #b  
is read4 ,stay tenth night at same      
place4 ,we had much edifying speaking on
 the chapter read4 ,one beloved brother 
spoke at some length on these words in  
the last verse of the chapter read3     
,having favor with all the people4 ,he  

said in substance3 ,brethren1 the having
 favor with all the people is very      
pleasant to us naturally1 and           
encouraging spiritually1 if the favor be
 of the right kind and obtained in the  
right way4 ,i am here reminded1 in the  
way of a comparison1 of what a          
distinguished statesman once said of the
 presidency of these ,united ,states4   
,he said it is an office that is neither
 to be directly sought nor directly     
declined4 ,i do not think his statement 
would be far out of the line of true    
wisdom if applied to us as ,brethren1 in
 relation to our standing in the eye of 
society at large4 ,what may be          
truthfully said of one brother or sister
 in private life1 in this particular    
regard1 may be truthfully said of our   
entire ,brotherhood in a public regard4 
,we all know how pleasant it is to enjoy
 the favor1 the friendship and respect  
of those living around us4 ,the         
enjoyment from this source has given    
rise to the formation of 'harmonies' and

 'colonies1' with some4 ,such           
establishments are favorable to social  
enjoyment1 no doubt2 but it is to be    
feared that segregation in that form may
 engender feelings akin to selfishness1 
and dwarf the higher impulses to general
 good4 ,but the favorable regard in     
which we may be held should not be      
sought as a consideration of the first  
importance4 ,to serve and please the    
,lord should be the first and foremost  
aim of every brother and sister4 ,if the
 favor and respect of others meet us in 
the line of duty1 as set forth in our   
doctrines and practices as a            
,brotherhood of believers in and humble 
followers of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1  
let us regard it as a desirable token of
 good already done1 and a promise of    
good that may still be done4  ,brethren1
 a review of our growth in numbers and  
influence as a body of ,christians1 with
 our original and1 in the eyes of the   
world1 peculiar observances as to       
ordinances in the church1 and deportment

 and customs in the world1 is to say the
 least pleasantly surprising4 ,our name 
as ,brethren is hardly a century old1 if
 ,i am rightly informed2 and what are we
 now8 ,a legion1 not of devils1 but of  
angels for good4 ,and may ,i not here   
add the words of my text1 ',having favor
 with all the people'8 ,i do not think  
these historic words are to be construed
 to mean that the ,brethren of that     
,pentecostal day had no enemies2 but    
that they had the favor of the          
disinterested and unprejudiced classes4 
,this is just what ,i think we have1    
where we are known4 ,there has been a   
day1--but thank ,god that day is        
past1--when public opinion1 if history  
be correct1 was largely the reverse of  
what it is with us4 ,vice1 then1 was    
virtue2 and goodness was criminal4      
,rebukes of sin and calls to repentance 
and reformation of life were silenced by
 the martyr's faggot and stake4 ,we     
cannot here1 and we would not if we     
could1 attempt to trace the sublime     

array of causes1 both divine and human1 
that have contributed to the happy      
change we now enjoy2 but sure it is1 we 
now realize the ideal dream of the      
far-off seer1 described in these words3 
',but they shall sit1 every man under   
his vine and under his fig tree2 and    
none shall make them afraid4' ,we have  
the favor of the people when we have the
 favor of the government2 for the people
 are the government4  ,brethren1 we have
 cause for inexpressible emotions of    
gratitude to ,god for the favor we      
enjoy4 ,the outlook is bright2 the sky  
of promise calm and serene4 ,it is said 
that a ,grecian patriot and statesman   
once assumed a very weighty             
responsibility1 which required him to   
leave his home and ,state to meet it4   
,he seemed loath to go4 ,he expressed   
fear that things would not go on in his 
absence as they had in his presence4    
,finally1 however1 he secured a pledge  
from every member of the ,athenian court
 that no change in the order of         

government and the laws should be made  
during his absence4 ,he went2 but such  
was his love for his country that he    
never returned4 ,brethren1 the time is  
not far distant when ,i1 your humble    
servant1 burning with love for my church
 and people1 will have to leave my home 
and country4 ,nothing1 ,i say nothing1  
could give me more comfort when ,i make 
the start than the assurance on your    
part that you will make no changes in   
our faith and rules of order1 in church 
and out1 during my absence4 ,then will  
,i bid a joyful farewell to all1 feeling
 that no changes from our present order 
will ever be made1 for ,i will never    
return4  ,,monday1 ,may #bh4 ,our       
,annual ,meeting begins4 ,questions     
received and some motions made4 ,stay   
eleventh night at same place4           
,,tuesday1 ,may #bi4 ,council continues4
 ,good order and love prevail4 ,stay    
twelfth night at same place4            
,,wednesday1 ,may #cj4 ,the business    
having all been disposed of in a way as 

satisfactory as we could do it1 after   
prayer and the singing of the hymn1     
,blest be the dear uniting love         
,that will not let us part1  the meeting
 closed1 and we gave each other the     
parting hand about #aj ,a4,m4  ,have    
night meeting at ,brother ,john ,ogg's  
on way home4 ,speak from part of ,luke  
#ac1 and stay thirteenth night with     
,brother ,ogg4  ,,thursday1 ,may #ca4   
,stay fourteenth night at ,thomas       
,clark's4  ,,friday1 ,june #a4 ,stay    
fifteenth night at ,jacob ,cosner's4    
,,saturday1 ,june #b4 ,meeting at       
,rorabaugh's on ,new ,creek1 in         
,hampshire ,county1 ,virginia4 ,acts #aj
 is read4 ,get to ,enoch ,hyre's and    
stay sixteenth night4  ,,sunday1 ,june  
#c4 ,meeting at ,enoch ,hyre's4 ,part of
 ,acts #b is read4 ,polly ,stambaugh is 
baptized4 ,cross the mountain to        
,leonard ,brake's1 where ,i stay        
seventeenth night4  ,,monday1 ,june #d4 
,attend the burial of ,frederic ,dove in
 the ,gap4 ,age1 eighty-seven years1 two

 months and seventeen days ,stay at     
,dove's eighteenth night4  ,,tuesday1   
,june #e4 ,attend the burial of ,brother
 ,nasselrodt1 near ,dove's4 ,age1       
sixty-one years1 five months and        
twenty-eight days4 ,in the evening get  
home4  ,,friday1 ,august #ag4 ,attend   
the burial of ,elizabeth1 daughter of   
,william ,hevner1 in the ,gap4 ,she died
 of typhoid fever4 ,i speak from these  
words in ,psalm #ajc3 ,surely1 man's    
days are as grass3 as a flower of the   
field1 so he flourisheth3 444 and the   
place thereof shall know it no more4    
,her place in the home is sadly vacant4 
,we can only bow in tearful sympathy    
with the bereaved family4  ,,thursday1  
,september #f4 ,perform the marriage    
ceremony of ,william ,miller and ,sarah 
,shoemaker1 and the same for ,levi      
,runion and ,elizabeth ,aubrey4         
,,friday1 ,september #g4 ,this day      
,brother ,kline started on another      
journey to ,hampshire ,county1          
,virginia4 ,he attended a succession of 

meetings and love feasts both going and 
returning1 as was his custom4 ,he got   
home ,september #ba1 after an absence of
 just two weeks4 ,he does not forget    
,nell4 ,on the evening of his arrival   
home he says3 ,on the journey from which
 ,i have just returned1 ,nell has       
carried me #bba miles4 ,if ,martin      
,luther and ,john ,wesley are correct in
 their opinions1 ,nell may be rewarded  
for her uncomplaining faithfulness1 in a
 future state of existence4 ,but as we  
have no assurance of this1 ,i desire to 
reward her in this world as well as ,i  
can1 for her gentle and untiring        
service4 ,i think the comfort of brutes 
generally is not thought of as much as  
it should be4 ,solomon says3 ',the      
righteous man regardeth the life of his 
beast2 but the tender mercies of the    
wicked are cruel4' ,prov4 #aj3ab4       
,solomon deals out a bit of very cutting
 sarcasm here1 in the subordinate clause
 of his proposition2 but it is fairly   
merited by such as are cruel to brutes4 

,people do not1 ,i am sure1 regard the  
comfort of brutes as they should4 ,there
 are1 here and there1 noble exceptions2 
but horses labor faithfully for us1 and 
very often the only reward they get is  
harsh treatment and scanty feeding4 ,the
 ,lord has graciously given to man the  
supremacy over the brute creation4 ,but 
man should not show his supremacy by    
acting the part of a tyrant2 but1 like a
 wise ruler1 'do justice and love       
mercy4' ,whatever else may be brought   
against me on the day of judgment1 ,i am
 resolved1 by the help of ,god1 that no 
brute shall there1 in fact or figure1   
rise up and say3 ',you mistreated me    
intentionally4'  ,,sunday1 ,september   
#cj4 ,attend the burial of ,william     
,hevner's son ,harvey4 ,he died of      
typhoid fever4 ,his age was twenty-seven
 years1 two months and four days4 ,it   
has been a very short while since his   
sister ,elizabeth passed away4 ,we      
should weep with those who weep3 but our
 deepest sympathy for others cannot give

 us a realization of the depth of grief 
felt by bereaved parents and their      
children4 ,happy are those who can look 
beyond the tomb to have their sorrows   
healed4  ,between this time and the     
close of the year ,brother ,kline made  
only one long journey4 ,he and ,anna    
went in his family carriage to ,maryland
 first4 ,after attending a number of    
love feasts and other meetings around   
,frederic ,city and ,shepherdstown1 they
 went down the ,cumberland ,valley      
beyond ,harrisburg1 and after a few     
days' sojourn there they return by very 
nearly the same route they went4 ,they  
were just three weeks and two days on   
this journey4   ,,end ,,of #ahdi4       
,whole distance traveled this year by me
 is #c1ijc miles4  ,,sunday1 ,february  
#ab1 #ahej4 ,meeting at ,buck ,hill1 in 
,shenandoah ,county1 ,virginia4 ,i speak
 from ,john #f3dd1 #de4 ,,text4--,no man
 can come to me1 except the ,father     
which hath sent me draw him4  ,i here   
note the substance of what ,i said4 ,my 

text sets forth the two great facts     
which all should know3 man's weakness   
and ,god's power4 ,the first part of the
 text declares man's absolute weakness  
in himself and of himself4 ,in another  
place our ,lord says3 ,without me ye can
 do nothing4 ,in the text he says3 ,no  
man can come to me4 ,had he stopped here
 we would be left without hope4 ,but he 
did not stop here4 ,immediately1 as if  
by the same breath of love1 he adds3    
,except the ,father which hath sent me  
draw him4 ,this part shows that if the  
,father does draw a man he can come to  
,jesus4 ,now1 then1 does the ,father    
draw8 ,the prophets say he does in these
 words3 ,and they shall all be taught of
 ,god4 ,he draws them by teaching them4 
,in what follows we may learn the power 
of this ,great ,teacher4 ,notice very   
particularly3 ,every man1--this means   
every human being1 whether man or       
woman1--every man therefore that hath   
heard and hath learned of the ,father1  
cometh unto me4  ,but here are things   

very deep4 ,our minds inquire to know   
how the ,father1 whose voice we have    
never at any time heard and whose shape 
we have never seen1 can teach us4 ,it is
 through the ,son that the ,father      
speaks1 for the ,son bears this         
testimony himself in these words3 ,i    
speak not from myself2 but the ,father  
which sent me1 he hath given me a       
commandment what ,i should say and what 
,i should speak4 ,and ,i know that his  
commandment is life eternal3 the things 
therefore which ,i speak1 even as the   
,father hath said unto me1 so ,i speak4 
,nothing can be plainer than this that  
,jesus spoke with authority1 the divine 
authority of the ,father1 and that he is
 ,god the ,father manifest in the flesh1
 the ,emmanuel--,god the ,father with   
us4 ,for further proof of this1 turn to 
,isaiah #i3f1 ,unto us a child is born1 
unto us a son is given1 and the         
government shall be upon his shoulder2  
and his name shall be called ,wonderful1
 ,counsellor1 ,the mighty ,god1 ,the    

everlasting ,father1 ,the ,prince of    
,peace4 ,again our ,lord says3 ,all     
power is given to me in heaven and on   
earth4 ,paul's teaching harmonizes with 
this3 ,for1 says he1 in him dwelleth all
 the fulness of the ,godhead bodily4 ,by
 the ,godhead he means the ,divine ,head
 of creation1 providence1 redemption and
 eternal salvation3 ,for all things were
 made by him2 and as ,paul again says3  
,in him all things consist1 or hold     
together4  ,we are now prepared to      
understand how ,jesus could know the    
thoughts of men1 and why he needed not  
that any should testify to him of man1  
for he knew what was in man4 ,he knew   
all this by creation and preservation1  
by his power of perception which is     
boundless1 and his knowledge which is   
infinite4 ,man's body1 when viewed      
intelligently1 with its organs of life  
and motion1 is a thing of wonder in our 
eyes4 ,anatomy reveals in its organs1   
designs and purposes in their structures
 and uses which overwhelm us with       

astonishment4 ,what1 then1 must the soul
 be1 when its structure and             
organization1 essence and power as far  
exceed those of the body as the man who 
lives in the house exceeds the house8   
,for the body is nothing more than the  
house or habitation of the soul4 ,paul  
calls it our earthly house4 ,he says3   
,in this we groan--it will be dissolved4
 ,he then immediately turns his thought 
to the renewed soul or spiritual body1  
and calls it a building of ,god1 a house
 not made with hands4 ,all things1 then1
 pertaining to our souls1 being naked   
and open to the eyes of him with whom we
 have to do1 we may rest secure in the  
belief that whatever he tells us about  
ourselves is true4 ,he knows just what  
we can do and what we cannot do4 ,and it
 is he who says1 ,no man can come to me1
 except the ,father draw him4  ,but     
perhaps some inside this house are      
saying within themselves3 ,is man not   
free to choose good or evil--to do right
 or wrong8 ,i answer that he is         

free1--free as the eagle in the air2    
free as the fox in the bramble2 free as 
the lion in the desert2 free as birds   
and beasts are free to comply with the  
instincts of their natures and the      
inclinations of their wills4 ,man's     
freedom is what makes him a responsible 
being4 ,he is yet more free than the    
brute creation2 because that is bounded 
by the limits of capacity4 ,but man's   
mind is capable of indefinite expansion 
and elevation in knowledge4 ,still the  
text is true3 ,no man can come to me1   
except the ,father draw him4 ,let me    
draw a comparison here4 ,a king once    
made a great supper and invited many to 
come and partake of it4 ,at the right   
time he sent forth his servants to tell 
them that were bidden to come1 for all  
things are now ready4 ,did they go8 ,no6
 ,they all began to make excuses4 ,you  
see they were free1 free to go1 and free
 to stay away4 ,they chose to stay away1
 and in this very way every sinner uses 
his freedom2 he chooses not to come to  

the ,lord4  ,when a man's will or a     
woman's will is set on something they   
love above everything else1 can they of 
themselves change their wills8 ,i have  
known several instances in which a young
 lady set her affections upon a man who 
was not her equal in any respect1 and   
very far below her in general character4
 ,i have known the mother of such a lady
 to bend over her daughter1 and with    
tearful eyes entreat her to withdraw her
 affections from that unworthy object   
and give them to another who1 in        
breathless suspense1 and with a soul and
 character and surroundings worthy of   
her1 was but waiting to receive them4   
,and did that young lady change8 ,did   
she withdraw her love from the unworthy 
object and give it to the other8 ,she   
did not4 ,her answer every time was3    
,mother1 ,i cannot4 ,just in this sense1
 relatively1 the sinner is free4 ,he is 
free to love most what he likes best1   
and that is himself and the world4 ,in  
this state he would forever remain but  

for the grace of ,god which bringeth    
salvation4 ,right here comes in the     
necessity for the change of heart1 the  
new creation and regeneration1 as ,paul 
calls it2 the being born again1 as the  
,lord and ,peter call it1 upon which    
everything depends1 and without which no
 man can enter the kingdom of heaven4   
,this is connected with the drawing of  
the ,father1 for man looketh on the     
outward appearance1 but the ,lord       
looketh upon the heart4  ,when ,i was   
young ,i could not understand what it is
 to come to ,jesus1 to be with him1 to  
follow him4 ,i thought ,i could readily 
see how people could come to him to be  
healed1 and to be cured of their        
diseases1 and to be fed by his liberal  
hand1 when he was visibly on earth in   
the flesh4 ,but he is no longer here in 
that form4 ,i was in darkness4 ,my eyes 
could behold no form which ,i could     
approach unto2 no visible steps for me  
to follow2 hear no audible voice of     
comfort to encourage1 of instruction to 

enlighten1 and of commands to obey4     
,where1 thought ,i1 is he to be found1  
and how are we to know when we have     
found him8 ,these and many other similar
 thoughts occupied my mind1 until ,i    
wondered much why he did not stay when  
he was here4 ,i suppose that many young 
but thoughtful minds have wandered1 and 
others at the present time are now      
wandering in this same wilderness of    
doubt and uncertainty4 ,let me say to   
you1 my dear young friend1 that ,jesus  
is here as truly now as he was when     
visible to natural eyes4 ,as ,god1 he is
 here in his glorified state4 ,to every 
one who desires him he says in words of 
warmest love1 ,lo1 ,i am with you alway4
 ,these are his very words4 ,he is      
everywhere4 ,he said1 just before his   
death1 by way of encouraging his        
disciples3 ,i go away1 but ,i will see  
you again1 and your heart shall rejoice1
 and your joy no one taketh away from   
you4 ,he continued3 ,i will not leave   
you comfortless3 ,i will come unto you4 

,but he has promised yet more than his  
presence to go with all who love him3 he
 declares in words we can understand    
that if a man love me1 he will keep my  
word3 and my ,father will love him1 and 
we will come unto him1 and make our     
abode with him4 ,again he says3 ,he that
 abideth in me1 and ,i in him1 the same 
beareth much fruit4 ,in his last prayer 
to the ,father he says3 ,i in them1 and 
thou in me1 that they may be perfected  
into one4 ,these promises ought to      
assure every one of the greatness and   
the power of the love of ,christ2 since 
he loves us so much as to be willing to 
come and dwell with us and be in us     
forever4  ,it is by faith that we come  
to him4 ,we see him with the eye of     
faith4 ,we walk with him by faith1 not  
by sight4 ,we love him because he first 
loved us1 and gave his life to redeem   
and save us4 ,all this and much more we 
learn in his ,word4 ,his ,word is the   
,gospel which is able to make us wise   
unto salvation4 ,let me exhort all of   

you1 old and young1 to read and search  
for its hidden treasures1 for therein   
are contained the words of eternal life4
 ,it is the duty and privilege of every 
one to pray4 ,prayer is the eye that    
looks to ,jesus1 and the heart that     
says3 ,lord1 save1 or ,i perish4 ,faith 
is the hand that lays hold of his saving
 promises4 ,obedience is the whole man  
in active service on the side of the    
,lord ,jesus ,christ4  ,,sunday1 ,march 
#c4 ,go to ,sellers's schoolhouse4      
,speak on ,john #ad3f4 ,dine at ,felix  
,senger's2 then home4  ,felix ,senger   
deserves more than a passing notice4    
,he1 with his father1 ,joel ,senger1    
moved to ,rockingham ,county1 ,virginia1
 about the year #ahdg4 ,both father and 
son belonged to the ,brotherhood1 and   
each was like the other in devotion to  
its interests1 actively employed4 ,felix
 established a nursery of fruit trees1  
the second1 if not the first1           
established in the county4 ,most of the 
orchards planted from his nursery1 after

 having given the most abundant         
satisfaction1 are now very old or dead4 
,some trees1 though in the decline of   
life1 still tell the sweet story of     
,felix ,senger's nursery4 ,they are like
 some good people1 who1 though old1 can 
still remember and tell of the one who1 
though dead1 was the means of their     
being planted in the ,lord's orchard of 
spiritual fruit trees4  ,brother ,kline 
attended the burial services of four    
aged people in this month4 ,the first   
was that of old mother ,mills1 as he    
calls her4 ,this took place the fifth4  
,her age was eighty-one years and eleven
 months4 ,the next was that of ,mrs4    
,john ,carr1 on the eleventh4 ,her age  
was seventy-one years4 ,the next was    
that of ,mr4 ,stern1 on the eighteenth4 
,his age was eighty years4 ,the next was
 that of ,alexander ,glovier1 on the    
twenty-seventh4 ,his age was            
seventy-nine years1 one month and       
twenty-four days4  ,,saturday1 ,march   
#cj4 ,attend council meeting at         

,shaver's meetinghouse in ,shenandoah   
,county4 ,samuel ,mummert is elected    
speaker4  ,,thursday1 ,april #aa4       
,council meeting at our meetinghouse4   
,jacob ,wine and ,jacob ,miller are     
elected delegates to the ,annual        
,meeting4  ,,saturday1 ,april #bj4      
,council meeting at the brick           
meetinghouse in ,augusta ,county4       
,daniel ,brower is established1 and     
,jacob ,brower advanced in the ministry4
  ,,sunday1 ,may #e4 ,meeting in our    
meetinghouse4 ,romans #f is read4       
,joshua ,wampler and wife1 ,hannah      
,sites1 ,mary ,miller1 ,hetty ,showalter
 and ,mrs4 ,eaton were baptized by me   
to-day4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #g4 ,perform   
the marriage ceremony of ,john ,tussing 
and ,susan ,watkins4  ,,monday1 ,may    
#ac4 ,visit ,mary ,wampler1 who is very 
sick4 ,give her a course of medicine4   
,then go to see ,christian ,fulk in the 
,gap4 ,he is very sick4  ,,tuesday1 ,may
 #ad4 ,visit ,christian ,fulk again4 ,he
 appears some better1 but his case is   

very doubtful4  ,,note4--,this brother1 
after a severe illness1 in which he was 
assiduously attended by ,brother ,kline1
 was buried ,june #i following4         
,,thursday1 ,may #af4 ,attend an evening
 meeting at ,john ,zigler's in          
,timberville4 ,brother ,george ,shaver  
is there4 ,he speaks from ,acts #b4     
,substance of what he said3 ,the day of 
,pentecost witnessed the establishment  
of the first ,christian church on earth4
 ,the wonderful prophecy of ,joel       
received its fulfillment on this day4   
,the sun had been darkened and the moon 
turned into blood1 or darkened so as to 
appear like black blood2 volcanic fire  
and the vapor of smoke had attended the 
earthquake while the ,lord of glory hung
 upon the cross2 the baptism in the     
,spirit and in the fire was now present2
 the apostles were induced with         
miraculous gifts to speak with other    
tongues2 and when ,peter and the rest   
set forth the ,lord ,jesus in his       
resurrected glory and power1 the ,jews  

there assembled1 being cut to the heart1
 cried out3 ,men and brethren1 what     
shall we do8 ,the answer which ,peter   
gave then and there is the true answer  
to that all-important question4 ,i      
sincerely desire that every unconverted 
man and woman in this house will duly   
consider the answer1 for it may redound 
to the salvation of his or her soul4 ,i 
will therefore give it in the exact     
words we find recorded4 ,they are these3
 ,repent1 and be baptized every one of  
you in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 for  
the remission of sins1 and ye shall     
receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4   
,notice here1 obedience comes first4    
,the repentance and the baptism precede 
the gift of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,god is  
holy2 and the sanctuary must be cleansed
 before he is willing to set up his     
glory there4 ,the ,temple had to be     
dedicated before the ,lord could dwell  
in it4 ,this gift of the ,holy ,spirit1 
by which we are to understand his       
entering into our hearts and making his 

abode with us1 is the beginning of a    
heavenly life in the soul4 ,the fruit of
 the ,spirit1 as it appears in the life 
of its possessor1 is love1 joy1 peace1  
longsuffering1 gentleness1 kindness1    
meekness1 temperance1 brotherly         
kindness1 charity4  ,the body of every  
true follower of ,jesus ,christ is a    
temple of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but ,i     
cannot dismiss the subject yet4 ,i have 
reason to believe there are some        
unconverted men and women in this little
 assembly4 ,were those hearers on that  
day sinners above all men8 ,i tell you  
nay6 ,and except ye repent1 ye shall all
 likewise perish4 ,i sometimes think    
they were not such sinners as many we   
see around us now4 ,was it not for these
 the ,lord prayed as he hung upon the   
cross8 ,hear his dying prayer3 ,father1 
forgive them1 for they know not what    
they do4 ,can this be said of the many  
who go on heedless of all the preaching1
 and praying and reading that is being  
done to instruct their minds and move   

their hearts8 ,i do not think it can4   
,and it is to be feared that in a coming
 day the very sinners who go on in sin1 
facing the very light of gospel day1 may
 be compelled to realize the awful truth
 uttered by our ,lord3 ,he that knoweth 
to do his ,master's will1 and doeth it  
not1 shall be beaten with many stripes4 
,but there is glorious news here for    
every one who is willing to obey4       
,thousands of obedient hearts are       
rejoicing to-night1 on earth and in     
heaven1 in the happy experiences they   
have of the presence of the ,holy       
,spirit in their souls4 ,this is the    
good news1 this is the ,gospel of their 
salvation4 ,god is his own witness in   
every one that loves to obey him4 ,if ye
 abide in my words1 ye shall know the   
truth1 and the truth shall make you     
free4 ,the ,holy ,spirit is the spirit  
of truth4 ,it is the ,lord in man as the
 way1 the truth and the life4 ,ye are   
,god's sanctuary3 ye are ,god's         
building4 ,how ineffably exalted is the 

state of that man in whose heart and    
mind the ,lord has fixed his dwelling   
place6 ,we can not realize the glory    
that awaits us1 when the veil that now  
hides the inner sanctuary shall drop and
 disclose to our eyes the enraptured    
vision4  ,brethren and sisters1 let us  
not be weary in well-doing1 for in due  
season we shall reap if we faint not4   
,therefore let us rejoice evermore2 let 
us pray without ceasing2 and in every   
thing give thanks2 for this is the will 
of ,god concerning us4  ,,thursday1 ,may
 #bc4 ,perform the marriage ceremony of 
,christian ,runion and ,diana ,estep4   
,,saturday1 ,may #be4 ,preach the       
funeral of ,elijah ,judy's wife4 ,a very
 dear sister whom ,i lately baptized has
 left us4 ,but our loss is her gain4    
,she was the sister of ,enoch and ,saul 
,hyre4 ,she leaves a sad husband and two
 very fine children1 ,enoch and ,sallie4
 ,my prayer for them is that they1 with 
their father1 may follow in the steps of
 their pious mother and receive her glad

 welcome    ,on the blissful shore1     
,where partings are no more4            
,,thursday1 ,july #d4 ,attend the burial
 of ,peter ,driver on the head of ,muddy
 ,creek1 in ,rockingham ,county4 ,his   
age was eighty-three years and eight    
months4 ,he was an honest member of our 
,brotherhood4 ,his children consisted of
 four sons and five daughters2 and they 
are now all heads of families1 doing    
well1 and members of our order of       
,brethren4 ,peter ,driver was a         
blacksmith4 ,he once related a fact to  
me which ,i will here note4 ,in my early
 days1 said he1 we knew nothing of      
binding wagon and carriage wheels with a
 heated tire4 ,i wonder1 continued he1  
that our daily experience in working    
iron did not teach us that an iron band 
or tire is larger when it is hot than   
when cold4 ,some may have thought of    
this1 he said1 smiling1 but if they did1
 ,i guess they were afraid that if they 
would venture to put on the tire hot1   
the wheel might be burned up before they

 could get the tire cooled4 ,he was very
 partial to the ,german language1 and   
was never known to speak ,english from  
choice4 ,some one once said to him1 ,mr4
 ,driver1 ,english people have the same 
,god that ,german people have4 ,i       
believe that2 but he speaks to ,german  
people in a much plainer way in his     
,word than he does to ,english people4  
,of course he could understand ,german  
best4  ,,saturday1 ,july #ac4 ,go to    
,page ,county4 ,cross the ,massanutton  
and ,peaked mountains by what is known  
as ,koontz's ,path4 ,daniel ,dovel and  
,john ,harsbarger are with me4 ,they are
 very pleasant and cheerful brethren4   
,we spend the night together at ,brother
 ,william ,dovel's4  ,,sunday1 ,july    
#ad4 ,meeting at ,liberty schoolhouse4  
,isaac ,n4 ,walter is there4 ,he is a   
well-known and very popular preacher in 
the ,christian church4 ,this is the     
first time ,i have ever met with him4   
,he is very friendly and sociable1 and  
will carry an influence wherever he     

goes4 ,he was at one time a very strong 
,adventist4 ,he professed to believe in 
our foreknowing the day of our ,lord's  
coming1 and announced it as being very  
near at hand4 ,brother ,benjamin ,bowman
 told me that on one occasion friend    
,walter announced that he would preach a
 sermon on the second advent of ,christ1
 and therein tell the day on which we   
might confidently expect the ,lord to   
appear in glory1 and give the scripture 
evidences on which his proofs rested4   
,this sermon was announced for ,antioch1
 a brick meetinghouse belonging to the  
,christian connection1 and stood four   
miles north of ,harrisonburg1 and not   
far from where ,brother ,bowman lived4  
,he told me that a large concourse of   
people was present to hear1 and he with 
the rest4 ,the discourse was eloquent1  
but with the thoughtful not very        
convincing4 ,but the day1 which ,mr4    
,walter had so confidently set for the  
appearing of the ,lord in glory1 passed 
by as all other days pass by1 in harmony

 with all the other notes that make the 
music of the spheres4 ,not long after   
this1 the two met in the road4 ,walter  
looked a little bashful1 but spoke      
first1 and said3 ,well1 ,brother        
,bowman1 ,i was mistaken4 ,yes1 ,brother
 ,bowman replied1 but ,i had discovered 
that before you told me4  ,,sunday1     
,august #d4 ,meeting in ,elk            
meetinghouse1 in ,page ,county4 ,i speak
 from ,luke #af3i4 ,,text4--,make unto  
yourselves friends of the mammon of     
unrighteousness1 that when ye fail1 they
 may receive you into everlasting       
habitations4  ,this is a very remarkable
 passage of ,scripture4 ,my             
understanding of it differs a little    
from that of some of our ,brethren1 but 
it is all in love1 and each bears with  
the other's interpretation4 ,i will here
 give a brief outline of my view of it4 
,i think the ,lord meant to encourage a 
very free use of this world's goods in  
the way of helping the poor1 especially 
those of the household of faith4        

,through ,paul we learn that ,jesus     
said1 ,it is more blessed to give than  
to receive4  ,christian people may      
imitate the unjust steward in this one  
thing3 he aimed to provide for the      
future by making use of what was within 
his reach at the present4 ,this may be  
our ,lord's meaning4 ,but he may have   
meant more4 ,the wealth of some has     
doubtless been acquired in an           
unrighteous way1 while in their         
unregenerate state1 heedless of         
conscience and justice4 ,such mammon or 
wealth must be unrighteous1 because     
unrighteously obtained4 ,those who have 
acquired wealth in an unjust way1 and   
who afterward repent in heart and see   
the evil of their former course1 may be 
deeply distressed1 and at the same time 
have no opportunity to do as ,zaccheus  
did1--make restoration4 ,to such1 it    
does appear to me1 ,jesus would say3    
,let my ,father's children have a share 
of it4 ,use it in a way that will       
glorify him1 by helping his dear        

children2 and if you fail to be found in
 the number of those who are 'my        
brethren' at the great day of final     
accounts1 you may still come in as 'the 
blessed of the ,father' and inherit the 
kingdom prepared for you4 ,it will then 
be my joy to acknowledge you and say3   
',i was hungry1 and you fed me2 ,i was  
thirsty1 and you gave me drink2 ,i was a
 stranger1 and you took me in2 ,i was   
naked1 and you clothed me2 ,i was sick1 
and you visited me2 ,i was in prison1   
and you came unto me4' ,whatsoever is   
done to one of the least of the ,lord's 
brethren he accounts it as done to him4 
,such is the wonderful union and        
identity of the ,lord and his people4   
,when ,paul was struck down he cried    
out3 ,who art thou1 ,lord8 ,and the     
answer came3 ,i am ,jesus of ,nazareth1 
whom thou persecutest4  ,i would        
earnestly encourage all to go on unto   
perfection4 ,then we will be sure of the
 heavenly inheritance4 ,and blessed is  
she that believed3 for there shall be a 

performance of those things which were  
told her from the ,lord4  ,,friday1     
,august #i4 ,harvest meeting at our     
meetinghouse4 ,i baptize ,henry ,swartz 
and wife1 and ,barbara ,yount4          
,,sunday1 ,august #ca4 ,meet brethren   
,daniel ,p4 ,saylor and ,boyle at       
,shaver's meetinghouse1 in ,shenandoah  
,county4  ,,sunday1 ,september #a4      
,meeting at same place4 ,the visiting   
brethren speak to great edification and 
comfort4  ,,monday1 ,september #b4      
,meeting at ,flat ,rock meetinghouse4   
,the visiting brethren are with us1 and 
rivet attention by their able           
discourses4 ,brother ,saylor does not   
seem to be lifted out of his shoes by   
the encomiums passed upon him4 ,but ,i  
suppose he has got used to them4        
,,tuesday1 ,september #c4 ,meeting at   
our meetinghouse4 ,the visiting brethren
 with us to-day4 ,they draw large       
congregations4  ,to-day ,i was somewhat 
amused at an answer ,i heard given4     
,brother ,sam ,wampler noticed the deep 

interest visible in the congregation1   
and1 ,i suppose1 contrasted it in his   
mind with that manifest on occasions    
when none but our home preachers are    
present4 ,he accosted1 in a very        
pleasant way1 one of the members in     
these words3 ,how does it happen that   
when ,i preach you hang your head as if 
you might be asleep2 but when preachers 
from a distance come you appear to be   
all eyes and ears8 ,why1 replied the    
brother1 ,sam1 when you preach ,i know  
it is coming all right whether ,i hear  
it or not3 but when strange brethren get
 up ,i do not know what may be coming1  
and think it best to listen4  ,,monday1 
,september #i4 ,this day ,brother ,kline
 and ,daniel ,yount start in company of 
each other to ,pennsylvania4 ,they went 
on horseback1 out through the mountains 
of the western part of ,virginia and    
,maryland4  ,,friday1 ,september #ac1   
they had meeting at the widow ,jacob    
,snider's in the forenoon1 and evening  
meeting at ,brother ,jacob ,steel's1 in 

,bedford ,county1 ,pennsylvania4 ,on the
 fourteenth they had meeting at the same
 place4  ,,sunday1 ,september #ae4 ,they
 had meeting and a love feast at the    
,yellow ,creek meetinghouse4 ,on the    
sixteenth they visit ,john ,deahl's1    
,john ,eschleman's and stay all night at
 ,john ,brumbaugh's1 near ,clover ,creek
 meetinghouse1 in ,blair ,county1       
,pennsylvania4  ,,tuesday1 ,september   
#ag4 ,they attended a meeting and love  
feast at the ,clover ,creek             
meetinghouse4 ,john #c was read4 ,isaac 
and ,george ,brumbaugh were established 
in the ministry of the ,word4 ,one      
person was baptized4  ,,wednesday1      
,september #ah4 ,they passed through    
,martinsburg to ,brother ,david         
,allebaugh's1 where they had night      
meeting4 ,brother ,kline had for his    
subject ,the ,importunate ,widow1 and   
the ,unjust ,judge4  ,,diary            
,,notes4--,we should not conclude from  
this parable that our heavenly ,father  
is compared to an unjust judge who has  

no regard for his subordinates4 ,this is
 not at all the point of comparison4 ,we
 should not let our minds dwell here for
 a moment1 because the contrast between 
the character of the judge and that of  
,god is so great that there is no point 
of similarity4  ,the whole lesson1 ,i   
think1 is found in the power of prayer4 
,what moved the judge to grant the      
widow's request8 ,it was her            
importunity4 ,but he did this only to   
get rid of her4 ,it1 however1 shows what
 earnestness will do even with an       
unfeeling man4 ,here the comparison     
comes in4 ,if an unfeeling man1 who has 
no reverence for ,god and no regard for 
the welfare of others1 can be influenced
 to regard the petition of a poor widow1
 though from a selfish motive1 because  
she will not be put off1 what may we not
 expect to do by prayer when our ,father
 in heaven is ever ready to hear and    
answer prayer8 ,he invites us to pray4  
,he says3 ,pray to thy ,father which is 
in secret2 and thy ,father1 which seeth 

in secret1 shall reward thee openly4 ,we
 must by no means lose sight of the one 
great point in the comparison1 and that 
point is the widow's ,,earnestness4     
,prayer1 without earnest feelings of    
want and dependence upon ,god1 is but a 
form of words1 and no prayer at all4    
,but let us notice the point in her     
prayer3 ,avenge me of mine adversary4   
,who her adversary was we have no means 
of knowing1 nor how he became her       
adversary4 ,but we are told who the     
,christian's adversary is4 ,peter tells 
us in these words3 ,your adversary1 the 
devil1 as a roaring lion1 walketh about1
 seeking whom he may devour4 ,the word  
,,avenge means to conquer or destroy an 
enemy1 for the purpose of securing      
tranquility to the party avenged4 ,in   
this sense ,moses avenged the children  
of ,israel on the ,midianites4 ,in the  
same sense ,ahimaaz said3 ,let me now   
run1 and bear the king tidings1 how that
 the ,lord hath avenged the king of his 
enemies4 ,i think you are now prepared  

to understand what the ,lord means by   
the words3 ,and will not ,god avenge his
 own elect1 which cry day and night unto
 him8 ,i tell you that he will avenge   
them speedily4  ,it is now understood   
that the ,,devil1 the very vilest and   
worst of all tramps1 is the ,christian's
 adversary4 ,but ,god has promised to   
avenge him1 if he will call upon him in 
that spirit of earnestness which is deaf
 to denial1 such as the widow had4 ,we  
must not forget1 however1 that ,god1 in 
all he has ever done for man in the way 
of avenging him of his enemies or       
adversaries1 required man's assistance4 
,as ,paul puts it1 we are coworkers with
 ,god1 and so must we ever be4  ,let us 
now test this matter a little4 ,god is  
willing to bruise ,satan's head under   
your feet1 and thus avenge you of the   
worst adversary you have ever known4 ,he
 is at hand1 ready1 with more than      
twelve legions of angels at his service1
 if needed4 ,you are sorely tried4 ,you 
are tempted to commit adultery with some

 one until every nerve in your body     
trembles from the agony of suspense     
between conscious right and conscious   
wrong4 ,one deep1 fervent prayer from   
the heart breathed to ,almighty ,god3   
,lord1 save1 or ,i perish1 will avenge  
you of your adversary1 will put him to  
flight1 and leave you and ,god masters  
of the field4 ,brethren and friends1    
this is no idle talk4 ,god will as      
surely give you the victory through our 
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 as he has promised
 it4  ,the ,lord says with apparent     
emphasis3 ,hear what the unjust judge   
saith4 ,there must then be something in 
it which deeply concerns us to know4    
,just what ,i have said is in it1 the   
power of prayer4 ,the effectual fervent 
prayer of a righteous man availeth much4
  ,but again3 ,you are tempted to do    
something very sinful1 and you seem to  
yourself to try to pray4 ,you feel the  
serpent's coil about your heart drawing 
tighter and yet tighter1 until your     
spiritual breath seems almost gone4 ,i  

will tell you now just how you have got 
into this fix4 ,you did not look to ,god
 soon enough4 ,you put off praying and  
allowed the tempter to twist himself    
around you in the way he is4 ,do you ask
 what you are to do in this case8 ,i    
will tell you4 ,if you will just summon 
breath and courage to say from your     
inmost soul3 ,god1 be merciful to me a  
sinner1 your adversary will let go his  
filthy hold of you1 and the ,lord will  
set your spirit free4 ,god will avenge  
his own elect speedily4 ,but they must  
cry unto him4  ,i love this word cry4   
,it carries with it to my mind the cry  
of an innocent child to its parent1 when
 it fears danger or feels the need of   
something4 ,brethren1 such let our cry  
to the ,lord ever be4 ,there is never   
any dallying with words in the mouth of 
a little child4 ,its requests1 though   
they may not always be wise1 are always 
sincere1 and sincerity is what the ,lord
 most loves1 and hypocrisy is what he   
most abhors4 ,except ye be converted1   

and become as little children1 ye can   
not enter into the kingdom of heaven4   
,,thursday1 ,september #ai4 ,they had   
meeting at a schoolhouse near ,brother  
,brumbaugh's4 ,they spent the night at  
,jacob ,burket's4 ,the next day they    
came to ,brother ,samuel ,coxe's1 in    
,logan's ,valley1 and spent the         
afternoon in writing letters4 ,i here   
note an example of ,brother ,kline's    
exactness4 ,he this afternoon wrote a   
letter to ,brother ,henry ,koontz4 ,he  
notes the main points in the letter4    
,one is that he wants ,brother ,koontz  
to be at the ,flat ,rock meetinghouse on
 ,december #h1 at #aj o'clock1 without  
fail4  ,,saturday1 ,september #ba4 ,they
 came to ,brother ,jacob ,beck's1 and   
had night meeting in the ,baptist       
meetinghouse near by4  ,,sunday1        
,september #bb4 ,delightful morning4    
,this is the first entry for the day4   
,brother ,kline was not unappreciative  
of the beautiful4 ,this must have been  
one of those bright and balmy mornings  

witnessed only in ,september months1 and
 rarely then4 ,nature is in her calmest 
mood4 ,summer is just bidding farewell1 
with a smile of promise that he will    
return again1 and as a proof of his good
 will lays all the rich treasures he has
 gathered for us into the lap of        
,autumn1 who is at hand to receive them4
  ,we have morning and afternoon        
services in the ,baptist church here4   
,in the morning meeting ,the ,strait    
,gate is the subject4 ,in the afternoon1
 ,the ,departure of ,paul4 ,acts #bj3cf1
 #cg4 ,,text4--,and when he had thus    
spoken1 he kneeled down and prayed with 
them all4 ,and they all wept sore1 and  
fell on ,paul's neck1 and kissed him4   
,the first impression made on the mind  
upon reading this text is the great love
 which these tender-hearted disciples   
had for ,paul4 ,but we need not be      
surprised at this1 when we remember the 
great love which the tender-hearted     
,paul had for them4 ,the elders of the  
church at ,ephesus1 and probably many of

 the sisters and lay brethren1 had come 
to ,miletus to have ,paul take          
affectionate leave of them before taking
 sail for ,jerusalem4 ,he also desired  
to give them a parting exhortation and  
offer prayer with them on their behalf4 
,the words of the exhortation are       
recorded in the chapter read1 but the   
words of the prayer are not4 ,we are not
 sure that the prayer was audible4 ,it  
is possible to think they all kneeled   
together and thus prayed with and for   
each other1 but mostly for ,paul4 ,from 
the secret chambers of their hearts the 
still small voice of loving prayer      
ascended to the ear of him whose throne 
is heaven1 and whose footstool is earth4
 ,be this as it may1 the prayer was     
earnest1 and the exhortation gladly     
received3 ,for they all wept sore1 and  
fell upon ,paul's neck1 and kissed him1 
sorrowing most of all that they should  
see his face no more4 ,who of us1       
,brethren1 has not prayed at the        
departure of one we dearly loved8 ,as   

you take the hand probably for the last 
time1 and give the last touch of the    
lips1 who can withhold prayer--prayer   
from the inmost depths of the soul8 ,as 
the receding form fades from sight1 how 
the heart swells with emotions of prayer
 for blessings upon the departing one1  
altogether too big for utterance4 ,such 
were the feelings of these sorrowing    
disciples at the departure of ,paul4    
,brethren1 the account here given shows 
the love in which the truth was received
 in that day4 ,paul here says3 ,i have  
not shunned to declare unto you the     
whole counsel of ,god4 ,this means a    
great deal4 ,oh1 how many1 many at the  
present day fear to declare the whole   
counsel of ,god6 ,and it is a sad truth1
 or at least ,i believe it to be true1  
that if a minister in almost any of the 
so-called orthodox churches would have  
the courage1 from a sheer sense of duty1
 to declare the whole counsel of ,god in
 the ears of his congregation1 instead  
of falling on his neck and kissing him  

at his departure1 they would be heartily
 glad to get rid of him4 ,but1          
,brethren1 ,i am persuaded better things
 of you1 and things which accompany     
salvation4 ,our love for the truth1 the 
whole truth1 and nothing but the truth1 
is our best evidence1 when that truth is
 lived out in a life of obedience to the
 ,lord's precepts1 that we are walking  
with ,god in the fellowship of the      
,spirit4 ,so let us ever walk4          
,,monday1 ,sept #bc4 ,they went through 
,huntingdon ,city1 in ,huntingdon       
,county1 ,pennsylvania1 and got to      
,brother ,michael ,bolinger's1 where    
they had evening meeting in a           
schoolhouse near by1 and stayed all     
night at ,brother ,bolinger's4 ,next day
 they took dinner at ,brother ,andrew   
,spanogle's1 and got to the meetinghouse
 at one o'clock4 ,meeting and love      
feast4 ,luke #bd is read4 ,they stay all
 night at ,brother ,umbenhaver's4       
,,wednesday1 ,september #be4 ,they have 
meeting at the meetinghouse4 ,hebrews   

#aj is read4 ,brother ,michael ,bolinger
 was this day ordained to the full work 
of the gospel ministry4 ,may the ,lord  
bless the good brother in his work4     
,they had night meeting at ,brother     
,samuel ,myers's in ,mifflin ,county1   
,pennsylvania1 where they stayed all    
night4  ,,thursday1 ,september #bf4     
,they had a union meeting at ,brother   
,george ,keever's1 and stayed all night 
with ,brother ,keever4  ,,friday1       
,september #bg4 ,they attended a council
 meeting before preaching4 ,brother     
,abraham ,rothrock was this day ordained
 to the full work of the gospel         
ministry2 and ,brother ,jacob ,mohler   
was advanced4 ,the visiting brethren    
spoke on the text3 ,my kingdom is not of
 this world4 ,night meeting was         
appointed1 but owing to a violent storm 
of hail and rain no people assembled4   
,,saturday1 ,september #bh4 ,they got to
 ,brother ,jacob ,royer's1 in ,union    
,county1 ,pennsylvania1 where they      
stayed all night4 ,clear and cool4      

,,sunday1 ,september #bi4 ,meeting      
begins at half past nine o'clock4 ,union
 meeting this evening4  ,,monday1       
,september #cj4 ,the vote of the church 
was taken before preaching1 and ,brother
 ,isaac ,myers and ,brother ,john       
,sprogle were ordained to the full work 
of the gospel ministry4 ,they attended a
 night meeting in a schoolhouse near    
,brother ,christian ,shiveley's1 and    
stayed with him all night4 ,they are    
still in ,union ,county1 ,pennsylvania4 
,,tuesday1 ,october #a4 ,they went to   
,brother ,christian ,shallaberger's1 in 
,juniata ,county1 ,pennsylvania1 where  
they attended night meeting and ,brother
 ,daniel ,yount spoke from ,eph4 #b3h1  
#i1 #aj4 ,he explained the meaning of   
the word ,,grace1 that it is the love of
 ,god for the undeserving of his love4  
,he defined ,,faith as being a loving   
acceptance of ,god's revealed truth3    
that faith is the gift of ,god only this
 far1 that he tells man what he is to   
believe and how he is to believe1 that  

the ,gospel of our salvation is what man
 is to believe2 that he is to believe   
with the heart1 with all his heart3 that
 the new man1 the regenerated man1 is   
,god's workmanship1 created unto good   
works4 ,he carried out all his points   
very ably1 and left a good impression4  
,,wednesday1 ,october #b4 ,they attended
 a union meeting in ,good ,will         
meetinghouse4  ,,thursday1 ,october #c4 
,they attended a council meeting in the 
forenoon at the meetinghouse4 ,brother  
,david ,myers was ordained to the full  
work of the ministry1 and ,brother      
,solomon ,seever was chosen speaker4    
,they had night meeting at              
,thomsonsville1 and stayed all night at 
,brother ,solomon ,seever's4  ,,friday1 
,october #d4 ,they had meeting in a     
schoolhouse near ,brother ,pool's on the
 ,juniata river2 then night meeting at  
,brother ,jacob ,spanogle's1 where they 
stayed all night4  ,,saturday1 ,october 
#e4 ,they had meeting in a schoolhouse  
near by4 ,they stayed all night at      

,brother ,peter ,long's near            
,germantown1 in ,perry ,county1         
,pennsylvania4  ,,sunday1 ,october #f4  
,meeting in the ,methodist meetinghouse 
in ,germantown4 ,brother ,kline spoke on
 ,luke #bd3dh4 ,,text4--,and ye are     
witnesses of these things4  ,it is a    
happy but not uncommon experience with  
,christians1 when reading the ,divine   
,word1 to receive some new thought1 or  
see some new truth by the reading of the
 most familiar passages4 ,in this       
particular the ,book of ,revelation is  
like the book of nature4 ,the treasures 
of knowledge in both are inexhaustible2 
but they do not come to us1 we must go  
to them4 ,and ye are witnesses of these 
things4  ,the ,word became flesh and    
dwelt among us1 full of grace and truth4
 ,the ,word was ,god4 ,the testimony of 
,jesus is the spirit of prophecy4 ,these
 ,scriptures1 in their most             
comprehensive sense1 include the all of 
the divine manifestation in the flesh4  
,the ,lord is the life of all the things

 written in the law of ,moses1 and in   
the prophets1 and in the ,psalms4 ,their
 spirit1 or spiritual significance is   
all confined to the testimony they bear 
to the ,emmanuel1 the ,god with us4     
,hence the testimony of ,jesus is the   
spirit of prophecy1 very much as the    
spirit of man is the life of his body4  
,in the early part of his ministry he   
had told these very disciples that he   
came to fulfill the law and the         
prophets4 ,he fulfilled the law of the  
,decalogue or ,ten ,commandments to the 
extent of every jot and tittle1 from its
 lowest natural to its highest spiritual
 requirement and significance4 ,the     
prophecies likewise all centered in him1
 and found in him their fulfillment2    
not1 however1 in their fullest          
development1 for eternity alone will    
witness this2 but they disclose in him  
their spirit and life4 ,thus it is      
written and thus it behooved ,christ to 
suffer1 and to rise from the dead the   
third day3 and that repentance and      

remission of sins should be preached in 
his name among all nations1 beginning at
 ,jerusalem4  ,these eleven disciples1  
from this time on to do the work of     
apostles1 had been with the ,lord in    
nearly all of his public ministry and   
life4 ,they knew how he had overcome in 
temptation2 how victorious he had been  
in his conflicts with the accusing and  
fault-finding ,jews1 and how patient and
 forgiving he had been in his trial     
before ,pilate and the high priest4     
,they were witnesses of the purity of   
his character and life2 of the          
disinterested love he bore toward all   
within his reach2 of the good will      
toward men manifested by his going about
 doing good wherever he went4 ,but the  
point above all other points in his     
character in which all poor sinners are 
most deeply interested is the duty and  
work he here laid upon these eleven     
apostles3 the commission he gave them1  
that repentance and remission of sins   
should be preached in his name4 ,they   

were witnesses of his mercy so often    
shown to sinners of the lowest and      
vilest character4 ,did he ever send one 
away empty8 ,if you will read the four  
,gospels in which are recorded the life 
of ,jesus ,christ you may be surprised  
to see how often he said1 ,thy sins are 
forgiven4 ,once when he was in a        
,pharisee's house a woman in the city1  
who was a sinner1 washed his feet with  
her tears of penitence1 and he said3    
,her sins which are many are forgiven4  
,some people brought to him a man sick  
of the palsy lying on a bed4 ,and ,jesus
 seeing their faith said to the sick of 
the palsy3 ,son1 be of good cheer2 thy  
sins are forgiven4 ,this man's sins were
 remitted1 because remitted and forgiven
 have the same meaning4  ,i must here   
call special attention to one point in  
all the miracles of healing wrought by  
the ,lord1 and that point has relation  
to the cause of all our woe4 ,it is the 
sin of man4 ,to the impotent man who had
 lain by the pool thirty and six years1 

unable to get in1 after being healed1   
the ,lord when he met him in the ,temple
 said3 ,sin no more1 lest a worse thing 
come upon thee4 ,paul says3 ,by one man 
sin entered into the world1 and death by
 sin4 ,death of the body is the point at
 which all diseases1 ailments and       
infirmities aim2 and the death1 the     
eternal death1 of the soul is the point 
at which all sins aim4 ,death is the    
wages of sin4 ,and ye are witnesses of  
these things4 ,in relieving insane1     
idiotic1 epileptic and dumb people of   
the mental ailments afflicting them1 he 
always removed the cause by casting out 
the devils or evil spirits as the cause 
of their troubles4  ,i know that some   
people doubt or disbelieve that sin is  
the cause of all suffering4 ,i have met 
such4 ,they freely aver that this cannot
 be so1 because the brute creation      
suffers1 which they say is sinless4 ,it 
is a well conceded fact that brutes are 
not accountable4 ,they have no future   
state of existence4 ,they lack that     

freedom of the will to choose good or   
evil1 and that understanding to know    
good from evil1 both of which man has in
 unlimited possession4 ,still1 brutes   
are subject in a low degree to the very 
same vile passions1 the indulgence of   
which in man becomes sin to him4 ,and   
why8 ,because man is destined to live to
 eternity1 in another state of          
existence4 ,if man's existence were to  
terminate with the life of his body1 his
 sins1 although of a somewhat viler     
character than those of the brute       
creation1 would be of no more account4  
,the ,lord sent out his apostles1 and in
 their steps others to follow1 whose    
great business it was1 has been1 and    
ever will be to tell people that they   
are sinners2 that sin is the cause of   
all the misery1 wretchedness1 suffering 
and unhappiness in earth and hell1 and  
that the only way for people to be rid  
of the multiform evils of existence is  
to be rid of sin4  ,salvation from sin1 
then1 is immensely the most important   

matter that can possibly engage man's   
heartfelt attention1 as ,i said at the  
start4 ,how to get rid of the evil of   
sin--,i mean the love of evil--and how  
to come into the possession of the love 
of what is good1 and as a result of that
 love lead a good life1 is the sum and  
substance of all divine teaching4 ,and  
why8 ,because a man's character1 whether
 good or bad1 goes with him when he     
dies4 ,character is the only thing we do
 take with us when we leave this world  
and enter the next4 ,he that soweth to  
the flesh shall of the flesh reap       
corruption2 but he that soweth to the   
,spirit shall of the ,spirit reap life  
everlasting4 ,whatsoever a man soweth   
the same shall he reap1 is a law as     
immutable as the law of gravitation4    
,our ,lord has mercifully opened up a   
way1 a highway1 out of a life of sin    
into a life of holiness4 ,the first step
 in this way1 nay1 the first step       
towards it1 is repentance4 ,this        
involves a very great change in the     

state of man's will or heart4 ,heart and
 will have the same meaning4 ,repentance
 is a change in the affections of the   
heart4 ,it is a change so great that man
 of himself1 unaided by the ,lord1 would
 never make it4 ,it is a change from the
 supreme love of self and the world to  
love of the ,lord and one's neighbor4   
,except a man deny himself1 and take up 
his cross daily1 he cannot be my        
disciple4 ,self-denial and bearing the  
cross are repentance4  ,if any man      
cometh unto me1 and hateth not his      
father1 and mother1 and wife1 and       
children1 and brethren1 and sisters1    
yea1 and his own life also1 he cannot be
 my disciple4 ,all these relationships  
symbolize evil affections and thoughts  
which are to be no longer loved4 ,the   
withdrawal of the affections from all   
our inherited and acquired evils is     
repentance4 ,if the right hand be in the
 way of our repentance1 it must be cut  
off4 ,if the right eye cause us to      
stumble1 it must be plucked out4  ,but  

it will not do to leave the matter thus4
 ,the quotations and references ,i have 
given are so strong they almost         
overwhelm us4 ,we almost cry out when we
 hear or read them1 as the disciples did
 when the ,lord had just told them of   
the impossibility of a rich man's       
entering the kingdom of heaven3 ,who    
then can be saved8 ,but ,i give you the 
same answer the ,lord gave the          
disciples3 ,with men this is impossible3
 but with ,god all things are possible4 
,it is the ,lord who gives us the power 
to repent4 ,bartimeus could not see     
until the ,lord opened his eyes4 ,but   
when he called1 the ,lord heard4 ,so we 
must call4 ,and whosoever shall call on 
the name of the ,lord1 shall be saved4  
,this is faith2 and ,i may here add the 
,lord's words3 ,i am come a light into  
the world1 that whosoever believeth on  
me should not abide in darkness4 ,but   
remission of sins is as sure to follow  
true repentance as day is sure to follow
 the darkest night4 ,every good tree    

bringeth forth good fruit4 ,remission of
 sins1 and a life of good works1 is the 
fruit borne by the penitent man         
symbolized by a good tree4 ,and what    
does remission of sins imply8 ,it       
implies casting our sins behind us2     
forsaking them2 leaving them off1 and   
not looking back4 ,it implies putting   
one's hand to the plow in a new field of
 life and labor1 and never looking back4
 ,he that putteth his hand to the plow1 
and looketh back1 is not fit for the    
kingdom4 ,looking back with a longing   
eye1 as ,lot's wife did1 is sure proof  
that we have not fairly remitted our    
sins in heart1 but that we still love   
them4  ,i perceive from the expression  
of some faces that surprise is felt at  
my intimation that man remits his own   
sins4 ,but he does as truly as he       
destroys the grass from among his corn  
or the weeds from his garden4 ,god gives
 him the strength and the will to do    
both1 but man has his work to do4 ,he   
must be a coworker with ,god4 ,would    

there be any good in blind eyes being   
restored to sight1 unless man would be  
willing to see with them8 ,or any good  
in palsied arms made strong1 unless they
 were used to do good8 ,or any good in  
having the whole leprous body cleansed1 
unless the cleansed man would return to 
give glory to ,god8  ,isaiah's very     
first vision of the church called forth 
that wonderful exclamation3 ,wash you1  
make you clean2 put away the evil of    
your doings from before mine eyes3 cease
 to do evil2 learn to do well4 ,this1   
when done1 is the remission of sins4 ,it
 is sending them back1 to the rear2     
while we have the ,lord always before   
our eyes4 ,he said to the blind         
,pharisees3 ,cleanse first the ,,inside 
of the cup and the platter1 that the    
outside may be clean also4 ,paul says3  
,let us cleanse ourselves from all      
filthiness of the flesh and ,,spirit4   
,james says3 ,cleanse your hands1 ye    
sinners2 and purify your hearts1 ye     
double minded4 ,does not all this look  

as if man had a good deal to do with the
 remission of his sins8  ,it is natural1
 or1 rather1 it is in harmony with      
,god's order in the creation of man1 for
 him to desire to have a part and lot in
 all the ,lord does for him4 ,he enjoys 
most the fruit of trees planted by his  
own hands4 ,a lady appreciates the      
garden or lawn arranged and set         
according to her taste1 and cultivated  
by her hands4 ,god mercifully favors us 
with similar feelings in making good1   
pure-minded1 truth-loving1 faithful men 
and women of his intelligent creation4  
,with this intention he has given man   
special work and ways of manifesting his
 will to work with the ,lord4 ,the only 
ordinance of this kind which ,i will    
call your attention to to-day is that of
 baptism for the remission of sins4 ,it 
is also called the washing of           
regeneration4 ,as the ,father1 ,son and 
,holy ,spirit1 or ,holy ,ghost1 the     
three eternal and infinite essentials of
 the ,divine ,trinity1 all have part in 

man's repentance1 in the remission of   
his sins1 as well as in the regeneration
 of his will unto eternal life1         
,,baptism in water1 in each of the three
 names1 is enjoined in our ,lord's great
 commission4 ,go ye into all the world1 
and preach the gospel to every creature1
 baptizing them in the name of the      
,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the    
,holy ,ghost4  ,as an order of          
,christian ,brethren1 we hold that a    
threefold immersion of the body in water
 by a properly authorized administrator 
is necessary to fulfill the requirement 
of the great commission4 ,as water1 in  
its highest and divinest significance1  
symbolizes all the holy means by which  
man is enabled to renounce and remit his
 sins1 so baptism symbolizes his        
heartfelt acceptance of and submission  
to those means4 ,from this it is called 
the baptism of repentance first1 and1   
later on1 as the truth became clearer1  
it is called baptism for the remission  
of sins4 ,as additional light was still 

thrown upon man's salvation1 a light    
which ,nicodemus could not see1 baptism 
acquired a new significance1 described  
by ,paul as the washing of regeneration4
  ,almost unwittingly we now find a     
threefold significance in the ordinance4
 ,it symbolized first1 in the ministry  
of ,john1 repentance toward ,god the    
,father4 ,but after the martyrdom of    
,john no baptism was administered until 
the day of ,pentecost1 when it received 
its full significance4 ,as ,peter had   
experienced so much of the evil of sin  
and the joy of forgiveness1 it          
symbolized to his mind the remission of 
sins4 ,he was right4 ,paul was the      
unbelieving1 educated ,jew1 whose heart 
was so set against the ,lord that after 
his conversion he felt himself to be a  
new man1 with a new name2 and in his    
letter to ,titus he calls it the washing
 of regeneration4 ,thus we have a       
threefold significance of the ordinance1
 as well as a threefold act4 ,anyone1   
then1 whether fully conscious of the    

truth or not1 says1 by submitting to the
 ordinance1 ,i have repented of my sins2
 ,i have forsaken my sins and desire to 
keep them forever behind me2 ,i desire  
to walk in newness of life4 ,i accept   
the love of the ,father1 the truth of   
the ,son1 and the power of the ,holy    
,ghost by which ,i have been taken 'out 
of death into life1' and from the power 
of ,satan to ,god2 my feet set into the 
way of holiness1 and a 'new song put    
into my mouth1 even praises unto our    
,god4'  ,the two brethren had night     
meeting at ,john ,eby's1 where they     
stayed all night4  ,,monday1 ,october   
#g4 ,they got to ,brother ,david        
,kinsey's1 in ,franklin ,county1        
,pennsylvania4  ,,tuesday1 ,october #h4 
,they had night meeting at ,brother     
,jacob ,rile's4  ,the next day they     
joined company with brethren ,christian 
,long and ,john ,glock1 who come up the 
,shenandoah ,valley with them to        
,brother ,kline's home1 which they      
reached ,saturday1 ,october #ab4  ,on   

,december #h ,brother ,kline started to 
,baltimore4 ,he went partly on a visit  
to his relative1 ,michael ,b4 ,kline1   
who was1 at this time1 a very prosperous
 commission merchant in the city4       
,brother ,kline spent about six days in 
,baltimore this time2 and whilst hardly 
any one else would have thought of      
anything beyond the pleasure of the     
visit and a little business to be       
attended to1 he must have a gathering   
and preach4 ,he made his voice heard    
time and again4 ,no doubt many heard    
what they had never heard before--the   
truth4 ,on his return home1 he stopped  
in ,washington ,city and had a pleasant 
interview with ,president ,fillmore4    
,in the year #ahej ,brother ,kline      
traveled #d1jgj miles4 ,he preached     
thirty-one funeral sermons4 ,twelve of  
these were for persons over fifty years 
of age2 seven1 for persons between      
twenty and fifty2 and twelve for persons
 under twenty4 ,he delivered one hundred
 and ten sermons at appointments for    

preaching1 besides the many councils and
 other meetings attended4 ,when at home 
he was also called to administer        
medicine to the sick4 ,this service and 
the ministry kept him actively employed 
almost the whole of his time4           
,,thursday1 ,january #i4 ,perform the   
marriage ceremony of ,conrad ,custer and
 ,nancy ,shoemaker2 also the same for   
,george ,hulvey and ,diana ,turner4     
,,tuesday1 ,february #aa4 ,perform the  
marriage ceremony of ,jackson ,see and  
,bettie ,whitmore4  ,,thursday1         
,february #bj4 ,perform the marriage    
ceremony of ,solomon ,hulvey and        
,catharine ,ritchie4  ,,monday1         
,february #bd4 ,a fearful storm unroofs 
part of my barn to-day4  ,,saturday1    
,march #h4 ,council meeting at ,beaver  
,creek meetinghouse4 ,the church has    
under consideration the matter of       
preparing for ,annual ,meeting to be    
held at the ,brick meetinghouse1 near   
,christian ,kline's1 on ,middle river in
 ,augusta ,county1 ,virginia1 to begin  

,saturday1 ,june #g1 #ahea4  ,,sunday1  
,march #i4 ,meeting at the ,beaver      
,creek meetinghouse4 ,first ,peter #a is
 read4 ,afternoon meeting in            
,bridgewater1 in the ,lutheran church4  
,speak on ,john #c3bi4 ,,text4--,he that
 hath the bride is the bridegroom3 but  
the friend of the bridegroom1 which     
standeth and heareth him1 rejoiceth     
greatly because of the bridegroom's     
voice3 this my joy therefore is         
fulfilled4  ,this is a wonderful        
testimony1 borne by ,john the ,baptist4 
,it at once shows the love which that   
wonderfully great and good man had for  
the ,lord1 and at the same time his own 
deep humility of heart in his presence4 
,and the ,lord's testimony concerning   
,john given in these words1 ,he was a   
burning and a shining light1 is equally 
wonderful1 and carries with it the great
 love he had for ,john4  ,john had many 
friends4 ,all held him to be a prophet  
of extraordinary character2 and if his  
popularity had tended to corrupt the    

honest simplicity of his heart he would 
not have borne this testimony to ,jesus4
 ,but he goes still further in his      
disavowal of all claim to preferment by 
confessing and not denying that he is   
not the ,christ4 ,he says3 ,he must     
increase1 but ,i must decrease4 ,jesus  
was the sun rising in his splendor2     
,john the moon paling in his light4     
,the church is the bride4 ,the ,lord is 
the bridegroom4 ,he that hath the bride 
is the bridegroom4 ,there is a doctrine 
of deep interest involved in ,john's    
testimony4 ,it concerns every one of us 
to know it4 ,it is the relation         
subsisting between the ,lord and the    
church4 ,this relation is represented as
 that existing between husband and wife1
 the very nearest that can subsist      
between two human beings--the           
unification of one with the other to the
 extent that they are no more twain1 but
 one flesh4 ,reference to this relation 
of the church to the ,lord is to be     
found in the ,scriptures at several     

places4 ,isaiah prophesying the glory of
 the true ,christian church exclaims3   
,for as the bridegroom rejoiceth over   
the bride1 so shall thy ,god rejoice    
over thee4  ,but it is consistent and   
proper for a bride to adorn herself     
preparatory to her marriage4 ,but even  
for this occasion she should be arrayed 
in modest apparel1 as becometh saints4  
,but ,god recognizes the propriety of   
suitable ornamentation1 and uses it as a
 figure in these words3 ,my soul will   
greatly rejoice in the ,lord1 for he    
hath clothed me with the garments of    
salvation1 as a bride adorneth herself  
with her jewels4 ,the garments of       
salvation beautifully symbolize the holy
 life of ,god's saints1 and correspond  
to the fine linen1 clean and white1 in  
which the bride1 the ,lamb's wife1 is   
arrayed1 as described by ,john in the   
,apocalypse4 ,her jewels correspond to  
the divine truths of the ,word1 which   
ornament a good life4  ,i will now offer
 some practical thoughts on what ,i have

 stated1 so as to draw the attention of 
your minds more closely to the subject4 
,some people seem to think it a matter  
of small moment whether one makes a     
public profession of religion or not4   
,such seem to satisfy their minds by    
concluding that ,god knows what is in   
their hearts1 and that the church has no
 business to concern itself about them4 
,they think they can live as good and as
 pure lives out of the church as in it4 
,this last conclusion may be correct1   
for many do not live very pure or good  
lives in the church4 ,but all this has  
nothing to do with ,god's established   
order4 ,a man might say3 ,i love that   
lady1 and with her consent ,i will live 
a virtuous life with her4 ,but ,i do not
 intend to marry her after the          
ceremonial style of most people4        
,marriage ceremonies are useless1 and   
with her consent we will just go        
together as husband and wife1 and so    
live2 and whose business is it but our  
own8 ,in the first place ,i have to say1

 that if two could be found who were    
willing to go together and live in this 
way1 if they were not in some way       
severely punished1 they might thank     
their good stars for it4 ,in the next   
place ,i have to say that such          
cohabitation would wholly subvert the   
order of society by giving loose reins  
to lust which would break in upon the   
legal relationships of the social       
compact to an extent that would place us
 on a social level with the aborigines  
of ,america4  ,and what would the       
,lord's kingdom be without a visible    
church8 ,he says3 ,my kingdom is not of 
this world4 ,his kingdom being          
essentially invisible1 it remains a     
matter of necessity that there be some  
way for making its subjects visible to  
one another as such1 and capable of     
being recognized and known as such4     
,our ,lord says3 ,the kingdom of heaven 
cometh not with observation2 for lo6 the
 kingdom of heaven is within you4 ,now1 
we cannot look into a man's heart4 ,all 

we can know of a man's heart is from    
what he says and does4 ,but the ,lord   
has established an order for the        
subjects of his kingdom4 ,he has        
proclaimed a law1 call it a ceremonial  
law if you choose1 by obedience to which
 all the subjects of his kingdom on     
earth may be found out and become known 
to each other4 ,that law is the ,lord's 
will made visible in the order of his   
brethren1 carried out in the forms of   
church organization by means of         
established ordinances appointed by him4
 ,the ,lord does not want his bride to  
wander through earth's vanities a       
viewless1 inactive1 unprotected entity3 
,doing nothing for his cause1           
,learning nothing of his laws2  but he  
wants her to appear all glorious within 
and without2 bright as the sun1 fair as 
the moon1 and terrible as an army with  
banners4  ,i have been accused by some  
of never preaching a sermon without     
having something to say about baptism1  
as if discoursing on that subject might 

be criminal in their eyes4 ,i can boldly
 say ,i do not like to close a sermon   
without saying something about it1      
because baptism in water1 as the door to
 the visible church1 has so much        
significance in it that ,i do not feel  
as if ,i had fully discharged my duty to
 the souls of men without it4 ,but ,i am
 not altogether singular in this        
respect4 ,i have some very good company4
 ,john the ,baptist had baptism in two  
of his sermons4 ,peter the apostle had  
baptism1 in two out of three of his     
sermons4 ,ananias had baptism in the    
sermon he preached to ,saul1 and that in
 a shape altogether too strong for many1
 as that ,saul should wash away his sins
 in it4 ,philip had baptism in his      
sermon to the eunuch1 and ,paul had     
baptism in his joyful anticipations of  
heavenly glory1 and calls it the washing
 of regeneration2 and in fact he laid   
strong emphasis on it in his answer to  
the ,philippian jailer's question1 ,what
 shall ,i do to be saved8 ,but the      

,lord's sermon to ,nicodemus gives the  
crown to baptism as the visible birth   
into the visible church4 ,he calls it   
born of water1--internally born of the  
,spirit1 externally born of water4 ,so  
you see1 friends1 ,i have plenty of     
company in this line of preaching1 and  
good company too4  ,baptism1 as the     
visible ceremony of union of the        
penitent1 believing1 loving candidate   
with the church1 and of the church with 
the ,lord as his bride1 holds the same  
rank in its relation to the ,divine ,law
 as the ceremony of marriage holds to   
human law4 ,both are simple in form1 yet
 both are absolutely essential to order 
and an orderly life both in a religious 
and social sense4 ,the ordinance of     
marriage and that of baptism compare    
remarkably in another point of view4    
,both cement a union to be dissolved    
only in death4 ,both have the stamp of  
the divine seal1 impressed by the       
,lord's hand1 engraven with the words3  
,,what ,,god ,,hath ,,joined ,,together1

 ,,let ,,not ,,man ,,put ,,asunder4     
,now1 friends1 let me beg you to take   
the ,lord's way4 ,he invites you        
affectionately to come and take his yoke
 upon you4 ,learn to work in his        
vineyard4 ,your own heart is a vineyard 
which the ,lord will own if you will but
 give it to him3 and he will help you to
 keep it clean4 ,he will give you richly
 to enjoy the first ripe grapes of a    
good life lived in his service4 ,but    
remember3 ,he that is ashamed of me and 
of my words1 of him will the ,son of man
 be ashamed1 when he shall come in his  
,father's glory1 and the glory of the   
holy angels4 ,then why not come into the
 church8 ,none are too poor to come4 ,it
 costs no money or goods4 ,why not      
please your ,king by visibly becoming   
his subject8 ,why not honor your ,lord  
by obeying his commands8 ,why not       
glorify your ,husband by publicly taking
 to yourself his name and living        
henceforth a holy and virtuous life in  
his sight8  ,,tuesday1 ,march #be4 ,aunt

 ,mary ,kline1 ,uncle ,frederick        
,kline's widow1 was buried to-day4 ,age1
 seventy-two years1 eleven months and   
five days4  ,,wednesday1 ,march #bf4    
,attend the funeral of ,giles ,devier's 
little child4 ,it was buried at our     
meetinghouse4 ,age1 one year1 five      
months and sixteen days4 ,it is a pretty
 thought that angels may gather little  
children from the arms of their parents1
 as love plucks roses from their parent 
stems4 ,of such is the kingdom of       
heaven4  ,,thursday1 ,march #bg4        
,perform the marriage ceremony of       
,robert ,allison and ,mary ,kline1      
daughter of ,joseph ,kline4  ,,tuesday1 
,april #a4 ,william ,smith took leave of
 us for his new home in ,illinois4      
,,wednesday1 ,april #i4 ,council meeting
 at the ,brush meetinghouse4 ,john ,wine
 is elected speaker4  ,,thursday1 ,april
 #aj4 ,council meeting at our           
meetinghouse4 ,christian ,wine is       
elected speaker4  ,,friday1 ,april #ah4 
,council meeting at ,lost ,river        

meetinghouse4 ,jacob ,pope is advanced4 
,his work in the ministry is very       
acceptable to the ,brotherhood as far as
 known4  ,,thursday1 ,april #bd4 ,i am  
sick4 ,erysipelas right bad4  ,for the  
next six days ,brother ,kline is        
confined to his room4 ,dr4 ,jacob       
,driver1 a very well informed and       
successful ,botanic ,physician1 is      
called to the case4 ,his treatment is so
 judicious and active that by ,thursday1
 ,may #a1 ,brother ,kline is able to    
ride out4 ,dr4 ,jacob ,driver was born  
and raised in ,rockingham ,county1      
,virginia4 ,he gave rise to a numerous  
family1 and in the autumn of #aheb moved
 and settled in ,allen ,county1 ,ohio4  
,his children all became members of the 
order of the ,brethren4 ,his son ,jacob 
is now an active minister in the ,sugar 
,creek congregation in the above        
,county4 ,dr4 ,jacob ,driver died in    
,allen ,county about the year #ahfg1    
deeply lamented by all who knew him4 ,he
 and his wife1 in their early days1     

became members of the ,brotherhood4 ,he 
was a son of ,peter ,driver1 a brief    
notice of whom has been given4          
,,tuesday1 ,june #c4 ,meeting and love  
feast at our meetinghouse4 ,revelation  
#b is read4  ,,saturday1 ,june #g4      
,meeting in the grove near the ,brick   
meetinghouse1 on ,middle river4 ,many   
people gathering4 ,acts #c is read4     
,from present appearances there will be 
a very large concourse of people at this
 ,annual ,meeting4  ,,sunday1 ,june #h4 
,meeting in the meetinghouse and also in
 the grove4  ,,monday1 ,june #i4 ,the   
,yearly ,council opens4 ,take in the    
questions4 ,transact some business4     
,good order prevails1 and a spirit of   
love and union abounds4 ,if by these    
meetings we can foster and preserve the 
unity of the faith and order of our     
beloved ,brotherhood1 so that wherever  
we may go among our ,brethren we may be 
able to see eye to eye and face to face 
as to the doctrines we preach and the   
order of ,christian life we uphold1 our 

highest aim will have been reached4 ,it 
may be that as time goes on and         
knowledge is increased new things will  
come up demanding consideration2 but ,i 
sincerely hope and pray no departures   
from what we now regard with so much    
love and unanimity as the will of the   
,lord will ever take place4  ,,tuesday1 
,june #aj4 ,all the queries and business
 items left over from yesterday are     
taken up and disposed of to-day4 ,the   
,annual ,meeting breaks up in good      
feeling1 but with the sad forecast that 
some present to-day will never attend   
another ,yearly ,meeting4 ,be it so4 ,in
 heaven no farewell tears are shed4 ,it 
is not the parting that makes one sad4  
,it is the how and the where and the    
when we shall meet again that break up  
the fountains of our hearts4            
,,wednesday1 ,june #aa4 ,meeting in the 
,methodist church in ,harrisonburg4     
,brother ,daniel ,p4 ,saylor spoke on   
the ,great ,commission1 ,matt4 #bh3ai1  
#bj4 ,he showed great boldness of       

speech4 ,he shuns not to declare the    
whole counsel of ,god4 ,many were       
present to hear a sermon from a minister
 of our faith for the first time in     
their life4 ,i have sometimes feared    
that ,brother ,saylor's love for souls  
is at times obscured by the severity of 
his speech in the stand1 and by the     
austerity of his manner among the       
people4 ,whilst ,christian propriety    
does set limits to becoming all things  
to all men1 still1 as far as consistency
 will allow1 ,god's ministers should    
show great love for the people in their 
associations with them4 ,some preachers1
 ,i believe1 do more good out of the    
stand than in it4 ,they do this by      
little acts of kindness and little words
 of love4  ,between the last date above 
given and the thirtieth day of ,july1   
,brother ,kline preached ten funeral    
discourses1 each of which was delivered 
on the day of burial4 ,paul uttered a   
great truth when he said3 ,it is        
appointed unto men ,,once to die4 ,but  

only once4 ,if they die a second death1 
it is their fault4 ,the death of the    
body is the only death ever appointed   
unto men4  ,,wednesday1 ,august #f4     
,attend the funeral of ,nimrod ,dove4   
,age1 forty-eight years1 eleven months  
and thirteen days4 ,nimrod ,dove was a  
patient and persevering school-teacher4 
,some1 who are now young1 will doubtless
 remember him gratefully when they are  
old4  ,,friday1 ,august #h4 ,harvest    
thanksgiving in our meetinghouse4 ,betty
 ,frey is baptized4  ,,sunday1 ,august  
#ag4 ,meeting in ,andrew ,chapel in     
,harrisonburg4 ,good attention4 ,stay   
all night at ,christian ,myers's1 near  
head of ,linville's ,creek4 ,i spoke    
to-day on ,luke #ad3aj1 from this       
clause3 ,friend1 go up higher4 ,this is 
what the ,lord says to every one who    
comes to the gospel feast in that spirit
 of deep humility and self-abasement    
that is willing to take the lowest      
place4 ,god's people go up higher when  
they arise to walk in newness of life4  

,when they add to their faith virtue2   
and to virtue knowledge2 and to         
knowledge charity4 ,they go up higher as
 they increase their knowledge of his   
,word1 in the love of its saving truth4 
,they go up higher as they love ,god and
 their neighbor more4  ,the love of self
 and the world attracts man downward    
into the foul pits of vice1 immorality1 
intemperance1 gambling1 profanity1      
anger1 jealousy1 worldly fashions1 and  
all the forms and phases of evil4 ,god  
would have men come out of these        
horrible pits1 wash themselves in the   
pure water of his ,word1 and take a     
lowly seat at his table4 ,then with joy 
he will say to each3 ,friend1 go up     
higher4  ,these are the outlines of my  
discourse to-day4 ,the ,editor would    
love to expand the rich thoughts1       
condensed in these outlines1 into an    
elaborate discourse in exact accord with
 what he feels sure the beloved brother 
said1 but the limits of this work       
forbid4  ,,sunday1 ,september #ba4      

,meeting in our meetinghouse4 ,i this   
day baptize ,noah ,frey and wife2 ,isaac
 ,smith and wife2 ,widow ,dove2 ,mrs4   
,bulger and ,barbara ,baker4  ,,monday1 
,september #bb4 ,brother ,kline started 
to ,maryland4 ,the ,diary shows many    
meetings1 councils and love feasts      
attended4 ,on  ,,friday1 ,september #bf1
 he assisted at the ordination of       
,brother ,christian ,keafer to the full 
work of the ministry4 ,brother          
,mc,cleningen was elected speaker4 ,this
 service was in the ,welsh ,run         
congregation1 near ,brother ,william    
,engel's4 ,he speaks of union meetings  
in which he served1 at different places1
 but does not say a word further about  
them1 as to why they were so called or  
for what particular object they were    
held4  ,,tuesday1 ,september #cj4 ,he   
attended a union meeting in the ,beaver 
,creek meetinghouse1 in which he served2
 and on  ,,wednesday1 ,october #a1 he   
attended a union meeting in ,welty's    
meetinghouse1 in which ,brother ,shaver 

served4  ,after attending several other 
meetings and making many visits1 he     
started for home1 where he arrived      
,october #e4  ,,tuesday1 ,october #bh4  
,attend the funeral of ,sister ,gibbons4
 ,she died yesterday at the home of her 
son ,samuel ,gibbons1 near ,luray1 ,page
 ,county1 ,virginia4 ,she grew old in   
years1 but the service of the ,lord was 
not old in her heart4 ,she passed from  
labor to reward at the high age of      
ninety-one years1 lacking nineteen days4
  ,,wednesday1 ,november #ab4 ,brother  
,kline started on another journey to    
,hardy and ,hampshire ,counties4 ,he    
held a night meeting at ,james ,stump's 
in ,hardy2 preached the funeral sermon  
of ,brother ,solomon ,arnold2 held a    
union meeting at ,brother ,benjamin     
,leatherman's2 attended morning meeting 
on  ,,saturday1 ,november #ae1 at the   
meetinghouse2 and held night service at 
,joseph ,arnold's4  ,,sunday1 ,november 
#af4 ,he had forenoon meeting at        
,william ,george's and night meeting at 

,solomon ,michael's4 ,he filled six     
other appointments between this1 and his
 return home1 where he arrived ,friday1 
,november #ba4 ,i find extended outline 
notes of but one sermon preached on this
 journey4 ,these ,i will here put in as 
good shape as ,i can4 ,he delivered this
 sermon at ,jacob ,keplinger's1 in the  
,gap1 the night before he got home4     
,jacob ,keplinger was a ,lutheran       
himself1 and the sermon was preached    
right in a community of people of the   
same faith4 ,but they had respect for   
,brother ,kline4 ,the religious warmth  
of his heart and the purity and         
simplicity of his life won for him the  
esteem and friendship of people wherever
 he went4      ,,text4--,the kingdom of 
,god cometh not with observation3       
,neither     shall they say1 ,lo here6  
or1 lo there6 for1 behold1 the kingdom  
of ,god is within you4--,luke #ag3bj1   
#ba4  ,people never grow entirely out of
 their childhood feelings4 ,we naturally
 incline to value most what our eyes can

 see and our hands handle4 ,our natures 
are so sentient that objects of sense   
please us best4 ,it is from this that   
object lessons attract the young4 ,they 
can best apprehend what their senses can
 grasp4 ,it is very difficult for the   
mind to grasp abstract truth4 ,but right
 here lies the basis of all true        
education4 ,the power to comprehend     
truth in the abstract1 to take hold of  
its ramifications as subjects of        
thought1 and reduce them to order in the
 mind1 so as to develop and give them   
concrete form for practical ends in     
life1 is education4  ,the ,pharisees    
wanted a sign4 ,even ,herod hoped to see
 some miracle done by the ,lord4 ,the   
reply of ,jesus to the ,pharisees was   
that an evil and adulterous generation  
seeketh after a sign4 ,and now they want
 to know when his kingdom will come4 ,my
 text is the ,lord's answer4 ,the       
kingdom of ,god cometh not with         
observation4 ,it is not something       
representative1 with visible outlines   

and surfaces that you can perceive by   
means of your senses4 ,it is altogether 
invisible3 it is a state of mind and    
heart3 it has its place in a man's soul3
 it is not outside of you2 for lo1 the  
kingdom of ,god is within you4 ,in this 
regard the kingdom of heaven is like    
education4 ,you cannot tell by simply   
looking at a man whether he is educated 
or not4 ,and why8 because education is  
not a thing of the body1 but of the     
mind2 and the mind or understanding is  
invisible4  ,just so it is with the     
kingdom of ,god4 ,it has no connection  
with the body4 ,in fact the body1 with  
its appetites and passions opposes it4  
,for as ,paul says3 ,the flesh lusteth  
against the ,spirit1 and the ,spirit    
against the flesh2 and these are        
contrary the one to the other4 ,the     
kingdom of ,god1 then1 has its place in 
man's renewed heart and mind1 and can   
therefore never be a thing of           
observation4 ,but let us look a little  
further4 ,the most precious and valuable

 things of earth are worthless until    
brought out into use4 ,of what good are 
all the mineral treasures of earth while
 hidden in the mines8 ,just so the      
kingdom of heaven is like unto a        
treasure hid in the field4  ,but our    
heavenly ,father has prepared a body1 a 
visible1 organized body for his kingdom 
on earth1 so that it may become active1 
useful1 and in every way promotive of   
man's highest good on earth and his     
highest bliss in heaven4 ,this body is  
the ,lord's visible church4 ,like the   
human body1 it is composed of members1  
and each member has his place and office
 of service in the body4 ,the church is 
composed of those who do the ,lord's    
will2 and he owns all such as his       
brethren4 ,on one occasion he exclaimed3
 ,who are my brethren8 ,and immediately 
he said3 ,behold my brethren6 ,for      
whosoever shall do the will of my       
,father which is in heaven1 the same is 
my brother1 and sister1 and mother4     
,thus the church is composed of such as 

hold a relationship with him1 symbolized
 by that of brother1 sister and mother4 
,it is for his church that ,jesus       
offered that wonderful prayer recorded  
in the seventeenth chapter of ,john4 ,he
 there says3 ,i have manifested thy name
 unto the men which thou gavest me out  
of the world3 thine they were1 and thou 
gavest them me2 and they have kept thy  
word4 ,the church1 then1 is composed of 
such as keep the ,lord's ,word4  ,he    
said3 ,my kingdom is not of this world4 
,neither is the church1 which is the    
visible1 active1 use-loving and         
use-performing body of the kingdom1 of  
this world4 ,it is not organized        
according to the order of human         
institutions and laws1 but according to 
,god's order4 ,human laws and customs   
have really and legitimately nothing to 
do either with its organization and     
government or with the admission of     
members into its body and their         
retention and conduct in the body4 ,but 
the church is in the world4 ,by its     

being in the world1 where sin and sorrow
 and suffering abound2 where there is so
 much pain to assuage1 so much want to  
relieve1 so much evil to combat1 so much
 ignorance to dispel by the light of    
truth1 numberless and boundless         
opportunities and demands are presented 
for the good man1 out of the good       
treasure of his heart to bring forth    
good things4  ,and in the world is just 
where the ,lord wants his church to ever
 be4 ,it is in the church on earth that 
,god's people learn those wonderful     
lessons of self-denial1 humility1       
gentleness1 brotherly kindness1         
forbearance1 patience1 and all other    
heavenly qualities and graces4 ,in a    
word1 the church1 in its purest form and
 highest sense1 is heaven begun on      
earth4 ,hence the blessed ,jesus1 in the
 prayer referred to1 says3 ,i pray not  
that thou shouldest take them out of the
 world1 but that thou shouldest keep    
them from the evil4  ,since the church  
is the outward1 visible form of ,god's  

kingdom on earth1 it is of the utmost   
importance that the church give         
expression to and be a representative of
 the soul and spirit of the kingdom4    
,paul says3 ,the kingdom of ,god is not 
meat and drink1 but righteousness1      
peace1 and joy in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the
 church must be righteous4 ,by this is  
meant that it must obey the ,lord's     
,word4 ,he says3 ,ye are my friends if  
ye do whatsoever ,i command you4 ,it is 
obedience on the part of the church that
 makes any organization bearing that    
name acceptable to the ,lord4 ,in the   
great day to come some will say3 ,we    
have eaten and drunk in thy presence1   
and thou hast taught in our streets4    
,but he will say3 ,i tell you ,i know   
you not whence ye are4 ,many others     
again will say3 ,lord1 ,lord1 have we   
not prophesied in thy name8 and in thy  
name have cast out devils8 and in thy   
name done many wonderful works8 ,and    
then will ,i profess unto them1 ,i never
 knew you3 depart from me1 ye that work 

iniquity4 ,the lips of man may not apply
 these terrific words to any whose doom 
is yet to be disclosed2 but all         
organizations claiming to be churches of
 ,jesus ,christ will do well to see to  
it that they obey from the heart those  
ordinances given by our ,lord both by   
example and precept4 ,when he pronounces
 us happy1 we may feel sure that we are 
safe4  ,let us now1 before we close1    
look over the ground and see where the  
church of the ,brethren stands1 which it
 is my privilege to represent here      
to-night4 ,jesus was baptized1 that is1 
immersed by ,john in the river ,jordan4 
,we follow his example as further set   
forth in the great commission he gave4  
,he washed the disciples' feet1 giving  
us an example that we shall do to one   
another as he did to them4 ,this we do4 
,he ate a supper with them before the   
administration of the ,communion4 ,this 
we do2 and from other scripture         
authority we feel justified in calling  
it a love feast4 ,he administered the   

,communion of his body and blood1       
symbolized by the bread and wine4 ,this 
we likewise do4 ,now we have his blessed
 ,word for it3 ,if ye know these things1
 happy are ye if ye do them4  ,,sunday1 
,december #g4 ,michael ,b4,e4 ,kline and
 wife are baptized at ,timberville4     
,,wednesday1 ,december #ca4 ,i have     
traveled this year #c1haf miles1 mostly 
on horseback2 and preached forty-five   
funeral discourses4  ,,thursday1        
,january #bb1 #aheb4 ,attend upon my    
aged mother4 ,she passed a calculus or  
stone from the bladder to-day weighing  
seven ounces and two and one-half       
drachms4 ,its greatest circumference is 
nine inches4 ,a very wonderful          
concretion indeed4  ,,thursday1 ,march  
#aa4 ,my dear aged mother passes away   
from earth to-day1 at #a o'clock4 ,she  
has been a good mother4 ,i rejoice in   
the thought that from her bright home in
 heaven1 if saints are permitted to look
 down upon earth1 she can still witness 
the fruits of her good example and      

influence1 manifest in the well-doing of
 all her children1 and most of her      
grandchildren4  ,,friday1 ,march #ab4   
,take ,anna over to ,brother ,samuel    
,kline's1 where our dear mother now lies
 a corpse4  ,,saturday1 ,march #ac4     
,mother is buried to-day4 ,her age was  
eighty-one years1 three months and      
twenty days4  ,,monday1 ,march #bb4     
,this day ,brother ,kline started to    
,maryland4 ,as usual on such journeys1  
he visited many friends and ,brethren1  
among whom he mentions ,d4,p4 ,saylor1  
,jacob ,saylor1 ,howard ,hillery1       
,brother ,cover1 ,joseph ,engle1 ,philip
 ,boyle1 ,israel ,engle1 ,brother ,rupp1
 ,jesse ,royer1 ,betsy ,engle1 ,william 
,deahl1 ,abraham ,deahl1 ,brother       
,rhinehart1 and others4 ,he preaches and
 prays as he goes2 leaving behind him   
good examples1 good instructions1 good  
doctrines1 with prayers and good wishes 
for all4 ,what a life of good works6 ,he
 returned home ,thursday1 ,april #a4    
,,thursday1 ,april #ae4 ,council meeting

 at the ,flat ,rock meetinghouse4 ,john 
,neff is elected speaker4  ,,friday1    
,april #af4 ,council meeting at our     
meetinghouse4 ,john ,zigler is elected  
to the deaconship4  ,,saturday1 ,april  
#ag4 ,council meeting at the ,brush     
meetinghouse4 ,jacob ,miller is advanced
 in the ministry of the ,word4          
,,sunday1 ,may #af4 ,attend a meeting in
 the ,campbellite church in ,baltimore4 
,i meet ,brother ,d4,p4 ,saylor there4  
,he speaks from ,heb4 #ab3a1 #b4        
,outlines of his discourse4             
,,text4--,let us lay aside every weight1
 and the sin which doth so easily beset 
us2 and let us run with patience the    
race that is set before us2 looking unto
 ,jesus4  ,he said3 ,the book of        
,hebrews is1 in one respect1 the most   
extraordinary book in the ,new          
,testament4 ,it sets forth ,christ the  
,lord to us in a somewhat new light1 and
 new relation4 ,all the other books of  
the ,new ,testament are mainly occupied 
in setting forth ,jesus as the atoning  

,savior4 ,but this book is preeminently 
taken up with ,christ the anointed ,high
 ,priest of our profession4 ,the other  
books tell what ,jesus has done to      
redeem the world from sin4 ,this book   
tells what he is now doing to save his  
people4  ,in his admonitions and        
instructions ,brother ,saylor           
beautifully referred to the ,olympic    
games celebrated by the ancient ,greeks 
once every four years4 ,from these the  
figure of running a race1 given in the  
text1 was borrowed4 ,a man cannot run   
long and well with a load on his back4  
,you have no doubt seen the fabled      
demigod ,atlas pictured with the world  
on his shoulders4 ,i have often thought 
of that old ,grecian representation of  
avarice1 as being something like a true 
picture of many professors of the       
,christian religion at the present day4 
,you see the old myth struggling along  
with this big round world on his back1  
apparently casting his eyes upward at   
times as if he might be longing to reach

 the top of ,mount ,olympus1 the home of
 the gods3 but alas6 his head is bowed  
and his back bent under the mighty      
pressure1 and he never got there4 ,it   
will fare no better with the man who    
tries to carry this world with him to   
heaven4 ,the apostle says3 ,let us cast 
off every weight that would hinder our  
progress4  ,you know the devil is called
 a serpent4 ,no sane man ever yet       
invited a snake to bite him4 ,if one is 
bitten by a copperhead or rattlesnake1  
it is either because he has gone where  
he ought not go1 or else1 if compelled1 
he was not watchful1 but was off his    
guard4 ,besetting sins are these snakes 
in the grass and along the hedges4 ,the 
apostle here takes it for granted1 as a 
thing settled long ago1 that the        
,christian has laid aside his habitual  
sins4 ,besetting sins are such as we    
meet or overtake unexpectedly in the    
way1 and like robbers that beset us and 
take our goods1 they spoil our peace and
 take away our joy4 ,the best way for   

all ,christians is to keep out of the   
way of snakes and robbers4  ,and let us 
run with patience the race that is set  
before us4 ,in another place ,paul says3
 ,i press forward to the mark for the   
prize4 ,he represents the ,christian as 
running1 but not as uncertainly4 ,not as
 if some one else might beat him and    
take the prize1 and he thereby lose it4 
,no1 no6 ,in the ,christian race there  
is a prize for every one that runs with 
patience the race set before him4  ,but 
he also speaks of a mark4 ,the language 
here employed indicates that the mark   
must be reached before the prize can    
justly be claimed4 ,this mark is        
conformity to ,christ in spirit and     
life4 ,if any man have not the ,spirit  
of ,christ1 he is none of his4 ,he has  
set us an example that we should follow 
in his steps4 ,the prize is heaven and  
eternal happiness4 ,god is pleased to   
give to his children things which they  
are incapable of obtaining by their own 
efforts2 but he will not give direct    

what they are capable of getting by     
judicious means rightly applied4 ,it is 
no credit to any one to depend on others
 for what he could win for himself4 ,it 
is so in the ,christian's race for      
eternal life4  ,looking unto ,jesus4 ,if
 you have ever been at sea you noticed  
the interest with which sailors watched 
the lighthouses along the shore in a    
dark night4 ,this figure may help us in 
our thought of looking to ,jesus4 ,his  
word is a lamp unto our feet and a light
 unto our path4 ,friends1 when you look 
prayerfully to the ,lord's ,word for    
guidance in your religious life you are 
looking unto ,jesus4 ,he is nowhere else
 to be found4 ,but he is always there1  
and whosoever will look may find him    
there unto the salvation of his soul4   
,they stayed all night at ,michael ,b4  
,kline's4  ,,monday1 ,may #ag4 ,they    
stopped awhile with ,sister ,rubicum in 
,philadelphia2 and arrived at the       
,irving ,house1 in ,new ,york ,city1 at 
#aj3cj ,p4,m4  ,men love to honor their 

favorites4 ,washington ,irving has      
caused his name to be stamped upon the  
affections of the people of this city4  
,irving collars1 ,irving hats1 ,irving  
signs and ,irving attached to many      
things give evidence of the high regard 
in which he is held4 ,we will pass his  
home on the ,hudson to-day4  ,,tuesday1 
,may #ah4 ,take the steamer ,henry ,clay
 to ,albany1 where we land at #c ,p4,m4 
,kossuth is in the place4 ,a great      
procession1 with many other             
demonstrations in honor of the          
,hungarian exile1 is given4 ,these      
things are not done for the man         
personally1 but for the cause which he  
represents1 that of freeing his country 
from the galling yoke of bondage4 ,we   
have a delightful boat ride up the      
,hudson4  ,i must here relate a short   
encounter which ,i had with a professed 
infidel on the boat4 ,he some way came  
to the conclusion that ,i was a         
religious man1 and probably a preacher4 
,this led him to approach me for a talk1

 and he introduced himself in a very    
courteous and agreeable manner4 ,after  
he had stated his objections to the     
,christian religion1 ,i asked him if he 
was absolutely certain that there is no 
place and state of future punishment4   
,he answered3 ,i do not contend for     
this2 but only hold that hell is        
unreasonable1 and that heaven is        
impossible3 and according to ,bible     
description1 to me at least1 it would be
 undesirable4 ,i answered3 ,i suppose   
you will allow1 that if the ,bible is   
not true ,i will fare no worse after    
death for having taught its doctrines   
and the faith of ,jesus ,christ3 and you
 no better for having denied both8 ,all 
this1 said he1 is self-evident4 ,but if 
it so turns out that we both1 after     
death1 find that ,god's ,word is        
absolutely true1 which1 my dear friend1 
will fare the better then8 ,you1 for    
having rejected the ,lord ,jesus ,christ
 before men2 or ,i1 for having humbly   
confessed him8 ,we parted at the landing

 to meet1 perhaps1 no more until that   
day when the secrets of all hearts shall
 be made known4  ,,wednesday1 ,may #ai4 
,get to ,buffalo1 ,new ,york1 at #h     
,p4,m4 ,stay all night at the ,mansion  
,house4 ,philip ,dorsheimer1 proprietor4
  ,,thursday1 ,may #bj4 ,this day ,i    
enjoy my first sight of ,niagara ,falls4
 ,cross on the bridge over to the       
,canada side and go up to the falls4    
,return by the bridge and go up to the  
falls on the ,american side4 ,go to see 
the buffaloes2 and visit the telegraph  
office4 ,return to the ,mansion ,house  
and stay there all night4 ,i suppose    
that all the thoughts and emotions which
 a view of ,niagara ,falls is capable of
 exciting in the beholder have been so  
clearly and graphically expressed in    
prose and verse1 so far as lies in the  
power of words to express them1 that ,i 
feel like keeping silent4 ,this1        
however1 ,i will venture to say1 that in
 the sight of such mighty power ,i felt 
very small and weak4 ,how1 then1 thought

 ,i1 will ,i feel when ,i come in sight 
of the ,power that made and moves the   
world6  ,cold and snow this morning4    
,but ,i must remember that ,i am not in 
,virginia4  ,,friday1 ,may #ba4 ,take   
passage on the steamboat ,america to    
,erie2 then on to ,cleveland1 where we  
arrive at #e ,a4,m4 ,sleep a little4    
,then1 on same boat1 to ,sandusky ,city1
 where we take cars to ,tiffin1 and from
 there go to ,brother ,eversole's1 in   
,hancock ,county1 ,ohio4  ,,sunday1 ,may
 #bc4 ,brother ,kline attended forenoon 
meeting at ,brother ,peter ,weant's2 and
 afternoon meeting at ,brother          
,dickey's4 ,in the evening he went to   
,brother ,daniel ,rosenberger's and     
assisted in anointing a sick sister4    
,next day they had meeting at ,brother  
,jacob ,kendrick's4 ,on ,tuesday1 while 
they were detained at ,perrysburg1      
,brother ,kline says3 ,we saw the       
fishermen make a haul with their seine4 
,while witnessing the adroitness and    
care with which they separated the bad  

fish from the good1 ,i was reminded of  
the parable in which the same           
performance is spoken of4 ,the gospel   
net catches or takes in both good and   
bad4 ,but the separation of the good    
from the bad cannot take place on earth4
 ',at the end of the world the angels   
shall come forth and sever the wicked   
from among the just4'  ,,wednesday1 ,may
 #bf4 ,they take the boat ,john         
,hollister for ,toledo3 from there they 
take cars to ,elkhart1 ,indiana4 ,the   
two brethren1 ,kline and ,saylor1 do not
 appear to have been together all the   
time on this journey2 but at ,elkhart it
 seems they got together again and two  
other brethren with them2 for he now    
speaks of brethren ,saylor1 ,krontz and 
,p4 ,ebersole all going together and    
staying all night at ,brother ,jacob    
,studebaker's2 and on the twenty-ninth  
they all go to ,jonathan ,wylan's1 the  
place of the ,annual ,meeting4 ,brother 
,kline reports a wonderful concourse of 
people4  ,,sunday1 ,may #cj4 ,they have 

meeting at three places4 ,on ,monday    
business begins4 ,many queries are      
placed in the hands of the              
subcommittees4 ,on ,tuesday the reports 
of the subcommittees are taken in1 and  
discussions follow freely1 but all in a 
spirit of love4  ,,wednesday1 ,june #b4 
,business is all disposed of by #c      
o'clock1 and the meeting breaks up4     
,brother ,kline goes to ,michael        
,waybright's and holds night meeting4   
,on his return trip ,brother ,kline     
revisits ,elkhart1 and goes to ,dayton  
to ,brother ,henry ,yost's4 ,from there 
he goes to ,cincinnati to see ,drs4     
,kost and ,curtis1 with whom he spends a
 night2 thence back to ,columbus2 goes  
through the state prison2 visits other  
places of interest2 and thence through  
,cleveland and ,pittsburg home4 ,he     
arrived home  ,,saturday1 ,june #ab4 ,he
 reports #b1fhe miles traveled from the 
time he left home till his return4      
,,sunday1 ,june #bg4 ,meeting at our    
meetinghouse4 ,i baptize ,daniel        

,wampler and wife4  ,,friday1 ,july #b4 
,write letters to ,brethren in          
,pendleton and ,hardy ,counties to make 
appointments for preaching4 ,he gives   
plenty of time for those ,brethren to   
whom the above letters were sent1 to    
make the appointments generally known2  
and allows time for the slow transit of 
the mails in that day4 ,brother ,kline's
 successes were never brilliant or      
dazzling1 as some men's appear1 but they
 were acquired by methods which few men 
are willing to adopt2 and achieved by   
self-sacrifices and labors which few men
 are willing to undergo4  ,,friday1     
,august #bj4 ,this day ,brother ,kline  
started to ,pendleton ,county1          
,virginia4 ,from ,pendleton he went to  
,hardy ,county1 and from there to       
,hampshire ,county4 ,he filled every    
appointment made for him by the         
,brethren to whom he had written on     
,july #b4 ,on his outward way he left a 
line of appointments which he filled on 
his return homeward4 ,on this tour he   

traveled #ahc miles on the back of his  
faithful mare ,nell1 over roads and     
mountain paths next to impassable4 ,he  
was gone from home on this trip just two
 weeks1 in which time he preached       
nineteen sermons1 attended one council  
meeting and one love feast4  ,such      
preaching tours1 as this work abundantly
 shows1 were but common proofs of his   
missionary spirit and love for the souls
 of men4 ,added to this we find a purely
 unselfish spirit in him4 ,not long     
before his martyrdom he told me that if 
he would have asked for money along the 
lines of his work extending over many   
years--using his very words--,i know    
that ,i would have freely received it2  
but ,i have never asked one cent2 and1  
,god prospering me in the future as in  
the past1 ,i never expect to4 ,he went  
on his own expenses1 always and at all  
times1 apparently more ready to give    
than to receive4  ,,thursday1 ,september
 #cj4 ,on this day ,brother ,kline      
started to ,tennessee4 ,he rode ,nell4  

,he went up the ,valley of ,virginia1   
stopping with ,brethren and preaching by
 previous arrangements made by letters4 
,he stayed all night with ,peter        
,nininger1 and one night with ,benjamin 
,moomaw4 ,at both places he filled      
appointments previously sent on4        
,,monday1 ,october #d4 ,he dined at     
,jacob ,brubaker's4 ,he arrived at      
,brother ,john ,bowman's on ,friday1 the
 eighth4  ,,saturday1 ,october #i1 he   
had meeting at ,john ,bowman's4 ,it     
would seem that he had leisure here to  
jot the outlines of his discourse on    
that day4 ,he spoke from ,rev4 #b3g4    
,,text4--,he that hath an ear1 let him  
hear what the ,spirit saith unto the    
churches4  ,there is a wonderful        
correspondence of natural things with   
things spiritual4 ,it is this           
correspondence which makes a good life  
give evidence of a good heart within1   
and intelligent conduct prove that it is
 the offspring of an enlightened mind4  
,if there were no correspondence between

 internal and external things--between  
the tree and its fruit--what would we   
know about anything8 ,it is from this   
law that all our ,lord's parables and   
miracles derive their significance4     
,when he spoke of external1 natural     
things1 he wanted his disciples to learn
 internal1 spiritual things4 ,in the    
text he speaks of a hearing ear4 ,he    
that hath an ear4 ,do not nearly all men
 have ears8 ,in several other places the
 ,lord says3 ,he that hath ears to hear1
 let him hear4 ,it is plain that the    
natural ear is not meant2 but the ear of
 the soul 7by which is meant an         
understanding mind7 is the ear meant in 
the text4 ,but to hear means more than  
just to understand what is said4 ,people
 may understand what they hear or read1 
and still be none the better off for it4
 ,to hear1 in a divine sense1 is to     
hearken2 and to hearken means to obey1  
or a willingness to obey4 ,the text then
 means about this3 ,he that understands 
what the ,spirit saith to the churches1 

let him obey4 ,this brings up the       
question whether or not people of       
ordinary intelligence are able to       
understand what the ,spirit says to the 
churches4  ,let us turn to what the     
,spirit says to the church at ,ephesus4 
,after reviewing the good qualities and 
characteristics of this church1 much to 
their praise and credit1 he does not    
flatter their vanity1 by intimations or 
otherwise1 to think themselves all right
 and in need of nothing2 but ,i have    
this ,,against thee1 that thou didst    
leave thy first love4 ,remember         
therefore1 from whence thou art fallen1 
and repent4 ,it is truthfully said our  
best friends are those who warn us of   
danger4 ,this is ,god's friendship for  
his churches4 ,he shows his people by   
his ,word where they may go wrong1 and1 
if they have ears to hear and eyes to   
see1 where they are wrong4 ,leaving     
their first love is the charge brought  
against this church of ,ephesus4 ,and it
 is the only charge4 ,to what extent or 

degree they had departed is not         
definitely said2 but they had gone so   
far that repentance and reformation1 or 
the doing of their first works1 was     
necessary that they might be restored to
 the state they had once enjoyed4  ,now 
it appears plain to my mind1 from all   
the teachings ,i find elsewhere in the  
,word1 that love to the ,lord their ,god
 with all the heart1 and love to the    
neighbor1 which is the church1 is1 and  
forever ought to be1 the first and only 
love4 ,the church is the good ,samaritan
 that lifts up the wounded brother who  
has fallen among the thieves of         
temptation1 and restores him4 ,this love
 to the ,lord and the church is the love
 from which these ,ephesian brethren had
 fallen4 ,departures from first loves   
are not uncommon in the church and out  
of it4 ,the newly married couple enjoy a
 warmth of affection that sweetens their
 cup of happiness and strews flowers all
 along their pathway of life4 ,this     
pleasure lasts while their love lasts2  

but when love dies1 happiness dies with 
it4 ,this accounts for the joyless1     
pleasureless life of many married       
partners4 ,first love1 alas6 departed2  
the first fire all burnt out1 leaving   
naught but the dull ashes of cold       
indifference and burning tears4 ,it     
sometimes goes somewhat the same way    
with members coming into the church4    
,they run well for a season1 manifest a 
deep interest in the things of religion1
 but when tribulation or persecution    
ariseth on account of the ,word1        
directly they stumble4 ,entire churches 
sometimes lose their first love for the 
,lord and for one another4 ,this seems  
to have been true of the church at      
,ephesus4  ,the best way for all is to  
be sure that the first love is of the   
right kind4 ,i have heard of some coming
 into the church from motives of mere   
personal interest4 ,i have heard of one 
man who confessed1 after he had been    
expelled1 that he got out of the        
,dunkards all he wanted4 ,said he3 ,they

 helped me out of debt1 and that is what
 ,i went in for4 ,that man never lost   
,,his first love4 ,his first love was   
the love of self and the world1 and that
 is the love he carried with him when he
 was turned out4 ,such examples1        
however1 are rare4 ,as a people we are  
not often imposed upon in this way4 ,but
 some who come in with the best of      
motives1 desiring to live in the church1
 to be built up in the church1 and to   
help build up the church1 may1 as ,i    
have known instances of the kind1 lose  
these good feelings1 become discouraged1
 and altogether unhappy4 ,to such1 if   
any of that class are here1 ,i now      
speak4  ,at the start ,i have to say1 ,i
 have glorious news for you4 ,the ,lord 
says to us all3 ,in the world ye shall  
have tribulation3 but be of good cheer2 
,i have overcome the world4 ,the blessed
 ,savior has overcome the world for     
every one of his people4 ,we all have   
our tribulations2 but some are better   
able to bear them than others4 ,the     

,apostle ,paul says3 ,confirm the       
strong1 support the weak4 ,it seems     
strange to us that any could ever grow  
weak in his day1 when they were as yet  
almost in sight of their ascended ,lord1
 and in hearing of the echo of his      
voice4 ,but so it was then1 and so it   
will ever be4 ,but ,god knows our feeble
 frame4 ,as a father pitieth his        
children1 so the ,lord pitieth them that
 fear him4 ,our ,lord1 just before his  
crucifixion1 said3 ,i will not leave you
 comfortless4 ,i will come to you4 ,this
 he spoke to his sorrowing disciples4   
,this he says to you1 and to every      
discouraged disciple of his3 ,ye1       
therefore1 now have sorrow1 but your    
sorrow shall be turned into joy4 ,as he 
was preparing to wash the disciples'    
feet it is said of him3 ,having loved   
his own which were in the world1 he     
loved them unto the end4    ,his is an  
unchanging love1   ,higher than the     
heights above2   ,deeper than the depths
 beneath2   ,stronger than the hand of  

death4  ,it is impossible for one human 
soul to enter fully into the feelings of
 another1 so as to realize in all the   
particulars of experience what the other
 suffers4 ,but the ,lord knows it all4  
,he that made the ear1 shall he not     
hear8 ,he that made the eye1 shall he   
not see8 ,he that made the heart1 shall 
he not understand8 ,he consequently     
knows the proper remedy for all the     
backslidings1 declensions of our first  
love1 and all relapses into states of   
lukewarmness4 ,his prescribed remedy is 
repentance1 in every case4 ,if you will 
take the time to read carefully the     
seven letters addressed to the seven    
churches of ,asia1 you will see that    
repentance is the remedy prescribed in  
every case of failure in duty1 weakness 
of faith1 coldness of love2 together    
with all the troubles growing out of    
these4  ,repentance is a change of mind4
 ,it is a change from wrong feelings and
 affections in the soul to right        
feelings2 from weak faith in the ,lord  

to strong faith2 from weak love for the 
,lord and the church to strong love4    
,joy of heart and peace of mind are as  
sure to follow a change like this as a  
tree is sure to bloom in spring4        
,blossoms on trees1 other conditions    
favoring1 give promise of fruits4 ,your 
joy and peace from true repentance1 like
 the bloom on a good tree1 will give    
promise of a life full of good fruits4  
,no one need tell me that he cannot     
repent4 ,nothing shall be impossible    
unto you4 ,who says this8 ,jesus says   
it4 ,again3 ,if ye shall ask any thing  
in my name1 ,i will do it4 ,but again he
 says3 ,without me ye can do nothing4   
,speaking to the ,father1 of his        
disciples1 the ,lord said3 ,i in them1  
and thou in me1 that they may be        
perfected into one4  ,we are slow to    
learn the greatest of all the truths    
,god has revealed1 the truth that the   
,lord is personally1 in the fullness of 
his love1 wisdom and power1 in the soul 
or spiritual body of every one of his   

children4 ,ye are ,god's temple2 ye are 
,god's building4 ,as the life of the    
vine is the life of the branches1 so is 
,christ our life4 ,the ,lord is ever at 
hand2 not only around us1 but in us4    
,and he is not only able but ready at   
all times to do us all the good we are  
capable of receiving from his hand4 ,say
 not then1 ,i cannot repent2 for one    
earnest1 believing1 trusting look to    
him1 with whom all things are possible1 
will cause the tears of penitence to    
flow down your face in a stream that    
will make glad the city of our ,god1    
rebuilt with its walls1 in your heart4  
,but the ,lord tries to encourage his   
lost-love children with promises        
additional to those of his presence1    
love and power4 ,he sets forth          
inducements of a character that         
surpasses all worldly considerations as 
far as the heaven is high above the     
earth4 ,notice some of them3 ,to him    
that overcometh1 to him will ,i give to 
eat of the tree of life1 which is in the

 midst of the paradise of ,god4 ,to eat 
of the tree of life is to enjoy all the 
blessedness and happiness of a heavenly 
life4 ,in the paradise of ,god is a     
figure taken from the garden of ,eden1  
for paradise means garden4 ,we sometimes
 wonder at the folly of our first       
parents in disobeying ,god's commands1  
and thus bringing upon themselves the   
disgrace and ruin which followed4 ,but  
do we not act after the same manner when
 we disobey the ,lord8 ,we as surely    
deprive ourselves of the enjoyments of  
his favor and conscious presence as they
 did4 ,but through his abounding love in
 ,christ ,jesus we can be reclaimed and 
reinstated sooner than they4 ,thanks be 
to ,god1 the scheme of redemption and   
salvation is now complete2 and we are   
not now required to wait four thousand  
years to have the head of the serpent   
bruised under our feet4 ,neither is     
there a flaming sword of threatening    
vengeance to guard the gate against our 
return4 ,we are invited to return4 ,the 

gate is open4 ,yea1 the ,lord himself is
 the gate4 ,he stands beckoning1 even   
calling and saying3 ,i am the way2 ,i am
 the door4 ,by me1 if any man enter in1 
he shall be saved4 ,the paradise of     
,god1 the garden of ,eden1 is planted by
 the ,lord in the heart of every true   
follower of his4 ,this is a great truth4
 ,when we are in heavenly frames of     
feeling we are in a state to enjoy its  
cool shade and partake of its fruits4   
,there the sun does not light upon us1  
nor any unpleasant heat4  ,hoping that  
what ,i have said in much weakness may  
be made strong by the ,spirit of ,god1  
unto edification and comfort1 ,i now    
close4 ,on  ,,sunday1 ,october #aj1 he  
had meeting at ,brother ,christian      
,wine's4 ,next day he visited ,david    
,garst's2 and stayed all night at the   
widow ,bowman's4  ,he visited           
successively1 in order1 the following   
named brethren and sisters1 preaching   
nearly every day3 ,daniel ,crouse's1    
,john ,sherfey's1 ,john ,basehore's1    

,henry ,swadley's1 widow ,bowman's1     
,john ,bowman's1 ,henry ,garst's4       
,,tuesday1 ,october #ai4 ,he started    
homeward1 but stopped at ,brother       
,michael ,grabil's and attended a       
meeting in ,roanoke meetinghouse4       
,assisted by brethren ,kinsey and       
,brubaker1 he ordained ,brother         
,christian ,wirt to the full work of the
 gospel ministry4  ,,friday1 ,october   
#bi4 ,he arrived home safe1 after an    
absence of something over four weeks4   
,the whole distance1 going and          
returning1 was about #fjj miles4 ,this  
he traveled on ,nell's back4 ,good1     
patient1 faithful ,nell6  ,from this    
time on to the close of the year1       
,brother ,kline was mainly engaged in   
the practice of medicine1 together with 
his ministerial labors4 ,on far into the
 next year the same may be said of his  
work4 ,ever active1 no such thing as    
idleness ever had a place in his life4  
,looking through his ,diary1 observing  
the unintermitting activity of his life 

every day and ,sunday too1 ,i am struck 
with wonder that he did not get tired4  
,,sunday1 ,march #ac1 #ahec4 ,meeting at
 the ,elk meetinghouse1 in ,page        
,county1 ,virginia4 ,acts #i was read4  
,my topic was ,saul's conversion4 ,there
 are three points in the conversion of  
,saul which ,i noted particularly in my 
discourse to-day4 ,they are as follows3 
,i4 ,saul's conversion was unexpected4  
,,ii4 ,it was miraculous4 ,,iii4 ,it was
 thorough4  ,no event could have been   
less expected than the conversion of    
,saul of ,tarsus4 ,lightning from the   
clear blue sky1 or the breaking forth of
 the sun at midnight1 could not have    
struck both ,jews and ,christians with  
deeper amazement than did the report of 
the change of ,saul from persecutor to  
protector of ,god's people4 ,but this is
 sometimes ,god's way4 ,often does he   
send us blessings and do wonders when we
 least expect them4 ,day breaks at the  
darkest hour4 ,in the midst of parching 
dryness the refreshing shower comes4    

,the hardest pain is just before the    
birth4 ,a sleepless night ends in a     
joyful morning4 ,in this way he shows us
 that the excellency of the power is not
 of men1 but of ,god4  ,in our religious
 experiences we sometimes feel prayer a 
burden2 reading and meditation a task4  
,we loathe ourselves and wonder how     
,jesus can love us4 ,out of such frames 
of feeling the ,lord sometimes suddenly 
lifts us1 by causing light to break in  
upon our souls1 revealing some new      
truth1 some fresh affection1 in which we
 rejoice4 ,in addition to these         
instances of unexpected blessings1 we   
sometimes see men gathered into the     
fold1 for whose conversion we had lost  
all hope4  ,we need not wonder that     
,saul's conversion was wholly           
unexpected4 ,he had shown such hostility
 to ,jesus of ,nazareth that no ground  
for hope of any change in him was       
anywhere visible4 ,his conviction was   
therefore1 in the eyes of ,christians1 a
 miracle4 ,but it was so only in        

appearance4 ,the light1 above the       
brightness of the sun1 that shone upon  
him1 was but the same light that shone  
from the face of the ,lord and glistened
 from his raiment on the holy mount when
 he was transfigured4 ,john had a       
somewhat similar vision of the ,lord    
upon the isle of ,patmos4 ,john was     
better prepared to receive the vision   
than was ,saul2 but even ,john fell at  
the ,lord's feet as dead4 ,the ,lord    
immediately laid his right hand upon    
,john1 and in the tenderness of his love
 said3 ,fear not4 ,these same sweet     
words fell from his lips upon the ears  
of the three disciples on the holy      
mount4 ,but ,saul heard far different   
words4 ,a voice sounded into his soul3  
,i am ,jesus of ,nazareth whom thou     
persecutest4 ,this terrific announcement
 broke up the sealed fountain of his    
sinful heart and he cried out3 ,lord1   
what wouldst thou have me to do8 ,he was
 then told to go into the city of       
,damascus1 and it would there be told   

him what he had to do4  ,notice the     
difference4 ,the ,lord did not say to   
him as he had to many others3 ,fear not4
 ,this seemed to be his cherished phrase
 to all who loved and believed on him4  
,to the women at the sepulcher1 these   
words1 fear not1 were addressed by the  
angel4 ,to the church1 seen in vision by
 the prophetic eye of ,isaiah1 the      
words1 ,fear not1 for ,i have redeemed  
thee3 fear not1 for ,i am with thee1 are
 tenderly spoken by the ,lord4 ,if      
,saul's conviction had been brought     
about by human agency through the       
preaching of the ,word1 the adversaries 
of the cross might have said that he had
 been persuaded1 or bribed with money to
 change his manner of life4 ,but nothing
 like this could be said now4 ,the men  
who journeyed with him could testify    
otherwise4 ,they saw the light that     
flashed upon him2 but they heard not the
 words spoken4 ,they were not           
persecutors of ,jesus by intention as   
,saul was4 ,like the soldiers who nailed

 the ,lord to the cross1 they knew not  
what they did4 ,but ,saul knew what he  
was doing1 and the light struck         
conviction to his heart4  ,conviction is
 a knowledge of sin imparted by the     
,holy ,spirit through the ,word4 ,the   
light that ,saul saw is an expressive   
emblem of the light of revealed truth4  
,light signifies truth1 in very many    
places in the ,scriptures4 ,take1 for   
examples1 the following3 ,the people    
which sat in darkness saw great light4  
,darkness here does not mean natural    
darkness1 but mental or spiritual       
darkness1 which is ignorance4 ,again3   
,every one that doeth evil1 hateth the  
light4 ,this was ,saul's state exactly4 
,he was doing evil1 and he hated the    
light to such a pitch of passion that he
 sought to take the lives of the        
children of light4 ,but it was ,god's   
way then1 and it is ,god's way now1 to  
convict and convert men by means of the 
very thing they hate1 which is the ,word
 of ,truth4  ,saul remained three days  

and nights in this awful state of       
conviction in which time he did neither 
eat nor drink4 ,the anguish of spirit   
suffered during these days and nights no
 heart but his own can ever know4 ,his  
sins were red with the blood of the     
saints4 ,doubts as to what the          
persecuted ,jesus might require of him1 
with a thousand unanswerable questions1 
harassed his mind4 ,conviction1 or a    
feeling sense of sin1 always precedes   
conversion4 ,repentance cannot take     
place without a knowledge of sin's      
condemning and destroying power4 ,when  
this is felt man desires to be rid of   
sin1 and asks what he must do to be     
saved4 ,this is the first step in       
repentance4 ,conversion and repentance1 
complete1 are expressions meaning one   
and the same thing4 ,our ,lord's        
illustration is instructive3 ,when a    
woman is in travail1 she hath anguish2  
but when she is delivered she           
straightway forgetteth her anguish for  
joy that a man is born into the world4  

,these words from the lips of ,jesus    
tell us more about conviction and       
conversion than all else that has ever  
been written4  ,we must notice the      
kindness in which ,ananias approached   
,saul to complete the manward side of   
his conversion and usher in the new     
birth4 ,he put his hands on him1 not    
roughly1 but gently1 and said3 ,,brother
 ,,saul1--and immediately there fell    
from his eyes as it had been scales3 and
 he received sight forthwith1 and arose1
 and was baptized4 ,his spiritual eyes  
were now open2 his sins washed away2 and
 out of the baptismal stream he was     
visibly born into the church a new      
creature in ,christ ,jesus1 with a new  
name4 ,i hold the belief that ,saul     
changed his name himself4 ,his old life 
was now so abhorrent to him that he     
could no longer bear to hear the name by
 which he was called when pursuing that 
course of life4 ,it was his desire to   
cast all recollection of it out of mind1
 and the old name with it4 ,but he never

 did forget entirely4 ,he calls himself 
the chief of sinners1 and almost gets   
wild with exultation over the mercies of
 ,god4 ,hear some of his joyful         
exclamations3 ,who shall condemn us6    
,who shall separate us from the love of 
,christ6 ,o1 the length1 and the        
breadth1 and the depth and the height of
 the love of ,christ6 ,paul never       
doubted his conversion4 ,he became as   
enthusiastic in building up the church  
as he had been in tearing it down4 ,he  
tried to repair the evil he had done by 
adding new recruits to the church to    
fill the places of those whom he had    
either driven out or caused to be       
martyred4  ,brethren and sisters1 here  
is a lesson for us all4 ,let us follow  
,paul's example in self-denial1 in love 
for the ,brethren1 in love for the      
unconverted1 in the love of doing good  
at all times and in all ways4           
,,thursday1 ,april #g4 ,council meeting 
at the ,flat ,rock4 ,david ,kline is    
advanced in the ministry1 and ,john     

,long is elected to the deaconship4     
,,sunday1 ,april #aj4 ,meeting at the   
,lost ,river meetinghouse4 ,george      
,halterman is baptized4  ,,sunday1 ,may 
#a4 ,meeting at ,turner's schoolhouse1  
in the ,gap4 ,samuel ,smith is baptized4
  ,,sunday1 ,may #h4 ,meeting at ,joseph
 ,glick's4 ,samuel ,good and wife       
baptized4  ,,monday1 ,may #i4 ,meeting  
in our meetinghouse4 ,john ,bowman and  
,daniel ,crouse are with us1 on their   
way to the ,annual ,meeting4            
,,thursday1 ,may #ab4 ,this day ,brother
 ,kline and ,benjamin ,bowman started   
together1 on horseback1 to the ,yearly  
,meeting1 which1 according to the       
,diary1 was appointed to meet near      
,william ,deahl's4 ,they went down the  
,valley of ,virginia1 and arrived at    
,brother ,william ,deahl's ,saturday    
evening following4  ,,sunday1 ,may #ae4 
,diary3 ,there is preaching at three    
places4 ,we were made to witness a very 
distressing occurrence to-day in the    
sudden death of ,brother ,daniel        

,haines's wife4 ,she came into the      
meeting in her usual state of health1   
and in two hours she was a corpse4      
,death had done its work upon the body2 
but it could not touch the soul to which
 ,jesus had given eternal life4 ,hither 
shalt thou go1 but no farther2 and here 
shall all thy waves be stayed1 may be   
applied to death as it comes to the     
child of ,god1 as appropriately as to   
the great ocean4  ,,monday1 ,may #af4   
,come to the meetinghouse4 ,committees  
are appointed4 ,go to ,jacob ,saylor's  
and take in questions4 ,in the meantime 
preaching is going on at the            
meetinghouse as yesterday4 ,we stay all 
night at ,brother ,deahl's4  ,,thursday1
 ,may #ag4 ,business progresses slowly4 
,,wednesday1 ,may #ah4 ,at about four   
o'clock it is announced that all the    
business before the meeting has been    
disposed of1 and the meeting breaks up1 
with many farewell salutations and much 
tender feeling4 ,we stay all night with 
,john ,waltman1 married to ,martin      

,deahl's daughter4  ,,monday1 ,may #bc4 
,love feast at our meetinghouse4 ,a     
great concourse of people1 but good     
order4 ,the brethren ,john ,bowman and  
,daniel ,crouse are here4 ,they speak to
 good acceptance4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #bd4 
,go to the ,tristle meetinghouse4       
,christian ,funk is buried4 ,age1 eighty
 years1 three months and nineteen days4 
,he was a very consistent member of the 
,mennonite persuasion1 and suddenly died
 in the meetinghouse1 on ,sunday before1
 in the very act of singing a devotional
 hymn with the congregation4 ,let us    
hope that as the song died on his lips  
here his soul caught its echo in heaven4
  ,,sunday1 ,june #ai4 ,go to ,philip   
,ritchey's schoolhouse in the ,gap4     
,speak from ,jer4 #g3bc4 ,,text4--,but  
this thing commanded ,i them1 saying1   
,obey my voice1 and ,i will be your     
,god1 and ye shall be my people4  ,i    
said in substance3 ,man is to-day what  
he has ever been4 ,the carnal mind is   
enmity against ,god now1 quite as       

deep-seated in man's heart as when he   
led his unholy and rebellious people out
 of ,egypt4 ,man's will now1 as then1 is
 contrary to ,god's will4 ,but ,god     
wants to change man's will so as to     
incline it to good instead of evil4 ,god
 is infinitely blessed and happy1       
because he is infinitely just and good4 
,man is unblessed and unhappy1 because  
he is unholy and evil4 ,one of the      
clearest proofs of man's degeneracy is  
found in his willingness to remain in   
his sinful and unhappy state4 ,like the 
man among the tombs1 he is ready to cry 
out1 in thought if not otherwise1 ,let  
us alone6 what have we to do with thee8 
,art thou come to torment us before the 
time8  ,the two great lessons given in  
the text1 are ,,obedience and ,,reward4 
,i will tell you about obedience first4 
,to make this very plain you must first 
be told that obedience consists in doing
 what one is commanded to do4 ,two      
things1 however1 are necessary to make  
obedience a duty4 ,first1 the command   

must come from a right source2 it must  
be based upon the right authority4      
,second1 it must be given in a way that 
can be understood4 ,the command must be 
plain4 ,these two things being          
established1 it is the duty of every one
 to hear and obey what he is commanded  
to do4 ,disobeying good commands is as  
sure to bring suffering and loss as     
violating the laws of health is sure to 
bring disease into our bodies4 ,let us  
notice some of the commands which1 in   
the course of our lives1 it may be our  
duty to obey4 ,there is no difference   
between a law and a command4 ,every law 
is a command in substance1 and every    
command is a law4 ,there are very deep  
things involved here1 but ,i will not   
now enter upon them4 ,every command is  
but the expression of the will of the   
commander2 and the will of the commander
 in every case1 when expressed1 and     
compliance with it is demanded1 is a    
law4  ,authority has many grades4 ,there
 is parental authority1 teachers'       

authority1 magisterial authority1       
legislative authority4 ,all these grades
 of authority are necessary for our     
well-being4 ,but no benefit can be      
derived from authority of any kind      
without obedience to that authority4    
,the best law can do no good unless it  
be obeyed4 ,parental laws1 no matter how
 wise and good they are in themselves1  
are of no account unless the children   
obey their parents4 ,it is the same with
 all laws4  ,possibly it may not be     
clear to the understanding of some how  
obedience to ,god's laws makes man      
happy4 ,let us then consider this matter
 of obedience on a lower grade4 ,parents
 love their children4 ,parents have much
 of life's experiences4 ,they are       
capable of knowing better than their    
children can what is best for the       
children4 ,now if children will heed    
what their parents say to them in the   
way of good counsel1 instruction1 and   
government1 love1 peace and harmony will
 prevail in the household4 ,joy will be 

a constant guest4 ,happiness will crown 
the board4 ,habits of good will be      
formed in the young which will not      
forsake them when they are old4 ,in     
youth the foundation is thus laid for   
honorable success in later years4       
,reverse this picture3 instead of       
happiness1 discontent2 instead of joy1  
distress2 instead of peace1 contentions 
and broils2 instead of respectability1  
disgrace2 instead of honor1 shame4 ,what
 an amazing difference between the      
rewards of obedience and the effects of 
disobedience6 ,the good results of      
obedience to good laws are boundless in 
extent and endless in duration4  ,this  
now brings me to the main point of my   
discourse1 obedience to ,god and its    
rewards4 ,as ,god is infinitely good1   
and therefore wills nothing beyond the  
good of his creatures2 and as he is     
infinitely wise to know in what the     
highest good of his creatures consists1 
it becomes man's highest duty and       
privilege to know what ,god would have  

him to do4 ,but inside of all the       
externals of obedience there must be a  
state of heart and mind conformed to    
,god's will before any works can be done
 acceptable to him4 ,what is this state 
of mind and heart8 ,it is all expressed 
in two words1--love and faith4 ,jesus   
says3 ,if ye love me1 keep my           
commandments4 ,as much as to say1 ,do   
not act the part of a hypocrite by      
putting on the form of obedience with no
 love in the heart4 ,he continues the   
thought by saying3 ,he that loveth me   
will keep my words4 ,obedience1 you see1
 is the proof of love1 true obedience1  
,i mean4  ,some gravely ask1 ,which is  
first in the heart1 love or faith8 ,this
 question is very nearly like that of   
asking which is most necessary to the   
growth of plants1 heat or moisture8 ,the
 truth is plain1 that both are          
necessary2 and both together4 ,without  
both together no seed could sprout1 no  
plant put forth its leaves4 ,just so it 
is with the growth of gospel seeds in   

the soul4 ,there must be love and faith1
 both4 ,but this is very plain and easy 
to be understood4 ,no one can believe in
 ,jesus truly without loving him2 and no
 one can love him without at the same   
time believing on him4 ,we love him     
because he first loved us3 and faith is 
but a belief in and joyful acceptance of
 the words which tell us how he has made
 known his love for us4 ,out of this    
love and faith true obedience springs4  
,we must notice one particular in our   
thought upon this subject4 ,it is a     
matter of the deepest interest to every 
one of us4 ,i now state it3 ,our love   
and faith grow with our obedience4 ,what
 class of children love their parents   
most and repose the most confidence in  
them1 obedient children or disobedient  
children8 ,obedient children1 you all   
answer4 ,why is this8 ,it is because    
obedient children receive daily rewards 
for their good conduct in the           
expressions of appreciation and love on 
the part of their parents1 brothers1    

sisters and friends4 ,love begets love4 
,just so it is with man and ,god4 ,the  
,apostle ,james puts this thought       
beautifully3 ,if a man be not a         
forgetful hearer1 but a doer of the     
work1 this man shall be blessed in his  
deed4 ,how will he know this8 ,by the   
heart consolations and comforts it      
brings him4 ,the ,holy ,spirit will bear
 witness with his spirit that he is a   
child of ,god4 ,god is not slack        
concerning his promises4 ,when he says3 
,obey my voice1 and ,i will be your     
,god1 and ye shall be my people1 do you 
think he has no way of letting them know
 they are his people8 ,will not a father
 and mother own the child they love8    
,how much more our heavenly ,father will
 own and bless his child6    ,the opened
 heavens around me shine     ,with beams
 of sacred bliss1   ,when ,jesus shows  
that he is mine     ,and whispers3 ,i am
 his4  ,there can be no greater         
enjoyment than the reading of the       
,scriptures when we feel that we have   

complied with their injunctions and     
requirements1 and have a will to do so  
for ever4 ,it is then the peace of ,god 
which passeth all understanding fills   
the soul1 and the mind is happy4  ,the  
text says3 ,i will be your ,god2 and ye 
shall be my people4 ,this is the reward 
of our obedience4 ,if men would preach  
from this to the end of time they could 
tell but a very small part of the       
blessedness wrapped up in this promise4 
,people think much of the blessings of  
this life when they are joyous and      
cheerful from health and prosperity4    
,but in this promise life and health are
 guaranteed to all eternity4 ,he that   
believeth on me shall never die4 ,we are
 assured that in the glory world        
sickness and pain and death shall be no 
more4 ,i will be your ,god4 ,this means 
in the way of every good4 ,no good      
thing1 says the ,psalmist1 will the     
,lord withhold from them that fear him4 
,this will be made clearest in the world
 to come4 ,he is able to do exceeding   

abundantly above all we can ask or      
think4 ,i will be your ,god1--not for   
awhile and then cast you off4 ,i do not 
repent of my promises and gifts4 ,you   
may make a promise1 or give something1  
or do something from an impulse of      
feeling1 which you afterwards regret2   
but ,i am subject to no such weakness4  
,in this sense he speaks to us in his   
,word4 ,he will1 if we heed his voice1  
make of us all a people prepared for the
 ,lord1 a converted1 obedient1          
sanctified and eternally saved and happy
 people4  ,some may regard ,god as man's
 enemy4 ,they seem to think there is    
something terrible in religion1 and the 
farther away they can keep from it the  
safer they are4 ,what a fatal mistake6  
,to be a child of ,god is to be safe and
 happy4 ,our heavenly ,father feels the 
love of pity for the sinner4 ,i lately  
read a very touching account of a lost  
child4 ,the father went calling1 calling
 the name of his boy4 ,after awhile the 
boy was found2 but his mind was so      

bewildered and confused that he did not 
seem to know his father's voice4 ,so it 
is with the sinner4 ,he has wandered so 
far away from home1 the home of peace   
with ,god1 that he knows not the voice  
of the ,father4 ,that voice is still    
calling3 ,come unto me1 and ye shall    
find rest unto your souls2 for he came  
to save that which was lost4  ,and ye   
shall be my people4 ,we get to be his   
people by true repentance1 faith and    
baptism4 ,he commands us to repent4 ,he 
commands us to believe on the ,son4 ,he 
that believeth the ,son hath everlasting
 life4 ,he commands us to be baptized4  
,obedience from love and faith makes us 
his people4 ,as ,jesus ascended from the
 waters of the ,jordan1 lo1 the heavens 
were opened unto him1 and a voice from  
heaven said3 ,this is my beloved ,son1  
in whom ,i am well pleased4 ,this was an
 expression of the ,father's love which 
he has for every one who1 from the      
heart1 will hear his voice4             
,,wednesday1 ,june #ai4 ,it is now      

delightful weather1 and ,brother ,kline 
is this day on the ,great ,cheat        
mountain1 filling two appointments at a 
place which he calls ,marsh's4 ,the     
,great ,cheat mountain lies west of the 
,alleghany proper1 and for many miles   
ranges nearly parallel with it4 ,a      
branch of ,cheat river drains the valley
 between the two4 ,the people in this   
section are mainly employed in rearing  
cattle and sheep4 ,the lands are well   
adapted to grazing4 ,but in most        
localities of this country meetings for 
preaching and other religious services  
are rare1 and the ,gospel is seldom     
heard4 ,brother ,kline's heart ever     
leaned toward destitute regions like    
these4 ,he would say3 ,i occasionally   
find one whose sense of sin has so      
mellowed his heart that1 like a ripe    
apple1 he is ready to fall by a gentle  
touch of gospel truth4  ,,friday1 ,july 
#a4 ,yesterday ,i had meeting at ,josiah
 ,simmon's1 and to-day have meeting at  
the same place4 ,i speak from #a ,peter 

#a3ai4 ,,text4--,ye were redeemed with  
the precious blood of ,christ4  ,i tried
 to set before these dear people the    
only hope of salvation4 ,i told them    
about the ,son of ,god2 that he was born
 of a woman1 a pure virgin who conceived
 him not of man1 but of the ,holy       
,spirit of ,god2 that his birth was     
heralded and announced by an angel from 
heaven who named him ,jesus before he   
was born1 for1 said the angel1 ,he shall
 save his people from their sins4  ,when
 he came to be a man about thirty years 
of age he was publicly baptized by ,john
 the ,baptist in the river ,jordan1 and1
 lo1 the heavens were opened unto him1  
and he saw the ,spirit of ,god          
descending like a dove upon him3 and1   
lo1 a voice from heaven saying1 ,this is
 my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well    
pleased4 ,jesus lived a life of sinless 
purity1 going about doing good1 teaching
 the people the way of everlasting life2
 healing the sick2 raising the dead to  
life2 giving sight to the blind2 hearing

 to the deaf2 cleansing the lepers1 and 
casting devils and evil spirits out of  
people who were subject to the evil     
powers by which they were possessed4    
,all these things are related by the    
four evangelists4 ,jesus also taught the
 people many things by parables1 in     
which he set forth his great love for   
them2 what he was able and willing to do
 to save them from their sins1 and what 
it was necessary for them to do to be   
saved4  ,but the ,jews would not accept 
the truth he told them4 ,they were a    
very proud and self-righteous people1   
and were not willing to be instructed in
 things they vainly believed they       
understood better than ,jesus did4 ,he  
called on them to repent of their sins4 
,they denied their being sinners4 ,he   
told them he was the ,son of ,god1 and  
that he came down from heaven4 ,they    
would not believe this3 and just because
 he taught and did things contrary to   
the way their proud and selfish hearts  
thought right1 they arrested ,jesus the 

,lord of glory1 took him before their   
high priest1 gave him a mock trial1 and 
had him crucified4 ,some may not know   
just what this means4 ,it means that    
,jesus was nailed to two pieces of wood 
one across the other2 his hands were    
nailed to the crosspiece above1 and his 
feet to the high post that was fastened 
by its lower end in the ground4 ,thus he
 hung in agony till he was dead4 ,this  
was the crucifixion of ,jesus ,christ4  
,it was done through the envy1 malice   
and hatred of the ,jews4 ,it shows how  
very wicked they were4 ,some good men   
who had not consented to the death of   
,jesus took his body down from the cross
 and placed it in a sepulchre or vault  
cut out of solid rock4 ,this vault had  
been cut out of the rock some time      
before and belonged to a man of the name
 of ,joseph4 ,this ,joseph assisted in  
placing the body of ,jesus in his new   
vault or tomb1 and then they placed a   
large stone at the mouth of the tomb1   
and the body of ,jesus was buried4 ,as  

the pall of that night's darkness gently
 settled on the grave of the crucified  
,jesus1 the ,jews felt relieved that    
they had now1 as they thought1 put their
 enemy out of sight4 ,but on the morning
 of the third day after this some women 
came to the tomb to anoint the body of  
,jesus1 and1 behold6 it was not there2  
but a bright and shining angel of glory 
was there1 who said to those good women3
 ,he is not here2 he is risen from the  
dead4 ,they could hardly believe for    
joy4 ,soon1 however1 they1 with many    
others1 saw the risen ,lord for         
themselves1 with their own eyes1 and    
never doubted any more4  ,all that ,i   
have said so far is intended as an      
introduction to my text4 ,my text says3 
,we were redeemed with the precious     
blood of ,christ4 ,the ,lord told his   
disciples1 who were his loving friends1 
the reason why he suffered the ,jews to 
put him to death4 ,it was1 he told them1
 that all the things written in the law 
of ,moses and the prophets and the      

psalms concerning him might be          
fulfilled4 ,he also said to two of them 
as they journeyed to ,emmaus3 ,ought not
 ,christ to have suffered these things1 
and to enter into his glory8 ,the blood 
he shed on the cross was necessary to   
his glorification4 ,without it he could 
not have been glorified4 ,the blood of  
,christ is called the blood of the      
covenant4 ,now what is a covenant8 ,a   
covenant is a union of one mind and     
heart with another4 ,it is literally a  
going together1 as a man and woman join 
heart and hand in the covenant of       
marriage4 ,when ,god and man enter into 
a covenant they unite and become as one4
 ,in this union ,god loves man with     
unspeakable love1 and man loves the     
,lord his ,god with all his heart4 ,love
 is what unites4 ,love unites a husband 
and wife4 ,when this union is perfect1  
what the one loves the other likewise   
loves2 and when we are in covenant union
 with our glorified ,lord and ,savior   
,jesus ,christ1 what he loves we love1  

and what he hates we also hate4 ,as man 
enters into a covenant with the ,lord he
 enters a state of salvation from sin1  
death and hell4 ,but all covenants      
between ,god and men must be sealed or  
made with blood3 and whereas a covenant 
with the ,lord ,jesus ,christ redeems   
and saves man from death and hell1      
therefore the blood of ,christ redeems  
and saves man because it is the blood of
 the covenant between him and ,god4     
,but let us carry this thought a little 
further4 ,jesus said to the ,jews1      
,except ye eat the flesh and drink the  
blood of the ,son of man1 ye have no    
life in you4 ,by blood here the ,lord   
does not mean natural blood3 he means   
the blood of the covenant by which we   
are united with him2 the redeeming blood
 which ,peter speaks of in the text4    
,but we must drink it3 otherwise we have
 no life in us4 ,now how is it possible 
for any one to drink the blood of       
,christ8 ,i will tell you4 ,christ's    
blood is his life1 and he says3 ,my     

words are spirit1 and they are life4    
,his blood1 then1 is his ,word in its   
spirit and life4 ,now when we believe   
what he tells us with our heart1 and do 
what he commands us because we love him1
 we are truly drinking his blood4 ,when 
we forsake our sins by turning unto the 
,lord from a heart-felt faith in his    
,word and belief of the truth he tells  
us1 we are drinking his blood2 his      
blood1 which is his gospel truth1       
becomes our life4 ,and because he lives1
 we shall live also4 ,i am the way1 the 
truth1 and the life4 ,my word is truth4 
,all this and much more is signified by 
eating the flesh and drinking the blood 
of ,jesus4 ,whosoever looketh into the  
perfect law of liberty1 and continueth  
therein1 he being not a forgetful       
hearer1 but a doer of the work1 this man
 shall be blessed in his deed4 ,god's   
truth is called the law of liberty4     
,why8 ,because it tells men how they may
 become free4 ,it redeems them when they
 obey it4  ,peter calls this change from

 bondage to liberty a new birth4 ,notice
 here in the chapter ,i read3 ,born     
again1 not of corruptible seed1 but of  
incorruptible1 by the word of ,god1     
which liveth and abideth forever4 ,we   
are naturally born unto sin1 into the   
love of things that please our natural  
sight1 our natural appetites and        
inclinations4 ,through these we love    
ourselves and the world to a degree that
 holds us in bondage1 a kind of slavery4
 ,this is meant by ,paul in these words3
 ,to whomsoever ye yield yourselves     
servants to obey1 his servants ye are1  
whether of sin unto death1 or of        
obedience unto righteousness4 ,peter    
means about the same by these words3 ,of
 whom a man is overcome1 by the same is 
he brought into bondage4 ,and in the    
book of ,hebrews we read of such who1   
through fear of death1 were all their   
lifetime subject to bondage4 ,being born
 again spiritually1 into a new state of 
heart and life1 we are set free from our
 bondage to sin4 ,in this newborn state 

we love to do the will of ,god1 and love
 the company of good people1 and desire 
to be in the church with the people of  
,god4 ,the ,lord ,jesus says3 ,if the   
truth shall make you free1 ye shall be  
free indeed4 ,it is by and through the  
truth that men are redeemed4 ,verily1   
verily1 he that committeth sin is the   
servant of sin4 ,these are the ,lord's  
own words4  ,but the worst state any one
 can be in is a state of bondage in sin1
 with no desire1 no wish or feeling of  
any kind1 to get out of it4 ,this spirit
 of indifference stamps the seal of     
darkness deeper and deeper1 until the   
soul loses all desire for anything      
better4 ,i am just now reminded of what 
,i read not long since4 ,a family of the
 name of ,slocum1 living in the ,state  
of ,pennsylvania1 if ,i mistake not1    
many years ago1 was visited by ,indians 
for the purpose of plunder4 ,with other 
things they carried off one of the      
children of the family1 a girl several  
years old4 ,the family was sorely       

distressed1 and every possible effort   
was made to rescue the child4 ,but all  
in vain4 ,many years after1 when the    
poor little girl's father and mother    
were both dead1 her surviving brother   
and sister heard of her4 ,they felt     
satisfied they had been correctly       
informed1 and resolved to go to see her1
 and if possible try to get her back to 
live with them once more4 ,they went on 
horseback1 and found her a long way off 
in what was then an unsettled part of   
,ohio4 ,i may be mistaken even here1 as 
to the part of the country they found   
her in4 ,but they did find their sister 
living among the ,indians1 and in fact  
the wife of one of the chiefs4 ,she     
still remembered some ,english words4   
,they got her to understand who they    
were1 and they wished her to go back    
with them to their home4 ,but she would 
not go4 ,she gave them to understand    
that she was satisfied to remain with   
the ,indians1 destitute and comfortless 
as they were4 ,the last trace of home   

feeling had left her heart1 and with it 
had departed every vestige of religious 
concern and love for social life4 ,sad  
and sorrowing did her brother and sister
 return to their homes2 and to the time 
of their death they never ceased to     
mourn for their lost sister4 ,i have    
told you a true story2 and if it causes 
the eye of some tender-hearted mother to
 grow dim with a tear ,i say1 ,it is    
well4 ,god's children are exhorted to be
 tender-hearted1 compassionate one for  
another1 and to weep with the sorrowing4
  ,but there is something that should   
touch our sympathies and bring our tears
 from fountains far deeper than those   
opened by such stories as the one ,i    
just related4 ,and that is the condition
 which so many are in with respect to   
the things of salvation4 ,like the poor 
woman ,i told you about1 they are deaf  
to all that is told them about a better 
life1 and dead to all that ,god and man 
are willing to do for them4 ,it is      
sometimes said of the sick that as long 

as there is life there is hope4 ,so let 
it be with us in behalf of such4 ,if the
 lost sister could have been made       
sensible of the great benefit it might  
have been to her to go back and live in 
a civilized and religious way1 at last  
she might have consented to go4 ,so let 
us hope that many1 who are still in the 
bondage of sin and the darkness of this 
world1 may see the truth that will set  
them free and give them light to repent 
and live4  ,,saturday1 ,july #b4 ,cross 
the ,cheat mountain to ,john ,riley's in
 ,pocahontas ,county1 ,virginia4        
,,sunday1 ,july #c4 ,in the forenoon ,i 
attend a ,methodist quarterly meeting1  
at which they hold what they call a love
 feast2 that is1 they take bread and    
water2 and after preaching they take    
what they call the ,lord's ,supper4     
,they seem to be very sincere in what   
they do2 but to my mind they are not    
consistent in calling a morsel of bread 
and a sip of wine1 taken at the middle  
of the day1 the ,lord's ,supper4 ,i am  

sure we have no right to depart from    
,god's order in anything appertaining to
 his church and worship4  ,in the       
afternoon ,i preach a funeral and       
baptize ,john ,riley4 ,dine at ,jacob   
,yager's on top of the ,alleghany       
mountain1 and stay all night at ,adam   
,hevner's4 ,brother ,kline got home     
,thursday1 ,july #g4  ,,sunday1 ,july   
#aj4 ,baptize ,samuel ,bowman and wife4 
,brother and ,sister ,bowman give proof 
of being a good tree by the fruit they  
bear4  ,samuel ,bowman lived and died on
 ,linville ,creek1 not far from ,brother
 ,kline's place4 ,he raised a highly    
respectable family1 very intelligent1   
and some of his children became members 
of the church of the ,brethren4         
,,saturday1 ,july #cj4 ,meeting at      
,liberty1 in ,page ,county1 ,virginia4  
,i speak on ,,foreordination and        
,,election4 ,much has been said and     
written on these subjects4 ,it is to be 
feared1 however1 that instead of light  
being thrown upon them in the way they  

have been treated1 darkness1 rather1 has
 been added to darkness4 ,no subjects   
wrongly viewed can look darker2 and none
 rightly viewed can look clearer4 ,the  
word ,,foreordain means to ordain       
beforehand3 and the word ,,elect means  
to choose4 ,some that ,i have met with1 
in speaking on these subjects1          
particularly as they are given in the   
epistolary writings of the ,new         
,testament1 remind me of fish in a net2 
they flounder about in the net1 while   
every effort they make fastens them only
 the more tightly in its meshes4 ,they  
read3 ,whom ,god foreknew1 he also      
,,foreordained to be conformed to the   
image of his ,son1 444 and whom he      
foreordained1 them he also called3 and  
whom he called1 them he also justified3 
and whom he justified1 them he also     
glorified4 ,rom4 #h3bi1 #cj4 ,likewise  
the text before us3 ,,elect 444         
according to the foreknowledge of ,god  
the ,father1 through sanctification of  
the ,spirit4 #a ,peter #a3b4  ,these    

passages1 with others of a somewhat     
similar import1 do not teach the        
foreordination and election of          
individuals independent of character and
 fitness4 ,a lack of perception of this 
comprehensive truth accounts for the    
general misunderstanding of these and   
like passages in the apostolic writings4
 ,the doctrine of election1 as it is    
called1 opens out into a very large     
field for thought and investigation4 ,it
 takes in the whole way of salvation    
from beginning to end4  ,god is love1   
and the universe1 with all its display  
of wonders and apparent opposition of   
forces and their ends1 was created and  
is upheld by the eternal hand1 for no   
other purpose than to make his love be  
seen and felt by his intelligent        
creation4 ,any other view challenges the
 divine love and reflects discredit upon
 the divine wisdom4 ,all that we know of
 ,god is revealed in the truth he has   
given to save man from sin and its      
consequences4 ,his love1 wisdom and     

power are all revealed in his great     
scheme to build up a heaven of eternal  
glory and bliss for all who desire or   
are willing to share in its blessedness4
 ,but ,god does not work out of order4  
,he works in accord with the love and   
wisdom which are his essence1 and both  
infinite and eternal with him4 ,before  
the heavens were made1 or ever the      
foundations of the earth were laid1 it  
was the divine purpose to create        
intelligent beings to be eternally      
happy4 ,when ,god created the heavens   
and the earth he made man in his own    
image and likeness4 ,man was happy4 ,but
 he fell4 ,and ,god foresaw that man    
would fall2 and to remedy the loss and  
restore man to the divine image again1  
,christ was1 as a ,lamb1 slain before   
the foundation of the world4 ,in the    
,divine estimation ,christ was slain    
before the foundation of the world2 but 
to us1 visibly1 not until four thousand 
years afterward4 ,in the divine         
foreknowledge the church was established

 before the world was made1 and ,god    
foreordained who should compose it1     
basing this foreordination1 not on one  
in preference to another on any personal
 ground1 but on the ground of fitness as
 to quality4 ,foreordination and        
election have nothing to do with man    
other than as pertains to quality and   
fitness4 ,the penitent1 believing1      
loving and obeying1 humble1 self-denying
 soul is foreordained to be one of      
,god's ,,elect1 now1 henceforth and     
forever4  ,i now repeat the text3 ,elect
 444 according to the foreknowledge of  
,god the ,father1 through sanctification
 of the ,spirit4 ,what ,i have said     
harmonizes with this1 because the       
qualified fitness of the elect is       
through sanctification of the ,spirit4  
,our ,lord prays for all in these words3
 ,father1 sanctify them through thy     
truth3 thy word is truth4 ,it is through
 the truth that men are sanctified1 and 
the sanctified the world over and       
through all time are ,god's elect1      

according to his foreknowledge or       
foreordination1 because no others can   
be4 ,the all-in-all of this great       
subject resolves itself into the simple 
fact that men do not come into covenant 
union with ,god unto salvation because  
,god elected and foreordained it to be  
so in their special behalf as           
individuals1 unconditionally chosen     
beforehand1 whilst others no worse than 
they are left to go to destruction2 but 
they are elected according to ,god's    
foreordination because they have come   
into covenant union with him unto       
salvation2 and have1 therefore1 the     
fitness to be worthy of being so chosen 
or elected4 ,their election and         
foreordination are not the cause but the
 result of the fitness4 ,it is          
foreordained that of such is the kingdom
 of heaven1 because it cannot consist of
 any other kind4  ,but let us turn to   
,ezekiel's prophecy1 #cc3aa1 ,as ,i     
live1 saith the ,lord ,god1 ,i have no  
pleasure in the death of the wicked2 but

 that the wicked turn from his way and  
live3 turn ye1 turn ye1 444 for why will
 ye die2 ,o house of ,israel8 ,if the   
house of ,israel was of the elect on an 
unconditional basis of salvation1 they  
surely would return at some time1 and   
why such concern8 ,if not1 all the      
calling after them that could be done   
would not fetch them back1 because they 
were not of the elect4 ,this is exactly 
where the doctrine of unconditional     
election leads4  ,again1 #b ,peter #c3i1
 ,god is not willing that any should    
perish1 but that all should come to     
repentance4 ,if ,god is not willing that
 any should perish1 why did he not make 
provision and save all8 ,if it is       
possible for him to save some just      
because he chooses to do so without any 
conditions1 why not save all8 ,i know   
what the advocates of this doctrine     
which ,i am combatting teach3 they say  
,god makes his elect willing to repent  
and turn to him in the day of his power4
 ,i ask1 ,if he is not willing that any 

should perish1 why does he not save all8
 ,if he wills that all should come to   
repentance1 why does he not give        
repentance to all and remission of sins8
 ,i mention these things merely to show 
the contradictions and confusion        
involved in the doctrine of             
unconditional elections4  ,i will here  
relate what ,i read somewhere not long  
ago4 ,a very pious ,african slave was   
employed in waiting on the guests at a  
public house of entertainment4 ,one of  
the guests1 who was a man of some       
prominence in the world1 having been    
informed of the unaffected ,christian   
piety of this poor slave1 thought to    
sport with him4 ,addressing him by name1
 he said3 ,i want you to tell me whether
 ,i am one of the ,lord's elect or not4 
,indeed1 sir1 said the poor slave1 ,i   
have never heard of your being a        
candidate4 ,if you want a place in the  
good ,lord's service you must go to him 
and tell him that you are a candidate1  
that you will accept the lowest place   

that he is willing to give you1 and that
 you will do whatever he requires at    
your hands4 ,if1 continued he1 you come 
out publicly in this way1 ,i can then   
tell you what ,i think as to whether you
 are one of the ,lord's elect or not4   
,,friday1 ,august #e4 ,harvest meeting  
at our meetinghouse4 ,much good singing1
 with thanksgiving and speaking suited  
to the occasion4  ,,sunday1 ,august #bh4
 ,meeting at ,edom1 a village about six 
miles northward from ,harrisonburg1     
,virginia4 ,i spoke from #a ,peter      
#c3ah1 #bb4 ,the first part of this text
 should be handled with great caution4  
,precisely what is meant is not very    
clear4 ,i am told that a critical       
examination of the ,greek text does     
favor the doctrine that ,christ went    
from the cross to carry the news of his 
victorious death to the spirits of those
 who perished in the flood4 ,if it      
pleased the good ,lord to carry the news
 of salvation to this throng of         
prisoners and release them from their   

prison1 who can say aught against it8   
,my heart would rejoice to think that   
every being in the universe could and   
would1 sometime1 in the course of the   
ages1 be made sinless and happy4 ,but we
 should never concern ourselves about   
what ,god has not revealed4 ,it is our  
right and privilege to rejoice evermore 
in the free and full salvation clearly  
set forth and freely offered in his     
,word4 ,to the unconverted and careless 
sinner1 ,i here say to-day1 as ,i love  
your immortal soul1 ,do not rest your   
hope of salvation upon anything short of
 a saving faith in our ,lord ,jesus     
,christ4 ,if our ,father in heaven has  
provided another way1 as some would say1
 by fire1 ,i know not that way4         
,history says that    ,kings are men to 
glory known   ,who wade through fire to 
a throne2  but a seared and blistered   
body is a great price to pay for an     
earthly crown4 ,so ,i think that by     
fire1 even if such a thing were         
possible1 would be a very undesirable   

way of getting into heaven1 especially  
if the fire means hell fire4 ,martyrs1  
it is true1 have gone to glory through  
fire2 but not the fire that burns and   
sears the soul4 ,it was only that       
elementary fire kindled by wicked hands 
around the stake4 ,it could kill the    
body1 but after that there was no more  
that it could do2 and the purified and  
ransomed soul of the sainted being who  
thus had suffered could look down from  
heights of glory upon the ashes of his  
martyrdom and sing3 ,o death1 where is  
thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy       
victory8  ,but to return to the text4   
,we here note this remarkable language1 
that baptism doth also now save us4 ,i  
suppose ,peter uses the word baptism    
here in its authorized acceptation1     
which is the immersion of the body of a 
believer in water in the name of the    
,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the    
,holy ,ghost1 by a properly authorized  
administrator of the ordinance4 ,but in 
what sense can baptism be said to save  

us8 ,my first answer is1 ,it saves us   
just as the sevenfold washing in ,jordan
 on the part of ,naaman saved that      
leprous nobleman from being consumed by 
the leprosy4  ,i will extend my remarks 
somewhat concerning ,naaman the ,syrian4
 ,he came to the ,prophet ,elisha to get
 cured of his leprosy4 ,he was well     
supplied with valuable presents for the 
man of ,god1 to be given to him in the  
event of his being healed by him4 ,the  
prophet of ,god told him to go and wash 
or bathe seven times in the ,jordan4    
,this appeared too insignificant for    
such a great man as he was to submit to4
 ,besides he regarded the waters of     
,damascus as superior in virtue to the  
waters of the ,jordan1 and he started   
off in a rage from disappointment4 ,but 
as he was leaving his servants said to  
him3 ,if the prophet had bid thee do    
some great thing wouldest thou not have 
done it8 how much rather then1 when he  
saith to thee1 ,wash1 and be clean8     
,then went he down and dipped himself   

seven times in ,jordan1 according to the
 saying of the man of ,god3 and his     
flesh came again like unto the flesh of 
a little child1 and he was clean4 ,now1 
in my view1 baptism saves us as this    
sevenfold dipping in ,jordan saved      
,naaman4 ,not the water1 but the spirit 
of obedience1 is what saves4 ,it saves  
us as going through the door into the   
ark saved ,noah and his family4 ,it     
saves us as passing through the ,red    
,sea saved ,israel from the host of     
,egyptians that were in pursuit4 ,this  
passage of ,israel through the sea is   
called a baptism4  ,and what shall ,i   
say more8 ,for it looks as if this ought
 to be enough4 ,but ,i would like to    
send my voice around the globe laden    
with the truth that faith without works 
is dead1 and that baptism is the very   
first outward work of obedience the     
believer is required to do4 ,this1 with 
the other ordinances of ,god's house1 in
 connection with a good life ornamented 
with the fruits of love and good will   

toward men1 gives life to faith and     
proves that it is a living reality in   
the soul4  ,saul of ,tarsus was a       
believing convict2    ,borne down       
beneath a load of sin2     ,by ,satan   
sorely pressed--  for three days and    
nights1 in which he did neither eat nor 
drink4 ,ananias came to him with        
instructions direct from the ,lord1     
saying3 ,arise1 and be baptized1 and    
wash away thy sins1 calling on the name 
of the ,lord4 ,can we suppose that ,saul
 would have become the happy convert    
that he was1 had he refused to obey8    
,some think that baptism is nothing1 or 
so nearly nothing that it is hardly     
worth taking into the account of        
,christian life4 ,may it not as         
truthfully be said that faith is        
nothing1 and that repentance is nothing1
 and that obedience is nothing8 ,where  
is the difference8  ,in all love1 with  
my heart moved in good will toward every
 one in this house1 ,i do here say that 
for the life of me ,i cannot see how any

 one can hope for salvation while living
 in open disobedience to the only       
,savior1 ,jesus ,christ4 ,can any plead 
ignorance8 ,from this hour forth you    
shall not bring that in as a plea for   
neglect of duty1 for ,i now repeat in   
your ears the words that fell from the  
lips of ,jesus himself3 ,he that        
believeth and is baptized shall be      
saved4 ,have ,i a right to say that you 
will be saved without baptism8 ,i claim 
no such right4 ,you may say the penitent
 thief on the cross was saved without   
baptism4 ,so he was2 all things are     
possible with ,god2 and notwithstanding 
all that ,god has said in his ,word     
about baptism and its blessed           
followings1 ,i boldly say to you that if
 you die knowing as little about it as  
the thief on the cross did1 with no     
better chance to have it administered   
upon you and to you than he had1 ,god   
will never require it at your hands4    
,but from this day on1 if not before    
this day1 you are lifted out of the     

darkness that encompassed his mind1 and 
can nevermore plead ignorance4 ,besides1
 your hands and feet are not nailed to a
 cross as his were4 ,you are not reduced
 to the extremity of calling for mercy  
with the last gasp of expiring life4    
,how shall we escape if we neglect so   
great salvation8  ,again3 ,hear what was
 said to the convicted multitude on the 
day of ,pentecost3 ,repent1 and be      
baptized every one of you in the name of
 ,jesus ,christ for the remission of    
sins1 and ye shall receive the gift of  
the ,holy ,ghost4 ,have ,i a right1 has 
any one a right1 to say that these      
promises would have been fulfilled      
without baptism8 ,but they were         
fulfilled1 for the same day there were  
added to the brethren then present1     
about three thousand souls4 ,would such 
addition have been made without a       
compliance with the terms of admission8 
,but those who speak and think lightly  
of baptism1 whilst they may not see it  
so1 do virtually dishonor the blessed   

,jesus by their implied belief that he  
demands something of his people which is
 of little or no account4 ,they insult  
him by substantially saying they        
understand his business better than he  
does himself4 ,are any ashamed to be    
baptized8 ,if there be one such here    
to-day1 ,i warningly repeat in his or   
her ear this saying of ,jesus3          
,whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my
 words1 of him shall the ,son of man be 
ashamed1 when he cometh in his own      
glory1 and the glory of the ,father1 and
 of the holy angels4  ,i have a clear   
conscience that ,i am attaching to this 
subject no more importance than it      
justly claims in the scale of salvation4
 ,when ,i lay me down to die1 above all 
things ,i desire to feel assured that ,i
 have not shunned to declare the whole  
counsel of ,god4 ,i submit these remarks
 to your consideration1 with a prayer   
for the divine blessing upon us all to  
his glory4 ,amen6  ,,tuesday1 ,september
 #ac4 ,perform the marriage ceremony of 

,michael ,brake1 of ,hardy ,county1     
,virginia1 and ,julia ,ann ,hevner1 of  
,rockingham ,county1 at the home of her 
father1 ,william ,hevner4  ,,thursday1  
,september #bb4 ,attend a love feast at 
,abraham ,huffman's in ,page ,county1   
and stay all night at ,nathan           
,spitler's4 ,these two brethren give    
promise of great usefulness in the      
church4  ,,sunday1 ,october #i4 ,brother
 ,kline started to ,maryland and        
,pennsylvania4 ,i here name the families
 he visited on this journey1 in the     
order the visits were made3 ,brother    
,waltman's1 ,jacob ,saylor's1 ,widow    
,baer's1 ,jacob ,rees's1 ,jesse         
,royer's1 ,widow ,rees's1 ,moomaw's1    
,david ,garber's1 ,widow ,bofamyer's1   
,joseph ,pontz's1 ,minich's1 ,harnley's1
 ,hartzler's1 on ,tulpahocken1 ,daniel  
,zug's1 ,john ,gipple's1 ,abraham       
,gipe's1 ,isaac ,brubaker's4 ,at this   
place he stayed the night of ,monday1   
,october #bd4 ,he reports that a snow   
began to fall about three o'clock       

,monday morning1 which continued till   
evening1 when it was over a foot in     
depth4 ,a remarkable occurrence for the 
time of year1 ,october #bd4 ,it will be 
remembered by many for a time to come4  
,he then visited ,abraham ,balsbach's1  
,moses ,miller's1 ,allen ,mohler's1     
,william ,etter's1 ,sollenberger's1     
,engel's1 ,christian ,keffer's4  ,i now 
name the places where he attended       
meetings3 ,jacob ,saylor's meetinghouse1
 ,october #ac2 ,pipe ,creek             
meetinghouse1 ,october #ad2 ,jacob      
,rees's meetinghouse1 ,october #ae2     
,meadow ,branch meetinghouse1 ,october  
#af2 ,brother ,moomaw's1 ,october #ag2  
,mount ,joy1 ,october #ah2 ,widow       
,bofamyer's1 ,october #ai2 ,joseph      
,pontz's morning1 ,brother ,minich's    
evening1 ,october #bj2 ,brother         
,harnley's morning1 ,shafferstown       
evening1 ,october #ba2 ,brother         
,hartzler's on ,tulpehocken1 ,october   
#bb2 ,milborough morning1 ,john         
,gipple's night1 ,october #bc2 ,isaac   

,brubaker's1 ,october #bd2 ,spring      
,creek morning1 ,abraham ,balsbach's    
afternoon1 ,october #be2 ,mechanicsburg1
 ,october #bf2 ,allen ,mohler's1        
,october #bg2 ,william ,etter's1        
,october #bh2 ,sellenberger's1 ,october 
#bi2 ,welsh ,run meetinghouse forenoon1 
,ridge meetinghouse night1 ,october #cj4
  ,,monday1 ,october #ca4 ,start for    
home4 ,brother ,kline arrived home safe 
,november #d4 ,this report speaks for   
itself in behalf of his energy and      
activity in the work of the ministry4   
,such instances of untiring effort6     
,twenty-three meetings attended2 and as 
many discourses delivered1 in seventeen 
consecutive days6 ,besides1 he had      
considerable traveling to do in reaching
 these appointments2 and never stayed   
more than one night at the same place6  
,we involuntarily ask1 ,when did he     
sleep8 or1 ,did he never get tired8     
,,tuesday1 ,november #ae4 ,brother      
,samuel ,bowman died this morning4 ,i   
rejoice to think he was a sincere       

follower of the ,lord1 and that he has  
left a life record which he will not    
likely be ashamed to own in a coming    
day4  ,,saturday1 ,november #ai4 ,night 
meeting at ,prince's schoolhouse1 near  
,brother ,abraham ,huffman's1 in ,page  
,county4 ,acts #h3ab4 ,,text4--,but when
 they believed ,philip preaching the    
things concerning the kingdom of ,god   
and the name of the ,lord ,jesus        
,christ1 they were baptized1 both men   
and women4  ,the dispersion which       
followed the fiery persecution of the   
saints at ,jerusalem was productive of  
good4 ,the scattered apostles1 and the  
overseers of the deacons as well1 of    
whom ,philip named in the text was one1 
preached wherever they went1 and many   
believed4 ,the very steps taken by the  
enemies of the cross to put an end to   
its power turned out unto the           
furtherance of the gospel4 ,in this we  
can see the overruling hand of          
,providence4  ,there is one point in    
this line of thought which ,i desire to 

make specially prominent4 ,this point is
 the readiness with which believers in  
that day submitted to the ordinance of  
baptism1 and the consequences which were
 almost sure to follow4 ,the duty of    
being immersed seems to have pressed    
itself upon their hearts1 and nothing   
short of obedience to this command could
 give their consciences rest4 ,but how  
is it now6 ,error has done so much to   
rob this impressive ordinance of its    
beauty and significance that many seem  
indifferent to its claims1 or ignore it 
entirely4  ,thousands professing faith  
in ,christ at the present day go away   
from the revival singing3    ,nothing1  
either great or small2     ,nothing have
 ,i now to do3   ,jesus died and paid it
 all1     ,long time ago4  ,this would  
surely be getting salvation at a cheap  
rate4 ,there is in this no trial of     
faith1 more precious than gold1 no      
cleansing of the flesh and spirit1      
perfecting holiness in the fear of the  
,lord4 ,this means receiving the crown  

without bearing the cross4 ,but the     
early ,christians were never soothed    
with such sedatives4 ,on the contrary1  
they were admonished to count the cost4 
,some of the items in this cost were    
self-denial1 no certain dwelling place1 
the loss of all things1 persecutions1   
fiery trials1 bonds1 imprisonments1     
death4 ,they were not taught to regard  
the church as a cradle in which their   
spiritual infancy was to be rocked1 but 
as being a camp for soldiers1 with stout
 hearts and strong sinews1 ready to do  
battle for the ,lord4 ,they were        
therefore exhorted to put on the whole  
armor of ,god3 and their baptismal vow  
was the act of putting this armor on    
publicly1 and their enrollment in the   
,lord's host1 prepared for the great    
conflict4 ,they were expected from that 
hour forth to fight the good fight of   
faith1 and the battle hymn that flowed  
out of the heart of every baptized      
believer of that day was1 in spirit if  
not in form1 the same that some of us   

are still ready to sing3    ,sure ,i    
must fight1 if ,i would reign2          
,increase my courage1 ,lord3   ,i'll    
bear the cross1 endure the pain1        
,supported by thy ,word4  ,i would      
rejoice if ,i could here1 this night1 be
 the means of melting the ice that binds
 the hearts of some halfway believers1  
and if the angel would trouble the      
sluggish pool in others4 ,may ,god help 
you1 friends1 to feel a sense of your   
duty1 and1 like these honest ,samaritans
 named in the text1 believe the things  
spoken concerning the ,kingdom of ,god  
and the name of ,jesus ,christ1 and be  
baptized1 both men and women4  ,brother 
,kline was actively engaged in preaching
 and visiting the sick professionally as
 a physician to the close of the year4  
,he traveled in the year #ahec1 #d1daa  
miles4  ,i find it impossible to trace  
all the visits to distant churches and  
families made by ,brother ,kline1 and   
keep this book within the limits of a   
suitable size4 ,i therefore omit much   

which might be of interest4  ,,friday1  
,march #c4 ,council at the old          
meetinghouse above ,harrisonburg4       
,,saturday1 ,march #d4 ,council closes4 
,night meeting in ,dayton1 ,virginia4 ,i
 speak from ,psalm #add3aa1 #ab3 ,rid   
me1 and deliver me from the hand of     
strange children1 whose mouth speaketh  
vanity1 and their right hand is a right 
hand of falsehood3 that our sons may be 
as plants grown up in their youth2 that 
our daughters may be as corner stones1  
polished after the similitude of a      
palace4  ,this is a wonderful prayer    
from the heart of one who was both      
priest and king of his people4 ,as a    
priest1 ,david had the care of the      
spiritual welfare of his people2 and as 
a king1 the civil prosperity of ,judah  
and ,israel4 ,the prayer of my text is  
offered in behalf of both these         
interests1 the spiritual and the        
temporal4 ,probably no man ever felt    
more deeply the truth expressed in his  
own words1 elsewhere recorded1 ,happy is

 the people whose ,god is ,jehovah1 than
 ,david did4 ,the lofty consciousness1  
which is the orderly outgrowth of       
correct knowledge of ,god's love1 wisdom
 and power1 and man's utter lack of all 
these attributes1 accounts for the      
dependence and trust he reposed in ,god4
 ,this called forth the prayer of my    
text4 ,it contains three petitions4 ,the
 first is for deliverance from strange  
children2 the second1 that the sons may 
be as plants olive trees grown up in    
their youth2 the third1 that the        
daughters may be as corner stones1      
polished after the similitude of a      
palace4  ,david comes into the presence 
of the ,lord-as the representative of   
his kingdom4 ,his watchful eye has seen 
the tracks and his listening ear has    
heard the steps of strange feet4 ,they  
are the feet of the surrounding         
idolatrous nations4 ,he calls them      
strange children1 for such they are2    
because in language1 manners and dress  
they give proof that they are not of    

,judah and ,jerusalem1 but of ,sodom and
 ,egypt4 ,more than this1 these strange 
children are enemies4 ,they would break 
up the self-denying worship of the true 
,god and rob the sanctuary of all its   
sacred garniture4 ,they would corrupt   
the morals1 debase the manners1 and     
deprave the tastes of the young4 ,their 
mouth speaketh vanity4 ,they boast of   
their liberty4 ,their sinful indulgences
 are not restrained by law4 ,they are   
free to do whatever the lust of the     
flesh and the eye may incline them to   
do4 ,their right hand is the right hand 
of falsehood4 ,this figure is very      
strong4 ,the right hand in this place is
 figuratively put for knowledge1 wisdom1
 power1 and whatever else they may      
vainly boast of having4 ,but they are   
destitute of all these4 ,they have no   
knowledge of that which is good1 because
 they desire it not4 ,they have no      
wisdom1 because they have never lifted  
their minds and hearts to the high plane
 of desire to do justice and judgment4  

,they have no power save that which is  
of the natural man2 and that power1     
unless properly restrained1 is always to
 be feared4 ,no wonder that he says of  
these idolatrous1 licentious people that
 their right hand is the right hand of  
falsehood4  ,but how is the ,lord to rid
 him of and deliver him from the hand of
 these strange children8 ,by causing    
fire to fall from heaven and consume    
them8 ,by causing a flood of water to   
drown them8 ,or by making the earth to  
open her jaws and devour them8 ,no1 no2 
in none of these ways2 for in such      
destruction of enemies there is no trial
 of the faith of his people4 ,brethren1 
do you know that it is1 has been and to 
the end of time will be the pleasure of 
our heavenly ,father to try the faith of
 his children8 ,this cannot be done     
independent of means4 ,do you know that 
a tree standing in a stormy place takes 
deeper root than one that grows up in a 
calm1 sheltered spot8 ,do you know that 
a child shielded from every trial1 and  

kept out of the reach of all temptation1
 will grow up with a very weak moral    
development8 ,the back that is never    
made to bear a load will forever stay   
weak4 ,the hand and arm unused to toil  
will lack strength and skill4 ,god does 
not want a kingdom made up of imbeciles4
 ,he wants a people strong in faith1 who
 can make a good fight1 the good fight  
of faith2 lay hold of eternal life2 and 
if needs be take the kingdom of heaven  
by violence1 the violence that resists  
the devil and makes him leave tracks    
which point away from where his people  
stand4 ,the track always tells which way
 the fox has gone4  ,this strength of   
faith1 ,brethren1 is included in        
,david's prayer for his people1 and he  
puts it in this shape3 ,that our sons   
may be as plants olive trees2 see ,psalm
 #abh3d grown up in their youth4 ,we all
 know that plants1 including trees1 make
 their best growth and yield their best 
results in the open air1 where they are 
exposed to the sun1 wind1 rain1 storm   

and drouth4 ,and it is there they can   
receive the tillage they need4  ,you see
 how readily this beautiful figure      
applies to the rearing and education of 
children4 ,that our sons may be grown up
 in their youth4 ,their manhood as to   
faith1 virtue1 obedience1 wisdom1       
intelligence and piety is largely       
developed while they are yet young4 ,how
 many mistakes are made by parents right
 here6 ,they say of their sons3 ,ah1    
they are young4 ,after awhile they will 
be through with sowing their wild oats1 
and then ,i expect better things of     
them4 ,the better things may come1 but  
,david prayed otherwise4 ,he wanted the 
better things to grow up with their     
growth1 and strengthen with their       
strength1 so as to be perfect men even  
while yet in their youth1 as lambs may  
be perfect in form and quality before   
they are fully developed into sheep4    
,but more4 ,he prays that our daughters 
may be as corner stones1 polished after 
the similitude of a palace4 ,many of us1

 no doubt1 have seen palaces built of   
polished stones4 ,david almost breaks me
 down under the weight of his strong and
 significant figures4 ,he wants the sons
 of ,judah and ,jerusalem to be         
fruit-bearing trees with strong roots   
struck deep into the ground4 ,but the   
sphere in which the daughters are to    
move1 the part they are to act1 the     
place they are to hold in the social and
 religious life of the church and the   
world1 is different from that of the    
sons1 and so he uses a very different   
figure4 ,they are to be corner stones1  
polished and set into a palace4 ,corner 
stones1 from the ground to the roof1 are
 those upon which the strength and      
beauty of a building greatly depend4 ,a 
defect here mars the appearance and     
detracts largely from the permanence and
 value of the structure4 ,david wants to
 see the daughters strong and solid as  
corner stones1 in faith1 virtue1 wisdom 
and all else that helps to make a woman 
strong3 and at the same time polished   

with all the refinements of taste1      
modesty1 beauty1 gentleness1            
tender-heartedness and love4  ,since    
,god has specially endowed woman with   
large capacities for developing these   
powers and graces1 let her look to it   
that they be not suffered to lie buried 
in a napkin1 or perverted to the        
idolatrous worship of the goddess of    
fashion4 ,the plastic and pliable       
temperament of woman tends towards      
making her an easy prey for the tempter1
 when he approaches her with smiles1    
bearing in his hands jewels of gold1    
braided hair1 and costly apparel4 ,she  
is lured the same by the giddy revel and
 the fashionable dance--trusting1       
thoughtless1 happy child2 ready for     
almost any pleasure that makes the cheek
 to glow and the eye to sparkle with    
delight6  ,mothers1 be patient1 watchful
 and wise in training your daughters4   
,withhold from them no good thing1 but  
teach them to shun the ways that are the
 ways of hell4 ,fathers1 be mild1 but   

firm in training your sons into habits  
of sobriety1 temperance and             
abstemiousness from all bad habits4     
,pray with them and for them1 and if    
possible teach them to feel that there  
is something better than the life and   
purer than the love of this world4 ,may 
,god bless the young people of our land 
and make them the pillars of his truth1 
is my prayer4  ,,thursday1 ,april #ac4  
,council meeting at the ,mill ,creek    
meetinghouse4 ,brother ,isaac ,long is  
elected speaker1 and ,christian ,hartman
 deacon4 ,brother ,isaac ,long gives    
promise of great power in the ,word4 ,he
 has a very good voice for both speaking
 and singing4 ,i do not wish to attach  
undue weight to this most wonderful gift
 of ,god1 but when the head is stored   
with knowledge and the heart with the   
love of truth1 the human voice is one of
 the great means by which ,god makes    
known the saving virtue of his ,word4   
,,friday1 ,april #ad4 ,council meeting  
at the old meetinghouse4 ,brother ,john 

,thomas is elected to the deaconship4   
,,sunday1 ,april #cj4 ,meeting at our   
meetinghouse4 ,samuel ,wampler and wife 
baptized4  ,,thursday1 ,may #aa4        
,perform the marriage ceremony of       
,george ,wine1 son of ,samuel ,wine1 and
 ,lydia ,good1 daughter of ,jacob ,good4
  ,,monday1 ,may #bb4 ,this day ,brother
 ,kline starts to the ,annual ,meeting4 
,he gets to ,cumberland on the          
twenty-third1 where he meets ,brother   
,e4,k4 ,beachley1 who takes him to his  
home4 ,the same evening he attends a    
love feast at a meetinghouse near by4   
,,friday1 ,may #bf4 ,he attends a union 
meeting at the ,middle ,creek           
meetinghouse1 in ,somerset ,county1     
,pennsylvania4  ,,saturday1 ,may #bg4   
,he has meeting near ,brother ,david    
,lichty's4 ,i will clothe the skeleton  
of this discourse as best ,i can4 ,acts 
#aj3cd1 #ce4 ,,text4--,then ,peter      
opened his mouth1 and said1 ,of a truth 
,i perceive that ,god is no respecter of
 persons2 but in every nation he that   

feareth him1 and worketh righteousness1 
is accepted of him4  ,it required a     
miracle to convince ,peter that any     
besides ,jews were to be favored with   
the ,gospel4 ,but a man of his stamp of 
character1 hard to be convinced1        
resolute even to drawing the sword in   
defense of his friend or faith1 is not  
likely to be imposed upon by false      
appearances1 nor deceived by unreliable 
promises4 ,just such a man ,jesus       
needed1 and just such a man ,jesus chose
 to be foreman in his little band of    
disciples4 ,but when all doubt was      
removed from ,peter's mind1 his faith   
became to be a part of himself4 ,its    
roots branched out into every part of   
his nature1 and permeated his entire    
self4 ,well could ,jesus say of the     
,,truth which ,peter so nobly confessed1
 and to which he so nobly adhered in the
 later years of his life by a faith that
 bore the test of fire3 ,upon this rock 
will ,i build my church1 and the gates  
of hell shall not prevail against it4   

,such faith ever has been and ever will 
be the foundation on which his church   
stands4  ,but now ,peter clearly sees   
that the ,gentiles are fellow heirs with
 the ,jews1 and equally entitled to the 
right of becoming members of the        
household of faith4 ,god is no respecter
 of persons3 but in every nation he that
 feareth him1 and worketh righteousness1
 is accepted of him4 ,neither social1   
moral nor political caste1 nor age1 sex1
 color nor condition impose any barrier 
to ,god's acceptance4 ,peter was taught 
this by his vision2 and this is the     
meaning of the text4 ,but whilst ,god is
 thus impartial1 we must not forget that
 his acceptance of any and every one    
depends upon their acceptance of him4   
,he that feareth ,god4 ,i will say      
something on this4 ,a misunderstanding  
of this may do serious harm4 ,let me    
first say that our heavenly ,father1    
,god1 is not a despot or tyrant4 ,there 
is no element in his nature or essence  
that in the slightest degree savors of  

despotism or tyranny4 ,jesus says3 ,he  
that seeth me seeth the ,father3 the    
,son who is in the bosom of the ,father1
 he hath declared him4 ,and from        
henceforth ye have both seen the ,father
 and know him4 ,jesus was also called   
,emmanuel1 which1 being interpreted1 is1
 ,god with us4 ,do we1 then1 desire a   
correct knowledge of ,god the ,father8  
,let us acquaint ourselves with his ,son
 ,jesus ,christ1 and we will have it1   
for he came to do the will of the       
,father4 ,this was his explicit work2   
and he accomplished it1 for he says in  
his last great prayer3 ,and now1 ,o     
,father1 ,i come to thee1 having        
finished the work thou gavest me to do4 
,now ,i ask1 ,did ,jesus ever show      
anything else than good will toward men8
 ,is there not manifest love in every   
act of his recorded life8 ,did he not go
 about doing good8 ,did he not say3 ,no 
man hath greater love than this1 that he
 lay down his life for his friends4 ,ye 
are my friends1 if ye do whatsoever ,i  

command you8 ,god's love is seen in the 
life work and words of ,jesus4  ,now1   
then1 in what sense is ,jesus ,christ to
 be feared8 ,in the very sense in which 
his disciples feared him4 ,but this was 
not in the sense of being timid or      
fearful of his presence4 ,on the        
contrary1 they desired to be with him   
and near him1 for they felt secure in   
his presence4 ,they could take hold of  
his hands and see the nail prints1 and  
the spear mark in his side4 ,john leaned
 on his breast at table1 and the women  
took hold of his feet4 ,his word of     
comfort was3 ,fear not1 and he often    
repeated this in their ears4 ,be not    
afraid2 it is ,i4 ,in all this we see   
the heart of our heavenly ,father1 for  
the ,son is the express image of him4   
,in what sense1 then1 are we to fear    
,god8 ,only in the sense of fear to go  
counter to his will4 ,perfect love      
casteth out fear4 ,the redeemed saints  
and angels who stand before his heavenly
 throne in perfect love know no fear of 

,god1 for fear hath torment4 ,but we1   
who still grovel on earth battling with 
the world1 the flesh and the devil1 have
 cause to fear offending his righteous  
and holy will4 ,but this only when we   
are tempted to leave some duty undone or
 to commit some actual sin4 ,as long as 
we walk in the good way of love1 faith  
and obedience we have nothing to fear4  
,to all such ,jesus ever says3 ,fear    
not1 little flock2 for it is your       
,father's good pleasure delight1 joy to 
give you the kingdom4  ,and worketh     
righteousness4 ,it is in order now to   
speak on this point in the text4 ,we    
know that ,god is just1 and there is no 
unrighteousness in him4 ,the prophet    
,daniel in his confession said3 ,o      
,lord1 righteousness belongeth unto     
thee4 ,to work righteousness1 then1 is  
to do the righteous will of the ,father4
 ,all works of righteousness have their 
origin in supreme love to ,god and      
subordinate love to man4 ,thou shalt    
love thy neighbor as thyself covers the 

ground4 ,it is very much the same as    
that other saying of ,jesus3 ,all things
 whatsoever ye would that men should do 
unto you1 do ye even so unto them1 for  
this is the law and the prophets4 ,this 
command comprehends all the possible    
relations of men with each other4 ,it   
takes in the social1 moral1 civil1      
commercial1 national and religious      
relations of the human family in all    
time2 and when a man's conduct in these 
varied relations is governed by the     
,lord's golden rule1 he is working      
righteousness in the eye of ,god and is 
accepted of him4 ,he that worketh       
righteousness takes in every human being
 that lives a good life4 ,but no one can
 live a good life without help from the 
,lord4 ,jesus says3 ,without me ye can  
do nothing4 ,cornelius had help from    
,god4 ,he feared ,god4 ,he worshiped    
,god4 ,he was a devout man himself1 and 
all his house had the same reverence for
 ,god4 ,he had also heard of ,christ1   
especially of the witness borne by the  

,holy ,spirit1 at his baptism1 and that 
of the ,father acknowledging his divine 
sonship4  ,but ,cornelius needed        
instruction in matters pertaining to the
 ordinances of ,god's house4 ,his       
knowledge and faith were sufficient for 
the purposes of living a good1 righteous
 life4 ,he was a man of prayer4 ,he also
 possessed that element of goodness     
which ,paul says is greater even than   
faith1 and that element is charity4     
,notice1 the angel said to him3 ,thy    
prayers and thine alms are gone up as a 
memorial before ,god4 ,the angel        
included nothing else4 ,in our          
acknowledgments of regard and favor in  
the behalf of any one we refer to one's 
character and standing in the eyes of   
men4 ,but the angel made no such        
reference4 ,from this we may learn what 
,god loves most in his people1 and that 
is ,,love4 ,the love of ,cornelius for  
,god was manifested by his prayers4     
,loving1 faithful1 trustful prayers are 
the proof that we love ,god3 and        

kindness1 gentleness and goodness toward
 others1 the proof that we love our     
neighbor4 ,this was manifest in his     
alms4  ,but the ,lord wanted ,cornelius 
to arise and mount a higher plane in the
 life of righteousness3 a high plane of 
holy intelligence and knowledge         
respecting himself and his people4 ,the 
,holy ,ghost falling upon him and the   
rest brought with it the illuminating   
power1 in verification of the ,lord's   
words3 ,the ,holy ,ghost1 whom the      
,father will send in my name1 he shall  
teach you all things4 ,this inflowing   
power1 teaching1 quickening1            
regenerating the soul1 is what ,jesus   
means by a man's being born of the      
,spirit3 and in its order and connection
 the washing of regeneration1 the water 
baptism1 the water birth into the       
church1 follows4 ,cornelius was         
baptized1 and all the devout members of 
his family with him4 ,this is the last  
mention that is made of him4 ,very soon 
after this time that fearful persecution

 of the saints arose in ,jerusalem and  
,judea1 which resulted in their         
dispersion to foreign countries and     
places1 so that ,cornelius may never    
have enjoyed the privilege of having the
 remaining ordinances of feet-washing1  
the gospel salutation of the kiss1 the  
love feast1 and the holy ,communion of  
the bread and wine administered to him  
and his house4 ,as no church could be   
organized at the house of ,cornelius at 
that time1 these ordinances had to be   
postponed4 ,in truth1 their introduction
 and observance must always be guarded  
with care1 lest they be abused and      
perverted1 as they were at ,corinth some
 years later4 ,but of this we are sure3 
,if there be first a willing mind1 it is
 accepted of a man according to that    
which he hath1 and not according to that
 which he hath not4  ,i cannot close    
without a few reflections on what has   
been said4 ,when ,cornelius was told    
what to do1 he did not hesitate a       
moment4 ,forthwith he sent for ,peter4  

,when ,peter came he received him with  
joy1 and would have worshiped him in    
devout solemnity1 had ,peter not        
instantaneously rejected his approach4  
,when the inflowing baptism of the ,holy
 ,spirit gave him and those with him the
 new birth of the ,spirit1 they were    
ready to receive the water birth by     
baptism in water4 ,the water was not    
forbidden1 because no opposition to the 
,gospel had as yet arisen in ,cesarea4  
,now1 friends1 here is an example worthy
 of imitation4 ,let me prevail in my    
appeal to you in behalf of your immortal
 souls4 ,to whom much is given1 of him  
they will require the more4 ,much is    
given you1 my dear friends who have so  
attentively listened to me to-day4 ,he  
that hath ears to hear1 let him hear4   
,to hear is to obey4 ,he that knoweth to
 do his master's will1 and doeth it not1
 shall be beaten with many stripes4     
,what shall it profit a man1 if he shall
 gain the whole world1 and lose his own 
soul8 or what shall a man give in       

exchange for his soul8 ,these words are 
spirit and they are life4 ,learn of me1 
says the best friend on earth1 and ye   
shall find rest unto your souls4        
,,sunday1 ,may #bh4 ,love feast at      
,forney's4 ,christian ,schmucker is     
ordained to the full work of the        
ministry4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #cj4 ,love   
feast at ,david ,summers's4 ,an election
 is held4 ,brother ,david ,royer is     
elected speaker2 and ,daniel ,newcomer  
and ,david ,summers deacons4            
,,thursday1 ,june #a4 ,love feast at    
,brother ,joseph ,royer's1 nine miles   
north of ,canton4  ,,saturday1 ,june #c4
 ,stay all night at ,brother ,nathan    
,stern's4  ,,sunday1 ,june #d4 ,come to 
place of ,annual ,meeting4 ,breakfast in
 the shed4 ,six persons baptized4       
,,monday1 ,june #e4 ,form committees1   
and begin to take in queries4 ,stay all 
night on the ground4  ,,tuesday1 ,june  
#f4 ,begin the discussion of questions4 
,get through with the slave question by 
noon4 ,all night on the ground4         

,,wednesday1 ,june #g4 ,get through with
 business by eleven o'clock1 and the    
meeting breaks up4  ,,sunday1 ,july #bc4
 ,this day ,joseph ,miller and ,i start 
to the counties of ,pendleton1 ,hardy1  
,randolph1 ,pocahontas1 and ,highland4  
,i ride ,nell4  ,these two brethren were
 absent on this journey precisely three 
weeks to the day4 ,i fear it would be   
tedious to the reader to trace them day 
by day and step by step through all the 
ways they went4 ,not a day passed in    
which they did not fill one appointment 
for preaching1 and often two4 ,brother  
,kline felt at home among the mountains4
 ,he had a lively appreciation of the   
sublime in nature2 and more than once   
does he note the grandeur of some       
mountain's lofty summit over which he   
passed2 the majestic power of some      
falling stream2 or the awful solitude of
 some deep forest4 ,it was mainly a     
timbered country through which they     
passed4 ,the regions traversed by the   
,alleghany mountain proper were in that 

day still in a state of nature2 and the 
scattered inhabitants very nearly in the
 same state4 ,many of them live very    
remote from any railroad or other public
 highway4  ,at a private house1 in      
,randolph ,county1 he says3 ,extensive  
forests of very tall and straight timber
 which would be exceedingly valuable for
 building and other purposes1 could it  
be gotten to market1 cover large        
sections of ,randolph1 ,pocahontas1     
,tucker and other counties further west4
 ,but as time goes on population will   
increase2 and after awhile the urgent   
demands for the timber and other        
productions of these regions will cause 
roads to be constructed for their       
transportation to markets4 ,we should   
not be backward in our efforts to secure
 permanent foothold for the truth as we 
hold and practice it4 ,many here cannot 
read for themselves2 and it pains my    
heart to find how poorly they have been 
instructed in the things pertaining to  
the way of salvation4 ,the small amount 

of preaching they hear is not often of  
an instructive character4 ,it appeals to
 the feelings1 but does not inform the  
mind4 ,this ,i learn by conversing with 
them4 ,they are told to believe1 it is  
true2 but what their faith is to lay    
hold of1 and what the ,lord requires    
them to do that they may serve him      
acceptably1 is not made clear to their  
minds4 ,it is not to be inferred that   
all are on the low plane of intelligence
 ,i have described4 ,there is here and  
there an exception4 ,but the exceptions 
are rare4 ,and in our preaching we aim  
to speak1 as did ,paul1 'as to babes4'  
,as to natural capacity1 and their      
capability of attaining to high         
intelligence in the things of men and   
,god1 things human and divine1 under the
 hand of adequate instruction1 ,i regard
 them as being equal to any people in   
our ,state4  ,the two brethren continued
 in the company of each other throughout
 this journey4 ,they got home ,sunday1  
,august #ac4  ,,friday1 ,september #bi4 

,this day ,brother ,kline starts to the 
counties of ,hardy and ,hampshire4 ,he  
visits ,isaac ,dasher's1 ,james         
,parks's1 ,william ,michael's1 ,adam    
,cosner's1 ,henry ,cosner's1 ,joseph    
,arnold's1 ,john ,leatherman's1 ,samuel 
,arnold's1 ,adam ,michael's1 ,michael   
,lyon's1 ,solomon ,michael's1 ,jacob    
,cosner's1 ,martain ,lantz's1 ,enoch    
,hyre's1 ,isaac ,shobe's1 ,chlora       
,judy's1 ,peggy ,dasher's1 and ,james   
,fitzwater's4 ,he got home ,thursday1   
,oct4 #ab1 after an absence of two      
weeks4 ,he rode ,nell4 ,i beg the kind  
reader to pardon the entry of the       
foregoing list of names4  ,the ,editor  
will here tell a short story of what    
really took place very recently4 ,he    
happened to be at the house of one of   
his friends1 and in looking through his 
library he discovered a very old copy of
 the life of ,isaac ,n4 ,walter1 who had
 been dead over forty years4 ,he        
remarked to the lady of the house3 ,i   
see you still have on hand a copy of the

 life of ,isaac ,n4 ,walter4 ,o1 yes1   
and that is the most precious volume to 
me in all the library4 ,you see from its
 appearance that it has been handled    
very freely4 ,mr4 ,walter used to come  
to our house1 and whilst papa was not a 
member of his church he and papa thought
 a great deal of each other2 and whilst 
,i have but a childhood recollection of 
him1 reading that book carries me back  
in thought to the old home place where  
,i was raised1 and calls up the thousand
 and one pleasant memories of my early  
days4 ,thus she went on2 and very soon  
opened to the place where the date of   
one of ,mr4 ,walter's visits to her     
father's house was given4 ,she could no 
longer restrain her tears1 but excused  
them by saying3 ,you know a woman never 
forgets her first love1 and that is the 
love of her childhood home4  ,on this   
trip ,brother ,kline baptized ,josiah   
,simons and ,james ,hilkey1 ,october #g4
  ,,sunday1 ,october #ae4 ,meeting at   
our meetinghouse4 ,i baptize eleven     

persons to-day4 ,they are ,noah ,rhodes 
and wife2 ,frederic ,kline and wife2    
,george ,wine and wife2 ,susanna        
,showalter2 ,jacob ,sanger2 ,john       
,mc,kee2 ,catharine ,fink1 and ,polly   
,wampler4  ,,sunday1 ,october #bb4      
,meeting at the ,lost ,river            
meetinghouse4 ,matthew #bh is read4     
,philip ,fitzwater and ,catharine       
,sowder are baptized4  ,,sunday1        
,october #bi4 ,meeting at ,john         
,glick's1 in ,shenandoah ,county4 ,after
 meeting ,i baptize ,john ,glick and    
wife4 ,stay all night at ,john ,neff's4 
,,sunday1 ,november #ab4 ,meeting at our
 meetinghouse4 ,this day ,i baptize     
,john ,a4 ,showalter2 ,mary ,kline2     
,mary ,kesler2 ,anna ,hoover1 wife of   
,emanuel ,hoover1 and ,mrs4 ,fogel4     
,,sunday1 ,november #bf4 ,this day ,john
 ,bowman and ,i take a steamer at       
,alexandria and attend a ,methodist     
church in ,washington ,city4 ,after     
looking around at the gorgeous displays 
of artistic ornamentation in the        

structure and finish of the building    
itself1 and being comfortably seated in 
a pew cushioned with silk velvet1 with  
my feet resting on a ,brussels carpet1  
,i was ready to hear4 ,the first thing  
,i heard was a sort of chant1 with organ
 accompaniment4 ,but ,i could only now  
and then distinguish a word chanted2 so 
,i could not say amen to their giving of
 thanks4 ,next came the reading of the  
twenty-fourth ,psalm4 ,being a good way 
back1 ,i could not hear distinctly1 but 
knowing the ,psalm by heart1 memory     
served where hearing failed4 ,this was  
more satisfactory4 ,next came the       
musical interlude1 and the opening      
prayer followed4 ,i hardly ever         
criticise a prayer2 but when that prayer
 was through with it did occur to my    
mind that if it were to be suddenly     
answered none would probably be so much 
surprised as the preacher who offered   
it4 ,a familiar hymn was now sung1 and  
many in the congregation joined their   
voices in the song4 ,this was very      

enjoyable4 ,next the sermon4 ,the       
preacher used fine language1 and        
ornamented his discourse with flowery   
similitudes and opposite figures4 ,such 
eloquence as flowed from his lips       
to-day1 other things being equal1 does  
not fail to attract large audiences4    
,but when ,i took a view of the         
congregation1 and beheld the display of 
fashion everywhere visible1 ,i could not
 suppress the inquisitive reflection as 
to what ,john ,wesley would think of    
that being a congregation of            
,methodists1 could he suddenly appear   
among them4 ,would he own them8 ,and    
would they own him in his plain dress   
and old-fashioned ways8 ,and then the   
thought--what if the next hundred years 
bring on as great a change in our       
,brotherhood as the past seventy-five   
years have unfolded in the ,methodist   
society6 ,but here ,i let the curtain   
fall upon my thoughts1 to hide them from
 my sight1 for ,i cannot endure the     
prospect of such a change4  ,i aim to   

cultivate a spirit of forbearance toward
 all denominations of professing        
,christians2 but ,i am forced to        
conclude that in this place the sons of 
,god have fallen in love with the       
daughters of men2 that the church and   
the world have shaken hands in a mutual 
agreement to live together in peace4    
,,monday1 ,november #bg4 ,at #e o'clock 
we take the train for ,baltimore1 where 
we arrive at #f3dj ,p4,m4 ,stop at      
,globe hotel4  ,,tuesday1 ,november #bh4
 ,attend to business in the city1 and in
 the evening go to ,michael ,b4         
,kline's4  ,,wednesday1 ,november #bi4  
,at #h ,a4,m4 meet ,brother ,d4,p4      
,saylor at the depot1 and take cars for 
,philadelphia1 where we arrive at #ab3cj
 ,p4,m4 ,dine at ,brother ,john         
,kagey's2 then come to ,morristown1 and 
from there to ,brother ,john ,umstead's1
 where we stay all night4  ,,thursday1  
,november #cj4 ,come to ,brother ,isaac 
,price's1 and then to ,brother ,david   
,fricke's1 where we stay all night4     

,,friday1 ,december #a4 ,come to        
,price's meetinghouse4 ,make            
arrangements2 take the voice of the     
church touching the grievance2 close our
 meeting2 come to ,brother ,peter       
,hollowbush's2 stay all night and       
prepare our papers4  ,,saturday1        
,december #b4 ,come to the meetinghouse 
again4 ,brother ,d4,p4 ,saylor speaks in
 the forenoon1 and in the afternoon we  
present our papers and try to settle1   
but great commotion follows1 and we     
close the meeting4 ,come to ,brother    
,john ,price's2 stay all night4 ,night  
meeting4 ,speak on ,john #aj3i4         
,,sunday1 ,december #c4 ,meeting at the 
meetinghouse again4 ,i speak on #a      
,peter #a3bb4 ,,text4--,see that ye love
 one another with a pure heart          
fervently4  ,scientific moralists teach 
that man's love is his life4 ,they      
support this statement by what they     
regard a self-evident truth1 that such  
as a man's love is1 such is his life4   
,the wide field for investigation to    

which this line of thought leads1       
presents many plausible arguments in    
favor of the doctrine they hold4 ,for   
one1 ,i can and must confess that ,i    
have never been able to look deep enough
 into the human soul to find out just   
what the principle of life is4 ,neither 
is it important that ,i should know4    
,but there is ,one that does know4 ,that
 ,one needs not that any should testify 
to him concerning man1 for he knows what
 is in man4  ,brethren1 you all know to 
whom my thought now turns4 ,i mean our  
,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,and let the life 
principle1 the heart principle1 the love
 principle be one and the same or not1  
it is he who says of men3 ,by their     
fruits shall ye ,,know them2 not        
doubtfully1 but surely4 ,the life record
 of every man1 written not with pen and 
ink on paper1 but with the finger of    
,god on the tablet of his memory1 will  
be the basis of his adjudgment to hell  
or his acquittal to heaven4 ,for a good 
man out of the good treasure of his     

heart bringeth forth good things2       
likewise an evil man out of the evil    
treasure of his heart bringeth forth    
evil things4 ,and they that have done   
good shall come forth unto the          
resurrection of life2 but they that have
 done evil1 unto the resurrection of    
damnation4  ,man is created for society4
 ,he cannot be happy without it4 ,if it 
would be possible for us to conceive of 
a world inhabited by but one human      
being1 with all hope of society forever 
banished1 if that human being could ever
 think at all1 it would only be to wish 
himself dead4 ,all our affections and   
thoughts are so intimately connected    
with the affections and thoughts of     
others as to derive all the zest of     
their enjoyment from this source alone4 
,we enjoy the pleasures of the table    
most when those we love enjoy them with 
us4 ,this feeling is so inwrought in the
 character that when any we specially   
love are absent1 who we may fear are not
 faring as well as we1 the reflection   

mars the relish of our food4 ,this is   
what should be4 ,but the length and     
breadth of social enjoyment is exactly  
commensurate with the length and breadth
 of social love4 ,the man whose heart is
 so small as to be able to take none but
 the members of his own family in the   
grasp of his contracted regard can have 
a meager enjoyment of life4 ,he is      
somewhat above a brute1 but very far    
beneath the dignity of a man2 and1 worst
 of all1 destitute of the spirit of     
,christ4 ,he that loveth not his brother
 whom he hath seen1 how can he love ,god
 whom he hath not seen8 ,and this       
thought brings up my text3 ,see that ye 
love one another with a pure heart      
fervently4  ,brethren1 if ,i could      
impress these words upon your hearts in 
a way and to a degree that would be     
adequate to their importance1 ,i would  
return home in the happy reflection that
 ,i had been instrumental in doing a    
work by which ,god is glorified and my  
,brethren saved4 ,these words encompass 

the whole ground of salvation4 ,inside  
this compass of brotherly love is       
salvation1 and nowhere else4 ,say what  
you please1 love is what saves man after
 all4 ,some say faith saves1 and so it  
does when it is quickened and filled    
with the warmth of brotherly love4      
,otherwise1 though it be strong enough  
to remove mountains1 as ,paul says1 it  
is nothing4 ,faith without love is a    
dead faith4 ,devils have this kind1 and 
tremble4 ,this dead faith may be        
compared to ice which is water as to    
substance1 but worthless as to form4    
,frozen water may bridge rivers2 and a  
frozen faith may bridge some of the     
streams of earthly life2 but it will    
never bridge the stream of death and    
land us safe in heaven4  ,but what is to
 be understood by brethren loving one   
another with a pure heart fervently8 ,i 
am afraid that if ,i attempt to tell    
what brotherly love is1 and how it is to
 be shown1 ,i will only darken counsel  
by words without wisdom4 ,there is not a

 brother or sister in this house who    
does not know what it is to love another
 with a pure heart fervently4 ,i will1  
however1 venture to say a little under  
this head1 by way of drawing our minds  
to think more closely upon it4 ,i will  
say1 first1 that when one brother loves 
another with a pure heart fervently1 he 
tries in all ways and at all times to do
 his brother good1 and no harm4 ,this   
love fills the mouth with good things   
and the hands with blessings4  ,but the 
text implies that this love can be      
increased1 that it may grow ardent1     
burning1 by the use of right means1 or  
suffered to grow cold by neglect4 ,there
 can be no doubt of the truth of this4  
,in all man's relations to this life1   
experience shows that love may be       
fostered by kindness1 or frozen by      
unkindness4 ,this last remark reminds me
 of a conversation ,i had with a ,united
 ,brethren preacher whom ,i chanced to  
fall in with in one of the western      
counties of ,virginia4 ,speaking of his 

work1 and the number of converts he     
reported at different meetings he had   
held1 led me to ask how they were doing 
since then4 ,he replied that a goodly   
number appeared to continue faithful2   
but he added that some had burnt out by 
unholy fire1 and that others had frozen 
out by unholy frost4 ,i afterward       
thought this to myself1 that here was   
the commingled fire and hail which      
,john1 in his apocalyptic vision1 saw   
falling from the same cloud4 ,ah1       
,brethren1 let us beware of the unholy  
fire of evil passion1 anger1 malice1    
wrath1 strife1 that would burn and      
consume our love for one another2 and on
 the other hand avoid all feelings and  
expressions or other manifestations of  
contempt1 or neglect1 or unkindness that
 would freeze it to death4  ,this brings
 me now to speak of forgiveness4 ,you   
have read the story1 told by our ,lord1 
of the debtor who owed the ten thousand 
talents1 and was forgiven the debt2 and 
how he afterward treated a fellow-debtor

 who owed him a hundred pence2 and how  
the first debtor was delivered to the   
tormentors because he would not forgive 
his fellow-servant4 ,so shall also my   
heavenly ,father do unto you1--says our 
,lord--if ye forgive not every one his  
brother from your hearts4 ,brethren1 you
 and the ,lord for it4 ,i this day wash 
my hands clean of your blood as ,i      
repeat in your ears these words of love 
and warning3 ,if ye forgive men their   
trespasses1 your heavenly ,father will  
also forgive you4 ,but if ye forgive not
 men their trespasses1 neither will your
 ,father forgive your trespasses4  ,when
 ,i was yet a boy in ,pennsylvania1     
before we moved to ,virginia1 my father 
very strictly forbade me playing marbles
 on ,sunday4 ,i obeyed his orders for   
some time2 but one ,sunday1 when father 
was at church1 a neighbor's boy came to 
our house and persuaded me to play with 
him4 ,i did it reluctantly4 ,the play   
did not amuse me as usual4 ,but ,i      
transgressed all the same2 and in the   

very act my father saw me on his return 
home4 ,he called me to come to him4     
,expecting chastisement1 ,i went with   
trembling steps4 ,i never had felt so   
unhappy in my life4 ,what were you      
doing8 he asked4 ,i burst into tears4   
,are you very sorry for what you have   
done8 ,i nodded and wept assent4 ,come a
 little nearer to me4 ,i went2 and he   
then drew a handkerchief from his coat  
pocket and gently wiped away my tears1  
saying at the same time1 ,i feel sure1  
,johnny1 that you are very sorry for    
what you have done1 and ,i forgive you  
with a kiss4 ,ah1 ,brethren1 if ,i had  
never known sorrow before1 ,i had never 
known joy till after that kiss4 ,in     
itself it was but the contact of lips2  
but its power went to my heart2 and ,i  
can say here solemnly that ,i had never 
loved my father before as ,i loved him  
after that4 ,love is what conquers after
 all4 ,love is the root and the         
offspring of happiness4 ,there can be no
 happiness without love4 ,therefore1    

,brethren1 see that ye love one another 
with a pure heart fervently4  ,after    
meeting ,i go with ,brother ,david ,b4  
,kline in his carriage1 and have night  
meeting in a schoolhouse near his place4
 ,snows all this day4  ,,monday1        
,december #d4 ,travel thirty-five miles 
to-day in ,brother ,george ,gipel's     
wagon to his house4 ,snowing and blowing
 all day4 ,snow wonderfully drifted4    
,stay all night at ,brother ,gipel's4   
,,tuesday1 ,december #e4 ,get into      
,brother ,gipel's sleigh and go to      
meeting at ,brother ,brachtbil's4 ,from 
there come to ,brother ,jacob ,wanger's1
 near ,jonestown1 to night meeting4     
,speak on ,rev4 #c3ba4 ,this sublime    
discourse is withheld for want of room4 
,stay all night at ,brother             
,brachtbil's4 ,wonderful blowing of snow
 continues4 ,roads blockaded very much4 
,,wednesday1 ,december #f4 ,brother     
,john ,kline near ,millerstown takes me 
in his sleigh to meeting near his house4
 ,speak on ,john #ad3f4 ,night meeting  

at his house4 ,speak on ,revelation #bb4
 ,stay with him all night4 ,still cold  
and stormy4  ,,thursday1 ,december #g4  
,write a letter home1 and one to        
,michael ,b4 ,kline1 of ,baltimore4     
,stop at ,jacob ,frantz's1 and get to   
,samuel ,royer's1 near ,myerstown1 for  
dinner4 ,afternoon meeting at the       
meetinghouse4 ,stay at ,david ,zug's all
 night4 ,snowing and blowing continues4 
,very cold4  ,,friday1 ,december #h4    
,meeting at ,brother ,george            
,bolinger's4 ,john #aj is read4 ,in     
afternoon come to ,brother ,samuel      
,hilsman's4 ,visit and help to anoint a 
sick sister4 ,come to ,brother ,john    
,gipel's4 ,night meeting4 ,speak of     
,john #ad3f4  ,,saturday1 ,december #i4 
,come to ,david ,zug's4 ,meeting4 ,speak
 from ,hebrews #b4  ,,sunday1 ,december 
#aj4 ,meeting at ,christian             
,longenacre's4 ,speak on ,luke #a3gg4   
,night meeting at the widow ,eby's4     
,,monday1 ,december #aa4 ,visit ,aunt   
,anna ,hershey4 ,she is very weak4 ,dine

 at ,abraham ,hershey's4 ,he takes me to
 ,mount ,joy1 to ,henry ,kurtz's1 where 
we have night meeting4 ,sup at ,david   
,sharlocher's1 and stay all night with  
,brother ,kurtz4  ,,tuesday1 ,december  
#ab4 ,dine at ,brother ,jacob           
,rinehold's1 and take the eleven o'clock
 train in ,lancaster for home1 where ,i 
arrive ,friday1 ,december #ae4  ,in the 
year #ahed ,brother ,kline traveled     
#f1dfc miles4 ,i feel sure that it is   
safe to say that every mile he traveled 
was in the direction of some good       
object4 ,here is something for every one
 to think on3 ,do all the steps of my   
life tend in the direction of some good 
object8 ,are all my motives pure1       
sincere1 honest1 fit for the eyes of the
 world1 and1 above all1 fit for the eye 
of ,god8  ,,saturday1 ,march #ca1 #ahee4
 ,attend council meeting at the ,brick  
meetinghouse in ,augusta ,county4 ,john 
,brower and ,abraham ,garber are elected
 to the ministry1 and ,enoch ,brower and
 ,levi ,garber to the deaconship4       

,,thursday1 ,april #e4 ,attend council  
meeting at the ,beaver ,creek           
meetinghouse4 ,martain ,miller is       
ordained2 ,daniel ,thomas forwarded2 and
 ,joseph ,miller1 of ,thorny ,branch1   
elected to the deaconship4  ,,friday1   
,april #f and ,,saturday1 ,april #g4 ,on
 these two days ,i vaccinate sixty-three
 persons4  ,,thursday1 ,april #ai4      
,attend council meeting at the ,brush   
meetinghouse4 ,jacob ,spitzer is elected
 to the ministry1 and ,felix ,senger to 
the deaconship4  ,,friday1 ,april #bj4  
,council meeting at our meetinghouse4   
,abraham ,knupp is ordained2 ,christian 
,wine forwarded1 and ,martain ,wampler  
elected to the deaconship4  ,,saturday1 
,april #ba4 ,attend council meeting at  
the ,flat ,rock4 ,jonas ,early and      
,abraham ,neff are elected to the       
deaconship4  ,,saturday1 ,may #ab4 ,this
 day ,brother ,kline and ,daniel        
,thomas1 in company of each other1 start
 to the ,annual ,meeting on horseback4  
,the meeting opened ,monday1 ,may #bh4  

,they consequently had two weeks before 
them to spend on the road1 and this time
 they took up in traveling and preaching
 by the way4 ,they went first to ,hardy 
,county1 where they filled appointments 
at different places on the ,south ,fork1
 ,south ,branch of the ,potomac1 and    
,north ,fork4 ,they then crossed the    
,alleghany mountains over into ,randolph
 ,county1 where they held a number of   
meetings4 ,the ,diary reports ,brother  
,daniel ,thomas as taking the lead in   
preaching at nearly all the             
appointments4 ,and well was he worthy of
 the honor4 ,few men are ever endowed   
with better natural abilities for public
 speaking than was ,brother ,daniel     
,thomas4 ,his voice had the rare power  
of making every word he uttered to be   
distinctly heard all over a large       
audience1 without any apparent effort on
 his part4 ,besides1 it was musical4    
,the hearer went away with its          
expressive inflections and cadences     
still sounding in his ears4 ,but his    

voice was not his only forte4 ,he had a 
mind as full of sanctified wit and quick
 perception as an egg is full of food4  
,a clear thinker1 a cogent reasoner1 and
 ,i may add1 full of love and the ,holy 
,ghost1 it is not a matter of wonder    
that he excelled4 ,what he might have   
achieved had he lived to an advanced    
age1 ,god only knows4 ,his death was    
caused by an attack of pneumonia4 ,he   
left a comparatively young family4 ,in  
the view of the writer1 who was         
intimately acquainted with him1 the     
church of the ,brethren has never been  
called to give up a brighter or better  
man4 ,he is not lost4 ,he has only moved
 away to the better land4  ,the         
following discourse was substantially   
preached by ,brother ,daniel ,thomas at 
the dwelling house of ,elijah ,judy in  
,hardy ,county1 ,virginia1 now ,west    
,virginia1 on the evening of  ,,monday1 
,may #ad4 ,the parable of the sower is  
his subject4 ,he said3 ,this parable1   
viewed in its natural or most obvious   

sense1 is so easily understood that it  
would be a suitable lesson for a primary
 school reader4 ,at the same time it    
holds within its grasp a fund of        
spiritual instruction which1 being      
received into the mind and heart1 fills 
both with light so clear as to          
illuminate many an otherwise dark       
portion of ,revealed ,truth4 ,to my mind
 this parable is the link connecting the
 two ends of the great chain of ,god's  
work and man's work in both the natural 
and spiritual life of man4  ,the ,holy  
,land1 as it is called1 where our ,lord 
was born1 and where he lived and died1  
comprised three small districts of      
country called ,judea1 ,samaria and     
,galilee4 ,these districts1 each about  
the size of some of our ,virginia       
counties1 lay along the eastern shore of
 the ,mediterranean ,sea4 ,their gusts  
of rain1 with their lightning and       
thunder1 came from the west as ours do4 
,the south winds came loaded with warmth
 to them as ours do to us4 ,on the      

eastern border of this land was the     
river ,jordan1 a stream just about as   
large and swift as your ,south ,branch  
of the ,potomac4 ,near the northeastern 
corner of this land lay the beautiful   
,sea of ,galilee1 about three miles in  
breadth1 and from four to six miles in  
length4 ,it was on this sea that our    
,lord stilled the tempest4 ,it was on   
the surface of this sea1 that he was    
seen walking as on a smooth pavement4   
,in our ,savior's day the ,holy ,land   
was an agricultural country4 ,the       
farmers raised wheat and barley4 ,these 
grains are often mentioned in the       
,scriptures4 ,but they had few fences in
 that country4 ,the roads ran through   
farms and fields with no sign of fence  
on either side4 ,if sheep or cattle were
 turned out to graze1 they had to be    
watched by men or boys called shepherds4
 ,i have been thus particular in my     
description of this land to enable you  
the better to understand the parable    
itself1 and its higher or spiritual     

meaning4 ,but farming has ever been but 
poorly done in that country1 and patches
 of briars and other filth were suffered
 to grow4 ,these were sown with the rest
 of the field1 and instead of being dug 
out were plowed and harrowed over4 ,no  
concern was felt about the seed likely  
to be wasted4 ,the sower opened his hand
 as freely in crossing the highway or   
the patch of briery ground as anywhere  
else4 ,even those sections of the field 
which showed no depth of soil on account
 of underlying rock were treated like   
the rest4 ,what a site for a parable6   
,but what is a parable8  ,a parable is a
 statement of some fact literally or    
possibly true in the natural world1 and 
used to represent some spiritual truth4 
,it is the correspondence of the        
external or natural meaning with some   
internal or spiritual meaning that makes
 any parable to be what it is4 ,the     
parable before us in its external or    
natural sense teaches nothing beyond    
what we may learn by the sight of our   

eyes every year4 ,if it possessed no    
hidden meaning1 no secret of life1 it   
would be no holier than a similar       
statement in an agricultural paper4     
,this is just what our ,lord meant by   
these words3 ,it is the ,spirit that    
quickeneth4 ,the flesh profiteth        
nothing4 ,the words that ,i speak unto  
you are spirit1 and are life4  ,i think 
you are now prepared to derive some     
benefit from the internal sense of the  
parable before us4 ,it has ever been a  
great question as to what man is        
required to do to be saved4 ,if we were 
to go by what is generally preached at  
what are called revivals of religion1 we
 would only need to say we believe in   
,jesus ,christ1 then manifest some joy  
in the new experience1 get up1 perhaps1 
and tell how we feel1 and we are ready  
to be counted in the list of new        
converts in full possession of eternal  
life4 ,this experience corresponds with 
the explanation given of the rocky      
places3 ,this is he that heareth the    

word1 and straightway with joy receiveth
 it2 yet hath he not root in himself1   
but endureth for a while2 and when      
tribulation or persecution ariseth      
because of the word1 straightway he     
stumbleth4  ,but here the query very    
naturally arises3 ,are such to be lost8 
,is there no hope for these             
rocky-ground1 thorny-ground and wayside 
hearers8 ,i say such need not be lost4  
,there is salvation for such as truly as
 for any1 if they avail themselves of   
the proffered gifts4 ,it is wrong       
teaching1 together with the influence of
 bad examples and bad habits1 that has  
made them to be the kind of ground they 
are4 ,here is a lesson for all4         
,parents1 if you desire your children to
 become good ground1 train them up in   
the way they should go3 and when they   
are old they will not depart from it4   
,there is another all-important truth   
bearing upon this connection of my      
subject2 and that truth is that our     
,father1 ,god1 is the husbandman4 ,he is

 the great ,farmer of souls1 and with   
,god all things are possible4 ,it is a  
thing of very common occurrence1 inside 
the different denominations1 for their  
members to backslide1 as they call it4  
,this is not because they could not     
continue faithful1 but it is from a lack
 of the true knowledge of ,god1 and a   
want of reliance upon him1 and looking  
in prayer to him4 ,the divine teachings 
are very clear on this point in the     
,christian's life4 ,if an individual    
will repent1 believe the ,gospel1 and be
 baptized for the remission of sins1    
leave off1 that is1 shun and forsake all
 evil ways and deeds as sins against    
,god1 he has the blessed assurance that 
he will be led into all necessary truth4
 ,notice this3 ,if any man will do his  
will1 he shall ,,know of the doctrine1  
whether it be of ,god1 or whether ,i    
speak of myself4 ,again3 ,david says3   
,light is sown for the righteous1 and   
gladness for the upright in heart4 ,and 
,solomon says3 ,the path of the just is 

as the shining light1 that shineth more 
and more unto the perfect day4 ,and our 
,lord applies the prophecy of ,isaiah3  
,the people which sat in darkness saw a 
great light4 ,he was the great ,light   
which they saw1 but they saw him and    
heard him by going to him4  ,there can1 
,i think1 be no doubt that some have    
stronger temptations to evil than       
others4 ,bad habits1 encouraged by long 
indulgence and fostered by strong       
natural appetences1 are hard to get rid 
of4 ,but the faith that worketh by love1
 and purifieth the heart1 gets strong   
enough to remove these mountains of sin2
 yea1 strong enough to enable a man even
 to hate his own sinful life4  ,i have  
known men to reason and conclude from   
this parable that ,god is partial4 ,they
 speak on this wise3 ,if the different  
kinds of ground symbolize or represent  
the different natures and dispositions  
of men with respect to believing and    
obeying the ,word1 then all have not an 
equal chance for salvation4 ,if a man   

7say they7 has no better show for       
bringing forth the fruits of            
righteousness in a good life than the   
rocky or thorny ground has for bringing 
forth a crop of wheat or barley1 he can 
have no show for salvation at all4 ,this
 argument appears plausible at a first  
view4 ,and in the estimation of those   
who look only upon the surface of things
 it is convincing4 ,the first point of  
error with those who reason in this way 
is to be found in their belief that ,god
 has made this difference among men4    
,but the entire history of man1 as given
 in the ,bible1 shows that men bring    
upon themselves these varied degrees of 
opposition to what is pure and good4    
,god made men upright1 but they have    
sought out many inventions1 says the    
prophet4 ,of course he means inventions 
of evil things4 ,an apostle says3 ,evil 
men and seducers shall wax worse and    
worse1 deceiving and being deceived4    
,the natural tendency of man with       
everything of earth is downward4 ,the   

loveliest garden1 by being neglected1   
will get full of weeds4 ,the most highly
 improved breeds of domestic animals    
tend toward degeneracy and deterioration
 as to quality1 unless carefully        
guarded4 ,man is no exception to the    
rule4 ,it is only by watchful care that 
one generation of people becomes wiser  
and better than the generation that     
preceded it4 ,our ,lord would oft repeat
 such expressions as these3 ,what ,i say
 unto one1 ,i say unto all1 ,watch4 ,let
 your loins be girded and your lamps    
burning4 ,he that hath ears to hear1 let
 him hear4 ,watch and pray1 lest ye     
enter into temptation4  ,there is no    
heart so stubborn hard but that the     
softening power of ,divine love can     
mellow it2 and there is no soul so full 
of the thorns and briers of evil        
passions and bad habits1 but that the   
sanctifying power of the truth can      
cleanse it4 ,jesus came not to call the 
righteous1 but sinners to repentance4   
,they that be whole need not the        

physician1 but they that are sick4 ,god 
is able to do for all who look to him   
for help1 exceeding abundantly above all
 we can ask or think2 and in ,christ he 
is able to save to the uttermost all who
 come unto ,god by him4 ,no case of     
leprosy was ever beyond the power of the
 ,lord to cleanse4 ,no blindness was    
ever too dark for him to remove4 ,no    
palsy was ever too dead for him to      
quicken into healthy life4 ,no fever was
 ever too burning for him to cool4 ,no  
demoniac was ever so insane or          
epileptic1 under the power and in the   
possession of even a legion of devils1  
but that he could have them all cast out
 and the possessed one sit calmly1 be   
clothed and in his right mind4 ,nothing 
is impossible with ,god4 ,the           
good-ground hearer brings forth fruit   
unto perfection because he looks to the 
,lord1 through his blessed ,word1 for   
help4 ,this help comes through his      
obedience to its holy precepts and      
commands4 ,god cannot help any one who  

continues to live regardless of and     
indifferent to the precepts of his ,holy
 ,word4  ,in a modified sense the same  
laws govern in the spiritual world that 
govern in the natural4 ,as it is        
impossible for ,god1 according to his   
established order1 to give you a rich   
and remunerative crop of corn or wheat  
from a field covered with briers1 thorns
 and weeds2 just in the same measure in 
a spiritual sense is he unable to give  
you happiness1 peace of mind and joy in 
the ,holy ,ghost while you continue in a
 life of sin4 ,he that soweth to the    
flesh shall of the flesh reap           
corruption2 but he that soweth to the   
,spirit shall of the ,spirit reap life  
everlasting4  ,brethren and sisters1 it 
may be that some of you fear1 at times1 
that your heart is no better than a bed 
of rock2 or that it is full of thorns2  
or that it is hard and poor as the      
beaten road4 ,but such self-examinations
 give evidence that the ,holy ,spirit is
 in your hearts and that he is carrying 

on a glorious work of grace there4      
,blessed are the meek4 ,blessed are the 
poor in spirit4 ,he that humbleth       
himself shall be exalted4 ,god resisteth
 the proud2 but giveth grace to the     
humble4 ,be not discouraged4 ,our       
,father is the great husbandman1 and he 
knows just how to treat every kind of   
ground1 just what to do in every heart4 
,then let us not be weary in well doing1
 for in due season we shall reap if we  
faint not4  ,the foregoing sermon was   
preached by ,brother ,daniel ,thomas    
,may #ad4 ,between this and the         
following ,sunday he preached every day 
once or twice4 ,brother ,kline jotted   
down one other discourse which he       
delivered on ,saturday following1 which 
,i am compelled to omit for want of     
room4 ,on  ,,sunday1 ,may #bj1 they had 
forenoon meeting at ,josiah ,simon's4   
,this day ,brother ,kline baptized      
,joseph ,summerfield and wife1 ,mrs4    
,workman1 and ,jane ,hilkey4 ,in his    
quaint way he adds3 ,god calls1 and some

 still answer4 ,all glory to him4       
,,sunday1 ,may #bg1 finds the two       
brethren at the place of ,annual        
,meeting4 ,they attended meeting in     
,wine's barn2 and also report meeting   
being held at the same hour in the      
meetinghouse4 ,he does not give the name
 of the meetinghouse where the ,annual  
,meeting was held this year1 but says   
that he and ,brother ,daniel had lodging
 at ,brother ,umbenhaver's the first    
night4  ,,monday1 ,may #bh4 ,annual     
meeting begins4 ,take in questions1 form
 committees1 and set them to work4 ,we  
stay all night at ,brother ,spanogle's4 
,,tuesday1 ,may #bi4 ,go to place of    
meeting4 ,discuss and dispose of nearly 
all the queries to-day4 ,we stay at     
,brother ,umbenhaver's4  ,,wednesday1   
,may #cj4 ,go back to place of meeting  
and get through2 preach awhile2 and     
after dinner we start from ,brother     
,andrew ,spanogle's towards home4 ,we   
get to ,matthew ,wineman's1 where we    
stay all night4  ,,thursday1 ,may #ca4  

,stop awhile with brethren ,michael and 
,jacob ,sollenberger2 then by           
,mercersburg and ,clear ,spring to      
,sister ,nipe's1 where we stay all      
night4  ,,friday1 ,june #a4 ,through    
,martinsburg and ,winchester1 ,virginia1
 to ,brother ,james ,tabler's where we  
stay all night4  ,,saturday1 ,june #b4  
,get to ,brother ,john ,neff's1 in      
,shenandoah ,county1 and on  ,,sunday1  
,june #c1 get home4 ,on this journey    
,brother ,daniel ,thomas and ,i traveled
 together on horseback #dff miles4 ,our 
horses became so attached to each other 
that they could not bear separation4 ,at
 any time1 when out of sight of each    
other1 they showed almost uncontrolable 
restlessness and dissatisfaction4 ,i may
 add here that one of their riders at   
least was very similarly affected toward
 his companion by the way4 ,the         
attachment of our horses was that of    
mere instinct4 ,it was generated through
 the sense of hearing1 seeing and       
smelling4 ,but our attachment sprang    

from higher and more interior causes1   
such as none but the people of ,god can 
understand and appreciate4 ,it has its  
place in the hidden man of the heart1   
and springs from the unity of our faith 
and the spirituality of our love4 ,death
 ends the attachments of poor brutes2   
but the love of ,christians for each    
other rests on a foundation that death  
cannot destroy4 ,even here1 in our      
imperfect state1 love fills life's cup  
with joy4 ,how ineffable1 then1 must be 
the joy of the redeemed in glory where  
love is perfect and life is eternal6    
,from the last date given to the        
thirteenth day of ,september ,brother   
,kline was called to engage with        
considerable activity in the practice of
 the medical profession4 ,there was much
 sickness in his own and adjoining      
neighborhoods4 ,his death record was    
very small in proportion to the number  
of his patients4 ,this fact alone       
establishes his success as a medical    
practitioner4 ,the writer has been a    

careful and candid observer of the      
different methods and medicines employed
 in the treatment of the sick for a     
period of fifty years1 and he ventures  
to give it as his impartial verdict that
 the course of treatment of the sick1   
medically1 pursued by ,brother ,kline   
and the other physicians of his school1 
was attended by as small a death rate as
 that of any school in the profession in
 his day or since4 ,in addition to this1
 convalescing and recovered patients    
were rarely heard to complain of any    
after effects of the disease or         
medicine4 ,brother ,kline was often     
heard to speak of this4 ,he would say3  
,our patients do not complain of        
rheumatism1 weak joints1 broken down    
nerves1 rapidly-decaying teeth1 impaired
 hearing or generally enfeebled         
constitutions4 ,we give no medicines    
which can leave any injurious after     
effects4 ,but1 after all1 his heart was 
set on the ministry of the ,word4 ,he   
regarded the life and health of the body

 as incalculably subordinate to the life
 and health of the soul4 ,this          
consideration incited him to untiring   
activity in preaching1 praying1         
exhorting1 singing1 and to whatever else
 might instruct1 comfort and encourage  
the child of ,god1 or warn the sinner of
 his danger and bring him to ,christ4   
,,thursday1 ,september #ac4 ,this day   
,brother ,kline1 in company of ,martain 
,miller1 starts on another journey to   
some of the western counties of         
,virginia4 ,he of late years begins to  
take company with him on these trips4   
,in the earlier part of his ministry he 
would often go alone1 ,i guess because  
no one volunteered to go with him4 ,you 
remember ,brother ,daniel ,thomas was   
with him on his last trip before this4  
,now ,brother ,martain ,miller goes4    
,martain ,miller was a brother of       
,daniel ,miller1 near ,greenmount1      
,virginia4 ,he lived near the ,beaver   
,creek meetinghouse1 in ,rockingham     
,county4 ,his election to the ministry  

of the ,word1 his subsequent            
advancement1 and his ordination are     
given in the ,diary4 ,whilst he was not 
regarded as a minister of great power in
 the stand1 his influence in the        
councils of the church at home and      
abroad was felt and acknowledged4 ,a man
 like ,elder ,martain ,miller1 of ready 
and deep perception1 can quickly arrive 
at just and wise decisions1 which the   
man of ordinary mind might never be able
 to reach4 ,hence the worth of such men 
as leaders in the realm of thought4  ,in
 the year #ahfb ,w4,c4 ,thurman began to
 preach the second advent of the ,lord  
as near4 ,he subsequently became so bold
 in the expression of his belief as to  
name the day on which that greatest of  
all events might confidently be looked  
for to take place4 ,as ,thurman at that 
time was a unit in the ,brotherhood1 and
 allowed to vent his soul breathings in 
the church buildings of the ,brethren1  
some1 even among the thoughtful1 were   
deeply impressed with the probability of

 his conjectures being well founded4    
,the writer was present when the        
following little incident took place1   
and remembers it with distinctness4 ,it 
was at ,greenmount meetinghouse4        
,brother ,martain ,miller had led in    
preaching that day1 but had made no     
allusion to ,thurman4 ,after meeting    
broke up some of the ,brethren privately
 asked ,brother ,miller what he thought 
of ,thurman's doctrines4 ,he shut his   
eyes1 gave a very significant but       
negative shake of the head1 and after a 
brief pause said3 ,do not regard them4  
,they will in due time prove their own  
fallacy4 ,you cannot convince ,thurman  
that he is wild by any argument2 but in 
a short while he will be convinced      
without argument4  ,on the evening of   
the last given date1 ,brother ,martain  
,miller spoke from ,matt4 #g3ac1 at     
,zion church in ,hardy ,county4 ,from   
the outlines in the ,diary ,i give the  
substance of what he said1 as nearly as 
,i can4 ,the reader should know that    

none of the sermons herein given cover  
the entire ground of the discourse4     
,they only aim at the main points4 ,it  
is the purpose of the ,editor to present
 these in spirit and word as nearly like
 the same in which they were originally 
delivered1 as can possibly be done4 ,his
 familiarity with the sermonic style1   
manner1 general lines of thought1       
doctrinal views1 education and general  
preaching power of nearly every minister
 represented in this work enables him1  
as he thinks1 to do this with at least  
some approach to justice4 ,without such 
knowledge1 this work would never have   
been undertaken by him4                 
,,text4--,enter ye in by the narrow     
gate4  ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ came   
into the world with but one end in view4
 ,that end is the raising of man to     
himself4 ,this end is the burden of his 
mediatorial work1 the center of his     
mediatorial prayer4 ,from his heart on  
the eternal throne1 wafted down to his  
people on the divine breath1 hourly     

comes and is felt the power of his      
prayer3 ,father1 ,i will that they whom 
thou hast given me be with me where ,i  
am1 that they may behold my glory which 
thou hast given me4 ,this brief prayer  
comprehends the divine end of all       
things--man's salvation and ,god's      
glory4 ,the miracles wrought by our     
,lord1 the parables spoken1 the truths  
uttered1 the victories gained in        
temptation1 the rich tokens of his love 
given1 all1 all had as their great end  
man's salvation and ,god's glory--that  
they might be with him where he is4     
,the only answer to the great question  
why the ,lord did all this for man's    
salvation is found in his own words3    
,god so loved the world4 ,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 ,bethlehem4 ,but
 with all of ,god's good will to seek   
and save that which was lost he is able 

to save only such1 and no others1 as    
desire to be saved by him4 ,if it were  
possible for him to save man and elevate
 him to heaven independently of any     
coperation on man's part1 then all would
 alike be saved1 for ,god is no         
respecter of persons4 ,but it would be  
quite as possible to compel or force any
 one to understand and love what he     
naturally hates1 or to follow with      
enjoyment and delight a way of life he  
does not love1 as it would be to save a 
human being without the consent and     
coperation of his mind and heart4  ,the 
scribes and ,pharisees gave evident     
proof of the truth of the old maxim3    
,convince a man against his will1 he is 
of the same opinion still4 ,the ,lord   
proved before their eyes his heavenly   
mission and divine character2 their     
minds must have been convinced4 ,but    
their wills did not favor the           
convictions of their minds2 that is1    
they did not love the truth that was    
forced upon their minds1 and so they    

rejected him4 ,it is from this element  
in the constitution of man's soul or    
spirit that he must become as a little  
child1 or he cannot enter the kingdom of
 heaven4 ,becoming as a little child is 
what is meant by being born again1      
without which no man shall see the      
kingdom of heaven4 ,we all know a little
 child is innocent1 teachable2 because  
it is not lifted up in the pride of its 
own intelligence1 nor confirmed in a    
belief of what is not true from a love  
of what is not good4 ,every one who     
enters through the narrow gate1 and     
pursues the narrow way that leads to    
life1 is willing to be led by the ,lord4
 ,it may not be clear to the mind of    
every one what is symbolized by the     
narrow gate and the narrow way4 ,i will 
try to tell you4  ,the divine truth of  
,god's ,word is the narrow gate4 ,it    
admits of no increase1 and it allows no 
diminution4 ,he that addeth to or taketh
 from the words of the prophecy of this 
book 7the ,bible71 ,god shall take away 

his part out of the book of life4 ,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 ,life2 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 entering4 ,i said  
the narrow gate is the truth of ,god's  
,word4 ,but what is the narrow way8 ,the
 narrow way is the daily life of every  
one who lives according to that truth4  
,this leads to life eternal1 because it 
leads to ,god4 ,but the gate and the way
 will do no one any good unless it be   
entered and the way followed4 ,and ,god 
compels no one to enter in opposition to
 one's own will4 ,entrance is not of    
compulsion1 but of choice4 ,life and    
death are set before the sinner's eyes4 
,the ,bread of ,life and the ,water of  
,life are placed within his reach4 ,the 
,lord calls1 saying3 ,why do ye spend   
your money for that which is not bread2 

and your labor for that which satisfieth
 not8 ,come ye to the waters3 and       
whosoever will1 let him take of the     
water of life freely4  ,but some may    
ask3 ,what is it to enter in at the     
narrow gate1 and how is the sinner to   
know when he is entering8 ,i answer that
 when the sinner obeys ,god's holy truth
 from the heart he is then entering in  
by the narrow gate4 ,his obedience must 
be to ,god's ,word1 not to man's word4  
,obedience to man's word takes man      
through the wide gate into the broad    
road that leads to destruction4         
,repentance towards ,god and faith in   
the ,lord ,jesus ,christ are the two    
steps that take us in spirit through the
 narrow gate4 ,but these two acts and   
exercises of the mind and heart mean    
immensely more than is generally        
imagined4 ,many seem to think that      
repentance means no more than simply to 
confess that one is a sinner in a sort  
of general way1 and that faith is simply
 a confessed belief in ,jesus ,christ as

 the ,son of ,god4 ,but ,god's ,word    
teaches far otherwise4 ,i will here     
quote some of our ,lord's sayings which 
apply to repentance3 ,except ye be      
converted1 and become as little         
children1 ye shall not enter into the   
kingdom of heaven4 ,this points to      
repentance4 ,again3 ,if any man will    
come after me1 let him deny himself1 and
 take up his cross1 and follow me4      
,self-denial is repentance2 and every   
true penitent goes through the narrow   
gate with the cross on his shoulder1    
because the cross symbolizes the divine 
truth upon which the love of self and   
the love of the world is crucified4 ,i  
am not afraid to repeat in your ears the
 words of ,jesus4 ,he has left them on  
record1 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 ,god4  ,if salvation is     
anything it is everything4 ,this world1 

with all its fleeting show and          
short-lived pleasures1 is nothing in the
 comparison4 ,salvation1 or the life to 
which the narrow way conducts us1 is so 
glorious1 so ineffably exalted above the
 loftiest conceptions of the human mind1
 that the prophet ,isaiah could justly  
say3 ,since the beginning of the world  
none have heard1 nor perceived by the   
ear1 neither hath the eye seen1 ,o ,god1
 besides thee1 what he hath prepared for
 him that waiteth for him4 ,brethren1   
friends1 we know not fully what is      
prepared for all who wait upon the      
,lord1 that is1 who do his will4 ,but   
,jesus tells us that he is gone to      
prepare a place for us1 and that he will
 come again and receive us to himself1  
that where he is there we may be also4  
,we shall enter into his joy1 the joy of
 the ,lord4 ,he will come to every one  
of us at death4 ,he will then raise our 
redeemed souls into the life of heavenly
 bliss2 for he is the resurrection and  
the life of every one that loves him4   

,it is the privilege of every one to    
enter into life through the narrow gate4
 ,but ,i cannot enter for you1 nor tread
 the narrow way1 nor obtain a crown of  
glory for you4 ,this is your own        
individual choice1 your own individual  
work--nay1 it is the ,lord's merciful1  
loving1 gracious work in you1 for       
without him you can do nothing4 ,but    
when you believe in him and love him    
with all your heart1 he finds a resting 
place in your soul1 and he then comes to
 be to you individually the way1 the    
truth1 and the life4  ,the next eight   
days were almost entirely occupied in   
filling appointments previously made    
through letters from ,brother ,kline4   
,we have to wonder a little when he     
found time to write them4 ,but he was   
his own secretary on gratuitous service1
 and he never even so much as presented 
a bill for stationery or postal         
expenditures4  ,,friday1 ,september #ba4
 ,this day finds the two brethren at    
,union meetinghouse1 in the ,barker     

settlement1 in ,barbour ,county1        
,virginia4 ,brother ,miller spoke at    
this meeting from ,john #c3g4 ,space    
alone forbids the insertion of his      
plain1 practical sermon to-day4 ,they   
found1 as usual1 a hearty welcome here2 
and in truth the same may be said of    
every place they visited4 ,and why not8 
,even these primitive people were quick 
to perceive and appreciate the good will
 with which they had come4 ,besides1    
they made themselves sociable and       
entertaining in the families under whose
 roofs they found shelter4 ,brother     
,kline had an inexhaustible fund of     
information gained by reading and       
traveling1 and he was not reserved in   
the way of keeping it all to himself4   
,brother ,kline was what may be called a
 good conversationalist4 ,he did not    
flood your attention with words1 nor    
bore you with tiresome narratives of    
great exploits in which he was the hero4
 ,he would tell you of sights he had    
seen1 and experiences he had had in     

traveling and otherwise1 in a way that  
would so absorb you in the narrative    
that you lost sight of the man4 ,he     
always aimed to exalt his subject and   
not the speaker4 ,this was true in his  
preaching as well as in his             
conversations4  ,,saturday1 ,september  
#bb4 ,they came to ,brother ,elias      
,ovel's for dinner4 ,in the afternoon   
preaching in the meetinghouse and love  
feast at night4 ,brother ,miller served4
  ,,tuesday1 ,september #be4 ,they had  
meeting at ,brother ,peter ,feiga's4 ,an
 election was held in which ,samuel     
,feiga was elected speaker1 and ,tobias 
,moser deacon4 ,they staid all night at 
,thomas ,clark's4  ,brother ,kline got  
home from this journey ,sunday evening1 
,october #g4 ,brother ,miller got home  
the next day4 ,they were gone three     
weeks and four days4  ,,monday1         
,december #ca4 ,at home4 ,i have this   
year traveled1 mostly on horseback1     
#d1bhf miles1 and preached forty-two    
funeral sermons4  ,,saturday1 ,january  

#e1 #ahef4 ,at home4 ,cold2 snows very  
fast all day4  ,,saturday1 ,january #ab4
 ,snows all this day again1 very fast4  
,sleighing is likely to be fine for a   
while2 a rare occurrence in our ,state4 
,,sunday1 ,january #bj4 ,snows all this 
day1 again4 ,the snow is now very deep1 
and as it is not drifted sleighing will 
be surpassingly fine4  ,,monday1        
,january #ba4 ,brother ,john ,zigler of 
,timberville dies very suddenly this    
morning1 at the age of sixty-nine years1
 two months and twenty-seven days4 ,this
 is county court day in ,harrisonburg4  
,i am told this evening by some who were
 present1 that there were hundreds of   
sleighs of all shapes and sizes to be   
seen in the streets4 ,so far as my      
knowledge extends1 a scene like that has
 never before been witnessed in         
,harrisonburg4 ,the roads in all        
directions are in a surpassingly fine   
condition for sleighing4 ,the roads are 
all paved with crystals more valuable   
than all the diamonds that have ever    

shone in the crowns of kings4  ,,friday1
 ,february #bi4 ,council meeting at the 
,brick church1 in ,augusta ,county4     
,to-day we discuss the question of the  
propriety of making a move to more      
generally propagate the ,gospel4 ,most  
of the brethren and sisters present     
seemed to be heartily in favor of the   
move4 ,one brother1 ,john ,harshberger1 
said3 ,if the ,gospel is not true1 let  
us eat and drink like other beasts1 for 
to-morrow we die2 but if the ,gospel be 
true--and thanks be unto ,god1 for we   
know it is true--it is worthy of all    
acceptation2 for it is the power of ,god
 unto salvation to every one that       
believeth4 ,but how can any one believe 
in him of whom he has not heard8 ,and   
how can any one hear without a preacher8
 ,and how can any preach except he be   
sent8 ,i am in favor of trying to do    
more in every way than we have ever yet 
attempted1 to spread the good news of   
salvation4    ',salvation6 let the echo 
fly     ,the spacious earth around1     

,till all the nations 'neath the sky    
,conspire to raise the sound4'  ,brother
 ,benjamin ,moomaw1 ,brother ,nininger1 
,brother ,john ,harshberger and myself  
were appointed a committee to draw up a 
memorial on the subject1 to place before
 the next ,annual ,meeting4  ,,saturday1
 ,march #a4 ,council continues4 ,the    
subject of divorce and adultery is      
considered to-day4 ,it is decided to    
send it to the ,annual ,meeting1 as also
 a query on proposition to district the 
churches1 and have general council      
meetings in those ,districts4 ,it is    
also unanimously passed to have lamps in
 our meetinghouses4 ,pass some other    
minor questions1 and council breaks up4 
,,sunday1 ,march #b4 ,meeting at the    
same place4 ,brother ,benjamin ,moomaw  
speaks on ,heb4 #e3h1 #i4 ,he is a man  
of great power in the ,word4 ,i regret  
that ,i cannot recall to memory all that
 he said1 but ,i will here give a       
condensed outline of what ,i remember4  
,these are the words of his text3       

,though he were a ,son1 yet learned he  
obedience by the things which he        
suffered4 ,and being made perfect1 he   
became the author of eternal salvation  
to all them that obey him4  ,this is a  
remarkable passage of ,scripture4 ,it   
deals primarily with the human nature of
 ,christ4 ,it is in this nature1 the    
,divine humanity1 that ,god manifests   
himself to man4 ,this humanity brought  
with it the infirmities to which flesh  
is heir4 ,this same apostle tells us    
that ,jesus ,christ was tempted in all  
points like as we are1 yet without sin4 
,innocence1 freedom from all sin1 is the
 orderly following of obedience4 ,in    
this happy consciousness he challenges  
the whole ,sanhedrim to convict him of  
sin4 ,they could not do it2 and ,pilate 
acknowledges before the infuriated mob3 
,i find no fault in this man4 ,from the 
part of the text1 yet learned he        
obedience by the things which he        
suffered1 we are rather to understand   
that he learned or ,,realized the       

blessedness of obedience4 ,in his own   
words3 ,he came not to do his own will1 
but the will of him that sent him4 ,in  
his last great prayer with his disciples
 he says3 ,and now1 ,father1 ,i come to 
thee1 having finished the work thou     
didst give me to do4 ,these words       
portray his immaculate righteousness4   
,but let us look at some of the glorious
 testifications borne by the ,father to 
the honor of the ,son4 ,let us turn to  
the first public act of his manhood4 ,i 
guess your minds all turn at once to the
 scene of his baptism4 ,here are the    
pellucid waters of the ,jordan coursing 
their way to the ,dead ,sea4 ,then      
cometh ,jesus from ,galilee to ,jordan  
unto ,john to be baptized of him4 ,but  
,john forbade him1 saying1 ,i have need 
to be baptized of thee1 and comest thou 
to me8 ,and ,jesus said1 ,suffer it to  
be so now1 for thus it becometh us to   
fulfill all righteousness4 ,this        
righteousness is the righteousness of   
obedience4 ,and notice1 a few moments   

later1 the glory and honor with which it
 is crowned4 ,the opened heavens1 the   
dove-like descent of the ,spirit1 the   
,father's recognition1 ,this is my      
beloved ,son in whom ,i am well pleased1
 must have thrilled his heart with joy  
unspeakable4 ,in this instance he       
realized the blessedness of obedience2  
and the hearts of many since that time  
have been made to thrill as they have   
gone up out of the waters of other      
,jordans1 with kindred joy4  ,we now    
turn to his temptation in the           
wilderness4 ,here1 our ,lord1 during    
forty days and nights1 suffered all the 
privations and all the temptations      
arising therefrom1 which man is capable 
of suffering4 ,but never for one moment 
did his heart or hand swerve a hair from
 the line of perfect obedience to his   
,father's will1 even in the darkest     
hour4 ,and how did it turn out8 ,why1 he
 resisted the devil1 and the devil left 
him2 and1 behold6 angels came and       
ministered unto him4 ,brethren1 have you

 ever thought of the precious food these
 angels brought to the exhausted human  
nature of our ,lord8 ,he ate and drank  
with angels from the skies4 ,they poured
 the spiritual oil of joy and comfort   
into his burdened soul4 ,they brought   
fresh tokens of his ,father's approval2 
and we read of no more sore conflict    
with the powers of darkness until the   
last hour4  ,some of us have1 possibly1 
passed through trials1 in a small way1  
somewhat akin to those endured by the   
,lord4 ,we all know our own individual  
experiences best4 ,for one1 ,i can say  
right here that ,i am no stranger to    
temptation4 ,the adversary of ,god's    
people has never yet counted me out of  
the number he seeks to seduce4 ,i       
confess he does not try me at all times 
alike2 but he does seem to come every   
time when ,i am the least prepared      
effectually and instantly to repel his  
assaults4 ,if in preaching ,i happen to 
get off a fine thought or good sentiment
 dressed out in a becoming attire of    

words1 he tries to flatter my vanity by 
making me believe that ,i am a great    
somebody4 ,brethren in the ministry1 how
 is it with you8 ,i see from the nods   
you give1 that you have had similar     
experiences4 ,at such times ,herod's    
awful doom flashes over me--how that in 
the midst of a beautiful oration he fell
 dead1 and right away was alive with    
worms consuming his body1 and all       
because he gave not ,god the glory4     
,this generally gets me rid of him on   
such occasions4 ,at other times he comes
 with promises of worldly honors1 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 emoluments1 for1 says he1 the  
whole scheme with all its workings is in
 my hands1 and to whomsoever ,i will1 ,i
 give it4 ,at such times ,i baffle him  
with this ,scripture3 ,thou shalt       
worship the ,lord thy ,god2 and him     
,,only shalt thou serve4  ,jesus is now 
glorified4 ,he is exalted higher than   

the heavens1 far above all principality 
and power4 ,he is invested with all     
power in heaven and earth2 so that in   
him all things hold together1 and the   
integrity of the universe is preserved4 
,he is the head over all things to the  
church and has become the ,author of    
eternal salvation unto all them that    
obey him4 ,all things are now in his    
name and unto his glory1 so that now he 
that honoreth the ,son1 honoreth the    
,father4  ,can it be that this is the   
same ,jesus who but a few years ago     
humbled himself to be baptized in the   
,jordan1 suffered the temptation in the 
wilderness1 wept at the grave of        
,lazarus1 went about doing good1 being  
homeless1 with no place where to lay his
 head1 a man of sorrows and acquainted  
with grief8 ,only a little while ago1   
and the midnight stillness of           
,gethsemane is gently broken by the     
words3 ,father1 if it be possible1 let  
this cup pass from me3 nevertheless1 not
 my will1 but thine be done4 ,the spirit

 of obedience abides with him in full   
measure even in this trying hour2 and if
 not uttered in words1 it is declared in
 act3 ,thus it becometh us to fulfill   
all righteousness4  ,one more trial     
awaits him4 ,it is his last and great   
conflict with the king of terrors and   
the powers of darkness4 ,will his spirit
 of obedience and his resistance of sin 
bear the strain of this final test8     
,glory to his blessed name1 it does4 ,he
 says3 ,the prince of this world cometh1
 and hath nothing in me4 ,ah1 there is  
our salvation4 ,the prince of this world
 found no place in his sanctified heart4
 ,throughout his trial before the       
,jewish1 as well as civil authorities1  
he was the same4 ,no change from that   
meekness and lowliness of heart that    
characterized his whole life was visible
 now4 ,he even bore his own cross2 and  
,i sometimes think that he voluntarily  
laid himself down upon it1 placed his   
hands and adjusted his feet for the     
nails2 for he had said before3 ,i lay   

down my life of myself3 no man taketh it
 from me4 ,i have power to lay it down1 
and ,i have power to take it again4 ,the
 nails are driven4 ,the foot of the     
cross1 with ,jesus upon it1 is firmly   
fixed in the ground4 ,the sun has veiled
 his face2 and darkness broods over the 
land4 ,with a loud voice he cries3 ,it  
is finished1 and he gave up his spirit4 
,this is the consummation of the        
suffering by which the ,captain of our  
salvation was perfected1 and by which he
 obtained all power in heaven and earth4
  ,i can imagine there was now a shout  
of joy and a high jubilee in heaven1 and
 a growl of disappointment and defeat in
 hell4 ,his body is taken from the      
cross4 ,not a bone of him is broken4    
,joseph's new tomb becomes its          
receptacle4 ,not long does it remain    
there4 ,the bands of death are loosed1  
and the glorified ,lord forsakes the    
tomb4 ,ought not the ,christ to have    
suffered these things1 and to enter into
 his glory8  ,notice1 further1 the glory

 and honor with which his obedience is  
rewarded4 ,in addition to the           
declarations bearing upon this subject  
already quoted1 ,i here add what ,paul  
says to the ,philippians3 ,wherefore1   
,god also hath highly exalted him1 and  
given him a name which is above every   
name3 that in the name of ,jesus every  
knee should bow1 and every tongue       
confess that ,jesus ,christ is ,lord1 to
 the glory of ,god the ,father4  ,we    
have now before us in the person of our 
,lord and ,savior ,jesus ,christ an     
example of perfect obedience4 ,we have  
also noticed some of its rewards4 ,but  
when we attempt to speak of the rewards 
of obedience1 thought and language both 
fail2 for heavenly bliss is ineffable1  
and celestial glory eternal4 ,christ's  
glorification is past comprehension4    
,eye hath not seen1 nor ear heard4 ,but 
let us rejoice greatly this day in the  
excellency of this knowledge of ,christ4
 ,he is able to save to the uttermost   
all who come unto ,god by him4 ,he has  

become the author of eternal salvation  
to all them that obey him4  ,my brother1
 my sister1 do you ever question your   
spiritual state1 doubting as to whether 
you are a child of ,god or not1         
wondering in the obscurity of your mind 
as to how you stand in the sight of     
,god8 ,i do not think any one need be in
 doubt as to this matter4 ,are you      
living a life of obedience to ,christ8  
,let us see4 ,you surely have been      
baptized4 ,as baptism was his first     
public act1 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  
teachings4 ,this you did1 and you did it
 in the true spirit of obedience and    
love4 ,you are no hypocrite1 ,i am sure2
 for the hypocrite never examines       
himself4 ,he totally lacks the goodness 
and sincerity and honesty that lead to  
self-examinations4 ,the hypocrite does  
not love the house of ,god4 ,he does not

 breathe freely in an atmosphere of     
prayer4 ,his highest ambition is to make
 a fair show in the flesh1 to secure    
some personal aggrandizement through his
 formal professions4  ,you do not belong
 to this class4 ,you feel in your heart 
that you love ,jesus1 and often weep    
that you do not love him more4 ,this    
very love should assure your heart that 
you are a child of ,god1 for love is of 
,god1 and ,god is love4 ,you cheerfully1
 and in love for the ,brethren1 stoop to
 follow his example and obey his command
 by taking part in the ordinance of     
feet-washing4 ,you eat the ,lord's      
,supper as nearly after his example as  
can be known1 in honor of him1 and      
partake of the ,communion of the bread  
and wine in remembrance of his broken   
body and shed blood4 ,in addition to all
 this you hate the inborn corruptions of
 your fleshly mind4 ,you sometimes sing 
from your heart's pure depth3  ,i hate  
my own vain thoughts that rise1 ,but    
love thy law1 my ,god4  ,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 there1 nor sinful thoughts4 ,you    
even here rejoice many times1 in the    
sweet foretastes of that happy state4   
,when you meet the loving eyes and      
friendly hands of brethren and sisters  
here assembled for worship1 you feel a  
delicious calm and a holy peace in your 
soul4 ,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 now4          
,identifying himself with them1 he says3
 ,we have all been made to sit together 
in heavenly places in ,christ ,jesus4   
,be thou faithful unto death1 and ,god  
shall give thee the crown of life4  ,at 
the close of this edifying discourse we 
sang the old hymn beginning3    ,how    
happy are they who their ,savior obey--4

  ,prayer was offered1 meeting broke up1
 and ,brother ,moomaw and ,i went to    
,michael ,whitmore's for dinner2 then to
 ,valley meetinghouse in afternoon1     
where he spoke from ,acts #bf2 and      
stayed all night at ,daniel ,glick's4   
,,monday1 ,march #c4 ,we anoint ,brother
 ,daniel ,glick this morning4 ,he is    
very low in sickness4 ,come to ,dayton  
to afternoon appointment1 where ,i speak
 from ,john #a3bi4 ,stay all night at   
,samuel ,koontz's4  ,,wednesday1 ,march 
#ai4 ,council meeting at the ,brush     
meetinghouse4 ,benjamin ,miller1 son of 
,daniel ,miller1 near the head of       
,linville ,creek1 is elected to the     
deaconship4 ,i feel that the right      
brother was chosen1 and entertain large 
hopes for his future4  ,,friday1 ,april 
#d4 ,council meeting at our             
meetinghouse4 ,brother ,samuel ,zigler  
is elected to the deaconship4 ,we might 
have selected a man of more words2 but  
,i am persuaded that one of purer mind  
and heart could not have been found4    

,brother ,benjamin ,bowman stays all    
night with me4 ,this evening he related 
to me a remarkable dream he had had not 
very long before4 ,to use his own words1
 as nearly as ,i can give them1 he said3
 ,i dreamed that ,i had died1 but found 
myself consciously awake in the land of 
departed spirits4 ,my own father met me4
 ,i knew him4 ,the joy with which he    
received and welcomed me ,i cannot      
describe4 ,my next experience was along 
a stream of very clear water4 ,it did   
not appear to be a very large stream1   
but its remarkable character impressed  
me as singular4 ,it flowed gently4 ,it  
was not swift1 but glided smoothly      
along1 uphill and downhill the same4    
,its speed never varied1 and this       
unaccountable characteristic struck me  
with surprise that waked me4 ,this is my
 interpretation of my dream1 said he3   
,the clear stream of water represents   
what the ,christian should be4 ,its     
transparency symbolizes the clear       
thought and intelligent understanding   

that he should have respecting himself  
and his life4 ,self-knowledge should    
enable him to see himself in clear      
light4 ,this knowledge leads to a clear 
understanding of his relation to ,god   
and man1 and reveals whether that       
relation is what it should be1 or       
otherwise4 ,the uniform flow of the     
stream uphill and down1 which so        
surprised me1 symbolizes that inward    
peace of mind and gentle flow of        
heavenly affections which constitute the
 ,christian's happiness in life4 ,though
 he have his ups and downs in life1 his 
inward peace gently glides along4 ',in  
the world ye shall have tribulation2 but
 in me ye shall have peace4' ,one more  
thought4 ,it is not natural for water to
 run uphill4 ,nothing short of divine   
power can make water run uphill in an   
open channel such as this had4 ,this    
symbolizes the love and mercy of the    
,lord in our being kept by his hand in  
these inwardly calm and heavenly frames 
of feeling4 ,brother ,john1 ,i never    

felt better from a dream in all my life4
  ,,saturday1 ,april #ab4 ,council      
meeting at ,shaver's meetinghouse1 in   
,shenandoah ,county4 ,brother ,john     
,brindle is advanced4  ,,sunday1 ,may   
#d4 ,meeting at ,nathan ,spitler's      
schoolhouse1 in ,page ,county4 ,hamilton
 ,varner and wife1 and ,john ,huffman's 
wife are baptized to-day4  ,,monday1    
,may #e4 ,this day ,i start to the      
,annual ,meeting1 which is appointed to 
meet about fourteen miles from          
,freeport1 in ,stephenson ,county1 on   
the extreme north border of ,illinois1  
and about three miles from ,brother     
,young's4 ,after being exposed to many  
dangers and detentions1 and one wreck on
 the way1 ,i arrived safe at the place  
of meeting on  ,,saturday1 ,may #aj4    
,stay at ,brother ,young's first night4 
,a great concourse of people on the     
ground4  ,,sunday1 ,may #aa4 ,we have a 
very fine day4 ,preaching at several    
points4 ,an immense assembly to-day4    
,,monday1 ,may #ab4 ,meeting is         

organized4 ,committees formed4 ,go to   
rooms and take in queries4 ,stay all    
night on the meeting grounds4 ,rain all 
day and cold4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #ac4     
,begin to discuss questions4 ,rain all  
day and night1 and unpleasant4 ,stay all
 night on the meeting grounds4          
,,wednesday1 ,may #ad4 ,continue the    
discussion of questions4 ,close at half 
past five o'clock4 ,stay again on       
meeting grounds4 ,although we have some 
differences of opinion among us on minor
 points of order and usages1 ,i am happy
 to know that in all great matters of   
doctrine and practice we are one4       
,whilst the meeting was in progress ,i  
was made to think of what ,solomon says 
in the book of ,proverbs about the      
locusts4 ,the locusts1 says he1 have no 
king1 yet go they forth1 all of them1   
together in bands4 ,we have no human    
king over us as pope1 cardinal or       
bishop1 with self-assumed authority and 
dignity2 yet we hold together4 ,we      
acknowledge allegiance to but one king1 

and he is out of human sight4 ,he is the
 ,king of glory4 ,but of him we can say 
with an apostle3 ,whom having not seen  
we love2 in whom1 though now we see him 
not1 yet believing1 we rejoice with joy 
unspeakable and full of glory4  ,on my  
way home from the meeting ,i visited    
,peter ,fesler's1 ,jacob ,miller's1     
,samuel ,freys's1 ,allen ,white's1      
,absalom ,painter's1 ,william ,mason's1 
,john ,strough's1 ,john ,miller's1      
,joseph ,funk's1 ,george ,hoover's1 and 
,john ,snideman's1 all in ,indiana4 ,i  
also preached at a number of points in  
,indiana and ,ohio4  ,,saturday1 ,may   
#bd4 ,this evening ,david ,bowman and ,i
 get to ,abraham ,aerbach's in ,ohio4   
,,sunday1 ,may #be4 ,go to ,bowman's    
meetinghouse1 where ,i speak from       
,hebrews #ab4 ,dine at ,david ,miller's1
 and stay all night at ,isaac ,miller's4
  ,,tuesday1 ,may #bg4 ,night meeting at
 the meetinghouse near ,peter ,nead's4  
,stay with ,brother ,nead4  ,,wednesday1
 ,may #bh4 ,meeting at the same place4  

,sup with ,john ,varner4 ,stay with     
,isaac ,miller4  ,,thursday1 ,may #bi4  
,meeting at ,reipsam's meetinghouse4    
,love feast this evening4 ,stay with    
,philip ,grabil till one o'clock in the 
night1 when we start for ,springfield to
 take cars for home4 ,stop over a few   
days in ,hampshire ,county1 ,virginia1  
and arrive home safe on ,thursday1 ,june
 #e4  ,,tuesday1 ,june #ag4 ,this day ,i
 am fifty-nine years of age4 ,when ,i   
was young my ambition led me to hope    
that ,i might some day attain to        
distinction in the world1 and leave an  
imperishable name4 ,i own with shame    
before my ,god1 that my heart was full  
of vanity4 ,i now thank him that he has 
led me to know and feel myself but a    
poor sinner redeemed4 ,i am wholly      
dependent upon him for all that ,i am or
 ever shall be4 ,lord ,jesus1 may ,i    
live to glorify thee1 and thee only4 ,i 
believe thy truth4 ,i trust thy love4   
,may thy glory be the end of all my     
efforts in life1 and thy love the       

propelling power in all ,i do4 ,hallowed
 be thy name1 not my name4 ,thy will be 
done1 not my will4 ,give me grace thus  
ever to pray and to walk humbly before  
thee4  ,,friday1 ,august #bb4 ,this day 
,brother ,kline left home for another   
journey to the counties of ,hardy and   
,randolph4 ,he spent several days in    
,hardy ,county1 preaching among the     
,brethren and friends on the ,south     
,fork1 ,south ,branch and beyond4       
,,sunday1 ,august #bd4 ,meeting at      
,bethel in forenoon2 in afternoon at    
,jacob ,cosner's4 ,,text4--#c ,john     
seventh verse4 ,he has given us but a   
touch of what he said here4 ,i imagine  
his heart somewhat overflowed with      
gratitude to these kind-hearted people  
in return for the love they showed him4 
,he read this third epistle of ,john to 
them2 and ,i here append the substance  
of part of his comment on it3  ,there   
are great blessings in store for those  
who through love to the ,lord lodge and 
feed his ministers4 ,the love of ,gaius 

in this regard1 was spoken of in the    
church4 ,this letter was written to him4
 ,in the apostle's days as now1 many    
went forth bearing the precious seed of 
,god's ,word1 almost wholly dependent   
upon the charity of brethren and friends
 to the cause1 for food and shelter4    
,they were encouraged to go in this     
humble and trustful way by the recorded 
words of the ,lord1 that 'the laborer is
 worthy of his hire4' ,we learn from the
 context1 sustained also by the other   
evangelists1 that food and lodging is   
the hire the ,lord had in view4 ,to     
encourage all to the duty as well as    
privilege of kindly receiving his       
ministers and even his righteous        
brethren who might not be ministers1 he 
left on record these words3 ',he that   
receiveth a prophet 7minister7 in the   
name of a prophet1 shall receive a      
prophet's reward4 ,and he that receiveth
 a righteous man in the name of a       
righteous man1 shall receive a righteous
 man's reward4' ,and he sublimely crowns

 all those who tender their love in this
 way with the words3 ',inasmuch as ye   
have done it unto the least of these my 
brethren1 ye have done it unto me4' ,how
 faithfully these tokens of love for the
 ,lord and the ,brethren were kept by   
the early ,christians1 ,paul with others
 abundantly testifies4 ,however1 to     
avoid slanderous accusations which might
 be hurled at him by the adversaries of 
the cross1 he did not always avail      
himself of the proffered good4 ,blessed 
are they who watch for and lay hold of  
opportunities to do good in this way4   
,,monday1 ,august #be4 ,meeting at      
,greenland4 ,thomas ,lion baptizes one  
person to-day4 ,stay all night at       
,thomas ,clark's4  ,,tuesday1 ,august   
#bf4 ,this day1 after meeting1 ,i       
baptize ,james ,abernathy and wife4     
,,wednesday1 ,august #bg4 ,meeting at   
,david ,feige's on the pike4 ,afternoon 
meeting at ,west ,union4 ,stay at       
,benjamin ,beachley's4  ,,thursday1     
,august #bh4 ,ride twenty-nine miles    

to-day4 ,dine at ,peter ,bolyard's and  
stay all night at ,henry ,wilson's4     
,,friday1 ,august #bi4 ,meeting at      
meetinghouse4 ,i baptize ,w4 ,oval and  
wife4 ,water is two miles distant4      
,afternoon meeting at same place4 ,speak
 from last chapter of ,revelation4      
,,saturday1 ,august #cj4 ,come into     
,randolph ,county4 ,dine at ,samuel     
,perkeypine's1 and stay at ,brother     
,john ,skidmore's4  ,,sunday1 ,august   
#ca4 ,meeting at ,josiah ,simon's4      
,after preaching have a church council4 
,brother ,charles ,burke is forwarded to
 baptize2 and ,brother ,josiah ,simon is
 elected to the ,word4 ,brother ,john   
,skidmore is elected to the deaconship1 
,stay all night at ,brother ,burke's4   
,,monday1 ,september #a4 ,meeting at    
,levi ,wilmot's4 ,speak from ,matt4     
#g3ba4 ,as ,i have time this afternoon  
will outline my discourse for future    
reference4  ,the ,editor gives these    
outlines in the best shape he can put   
them as follows3      ,,text4--,not     

every one that saith unto me1 ,lord1    
,lord1 shall enter     the kingdom2 but 
he that doeth the will of my ,father    
which is in     heaven4  ,this passage  
of ,scripture means a great deal4 ,it   
draws a sharp line between the false and
 the true in religious professions2     
between empty formality on the one hand1
 and loving obedience on the other4 ,it 
is a very easy thing1 and requires no   
previous preparation of heart by        
self-examination1 for very wicked and   
thoughtless people to call upon the     
,lord in times of great danger1 or in   
seasons of distress4 ,some years ago a  
very thoughtless and irreligious family 
near my home lived on the bank of a     
certain stream4 ,suddenly1 after a great
 rain1 their house was surrounded by a  
flood of water that threatened its      
destruction4 ,they knew not what to do2 
and in their fright and consternation   
they began to call on the ,lord for     
help4 ,he may have heard them1 for the  
house did not go4 ,when the flood had   

passed away1 and they felt that they    
were again secure1 they had no further  
need of the ,lord1 and continued to live
 just as they had lived before4  ,often 
have ,i heard of wicked people1 when    
thrown prostrate upon beds of           
affliction1 calling upon the ,lord1 and 
even promising that if he would raise   
them up again they would do better4 ,but
 how often does it turn out that such   
promises are either wantonly disregarded
 or thoughtlessly broken6 ,but why is   
this so8 ,what is the cause8 ,i will    
tell you4 ,such prayers and promises do 
not proceed from a right motive1 and    
they do not aim at a right end4 ,self is
 the beginning and the end of all such  
prayers and promises4 ,and when self is 
again made to feel easy by escape from  
danger1 or recovery from sickness1 there
 is an end of prayer1 and promises are  
forgotten4 ,but such as ,i have named   
are not the only class included in our  
,lord's meaning4 ,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 ,lord1      
making long prayers1 that they may be   
seen of men4 ,of such our ,lord says3   
,verily1 they have their reward4 ,here  
again the love of self and the world is 
the beginning and the end4  ,there is   
one more class justly belonging to the  
number of those already described4 ,this
 is a sad class indeed1 although        
probably no worse off than some others4 
,i hope no one here will ever be found  
in their number4 ,you may read about    
them in the twenty-fifth chapter of     
,matthew's ,gospel4 ,they are called the
 foolish virgins4 ,we all know that a   
virgin is an unmarried woman who has    
kept the integrity of her virtue        
unbroken4 ,the ten spoken of in the     
chapter are virgins in a figurative     
sense4 ,they are so called because in   
appearance and profession they were not 
defiled with the world4 ,they all had   
lamps4 ,david says3 ,thy word is a      

,,lamp unto my feet1 and a light unto my
 path4 ,each one had this lamp according
 to their understanding and use of the  
,word4 ,all denominations of ,christians
 claim the ,word as their lamp or guide 
through the darkness of this world4 ,but
 lamps differ greatly in almost every   
imaginable way1--in form1 size1 material
 and illuminating capacity4 ,much also  
depends upon the sight4 ,if the sight be
 diseased1 not good1 the same lamp that 
shines brightly to one may be darkness  
to another4 ,if thine eye be single1 thy
 whole body shall be full of light2 but 
if thine eye be evil1 thy whole body    
shall be darkness4 ,if therefore the    
light that is in thee be darkness1 how  
great is the darkness6  ,the foolish    
virgins had lamps1 that is1 they        
professed faith in ,god's ,word1 but    
their faith lacked the oil of love2 it  
was not made perfect by works in life   
proceeding from love to ,god and their  
neighbor4 ,oil in the ,scriptures stands
 for love4 ,priests and kings had to be 

anointed with oil as a sign or emblem   
that they were to perform their official
 duties from love4 ,hence the light that
 is fed by pure oil beautifully         
symbolizes the truth that shines in the 
,christian's life1 warm with the love of
 ,god2 but the light that comes from a  
wick in a lamp destitute of oil         
symbolizes the life of the hypocrite1   
the vain professor4 ,it may burn for a  
little2 but it will soon go out and     
leave him in eternal darkness4 ,the wise
 virgins represent those who make a     
profession of faith in the light of     
truth and in the love of it4 ,these go  
in with the ,lord to the marriage feast4
 ,but the foolish virgins find the door 
shut4 ,they call1 ,lord1 ,lord1 open to 
us4 ,but he answers by saying3 ,i know  
you not4 ,not every one that saith unto 
me ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter into the   
kingdom of heaven1 but he that doeth the
 will of my ,father which is in heaven4 
,i recently heard of a preacher who had 
attended one of our meetings4 ,if ,i    

remember rightly1 a good deal had that  
day been said on the importance and     
value of good works4 ,i think that one  
who had spoken that day went so far as  
to quote these words of the ,lord3      
,every good tree bringeth forth good    
fruit4 ,good works are good fruit1 he   
had also said4 ,he had quoted this      
passage too3 ,every tree that bringeth  
not forth good fruit is hewn down1 and  
cast into the fire4 ,evil works are evil
 fruit1 he had also said4 ,and ,i feel  
sure he had quoted these words of the   
,lord3 ,they that have done good shall  
come unto the resurrection of life3 but 
they that have done evil1 unto the      
resurrection of damnation4 ,the friend  
who told me had ridden a part of the way
 home with the preacher before referred 
to1 and in speaking to this friend he   
said3 ,these ,dunkards are odd people4  
,i occasionally go to their meetings1   
and every time ,i do go ,i am sure to   
hear of works6 ,,works6 as if works were
 necessary to salvation4 ,in answer to  

the friend who communicated this to me1 
,i said3 ,i hope the ,dunkards1 as he   
called us1 will always be odd people in 
this regard1 so long as it is written3  
',he that doeth good is of ,god2 but he 
that doeth evil hath not seen ,god4' ',a
 good tree cannot bring forth evil      
fruit3 neither can a corrupt tree bring 
forth good fruit4 ,by their fruits ye   
shall ,,know them4'  ,brethren1 let us  
think closely upon the closing words of 
my text3 ,he that ,,doeth the will of my
 ,father which is in heaven4 ,an apostle
 says3 ,this is the will of ,god1 even  
your sanctification4 ,sanctification    
means holiness1 and holiness means      
conformity of heart and life to ,god's  
,revealed ,truth4 ,the heart cannot be  
conformed to ,god's ,revealed ,truth    
when the life is conformed to the world 
and sin4 ,no man can serve two          
masters4444 ,ye cannot serve ,god and   
mammon4 ,jesus prays for all that       
believe on him through the ,word3       
,sanctify them in thy truth4 ,thy word  

is truth4 ,we occasionally hear of some 
professing sanctification4 ,from what ,i
 have been told1 those making this      
profession mean by it that they have    
attained to a state of sinless          
perfection4 ,this is a state to be      
devoutly wished1 for it is the state of 
the spirits of just men made perfect4   
,nothing shall enter that holy city     
where they dwell that defileth1 or      
worketh abomination1 or maketh a lie4   
,in this city of light and love no sin  
is found4    ,those holy gates forever  
bar     ,pollution1 sin and shame3      
,for none shall have admittance there   
,but followers of the ,lamb4  ,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 life4       
,heaven is my throne1 and the earth is  
the footstool of my feet4 ,swear not at 
all2 neither by heaven1 for it is ,god's
 throne4 ,as heaven is ,god's throne1   
his will is the universal law for all1  

and that law is love4 ,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 heart1 and his        
neighbor--every one of the assembly--as 
he loves himself4 ,and from the ,lord's 
,prayer it is to be inferred that his   
people on earth should aim at the same  
state of perfection4  ,let us examine   
this for a moment4 ,notice the very     
first petition after the address3 ,thy  
kingdom come4 ,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 established8 ,it    
includes this1 of course2 but is this   
all8 ,i think not4 ,now the next        
petition3 ,thy will be done1 as in      
heaven1 so upon earth4 ,whilst these two
 petitions have a general significance1 
they have a most personal application to
 the heart and life of every one        
offering them4 ,we sometimes wonder why 

the ,lord's ,prayer is so short4 ,it is 
so because the all of heaven1 and the   
church on earth1 is comprehended in     
doing the will of our ,father who is in 
heaven as subjects of his kingdom4 ,and 
the aim and end of ,revealed ,truth from
 ,genesis to ,revelation is to teach man
 how to acquire the power to do this1   
and how to do it1 together with the     
promises of eternal rewards for doing   
it4 ,and until our understandings are so
 filled with the knowledge of the       
glorious truths of ,god's kingdom1 and  
our hearts with the love of doing his   
will that we can make no further        
progress in knowledge and wisdom1 and no
 additions to the warmth and measure of 
our love by reason of our sinless       
perfection1 we have daily need to offer 
this prayer4  ,gospel and church        
ordinances are all important4 ,in my    
view they hold a relation to every true 
,christian in the lines of example1     
power and use somewhat like that which  
the harness has to a draught horse4 ,the

 horse has to be first trained to the   
draught by means of the harness2 and    
when trained he draws by the same means4
 ,entering the church in the ,lord's    
appointed way--inwardly1 through        
repentance towards ,god and faith in our
 ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 outwardly1 by a  
threefold immersion of the body in pure 
water1 the beautiful emblem of truth1 in
 token of our belief in the blessed     
trinity of ,god--is simply putting on   
the harness for work in the ,lord's     
vineyard4 ,it is also the act of putting
 on the ,christian soldier's armor and  
entering the service4 ,but of what use  
is a helmet1 sword and shield to an     
idler in the camp8 ,of what account is  
harness1 unless the horse that carries  
it is trained and made willing to use   
it8  ,the apostles all speak much of    
charity1 which is love to others filled 
with a desire to do them good4 ,this    
love is of ,god2 for our ,lord was      
filled with it as he went about doing   
good4 ,it is this same love or charity  

in ,god that has brought salvation to   
man4 ,paul and ,peter often call it     
grace1 but it means the same thing4     
,moses and the prophets mostly use the  
word mercy2 but it also means the same4 
,these three words1 love1 grace1 mercy1 
in their true sense1 are comprehended in
 the word ,,charity1 which1 as an       
attribute of ,god or a conscious feeling
 in man1 is the love of doing good in   
the desire to make others good and      
happy4 ,if charity were made the life   
and spring of man's love universally1   
peace and happiness would be the        
universal order of man's life on earth4 
,millennial glory would crown humanity1 
and the knowledge of the ,lord would be 
its princely attire4 ,then the wolf of  
worldly rapacity1 having lost its power1
 would dwell with the lamb4 ,the leopard
 of crouching deceit1 having been       
deprived of its teeth and claws1 would  
lie down with the kid4 ,the young lion1 
tamed1 but his courage and strength     
reserved by being regenerated1 would    

feed with the calf2 and the little child
 of innocent will and teachable         
understanding would lead them4  ,but the
 whole creation groaneth and travaileth 
in pain together until now4 ,we can not 
know fully all the blessedness to be    
realized by doing the will of our       
,father in heaven4 ,but this we may be  
assured of2 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 receive3 ,well done1   
good and faithful servant2 enter thou   
into the joy of thy ,lord4  ,after      
dinner ,brother ,joseph ,arnold and     
,michael ,lion come with me1 over a very
 rough track1 to ,abraham               
,summerfield's1 where we stay all night4
  ,,tuesday1 ,september #b4 ,in the     
forenoon preach the funeral of old ,mrs4
 ,summerfield2 and in connection with it
 that of the child of ,washington       
,summerfield4 ,in the afternoon we have 
meeting at old man ,summerfield's on the

 ,dry ,fork of ,cheat river4 ,washington
 ,summerfield and his wife and soldier  
,white's wife are baptized to-day4 ,stay
 all night at ,john ,pennington's4      
,,wednesday1 ,september #c4 ,dine at    
,widow ,cooper's on the ,alleghany      
mountain1 and stay all night at ,isaac  
,carr's on the ,north ,fork4            
,,thursday1 ,september #d4 ,meeting at  
,carr's4 ,come to ,enoch ,hyre's and    
stay all night4  ,,friday1 ,september   
#e4 ,meeting at ,hyre's4 ,german ,w4    
,deadenborn is baptized to-day4 ,come to
 ,sister ,mary ,judy's2 stay all night4 
,,saturday1 ,september #f4 ,meeting at  
,sister ,judy's4 ,brother ,thomas ,lion 
is with me4 ,come to ,peggy ,dasher's2  
night meeting at ,zion4  ,,sunday1      
,september #g4 ,meeting at ,henry       
,moyers's1 in the ,gap4 ,in evening get 
home4  ,,thursday1 ,september #aa4      
,council meeting at our meetinghouse4   
,decide the question as to what the     
churches here in the slaveholding       
,states should require of any slaveowner

 desiring to come into the church4 ,a   
very delicate matter to act upon in the 
present sensitive condition of public   
feeling on slavery4 ,but it is the aim  
of the ,brethren here not to offend     
popular feeling1 so long as that feeling
 does not attempt any interference with 
what they regard and hold sacred as     
their line of ,christian duty4 ,should  
such opposition arise1 which ,i greatly 
fear will be the case at no distant day1
 it will then be seen that it is the    
fixed purpose and resolve of the        
,brotherhood to obey ,god rather than   
men4 ,it was decided in council that    
every slaveholder coming into the church
 must give up his or her slaves as      
property2 and yet not turn them off     
houseless and homeless1 but allow them  
to remain1 and labor1 and be fed and    
clothed as usual1 until suitable and    
lawful provisions can be made for their 
complete emancipation4  ,,thursday1     
,september #ah4 ,this day ,brother      
,kline started on a journey up the      

,valley of ,virginia1 to the counties of
 ,augusta1 ,rockbridge1 ,botetourt1     
,roanoke and ,franklin4 ,as usual1 he   
was mounted on faithful ,nell's back4   
,the reader need not be surprised to be 
told what the writer heard ,brother     
,kline tell about the somewhat          
remarkable sagacity of ,nell4 ,she not  
only had her favorite places to stop at1
 but she had her favorite roads to      
travel on4 ,and it was not uncommon for 
her rider to be forced into a mild but  
resolute contention with her1 when he   
wished to leave a road she had          
repeatedly traveled before4  ,brother   
,john ,brower accompanied him from      
,augusta4 ,saturday1 the twenty-eighth1 
they crossed the ,natural ,bridge and   
got to ,sister ,sarah ,grabil's1 where  
they met ,brother ,crumbaker4 ,sunday1  
the #bast1 they attended a love feast at
 the ,valley meetinghouse1 and stayed   
all night at ,brother ,nininger's4      
,monday1 the #bbnd1 they attended       
meeting again1 and stayed all night at  

,brother ,benjamin ,moomaw's4 ,next day 
they dined at ,brother ,daniel ,kiser's1
 and stayed all night at ,john          
,brubaker's in ,roanoke ,county4 ,on    
this trip they visited or stayed over   
night with ,peter ,crumbaker's1 ,james  
,hayden's1 ,joseph ,howard's1 ,joseph   
,weddell's1 ,christian ,bowman's1       
,daniel ,neff's1 ,abraham ,flory's1     
,abraham ,barnhart's1 ,jacob ,miley's1  
,wendell ,sites's1 and ,jacob ,stover's4
 ,he got home ,friday1 ,october #aj4    
,on this journey ,brother ,kline        
attended nine meetings for ordinary     
services1 and six love feasts4  ,from   
this time on to the close of the year   
,brother ,kline was actively employed   
either at home or abroad4 ,he made one  
trip to ,page ,county4 ,he and ,brother 
,solomon ,garber took a journey through 
the counties of ,pendleton1 ,randolph1  
,upshur1 ,highland1 and returned through
 ,augusta4 ,they held eleven meetings in
 the eleven days they spent on this     
trip4 ,several were baptized2 and they  

met with kind receptions everywhere they
 went4  ,,wednesday1 ,december #ca4     
,this year ,i have traveled six thousand
 miles4 ,may ,god forgive all ,i have   
said and done amiss1 and accept to his  
own glory all that ,i have done well4   
,amen6  ,,saturday1 ,january #ag4 ,a    
snowstorm sets in this evening4         
,,sunday1 ,january #ah4 ,a terrific and 
very cold snowstorm has been raging all 
day and all last night4 ,thermometer    
down to zero all day4  ,,monday1        
,january #ai4 ,terrible snowstorm       
continues till evening4 ,snow           
considerably drifted2 but probably      
enough snow on the ground if evenly     
distributed over its surface to make a  
depth of over two feet4 ,get through    
reading ,the ,prince of the ,house of   
,david4  ,,monday1 ,february #b4 ,very  
cold to-night4 ,thermometer ten degrees 
below zero4  ,,friday1 ,february #e4 ,a 
general thaw4  ,,saturday1 ,february #f4
 ,go to ,broadway to see the river4     
,tremendous breaking up of the          

ice--tearing almost everything before   
it4  ,,saturday1 ,april #d4 ,brother    
,jacob ,wine and ,i attend a visit      
council meeting in ,page ,county4       
,elections are also held4 ,brother      
,nathan ,spitler is elected to preach   
the ,word2 and ,john ,huffman is        
advanced to baptize and perform the     
ceremony of marriage4 ,gideon ,toben is 
elected to the deaconship4  ,,saturday1 
,april #ah4 ,council meeting at the     
,flat ,rock4 ,jacob ,wine is ordained4  
,john ,neff is advanced to the second   
grade2 and ,abraham ,neff is elected to 
preach the ,word4  ,,sunday1 ,april #bf4
 ,meeting at our meetinghouse4 ,romans  
#f is read4 ,philip ,emswiler and ,john 
,toppen and his wife are baptized by    
myself4  ,,wednesday1 ,may #ac4 ,go to  
,john ,lowry's to converse with him and 
his wife on the subject of religion4    
,,tuesday1 ,may #ai4 ,considerable snow 
to-day2 but on low-lying sections of    
country it melts almost as fast as it   
falls4  ,,wednesday1 ,may #bj4 ,the     

,blue ,ridge1 and the mountains on the  
west side of the valley are all white   
with snow4  ,,thursday1 ,may #ba4 ,this 
morning the tops of the western         
mountains are still white with snow4    
,the oldest weather records ,i have     
heard from contain no account of snow so
 late in the spring as this anywhere in 
,virginia4  ,,friday1 ,may #bb4 ,peter  
,fesler and wife are with us here at my 
home4 ,we are all made to feel glad by  
their company4  ,,friday1 ,june #e4 ,go 
to ,john ,lowry's to discuss some of our
 doctrines with ,jacob ,stirewalt and   
,socrates ,henkel1 ,lutheran preachers  
from ,new ,market1 ,virginia4 ,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 controversy4 ,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  
case4 ,when the truth is loved for its  
own sake it is not hard to find2 and it 

is readily perceived when found4 ,it is 
then the pearl of great price for which 
a man will sell all that he has to      
obtain it as his own4 ,luther was no    
doubt sincere in much that he taught3   
but men may be sincere in holding very  
erroneous dogmas1 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 up4 ,it was  
said of ,luther1 by one of the later    
reformers1 that he cut a large piece out
 of the ,pope's pontifical robe as he   
left the ,vatican1 and kept it all his  
life as a sacred relic4 ,this is of     
course highly figurative1 and not to be 
understood literally2 but to mean that  
he incorporated many papal errors in his
 subsequent teachings4 ,my object in    
meeting these preachers at this place   
was to comply with the request of the   
family for me to do so4 ,friend ,lowry  
and his wife did not appear to see the  
lines of truth and duty very clearly2   

and as they seemed desirous of learning 
the way ,i thought it important for some
 one to present the truth on one side1  
to oppose the error that was likely to  
be poured in from the other side4 ,the  
whole thing reminded me of what ,i often
 do--give medicine to counteract        
disease4  ,,saturday1 ,july #be4 ,visit1
 medically1 ,george1 and ,noah          
,shoemaker's1 ,joseph ,shoemaker's1     
,william ,miller's2 and am hurriedly    
called to ,james ,fitzwater's4 ,he has  
been bitten by a copperhead snake4 ,i   
succeed in relieving urgent symptoms2   
and by evening he is almost free from   
pain4  ,,saturday1 ,august #a4 ,go to   
,orkney ,springs4  ,,sunday1 ,august #b4
 ,have preaching at the hotel4 ,my      
subject is ,righteousness1 ,temperance1 
and a ,judgment to ,come4 ,my audience  
was composed of hearers from far and    
near2 and almost all classes1 as to     
intelligence and social standing1 were  
represented4 ,a man like myself1 who    
only occasionally strikes such a crowd1 

hardly knows how to adapt himself to the
 situation4 ,if he lets himself down to 
the comprehension of the illiterate1 the
 highbred city folks may say3 ,he is    
beneath his calling4 ,and if he lifts   
himself up to their standard of         
appreciation1 the unlearned go away     
without being able to say amen to what  
they have heard4 ,i decided1 however1 to
 follow the example of ,paul before     
,felix and ,drusilla4 ,he reasoned of   
righteousness1 etc4  ,in the forty-fifth
 ,psalm ,david says3 ,thy throne1 ,o    
,god1 is for ever and ever3 the scepter 
of thy kingdom is a scepter of          
righteousness4 ,thou lovest             
righteousness1 and hatest wickedness4 ,a
 scepter is a kind of staff borne by    
kings as an emblem of their authority4  
,it is a comfort to know that the       
scepter of ,jehovah1 as ,king of the    
universe1 is a scepter of righteousness4
 ,we could never know that ,god is      
righteous1 and that he loves            
righteousness1 except by being told in  

his ,word of ,truth4 ,this world does   
not give unequivocal testimony to the   
righteousness of ,god4 ,the wicked bear 
rule1 and the nations tremble4 ,evil    
often overcomes good1 and wrong triumphs
 over right4 ,disease or accident lays  
the good man low in death2 while the    
wicked near by is left to exult in the  
strength of his arm4 ,i say it is       
comforting to know1 in the midst of     
these apparent contradictory evidences  
of the just government of the world1    
that ,god is nevertheless righteous3 and
 although iniquity largely bears rule   
and carries the day1 ,god still hates   
wickedness4 ,god does not acquiesce in  
the injustice and wrong that is being   
perpetrated in the world4 ,he merely    
permits it2 and he permits it for the   
reason that he can not arrest and put an
 end to it without destroying man's     
freedom4 ,man is free as to his will and
 understanding--free to believe what is 
false and to do what is wrong4 ,but he  
is just as free to believe what is true 

and to will what is good4 ,this freedom 
is what makes him capable of being      
reformed and saved4  ,it is self-evident
 that righteousness1 which is right     
doing from right willing1 is the basis  
of all true order and happiness in earth
 and heaven4 ,god is love1 and he       
therefore loves righteousness because it
 is good1 and hates wickedness because  
it is evil4 ,but man has fallen from his
 primeval state of righteousness1 and   
therefore he is not in a condition of   
mind and heart fit for the indwelling of
 the ,holy ,spirit1 nor capable of      
enjoying the divine presence in the     
society of the pure and good4           
,righteousness and holiness are related 
to each other very much as the fruit is 
related to the tree that bears it4      
,holiness corresponds with the sap1     
fiber1 life and whatever else makes the 
tree good2 and righteousness corresponds
 with the fruit the good tree bears2 and
 without holiness no man shall see the  
,lord4  ,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   
attained4 ,the ,jewish leaders and      
representatives in our ,lord's day upon 
earth were very exact in their outward  
lives4 ,they kept clean the outside of  
the cup and of the platter4 ,their      
external conduct was ordered to a rigid 
conformity to divine law4 ,they         
endeavored to establish a righteousness 
of their own2 and to all human          
appearance they succeeded2 for the ,lord
 himself said to them3 ,ye make clean   
the outside--as vessels may appear clean
 externally4 ,he also compared them to  
beautiful monuments of marble sculptured
 after the highest style of art and     
polished to shining perfection1 set up  
over the dead4 ,but of this very class  
of men he said3 ,except your            
righteousness shall exceed the          
righteousness of the scribes and        
,pharisees1 ye shall in no wise enter   
the kingdom of heaven4 ,this proves that

 the righteousness which they had was   
not the righteousness of the kingdom of 
heaven4  ,self-respect1 or self-love1   
inclines almost every one1 except the   
very abandoned1 to make a show of       
righteousness2 that is1 they want others
 to think they are living right lives4  
,no man who holds himself up to         
respectability is willing to be called a
 thief1 or a liar1 or an adulterer1 or  
any other thing that is vile4 ,he may be
 any or all of these1 yet he is not     
willing that it should be known1 or even
 suspected4 ,even he desires to make a  
fair show in the flesh4  ,others1 again1
 who make no profession of religion1 but
 who yet believe in a supreme ,god and a
 future state of existence1 desire to be
 righteous before ,god and man4 ,they   
are not like the scribes and ,pharisees1
 who attached virtue and merit to their 
rigid observance of the ceremonial law  
of ordinances in their religion4 ,these 
that ,i now speak of are simply good    
moral men1 who are honest in their      

dealings and careful of the conduct of  
their lives generally4 ,these do not    
really desire to make any display of    
their righteousness4 ,they wish rather  
to be esteemed for their real worth2 and
 not for any fancied or spurious        
excellencies4 ,they desire to live above
 the just reproaches of men1 and the    
condemnation of ,god4 ,they persuade    
themselves to think that their          
righteousness is all that ,god can      
require4  ,but the most numerous of all 
the classes that seek after             
righteousness is composed of those who  
trust in the righteousness of faith4    
,righteousness or justification by faith
 was the password of the ,reformation4  
,martin ,luther1 misapplying ,paul's    
utterance that a man is justified or    
made righteous by faith without the     
deeds of the law1 set a large part of   
,europe going with the impression that  
salvation1 in the highest sense1 is     
attainable on the easy terms of merely  
assenting to the statement that ,jesus  

,christ is the ,son of ,god4 ,many      
passages can be adduced from the        
epistolary writings in plausible support
 of this theory of salvation4 ,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   
cross1 still it is the leading dogma of 
what is popularly called orthodoxy4 ,but
 ,i must confess before all present this
 day that ,i have not so learned        
,christ1 nor ,paul either4 ,not every   
one that saith unto me1 ,lord1 ,lord1   
shall enter the kingdom1 but he that    
,,doeth the will of my ,father which is 
in heaven4 ,at the close of his sermon  
on the ,mount1 in which is given all    
necessary instruction and encouragement 
for living a righteous life from holy   
love in the heart1 the ,lord ,jesus     
says3 ,whosoever heareth these sayings  
of mine and ,,doeth them1 ,i will liken 

him to a wise man who built his house   
upon a rock4 ,and he said to ,peter3    
,upon this rock ,i will build my church1
 and the gates of hell shall not prevail
 against it4 ,the rock is the great     
,,truth that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son 
of ,god4 ,this truth involves every good
 affection and thought and work of man4 
,it takes in and requires obedience to  
every divine command1 and compliance    
with every divine precept4 ,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 so1
 he is righteous in the sight of the    
,lord1 and necessarily in a state of    
salvation4 ,he is then to let his light 
shine before men1 that others seeing his
 ,,good ,,works may glorify our ,father 
in heaven4  ,for want of time ,i must   
pass over the subject of temperance1 to 
say something about a judgment to come4 
,and right here there are all sorts of  
ideas and conjectures4 ,but of all the  

subjects in the universe1 that involving
 the judgment is the most momentous to  
man2 because it is there that his       
eternal destiny will be disclosed to    
him1 as to whether he shall be an angel 
of heaven or a demon in hell4 ,and we   
shall all stand before the judgment seat
 of ,christ4 ,it is not to be wondered  
at that ,felix trembled under the weight
 of this great truth4 ,god's ,word will 
be the basis of judgment4 ,says our     
,lord3 ,he that rejecteth me1 and       
receiveth not my sayings1 hath one that 
judgeth him3 the word that ,i spake1 the
 same shall judge him in the last day4  
,as man liveth by every word that       
proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god1 so 
does every word of his truth point to   
that great day for which all other days 
were made4 ,all the parables and        
miracles of our ,lord1 full of          
instruction as to heart and life1 point1
 like so many guideposts1 to this great 
central truth of man's experience and   
existence4  ,but1 friends1 let us imbibe

 no erroneous views and impressions     
regarding the judgment to come4 ,let us 
not regard it as being an occasion for  
the display of ,god's wrath2 but let us 
rather look upon it as the sublimest    
manifestation of his love4 ,draw a      
comparison here4 ,good human laws are   
not a terror to the good4 ,a jury is    
impaneled4 ,a criminal is arraigned     
before it4 ,testimony is received and   
evidence drawn from it respecting the   
innocence or guilt of the accused4 ,the 
balance of testimony is altogether in   
his favor4 ,he is acquitted4 ,that trial
 is a joy to that criminal1 because it  
sets him right as to character before   
the world4 ,but suppose he is found     
guilty4 ,is it a joy then8 ,it is not4  
,it is a grief4 ,why8 ,because his sin  
has found him out4 ,his real character  
is laid bare4 ,but in their consignment 
of him to the punishment prescribed by  
law1 do the jury and the judge act from 
wrath8 ,they do not1 but from a love of 
good will to all4 ,the law that condemns

 may have the appearance of wrath to the
 condemned2 but never to the innocent4  
,judgment and reward will be according  
to works1 and never according to        
professions of faith1 except where the  
professions are genuine1 and lead to    
good works from the love of doing good4 
,i have met with some who have          
manifested dread in contemplating the   
majesty of that great day1 the day of a 
judgment to come4 ,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    
day4 ,justice never condemns the        
innocent4 ,just and wise laws are never 
a terror to the good1 and such are all  
the laws of ,god4 ,in the book of       
,revelation we read of those who had    
gotten the victory over the beast1 and  
over his image1 and over his mark1 and  
over the number of his name1 saying3    
,great and marvelous are thy works1     
,lord ,god ,almighty2 just and true are 

thy ways1 thou ,king of saints4 ,these  
all exulted in the prospect of a        
judgment to come1 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 true4 ,i once read of a
 criminal who was deeply distressed at  
the near approach of his trial4 ,a      
friend endeavored to soothe his agitated
 feelings by telling him that justice   
would be done him1 and that he          
consequently had no cause for fear4 ,but
 the criminal was honest enough to      
confess to his friend that ,,justice was
 the very thing he was afraid of4 ,i    
have no doubt that this very same fear  
was what made ,felix tremble before     
,paul4  ,the ,son of man1 on the        
judgment seat1 will be the very same in 
every particular that he is now on the  
mercy seat4 ,jesus ,christ is the same  
yesterday1 and to-day1 and forevermore4 
,the heavens shall depart as a scroll2  
and as a vesture shalt thou fold them   

up2 but thou art the same4 ,by viewing  
him now as he is on the mercy seat we   
may see what he will be on the judgment 
seat4 ,the trembling waters of ,galilee 
became a pavement under his feet1 and   
his disciples were thrown into          
consternation by this miraculous        
approach of the ,lord4 ,but he instantly
 dispelled their fears by the assurance3
 ,it is ,i2 ,,be ,,not ,,afraid4 ,peter1
 ,james and ,john on the holy mount     
feared as they entered the cloud and saw
 his glory2 but he most tenderly said to
 them3 ,,fear ,,not4 ,john1 on the isle 
of ,patmos1 beholding the glory of his  
unveiled face1 fell at his feet as dead4
 ,but he laid his right hand upon him   
and said3 ,,fear ,,not4 ,i am he that   
liveth and was dead2 and1 behold6 ,i am 
alive forevermore4  ,these thoughts lead
 to the further consideration that there
 will be no arbitrary or despotic power 
exercised in the judgment to come4 ,my  
words shall judge you in the last day is
 given by our ,lord as the standard of  

judgment4 ,is there one here who desires
 to know how he will bear the searching 
ordeal of that day8 ,if there is1 let me
 say to such a one1 you can decide that 
question here in this world for         
yourself4 ,you have the ,lord's word for
 this4 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1
 ,he that heareth my word1 and believeth
 him that sent me1 hath eternal life1   
and cometh not into judgment1 but hath  
passed out of death into life4 ,to hear 
is to hearken1 and to hearken is to     
obey1 from a right faith in ,god4 ,if   
you believe that this book which ,i hold
 in my hand1 called the ,bible1 is the  
revealed truth of ,god1 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 
revealed1 and continue faithful unto    
death1 you have the assurance therein   
given that the judgment to come will be 
a day of triumphant joy to your soul4   
,but if you come short of this you can  
have no such assurance3 and ,i am       

compelled to repeat in your ears these  
terrific words of an apostle3 ,if we sin
 willfully1 after that we have received 
the knowledge of the truth1 there       
remaineth no more sacrifice for sins2   
but a certain fearful looking for of    
judgment and fiery indignation1 which   
shall devour the adversary4 ,to sin     
willfully is to refuse to do what we    
know to be the will of ,god our ,father 
in heaven4  ,i said awhile ago that     
judgment and reward will be according to
 works4 ,let us now turn to some of the 
proofs in confirmation of this          
assertion4 ,they drop from the lips of  
our ,lord without the least show of any 
design in him to establish a great      
principle4 ,the principle had been      
established as an element of divine     
order before the ,son of man came into  
the world4 ,it is a truth so simple that
 even little children comprehend it4 ,if
 a little child that has been taught any
 correct ideas about salvation and      
heaven be asked a question like this3   

,who go to heaven8 it will at once      
answer with childlike simplicity3 ,good 
people go to heaven4 ,if further        
interrogated as to who good people are1 
it will say3 ,people who love one       
another and do good4 ,it is a truth     
intuitively known that good people are  
saved and happy1 and bad people lost and
 miserable4  ,this is the judgment1 that
 light is come into the world1 but men  
loved darkness rather than light1       
because ,,their ,,deeds ,,were ,,evil4  
,every one that doeth evil hateth the   
light 444 lest ,,his ,,deeds should be  
reproved4 ,but he who ,,doeth ,,truth   
cometh to the light1 that his deeds may 
be made manifest1 because ,,they ,,are  
,,wrought ,,in ,,god4 ,if ye know these 
things1 ,,happy ,,are ,,ye ,,if ,,ye    
,,do ,,them4 ,he that hath my           
commandments ,,and ,,doeth ,,them1 he it
 is that loveth me 444 and ,i will love 
him1 and will manifest myself to him2   
444 and will come to him1 and make my   
abode with him4 ,he that loveth me not  

,,keepeth ,,not ,,my ,,words4 ,ye are my
 friends1 ,,if ,,ye ,,do ,,whatsoever ,i
 ,,command ,,you4444 ,i have chosen you1
 444 that ye should bring forth fruit1  
,,and ,,that ,,your ,,fruit ,,should    
,,remain4 ,i must drop a word of comment
 upon this last quotation4 ,by fruit    
remaining it is to be understood that it
 goes with the child of ,god through the
 judgment into heaven1 and remains to   
eternity4 ,in ,revelation we read these 
words3 ,blessed are the dead which die  
in the ,lord from henceforth3 ,yea1     
saith the ,spirit1 that they may rest   
from their labors2 ,,and ,,their ,,works
 ,,do ,,follow ,,with ,,them4 ,a book   
was opened1 which is the book of life3  
and the dead were judged according to   
those things which were written in the  
book1 ,,every ,,one ,,according ,,to    
,,their ,,works4  ,i might continue this
 multiplication of scripture passages to
 a much greater number1 but time        
forbids4 ,every passage ,i have quoted  
bears either directly or indirectly upon

 the judgment to come4 ,it remains a    
thing of choice with every intelligent  
human being1 whether he will be prepared
 to face the shining judgment throne    
with joy1 or quail before it in terror4 
,the ,lord says to all3 ,seek ye my     
face4 ,what a blessed response it would 
be for each one to answer as did the    
young ,prophet ,samuel3 ,thy face1      
,lord1 will ,i seek4  ,,tuesday1 ,august
 #ah4 ,brother ,kline and ,jacob ,wine  
have night meeting at ,nimrod ,judy's1  
in ,hardy ,county4 ,the conversion of   
,saul is their subject4 ,acts #i4       
,,wednesday1 ,august #ai4 ,they have    
meeting at ,john ,judy's on ,south ,mill
 ,creek4 ,,text4--,god is a ,spirit4    
,john #d3bd4 ,they speak on the         
spiritual nature of true worship1 and   
prove that ordinances in connection with
 all the externals of worship1 to be    
acceptable to ,god1 must be but the     
outward evidences of internal realities4
 ,they stay all night at ,john ,judy's4 
,,thursday1 ,august #bj4 ,this day they 

have two meetings3 forenoon at ,isaac   
,judy's2 afternoon at ,michael          
,mallow's4 ,stay at ,adam ,mallow's4    
,,friday1 ,august #ba4 ,two meetings    
to-day4 ,forenoon at ,bethel            
church--dine at ,peter ,warnstaff's2    
afternoon at ,warnstaff's tanyard4 ,stay
 at ,john ,davis's in ,hardy4           
,,saturday1 ,august #bb4 ,meeting at    
,zion church on the ,south ,fork4 ,in   
the afternoon cross the ,shenandoah     
mountain into ,brock's ,gap4  ,,sunday1 
,august #bc4 ,meeting at ,keplinger's   
chapel1 where they meet ,benjamin       
,bowman and ,solomon ,garber4 ,a joyful 
surprise4 ,brother ,benjamin ,bowman    
speaks from ,luke #h4 ,he speaks mostly 
from these words of the eighteenth      
verse3 ,take heed how ye hear4 ,from the
 outlines ,i gather that he followed    
very closely the lines of thought here  
briefly expressed4  ,he said3 ,hearing  
may be that of mere sound4 ,brutes hear 
in this way4 ,a horse1 near the stand1  
may hear a sermon1 but it will be that  

of mere sound to him4 ,i have known of  
people hearing somewhat after the same  
manner4 ,they can tell nothing1 and seem
 to remember nothing of what they have  
heard4 ,some hear to criticise the      
preacher's style of expression1         
including his language1 modulation of   
his voice1 and gestures4 ,others hear as
 the ,pharisees and ,herodians tried to 
hear ,christ1 that they might catch him 
in his talk2 and like the scribes and   
,pharisees1 laying in wait for him1 to  
catch something out of his mouth with   
which to accuse him4 ,but these are not 
the only profitless hearings which the  
,god-loving and soul-loving minister of 
the ,gospel has to mourn over4 ,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 ,god4 ,they go
 to church and hear1 but heed nothing4  
,by their fruits shall ye ,,know them4  
,if people were rightly to obey the     
injunction of my text1 all such heedless

 and profitless hearing would be at an  
end4  ,but how is the injunction of the 
text to be obeyed8 ,and how is one to   
know when he is obeying it8 ,the command
 means that the hearer shall take heed4 
,this means ,,watch4 ,what must he      
watch8 ,,how ,,he ,,hears4 ,the text has
 relation1 not to ,,what ye hear1 but   
,,how ye hear4 ,it does not point to the
 subject matter or the manner of the    
address1 but to the end for which and to
 the spirit in which it is heard4 ,if   
the heartfelt desire of the hearer is to
 learn truth1 that he may be enlightened
 and given to see the way of eternal    
life1 he may feel assured that his      
hearing is acceptable to ,god4 ,he will 
then not be a forgetful hearer1 but a   
doer of the work1 and such a one shall  
be blessed in his deed4  ,it is enjoined
 upon all to hear intelligently1 for    
this belongs to the manner of hearing4  
,no one can hear a sermon               
understandingly without some previous   
knowledge of the subject matter of the  

discourse4 ,to acquire this knowledge   
every one should read and study the     
,word of ,divine ,truth4 ,it is able to 
make all wise unto salvation4           
,intelligent knowledge of the           
,scriptures can be acquired only by     
patient study of them3 but when they are
 studied to the illumination of the     
understanding1 the truth1 like water in 
a well1 rises up into the understanding 
and meets you4 ,we sometimes hear it    
said of one who listens attentively and 
intelligently1 ,he seemed to drink in   
every word spoken4 ,this1 ,i think1 is  
what the ,lord means by these words to  
the woman at the well3 ,he that drinketh
 of this water shall thirst again3 but  
he that drinketh of the water that ,i   
shall give him1 shall never thirst2 but 
it shall be in him a well of water      
springing up into everlasting life4 ,to 
hear the truth attentively and          
understandingly is to drink it in1 as we
 drink water when we are thirsty4  ,what
 ,i have said1 however important it may 

be to know1 does not cover the entire   
ground comprehended in the text4 ,i must
 show you another element which must    
exist in the manner of all right        
hearing4 ,that element is               
discrimination4 ,without this1 how is   
the hearer to know whether the truth or 
its opposite is being preached8 ,the    
comparison may lack adaptability in some
 of its points1 but ,i have heard it    
said that some hearers are like young   
birds in their nest1 ready to swallow   
down anything put into their mouths4    
,such as hear in this way lack          
discrimination2 that is1 they do not    
discern the difference between what is  
true and what is false4 ,this is        
particularly the case with such as have 
been trained to regard what their own   
denominational ministers preach as being
 the truth1 the whole truth1 and nothing
 but the truth4 ,i am aware that some   
may just now be saying in their minds3  
,you ,dunkard people are the very ones  
to whom your words most justly apply2   

for ,i know of no people who take so    
great pains to instil this very belief  
into the minds of the young as you do4  
,i can truthfully say that such charges 
are not strange to me4 ,but with all due
 respect for such as differ from us in  
religious faith and practice1 ,i do say 
that we1 as a denomination of ,christian
 brethren1 acknowledging no teacher but 
,christ1 no authority but his ,word1    
have no will1 wish or desire to lead the
 truth and thus pervert1 ignore or      
misapply any part of it2 but our will1  
wish and desire is to be led by the     
truth4 ,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 ,lord4 ,in this    
very way the power of discrimination is 
developed in the minds of our young     
people1 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 ,discipline1   
the ,episcopal ,prayer ,book1 or        
,lutheran ,catechism2 but they at once  
perceive that it either has or has not  
the sanction of ,god's ,word4 ,we are   
taught that in a spiritual sense no one 
is to be called rabbi4 ,be not ye called
 rabbi2 for ,one is your teacher1 and   
all ye are brethren4 ,and call no man   
your father on the earth2 for one is    
your ,father in heaven4 ,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 violated6 ,hearing the ,word   
preached1 and the hearer not able to    
discern truth from falsehood1 has given 
to priestcraft nearly all of its power2 
because priestcraft1 unsupported by the 
common people1 could never have risen   
into power4 ,if the common people had   
been wise enough to take heed how they  
hear1 they never would have suffered    
themselves to be imposed upon as they   
have been4  ,i now take up the last but 

not the least element in the manner of  
hearing4 ,that element is sincerity2    
which ,i define to be a heartfelt love  
for the truth4 ,paul puts it ,receiving 
the truth in the love of it4 ,the person
 who hears the truth lightly1           
thoughtlessly1 carelessly is not        
instructed by it4 ,the same is true of  
one who hears with prejudice against the
 truth4 ,he refuses to be instructed1   
because he does not love the truth he   
hears4 ,let me use an illustration here4
 ,two men once happened to meet at my   
house1 one a ,presbyterian and the other
 a member of no church4 ,after dinner   
the subject of feet-washing was         
broached4 ,after we had all talked      
awhile about it one of the men asked me 
whereabouts in the ,bible it was to be  
found4 ,i turned to the thirteenth      
chapter of ,john's ,gospel1 and he then 
asked me to read it aloud4 ,i did so4   
,these two men listened attentively1 so1
 at least1 they appeared to me4 ,the    
,presbyterian friend very modestly gave 

it as his opinion that the command is   
fully met by acts of hospitality1 and   
referred to the reception which ,abraham
 gave the three angels who came to his  
tent as proof of the correctness of his 
conclusion4 ,very little more was said  
about it at that time4 ,the two men1    
soon after1 went away together2 and ,i  
had little or no conversation with      
either of them for probably nearly a    
year afterward4 ,but it so turned out   
that the one who was not a professor of 
religion came to my house again1 and    
showed a desire to talk on the subject  
of feet-washing4 ,i was ready to answer 
such questions as he proposed2 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 house4 ,i told
 him ,i did remember it4 ,your reading  
of that chapter1 said he1 struck my mind
 with so much force that ,i could not   
rid myself of the impression it made4 ,i
 never1 until then1 knew there was      

anything so plain in the ,scriptures1   
and so easy to understand4 ,i had always
 thought the ,bible was a book of dark  
sayings1 unintelligible to any but the  
learned2 and even in their hands        
doubtful as to its true interpretation4 
,since then ,i have been reading it1    
especially the ,new ,testament part of  
it1 and find so much that ,i can        
understand that ,i begin to love it4 ,i 
have only to add that this man soon     
applied for membership in our church1   
was baptized1 and manifested            
enthusiastic delight in obeying the     
command1 ,so ought ye also to wash one  
another's feet1 at the first love feast 
he ever attended4  ,in connection with  
the case ,i have just described1 the two
 men spoken of heard with different     
ears4 ,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 read3 the ear of the last was 
open to take in the truth2 and the mind1

 being free from prejudice1 received the
 truth from the love of it4 ,blessed are
 the poor in spirit3 for theirs is the  
kingdom of heaven4 ,the ,lord includes  
all such hearers as the one ,i have just
 described1 in the promised blessing4   
,take heed ,,how ye hear4 ,in speaking  
on this text so much comes before my    
mind that it is difficult for me to     
stop4 ,i must say something to the      
unconverted sinner4 ,the ,lord says to  
you3 ,repent1 for the kingdom of heaven 
is at hand4 ,this means that you should 
turn away from your sins and enter the  
kingdom of heaven4 ,let the wicked      
forsake his way1 and the unrighteous man
 his thoughts2 let him return unto the  
,lord1 for he will have mercy upon him2 
and unto our ,god1 for he will          
abundantly pardon4 ,and ,jesus says3    
,whosoever cometh unto me1 ,i will in no
 wise cast out4 ,to come unto the ,lord 
is to hear his ,word with full purpose  
of heart to understand it1 see its      
truth1 believe it and obey it4 ,i beg   

every unconverted person in this house  
to ask himself just now3 ,how do ,i hear
 what the preacher has just now said8   
,do ,i hear it with a thoughtless1      
careless ear8 ,if ,i do1 what is to     
become of me8 ,can ,i bear to hear the  
voice from the judgment throne say3     
',depart1 ye workers of iniquity1 into  
everlasting fire'8 ,would ,i not better 
'seek the ,lord while he may be found1  
and call upon him while he is near'8 ,o1
 that all might hear aright1 repent and 
live1 for with the ,lord there is       
plenteous redemption2 and he is able to 
save to the uttermost all who come unto 
,god by him4  ,,sunday1 ,september #f4  
,meeting at ,turner's schoolhouse4      
,william ,miller and wife1 and ,andrew  
,lamb's wife are baptized4  ,,thursday1 
,september #bd4 ,this day finds ,brother
 ,kline and ,solomon ,garber in         
,randolph ,county1 ,virginia1 nearly one
 hundred miles from home1 holding a     
meeting4 ,both have come on horseback4  
,they hold a council meeting with the   

,brethren assembled4 ,joseph ,houser is 
elected to the deaconship4 ,after       
meeting ,brother ,solomon ,garber       
baptizes ,mrs4 ,houser and ,diana       
,bainbridge4  ,,saturday1 ,september    
#bf4 ,they have meeting in meetinghouse 
near ,josiah ,simon's4 ,matt4 #e3ac is  
the text4 ,brother ,solomon ,garber     
spoke first2 and the ,diary notes are so
 suggestive of original thought that ,i 
give them in a somewhat expanded form4  
,,text4--,ye are the salt of the earth4 
,jesus spoke by parables3 and we are    
told that without a parable spoke he    
not4 ,my text is a parable4 ,but what is
 a parable8 ,a parable is a way of      
teaching in which natural objects are   
used to represent or symbolize spiritual
 realities4 ,it is a way of comparing   
natural things with spiritual things4   
,this way of teaching is based upon the 
correspondence existing between natural 
things and spiritual or heavenly things4
 ,thus3 a natural birth corresponds to a
 spiritual birth2 natural water1 to     

spiritual water1 which is divine or     
heavenly truth4 ,wind1 which is air in  
motion1 corresponds to the presence and 
power of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,now notice1
 ,jesus said to ,nicodemus3 ,if ,i have 
told you earthly things1 and you believe
 or understand not1 how shall you       
believe if ,i tell you of heavenly      
things8 ,nicodemus could not understand 
how earthly things could symbolize or   
represent spiritual things4 ,hence he   
asked3 ,how can these things be8  ,i    
have tried to find out as nearly as     
possible what the word ,,salt is used to
 represent1 as found in my text4 ,i have
 searched many books for this one thing 
alone4 ,but after all my investigations 
,i am compelled to rely upon my own     
judgment1 and decide the matter for     
myself4 ,i notice1 however1 that salt is
 often spoken of in the ,bible4 ,all the
 priestly offerings had to be salted    
with salt4 ,there must1 then1 be a high 
and holy significance in its use in this
 way4  ,elisha succeeded ,elijah in the 

prophetic office4 ,elijah had been      
carried up to heaven in a chariot of    
fire1 and ,elisha had just returned from
 the scene and sight of his master's    
glorification1 and was at the city of   
,jericho4 ,and the men of the city said 
unto ,elisha3 ,behold1 ,i pray thee1 the
 situation of this city is pleasant1 444
 but the water is naught--worthless1 not
 fit to drink4 ,and ,elisha went forth  
unto the spring of the waters1 and cast 
salt in there1 and said1 ,thus saith the
 ,lord1 ,i have healed these waters4 ,to
 my mind these bitter waters of ,jericho
 symbolize the truths of ,god's ,word1  
as these truths appear to the mind and  
affect the taste of the unconverted man4
 ,read the ,bible to the man who has no 
relish1 no love for its truth4 ,is it   
not to his soul like the waters of      
,jericho--naught1 or nothing8 ,these men
 of ,jericho are all around us1 and you 
may find opportunities to prove what ,i 
have said4 ,i have repeatedly tried it4 
,i have read chapter after chapter of   

the divine ,word to unconverted men1    
sometimes to my own work hands who ,i   
knew cared nothing for religion1 and    
whilst they would not tell me to my face
 that they cared nothing for it1 ,i     
could find out by others1 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 city4  
,but when the salt of pure love for the 
,lord1 and the desire to leave off and  
forsake all sinful indulgences and      
worldly pleasures by leading a new life 
in doing the ,lord's will1 enters a man 
the ,word becomes sweet and precious to 
his soul4 ,the waters are healed1       
because the man is healed4  ,the twelve 
disciples1 particularly1 were1 at the   
time our ,lord spoke the words of my    
text1 the very embodiment of all the    
virtues of heart and life which make the
 ,word of the ,lord sweet to the soul4  
,to such these beautiful words in the   
,song of ,solomon apply3 ,he brought me 
to the banqueting house3 he stayed me   

with flagons of wine3 he comforted me   
with apples3 his banner over me was     
love3 yea1 and ,,his ,,fruit was sweet  
to my taste4  ,now1 to bring my text to 
something like a practical head1 ,i must
 say to every unconverted soul here3    
,you must put the salt into the water of
 ,god's ,word for yourself4 ,if you look
 to the ,lord1 and ask him to give you  
eyes that you may see1 and ears that you
 may hear1 and a heart that you may     
understand1 you will also receive all   
the salt you need to heal the ,word and 
make it healing to your soul4 ,but if   
you neglect and despise or reject the   
offers of ,god's love1 the very thing   
that he has prepared for your eternal   
joy will be everlasting bitterness to   
your soul4 ,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    
was4 ,she could not give up her love for
 the world4 ,she knew that she must not 
look back with longings for the ,sodom  

of the sinful life she had left2 but she
 did look back1 and her awful fate is   
brought to mind by our ,lord as a       
warning to all3 ,remember ,lot's wife4  
,by the words of my text1 then1 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 life4 ,in this happy love
 the ,christian sings of the ,word of   
,life in the beautiful sentiment of an  
old hymn3    ,yes1 thou art precious to 
my soul2     ,my transport and my trust3
   ,jewels to thee are gaudy toys1      
,and gold is sordid dust4  ,and when the
 disembodied soul shall awake to the    
full realization of the truth which     
shone so dimly here1 the love for that  
truth will be sevenfold as the light of 
seven days all in one1 which means      
fullness of joy and pleasures           
forevermore4  ,,sunday1 ,september #bg4 
,this day ,brother ,solomon ,garber     
leaves me after meeting1 to attend to   

some appointments ahead4 ,i stay to     
debate with a ,methodist preacher4 ,in  
the afternoon ,i baptize ,sister        
,houser4 ,stay all night at ,brother    
,pirkey's4  ,,tuesday1 ,september #bi4  
,in the afternoon meet the ,methodist   
preacher at ,israel ,methodist church4  
,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 us1 as if we might be  
doing much harm by our close adherence  
to the teachings and examples of ,christ
 and his apostles4 ,i can pray the ,lord
 to have mercy upon him1 and to open his
 eyes2 for ,i was led to believe1 from  
what he said1 that he had never read or 
thought much outside of the ,methodist  
,discipline4  ,,wednesday1 ,september   
#cj4 ,meeting again in meetinghouse near
 ,brother ,simon's4 ,speak on ,john     
#c3g4 ,i baptize ,brother ,samuel       
,channel4  ,,thursday1 ,october #a4 ,get
 ,nell shod4 ,come to the ,barker       

settlement4 ,night meeting at ,wilson's4
  ,,friday1 ,october #b4 ,night meeting 
at ,enoch ,johnson's4  ,,saturday1      
,october #c4 ,meeting and love feast at 
,brother ,henry ,wilson's4 ,stay all    
night at ,brother ,elias ,oval's4       
,,sunday1 ,october #d4 ,meeting at the  
meetinghouse4 ,take the voice of the    
church4 ,brother ,henry ,wilson is      
established4 ,brother ,elias ,oval is   
advanced2 and ,brother ,william ,oval is
 elected to the ,word4  ,,monday1       
,october #e4 ,visit ,elijah ,skidmore2  
dine at ,brother ,burke's2 visit ,joseph
 ,workman2 and come to ,brother ,simon's
 in the evening4 ,brother ,michael      
,lion1 ,brother ,thomas ,clark1 and     
,brother ,martain ,cosner are there when
 ,i arrive4 ,i probably will never      
forget the pleasure of meeting those    
brethren there and spending the night   
and next day with them4 ,our love for   
each other here is a sweet foretaste of 
the joy of heaven4  ,,tuesday1 ,october 
#f4 ,come to ,brother ,levi ,wilmot's4  

,preach the funeral of ,brother         
,powers's wife4  ,,wednesday1 ,october  
#g4 ,dine at ,abraham ,summerfield's4   
,then to ,william ,adamson's at the     
mouth of ,seneca ,creek1 where ,i stay  
all night4  ,,thursday1 ,october #h4    
,dine at ,daniel ,judy's4 ,stay all     
night at ,adam ,ketterman's on top of   
the ,south ,fork mountain4  ,,friday1   
,october #i4 ,get home4  ,,sunday1      
,october #be4 ,meeting at ,hoover's     
schoolhouse4 ,i baptize ,john ,lamb and 
wife1 and ,mary ,hoover4  ,,sunday1     
,november #a4 ,this day ,brother ,kline 
and ,jacob ,miller are together at a    
meeting in a place called ,powell's     
,fort4 ,this is a very singular         
conformation of country4 ,it is entirely
 surrounded by high mountain walls1 with
 the exception of one notch or outlet   
for drainage and a road4 ,it is about   
twenty miles south of ,winchester1      
,virginia4 ,some well-to-do people live 
in this secluded abode4 ,it is likewise 
the point to which it is said that      

,washington had resolved to retreat1    
with his army1 rather than surrender to 
the ,british1 in one of the dark periods
 of the ,revolutionary ,war4 ,on this   
visit to the ,fort ,brother ,jacob      
,miller baptized three persons4  ,from  
this time to the close of the year1     
,brother ,kline was mostly employed in  
writing his ,apology and ,defense of    
,baptism4 ,he finished the work on the  
thirty-first day of ,december4 ,in the  
year #aheg he traveled #c1ifg miles4    
,,friday1 ,february #e1 #aheh4 ,attend  
council meeting at the ,old             
meetinghouse4 ,brother ,john ,thomas is 
forwarded2 ,joseph ,early is elected to 
preach the ,word2 and ,benjamin ,byerly 
is elected to the deaconship4           
,,saturday1 ,february #bg4 ,council     
meeting at our meetinghouse4 ,brother   
,samuel ,zigler is elected to preach the
 ,word4  ,,monday1 ,march #h4 ,this day 
a snow falls about one foot in depth4   
,,wednesday1 ,march #aj4 ,this day      
completes the fortieth year of my       

married life4  ,,friday1 ,march #bf4    
,council meeting at the ,brush          
meetinghouse4 ,george ,wine1 son of     
,samuel ,wine1 and ,john ,b4 ,kline are 
each elected to the deaconship4         
,,monday1 ,may #aj4 ,brother ,kline and 
,martain ,miller1 in company of each    
other1 start to the ,annual ,meeting4   
,on the following ,friday they arrived  
at ,brother ,j4,p4 ,ebersole's1 ,ohio4  
,between ,saturday1 ,may #ae1 and       
,friday1 ,may #ba1 the two brethren in  
company of each other attended four     
meetings1 and visited families as       
follows3 ,abraham ,ebersole's1 ,daniel  
,rosenberger's1 ,jacob ,leedy's1        
,jonathan ,dickey's1 ,michael           
,baserman's1 ,jacob ,miller's1 ,samuel  
,miller's1 ,daniel ,miller's1 ,abraham  
,miller's4  ,,friday1 ,may #ba1 after   
dinner1 they go to ,lima and wait for   
the train1 which does not come in till  
ten o'clock at night4 ,it had run off   
the track near a place called ,forest4  
,the ,diary note says3 ,a man was killed

 here by the western train while we were
 waiting4 ,he got between the woodpile  
and the cars4 ,death overtook him       
without a moment's warning4 ,if         
unprepared to die1 how sad the thought  
of his being launched into the eternal  
deeps of misery and despair6 ,my eyes   
often turn with sorrow to the hopeless  
condition of those who live without ,god
 in the world4 ,how men and women of    
common sense can be satisfied to live   
year in and year out1 on the verge of   
ruin1 is a mystery to me4 ,a glow of    
enthusiasm often enters my soul1 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 repeating3    ,stop1 poor       
sinners1 stop and think1     ,before ye 
further go6   ,how can ye sport upon the
 brink     ,of everlasting woe8   ,on   
the verge of ruin1 stop6     ,now1 the  
friendly warning take3   ,stay your     
footsteps ere ye drop     ,into the     
burning lake4  ,and to those whose      

attention might be arrested by such a   
call1 as they would turn their ears to  
hear1 would ,i love to say1 pointing    
heavenward3 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god   
that taketh away the sin of the world4  
,look unto me1 all ye ends of the earth1
 and be ye saved4 ,for whosoever shall  
call on the name of the ,lord shall be  
saved4 ,even so must the ,son of man be 
lifted up1 that whosoever believeth on  
him may have everlasting life4  ,we     
arrive at ,fort ,wayne quarter past one 
,a4,m4 ,after breakfast take train to   
,delphi2 then go in hack ten miles to   
place of ,annual ,meeting4 ,preaching in
 afternoon4 ,revelation #e is read4     
,brother ,j4 ,quinter speaks on the     
chapter4 ,we take supper on the meeting 
grounds and then go to ,brother ,john   
,flory's to stay all night4  ,,sunday1  
,may #bc4 ,a very great concourse of    
people on the grounds4 ,i speak from    
,revelation #e1 the same chapter spoken 
from yesterday4 ,some rain to-day4 ,stay
 all night at ,brother ,john ,flory's   

again4  ,,monday1 ,may #bd4 ,this       
morning much rain4 ,committees are      
formed4 ,take in questions4 ,form       
subcommittees4 ,go to ,brother ,young's4
  ,,tuesday1 ,may #be4 ,discuss         
questions4 ,much rain4 ,waters high4    
,stay all night at ,brother ,flory's    
again4  ,,wednesday1 ,may #bf4 ,discuss 
questions4 ,get through about two       
o'clock4 ,come to ,delphi on a wagon4   
,the sky partially clears up to-day4 ,we
 have night meeting in ,delphi4         
,brethren ,john ,wise1 ,george ,hoover  
and myself speak on ,romans1 first      
chapter4  ,,thursday1 ,may #bg4 ,get    
back to ,jacob ,miller's near ,lima4    
,clear to-day4  ,,friday1 ,may #bh4     
,meeting and love feast at meetinghouse4
 ,ephesians #b is read4 ,stay at ,daniel
 ,miller's4  ,,saturday1 ,may #bi4 ,get 
to ,brother ,john ,p4 ,ebersole's4      
,,sunday1 ,may #cj4 ,meeting in         
meetinghouse near ,j4,p4 ,ebersole's4   
,brother ,quinter speaks from ,hebrews  
#f4 ,in afternoon ,i speak from ,hebrews

 #b4 ,stay all night at ,brother ,daniel
 ,rosenberger's4  ,,monday1 ,may #ca4   
,meeting and love feast at same place4  
,matthew #ai is read4 ,rain in morning2 
clear in evening4 ,stay at ,brother     
,ebersole's4  ,,tuesday1 ,june #a4 ,a   
beautiful morning4 ,take breakfast at   
the meetinghouse4 ,have service4 ,read a
 farewell address1 which ,i here copy3  
,brethren and sisters in the ,lord1     
dearly beloved3 ,our greetings for this 
time have been exchanged1 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     
world4 ,our blessed ,lord meant a great 
deal when he said3 ,i am the door3 by me
 if any man enter in1 he shall be saved2
 and shall go in and go out1 and find   
pasture4 ,in meetings like this1 and    
others we have for some while been      
attending we feel that our spirits and  
souls and bodies are visibly and        
experimentally in the fold1 with the    

,great ,shepherd in our midst4 ,we are  
made to sit together in heavenly places 
in ,christ ,jesus1 warmed and cheered by
 the ,sun of ,righteousness4  ,but the  
duties of life lay upon us the necessity
 of breaking up and departing to our    
business and our homes4 ,we must go out1
 out among the elements of the world1   
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   
glory1 or be captives of hell4 ,let us1 
brethren and sisters1 be cheered with   
the ,lord's promise1 that even out of   
the fold we shall find pasture1         
something to increase our love for the  
,lord and for one another1 and          
strengthen our faith4 ,how tenderly the 
,lord speaks to us1 as though he        
regarded us as his little children6 ,i  
will not leave you comfortless3 ,i will 
come to you4 ,and lo1 ,i am with you to 
the end of the world1 444 until ,i      
receive you unto myself1 for where ,i   

am1 there shall ye be also4 ,in the     
world ye shall have tribulations2 444   
but be of good cheer1 444 in me ye shall
 have peace4 ,in giving to each other   
the parting hand and the holy kiss tears
 and good wishes are not out of place4  
,connected with these a word of comfort 
to the feeble-minded1 a word of         
encouragement to the brother or sister  
of weak faith1 a word of gentle         
admonition whispered into the ear of the
 erring1 a word of caution to the rich1 
lest they be exalted and trust in their 
uncertain riches1 a word of approval and
 commendation to those who1 like        
,barnabas1 are full of good works1 may  
do an amount of good which eternity     
alone can reveal4  ,and now1 brethren   
and sisters1 farewell4 ,be steadfast1   
unmovable2 always abounding in the work 
of the ,lord2 inasmuch as ye know that  
your labor is not in vain in the ,lord4 
,come to ,carey for two o'clock meeting4
 ,sup at ,dr4 ,joseph ,myers's4 ,at one 
,a4,m4 take train for ,columbiana4 ,sup 

with ,brother ,quinter4 ,stay with      
,brother ,henry ,kurtz4 ,fine weather   
yesterday and to-day4  ,,sunday1 ,june  
#f4 ,get home4  ,from this time on to   
the first of ,august ,brother ,kline was
 mostly around home4 ,he wrote many     
letters to prominent brethren in nearly 
all of the ,states in which the         
,brethren had1 at that time1            
representative men4 ,he also preached   
some funerals1 for people die even in   
summer2 and death claims all seasons for
 his own4  ,,friday1 ,august #f4 ,this  
day he and ,brother ,john ,wine start to
 the northwestern counties of ,virginia1
 and cross over into ,maryland and      
,pennsylvania4 ,regularly1 they have    
meetings every day4 ,they visit         
,nicholas ,leatherman's1 ,john          
,leatherman's1 and ,samuel ,arnold's in 
,hampshire ,county1 ,virginia4 ,they    
visit ,david ,beachley's1 ,john ,c4     
,lichty's1 and ,elias ,k4 ,beachley's2  
also ,jonathan ,kelso's1 ,david         
,livengood's and ,franklin ,o4          

,livengood's1 all in ,maryland4 ,we next
 find them at ,brother ,flanigan's1 on  
,hughs's river1 where they stay all     
night4  ,,sunday1 ,august #ae4 ,meeting4
 ,speak on the ,great ,commission4      
,roger ,davis and wife baptized4        
,meeting in the afternoon4 ,continue on 
the same text4 ,stay all night with     
,brother ,martain ,cochran4 ,fine       
weather4  ,,monday1 ,august #af4        
,meeting at ,slab meetinghouse4 ,speak  
on ,john #d3 #bi4 ,dine at ,brother     
,cochran's4 ,sup at ,brother ,roger     
,davis's1 and have meeting at early     
candlelight4 ,brother ,john ,wine speaks
 from ,rom4 #a3 #af4  ,,tuesday1 ,august
 #ag4 ,get back to ,oakland4            
,,wednesday1 ,august #ah4 ,meeting at   
,thomas ,clark's4 ,speak from ,matthew  
#ab4 ,meeting in afternoon at ,isaac    
,hays's4 ,martha and ,mary1 or the one  
thing needful1 was our subject4 ,stay at
 ,brother ,lee's4  ,,thursday1 ,august  
#ai4 ,meeting at ,greenland1 in ,hardy  
,county1 ,virginia4 ,a woman from       

,germany1 in ,europe1 is baptized       
to-day4 ,dine at ,samuel ,barbee's1 and 
stay at ,james ,parks's4 ,the two       
brethren had several other meetings by  
the way1 and on  ,,monday1 ,august #bc1 
they reached home4  ,,friday1 ,september
 #bd4 ,meeting and love feast at our    
meetinghouse4 ,andrew ,crist and wife1  
,silas ,turner1 and ,catharine          
,showalter were baptized to-day4        
,,sunday1 ,october #ag4 ,this day       
,christian ,shoemaker1 ,george ,rodecap 
and his mother1 and ,william ,ford and  
his wife were baptized4  ,,monday1      
,october #ah4 ,brother ,kline started on
 another trip to ,maryland4 ,among the  
names of those whom he called on1 or    
passed a night with1 we notice ,samuel  
,zimmerman1 ,jacob ,saylor1 ,sister     
,jordan1 ,philip ,boyle1 ,john ,roop1   
,john ,bowman1 ,d4,p4 ,saylor1 ,william 
,nipe1 ,peter ,grassnicker1 ,daniel     
,rickerd1 ,jacob ,wolf1 and ,mrs4 ,nipe4
  ,,wednesday1 ,october #bj4 ,love feast
 at ,beaver ,dam4 ,fine weather1 and a  

large gathering of people4 ,much        
brotherly love1 and general good order4 
,,thursday1 ,october #ba4 ,meeting at   
the ,pipe ,creek meetinghouse1 and one  
at night at ,new ,vinson4  ,,friday1    
,october #bb4 ,meeting at the ,meadow   
,branch meetinghouse4  ,,sunday1        
,october #bd4 ,love feast at the        
meetinghouse1 near ,brother ,william    
,nipe's4 ,large gathering and fine      
weather4  ,brother ,kline attended      
several other meetings on this trip2 and
 on  ,,sunday1 ,october #ca1 he reports 
himself at the ,flat ,rock meetinghouse1
 in ,shenandoah ,county1 ,virginia1     
replying to a discourse on feet-washing 
delivered shortly before by ,j4,p4      
,cline1 a ,lutheran preacher of the same
 county4 ,in his reply ,brother ,kline  
proves himself a master of his bow3 his 
arrows never miss4 ,i here present some 
points in this reply3  ,friend ,j4,p4   
,cline made feet-washing a household or 
hospitable rite4 ,brother ,john ,kline's
 main point in reply to this was1 that  

bathing or washing of the whole body in 
water1 as also the setting out of bread 
and wine before guests1 was likewise    
included among the rites of hospitality 
in the ,east and also in southern       
,europe4 ,if feet-washing is to be      
discarded from the list of church       
ordinances on this ground1 what becomes 
of baptism and the ,communion8 ,can     
they1 logically1 fare better8  ,friend  
,cline's next point was1 that           
feet-washing has a spiritual            
significance1 that the example given by 
the ,lord is complied with and obeyed   
when we1 in humility and love1 do works 
of charity4 ,in reply to this1 ,brother 
,john ,kline merely asked the question3 
,what denominations of professing       
,christians exhibit the deepest sense of
 humility1 and show the warmest         
affections of charity1 those that       
observe feet-washing as an ordinance of 
the church1 or those that reject it as  
such8 ,it is not for me1 said he1 to    
answer this question4 ,i leave it to the

 consideration of all4  ,what ,i do1    
thou knowest not now4 ,this declaration 
of our ,lord1 said friend ,cline1       
clearly discards feet-washing from being
 a church ordinance4 ,in reply to this  
,brother ,kline said3 ,i would like to  
ask friend ,cline if he claims to       
understand all the meaning and          
significance of water baptism and the   
,communion4 ,if he does lay claim to    
such attainments in the knowledge of    
what ,god has not clearly revealed in   
his ,word1 he must have had access to   
information from which all other honest 
men have been debarred4 ,before friend  
,cline's argument against feet-washing  
as a church ordinance can have any      
weight1 on the score that we do not     
clearly see all that is intended to be  
signified by it1 consistency does       
require him to show the full meaning and
 significance of baptism and the        
,communion of the bread and wine4 ,it is
 self-evident that the argument which   
rejects feet-washing from the list of   

church ordinances1 on the ground of its 
not being fully understood as to its    
entire significance1 with equal power   
rejects and discards baptism and the    
,communion from being ordinances of the 
house of ,god4  ,in this brief report of
 ,brother ,john ,kline's sermon on this 
occasion ,i have but touched some of the
 points in his argument1 gathered from  
the ,diary1 and from a personal         
conversation with him afterwards4 ,he   
wound up with the ,fable of the ,clock  
and the ,sundial1 as follows3  ,the     
,town ,clock claimed that it ought to be
 highly respected4 ',look1' said the    
,clock1 'at my beautiful face1 and the  
exquisite delicacy of my hands4 ,my     
head1 too1 internally and externally1 is
 a perfect model of scientific exactness
 and mechanical skill4 ,you should      
depend upon what ,i say4 ,i run with    
regular steps1 and strike the hours of  
the day as ,i run4 ,you should hear     
,,me4 ,look at that broad-faced1        
flat-headed sundial away down there4 ,it

 has not a word to say4 ,i am going to  
strike now4 ,one--two--three6           
,there--how musical6' ,but when this    
bombastic speech was ended1 the sun     
broke forth1 and the ,dial only smiled  
to show that the boasting clock had not 
told the truth by some hours4 ,the      
thirteenth chapter of ,john is the      
,lord's sundial on feet-washing4        
,probably1 after all1 the best way to   
discuss this question with any one would
 be just to read in his hearing the     
thirteenth chapter of ,john4  ,,sunday1 
,november #ba4 ,to-day we have our first
 meeting in the new meetinghouse at the 
,plains4 ,hebrews twelfth chapter is    
read4  ,,friday1 ,november #bf4 ,start  
for ,pendleton and ,hardy ,counties4    
,stay all night with ,brother ,jack     
,ratchford and his son ,hugh ,ratchford1
 on top of the ,shenandoah mountain1    
where we have an evening meeting for    
prayer and exhortation4 ,cloudy and     
cold4  ,,saturday1 ,november #bg4 ,come 
to ,peter ,warnstaff's4 ,no meeting     

appointed4 ,clean ,john ,pope's clock4  
,fix ,mrs4 ,warnstaff's clocks1 and stay
 there all night4 ,snows to-night4      
,,sunday1 ,november #bh4 ,meeting at    
,warnstaff's tanyard4 ,speak on #a ,cor4
 #a3cj4 ,dine at ,peter ,warnstaff's4 ,i
 am always refreshed by visiting this   
worthy and intelligent family1 composed 
of ,peter ,warnstaff1 his sister        
,susanna1 and their widowed mother4 ,i  
can never depart from their house       
without breathing a prayer for blessings
 upon them4 ,night meeting at ,lough's  
church4 ,speak on ,john #ad3f4 ,stay all
 night at ,joel ,siple's near the top of
 the ,south ,fork mountain4 ,joel ,siple
 is raising an intelligent and          
industrious family4  ,,monday1 ,november
 #bi4 ,come to ,john ,borer's on the    
,south ,mill ,creek4 ,preach his wife's 
funeral4 ,meet ,brother ,michael ,lion  
and ,brother ,martain ,cosner there4 ,we
 all stay over night at ,brother ,john  
,judy's4  ,,tuesday1 ,november #cj4     
,meeting at ,john ,judy's4 ,the two     

brethren ,cosner and ,lion speak to good
 acceptance1 on ,john #c3ad4 ,come to   
,isaac ,judy's1 and stay all night4     
,,wednesday1 ,december #a4 ,dine at     
,manasseh ,judy's4 ,manasseh ,judy      
always meets me with a pleasant face1   
such as makes me feel at home in his    
house4 ,after dinner1 fix his clock1 and
 cross the mountain to ,john ,davis's1  
in ,hardy ,county4 ,night meeting at    
,zion church4 ,stay at ,davis's all     
night4  ,,thursday1 ,december #b4 ,spend
 most of the day at the widow ,peggy    
,dasher's4 ,in evening go to ,nimrod    
,judy's1 where we have night meeting1   
and spend the night4  ,,friday1         
,december #c4 ,get home4  ,,thursday1   
,december #bc4 ,perform the marriage    
ceremony of ,john ,driver and ,rebecca  
,kline1 at the house of her father1     
,david ,kline1 at half past three ,p4,m4
  ,,friday1 ,december #ca4 ,i have      
traveled this year #e1fgd miles4 ,i am  
at home1 at the home of my life in the  
body2 but ,i am not at home as to the   

life of my spirit4    ,as on the verge  
of life ,i stand1   ,and view the scene 
on either hand1   ,my soul would here no
 longer stay4   ,i long to wing my      
flight away4    ,where ,jesus dwells ,i 
long to be3   ,i long my much loved     
,lord to see3   ,earth1 twine no more   
about my heart3   ,it is far better to  
depart4  ,,saturday1 ,january #ae1      
#ahei4 ,get ,howell's ,evils of ,infant 
,baptism4 ,i regard this as a very      
instructive work on the subject         
indicated by the title4  ,,sunday1      
,february #ac4 ,attend the burial of    
,christian ,kratzer4 ,age1 eighty-six   
years1 three months and twelve days4    
,,saturday1 ,february #bf4 ,attend a    
meeting which was held to-day1 to elect 
directors for the establishment of an   
academy1 to be known by the name of     
,cedar ,grove ,academy1 near my place4  
,john ,j4 ,bowman1 ,john ,zigler and    
,daniel ,miller are elected4  ,,sunday1 
,march #f4 ,attend meeting in           
,sangersville1 ,augusta ,county1        

,virginia4 ,brother ,daniel ,thomas     
replies to ,soule's sermon on the modes 
and subjects of baptism4 ,friend ,soule 
is a ,methodist preacher in high        
standing with his denomination4 ,he     
argued on the ground that whilst the    
,new ,testament does allow immersion in 
water1 and favor the baptism of adults1 
it does not cancel the validity of the  
rite when properly performed by pouring 
or sprinkling1 either in the case of    
adults or infants4  ,brother ,daniel    
,thomas1 on this occasion1 exalted the  
truth by appealing to the law and the   
testimony4 ,he proved baptism to be a   
positive term as to its signification2  
that the word ,,baptism1 with its       
derivatives1 has a specific and not a   
variable sense4 ,he likewise established
 the great truth that all the good of   
obedience consists in doing what one is 
commanded to do4 ,he showed that to obey
 is better than sacrifice1 and to       
hearken is better than the fat of rams4 
,any departure from the command vitiates

 the obedience1 no matter how           
professedly honest the steps of that    
departure may be4 ,he here quoted       
,peter's words3 ,baptism is not the     
putting away of the filth of the flesh4 
,it does us no more good physically1    
said he1 than would be derived from     
bathing or immersing the body in water  
without any religious motive connected  
with it4 ,it is one's conscious         
obedience in submitting to the rite1    
that gives the answer of a good         
conscience toward ,god4 ,can little     
infants realize this8 ,these premises   
being established1 and after clearly    
stating the duty of all who desire to   
obey to find out what they are required 
by the ,lord to do1 he brushed away the 
mass of wood1 hay and stubble which his 
antagonist had piled together1 and      
erected an impregnable turret of gold1  
silver and precious stones on the solid 
rampart of ,divine ,truth4 ,brother     
,daniel ,thomas carries a heart as pure 
and kind as ,i have ever found within   

the breast of any man1 and a head as    
clear as ,i have ever seen upon the     
shoulders of any man4  ,after meeting   
,brother ,daniel ,thomas and ,i dine at 
,brother ,john ,sanger's1 and have      
evening meeting at ,pudding ,springs    
meetinghouse4 ,i speak from ,heb4       
#ab3be4 ,stay all night at ,brother     
,john ,driver's4 ,fine day4  ,,monday1  
,march #g4 ,dine at ,jacob ,zigler's1   
and have night meeting in ,jennings's   
,gap4 ,stay all night at ,david         
,adams's4  ,,tuesday1 ,march #h4        
,morning meeting at same place4 ,speak  
on ,jude third verse1 the faith that was
 once delivered to the saints4 ,i have  
somewhere read that the faith1 or rather
 the doctrines1 upon which the faith of 
the saints reposes1 has never but once  
been delivered to the saints1 that since
 ,jude's day it has been so much        
perverted1 and so much mixed up with the
 opinions and doctrines of men that the 
saints never more have it declared unto 
them exactly as ,jude understood and    

believed it4 ,but ,i do not think       
exactly with that man4 ,church history  
does disclose lamentable departures from
 the true faith2 and we witness the     
same1 with their evil results1 in our   
own times2 still ,god has had1 even in  
the darkest hours of the ,christian era1
 a people prepared for the ,lord4 ,i    
believe that what he said to ,elijah he 
might have said at any time since3 ,i   
have yet left unto me seven thousand in 
,israel2 all the knees that have not    
bowed unto ,baal1 nor worshiped his     
image4 ,we still have the sure word of  
prophecy unto which we do well to take  
heed1 as unto a light that shineth in a 
dark place2 and that word of prophecy is
 the ,bible4  ,something like this was  
the introduction to my discourse this   
morning4  ,night meeting in             
,churchville4 ,speak on ,john #a3aa1 ,he
 came unto his own1 and his own received
 him not4 ,his coming was not to their  
minds1 nor according to their           
expectation4 ,if earthly glory had been 

the goal of ,christ's ambition1 and he  
had promised them a large amount of     
stock in it1 his welcome1 on the part of
 the ,jews1 would have been sounded and 
sung from ,dan to ,beer-sheba4          
,jerusalem would have been illuminated  
in honor of him1 and banners would have 
waved in praise of him4 ,but how        
different from all this were the        
surroundings of his coming6 ,born in a  
stable--and if a certain poet has       
beautifully and truthfully sung1    ,the
 manger of ,bethlehem cradled a ,king3  
still is his kingdom not of this world2 
and the ,king1 instead of having the    
right royal part1 is meek and lowly in  
heart2 a man of sorrows1 and acquainted 
with grief4 ,and no wonder4 ,the cross  
stands between him and the crown4 ,his  
own could not understand this2 and once 
he was rebuked by one of his disciples  
for making mention of the fact4 ,they   
could not comprehend the spiritual      
character of his kingdom--that love was 
the throne and righteousness the        

scepter4 ,the ,jewish race1 which are   
meant in the text by his own1 were not  
prepared for the kingdom of heaven1 and 
on that account they received him not4  
,may there not be some in this house    
to-night who feel toward ,jesus as these
 ,jews felt8 ,if he would confer upon   
them a large share of wealth1 honor and 
power1 would they not willingly accept  
him8 ,i imagine he would be the very    
sort of ,king they would like to govern 
them4 ,he would be the man for them4    
,when such are told that worldly wealth1
 honor and power are not the foundation 
of the ,lord's reign on earth and the   
glory of the heavens1 and that these    
must be forsaken in heart as the chief  
good by all who would follow him1 they  
shrug their shoulders1 shake their heads
 with a down look and a half-suppressed 
smile of unbelief1 and say3 ,not yet    
awhile4 ,self-denial is the exact       
opposite of self-gratification4 ,but our
 ,lord declares that except a man deny  
himself1 he cannot be my disciple4  ,but

 you want to know something further     
about self-denial4 ,first1 ,i will say  
that it does not require any one to give
 up anything that is for his present or 
future good4 ,love is at the bottom of  
all the ,lord says respecting it4 ,he   
requires man to give up nothing but what
 is opposed to man's present and eternal
 good4 ,but ,i find it very difficult to
 get people to realize that the only way
 to be happy is to be good4 ,and the    
only way to be good is to love the ,lord
 our ,god with all the heart1 and our   
neighbor as ourself4  ,in the second    
place1 self-denial is the giving up of  
all bad habits and the suppression and  
removal of those evil states of mind and
 heart out of which bad habits grow4    
,when one is tempted to do evil1 that   
means to take strong drink that causes  
drunkenness1 or to take ,god's name in  
vain1 or to steal something1 or defraud 
someone1 or to kill1 or to commit       
adultery1 or to wish evil to some one1  
or to tell for the truth what one knows 

is not true1 self-denial for ,christ's  
sake1 stays the hand from doing the evil
 and restrains the heart from desiring  
to do the evil4 ,this is the self-denial
 taught by our ,lord1 and this is the   
cause of the ,jews not receiving him4   
,but self-denial with the enlightened   
,christian goes still further and       
suppresses all sense of pride or desire 
to appear above others4 ,this feeling   
was often checked by our ,lord4 ,he told
 his disciples always to take the lowest
 seat when invited to a feast2 that to  
be his disciples in the true sense and  
become prepared for the kingdom of      
heaven1 they must have the meek and     
teachable spirit of a little child4     
,with all this and more1 the enlightened
 ,christian is not desirous of being    
conformed to the world4 ,true           
self-denial forbids all conformity to   
the vain and useless styles in dress    
which are ever changing in the circles  
of fashionable society4 ,i will here    
relate what ,i once heard a preacher    

tell from the stand4 ,he gave it as a   
fact that really occurred2 but it       
appears plain to my mind that the       
incident proceeded more from a desire to
 amuse than to reform2 nevertheless it  
does show that fashions1 long ago1 were 
probably subject to as frequent changes 
as at the present time4 ,this is it3 ,a 
man who had several grown-up daughters  
in his family was going home1 apparently
 in a great hurry1 with a fashionable   
headdress or hat for each one1 which he 
had just purchased at a shop in the     
city4 ,on his way he met a friend who   
seemed inclined to exchange courtesies  
and a few words with him4 ,but he       
apologized for being in a hurry by      
holding up the hats he had bought for   
his girls1 saying as he went3 ,i must   
hurry home1 or they will go out of style
 before my daughters get to try them on4
  ,friends1 the ,lord claims you for his
 own--all of you4 ,ye are his people1 ye
 his care2 your souls and all your      
mortal frame4 ,ye are his by creation   

and providence4 ,say1 will ye be his by 
salvation and redemption8 ,he comes to  
you4 ,will the next century write the   
same sad history of your case that      
stands recorded of the ,jews3 ,he came  
unto his own1 and his own received him  
not8 ,will this be the story8 ,i hope   
and pray that it may not be4 ,but it    
remains for you to decide this question4
 ,it remains for you to reject or to    
accept4 ,if you receive him not1 what   
then will your portion be6 ,think of it4
 ,but if you receive him1 he will put   
you on the side of eternal salvation and
 give you power to become the sons of   
,god1 being born of ,god4 ,god himself  
can do no greater thing for any one than
 to make him his son4 ,what he offers   
you here this night exceeds all the     
wealth and pleasures of this world1 as  
far as the light of the sun exceeds the 
light of that lamp2 nay1 more1 for the  
sun itself shall be darkened1 but the   
soul born of ,god1 washed and made white
 in the blood of the ,lamb1 shall be    

eternally safe in the possession and    
enjoyment of an inheritance which is    
incorruptible and undefiled1 and that   
fadeth not away4 ,repent1 therefore1 and
 believe the ,gospel1 that your sins may
 be blotted out in this season of       
refreshing from the presence of the     
,lord4  ,,wednesday1 ,march #i4 ,meeting
 again at ,churchville4 ,the ,great     
,prophet is my subject to-day4 ,dine at 
,brother ,props's1 and stay all night at
 ,brother ,zeyk's4  ,,thursday1 ,march  
#aj4 ,morning meeting at ,mt4 ,pisgah   
and night meeting at ,white ,hall4 ,stay
 at ,brother ,joseph ,harshbarger's4    
,,friday1 ,march #aa4 ,our ,district    
,council begins at the ,valley          
meetinghouse4 ,business is disposed of  
very satisfactorily and pleasantly4     
,,saturday1 ,march #ab4 ,get through4   
,dine at ,david ,wampler's1 and stay all
 night at ,isaac ,long's4  ,,sunday1    
,march #ac4 ,meeting in meetinghouse    
morning and night4 ,a beautiful day and 
night4 ,stay at ,samuel ,kline's4       

,,monday1 ,march #ad4 ,stop awhile at   
,noah ,bowman's4 ,dine at ,joseph       
,wine's4 ,call at ,joseph ,good's4 ,get 
home in evening4  ,,sunday1 ,april #c4  
,meeting at ,ritchey's schoolhouse1 in  
the ,gap4 ,dine at ,brother ,philip     
,ritchey's4 ,stay at ,adam ,baker's4    
,the writer will here relate a          
conversation he had with ,sister        
,catharine ,frank1 who was a daughter of
 ,philip ,ritchey1 who lived very high  
up among the mountains of ,brock's ,gap4
 ,brother ,ritchey's was a favorite     
stopping place with ,brother ,kline and 
other ministering brethren traveling    
that way4 ,sister ,catharine ,frank was 
buried on ,wednesday1 ,february #d1     
#ahia4 ,while on her deathbed the       
above-mentioned conversation took place4
 ,in this conversation she expressed    
herself ready and eager to depart4 ,at  
the mention of ,brother ,kline's name   
her countenance and voice gave evidence 
of deep interest4 ,ah1 said she1 ,i     
never will forget that man4 ,he was as  

dear to me as my own father4 ,he first  
led me to think about my soul and my    
,savior4 ,often and often did ,i hear   
him preach1 and pray1 and sing in our   
old schoolhouse4 ,and ,i do not think1  
continued she1 that ,i ever saw him     
leave that house without first taking   
all of the young people in reach by the 
hand one by one1 and saying something in
 a low voice to each one4 ,i do not know
 what he said to others2 but ,i know1 as
 if but yesterday1 what he whispered to 
me4 ,it was this3 ',do not neglect the  
salvation of your soul3 it is the ,,one 
,,thing needful4'  ,,thursday1 ,april   
#ad4 ,council meeting at the ,brush     
meetinghouse4 ,brother ,jacob ,miller is
 ordained4  ,,saturday1 ,april #af4     
,dine at ,michael ,wine's2 call at ,noah
 ,lamb's2 then have council meeting in  
,hoover's schoolhouse4 ,stay all night  
at ,isaac ,shoemaker's4  ,,sunday1      
,april #ag4 ,meeting in ,hoover's       
schoolhouse4 ,emmanuel ,rodecap is      
baptized4  ,,sunday1 ,june #e4 ,this    

morning ,i am at ,manasseh ,judy's1 in  
,hardy ,county1 ,virginia1 on ,south    
,mill ,creek4 ,my eyes behold what they 
have never before witnessed1 viz1 a     
killing frost in ,june4 ,the corn which1
 up to day before yesterday1 was        
vigorous in its growth and generally    
over a foot high1 is this morning frozen
 to the ground4 ,the heading wheat is   
frozen stiff4 ,forward grass is greatly 
damaged4 ,vegetable gardens will all    
have to be reset4 ,what may be the      
effect of this frost upon the living of 
the people1 or how far it may extend1 ,i
 know not4 ,it may be that the ,lord is 
pleased to make this an occasion by     
which his people1 in more favored parts 
of our land1 can add greatly to their   
crowns of rejoicing by ministering out  
of their abundance to the necessities of
 this blighted region4  ,from ,manasseh 
,judy's ,i go fourteen miles down ,mill 
,creek and across to ,enoch ,hyre's on  
the ,south ,branch of the ,potomac1 and 
all the wheat fields and corn fields in 

sight of the road look very much as if  
they might have had a shower of boiling 
hot rain4 ,so nearly alike are the      
effects of extreme cold and extreme heat
 upon vegetation4  ,,monday1 ,june #f4  
,meeting at ,enoch ,hyre's4 ,i speak    
with a weight upon my mind4 ,if all had 
strong faith it would be different4 ,but
 the faith of some is weak1 and many    
have very little or no faith at all4    
,when calamities come1 like the one that
 now broods over the land1 it is        
somewhat difficult to make those of weak
 faith still feel that ,god is love1 and
 that he makes all things work together 
for good to them that love him4 ,i can  
do no more in the way of comforting     
these people than to point them to the  
promises of the divine ,word4 ,these are
 man's only assurance that ,god is      
supremely just and good and that he can 
do no evil4 ,the ,psalmist ,david said3 
,the ,lord is my shepherd2 ,i shall not 
want4 ,he likewise says3 ,i have been   
young1 and now ,i am old1 yet have ,i   

never seen the righteous forsaken1 nor  
his seed begging bread4 ,but it is only 
the eye of faith that can see the light 
behind the cloud4 ,if necessary1 ,god   
can make the barrel of meal and the     
cruse of oil as unfailing now as in the 
days of ,elijah the ,tishbite4 ,my faith
 in him is sealed with a seal that ,i   
hope will never be broken4  ,attend an  
afternoon meeting at old man ,parks's4  
,stay all night at ,james ,parks's4     
,,tuesday1 ,june #g4 ,meeting at        
,bethel4 ,speak from ,mark #d3bd4       
,afternoon meeting at ,jacob ,cosner's4 
,speak from ,hebrews #f3d1 #e1 #f1 #g4  
,these words have a fearful sound1 and  
much thought should be given to their   
interpretation2 and they should be well 
considered and due self-examination gone
 through before any one presumes to     
apply their terrific meaning to himself4
 ,after much study and research1 ,i am  
led to believe that they apply          
specifically to the apostate ,jews4 ,the
 rejection and crucifixion of ,christ   

was their great sin4 ,his blood be on us
 and on our children1 they cried4 ,they 
invoked and accepted the guilt of his   
cruel death4 ,but ,god1 in that mercy   
which endureth forever1 was willing to  
forgive even this sin upon their        
repentance and faith4 ,the veil was     
removed from the eyes of some4 ,they    
were enlightened2 they tasted of the    
heavenly gift1 which is the ,lord's     
pardoning mercy4 ,they were made        
partakers of the ,holy ,ghost2 they     
tasted of the good ,word of ,god2 they  
felt the powers of the world to come2   
that is1 they were impressed with a     
belief in a future state3 and all these 
expressions summed up together mean that
 they became ,christians4  ,but some of 
these ,christians departed from the     
faith4 ,they stumbled and fell4 ,in this
 act they rejected the ,christ the      
second time1 and put him to an open     
shame4 ,this1 in ,god's sight1 was just 
the same as crucifying him afresh4 ,they
 had crucified him once1 and were       

forgiven1 because they did it ignorantly
 in unbelief4 ,but now these that have  
been enlightened to the extent described
 in the text cannot be excused on the   
ground of ignorance1 because they were  
enlightened to know what they were      
doing4 ,their rejecting him must        
therefore be a deliberate1 willful act4 
,can any one ever repent of what he has 
done deliberately1 understandingly1     
premeditatedly1 and with clear knowledge
 of all the facts in the case8 ,paul1 at
 least here in the text1 says that it is
 impossible to renew these apostate     
,jews to repentance4  ,but let none of  
us1 brethren and sisters1 be            
unnecessarily alarmed at the text2 but  
let us rather repent1 if we have sinned1
 and draw near and yet nearer to our    
blessed ,jesus and only ,savior in a    
loving and faithfully obedient life4 ,we
 need not fear that he will ever cast us
 off4 ,him that cometh unto me ,i will  
in no wise cast off4 ,the ,christian's  
only danger lies in his casting the     

,lord off3 not in that he will reject   
us1 but in that we reject him4 ,but1    
beloved ,brethren1 take courage4 ,ye do 
not feel1 ,i know ye feel not1 to cast  
off your ,lord and say to him3 ,depart  
from me1 for ,i desire not the knowledge
 of thy ways6 ,ye rather say3 ,come1    
,lord ,jesus4 ,come into my soul4 ,fill 
me with thyself3    ,take my body1      
spirit1 soul2   ,only ,thou possess the 
whole4  ,this is just the way he wants  
you to feel4 ,he wants you to give      
yourself wholly to him4 ,he also says3  
,rejoice evermore3 pray without ceasing3
 in everything give thanks3 for this is 
the will of ,god respecting you4        
,,wednesday1 ,june #h4 ,meeting at      
,greenland4 ,speak on the ,great        
,supper4 ,dine at ,solomon ,michael's2  
visit ,michael and ,thomas ,lion's2 stay
 all night at ,james ,hilkey's4         
,,thursday1 ,june #i4 ,come to the ,pine
 ,swamp4 ,dine at ,william ,abernathy's1
 and stay all night at ,john            
,abernathy's4 ,fine day4  ,,friday1     

,june #aj4 ,meeting at ,william         
,abernathy's4 ,in afternoon pass through
 ,bloomington1 and on to ,william       
,broadwater's1 where ,i stay all night4 
,cold and cloudy day4  ,,saturday1 ,june
 #aa4 ,frost again this morning4 ,come  
to ,david ,beachley's for dinner2 then  
walk to meeting and back4 ,meeting at   
,miller's barn4  ,,sunday1 ,june #ab4   
,meeting in three places3 in the ,elk   
,creek meetinghouse1 and in ,miller's   
two barns4 ,in the house ,i speak on    
,exodus #ad3ac4 ,i here give the text1  
and some of the leading thoughts in my  
discourse3 ,,text4--,and ,moses said    
unto the people1 ,fear ye not1 stand    
still1 and see the salvation of the     
,lord1 which he will show to you to-day3
 for the ,egyptians whom ye have seen   
to-day1 ye shall see them again no more 
forever4  ,no father1 in seeking to     
quell the needless fears of his child1  
could ever use words more tender and    
pathetic than these4 ,they flow right   
from the heart1 even from the heart of  

our ,father in heaven4 ,i often think   
how appropriately they might be         
addressed to a dying saint4 ,these      
,egyptians1 the temptations from our old
 nature1 which1 like hounds upon our    
track1 are constantly trying to overtake
 us1 will all be left behind as soon as 
the eyes are closed in death4 ,fear not2
 stand still2 and see the salvation     
which the ,lord will show to you to-day3
 for the ,egyptians whom you see to-day1
 you shall see them again no more       
forever4 ,precious words would these be 
to one sick at heart of sin and         
suffering1 and longing to be freed from 
their power4 ,but these words may       
instruct us who are still healthy and   
strong1 and hold our places in the ranks
 to perform our part in the battle of   
life4  ,this text has been criticised by
 some as being opposed to progress4 ,the
 command to stand still is the mark at  
which the criticism has been aimed4 ,but
 those who talk and think in this way   
fail to observe that the ,lord did not  

say this to the hosts of ,israel until  
after they had done all they could do1  
and gone as far as they could go4 ,and  
when they then became fearful1 and in   
great danger of being seized by a panic1
 and scattered to the four winds1 he    
gave them the wise counsel and glorious 
promise found in the text4 ,its great   
lesson to us is implied rather than     
expressed4  ,,first4 ,we are to do what 
,god commands1 and go where he leads the
 way4 ,this should be our aim at this   
our ,annual ,meeting4 ,i sometimes fear 
that we do not think and act with an eye
 to spreading the ,gospel as we should4 
,it is not the way for us to stand still
 before our part is done4 ,in this and  
adjoining ,states1 many1 in various     
sections1 have never heard a genuinely  
true gospel sermon4 ,why could not these
 be converted to a true faith and life  
as well as others8 ,to be saved1 they   
need the same ,gospel that we have4 ,i  
am daily encouraged in my travels by    
finding some in every section who have  

already received1 and others who are    
ready to receive our doctrines and      
practices where they have been          
faithfully preached by us4 ,and how can 
they help it6 ,the straight line of     
truth is easily followed4 ,truth1 when  
rightly presented1 is not hard to see1  
because it lights up everything4 ,it is 
like the pillar of fire that illuminated
 the whole camp of ,israel throughout   
the darkest night4 ,but error is never  
bright like truth4 ,it is like a cloud  
before the sun4 ,and ,i am not sure but 
that the apocalyptic vision of hail and 
fire mingled with blood was a symbol of 
the perverted doctrines that are now    
being showered upon the people from the 
clouds of error that float over the     
land4 ,we may be too slack4 ,the ,lord  
expects us to do our part4 ,it is only  
when we have done this that we have a   
right to stand still4 ,i sometimes stand
 still by the bedside of the sick1 when 
,i feel that ,i have done all that ,i   
can do4 ,sometimes1 after having        

exhausted all arguments and inducements 
at my command to lead a sinner to repent
 and turn to the ,lord1 ,i stand still4 
,but ,i have no right to stand still so 
long as there is one afflicted body     
capable of receiving help1 or one       
unsaved soul within my reach4 ,there is 
a sin unto death3 ,i do not say that you
 shall pray for it4  ,,second4 ,after   
having done all we can do1 we are       
quietly and calmly to leave results with
 ,god4 ,all our fear1 and chafing1 and  
anxiety pass for worse than nothing4    
,when our nearest and dearest ones are  
at the point of death no amount of agony
 and tears1 with wringing of hands1 or  
convulsions even1 can avail anything4   
,the very best we can do in such cases  
is to stand still4  ,but one thought    
more4 ,let us1 dear brethren and        
sisters1 stand on safe ground4 ,we may  
stand1 and stand still1 on very         
dangerous ground4 ,the only place where 
it is ever safe to stand is on the ,rock
 of ,ages1 the ,rock which is ,christ4  

,poised on this ,rock1 we need not fear4
 ,no earthquake will ever shake the     
,rock of our salvation4  ,very fine     
weather to-day4 ,stay at ,daniel        
,miller's4  ,,monday1 ,june #ac4 ,this  
morning organize the ,standing          
,committee1 and take in queries4 ,get   
through forming subcommittees by three  
o'clock4 ,stay at ,daniel ,miller's4    
,rain to-day4  ,,tuesday1 ,june #ad4    
,subcommittees get through reporting    
to-day4 ,very pleasant weather to-day4  
,stay at ,miller's again4  ,,wednesday1 
,june #ae4 ,work through by quarter past
 two o'clock4 ,go back to ,david        
,beachley's2 get ,nell1 and ,brother    
,daniel ,thomas and ,i come to ,brother 
,broadwater's and stay all night4 ,some 
rain to-day4  ,,thursday1 ,june #af4    
,dine at ,brother ,samuel ,arnold's1 and
 have night meeting at ,susanna         
,arnold's4 ,brother ,daniel ,thomas     
speaks from the first ,psalm4 ,as a     
propagator and defender of our faith he 
has few equals in the ,virginia arms of 

the church4 ,we stay all night at       
,benjamin ,leatherman's4 ,fine day4     
,,friday1 ,june #ag4 ,dine and feed our 
horses in ,moorefield1 and get to       
,nimrod ,judy's1 where we stay all      
night4  ,,saturday1 ,june #ah4 ,get     
home4  ,,sunday1 ,july #bd4 ,go to      
,ritchey's schoolhouse1 in the ,gap4    
,isaac ,rodecap's wife is baptized4     
,dine at ,philip ,ritchey's1 and have   
evening meeting at ,addison ,harper's4  
,a few references to the life of        
,brother ,addison ,harper may not be out
 of place here4 ,the ,editor was        
intimately acquainted with him4 ,brother
 ,harper's early life was largely passed
 on the ,atlantic ocean as a sailor4 ,he
 settled in ,rockingham ,county1        
,virginia1 in the later years of his    
life1 and openly avowed his disbelief of
 holy revelation4 ,a few years prior to 
the date above given he was honored by  
the people of his county with a seat in 
the ,virginia ,state legislature4 ,when 
the ,rebellion broke out in #ahfa he    

raised a company of ,confederate        
volunteers and served as their captain  
through the war4 ,very soon after the   
surrender1 when worldly ambition had    
succumbed to the direful state of the   
,southern people1 his mind seems to have
 sought for something more enduring than
 aught the world could offer4 ,he turned
 to religion with the honest purpose of 
seeking to learn if that might have in  
it such proofs of its genuineness and   
reliability as would give better hopes  
to his soul than those which had so     
sadly disappointed him in life4 ,one day
 as he and ,i were riding together to   
attend a meeting in which we both took  
part1 ,i asked him to tell me the secret
 of the power that had made him a       
minister in the church of the ,brethren4
 ,said he1 ,it is all traceable to two  
great facts3 first1 the humble1         
peaceful1 moral and charitable lives of 
the members2 last1 the simple and       
unperverted truths they teach4 ,without 
the first1 continued he1 the last would 

have made no impression on my heart2 but
 the proofs they gave of their honesty  
in the first led me to believe there    
must be truth in the last2 and the more 
,i learn about it1 the more ,i am       
convinced that ,i was right4 ,johnny    
,kline repeatedly preached at my house  
before the war1 but ,i paid very little 
attention to what he said4 ,i always    
admired his earnestness1 and the        
simplicity of his manner1 but beyond    
these ,i paid him but little respect    
outside of the civilities of common     
decency4 ,but now it is different4 ,i   
would willingly part with all ,i have to
 enjoy but one hour's conversation with 
him1 to but tell him how ,i now feel    
toward him in my new life1 and how much 
,i now appreciate what ,i then could not
 understand4  ,,saturday1 ,august #f4   
,love feast at ,michael ,wine's1 in the 
,gap4 ,absalom ,rodecap and wife are    
baptized by ,jacob ,miller4 ,fine day   
and evening4 ,i officiate at love feast4
 ,brother ,martain ,miller is with us1  

and his feelings are very deeply moved  
as he proceeds in his discourse4  ,the  
,editor will here add what a very dear  
sister1 now gone to heaven1 told him    
shortly before her death4 ,he read to   
her the above note in the ,diary1 and   
all at once her face beamed with the    
happy recollection and she exclaimed3 ,i
 was there at that love feast1 and      
,brother ,martain ,miller grew so warm  
and so happy in his theme that he got   
from behind the table1 came out into the
 middle of the room1 and spoke as if    
talking to each one personally4  ,we    
stay all night at ,andrew ,turner's4    
,,sunday1 ,august #g4 ,meeting at       
,hoover's schoolhouse4 ,i baptize ,david
 ,hoover4  ,,monday1 ,august #bi4 ,last 
night the sky presented a very wonderful
 appearance4 ,it was luminous with a    
scarlet light nearly throughout the     
entire night4 ,what it may portend ,i   
know not4 ,people may brand me          
superstitious1 but ,i can not resist the
 impression that this1 with other signs1

 betokens the shedding of blood in our  
land4  ,,wednesday1 ,august #ca4 ,daniel
 ,thomas and ,i start on a journey to   
the western counties of ,virginia4 ,stay
 first night at ,nimrod ,judy's1 and    
have night meeting at ,zion4            
,,text4--,john #ae3c4  ,,thursday1      
,september #a4 ,meeting and love feast  
at ,john ,judy's on ,south ,mill ,creek4
 ,speak on ,john #ad3f4  ,,friday1      
,september #b4 ,meeting at ,martain     
,wise's1 near the ,upper ,track4 ,psalm 
#ai3g1 #h4  ,,saturday1 ,september #c4  
,cross the ,branch mountain to ,william 
,adamson's at the mouth of ,seneca4     
,seneca is a small stream from the east 
side of the ,alleghany mountain falling 
into the ,north ,fork of the ,south     
,branch of the ,potomac4 ,the scenery at
 the mouth of ,seneca is probably       
unsurpassed by any in ,virginia4 ,the   
perpendicular walls of solid rock       
hundreds of feet high present a scene of
 surpassing grandeur4 ,night meeting at 
the meetinghouse on ,seneca4 ,subject1  

,luke #bd3df1 #dg4 ,stay all night at   
the widow ,cooper's4 ,brother ,daniel   
,thomas is very much impressed with the 
sublime sights we witnessed to-day4     
,,sunday1 ,september #d4 ,meeting at #aj
 o'clock4 ,subject1 #a ,cor4 #a3ah4     
,council in the afternoon4 ,asa ,jarman 
is elected speaker1 and ,washington     
,summerfield deacon4  ,,monday1         
,september #e4 ,meeting at ,abraham     
,summerfield's4 ,stay all night at      
,brother ,levi ,wilmot's4  ,,tuesday1   
,september #f4 ,cross the ,alleghany    
mountain2 dine at ,brother ,j4 ,simon's2
 call at ,samuel ,pirkey's2 and stay at 
,charles ,w4 ,burk's in ,randolph4 ,we  
passed through extensive forests to-day 
of beautiful and majestic timber1       
comprising wild cherry1 tamarack1       
sugar-maple and other kinds of trees    
which invite the woodman's axe4 ,the    
means for transportation alone are      
wanting to make this an immensely       
profitable lumber region4  ,,wednesday1 
,september #g4 ,go back to ,brother     

,simon's for dinner and have night      
meeting in the meetinghouse4 ,john #ae  
is read4 ,heavy fog this morning1 but a 
fair day follows4  ,,thursday1          
,september #h4 ,meeting again at the    
same place4 ,same subject we spoke on   
yesterday continued to-day4 ,brother    
,daniel ,thomas is a host4 ,he possesses
 the rare ability to adapt his words and
 thoughts to the mental states of these 
plain-minded people4 ,milk for babes2   
strong food for men1 seems to be his    
rule4 ,and a wise rule it is4 ,i have to
 guard against inordinate affection for 
him4  ,,friday1 ,september #i4 ,still in
 ,randolph ,county4 ,dine at ,john      
,simon's1 and stay all right at ,henry  
,wilson's4 ,pleasant weather4           
,,saturday1 ,september #aj4 ,meeting    
begins at one o'clock4 ,love feast at   
night4 ,fine day and evening4 ,jacob    
,nickolas is elected to the deaconship4 
,it may interest the reader to be       
informed that the two brethren are now1 
and for some days have been1 in a       

sparsely settled region4 ,high mountains
 separated the habitable valleys4 ,great
 progress has been made1 and is still   
going on1 in the upbuilding of the      
social state of these people1 as well as
 the improvement of the country4 ,those 
living in the highly cultivated ,states 
of our ,union can hardly bring their    
minds to realize the conditions in which
 these people lived at the time that    
,brother ,kline and ,brother ,thomas    
were laboring so faithfully among them4 
,let me sketch a picture of the average 
house1 its surroundings1 and its        
occupants3 ,it is a log house1 built up 
by notching the ends of the logs so as  
to fit together at the corners1 and     
rises high enough to make one full story
 below and a half story above4 ,a huge  
chimney of stone is built up on the     
outside1 with the wide fireplace inside4
 ,the chinks between the logs are filled
 up with a mortar composed of clay and  
straw4 ,the chimney is supplied with one
 extra small flue at the side of the    

large flue1 and at the bottom of this   
small flue1 about four feet above the   
hearth1 is a small opening for light4   
,this light is produced from the burning
 of small pieces of rich pine knots     
placed in the small opening1 and as one 
piece burns out another is inserted1 the
 smoke from the pine1 the meanwhile1    
being all carried off through the small 
flue4 ,above the door of entrance       
antlers in pairs may be seen carefully  
fastened to the side of the house1 as   
evidences of success in deer hunting4   
,and more than once did the two brethren
 ministers feast on venison in the      
present journey1 for it was the chosen  
season for deer hunting4 ,when the house
 is approached by a stranger1 the       
father1 if present1 stands near the door
 with a doubtful look1 as much as to ask
 within himself3 ,who can that be1 and  
what is fetching him here8 ,he has1     
however1 a kind heart under a rough     
exterior4 ,his wife is diffident at     
first introduction1 but gain her        

confidence by true ,christian behavior1 
and you find the heart of the true woman
 in her4 ,the children retire upon a    
stranger's first entering the house3 but
 let him show a love for them2 let him  
learn their names and ages as one by one
 they make their appearance1 ranging in 
this respect according to the different 
degrees of backwardness and modesty with
 them2 let him notice them with loving  
looks and gentle words1 and they will   
soon play with his watch-chain1 and ask 
him what it is for4  ,i have now given  
an outline sketch of many a family in   
these mountainous regions1 in whose     
hearts ,brother ,kline never failed to  
find a welcome1 and in whose house a    
home4 ,he loved the people and the      
people loved him4 ,but all this has     
passed into history4 ,the church has    
never had but one ,johnny ,kline1 and it
 can never have another4 ,even if born1 
the conditions for his development1 and 
the sphere for his labors1 have both    
passed away4 ,the ,editor is happy to   

feel that he1 by a wonderful providence1
 has been made the humble instrument by 
which the life-work of a great and good 
man has been snatched from the jaws of  
oblivion4  ,,sunday1 ,september #aa4    
,meeting at ,brother ,henry ,wilson's4  
,luke #ac is read4 ,night meeting at    
,brother ,jacob ,nickolas's1 in his     
house4 ,subject1 ,rom4 #ac3aa1 #ab4     
,stay there all night4 ,very pleasant   
weather4  ,,monday1 ,september #ab4     
,come to ,philippa1 in ,barbour ,county4
 ,stop at ,david ,kline's4 ,dine at     
,peter ,reid's4 ,afternoon meeting at   
,peck's ,run meetinghouse4 ,acts #c is  
read4 ,stay all night at ,philip        
,dupoy's4 ,fine day4  ,,tuesday1        
,september #ac4 ,come to ,brother       
,joseph ,houser's1 two miles from       
,buckhannon4 ,meeting and love feast4   
,matthew #bj is read4 ,fine day and     
evening4  ,,wednesday1 ,september #ad4  
,meeting4 ,subject1 ,acts #b3cg1 #ch4   
,one man baptized4 ,in council ,jacob   
,houser was elected speaker1 and        

,brother ,hess deacon4  ,,thursday1     
,september #ae4 ,come to ,wilson        
,osborn's on ,middle ,fork river4 ,after
 dinner1 cross the mountain to ,valley  
river2 stop and stay all night at       
,william ,kern's4  ,,friday1 ,september 
#af4 ,cross ,cheat mountain1 thirty-five
 miles1 and get to ,brother ,john       
,riley's1 where we stay all night4      
,,saturday1 ,september #ag4 ,wonderful  
rain last night4 ,waters higher than    
they have been in a long time4 ,meeting 
at ,liberty meetinghouse4 ,subject1     
,luke #bd3df1 #dg4 ,stay all night at   
,adam ,hevner's4 ,cloudy and misty1 but 
waters partly run off4  ,,sunday1       
,september #ah4 ,sky almost clear this  
morning4 ,promise of a fair day4        
,meeting again at ,liberty meetinghouse4
 ,subject1 ,the ,great ,commission1     
,matt4 #bh3ah1 #ai1 #bj4 ,come to ,john 
,riley's1 where we stay all night4      
,clears up beautifully to-day4 ,our     
congregations have not been large1 but  
they have appeared to pay attention to  

what has been said4 ,a preacher of      
,brother ,daniel ,thomas's power cannot 
fail to impress an audience4 ,he enjoys 
the rare ability of analyzing and       
arranging his subject matter in a way   
that makes its presentation easy to be  
understood4 ,i have observed a very     
important truth1 and ,i am learning its 
lessons more and more every day1 that   
people can be interested only in what   
they understand4 ,uneducated people1 and
 children even1 will listen with        
attention to what they understand4 ,paul
 perceived this truth4 ,hence he said3  
,i would rather speak five words with   
the understanding1 than ten thousand in 
an unknown tongue4 ,paul got at the very
 root of the truth1 for his remarks     
imply that no man can make a thought    
clear to the mind of another unless it  
be first clear to his own mind4 ,if the 
blind lead the blind1 both will fall    
into the ditch together4  ,,monday1     
,september #ai4 ,dine at ,adam          
,hevner's2 come to ,greenbank1 to       

,dunmore post office2 then to           
,shenaberger's1 but we cannot get across
 the river4 ,we then go five miles down 
the river and cross on a bridge over to 
,knapp's ,creek1 and stay all night at  
,william ,harper's4  ,,tuesday1         
,september #bj4 ,afternoon meeting near 
,harper's4 ,subject1 ,heb4 #ab3ab4 ,stay
 all night at the widow ,harper's4      
,,wednesday1 ,september #ba4 ,the widow 
,harper and ,abraham ,rankin are married
 this morning4 ,meeting at ,andrew      
,harold's in ,mt4 ,vernon4 ,subject1    
,matt4 #g3ba4 ,after dinner we cross the
 ,alleghany mountain to ,alexander      
,gilmore's1 on ,back ,creek4 ,night     
meeting at ,green ,hill4 ,john #a is    
read4 ,stay all night at ,john          
,divner's4 ,much rain this morning4     
,,thursday1 ,september #bb4 ,we return  
to ,gilmore's and get our horses1 having
 walked from there to ,green ,hill and  
back to ,divner's4 ,from ,gilmore's we  
cross over to ,jackson's river1 and have
 meeting at ,valley ,chapel4 ,brother   

,daniel ,thomas preached to-day4 ,his   
subject was #a ,cor4 #a3h4 ,go with     
,james ,terry and take dinner with him4 
,night meeting at ,valley ,chapel4      
,subject1 ,the ,conversion of ,saul4    
,stay all night at ,james ,terry's4     
,,friday1 ,september #bc4 ,come to new  
meetinghouse on ,stony ,run4 ,preach the
 funeral of ,robert ,gwynn4 ,subject1   
,heb4 #i3bh4 ,dine at ,david            
,stephenson's4 ,come to ,godlove        
,hindgartner's2 night meeting2 subject1 
,matthew #aa1 three last verses4 ,fine  
day4  ,,saturday1 ,september #bd4       
,morning meeting at ,hindgartner's4     
,subject1 ,matthew #g1 last paragraph4  
,after dinner preach the funeral of old 
man ,robinson's wife4 ,subject1 #a      
,peter #a1 last three verses4  ,,sunday1
 ,september #be4 ,meeting again at      
,hindgartner's4 ,subject1 ,heb4 #ab3ad4 
,i could wish that thousands could have 
heard ,brother ,daniel ,thomas to-day4  
,as he spoke of the holiness without    
which no man shall see the ,lord1       

setting forth in strong and clear light 
what it is to live a holy life1 tears of
 penitence fell from many eyes4         
,,monday1 ,september #bf4 ,come across  
to ,liberty meetinghouse1 on the ,bull  
,pasture river in ,highland ,county1    
,virginia4 ,subject1 ,luke #h3ah4 ,dine 
at ,dr4 ,pullen's2 then come to ,amos   
,deahl's on the ,cow ,pasture river in  
the same county and stay all night4     
,,tuesday1 ,september #bg4 ,come by way 
of the ,calf ,pasture river1 in ,augusta
 ,county1 to the pleasant home of       
,brother ,daniel ,thomas1 who seems very
 well pleased to find himself at home   
again and all well1 after an absence    
with me of four weeks to the day4 ,in   
,isaiah #eb3g we read these words3 ,how 
beautiful upon the mountains are the    
feet of him that bringeth good tidings1 
that publisheth peace2 that bringeth    
good tidings of good2 that publisheth   
salvation2 that saith unto ,zion1 ,thy  
,god reigneth4 ,these words             
prophetically set forth the ,lord in the

 beauty of his holy life and good will  
toward men4 ,his feet symbolize his     
outward life4 ,this was beautiful in the
 highest degree4 ,no angry word1 no     
impure thought1 no covetous feeling1 no 
revengeful motive1 no unholy desire ever
 found a place in his heart2 but1       
instead of these1 gentleness1 goodness1 
meekness1 kindness1 temperance1 mercy1  
forgiveness1 and charity1 or universal  
and unvarying good will toward men1     
characterized the whole of his good life
 as the outflow of his good heart4 ,in  
respect to these graces of our ,lord1   
,brother ,daniel ,thomas sets an example
 worthy of imitation4 ,in the four weeks
 we have spent together ,i have not     
heard a word from his lips that ,i      
thought unwise1 or seen an act of his   
body or hands that ,i thought not good4 
,this is my testimony of him in secret  
before ,god4  ,,wednesday1 ,september   
#bh4 ,get home4  ,,sunday1 ,october #b4 
,meeting and love feast at the ,lost    
,river meetinghouse4 ,acts #c is read4  

,brother ,john ,harshberger officiates  
at love feast4 ,stay all night at ,jacob
 ,mathias's4 ,pleasant day and evening4 
,brother ,daniel ,thomas and ,brother   
,john ,harshberger in their relation to 
the work of the church remind me of the 
relation which the lead-horse bears to  
the off-wheel horse in a team of four4  
,each has his place3 the one as much    
needed as the other2 varied in talent   
and usefulness1 yet working together1   
the load goes on beautifully1 and the   
roughness of the way is forgotten4      
,,wednesday1 ,october #e4 ,meeting and  
love feast at our meetinghouse4 ,great  
concourse of people present4 ,christian 
,keffer1 of ,maryland1 and ,david ,long 
are with us4 ,fine day and night4       
,,saturday1 ,october #ae4 ,brother      
,kline and ,brother ,john ,harshberger  
started in company of each other to the 
,piedmont counties on the east side of  
the ,blue ,ridge mountain4 ,how long    
they contemplated staying there1 the    
,diary does not say4 ,the first         

appointment they expected to fill was   
met without a congregation4 ,it had     
either not been properly given out and  
circulated1 or the people did not wish  
to come4  ,brother ,kline preached one  
sermon on this trip1 at a place called  
,good ,hope1 in the county of ,madison1 
,virginia4 ,but from the spirit of the  
,diary more than from its direct letter 
the inference is clear that the name    
belied the character of the place1 and  
that instead of ,good ,hope it should be
 ,bad ,despair4 ,his subject was ,rev4  
#ad3f1 ,i saw another angel fly in the  
midst of heaven1 having the everlasting 
gospel to preach unto them that dwell on
 the earth1 and to every nation1 and    
kindred1 and tongue1 and people4  ,the  
selection of this text shows a lofty    
sense of propriety in ,brother ,kline4  
,he was here among a people largely     
opposed to the views and feelings of the
 ,brethren on the slave question which  
was1 at this particular time1 fearfully 
agitating the public mind4 ,but the     

above text was at once a passport in his
 hand to go with the everlasting gospel 
in his mouth to preach to every nation1 
and kindred1 and tongue1 and people4 ,it
 showed at once that his mission was    
love1 and the end peace4 ,many preachers
 in the ,south about this time adopted  
the following motto3 ,keep politics out 
of religion2 but put all the religion   
you can into politics4 ,this means3     
,pour the pure water of ,life into the  
cesspools of wickedness and deceit to   
cleanse them4 ,this is worse1 if        
possible1 than giving what is holy to   
dogs1 or casting pearls before swine4   
,it is as the sons of ,god going in unto
 the daughters of men1 and bringing     
forth giants-- giants of iniquity4 ,if  
every man and every woman in our land   
were filled with godliness1 politics1 in
 its popular sense1 would vanish4       
,governments would continue1 it is true1
 but the spirit of their administration 
would make duty their joy1 and love     
their law4  ,finding little             

encouragement in these parts1 the two   
brethren soon started homeward through  
,page ,county1 stopping one night at    
,brother ,hamilton ,varner's1 and one   
night at ,brother ,isaac ,spitler's1    
where1 at either place1 they could again
 enjoy the breath of love and the       
heartbeat of peace4  ,,saturday1        
,december #ca4 ,at home4 ,in this year  
,i traveled #c1ibi miles1 mostly on     
,nell's back4 ,good1 patient ,nell6     
,,wednesday1 ,february #bi1 #ahfj4 ,up  
to this date there is nothing of special
 interest in the ,diary4 ,it is mainly a
 record of visits in the way of medical 
attendance upon the sick2 matters       
relating to the church2 meetings        
attended1 and neighborhood items of     
business looked after and settled4      
,brother ,kline assisted ,brother ,john 
,j4 ,bowman in surveying lands4 ,he also
 wrote wills and deeds1 making himself  
useful in almost every way in which an  
active man of eminently practical good  
sense can serve his neighborhood and    

country4 ,i here give his entry in the  
,diary for this day exactly as it       
stands1 word for word3      ,,wednesday1
 ,february #bi4 ,go to ,benjamin        
,miller's4 ,old ,sister     ,miller is  
buried2 seventy-four years1 five months 
and ten days     old2 buried at ,myers's
 graveyard4 ,preach at ,green ,mount2   
dine     at ,jacob ,miller's2 then come 
by ,strine's home2 rain in the          
afternoon4  ,the ,editor was present at 
this funeral1 and very well remembers   
some of ,brother ,kline's words4 ,he    
said that instead of being distressed or
 grieved at the departure of one whose  
measure of life was so full of the good 
works of faith and love1 thereby showing
 eminent fitness for heaven1 we should  
rather rejoice4 ,he spoke of the wisdom 
and fortitude with which she had borne  
her separation from her husband1 the    
dearly remembered ,elder ,daniel        
,miller1 years before4 ,it is true1 said
 he1 her children cared for her with all
 the tender assiduities that love could 

suggest2 they still could not completely
 fill the place of the one who she had  
fondly hoped would be the earthly       
comforter of her declining years4 ,she  
lived and died with her youngest son1   
,benjamin ,miller1 who1 at this time    
#ahii1 has the oversight of the ,green  
,mount church4 ,she was the mother of   
eighteen children4 ,sixteen of these    
grew up to manhood and womanhood4 ,six  
of her sons1 viz1 ,abraham1 ,isaac1     
,jacob1 ,joseph1 ,benjamin and          
,frederick1 were put into the ministry1 
and all served the church acceptably4   
,most of these are now fallen asleep4   
,but their children are filling their   
places2 and how long this remarkable    
sister may continue to work in the      
vineyard of the ,lord1 through her      
children and children's children1 time  
only can tell4  ,i well remember that   
,brother ,kline1 on this occasion1 was  
the first to rise4 ,after a few brief   
but appropriate remarks1 he lined out   
that joyful old hymn3    ,there is a    

land of pure delight2   ,where saints   
immortal reign4444  ,at the close of the
 singing he led in prayer1 and the      
burden of his prayer was thanksgiving   
for the glorious hope set before us in  
the ,gospel4 ,he then delivered a brief 
but feeling address suited to the       
occasion2 and ,brother ,benjamin        
,bowman1 after giving some interesting  
facts connected with the ,miller family1
 closed the church services4            
,,thursday1 ,march #ae4 ,this day       
,brother ,kline spends in ,washington   
,city4 ,he visits the ,representatives' 
chamber1 the ,senate chamber1 the       
,patent office1 and other places of     
public interest4 ,his business1 however1
 is at ,alexandria1 in connection with  
the ,manassas ,gap ,railroad ,company4  
,he is in attendance at a meeting of the
 officers and stockholders of said      
company in the city of ,alexandria      
to-night2 makes his report of the amount
 of stock in said company which         
,rockingham ,county is willing to take2 

hears it accepted1 and next day returns 
home4 ,brother ,kline was deeply        
interested in this company's road4 ,it  
is the same which now passes close along
 by his place2 but he did not live to   
see its completion4  ,,thursday1 ,march 
#bb4 ,council meeting at the old        
meetinghouse above ,harrisonburg4       
,brother ,john ,flory is elected to the 
,word1 and ,joseph ,good to the         
deaconship4 ,dine at ,william ,byrd's   
and at night attend a lecture on        
feet-washing in ,dayton1 ,virginia4     
,stay all night at ,brother ,solomon    
,garber's4  ,,friday1 ,march #bc4 ,this 
day ,brother ,kline1 in company of      
,brother ,solomon ,garber1 starts up the
 ,valley of ,virginia1 on horseback1 to 
the ,district ,conference appointed to  
meet at the ,valley meetinghouse1 in    
,botetourt ,county1 on ,friday1 ,march  
#cj2 distant from ,brother ,kline's home
 somewhat over one hundred miles4       
,,saturday1 ,march #bd4 ,dine and feed  
at ,brother ,samuel ,zink's2 then on to 

,brother ,james ,sprous's1 five miles   
beyond2 and from there to meeting at    
,chestnut ,grove1 two miles distant4    
,subject1 #a ,thess4 #e3i4  ,brother    
,daniel ,brower1 of ,augusta ,county1   
joined company with them about this     
time4 ,on  ,,sunday1 ,march #be1 they   
have meeting at ,carr's ,creek          
meetinghouse1 and stay all night at     
,brother ,danner's4  ,,monday1 ,march   
#bf4 ,they stay at ,brother ,william    
,runnell's4  ,,tuesday1 ,march #bg4     
,they have meeting in ,hampton          
schoolhouse2 dine at ,jonas ,hill's1 and
 have night meeting at ,rapp's church4  
,they stay all night at ,mathias        
,rapp's4  ,,wednesday1 ,march #bh4 ,stay
 all night at ,john ,pursley's4         
,,thursday1 ,march #bi4 ,dine at ,sister
 ,sarah ,grabeil's1 and stay at ,brother
 ,peter ,nininger's4  ,,friday1 ,march  
#cj and ,,saturday1 ,march #ca4 ,they   
attend conference at the ,valley        
meetinghouse4 ,on  ,,sunday1 ,april #a1 
they attend meeting at the church1 and  

dividing out go to other appointments in
 reach4  ,,monday1 ,april #b4 ,they     
start homeward4  ,,sunday1 ,april #ae4  
,brother ,james ,turner is very sick4 ,i
 wait on him to-day4  ,,sunday1 ,may    
#ac4 ,meeting at ,ritchey's schoolhouse4
 ,hebrews #d is read4 ,stay with ,james 
,turner all night4 ,he seems a little   
better4  ,this is the last night that   
,brother ,kline ever stayed with        
,brother ,james ,turner4 ,on  ,,monday1 
,may #ad1 he took leave of him and      
started on his way to the ,annual       
,meeting in ,tennessee1 never to see    
,brother ,turner's face again in this   
world1 for in his absence ,brother      
,turner died4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #ae4     
,arrive at ,brother ,benjamin ,moomaw's1
 where ,i stay all night4  ,,wednesday1 
,may #af4 ,call at ,brother ,david      
,plain's2 then to meeting at ,bethel4   
,subject1 ,john #ad3bd4 ,dine at        
,brother ,moomaw's4 ,sup at ,jacob      
,bonsack's3 then to night meeting4      
,brother ,jacob ,miller speaks4 ,his    

subject is the ,general ,epistle of     
,jude1 his discourse being made up of   
remarks upon the spirit and general     
scope of the epistle4 ,stay all night at
 ,daniel ,kiser's4 ,fine weather4       
,,thursday1 ,may #ag4 ,arrive at        
,brother ,john ,lear's1 who meets us at 
the ,union depot4 ,stay all night with  
him4  ,,friday1 ,may #ah4 ,meeting at   
,knapp's ,creek meetinghouse4 ,matthew  
#e is read4 ,dine at young ,benjamin    
,basehore's4 ,then to meetinghouse      
again4 ,subject1 ,the ,pure ,river of   
the ,water of ,life4 ,revelation #bb4   
,stay all night at ,peter ,basehore's4  
,,saturday1 ,may #ai4 ,come to ,joseph  
,bowman's2 then go to ,jonesborough1    
,washington ,county1 ,tennessee4 ,dr4   
,alpheus ,dove is located here1 and ,i  
spend the day and night with him4       
,,sunday1 ,may #bj4 ,stop at ,conrad    
,basehore's4 ,forenoon meeting at the   
,valley meetinghouse4 ,matthew #aa is   
read4 ,dine at ,brother ,conrad         
,basehore's4 ,meeting in afternoon4     

,john #c3g is my subject4 ,sup at       
,brother ,joseph ,bowman's and stay     
there all night4  ,,monday1 ,may #ba4   
,visit ,david ,bowman's1 ,daniel        
,bowman's1 ,sears's1 and get back to    
,joseph ,bowman's for dinner4 ,toward   
evening go to ,brother ,daniel          
,crouse's1 where ,i stay all night4     
,fine weather4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #bb4    
,meeting in ,brother ,henry ,swadley's  
barn4 ,i give a general talk on the     
fifteenth chapter of ,john4 ,stay all   
night at ,brother ,david ,garst's4      
,,wednesday1 ,may #bc4 ,come to ,henry  
,linaweaver's2 dine at ,brother ,samuel 
,miller's1 and in afternoon have meeting
 at the ,seceder's meetinghouse4        
,subject1 ,the ,great ,prophet4 ,stay   
all night at ,brother ,john ,nead's4    
,fine day4  ,,thursday1 ,may #bd4       
,afternoon meeting at ,brother ,benjamin
 ,basehore's4 ,my subject1 ,matthew #aa1
 last three verses4 ,stay there all     
night4  ,,friday1 ,may #be4 ,stop at    
,emmanuel ,arnold's4 ,meeting in the    

,limestone meetinghouse4 ,after meeting1
 deliberate in committee on the best    
ways and means for a more extended and  
general spread of the ,gospel4 ,all the 
members of the committee seemed to be   
impressed with the importance of the    
matter under consideration4 ,all agreed 
that it is not contrary to gospel order 
for the church to help such preachers as
 are not able1 from poverty1 to do what 
their ability as ministers would enable 
them to do1 if they could spare the time
 from their work at home to go more4    
,many fields are still white unto the   
harvest4 ,the ,lord may be to-day       
saying3 ,i have much people in this     
city1 or in this place4 ,by this he     
means1 ready to accept salvation and    
become his people whenever the door of  
the church is fairly opened up to them4 
,stay all night at ,brother ,david      
,clepper's4  ,,saturday1 ,may #bf4      
,meeting at the meetinghouse4 ,d4,p4    
,saylor1 ,h4 ,koontz1 and ,james        
,quinter all speak4 ,ephesians #b was   

read4 ,in the afternoon ,peter ,nead    
spoke to a very large and attentive     
audience4  ,,sunday1 ,may #bg4 ,a very  
heavy rain comes up to-day about meeting
 time4 ,we nevertheless have forenoon   
and afternoon services in the           
meetinghouse4 ,stay all night at        
,brother ,michael ,basehore's4          
,,monday1 ,may #bh4 ,gather at the      
meetinghouse4 ,organize4 ,take in       
questions3 discuss some of them4 ,fine1 
delightful day4 ,stay at ,brother       
,emmanuel ,arnold's4  ,,tuesday1 ,may   
#bi4 ,get through with the business at  
three o'clock4 ,brother ,quinter and ,i 
come to ,jonesborough1 where he delivers
 a sermon in the ,presbyterian church4  
,subject1 ,rom4 #a3ag4 ,,text4--,the    
just shall live by faith4  ,this text   
was ,luther's sword4 ,with it he slew   
more of the enemies of the ,reformation 
than ,samson slew of the ,philistines   
with the jawbone of an ass4 ,the text   
readily suggests two questions4   ,i4   
,who are the just8  ,,ii4 ,what is      

faith8  ,these two questions being      
clearly answered1 the grand copula1 upon
 which the meaning and force of the text
 depends1 is readily understood as to   
the quality of the life which it        
involves4 ,it evidently means a good    
life1 a holy life1 an obedient life1 a  
humble life1 a pure life out of a pure  
heart4 ,it means that the just or       
righteous shall live a life conformed in
 all respects to the character of that  
state of heart in which love to ,god    
holds dominant rule1 and subordinate    
love to man prompts to a life of vital  
charity4  ,i4 ,who are the just8 ,the   
just1 in the sense of the text1 are     
those who are righteous1 and who desire 
to grow more and more righteous in      
,god's sight4 ,men may be righteous in  
their own sight1 and very unrighteous in
 ,god's sight4 ,and precisely the       
reverse of this3 they may be great      
sinners in their own sight1 and just or 
righteous in ,god's sight4 ,this last   
state was ,paul's experience when he    

pronounced himself the chief of sinners4
 ,he felt that he was righteous or just 
in ,god's eye2 but in his own eye1      
enlightened by the ,word and ,spirit of 
the ,lord1 he was vile4 ,this           
consciousness gave vent to many         
exclamations such as these3 ,o wretched 
man that ,i am6 who shall deliver me    
from the body of this death8 ,again3    
,for ,i know that in me1 that is1 in my 
flesh1 there dwelleth no good thing4 ,on
 the other hand1 the ,pharisee1 who     
stood praying in the temple was         
righteous in his own view of himself1   
and thanked ,god that he was not as     
other men--a sinner like unto them1 he  
meant1 of course4 ,this line of thought 
suggests another question3  ,how are men
 to become righteous or just8 ,for the  
scripture hath concluded all under sin4 
,this same apostle tells us that we are 
justified made righteous by faith2 444  
for with the heart man believeth unto   
righteousness4 ,probably no passage of  
,scripture has been subject to worse    

misconstructions than this one4 ,it has 
been made to teach that a mere          
declaration of faith in ,christ procures
 the instantaneous forgiveness of all   
sin1 passes the sinner out of death into
 life1 makes him a regenerate child of  
,god1 and gives him an inalienable title
 to citizenship in heaven4 ,but ,i have 
not so learned ,christ1 nor do ,i       
understand ,paul to teach anything like 
this4 ,i do not deny that a sincere and 
heart confession of ,christ is a step1  
the first step1 to these heavenly       
blessings2 but ,i do deny that          
,christian perfection rests upon a naked
 confession of him by the mouth4 ,the   
thoughtless sinner does not know        
,christ4 ,he has never in heart so much 
as asked the question3 ,who is he1      
,lord1 that ,i may believe on him8 ,god 
has never been in all his thoughts4 ,the
 world knew him not1 and the world knows
 him not now4 ,when one1 then1 is       
suddenly wrought upon by some influence 
as was the ,philippian jailer1 by which1

 in his distress1 he cries out1 ,what   
must ,i do to be saved8 the answer that 
,paul gave is exactly the right answer4 
,believe in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1   
and thou shalt be saved4 ,and this leads
 to my second and last question3  ,what 
is faith8 ,i will here give ,paul's     
definition4 ,we come to ,god by faith4  
,and he that cometh unto ,god--or to    
,christ the same--must believe that he  
is1 and that he is a rewarder of them   
that diligently seek him4 ,faith must1  
then1 be the very first step in the     
direction of receiving good from the    
,lord4 ,we see striking examples of this
 in the life of ,jesus on earth4 ,what  
brought the throng from all directions  
that attended and even pressed him8 ,it 
was faith1 the belief that he could do  
them good4 ,but it was not spiritual or 
heavenly good they sought so much as    
bodily good4 ,jesus reminded them of    
this in the words3 ,ye seek me1 not     
because of the miracles1-- not because  
you desire proofs of my divine power to 

save your souls from eternal death1--but
 because ye ate of the loaves1 and were 
filled4 ,but true faith1 the faith that 
saves the soul1 the faith by which the  
just shall live1 is a loving acceptance 
of the ,word of ,god2 every word that   
proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god2 for
 by this doth man live4 ,and how does   
man live by it8 ,by obeying it1 by      
making its precepts the rule and guide  
of his life4 ,by faith the ,word becomes
 a lamp unto his path4 ,it is as the    
light that shineth more and more unto   
the perfect day4 ,all who believe the   
,lord's words1 as contained in our ,new 
,testament1 because they love their     
truth1 and from the heart desire to     
live1--this means1 order their lives and
 conduct by them1--believe in the ,lord 
,jesus ,christ4 ,and these have the     
promise of eternal life3 ,for ,god so   
loved the world1 that he gave his only  
begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth 
in him should not perish1 but have      
everlasting life4  ,these were the      

leading thoughts in ,brother ,quinter's 
discourse to-day4 ,we stay all night in 
,jonesborough with ,dr4 ,alpheus ,dove4 
,,wednesday1 ,may #cj4 ,go back to the  
meetinghouse where the ,annual ,meeting 
was held2 arrange some matters left back
 in our hands2 then go together to      
,brother ,jacob ,nead's1 where we stay  
all night4  ,,thursday1 ,may #ca4 ,start
 homeward4  ,,sunday1 ,july #bb4        
,meeting at ,turner's schoolhouse in the
 ,gap4 ,brother ,solomon ,garber is with
 me4 ,mark #ab is read4 ,dine at the    
widow ,james ,turner's1 and go to ,james
 ,fitzwater's1 where we stay all night  
on our way to some of the western       
counties of ,virginia4  ,the counties to
 which the two brethren were going are  
included in ,west ,virginia1 which1 as  
is well known1 was organized a ,state   
during the ,rebellion4 ,the people      
living among the mountains are generally
 hospitable1 and much attached to the   
scenes of their childhood and that wild 
freedom of nature found in the mountains

 that surround them4 ,the motto engraved
 upon the ,state ,seal of ,west         
,virginia is very expressive and        
appropriate1 and in ,latin reads thus3  
,montani liber semper sunt4 ,translated1
 it reads thus3 ,mountaineers are ever  
free4 ,the people are noted for the     
attention with which they listen to the 
preaching of the ,gospel4 ,brother      
,kline often spoke of the pleasure it   
gave him to preach in these sections1   
because the ,word was received with so  
much readiness4 ,his success among them 
proved this4 ,they were devotedly       
attached to him2 and it is questionable 
if in any part of the ,brotherhood      
deeper grief was felt over his martyrdom
 than that which filled the hearts of   
the brethren and sisters and friends in 
,west ,virginia4  ,,monday1 ,july #bc4  
,cross the ,shenandoah mountain over to 
the ,south ,fork1 and have meeting at   
,zion1 in ,hardy county1 #b ,corinthians
 #e was read4 ,dine at ,nimrod ,judy's1 
and in afternoon have a small gathering 

at ,leonard ,brake's on the ,fork four  
miles below ,zion1 for social prayer4   
,we then cross the ,fork mountain to    
,john ,judy's1 on ,south ,mill ,creek1  
where we have night meeting1 and stay   
all night4 ,attended three meetings     
to-day2 and traveled thirty-three miles 
on ,nell's back across two very high    
mountains4  ,,tuesday1 ,july #bd4       
,meeting at ,isaac ,judy's1 about four  
miles higher up on the same creek4      
,brother ,solomon ,garber spoke from    
,luke #bd3bf1 ,ought not ,christ to have
 suffered these things1 and to enter    
into his glory8 ,he spoke with much     
clearness and order in his mind4 ,after 
dinner we traveled by way of the ,upper 
,track1 across the ,south ,branch       
mountain1 sixteen miles1 to ,solomon    
,harman's1 near the ,north ,fork4 ,stay 
there all night4  ,,wednesday1 ,july    
#be4 ,on this journey ,brother ,kline   
has noted the distance traveled over    
between one point and the next in most  
cases4 ,thus3 ,come to ,william         

,adamson's at the mouth of ,seneca 7five
 miles72 then to ,seneca meetinghouse   
7two miles72 find a congregation2 speak 
from ,john #c3ad1 #ae1 #af4 ,come to    
,jesse ,harper's 7two miles72 dine2 then
 to widow ,cooper's 7eight miles72 stay 
all night4  ,,thursday1 ,july #bf4      
,meeting at widow ,cooper's2 subject1   
,luke #ad2 dine2 then have meeting at   
soldier ,white's4 ,subject1 #a ,john    
#c3d2 then come to ,abraham             
,summerfield's1 where we stay all night4
 ,fine day4  ,,friday1 ,july #bg4 ,come 
to ,levi ,wilmot's 7sixteen miles71 and 
have a two o'clock meeting4 ,subject1   
,matthew #e4 ,stay there all night4     
,,saturday1 ,july #bh4 ,cross the       
mountain to ,leading ,creek to ,charles 
,burke's 7eight miles72 and after dinner
 have meeting at the meetinghouse 7two  
miles74 ,council meeting continues till 
evening4 ,stay all night at ,brother    
,simon's4  ,,sunday1 ,july #bi4 ,john #f
 is read4 ,brother ,solomon ,garber     
speaks from verses #dd and #de4 ,council

 meeting again2 considerable discord2   
get things partially settled by evening4
 ,stay all night again at ,brother      
,simon's4  ,,monday1 ,july #cj4 ,come to
 ,burke's again4 ,stay all night at     
,brother ,wilson's2 fine day1 but river 
high from yesterday's rain1 and fords in
 bad condition and dangerous4           
,,tuesday1 ,july #ca4 ,come to ,middle  
,fork of ,cheat river 7eight miles71 but
 find the river past fording1 and have  
to go round by the bridge 7five miles71 
and on to ,brother ,george ,yager's     
7five miles71 where we dine2 then to the
 meetinghouse1 where ,i speak on ,john  
#ad3f4 ,we then come to ,peck's ,run4   
meetinghouse and speak on ,rev4 #c3bj1  
,behold1 ,i stand at the door and knock3
 if any man hear my voice1 and open the 
door1 ,i will come in to him1 and will  
sup with him1 and he with me4 ,stay all 
night at ,philip ,dupoy's4 ,much rain   
to-day4  ,,wednesday1 ,august #a4       
,afternoon meeting at ,houser's 7ten    
miles72 speak from ,john #c3af4 ,stay   

all night at ,houser's4 ,fine day4      
,,thursday1 ,august #b4 ,meeting at ten 
o'clock1 and love feast in the evening4 
,luke #ad is read4 ,brother ,solomon    
,garber baptizes ,mrs4 ,jacob ,neff4    
,fine day and night4 ,the love feast    
to-night is a healing balm to our       
hearts4  ,,friday1 ,august #c4 ,council 
meeting at ,houser's meetinghouse4      
,joseph ,houser and ,joseph ,michael are
 forwarded to baptize1 perform marriage 
ceremonies1 and do other work within the
 defined limits of their degree in the  
ministry4 ,come to ,brother ,george     
,yager's 7ten miles71 where we stay all 
night4 ,fine day4 ,i baptized two       
persons to-day4  ,,saturday1 ,august #d4
 ,after dinner come round by the bridge 
7six miles7 to ,middle ,fork 7five      
miles71 to ,union schoolhouse 7six      
miles71 and have meeting4 ,subject1     
,john #ad3af1 #ag4 ,stay all night at   
,william ,wilson's4 ,clear and warm day4
  ,,sunday1 ,august #e4 ,very heavy rain
 throughout the forenoon4 ,start at one 

o'clock to ,union meetinghouse 7seven   
miles72 have meeting4 ,subject1 ,mark   
#d3bd4 ,go to ,john ,skidmore's 7five   
miles71 where we stay all night4        
,,monday1 ,august #f4 ,come to ,josiah  
,simon's 7four miles74 ,we have meeting 
at the meetinghouse4 ,make remarks on   
the general scope of ,hebrews #d1 and   
particular remarks on the thirteenth    
verse4 ,counsel after meeting4 ,josiah  
,simon is forwarded to baptize4 ,we stay
 all night at ,levi ,wilmot's 7six      
miles74  ,,tuesday1 ,august #g4 ,dine at
 ,john ,wiat's2 then to ,abraham        
,summerfield's 7eighteen miles7 to      
meeting4 ,subject1 ,titus #b3aa1 ,for   
the grace of ,god that bringeth         
salvation hath appeared unto all men4   
,stay all night at ,thomas ,s4 ,white's4
  ,,wednesday1 ,august #h4 ,come to     
,seneca meetinghouse 7twelve miles74    
,luke #ad is read4 ,dine at ,elburn's2  
stay all night at ,ely ,bland's 7eight  
miles74 ,the entire time between        
,thursday1 ,july #bf1 and the above date

 we have spent in ,randolph ,county4 ,we
 are now in ,pendleton ,county4         
,,thursday1 ,august #i4 ,come to        
,circleville on the ,north ,fork of the 
,south ,branch 7seven miles74 ,meeting  
in ,circleville4 ,subject1 ,hebrews     
#ab3a1 #b1 #c4 ,dine at ,samuel         
,sollenberger's4 ,afternoon meeting4    
,brother ,solomon ,garber speaks from   
,heb4 #b3a1 #b1 #c4 ,stay all night at  
,solomon ,pharo's4  ,,friday1 ,august   
#aj4 ,come to ,brother ,noah ,h4        
,lamb's4 ,meeting at ,friend ,run       
schoolhouse 7eight miles74 ,subject1    
,john #a3aa1 #ab1 #ac4 ,dine at ,noah   
,h4 ,lamb's4 ,meeting at schoolhouse    
again4 ,brother ,solomon ,garber speaks 
on conversion and baptism4 ,nine persons
 are baptized1 viz1 ,noah ,h4 ,lamb and 
wife1 ,henry ,elyard and wife1 ,ban     
,lambert and wife1 ,elias ,wimer and    
wife1 and ,john ,wesley ,lambert4 ,fine 
day but warm4 ,brother ,solomon         
,garber's remarks on conversion were    
very searching4 ,it is difficult to see 

how any one1 after hearing such a       
discourse with an understanding mind1   
could be self-deceived4 ,i have great   
hopes in regard to the genuineness of   
those who have been baptized to-day4    
,his remarks on baptism were necessarily
 brief1 but pointed and clear4 ,we stay 
all night at ,henry ,elyard's4          
,,saturday1 ,august #aa4 ,come to ,john 
,hammer's on the ,south ,branch1 a few  
miles below ,franklin4 ,have meeting at 
the home of ,jacob ,hammer4 ,subject1   
,acts #aj4 ,dine at ,jacob ,hammer's4   
,meeting in the afternoon4 ,solomon     
,garber speaks from ,james #a4 ,stay all
 night at ,john ,hammer's4 ,fine day4   
,,sunday1 ,august #ab4 ,come to         
,mountain ,grove 7four miles74 ,speak on
 ,john #c3d1 #e1 #f1 #g4 ,dine at ,john 
,eye's4 ,afternoon meeting at ,lough's  
church4 ,brother ,solomon ,garber speaks
 from #b ,cor4 #e3ag4 ,come to ,joel    
,siple's where we stay all night4       
,,monday1 ,august #ac4 ,rain last night 
and this morning4 ,come to ,peter       

,warnstaff's 7seven miles71 take dinner 
with him and his kind mother and sister2
 and at three o'clock start to ,john    
,fulk's1 on top of ,shenandoah mountain 
7eight miles71 where we stay all night4 
,,tuesday1 ,august #ad4 ,stop awhile at 
,philip ,ritchey's2 dine at ,philip     
,baker's3 and in evening get home4      
,,monday1 ,december #ca4 ,cloudy this   
morning4 ,snow eleven inches deep4 ,i   
work at my sleigh4 ,clears up prettily  
this evening4 ,i have traveled in the   
year #ahfj1 #e1fhf miles2 married five  
couples2 preached twenty funerals1 ten  
for children under ten years of age1 one
 between ten and twenty1 two between    
thirty and fifty1 two between sixty and 
seventy1 and five above seventy4        
,,tuesday1 ,january #a1 #ahfa4 ,the year
 opens with dark and lowering clouds in 
our national horizon4 ,i feel a deep    
interest in the peace and prosperity of 
our country2 but in my view both are    
sorely threatened now4 ,secession is the
 cry further south2 and ,i greatly fear 

its poisonous breath is being wafted    
northward towards ,virginia on the wings
 of fanatical discontent4 ,a move is    
clearly on hand for holding a convention
 at ,richmond1 ,virginia2 and while its 
advocates publicly deny the charge1 ,i1 
for one1 feel sure that it signals the  
separation of our beloved old ,state    
from the family in which she has long   
lived and been happy4 ,the perishable   
things of earth distress me not1 only in
 so far as they affect the imperishable4
 ,secession means war2 and war means    
tears and ashes and blood4 ,it means    
bonds and imprisonments1 and perhaps    
even death to many in our beloved       
,brotherhood1 who1 ,i have the          
confidence to believe1 will die1 rather 
than disobey ,god by taking up arms4    
,the ,lord1 by the mouth of ,moses1     
says3 ,be sure your sin will find you   
out4 ,it may be that the sin of holding 
three millions of human beings under the
 galling yoke of involuntary servitude  
has1 like the bondage of ,israel in     

,egypt1 sent a cry to heaven for        
vengeance2 a cry that has now reached   
the ear of ,god4 ,i bow my head in      
prayer4 ,all is dark save when ,i turn  
my eyes to him4 ,he assures me in his   
,word that all things work together for 
good to them that love him4 ,this is my 
ground of hope for my beloved brethren  
and their wives and their children4 ,he 
alone can provide for their safety and  
support4 ,i believe he will do it4      
,,wednesday1 ,january #cj4 ,write a     
letter to ,john ,letcher1 ,governor of  
,virginia1 in which ,i set before him in
 a brief way the doctrines which we as a
 body or church1 known as ,brethren1    
,german ,baptists or ,dunkards1 have    
always held upon the subject of         
obedience to the rightful authority and 
power of government4 ,we teach and are  
taught obedience to the powers that be2 
believing as we do that the powers that 
be are ordained of ,god1 and under his  
divine sanction so far as such powers   
keep within ,god's bounds4 ,by ,god's   

bounds we understand such laws and their
 administrations and enforcements as do 
not conflict with1 oppose1 or violate   
any precept or command contained in the 
,divine ,word which he has given for the
 moral and spiritual government of his  
people4 ,by government1 to which we as a
 body acknowledge and teach our         
obligations of duty and obedience1 we   
understand rightful human authority4    
,and by this1 again1 we understand1 as  
the ,apostle ,paul puts it1 the power   
that protects and blesses the good1 and 
punishes the evildoer4 ,the general     
,government of the ,united ,states of   
,america1 constituted upon an           
inseparable union of the several        
,states1 has proved itself to be of     
incalculable worth to its citizens and  
the world1 and therefore we1 as a church
 and people1 are heart and soul opposed 
to any move which looks toward its      
dismemberment4  ,this is in substance   
what ,i wrote to ,john ,letcher1        
,governor of ,virginia4  ,i likewise    

attend ,abraham ,shue's sale3 ,the      
candidates for seats in the ,convention 
to meet in ,richmond were on the ground1
 actively speaking both publicly and    
privately4 ,mr4 ,george ,chrisman1 one  
of them1 a man of preminent wisdom in   
things relating to government1 publicly 
avowed himself opposed to secession on  
the basis of both principle and policy4 
,on the ground of principle1 said he1   
secession violates the pledge of sacred 
honor made by the several ,states when  
they set their hands and seals to the   
,constitution of the ,united ,states4   
,on the ground of policy1 continued he1 
the secession of ,virginia will         
culminate in the breaking up of her     
long-cherished institutions1 civil1     
social1 and1 to some extent1 religious4 
,,friday1 ,february #a4 ,write to ,john 
,t4 ,harris1 our representative in      
,congress4 ,beseech him to do all he can
 to avert the calamity that now         
threatens us1 by pouring oil upon the   
troubled waters until the tempest of    

passion abates4 ,i esteem him as an     
incorruptible patriot at heart4 ,may the
 ,lord guide him and all the other      
lawmakers of our land4  ,,saturday1     
,february #i4 ,martha ,kline1 wife of   
,john ,b4 ,kline1 dies very suddenly    
to-day4  ,,sunday1 ,february #aj4       
,funeral of our dear sister1 ,martha    
,kline1 at our meetinghouse4 ,,text4--,i
 have fought a good fight2 ,i have      
finished my course2 ,i have kept the    
faith4 ,age1 twenty-eight years and     
eight days4  ,,friday1 ,april #e4       
,council meeting at our meetinghouse1   
,william ,summers and wife1 ,harvey     
,fifer and wife1 ,sophia ,fifer1 ,sally 
,wampler and ,sally ,helbert are to-day 
baptized by ,jacob ,miller4 ,a terribly 
malignant type of diphtheria has        
recently made its appearance in the     
,shenandoah ,valley and is now invading 
our immediate neighborhood4 ,four of    
,andrew ,crist's children are now       
dangerously ill with the disease4 ,some 
in other families have died2 and others 

are sick4 ,the outlook1 both as to      
health and peace1 is very disheartening4
 ,but we are admonished in the ,divine  
,word not to fear4 ,the people of ,god  
have a better portion than this world   
can give--an enduring substance1 which  
death can never reach4  ,,sunday1 ,april
 #g4 ,attend the funeral of ,christian  
,shoemaker in the ,gap4 ,his age was    
about eighty years4  ,,sunday1 ,april   
#ba4 ,meeting at our meetinghouse4      
,great excitement on account of         
secession and war movements4 ,the       
volunteers are being called out to enter
 the field of war1 and ,god only knows  
what the end will be4 ,there is great   
commotion everywhere in the realm of    
thought and sentiment1 men's hearts     
failing them for fear1 the sea and the  
waves of human passion roaring4         
,,thursday1 ,may #b4 ,council meeting at
 our meetinghouse4 ,i this day baptize  
,isaac ,kline1 ,lucretia ,spitzer1      
,joseph ,wampler and wife1 ,rebecca     
,driver1 ,anna ,kline and ,john         

,mc,kee's wife4  ,,friday1 ,may #c4 ,go 
to ,nimrod ,judy's on the ,south ,fork1 
where ,i stay all night4  ,,saturday1   
,may #d4 ,snow this morning4 ,have      
meeting at ,jess ,mitchell's4 ,second   
,corinthians #d is read4 ,stay all night
 at ,john ,davis's4  ,,sunday1 ,may #e4 
,meeting at ,jacob ,collers's on the    
,shenandoah mountain4 ,luke #aj is read4
  ,,sunday1 ,may #ab4 ,perform the      
marriage ceremony of ,james ,fitzwater  
and ,catharine ,showalter1 at the house 
of her father1 ,brother ,anthony        
,showalter4 ,i then attend meeting at   
the ,brush meetinghouse1 and after      
meeting witness the baptism by ,brother 
,jacob ,spitzer of ,mrs4 ,beahm1 ,mrs4  
,henry ,frank1 ,mrs4 ,hottinger1 and two
 of ,michael ,showalter's daughters4    
,,friday1 ,may #ag4 ,at home calmly     
enjoying the company of ,dr4 ,jacob     
,driver1 of ,allen ,county1 ,ohio4  ,the
 ,editor was intimately acquainted with 
,dr4 ,driver2 and as he and ,brother    
,kline were lifelong friends and in     

later years of their lives brethren1 a  
brief reminiscence of ,dr4 ,driver will 
here be given3 ,jacob ,driver was born  
in ,rockingham ,county1 ,virginia1 about
 the year #ahja4 ,his parents came from 
,pennsylvania1 and their baptism into   
the church of the ,brethren is noted in 
this biography4 ,about the year #ahch1  
,jacob1 their eldest son1 became very   
strongly impressed with the rational and
 logical arguments given by ,dr4 ,samuel
 ,thompson in a work written and        
published by him entitled3 ,,guide ,,to 
,,health4 ,this guide indicated and     
represented the way from sickness back  
to health as being very short and easy  
to find1 exempt from dangers and free   
from doubt4 ,jacob ,driver entered the  
field of medical practice1 and his      
success in that line added enthusiasm to
 his faith1 by which as time went on1   
mountains were removed4 ,he soon        
deservedly acquired the title of        
,doctor2 and although not conferred by a
 medical college1 still the title of    

,doctor of ,medicine has rarely been    
conferred by diploma upon a man more    
worthy to hold it1 or borne with the    
honors of better success4 ,his removal  
with his family to ,allen ,county1      
,ohio1 in the autumn of #aheb1 was      
deplored by many families in            
,rockingham1 who had learned to depend  
upon him as their most trustworthy      
medical adviser4 ,he died in ,allen     
,county about the year #ahfg1 leaving an
 excellent lineage of sons and          
daughters1 among whom ,jacob1 his       
youngest son1 is now an active minister 
in the church of the ,brethren4 ,the    
ties of affection which bound the hearts
 of ,brother ,john ,kline and ,jacob    
,driver into an inseparable union were  
those of a double brotherhood3 brethren 
in church1 and brethren in medical      
practice4  ,,saturday1 ,may #ah4 ,dine  
at ,john ,bowman's above ,harrisonburg1 
and stay all night at ,daniel ,thomas's4
  ,,sunday1 ,may #ai4 ,meeting in the   
,beaver ,creek meetinghouse and at two  

other places near by4 ,a very great     
concourse of people on the ground4 ,the 
spiritual peace and composure of heart1 
however1 usually manifest in the        
,brotherhood on all former occasions of 
this kind1 is sadly interfered with now 
by the distracted state of our country4 
,but the weather is pleasant1 and we    
hope to have a good meeting4 ,preaching 
in the meetinghouse to-night1 and also  
in ,dayton1 ,virginia4  ,,monday1 ,may  
#bj4 ,the ,annual ,meeting opens to-day 
at ,beaver ,creek meetinghouse1 in      
,rockingham ,county1 ,virginia4 ,first1 
organize for counsel2 take in questions2
 have public preaching in forenoon4     
,much people4 ,in afternoon form        
subcommittees4 ,some rain and mist      
to-day4 ,stay all night at ,martin      
,miller's4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #ba4        
,proceed with business to-day2 work     
through four committees4 ,cool but      
pleasant day4 ,stay all night at ,isaac 
,miller's4  ,,wednesday1 ,may #bb4 ,get 
through with business by eleven o'clock1

 and the ,annual ,meeting breaks up1    
most of those present from the ,north as
 well as from the ,south carrying away  
with them heavier hearts than they ever 
before have borne from a meeting of this
 kind4 ,many prayers were offered in the
 course of its progress in the behalf of
 our country4 ,the ,shekinah of ,god's  
care may be gloriously waving over our  
heads now1 and we not able to see it4   
,the ,red ,sea is before us1 but        
,jehovah will part its waters for us to 
go through unharmed4    ,when ,egypt's  
king ,god's chosen tribes pursued1   ,in
 crystal walls the admiring waters      
stood3   ,when through the desert wilds 
he led their way1   ,the rock relented1 
and poured forth a sea4   ,what limits  
can ,almighty ,goodness know1   ,when   
seas can harden1 and when rocks can     
flow8  ,,saturday1 ,june #a4 ,go to     
,jesse ,mitchell's1 in ,pendleton       
,county1 ,virginia1 where ,i stay all   
night4  ,,sunday1 ,june #b4 ,meeting at 
,jesse ,mitchell's4 ,speak from #a ,cor4

 #a3ag4  ,,thursday1 ,june #f4 ,attend  
the burial of ,brother ,samuel ,myers   
near the head of ,linville ,creek4 ,his 
age was forty-six years1 eight months   
and eight days4 ,he leaves a widow and  
comparatively young family to battle    
with the ills of life4 ,may ,god bless  
and keep them as he only can4           
,,saturday1 ,june #h4 ,dine at ,philip  
,baker's on way to ,pendleton ,county4  
,stay all night at ,george ,cowger's on 
the ,south ,fork4 ,delightful weather4  
,,sunday1 ,june #i4 ,go to ,brother     
,hughey ,ratchford's on the ,henkel     
mountain to see his sister ,hannah1 who 
is very sick of typhoid fever4 ,give    
medicine1 and leave some for her and for
 ,hughey's wife who is also sick4 ,come 
back to ,john ,fulk's on the ,shenandoah
 mountain where ,i stay all night4      
,,monday1 ,june #aj4 ,call at ,david    
,hoover's1 ,michael ,wine's1 ,widow     
,turner's1 and home4  ,,thursday1 ,june 
#ac4 ,meeting for fasting and prayer at 
our meetinghouse4 ,matthew #e is read4  

,fasting has been observed from remote  
antiquity1 in times of sorrow and       
mourning from afflictions and national  
distress4 ,we have no direct command in 
the ,new ,testament to fast1 but we     
believe if it is done in the spirit of  
deep humility before ,god1 with         
confessions of sin and heartfelt desire 
to draw nearer to him in our walk and   
conversation1 our fasting to-day will   
not be a meaningless service in his     
sight4 ,paul was in fastings oft4 ,these
 he observed to keep under his body1    
lest after having preached to others he 
himself should be a castaway4 ,in regard
 to fasting in my own case1 ,i can say  
that it strengthens my heart1 and nerves
 my spirit to resist temptation4 ,my    
love and faith and virtue are confirmed4
 ,let us fast1 not in appearance only1  
but in heart4  ,,sunday1 ,june #af4     
,meeting at our meetinghouse4 ,i baptize
 ,john ,walker1 ,jane and ,frances      
,sherkey1 ,john ,grimm's wife1 and ,mrs4
 ,clemm4  ,,tuesday1 ,june #ah4 ,john   

,wine1 ,jacob ,spitzer1 and ,christian  
,wine obtain license from our ,county   
,court to perform marriage ceremonies4  
,,tuesday1 ,june #be4 ,stop at ,philip  
,ritchey's2 dine at ,john ,fulk's2      
preach at ,bethel church1 in ,pendleton 
,county1 and stay all night at ,peter   
,warnstaff's4  ,,wednesday1 ,june #bf4  
,dine at ,joel ,siple's2 go to ,lough's 
church1 but find no congregation2 come  
to ,martain ,wise's 7,john ,bond's7 and 
find a gathering of people for night    
meeting4 ,speak from ,second            
,corinthians #e4 ,stay all night at     
,martain ,wise's4  ,,thursday1 ,june    
#bg4 ,meeting at ,isaac ,judy's2 speak  
from ,rev4 #c3bj4 ,behold1 ,i stand at  
the door and knock4 ,stay at ,judy's all
 night4 ,but little else than war seems 
to be talked about or thought about4 ,it
 seems to be everywhere much the same4  
,the ,lord looks compassionately upon   
his people4 ,he knows we are but dust4  
,as a father pitieth his children1 so   
the ,lord pitieth them that fear him4   

,,friday1 ,june #bh4 ,preach at ,philip 
,kesner's2 funeral for ,michael         
,ratchford's child4 ,stay all night at  
,john ,judy's4  ,,saturday1 ,june #bi4  
,meeting at ,jacob ,collor's4 ,subject1 
,john #a3aa4 ,night meeting at ,zion on 
the ,south ,fork4 ,stay all night at    
,silas ,henkel's on top of the mountain4
  ,,sunday1 ,june #cj4 ,stop at ,hughey 
,ratchford's to see ,sister ,hannah and 
,hughey's wife4 ,they are both mending  
towards convalescence4 ,from there ,i go
 to ,william ,davis's in ,sweedlin      
,valley2 find a gathering1 and speak    
from ,matthew #e1 first thirteen verses4
 ,dine at ,jesse ,mitchell's1 and in    
evening preach the funeral of ,sister   
,elizabeth ,freed1 whom ,i had baptized 
just four weeks before4 ,subject1 #a    
,peter #a3bd1 #be4  ,,monday1 ,july #a4 
,dine at ,philip ,ritchey's2 then home4 
,,thursday1 ,july #d4 ,this evening1    
about seven o'clock1 a wonderful        
appearance was witnessed in the sky4 ,a 
succession of meteoric balls of fire    

flew through the air1 apparently from   
west to east2 attended by reports in    
rapid succession very much resembling   
those of heavy pieces of artillery and  
quite as loud4 ,some think this may be a
 providential mockery of the pageantry  
and pride displayed on each succeeding  
anniversary of this day over our        
national greatness which has now1 for a 
time at least1 departed4  ,,sunday1     
,july #ad4 ,meeting at our meetinghouse4
 ,i baptize ,john ,driver and wife1     
,catharine ,myers1 ,christian ,zimmers  
and wife1 ,brady ,ann ,parker1 ,mrs4    
,fahrney1 ,ruthy ,light1 ,bettie        
,miller1 ,susie ,kline1 ,saloma ,smith1 
,martha ,jane and ,sarah ,catharine     
,swartz1 and ,martha ,mc,mullen4        
,,sunday1 ,july #ba4 ,a very singular   
panic struck our part of the ,valley    
this afternoon4 ,a report of negroes    
breaking out and committing fearful     
outrages flew as on the wings of the    
wind4 ,women were frightened and men    
dismayed4 ,it was1 however1 soon        

discovered to be false4  ,,sunday1      
,october #bj4 ,diphtheria is raging4 ,in
 the past three weeks ,i have preached  
four funeral discourses for children    
between two and four years of age4 ,but 
parents have better promises for the    
children that are taken than for those  
that are left4  ,,saturday1 ,november   
#i4 ,brother ,john ,wine and ,i go to   
the ,south ,fork4 ,preach funeral for   
,william ,ratcliff's child4 ,age1 two   
years1 four months and thirteen days4   
,stay all night at ,christian ,dasher's4
  ,,sunday1 ,november #aj4 ,meeting at  
,jesse ,mitchell's4 ,brother ,john ,wine
 speaks on ,jude1 third verse4 ,we stay 
all night at ,samuel ,trumbo's4         
,,thursday1 ,november #ba4 ,attend the  
burial of old ,mother ,wine1 the mother 
of ,christian1 ,john1 ,michael1 ,samuel 
and ,george--four preachers1 and one1   
,michael1 deacon4 ,her age was          
seventy-one years1 eight months and     
sixteen days4 ,a woman of great         
usefulness in her community as a help in

 sickness1 she will long be remembered4 
,my subject for discourse was ,rev4     
#ad3ab1 #ac4  ,,sunday1 ,november #bd4  
,attend the burial of ,hannah ,zimmers1 
wife of ,christian ,zimmers4 ,funeral   
services at ,pine ,grove meetinghouse4  
,her age was about fifty-seven years4   
,,text4--,for here have we no continuing
 city1 but we seek one to come4 ,heb4   
#ac3ad4  ,it is a blessed assurance     
which the ,divine ,word gives the       
afflicted and dying children of ,god1   
that they have a city which hath        
foundations2 whose builder and maker is 
,god4 ,from the fact that the city has  
foundations we are clearly authorized to
 infer that it rests upon the immutable 
love1 wisdom and power of ,god4 ,it is  
not the baseless fabric of a dream4     
,there is reality about it4 ,imagination
 did not construct it1 for its builder  
and maker is ,god4 ,this city is the    
,new ,jerusalem1 so beautifully         
described in the last part of the book  
of ,revelation4 ,the foundations of the 

,,wall of the city are there described4 
,there are twelve foundations1 each of  
stone1 and some of them more precious   
than diamonds4 ,the city itself is built
 of gold1 and its streets are paved with
 the same4 ,i often rejoice in the hope 
set before us2 but not the              
foundationless hope of good from this   
world4 ,slaughter and blood are the     
order of the day here now4 ,we have at  
no time much to hope for from this      
world1 but there is nothing to hope for 
now4 ,we should rather rejoice than be  
grieved over the departure of ,god's    
children4 ,they are safe4 ,beyond the   
reach of suffering1 temptation and sin1 
they are safe in the city of ,god1 where
 no sickness1 nor sorrow1 nor pain1 nor 
death can ever reach them more4         
,,sunday1 ,december #h4 ,meeting at     
,turner's schoolhouse1 in the ,gap4     
,catharine ,fulk1 daughter of ,philip   
,ritchey1 is baptized by me4 ,dine at   
the widow ,peggy ,turner's1 and stay all
 night at ,david ,hoover's4  ,,friday1  

,december #ac4 ,council meeting at our  
meetinghouse4 ,brother ,michael ,b4,e4  
,kline is elected speaker1 and ,brother 
,noah ,rhodes deacon4  ,,friday1        
,december #bj4 ,write to ,john ,hopkins1
 to ,john ,c4 ,woodson1 and to ,charles 
,lewis4 ,i can but entreat these men to 
stand in defense of our ,brethren1 and  
try to devise some plan by which they   
can be exempted from the necessity of   
bearing arms4 ,i feel sure that if we   
can be rightly understood as to our     
faith and life1 there will be some way  
provided for their exemption4 ,the      
,brotherhood is a unit1 heart and hand  
against arms-bearing4 ,these things ,i  
make known to these men2 not1 however1  
in any spirit of defiance1 but in the   
spirit of meekness and obedience to what
 we in heart believe to be the will of  
the ,lord4 ,many have already expressed 
to me their determination to flee from  
their homes rather than disobey ,god4   
,,sunday1 ,december #bi4 ,meeting in our
 meetinghouse4 ,the two ministering     

brethren1 ,john ,huffman and ,nathan    
,spitler1 both from ,page ,county1 are  
with us4  ,,monday1 ,december #cj4      
,write to ,general ,jackson and to      
,charles ,lewis4  ,,tuesday1 ,december  
#ca4 ,traveled this year #c1icj miles4  
,preached thirty-eight funerals4        
,baptized about fifty converts4         
,,wednesday1 ,january #a1 #ahfb4 ,at    
this time medicines were scarce and     
physicians in the army4 ,as a           
consequence of this the demands for     
,brother ,kline's professional services 
as a physician were largely increased4  
,the ,diary for this year shows an      
almost incredible amount of labor       
performed by him in this line4 ,he was  
called to go twenty miles to see        
patients on ,lost ,river4 ,he also      
treated patients in ,pendleton and      
,shenandoah counties1 and many in       
,brock's ,gap and in his own and        
adjoining neighborhoods4 ,he had no day 
of rest4 ,in connection with all this   
labor and responsibility1 the           

,brotherhood looked to him for counsel  
and comfort on every hand4 ,at the same 
time he wrote many letters1 not only to 
distant ,brethren1 but to men in civil  
and military place and power4           
,,saturday1 ,february #ae4 ,he wrote a  
letter to ,john ,letcher1 at the time   
,governor of ,virginia2 another to      
,secretary ,benjamin1 and one to        
,charles ,h4 ,lewis4 ,his leading object
 in all his correspondence with these   
and other men in high civil and military
 positions was to acquaint and as far as
 possible familiarize the minds of these
 men with the true idea as to who the   
,brethren are1 what they have ever been1
 and how they have come to regard       
arms-bearing as they do4  ,the          
correspondence we are now considering   
may be regarded by some as having been a
 small thing4 ,some may say3 ,it is a   
small thing to write a letter to the    
,president of the ,united ,states1 or to
 a member of his ,cabinet1 or to a      
member of ,congress1 or to the ,governor

 of one's ,state4 ,a small thing1 no    
doubt2 in itself quite as small as to   
write to any one else4 ,it may be said  
that the greatness of all such          
correspondence depends upon the         
magnitude of the subject involved4 ,let 
us look at the subject involved here4   
,we see some thousands of the most      
devoted ,christian people the world has 
ever known standing in jeopardy2 not one
 of all their number seems to know what 
to do4 ,their situation at this time    
reminds one of ,israel camped on the    
mountain beside the valley of ,elah1 in 
hearing of the guttural defiance of the 
giant4 ,at this critical hour1 when     
something must be done1 when some       
special but heretofore untried effort   
must be put forth to avert the impending
 destruction1 a ,,man of the ,brethren1 
unassuming in all respects1 about five  
feet seven inches in height1 heavy-set1 
with a large but symmetrical face1 hair 
down to the neck beautifully parted from
 the forehead across the middle of the  

head1 voluntarily sets to work in secret
 through the mails to see what can be   
done4 ,god only knows the full measure  
of ,brother ,john ,kline's service and  
influence in this way4 ,it is a true    
saying that to succeed is the best proof
 of success1 and subsequent events show 
that ,brother ,kline fully realized this
 proof4 ,as a humble observer of the    
movements of that day1 and with a       
tolerably clear recollection of them1   
the ,editor can only express his belief 
that ,brother ,kline's correspondence1  
with his other influence1 contributed   
largely toward the enactment of the     
,confederate provision by which all the 
members of regularly organized          
,christian denominations or churches    
which have from their earliest          
establishment uniformly taught and      
practiced as one tenet of their faith   
non-arms-bearing and nonresistant       
principles1 shall be perpetually exempt 
from all military duty to the           
,confederate ,states of ,america1 or to 

any state belonging thereto1 upon the   
payment of five hundred dollars to the  
person duly appointed to receive the    
same1 for every member so exempted1 and 
otherwise subject to military duty under
 existing orders4  ,the above is not the
 ,law of ,exemptions in exact words1 but
 it is that part of it which was made   
for the ,brethren1 in exact sense4      
,,saturday1 ,april #e4 ,this forenoon ,i
 am about home4 ,in the afternoon ,i am 
taken to ,harrisonburg and put in the   
guard house4 ,my place is in the large  
jury room of the court house1 up stairs1
 with others who are captives with      
myself4 ,rain this evening4  ,,sunday1  
,april #f4 ,rain and snow all last      
night1 and continues on so all day4     
,have preaching in our captive hall4 ,my
 subject is ,righteousness1 ,temperance1
 and a ,judgment to ,come4 ,i aimed at  
comforting my brother captives and      
myself with the recollection that ,paul 
was once a captive like ourselves1 and  
that in this state of imprisonment he   

preached upon the text which ,i have    
selected for this day4 ,i said3         
,brethren1 if any have cause to tremble1
 we have none4 ,those should tremble who
 seek to lay obstacles in the way of    
others who aim to do good and no evil4  
,as a rule1 prisoners are nervous and   
sometimes tremble when taken into court3
 but judges are proverbially calm and   
self-composed4 ,hence the old adage3 ,as
 sober as a judge4 ,but this order is   
entirely reversed in the case of ,paul  
before ,felix4 ,here we see that ,paul  
is calm1 collected and self-possessed1  
and that ,felix is first nervous1 and   
soon trembles all over4 ,in this trial  
it appears that the judge is convicted  
of guilt by the prisoner himself1 and   
that the prisoner shows himself clear4  
,but this is not the only case in which 
an innocent criminal has stood before a 
guilty judge4 ,felix had never heard    
such a sermon before4 ,all that he had  
ever heard were most probably eulogistic
 in character1 and spoken in praise of  

the ,roman emperor and his subordinates4
 ,felix was one of these1 and it was    
natural for him to appropriate quite a  
large share of this praise to himself4  
,but he did not find a eulogist in      
,paul4 ,panegyric had no place in       
,paul's earnest nature4 ,life and death1
 holiness and sin were subjects of      
moment too great and too real to be     
trifled with4 ,if ,paul would have      
stooped to flattery he might have       
quickly obtained his release1 because   
,felix and those following him in office
 confessed they found no cause of death 
in his case4 ,they kept him bound merely
 to please the flattering1 deceitful    
,jews4  ,he reasoned of righteousness   
first4 ,and this logic was all new to   
,felix1 who had never thought of        
righteousness or justice as being the   
end and object of government4 ,herod was
 a pretty fair specimen of those ,roman 
rulers or kings as they were sometimes  
called1 and the unrighteous cause for   
which he had the head of ,john the      

,baptist cut off manifests the measure  
of his regard for justice4 ,if history  
be correct1 ,felix was not much in      
advance of him in this respect4 ,he was 
governor of ,samaria at this time1 and  
his headquarters and home were at       
,cesarea on the coast of the            
,mediterranean ,sea4 ,it was in this    
same city that ,paul defended himself so
 heroically before ,festus and ,agrippa4
 ,paul is silent as to the course of    
reasoning employed in bringing his      
threefold subject to bear with a weight 
upon the mind of ,felix4 ,we may        
reasonably conclude that his first point
 was the righteousness of civil         
government2 contrasting the corrupt and 
perverted ideas of rulers as they then  
existed in their minds upon this        
feature1 with what they ought rightfully
 to be4 ,in this connection he did not  
fail to make occasional home thrusts    
similar to the one made by ,nathan when 
he said to ,david3 ,thou art the man4   
,it is a newly-discovered truth that the

 ,bible reveals the only true basis of  
civil government4 ,that basis1 from its 
lowest bottom to its highest level1 is  
love1 or good will toward men4          
,government founded upon any other basis
 is tyranny or despotism1 the exact form
 being determined by the depth of       
bondage and slavery into which the      
governed are willing to be pressed down1
 and by the will of the rulers as to how
 low they are inclined to press them4   
,the ,constitution of the ,roman        
government contained no trace of love4  
,it was all force4 ,history abundantly  
shows this4 ,neither justice in the     
administration of its laws1 nor         
temperance in the demands and exaction  
of tributes1 nor a judgment to come when
 accounts would be settled1 was once    
thought of4 ,those in power knew nothing
 and thought nothing about any day of   
final retribution4  ,it is not very     
probable that ,felix was made to tremble
 by anything ,paul may have said        
concerning civil government4 ,the mind  

of ,felix was too firmly fixed in his   
own ideas of civil righteousness to be  
deeply moved or disturbed by anything a 
prisoner might say upon that point4 ,his
 execution of ,roman law according to   
his views of righteousness in their     
administration was satisfactory to his  
sovereign at ,rome2 and to please him1  
and thereby secure perpetual tenure of  
office1 was the height of his ambition4 
,the cause of his trembling must then be
 found in another quarter1 or the       
adversary may say that ,felix1 just at  
that time1 happened to be taken with an 
ague chill1 which ,paul mistook for the 
nervous agitation which he supposed to  
have been induced by the power of his   
discourse4  ,felix was a pagan4 ,his    
religion1 if he had any belief at all in
 the supernatural1 was idolatry4 ,paul  
did not appeal to his affections1 to his
 emotional nature1 but to his rational  
part4 ,he reasoned upon his great       
subject4 ,we may justly conclude that he
 proceeded in a way similar to that     

which he took in addressing the         
,athenians on ,mars' ,hill4 ,the ,god   
whom ye ignorantly worship1 him declare 
,i unto you4 ,and he set him forth in a 
rational light4 ,he told them about     
,god's righteousness4 ,he told them that
 ,god had appointed a day in which he   
would judge the world in ,,righteousness
 by that man whom he hath ordained1 and 
of whom he hath given assurance or proof
 unto all men in that he hath raised him
 from the dead4 ,this man was ,jesus    
,christ the ,lord4 ,here1 also1 he spoke
 of a ,,judgment to come4 ,and it       
becomes a thing self-evident that a     
judgment to come is the main fact upon  
which all moral and religious truth     
depends for its power over the hearts   
and lives of men4 ,take away from man   
all fear of accountability in a future  
state1 and his bestial appetites assert 
their sway4 ,let us eat and drink1 for  
to-morrow we die gives loose rein to    
every passion1 and lust holds high      
carnival4  ,for our instruction here1 it

 may be well to speak upon the subject  
of righteousness4 ,what is it8          
,righteousness is obedience to law4     
,this is its most general meaning4 ,this
 is its human sense4 ,in its divine     
sense it is obedience to the laws of    
,god4 ,wherein the laws of men depart   
from the laws of ,god obedience to their
 laws is disobedience to ,god's laws4   
,here arises a conflict in which each   
individual may decide for himself which 
he will do1 the will of men or the will 
of ,god4 ,the decision of the apostles  
was to obey ,god rather than men4 ,by   
this obedience they stood righteous in  
the eyes of ,god4 ,to be sinners in the 
sight of men gave them no distress1 so  
long as they felt sure of being         
righteous in the sight of ,god4  ,jesus 
is called ,christ the righteous4 ,he is 
set forth in the ,word as the only      
example of perfect righteousness the    
world has ever had1 for he did no sin1  
neither was guile found in his mouth4   
,he challenged the ,jews with the       

question3 ,which of you convinceth me of
 sin8 ,they could bring up no charge4   
,sin is the opposite of righteousness4  
,it is sin1 or the love of sin1 which is
 impersonated by our ,lord in ,matt4    
#aj3bh as a monster of awful power3 ,and
 be not afraid of them which kill the   
body1 but are not able to kill the soul3
 but rather fear him which is able to   
destroy both soul and body in hell4 ,the
 version of the same matter as given by 
,luke is terribly sublime3 ,fear him1   
which after he hath killed hath power to
 cast into hell3 yea1 ,i say unto you1  
,fear him4 ,brethren and friends1 this  
is the only power we have real cause to 
be afraid of1 and this is the enemy of  
all righteousness4 ,and this enemy is   
right in ourselves4 ,we need not go far 
to find him4 ,paul calls him by way of  
eminence as well as age the old man of  
sin1 the first ,adam1 the outward man1  
because he loves what is outside of us1 
fleshly enjoyments4 ,sin1 or the love of
 sin1 is the power that destroys both   

soul and body in hell4 ,righteousness is
 what saves2 or1 rather1 righteousness  
in heart and life is salvation4 ,if we  
look to the ,lord in faith and prayer1  
by which ,i mean1 if we love his ,word  
and believe it with our heart1 so as to 
make it the law and guide of our life1  
at all times and in all ways1 we are    
sure of salvation2 for it is through    
righteousness1 as well as through much  
tribulation1 that the saints shall      
inherit the promises4 ,in the           
,revelation we read of a great multitude
 which no man could number1 as standing 
before the throne4 ,what a high standing
 they have6 ,but by way of preparation  
for that honor they washed their robes  
and made them white in the blood of the 
,lamb4 ,the robe of each was and is his 
wedding garment4 ,the ,lamb is the      
,lord's ,word1 and the blood of that    
,lamb is the spirit and life of that    
,holy ,word infused into our souls and  
made effectual unto our salvation1 by   
living a life of heartfelt obedience to 

his holy precepts4  ,,monday1 ,april #g4
 ,rain and snow with sleet come down all
 day4 ,room very damp and cold1 with    
insufficient fire4 ,several brethren    
come to see me to-day4  ,,tuesday1      
,april #h4 ,rain and snow continue as on
 yesterday4 ,our room very              
uncomfortable4  ,,wednesday1 ,april #i4 
,still cloudy1 with rain and snow4 ,we  
have some pleasant conversations in the 
prison1 with books and papers4 ,but all 
the public prints are so filled and     
taken up with war that they give me but 
little enjoyment4 ,the minds and spirits
 of nearly all the prisoners are so     
broken down by the state and prospects  
of the country that interesting and     
instructive conversations can hardly be 
held4  ,,thursday1 ,april #aj4 ,the     
following beloved brethren and dear     
sister came in to see us to-day3 ,john  
,zigler1 ,john ,wine and ,christian     
,wine1 ,benjamin ,miller1 ,joel ,senger1
 and ,catharine ,showalter1 daughter of 
,brother ,jacob ,miller and wife of     

,brother ,jackson ,showalter4 ,the sight
 and presence of these brethren         
refreshed us much2 and the dear sister  
carries sunshine with her wherever she  
goes4 ,last night and this morning      
regiment after regiment passed through  
town on their way down the valley in the
 direction of ,winchester4  ,,sunday1   
,april #ac4 ,we have meeting to-day4 ,i 
speak from ,matt4 #aa3bh1 #bi1 #cj3     
,come unto me1 all ye that labor and are
 heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest3
 take my yoke upon you1 and learn of me2
 for ,i am meek and lowly in heart2 and 
ye shall find rest unto your souls3 for 
my yoke is easy1 and my burden is light4
  ,,monday1 ,april #ad4 ,to-day our two 
brethren1 ,john and ,joseph ,cline1 are 
released from imprisonment1 and start   
for home to-night4  ,,tuesday1 ,april   
#ae4 ,i am not well4 ,the dampness of   
our room and the lack of comforts in the
 way of bedding and fuel have given me a
 cold from which ,i am very hoarse      
to-night4  ,,wednesday1 ,april #af4     

,there is talk that we are to be removed
 to ,new ,market4 ,the talk is correct4 
,we leave here at twelve o'clock1 and   
come to ,bethlehem church where we stay 
all night4 ,this church is between nine 
and ten miles northeast of ,harrisonburg
 on the valley pike leading from        
,staunton to ,winchester4  ,,thursday1  
,april #ag4 ,start for ,new ,market2 but
 after getting on two miles hear the    
cannons at ,mt4 ,jackson4 ,we turn and  
go back to ,harrisonburg4 ,news comes of
 the retreat of ,jackson's army4 ,front 
of the ,federal army at ,new ,market4   
,jackson halts for the night at ,lacy   
,springs4  ,,friday1 ,april #ah4 ,great 
excitement and confusion in town4       
,general ,jackson with his army passes  
through in his retreat1 and the ,federal
 troops are hourly looked for4 ,gabriel 
,heatwohl1 ,joseph ,berry and myself are
 released from the guard house4 ,i dine 
at ,samuel ,shacklett's2 then walk out  
to ,samuel ,niswander's three miles1 and
 ride from there to ,jacob ,miller's1   

where ,i stay all night4  ,,saturday1   
,april #ai4 ,brother ,benjamin ,bowman  
brings me on my way home nearly to      
,christian ,wine's4 ,i walk the short   
distance to ,brother ,wine's2 get a     
horse of him1 and come home4  ,,sunday1 
,april #bj4 ,easter4 ,cough very bad4   
,,wednesday1 ,april #bc4 ,federal       
cavalry through here now4 ,brother      
,daniel ,miller was taken last night by 
,confederate scouts4  ,,friday1 ,may #i4
 ,preach the funeral of ,sister ,polly  
,summers4 ,age1 seventy-seven years1 one
 month and sixteen days4  ,,tuesday1    
,may #bj4 ,preach the funeral of ,sister
 ,polly ,holsinger4 ,age1 seventy-seven 
years4 ,three sisters in our church     
buried so close together in time1 and   
all so nearly the same age6  ,,monday1  
,may #bf4 ,sister ,debby ,bowman is     
buried to-day4 ,i attend4 ,age1         
forty-two years1 eleven months and      
twenty days4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #bg4      
,preach the funeral of ,mrs4 ,stern4    
,age1 fifty-six years1 three months and 

twenty days4  ,,thursday1 ,may #bi4     
,start to the ,annual ,meeting4 ,dine at
 ,james ,fitzwater's in the ,gap2 sup at
 ,nimrod ,judy's on the ,south ,fork1   
and stay all night at ,jacob ,mongold's 
on the ,south ,fork mountain4  ,,friday1
 ,may #cj4 ,get my pass at ,petersburg2 
dine at ,james ,parks's2 and stay all   
night at ,martain ,cosner's1 in ,hardy  
,county4  ,,saturday1 ,may #ca4 ,get to 
,thomas ,clark's at three o'clock1 and  
stay there all night4  ,,sunday1 ,june  
#a4 ,go to meeting at ,brother          
,rinker's4 ,speak from ,romans eighth   
chapter4 ,meeting again at three        
o'clock4 ,speak from ,john seventeenth  
chapter4 ,stay all night at ,brother    
,rinker's4  ,,monday1 ,june #b4 ,come to
 ,oakland in the morning to take the    
train westward1 but cars are behind     
time4 ,get to ,bellaire after night4    
,stay there all night1 at ,eagle ,hotel4
  ,,tuesday1 ,june #c4 ,get to ,dayton1 
,montgomery ,county1 ,ohio1 at three    
o'clock in the afternoon4 ,stay all     

night at ,brother ,henry ,yost's4       
,,wednesday1 ,june #d4 ,visit ,christian
 ,forrer's4 ,go about through the city4 
,then start1 and get to place of ,annual
 ,meeting in afternoon4 ,stay all night 
at ,brother ,billheimer's4  ,,thursday1 
,june #e4 ,visit ,solomon ,stoner's2    
then to ,farmersville1 and back to      
,stoner's4  ,,friday1 ,june #f4 ,visit  
,mary ,trissel's4 ,from there go to     
,abraham ,aerbaugh's4 ,from there go to 
meeting at ,brother ,d4 ,miller's4      
,speak from ,heb4 #c3i4 ,fine weather4  
,,saturday1 ,june #g4 ,come to the place
 of the ,annual ,meeting4 ,preaching in 
forenoon and afternoon4 ,fine weather4  
,come back to ,d4 ,miller's4  ,,sunday1 
,june #h4 ,an immense concourse of      
people4 ,meeting in five places1        
forenoon and afternoon4 ,fine weather   
continues4  ,,monday1 ,june #i4         
,commence taking in questions4 ,queries 
all get in to-day4 ,in evening ,i go to 
,brother ,george ,miller's1 and have a  
night meeting4 ,fine weather2 clear and 

pleasant4  ,,tuesday1 ,june #aj4        
,discuss questions4 ,fine weather       
continues4 ,much love and good feeling  
generally4 ,go to ,salem and have       
evening meeting4 ,i stay all night at   
,brother ,david ,zigler's4  ,,wednesday1
 ,june #aa4 ,meeting continues4 ,get    
through with the discussion of questions
 by quarter past three o'clock4 ,close  
in the usual way2 and many hands and    
lips are met which may never meet again 
until they meet where farewells are no  
more4 ,stay all night at the widow      
,benjamin ,miller's4  ,,thursday1 ,june 
#ab4 ,go to ,dayton4 ,visit ,brother    
,abraham ,young's4 ,after dinner go to  
,midway and stay there all night with   
,brother ,henry ,zimmerman's4  ,,friday1
 ,june #ac4 ,get to ,pittsburg in the   
night4  ,,saturday1 ,june #ad4 ,dine at 
,abraham ,myers's1 and stay all night at
 ,martain ,myers's4  ,,sunday1 ,june    
#ae4 ,love feast at the ,middle ,creek  
meetinghouse4 ,john #a is read4 ,stay   
all night at ,jacob ,miller's near by4  

,,monday1 ,june #af4 ,come to ,daniel   
,miller's at ,mechanicstown4 ,stay all  
night4  ,,tuesday1 ,june #ag4 ,love     
feast2 part of ,john #ad is read4 ,fine 
day4 ,stay at ,brother ,miller's again4 
,,wednesday1 ,june #ah4 ,council        
meeting4 ,the case of ,peter ,myers and 
,john ,figa was brought up and settled4 
,come to ,david ,beachley's and stay all
 night4  ,,thursday1 ,june #ai4 ,come to
 ,frostburg in time to take the train to
 ,oakland1 where ,i stay all night4     
,,friday1 ,june #bj4 ,come back to      
,brother ,clark's in a hack1 where ,i   
find ,nell1 having left her with        
,brother ,clark4 ,the poor brute seems  
glad to see me4 ,i will never forget    
,brother ,clark's kindness to me and    
,nell4 ,stay with him all night4        
,,saturday1 ,june #ba4 ,visit old       
,sister ,parks and pray with her4 ,dine 
at ,hyre's1 and get to ,brother ,john   
,mongold's on the mountain where ,i stay
 all night4  ,,sunday1 ,june #bb4 ,get  
to ,brother ,william ,fitzwater's in the

 ,gap for dinner1 and get ,nell shod4   
,this was a thing of necessity1 as one  
of her shoes had come off crossing the  
mountain1 and she was getting lame4     
,come to ,brother ,michael ,wine's1     
where ,i stay all night4  ,,monday1     
,june #bc4 ,get home4  ,,sunday1 ,august
 #bd4 ,at ,john ,mongold's on the ,south
 ,fork mountain4 ,preach ,absalom       
,whetzel's funeral4 ,age1 twenty-three  
years1 eight months and twenty-one days4
  ,monday1 ,august #be4 ,preach funeral 
of ,isaac ,rorabaugh at ,adam ,mallow's4
 ,age1 nineteen years1 three months and 
twenty-one days4 ,stay all night at     
,jacob ,hevner's4  ,,tuesday1 ,august   
#bf4 ,forenoon meeting at the widow     
,henkel's4 ,afternoon meeting at ,george
 ,cowger's on the ,south ,fork4 ,stay   
there all night4  ,,wednesday1 ,august  
#bg4 ,forenoon and afternoon meeting at 
,jesse ,mitchell's4 ,jesse ,mitchell is 
appointed minister of the ,word1 and    
,hughey ,ratchford is elected to the    
deaconship4  ,,thursday1 ,august #bh4   

,stop at ,john ,fulk's on top of the    
,shenandoah mountain1 and get home in   
the evening4  ,,saturday1 ,september #f4
 ,attend the burial of ,michael ,homan4 
,age1 sixty-five years and eight months4
 ,he was a highly respected citizen of  
our community4  ,,sunday1 ,september #g4
 ,am called to preach the funeral of    
,evaline ,aubrey's child at the home of 
her father1 ,william ,hevner4           
,diphtheria is raging4 ,it almost rivals
 the sword in its destruction of life4  
,the sword cuts down the men in middle  
life1 and diphtheria cuts down the      
children4  ,,sunday1 ,september #ba4    
,meeting on the ,south ,fork mountain4  
,old mother ,kesner1 ,jane ,kesner and  
,jane ,rorabaugh baptized by me4 ,stay  
all night at young ,philip ,kesner's4   
,,monday1 ,september #bb4 ,have night   
meeting and stay all night at the widow 
,henkel's on top of the mountain4       
,,tuesday1 ,september #bc4 ,meeting at  
,george ,cowger's on the ,south ,fork4  
,after dinner ,i visit ,jacob ,hevner1  

who is sick1 and stay with him all      
night4  ,,wednesday1 ,september #bd4    
,cross the mountain to ,jesse           
,mitchell's1 and in the evening hold a  
love feast4 ,we are disturbed by        
,southern scouts who are present under  
the pretext of hunting up deserters from
 the army4 ,stay all night at ,samuel   
,trumbo's4  ,,thursday1 ,september #be4 
,cross the ,shenandoah mountain to ,crab
 ,run4 ,council meeting4 ,dine at       
,brother ,isaac ,whetzel's1 and stay all
 night at ,brother ,james ,fitzwater's4 
,,saturday1 ,october #d4 ,attend love   
feast at ,beaver ,creek meetinghouse4   
,stay at ,martain ,miller's4  ,,sunday1 
,october #e4 ,meeting at the ,beaver    
,creek meetinghouse4 ,speak from ,john  
#ad3a1 ,let not your heart be troubled4 
,peace is the exact opposite of trouble4
 ,and ,jesus says3 ,peace ,i leave with 
you3 my peace ,i give unto you4 ,not as 
the world giveth1 give ,i unto you4 ,let
 not your heart be troubled2 neither let
 it be afraid4  ,to bring this subject  

to bear with due weight upon your minds 
,i will spring this question3 ,did our  
,lord ever utter a precept with which it
 is impossible for man to comply8       
,wisdom and love answer with one voice3 
,he never did4 ,let not your heart be   
troubled is a precept4 ,it flows out of 
that fatherly love which ever warmed the
 ,savior's heart4 ,having loved his own1
 he loved them to the end4 ,the ,lord   
needed not that any should testify to   
him of man1 for he knew what was in man4
 ,he knew the uttermost of human power  
both to understand and obey his precepts
 and commands4 ,he therefore knows that 
we can keep our hearts from being       
troubled4 ,but man of himself can not do
 this4 ,our ,lord's words1 ,without me  
ye can do nothing1 apply as truly to    
keeping the heart from being troubled as
 to any other human effort4 ,in this as 
in all else pertaining to natural and   
spiritual life1 we must be coworkers    
with ,god4  ,,monday1 ,october #f4 ,stop
 at ,daniel ,thomas's2 dine at ,jacob   

,thomas's2 visit ,solomon ,garber's2 and
 have night meeting in ,dayton4 ,stay   
all night at ,dr4 ,abraham ,sager's4    
,,tuesday1 ,october #g4 ,attend a love  
feast at the ,old meetinghouse4 ,stay   
all night at ,john ,bowman's above      
,harrisonburg4  ,,wednesday1 ,october   
#h4 ,go to see my old friend1 ,joseph   
,funk1 and succeed in bringing about a  
better state of feeling on his part     
toward me4 ,he became reconciled4 ,he   
had been somewhat ruffled in his        
feelings by my ,strictures and ,reply to
 his published writings on baptism and  
feet-washing4 ,dine with him2 then home4
  ,,saturday1 ,october #aa4 ,meeting and
 love feast at the ,lost ,river         
meetinghouse4 ,stay all night at        
,celestine ,whitmore's4  ,,sunday1      
,october #ab4 ,meet at the ,lost ,river 
meetinghouse4 ,in council ,moses ,myers 
is elected speaker4 ,stay all night at  
,john ,basehore's4  ,,monday1 ,october  
#bj4 ,dine at ,john ,fulk's4 ,have night
 meeting at ,jesse ,mitchell's4 ,stay   

there all night4  ,,tuesday1 ,october   
#ba4 ,have night meeting at ,george     
,cowger's4 ,stay there all night4       
,,wednesday1 ,october #bb4 ,morning     
meeting at the widow ,henkel's4 ,night  
meeting at ,george ,kesner's4 ,stay     
there all night4  ,,thursday1 ,october  
#bc4 ,forenoon meeting at ,isaac        
,judy's4 ,stay all night at ,manasseh   
,judy's4  ,,friday1 ,october #bd4 ,go to
 ,john ,judy's2 then to ,d4 ,henkel's   
and to ,solomon ,hours's1 and back to   
,john ,judy's1 where we have meeting4   
,after preaching we repair to the clear 
water of ,mill ,creek1 and ,i baptize   
seven persons4 ,stay all night at ,jacob
 ,may's4  ,,sunday1 ,november #b4       
,meeting at our meetinghouse4 ,i this   
day baptize ten converts1 whose names   
follow3 ,david ,rhodes1 ,daniel ,zigler1
 ,george ,moyers1 ,william ,fifer and   
wife1 ,j4 ,crist and wife1 ,mary        
,whisler1 ,rebecca ,trissel1 and ,katy  
,showalter4  ,,saturday1 ,november #ae4 
,council at ,green ,mount4 ,benjamin    

,funk and ,w4,c4 ,thurman regularly     
elected and put in as ministers of the  
,word4  ,,sunday1 ,november #af4        
,meeting at the ,plains meetinghouse4   
,harrison ,daugherty and ,anna ,prophet 
are baptized by ,samuel ,wampler1 while 
,i go and baptize ,harvey ,elger4       
,,wednesday1 ,november #ai4 ,go to ,katy
 ,mullen's4 ,her sister ,diana and her  
mother are both buried in one grave at  
,rader's church4 ,jacob ,stirewalt and  
,i speak on the occasion from ,rev4     
#ad3ac4 ,age of ,diana1 fifty-three     
years2 mother1 seventy-one years4       
,,friday1 ,november #ba4 ,preach the    
funeral of ,mrs4 ,william ,hevner in the
 ,gap4 ,age1 seventy-first year4 ,a kind
 and good mother in her family1 and a   
friend to me has she been4  ,,thursday1 
,december #d4 ,go to ,henry ,neff's2    
draw money for the brethren2 go to      
,harrisonburg and to ,solomon ,garber's4
  ,,friday1 ,december #e4 ,council      
meeting at ,beaver ,creek meetinghouse4 
,daniel ,thomas is ordained4 ,stay with 

him all night4  ,,saturday1 ,december   
#f4 ,come to ,harrisonburg2 fix matters 
of business with the ,confederate       
government agent2 pay over money for the
 exemption of brethren4 ,come home2 cold
 day4  ,,tuesday1 ,december #af4 ,go to 
,harrisonburg2 attend to seeing that the
 brethren get certificates of exemption 
as provided by the ,confederate         
,congress4  ,,wednesday1 ,december #ca4 
,i have traveled in this year #d1gia    
miles2 preached fifty-six funerals2     
nineteen for children under five years  
of age2 thirteen for children over five 
and under ten4 ,diphtheria has done a   
fatal work4 ,five for persons over ten  
and under twenty2 three over twenty and 
under thirty2 one over thirty and under 
forty2 fifteen over forty years of age4 
,,thursday1 ,january #a1 #ahfc4 ,meeting
 of thanksgiving to the ,lord for his   
kind affection toward us in our         
meetinghouse4 ,i have somewhere read    
that in the reign of one of the         
sovereigns of ,great ,britain1 when the 

outlook of the kingdom was very dark and
 threatening1 one of the king's advisors
 proposed appointing a day for public   
thanksgiving in all the churches        
throughout the realm4 ,the king answered
 the proposition by saying that he could
 see nothing for which either he or the 
nation had cause for special            
thanksgiving to ,god4 ,the minister     
responded by saying that the king and   
the nation both had great cause to thank
 ,god that things were no worse4 ,the   
king yielded and the day was set4 ,the  
,christian people assembled2 the        
preachers recounted the blessings still 
left in the nation's store1 with the    
rich promises of ,god to provide for the
 future as things should be needed1 and 
there was a day of thanksgiving in      
,england the like of which is not often 
seen4  ,it has been my experience1      
,brethren1 and ,i think ,i have heard   
some of you say the same1 that          
prosperity does not always make people  
most truly thankful4 ,great success in  

business is apt to foster a feeling of  
independence4 ,men may forget ,god4 ,it 
was in the days of ,israel's prosperity 
in the goodly land of ,goshen in ,egypt 
that they forgot the name of the ,god of
 their fathers4 ,when ,god appeared to  
,moses in ,horeb1 he had to tell him    
from out the burning bush what his name 
was1 and also by what name he should    
make him to be known to his brethren in 
,egypt4 ,some of the deepest heartfelt  
expressions of gratitude break forth in 
times of misfortune4 ,a brother once    
told me that he was away from home when 
his barn was struck with lightning and  
burned to the ground4 ,at his return he 
beheld nothing but the smoking          
destruction of his gathered harvest4    
,but when his children came running to  
meet him1 and he saw them all safe1 and 
their mother standing in the door       
unharmed1 he burst into an expression of
 thanksgiving1 which1 he confessed to   
me1 surpassed every other emotion of joy
 he had ever felt4 ,our best experiences

 come to us when we are made to realize 
properly the good that is still left us4
  ,we must look upon our exemption from 
army service as one proof of those      
interpositions in behalf of his children
 which our heavenly ,father has         
promised1 and which he is constantly    
fulfilling4 ,the effectual fervent      
prayer of a righteous man availeth much4
 ,god has not called us to prayer in    
vain4 ,he invites us to come boldly to a
 throne of grace4 ,does he do this      
otherwise than with a will to hear8 ,and
 the apostle's exhortation is3 ,in every
 thing give thanks1 for all things work 
together for good to them that love     
,god4  ,let our offerings this day be   
from the heart2 and probably the best   
proof we can have that they come from   
the heart is a willingness and cheerful 
readiness to give of our substance to   
the needy poor4 ,we must divide out1    
,brethren1 to those who have1 on account
 of the war pressure1 been unable to    
provide for themselves4 ,think of the   

barefooted1 half-clad and half-fed      
children in our land6 ,i do not         
undervalue what you have already done4  
,i know you have done much2 but we      
should not feel that the burden of duty 
has all rolled from our shoulders so    
long as there is one needy brother or   
sister or child in our land4 ,brethren1 
,i speak from my heart when ,i say that 
the church has never before enjoyed such
 an opportunity to grow rich1 as the    
present offers4 ,i mean rich in good    
works2 rich in treasures laid up in     
heaven2 rich in her title to an eternal 
inheritance in heaven1 which our ,lord  
calls the true riches4  ,,saturday1     
,january #ag4 ,buy of ,samuel ,shacklett
 7a merchant in ,harrisonburg7 one bolt 
of cotton cloth or muslin for ,mary     
,hoover1 for which ,i pay seventeen     
dollars2 and four bunches cotton yarn   
for which ,i pay thirty dollars4 ,this  
shows the measure of confidence reposed 
in the ,confederate ,government4        
,,wednesday1 ,february #d4 ,visit       

,general ,jones's camp at ,new ,market  
in behalf of some of the soldiers4      
,,friday1 ,february #ac4 ,attend the    
burial of our dear sister1 ,mary        
,frances1 wife of my nephew1 ,john      
,kline4 ,we did all we could for her2   
but that dreadful destroyer1 diphtheria1
 would have its way1 and in much anguish
 of heart we submit4 ,she was a lovely  
and tender plant2 too tender for this   
world4 ,her age was twenty years1 ten   
months and eight days4  ,,sunday1       
,february #bb4 ,meeting at our          
meetinghouse4 ,matthew #bb is read4     
,brother ,benjamin ,funk speaks4 ,he and
 ,brother ,benjamin ,driver were with me
 last night4 ,snow fell last night and  
to-day about ten inches deep4  ,,sunday1
 ,march #h4 ,jacob ,silvins's little son
 ,jacob is buried to-day4 ,this is the  
third one of his children ,i have helped
 to bury within the last two weeks4     
,,tuesday1 ,march #ag4 ,i am at ,nimrod 
,judy's4 ,i this day had a chance to    
send a letter through the lines to      

,brother ,george ,hoover1 of ,indiana4  
,,sunday1 ,march #bi4 ,preach funeral   
for three of ,brother ,see's children4  
,youngest1 two years1 five months and   
five days old2 next1 six years1 ten     
months and five days2 oldest1 nine      
years1 five months and sixteen days4    
,they died of diphtheria4  ,,thursday1  
,april #b4 ,attend the ,beaver ,creek   
council meeting4 ,joseph ,miller is     
elected to the ministry of the ,word1   
and ,daniel ,miller to the deaconship4  
,,friday1 ,april #c4 ,council meeting at
 the old meetinghouse4 ,joseph ,bowman  
and ,joseph ,harshberger are elected to 
the deaconship4  ,,saturday1 ,april #d4 
,council meeting at the ,mill ,creek    
meetinghouse4 ,isaac ,long is ordained1 
and ,noah ,flory is elected to the      
deaconship4 ,stay all night at old      
,daniel ,wine's4  ,,saturday1 ,april    
#ah4 ,about one o'clock this morning    
,abraham ,funk came for me4 ,a man by   
the name of ,george ,sellers met with   
the very sad accident of having his leg 

broken4 ,he had been in the ,southern   
army1 and with a company of others who1 
like himself1 were trying to make their 
way to places within the ,northern      
lines1 and thus be out of the reach of  
further molestation1 he met with this   
misfortune4 ,it happened in this way3 he
 was one of a company that was just     
leaving ,abraham ,funk's by previous    
arrangement1 about eleven o'clock in the
 night4 ,near ,abraham ,funk's house1   
about two miles west of ,broadway1 the  
road runs along the ,north ,fork of the 
,shenandoah river1 where the bank is    
probably one hundred feet high1 and very
 steep4 ,this part of the road lay      
directly in the line of the company's   
route1 and1 unfortunately1 just as they 
got into the road1 right at this very   
steep place on the bank of the river1 an
 alarm of ,rebel scouts seized the whole
 company1 and all together they went    
down to the river's edge1 none seriously
 hurt except ,mr4 ,sellers1 who had his 
leg broken4 ,i made a frame this morning

 to hold the fractured parts in place1  
and hope he may do well4 ,we are keeping
 the whole matter a profound secret to  
save the life of a good man4 ,he was    
taken back to ,abraham ,funk's1 where he
 is at this time receiving treatment in 
secret from me4  ,,sunday1 ,april #ai4  
,meeting at our meetinghouse4 ,epistle  
of ,jude is read4 ,abraham ,glick is    
with us1 and likewise ,solomon ,sherfey1
 of ,tennessee4 ,go to ,abraham ,funk's4
 ,george ,sellers is doing well4        
,,sunday1 ,april #bf4 ,meeting at the   
,elk meetinghouse1 in ,page ,county1    
,virginia4 ,i speak from ,heb4 #b3c4    
,,text4--,how shall we escape if we     
neglect so great salvation8  ,i always  
feel embarrassed when ,i attempt to     
speak from this text4 ,the subject is so
 vast1 and the matter so important1 that
 my best efforts fall far below the just
 demands of my theme4 ,nothing can      
properly be said to be saved which has  
never been lost or in danger of being   
lost4 ,and in every case where anything 

is saved1 the greatness of the salvation
 depends upon the value of the thing    
saved1 together with the measure of     
effort and sacrifice required to effect 
it4 ,some years ago a very destructive  
fire was raging in the city of          
,pittsburg4 ,a gentleman1 who claimed to
 have been an eyewitness of the fire1   
related the following incident to me4   
,he said the firemen had just rescued a 
family from a burning building1 and     
thought they had all out1 when one of   
the rescued ladies looking around       
screamed out1 ,o1 save my ,bessie6      
,where is she8 was cried out4 ,in the   
north room up stairs6 ,a noble-hearted  
fireman1 almost exhausted1 risked his   
life to rescue what he of course        
supposed to be a child2 but what was his
 indignant surprise on reaching the     
room1 to find that the missing ,bessie  
was only a pet cat6 ,the enraged fireman
 kicked the cat and cursed its mistress4
 ,but his feelings would have been      
different had ,bessie been a little     

child softly sleeping in its cradle4    
,this incident may help us to realize   
the truth contained in the statement    
already made1 that the greatness of any 
salvation depends upon the value of the 
thing saved as well as upon the effort  
and sacrifice made to save it4  ,it is  
plain that man's salvation is the       
subject of the text4 ,but is man lost8  
,and if lost1 in what sense is he lost8 
,we read in ,matt4 #ah3aa1 ,for the ,son
 of man is come to save that which was  
lost4 ,it is man's life that is         
lost--natural or bodily life1 and       
supernatural or spiritual life4 ,but is 
man's bodily life lost8 ,it is1 for     
death hath passed upon all men4 ,the    
sentence of bodily death3 ,it is        
appointed unto man once to die4 ,dust   
thou art1 and unto dust shalt thou      
return4 ,if any supposes the death of   
the body to be a small thing1 let such a
 one go to a well-filled graveyard and  
pass one hour in serious meditation in  
this silent city of the dead4 ,let him  

think of the tears that have fallen     
there1 of the sighs of anguish that have
 reluctantly escaped from broken hearts4
 ,let him think of the innocent beauty  
and loveliness that lie buried there1 of
 the hopes and the joys that have been  
driven from the heart by the hand of the
 destroyer2 and then let him ask himself
 if the wages of sin is a thing of small
 account4 ,let his mind run a little    
further1 and he can but see that the    
graveyard's solemn tale to the end of   
the world must be yearly told4 ,death   
here writes his name anew every passing 
season in the fresh mounds raised above 
the dead4 ,and not only so1 but the     
voice of reason whispers into the ear of
 every passer-by the solemn word1 ,this 
place is waiting for you4  ,now1 an     
apostle says3 ,it doth not yet appear   
what we shall be2 but we know that when 
he shall appear we shall be like him2   
for we shall see him as he is4 ,and     
another apostle1 as if commenting on    
this passage says3 ,he shall change our 

vile bodies that they may be fashioned  
like unto his glorious body4 ,i now ask1
 ,does not this show that the salvation 
in the text is truly a great salvation8 
,but ,i have as yet but touched the hem 
of the garment4 ,and1 indeed1 in our low
 and contracted state of mental power   
here we are barely able with our highest
 and broadest reaches of thought to lay 
hold of more than the hem of salvation's
 garment4 ,heaven is his throne1 and the
 earth is the footstool of his feet4    
,what the footstool is to the throne1   
nay to him that sits upon it1 such are  
our highest and purest conceptions to   
the salvation which the ,lord has       
provided4 ,eye hath not seen1 nor ear   
heard1 neither hath it entered into the 
heart of man to know what ,god hath     
provided for them that love him4  ,i    
stated that man's life is lost4 ,i have 
said something about the bodily life    
that is lost by sin4 ,i now turn to say 
something about the spiritual life that 
is lost by sin4 ,paul says1 and ,i am   

sure he means what he says3 ,to be      
carnally minded is death4 ,now1 what is 
it to be carnally minded8 ,or1 in other 
words1 what is the carnal mind8 ,paul   
answers in a general way1 that it is    
,,enmity against ,god4 ,such a degree of
 enmity that all who are carnally minded
 cannot and do not love ,god1 nor take  
pleasure in his service4 ,life is love2 
and love is life4 ,the spiritual life   
that is lost by sin is what ,jesus came 
to redeem and save1 and this life is    
man's love4 ,man's ,,love is perverted4 
,it is turned away from the ,lord ,god  
and the neighbor1 and directed to self  
and the world4 ,and when a man loves    
himself more than ,god1 and the world   
with its sinful lusts and pleasures more
 than he does his neighbor1 he is       
carnally minded4  ,now let us turn to   
the ,lord's words4 ,in the ,gospel      
recorded by ,luke a certain lawyer is   
represented as asking the ,lord this    
question3 ,master1 what shall ,i do to  
inherit eternal life8 ,jesus said unto  

him3 ,what is written in the law8 how   
readest thou8 ,he answering said1 ,thou 
shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all  
thy heart1 and with all thy soul1 and   
with all thy strength1 and with all thy 
mind2 and thy neighbor as thyself4      
,jesus said unto him1 ,thou hast        
answered right3 this do1 and thou shalt 
live4  ,brethren1 does not this look    
like the key to salvation8 ,does it not 
open the door to a view of eternal life 
and blessedness8 ,our ,lord says3 ,on   
these two commandments hang all the law 
and the prophets4 ,when any one gives   
his heart to ,god in love like this1 ,i 
think he is in a saved state4 ,and is it
 not a great salvation8 ,perfect love of
 that which is good is perfect peace1   
because it drives evil from the heart1  
which is the cause of all human misery4 
,but the ,lord1 and the ,lord only1 can 
change man from darkness to light and   
from death unto life4 ,he is the only   
,savior4 ,he saves man by his ,word and 
,holy ,spirit4 ,he stands at every man's

 door and knocks4 ,if any man will open 
the door1 he will enter that man's heart
 and dwell with him forever2 and ,christ
 in the heart is salvation and eternal  
life4  ,,thursday1 ,may #ad4 ,go to     
,abraham ,funk's4 ,george ,sellers is   
nearly well1 and in fine spirits4 ,at   
half past five o'clock ,i start to the  
,annual ,meeting4 ,stay all night at    
,jacob ,wine's4  ,,friday1 ,may #ae4    
,dine and feed at ,newman's furnace4    
,then go up through the ,trout ,run     
valley1 cross the ,church mountains and 
get into the ,lost ,river valley near   
the place where the river disappears at 
the base of the mountain4 ,stay all     
night at ,landes's4 ,i have seen no     
scouts or pickets to-day4  ,,saturday1  
,may #af4 ,get dinner at ,jonathan      
,flory's1 and stay all night at ,abraham
 ,miller's4  ,,sunday1 ,may #ag4 ,stay  
at ,brother ,abraham ,miller's all day4 
,have preaching in the afternoon4 ,stay 
all night again4  ,,monday1 ,may #ah4   
,cross the ,potomac river at ,old ,town2

 go up the towpath2 pass through        
,gibbontown near ,flint ,stone1 and get 
to ,abraham ,ritchey's1 where ,i stay   
all night4 ,traveled thirty-three miles 
to-day4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #ai4 ,get to   
,henry ,hershberger's in ,snake ,spring 
valley1 where ,i stay all night4        
,twenty-eight miles to-day4             
,,wednesday1 ,may #bj4 ,get to ,brother 
,adam ,snoberger's before dinner2 but   
spend balance of day there and in making
 a few calls4 ,have evening meeting at  
the meetinghouse one mile away4 ,speak  
from ,john #aj3i4 ,stay all night at    
,brother ,snoberger's4  ,,thursday1 ,may
 #ba4 ,come to ,samuel ,snider's2 then  
to council meeting at meetinghouse2 and 
after dinner come to ,brother ,daniel   
,snoberger's at ,yellow ,creek1 where ,i
 stay all night4 ,fine day4 ,it is ten  
miles from ,brother ,snider's to        
,brother ,snoberger's4  ,,friday1 ,may  
#bb4 ,meeting at the meetinghouse4      
,subject1 ,hebrews #a4 ,after dinner go 
to ,brother ,leonard ,furry's4 ,night   

meeting at the meetinghouse4 ,i speak   
from ,rom4 #a3af4 ,stay at ,brother ,l4 
,furry's all night4 ,fine day4          
,,saturday1 ,may #bc4 ,come fourteen    
miles to ,clover ,creek ,meeting there  
in forenoon and afternoon4 ,stay all    
night at ,brother ,dellinger's4         
,,sunday1 ,may #bd4 ,meeting at three   
places to-day4 ,a delightful day as to  
weather2 and should be enjoyable to all 
in the way of good speaking4  ,,monday1 
,may #be4 ,commence taking in questions 
in afternoon4 ,cloudy all day4 ,stay all
 night at ,brother ,dellinger's4        
,,tuesday1 ,may #bf4 ,discuss questions 
all day4 ,cloudy all forenoon1 but      
clears up in afternoon4 ,stay all night 
at ,brother ,john ,brumbach's4          
,,wednesday1 ,may #bg4 ,discuss         
questions1 but get through with business
 by two o'clock2 and the ,annual        
,meeting breaks up4 ,i come to ,brother 
,daniel ,snoberger's1 where ,i stay all 
night4  ,,thursday1 ,may #bh4 ,go to a  
store at ,enterprise and buy a few      

articles4 ,after dinner come through    
,snake ,spring valley and across ,bloody
 ,run to ,jesse ,o',neil's1 where ,i    
stay all night4 ,fine day4  ,,friday1   
,may #bi4 ,come six miles to            
,chanyville2 then eleven miles to       
,gibbon2 then two miles to ,john        
,deacon's where ,i get dinner and have  
,nell fed2 then twenty miles to ,brother
 ,abraham ,miller's in ,hampshire       
,county1 ,virginia1 where ,i stay all   
night4 ,fine day4  ,,saturday1 ,may #cj4
 ,come ten miles to ,souer's1 where ,i  
dine and feed2 then five miles out to   
the pike1 and eight miles to ,north     
,river2 then three miles to ,brother    
,wilson's1 but to get there have to ride
 two miles out of the way to pass       
unmolested4 ,stay all night at ,brother 
,wilson's4 ,rain to-day4  ,,sunday1 ,may
 #ca4 ,come twenty-two miles to ,nimrod 
,stradaman's1 where ,i dine and feed2   
then sixteen miles to ,james            
,fitzwater's1 where ,i stay all night4  
,fine day4  ,,monday1 ,june #a4 ,come   

ten miles to ,michael ,wine's2 get      
dinner1 and in afternoon cross the      
mountain and get home4  ,it may not be  
out of place to call the reader's       
attention to several points of special  
interest connected with this journey of 
,brother ,kline to this the next to last
 ,annual ,meeting it was his privilege  
to attend4 ,let the reader think of the 
distance to be traveled over in going   
and coming--three hundred and           
thirty-four miles--all on the back of   
his favorite ,nell4 ,over a good road1  
in a time of peace1 with plenty of      
familiar friends by the way1 such a     
distance with a good horse would be but 
a delightful recreation to one          
accustomed1 as was ,brother ,kline1 to  
horse-back riding4 ,but a great part of 
his way lay through a mountainous and   
thinly-peopled country1 with only a path
 in some places to direct his course2   
and1 worst of all1 he did not know where
 he was safe from arrest1 as army lines 
at this stage of the war were almost    

constantly changing4 ,how great1 then1  
must have been his love for the         
,brethren6 ,where can another man be    
found to compare with him in fearless   
resolution to do what he believed would 
be pleasing to the ,lord and the        
,brethren1 whom he loved more than he   
did his own life6 ,neither was he       
encouraged by the ,brethren at home to  
go4 ,they advised him not to go4 ,but   
his heart was fixed2 and his loving soul
 would have been filled with melancholy 
sadness to have stayed at home and      
thought of the warm hearts and kind     
hands he might have met by going4 ,he   
would rather see his ,brethren and die1 
if necessary1 than live without the     
sight4  ,from the time of his return    
from this journey to the close of the   
year he did not venture far from home in
 a northern direction4 ,on the twelfth  
day of ,august he and ,jacob ,wine went 
on the yearly visit prior to the visit  
council4 ,they had to go to the counties
 of ,pendleton and ,hardy1 as the       

members in those counties were included 
in the district over which ,brother     
,kline was one of the overseers4 ,they  
held visit councils over there1 and on  
their return home the two brethren were 
arrested and taken before the military  
authorities on the eighteenth day of    
,august1 #ahfc4 ,brother ,jacob ,wine   
came home with ,brother ,kline to       
,brother ,kline's house4 ,they had been 
there but a short while when they were  
both arrested4 ,they gave a satisfactory
 account of their business in those two 
counties1 and were accordingly released4
 ,on the twenty-fourth1 just six days   
after the previous arrest1 he was picked
 up again and required to give account  
of himself4 ,this he did in a humble1   
truthful way1 and was again let go4 ,the
 following is on the last page of the   
,diary for this year4  ,in this year1   
#ahfc1 ,i have traveled #d1bfj miles1   
all on horseback4 ,i have preached      
thirty-eight funerals3 fourteen for     
children under five years of age2 eight 

for children between the ages of five   
and ten years2 six for persons between  
the ages of ten and twenty years2 three 
for persons between twenty and thirty   
years2 two for persons between thirty   
and forty years2 two for persons between
 forty and fifty years2 three for       
persons over eighty years of age4  ,in  
the last five and one-half months of our
 beloved brother's life1 or that portion
 of it which he lived between the first 
day of ,january1 #ahfd1 and the         
fifteenth of ,june1 the memorable day of
 his death1 are not very full of        
interest4 ,by this it is meant that the 
state of war in ,virginia1 together with
 the hopeless condition of the          
,confederacy and the demoralizing       
tendency of that condition upon the     
soldiery of the land1 raised            
insurmountable barriers in the way of   
activity on his part4 ,we find him      
mostly at home1 save that he was much   
called to see the sick and preach       
funerals in his immediate vicinity4     

,,sunday1 ,may #a1 he attended meeting  
at ,green ,mount for the last time4 ,he 
preached from ,luke #ai3g4 ,the ,editor 
was present1 and still retains some     
recollections of his line of thought2 so
 that by means of these1 together with  
the ,diary notes of this discourse1 a   
tolerably just reproduction of it may   
here be given4 ,he seemed to be more    
than usually pathetic in his delivery4  
,in one of his tender appeals he caught 
the writer's eye1 and he can never      
forget the irresistible but refreshing  
flow of tears that followed4            
,,text4--,and when they saw it1 they all
 murmured1 saying1 ,that he     was gone
 to be guest with a man that is a       
sinner4  ,the ,bible is a unit4 ,the sum
 of its love and truth culminates in the
 declaration that the ,son of man came  
to seek and to save that which was lost4
 ,the portion of the chapter read in    
your hearing1 which immediately precedes
 my text1 is a sufficient introduction  
to it4 ,the history of ,zaccheus therein

 given is1 or should be1 familiar to    
all4 ,but my text may comprise some     
instructive and comforting truth to us1 
which we1 like those who attended the   
steps and heard the words of the ,lord  
in the flesh1 may not so readily        
apprehend4  ,the disciples were deeply  
impressed with the sinless purity of    
their great ,teacher4 ,but they did not 
as yet understand the character of his  
mission4 ,they could not rid their minds
 of the thought that his coming was for 
the purpose of establishing1 in some    
way1 they knew not how1 an earthly reign
 of power and glory which would eclipse 
all that earth had ever beheld4 ,hence  
we read that at one time they wanted to 
take him by force1 and make him a king4 
,at another time the mother of two of   
his disciples interceded in behalf of   
her two sons that the one might sit on  
his right and the other on his left in  
his kingdom4 ,what sublime visions of   
worldly glory she had2 and how deeply   
were her vain imaginations rebuked6 ,ye 

know not what ye ask4  ,these           
considerations aid us in our efforts to 
apprehend the character of the          
impediments and obstacles in the way of 
our ,savior's glorious work of love4    
,and here springs up a thought which ,i 
will dwell upon for a little4 ,i can not
 avoid the belief1 forced upon me as it 
is by what ,i see daily and have seen1  
that men do not widely differ now from  
what men were in our ,lord's time in the
 flesh4 ,they do not love his           
unqualified declaration--,my kingdom is 
not of this world--any better now than  
men did then4 ,national greatness1 in   
which the rich and powerful may bear    
oppressive rule over the poor and weak1 
is the height of their ambition4 ,such  
are not willing to eat and drink with   
publicans and sinners4 ,things unseen   
and eternal are out of sight to mortal  
eyes4 ,men doubt the declaration of the 
,bible that3    ,beyond this vale of    
tears1     ,there is a life above       
,unmeasured by the flight of years3     

,and all that life is love4  ,it is this
 unbelief that fosters their love for   
the world and for themselves4 ,and the  
pride of heart that naturally goes with 
the love of self is not willing to stoop
 to what is not highly esteemed among   
men4 ,it is not hard to see from the    
words of my text that there was a very  
large measure of self-pride still       
clinging to the hearts of those who     
composed the crowd now in attendance    
upon our ,lord on this his last journey 
from ,jericho to ,jerusalem4 ,they      
thought it a stoop in him1 and out of   
place that he should condescend to go to
 be guest with a man that is a sinner4  
,it is plain from this that they did not
 know themselves4 ,like the ,pharisee1  
they justified themselves1 and were     
ready even to thank ,god that they were 
not like other men4 ,but our ,lord came 
not to call the righteous1 but sinners1 
to repentance4 ,and we should notice    
that by sinners he means such as feel   
and know themselves to be sinners4      

,jesus adapted himself to the felt wants
 of those he came to save4 ,he had no   
sin-forgiving words for the             
self-righteous4 ,he had no blessing for 
the proud in spirit4 ,he had no promise 
for those who exalted themselves4  ,i   
love to contemplate this glorious       
feature of our blessed religion4 ,the   
docile1 teachable disposition of the    
little child1 coupled with the honest   
confession of ,peter3 ,i am a sinful    
man1 ,o ,lord1 is the low plane of      
feeling upon which the ,savior enters   
the soul4 ,it was declared by a prophet 
respecting his first advent into the    
world3 ,every valley shall be exalted1  
and every mountain and hill shall be    
made low4 ,mountains and hills in this  
passage signify the proud and           
self-exalted desires and lusts of the   
wicked man1 which are to be laid low    
because such states of heart and life   
forever oppose themselves to the        
meekness and gentleness of ,christ4 ,but
 the principle of humility1 signified by

 a valley1 is to be exalted3 not that   
humility exalteth or can exalt itself2  
but this truly humble state of mind     
prepares man to receive the ,lord's     
saving truth1 and this exalts a man4 ,he
 that humbleth himself shall be exalted4
  ,for myself1 ,brethren1 ,i can say    
with the ,apostle ,paul1 that in me1    
that is in my flesh1 dwelleth no good   
thing3 for to will is present with me1  
but to do that which is good is not4    
,for the good which ,i would ,i do not3 
but the evil which ,i would not1 that ,i
 do4444 ,i delight in the law of ,god   
after the inward man3 but ,i perceive a 
different law in my members1 warring    
against the will of my spirit1 and      
bringing me into captivity to the sway  
of sin in my members4 ,paul here speaks 
of the inward man1 and of the members or
 outward man4 ,this takes my thought to 
the tabernacle in the wilderness4 ,it   
had an outer court and an inner         
sanctuary4 ,the tables of ,god's holy   
law were placed in this most holy place4

 ,it was right in this most holy place1 
over the mercy seat1 which was the      
golden cover to the ark that contained  
the tables of the law1 that ,jehovah had
 his dwelling place4 ,it was there he   
talked with ,moses4 ,the outer court was
 for offerings1 and served as a place   
for the confession of sin and its       
forgiveness4 ,brethren1 ,i am glad to   
think we are like this tabernacle1 that 
we have a most holy place1 an inner     
sanctuary1 in the inmost of our heart1  
where ,jesus has his dwelling place with
 us1 and where his voice alone is heard4
 ,in this holy of holies we feel his    
love1 and it is there we see his face4  
,it is there that he appears to us the  
fairest among ten thousand1 and the one 
altogether lovely4 ,it is here that we  
sing3    ,jesus1 ,i love thy charming   
name2     ',tis music in mine ear2      
,fain would ,i sound it out so loud     
,that earth and heaven might hear4      
,yes1 thou art precious to my soul2     
,my transport and my trust3   ,jewels to

 thee are gaudy toys1     ,and gold is  
sordid dust4    ,i'll speak the honors  
of thy name     ,with my last fleeting  
breath3   ,and1 dying1 clasp thee in my 
arms1     ,the antidote of death4       
,brethren1 this is what ,i have gained1 
it is what you have gained1 it is what  
we all have gained by placing ourselves 
in sight of the ,lord as he was passing 
by4 ,in itself1 it was a small thing    
that ,zaccheus did4 ,the tree which he  
ascended was not hard to climb2 he was  
nimble1 for he ran on before2 and it did
 not take him long to climb1 for he had 
not much time4 ,but in motive the act   
was great1 because it was done to get a 
sight of ,jesus the ,lord4 ,the ,lord   
knew this1 and knew also that his motive
 was not one of idle curiosity1 but     
honest desire to see him and to learn   
something more concerning him4 ,and see 
how he was blessed4 ,although he was    
looked down upon as being a sinner1 and 
felt in his heart that he was a sinner1 
still the blessed ,savior regarded it   

not out of place for him to go and be   
guest with him1 and crown the occasion  
with the joyful annunciation3 ,this day 
is salvation come to this house1        
forasmuch as he also is a son of        
,abraham4 ,all who believe in the ,lord 
from the heart are sons of ,abraham1 and
 heirs of ,god according to the promise4
  ,now1 when any one goes to church to  
hear the ,gospel preached1 and thereby  
to learn something about the ,lord that 
he may have knowledge of ,jesus1 he is  
doing in effect just what ,zaccheus did4
 ,the same may be said with regard to   
reading the ,divine ,word4 ,it matters  
not how great a sinner he may have been4
 ,no one now is likely to be a greater  
sinner than was ,mary ,magdalene out of 
whom seven devils were cast2 and yet the
 ,lord could say of her3 ,her sins1     
which are many1 are forgiven1 for she   
hath loved much4 ,a dying saint was once
 heard to say3 ,hunt up all my sins2    
pile them mountain high2 one breath of  
faith sweeps them all away2 and the more

 ,i'm forgiven the louder ,i'll sing4   
,ah1 brethren and sisters1 we can       
rejoice that the ,lord condescended to  
be a guest with us poor sinners4 ,he    
proclaims salvation to every one of us4 
,and inasmuch as he has come in to sup  
with us and we with him1 let us hold him
 by the feet1 ever welcome to our       
hearts1 and he will abide with us       
forever4  ,it is in a feeling of        
unavoidable sadness we now approach the 
closing weeks of ,brother ,kline's life4
 ,we will now1 with great care1 trace   
his steps going to and returning from   
the last ,annual ,meeting he was ever   
permitted to attend4  ,,friday1 ,may #f4
 ,this is the day on which he started4  
,he stayed the first night with ,reuben 
,regelman1 then living in the head of   
what was then called ,germany1 a remote 
section of ,brock's ,gap1 and so called 
on account of the number of original    
,german people who settled there near   
the close of the ,revolutionary ,war4   
,regelman lived in a deep mountain      

retreat1 just in the line of what       
appeared to ,brother ,kline his safest  
route4  ,,saturday1 ,may #g4 ,this day  
he crossed the ,shenandoah mountain by a
 near-cut pathway1 coming down into     
,sweedlin valley1 in ,pendleton ,county4
 ,he next crossed the ,sweedlin mountain
 by a pathway1 at the foot of which     
flows the beautiful mountain river      
called the ,south ,fork4 ,he followed   
this stream about two miles through a   
deep gorge between ,sweedlin mountain   
and the ,south ,fork mountain1 and got  
to the widow ,nelly ,henkel's on top of 
the latter mountain in time for dinner4 
,from there he went to ,sister ,mary    
,bargdoll's on the ,south ,mill creek1  
where he stayed all night4 ,he was now  
fifty miles on his way4 ,he reports the 
weather as being very pleasant so far4  
,,sunday1 ,may #h4 ,this day he visited 
,enoch ,hyre's4 ,from there he went to  
old ,brother ,parks's4 ,he then stopped 
on his way to read and pray with old    
,sister ,parks1 who was entirely blind4 

,from here he went to ,brother ,martain 
,cosner's1 where he had afternoon       
meeting1 and preached from one of his   
favorite texts1 the ,lord's invitation  
to all1 given in ,matt4 #aa3bh1 #bi1    
#cj4 ,he stayed all night at ,brother   
,cosner's4 ,all the families he visited 
this day were then living northwest of  
,petersburg1 in ,grant ,county1 ,west   
,virginia4 ,he reports another beautiful
 day4 ,he is now sixty-nine miles from  
home4  ,,monday1 ,may #i4 ,this day he  
had meeting by previous arrangement at  
,andrew ,cosner's1 six miles further on 
in the direction of his route4 ,his     
subject was #a ,cor4 #ae3a1 #b1 #c4     
,from here he went to ,brother ,thomas  
,clark's1 fifteen miles further on1     
where he stayed all night4 ,beautiful   
weather continues4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #aj4
 ,from ,brother ,clark's he went to     
,oakland1 a station on the ,b4  ,o4     
,r4,r41 thirteen miles from ,brother    
,thomas ,clark's4 ,here he took the     
train at #i3cj ,p4,m41 and ,nell had    

rest4 ,she had carried him on her back  
one hundred and four miles in four and  
one-half days4 ,short stages1 but       
terribly hard roads a large part of the 
way4 ,he arrived at ,bellaire at half   
past six the next morning4 ,he started  
for ,dayton1 ,ohio1 at seven1 and got   
there at five in the evening4 ,he stayed
 all night at ,brother ,henry ,flory's4 
,,thursday1 ,may #ab4 ,from here he went
 to a love feast at the ,cave ,creek    
meetinghouse1 but is silent as to how he
 got there4 ,the second chapter of      
,hebrews was read4 ,he stayed all night 
at ,jonas ,garber's4 ,he says3 ,there   
was frost this morning1 but a delightful
 day4  ,,friday1 ,may #ac4 ,he took the 
train at ,brookville station1 seven     
miles from ,brother ,jonas ,garber's1   
and arrived at ,hagerstown1 near the    
place of the ,annual ,meeting4 ,he      
stayed all night at ,brother ,samuel    
,eiler's4 ,another fine day4            
,,saturday1 ,may #ad4 ,he reports       
meeting at the meetinghouse and a great 

concourse of people4 ,also1 a little    
rain to-day4  ,,sunday1 ,may #ae4       
,preaching at six places4 ,a wonderful  
gathering of people4 ,night meeting in  
,hagerstown4 ,a little rain to-day4 ,i  
stay all night in ,hagerstown4          
,,monday1 ,may #af4 ,to-day the ,annual 
,meeting organizes for business4 ,forms 
subcommittees2 takes in queries2 holds  
its session in meetinghouse4 ,i stay all
 night at old ,brother ,eiler's4 ,a     
little sprinkle of rain to-day4         
,,tuesday1 ,may #ag4 ,discuss questions 
all day4 ,good order prevails4 ,i am    
glad to witness the dawning of          
intelligence in the minds of our younger
 brethren in the ministry4 ,we must keep
 up with the demands of the age2 not in 
the vain show of worldly fashion and    
love for things new2 but in our desire  
and power by the use of all             
divinely-appointed means to commend the 
truth to every man's conscience by      
making it to shine in all directions    
more and more unto the perfect day4 ,i  

am glad to see the zeal manifest in our 
younger brethren1 and at the same time  
equally glad to find it tempered with   
moderation4  ,,wednesday1 ,may #ah4     
,finish business at half past eleven    
o'clock4 ,after dinner go to ,brother   
,james ,wyatt's1 where ,i stay all      
night4 ,also visit the widow ,sister    
,hardman4  ,,thursday1 ,may #ai4 ,come  
to ,hagerstown and dine at ,brother     
,brown's4 ,i then take cars to          
,andersontown1 and come to ,brother     
,peter ,fesler's1 six miles away4 ,after
 supper have night meeting in ,columbus1
 where ,i speak from ,acts #d3ac4 ,stay 
all night with ,jeremiah ,clemmens4     
,having been more than usually impressed
 at our meeting with the importance of  
,christian brethren making their        
conversations and lives give testimony  
to the sincerity and intelligence of    
their professions of faith in ,christ1  
,i resolved to turn my discourse to that
 bearing1 as much so as ,i could4 ,with 
that view ,i took these words3          

,,text4--,and they took knowledge of    
them1 that they had been with ,jesus4   
,a very plain and self-evident truth    
comes to mind at the opening of my      
discourse to-night4 ,it is this truth1  
that no one can converse intelligently  
upon any subject he does not understand1
 nor accomplish any work of art without 
some previously acquired skill to do it4
 ,to comply with the demands imposed    
upon every human being by these         
fundamental and stubborn realities1 all 
the means of education for the mind and 
training for the body are provided4 ,man
 stands alone and singular in this      
regard4 ,birds can sing and build their 
nests without instruction2 and bees can 
form their delicate cells of wax without
 a guide4  ,it is also a well-recognized
 fact that the pupil gives evidence of  
the character and ability of his        
teacher1 in all the lines of science and
 art4 ,in the knowledge and practice of 
the things pertaining to man's spiritual
 life on earth it is just the same4 ,all

 that man does from conscience1 from    
what he believes to be his duty to ,god 
and to man1 this he calls religious4 ,if
 his faith and life are firmly based and
 established upon the ,rock of ,god's   
eternal ,truth1 it can be known at once 
who has been his teacher1 and knowledge 
can be taken of him that he has been    
with ,jesus4  ,i do not wish to reflect 
particularly here upon the lack of      
evidences of this kind among professing 
,christians generally1 nor do ,i wish to
 reflect censure upon the teachers under
 whose auspices these professions have  
been made2 but ,i do say1 and am sorry1 
that from the conduct and life of many  
professors of religion it would be hard 
to tell certainly that they were not    
,mohammedans or disciples of ,confucius4
 ,but banishing all fancy and           
superstition1 and ignoring all religious
 forms and ceremonies1 there is a way of
 making the truth known that one has    
been with ,jesus4 ,the key that opens to
 this knowledge is wrapped up in these  

words of our ,lord3 ,by this shall all  
men know that ye are my disciples1 ,,if 
,,ye ,,have ,,love ,,one ,,for          
,,another4  ,let us notice how this love
 was shown by ,peter and ,john4 ,i name 
them here1 because they are connected   
with my text4 ,there lay a poor beggar1 
lame from his mother's womb4 ,he was but
 little noticed1 save as he was looked  
down upon with contempt4 ,he asked an   
alms of ,peter and ,john as they were   
about entering the temple4 ,peter might 
justly have said3 ,i have nothing in the
 way of silver or gold to give you1 and 
have thus excused himself from all      
further trouble about the man4 ,but he  
did not treat the poor and impotent     
beggar in this way4 ,he said to him3 ,in
 the name of ,jesus ,christ of          
,nazareth1 rise up and walk4 ,but this  
was not all4 ,he took him by the right  
hand1 and ,,lifted him up4 ,he was not  
only ready to instruct1 but he was ready
 to ,,help1 and that with his own hands4
  ,but ,i have not told all4 ,the two   

disciples took to themselves no touch of
 credit for the lame man's being made to
 walk4 ,their love for the ,lord1 and   
their desire to do good by publishing   
the news of his healing and saving      
power1 had so filled their hearts that  
there was no room in them for any of the
 love of self and the world4 ,had they  
been so disposed they might have taken  
to themselves great credit for what they
 had done4 ,they might have indirectly  
favored the impression that if the ,lord
 was at the bottom of the miracle they  
were at the top1 and very important     
factors in it4 ,but the conduct and     
temper of the two disciples was far from
 anything like this4 ,when the people   
ran together1 greatly wondering1 ,peter 
said3 ,why marvel ye at this8 or why    
look ye so earnestly on us1 as though by
 our own power or holiness we had made  
this man to walk8 ,he then directed the 
attention of the people to the          
crucified1 risen and glorified ,lord1 to
 whose power and love they ascribed all 

the honor4  ,it is known without telling
 that such humility of heart and        
exaltation of the ,lord is not natural  
with man4 ,people of all grades1 even   
the enemies of the ,lord1 take knowledge
 from such as manifest this spirit of   
love and meekness1 that they have been  
and are with ,jesus4 ,in his last       
conversation with his disciples he      
lifted his eyes to heaven and said3     
,father1 ,i will1 that they whom thou   
hast given me be with me where ,i am1   
that they may behold my glory4 ,this    
prayer must have a present fulfillment  
in every one of the ,lord's people in   
this world1 in order that they may have 
a future realization of it in the world 
to come4 ,to be with the ,lord is to    
abide in him and he in us4 ,abide in me1
 and ,i in you4 ,this is the crown of   
all blessedness4 ,this is the golden    
altar of sweet incense3 the brightly    
burning lamp that lights the way through
 the door into the marriage feast4      
,forever with the ,lord3     ,amen6 so  

let it be3   ,life from the dead is in  
that word2     ',tis immortality4  ,to  
be with ,jesus is to be with him in     
affection and thought2 to love what he  
loves1 and to believe what he teaches4  
,one may be with ,jesus in place1 and   
yet be very far from him in spirit4     
,this was exemplified by ,judas4 ,he sat
 at the same table with the ,lord1 but  
his heart1 his mind and feelings were   
very far away4 ,at that very time he was
 plotting his destruction1 for ,judas   
was a devil from the beginning4 ,even   
,peter1 just a little while after that1 
caught by the ,lord's eye1 went out and 
wept bitterly4 ,it is not1 therefore1 a 
local or personal nearness which the    
,lord has in mind when he prays that all
 whom the ,father hath given him may be 
with him1 but a nearness of heart1 in   
the affection of love1 and the obedience
 of faith4  ,brethren and friends1 let  
me say to you1 that it is the duty1 and 
not only the duty1 but the highest      
attainment of ,christian liberty1 to be 

with ,jesus and to give knowledge to all
 around that one has not only been1 but 
now is every day with ,jesus4 ,true     
godliness1 however1 does not desire to  
make a display of itself2 it seeks no   
prominence in the world2 neither does it
 aspire to receive the applauses of men4
 ,it does not ride upon the tempest of  
religious disputes1 nor clothe itself   
with the whirlwind of fanatical         
excitement4 ,but1 like the ,divine      
,spirit from which it springs1 it speaks
 in the still1 small voice of tender    
compassion and love4 ,like its ,lord1 it
 enters a house1 the house of the       
humble1 contrite heart1 and would have  
no man know it2 but it cannot be hid4   
,now1 ,brethren and friends1 ,i have    
only touched some of the chords in the  
beautiful anthem of my theme4 ,i now    
leave it with you1 hoping that you may  
learn every note in it2 and by the sweet
 music of a good life delight the ears  
and warm the hearts of all who hear its 
rich harmonies4 ,possibly you may never 

see my face or hear my voice again4 ,i  
am now on my way back to ,virginia1 not 
knowing the things that shall befall me 
there4 ,it may be that bonds and        
afflictions abide me4 ,but ,i feel that 
,i have done nothing worthy of bonds or 
of death2 and none of these things move 
me2 neither count ,i my life dear unto  
myself1 so that ,i may finish my course 
with joy1 and the ministry which ,i have
 received of the ,lord ,jesus1 to       
testify the ,gospel of the grace of     
,god4  ,,thursday1 ,may #ai4 ,come to   
,hagerstown and dine at ,brother        
,brown's4  ,,friday1 ,may #bj4 ,visit   
,sister ,molly ,clemmens2 dine at       
,brother ,jacob ,fesler's2 sup at       
,brother ,peter ,fesler's1 and by       
request have meeting again in ,columbus 
to-night4 ,my subject is ,matt4 #g3ac1  
#ad4 ,stay at ,peter ,fesler's all      
night4 ,warm and pleasant day4          
,,saturday1 ,may #ba4 ,visit ,andrew    
,fertig's1 where ,i stay till after     
dinner4 ,i then come to ,middletown2 and

 from there to ,fall ,creek             
meetinghouse1 to ,brother ,david        
,miller's meeting4 ,john #ad is read4 ,i
 speak upon the spirit and general scope
 of truth comprehended in the chapter4  
,jacob ,fry and wife are baptized4 ,i   
then go home with old ,brother ,jacob   
,miller1 and after supper go to ,brother
 ,david ,miller's1 where ,i stay all    
night4 ,fine and warm day4  ,,sunday1   
,may #bb4 ,visit ,absalom ,painter2 he  
is sick1 and ,i think poorly4 ,attend   
meeting at the meetinghouse4 ,john #c is
 read4 ,i speak upon the new birth1 the 
most important matter that can possibly 
engage the thought and occupy the heart 
of man1 inasmuch as without it1 there is
 no salvation4 ,dine with ,jacob        
,miller1 who is a son of ,george        
,miller4 ,in the afternoon visit ,joseph
 ,funk's and from there ,i go to ,george
 ,hoover's where ,i stay all night4 ,a  
fine but warm day4  ,,monday1 ,may #bc4 
,stay at ,george ,hoover's till after   
dinner4 ,in the afternoon call at       

,joseph's and ,john's1 and visit the    
,sulphur ,springs4 ,night meeting4      
,speak from ,first ,john1 second        
chapter1 last part of the twenty-ninth  
verse3 ,every one that doeth            
righteousness is born of him4 ,a        
righteous life is the proof that one is 
born of ,god4 ,charity1 which is the    
love of doing good1 is the child of the 
new birth4 ,this leads to righteousness 
or justice in all our dealings with one 
another4 ,i can not love my brother and 
at the same time seek undue advantage of
 him1 or try to cheat him in any way4   
,the same is true in dealing with those 
outside the ,brotherhood4 ,this         
righteousness shuts down the gate upon  
the stream of all evil affections and   
lusts1 because it springs from that love
 which forever whispers in the heart3   
,all things1 whatsoever ye would that   
men should do to you1 do ye even so to  
them2 for this is the law and the       
prophets4  ,stay all night at ,brother  
,yost's4 ,his wife is ,brother ,hoover's

 daughter4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #bd4 ,take  
cars at seven o'clock and get to        
,richmond at nine1 and to ,higgin's     
,station at eleven4 ,from there ,i go to
 ,brother ,nead's1 five miles away2 and 
after dinner to meeting at the          
meetinghouse4 ,speak from ,rom4 #a3af1  
#ag4 ,after meeting come to ,brother    
,joseph ,miller's1 where ,i stay all    
night4 ,much rain this afternoon4       
,,wednesday1 ,may #be4 ,go to           
,arebaugh's meetinghouse4 ,love feast4  
,john #a is read4 ,stay all night at    
,brother ,kensel's4  ,this is the last  
love feast ,brother ,kline ever         
attended4 ,tender memory will drop a    
tear as she looks into his loving eye   
and sees him take his last farewell and 
leave his last loving kiss on lips that 
his will never touch again4 ,but we     
should remember that thirty-five years  
have passed since then4 ,many who took  
the parting hand on earth then1 have1   
one by one1 since then1 taken the       
meeting hand in heaven3 ,for ,god is not

 the ,god of the dead1 but of the       
living4  ,,thursday1 ,may #bf4 ,come to 
,dayton2 buy some articles2 dine at     
,brother ,henry ,yost's1 and also sup   
there4 ,take cars at half past six in   
the evening and arrive at ,columbus soon
 after nine4 ,stay there all night4     
,,friday1 ,may #bg4 ,get to ,oakland in 
the evening1 and stay all night at      
,rogan ,white's tavern4 ,two hundred and
 eighty-six miles from ,columbus to     
,oakland4  ,,saturday1 ,may #bh4 ,come  
to ,brother ,james ,abernathy's in a    
hired hack1 ten miles2 and in afternoon 
come three miles to ,brother ,thomas    
,clark's1 where ,i have night meeting   
and stay all night4 ,fine day4          
,,sunday1 ,may #bi4 ,come to ,brother   
,zachariah ,hendrick's1 where ,i have   
meeting4 ,speak from ,john #a3ag4 ,in   
afternoon come through the mountain top 
to ,sister ,eve ,idleman's1 where ,i    
stay all night4 ,frost this morning4    
,,monday1 ,may #cj4 ,visit our old and  
blind ,sister ,parks2 read for her and  

pray with her4 ,come to ,enoch ,hyre's  
and stay till after dinner4 ,i then go  
to ,brother ,john ,judy's1 where ,i stay
 all night4 ,leave appointment to preach
 his deceased wife's funeral on ,sunday1
 ,june #bf4  ,,tuesday1 ,may #ca4 ,call 
at ,philip ,kesner's2 at ,samuel        
,kesner's2 cross the mountain and call  
and get dinner at ,george ,cowger's2    
then stop awhile at ,philip ,emswiler's2
 exchange a few pleasant words with     
friend ,peter ,warnstaff as ,i pass by  
his house2 and get to ,brother ,john    
,fulk's in evening1 where ,i stay all   
night4 ,fine1 pleasant day4             
,,wednesday1 ,june #a4 ,come by ,michael
 ,wine's2 dine with him2 then come      
across the mountain home4  ,from this   
time to the memorable day of his        
martyrdom there is nothing in the ,diary
 demanding special notice4 ,notice has  
already been taken of his calling at    
,george ,cowger's on the ,south ,fork in
 ,pendleton ,county1 ,west ,virginia1 on
 his way home from this his last        

journey4 ,at ,mr4 ,cowger's1 while at   
the dinner table1 he said3 ,i am        
threatened2 they may take my life2 but  
,i do not fear them2 they can only kill 
my body4 ,this they accomplished4       
,,wednesday1 ,june #ae1 #ahfd4 ,he went 
to a blacksmith's shop a few miles away 
from home2 had ,nell shod2 and on his   
return was killed by1 it is supposed1   
some concealed person or persons on a   
ridge of timber land a few miles away   
from home4 ,some account of his funeral 
has already been given in the           
introduction to this work4 ,his body1   
when discovered1 showed that it had been
 pierced by several bullets4 ,but a     
smile rested on his face4 ,the writer's 
own eyes witnessed this4 ,it may be that
 this smile was the reflection of the   
joy that thrilled his soul as he stepped
 out of his broken tenement of clay into
 the presence and light of his          
,redeemer4 ,stephen's living face was as
 the face of an angel4 ,brother ,kline's
 dead face was the face of a saint--no1 

not the face of a saint1 but the face of
 the earthly casket in which a saint had
 lived1 and labored1 and rejoiced2 and  
out of which he stepped into the glories
 of the eternal world4 ,amen6   ,he     
,died at ,his ,post4  ,said to have been
 composed by ,brother ,kline on the     
death of ,joseph ,miller1 who died while
 on a visit to ,ohio4    ,away from his 
home and the friends of his youth   ,he 
hasted1 the herald of mercy and truth1  
,for the love of his ,lord and to seek  
for the lost   ,soon1 alas6 was his     
fall1 but he died at his post4    ,the  
stranger's eye wept that in life's      
brightest bloom   ,one gifted so highly 
should sink to the tomb2   ,for in order
 he led in the van of his host1   ,and  
he fell like a soldier1 he died at his  
post4    ,he wept not himself that his  
warfare was done1   ,the battle was     
fought and the victory won1   ,but he   
whispered of those whom his heart clung 
to most1   ,tell my ,brethren for me    
that ,i died at my post4    ,he asked   

not a stone to be sculptured with verse2
   ,he asked not that fame should his   
merits rehearse2   ,but he asked as a   
boon when he gave up the ghost1   ,that 
his ,brethren might know that he died at
 his post4    ,victorious his fall1 for 
he rose as he fell1   ,with ,jesus his  
,master in glory to dwell4   ,he has    
passed o'er the stream and has reached  
the bright court1   ,for he fell like a 
martyr2 he died at his post4    ,and can
 we the words of his exit forget8   ,o1 
no1 they are fresh in our memory yet4   
,an example so brilliant shall not be   
lost2   ,we will fall in the work1 we   
will die at our post4