Chapter XII: Introduction (2)

He did not attend college as long as he had expected to; for it was while he was there that he began to feel God's hand upon him for the ministry. When he saw how long it would take to complete his college work and the need of laboring in the Lord's harvest while it was day, he felt impressed that God wanted him to cut short his college course and to prepare at once for the ministry. He accordingly went home, arranged for a room in his father's house, and spent one season there in applying himself to prayer, Bible-study, and those other things which he believed were directly necessary to his ministerial preparation.

Preparation for the ministry is more successful when, along with it, there can be more or less of actual practise. We can believe that Brother Warner was spiritual enough to keep in touch with God and to discern the divine leading in the important matter to which he had committed himself. At any rate, in connection with his work of preparation he began to engage in ministering the gospel. He preached his first sermon on Easter night, 1867, in a Methodist Episcopal protracted meeting in the Cogswell Schoolhouse, not far from where he lived. Text, Acts 3:18--"But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled."

FOOTNOTE:

[1] The use of tobacco, was very common among the professors in his community. It is related that he received an impression of the evil of this habit when on attendance at a prayer-meeting he saw one of those present attempt to take a chew secretly, by hiding his face behind a chair.

IV

CHURCH OF GOD (WINEBRENNERIAN)

At the time of his first effort in the ministry, which occurred more than two years after his conversion, Brother Warner had not as yet given his name to any religious society. To join a sectarian denomination is never by divine prompting, but is urged from human source. A young convert possessing the spirit of Christ is naturally at home in the Lord and with Christians anywhere. It is foreign to that spirit for one to limit oneself by subscribing to any particular creed of men. Accordingly, our young brother was only "acting natural" when he manifested no particular anxiety to "join the church." Representatives of the denominations in his neighborhood proposed to him and presented their articles of faith. The fact that he referred the great question to the Scriptures and could see no authority for joining anything not recognized in the Scriptures shows that he was already poor material for sectarian construction, at least so far as the common arguments for sects go.

There was one society, however, by which he was persuaded. The followers of John Winebrenner called themselves the Church of God. As they professed to hold to no creed but the Bible, repudiated sectarianism, baptized by immersion, and observed as an ordinance the washing of feet in conjunction with the Lord's Supper, all of which seemed good to him, and especially as they had the exact New Testament name for the true church, he was constrained to unite with that body. The mark of fellowship which differentiated them from other Christians and constituted them a sect, was not apparent to him, and so, even during the many years of his earlier ministerial career, he identified this body with the true church. He said in later years that he had more liberty as a minister before he took that step than he had during the years he belonged to the denomination, which after all was but a sect.

The Church of God, spelled with a capital C, and more fully denominated General Eldership of the Churches of God in North America, was founded by John Winebrenner, in 1830. Winebrenner had been baptized and confirmed in the German Reformed Church (now the Reformed Church in the United States), and was given the pastorate at Harrisburg. He was a good man and the work of the ministry became the uppermost desire of his heart. He sought to raise the standard of true piety. His earnest preaching resulted in a revival in which he opposed theaters, dancing, gambling, lotteries, and racing. Revivals of religion were new experiences in the churches of that region, so that his ministry awakened strong opposition, which resulted in official charges against him. He severed his relations with the Reformed Church but continued his ministry, extensive revivals following.

Dr. C. H. Forney, in his History of the Churches of God, says,

Winebrenner did not entertain the purpose of founding a new
denomination. These bodies he stigmatized as sects. Professor Nevin
called the United Brethren and like bodies "rolling balls," and
accused Winebrenner with "putting in motion a similar ball, which
continues rolling to this hour (1842), not without abundance of
noise." Winebrenner denounced this as gross misrepresentation.
"But, sir, I did not retire for the ignoble purpose, as you have
intimated, of putting another sectarian ball in motion. No, not at
all. I had seen, through mercy, the great evil of these rolling
balls, put in motion and kept in motion by the cunning craftiness
of men and devils, and how by their repeated and unhappy collusions
they hindered and marred the work of God in the earth; and,
therefore, I resolved to fall back upon original grounds--to stand
aloof from all these sectarian balls, and to do the work of an
evangelist and minister of Christ by building up the church of God
(the only true church) according to the plan and pattern as shown
us in the New Testament. This is the high and firm ground we take.
Our ball, therefore, is not like your ball, nor similar to other
human balls. Ours is the Lord's ball. It was not cut out of the
Romish Church by the hands of Calvin and others as was yours. But
it was 'cut out of the mountain without hands.' The ball commenced
rolling upwards of eighteen hundred years ago, and it continues
rolling to this hour; yea, and it will never cease rolling till
every other man-made ball shall be either crushed or rolled up by
it, and until the sound of it shall be 'like the sound of many
waters, and as the voice of great thunder.'"

On the subject of organization the same writer continues,

Winebrenner was indisposed to begin the organization of churches.
The uniform testimony of his contemporaries is that he "had not
at the beginning the remotest idea of organizing a distinct or
separate body of people." But driven out of the pulpit by the
Reformed Church, ostracised and persecuted, he was led to a
closer personal investigation of church polity. He went to the
highest source for light. He applied himself with singleness of
purpose to the study of the Word of God. The result was a material
modification of his former views on ecclesiology. As he himself
testified later: "As the writer's views had by this time materially
changed as to the true nature of a Scriptural organization of
churches, he adopted the apostolic plan, as taught in the New
Testament, and established spiritual, free, and independent
churches, consisting of believers or Christians only, without any
human name or creed or ordinances or laws." The local church was
the unit. It possessed perfect autonomy. It was wholly independent
of every other unit. Each such unit "possesses in its organized
state," as Winebrenner expressed it in 1829, "sufficient power to
perform all acts of religious worship and everything relating to
ecclesiastic government and discipline. Every individual church is
strictly independent of all others as it respects religious worship
and the general government of its own affairs." Fellowship between
these "free and independent" units there would be, but no higher
organization was then recognized by Winebrenner which could limit
the powers of the local church. Each of these local organizations
would accept no human name, creed, nor ordinances; but would adopt
the divine name and creed and ordinances. In his broad platform he
saw a basis of the union of all Christians and churches. And so
the imperative duty of cultivating union between all believers was
strongly urged. These views prepared the way for Winebrenner to
fall in with the growing demand for local church organization. For
the multitudes of converts had "conceived the idea of, and began to
talk about, organizing themselves into churches founded on Bible
doctrines and principles even before Winebrenner had determined in
his own mind to do so."

Thus there were independent local churches organized in and around Harrisburg, which Winebrenner denominated simply Churches of God. Each assumed the name of "Church of God at ----." The members of these churches had equal rights, and elected and licensed men to preach.

ORGANIZATION OF ELDERSHIPS

There was as yet no common bonds, no general organization or directing authority. In order to effect this and adopt a regular system of cooperation, a meeting was held at Harrisburg in October, 1830, attended by six of the licensed ministers. Of this meeting Winebrenner writes, "Thus originated the Church of God, properly so called, in the United States of America, and thus also originated the first Eldership." This organized body assumed no other name than Eldership, though later the term General Eldership was used to distinguish this body from the eldership of the local church. The term General Eldership was, however, applied at first only to the presbyteries or Elderships of sections or States, which held their sessions annually. In October, 1844, Winebrenner proposed a General Eldership for the transaction of all business of a general nature affecting the various annual Elderships. It was provided that this General Eldership should hold its meetings triennially for the first twenty years and after that every five years. Thus we see that by this time Winebrenner's views of church government were still further modified.

The work continued to grow and spread to adjoining counties and to Maryland, western Pennsylvania, and Ohio, where Elderships were organized.

Each local church elects its own elders and deacons, who with the pastor constitute the church council and are the governing power, having charge of the admission of members and the general care of the church work. The churches within a given district are associated together for cooperation in general work. The pastors and other ordained ministers within a district, together with an equal number of lay members, constitute the Annual Eldership, which appoints the ministers of the various charges. Each local church votes for a pastor, but the Annual Eldership makes the appointments within its own boundaries. These Annual Elderships elect an equal number of ministerial and lay delegates, who constitute the General Eldership.

The Churches of God, as already stated, have no written creed but assume to accept the Word of God as their only rule of faith and practise. They hold the doctrine of the Trinity, believe in human depravity, the atonement of Christ, justification by faith, the resurrection, future punishment, and are, in general, orthodox. Through these articles of their faith, and the fact that they took the Scriptural name, Church of God, the followers of Winebrenner made their appeal to D. S. Warner. But they were lacking in some very important particulars, without which they could not possibly be, as was claimed, identical with the New Testament church. Winebrenner started out well, but on the subject of Holy Spirit organization and government he was not sufficiently illumined to avoid more or less of the human ecclesiastical authority which crept into the body of his followers and constituted them a sect. When holiness came they repudiated it, thereby revealing their position as outside the Holy Spirit control of believers. However, their teaching on the church question was correct as far as it went, and it took years of actual practise of obeying the lead of the Spirit to discover to Brother Warner and others the clash between the Holy Spirit rule and the rule of human authority.

V

FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY

Brother Warner had the right view of ministerial qualification. He realized that in order to succeed he must have the spiritual anointing, and that since it was God's work it was needful that he be in that divine relation by which it would be God in him accomplishing the result. He held education to be very useful and it was his endeavor throughout his life to add to his knowledge; but he regarded the spiritual qualification as paramount. He soon proved to be gifted as an evangelist and engaged much in evangelistic work.

Before proceeding far in active ministerial work he was married, on the 5th of September, 1867, to Tamzen Ann Kerr. It is probable that he became acquainted with this young woman while he was teaching school in the vicinity of her home, which was near West Unity, Williams County. She lived to enjoy his companionship and to share his labors only about four and one half years. Early in 1872 she gave birth to triplets, which lived only a few hours. Nor did the mother long survive the ordeal, as she died on May 26, after a succession of spasms. A family record in an old Bible shows also the birth of a son, on Dec. 29, 1868, but fails to record his death. Brother Warner refers to this son once in his diary.

He was granted a license by the West Ohio Eldership,[2] which met in its eleventh annual session at Findlay in October, 1867. His reference to this event in his diary is given in another part of this book. In this chapter as well as in some of the succeeding chapters, the copious extracts from Brother Warner's diary will give the reader a better understanding of his character, his temperament, his spirituality and devotion, and his work, than would description by another. Unfortunately these journal records for the first five years of his ministry (for it is assumed that he kept such records), which no doubt would be very interesting, are not available. All the information to be obtained covering this period is from those still living who had personal knowledge of the events, and from references to this period in his later records. In one of these he says he began traveling in 1868. In another he refers to having labored the first year in Hancock County, at Blanchard Bethel, in connection with Findlay.

During the first six years of his ministry his activities covered practically all of northwestern Ohio and a small portion of Indiana. Persons now living who were present in some of his revivals during this period state that they were remarkable for manifestations of God's power. Hard-hearted sinners, some of whom had not attended a meeting for years, would get under conviction and cry audibly for mercy. He ranked high as an evangelist--above the average of his day. In physical appearance he was slightly above average in height, rather slender and frail in build. His temperament was sanguine-nervous, eyes blue, hair brown--a fine sensitive organization. He wore a full beard, which in later years he kept shortly trimmed. He had the perfect bearing of a minister of the gospel, and his speech and conduct were fully consistent. His mentality was keen. His lungs were weak, but he wore well as a speaker. His voice was musical and possessed good carrying quality. One of his earliest revivals was held at New Washington, Crawford County, the home of his boyhood. He refers to it under date of Nov. 24, 1872, as follows:

This town had ever been abandoned to the mercies of Catholics,
Old Lutherans, and saloons, all of which were equally destructive
of all moral good. No protracted effort had ever been made in the
place. No conversions had ever been heard of. In the fall of 1870
I was put upon the Seneca circuit, of which New Washington was
nearly in the center, and knowing the debauchery and ignorance of
the people in general, I determined to lift up the standard of
King Immanuel in that place. Accordingly I settled in the place
and rented a vacant building that used to contain a drug store and
saloon. The owner had speculative motives, having asked quite a
dear rent for the room. But during the winter I and companion made
special prayer to God for his conversion.

The meeting was begun on the 17th of February, 1871. The night
before the owner slept not for deep conviction. As soon as I arose
in the morning he came to me in tears and confessed his sins and
asked my prayers. I directed him to look to Christ for immediate
pardon and deliverance. I gave him some of the great promises of
Christ. And there, standing in his own stable, he looked to Christ
and experienced a full pardon of all his sins. This settled the
rent for the house. The third night six came to the altar. The
meeting was attended with great power and produced a great stir
among the people, many of whom had never seen the like. Fifty-six
were converted, forty-six baptized, and forty-six fellowshiped into
the organization.

Among these converts were a number of his school-mates, old acquaintances, and neighbors. George Pratt, of Nappanee, Ind., an old schoolmate and a former resident of New Washington, makes this statement concerning this meeting: "The meeting was held in my father's drug-store building. Brother Warner held the meeting unaided. He stood there alone and preached while others threatened. There were bad elements that rose in opposition, the Lutheran being the worst and the Catholic next. My father protected him. It was a wonderful meeting and many were saved."

The earliest of his diary records so far available begin in November, 1872, as follows, when he was on the Seneca circuit and had his home with a Brother Wright, in Crawford County, Ohio:

=8.= Brother P. Wright brought me to Bucyrus. Staid all night
with Bro. J. G. Wirt. The Methodists had a festival. I and a few
members of the same church (who repudiated these follies and
inconsistencies) met for prayer and the Lord was with us. These
brethren were much dissatisfied with their church relation.

=9.= Left Bucyrus at 7 A. M. Reached Lima at nine. Stopped at the
Burnet House till 1:20 P. M. Wrote a letter to my brother and one
to brother-in-law, L. W. Guiss.

=10.= Sabbath. A. M., prayer-meeting at Brother Dague's, P. M.,
heard a Lutheran minister in Milton. Evening, preached from Isa.
28:16,17. I occupied the Presbyterian house. I preached here some
in the schoolhouse in 1868, the first year I traveled.

=11.= Took the train at 7:30 A. M. for Tontogany, with the design
of finding where God wishes me to labor as a missionary. 0 Lord,
guide thy servant to the place thou canst best use him! Walked
from Tontogany to Brother Hardee's. Evening, went to Evangelical
meeting. Brother W---- preached. Heard a great noise, but to
the congregation it appeared as a tinkling cymbal and sounding
brass, evidently having no effect. Nearly all blew loudly the horn
of sanctification but manifested little of its fruits, such as
travail of soul for the sinner and sympathy for the one soul at the
altar, to whom none gave a word of encouragement, but each in turn
arose and boasted of his holiness. Oh the delusions of Satan! How
manifold they are!

In the entry just quoted the reader will notice his prejudice, existing at that time, against the doctrine of holiness, or sanctification. How strange it seems to those who knew him afterward to be a whole-souled advocate of the doctrine of holiness, that he should thus speak! It was altogether a matter of light and understanding. His heart was consecrated and he certainly was not unacquainted with the Holy Spirit during his early ministry. But as a definite experience to be believed for and testified to, he knew nothing about sanctification as yet. Also, it is possible that in its advocates whom he had met thus far, the doctrine and experience had not been rightly represented.

It will be observed also from these quotations from his journal that he meant to stand, and believed he was standing, free from sectarianism. He had considerable light on the church question and spiritual Babylon.

The place referred to in the following entry was near Holland, Lucas County.

=13.= Visited Father and Brother John McNut and Brother Irvin.
Eve, preached in the brick schoolhouse, on Jas. 1:27. Here the
Church of God had long been slandered and persecuted, principally
by the United Brethren Church. One of the epithets they had for
years called us is, "Johnny Cake Church." Bro. Henry S. McNut
lives here nearly alone. He and his wife and their ancestors for
generations past belonged to the United Brethren, but in the fall
of 1870, after a hard spell of sickness in which he feared that
he should die and be lost for not obeying the truth, he came to
the West Ohio Eldership and received a license and began to preach
amidst a storm of persecution from the United Brethren Church. Even
his own companion, though an amiable woman, had been so poisoned
against the Church of God that she joined in to oppose him. But
he was firm and now commands the position. Every foe had fled and
all that truly fear God join in to encourage the truth. Some will
doubtless soon cut loose from sectarian bondage. Those that were
the bitterest enemies now confess that we are right and they are
wrong.

The Church of God, as we have seen, repudiated sectarianism, and the assumption by that church that it was the Scriptural one was a strong underlying principle. In some respects it held the correct idea of the Scriptural church. To some extent, therefore, Brother Warner's membership in that denomination afforded him light that naturally led to the full Scriptural standard which he afterward taught. His affiliation with that denomination in the first place was, as we have seen, because of a disposition to be Scripturally right on this point.

=14.= Brother McNut and I went to Toledo to look for a place in
which to open a mission in that city.

=15.= Walked nearly all day in search of a place to open a mission.
No success. May God soon open the way for the establishment of his
church in this place.

In his diary Brother Warner recorded something for each day. Every time he preached it was noted and numbered and the text was given. The Eldership required each minister to give a report of his work. It is not necessary to quote all the shorter entries and items from his diary, which are much the same and generally speak of his visiting some one, making some trip, reading, writing, preaching, praying, fasting, baptizing, etc. Only the more interesting items, or such as are the most representative, will be given.

=22.= Returned to Auburn. Meeting at Basswood still in progress.
The young men who made a start the last night I was there have
all found Jesus their Savior. Preached from Mal. 3:8. A deep
seriousness pervaded the minds of all. The feeling of that night
shall not soon be forgotten. It was as solemn as the grave. A
sensation of dark and fearful forebodings of some approaching
calamity ran through every mind. Bro. H. Caldwell arose and said
he had a matter revealed to him that he felt impressed to relate,
and that was that before tomorrow's sun should set some one in this
community would suddenly be killed. At his request we arose and
pledged ourselves to offer one more fervent prayer that night in
behalf of poor sinners.

=23.= Spent the day at home in reading, meditation and prayer.
Brother Jenner preached in the evening. I labored hard to bring
penitents to the altar. Three came out, two of whom were old
acquaintances of mine, for whom I had felt a deep interest. One
found peace.

After meeting was dismissed we heard that Ezekiel R----, an old
man eighty-two or eighty-three years of age, who lived one mile
and a quarter east of the schoolhouse, had that day been killed
by the cars in crossing the track at Shelby. I knew the man from
my boyhood; he bought out my father in that country in 1853. He
was very wealthy. God had blessed him with long life, prosperity,
and good health. But he had no thanks to offer to his divine
Benefactor, having set his whole heart upon the god of this world.
There was no place for Christ in his heart. He leaned toward
Universalism, because congenial to the carnal mind. He was filled
with skepticism and was always in the habit of speaking lightly
of preachers and professors of religion. I visited him twice
during the meeting at Auburn last winter and conversed with him
on the subject of religion. He acknowledged that there is one
thing in the Bible that caused him to study a good deal, and that
is the new birth, which he said, was perfectly dark to him. He
told of having once gone to hear one of the greatest champions of
Universalism preach on the subject. "But," said he, "I received no
light whatever." His case was a clear fulfilment of 1 John 2:11,
"Darkness hath blinded his eyes," and 2 Cor. 4:4, "The God of
this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not." He
had a very large development of brain, of which firmness was the
largest developed organ. What a pity that the devil perverted these
faculties!

I was informed that he was going that day to close a mortgage and
take a widow's farm from her. His last words to his wife, who
cautioned him to beware of the cars at the crossing, were, "I was
not made to be killed by the cars." This is like one who said to
his soul, "Thou hast much laid up for many days; eat, drink, and
be merry." But God said "Thou fool! this night shall thy soul be
required of thee." He said "I was not made to be killed by the
cars." But God said, "Thou fool! this day shalt thou be killed by
the cars." His brains were dashed out and strewn along the road.
His body was much mangled. But his poor soul has gone with all its
guilt to where another rich man opened his eyes in torment.

The entry for the 24th, which was Sunday, records his preaching a farewell sermon to the congregation at New Washington, and also his reference to the revival held there in February, 1871. He had had the care of the congregation there.

=25.= I and Bro. S. Kline came to Conlay's, near Annapolis,
Crawford County, Ohio, and began my first protracted effort in the
name of Christ. Preached from Psa. 85:6,7. A good interest was
manifested. Oh that God would visit the place in power, save many
precious souls, and raise up a people for his name!

=27.= Started early for Bucyrus on our way to the Standing
Committee at Rock Run. Took train at 10 A. M., arrived there
at noon. I was chosen to fill a vacancy on the committee. Upon
us devolved the solemn and responsible duty of trying and
dis-fellowshiping Elder L. E---- for immoral conduct. Oh, what a
pity! May the Lord have mercy upon him and help him to repent
and be restored to the confidence of the people. May he be saved
in the day of wrath. Oh, how careful the man of God, especially
the minister of the gospel, should conduct himself in this wicked
world! Lord, deliver us from temptation.

The meetings referred to in the next few entries were a protracted effort at the Conlay Bethel, near Annapolis, now called Sulphur Springs, Crawford County, Ohio.

=Dec. 4, 1872.= Visited a sick saint, J. McEntire, who has been
afflicted for many years. He was near his last. Oh, what a happy
soul. The night before he was almost gone. Said he, "I saw a convoy
of angels around my bed waiting to carry my spirit home. I thought
I was going home. Here I am yet lingering on the shores of time."
Then a brother came in, to whom he remarked, "Sister Polly has gone
home. I thought I would beat her, but I am left behind. All summer
I and Cousin Patrick and Aunt Polly have had a hard race, but they
have both crossed over and I am left to struggle on; but every gale
wafts my little ship nearer the shining shore." "Oh!" said he, "It
is all bright ahead, not a cloud do I see." After a little rest
he remarked, "Oh! Brother, I know that my spirit will not go down
into forgetfulness until the resurrection; but I am going to Jesus,
which is far better. Oh, how sweet the name of Jesus!" I spent the
day with this brother, sang and prayed with him. Eve, preached from
Acts 3:19.

=9.= Spent the day in fasting and in much wrestling and prayer for
poor souls under the guilt of sin. Preached from Luke 13:6-9. One
young lady came to the altar.

=10.= Under much discouragement during the day. Evening, while
singing the opening hymn I was greatly refreshed at the coming in
of Bro. William Burchard, from Auburn, who was converted under my
labors and baptized by me last winter. He was a very wild, wicked
man, but has become a model of piety and earnest devotion. He has
a brilliant intellect and has already made great proficiency in
preaching. Thank God for such men of holy zeal. He being tired
with the walk of eleven miles, I preached, from Ezek. 33:11. The
penitent of the previous night came out and soon the good news went
to heaven that another soul was saved by grace. It was a glorious
meeting. One sister shouted. I got a great victory and was very
happy. Likewise testified the convert and all the rest who spoke.

=17.= Good day meeting. Rebuked a boy for trying to pollute the
house of God by spitting tobacco juice and quids on the floor.
I said nothing to him, knowing that I should be insulted in
return. But being filled with the Spirit I tried to encourage the
three little mourners (girls who had come to the altar) and then
addressed the brethren upon the importance of laboring for the
early conversion of children, stating that it is enough to make
the angels in heaven weep to see how the devil is leading even the
children to wallow in sin and "glory in their shame." "Now, look
at that poor boy," said I, pointing to him. "Ever since he came in
here he has been doing his best to defile the house of God with his
filthy tobacco. It was once said that 'He that doeth evil cometh
not to the light lest his deeds be reproved,' but the devil has so
polluted poor souls that even children in broad day-light do not
blush to do such evil and dirty work for the devil as that. Christ
said, 'That which cometh out of the mouth defileth the heart.' How
defiled that heart must be, all that stench having come out of his
mouth! A few nights ago a dog was accidentally shut in here and
remained until the next evening, but did not pollute the house one
half as much as that boy has done in half an hour." At this he
grabbed his hat and, "being convicted in his own conscience, went
out." God pity that boy and help older people to take a hint.

=18.= A. M., wrote most of the time. P. M., visited Brother
McEntire. Found him much cast down and depressed, being overanxious
to be absent from the body, in which 'tabernacle we groan, being
burdened.' I told him that he ought to wait patiently till his
"change cometh," knowing when he got home once he would have long
time to stay there, even through all eternity; and the longer he
should be tossed about upon the dark and tempestuous sea of this
troublesome life the greater would be his joy when at last he
should land in the peaceful harbor of the great city of God. After
reading and singing and praying with him, he had great peace and
perfect resignation to God.

=25.= Another Christmas is here. O thou Child of Bethlehem, may we
this day bring the offering of a grateful heart! May every tongue
on earth and all the angels in heaven join together to spread the
glory of Jesus' name! Dear Lord, we thank thee for the unspeakable
gift of thy Son to man. Oh, may every heart prepare him room! Dear
Savior, draw poor sinners to thee. Show them thy bleeding hands,
temples, and side. Oh that the star of hope would this day guide
many poor wandering souls to thee!

=28.= Came to the place of meeting. Distance thirteen miles.
Schoolhouse was full. Good attention. Went to Solomon B----'s, an
infidel. Talked till twelve at night.

=29.= Sabbath. Talked with Mr. B. until 10:30 A. M. He is a very
smart man. Has his excellent memory stored with the writings of
almost every wretch that ever dared to attack God and his holy
religion. He is one of the best readers I ever met. What a pity
that this noble intellect should be so basely employed! His horrid
utterances are enough to chill the blood and heart of man and cause
the angels of heaven to weep. He claims to be "a smarter man than
Christ." "The devil is a gentleman compared with God." "Your God
is not fit to be worshiped by a dog." "All professors are either
hypocrites or fools." Oh, that God would pity that poor wretch who
in the blindness of his depraved heart dares to rush with violence
upon the Almighty!

=30.= Spent the day in reading, writing, and prayer, at Brother
Conlay's. Eve, preached from Rom. 2:4. Good congregation. Saw some
omens of good.

=31.= This is the last day of another year. How swift the years
roll around and each brings us nearer eternity! Lord, help us to
redeem the time and so "number our days, that we may apply our
hearts unto wisdom," that at last it may not be said of us that
"we spend our years as a tale that is told." Oh that each hour of
my short life may bring some good account at last, when life's
conflict is o'er! Great and many have been the changes of the last
year. Yea,

"What countless millions of mankind
Have left this fleeting world!
They're gone, but where? oh, pause and see,
Gone to a long eternity!"

One there was, the dearest of my earthly friends, who a year ago
stood by my side, the joy of my life, the sweet, innocent object
of my fervent love. But she is gone, that dear companion upon
whose rosy cheek and harmless lips I used to impress the kiss of
burning, never-dying love. O Tamzen! thy heart and life, as pure
as the white and fleecy snow that this morning covers thy peaceful
resting-place, has reared an everlasting monument in the hearts of
all that knew thee on earth.

I have now seen thirty years pass into eternity. Not quite eight
years have been devoted to God. The year has been one of God's
goodness to me, notwithstanding the loss of my blessed wife, which
is her gain and God's glory, and therefore I am willing to travel
on a lone pilgrim in search of souls for Jesus' sake.

'Twas very stormy. Wrote and read. Preached from Psa. 90:9, "We
spend our years as a tale that is told." Tried to show the folly of
living in sin.

=Jan, 1, 1873.= This is the first day of the year. O my soul, set
out afresh for heaven! Lord help me to spend the year all to thy
glory if we live to the end. But if it is said of me, "This year
thou shall die," may I be ready to enter into rest.

=7.= Preached from Rom. 6:1. Told my dream, the subject of which I
thought was in the way of a score of souls.

=8.= Fasted today. Very solemn meeting at Brother Crim's. All wept
for poor sinners. O Lord, hear the prayers and groans and bottle up
the tears of thy children and bring thy salvation nigh! Preached
from Heb. 2:3. The meeting has received a great backset. I fear the
whole work is killed. Before I came here I had a peculiar dream in
which I saw a face that was strange to me. There was much confusion
in those features, as in the midst of a council it stood out
conspicuous, and there was something in the position of the person
that pierced my heart. Last night I announced that I had recognized
these features since I came here. Mr. B., the infidel, arose and
asked whether he were the man. I said no. Tonight Esq. K., a poor
blind Lutheran, came to meeting, and before I closed he arose and
enquired if he were the man. While I was talking, I was powerfully
baptized by the Spirit of God and replied, "Thou art the man." He
was daunted, but stammered out a denial; but before I had time to
ask a question he confessed that he had forbidden his family to
come out to the altar. They are five young men and one daughter,
three of them were under deep conviction and others serious. One
of the boys is married and his wife and all their associates were
serious and some anxious to come out, but all were prevented from
coming to Christ by this poor wretch, whose form of religion fitted
him to do this work for the devil.

In this attack I realized the fulfilment of the promise of Christ.
'In that same hour it shall be given you what ye shall answer, for
it shall not be you but the Spirit that speaketh.' I warned him of
the fearful account he would have to give at the judgment-bar of
God.

=9.= Meeting at Samuel Shell's. We were all cast down and felt the
Spirit of God had been grieved out of the community. Eve, preached
from Jer. 28:16. Gave a farewell address and closed the meeting
because, first, the work was so stagnated that nothing could be
expected to be accomplished without a longer effort than I could
devote to the place and, second, because it was highly probable
that as soon as the work should break out again Satan would stir
up trouble again from some source. I gained many warm friends and
sowed seed which I trust will bring fruit to God. Some of the young
men that desired religion I think will not give up the struggle.
They sent me some money and word that if I would hold a meeting
somewhere in reach that they would attend and seek religion, but
there they had not the heart to come out.

=25.= Visited Brother and Sister Chapman. She is an excellent
saint. Found her much afflicted. Brother C. had for many years been
a skeptic and Universalist, but a year ago he came out at a meeting
held by Bro. T. James and me. He is a faithful brother. A neighbor
of his by name of L----, who was the means of breaking up the
fore-mentioned meeting, dropped dead in his tracks a few months ago.

=Feb. 28, 1873.= Good day meeting at Brother McClintock's. [near
Larue, Marion County]. Eve, preached from Eph. 2:2. Four came
to the altar and were blessed, one of whom had been an avowed
Universalist. Others doubtless would have come out but the house
was so densely filled that we could not crowd the people back to
get more room for penitents.

=Mar. 1, 1873.= Spent the day at Mother Melvin's. Wrote an article
for the Advocate. Brother Burchard preached. Four at the altar. All
were blessed, I think. House crowded and many outside.

=2.= Sabbath. Speaking at ten. Preached on Church of God, Acts
20:28. Eve, the house was packed and all the windows were crowded
on the outside. Preached, Jer. 13:16. By hard work we got a little
space at the altar and four presented themselves for prayer.

=5.= Meeting at Brother Deen's. Fellowshiped twelve. P. M., because
of the immense crowd that thronged the schoolhouse we divided the
meeting. I preached at Windfall, from Job 22:15-17. Several rose
for prayers. Brother Burchard preached at the Ellen Schoolhouse,
one and one half miles north.

=9.= Sabbath. Brother Small and I went to the Shertzer Schoolhouse,
where he preached at 11 A. M. on church matters, after which we
received in fellowship eleven members, most by letter from the
Methodist Episcopal and Presbyterian Churches. After taking a hasty
dinner we mounted our steeds and rode four miles, partly through a
woods, in the midst of a rain and severe storm. Reached Windfall at
2:30 P. M. Eve, preached on Acts 26:18. One at the altar.

=10.= Prepared a dam to baptize. Eve, Num. 10:28.

=11.= A. M., preached on sisters' right to speak and pray in
meeting, after which we had a speaking-meeting. Fellowshiped
fourteen members. House crowded and many on the outside. One
brother who was always opposed to women's speaking arose and
confessed his error. We then proceeded to the water, where I
baptized twenty-two converts in eleven minutes. It was a glorious
and beautiful baptismal service. All came out shouting and praising
God. Eve, preached on Luke 13:6-9. Several rose for prayers, some
of whom were old in sin. We had a speaking-meeting. All that had
been immersed said that it had been a happy day for them and
that they had turned a new and brighter page in the history of
their pilgrimage. Oh how good it is to obey God! A good part of
the number had been sprinkled, some after making a profession of
religion in adult years. Great God, what a pity that the world is
cursed by an unholy sectarian ministry "who teach for doctrine the
commandments of men!"

=12.= Eve, preached on barren fig-tree. Matt. 21:18-22. Four came
to the altar, one blessed. Went home with Mr. William Riser, who
brought a horse for me to ride. It was a beautiful light night, and
a ride of some two miles winding through the woods was somewhat
pleasant. Did not retire until twelve o'clock.

=13.= This morning I spent an hour rambling far out in the dense,
rolling forest to breath the pure air and to hold communion with
my God. At ten William Riser's house was filled with brethren and
sisters. We had a glorious meeting. All were happy, many shouted.
It was something very strange to have a meeting in this house. All
remarked that it was something they had never expected to see. Mr.
R. is a man of nearly fifty years and a great sinner. His wife has
been converted and I think the Lord is striving with his heart and
his brother's, who is still older. Oh that God would raise them up
as monuments of his mercy! Eve, Luke 19:10. Two at the altar.

=14.= A. M., meeting at schoolhouse. P. M., just before preaching
I met with a few brethren who had been at variance, and helped to
form a reconciliation, which was a perfect success. Preached on
Matt. 22:21.

=16.= Sabbath. Preached one and three fourths hours on Ezek.
43:10,11, after which we fellowshiped and then baptized three. Eve,
Brother Crawford, Baptist minister preached. Closed the meeting.
Result, thirty-five converted, twenty-five immersed, church formed
of thirty-three members. Expect more additions soon.

=20.= Eve, met the church at Windfall. Decided to build a
meeting-house. Preached on church officers. Elders and deacons
elected.

=Apr. 3, 1873.= Came to New Haven [Huron County]. Eve, met a number
of my dear spiritual children in prayer-meeting. Had a good time
and they exhorted me to meet them in heaven.

=4.= Beautiful day. How bright the sun shines! How the heart is
gladdened at the return of warm and sunny days after such a long
and hard winter as we have passed through! Oh, how I appreciate
the Savior's beautiful metaphor in the Song of Solomon, where the
present state of the church is represented by the winter with its
dark clouds and howling winds, fierce with cold and hunger and
hardship! But glory to God, the spring will come; already the
fig-tree is putting forth her leaves, the turtle dove is heard
in the land, and soon we shall hear the voice of the bridegroom
calling, "Rise up, my beloved, my fair one, and come away; for the
winter is past, and behold, thy beloved has come for thee." What a
happy time that will be when, rising from the grave, we shall meet
our dear friends and our Savior!

I am writing these lines in the beautiful cemetery near New Haven,
Ohio. Before me is the little mound which shows the resting-place
of my three little infants who a little over a year ago passed in
a few hours through this vale of tears, and their little spirits
are forever at rest with Jesus; and in one little box their bodies
await the Savior's coming. What a glorious morning when all these
graves shall burst open and the bodies shall come forth! they that
have done good to the resurrection of life and glory, and they that
have done evil to the resurrection of shame. Oh, may I be among the
former class! Lord, make me a good man and keep me pure in heart.
Farewell, sacred spot. Farewell, little tomb, with thy three-fold
treasure.

=16.= Went to Bryan [Williams County] and ordered a tombstone for
my wife's grave. The one selected cost fifty dollars, has a Bible
lying on it, and I gave the following epitaph:

How sweet and pure in social life,
As daughter, sister, friend, and wife!
Now done with cares below the sun,
She shines before the snow-white throne.

=18.= Came home. Found Father and Mother and Brother well.

=23.= Commenced an editorial on Islamism.

=24.= Wrote and studied phrenology alternately.

=26.= Sent my article on Islamism. Brother Cassel and other
preachers in Illinois send an urgent invitation for me to come to
that State.

=27.= Sabbath. Preached today from 2 Pet. 1:10 in the Cogswell
Schoolhouse [near his father's home], where I made my first
effort to preach the gospel, on Easter night, 1867. 'Twas in a
Methodist Episcopal protracted meeting. The text was Acts 3:18.
Never preached there since. In those six years I have preached
all over northwest Ohio and some in two counties in Indiana, in
all 1241 sermons. The number of converts 508, about the same
number fellowshiped, some less baptized. Thanks be to God for his
blessings and his presence! Though always of weak lungs, thought
oft to be consumptive, yet my health has been better since in the
ministry than ever before. Bless God for his goodness! I have never
missed but one appointment on account of health. The years have
swiftly passed, but, thank the Lord, I have enjoyed great peace and
many rich blessings from the Lord.

=May 13, 1873.= Visited Tamzen's grave. Disappointed in not finding
the monument up. Visited D. W. Dustin, one of my scholars. Exhorted
him to give his heart to Christ.

=15.= Prepared a sermon on the evidence of the divine origin of the
Bible.

=16.= Argument with Mr. Butler on the soul.

He attended, from the 21st to the 23rd, the meeting of the Board of Missions. He does not indicate where this meeting was held, but says in connection that he "preached in the Smithville Bethel" and "had very poor liberty, owing perhaps to the presence of many eastern ministers." It was at this meeting of the Board of Missions that he received his appointment to the mission in Nebraska, of which he thus speaks:

=23.= Beautiful day. Business finished up at 5 P. M. Brother Small
was appointed to Chicago, I to Seward mission, Nebraska. Again I
lay all upon the altar of God. It is very hard for me to leave my
dearly beloved brethren of West Ohio. Thank God, for the great Head
of the church is with them and his cause is greatly prospering
here, and I must go help the cause in the far West. We parted with
tears and many farewells.

=24.= Brother Small and I took train at 7:14 A. M., he for Marion,
I for Larue, which I reached at 12 M. Received a letter from my
beloved brother Sol. Kline. All our dear spiritual children are
yet doing well on Seneca circuit. Wrote two letters. Preached at
Windfall, 2 Pet. 1:13. Great row after meeting.

=28.= These days I have been low spirited and much cast down. It
is the first anniversary of the death and burial of my blessed
companion. How lonely I feel! My bereavement comes with all its
weight upon me. Lord, be thou my comforter in all my loneliness.
In eve, preached in Larue on the Church of God. Text, Eph. 1:10. I
treated it as follows:

1. Notice the purpose of God.
2. "One" church.
3. Extent--heaven and earth.
4. Provisions for oneness:
(a) One church typified.
(b) One, bought, sanctified, made, built.
(c) One faith.
(d) One spirit to animate it.
(e) One head, Christ.
(f) One name, Church of God.
(g) One law to govern it.
5. Standard of oneness--"As I and the Father are one."
6. Time of this oneness.
7. To be visible, "That the world may believe," etc.
8. Object of oneness.
9. Apostasy and restoration of the church.
10. Illustrations:
(a) Paths, Jer. 6:16.
(b) River.
(c) House.
(d) Corner stone.

The Lord gave me great liberty and boldness. Thank his holy name!

=29.= Staid last night with Bro. L. Orr. Sister O. is afflicted;
prayed to the Lord for her recovery. Preached in Larue, eve, Ezek.
43:10,11.

=30.= It had been announced in the Larue Citizen that I would speak
on the Church of God. This brought out quite a large congregation.
Both nights I spoke plainly and boldly against the evil of
sectarianism and other abominations. Many were ill at ease. Some
preachers were present. The Lord gave me good liberty. Last night I
diagramed my subject with chalk upon the blackboard. 2 P. M., took
train for Pentecost meeting at Pleasant Hill.

Brother Warner became a strong exponent of the prophecies. Note his reference to some reform near at hand. This meeting was held at West Auburn, Crawford County, after his return from Pleasant Hill.

=June 8, 1873.= Sabbath. Thank God for life and health and this
beautiful day! Behold the throngs pressing toward the house of God!
Speaking-meeting was to begin at half past nine. Ere the time the
house was filled. Others kept coming in continually, much to the
detriment of the interest of the meeting. After all were seated
that could be and the aisles were filled, there were numbers yet
without. The house had been purchased by the Church of God from the
Methodist Episcopal Church and repaired in good style. At eleven,
preaching began. Text, Haggai 2:9, "The glory of this latter house
shall be greater than the former, saith the Lord of hosts."...

I then took up the text used in the forenoon and showed that the
destruction of the Temple and the Babylon captivity typified the
dark age. The different attempts to rebuild typified the different
reformations. Its final completion, i. e., all the so-called
churches arising in and growing out of the Dark Age, including
the sects, in which are many of God's people, who are, however,
commanded of God to "come out of her." Further showed that
according to the type and other Scriptures the church of God must
arise to a glory excelling that of the first age, and that, owing
to the fact that the world is near its end (of which we gave some
Scripture evidence), some great revolution must be near at hand to
bring about this prophesied glory of the church.

Some remarks were made on the ordinances, after which we engaged
in the ordinances. Had a glorious time. A great many brethren and
sisters were present to engage in following the Lord. Oh how I love
those dear people! What a host of true hearts! God bless them.

=14.= Traveled by buggy to the grove-meeting at Windfall, four
miles south of Larue. Brother Burchard preached an excellent sermon.

=17.= Received letters from Brother Bolton requesting me to come
soon to my mission [in Nebraska] and one from Brother Shoemaker
requesting me to stop and preach over Sabbath in Chicago.

=19.= Wrote out the record of the Church of God at New Washington.
Eve, preached at Union. Here the church have a peculiar attachment
to me. All wept much at my departure. A more true and faithful band
is hard to find. God bless them. They are very dear to me. About
half of the church are my converts.

=20.= Visited Brother E---- and Sister P----. They embraced
religion under my labors, and I joined them in marriage. Came home
and packed for my journey.