Chapter X: Part 10

Every step the sinner takes in his return to God, and every step the Christian takes in his walk with God, must be in spirit and truth. Repentance is heartfelt hatred of sin. Faith is a loving acceptance of Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. This confession includes all the ordinances of God's house, which is the church of the living God. How men can think, as many seem to think, that they can confess Christ in spirit and truth, and at the same time reject the chief means by which Christ intends this confession to be made public, I can not see. Baptism, or the immersion of the body in water by a proper administrator, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is either laid aside entirely, or argued out of form, or very lightly regarded. The ordinance of feet-washing, the salutation of the kiss, and the Lord's Supper are entirely cast away. In love I say all this, because I burn with desire to see the Truth accepted in the love of it and obeyed from the heart. When man does this, like little Samuel of old, he responds to the call of the Father who seeketh such to worship him.

WEDNESDAY, December 31. In the year that is just closing, I have traveled 3,578 miles. This I have done mostly on horseback. I have done what I could for God and humanity. I hope that when I come to die I may not have cause for deep regrets, or to mourn over a misspent life. I hope to lay my body down in peace, in the bright hope of a glorious waking up at the call of my Lord.

THURSDAY, January 8, 1846. Go to Christian Shoemaker's in the Gap and perform the marriage ceremony of John C. Miller and Deborah Shoemaker. Stay all night at Ely Spitzer's.

THURSDAY, January 15. Write a letter to Henry Kurtz, and one to George Hoke.

TUESDAY, February 17. Make an amicable adjustment of complicated business matters between the widow Judith Detrick and Abraham Detrick. It is pleasant to straighten between members of our body business matters which present a somewhat crooked and tangled appearance, when all the parties are willing to have things adjusted through the mediation of disinterested Brethren. How much better this than to go to law! The tendency of private adjustments by arbitration is to heal over breaches of friendship and love between members; but going to law before the world is almost sure to widen them. I am glad to be able to add, here, that I say this, not from any experience with law that I have ever had in my own case, or in that of any of the Brethren; but I speak it from what I have observed in others who have gone to law.

THURSDAY, February 26. Go to David Kline's and perform the marriage ceremony of Abraham Neff and Elizabeth Kline.

TUESDAY, March 3. Perform the marriage ceremony of Josiah Sowder and Elizabeth Dove.

SATURDAY, March 21. Abraham Knopp and I go to Lost River. Stay all night at Jacob Motz's.

SUNDAY, March 22. Meeting at the Lost River meetinghouse. Luke 24 is read. Come to Abel Dove's and perform two marriage ceremonies; one for Isaac Whetzel and Catharine Dove; the other for Michael Myers and Julia Ann Dove. Stay all night.

SUNDAY, April 5. Meeting at the Flat Rock. John 6 is read. Brethren sent out on the yearly visit. I and Jacob Wine go together. We stay all night at the widow Cherryholms's in Brock's Gap.

TUESDAY, April 7. We get through with the visit. The members generally expressed themselves as being in sympathy and full fellowship with the church. We hope they told the truth.

WEDNESDAY, April 8. Council meeting at the Flat Rock. Jacob Wine is elected speaker. He gives promise of becoming an able and active worker in the vineyard of the Lord.

FRIDAY, April 10. Council meeting in the Brush meetinghouse. Joseph Miller, son of Daniel Miller, is elected speaker. John Wine, son of Samuel Wine in the Brush, and John Miller, are elected to the deaconship.

SATURDAY, April 11. Council meeting in the old Garber meetinghouse. Solomon Garber is elected speaker. He likewise gives promise of becoming a very useful man in his calling. Surely the Lord has established a beautiful order in his house. "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven." When the church fairly chooses a brother to any office or service, to the ministry of the Word or to attend to the temporal duties connected with keeping the Lord's house according to order, he need no longer question as to whether the Lord has called him or not. The Lord uses the church to show his will in these things. "Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." I was once very much impressed with the answer a beloved brother gave in the presence of some three or four others, just outside the meetinghouse, after an election had been held just about an hour before. The church had voted for two, only one of whom was needed. The vote had been so nearly a tie that the brother elected had a majority of but one. Some one asked: "Are we to infer from this that the Lord wanted both of these brethren elected?" The brother above referred to answered promptly, "No, he only wanted to show that both were fit for the place."

Michael Flory and Samuel Long are elected to the deaconship.

FRIDAY, April 17. Go on the visit in the Cove, in company of Jacob Mathias.

SATURDAY, April 18. Finish the visit in time to have council meeting in the Lost River meetinghouse. In all my visiting this spring but very little complaint or dissatisfaction has been laid. Our council meetings, too, have been harmonious. The members generally show a heartfelt will to live in the church, to be built up in the church, and to help to build up the church so long as the church keeps house according to God's order.

MONDAY, April 20. Get home in the night. Go right on to John Zigler's. Catharine is very sick. She dies at 4 o'clock in the morning.

WEDNESDAY, April 22. Catharine Zigler is buried to-day.

FRIDAY, April 24. Jacob Wine, Joseph Miller and I go to Forrer's furnace in Page County, Virginia, and have night meeting. Jacob Wine speaks from John 1:29. He prefers the German language. He makes a right good stagger even in English for a beginner, but he will need much practice before he can use this language with much freedom. But it is not by the might nor the power of man that souls are saved, but by the might and power of the Lord working with man.

SATURDAY, April 25. Dine at Isaac Spitler's, and stay all night at John Huffman's, both in Page County.

FRIDAY, May 8. Go to Brother John Harshbarger's on my way to Albemarle.

SATURDAY, May 9. He and I go to the Ferry on the Shenandoah river, but finding the river too high to ferry in a horse boat, we go around by the bridge, and get to Brother Coverston's in the night.

SUNDAY, May 10. Meeting at Brother Coverston's. Matthew 7 is read. "The Strait Gate" is the subject.

MONDAY, May 11. Dine at John Conrad's, and come across the mountains by a _desperate path_, home; thirty-eight miles. The path by which we came to-day is almost or quite as steep in places as stairsteps, and very rough from large stones in its bed, with others projecting into it on either side. Brother John was in front of me slowly leading his horse down one of the very steep places, when his saddlebags slid out of the saddle down over the horse's neck and fell on his arm. He pleasantly looked back at me saying in a very cheerful way, "It looks as if my baggage wants to go ahead of the horse that carries it."

WEDNESDAY, May 13. Love feast at our meetinghouse. Five persons baptized. Brethren John Bowman, from Franklin County, and John Barnhardt are with us. They are this far on their way to the Annual Meeting.

FRIDAY, May 15. Start to Pennsylvania.

SATURDAY, May 16. Through Winchester, Virginia; Opequon past fording, go round by the bridge, and stay all night at Smithfield.

SUNDAY, May 17. Through Charlestown, by Harper's Ferry and Fredericktown, on to Daniel Bowers's, where we stay all night.

MONDAY, May 18. Get to Uncle John Garber's, where we stay all night.

TUESDAY, May 19. Spend day in visiting Henry Beecher's, Widow Deahl's, William Deahl's, and get back to Uncle John Garber's.

WEDNESDAY, May 20. Visit John Pfoutz's, Jacob Saylor's and Solomon Garber's, where we stay all night.

THURSDAY, May 21. Get to Brother George Deardorf's, where we stay all night.

FRIDAY, May 22. Get to Brother Balsbaugh's, beyond Harrisburg.

SATURDAY, May 23. Meeting and love feast at Brother Balsbaugh's. Seven persons baptized to-day.

SUNDAY, May 24. Visit George Copp's, Joseph Long's, Christian Gipe's, and stay all night at Abraham Gipe's. In all my visits I make it a point not to leave a house without making an effort to speak on the subject of religion, and say something that may leave an impression for good.

MONDAY, May 25. Meeting. Acts 10 is read. Visit Brother Shank's, and stay all night at David Zug's.

TUESDAY, May 26. Meeting. Romans 6 is read. Visit George Fesler's, Michael Fesler's, and stay all night at Benjamin Landis's.

WEDNESDAY, May 27. Visit Daniel Zug's and several other families; and at 11 o'clock meeting begins preparatory to love feast this evening. First Peter 1 is read. Stay all night at Brother Minick's.

THURSDAY, May 28. Meeting at 11 o'clock. John 5 is read. In afternoon visit John Royer's, and stay all night at George Keller's.

FRIDAY, May 29. Yearly Meeting begins. Many brethren and sisters present.

SATURDAY, May 30. The Yearly Council closes at noon. Much love and union exists in the Brotherhood. Public meeting this afternoon, and love feast to-night. Much spiritual joy is manifested by the singing of hymns and the offering of prayers. May our heavenly Father grant that the same love and union may continue with us to the end of the world. Our Yearly Meetings will continue to do much good so long as they show to the world our love for one another. "Hereby shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love for one another."

From this meeting Brother Kline set his face homeward, but on the way he managed to attend six appointments for preaching, and two love feasts besides. In tracing his course on his journeys, and noting the amount of active service he performed in the way of preaching and visiting, one is forcibly impressed with the proofs he gives of the order and system that must have characterized and attended his labors. Not unfrequently he has one or two appointments ahead for every day in the week; and with only a very few exceptions in the whole course of his life, and they were on account of sickness, he never failed to meet the congregations that were looking for him. Soon after getting home from this journey he attended to gathering the grass and grain harvests on his own farm. He reports twenty-eight tons of hay made this year. He likewise had a tolerably large wheat harvest. About the eighteenth of June heavy rains set in, and they continued to fall at intervals of only a day or two apart for the next six or seven weeks. The Diary reports a very heavy rain on Sunday, June 28. From this time on for the next six days it reports a flooding rain every day, and very high waters. The grain suffered very much on account of continued wet weather for many days following. This has ever since been known as "the wet harvest." Much of the wheat sprouted in the head before it could be cut; and much of what stood in shocks suffered in the same way. The Diary for July 15 says: "We finished hauling in our grain to-day, some of which had stood in shocks over three weeks. Such extraordinary seasons come along once in a while; but I do imagine it will be a good while in the future before people can generally say, 'I never saw such a wet harvest as this,' alluding to the one they may then be passing through."

Between this time and the first day of August, Brother Kline went on another tour to the county of Hardy, in which he attended several meetings; baptized Rebecca, wife of Elijah Judy, on Saturday, July 11; and performed the marriage ceremony of George Runion and Susan Aubrey, on the thirteenth.

SUNDAY, July 26. Meeting at Jacob Whetzel's. Matthew 24 is read. I baptized Jacob Pope and his wife.

SUNDAY, August 2. Meeting at our meetinghouse. Samuel Kline and Samuel Roller and his wife are baptized.

MONDAY, August 10. This day Brother Kline started on a journey to Ohio, in company with George Hoover, Joseph Miller, Katy Hoover and Benjamin Wampler. They went in two carriages across the western part of the State of Virginia (now West Virginia) into Pennsylvania, and through the western part of that State into Ohio. As this trip was made specially memorable by a very severe spell of sickness which Brother Kline passed through while making it, as well as by the sad effect it had upon his beloved wife, Anna, at home, the editor will be very particular in giving, from the Diary, all the points of interest connected with it.

The second day they crossed the South Branch mountain by what is called the Howard's Lick road. The view from the top of this is perhaps unsurpassed by any point in the entire range. A very large part of Hardy County, with its magnificent streams and rich bottoms, is visible to the eye. The town of Moorefield from this view reminds one of a child sleeping in its cradle.

Brother Kline, as usual, had a line of appointments for meetings by the way, and he met them as regularly and timely as a train of cars gets to its destined stations. He must have had the name and address of almost every prominent member in the denomination, and they must have had implicit confidence in his word; for the Diary nowhere intimates that he was ever disappointed by not finding the expected congregation when the weather permitted. Nothing of any special interest occurred until the night of Saturday, August 15, at which time we find the company at Colley's tavern in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. At this place Brother Kline complains of being sick. He takes some medicine and is able again to travel on through the next three days, and fill one appointment. But on

WEDNESDAY, August 19, there is an appointment in waiting for him which he cannot attend. He says: "I am sick. Cannot go." Bowling Green was the place. He is now at John Shelly's. Notwithstanding his illness, he, with the company, traveled thirty-one miles the next day; and the day after attended a love feast at Brother Daniel Wise's.

His next appointment was at Brother Shively's. He requests George Hoover and Joseph Miller to go on to that place, while he remains at Brother Wise's with Benjamin Wampler and Katy Hoover. He says again: "I am sick." On the evening of

SUNDAY, August 23, we find him at Brother Hershey's, near Lewistown. He says in the entry for that evening: "I am still sick. Take more medicine to-night." On

MONDAY, August 24, he sent for Dr. Jacob Myers, who gave him a course of medical treatment. The doctor came again the next day, and gave him another course of treatment. He says: "I took another emetic of lobelia to-day, and perspired freely." If lobelia is the poisonous drug that some seem to think it is, we can hardly account for the improvement which Brother Kline reports to have experienced in his feelings, following every administration of it. For on the next day,

WEDNESDAY, August 26, he says: "I feel some better to-day; so much so that I write my will."

THURSDAY, August 27. His own words: "Start again, and pass through Canton, Massillon, Brookfield, Greeneville, Dover, and on to Brother Jacob Kurtz's, where we stay all night." 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 came. It makes one think of Paul, who could even be stoned until he was thought to be dead, and next day be found preaching again. But the crisis with Brother Kline came at last. The entry in the Diary for

FRIDAY, August 28, says: "To-day Brother Hoover and Brother Miller, at my request, leave me; Brother Wampler and Sister Katy remain with me. What a precious thing love is! My dear Brethren have not only staid with me day and night, but they have constantly watched for opportunities to minister to my comfort or necessities. The Lord reward them abundantly in this life and the next: and bless them at the meetings which I now feel I cannot attend. Dr. Overholtz comes at my request and gives me medicine."

SATURDAY, August 29. Suffer extremely, but not quite so much as last night. I now feel as if I were just on a balance between life and death: almost gone.

SUNDAY, August 30. Dr. Overholtz comes again and gives me another course of medicines. I am slightly relieved, but still suffer very much. The Doctor reports fever not as high as yesterday.

MONDAY, August 31. Rest to-day, but am very weak.

TUESDAY, September 1. Doctor does not come to-day.

For some days past the Diary has been kept in a strange hand. Some kind but intelligent friend has made the daily records in perfect imitation of Brother Kline's unaffected style and manner.

SATURDAY, September 5. The Doctor is here, but does not give me medicine. I write a letter home.

This letter created overwhelming distress in the mind of Anna, Brother Kline's wife. She had heard about his illness prior to this time; but when she read this letter her mind seemed to give way, and when Brother Kline got back home he found her very ill, both in body and mind. They told him at home that when she read the letter all hope of ever seeing him again vanished, and the shock was more than her sensitive nature could bear. It is very sad to relate, but true, that she never again seemed fairly to realize his being in her presence. His kindness to her was shown in unremitting attentions, to the day of his death; and I am persuaded that few men could be found to bear such a dire calamity with so much patience and resignation.

There were no entries made in the Diary from September 1, to the fifth. He must have been very sick indeed, during the three days that are omitted.

SATURDAY, September 6. He says: Brother Samuel Buck gives me a course of medicine; it works well. Fever entirely broken. Have some appetite. Begin to mend.

MONDAY, 7. To-day I have rest. Eat some toast bread.

TUESDAY, 8. Still continue to mend, but somewhat slowly.

WEDNESDAY, 9. Take another course of medicines.

THURSDAY, 10. Feel very much better. Can be up some.

FRIDAY, 11. Still mending.

SATURDAY, 12. Doing well. Write a letter home, and one to William Lupton.

SUNDAY, 13. Still continue to do well.

MONDAY, 14. Still well, but sit out in the cool air too long, and take a slight backset.

TUESDAY, 15. Do not feel so well, but appetite good.

WEDNESDAY, 16. Still not very well, but appetite good.

THURSDAY, 17. Do not feel very well. Dr. Overholtz comes again, and gives me another course of medicines.

FRIDAY, 18. Feel a little better again.

SATURDAY, 19. Not much change from yesterday.

SUNDAY, 20. Dr. Overholtz gives me another course of medicines.

MONDAY, 21. Do not feel entirely relieved yet.

TUESDAY, 22. Take another course of medicines, and am much relieved.

WEDNESDAY, 23. Brother Benjamin Wampler takes me in the carriage to Brother Buck's, two miles off, and back home.

THURSDAY, 24. Much rain to-day. Cannot ride out.

FRIDAY, 25. Brother Benjamin takes me to Brother Samuel Myers's to-day, and back home. Rain in the afternoon.

SATURDAY, 26. Paint the top of carriage, and do some other work to it.

SUNDAY, 27. Visit Brother Reuben Pinkerton and return home. How very kind all of these dear people have been to me! They will accept nothing in return for all their kindness to me, but my gratitude and love, and, heaven knows, my heart is full of that.

TUESDAY, 29. Go to Brother Jonathan Gaines's for dinner; then to Wooster, and stay all night with Dr. Overholtz.

WEDNESDAY, 30. Go to the bank in Wooster and attend to some other business. Dine with Dr. Overholtz, and in evening get back home to Brother Jacob Kurtz's.

THURSDAY, October 1. Fix to start towards home.

FRIDAY, October 2. Take leave of my very dear Brother Jacob Kurtz and family, who have nursed and cared for me through all of my sickness. Such kindness as he and his family have shown me relieves affliction of half its distress. It is almost a luxury to be sick where so much love is shown. I can never forget Brother Benjamin Wampler. He is so calm and gentle in the sick room that his very presence is a comfort to the sick.

The Diary does not contain anything of special interest on their way home. Brother Kline noted the distance traveled over each day, from the time they left Brother Jacob Kurtz's till he arrived at his own home. According to his report the whole distance was 264 miles. This they made in eleven days. Their average daily rate of travel was just twenty-four miles. They arrived at his house on the evening of the twelfth, having left Brother Kurtz's the morning of the second day of October. Brother Kline often notes some reference to the satisfaction of getting back home after a long absence; and it is painful to find a record the exact reverse in this instance. But no murmur at the Divine Will, or word of impatience or complaint against any one is to be found on the page of the Diary.

From this time to the close of the year Brother Kline never went far from home. A few marriages solemnized, funerals preached, neighborhood medical visits, and near-by meetings attended make the sum of his work from home. His afflicted wife required his daily attentions.

THURSDAY, January 21. Perform the marriage ceremony of Josiah Wampler and Mary Kline.

TUESDAY, February 23. Go to Michael Wine's and perform the marriage ceremony of Isaac Harpine and Barbara Wine.

THURSDAY, March 4. Perform the marriage ceremony of William Andes and Catharine Miller, at the widow Miller's in the Forest.

WEDNESDAY, March 31. Dr. Newham is at my house to-day. We start my new electro-magnetic machine, and give Anna an electric shock, in the hope of its vitalizing her enfeebled nerves. Dr. Newham regards her case as not being out of the reach of relief by a course of protracted and judiciously applied medical treatment.

THURSDAY, April 1. Council meeting at the Brush meetinghouse. Perform the marriage ceremony of Seth Alger and Rosina Fifer.

SATURDAY, April 3. Abraham Knopp and I go to Page County. Call to see old Sister Gibbons who has reached a very high age. We read and prayed with her, and her heart seemed to overflow with joy. She said: "I love all the friends of Jesus. Brethren, I will soon be gone; but I hope the Lord may leave you here many years yet to do his blessed will, by calling many sinners from darkness to light, and by comforting his saints as you have comforted me this day." When we took leave of her she said: "Farewell: and may the God of love and peace be with you." Sister Gibbons is the mother of Samuel Gibbons, and is now living with him on the Hawksbill Creek, not far from the town of Luray, in Page County, Virginia.

SUNDAY, April 4. The brethren and sisters meet us very early this morning for prayer and exhortation on the visit; after which the regular public meeting opens. John 5 is read. Dine at Isaac Spitler's, and stay all night at Henry Gander's.

FRIDAY, April 16. Abraham Knopp and I go to Lost River. Attend the burial of Celestine Whitmore's child. Age, seven years, four months, and one day. In afternoon Jacob Pope and I go on to the visit. Stay all night at Henry Moyers's.

SATURDAY, April 17. After getting through with the visit we have council meeting. The reports brought in by the visiting brethren are mostly encouraging, and show a good spirit existing in the Brotherhood.

SUNDAY, April 18. Meeting at the meetinghouse. Luke 12 is read. After meeting perform the marriage ceremony of Washington Cook and Anna Jane Parker at Brother Whitmore's; then come to William Fitzwar's and perform the marriage ceremony of Frederick Nasselrodt and Catherine Weatherholtz. Get home at nine o'clock in the night.

THURSDAY, April 29. Perform the marriage ceremony of William Halterman and Elizabeth May, at Samuel May's, in the Gap.

SUNDAY, May 2. Meeting at Nasselrodt's in the Gap. I baptized Lotty Koon.

TUESDAY, May 18. On this day Brother Kline starts to the Annual Meeting. He takes Anna and Sister Betty Knopp with him. They get to the widow Nipe's in the evening of the nineteenth. He left Anna and Sister Betty at this place, whilst he went on to the Annual Meeting at Brother Jacob Deardorff's, which opened Friday, May 21. The business features of the meeting closed on Saturday, May 22; and on Sunday, May 23, he started back after the eleven o'clock service. He found Anna somewhat more cheerful than usual. She stood the trip remarkably well. From some cause, I know not what, he gives not a word of comment on the state of feeling, matters considered, or anything else pertaining to it.

FRIDAY, May 28. We have a love feast at our meetinghouse. _Union in the evening._ A fine day and good behavior. Some of the older Brethren will no doubt know what Brother Kline means by the word _union_, here and elsewhere used in the Diary in a specific sense.

TUESDAY, June 8. To-day I attended two buryings in one graveyard. Christian Eversole, age, sixty-nine years; and Samuel Bowers, age, twenty years; both buried at the Brush meetinghouse.

SATURDAY, July 3. Cross the Blue Ridge mountain to-day, and get to Henry Coverston's late this evening.

SUNDAY, July 4. Meeting in the Methodist meetinghouse. John 4 is read. I spoke as best I could on the Water of Life and kindred topics, but in this country we feel sadly the want of encouragement and sympathy which we are used to in our own houses and congregations. Our doctrinal views and practices as a denomination are not well understood in Albemarle County, Virginia. The prevailing denominations here are Baptists and Methodists. We have one consolation, however, even here. We can preach the Gospel to the poor, and they are ready to hear it. But there is one barrier between us and the wealthy classes which will continue, God only knows how long; and that barrier is African slavery. Many, seemingly good and reasonable people, in this country justify themselves in their own eyes, even on scripture grounds, for taking part in and encouraging the holding of slaves. I fear, however, that the god of this world has blinded their eyes, so that seeing they see not, and hearing they understand not.

A gentleman whom I met here and who said that he had traveled a great deal in the slave-holding States, told me that he witnessed the sale of some slaves in a town in North Carolina. A mother and her three children, two boys and a girl, were put up for sale separately. It happened that the mother was bought by one man, the two boys by another, and the daughter by a third. The daughter was twelve years old; and the boys respectively eight and ten. They were now to be parted, never to see each other more. There was no hope left them of ever hearing from each other again. The gentleman said the little boys did not seem to mind it so very much; but, said he, the agony of the mother, and the distress of the daughter were past description. It is to be hoped that such heart-rending scenes are not often to be witnessed; 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 stain, though it may be cleansed with blood. I would rejoice to think that my eyes might see that bright morning; but I can have no hope of that.

TUESDAY, July 6. On this day Brother Kline made arrangements to move to Orkney Springs with Anna. Some account of this place is given elsewhere in this work, and need not be repeated here. He and Anna staid here about five weeks, and he reports her general health as being much improved by the use of the different waters, as well as by the cheerful society she enjoyed. Whilst staying at this place Brother Kline reports some interesting acquaintances made with several noted persons whom he had only casually seen before. Among these was the Rev. Henry Brown, a Presbyterian minister of Harrisonburg.

SATURDAY, July 17, he says: Take a walk over some of the surrounding eminences with preacher Henry Brown of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Mr. Brown is a very sociable and pleasant man to be with. Whilst we differ on a good many points of Christian doctrine, we can still walk and talk together sociably; and I enjoy his company very much. It would be pleasant to believe, did the Scriptures warrant the conclusion, that all the differences which mark the divisions of Christians here will melt away in love and be forgotten there. Of one thing I am sure: No one will ever have a just right to boast of his own goodness, or lay claim to preferment on the score of his own obedience. "When ye," says our Savior, "have done all these things that were commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which it was our duty to do." Whilst it is true that the Presbyterians are zealous advocates of education and moral improvement, and as a people exhibit in their daily lives many Christian virtues and graces, still I fear they are occupying dangerous ground by rejecting some of the plain commands of our Lord Jesus. "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the disobedient appear?" I know of no righteousness but that of obedient faith, or, as Paul puts it, the righteousness of faith that works or obeys from love, and in this way purifies the heart. A hungering and thirsting after this righteousness

"Gives exercise to faith and love;
Brings every blessing from above."

If this dear Christian friend is in darkness as to the nature of obedience and its blessed fruits, himself misled and misleading others, I pray that the scales may drop from his eyes, that he may see clearly the whole truth which God has placed in the line of our duty to do and teach.

SUNDAY, July 18. Friend Henry Brown preached to-day. He is a very clear and pleasant talker. In his discourse, however, he made me think of some beautiful birds that hop over what they do not wish to touch, and take hold gracefully of what they are pleased to alight upon.

THURSDAY, August 12. This day Brother Kline moved back home. He says: Anna much improved in health. The season at the Springs has been quite pleasant, with the exception of atmospheric dampness from the abundance of rain we had while there.

MONDAY, August 23. This day Brother Kline started on another journey to Pennsylvania. It may be irksome to the general reader to follow his daily steps from this date to the thirteenth of September, the day on which he returned home, so I will only name the families he visited or stayed with all night, in the order given in the Diary. His habit on this was the same as on other journeys of like motive; he preached as he went, and never failed holding family worship where he stayed all night, when well enough to do so. Few of those that were fathers and mothers then are living now; but their children and grandchildren may be living, to whom these reminiscences will, doubtless, be pleasant. Reflections like these instinctively impress us with a consciousness of time's rapid flight; and make us, who were young then, realize, with more or less acuteness of perception, the impressive truth that we, too, are growing old. To such of my readers as find no pleasure or profit in things of this kind I gently say: Pass over it as you would an advertisement in which you feel no interest, in a newspaper you may be perusing: Daniel Fahrney's; John Shank's, near Greencastle; William Etter's; Allen Mohler's; John Sollenberger's; George Copp's; Dr. Fahnestock's, in Middletown, Pennsylvania; Abraham Gipe's, near Lebanon; Jacob Gipe's; Abraham Balsbaugh's; Peter Miller's, this side Harrisburg; George Deardorf's; Daniel Longenacre's; Widow Bowman's, near Middletown, Maryland; John Garber's, Jr.; John Garber's, Sr.; Jacob Rupp's; Nathaniel Bondsack's; Jacob Saylor's; William Deahl's; David Reinhardt's; Sherk's, near Sharpsburg; Fahnestock's, near Winchester, Virginia; George Shaver's, in Shenandoah County, Virginia.

Some may say: This reads like a bill of goods with the prices omitted. But think a little, my friend. Let us suppose that business would compel you to mount the back of a horse away off in Rockingham County, Virginia, and travel day after day, until you had completed the round of visiting every family above named; and in addition to this attend a meeting of some kind every day or two, and yet be compelled to do all this in the short space of twenty-one days; would you not think it a task worthy of mention? Now Brother Kline did all this, but not on the score of any business interest whatever. Instead of seeking any worldly gain by it, the direct opposite was the truth, for he came home with less money in his pocket than he started with. It was just what he expected and felt assured would be the case. But he went. And what induced him to go? The love of Christ constrained him. The love of doing good to others by pointing out the way of salvation to them. Have I, have you, such love?

Between the last date given and the twenty-first of October Brother Kline attended a love feast at Beaver Creek, Virginia; one on Lost River; and one at Flat Rock. Besides these, he attended the regular Sunday meetings, council meetings, and visited, medically, a considerable number of patients. He reports much rain in October, and several times his life was endangered crossing high waters.

FRIDAY, October 22. On this day he started on a journey across the mountains of western Virginia. He followed a line of love feasts and other meetings through the counties of Hampshire, Virginia; Garret, Maryland; Preston and Monongalia, Virginia, to Dunkard Creek in Pennsylvania, not far this side of Wheeling. He returned over nearly the same route by which he went, filling appointments he left on his way out. He reports, on this journey, 371 miles traveled on horseback, over some rugged mountains and bad roads much of the way. He arrived home November 4, after an absence of two weeks.

TUESDAY, November 30. Attend the burial of old Mother Horn. Age, ninety years, two months and two days.

SUNDAY, December 5. Attend the burial of old Mother Conrad. Age, eighty-five years and nine months.

WEDNESDAY, December 15. Louis and Samuel Kline, of Pennsylvania, visit us. I take them around to see their and my kindred.

TUESDAY, December 21. Perform the marriage ceremony of Samuel Hinegartner and Catharine Ralls, at Christian Crider's.

FRIDAY, December 31. Meeting of general council in our meetinghouse. In the year that is now about to close I have traveled 3,424 miles, nearly all on horseback. The work of another year is done; and the record has passed into eternity. As clay, 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 forms, so our deeds in life, once done, are done forever. A vase may be broken, it is true, but the fragments are apt to reveal the form of the vessel from which they came. So the hand of jealousy, of envy, of persecution even, may shatter the results of our best efforts here; 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 sight. Seeds sometimes lie a long time in the ground before they grow and make a blade; so it may be with much of the good seed that I and others of our beloved Brotherhood have sown this year. Backward springs and other unfavorable states of weather during the early part of the growing season are sometimes followed by rich harvests. We do not know what the future may bring forth, but we do know that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. In him I trust.

SUNDAY, January 1. Attend the burial of old Mother Baer, at Brother George Kline's. Age, ninety-six years, four months and twenty days.

THURSDAY, February 3. Perform the marriage ceremony of Michael May and Julian Custer at George Riddle's.

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 river. His design in this, however, included more than the avoidance of one dangerous ford; it took in two others. It was equivalent to spanning three bad fords with one bridge. His plan, which has since been exactly carried into effect, was to cut down the end of the mountain in the Gap where it projects into the river, open up a good highway through the cut, and thus shorten the distance very materially and shun two dangerous and ever-shifting fords, one above and the other below the cut. His patience and perseverance in this great enterprise yielded to no discouragements, and he saw the bridge built, and the projecting end of the mountain cut down. Like all other men who have embarked in great enterprises above or beyond the grasp of ordinary comprehension, he had to combat opposition from some who should, on the score of direct personal interest in the improvement, have been most willing to aid in the work. Brother Kline did not live to see his design fully executed, but it has been carried into effect within the last decade by the construction of a new bridge upon the old abutments, and a new road on the very line he proposed. As the improvement under consideration is a very great one, and originally undertaken by individual contributions; and as future generations may wish to know who the prime movers were, and when the first move was made, the following entry in the Diary will be given here:

FRIDAY, February 25. Attend a meeting of some public-spirited men, at Samuel Coots's store near the Gap, for the purpose of agreeing upon the construction of a bridge across the river near the store; for cutting down the face of the Gap Rock; for making a new road through the Cut; and for raising funds to meet the same.

Samuel Coots, State Senator from Rockingham County, took an active part. Abraham Funk, Benjamin Bowman, John J. Bowman, with many other prominent citizens, nearly or quite all of whom have passed away, deserve to have their names enrolled as patrons of the enterprise.

WEDNESDAY, March 8. Attend the burial of Brother David Hollar's wife to-day. Age, forty-seven years and five months.

FRIDAY, March 10. Go to Michael Wine's and attend the burial of his mother. Age, ninety-three years, three months and fourteen days.

WEDNESDAY, April 12. Attend the funeral of Mrs. Wells Hevner in the Gap. Age, thirty-three years.

THURSDAY, April 13. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. Samuel Wampler and myself are established in the ministry, and Joseph Miller advanced.

FRIDAY, April 14. Council meeting at the Flat Rock. Jacob Wine is advanced to the second grade in the ministry of the Word.

MONDAY, April 17. Council meeting in the Lost River meetinghouse. Jacob Pope is chosen speaker.

FRIDAY, April 21. Council meeting in the Old Garber meetinghouse. Solomon Garber is advanced to the second degree in the ministry of the Word. Sarah Norman is reinstated to the fellowship of the church.

WEDNESDAY, April 26. Attend the funeral of the widow Sister Cherryholms in the Gap. Age, fifty-nine years. Sister C. was a woman of real force of character. Her house was a welcome shelter for the Brethren and others who often visited her.

MONDAY, May 1. Attend the funeral of old Sister Evers, widow of John Evers. She died at John Hawse's. Age, seventy-two years, three months and three days.

WEDNESDAY, May 3. Brother Benjamin Bowman, with Sister Catharine his wife, and Brother John Wine, with Anna and myself, start to Ohio. We go in two carriages. To such as are not used to traveling in this way a journey to Ohio and back in a two-horse carriage, over all kinds of roads, through all the changes of weather likely to occur at this season, and I may add, among all kinds of people, might look like an undesirable undertaking. But for myself I can say I do not dread making the start. I am best satisfied and most delighted when doing something for God and humanity. But the company I have on this visit makes the anticipation of it especially pleasant. Brother John Wine is a live man; cheerful, but ever earnest and sincere; lively, but never light or frivolous. His mind is always inquisitive, seeking for knowledge in every line of truth. Hence he asks many questions. If your answers involve any doubt as to their correctness, or fail of the clearness he thinks should appear in the instructions of a teacher to his pupil, he will dispute a whole day with you on a single question, rather than appear to be satisfied with your answer when he is not. With a mind hard and sharp as flint, he strikes fire out of everything he hits. But he has sense enough, and goodness enough, never to strike fire where he has reason to fear there may be danger of causing an explosion. He is the son of Samuel, in the Brush, and brother of Christian Wine. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Zigler, in Timberville, Rockingham County, Virginia. He now resides on his farm about two miles away from where he was born and raised. He is an eminently good and useful brother.

Benjamin Bowman is the son of Benjamin Bowman, who settled in Rockingham County, Virginia, about or very soon after the breaking up of the war of the Revolution. This elder Benjamin Bowman had three sons,--Samuel, Benjamin and John,--all of whom married, raised highly respectable families, lived and died in the same county in which they were born. These all became members of our Brotherhood; and Benjamin is at this time a very active and acceptable preacher of the Word, and promises to be a very agreeable companion on the journey we have now undertaken together. He is no great talker in the way of conversation, but what he says is generally to the point. Very considerate in forming an opinion, and exceedingly careful in reaching a conclusion, he is not likely to be wrong in anything he asserts to be true. By means of these habits assiduously cultivated, he has built up a reputation for reliability which not only aids him in business, but stamps the seal of truth on his discourses from the ministerial stand. He will not readily debate a matter you may present to his mind, even if his views do not coincide with yours at the time; but after due consideration he will let you hear from him with arguments not to be refuted.

We stay first night at Celestine Whitmore's on Lost River.

THURSDAY, May 4. After we were on the way this morning Anna changed her mind and preferred going back to Brother Whitmore's. So we took her back, and they will convey her home. Travel thirty-three miles, and stay second night at Joseph Smith's.

FRIDAY, May 5. Go through Romney, Virginia, and at the end of thirty-five miles stay third night at McNaer's.

SATURDAY, May 6. Go through Frostburg, and come to Jacob Lighty's. We have night meeting. I speak on Acts 17:30. TEXT.--"The times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent."

Athens, the capital of Greece, was a large city. It was noted as the chief seat of Grecian learning, refinement of taste, cultivation of genius, and skill in the production of almost everything belonging to the fine arts. It had its philosophers, statesmen, orators, lawyers, priests, poets and painters. It had its high and low orders in society. But when Paul beheld the city his spirit was moved in him, for he saw that it was wholly given to idolatry. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him and said: "He seemeth to be a setterforth of strange gods." They said this among themselves, because he preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection. But they did not seem inclined to do him injury as the Jews had done in some other places, but gave him a chance to speak in the Areopagus, a large building in the city called the Hill of Mars, or Mars' Hill. In this building Paul preached a wonderful sermon, the whole of which you may read in Acts seventeenth chapter.

But to-night I wish to speak on just one thing that Paul said in that sermon, and these are the words: "God commandeth all men everywhere to repent." When we are commanded to do something, we like to know what it is we are commanded to do. Now I will tell you. It is to repent. But you may say, "I do not exactly know what that means." I will now tell you about all I know of the meaning of the words repent and repentance. The Lord Jesus knew exactly what these words mean, and I will give you his definition. He said to the Jews: "The men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah." 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 Jonah, and we will then understand what the Lord meant when he said they _repented_. You must know what Jonah's sermon was. It was so plain that all could understand it, and so short that all could remember it, This is the sermon: "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed." The city had more than a hundred and twenty thousand people in it; and it took Jonah three days to go from one end to the other with his message of destruction; but at the end of the first day "the people of Nineveh believed God; and when the word came unto the king of Nineveh he arose from his throne, and laid his robe from him, and put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes and said: Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yea, let them turn, every one from his evil way. And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way."

Now, notice, when God commands all men everywhere to repent, he means for them to do what the Ninevites did, but in a more spiritually enlightened way. They believed God. This is the first step in repentance, as this same apostle says: "He that would come unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." The Ninevites had no written word as we have, that gives us intelligent knowledge of God as he is revealed in the face of his Son Jesus Christ. All they knew of him was from tradition, and what they could see of him in his works. But they believed God, and gave proof of it by turning from their evil way. Now, friends, this is just what God commands all men to do. This is what he commands every impenitent man and woman in this house to do to-night.

But some of you may say: "I have no evil way from which to turn. I do an honest business; I lead a sober life; I am true to my marriage vows, and live a moral and orderly life generally. What lack I yet?" Let me ask you: Why do you live in this orderly and consistent way? Is it because you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, and your neighbor as yourself? If you can truly say that this love is the hand that leads and draws you in your good life, I say, Thank God! I have found a brother of whom I am not ashamed. But anything short of this love is short of what God requires, and you with the rest are called upon to repent. You still have a way that is evil in God's sight. That way is the love of self and the love of the world. The Pharisees were just as particular and careful in regard to their moral or outside life as you can ever be; and still the Lord said to his disciples: "Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye can in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven." Their righteousness proceeded all from the love of self and the world. Their ambition culminated in the honor, respectability, credit and wealth such a life procured for them; and on this account the Lord Jesus said of them: "Verily, they have their reward."

But our blessed Lord says again: "Except a man deny himself, and take up his cross daily, he cannot be my disciple." This means repentance. It is commendable in the eye of society of almost every grade to live a decent, orderly, virtuous life; but if this sort of life be led from any motive short of the love of God, what is said of the Pharisees must also be said of this: "Ye make clean the OUTSIDE of the cup and the platter, but the inside is full of hypocrisy and deceit." Now, true repentance makes clean the INSIDE of the cup and the platter, "that the outside may be clean also."

"Repentance is to leave
The things we dearly love;
And o'er our sins to grieve,
And seek the things above."

After meeting we go to David Beichley's, and stay fourth night.

SUNDAY, May 7. Meeting at Jacob Fige's. John 5 is read. Then come to Jacob Miller's, near Milford, and have night meeting in a schoolhouse near by. Stay fifth night with Brother Miller.

MONDAY, May 8. Go to council meeting at Joseph Lighty's. An election for deacons is held. Stay sixth night at Christian Miller's. Rain this afternoon and night.

TUESDAY, May 9. Dine at Emanuel Beichley's on Indian Creek, and stay seventh night at Joseph Folger's, near Mt. Pleasant.

WEDNESDAY, May 10. Stay eighth night at Beidler's tavern, in East Liberty.

THURSDAY, May 11. Breakfast and dine in Pittsburg, and stay ninth night in Economy.

FRIDAY, May 12. Stay tenth night at Jacob Leedy's, near New Middleton.

SATURDAY, May 13. Get here to my dear Brother Henry Kurtz's, where we stay eleventh night.

SUNDAY, May 14. Meeting at Brother Jacob Summers's near by. Ephesians 6 is read. Brother Benjamin speaks first, and John follows him. They speak of the Christian's armor; that it is not for the flesh, but for the spirit; that it is not for defense against persecution and trials in our life here, but for defense against the wiles of the devil; that it should be constantly worn, and kept bright by daily use. After meeting the Brethren agree to have a little love feast this evening, and a good time we have. Stay twelfth night at Brother Henry Kurtz's.

MONDAY, May 15. Pass through a number of little towns and villages and at the end of forty-four miles to-day find ourselves pleasantly received by my very dear Brother George Hoke, with whom we stay thirteenth night.

TUESDAY, May 16. Meeting at Brother Solomon Kiser's. Mark 1 is read. Three persons baptized. Stay fourteenth night at Brother Michael Sprinkel's, near McDonelsville.