Chapter XVIII: Part 18

SUNDAY, May 11. We have a very fine day. Preaching at several points. An immense assembly to-day.

MONDAY, May 12. Meeting is organized. Committees formed. Go to rooms and take in queries. Stay all night on the meeting grounds. Rain all day and cold.

TUESDAY, May 13. Begin to discuss questions. Rain all day and night, and unpleasant. Stay all night on the meeting grounds.

WEDNESDAY, May 14. Continue the discussion of questions. Close at half past five o'clock. Stay again on meeting grounds. Although we have some differences of opinion among us on minor points of order and usages, I am happy to know that in all great matters of doctrine and practice we are one. Whilst the meeting was in progress I was made to think of what Solomon says in the book of Proverbs about the locusts. "The locusts," says he, "have no king, yet go they forth, all of them, together in bands." We have no human king over us as pope, cardinal or bishop, with self-assumed authority and dignity; yet we hold together. We acknowledge allegiance to but one king, and he is out of human sight. He is the King of glory. But of him we can say with an apostle: "Whom having not seen we love; in whom, though now we see him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."

On my way home from the meeting I visited Peter Fesler's, Jacob Miller's, Samuel Freys's, Allen White's, Absalom Painter's, William Mason's, John Strough's, John Miller's, Joseph Funk's, George Hoover's, and John Snideman's, all in Indiana. I also preached at a number of points in Indiana and Ohio.

SATURDAY, May 24. This evening David Bowman and I get to Abraham Aerbach's in Ohio.

SUNDAY, May 25. Go to Bowman's meetinghouse, where I speak from Hebrews 12. Dine at David Miller's, and stay all night at Isaac Miller's.

TUESDAY, May 27. Night meeting at the meetinghouse near Peter Nead's. Stay with Brother Nead.

WEDNESDAY, May 28. Meeting at the same place. Sup with John Varner. Stay with Isaac Miller.

THURSDAY, May 29. Meeting at Reipsam's meetinghouse. Love feast this evening. Stay with Philip Grabil till one o'clock in the night, when we start for Springfield to take cars for home. Stop over a few days in Hampshire County, Virginia, and arrive home safe on Thursday, June 5.

TUESDAY, June 17. This day I am fifty-nine years of age. When I was young my ambition led me to hope that I might some day attain to distinction in the world, and leave an imperishable name. I own with shame before my God, that my heart was full of vanity. I now thank him that he has led me to know and feel myself but a poor sinner redeemed. I am wholly dependent upon him for all that I am or ever shall be. Lord Jesus, may I live to glorify thee, and thee only. I believe thy truth. I trust thy love. May thy glory be the end of all my efforts in life, and thy love the propelling power in all I do. Hallowed be _thy_ name, not my name. _Thy will_ be done, not my will. Give me grace thus ever to pray and to walk humbly before thee.

FRIDAY, August 22. This day Brother Kline left home for another journey to the counties of Hardy and Randolph. He spent several days in Hardy County, preaching among the Brethren and friends on the South Fork, South Branch and beyond.

SUNDAY, August 24. Meeting at Bethel in forenoon; in afternoon at Jacob Cosner's. TEXT.--3 John seventh verse. He has given us but a touch of what he said here. I imagine his heart somewhat overflowed with gratitude to these kind-hearted people in return for the love they showed him. He read this third epistle of John to them; and I here append the substance of part of his comment on it:

"There are great blessings in store for those who through love to the Lord lodge and feed his ministers. The love of Gaius in this regard, was spoken of in the church. This letter was written to him. In the apostle's days as now, many went forth bearing the precious seed of God's Word, almost wholly dependent upon the charity of brethren and friends to the cause, for food and shelter. They were encouraged to go in this humble and trustful way by the recorded words of the Lord, that 'the laborer is worthy of his hire.' We learn from the context, sustained also by the other evangelists, that food and lodging is the hire the Lord had in view. To encourage all to the duty as well as privilege of kindly receiving his ministers and even his righteous brethren who might not be ministers, he left on record these words: 'He that receiveth a prophet (minister) in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward. And he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward.' And he sublimely crowns all those who tender their love in this way with the words: 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.' How faithfully these tokens of love for the Lord and the Brethren were kept by the early Christians, Paul with others abundantly testifies. However, to avoid slanderous accusations which might be hurled at him by the adversaries of the cross, he did not always avail himself of the proffered good. Blessed are they who watch for and lay hold of opportunities to do good in this way."

MONDAY, August 25. Meeting at Greenland. Thomas Lion baptizes one person to-day. Stay all night at Thomas Clark's.

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

WEDNESDAY, August 27. Meeting at David Feige's on the pike. Afternoon meeting at West Union. Stay at Benjamin Beachley's.

THURSDAY, August 28. Ride twenty-nine miles to-day. Dine at Peter Bolyard's and stay all night at Henry Wilson's.

FRIDAY, August 29. Meeting at meetinghouse. I baptize W. Oval and wife. Water is two miles distant. Afternoon meeting at same place. Speak from last chapter of Revelation.

SATURDAY, August 30. Come into Randolph County. Dine at Samuel Perkeypine's, and stay at Brother John Skidmore's.

SUNDAY, August 31. Meeting at Josiah Simon's. After preaching have a church council. Brother Charles Burke is forwarded to baptize; and Brother Josiah Simon is elected to the Word. Brother John Skidmore is elected to the deaconship, Stay all night at Brother Burke's.

MONDAY, September 1. Meeting at Levi Wilmot's. Speak from Matt. 7:21. As I have time this afternoon will outline my discourse for future reference.

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

TEXT.--"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
the kingdom; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven."

This passage of Scripture means a great deal. It draws a sharp line between the false and the true in religious professions; between empty formality on the one hand, and loving obedience on the other. It is a very easy thing, and requires no previous preparation of heart by self-examination, for very wicked and thoughtless people to call upon the Lord in times of great danger, or in seasons of distress. Some years ago a very thoughtless and irreligious family near my home lived on the bank of a certain stream. Suddenly, after a great rain, their house was surrounded by a flood of water that threatened its destruction. They knew not what to do; and in their fright and consternation they began to call on the Lord for help. He may have heard them, for the house did not go. When the flood had passed away, and they felt that they were again secure, they had no further need of the Lord, and continued to live just as they had lived before.

Often have I heard of wicked people, when thrown prostrate upon beds of affliction, calling upon the Lord, and even promising that if he would raise them up again they would do better. But how often does it turn out that such promises are either wantonly disregarded or thoughtlessly broken! But why is this so? What is the cause? I will tell you. Such prayers and promises do not proceed from a right motive, and they do not aim at a right end. Self is the beginning and the end of all such prayers and promises. And when self is again made to feel easy by escape from danger, or recovery from sickness, there is an end of prayer, and promises are forgotten. But such as I have named are not the only class included in our Lord's meaning. If we read carefully we may see that some who desire to make a fair show in the flesh love to stand on the corners of the streets that they may be heard calling on the Lord, making long prayers, that they may be seen of men. Of such our Lord says: "Verily, they have their reward." Here again the love of self and the world is the beginning and the end.

There is one more class justly belonging to the number of those already described. This is a sad class indeed, although probably no worse off than some others. I hope no one here will ever be found in their number. You may read about them in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew's Gospel. They are called the "foolish virgins." We all know that a virgin is an unmarried woman who has kept the integrity of her virtue unbroken. The ten spoken of in the chapter are virgins in a figurative sense. They are so called because in appearance and profession they were not defiled with the world. They all had lamps. David says: "Thy word is a LAMP unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Each one had this _lamp_ according to their understanding and use of the Word. All denominations of Christians claim the Word as their lamp or guide through the darkness of this world. But lamps differ greatly in almost every imaginable way,--in form, size, material and illuminating capacity. Much also depends upon the sight. If the sight be diseased, not good, the same lamp that shines brightly to one may be darkness to another. "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light; but if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness!"

The foolish virgins had lamps, that is, they professed faith in God's Word, but their faith lacked the oil of love; it was not made perfect by works in life proceeding from love to God and their neighbor. Oil in the Scriptures stands for love. Priests and kings had to be anointed with oil as a sign or emblem that they were to perform their official duties from love. Hence the light that is fed by pure oil beautifully symbolizes the truth that shines in the Christian's life, warm with the love of God; but the light that comes from a wick in a lamp destitute of oil symbolizes the life of the hypocrite, the vain professor. It may burn for a little; but it will soon go out and leave him in eternal darkness. The wise virgins represent those who make a profession of faith in the light of truth and in the love of it. These go in with the Lord to the marriage feast. But the foolish virgins find the door shut. They call, "Lord, Lord, open to us." But he answers by saying: "I know you not." "Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

I recently heard of a preacher who had attended one of our meetings. If I remember rightly, a good deal had that day been said on the importance and value of good works. I think that one who had spoken that day went so far as to quote these words of the Lord: "Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit." Good works are good fruit, he had also said. He had quoted this passage too: "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Evil works are evil fruit, he had also said. And I feel sure he had quoted these words of the Lord: "They that have done good shall come unto the resurrection of life: but they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." The friend who told me had ridden a part of the way home with the preacher before referred to, and in speaking to this friend he said: "These Dunkards are odd people. I occasionally go to their meetings, and every time I _do_ go I am sure to hear of _works_! WORKS! as if works were necessary to salvation." In answer to the friend who communicated this to me, I said: "I hope the _Dunkards_, as he called us, will always be odd people in this regard, so long as it is written: 'He that doeth good is of God; but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.' 'A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit: neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. By their fruits ye shall KNOW them.'"

Brethren, let us think closely upon the closing words of my text: "He that DOETH the will of my Father which is in heaven." An apostle says: "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." Sanctification means _holiness_, and holiness means conformity of heart and life to God's Revealed Truth. The heart cannot be conformed to God's Revealed Truth when the life is conformed to the world and sin. "No man can serve two masters.... Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Jesus prays for all that believe on him through the Word: "Sanctify them in thy truth. Thy word is truth." We occasionally hear of some "_professing sanctification_." From what I have been told, those making this profession mean by it that they have attained to a state of sinless perfection. This is a state to be devoutly wished, for it is the state of the spirits of just men made perfect. Nothing shall enter that holy city where they dwell "that defileth, or worketh abomination, or maketh a lie." In this city of light and love no sin is found.

"Those holy gates forever bar
Pollution, sin and shame:
For none shall have admittance there
But followers of the Lamb."

All the descriptions and references to heaven found in the divine Word imply that it is a place and a state where the will of God is the supreme law of life. "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is the footstool of my feet." "Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God's throne." As heaven is God's throne, his will is the universal law for all, and that law is love. I can think of no state so blessed and happy as that where every one of the "multitude which no man can number" "loves the Lord his God with all his heart, and his neighbor"--every one of the assembly--"as he loves himself." And from the Lord's Prayer it is to be inferred that his people on earth should aim at the same state of perfection.

Let us examine this for a moment. Notice the very first petition after the address: "Thy kingdom come." Is the significance of this petition to be limited merely to the introduction of the kingdom of heaven into places of this world where it has not yet been established? It includes this, of course; but is this all? I think not. Now the next petition: "Thy will be done, as in heaven, so upon earth." Whilst these two petitions have a general significance, they have a most personal application to the heart and life of every one offering them. We sometimes wonder why the Lord's Prayer is so short. It is so because the all of heaven, and the church on earth, is comprehended in doing the will of our Father who is in heaven as subjects of his kingdom. And the aim and end of Revealed Truth from Genesis to Revelation is to teach man how to acquire the power to do this, and how to do it, together with the promises of eternal rewards for doing it. And until our understandings are so filled with the knowledge of the glorious truths of God's kingdom, and our hearts with the love of doing his will that we can make no further progress in knowledge and wisdom, and no additions to the warmth and measure of our love by reason of our _sinless perfection_, we have daily need to offer this prayer.

Gospel and church ordinances are all important. In my view they hold a relation to every true Christian in the lines of example, power and use somewhat like that which the harness has to a draught horse. The horse has to be first trained to the draught by means of the harness; and when trained he draws by the same means. Entering the church in the Lord's appointed way--inwardly, through repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; outwardly, by a threefold immersion of the body in pure water, the beautiful emblem of truth, in token of our belief in the blessed trinity of God--is simply putting on the harness for work in the Lord's vineyard. It is also the act of putting on the Christian soldier's armor and entering the service. But of what use is a helmet, sword and shield to an idler in the camp? Of what account is harness, unless the horse that carries it is trained and made willing to use it?

The apostles all speak much of _charity_, which is love to others filled with a desire to do them good. This love is of God; for our Lord was filled with it as "he went about doing good." It is this same love or charity in God that has brought salvation to man. Paul and Peter often call it _grace_, but it means the same thing. Moses and the prophets mostly use the word _mercy_; but it also means the same. These three words, _love, grace, mercy_, in their true sense, are comprehended in the word CHARITY, which, as an attribute of God or a conscious feeling in man, is the love of doing good in the desire to make others good and happy. If _charity_ were made the life and spring of man's love universally, peace and happiness would be the universal order of man's life on earth. Millennial glory would crown humanity, and the knowledge of the Lord would be its princely attire. Then the wolf of worldly rapacity, having lost its power, would dwell with the lamb. The leopard of crouching deceit, having been deprived of its teeth and claws, would lie down with the kid. The young lion, tamed, but his courage and strength reserved by being regenerated, would feed with the calf; and the little child of innocent will and teachable understanding would lead them.

But "the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." We can not know fully all the blessedness to be realized by doing the will of our Father in heaven. But this we may be assured of; it will prepare us for that higher life whose brightest glory and most exalted happiness is comprehended in the welcome that all such as do his will are sure to receive: "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

After dinner Brother Joseph Arnold and Michael Lion come with me, over a very rough track, to Abraham Summerfield's, where we stay all night.

TUESDAY, September 2. In the forenoon preach the funeral of old Mrs. Summerfield; and in connection with it that of the child of Washington Summerfield. In the afternoon we have meeting at old man Summerfield's on the Dry Fork of Cheat river. Washington Summerfield and his wife and soldier White's wife are baptized to-day. Stay all night at John Pennington's.

WEDNESDAY, September 3. Dine at Widow Cooper's on the Alleghany mountain, and stay all night at Isaac Carr's on the North Fork.

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

FRIDAY, September 5. Meeting at Hyre's. German W. Deadenborn is baptized to-day. Come to Sister Mary Judy's; stay all night.

SATURDAY, September 6. Meeting at Sister Judy's. Brother Thomas Lion is with me. Come to Peggy Dasher's; night meeting at Zion.

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

THURSDAY, September 11. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. Decide the question as to what the churches here in the slaveholding States should require of any slaveowner desiring to come into the church. A very delicate matter to act upon in the present sensitive condition of public feeling on slavery. But it is the aim of the Brethren here not to offend popular feeling, so long as that feeling does not attempt any interference with what they regard and hold sacred as their line of Christian duty. Should such opposition arise, which I greatly fear will be the case at no distant day, it will then be seen that it is the fixed purpose and resolve of the Brotherhood to "obey God rather than men." It was decided in council that every slaveholder coming into the church must give up his or her slaves as property; and yet not turn them off houseless and homeless, but allow them to remain, and labor, and be fed and clothed as usual, until suitable and lawful provisions can be made for their complete emancipation.

THURSDAY, September 18. This day Brother Kline started on a journey up the Valley of Virginia, to the counties of Augusta, Rockbridge, Botetourt, Roanoke and Franklin. As usual, he was mounted on faithful Nell's back. The reader need not be surprised to be told what the writer heard Brother Kline tell about the somewhat remarkable sagacity of Nell. She not only had her favorite places to stop at, but she had her favorite roads to travel on. And it was not uncommon for her rider to be forced into a mild but resolute contention with her, when he wished to leave a road she had repeatedly traveled before.

Brother John Brower accompanied him from Augusta. Saturday, the twenty-eighth, they crossed the Natural Bridge and got to Sister Sarah Grabil's, where they met Brother Crumbaker. Sunday, the 21st, they attended a love feast at the Valley meetinghouse, and stayed all night at Brother Nininger's. Monday, the 22nd, they attended meeting again, and stayed all night at Brother Benjamin Moomaw's. Next day they dined at Brother Daniel Kiser's, and stayed all night at John Brubaker's in Roanoke County. On this trip they visited or stayed over night with Peter Crumbaker's, James Hayden's, Joseph Howard's, Joseph Weddell's, Christian Bowman's, Daniel Neff's, Abraham Flory's, Abraham Barnhart's, Jacob Miley's, Wendell Sites's, and Jacob Stover's. He got home Friday, October 10.

On this journey Brother Kline attended nine meetings for ordinary services, and six love feasts.

From this time on to the close of the year Brother Kline was actively employed either at home or abroad. He made one trip to Page County. He and Brother Solomon Garber took a journey through the counties of Pendleton, Randolph, Upshur, Highland, and returned through Augusta. They held eleven meetings in the eleven days they spent on this trip. Several were baptized; and they met with kind receptions everywhere they went.

WEDNESDAY, December 31. This year I have traveled six thousand miles. May God forgive all I have said and done amiss, and accept to his own glory all that I have done well. Amen!

SATURDAY, January 17. A snowstorm sets in this evening.

SUNDAY, January 18. A terrific and very cold snowstorm has been raging all day and all last night. Thermometer down to zero all day.

MONDAY, January 19. Terrible snowstorm continues till evening. Snow considerably drifted; but probably enough snow on the ground if evenly distributed over its surface to make a depth of over two feet. Get through reading "The Prince of the House of David."

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

FRIDAY, February 5. A general thaw.

SATURDAY, February 6. Go to Broadway to see the river. Tremendous breaking up of the ice--tearing almost everything before it.

SATURDAY, April 4. Brother Jacob Wine and I attend a visit council meeting in Page County. Elections are also held. Brother Nathan Spitler is elected to preach the Word; and John Huffman is advanced to baptize and perform the ceremony of marriage. Gideon Toben is elected to the deaconship.

SATURDAY, April 18. Council meeting at the Flat Rock. Jacob Wine is ordained. John Neff is advanced to the second grade; and Abraham Neff is elected to preach the Word.

SUNDAY, April 26. Meeting at our meetinghouse. Romans 6 is read. Philip Emswiler and John Toppen and his wife are baptized by myself.

WEDNESDAY, May 13. Go to John Lowry's to converse with him and his wife on the subject of religion.

TUESDAY, May 19. Considerable snow to-day; but on low-lying sections of country it melts almost as fast as it falls.

WEDNESDAY, May 20. The Blue Ridge, and the mountains on the west side of the valley are all white with snow.

THURSDAY, May 21. This morning the tops of the western mountains are still white with snow. The oldest weather records I have heard from contain no account of snow so late in the spring as this anywhere in Virginia.

FRIDAY, May 22. Peter Fesler and wife are with us here at my home. We are all made to feel glad by their company.

FRIDAY, June 5. Go to John Lowry's to discuss some of our doctrines with Jacob Stirewalt and Socrates Henkel, Lutheran preachers from New Market, Virginia. It was no part of my aim in this private talk with those preachers to work any change in their settled opinions regarding the subjects of our controversy. I long ago learned that the conversion of a theological sinner from the error of his ways is hardly to be hoped for in any case. When the truth is loved for its own sake it is not hard to find; and it is readily perceived when found. It is then the pearl of great price for which a man will sell all that he has to obtain it as his own. Luther was no doubt sincere in much that he taught: but men may be sincere in holding very erroneous dogmas, because of their being so deeply rooted in their minds and their minds being so confirmed in them that it would be almost like parting soul and body to give them up. It was said of Luther, by one of the later reformers, that he cut a large piece out of the Pope's pontifical robe as he left the Vatican, and kept it all his life as a sacred relic. This is of course highly figurative, and not to be understood literally; but to mean that he incorporated many papal errors in his subsequent teachings. My object in meeting these preachers at this place was to comply with the request of the family for me to do so. Friend Lowry and his wife did not appear to see the lines of truth and duty very clearly; and as they seemed desirous of learning the way I thought it important for some one to present the truth on one side, to oppose the error that was likely to be poured in from the other side. The whole thing reminded me of what I often do--give medicine to counteract disease.

SATURDAY, July 25. Visit, medically, George, and Noah Shoemaker's, Joseph Shoemaker's, William Miller's; and am hurriedly called to James Fitzwater's. He has been bitten by a copperhead snake. I succeed in relieving urgent symptoms; and by evening he is almost free from pain.

SATURDAY, August 1. Go to Orkney Springs.

SUNDAY, August 2. Have preaching at the hotel. My subject is "Righteousness, Temperance, and a Judgment to Come." My audience was composed of hearers from far and near; and almost all classes, as to intelligence and social standing, were represented. A man like myself, who only occasionally strikes such a crowd, hardly knows how to adapt himself to the situation. If he lets himself down to the comprehension of the illiterate, the highbred city folks may say: "He is beneath his calling." And if he lifts himself up to their standard of appreciation, the unlearned go away without being able to say amen to what they have heard. I decided, however, to follow the example of Paul before Felix and Drusilla. He _reasoned_ of righteousness, _etc._

In the forty-fifth Psalm David says: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom is a scepter of righteousness. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness." A scepter is a kind of staff borne by kings as an emblem of their authority. It is a comfort to know that the scepter of Jehovah, as King of the universe, is a scepter of righteousness. We could never know that God is righteous, and that he loves righteousness, except by being told in his Word of Truth. This world does not give unequivocal testimony to the righteousness of God. The wicked bear rule, and the nations tremble. Evil often overcomes good, and wrong triumphs over right. Disease or accident lays the good man low in death; while the wicked near by is left to exult in the strength of his arm. I say it is comforting to know, in the midst of these apparent contradictory evidences of the just government of the world, that God is nevertheless righteous: and although iniquity largely bears rule and carries the day, God still hates wickedness. God does not acquiesce in the injustice and wrong that is being perpetrated in the world. He merely permits it; and he permits it for the reason that he can not arrest and put an end to it without destroying man's freedom. Man is free as to his will and understanding--free to believe what is false and to do what is wrong. But he is just as free to believe what is true and to will what is good. This freedom is what makes him capable of being reformed and saved.

It is self-evident that righteousness, which is right doing from right willing, is the basis of all true order and happiness in earth and heaven. "God is love," and he therefore loves righteousness because it is good, and hates wickedness because it is evil. But man has fallen from his primeval state of righteousness, and therefore he is not in a condition of mind and heart fit for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, nor capable of enjoying the divine presence in the society of the pure and good. Righteousness and holiness are related to each other very much as the fruit is related to the tree that bears it. Holiness corresponds with the sap, fiber, life and whatever else makes the tree good; and righteousness corresponds with the fruit the good tree bears; and "without holiness no man shall see the Lord."

But probably no subject in the line of human thought has given rise to so many different opinions as the subject of how righteousness is to be attained. The Jewish leaders and representatives in our Lord's day upon earth were very exact in their outward lives. They kept clean the _outside_ of the cup and of the platter. Their external conduct was ordered to a rigid conformity to divine law. They endeavored to establish a righteousness of their own; and to all human appearance they succeeded; for the Lord himself said to them: "Ye make clean the _outside_"--as vessels may appear clean _externally_. He also compared them to beautiful monuments of marble sculptured after the highest style of art and polished to shining perfection, set up over the dead. But of this very class of men he said: "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven." This proves that the righteousness which they had was not the righteousness of the kingdom of heaven.

Self-respect, or self-love, inclines almost every one, except the very abandoned, to make a show of righteousness; that is, they want others to think they are living right lives. No man who holds himself up to respectability is willing to be called a thief, or a liar, or an adulterer, or any other thing that is vile. He may be any or all of these, yet he is not willing that it should be known, or even suspected. Even _he_ desires to make a fair show in the flesh.

Others, again, who make no profession of religion, but who yet believe in a supreme God and a future state of existence, desire to be righteous before God and man. They are not like the scribes and Pharisees, who attached virtue and merit to their rigid observance of the ceremonial law of ordinances in their religion. These that I now speak of are simply good moral men, who are honest in their dealings and careful of the conduct of their lives generally. These do not really desire to make any display of their righteousness. They wish rather to be esteemed for their real worth; and not for any fancied or spurious excellencies. They desire to live _above_ the just reproaches of men, and the condemnation of God. They persuade themselves to think that their righteousness is all that God can require.

But the most numerous of all the classes that seek after righteousness is composed of those who trust in the righteousness of faith. Righteousness or justification by faith was the password of the Reformation. Martin Luther, misapplying Paul's utterance that "a man is justified or made righteous by faith without the deeds of the law," set a large part of Europe going with the impression that salvation, in the highest sense, is attainable on the easy terms of merely assenting to the statement that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Many passages can be adduced from the epistolary writings in plausible support of this theory of salvation. Although it is incomprehensible how the righteousness of Christ can be applied to each individual sinner on the bare ground of his merely giving assent to the doctrine of the atonement through the merit of Christ's death upon the cross, still it is the leading dogma of what is popularly called orthodoxy. But I must confess before all present this day that I have "not so learned Christ," nor Paul either. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom, but he that DOETH the will of my Father which is in heaven." At the close of his sermon on the Mount, in which is given all necessary instruction and encouragement for living a righteous life from holy love in the heart, the Lord Jesus says: "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and DOETH them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house upon a rock." And he said to Peter: "Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The rock is the great TRUTH that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This truth involves every good affection and thought and work of man. It takes in and requires obedience to every divine command, and compliance with every divine precept. When any one complies with these conditions of salvation through the faith that sees and knows that God's Word is true because it is understood and must be so, he is righteous in the sight of the Lord, and necessarily in a state of salvation. He is then to "let his light shine before men, that others seeing his GOOD WORKS may glorify our Father in heaven."

For want of time I must pass over the subject of _temperance_, to say something about "a judgment to come." And right here there are all sorts of ideas and conjectures. But of all the subjects in the universe, that involving the judgment is the most momentous to man; because it is there that his eternal destiny will be disclosed to him, as to whether he shall be an angel of heaven or a demon in hell. And we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. It is not to be wondered at that Felix trembled under the weight of this great truth. God's Word will be the basis of judgment. Says our Lord: "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day." As "man liveth by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," so does every word of his truth point to that great day for which all other days were made. All the parables and miracles of our Lord, full of instruction as to heart and life, point, like so many guideposts, to this great central truth of man's experience and existence.

But, friends, let us imbibe no erroneous views and impressions regarding the judgment to come. Let us not regard it as being an occasion for the display of God's wrath; but let us rather look upon it as the sublimest manifestation of his love. Draw a comparison here. Good human laws are not a terror to the good. A jury is impaneled. A criminal is arraigned before it. Testimony is received and evidence drawn from it respecting the innocence or guilt of the accused. The balance of testimony is altogether in his favor. He is acquitted. That trial is a joy to that criminal, because it sets him right as to character before the world. But suppose he is found guilty. Is it a joy then? It is not. It is a grief. Why? Because his sin has found him out. His real character is laid bare. But in their consignment of him to the punishment prescribed by law, do the jury and the judge act from wrath? They do not, but from a love of good will to all. The law that condemns may have the appearance of wrath to the condemned; but never to the innocent.

Judgment and reward will be according to works, and never according to professions of faith, except where the professions are genuine, and lead to good works from the love of doing good. I have met with some who have manifested dread in contemplating the majesty of that great day, the day of "a judgment to come." I feel warranted in making the assertion that no one whose purpose in life is to do the will of our Father in heaven has any just ground whatever to dread the coming of that day. Justice never condemns the innocent. Just and wise laws are never a terror to the good, and such are all the laws of God. In the book of Revelation we read of those "who had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, saying: Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." These all exulted in the prospect of a judgment to come, because they had gotten the victory over the adversary of their souls and were ready for trial before the King of saints whose ways are all _just_ and _true_. I once read of a criminal who was deeply distressed at the near approach of his trial. A friend endeavored to soothe his agitated feelings by telling him that justice would be done him, and that he consequently had no cause for fear. But the criminal was honest enough to confess to his friend that JUSTICE was the very thing he was afraid of. I have no doubt that this very same fear was what made Felix tremble before Paul.

The Son of man, on the judgment seat, will be the very same in every particular that he is now on the mercy seat. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to-day, and forevermore." "The heavens shall depart as a scroll; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up; but thou art the same." By viewing him now as he is on the mercy seat we may see what he will be on the judgment seat. The trembling waters of Galilee became a pavement under his feet, and his disciples were thrown into consternation by this miraculous approach of the Lord. But he instantly dispelled their fears by the assurance: "It is I; BE NOT AFRAID." Peter, James and John on the holy mount feared as they entered the cloud and saw his glory; but he most tenderly said to them: "FEAR NOT." John, on the isle of Patmos, beholding the glory of his unveiled face, "fell at his feet as dead." But he laid his right hand upon him and said: "FEAR NOT. I am he that liveth and was dead; and, behold! I am alive forevermore."

These thoughts lead to the further consideration that there will be no arbitrary or despotic power exercised in "the judgment to come." "My words shall judge you in the last day" is given by our Lord as the standard of judgment. Is there one here who desires to know how he will bear the searching ordeal of that day? If there is, let me say to such a one, you can decide that question here in this world for yourself. You have the Lord's word for this. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, _and cometh not into judgment_, but hath passed out of death into life." To hear is to hearken, and to hearken is to obey, from a right faith in God. If you believe that this book which I hold in my hand, called the Bible, is the revealed truth of God, and from the heart are willing to obey its precepts under a sense of love and duty to do the will of your Father in heaven therein revealed, and continue faithful unto death, you have the assurance therein given that the judgment to come will be a day of triumphant joy to your soul. But if you come short of this you can have no such assurance: and I am compelled to repeat in your ears these terrific words of an apostle: "If we sin willfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins; but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversary." To sin willfully is to refuse to do what we know to be the will of God our Father in heaven.

I said awhile ago that judgment and reward will be according to works. Let us now turn to some of the proofs in confirmation of this assertion. They drop from the lips of our Lord without the least show of any design in him to _establish_ a great principle. The principle had been established as an element of divine order before the Son of man came into the world. It is a truth so simple that even little children comprehend it. If a little child that has been taught any correct ideas about salvation and heaven be asked a question like this: "Who go to heaven?" it will at once answer with childlike simplicity: "Good people go to heaven." If further interrogated as to who good people are, it will say: "People who love one another and do good." It is a truth intuitively known that good people are saved and happy, and bad people lost and miserable.

"This is the judgment, that light is come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL. Every one that doeth evil hateth the light ... lest HIS DEEDS should be reproved. But he who DOETH TRUTH cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, because THEY ARE WROUGHT IN GOD. If ye know these things, HAPPY ARE YE IF YE DO THEM. He that hath my commandments AND DOETH THEM, he it is that loveth me ... and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him; ... and will come to him, and make my abode with him. He that loveth me not KEEPETH NOT MY WORDS. Ye are my friends, IF YE DO WHATSOEVER I COMMAND YOU.... I have chosen you, ... that ye should bring forth fruit, AND THAT YOUR FRUIT SHOULD REMAIN." I must drop a word of comment upon this last quotation. By fruit remaining it is to be understood that it goes with the child of God through the judgment into heaven, and remains to eternity. In Revelation we read these words: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; AND THEIR WORKS DO FOLLOW WITH THEM. A book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged according to those things which were written in the book, EVERY ONE ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS."

I might continue this multiplication of scripture passages to a much greater number, but time forbids. Every passage I have quoted bears either directly or indirectly upon the judgment to come. It remains a thing of choice with every intelligent human being, whether he will be prepared to face the shining judgment throne with joy, or quail before it in terror. The Lord says to all: "Seek ye my face." What a blessed response it would be for each one to answer as did the young Prophet Samuel: "Thy face, Lord, will I seek."

TUESDAY, August 18. Brother Kline and Jacob Wine have night meeting at Nimrod Judy's, in Hardy County. The conversion of Saul is their subject. Acts 9.

WEDNESDAY, August 19. They have meeting at John Judy's on South Mill Creek. TEXT.--"God is a Spirit." John 4:24. They speak on the spiritual nature of true worship, and prove that ordinances in connection with all the externals of worship, to be acceptable to God, must be but the outward evidences of internal realities. They stay all night at John Judy's.

THURSDAY, August 20. This day they have two meetings: forenoon at Isaac Judy's; afternoon at Michael Mallow's. Stay at Adam Mallow's.

FRIDAY, August 21. Two meetings to-day. Forenoon at Bethel church--dine at Peter Warnstaff's; afternoon at Warnstaff's tanyard. Stay at John Davis's in Hardy.

SATURDAY, August 22. Meeting at Zion church on the South Fork. In the afternoon cross the Shenandoah mountain into Brock's Gap.

SUNDAY, August 23. Meeting at Keplinger's chapel, where they meet Benjamin Bowman and Solomon Garber. A joyful surprise. Brother Benjamin Bowman speaks from Luke 8. He speaks mostly from these words of the eighteenth verse: "Take heed how ye hear." From the outlines I gather that he followed very closely the lines of thought here briefly expressed.

He said: Hearing may be that of mere sound. Brutes hear in this way. A horse, near the stand, may hear a sermon, but it will be that of mere sound to him. I have known of _people_ hearing somewhat after the same manner. They can tell nothing, and seem to remember nothing of what they have heard. Some hear to criticise the preacher's style of expression, including his language, modulation of his voice, and gestures. Others hear as the Pharisees and Herodians tried to hear Christ, "that they might catch him in his talk;" and like the scribes and Pharisees, "laying in wait for him, to catch something out of his mouth" with which to accuse him. But these are not the only profitless hearings which the God-loving and soul-loving minister of the Gospel has to mourn over. The lives of some _prove_ that they hear mainly from a desire to make others think that they have great respect for religion and the Word of God. They go to church and hear, but heed nothing. "By their fruits shall ye KNOW them." If people were rightly to obey the injunction of my text, all such heedless and profitless hearing would be at an end.

But how is the injunction of the text to be obeyed? And how is one to know when he is obeying it? The command means that the hearer shall _take heed_. This means "WATCH." What must he watch? "HOW HE HEARS." The text has relation, not to WHAT ye hear, but HOW ye hear. It does not point to the subject matter or the manner of the address, but to the end _for_ which and to the spirit _in_ which it is heard. If the heartfelt desire of the hearer is to learn truth, that he may be enlightened and given to see the way of eternal life, he may feel assured that his hearing is acceptable to God. He will then not be a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, and such a one shall be blessed in his deed.

It is enjoined upon all to hear _intelligently_, for this belongs to the _manner_ of hearing. No one can hear a sermon understandingly without some previous knowledge of the subject matter of the discourse. To acquire this knowledge every one should read and study the Word of Divine Truth. It is able to make all "wise unto salvation." Intelligent knowledge of the Scriptures can be acquired only by patient study of them: but when they are studied to the illumination of the understanding, the truth, like water in a well, rises up into the understanding and meets you. We sometimes hear it said of one who listens attentively and intelligently, "He seemed to drink in every word spoken." This, I think, is what the Lord means by these words to the woman at the well: "He that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but he that drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but it shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." To hear the truth attentively and understandingly is to drink it in, as we drink water when we are thirsty.