This is a small area of country in Rockingham County, Virginia,

containing about one hundred and fifty square miles. It is the head
basin of the north fork of the Shenandoah river. It is almost
completely surrounded by high and rugged mountains; and where the
river has broken a gap for its outlet the scenery is not surpassed by
that of Harper's Ferry.

A considerable number of people live in it, and there are some good
farms and thrifty farmers. In Brother Kline's day Brock's Gap was only
a mission field. At this time the German Baptist Brethren have two
well-built and commodious houses of worship in it. At the time Brother
Kline commenced preaching there they had no house of worship and the
membership was very small. The membership at this time includes some
from nearly all the leading families in the section. The Fulks,
Fawleys, Richies, Hevners, Moyerses, Smiths, Doves, Lambs, Shoemakers,
and many others are represented in the Brotherhood.

SUNDAY, March 21.--The two brethren crossed the Shenandoah mountain
and arrived in


SWEEDLIN VALLEY.

This valley lies in Pendleton County, West Virginia. It extends
northward along the west foot of the Shenandoah mountain for about
eight miles, and is separated from the South Fork valley west of it by
Sweedlin mountain. It is the habitation of a good many families, is
exceedingly picturesque, and is in some respects beautiful.

The two brethren were called here to preach the funeral of old Brother
Nazlerode. His father had been a Hessian, and served under British
colors in the American Revolution. At the close of the war he, with
many others, declined returning to his native home in Hesse-Darmstadt
in Germany, and decided to stay in America. But this class of citizens
was not very welcome among the patriots of American liberty. They were
looked upon with a degree of opprobrium; and hence they sought homes
in the more remote and secluded valleys among the mountains. Brother
Nazlerode had died some time before. The preaching was at the house
where the old brother had lived.


_Sermon by Daniel Miller._

Brother Daniel Miller spoke first in the German language. He took for
his subject 1 Pet. 1:24, 25. "For all flesh is as grass, and all the
glory of man as the flower of grass: ... but the word of the Lord
endureth forever."

He spoke very beautifully and impressively on the short-lived
pleasures of earth. He said that the new birth and the new life, which
lift man to God and fit him for heaven, are not begotten of the
corruptible seed of man, but of God through the Word of his Truth,
which liveth and abideth forever. He pointed them to Jesus as the
"Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." He then, in a
very affectionate manner, exhorted all to accept the salvation offered
and walk in the way that our Lord has made plain in his Word.

Brother Kline followed and said: "Brother Daniel and I both felt moved
to pity when we considered the situation of these people. They have a
poor chance to hear the Gospel, and but few of them can read the
Bible. We closed the services suitably, and then went to friend Jacob
Wansturf's and spent the night."

MONDAY, April 13.--Brother Kline, in company with Brother Frederic
Kline, went to Brock's Gap on the yearly visit. He says: "We found
some of the members in a very poor condition. One sister, in
particular, moved my feelings deeply. Her husband is somewhat
dissipated and does not provide for his family as he should. She is
the mother of three small children; and, judging from their present
appearance, they have undergone a good deal of suffering for want of
food and clothing. None of them have any shoes; and the thin coverings
they have on are so patched and darned that one can hardly tell the
kind of goods they were originally made of.

"I inquired how they were off in the way of food. She replied that
they had about a peck of corn meal in the house and several bushels of
potatoes buried in the garden; and she reckoned they could do right
well till she could get some more washing and other work to do. I gave
that patient, uncomplaining sister three dollars out of my own pocket
money. 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' There is a day
coming when we shall more fully realize this truth than now."


THE YEARLY VISIT CONTINUED.

TUESDAY, April 14.--"We have found a quiet and peaceable state of
feeling in the Brotherhood generally. There is, however, among the
younger members, too great a tendency to conform to the world in dress
and conversation."


MEETING AT BENJAMIN BOWMAN'S.

FRIDAY, April 17.--"His son, Samuel Bowman, was baptized to-day, and
the subject of discourse was the baptism of Jesus as recorded in
Mark's Gospel. John seems to have been a sort of open link by which
the chain of prophecy in the Old Testament was united with the chain
of its fulfillment in the New. As a prophet, he went forth in the
spirit and power of Elijah. But Elijah of old uttered his prophecies
surrounded by midnight darkness. John utters his in the light of the
rising Sun of Righteousness; and they all point to the future glory of
that Sun. The Sun rose publicly from the waters of Jordan in the
person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, when the Spirit of God in
the form of a dove descended upon him, and a voice came out of heaven,
'This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.'

"What a recognition! What a reception! And will not our heavenly
Father meet every true-hearted believer in the same way, as he rises
from the baptismal wave? Not visibly, to his natural eye; not audibly,
to his natural ear; but by the Holy Spirit bearing witness with his
spirit that he is a child of God. For 'baptism is the answer of a good
conscience toward God.' This is its first blessed power."


_Sermon by Elder John Kline._

_A Funeral Sermon at Sunafrank's in Brock's Gap,
Sunday, April 26._

TEXT.--Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour cometh, and now is,
when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they
that hear shall live.--John 5:25.

The Lord spoke these words to the Jews. They would not believe that he
was the Son of God. They sought to kill him, not only because he had
broken the Sabbath by healing a man on that day, but also because he
said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. In his
reply to them he uttered some of the most wonderful truths the world
has ever heard. He said: "THE DEAD SHALL HEAR."

In the ear of a Jew these words had an ominous ring. They could not
gainsay them in a direct way, because the Lord had, that very day, and
before their eyes, wrought a miracle which was almost equal to that of
making a dead man hear. It appears strange to us that any class of
people could harbor feelings of enmity toward one so kind and good as
Jesus was. But the Jews were a very proud people, and exceedingly
_vain_ in their imaginations. And because the Lord would not flatter
them, and give them credit for great knowledge and wisdom in divine
things, they fell out with him and hated him.

Jesus does not say that _all the dead shall hear_. But he does mean
that all shall have a chance and the power to hear if they will. But
who are the DEAD of whom he speaks? They are all who are not spiritually
alive; Jews and Gentiles. The Scriptures in many places speak of men
as _dead_ who are bodily alive. They are dead in one way, and alive in
another. I will explain this. In respect to faith in the Lord and love
to him, the Jews were dead. There was no spiritual life in them.
Jewish worship was all an outward, external thing. But God regards a
man's spirit, his heart. "For they that worship him must worship him
in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him."

There stands a tree. It is just now in full bloom, and the sight is
beautiful. A few months ago that tree was dead in one sense and alive
in another. It was winter-dead. There were neither leaves, blossoms
nor fruit upon it. Had it continued in that state, it would be cut
down as a worthless thing. But it had a receptacle of life, and that
life is in the sun which imparts heat and light to everything. The sun
makes the earth warm; the watery vapors to ascend and form clouds
which give rain; the sap to rise and form itself into leaves, blossoms
and fruits. Every unconverted man and woman, just like that tree in
winter, is dead as to all divine or heavenly life in the soul. Let us
see: He is dead as to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. He does not love
him. He lives just as if there were no God to love and obey; no hell
to shun; no heaven to obtain. He does not love the people of God as
such. But, notwithstanding all this, he has a capacity, such as God
has given to every man, to be made alive in Christ Jesus. Christ is
called the Sun of Righteousness. He is so called because he, like the
sun in our sky, rises and shines upon the evil and the good; and
whosoever opens his heart to the light of this Sun is filled with the
light of _truth_ and _love_, and made alive to walk in the way of
righteousness before him.

This light comes through his Word, the Gospel of our salvation, as it
is proclaimed by his faithful ministers, and falls upon every sinner.
If the sinner will open his ears to the voice, and his eyes to the
light, the promise in the text is that he "_shall live_." Jesus says:
"I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall have the
light of LIFE. In him is light, and the light is the LIFE of men." But
if the sinner, like the owl, closes his eyes to the light of truth,
and his ears to the voice of the Lord, he will abide in death, and,
like the owl, love darkness rather than light forever.

SUNDAY, July 19, Magdalena Wampler and John Miller's wife baptized.


_Sermon by Elder Daniel Miller._

_In the German Language, at the Linville's Creek Meetinghouse._

TEXT.--And there went out unto him all the country of Judaea, and
all they of Jerusalem; and they were baptized of him in the river
Jordan, confessing their sins.--Mark 1:5.

Judging from the multitudes that went out to John's baptism, his
preaching must have created a lively sensation in Jerusalem and Judaea.
All who went out were Jews. In justice to the text, we must notice the
fact that the word ALL, as there used, applies only to the common
people. These came to John confessing their sins. He pointed them to
the "Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." The scribes
and Pharisees and lawyers, the chief men of Judaea and Jerusalem, went
not out to be baptized of John. These had no sins to confess; no
ignorance to deplore; no spiritual ailments or infirmities. "They that
be whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick."

It was with the common people that John succeeded in preparing the
"way of the Lord." May we not also do the same? When we induce men to
think upon the subject of religion, when we persuade them to repent
and believe the Gospel, we too are preparing the way of the Lord. The
Word of Truth does not have free course all over the world yet. Many
amongst us oppose it. Millions far away are still in pagan darkness.
But every soul that truly believes in Jesus and is baptized has the
promise of salvation; and every such soul is a fresh light in the
world's darkness. The more of such lights we can get to shine in the
world the lighter will it grow, and the more and more will the way of
the Lord be prepared.

In John's day the people were not ashamed to come and be immersed in
the Jordan. There does not seem to have been any doubt or uncertainty
with them as to the mode or form of baptism. Every one went to the
river Jordan. If a few drops of water, applied to some part of the
body, had answered the end of baptism as well as the immersion of the
whole body in water, I think most of them would have saved themselves
this long journey. They would have called John to Jerusalem, to that
wealthy and populous city. He could have just passed through the
streets with a pail or pitcher of water in his hand, and with little
trouble could have applied a few drops to the head or face of each one
that asked it.

For want of room, we now pass over all the entries in the Diary from
July 19 to September 11. This time was actively taken up by our
beloved brother in attending love feasts, council meetings and regular
appointments. In body he was robust, vigorous and active: in spirit he
had long reaches of faith and hope and love. This incited him to great
activity; and I often heard him say: "An hour misspent or trifled away
is just so much time given to Satan."


JOURNEY TO OHIO AND RETURN THROUGH KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE.

This journey occupied _two months_ to the day. Friday, September 11,
he passed up through Brock's Gap, and down the Lost River Valley.


LOST RIVER.

This is a small but very clear and beautiful stream in Hardy County,
West Virginia. It flows through a rich and delightful valley between
Church mountain on its eastern side next to Shenandoah County,
Virginia, and the South Branch mountain on its western side. After a
course of about twenty miles in a northeasterly direction it suddenly
disappears at the base of a mountain extending like a huge dam across
the valley. After a subterranean passage of a few miles it reappears
on the opposite side "clear as crystal." From this point to its mouth
in the Potomac it bears the name of Ca-capon or Capon. Tradition says
this is an Indian name, and means FOUND. This stream, from its head to
its mouth, may aptly represent the life, death and resurrection of the
Christian.


STATE OF THE COUNTRY.

For the information of the young especially, many of whom it is hoped
will read this book, I will give a brief description of the state of
the country through which our beloved brother expected to travel,
partly alone and on horseback. No doubt you have read the story of
George Washington, not quite twenty-one years of age, starting on
horseback with only a single companion, to carry a letter from
Dinwiddie, Governor of Virginia, to the commander of the French
military forces at Venango, in the extreme northwestern part of
Pennsylvania. Washington delivered the letter and returned the answer.
Many books of American history give an account of this wonderful
achievement, and praise the man who performed it.

Brother Kline, in part, passed over very nearly the same ground on
this journey that Washington had passed over on his. Washington went
with a motive altogether worldly. He was complying with the wish of
the governor of his State. Brother Kline went with a motive as far
transcending in sublimity and importance anything appearing in that of
Washington as heaven is high above the earth, and the thoughts and
ways of God are above those of men. He went to raise men from the
depths of sin into which they had so deeply fallen, and exalt them to
companionship with angels in the skies. His mission was to turn men
from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. He laid no
claim to any power within himself to do this; but he went in the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and in the power of him who is able and
mighty to save.

We must bear in mind, too, that this journey was undertaken more than
fifty-eight years ago. A very large part of the country through which
he had to pass was yet in a state of virgin forest. No railroads bore
the lightning trains on their bosoms. Very few houses in much of the
country were to be seen; and many of these offered little besides
shelter, and some barely that. There were hardly any bridges. Broad
and deep rivers had to be forded on horseback, or crossed in what the
Indians called a CANOE. This is a kind of long boat made from the body
of a single tree, by cutting or burning out the inside, and leaving
the bottom, ends and sides like a trough. He reports having crossed
some streams in this kind of a boat. His life was several times
endangered by crossing deep waters.

SATURDAY, September 12, he arrived at Abbey Arnold's, in Hampshire
County, West Virginia. On the thirteenth he attended a love feast at
Daniel Arnold's nearby, and reports a very joyful meeting with the
Brethren whom he had not seen for a time.

MONDAY, September 14, he took leave of the Brethren in Hampshire
County, and directed his course through Maryland into Pennsylvania;
and on Friday, September 18, he crossed the Ohio river, two and
one-half miles below Acreton. He was ferried across in a flatboat.

SUNDAY, September 20, he arrived at Brother George Hoke's. He says: "I
have been exposed to some bad weather, and have passed over some bad
roads; but to meet such a dear and kind brother as George Hoke, and be
received in such a pleasant way as I have been by the dear brother and
family, is more than a compensation for all the exposure and toil it
has cost."

As nearly as I can, I will now give the substance and manner of a
conversation which took place the same evening between Brother Kline
and Brother Hoke. The Diary is silent upon it, but Brother Kline
related it to me himself in the year 1862. Brother Jacob Miller, of
Greenmount, Virginia, told me afterwards that Brother Kline had
related the same to him. The weather being a little cool and damp, the
two brethren sat by the fire. I will name the parties in the order of
the conversation.

KLINE.--Why do not we ordain deacons in the same way the
seven were ordained at Jerusalem?

HOKE.--Do you think the seven were deacons?

K.--Yes, I have always thought so.

H.--I do not think they were.

K.--Well, here is a difference of opinion between brethren.

H.--Let us try to get together on this point.

K.--I desire, above all things, to know the truth, and to see eye to
eye with all the Brethren on every point of Holy Writ.

H.--So do I. Now let us see. I do not think the seven were deacons,
because they are nowhere _called_ deacons. Have we a just right to
call them deacons when the Word does not call them so? Again: I must
think the church at Jerusalem was fully organized before any demand
was found for the appointment of the seven. Did it not have deacons at
the start? Who attended to gathering up food and hunting shelter, and
making general provisions for the comfortable entertainment of
thousands of brethren and sisters, and their children besides? I
rather think that the deacons already in office attended to these
things. But the number of the brethren increased so rapidly that the
deacons needed help in the way of general oversight, and the most
natural thing in the world would be for them to apply to the apostles
for advice in regard to the matter. But the apostles replied, "It is
not reason that we should LEAVE the Word of God and serve tables."
This proves that they had not done so before, and that it would not be
right for them to do so now. Hence the importance of getting men of
real executive ability to serve the present necessity. Such ability
and fitness they found in the seven whom they set apart to that work.
But they must not only possess business tact; they must be "men full
of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, and men of _honest_ report," whose
record in life proved their HONESTY. This, Brother John, is my opinion
as to the reason why the apostles were so particular on this point.
These seven men would certainly have a great deal entrusted to their
general keeping; and unless they were _honest_, they might take
advantage and make personal gain out of it. They soon got things so
arranged in the hands of the deacons, that Stephen, one of the seven,
could leave and give all of his time, or most of it, to preaching; for
we are directly informed that the opposing Jews "were not able to
withstand the wisdom and the spirit in which he spake." Right on the
strength of this began the terrific persecution which soon resulted in
the martyrdom of Stephen, and eventuated in the dispersion from
Jerusalem of all the leaders and most of the influential and
well-known members of the body. Philip only, of all the seven except
Stephen, is mentioned in the New Testament after this. It seems that
after he had preached for some time he married and settled down at
Caesarea, where, years after, Paul found him, and spoke of him as one
of the seven--not deacons--although it would have been very easy for
Paul to call him such, had he been a deacon. Paul here calls him
Philip the evangelist. Acts 21:8.

K.--I must admit, Brother George, that your argument is fair and
pointed, and I will reconsider the whole subject. I never before saw
the office and appointment of the seven in the light in which you have
presented it to me this evening.

H.--I believe there are points in addition to those already given, but
you may find them yourself.

MONDAY, September 21, Brother Kline attended a love feast at Brother
Snider's.

WEDNESDAY, September 23, he attended another at Brother Samuel
Mishler's. He spoke beautifully on 1 John 3:2: "Beloved, now are we
the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we
know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him."


A SHORT DISCOURSE.

In my view, there is no passage in the Bible which requires a stronger
faith to believe it fully than the one just quoted. No passage that I
know of sets forth in such lofty terms of description the exaltation
and glory of the redeemed. Often have I heard persons express their
wonder that Jesus did not tell us more about heaven and the future
state. This text itself tells us infinitely more about this than we
are capable of comprehending. Let us think a little.

I. It tells us that we are _now_ the SONS OF GOD. To be the son of a
_rich man_ is esteemed a great boon; to be the son of a king is an
honor and fortune enjoyed by few. But what are favors like these
compared with being a son of God! No wonder John says in another
place: "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of God!" Take the words of my text
all to yourself, my brother, my sister: believe it; love it; and ever
rejoice in the light of it. You desire to know how you attained to
this high distinction. I will tell you. Jesus came to you in his
blessed Word with the assurance that "as many as receive him, to them
gives he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on
his name; which are born, not of blood; nor of the will of the flesh;
nor of the will of man; but of God."

"This promise ever shall endure,
Till suns shall rise and set no more."

You received the Lord by believing on his name. This is faith. You
believed with your heart; that is, your faith was full of love, and
your love was attended and followed by obedience, and this made your
faith complete. It is yours now to rejoice in hope of the glory of
God.

II. But you can hardly believe that you are to be just like Christ. On
the mount you saw him glorified. "His face did shine as the sun, and
his outward form was white as the light." Now Paul says: "He shall
change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto the body
of his glory." "Then shall the righteous shine as the sun in the
kingdom of their Father."

O brethren, let us look at the _bright_ side of the Christian's life,
for it has a bright side, and that is the side next to heaven, on
which the light of heaven forever falls. I am not unmindful of the
fact that, figuratively speaking, one side is turned to earth, and the
earth in many respects is a very dark place. On the earth-side "clouds
and darkness are the habitation of his throne;" but on the heaven-side
"the city hath no need of the sun to shine in it, for the Lord God and
the Lamb are the light thereof; and there shall be no night there."
"We are fellow-citizens with the saints [in glory], and of the
household of God." Oh, brethren, let us walk worthy of our high
calling. "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give
thanks: for this is the will of God concerning you."

FRIDAY, September 25. Brother Kline passed through Jerome, Petersburg
and Mansfield and got to Brother John Hoover's.

MONDAY, September 28. "This evening," says he, "I am at Judge Watts's.
Having been unavoidably delayed by having to get my horse shod,
darkness overtook me five miles away from here, and nothing but a
continuation of thick woods appeared in every direction. More than
this, the wolves set up a howling in a very threatening manner. Had I
been compelled to pass the night in the woods, I would have been in
danger of being devoured by them. Whilst alone in the darkness I
thought, How quickly would these ravenous creatures fall upon and
devour an unprotected sheep! And how surely would the wolves from
Satan's den fall upon us and make a prey of our souls if Jesus, the
Good Shepherd, did not guard and protect us through the spiritual
darkness of this world! Several verses of one of Watts' old 'cradle
hymns' came to my mind whilst thinking over these things. They run
thus:

"'Once, as oppressed with sleep I lay,
With pining hunger bold,
A prowling enemy came by,
And robbed my little fold.
But Thou, Great Shepherd, dost not sleep
Nor slumber oft like me;
So that no foe can steal a sheep
Eternally from Thee.'"

TUESDAY, September 29. "This evening I am at Brother Abraham Miller's
in Allen County, Ohio. From Judge Watts's to this place is only five
miles. But how different my feelings this evening from what they were
last evening! Then I was alone in the woods, in hearing of wolves in
several directions, with darkness on every side; now I am here with my
beloved brother and his pleasant family. Oh, what will it be, what the
ineffable joy to find ourselves, some day, in heaven, eternally safe
from all danger and harm!"

Brother Kline spent the time between this and the next Sunday in
traveling and visiting.

SUNDAY, October 4, he attended a love feast at which he made some very
beautiful and appropriate remarks on Luke 4. "There is," said he,
"much of human nature set forth in this chapter. So long as Jesus
spoke of the things that pleased the assembled Jews they 'all wondered
at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.' They applied
these gracious words to themselves, and flattered themselves into the
belief that they were 'God's favorites' on account of their inherent
virtues. But when the Lord indirectly spoke of them as starving widows
in God's sight, and filthy lepers, 'all in the synagogue were filled
with wrath.' When flowers are thrown upon the surface of a calm
lake--so the poets say--the lake is made to smile with dimples of
delight; but when heavy storms of truth are thrown in, the mud at the
bottom is stirred up, and the lake boils with filth. Brethren, let us
try to 'cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord;' and then we will not get
angry when the truth is presented."

I would like very much to give the name of every family with which
Brother Kline passed a night throughout this entire journey, and also
the name of every brother and sister and family called on, but want of
space absolutely forbids.

October 5 and 6 were spent at a council meeting near Brother
Butterbaugh's. He does not say, but I guess this was in Montgomery
County, Ohio. The names--Samuel Fouse, David Miller, Abraham Erbaugh,
Samuel Kline, John Brower, Abraham Flory--all occur in close
connection as having been visited by him.

SUNDAY, October 11. Brother Kline attended a meeting at which he
reports Jacob Rife, John Garber, James Smith and George Miller, all
from Virginia, as being present with their families. They have come to
find homes in Ohio. They had arrived there on Friday before, which was
October 9. It may be very gratifying to the children and grandchildren
of these parents to find out the exact day on which their fathers and
mothers arrived in the county and State where they settled.

MONDAY, October 12. Meeting at Brother Hoffert's. Brother Kline spoke
to-day on Matthew 25. I can give only a slight touch of his discourse:
"This chapter," said he, "is full of wonders. The parable of the
talents; the parable of the ten virgins; and a description of the
general judgment. Both parables are intimately connected with the
judgment, and indicate the broad basis on which it will be conducted.
I believe that the virgins in the parable represent professors of
Christianity. They all had lamps. They all slumbered and slept. In
these two respects they were all alike.

"But the great difference between them at once appears, when the
announcement is suddenly made, 'Behold, the bridegroom cometh! go ye
out to meet him.' Then the folly of the foolish, and the wisdom of the
wise is first disclosed. The foolish had provided no oil for the
replenishing of their lamps. I fear they were like too many now, who,
in the heat of excitement, under the influence of misguided
instructors, blindly fall into the ranks of those who take the name of
Christ in one hand and the fashions and pleasures of the world in the
other, and thus move on through life. Alas! such have lamps that may
answer for this life, and oil enough and of a kind to keep their lamps
aglow while living in this world; but when the day of trial shall come
their lamps will prove useless for want of the right kind of oil. The
only oil that will burn in the presence of Jesus, and whose light he
will own, is the oil of heavenly love proved by a life of self-denial
and obedience to his Word. Lord, help us, that we all may love thee
more, and through obedient faith in thee find the door of heaven open
to our ransomed spirits."

WEDNESDAY, October 14. Our beloved brother now takes leave of the
brethren and sisters in Ohio and starts on his way to Tennessee. On
the fifteenth he is ferried across the river from Cincinnati to
Covington in a flatboat, and from this point he pushes on to
Lexington, Ky., which he reaches on the seventeenth, having traveled
from home to that point, 788 miles. Think of it! The toil of this
journey, on horseback; over rough or bad roads; through thinly settled
sections of country, and dark forests; in sight of Indians, and in
hearing of wolves; more than sixty years ago; and all for Christ and
a burning love for his people. Well could he say what he publicly
expressed at a love feast at the Linville's Creek meetinghouse some
years after this: "I have a house that will accommodate fifty: and a
heart to accommodate a hundred if they could find room in my house."

He pushed on, scaled the Cumberland mountains; got across the
Cumberland and Clinch rivers as best he could, as both were high from
the recent rains, and arrived

FRIDAY, October 23, at Christian Shank's, in East Tennessee. On the
day before he stood by the tree that marks the spot where the States
of Virginia and Kentucky corner on the line of Tennessee. He says: "I
could not help thinking while there, What a glorious country we have
in prospect, and what a goodly land it may come to be, if the people
can be induced to turn to the Lord and become faithful followers of
the meek and lowly Jesus. What a work we have to do! How much
wickedness have I witnessed on my way since I left home! In our way of
looking at it, enough to sink a world. By turning once around I can
look over a part of three States; but how few of the followers of the
Lord are found in each, compared with the number who know him not, and
who ask not for him."

He reports delightful weather. After spending some days among the
Bowmans, Zimmermans, Crouses, Garbers, Basehores, and others,
attending love feasts, councils and appointments for preaching, he
reports a night meeting at Hase's schoolhouse. This was on the night
of

THURSDAY, October 29. The people were somewhat Calvinistic in their
views, and his discourse was so pointed in that direction that I will
give a few thoughts presented in it.


_Sermon by Elder John Kline._

_Preached at Hase's Schoolhouse, Tennessee._

TEXT.--Enter ye in at the strait gate.--Matt. 7:13.

I tried to impress upon all present the danger of continuing in the
broad road of sin. This includes every lust of the flesh, everything
the heart desires through the eyes, and all the pride and vanity
of life. I said to this audience: I learn that there is quite a
Calvinistic or predestinarian sentiment in this community; and from
the expression of the countenances of some of you I fancy I hear some
of you saying to yourselves: "How can a dead man hear, except the Lord
first give him life; or a blind man see, except the Lord first open
his eyes?" I will answer your questions in order.

Lazarus had been dead four days. Jesus called to him with a loud voice
to "_come forth_." How could Jesus expect the dead Lazarus to hear?
Why did he call? Why did he not first make him alive; and then after
he found out that he _was alive_, and stirring round in the grave,
call to him and tell him to come out of that dark place? This is
precisely the way a Calvinist would think he ought to have done. But
Calvinism was not known in the Lord's day, and so he took a very
different way. He threw his voice into that cave, and it went right
into the ear of the dead Lazarus, because his power went with the
words, and the very instant they struck the ear of Lazarus the life
was in his body and he heard. Thunder and lightning always go
together; but Calvinists think the lightning must always be first.

The resurrection of Lazarus is a clear exemplification of our Lord's
meaning where he says: "My words are SPIRIT, and they are LIFE." No
sooner did the Lord call to Lazarus than his heart began to beat and
his lungs began to breathe. The Lord's words to him were _life_ and
_breath_. _Spirit_ [in one sense] means breath; and _life_ means a
beating of the heart; for as long as man's heart beats there is life
in him. Is any one here to-night willing to charge our Lord with the
folly, the _madness_ of commanding one of his creatures to do what he
knows he cannot do?

Sinner, if the popular view of election be correct, I have a word of
comfort for you right here. In Jer. 13:21 we read this question: "What
wilt thou say when he shall punish thee?" I will tell you what to say.
When you stand before his judgment seat and hear from his lips,
"Depart, thou cursed into everlasting fire," just say to him: "Why do
you condemn _me_? You told me to enter in at the straight gate, it is
true; but you did not give me the power to move in that direction. I
was blind, too, and you did not open my eyes. I was all leprous with
sin; I knew that all the time; but you did not cleanse me, although
you cleansed others. I am told that you say in your Word that you are
no respecter of persons; how then can you make such a difference in
your treatment of men, when you have 'included all under sin?'"

Now I say to you, poor sinner, the Lord never will and he never can
send you to hell with such questions in your mouth and in your heart.

There is no need of one sinner under the sound of my voice going to
hell, because Jesus is the STRAIT GATE and he is the NARROW WAY OF
LIFE; and wherever his Gospel is preached his power goes with it, just
as it went with his voice into the grave of Lazarus, or fell upon the
bier of the widow's son. The blind man did not see until he went to
the pool of Siloam and washed; but did not the power of Christ go with
him?

Say not then, O sinner, "I have not the power to believe, repent and
obey the Gospel." You have the power. God is giving you now, this very
moment, all the power you need to reach hither your hand and take the
gift of his grace. He has already opened your eyes to see the light of
his truth; and were I to say to you this night that you are too dead
to feel your duty; too blind to see the path; and too grossly ignorant
to know your right hand from your left hand in spiritual things, you
would feel yourself grossly insulted by me. But I do not say so; I do
not believe so; and in this connection--and I beg you to think
seriously upon it, to read the Bible and pray over it--I must repeat
the language of Jeremiah: "What wilt thou SAY, when he shall punish
thee?"

SUNDAY, November 1. Meeting and love feast at Bowman's meetinghouse.
This was Brother Kline's last meeting with the Tennessee Brethren on
this visit among them. I must extend the outlines of his discourse as
it was his last among them for some years.


_A Short Discourse by Elder John Kline._

TEXT.--He died for all, that they which live should no longer live
unto themselves, but unto him, who, for their sakes, died and rose
again.

This was Christ. Our natural feelings and desires are selfish. Jesus
has given us the clearest example of unselfish love the universe has
ever witnessed. "For God commendeth his love to us"--that is, he shows
the exceeding greatness of it--"in that, when we were enemies, Christ
died for us." I do not believe that we ever, in this world, can fully
understand the merits of our Savior's life, death and resurrection.
Enough for us to know that he has opened a "new and living way" by
which we may come back to our heavenly Father and be his children
again.