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 a.s.sertion 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 G.o.d. 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 G.o.d 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 a.s.surance: "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 pa.s.sed out of death into life." To hear is to hearken, and to hearken is to obey, from a right faith in G.o.d. If you believe that this book which I hold in my hand, called the Bible, is the revealed truth of G.o.d, 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 a.s.surance 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 a.s.surance: 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 G.o.d 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 a.s.sertion. 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 G.o.d. 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 G.o.d 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 pa.s.sages to a much greater number, but time forbids. Every pa.s.sage 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.--"G.o.d 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 G.o.d, 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.
SAt.u.r.dAY, 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 G.o.d-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 G.o.d. 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 a.s.sured that his hearing is acceptable to G.o.d. 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.
What I have said, however important it may be to know, does not cover the entire ground comprehended in the text. I must show you another element which must exist in the _manner_ of all right hearing. That element is _discrimination_. Without this, how is the hearer to know whether the truth or its opposite is being preached? The comparison may lack adaptability in some of its points, but I have heard it said that some hearers are like young birds in their nest, ready to swallow down anything put into their mouths. Such as hear in this way lack _discrimination_; that is, they do not discern the difference between what is true and what is false. This is particularly the case with such as have been trained to regard what their own denominational ministers preach as being the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I am aware that some may just now be saying in their minds: "You Dunkard people are the very ones to whom your words most justly apply; for I know of no people who take so great pains to instil this very belief into the minds of the young as you do." I can truthfully say that such charges are not strange to me. But with all due respect for such as differ from us in religious faith and practice, I do say that we, as a denomination of Christian brethren, acknowledging no teacher but Christ, no authority but his Word, have no will, wish or desire to lead the truth and thus pervert, ignore or misapply any part of it; but our will, wish and desire is to be led by the truth. And I do not in my heart believe there is one member of our Brotherhood who would desire to instill into the mind of his or her child any belief or practice not sustained by a plain "_thus saith the Lord_." In this very way the power of _discrimination_ is developed in the minds of our young people, so that when they hear or read they do not question whether this or that that they hear or read has for its authority the Methodist Discipline, the Episcopal Prayer Book, or Lutheran Catechism; but they at once perceive that it either has or has not the sanction of G.o.d"s Word. We are taught that in a spiritual sense no one is to be called rabbi. "Be not ye called rabbi; for One is your teacher, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father on the earth; for one is your Father in heaven." How the mind might expatiate here in making historic disclosures of the times and ways in which this plain command of our Lord has been violated! Hearing the Word preached, and the hearer not able to discern truth from falsehood, has given to priestcraft nearly all of its power; because priestcraft, unsupported by the common people, could never have risen into power.
If the common people had been wise enough to take heed _how_ they hear, they never would have suffered themselves to be imposed upon as they have been.
I now take up the last but not the least element in the _manner_ of hearing. That element is _sincerity_; which I define to be a heartfelt love for the truth. Paul puts it "Receiving the truth in the love of it." The person who hears the truth lightly, thoughtlessly, carelessly is not instructed by it. The same is true of one who hears with prejudice against the truth. He refuses to be instructed, because he does not love the truth he hears. Let me use an ill.u.s.tration here. Two men once happened to meet at my house, one a Presbyterian and the other a member of no church. After dinner the subject of feet-washing was broached. After we had all talked awhile about it one of the men asked me whereabouts in the Bible it was to be found. I turned to the thirteenth chapter of John"s Gospel, and he then asked me to read it aloud. I did so. These two men listened attentively, so, at least, they appeared to me. The Presbyterian friend very modestly gave it as his opinion that the command is fully met by acts of hospitality, and referred to the reception which Abraham gave the three angels who came to his tent as proof of the correctness of his conclusion. Very little more was said about it at that time. The two men, soon after, went away together; and I had little or no conversation with either of them for probably nearly a year afterward. But it so turned out that the one who was not a professor of religion came to my house again, and showed a desire to talk on the subject of feet-washing. I was ready to answer such questions as he proposed; and he very soon expressed a wish to know if I remembered having once read the thirteenth chapter of John"s Gospel to him when on a call at my house. I told him I did remember it. "Your reading of that chapter," said he, "struck my mind with so much force that I could not rid myself of the impression it made. I never, until then, knew there was anything so plain in the Scriptures, and so easy to understand. I had always thought the Bible was a book of dark sayings, unintelligible to any but the learned; and even in their hands doubtful as to its true interpretation. Since then I have been reading it, especially the New Testament part of it, and find so much that I can understand that I begin to love it." I have only to add that this man soon applied for membership in our church, was baptized, and manifested enthusiastic delight in obeying the command, "So ought ye also to wash one another"s feet," at the first love feast he ever attended.
In connection with the case I have just described, the two men spoken of heard with different ears. The ear of the first was so modified by previous indoctrinations that it could almost shut itself in and become deaf or callous when the plain truth was read: the ear of the last was open to take in the truth; and the mind, being free from prejudice, received the truth from the love of it. "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The Lord includes all such hearers as the one I have just described, in the promised blessing.
"Take heed HOW ye hear." In speaking on this text so much comes before my mind that it is difficult for me to stop. I must say something to the unconverted sinner. The Lord says to you: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." This means that you should turn away from your sins and enter the kingdom of heaven. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return unto the Lord, for he will have mercy upon him; and unto our G.o.d, for he will abundantly pardon." And Jesus says: "Whosoever cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." To come unto the Lord is to hear his Word with full purpose of heart to understand it, see its truth, believe it and obey it. I beg every unconverted person in this house to ask himself just now: "How do I hear what the preacher has just now said? Do I hear it with a thoughtless, careless ear? If I do, what is to become of me? Can I bear to hear the voice from the judgment throne say: "Depart, ye workers of iniquity, into everlasting fire"? Would I not better "seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near"?" O, that all might hear aright, repent and live, for with the Lord there is plenteous redemption; and he is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto G.o.d by him.
SUNDAY, September 6. Meeting at Turner"s schoolhouse. William Miller and wife, and Andrew Lamb"s wife are baptized.
THURSDAY, September 24. This day finds Brother Kline and Solomon Garber in Randolph County, Virginia, nearly one hundred miles from home, holding a meeting. Both have come on horseback. They hold a council meeting with the Brethren a.s.sembled. Joseph Houser is elected to the deaconship. After meeting Brother Solomon Garber baptizes Mrs.
Houser and Diana Bainbridge.
SAt.u.r.dAY, September 26. They have meeting in meetinghouse near Josiah Simon"s. Matt. 5:13 is the text. Brother Solomon Garber spoke first; and the Diary notes are so suggestive of original thought that I give them in a somewhat expanded form. TEXT.--"_Ye are the salt of the earth._"
Jesus spoke by parables: and we are told that without a parable spoke he not. My text is a parable. But what is a parable? A parable is a way of teaching in which natural objects are used to represent or symbolize spiritual realities. It is a way of comparing natural things with spiritual things. This way of teaching is based upon the correspondence existing between natural things and spiritual or heavenly things. Thus: a natural birth corresponds to a spiritual birth; natural water, to spiritual water, which is divine or heavenly truth. Wind, which is air in motion, corresponds to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Now notice, Jesus said to Nicodemus: "If I have told you earthly things, and you believe or understand not, how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?" Nicodemus could not understand how earthly things could symbolize or represent spiritual things. Hence he asked: "How can these things be?"
I have tried to find out as nearly as possible what the word SALT is used to represent, as found in my text. I have searched many books for this one thing alone. But after all my investigations I am compelled to rely upon my own judgment, and decide the matter for myself. I notice, however, that salt is often spoken of in the Bible. All the priestly offerings had to be salted with salt. There must, then, be a high and holy significance in its use in this way.
Elisha succeeded Elijah in the prophetic office. Elijah had been carried up to heaven in a chariot of fire, and Elisha had just returned from the scene and sight of his master"s glorification, and was at the city of Jericho. And the men of the city said unto Elisha: "Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, ... but the water is naught"--worthless, not fit to drink. And Elisha "went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters." To my mind these bitter waters of Jericho symbolize the truths of G.o.d"s Word, as these truths appear to the mind and affect the taste of the unconverted man.
Read the Bible to the man who has no relish, no love for its truth. Is it not to his soul like the waters of Jericho--"naught," or nothing?
These men of Jericho are all around us, and you may find opportunities to prove what I have said. I have repeatedly tried it. I have read chapter after chapter of the divine Word to unconverted men, sometimes to my own work hands who I knew cared nothing for religion, and whilst they would not tell me to my face that they cared nothing for it, I could find out by others, and by their own after lives that what they heard was to their souls as the waters of Jericho were to the men of that city. But when the salt of pure love for the Lord, and the desire to leave off and forsake all sinful indulgences and worldly pleasures by leading a new life in doing the Lord"s will, enters a man the Word becomes sweet and precious to his soul. _The waters are healed, because the man is healed._
The twelve disciples, particularly, were, at the time our Lord spoke the words of my text, the very embodiment of all the virtues of heart and life which make the Word of the Lord sweet to the soul. To such these beautiful words in the Song of Solomon apply: "He brought me to the banqueting house: he stayed me with flagons of wine: he comforted me with apples: his banner over me was love: yea, and HIS FRUIT _was sweet to my taste_."
Now, to bring my text to something like a practical head, I must say to every unconverted soul here: You must put the salt into the water of G.o.d"s Word for yourself. If you look to the Lord, and ask him to give you eyes that you may see, and ears that you may hear, and a heart that you may understand, you will also receive all the salt you need to heal the Word and make it healing to your soul. But if you neglect and despise or reject the offers of G.o.d"s love, the very thing that he has prepared for your eternal joy will be everlasting bitterness to your soul. For one to know his duty and not at the same time do it exposes him to the danger of being converted into a pillar of bitter salt as Lot"s wife was. She could not give up her love for the world. She knew that she must not look back with longings for the Sodom of the sinful life she had left; but she did look back, and her awful fate is brought to mind by our Lord as a warning to all: "Remember Lot"s wife."
By the words of my text, then, the Lord meant that the disciples represented the charity and faith that sweeten and give to every word of Divine Truth a gracious reception into the heart and life. In this happy love the Christian sings of the Word of Life in the beautiful sentiment of an old hymn:
"Yes, thou art precious to my soul; My transport and my trust: Jewels to thee are gaudy toys, And gold is sordid dust."
And when the disembodied soul shall awake to the full realization of the truth which shone so dimly here, the love for that truth will be sevenfold as the light of seven days all in one, which means fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.
SUNDAY, September 27. This day Brother Solomon Garber leaves me after meeting, to attend to some appointments ahead. I stay to debate with a Methodist preacher. In the afternoon I baptize Sister Houser. Stay all night at Brother Pirkey"s.
TUESDAY, September 29. In the afternoon meet the Methodist preacher at Israel Methodist church. But I am sorry to say that instead of going into a discussion with me on baptism and other ordinances of G.o.d"s house he suffered himself to run into an absurd abuse of us, as if we might be doing much harm by our close adherence to the teachings and examples of Christ and his apostles. I can pray the Lord to have mercy upon him, and to open his eyes; for I was led to believe, from what he said, that he had never read or thought much outside of the Methodist Discipline.
WEDNESDAY, September 30. Meeting again in meetinghouse near Brother Simon"s. Speak on John 3:7. I baptize Brother Samuel Channel.
THURSDAY, October 1. Get Nell shod. Come to the Barker settlement. Night meeting at Wilson"s.
FRIDAY, October 2. Night meeting at Enoch Johnson"s.
SAt.u.r.dAY, October 3. Meeting and love feast at Brother Henry Wilson"s. Stay all night at Brother Elias Oval"s.
SUNDAY, October 4. Meeting at the meetinghouse. Take the voice of the church. Brother Henry Wilson is established. Brother Elias Oval is advanced; and Brother William Oval is elected to the Word.
MONDAY, October 5. Visit Elijah Skidmore; dine at Brother Burke"s; visit Joseph Workman; and come to Brother Simon"s in the evening. Brother Michael Lion, Brother Thomas Clark, and Brother Martain Cosner are there when I arrive. I probably will never forget the pleasure of meeting those brethren there and spending the night and next day with them. Our love for each other here is a sweet foretaste of the joy of heaven.
TUESDAY, October 6. Come to Brother Levi Wilmot"s. Preach the funeral of Brother Powers"s wife.
WEDNESDAY, October 7. Dine at Abraham Summerfield"s. Then to William Adamson"s at the mouth of Seneca Creek, where I stay all night.
THURSDAY, October 8. Dine at Daniel Judy"s. Stay all night at Adam Ketterman"s on top of the South Fork mountain.
FRIDAY, October 9. Get home.
SUNDAY, October 25. Meeting at Hoover"s schoolhouse. I baptize John Lamb and wife, and Mary Hoover.
SUNDAY, November 1. This day Brother Kline and Jacob Miller are together at a meeting in a place called Powell"s Fort. This is a very singular conformation of country. It is entirely surrounded by high mountain walls, with the exception of one notch or outlet for drainage and a road. It is about twenty miles south of Winchester, Virginia. Some well-to-do people live in this secluded abode. It is likewise the point to which it is said that Washington had resolved to retreat, with his army, rather than surrender to the British, in one of the dark periods of the Revolutionary War. On this visit to the Fort Brother Jacob Miller baptized three persons.
From this time to the close of the year, Brother Kline was mostly employed in writing his "Apology and Defense of Baptism." He finished the work on the thirty-first day of December. In the year 1857 he traveled 3,967 miles.