14. A. M., meeting at schoolhouse. P. M., just before preaching I met with a few brethren who had been at variance, and helped to form a reconciliation, which was a perfect success. Preached on Matt. 22:21.
16. Sabbath. Preached one and three fourths hours on Ezek. 43:10,11, after which we fellowshiped and then baptized three. Eve, Brother Crawford, Baptist minister preached. Closed the meeting. Result, thirty-five converted, twenty-five immersed, church formed of thirty-three members. Expect more additions soon.
20. Eve, met the church at Windfall. Decided to build a meeting-house. Preached on church officers. Elders and deacons elected.
Apr. 3, 1873. Came to New Haven [Huron County]. Eve, met a number of my dear spiritual children in prayer-meeting. Had a good time and they exhorted me to meet them in heaven.
4. Beautiful day. How bright the sun shines! How the heart is gladdened at the return of warm and sunny days after such a long and hard winter as we have passed through! Oh, how I appreciate the Savior's beautiful metaphor in the Song of Solomon, where the present state of the church is represented by the winter with its dark clouds and howling winds, fierce with cold and hunger and hardship! But glory to God, the spring will come; already the fig-tree is putting forth her leaves, the turtle dove is heard in the land, and soon we shall hear the voice of the bridegroom calling, "Rise up, my beloved, my fair one, and come away; for the winter is past, and behold, thy beloved has come for thee." What a happy time that will be when, rising from the grave, we shall meet our dear friends and our Savior!
I am writing these lines in the beautiful cemetery near New Haven, Ohio. Before me is the little mound which shows the resting-place of my three little infants who a little over a year ago passed in a few hours through this vale of tears, and their little spirits are forever at rest with Jesus; and in one little box their bodies await the Savior's coming. What a glorious morning when all these graves shall burst open and the bodies shall come forth! they that have done good to the resurrection of life and glory, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of shame. Oh, may I be among the former class! Lord, make me a good man and keep me pure in heart. Farewell, sacred spot. Farewell, little tomb, with thy three-fold treasure.
16. Went to Bryan [Williams County] and ordered a tombstone for my wife's grave. The one selected cost fifty dollars, has a Bible lying on it, and I gave the following epitaph:
How sweet and pure in social life,
As daughter, sister, friend, and wife!
Now done with cares below the sun,