Was out much of the day talking with brethren on perfect love, etc. The brethren from Stark circuit again called me out and consulted me about taking their circuit. I told them if they could stand perfect holiness and all the counsel of God preached, they might apply for me, and I would leave it all with the Lord and the Eldership. This eve I gave a concise account of my experience of justification and sanctification. At a late hour the Eldership closed with a report of the Stationing Committee. I was assigned to the Stark circuit, consisting of Canton, New Berlin, Middle Creek, and Stump's Bethel. Thank the Lord! His ways are not our ways. I had built much on free missionary work, but he knows best. I committed it all to him, besought him to prevent my appointment to a circuit if he did not wish me to take one, even by cutting off my license if no other way; and now I receive this appointment of the Lord, and by his blessing and power I hope he will make his Word to run and be glorified in the salvation of hundreds of souls.
Following this decision of the Stationing Committee, Brother and Sister Warner had the task of changing their place of abode, which in their work they had so many times to do. Their belongings were certainly not many, nevertheless the work of packing and the obtaining of some means of conveying their goods to the station was left generally for them to attend to. His literary society about this time gave an entertainment at the College, but he with Sister Warner preferred to attend a holiness meeting about four miles distant. Of this meeting he thus speaks:
3. Met Brother Ackers, from Bucyrus, whom I had not met before. He is a wonderful specimen of God's great salvation, raised from the delirium tremens to perfect holiness and mighty faith.
7. Brother Ackers testified for God that the happiest moment he ever saw was when he found he had lost all his property and had not a dollar left, though he had been a wealthy merchant in Bucyrus. I was led to testify how the Lord had taken me through some storms in great calmness. Eve, the church and the large schoolhouse on the same corners were both filled. I delivered a short sermon in the former on perfection, then went over to the other house and gave an exhortation to sinners.
Before leaving for Canton, Brother and Sister Warner decided to visit the latter's former home near Upper Sandusky. From that place he went to visit his father, at Bridgewater, Williams County.
11. This morning arose before daylight, started quite early to Loudonville. Brother Eyer came to the station and brought a quilt for us and a small one for Levilla, which the sisters of the Brubaker Church had got up for us. I spent some hours in packing things more securely to ship. Took train at 2:16 P. M. for Upper Sandusky. Reached there after seven. Walked out to Father Keller's. They had about given me up and were engaged in family worship. With reverence and admiration I stood at the window and looked in at that dear, affectionate family, all "made perfect through the blood of the everlasting covenant," while bowed together in evening devotion. Father was praying with a beaming face toward me. It appeared that the whole house was illuminated with the presence of God. My heart was made to burn with love and the Holy Ghost. When through with prayer, I entered, and then we had a moment of joyful greeting in the name of the Lord Jesus. My full heart then suggested that we bow again in praise and thanksgiving to God, which we all did. Oh how my poor heart tried to find utterance for its weight of gratitude to our God of wondrous love and salvation! Until quite late we talked of the kind dealings of God to our souls. I praise thee, O my God and Father, that thou hast ever connected me with this family. Through thy blessings, we have been wonderful helps to each other.
13. I took train at about half-past five for my father's in Williams County. Lay over about an hour at Toledo. Reached Bryan about half-past one. Went up in the town and soon found a man by the name of Faith, who could take me within one and three fourths miles from Father's. Talked with the poor man about his soul; but he had taken an oath to stick to the Lutheran Church as long as he lived, and that oath must be kept if he violates every obligation to Christ and loses his soul. Called at Brother Dean's. Found the poor man much cast down over the death of his dear wife. He wept as I alluded to her. Came on home. Found Father pretty well and happy to see me.
As I came from Brother Dean's, I passed the old schoolhouse where I surrendered to Jesus. It is no more used. I revered the sacred spot. Approached the door and found that it was not locked. I entered and kneeled as near as I could where I bowed at the altar a penitent sinner twelve years ago last February. I poured out my full heart of gratitude to the Father of mercies that he ever sent his spirit to convict me of my sins and show me my awful doom if I continued in sin. I truly thanked God that he had there prevailed upon me to repent of all my sin. I praised the great Shepherd of my soul that his grace had kept me those years from the power of an enraged foe. My thanks ascended to God for all the good he had done through this lump of unworthy clay. There I reconsecrated to God, after a careful examination of myself before him.
After some talk with Father, we bowed down together and I earnestly prayed God to save my poor father from the dreadful end of the wicked. For some time I have been unusually burdened in heart for my poor old father. I trust God in his infinite mercy will yet save him ere he goes to his long home. Before retiring, in my bedchamber I continued long in prayer with my blessed Savior.
14. Sabbath. Bro. Joseph Neil and I went to Madison Bethel, where Brother Coblen (recently from the German Baptists) had an appointment to preach. Brother C. spoke about thirty minutes on Heb. 2:2. Did well. I then talked over thirty minutes, mostly on the perfect escape from sin.