“But the good Book teaches, that sin will not debase the soul always; but rather that there is to be ‘an end of sin.’ Dan. ix. Transferring all sin and all sinners to hell would not exactly be destroying sin nor converting sinners to God. It would simply be removing sin and sinners to another locality—that is all. Transporting all the drunkards from St. Louis to Chicago, would not be destroying intemperance. It would only be removing the curse from one place to another—nothing more. But when the Bible talks about sin being destroyed, making an end of sin, it means just what it says. It does not mean that it will not be destroyed, will not end its reign.”
From Chillicothe I journeyed to Dewitt. I well remember of traveling that road at another time. It was one of the hottest days of summer, and I rode on horseback, from early morn till late at night, in the blazing sun, without a particle of food. About mid-day, I called at a house to get a drink of water, and the good woman conducted me to the back porch where were two buckets of ice and water—one bucket for the white folks, and the other for the negroes, and told me to keep myself to the refreshing contents of the former. Never shall I forget that blessed bucket, and its thrice blessed treasure. I thought of the spring in the desert, gushing forth its cooling draught; of
“The old oaken bucket,
The moss covered bucket,
The iron bound bucket,
That hung in the well,”
And of Jesus resting, as I was resting, at the Samaritan well.
After traveling about one week more, I reached home after a long absence; having delivered seventy-five discourses, and rode some seven hundred miles—all on horseback.
CHAPTER XVII.
The Rebellion Commenced—What Senator Douglas Said—Defenders of our Country—Camp Jackson—Rebel Flag—Great Expectations—Subscribers Lost—Money Lost—All but Two of the Religious Journals Stopped—Could do but Little in Missouri—Society in St. Louis—G. S. Weaver Left—The Unitarian Society—Published Pamphlet on Water Baptism—Discussion with B. H. Smith—Extracts from the Discussion.