Tuesday, June 8. To-day I attended two buryings in one graveyard. Christian Eversole, age, sixty-nine years; and Samuel Bowers, age, twenty years; both buried at the Brush meetinghouse.
Saturday, July 3. Cross the Blue Ridge mountain to-day, and get to Henry Coverston's late this evening.
Sunday, July 4. Meeting in the Methodist meetinghouse. John 4 is read. I spoke as best I could on the Water of Life and kindred topics, but in this country we feel sadly the want of encouragement and sympathy which we are used to in our own houses and congregations. Our doctrinal views and practices as a denomination are not well understood in Albemarle County, Virginia. The prevailing denominations here are Baptists and Methodists. We have one consolation, however, even here. We can preach the Gospel to the poor, and they are ready to hear it. But there is one barrier between us and the wealthy classes which will continue, God only knows how long; and that barrier is African slavery. Many, seemingly good and reasonable people, in this country justify themselves in their own eyes, even on scripture grounds, for taking part in and encouraging the holding of slaves. I fear, however, that the god of this world has blinded their eyes, so that seeing they see not, and hearing they understand not.
A gentleman whom I met here and who said that he had traveled a great deal in the slave-holding States, told me that he witnessed the sale of some slaves in a town in North Carolina. A mother and her three children, two boys and a girl, were put up for sale separately. It happened that the mother was bought by one man, the two boys by another, and the daughter by a third. The daughter was twelve years old; and the boys respectively eight and ten. They were now to be parted, never to see each other more. There was no hope left them of ever hearing from each other again. The gentleman said the little boys did not seem to mind it so very much; but, said he, the agony of the mother, and the distress of the daughter were past description. It is to be hoped that such heart-rending scenes are not often to be witnessed; and I do believe that the time is not far distant when the sun will rise and set upon our land cleansed of this foul stain, though it may be cleansed with blood. I would rejoice to think that my eyes might see that bright morning; but I can have no hope of that.
Tuesday, July 6. On this day Brother Kline made arrangements to move to Orkney Springs with Anna. Some account of this place is given elsewhere in this work, and need not be repeated here. He and Anna staid here about five weeks, and he reports her general health as being much improved by the use of the different waters, as well as by the cheerful society she enjoyed. Whilst staying at this place Brother Kline reports some interesting acquaintances made with several noted persons whom he had only casually seen before. Among these was the Rev. Henry Brown, a Presbyterian minister of Harrisonburg.
Saturday, July 17, he says: Take a walk over some of the surrounding eminences with preacher Henry Brown of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Mr. Brown is a very sociable and pleasant man to be with. Whilst we differ on a good many points of Christian doctrine, we can still walk and talk together sociably; and I enjoy his company very much. It would be pleasant to believe, did the Scriptures warrant the conclusion, that all the differences which mark the divisions of Christians here will melt away in love and be forgotten there. Of one thing I am sure: No one will ever have a just right to boast of his own goodness, or lay claim to preferment on the score of his own obedience. "When ye," says our Savior, "have done all these things that were commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which it was our duty to do." Whilst it is true that the Presbyterians are zealous advocates of education and moral improvement, and as a people exhibit in their daily lives many Christian virtues and graces, still I fear they are occupying dangerous ground by rejecting some of the plain commands of our Lord Jesus. "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the disobedient appear?" I know of no righteousness but that of obedient faith, or, as Paul puts it, the righteousness of faith that works or obeys from love, and in this way purifies the heart. A hungering and thirsting after this righteousness
"Gives exercise to faith and love;
Brings every blessing from above."
If this dear Christian friend is in darkness as to the nature of obedience and its blessed fruits, himself misled and misleading others, I pray that the scales may drop from his eyes, that he may see clearly the whole truth which God has placed in the line of our duty to do and teach.
Sunday, July 18. Friend Henry Brown preached to-day. He is a very clear and pleasant talker. In his discourse, however, he made me think of some beautiful birds that hop over what they do not wish to touch, and take hold gracefully of what they are pleased to alight upon.