When I was young I could not understand what it is to come to Jesus, to be with him, to follow him. I thought I could readily see how people could come to him to be healed, and to be cured of their diseases, and to be fed by his liberal hand, when he was visibly on earth in the flesh. But he is no longer here in that form. I was in darkness. My eyes could behold no form which I could approach unto; no visible steps for me to follow; hear no audible voice of comfort to encourage, of instruction to enlighten, and of commands to obey. Where, thought I, is he to be found, and how are we to know when we have found him? These and many other similar thoughts occupied my mind, until I wondered much why he did not stay when he was here. I suppose that many young but thoughtful minds have wandered, and others at the present time are now wandering in this same wilderness of doubt and uncertainty. Let me say to you, my dear young friend, that Jesus is here as truly now as he was when visible to natural eyes. As God, he is here in his glorified state. To every one who desires him he says in words of warmest love, "Lo, I am with you alway." These are his very words. He is everywhere. He said, just before his death, by way of encouraging his disciples: "I go away, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh away from you." He continued: "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come unto you." But he has promised yet more than his presence to go with all who love him: he declares in words we can understand that "if a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." Again he says: "He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit." In his last prayer to the Father he says: "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one." These promises ought to assure every one of the greatness and the power of the love of Christ; since he loves us so much as to be willing to come and dwell with us and be in us forever.
It is by faith that we come to him. We see him with the eye of faith. We walk with him by faith, not by sight. We love him because he first loved us, and gave his life to redeem and save us. All this and much more we learn in his Word. His Word is the Gospel which is able to make us wise unto salvation. Let me exhort all of you, old and young, to read and search for its hidden treasures, for therein are contained the words of eternal life. It is the duty and privilege of every one to pray. Prayer is the eye that looks to Jesus, and the heart that says: "Lord, save, or I perish." Faith is the hand that lays hold of his saving promises. Obedience is the whole man in active service on the side of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sunday, March 3. Go to Sellers's schoolhouse. Speak on John 14:6. Dine at Felix Senger's; then home.
Felix Senger deserves more than a passing notice. He, with his father, Joel Senger, moved to Rockingham County, Virginia, about the year 1847. Both father and son belonged to the Brotherhood, and each was like the other in devotion to its interests, actively employed. Felix established a nursery of fruit trees, the second, if not the first, established in the county. Most of the orchards planted from his nursery, after having given the most abundant satisfaction, are now very old or dead. Some trees, though in the decline of life, still tell the sweet story of Felix Senger's nursery. They are like some good people, who, though old, can still remember and tell of the one who, though dead, was the means of their being planted in the Lord's orchard of spiritual fruit trees.
Brother Kline attended the burial services of four aged people in this month. The first was that of old mother Mills, as he calls her. This took place the fifth. Her age was eighty-one years and eleven months. The next was that of Mrs. John Carr, on the eleventh. Her age was seventy-one years. The next was that of Mr. Stern, on the eighteenth. His age was eighty years. The next was that of Alexander Glovier, on the twenty-seventh. His age was seventy-nine years, one month and twenty-four days.
Saturday, March 30. Attend council meeting at Shaver's meetinghouse in Shenandoah County. Samuel Mummert is elected speaker.
Thursday, April 11. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. Jacob Wine and Jacob Miller are elected delegates to the Annual Meeting.
Saturday, April 20. Council meeting at the brick meetinghouse in Augusta County. Daniel Brower is established, and Jacob Brower advanced in the ministry.
Sunday, May 5. Meeting in our meetinghouse. Romans 6 is read. Joshua Wampler and wife, Hannah Sites, Mary Miller, Hetty Showalter and Mrs. Eaton were baptized by me to-day.
Tuesday, May 7. Perform the marriage ceremony of John Tussing and Susan Watkins.