Higher than the heights above;
Deeper than the depths beneath;
Stronger than the hand of death."
It is impossible for one human soul to enter fully into the feelings of another, so as to realize in all the particulars of experience what the other suffers. But the Lord knows it all. "He that made the ear, shall he not hear? He that made the eye, shall he not see? He that made the heart, shall he not understand?" He consequently knows the proper remedy for all the backslidings, declensions of our first love, and all relapses into states of lukewarmness. His prescribed remedy is repentance, in every case. If you will take the time to read carefully the seven letters addressed to the seven churches of Asia, you will see that repentance is the remedy prescribed in every case of failure in duty, weakness of faith, coldness of love; together with all the troubles growing out of these.
Repentance is a change of mind. It is a change from wrong feelings and affections in the soul to right feelings; from weak faith in the Lord to strong faith; from weak love for the Lord and the church to strong love. Joy of heart and peace of mind are as sure to follow a change like this as a tree is sure to bloom in spring. Blossoms on trees, other conditions favoring, give promise of fruits. Your joy and peace from true repentance, like the bloom on a good tree, will give promise of a life full of good fruits. No one need tell me that he cannot repent. "Nothing shall be impossible unto you." Who says this? Jesus says it. Again: "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." But again he says: "Without me ye can do nothing." Speaking to the Father, of his disciples, the Lord said: "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one."
We are slow to learn the greatest of all the truths God has revealed, the truth that the Lord is personally, in the fullness of his love, wisdom and power, in the soul or spiritual body of every one of his children. "Ye are God's temple; ye are God's building." As the life of the vine is the life of the branches, so is Christ our life. The Lord is ever at hand; not only around us, but in us. And he is not only able but ready at all times to do us all the good we are capable of receiving from his hand. Say not then, "I cannot repent;" for one earnest, believing, trusting look to him, with whom all things are possible, will cause the tears of penitence to flow down your face in a stream that will "make glad the city of our God," rebuilt with its walls, in your heart.
But the Lord tries to encourage his lost-love children with promises additional to those of his presence, love and power. He sets forth inducements of a character that surpasses all worldly considerations as far as the heaven is high above the earth. Notice some of them: "To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." To eat of the tree of life is to enjoy all the blessedness and happiness of a heavenly life. "In the paradise of God" is a figure taken from the garden of Eden, for paradise means garden. We sometimes wonder at the folly of our first parents in disobeying God's commands, and thus bringing upon themselves the disgrace and ruin which followed. But do we not act after the same manner when we disobey the Lord? We as surely deprive ourselves of the enjoyments of his favor and conscious presence as they did. But through his abounding love in Christ Jesus we can be reclaimed and reinstated sooner than they. Thanks be to God, the scheme of redemption and salvation is now complete; and we are not now required to wait four thousand years to have the head of the serpent bruised under our feet. Neither is there a flaming sword of threatening vengeance to guard the gate against our return. We are invited to return. The gate is open. Yea, the Lord himself is the gate. He stands beckoning, even calling and saying: "I am the way; I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved." The paradise of God, the garden of Eden, is planted by the Lord in the heart of every true follower of his. This is a great truth. When we are in heavenly frames of feeling we are in a state to enjoy its cool shade and partake of its fruits. There the sun does not light upon us, nor any unpleasant heat.
Hoping that what I have said in much weakness may be made strong by the Spirit of God, unto edification and comfort, I now close. On
Sunday, October 10, he had meeting at Brother Christian Wine's. Next day he visited David Garst's; and stayed all night at the widow Bowman's.
He visited successively, in order, the following named brethren and sisters, preaching nearly every day: Daniel Crouse's, John Sherfey's, John Basehore's, Henry Swadley's, widow Bowman's, John Bowman's, Henry Garst's.