Thursday, November 2. He had meeting at the widow Chlora Judy's on Mill Creek, where he spoke from John 1:29. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." The next day he had meeting at Rorabaugh's on the South Fork; and in the afternoon went across the Shenandoah mountain to Brother Nesselrodt's. He says: "I crossed two very high mountains to-day. It is cloudy and cold, threatening snow."
Saturday, November 4. Snowing fast this morning. Go on to Mathias's on Lost River, where I meet a small gathering of people at night. Snows fast all day, and meeting small; but I nevertheless speak as best I can on the last two verses of the ninth chapter of John. These are the words, and what follows is an outline in substance of what I said: "And many came unto him; and they said, John indeed did no sign: but all things whatsoever John spake of this man were true. And many believed on him there." Our Lord's work on earth in the flesh, was now fast drawing to a close. Honest hearts were accepting him as the Savior of the world. His enemies, on the other hand, were becoming more violent in their opposition to him, on the ground that if they would let him go all men would believe on him. One striking feature of our Lord's spirit and doctrine was that of "nonresistance" of personal or bodily enemies. "My kingdom," said he, "is not of this world; else would my servants fight." Ignorant of the power of love, these Jewish enemies of our Lord could foresee nothing in the tendencies of his doctrines but the destruction of their city Jerusalem, and the same also of their nationality as a people.
Although John did no sign or miracle, still he told the truth about Jesus; and inasmuch as he did this in the beginning of our Lord's ministry, and was beheaded soon after, it was in itself strong evidence in favor of our Lord's Messiahship. The people could plainly see the agreement between the life and teachings of Christ and what John had said they would be. The agreement was too exact and uniform to be accidental. This led many to believe on him. They alleged that all things whatsoever John spake of this man were true; and they came unto him. In this they showed their wisdom. How they hung upon his words! How their hearts did burn as he opened unto them the Scriptures! Like Mary, many sat at his feet and heard his words.
At the present day, when any begin to inquire the way of salvation, instead of going to the Word wherein the way is plainly revealed, and the Lord may be found, they go to their preacher, or to others whom they regard as safe guides, or to books that purport to lead inquirers into the right way; and very often they are wrongly taught and misled. If there be one here to-night who is anxiously inquiring the way to Jesus, I say to him: "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world!" "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father and the holy angels." "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved: for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." A good many tongues are found in the mouth with which men make "confession unto salvation." But they all speak the same thing, and the thing which they all speak is humble obedience to the Word of the Lord. Baptism is one tongue. Feet-washing is another tongue. The Lord's Supper is another tongue. The Communion is another tongue. A quiet, honest and peaceable life is another tongue, and one that speaks very loud for Christ. Temperance in eating and drinking, and abstemiousness in the way of rejecting the use of all unnecessary or injurious things is another tongue of power on the Lord's side. Come to Jesus. Confess him in these ways, and thou shall live.
Sunday, December 31. Meeting on Lost River. Matthew 2 is read. Stay all night at Christian Halterman's.
It is said that the centipede has a hundred feet. It may have; and it does seem that superstition, or the belief in supernatural things of a trivial nature has quite as many; and, like the fabled animal of ancient times, has also a hundred heads.
This evening I overheard a conversation among some young people where I stayed, in which one said that every New Year's night, that is, the night in which the New Year comes in, the cattle and sheep all get on their knees, as if they might be in a devotional posture of body. They talked as if they really believed that this might be so. I do not know how this impression has come about; but I have heard this before, and guess that some mischievous or sportive person tried to make some one else believe that cattle and sheep kneel only on New Year's night, when the truth is that they kneel whenever they lie down to rest. I have often thought it a pity that people are so ready to believe in marvelous and supernatural things which can do them no good, and so backward to believe the most marvelous truth the world has ever known; the truth that God has provided eternal life and salvation for all who are willing to accept it on the easy terms upon which it is offered.
In this year I have traveled, mostly on horseback, three thousand, two hundred and sixty miles.
Monday, January 1, 1844. I feel sure that the work of the year cannot be entered upon more suitably than by making arrangements for building a house of worship unto the Lord. The need of a house of this kind has long been felt among the Brethren on Lost River. We have here, as elsewhere, "not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God" publicly, as Paul says he did among the Ephesian brethren, "and that from house to house." But it is best to have a stated place of worship, and with this in view we have this day made arrangements to build a meetinghouse, to be known as the Lost River meetinghouse. Celestine Whitmore, Jacob Mathias and Silas Randall have been elected trustees; and Celestine Whitmore, one of the number, has been elected master builder.
Saturday, February 24. Raise the new meetinghouse on Lost River. Stay all night at Silas Randall's.