Gathering Jewels: The Secret of a Beautiful Life: In Memoriam of Mr. & Mrs. James Knowles. Selected from Their Diaries.Knowles, James
Religion
Gathering Jewels: The Secret of a Beautiful Life: In Memoriam of Mr. & Mrs. James Knowles. Selected from Their Diaries.
Knowles, James
Allen Street Presbyterian Church (New York, N.Y.); Knowles, James, 1811-1886; Knowles, Matilda Darroch, 1811-1886
They returned again to give him their report, and they rejoiced to
feel that their success was even beyond what they expected. And yet,
while the Saviour heard their report, He cautioned them not to let
their success occupy too much of their attention, but rather rejoice
because their names are written in heaven. It is pleasant to know
that when we obey the Lord, as these seventy disciples did, that we
adhere strictly to all His words of command; and that we know that
we have experienced the love of God in our hearts; but yet we are
not to make this the ground-work of our rejoicing, but trust more in
that which is done without us than in that which is done within us.
Another grand characteristic of the elder was his almost invariable
custom to watch and note the providential dealings of God with the
officers of the church, whenever they met for the transaction of
business.
His fidelity in noting the texts preached from, down to the last
Sabbath he spent on earth, is a proof of his unparalleled perseverance
and painstaking in keeping his diary.
We close this part of our work by giving our readers a sample of his
carefulness at this time.
_New York, October 10th_ (_Sabbath evening_).--Heard Mr. Young
preach from the 5th chapter of Romans and 1st verse: "Therefore
being justified by faith," etc., and onward, giving an account of
Rome the imperial city, and its surroundings; also the triumphs and
advances of Christianity notwithstanding the opposition which the
church had to encounter.
The last sermon he ever heard on earth was peculiarly appropriate to
prepare his mind and heart for the peaceful closing hour of this mortal
life. He again writes:
_New York, October 17th, 1886_ (_Sabbath evening_).--Heard Mr. Young
preach from the 11th chapter of St. John's Gospel, and the 39th
verse: "Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.... Said I not unto thee,
that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of
God?" Unfolding the omnipotency of Christ's love in the hour of
sickness and sorrow--also the profound sympathy with the sorrowing
sisters of Bethany in their great bereavement; and His matchless
power over death and the grave, because He said, "I am the
resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were
dead, yet shall he live."
In closing this part of our work we would remark, that there are very
few men who have been so painstaking and methodical as to record in
their diary all the texts, time, and place, and the preacher's name, in
connection with the sermons to which he was permitted to listen.
Their commencement, continuation, and close, is all that space allows
for further insertion.
CHAPTER IV.
THE LAST HOURS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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