Life and Labors of Elder John Kline, the Martyr Missionary: Collated from his Diary by Benjamin FunkKline, John
Religion
Life and Labors of Elder John Kline, the Martyr Missionary: Collated from his Diary by Benjamin Funk
Kline, John
Kline, John, 1797-1864
His words, however, have not only natural life and breath in them; but
they have spiritual life and breath; and this means eternal life. My
brother, my sister, if the Word of Christ is in your heart you have a
holy, heavenly beating there of love to God and love to all his dear
people; and you have a holy, heavenly breathing after more knowledge
of his words, and for larger and clearer views of the revelations of
his grace. These are proofs of the inward, heavenly life in the soul.
DO NOT FORGET THE TEXT.
Every intelligent human being is a sower of some kind of seed. Every
one is either sowing the Word of God or the word and spirit of some
one else; but let the seed be of whatever kind it may, this thing is
sure: "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. He that
soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
Sowing to the flesh is living after the flesh with its affections and
lusts; but sowing to the Spirit is crucifying and mortifying the
flesh, and living the new life of faith, and hope, and love.
Brethren and sisters, there is a mighty, _mighty_ difference between
the two. What has the mere fleshly, carnal mind to hope for in the
world to come? It can feel no delight, no enjoyment in heavenly
things, such as love to God and love to man. It knows nothing of that
love which is the bond of perfectness.
You can always tell what a man's love is by the company he keeps. If
his love is of worldly things only, you will see him in worldly
company, and hear him talk only of worldly things. Notice the books
and papers he reads. They are of the same character. He enjoys no
other readings. He delights in no other company and conversations.
This man is sowing to the flesh, and he will be sure to reap
corruption. His treasure is all on the earth; his harvest is here; and
he is sowing no seed for a harvest of glory and bliss in the world to
come.
The good ground hearer is a very different man, and he sows far
different seed. HIS SEED IS DIVINE TRUTH, AND HIS FIELD IS HIS OWN
SPIRIT. He digs up the thorns and the thistles by the roots; destroys
the serpents, and drives out the wolves and the foxes. In this way he
mortifies the body of sin and crucifies the flesh with its affections
and lusts. In a well prepared soil he plants the fig and the olive,
the vine and the pomegranate. In the place where the lion lay, the
calf shall lie down in peace; and instead of the wolf and the fox, the
sheep and her lamb shall feed in safety. Where the serpent hissed and
the basilisk was waiting to sting, the myrtle and the rose shall
bloom. Thus is the desert made to rejoice and the wilderness to bloom.
The man who thus subdues and cultivates his own spirit that is within
him, all by the help of God, is sure to be everlastingly blessed in
his deed. He will reap a rich harvest of righteousness, peace and joy
in the Holy Ghost, here and eternally in the heavens.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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