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
THURSDAY, May 8. Get to Brother Benjamin Moomaw's for dinner. Brother
Moomaw gives promise of great usefulness. We then go to Brother
Barnhardt's, where we stay all night.
FRIDAY, May 9. The Yearly Meeting opens to-day. Many Brethren are
present. We stay all night at Brother Haut's.
SATURDAY, May 10. Back to meeting at Brother Barnhardt's. Council
continues till noon to-day, then public meeting begins. We have a love
feast out in the orchard this evening and night. I stay all night at
Brother Eller's.
SUNDAY, May 11. Meeting to-day. John 7 is read. Brother Henry Kurtz
spoke from the eighteenth verse. Text: "He that speaketh of himself
seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him,
the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." The brother spoke
in substance what I here give in small space. He said:
"These are the words of Jesus Christ, who knew what was in man. It
becomes every minister who preaches the Word, to examine himself
prayerfully, in the light of Holy Truth, to know certainly what impels
him to the work. If, by such examination, he becomes assured that the
love of Christ and for Christ lures him on, and that the salvation of
souls and the consequent glory of the Lord is the beginning and the
end of his motives, he can go on with heart and tongue, under the
Lord's banner, defying the very gates of hell. But if the love of self
and the love of the world enter as the chief elements of his power and
will in the work, it would be better for him, better for the cause,
and less dishonorable to the Lord if he would stop off short. I will
here repeat the text. You may now be better prepared to perceive the
warmth of its power and the light of its truth. 'He that speaketh of
himself'--or as the Greek more nearly and fully puts it, FROM himself,
from love to himself the meaning is--'seeketh his own glory.' This is
self-evidently true, for such a one can have the glory of no one else
to seek. Self, the love of self, fills his eye and heart. And, like
the Pharisee, verily, he has his reward.
"But, my beloved Brethren, especially you who have been set to the
work of the ministry, I can say from my heart that I have but little
apprehension that you are led on in your work by any other than a
right motive. I do believe, from all that I know of you personally, as
well as by reputation, that each one of you, with perhaps a somewhat
varied perception of their exalted meaning and power, can adopt Paul's
words: 'The love of Christ constrains me.' 'Woe unto me if I preach
not the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account