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
WEDNESDAY, August 26, he says: "I feel some better to-day; so much so
that I write my will."
THURSDAY, August 27. His own words: "Start again, and pass through
Canton, Massillon, Brookfield, Greeneville, Dover, and on to Brother
Jacob Kurtz's, where we stay all night." We have to wonder how a man
laboring under a well-defined attack of typhoid fever could keep on
going for twelve consecutive days before the final breakdown came. It
makes one think of Paul, who could even be stoned until he was thought
to be dead, and next day be found preaching again. But the crisis with
Brother Kline came at last. The entry in the Diary for
FRIDAY, August 28, says: "To-day Brother Hoover and Brother Miller, at
my request, leave me; Brother Wampler and Sister Katy remain with me.
What a precious thing love is! My dear Brethren have not only staid
with me day and night, but they have constantly watched for
opportunities to minister to my comfort or necessities. The Lord
reward them abundantly in this life and the next: and bless them at
the meetings which I now feel I cannot attend. Dr. Overholtz comes at
my request and gives me medicine."
SATURDAY, August 29. Suffer extremely, but not quite so much as last
night. I now feel as if I were just on a balance between life and
death: almost gone.
SUNDAY, August 30. Dr. Overholtz comes again and gives me another
course of medicines. I am slightly relieved, but still suffer very
much. The Doctor reports fever not as high as yesterday.
MONDAY, August 31. Rest to-day, but am very weak.
TUESDAY, September 1. Doctor does not come to-day.
For some days past the Diary has been kept in a strange hand. Some
kind but intelligent friend has made the daily records in perfect
imitation of Brother Kline's unaffected style and manner.
SATURDAY, September 5. The Doctor is here, but does not give me
medicine. I write a letter home.
This letter created overwhelming distress in the mind of Anna, Brother
Kline's wife. She had heard about his illness prior to this time; but
when she read this letter her mind seemed to give way, and when
Brother Kline got back home he found her very ill, both in body and
mind. They told him at home that when she read the letter all hope
of ever seeing him again vanished, and the shock was more than her
sensitive nature could bear. It is very sad to relate, but true, that
she never again seemed fairly to realize his being in her presence.
His kindness to her was shown in unremitting attentions, to the day of
his death; and I am persuaded that few men could be found to bear such
a dire calamity with so much patience and resignation.
There were no entries made in the Diary from September 1, to the
fifth. He must have been very sick indeed, during the three days that
are omitted.
SATURDAY, September 6. He says: Brother Samuel Buck gives me a course
of medicine; it works well. Fever entirely broken. Have some appetite.
Begin to mend.
MONDAY, 7. To-day I have rest. Eat some toast bread.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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