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
We must bear in mind, too, that this journey was undertaken more than
fifty-eight years ago. A very large part of the country through which
he had to pass was yet in a state of virgin forest. No railroads bore
the lightning trains on their bosoms. Very few houses in much of the
country were to be seen; and many of these offered little besides
shelter, and some barely that. There were hardly any bridges. Broad
and deep rivers had to be forded on horseback, or crossed in what the
Indians called a CANOE. This is a kind of long boat made from the body
of a single tree, by cutting or burning out the inside, and leaving
the bottom, ends and sides like a trough. He reports having crossed
some streams in this kind of a boat. His life was several times
endangered by crossing deep waters.
SATURDAY, September 12, he arrived at Abbey Arnold's, in Hampshire
County, West Virginia. On the thirteenth he attended a love feast at
Daniel Arnold's nearby, and reports a very joyful meeting with the
Brethren whom he had not seen for a time.
MONDAY, September 14, he took leave of the Brethren in Hampshire
County, and directed his course through Maryland into Pennsylvania;
and on Friday, September 18, he crossed the Ohio river, two and
one-half miles below Acreton. He was ferried across in a flatboat.
SUNDAY, September 20, he arrived at Brother George Hoke's. He says: "I
have been exposed to some bad weather, and have passed over some bad
roads; but to meet such a dear and kind brother as George Hoke, and be
received in such a pleasant way as I have been by the dear brother and
family, is more than a compensation for all the exposure and toil it
has cost."
As nearly as I can, I will now give the substance and manner of a
conversation which took place the same evening between Brother Kline
and Brother Hoke. The Diary is silent upon it, but Brother Kline
related it to me himself in the year 1862. Brother Jacob Miller, of
Greenmount, Virginia, told me afterwards that Brother Kline had
related the same to him. The weather being a little cool and damp, the
two brethren sat by the fire. I will name the parties in the order of
the conversation.
KLINE.--Why do not we ordain deacons in the same way the
seven were ordained at Jerusalem?
HOKE.--Do you think the seven were deacons?
K.--Yes, I have always thought so.
H.--I do not think they were.
K.--Well, here is a difference of opinion between brethren.
H.--Let us try to get together on this point.
K.--I desire, above all things, to know the truth, and to see eye to
eye with all the Brethren on every point of Holy Writ.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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