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
You remember, I started out with the text: "This is my comfort in my
affliction." I have tried to give you some bits of counsel as to the
means and ways by which the afflicted may be comforted physically. I
now turn to the means and ways by which they may be comforted
spiritually. But here a difficulty confronts us at the very start. We
cannot make pathological examinations of the soul's distress, and
conclude from these what therapeutic agents to employ for its relief,
as we can in that of the body. In the last we are governed almost
exclusively by the visible and tangible symptoms; but regarding the
first, we are deprived of all these, and are compelled to rely mainly
upon the oral testimony of the sufferer himself. I have repeatedly
been called to the bedside of the dying in compliance with their wish
to receive some comfort, some consolation in their last moments,
before launching out on the unknown deep of eternity. But, alas! with
the exception of a few, paid to humble and obedient followers of the
meek and lowly Jesus, nearly all such visits have caused me to feel my
own absolute incompetence to do them any good, and only left me to
witness the sun of their life go down in clouds and darkness. But
David says: "THIS is my comfort in my affliction." In saying this he
must have in mind some particular idea; some state of feeling
springing out of some previous preparation of heart, which he can
claim as his comfort in his affliction. The few verses preceding the
text give a clew to this very state of mind and heart. Let us look
over them and see what it was. In verse 44 he says: "I will keep thy
law continually for ever and ever." Verse 45: "I seek thy precepts."
Verse 46: "Of thy testimonies also, I will not be ashamed." Verse 47:
"I delight myself in thy commandments which I have loved." These
declarations make manifest David's love for the Lord; and the joy
springing out of this love is what he calls his comfort in his
affliction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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