Part 8

=15.= ... This was an earnest day's work. I pray God that it may bring forth fruit to his glory.

=Dec. 25, 1874.= This is Christmas. At eleven preached on the incarnation of Christ. Returned to Bro. M. Hoffer's, where the kindred, companion, and I partook of a good feast. Roasted fowls. All passed off pleasantly and in a Christian manner. I was solemn and meditative. We sang some. Eve, spoke on John 14:23. With solemn and feeling hearts and minds performed the ordinances of feet-washing and the Lord's Supper.

=27.= Sabbath. I preached about two hours on the immortality of man. Read twenty-three Scriptures speaking of the Spirit and twelve of the soul, all positively declaring the spirituality of man's nature. Also several places proving that the soul came forth from the body at death and is as much more important than the body as the man is than the tent in which he lives. Proved also the conscious existence of a soul in an intermediate state. When through, Mr. K----, a poor silly Adventist, harangued some moments. How confused the wretched Adventist doctrine!

=Jan. 1, 1875.= Another year has rolled into eternity. God is still favoring us with his kind care and preservation. Oh, how many souls are in eternity today who with light hearts enjoyed friendly greetings and sumptuous festivities a year ago today! Some, alas, we fear, have been "cut down out of time," who had no Christ in the soul. Oh, what a mockery are all the pleasures of the wicked! True and warm hearts wished them a happy New Year one year ago today; but alas, their sins have made it the year of their doom to eternal misery. O God! give us grace to enable us to spend our years to thy glory. Companion and I spent the day very pleasantly in Seward with.... The two ladies are sisters, and old friends and acquaintances of Ohio. They had a sumptuous feast. We sang a few hymns, read a chapter, and knelt in prayer to our Father in heaven. Then came home.

=2.= Took Sarah to Brother Anderson's and started to visit the church in Fillmore County, a distance of about thirty miles. Stopped in Nickleville and fed Mattie Blaze. Warmed and ate my dinner in a store. Reached Brother Weeter's a little after dark. The brother was gone and I was so cold I could hardly put my pony away. Sister W. soon got me some supper, and after eating hastily I set out afoot one and one half miles to the schoolhouse. Found three brethren there. No light. Gave them a short discourse from Heb. 10:35.

=3.= Sabbath. Some brethren tried for two hours to get the old sod schoolhouse warm, but the stove was so poor they failed. They then came up to Brother Horton's, where I spoke to a little band of brethren and sisters from Heb. 9:16,17. Started for Brother Moffitt's. Quite cold and stormy. Stopped at Bro. P. H. Griggs. Talked till a late hour on Scripture. The brother is troubled with the no-organization doctrine advocated by Johnson, editor of the Stumbling Stone. The brother confessed that elders and deacons are authorized in the New Testament as the completion of the local organizations, and in short the polity of the Church of God is Bible.

=5.= Went to Seward. Got coal and a box sent by Father and Mother Keller.

=7.= Helped Wife wash. Read Moral Philosophy.

=8.= Made apple butter of the frozen apples in the box sent by father-in-law.

=9.= Very stormy and cold. Improved the time in mental and religious improvement.

=10.= Sabbath. Strange to find myself at home with no appointment. Meditated what to do. Having appointments here a week from today, I concluded not to go this week to York County, but hoping we would be favored with good weather I dispatched Brother Green to circulate appointments for tonight and during the week at Occidental. Eve, pretty good turnout.

=18.= Helped Wife wash. Read and wrote. Devotion was sweet and precious this morn.

=19.= At 12:45 P. M. started for York County, about twenty-six miles. Reached destination at 6 P. M. Small turnout.

=21.= This morn realized a precious nearness of Christ in family worship. Spent two hours in private room reading Testament and in prayer and meditation. It was a precious season.

=25.= Praise God for the great triumphs in his cause! I am spending many hours on my knees praising God and imploring mercy for sinners. What a glorious work!

=27.= Started for home. Dear Wife was much cast down owing to my stay being longer than I had intended. Dear affectionate creature! My absence seems to rob her of all the happiness of life. It would be none the less the case with me were it not for the absorbing cause of God during my absence.

=29.= Strong wind from the west, and not feeling well I did not go to York County. Read and wrote.

=30.= Quite stormy. Can not go to the meeting today. Spent the day in reading and writing, prayer and meditation.

=Feb. 12, 1875.= Wife, I and [names several others] went to visit about two hundred Omahas, camped on the Blue two miles from Seward. They were on their return from their winter's hunt. Were well-laden with robes and furs. It was an interesting visit. The squaws were busily engaged in dressing and tanning buffalo robes; the men stood and looked on. Poor creatures! They seemed to be but servants for the men. How wrong and cruel such a custom! We went into their wigwams; but few could, or at least would, speak English. The little papooses were amusing themselves by loading each other down with bundles of weeds, etc., in imitation of their pack-ponies. They also had a tent constructed out of blankets. One girl about twelve had a little papoose but a few weeks old tied on a board and hung on her back. Sometimes she would lay it down face up in the sun, other times she had it on her back engaged in play with other children. I could see a marked improvement in the rising generation in the moral and intellectual organs. Their more frequent contact with white people and a general tendency to improvement in the tribe renders the children far superior to their parents. Some I noticed were as well constituted as many white children. One boy of about thirteen could spell quite well. May the kind providence of God yet elevate this poor distressed people to a higher plane of intellectual, moral, and religious enjoyment. The Omahas are among our most honorable and refined tribes. Bought a fine robe for ten dollars. Cost in Ohio about nineteen.

=16.= Brother Mc. and I came to the Oliver Schoolhouse. It was nearly enough to break my blessed wife's heart to have me leave her. Oh Lord, comfort her heart! Were it not that "necessity is laid upon me," I could not leave her. House nearly full. Psa. 85:6-8. Came home with friend Mitchel. Turned cold.

=17.= The house being a small shell, I suffered much last night with cold. Arose and got overcoat. Fared some better but ached much and slept little. Spent the day till 4 P. M. at Mr. M's. Talked much on religion. He acknowledged that he always read the Bible to condemn religion till I preached here last fall. He is not convicted. Hope he will soon yield to God.

=18.= I find that I have taken a severe cold from my cold night's lodging. After dinner examined Brother Hibbard's head. A meeting two and one half miles south has been in progress some over two weeks and for a few nights there has been some interest, hence I must go there.

=21.= Sabbath. Had good speaking-meeting. Preached on Jer. 6:16. Was sent for to visit a sin-sick soul one and one half miles south. Brother Oliver and I went, found him, Bro. John Cowan, scarcely able to be up, in great distress of mind. We read the Word, talked, sang, and prayed until God blessed his soul, and we all rejoiced. His mother shouted and anon praised God for "Winebrennerian religion," declaring it was the old kind and as good as Methodist Episcopal or any other. It was amusing to see them all come down from deep-rooted prejudices. The brother's feet and ankle-bones having received strength, and he having eaten some, came with us to meeting.

=22.= Had family prayer-meeting at 11 A. M. Examined Brother Mitchell and gave him a phrenological chart.

=23.= Stormy. A few of us met for prayer. Staid all day at Brother Hibbard's. No meeting. Oh how I longed to be with blessed companion this dreary day and night! Through the night I spent hours listening to the muttering storm. Recalled all the draws between there and home, wondered if any were filled so as to be impassable. Determined to go home the next day if the driving snow would allow me to see three rods.

=24.= Morning came and the storm nearly subsided. Started for home. Mattie Blaze got into a snow drift in which she could not reach the ground. Could not go through. Had to get out and get her loose from the buggy. Took her to Brother Hafer's, nearby. Warmed myself, then drew the buggy back, hitched up, and drove out another way. Got home all right. Saw Sarah's smiling face. Thank God, the dear creature is well.

=March. 2, 1875.= We had a glorious day meeting. How my heart leaped with joy to see my beloved Brother Anderson reclaimed again! He has been a special object of my prayers. He is a brother I dearly love.

=5.= Good day meeting. Brother Briggs related how his little step-daughter was blessed here yesterday. "She told her mother that she felt the Spirit of God knocking at her heart. Then Brother Warner came and took her by the hand and said, 'Give your heart to Jesus,' and she said to Jesus, 'Take my heart.' Then she felt so happy. She got up and spoke like a little soldier." Sister Anderson also told of her little girl's singing Good News Gone to Canaan last eve and she got happy and clapped her hands for joy.

=9.= Went home with Bro. James A----. Tried to show the domestic duties of religion. It is a delicate task, but the shepherd often finds families that need plain talk on duties to each other and to God in the family. Religion should find its most sacred altar in the family circle. There should its holy affections glow with the greatest warmth. If religion in all its tender affections and holy fruits does not burn on the family altar, the world will fail to see its light. God bless this family.

=10.= Last night and today a terrible cloud rested on us all. We felt as though the devil had triumphed somewhere.

=11.= Staid at home. Read and prayed. Felt much depressed. Something is wrong. Satan has a victory somewhere.

=12.= The dark cloud, thank God, is passing. Find what the difficulty has been. Some of the young men who have been at the altar have been loafing and visiting saloons. Last night after meeting Sister Rebecca Anderson told them of their inconsistency, which I think has broken the devil's chain, hence we had a good meeting today.

=14.= Sabbath. Preaching at 11:30 A. M. Eph. 3:14,15. Proved the oneness of Christians; the fact that this oneness is not manifest to the world; that it should be; and how. After preaching Brother S---- got up and harangued in favor of sects. He said I had doubt of my sincerity. He believed I was a true Christian if there was one in the world, but what I had preached got him down in the heels. He made no attempt to prove nor even assert that I had preached anything false. In fact, he never called up the question whether I had preached truth or not, only that my preaching made him and others feel bad. I told him that I had no doubt of it, for Paul had told us long ago that the time would come when men would not endure sound doctrine. Told him that I sympathized very much with him, that I had been in the same dread dilemma when I was not willing to accept the whole truth; it always hurt me to hear it. In answer to questions I made him acknowledge to the truth of all that I had preached before the congregation. After meeting, Brother B----, another poor sectarianized soul, pitched into me. The people crowded around. I made him confess that Paul forbade Christians at Corinth to divide into sects. Brother Riley, a fine man recently converted, seemed highly elated to hear the glorious doctrine of the Word defended. He will soon come into fellowship with the church.

Bro. Lewis Anderson, who has enjoyed the meeting very much, staid away today and tonight. How fearful is a disturbed conscience! Brother Hafer, who is a good man filled with the Spirit, remarked a few days ago to Brother Houck that we were having a good meeting but he feared Brother Warner would spoil the good feeling by preaching on the church. Brother H. told him that he need have no fears. If Brother W. preached the truth, it should not hurt a Christian; if error, it is too weak to hurt anything. He advised him to come and hear for himself. He did so, sat with his head down, doubtless felt the force of truth but was too honest to trifle with it; confessed that I had preached nothing but Bible. Oh that the world were freed from the curse of human creeds, that men could be at liberty to obey God! We had a good and pleasant meeting. My heart flowed with peace.

=18.= Dear Sarah very sick most of the afternoon. [Confinement]. I too felt nearly overcome at her suffering. Had a season of prayer and was much comforted. Had the assurance that she would get along well from this time. She was no more so sick. At 6 P. M. the Lord delivered her of a large daughter, 8 pounds. Thank God for his goodness!

And now, O Lord! another sacred charge is committed to our trust. This day we acknowledge new responsibilities laid upon us. Thou hast committed to our care a pure and spotless soul. Give us grace and wisdom that we may bring up this dear child sound in body and mind, pure and innocent in heart and life, that thou, O God, its Maker, may be honored and glorified by its life and career on earth. O God! thou author of its being, this night I bow before thy throne and consecrate this precious household gem to thee. Thou hast given it to us, and we wait not for one sun to pass over its head until we lay it upon the altar of consecration to God, that all its days may be thine. O God! we solemnly vow to rear this child for thee. Shouldst thou see fit to leave it to grow up under our care, we shall bless thee for its angelic society; and shouldst thou rather choose to take it to thyself in the dewy time of youth, O Lord! we can not murmur; for thine it is and only entrusted to our care till it seemeth good for thee to commit it to wiser and more worthy care in a more congenial abode than this dreary, sinful earth. God bless the dear little creature!

=19.= Took care of dear Wife.

=20.= After taking care of Wife and child, went to Seward. When starting home Mattie Blaze stumbled, fell, and broke one of the shafts. Took buggy back to shop, left it, and rode home. Eve, preached at Occidental, returned at eleven greatly exhausted. Great weakness of back from stooping continually over the bed taking care of dear Wife and babe.

=23.= Sarah feeling rather worse. P. M., went to Seward. Have taken a bad cold, being up so much of nights.

=25.= Am constantly taking care of dear Wife and child. They are getting along fine, thank God. Quite warm. Birds are singing. Summer appears; nature is awakening from her long winter slumbers.

=27.= For some days I have had a severe conflict in my mind concerning my leaving to fill appointments in Fillmore County. 'Twas hard to think of leaving dear Wife yet confined to her bed, as our girl has made no attempts to take care of her or child because I preferred to do it and she had no experience. Hard as it seemed for dear Wife, duty seemed all along to say I should go. I determined to do so. Preparations were made to go, but when the moment was at hand Wife wept, and fearing a want of care and too much anxiety might bring on a relapse I felt it my solemn duty to stay and take care of her. P. M., went to Seward and tried to get a place to preach Sabbath eve, feeling that I dare not spend the Lord's day without doing something for Christ; but I failed to get a place to preach.

=28.= This is Easter Day. Spent the day in solitude with dear Wife and daughter. Wife feeling pretty well; sat up much of the day for the first except a short time yesterday. Think this is the second Sabbath in eight years that I have not preached the Word of God. The day was mostly spent in reading and meditation. Felt ill at ease that I could not be preaching somewhere.

=31.= Terrible storm all day. About five inches of snow fell. Drifted much.

=Apr. 2, 1875.= Sister Sarah Anderson, our girl, became home-sick and would stay no longer. Could not leave to fill appointments in York and Polk Counties. Deeply regretted that I could not be with the dear brethren, but could get no one to take care of Wife and child; besides, the roads were almost impassable.

=3.= Pitched into housework as usual. Did the cooking and washed dishes. Sarah quite sick this A. M.

=4.= Sabbath. Did up the work this morn, and though late I started for prayer-meeting, thinking I could get there in time to have at least one prayer with the dear brethren. Found they had just closed their prayer-meeting. I read a chapter, talked some, and sang and prayed with them. My heart was full. Having been kept at home from public worship for some weeks, I felt as a bird set at liberty. Bless God for the privilege of appearing in his courts to offer our sacrifice of praise! Returned home. Found dear Wife and child asleep, both feeling very well. The little creature slept right on till night. Sarah and I spent the time pleasantly reading and talking of our blessed hope of glory. My heart was light and happy. Bro. David Figard today kindly invited me to move into his house. Thank God for this kindness. The brethren know that we have not a very pleasant place to live, yet I have no room for complaints, but much occasion for thanks.

=7.= P. M., heavy rains. About a mile to the southeast of Seward there was a great waterspout extending from a black cloud to the earth. It was a grand and sublime sight. As it followed a high ridge on the opposite side of the Blue River valley from us we had a beautiful view of it. We could see the water strike the ground and a dense spray arise around it resembling smoke. I have learned that it tore one house and a wagon to pieces.

=9.= Drove to Brother Figard's via Seward. Our ride of about seven miles was the first for our dear little Levilla Modest.

=12.= About one last night I took quite sick with, I suppose, cholera morbus. Sick all day. Sorry I could not go to Polk County, but it is necessary that blessings disguised in affliction come at times as well as the almost constant blessing of health. Tonight, I think, is the third appointment in eight years that I have missed through my physical disability.

=13.= Drove to York County. Called at Father Fenton's, a United Brethren preacher, who is poorly. Found also another aged pilgrim in the family, who desired me to bring him some good books to read. Being anxious to bestow some kindness on this good old Methodist father, I left a book with him that I was taking home, having had it lent for some time. Had a season of prayer and then some conversation on the hope of the saints.

=14.= Found that my appointment which I had failed to reach had proved a blessing after all, for they had a good prayer-meeting. Appointed another for the following Sabbath eve, which was a success also and resulted in the organization of a Sabbath-school, which is under the officership of those who hold with the church of God. Prospects are good here. A railroad-station is expected close by. P. M., drove to Fillmore County. How beautiful and pleasing, yea, charming, even to making happy, the day and the landscape!

=17.= Brothers Figard and J. H. Anderson moved us today to Brother F's.

=20.= Drove to Polk County. Distance, twenty-eight miles. Found the brotherhood well and hungry for the gospel.

=23.= Wife and I drove to Indian Creek, Fillmore County, distance, thirty-four miles.

=26.= Wife and I went to Seward. Asked for the Presbyterian meeting-house for Ministerial Association in case we are refused the Methodist Episcopal house. Found the latter wished to reserve some of the time hence accepted the Presbyterian house. Had programs printed.

=27.= Drove to Polk County and planted fruit trees.

=28.= Planted trees, potatoes, and garden seeds until after 4 P. M. At five minutes past five started for Wilson schoolhouse, about fifteen and one half miles. Reached in time. 1 Pet. 1:13. This is a new point, with good prospects. 'Tis only a half mile from where it is said there will be a station on the Midland Pacific, which is now being extended to York Center.

=May 2, 1875.= Sabbath. Stormy. Went home with Brother Price, it being handy and the weather bad. Several came there to spend the afternoon. The time passed off very pleasantly singing, and I lectured some on moral and mental culture. Examined some heads.

=4.= A. M., wrote letters. P. M., went to Seward. Completed arrangements for Ministerial Association.

=5.= Sarah and I drove over to the Blue. Had a pleasant time fishing. Caught a mess.

=8.= Visited Brother Mitchell's. Left Wife there and drove over to visit Brother Lichty. He was one of our seekers when I closed the meeting last winter. I was anxious to see him; but he being from home, I was disappointed. Found them quite poor. Large family of children. Live in dugout. Mrs. Lichty quite unwell, which added to the distressful appearance of things. Talked to the woman and children about Jesus and heaven. Read, prayed, and sang with them. Distributed fifty cents among the children.

=13.= Studied for Ministerial Association.

=14.= Ministerial Association began. Went early to town. Glad to meet ..., but was very much disappointed to learn that ... could not be with us.

=15.= I discoursed on the polity of the Church of God in lieu of Brother Howard.

=16.= Sabbath. This is Pentecost day. Thank God for the beautiful weather. All nature seems to be waking from its long winter slumber to praise God. The beautiful prairie is green with grain and pastures. The valleys are dotted with herds of cattle, which, as well as they on a thousand hills, are the Lord's. The beautiful streams are lined with plum-bushes all in bloom. The groves are preparing to cheer the heart of the prairie inhabitants with their pleasant shady foliage.

At eleven Brother Aller preached in the Methodist Episcopal house and I preached the Pentecostal sermon in the Presbyterian house. Acts 2:1-4. At 3 P. M. Brother Aller preached a glorious and lovely sermon on the brotherhood of the saints. Deep and lasting impressions were made. How powerfully this dear brother preached for the unity of the saints of God, with the eloquence of tears and overflowing love!

We parted with brotherly greetings at a quite late hour to meet at Crete second Tuesday in September.

=17.= Went to Brother Green's. While there Brother S---- came in. We were just ready to engage in prayer. The Lord wonderfully blessed me in prayer. I prayed fervently for him, though he has been acting the part of an open enemy to me and the cause I represent. Went to Seward. Received fifty dollars from the Board. Called on Bro. J. W. Figard, who is applying himself vigorously to the pursuit of an education. Hope the Lord will raise him up for an effectual minister of the gospel.