il
and Christian Funkhouser. John 3 was read.

SUNDAY, June 13. Meeting at our meetinghouse. Matthew 3 was read. I
baptized James Mauck and Susanna Shull.

SUNDAY, July 18. Meeting at Jesse Whetzel's on Lost River. Acts 3 was
read. Brother Daniel Miller is with me. In the afternoon we had
meeting again, and Brother Jacob Motz was baptized.

_Sermon by Elder John Kline._

_Preached at William Fitzwater's,
August 8._

TEXT.--We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to
God.--2 Cor. 5:20.

Every chapter and every verse of Gospel Truth discloses the love of
God in one way or another. Our Lord came into the world, not to
condemn the world, but to save the world; and all the words that make
that salvation known to men are words of love. I am sure we think too
little upon

THE LOVE OF GOD.

In my talks with sinners I very often discover in them a sort of
impression that God is their enemy. I would not, on any account,
intentionally misrepresent a single individual; either as to the
opinions he may hold or the secret sentiments he may entertain; but I
am impressed with the belief that if the hearts of many, if not all,
unconverted persons could be laid open to view, they would in their
inmost recesses disclose the belief or impression that God is not
their friend; that he does not wish them well; that he is only bearing
with them until it suits his time to cut them off and send them to
hell. This sentiment springs from a consciousness of sins indulged and
duties neglected. Hence, when such fall into deep affliction, when
danger threatens or destruction impends, they call on God to have
mercy upon them; and beg him to turn away his wrath.

A wrong interpretation of many passages in the Bible tends to foster
this impression. I will here quote a few passages of this kind, and
then interpret them according to what I believe to be the truth. When
the children of Israel were about ready to cross the Jordan over into
the land of Canaan, Moses said to them: "Remember, and forget not, how
thou provokedst the Lord thy God TO WRATH in the wilderness.... Also
in Horeb ye provoked the Lord TO WRATH, so that the Lord WAS ANGRY
with you, to have destroyed you." Deut. 9:7, 8.

The Old Testament abounds with passages of similar import, and many
are found in the New Testament. But let us examine carefully the
_kind_ of _wrath_ and _anger_ to which the Lord may be provoked. It
cannot be such wrath as men and