penitent, believing,
loving candidate with the church, and of the church with the Lord as
his bride, holds the same rank in its relation to the Divine Law as
the ceremony of marriage holds to human law. Both are simple in form,
yet both are absolutely essential to order and an orderly life both in
a religious and social sense. The ordinance of marriage and that of
baptism compare remarkably in another point of view. Both cement a
union to be dissolved only in death. Both have the stamp of the divine
seal, impressed by the Lord's hand, engraven with the words: "WHAT GOD
HATH JOINED TOGETHER, LET NOT MAN PUT ASUNDER."

Now, friends, let me beg you to take the Lord's way. He invites you
affectionately to come and take his yoke upon you. Learn to work in
his vineyard. Your own heart is a vineyard which the Lord will own if
you will but give it to him: and he will help you to keep it clean. He
will give you richly to enjoy the first ripe grapes of a good life
lived in his service. But remember: "He that is ashamed of me and of
my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in
his Father's glory, and the glory of the holy angels." Then why not
come into the church? None are too poor to come. It costs no money or
goods. Why not please your King by visibly becoming his subject? Why
not honor your Lord by obeying his commands? Why not glorify your
Husband by publicly taking to yourself his name and living henceforth
a holy and virtuous life in his sight?

TUESDAY, March 25. Aunt Mary Kline, Uncle Frederick Kline's widow, was
buried to-day. Age, seventy-two years, eleven months and five days.

WEDNESDAY, March 26. Attend the funeral of Giles Devier's little
child. It was buried at our meetinghouse. Age, one year, five months
and sixteen days. It is a pretty thought that angels may gather little
children from the arms of their parents, as love plucks roses from
their parent stems. "Of such is the kingdom of heaven."

THURSDAY, March 27. Perform the marriage ceremony of Robert Allison
and Mary Kline, daughter of Joseph Kline.

TUESDAY, April 1. William Smith took leave of us for his new home in
Illinois.

WEDNESDAY, April 9. Council meeting at the Brush meetinghouse. John
Wine is elected speaker.

THURSDAY, April 10. Council meeting at our meetinghouse. Christian
Wine is elected speaker.

FRIDAY, April 18. Council meeting at Lost River meetinghouse. Jacob
Pope is advanced. His work in the ministry is