with no better chance
to have it administered upon you and to you than he had, God will
never require it at your hands. But from this day on, if not before
this day, you are lifted out of the darkness that encompassed his
mind, and can nevermore plead ignorance. Besides, your hands and feet
are not nailed to a cross as his were. You are not reduced to the
extremity of calling for mercy with the last gasp of expiring life.
"How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?"

Again: Hear what was said to the convicted multitude on the day of
Pentecost: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost." Have I a right, has any one a right, to say that
these promises would have been fulfilled without baptism? But they
were fulfilled, for the same day there were added to the brethren then
present, about three thousand souls. Would such addition have been
made without a compliance with the terms of admission? But those who
speak and think lightly of baptism, whilst they may not see it so, do
virtually dishonor the blessed Jesus by their implied belief that he
demands something of his people which is of little or no account. They
insult him by substantially saying they understand his business better
than he does himself. Are any ashamed to be baptized? If there be one
such here to-day, I warningly repeat in his or her ear this saying of
Jesus: "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shall
the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in his own glory, and the
glory of the Father, and of the holy angels."

I have a clear conscience that I am attaching to this subject no more
importance than it justly claims in the scale of salvation. When I lay
me down to die, above all things I desire to feel assured that "I have
not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God." I submit these
remarks to your consideration, with a prayer for the divine blessing
upon us all to his glory. Amen!

TUESDAY, September 13. Perform the marriage ceremony of Michael Brake,
of Hardy County, Virginia, and Julia Ann Hevner, of Rockingham County,
at the home of her father, William Hevner.

THURSDAY, September 22. Attend a love feast at Abraham Huffman's in
Page County, and stay all night at Nathan Spitler's. These two
brethren give promise of great usefulness in the church.

SUNDAY, October 9. Brother Kline started to Maryland and Pennsylvani