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Life and Labors of Elder John Kline, the Martyr Missionary Collated from his Diary by Benjamin Funk By: John Kline (1797-1864) |
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LIFE AND LABORS OF ELDER JOHN KLINE THE MARTYR MISSIONARY COLLATED FROM HIS DIARY By BENJAMIN FUNK ELGIN, ILL.:
BRETHREN PUBLISHING HOUSE,
1900.
INTRODUCTION.
In the burying ground of the Linville's Creek German Baptist church in
Rockingham County, Virginia, there is to be seen a marble slab engraved
with the name JOHN KLINE. In walking through a cemetery and pensively viewing the memorials of
the departed, one question of deep interest often presses upon the
mind and heart: Are these, whose names are here recorded on slab and
obelisk, still alive and in the possession of conscious being, or are
they dead "All to mouldering darkness gone;
All of conscious life bereft?" We turn to earth, and from her lips the ear of reason catches
deep toned words of assurance that death is not the end of life. The
hue of the butterfly's wing, "the flower of the grass," the beauty of
the vernal year, these all, all teach the sublime truth that "all
great endings are but great beginnings." The voice of God from the
unrolled page of plainer if not diviner truth, says: "These are not
dead, but sleeping they shall wake again." Satisfied on this point, the next question turns to the lives and
characters, works and words of those who lie buried here. Were they
good or bad? Are their spirits now in heaven, or somewhere else? There
are two classes, however, concerning whom no such questions arise. The
first class is made up of those who have died in their infancy; and
ever and anon while looking at the "little lamb," or "rose bud," or
"young dove" not yet fledged, the words flow into the mind as from the
lips of Jesus: "Of such is the kingdom of heaven." The other class is
composed of such as have given clear evidence, by profession and life,
that they are the children of God. The words for them come as did the
others, from the page of Heavenly Truth, "Therefore are they
continually before the throne, and praise him day and night in his
temple." The epitaph of John Kline is read without a doubt ever springing up in
the mind of any one who knew him. We saw him, not as Elisha saw Elijah
in sight, ascend to heaven; but with the eye of faith we saw him
clothed in a celestial body; and with the ear of faith we heard the
welcome: "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
THE ANNUAL MEETING OF 1878. In the year 1878 the Brethren's Annual Meeting was held with the
Linville's Creek church. Brethren and sisters from many sections of
our Union were present. Many graves in the cemetery by the
meetinghouse were to be seen. Epitaphs were read by the throngs of
people who walked around to view them. Few of these bore anything
beyond the simple inscription of the name and the two facts that fall
to the lot of all: The time of birth and the time of death. But there was one grave from whose humble mound each visitor seemed
eager to pluck a flower, a leaf, or any other little thing that might
be carried back home and enshrined in a casket for a memento of one
never to be forgotten. That grave was the grave of John Kline. One sister, with tears in her eyes, said: "He preached my mother's
funeral." Another said: "He used to visit us in Ohio; and we always
loved so much to see him come." A brother said: "I traveled with him
over two thousand miles, and he was always one thing." Others said:
"The meeting is lonesome without him." "He was at our love feast in
Pennsylvania the year he was killed," said another. It would be vain
to attempt to follow up all the affectionate memories that were
expressed by the loving throngs of sanctified hearts that surrounded
his tomb. In this book ELDER JOHN KLINE is set forth not as dead, but as alive;
as living and moving amongst us again. His life work stands recorded
on earth as well as in heaven. With untiring perseverance Brother
Kline kept a record of his work every day for a period of TWENTY NINE
YEARS. These records contain two great facts common to the life of
every man, woman and child... Continue reading book >>
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