Esau and Jacob were twin sons of Isaac. But Esau was born first; and this, according to the law of primogeniture in that day, gave him special privileges, among which was the right on his part to a double portion of the heritage to be received from the father.

This right Jacob treacherously bought of his brother Esau. Rebekah, their mother, was favorable to the contract, and laid the plan for its successful completion. Esau had been unsuccessful in his pursuit of game, and soon found himself in a famishing condition. Jacob took advantage of this, and proposed to purchase the birthright. He said to Esau: "Sell me this day thy birthright." And Esau said: "Behold, I am at the point to die; and what profit shall this birthright do to me?"

And he sold his birthright to Jacob. "Then Jacob gave Esau bread and a mess of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright."

Esau is here regarded as a profane or wicked person, because he did not more highly esteem the blessing to which he was born. Paul refers to this fact, to teach us that it is our duty, as the regenerated or "firstborn" children of G.o.d, to place a very high value upon our relation to him conferred by this birth.

"Esau found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." This means that all his sorrow or regret for the foolish bargain he had made would not and could not place him back where he was before. The blessing of his father had been given to another past all possibility of calling it back. I do not, and can not, however, as some do, apply this to the sin against the Holy Ghost. The blessing of Jacob was all external. It comprehended only earthly things. I will read it, so that you may hear it: "G.o.d give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee; and blessed be he that blesseth thee." There is nothing in all this giving Jacob any claim to special favor from G.o.d, beyond that of mere earthly good. Neither does the sale of the birthright exclude Esau from any higher claim. He did not sell his right to serve the Lord, and thus inherit a heavenly blessing.

The people of G.o.d sometimes do things in the way of sin that cause them deep distress. At the same time they do not shut themselves irrevocably out of heaven, because repentance and reformation of life will reinstate them into the divine favor, and place them back into the good way again. But such may lose much, both in the church and the world by the misstep. After the sin of adultery, for example, has been fairly proved against a brother or sister, he can hardly reinstate himself fully into his former standing either in the church or in society at large. Thus is he like Esau. He has sold his birthright; yet still the Lord is ready, with outstretched arms, to receive him the moment he resolves to return, just as the loving father received his prodigal son. Thus it is with many other sins. They leave a sting in the heart which may rankle and fester a long time; and a stigma in the character which may never, in this world, be entirely wiped out.

In regard to the relation of Esau and Jacob, one more thought presses upon my mind, and I will give it utterance. In Jehovah's prophecy to Rebekah before the birth of the children, these words from his own lips were spoken: "_The elder shall serve the younger_." And in the prophecy of Malachi, the Lord Jehovah is represented by the prophet as saying: "I loved Jacob; I hated Esau." Paul to the Romans quotes both these pa.s.sages.

The Bible reader justly enquires: "Why this opposition to Esau and this favor to Jacob, when the children, as yet unborn, had done neither good nor evil?" Paul says it was: "That the purpose of G.o.d according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth." Brethren, I do sincerely believe that right here we find the key to many obscure pa.s.sages in Paul's writings on the subject of election and predestination. G.o.d can do nothing without means. Ends as surely imply means as effects imply causes. Esau and Jacob are the Lord's chosen, elected, predestinated means of teaching his people a lesson of instruction that covers the whole ground of every Christian's state and experience from the alpha to the omega.

Every true child of G.o.d possesses two distinct natures. A knowledge of this wonderful truth lies within the range of every one's experience.

But it is equally confirmed by divine revelation. Paul calls the one nature or consciousness the OUTWARD MAN, and the other the INWARD MAN.

The one bears the image of the first Adam, and is of "_the earth earthy_;" the other bears the image of the last Adam who is the Lord, "_and is heavenly_." Esau represents the first; and, as such, he can not inherit the heavenly birthright, because he is carnal, and "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven."

As the ant.i.type of this great truth which underlies the scheme of redemption, G.o.d could not but "hate Esau," because "the l.u.s.t of the flesh, and the l.u.s.t of the eyes, and the pride of life, are not of the Father, but are of the world." "But Jacob he loved," because Jacob is the child "_born of G.o.d_" in the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, "_the inner man_," which after G.o.d, is "created in righteousness and true holiness." "The elder shall serve the younger." This means that "the natural body" must be brought under subjection and serve "the spiritual body." For "there is a natural body" first born, and "there is a spiritual body" last born.

In another place Paul uses lofty terms to designate these two. He there calls the one "the earthly house of this tabernacle," which must perish; the other "a building of G.o.d, a house not made with hands"--G.o.d's hands--"eternal in the heavens." The reason why he says "in the heavens" is because it is in the light of heaven; just as he says in another place, "We have been made to sit together in heavenly places,"

by which he correlatively means just the same that we mean when we say we sit in the sun, meaning that we sit where the light of the sun shines upon us.

Now, Brethren beloved, I have been very brief on a subject that might be profitably expanded into a volume. I hope that I have given you points by which you may take the subject and think upon it for yourselves; and thus add faith to faith, and knowledge to knowledge.

May G.o.d add his blessing to what I have said, that it may prove to be strength in much weakness.

During the interval between the twenty-fourth and the twenty-eighth, Brother Kline visited many Brethren in Augusta County, Virginia.

THURSDAY, April 28, he attended a love feast at the brick meetinghouse.

Of this he says: "The afternoon meeting was well attended. The second chapter of Peter's first letter was read. Much good instruction for self-examination was given, both in German and English, from the general scope of the chapter. I made a few remarks on the middle clause in the seventeenth verse: '_Love the brotherhood_.'

"I fear we do not speak and exhort one another as plainly and warmly as we should on this most essential part of every true believer's experience and life. What keeps us a united and happy people? _Love of the Brotherhood._ What keeps us from quarreling with one another, from slandering and defrauding one another? _Love of the Brotherhood._ What keeps alive our sympathies for each other in times of distress and in seasons of sorrow? _Love of the Brotherhood._

"This is the golden chain that binds us together on earth, and will forever bind us together in heaven. As the rain first comes from the sea, and after refreshing and beautifying the land goes back to the sea again, so it is through us, Brethren, that the love we receive from Christ here will be made perfect and return to him there. Oh, Brethren, 'let us not love in word only, but in deed and in truth.'"

WEDNESDAY, May 4. Peter Nead and Daniel Garber started to the Annual Meeting.

SUNDAY, May 22. Meeting at the Linville's Creek meetinghouse. Brother Kline spoke briefly on Acts 2. He said: "As this is the traditional day on which the Holy Spirit was poured out in a miraculous way, so that the whole house wherein the apostles and brethren were sitting was filled with his presence, so that they were all baptized in the Holy Spirit and in the heavenly fire, we think it good to meditate and speak upon these things.

"It may be that we err by believing that each apostle was endowed with the gift of all the tongues here enumerated. It would be natural, I think, for those who spoke the same tongue to sit or stand together in companies. We may, even at the present day, see examples and instances of this in large cities and public places. Here we see a group of Germans. There, a company of Swedes, or Dutch, or Italians. People of the same nationality as naturally seek for each other as birds seek for their own kind.

"The order appears beautiful to our minds in the light of this interpretation. Each apostle was gifted by the Spirit to speak in _one_ tongue at least. If we go to the pains to count, we will find there were nearly as many apostles as nationalities represented. In this way all could speak at the same time; each one to his own group or cla.s.s of hearers, in gentle tones of voice; and all in the house hear at least _one_ speak in the tongue in which he was born. This interpretation relieves the mind of the apparent confusion which seems to have pervaded that a.s.sembly, from a mere cursory reading of the account given of it in the second chapter of the Acts.

"I pray G.o.d, that our dear Brethren in Yearly Meeting to-day and to its close may all, like the apostles, be of one mind and speak the same thing."

SUNDAY, June 5. Meeting at the Dry Fork. Brother Kline made a few remarks upon Eph. 5:14, "_Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light_."

"We called upon the drowsy, sleeping sinner to arise from his deadness and indifference, pointing him to the promise that Christ would shine upon him and give him the light of life. Whilst speaking on this subject to-day, I related what was said to be a well authenticated fact which I lately read.

"An Indian, one evening, tied his canoe fast to a tree not far above the falls of Niagara. Feeling that all was secure, he lay down in his canoe and went to sleep. Just about the break of day the fastening from some cause got loose. Very probably the cord was untied by some mischievous person. The Indian continued to sleep. Noiselessly the canoe glided down the stream, nearer and yet nearer the awful brink, softly rocking its sleeping victim to destruction. Just before the frightful leap, roused by the thunder of the cataract, the poor Indian awoke, only in time to see himself hurled into eternity.

"O, how many unconverted men and women are borne down upon the stream of time, unconcerned, thoughtless, careless of the doom that so surely awaits them!"

_Sermon by Elder Daniel Miller (German)._

_At Lost River Meetinghouse, West Virginia, Sunday, July 3._

TEXT.--But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of G.o.d, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of G.o.d.--John 1:12, 13.

This Scripture has a very deep meaning; and it should be well understood, since the power in us to become children or sons of G.o.d depends on the nature of our birth. If this be in any other nature than that of G.o.d, it is like counterfeit money; it may look to be all right, and pa.s.s current for a while, but it will not bear the test of a rigid scrutiny.

Some are born of _blood_. Such may be those who adhere to a certain church, and hold certain articles of faith without examining the Word, because their father and mother and other _blood_ relatives held the same, lived and died in that faith, and lie buried in the churchyard where they worshiped.

Some are born of _the will of the flesh_. Such may be those who make a profession of religion; but because they cannot have their own way in everything, and take the _l.u.s.ts of the flesh_ with them under the cloak of a Christian profession, they either forsake the people of G.o.d entirely or else never come into their number.

Some are born of the _will of man_. Such may be those who suffer themselves to be influenced by others; coaxed, persuaded, nor even induced by the promise of reward, to join a certain church and worship in a certain way, because it is fashionable and in good style.

Some _are born of G.o.d_. Such are those who out of an honest heart bring forth the fruit of the Spirit unto perfection.

Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, shows the striking contrast between the fruit of man's fleshly, sensual or animal nature and that of his spiritual or renewed nature. The first he calls THE FLESH; the last, THE SPIRIT. Man's spirit is what is born again. In one place he designates the new birth as "being renewed in the _spirit_ of the mind." In another place as "dead to the world, but alive unto G.o.d."

The prayer of such is: "Lord, what wouldst THOU have me to do?"

Finding a clear answer to this prayer in the Word of Truth, they are willing to follow its leadings. They descend into the baptismal wave "for the remission of sins." They go into the house of G.o.d and are not above stooping to wash one another's feet. They eat the Lord's Supper.

They commune with him in the emblems of his broken body and shed blood. They continue to walk as nearly as they can in all the commands and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

The difference between the present and future state of the man who lives after the flesh and that of the man who lives after the spirit is very sharply marked in many places in Paul's writings, in words that cannot be easily misunderstood. He uses such language as this: "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds [l.u.s.ts] of the body, ye shall live." "To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." "He that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of G.o.d,"--which is the new birth,--"is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

All these quotations are in perfect accord with our Lord's closing words to the Sermon on the Mount: "Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: ... and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

I do not think it is very hard for any one to tell the kind of birth he is of. As an individual can tell by looking in a gla.s.s, if in no other way, whether he is black or white, so the professor of religion, by turning to the Gospel Mirror, can see what kind of a birth he is of.

I sometimes feel sorry when I think that a child has no control over its own natural birth. If it is born black and into slavery, poor little thing, there it has to remain for life, and bear and suffer all the evils incident to its color and condition. If one is born with natural deformities which baffle all surgical skill; or with blindness or deafness past all remedy; we can but pity and weep. True, our sympathies are aroused, and but for such objects probably the very purest and n.o.blest springs in our nature would remain forever sealed with ice.

But, thanks to our G.o.d, no such unalterable conditions ever attend man's spiritual birth. He himself is a party to the covenant under which every spiritual birth is effected from conception to parturition. G.o.d is one party; and man, in whom the new spiritual birth is to be effected, is the other party. This I speak in respect to the divine, heavenly birth. Men are the parties on both sides in all the other births spoken of in the text. G.o.d has nothing to do with them.

The Jews were nearly all born after these ways. Most of them seem to have been "born of blood." "We have Abraham to our father." Some were born of the "will of the flesh," for when the Lord told them the truth "they took up stones to stone him." These were included among those to whom he said: "Ye are of your father the devil." The will of the flesh and the will of the devil in spiritual things is one and the same.

Some among them seem to have been "born of the will of man." There may have been a good many of this cla.s.s. When the Lord was teaching in Jerusalem many asked the question; "Have any of the rulers believed on him?" Such were the children of the rulers, born of their will.

One fact is true of all these births; no matter how black, or deformed, or blind, or deaf, all these were spiritually, they were all born just as they wished to be; and all chose, with comparatively few exceptions, to remain in the state in which they were born. On the day of the crucifixion spirits from all cla.s.ses of births culminated in the cry: "His blood be on us and our children."

I hope what I have said may awaken some thought in the mind of each hearer, as to the state of his own heart. Do I love the Lord my G.o.d with all my heart, and my brother as I love myself? Do I show this love in my dealings with him, and in my daily conduct towards him? Do I show my love to the Lord by walking continually in his ways? Enoch walked with him thus for three hundred years. Am I careful to follow his example during the _few_ years allotted me here? If I do not love my brother and find delight in his company here, how can I be happy with him in heaven? If I do not love the Lord here, in whose love alone there is bliss, what will heaven be to me?

No wonder the doom of the hypocrite is so fearful! When his cloak is removed and the wolf appears in the presence of the angels, will they not shrink from him as one of us would shrink from a viper coiled about our feet?

Brethren, let us be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as we know that our labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Brother Kline bore a hearty testimony to Brother Miller's discourse throughout.