But when his children came running to meet him,
and he saw them all safe, and their mother standing in the door
unharmed, he burst into an expression of thanksgiving, which, he
confessed to me, surpassed every other emotion of joy he had ever
felt. Our best experiences come to us when we are made to realize
properly the good that is still left us.

We must look upon our exemption from army service as one proof of
those interpositions in behalf of his children which our heavenly
Father has promised, and which he is constantly fulfilling. "The
effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." God has
not called us to prayer in vain. He invites us to come boldly to a
throne of grace. Does he do this otherwise than with a will to hear?
And the apostle's exhortation is: "In every thing give thanks," for
"all things work together for good to them that love God."

Let our offerings this day be from the heart; and probably the best
proof we can have that they come from the heart is a willingness and
cheerful readiness to give of our substance to the needy poor. We must
divide out, Brethren, to those who have, on account of the war
pressure, been unable to provide for themselves. Think of the
barefooted, half-clad and half-fed children in our land! I do not
undervalue what you have already done. I know you have done much; but
we should not feel that the burden of duty has all rolled from our
shoulders so long as there is one needy brother or sister or child in
our land. Brethren, I speak from my heart when I say that the church
has never before enjoyed such an opportunity to grow rich, as the
present offers. I mean rich in good works; rich in treasures laid up
in heaven; rich in her title to an eternal inheritance in heaven,
which our Lord calls "_the true riches_."

SATURDAY, January 17. Buy of Samuel Shacklett (a merchant in
Harrisonburg) one bolt of cotton cloth or muslin for Mary Hoover, for
which I pay seventeen dollars; and four bunches cotton yarn for which
I pay thirty dollars. This shows the measure of confidence reposed in
the Confederate Government.

WEDNESDAY, February 4. Visit General Jones's camp at New Market in
behalf of some of the soldiers.

FRIDAY, February 13. Attend the burial of our dear sister, Mary
Frances, wife of my nephew, John Kline. We did all we could for her;
but that dreadful destroyer, diphtheria, would have its way, and in
much anguish of heart we submit. She was a lovely and te