Here is an article by Elder John Clark, founder of "Zion’s Advocate." Elder Clark was making a trip to what was then scribed "The West" but we would refer to the location now as the Midwest, the vicinity of Kentucky and Illinois. After the article, I have included some pithy statements found in the November 1873 Advocate that I enjoyed reading and thought that you would enjoy as well.

DM

ZION’S ADVOCATE--November 1, 1873

According to arrangement announced in the Advocate, we left Front Royal on the 6th inst. and took the train at Alexandria that evening at 7.50 for Huntington, connecting at Gordonsville with the Express train from Richmond to Huntington. We reached Huntington at about five o'clock on Tuesday evening, where a boat was ready, on which we embarked for Maysville, Ky. The boat was due at Maysville that night about 11 o'clock, but owing to the low stage of the water and the fog on the following morning, it did not reach Maysville until about noon on Wednesday.

The brethren had arranged for preaching at Mt. Gilead, to commence on Friday, but the Saturday and Sunday following (the second Sunday) was the regular day at Mt. Gilead for what is called there "The Dudley Party," and they had in the meantime appointed a three days meeting, to commence on Friday morning, consequently the appointment for us was at three P. M. each day. Elder JAMES H. WALLENGFORD is their pastor, and two preachers were in attendance with him--JONES and THEOBALD-Elder BALDWIN FOXWORTHY, the minister in charge of the church there of our faith and order, was absent, and gave as an excuse for leaving that he did not take the ADVOCATE, and therefore did not know of the appointment for us. Under the circumstances the absence of the pastor and the necessity of occupying in the afternoon and thus having our brethren and friends who lived at a distance to go home in the night--we determined not to occupy there on Sunday, and so announced it on Friday evening. Arrangement was then made for us to preach on Sunday at North Fork, or Lewisburg Church, owned by the New School Baptists. While waiting on Saturday forenoon at Mt. Gilead for the hour appointed for our meeting, we concluded to go, in company with some of our brethren, to hear what the preachers conducting the meeting had to say. The first one that occupied the pulpit was apparently a young minister, and a nephew of Elder SAMUEL JONES. He seemed to be much embarrassed when he commenced and made several misquotations of Scripture, which the other preachers corrected. He said nothing particularly objectionable, and appeared to be aiming at the truth of the Gospel, and we thought, but for his surroundings, he might be useful to the churches of the saints. After he concluded preacher Tibbles, as he is called by the people, but the true orthography we believe is THEOBALD, took the stand. He read some verses in the fifteenth chapter of II Corinthians, and announced his subject to be The Resurrection of the Dead. We felt gratified at that announcement, and concluded that now we shall hear what they believe upon the subject, especially as the preacher is one of their master workmen in the estimation of his brethren. In approaching that particular question and important subject, he said many things in a general way, some relevant and others irrelevant, but nothing very objectionable, and frequently repeated the promise to come directly to the subject of the resurrection. Well, we waited patiently and were reminded of those described by Jude-"Clouds without water." He, however, admitted the resurrection of the dead, yea, maintained it but instead of maintaining the resurrection of the saints, of all who sleep in Jesus, in consistency with the apostle's doctrine in the chapter before him, and in which his text was recorded, he brought it out that all the saints arose with Christ, emphasizing the phrase, "Together with my dead body shall they arise," and so, according to their doctrine, the resurrection is past already. He interpreted the words of the Lord Jesus--"The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live," [John v, 25,] to have been simply fulfilled when Christ raised Lazarus, the widow's son, &c., and, of course, it had no reference or application to quickening or giving life to sinners dead in trespasses and sins. After the Lord Jesus uttered these words he immediately added: "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice." It is therefore evident that in the twenty-fifth verse he did not mean the dead in their graves--Lazarus was in the grave when called to life--but the dead in sin. But, according to their theory of an everlasting Father and everlasting children, the one as old as the other, and of an eternal created head and members, or church, they have nothing to do with sinners dead in trespasses and sins, as the church is not made up of such, and hence the work of giving life to such is not embraced in their scheme; hence the necessity to explain away all passages of Scripture which teach and affirm that doctrine. The display throughout was evidently stereotyped, as he went through the performance in schoolboy style, and appeared to say in his countenance and demeanor, "We are the people, and Wisdom will die with us."

He attempted to say something in conclusion upon the subject of Experience. How absurd and inconsistent to talk about experience upon their hypothesis! According to their theory of the resurrection of all God's people actually with Christ; the masterly logic and divine doctrine of the apostle from the forty-second verse of that chapter to the conclusion, in proving and maintaining the doctrine of the resurrection of the saints, which was then in the future, though the resurrection of Christ had passed, is fallacious. Of the resurrection of the bodies of the saints he says: "It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonor: it is raised in glory." Was Christ's body sown in corruption and dishonor? Besides, the apostle puts this resurrection in the future: "Even so in Christ SHALL all be made alive;" "We SHALL bear the image of the heavenly;" "We SHALL be changed" and, to sum up all, he concludes, as follows: "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory." This is of more force and in authority than all the theories which have their origin in the wisdom of men, and all that know the truth will say: "Let God be true and every man a liar."

We preached at Lewisburg meetinghouse in near North Fork on Sunday evening. The largest congregation we had met in the State was present. From this point we proceeded to brother Lampton's to try to serve he had arranged. We reached brother LAMPTON'S on Tuesday, the 14th inst., but was sorry to learn that he was not at home and that we should not see him during our sojourn in that vicinity; but, after we understood his arrangement, we justified him and said, the will of the Lord be done. We were cared for by his estimable lady and by whom with her son, Noah, who is a brother beloved, we were conducted to "Crew's Creek," where we preached on Wednesday amt Thursday. This Church is under the pastorate of brother LAMPTON, and is composed of brethren and sisters of the true Gospel type, sound in the faith and ready to every good word and work.

We tarried Wednesday night with Mr. JACKSON HUME, son of the late Elder WILLIAM HUME, formerly pastor of that church, and uncle of our beloved brother Eld. JOEL HUME, of Indiana. Old sister Hume still lives and is quite active for one of her age. Elder Hume has been dead upwards of twenty years.

Thursday night we staid with brother ALFRED STEPHENS, who conveyed us on Friday morning to Mount Pleasant, where meetings had been appointed for us for that day and for Saturday and Sunday following, the third Sunday. This church is also under the pastoral care of brother LAMPTON. We had visited this church before, and also Crew's Creek, and have had occasion before to remark that the members of these churches remind us of our brethren in Virginia.-They are kind and affectionate, agreeable and hospitable, and without hypocrisy. We shall cherish in grateful remembrance their kind attention to us, a wayfarer, in passing along through their borders, and if the question had been propounded to us when we had to bid them farewell, which our Master once asked his disciples, Lacked ye anything? we in truth, could have said, nothing. We met with brother STEPHEN G. GAINES at this meeting accompanied by his lady. His membership is at Mt. Pleasant Church, and in which he holds the responsible office of Deacon. Brother GAINES is favorably known in Virginia, and promises, subject to the will of God, to visit us again in Virginia, next year, with his wife, and attend our Associations. His lady is not a member with him in the church, but is kind and respectful, and of accomplished manners.

We went home with brother CAVE CLORE, a kind and good brother, on Friday evening, and with sister Graves on Saturday night. Mr. JOHNSON W. GRAVES, her husband, was not able, from a press of business, to attend meeting that day, but came home at night and entertained us in the Old Virginia style of hospitality. Sunday evening we went with brother GAINES to the house of his brother, MILTON GRAVES, who is not a member, but entertained us kindly and hospitably. Monday morning brother GAINES conveyed us to Cincinnati, where we take the cars for Missouri.

Cincinnati, Oct. 20, 1873.

SHOULD I be asked, what is the grand remedy against undue fear of every possible kind? I answer, in one word, communion with God. "He," says good Dr. Owen, who would be little in temptation, must be much in prayer. Ply the mercy seat. Eye the blood of Christ. Cry mightily to the spirit of God." To which I add, Wait at the footstool in holy stillness of soul. Sink into nothing before the uncreated Majesty. If He shine within, you will fear nothing from without. What made the martyrs fearless? Their souls were filled with Christ. Jesus lifted up the beams of love upon their minds, and they smiled at all the fires which man could kindle.--.Toplady.

BLESSED is that cross which humbles our pride, and that disappointment which makes us more resigned to God's will, and that sickness which crucifies us more to this world and the world to us, and that poverty which makes us richer in grace, and that contempt for the world which make us cleave more to God and value more highly his favor and approbation. Yea, blessed is that event which takes away all the props which we in any degree depend on for the smallest portion of our happiness, and brings us to depend and live wholly on God.--Charles.

GOD would rather see his children humble for sin, than proud of grace. --John Mason.