SUNDAY, August 4.  Meeting in Elk meetinghouse, in Page County.  I speak from Luke 16:9.  TEXT.—­“Make unto yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.”

This is a very remarkable passage of Scripture.  My understanding of it differs a little from that of some of our Brethren, but it is all in love, and each bears with the other’s interpretation.  I will here give a brief outline of my view of it.  I think the Lord meant to encourage a very free use of this world’s goods in the way of helping the poor, especially those of the household of faith.  Through Paul we learn that Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Christian people may imitate the unjust steward in this one thing:  he aimed to provide for the future by making use of what was within his reach at the present.  This may be our Lord’s meaning.  But he may have meant more.  The wealth of some has doubtless been acquired in an unrighteous way, while in their unregenerate state, heedless of conscience and justice.  Such mammon or wealth must be unrighteous, because unrighteously obtained.  Those who have acquired wealth in an unjust way, and who afterward repent in heart and see the evil of their former course, may be deeply distressed, and at the same time have no opportunity to do as Zaccheus did,—­make restoration.  To such, it does appear to me, Jesus would say:  “Let my Father’s children have a share of it.  Use it in a way that will glorify him, by helping his dear children; and if you fail to be found in the number of those who are ‘my brethren’ at the great day of final accounts, you may still come in as ‘the blessed of the Father’ and inherit the kingdom prepared for you.  It will then be my joy to acknowledge you and say:  ’I was hungry, and you fed me; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came unto me.’” Whatsoever is done to one of the least of the Lord’s brethren he accounts it as done to him.  Such is the wonderful union and identity of the Lord and his people.  When Paul was struck down he cried out:  “Who art thou, Lord?” And the answer came:  “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.”

I would earnestly encourage all to go on unto perfection.  Then we will be sure of the heavenly inheritance.  “And blessed is she that believed:  for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

FRIDAY, August 9.  Harvest meeting at our meetinghouse.  I baptize Henry Swartz and wife, and Barbara Yount.

SUNDAY, August 31.  Meet brethren Daniel P. Saylor and Boyle at Shaver’s meetinghouse, in Shenandoah County.

SUNDAY, September 1.  Meeting at same place.  The visiting brethren speak to great edification and comfort.

MONDAY, September 2.  Meeting at Flat Rock meetinghouse.  The visiting brethren are with us, and rivet attention by their able discourses.  Brother Saylor does not seem to be lifted out of his shoes by the encomiums passed upon him.  But I suppose he has got used to them.