The brethren and sisters generally appeared to be alive to their spiritual interests.  The meetings were usually well attended, and good attention was paid to the preaching.  In some places, however, worldliness in dress and manners is becoming too apparent.

In Maryland we happened to fall in company with a man traveling our course, who represented himself as a United Brethren preacher.  He was very plainly dressed himself, and as we were plain I guess he thought that to give his conversation a turn upon the fashions of the world would not be unpleasant to us.  At any rate he went on to tell how pride was gradually creeping, inch by inch, into his own denomination; and, “worst of all,” said he, “it looks like it is beginning to take hold of some of our preachers.”  He then stated that at their last yearly Conference, the bishop had scored some of them fearfully about it.  He then repeated what the bishop had said on the occasion about the

ORIGIN OF FASHIONS.

“Some of you may be curious to know from what place the American people obtain their fashions.  I will tell you.  They get them from New York City.  And from what place does New York City get them?  From London.  And from what place does London get them?  From Paris.  And from what place does Paris get them?  I answer,” said the bishop, “that Paris gets them from hell through the devil and his agents.”

In the journey from which I have just returned I preached twenty times; attended eight love feasts; visited and conversed with many families on religious topics.  In all this service, if I know my own heart, I have been actuated by no selfish motives.  As Paul said:  I desire that my service may be acceptable to the saints; but to make it so, I have used no deceit, no flattery, and have put forth no effort of any kind save that of trying, by the grace of God, to make myself a faithful minister of Jesus Christ.  As one called to preach the Gospel, this is my duty at all times.  Conscious of this, I aim to be “instant in season, out of season.”  May God bless our labors, including those of the dear brother who was with me.  “Paul may plant, and Apollos water; but God only can give the increase.”  We must, by his grace, use all means to keep the Brotherhood pure, by defending it against the inroads of worldliness and pride in every form.  May God forgive all our sins.  Amen!

SUNDAY, October 15.  Brethren Martain Myers and Samuel Lehman were with us at our meeting to-day.  They spoke beautifully on John 5:24.

Resolutions Made by Elder John Kline,

Monday, January 1, 1838.

He says:  I now resolve

  To do all the good I can this year.

  To shun all evil in thought, word, and deed as far as I can.

  To learn all I can of wholesome truth.

  To make the best use I can of what I learn and know.  To do all this
  with an eye single to the glory of God and the good of mankind.