It is a blessed assurance which the Divine Word gives the afflicted and dying children of God, that they have “a city which hath foundations; whose builder and maker is God.”  From the fact that the city has foundations we are clearly authorized to infer that it rests upon the immutable love, wisdom and power of God.  It is not the baseless fabric of a dream.  There is reality about it.  Imagination did not construct it, for its builder and maker is God.  This city is the New Jerusalem, so beautifully described in the last part of the book of Revelation.  The foundations of the WALL of the city are there described.  There are twelve foundations, each of stone, and some of them more precious than diamonds.  The city itself is built of gold, and its streets are paved with the same.  I often rejoice in the hope set before us; but not the foundationless hope of good from this world.  Slaughter and blood are the order of the day here now.  We have at no time much to hope for from this world, but there is nothing to hope for now.  We should rather rejoice than be grieved over the departure of God’s children.  They are safe.  Beyond the reach of suffering, temptation and sin, they are safe in the city of God, where no sickness, nor sorrow, nor pain, nor death can ever reach them more.

SUNDAY, December 8.  Meeting at Turner’s schoolhouse, in the Gap.  Catharine Fulk, daughter of Philip Ritchey, is baptized by me.  Dine at the widow Peggy Turner’s, and stay all night at David Hoover’s.

FRIDAY, December 13.  Council meeting at our meetinghouse.  Brother Michael B.E.  Kline is elected speaker, and Brother Noah Rhodes deacon.

FRIDAY, December 20.  Write to John Hopkins, to John C. Woodson, and to Charles Lewis.  I can but entreat these men to stand in defense of our Brethren, and try to devise some plan by which they can be exempted from the necessity of bearing arms.  I feel sure that if we can be rightly understood as to our faith and life, there will be some way provided for their exemption.  The Brotherhood is a unit, heart and hand against arms-bearing.  These things I make known to these men; not, however, in any spirit of defiance, but in the spirit of meekness and obedience to what we in heart believe to be the will of the Lord.  Many have already expressed to me their determination to flee from their homes rather than disobey God.

SUNDAY, December 29.  Meeting in our meetinghouse.  The two ministering brethren, John Huffman and Nathan Spitler, both from Page County, are with us.

MONDAY, December 30.  Write to General Jackson and to Charles Lewis.

TUESDAY, December 31.  Traveled this year 3,930 miles.  Preached thirty-eight funerals.  Baptized about fifty converts.