Gathering Jewels | Page 7

My wife and I unite in love to you and Mrs. Phelps and your son.
JAMES KNOWLES.
* * * * * *
COVENANTS WITH GOD.
"Dear Lord, and shall Thy Spirit rest In such a wretched heart as mine? Unworthy dwelling! Glorious Guest! Favor astonishing, Divine!"
* * * * * *
The following acts of consecration will, no doubt, be of interest to the reader:
NEW YORK, Thursday, June 21, 1860.
I do solemnly resolve from this day onward to endeavor, relying on thy Holy Spirit, to serve Thee better. This is my covenant, and I would ask Thee to own and bless me with peace and joy in believing.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Saturday, October 6, 1860.
I now promise, as I have formerly promised to do, from this day onward, to serve God better than I have been doing; depending on God's spirit for assistance; and will now ask to be prospered as God may see good for me.
JAMES KNOWLES.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Friday, October 18, 1861.
I resolved to serve God with renewed efforts, determining to look alone to God for help.[1]
JAMES KNOWLES.
[1] The Fulton Street Noon Prayer Meetings found him an occasional visitor during these days of national peril, anxiety, and prayer.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Thursday, April 9, 1863.
Entered into an agreement with my Heavenly Father that, through the strength of His divine grace, I will live more for the glory of God than I have ever done.
JAMES KNOWLES.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Saturday afternoon, April 22, 1865.
I renewed my covenant with God in the City Hall Park while standing there, which I some years ago made, and now I again renew it, that I would serve God better than formerly.
JAMES KNOWLES.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Thursday, April 19, 1866.
Renewed my engagement with the Lord to serve Him better than I had done before, after having prayed to Him to be justified through faith in the righteousness of Christ; and asked for other blessings which I felt satisfied I would receive, for I feel my great need of these, as I felt very helpless in myself, but that there was abundant fulness in Christ.
I write this and the above on this Saturday night, the 22d of April, 1866.
JAMES KNOWLES.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Wednesday, December 5, 1866.
My birth-day, and a fine day.
I resolved on this day to endeavor to serve the Lord better, and renewed my covenant with the Lord, which I formerly made, and have again and again sought or attempted to renew. May the Lord aid me in the future.
And thus, from these few specimens of his constantly self-convicted weakness and appeals for more spiritual strength, we get a look at the inner life of a practical Christian worker which it is rare to find among us in these days. He could not stand alone; his last self-examination always found him short, though it consisted of but a few questions put by the spirit to the flesh at the end of every devotional service incidental to the life and work of each day, thus:
Did I this morn devoutly pray For God's assistance through the day? And did I read His sacred Word, To make my life therewith accord? Did I for any purpose try To hide the truth and tell a lie? Did I my time and thoughts engage As fits my duty, station, age? Did I with care my temper guide, Checking ill-humor, anger, pride? Did I my lips from aught refrain That might my fellow-creature pain? Did I with cheerful patience bear The little ills that all must share? For all God's mercies through this day Did I my grateful tribute pay? And did I, when the day was o'er, God's watchful aid again implore?
CHAPTER III.
SCRIPTURE TEXTS.
1858.
"I want a meek, a gentle, quiet frame, A heart that glows with love to Jesus' name; I want a living sacrifice to be For Him who died a sacrifice for me."
The following extracts from his diary reveal to us his carefulness in noting the texts of Scripture and the analysis of sermons he heard preached on the Sabbaths and week days from 1858 up to the time of his death.
Thursday (fast-day), September 16, 1858.--Heard a sermon preached by Dr. Crawford from the 57th chapter of Isaiah and the 15th verse: "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
Saturday, September 18th.--Preached by Mr. Sanderson, from the 15th chapter of St. Luke and the 2d verse: "And the Pharisees and Scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth