A Letter From Bro. and Sister Knisley. On the 13th of Nov., my wife and I boarded the train at Plymouth, at 6 o'clock A. M., and arrived at Dr. Fahrney's in Chicago about 10 o'clock same day. We found them all well, and were kindly received. We also visited Bro. Holsinger and found them all well. Bro. Holsinger and I went one evening to hear Reedy preach, and Sankey sing, Sankey is a great singer, but I have heard better preaching by our brethren than Moody did on this occasion, because he told some things that are not Gospel. I never saw as many people at one meeting. There were some six thousand present, and they told me there has been as many more present at one time. We remained in the City until Saturday the 18th, when we started home and arrived there in the evening. The next day, (Sabbath) not being well, and our meeting being at some distance, I remained of home. About noon we had a very pleasant visit from ten or twelve of our Sabbath School scholars. The oldest was not over sixteen years old and among them five belong to the church. We never enjoyed a visit better. We had many questions to ask, and read from the Young Disciple. The oldest of the five is going to get subscribers for it. They all seem to like the paper, but would like to have it weekly. Brethren and sisters how pleasant is the society of the Young, and how careful we should be to feed the lambs, and watch over them as a hen watches over her brood. I think Christians will do so. We should certainly be very much concerned about the young. Christian fathers and mothers should be concerned about their children, and talk much to them about Jesus. If we are kind and good, our children will not be afraid of us. This I know by experience, for I had a kind mother who often talked to me about heavenly things. Parents, let us all try to do better. Let us subscribe for the Brethren's papers for our children to read. Then too, try to get them to read the Bible, read verse about with them. In this way our children may become rich towards God. >From Dunnings Creek, Pa. Our Communion meeting on the 27th of October was held in our new meeting house, near brother John Holsinger's, who is our bishop and is a father to us indeed. The time appointed to commence our meeting was 4 o'clock, and previous to the appointed hour, six young converts were baptized. The attendance was large. In the evening all the seats were occupied and both aisles crowded, and a number outside. Some of these were of the baser sort, as they kept running in and out and annoyed the meeting. There was preaching the next day, also on Saturday evening, Sunday, Sunday evening and Monday forenoon, after which eight more were baptized. Since then three more were baptized, making in all seventeen. Saints and angels were made to rejoice and sinners and the devil to tremble. The principle speakers present, were Brice Sell from Blair Co., and Joseph Burkhart, from Cambria Co. There were also some others present. The weather was pleasant the first evening, but after that rather gloomy and some-times raining. Of those that were baptized nine were probably under twenty years. A number of others expressed themselves willing so-far as the faith is concerned, but there are other things in the way. May the Lord help them to drop these trifling excuses and come to Christ. The health in general in this community is good. We have had a very moderate Fall until within a few days, we are having some rough weather. Times in this locality are apparently brightening up a little. I am doing all I can to get subscribers to your paper, and when I get any I hand them to Bro. John B. Miller, your agent. Albert Blackburn. The Consolidation. Editors of P. C. and P., I wish to say to you that the consolidation of your papers will certainly meet the approbation of all the readers of both papers, and not only these, but also those that have been getting only one of the papers. After the Companion and Visitor were consolidated, now called the Primitive Christian, I worked for it, thinking that in a short time we would have but one paper. But I became somewhat discouraged when I heard that we were to have another one in the West called The Brethren at Work, gotten up by brethren from whom I loved to hear through your columns. There was also a considerable Tract Fund raised through your papers. But now, in due season comes out the consolidated paper which ought to give us all fresh courage. Now let the agents of the Pilgrim work and the agents of the Primitive Christian work, and then we will have what we need, a good church paper. Brethren end sisters let us all work, let the elders of the different districts work, or see that some brethren are at work in every church. And at the same time if there be any poor members that would like to read the paper their wants should be supplied. I feel that we need a good paper, one that holds forth the true doctrine of the Bible. A good many of our brethren and sisters have a long distance to preaching, and others cannot go on account of being delicate in health. Such should have a paper of this kind. Then too, our papers are read by others, besides members, and some that perhaps, never heard the Brethren preach, and therefore they should reflect the principles and doctrines of the church. Now brethren and sisters let me entreat you once more to oil put your shoulders to the wheel and work for the enlarged paper, and by so doing I think you will be working for the Lord. Let us ever have the good cause at heart and labor together and finally we will reap the reward. John R. Delinger. Gleanings and Jottings. -Bro. J. P. Moomaw of Purple Cane, Dodge Co., Neb., says Our crops were partly destroyed by the grasshoppers again this year, but our little church is still increasing Two were added by baptism at our love-feast. We had a good meeting. The health is good and the weather is fine. -Bro. E. W. Flora of Willow Springs, Kansas, says: We have fine weather this Fall. Wheat looks remarkably well-never saw it better. The grasshoppers did but little damage in Willow Springs, but west of us from four to six miles, there were a great many. They destroyed whole fields of wheat and rye. East of us there were but few. Corn is good. Potatoes are not a heavy crop, neither is there a great deal of fruit. The church is in a fair condition. -Bro. John Studabaker, writing from South English Iowa, says: I have traveled through northern Illinois and different counties in Iowa, have visited many brethren, attended four communion meetings and the district meeting of southern Iowa. Found the brethren generally prospering and rich in the faith. Several persons were added to the church by baptism. I expect to move to Freeport, Ill. We have already established our business at that point, and are prepared to fill orders for goods. Any of the brethren or friends desiring goods can have them ordered from me by addressing me at Freeport, Ill. -Brother A. Berkeybile of Delta, Ohio, says: The consolidation of the Primitive Christian and the Pilgrim so far as heard from, meets the hearty approval of all, hence we feel encouraged to solicit subscribers. We have started the work and it looks encouraging. We will do the best we can for you. Why not have but one church paper? The Annual Meeting says it is an individual enterprise, but then as it concerns the whole church we think it is different to other enterprises. If all could afford to patronize the many papers we would not have a word to say, but such is not the case. We desire to have all the good that is done in the brotherhood, all the obituaries, &c., to reach every family. -A brother of Carleton, Nebraska, sends us $6 for the Danish Fund, $4 for the Poor Fund, $4 for the Stein Fund, and names the following remarks : "I would say that I have been an inveterate chewer and smoker for over fifteen years, and like many of my brethren, said I could not give up the habit, but when I remembered how my Master denied himself the sustenance of life forty days in the wilderness for me, could I not deny myself of this hurtful lust for him, was a query that presented itself. I quit and through Christ have gained the victory. I have been free from this servitude for more than a year. If Christ has made us free we are free indeed. My prayer is that all of my dear brethren who have thus been in bondage, may obtain this freedom. The Brethren of the Ashland church, Ashland Co., Ohio, expect to commence a series of meetings at the Dickey meeting, house Dec. 17th, 1876, to which meeting we extend a hearty invitation to all that desire to be with us at that time. Now to our ministering brethren we would say, brethren come and help us. J. D. Parker. My visit to Ohio. In compliance to arrangements made, my sister Missouri Fitzgerald and myself, started for Ohio October 20th, to attend several communion meetings in Darke and surrounding counties. We arrived at Dayton the same evening and was there met by brother George Garver, who conveyed us out to his house where we were cared for in the kindest manner. Next morning in company with brother and sister Garver, we visited the Soldier's Home, and I must say I was surprised to see the extensive and beautiful grounds and improvements that I have witnessed, and for beauty, neatness, order and system about all of the arrangements, I think it cannot be surpassed. There were over three thousand of those poor maimed creatures who had been led into an unholy warfare, and they must now spend the rest of their lives, some destitute of an arm, others of a leg, or in some way badly injured. The greatest object of sympathy I saw was one perfectly blind. He was sitting making bead work. He had several fancy articles thus formed. There he sat selecting his beads of different colors by the feel, and this brought the thought to my mind that although he had been deprived of the sense of sight, God in his goodness had made the sense of feeling so much more acute, that this poor solitary being could fill up his time and amuse himself by making him-self useful in this way. Again I thought of the goodness of our God in putting into the hearts of the people to provide this beautiful home for these suffering beings. In the library of the home I noticed 1 many donations that had been made by the devoted mother of Lieutenant Putnam, a promising young man brought to an early grave by "man's cruelty to man." It is well that man cannot rule the whole destiny of man, and that there is a good and merciful being that knows all of our thoughts and actions, and has promised to reward every one according to the deeds done in the body. After looking through this charitable institution we returned to Dayton, and took the train for Manchester. There we were met by brother George V. Siber, who took us home with him. We there found a kind family. His wife, sister Siber, is a woman of superior qualities and a good sister. On Sunday evening brother Siber and his wife went with us to brother Jesse Stutsman's. Here again we were kindly received and well cared for. My sister was taken sick and was unable to proceed any farther. On Monday, in company with brethren Siber and Stutsman and sister Siber, I went to the Oakland communion meeting. Here I met with about two hundred brethren and sisters, and I was impressed with the idea as I noticed the bonds of union that existed among these loving brethren and sisters, that our blessed Redeemer knew when he instituted the ordinance of feet washing, the supper, and communion, just what it took to bind his people together in Christian charity and fellowship. How strange the professors of other sects cannot see this, and that they will allow themselves to be so blinded by their carnal natures. Oh! how I pity them, since God in his mercy has revealed to me these important truths in his holy word. After this meeting we returned to brother Stutsman's, found my sister some better. We moved her to brother William Cassel's, and there she became so sick that we found it would not do for her to ride about any more. The next day again in company with brother and sister Siber, I went to the River church communion meeting. Here again I was permitted to enjoy the pleasure of practicing this holy ordinance with about three hundred brethren and sisters. Here I met several of the brethren and sisters that had visited Kentucky, and it was truly a joyful meeting. The next meeting we attended was at the Covington meeting house. Here I found something over four hundred brethren and sisters. Here again we practiced the holy ordinances as instituted by one blessed Redeemer when be was preparing to offer himself' for our sins. With what feelings of humility should we go through this ordinance, remembering his words, If I your Lord and Master do these things, certainly we as his followers and people, should submit to it and be thankful that he has ordained something that will bring us to humility, Christian love and holiness. After the Covington meeting was over I was conveyed back to brother Cassel's by brother Enoch Beery; found sister Missouri better, and am grateful to the Giver of every good and perfect gift, for placing her among such kind friends during her illness. I next went to the Holler's communion meeting near Dayton. Here again we practiced this holy ordinance that is so well calculated to keep each member humble, loving and kind. Everything was so different from the cold, haughty manner in which the meetings are carried on in Kentucky, that I was deeply impressed with the idea that if some of our good people living here could attend some of these meetings and see the way these people live, their quiet, contented manners, they I could not help but acknowledge they were controlled by a different spirit, and as our Savior went about doing good while on earth, we, if we have the Spirit of Christ, and are his true followers, should practice the same things that he did while here on earth. At the Holler's meeting I again met the brethren and sisters from Clark county, those that visited Kentucky and some others. I went from there home with them and stayed several days visiting around among them, found all, without any exception, actuated by the same spirit which very fully convinced me that the church of the Brethren must come very near the practices of the primitive church in ancient times, if I had had any doubts before, this experience would have entirely removed them. My sympathies were drawn out for the minister's wives. I fear these noble-hearted sisters are not rightly appreciated, while their husbands are out on missions of love. These dear sisters have the whole burden of their families, their household duties to perform, together with their husband's affairs to attend to. Theirs is indeed a weighty responsibility. As our works will bring their reward, great will be the reward of these loving sisters. May the Lord bless them, and I shall take this opportunity of thanking them for their kindness to my sister and myself, and if my humble prayers can avail anything they will be given that the choicest of heaven's blessings may rest upon them. In some few of the brethren's houses I found rather more style than I anticipated from what I had learned from our old brethren. Not to place myself as a critic of other people's matters, but simply to give my opinion. I thought I noticed a little more restlessness among these than the other brethren. Among those that were living less in conformity to the ways of the world, there seemed to be a struggle, the yoke appeared to be burdensome; there was something yet to be learned of Jesus before the yoke could become light, while others that had submitted to the teachings of the Scriptures, and had put on the whole armor of Christ, were contented, trusting and happy. My dear brethren, it takes this to fight successfully. It will never do to fight with a part of the armor. We will certainly be vanquished by the enemy. I have found in my own experience the more I resist the influence of the Divine Spirit, the easier I am led into temptation, and I am thoroughly convinced we cannot serve two masters. If our aim in being Christians is to obtain a position in the world, we will certainly fail, as God will not be mocked, and it is a device of the wicked one to draw us from the faith. Let us be like one of old who said, "Let others do as they will, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord our God." My impression has long been that we should adorn our profession with a meek and a quiet spirit linked together with good works and strict observance of' all the commands given in the holy Scriptures. By this course of life we not only secure our happiness here, but we are promised eternal happiness beyond the grave. It is a small sacrifice to make to gain so much. Before closing this article, I wish to tender my sincere thanks to the brethren and sisters in Southern Ohio for their love and kindness to me during my visit among them, and I shall try to prove my gratitude by exerting myself in the cause of our blessed Master, believing that would be a more acceptable compensation than I could in any other way bestow, as I think the salvation of souls is nearest their hearts, not forgetting to look above from whence every good gift comes. I believe it is the Holy Spirit that has awakened a sympathy for the poor deluded souls of Kentucky in your noble bosoms, and if I can be an humble instrument in his hands of bringing some things right where I see so much wrong, happy shall I be. I have again resumed my home duties, and I crave an interest in your prayers that I may be able to fulfill them faithfully in the sphere the great Ruler of the Universe has laced me. Charlotte I. Bond. Great Crossings, Ky.