202 



GLEANINGS IN 13EE CULTURE. 



April 



count in his favor. Well, Jesus has said that 

 all that is not for him, is against him. Pr. 

 Kellogg struck at the real truth of the mat- 

 ter Avhen he said that the young man who 

 would talie up a bad habit, at lirst re- 

 pulsive, would surely take up with the next 

 bad habit that happens to be in a line with 

 his inclinations. Jt indicates an unscrui)U- 

 lousness, as it were, as an attitude of tlie 

 heart. It is a mild sort of a "don't care"' 

 spirit, and this " don't care" spirit, pushed 

 a little further along, will take up gambling, 

 drinking, theft, and tinally murder. When 

 you don't care Avhat kind of a character you 

 build, you are on the road to the penitentia- 

 ry or the poorhouse. 



I have told you about the young man who 

 was converted, and that the small boys on 

 the streets, in discussing the matter next 

 morning, said they didn't believe it, because 

 he just went past with a cigar in his mouth. 

 Very likely those small boys had cigars in 

 their mouths; but yet they decided, unhesi- 

 tatingly, that the man who is to become a 

 better man must start out in the morning 

 without his cigar. Argue as much as you 

 please about it, the plain fact still stands 

 before you, that the world will always de- 

 cide against the cigar, when it comes to 

 building character. It has been said, that 

 the voice of the people is the voice of God ; 

 and this verdict that the people almost un- 

 consciously pass upon you and your acts, 

 certainly often comes very near the voice of 

 God. 



You who are reading, and listening, as it 

 were, to these words I am trying to tell you, 

 I am sure have a sincere desire to improve 

 and prosper in all honest work ; and now in 

 this same teachable spirit, examine the mat- 

 ter yourselves, and answer. Would you ad- 

 vise the young girl who, in real anguish, 

 wanted the people to stop talking about her, 

 to go to a danceV If you please, any kind of 

 a dance. Would you advise her to be found 

 at any kind of a card-table y Answer it your- 

 selves, and then you can't well argue the 

 matter; and after you have answered, go 

 over all these things that people disagree on. 

 Or suppose a girl were wanted to take charge 

 of the books and money of some large insti- 

 tution. You know girls often do this now. 

 In fact, I do not know but that it is coming 

 to pass that we business men find that we 

 have better "luck " (?) with girls than with 

 men or boys, for girls don't smoke, swear, 

 nor drink, you know. I>ut it isn't every (jirl 

 who is lit for such a post. Well, what kind 

 of one shall we look for? Think of all the 

 women you know, and pick out the one you 

 think would do best. IIow did she build uj) 

 that character^ what little things entered 

 into its make-up? is there the least trace of 

 any thing " fast " about her? does she spend 

 all she can get hold of to bedeck herself? 

 does she play lady while her mother is bend- 

 ing and wrinkling herself with hard work? 

 is she always wanting the best places, with- 

 out any regard as to whether other girls have 

 any kind of a place or not? Now, reader, if 

 every thing you do does not prosper, is not 

 some of the reason for it because you have 

 not built up a character in the ways I have 

 indicated? 



There is another verse in that first psalm 

 that reads,— 



His deligtit is io the law of the Lord; and In his 

 law doth h.- meditate d:iy and riig-ht. 



That word clelkiht, it seems to me, is a 

 most happy one. I have had boys come here 

 to work who labored solely for the pay they 

 received, or at least pretty near that. It 

 they had to carry hives out "into the apiary, 

 it was drudgery for them ; and in a sort of 

 sleepy way they would set them down in the 

 wrong ])lace, and yawn, and declare they 

 knew of one boy who wouldn't work if he 

 didn't have to. Did you ever hear anybody 

 say he Avished he was rich so he wouldn't 

 have to work? I have heard men say it ; 

 but I am glad to say I can not remember of 

 ever hearing a boy say it, right oitt in words. 

 It is dismal to think of, and [ am glad to 

 turn to a pleasanter picture. The pleasant- 

 er picture is the boy who comes here to 

 learn about bees, and whose delight is to 

 study them and work with them from morn- 

 ing until night. Eyes, hands, feet, and 

 brains, all delight in the work, and the boy 

 is so happy he forgets that he is doing hard 

 bbor, and, in fact, almost forgets when it is 

 dinner time. Would you be surprised to 

 hear his employer was pleased with him, or 

 that he was pleased with his employer? 



Well, while you have this picture right be- 

 fore you, suppose a boy should show that 

 same kind of enthusiasm in studying how to 

 be honest and pure in heart. Suppose it was 

 your delight to study the law of God, both 

 day and night, and to work as hard as you 

 do at bees, in trying to get out selfishness, 

 and see yotu-self as others see you. Remem- 

 ber, now, this studying is fair and honest 

 and unselfish, with no underiianded thoughts 

 behind it, of getting alie.id of other people, 

 or any thing of that sort. I know^ full well 

 how many there are who even jeer and laugh 

 to scorn the very idea of such a thing, or of 

 the idea that any man can be found on the 

 face of the earth who is studying God's law, 

 without any idea of the " main chances," or 

 the " almighty dollar," or self-aggrandize- 

 ment, etc. They won't even consider the 

 point, of one who is simply seeking for puri- 

 ty honestly. One such person with whom I 

 had a talk, brought forth a copy of the Po- 

 lice Gazette, and turned to a passage showing 

 how a certain minister had fallen ; and in 

 another part of the paper, anotlier ; and, if I 

 am correct, they had given a picture of the 

 man. " There are your pretty ministers," 

 said he, and he even exulted as he pointed 

 out the sickening accounts of how God's 

 servants had fallen. 



Let us let the rest of the world alone, just 

 a minute. Humanity may be terribly bad ; 

 but even if it is, it doesn't help us a particle. 

 Have you, my friend, made it your delight 

 to study the duties you owe to God and your 

 fellow-men? If you have not, can you do it? 

 Have you any taste for such a study? Do 

 you really /i»/*(/cr and thirst after righteous- 

 ness amid svtch a world of corruption? If 

 you do, in the full sense of the word, the 

 world will find it out, and you will be sought 

 for everywhere at once, almost. People will 

 be Avanting to lend you money ; you will be 

 wanted to head eveiy enterprise ; you will 



