1910 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



53-3 



made that remark, that, if you could take 

 only two papers, you should subscribe for 

 the Eural Neiu- Yorker next. When I met 

 the editor of the Rural in his ofBce in New- 

 York some time afterward he laughingly 

 alluded to it. He said he took our journal 

 and showed it to his wife, and said the only 

 thing he had to complain of was that I did 

 not put the Eural first. But his wife said 

 that A. I. Root had got it exactly right as it 

 was — "Seek ye first the kingdom of God 

 and his righteousness," etc. Well, a few 

 months ago the Sunday School Times had 

 an editorial about the importance of tack- 

 ling first of all the job you have most 

 dreaded. It said, in short, that the way to 

 be happy is to pitch right into the most dis- 

 agreeable task that lies before you, and fin- 

 ish it first and get it out of the way. I neg- 

 lected to clip this out and use it for Glean- 

 ings, although I intended to do so ; but 

 after taking the above advice a good many 

 times lately I felt so good over it that I aiu 

 sorry I can not give you all of that sensible 

 editorial. Now here is just one more that 

 indicates the high character and good sense 

 that seems to stand out strong and clear in 

 every issue of that good old standby: 



SELF-EXALTING Sl'ICIDE. 



Self-exaltation never exalts a man, but always 

 lowers hlni. Not only do others think less of him 

 when he tries to impress them with his greatness, 

 but he himself is less of a man every time he 

 attempts this. It is only part of the inexorable 

 law that, if a man seeks his life, he shall lose it; but 

 if he is willing to lose it he shall find it. When a 

 neighbor learns of something that is highly credit- 

 able to us, but learns of it indirectly, without our 

 having had any part in telling him, his opinion of 

 us goes up. If we ourselves go and tell him of that 

 same thing, in order to impress him with what we 

 have done, although the thing itself remains un- 

 changed, and is just as creditable as ever, never- 

 theless our telling of it is not creditable, and his 

 opinion of us goes down. How slow we are to learn 

 this ! How we do hurt ourselves by trying to help 

 ourselves! Many a good man who is really a great 

 man is marring his goodness and turning his great- 

 ness into pettiness by going after this wlU-o'-the- 

 wisp of reputation. The self-sought reputation is 

 self-destroyed. When we die to self, and leave 

 wholly to God the impression that our life may be 

 creating m the minds of others, our reputations 

 will steadily improve. " For (lod resisteth the 

 proud, but giveth grace to the humble." 



Since Gleanings was started it has been 

 my privilege to make the acquaintance of 

 many great and good men — men who are 

 working for the kingdom of God and his 

 righteousness, and not to lay up treasures 

 in this world where rust and moth corrupt 

 and where thieves break through and steal. 

 Some of our old readers may remember A. 

 F. Cowles, who has the Bible Truth Depot 

 at 1002 Louisiana St., Williamsport, Pa. 

 Dr. Cowles is preaching sermons by sending 

 out spiritual tracts, and I wish every reader 

 of Gleanings would send for the one he 

 has just sent me, entitled "Captain Levi." 

 As he prints these tracts free of charge and 

 furnishes postage, without any help except 

 that which God may move the hearts of the 

 people to send him, it will not be at all 



amiss if you send him a stamp or two to 

 pay postage; and after you have read the 

 little tract I mentioned, may be you will 

 feel inclined to send him something more 

 than stamps — at least I did. 



My Dear Bro. Root: — It has been a long time since 

 you have heard from me; but I thought that you 

 would be glad to know of the increased service 

 which is in our hands in these later years. The 

 work has grown so that it readies all over the world 

 now. There are three of us employed in the office 

 now regularly; but we have not room enough to do 

 the work justice, and are looking to the Lord to put 

 up a two-story building, and, if the Lord will, to put 

 in a printing-outfit, for we liave such difficulty in 

 getting our printing done in the wordly offices. If 

 you could see the letters that come in to us telling 

 of blessing received through the printed ministry 

 you would be glad that you have had the little fel- 

 lowship in this service in sending us all these years 

 Gleanings. We have enjoyed it much, and thank 

 you much for it. There were many things that I 

 should like to have sent you — rich spiritual truths 

 — but I knew that your time is much taken up, so 

 have refrained from doing it. Yet you will take the 

 will for the dead in this. When I get a rich nugget 

 of gold in spiritual truth I like to pass it on to oth- 

 ers that they may be helped also. 



Our letter-writing is over 300 a month, sometimes 

 running over 350, and while the strain >ipon us is 

 \-ery great at my age, 77, the Lord keeps us in the 

 most perfect health and strength. We do not get 

 weary as in former years. This is the Lord's 

 strength imparted to us. We trust to continue this 

 service for a nunaber of years, it the Lord tarry. 



Praying his blessing upon you with all spiritual 

 good that you may be filled with the knowledge of 

 his will in all wisdom and understanding. 



Gratefully yours in our Lord, A. F. Cowles. 



Notes of Travel 



By A. I. Root 



FLORIDA IN THE SUMMER TIME. 



Tu-day, July 26, I have been here just a 

 week ; and although the temperature has 

 been most of the time between 80 and 90, 

 we have had summer showers more or less 

 every day, and cooling breezes from off the 

 Gulf of Mexico almost all the time, day and 

 night. Occasionally mornings the day 

 starts out with a temperature along in the 

 70's, and one morning it was down to 72 ; 

 but the nights are, as a rule, near 80. A 

 few times about noon, before the clouds 

 come up, we have it above 00 ; but 94 is the 

 warmest I have seen it so far. I have never 

 heard of a sunstroke in this region. For 

 the first time in years I have put my fur 

 cap and summer overcoat clear ofif out of 

 sight, and I confess I greatly enjoy the 

 lightest clothing, and going about in my 

 shirt sleeves, and much of the time bare- 

 headed, outdoors as well as in the house. A 

 sort of catarrh, grip, or hay fever, that has 

 followed me for years, has apparently gone 

 clear out of sight. 



I have been told repeatedly that there is 

 little or no gardening here in .July and 

 August, and this is to some extent true ; 

 but there are some things that grow beau- 

 tifully during the much rain and high tem- 

 perature. It is the man as well as the cli- 

 mate here, as well as everywhere else. For 



