496 



GLEANIJNGS in BEEiCULTURE. 



.rUKE 15. 



time goes on it seems almost as if the dens of 

 wickedness furnish bad men faster than all the 

 churches and missionaries can furnish (jood 

 men: and the saints are, to use a slang phrase, 

 "snowed under." But they need not be. God's 

 promises are to the effect that one who is con- 

 sistent and faithful shall be more than a match 

 for a hundred of the vicious and covetous. 



But you will notice that this text of ours does 

 not end up by saying, " Thou shalt not covet 

 thy neighbor's mo?icjy." It does not say any 

 thing about money. It commences by saying 

 you shall not want his house. It is a sin lo be 

 envious because your neighbor has a better 

 house than you have. And then after men- 

 tioning the house it speaks next of the neigh- 

 bor's wife. I can remember that it used to 

 seem singular and strange that this enumera- 

 tion should come in just this order. But Satan 

 knows his business. He knows that many a 

 man might stand firm and Immovable so long 

 as money or property only was concerned. 

 The man who wrongs his neighbor out of mon- 

 ey, or even out of his house and home, can, if 

 he repents, give back the monpy with interest. 

 He can give back his house and home, or a bet- 

 ter one: but one who steals from his neighbor 

 the wife and mother, can never restore that 

 home as it was before. He has not only taken 

 the path that leads down to hell, as the scrip- 

 tures tell us. but he has led another human be- 

 ing down to hell along with him. And who 

 shall tell (j^f the wreck and ruin that follow on 

 for generation after generation ? 



It is a terrible thing to want anything that 

 belongs to your neighbor— of course. I mean in 

 the sense of wanting it without giving for it 

 any proper equivalent; and it is the sin and 

 shame of our nation to-day that our children 

 are permitted to grow up without more careful 

 training in regard to this one matter of respect- 

 ing the rights of others. If everybody loved 

 and enjoyed the privilege of sacredly and 

 solemnly living up to this tenth commandment 

 this world of ours would be a heaven here be- 

 low. But, on the other hand, if mankind con- 

 tinue to grow up. not only wanting but greedily 

 appropriating all they can get hold of, it will 

 make this world of ours — nay. to come nearer 

 home, this United States of America— a veri- 

 table hell on earth. If we continue to look up 

 to men, to respect them, and to treat them with 

 courtesy — men who would, without doubt, do 

 just as the poor darkies are doing down in that 

 shell mound, pocketing the earnings of the 

 whole crowd if they can get it — then our nation 

 is surely doomed. 



A few days ago, when it was first announced 

 that one of the great political parties of Ohio 

 had nominated a man as candidate for govern - 



" Look here, Mr. Root, we know you are g-ener- 

 ous and liberal; but we don't want to take advan- 

 tage of your good nature. Let me pay you back 

 enoug-h so you will come out whole in the transac- 

 tion, any way." 



How much good it does me to meet a man like 

 that! We say to ourselves, " Well, there is one man 

 at least that we can remember never needs watch- 

 ing." Pretty soon we find another, then another; 

 and by and by we disfover there is quite :i little 

 band of honest, unselfish neiglibnrs around us-- 

 people who will not overreach and take more than 

 their share, no matter how good a chance may fall 

 In their way. We can leave our tools and produce 

 out in the fields in such a neishhorliood We need 

 not waste our time in fussing with i);idlc)oks on the 

 tool-house, poultry-house, and yrimary, for such a 

 spirit in the hearts of mankind is more secure and 

 lasting than all the padlocks and iron safes that 

 were ever devised by the art of man. While I write, 

 it seems to me that someljody, years ago, said what 

 I am trying to say, better tlian I can ever say it my- 

 self. " Behold, how good and liow pleasant it is for 

 brethren to dwell together in unity!— Psalm 133:1. 



or. the first comments°I heard were disapprov- 

 al; and the principal reasons for the disapprov- 

 al were, that the politicians had nominated a 

 millionaire .for the office. It seemed as if the 

 people of Ohio — at least a considerable part of 

 them— took it for granted we did not want a 

 millionaire. I do not know but they thought a 

 man ought to be ((s?u(metZ of being a million- 

 aire. Why? Well, many good people have 

 got into a way of thinking that a man has no 

 business in being a millionaire — at least, a cer- 

 tain class are taking it for granted that he be- 

 came a millionaire a good deal in the same way 

 the boss gambler in that crowd of darkies suc- 

 ceeds in taking the entire earnings of all the 

 rest of the crowd; and I do not know but they 

 think (like this same boss darkey) after he has 

 got it all, to be consistent he should run away 

 and hide himself, or get among a new crowd 

 that does not know any thing about his past 

 record. I hope you know, dear friends, I do 

 not wish to find fault with honest industry; 

 neither do I wish to complain of those who 

 seem to have ability to manage great numbers 

 of men and hundreds and thousands of dollars, 

 and also to manage large capital. But I am 

 /H(7i(/criJi(/ and t/iirsti7if/ and prayi/u/ that our 

 nation of people, before they go a step further, 

 may stop and consider this last commandment; 

 that they may. on bended knee, ask God to 

 take away all disposition or longincr for their 

 neighbor's house, or his wife, his maid-servant, 

 his ox, his ass, or any thing that belongs to the 

 neighbor. 



A VISIT TO MATTHEW CRAWFORD S. 



During one of thoso exceedingly hot days that 

 ushered in this month (in fact, it was on the 

 very first day of the month) I took a notion to 

 pay a visit to Matthew Crawford, the straw- 

 berry-grower. I knew it was a very hot day 

 for a wheel-ride. Hot days have never very 

 seriously interfered with my enjoyment on the 

 wheel so far, and I thought I would take the 

 chances. During the fore part of the route I 

 enjoyed it as usual; but I stopped and sat 

 down and rested by the numerous soft-water 

 springs along the way, and sometimes stretch- 

 ed myself out full length on the green grass in 

 the shade of the beautiful trees. But before 

 the 20 miles were up I had become pretty tired. 

 On the very summit of one of the great hills 

 near Northampton, Summit Co., I sat down in 

 a pretty dooryard to rest. Looking up I was 

 surprised to see red (the red kind, you know) 

 cherries, black cherries, plums, peaches, and 

 almost all kinds of fruit, apparently unharmed 

 by frost. This was clearly the result of the 

 elevation. The cold air could run down on all 

 sides into the valleys, away down below, and 

 this gave that fruit-orchard on the hill almost 

 perfect protection from the ravages of the frost. 

 Here is a hint to owners of hilltops. And what 

 is more beautiful than to see the summit of 

 these great mounds made by nature covered 

 with fruit-trees, and loaded with fruit, when 

 the valleys and plains are destitute on account 

 of the frost ? 



The day before I took my trip, Ernest took 

 hold of the chain of my wheel and said, 

 " Father, look here; you had better take that 

 wheel right in to Henry now, and have him 

 take up the slack in that chain. If you neglect 

 it, th"^ chain will be thrown off in going down 



