242 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



April, 1918 



r years I have 

 read and ad- 

 mired the arti- 

 cles by L. W. 

 Lighty in the 

 National Stock- 

 man and Farm- 

 er; but it never 

 even oocurred to 

 me that he was a 

 friend of inline 

 or even knew of 

 my existence for 

 that matter. I 

 had an impres- 



OUR HOMES 



A. I. ROOT 



In that hour Jesus rejoited in spirit, and said, I 

 thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, 

 that thou hast hid these things from the wise and 

 prudent, and hast revealed them unto bahes ; even 

 so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. — 

 LuKi.; 10:21. 



sion that he was in some way connected 

 with the Department of Agrieultm-e or Avitli 

 the farmers' institutes of the great state of 

 Pennsylvania; but T did not suppose t':at 

 sucli a busy man as he had time to botlier 

 with a bee- journal, much less to read my 

 Home papers. While I think of it, one of 

 the pleasant things all my life, and especial- 

 ly late years, is to come across somebody 

 who has been a warm friend of mine for 

 years past, and I did not know it nor even 

 dream of it. Now, I value the kind letter 

 below ever so much more because friend 

 lighty takes me to task, and points out to 

 me some of my shortcomings. Here is the 

 letter, without any further preface: 



My Good Old Friend Boot: — I have read your 

 writings for more than thirty years because I thiulv 

 it worth while. Thisi is not true of most stuff writ- 

 ten. May T say a word and give a hint? You wish 

 to get after the whisky business with the law, the 

 club, the bars, and sword. I have a fi-iend in 

 Pennsylvania who believes in ruling by love. He 

 has infinite faith in the promise given in Matt. 

 18:19. I know many cases where thei husband was 

 a drunkard^ a sot, and terribly abusive when diunk. 

 Home was hell when the husband was drunk. Tlie 

 wife went to this man of faith and asked tliat lie 

 heal this husband. I know quite a numl:er who 

 were thus healed and are splendid men who will 

 not touch a drop of liquor. This man of faith is 

 not some faddist, but a simple old Quaker farmer. 

 His lessons (demonstrations) have been of infinite 

 value to me. 



The trouble with the world today is a lack of 

 faith. The sword is to make the world "safe" and 

 humanity humane. I really wish, my friend, you 

 would give us a Home talk on the 19th verse of the 

 18th chapter of Matthew. You might also add Mark 

 7:30; then Mark 16:18 would also go with these. 

 Brother Root, we are woefully lacking in faith. 

 You so often, in your health talks, quote the au- 

 thorities which change their methods annually. The 

 wise and prudent are poor leaders, but faith reveals 

 the truth, see Matt. 11:25 and Luke 10:21. I do 

 not wish to pester you; but your words say you are 

 not growing in faith. 



As Advisor for the Department, I visited the 

 institutional farms of the state and Reformatory No. 1, 

 where the juveniles are sent, instead of to the 

 regular prison. After going over the farm I went to 

 counsel with the superintendent. He was a sevcrcl\ 

 f/ood man. Ho had faith in nobody, not even in 

 himself. He was in an office with three heavy locks 



bolted betw'een him 

 and the outside. 

 Locks and liolts and 

 high formidable 

 walls and bars were 

 everywhere. When 

 the boys went out 

 to work, a man 

 (well armed) took 

 charge of six or 

 eight boys. When 

 one watcher took 

 his eyes off his gang 

 to show me some- 

 thing he called loud- 

 ly to another keep- 

 er, " Watch my boys 

 a few minutes," in 

 the hearing of stran- 

 gers and every one. 

 make good " after such 



What boy would not try to 

 a challenge ? 



Now I go to No. 2, at the other end of the 

 state. I walk into the office of the superintendent 

 and see no bars, lock, nor key. I meet a man with 

 a wonderful smile — a man with infinite faith in hu- 

 manity, having the same kind of ' 'criminals " in his 

 cliarge. They are all running " loose " over the 

 place. Silent rules govern the place. Perfect 

 order is everywhere. No one watches visibly any- 

 where. Every boy and girl (there are girls too) 

 are on their honor. We go out over the farm, and 

 see a tip of the cap and a salute for the superin- 

 tendent on all sides, and from the superintendent a 

 kind word to all as we go along. He even stops 

 by a little group to inquire atout a little colored 

 girl lately sent in. Why, this doctor loi-cd those 

 " criminals " and they love him, and you could 

 not bribe them to do wi-ong toward him. Here is 

 where I saw with my eyes where faith " removed 

 mountains." L. W. Lighty. 



Fast Berlin, Pa. 



May 1 quote a little from the above 1 " The 

 words say you are not gTowing in faith." 

 / have added italics in the above quotation. 

 Why^ my good friend Lighty, if you have 

 i-ead my writings for more than tliirty years 

 you certainly remember the " fracas " with 

 tlie boys climbing on the back of my auto- 

 mobile. I consulted the marshal and the 

 mayor of the toAvn, and they gave the boys 

 a sound talking-to, telling them what would 

 happen, etc. ; but that, as it seemed to me, 

 only had the effect of making the fun, as 

 the boys called it, still more " interesting." 

 But I finally began to see something along 

 the line of what friend Lighty suggests. In- 

 stead of striking back I stopped and waited 

 for the boys, and talked with them pleas- 

 antly and with a smiling face. At one time 

 T told them to pile on all over my machine 

 and see how many it would pull, and took 

 tlie time to give them all, a, little ride, even 

 if I was in a hurry. That ended the trou- 

 ble. I do not know but I had better add 

 right here that I was considerably helped 

 in the matter by the ad^^ce of the super- 

 intendent of the Simday-school ; and I think 

 1 ba\-e on jiast pages suggested that if all 

 hiananity could unite in returning good for 



