1890 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



429 



honey. Liquid paint, for instance, is a very 

 large article of traffic, and it is put up both 

 in tin pails and wooden kegs, and, if I am 

 correct, honey can be sliipped about as 

 cheaply as paint, ^'ery likely, however, 

 the matter needs looking after. 



pYgEiiF MB pY piEmpBe^g. 



O thou of little faith I wherefore didst thou doubt? 

 —Matt. 14: 31. 



There are in this world lovable people, 

 or, if you choose, lovable neighbors. There 

 are also neighbors — just a few of them— who 

 are not lovable. It is our duty to love them, 

 nevertheless ; for Jesus said, " Love ye your 

 enemies." Doubtless most of you know 

 people whose very presence seems to bring 

 something pleasant and cheering. Every 

 word they speak indicates faith, energy, go- 

 ahead, and hopefulness. Some writers have 

 a faculty of making their words so attract- 

 ive that we like to read them and dwell on 

 them. Their bright expressions we like to 

 read over and over again. Well, of late 1 

 have been enjoying myself by reading over 

 and over the words and expressions of 

 Christ Jesus ; and the more I read them, the 

 more I love them. I am not a great reader 

 of the Bible, and I doubt whether anybody 

 ever sees me reading it more than a few 

 minutes at a time Sometimes I read a 

 chapter, but not often more than that at 

 once. It used to trouble me somewhat be- 

 cause I did not like to read the Bible as 

 some do. It is too much for me ; that is, to 

 read very much of it all at once. A verse 

 or a part of a verse seems to be all I can 

 manage or comprehend at one time ; and 

 sometimes a little bit of verse will last me 

 several days. The more I dwell on it and 

 think about it— the more I repeat it over 

 and over— the more it becomes music to my 

 soul. And especially do I delight in mak- 

 ing it fit into the subject of conversation 

 that is going on about me. One of the 

 brightest little texts I ever got hold of is the 

 one about which I am writing : •' O thou of 

 little faith ! wherefore didst thou doubt ? " 

 Matthew, Mark, and John, tell us the little 

 story about Jesus walking on the water. 

 After feeding the five thousand, -Tesus saw 

 fit to tell his little band to get into a boat 

 and cross the sea alone. He dispersed the 

 multitudes, and sent his followers away, 

 and then he went up into a mountain to 

 pray. He told the little band to go to some 

 point on the other side of the sea, or lake. 

 The distance was so great, however, that 

 they did not reach their destination before 

 morning. Late in the night they had a con- 

 trary wind, and the little boat was tossed 

 by the waves. By and by somebody was 

 discerned in the darkness, walking on the 

 water. No wonder they were afraid, and 

 supposed it was a spirit, or something su- 

 pernatural. They forgot all about the mira- 

 cle of the loaves and fishes, and of the Lord 

 and Master who was away, they knew not 

 where. But he, in his loving kindness, very 

 soon dispelled their fears and bade them 

 '' be of good cheer ; " and then he added, 



'' ' Tis I ; be not afraid.'" We can well im- 

 agine the relief they felt. Perhaps, not- 

 withstanding his cheering words, however, 

 they felt a little uneasy still. Our bold and 

 impulsive friend Peter, however, was the 

 first to recover, and grasp hold of the fact 

 that there could be no possible danger while 

 the Master was near. With his reckless 

 daring and ready response he burst out with 

 the words, '' Lord, if it be indeed thou, bid 

 me come unto thee on the water." I can 

 imagine that the other eleven looked at him 

 in open-mouthed wonder and surprise. Did 

 anybody ever hear of such assurance ? Per- 

 haps not. But the Master was pleased. 

 Whv V Because it indicated faith— faith in 

 his Lord ; and if any thing ever pleased Je- 

 sus, and made him smile, it was perfect, un- 

 reserved confidence, not only in his ivon- 

 droiis power, but in his loving kindness. He re- 

 plied, as you, my friend, may have said to 

 one of the little ones of your household— one 

 that is just learning to walk, for instance. 

 AVe do not know whether the Master put 

 out his hands to him or not ; but he gave 

 his permission, and encouraged him in the 

 same simple word, '' Come! " Most of us 

 would have been very apt to back out, even 

 then. Not so with- Peter. Over the side of 

 the boat he went, in a twinkling. Out upon 

 the water he stepped with perfect faith, and 

 safely stood and walked upon the yielding 

 element. Had Peter's faitJi remained per- 

 fect, his 'walk would have remained safe 

 and perfect also. But the wind was still 

 boisterous ; the waves were rolling and 

 tumbling. A'ery likely he got dizzy, and 

 then began to be afraid. He started out 

 well, but he lacked e«cZ(m»g faith. He be- 

 gan to sink. He did not, however, turn 

 back and grapple for the boat. We know 

 he was a good swimmer, for on one other 

 occasion he jumped out of the boat, and 

 swam ashore to meet the Master. But he 

 did not trust to his skill in swimming, on 

 this occasion. As he began to go down in 

 the water, we may suppose that he raised 

 his hands imploringly toward the Master as 

 he said, " Lord, save me." I wonder if it is 

 not possible that Jesus smiled as he saw his 

 fright. How often have I laughed outright 

 in great merriment to see the little ones of 

 our household, when I was giving them 

 their first lessons in walking, become af- 

 frighted when there was nothing to fear : 



Jesus was near enough so he actually 

 reached out his hand and caught him. And 

 then comes that bright, glorious, hopeful, 

 happy, beautiful speech, the text I have 

 said over and over so many times, and yet 

 never tire of repeating : '' O thou of little 

 faith ! ivherefore didst thou doubtV" ]May I 

 take the liberty of paraphrasing it a little ? 

 Didn't his Lord mean, even if he did not 

 say, " Why, Peter, I am surprised at you. 

 How couldst thou fear when thy Master 

 was so near by? Why should my good 

 friend Peter, who started out so well, so lull 

 of faith and ambition, and so full of perfect 

 trust and confidence, become demoralized 

 and affrighted simply because the winds 

 and the waves were boisterous? Didst 

 thou forget that, at my command, the winds 

 and waves obeyed ?" And that one word. 



