18?9 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



105 



ing a number of very unruly children. As 

 there is no fence between the two houses, 

 there was a general murmur to the effect 

 that we could not have them there. I reprov- 

 ed them, and said we ought rather to rejoice 

 at the great opportunity it would give us, for 

 doing them good, and teaching them better 

 ways. When the worst boy in town comes 

 to me for a place in our factory, I rejoice at 

 the prospect of being able to make him bet- 

 ter, and I know of no pleasure in this world, 

 equal to that of seeing a had boy grow better 

 under the effects of patient care and toil, 

 and, if you choose, long suffering with his 

 bad points. When I started to reform, I 

 discovered that God had given me a wife 

 kind and forbearing almost to a fault, and 

 one who has been lifting and helping me 

 nearer to God every day of our lives; and so 

 I can hardly say what I would do, had I one 

 of the worst women in the world for a part- 

 ner through life. Would I rejoice at the 

 prospect' ot doing good, and making her bet- 

 ter? With God s help I would try to, and I 

 hope no thought might ever enter my head 

 of being unfaithful to the poor companion 

 by my side, just because she was bad and I 

 was good. If we learn to rejoice when we 

 have trouble, and rejoice when we have happi- 

 ness, we shall rejoice all the time, and that 

 is just the point exactly. Do you say you 

 have tried long and faithfully 'i You have 

 not tried hard enough, long enough, or gone 

 to God as you ouglit, or your companion 

 would have been softened. A human being 

 who is chastened by sorrow and trouble, 

 whose heart is really pure before God, can 

 almost do miracles, in the way of reforming 

 others. If you have not succeeded, I tell 

 you there are grievous sins lurking in your 

 heart, that must first come out. You are 

 not where you may be, and where God wants 

 you. Think of the woman, a professor of 

 religion, who confesses that she has all her 

 life loved another man more than her hus- 

 band. Are you one of that class? You 

 have been cherishing and harboring thoughts 

 that will surely cany you to the bottomless 

 pit. Nay, you have allowed such a thing to 

 take root, while you are still a member of the 

 church ; you, who have promised to love, 

 cherish and live for your husband and chil- 

 dren, have been loving and cherishing some 

 earthly object that stands between you and 

 God, as surely as the idols of olden time stood 

 between the children of Israel and the God 

 that was guiding them. The worst feature 

 of it is, I am atraid you will say that you 

 can not help it. Now, my friend, if you 

 have any confidence in me, or my teachings, 

 believe me, I implore you. that so long as 

 you let this stand, you are in truth a child of 

 Satan, and on the sure road to being lost 

 eternally. Go down on your knees, this 

 minute, and implore God to forgive you, for 

 this great sin against those near and dear to 

 you whom he has given you, and tell him 

 that, with his help, you will root out this 

 image of clay from your very thoughts, and 

 let that of Jesus, your Savior.stand in its 

 stead. I know full well, how Satan bailies, 

 blinds, and deceives us, how he pictures im- 

 aginary goodness where it does not exist, 

 and how lie persuades us that we are unfor- 



tunate when we have only reasons for thank- 

 fulness. Ask God to open your eyes, that 

 you may see, and put away every vestige of 

 those foolish and wicked thoughts, if it takes 

 every bit of strength and every last breath 

 you have to do it. Keep singing that little 

 hymn I gave you, 



"Jesus, I my cross have taken 

 All to leave and follow thee," 



and be sure, my friend, that you do take up 

 that cross at once and forever. Let there he 

 no slipping and stumbling, and he sure you 

 do not, like Lot's wife, take so much as a 

 parting glance in the direction of the forbid- 

 den ground. Take up this path and God will 

 strengthen and bless you. May he raise you 

 up in his arms, as he did me, it you are weak 

 and human, and may he also, O my brother 

 or sister, give, in reward for your right doing, 

 that sweet peace and contentment he lias 



ffiven me ; may he, when you come to die, 

 lave reason to say, "Well done, thou good 

 and faithful servant; enter thou into the 

 joys of thy Lord." 



I wish that I could take you by the hand, 

 my poor stumbling friends, even as my Sav- 

 ior has helped me. Once more, may God 

 bless you, and may I soon hear that you are 

 strong in him, whose strength is like the 

 solid rocks. 



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