238 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 



Juke 



respect gone, it would have been idle to ex- 

 pect any thing else of .me than just such 

 conduct as I have illustrated and narrated. 

 Do you not see why we want God in it, if we 

 expect a man to reform, and why we want 

 him to become a Christian rather than a 

 member ef any temperance society ? 



For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet 

 offend in one point, he is guilty of all.— James 2 ; 10. 



Once more, I will ask you to go back to 

 that Monday morning. I had not yet at- 

 tended any of the meetings that were then 

 in session, but I began to feel it was time 

 for me to take my place among Christian 

 people. It was a union meeting. Four 

 ministers, of as many denominations, occu- 

 pied the pulpit. All four spoke during the 

 evening, and, to my great joy, I discovered 

 that they all spoke in the same way, and 

 agreed like a lot of brothers. • How peaceful 

 and harmonious they and their different 

 peoples all seemed. Why it was so plain 

 and simple there seemed no possible chance 

 for any body to take exceptions to anything. 

 I felt when the first one spoke that I should 

 love him all his life, for the kind words he 

 uttered, so exactly fitted to my case. When 

 the next spoke, I felt the same way, and so 

 on with them all. I tell you, my friends, the 

 sight of all the ministers of a place joined 

 hand and hand in any cause, is enough to 

 move almost any body. After they had 

 done speaking, an old gray haired gentleman 

 made a few remarks, audi felt as if I must 

 go straight to him and take him by the hand 

 and thank him, for saying just exactly what 

 I would have said; an opportunity was giv- 

 en for others to speak ; but I sat in my seat 

 trembling, and my heart beating so I really 

 feared those sitting by me would hear it and 

 know what a coward I was. It seemed to 

 me then, that it would be an unheard-of 

 crime, if any body should know how weak 

 and foolish I was, and how I feared to stand 

 up and acknowledge that I was no longer an 

 infidel, but wanted to be among them. 1 

 was afraid I should blunder and not say it 

 right. What a terrible thing that would 1 >e . 

 to get up in meeting and talk disconnected- 

 ly! Suppose I should burst out crying; 

 "Awful! awful!" Satan kept Whispering, 

 "If you should, you would never want to 

 show your face again among these nice peo- 

 ple," and so I obeyed him and sat still. The 

 time passed, and meeting was about to be 

 closed. I had not risen. Conscience began 

 to upbraid, and bitterly did I repent. "Then 



Set up now." I had half decided to do this, 

 ut Satan put in, "Why, what are you think- 

 ing of v would you get up in such an out of 

 place way, during the closing exercises? 

 You will be the joke of the whole town." 

 And so meeting was closed, and I had not so 

 much as stood on my feet, to show that I 

 was willing to confess my Savior. 



I spoke to my wife about it, while going 

 home. 



"Why, you can get up to-morrow night," 

 said she, "they are going to have meetings 

 all the week." 



"But suppose I should die before to-mor- 

 row night V" i 



She tried to tell me thaA God would take 

 care of me, if I was sorrr for having been 



backward in my duties, but I had no peace 

 until the next night came. I counted tire 

 hours and minutes, until it was time to go to 

 meeting again. I tell you, my friends, there 

 is danger. If the individual who feels these 

 promptings to get up before his fellows 

 does not die, the good resolutions often do, 

 and this amounts to pretty much the same 

 thing. Never mind the fear and trembling. 

 Paul knew, when he uttered the words at 

 the opening of my chapter to day. Go 

 ahead, and thank God that you do fear and 

 tremble. It is a plain and sure indication 

 that you are on the right track, in one re- 

 spect at least, for you have an anxiety to do 

 right. The next evening I was ready to 

 stand up, the very minute an opportunity 

 was given. 



My words, if I recollect aright, were these: 



"I have been all my life a busy man. I 

 hope to be a busy man still; but I am re- 

 solved, hereafter, to be busy in God's work 

 first, and my own after that." 



The new guiding voice of conscience gave 

 me a feeling of approval, and seemed to say 

 I had said enough, and not too much. 



I did not think until after I had sat down, 

 how much was implied in the words I had 

 almost unconsciously chosen. It was said 

 before my townspeople, and could not well 

 be taken back. There was no way open but 

 to follow it out. More than once have those 

 words mapped out my future course of con- 

 duct, since that night, and more than once 

 have I been restrained from sin, by the 

 thoughts of the words I have used before my 

 classes and Sunday school. More than once, 

 have the words of cheer spoken to the boys 

 in jail lifted and cheered up my own heart. 

 I think there is an indication of God's wis- 

 dom in this. What one has publicly exhort- 

 ed others to do, he is, if he be at all consis- 

 tent, quite likely to do himself. Therefore 

 speak out ; when a good thought or resolu- 

 tion comes into your heart, speak it out to 

 your fellows, and then ask God to help you 

 follow it. One who wishes to be helped, 

 must help others. 



On going home that evening with my 

 wife, a little, rude gate stood open across the 

 side walk. We had to turn out a little to 

 get by it. The new Presence seemed to 

 make a beckoning motion for me to enter. 

 My brother lived there. I had passed that 

 little gate at least six times a day for years, 

 but never thought of going in. We could 

 not agree, and there was, of late, estrange- 

 ment between us. We wei'e both skeptics, 

 it is true, and as we both agreed on religion, 

 it would seem natural that we might, at 

 least, be brotherly. 1 wonder if skepticism 

 ever makes brothers— well, let us say broth- 

 erly. It assuredly did not make me so. 

 How about religion? When I was told to go 

 into that open gateway, I objected, by say- 

 ing that he was a skeptic, and would ridi- 

 cule the whole of it. 



Said the new Monitor, "It don't matter if 

 he does ; ridicule will not hurt you. Do 

 your duty, no matter what others do. Tell 



him his brother that" 1 made up my 



mind to go the next morning. 



I went up to the door and knocked. The 

 family were perhaps a little surprised at see- 



