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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



289 



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For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and 

 whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 



—Matt. xxvi. 25. 



k EAR BROTHER:— While on a visit a few days 

 ago, I saw for the first time your bee journal, 

 and was very much impressed from what I 

 read in it to write you a letter. The Home Depart- 

 ment contained things "new and old," yet each in a 

 manner unusually impressive. I was struck dumb, 

 alarmed, interested, and very much agitated, while 

 a keen sense of remorse stung my soul. I have 

 been a professor of religion for over 12 years; am 

 now 32 years old; yet the whole time seemed to me 

 to be lost. As I read those wonderful things in 

 your journal, I exclaimed, "Where am I?" Now, my 

 dear brother, I feel that I can place confidence in 

 you, although I have never seen you. I am a min- 

 ister of the gospel, an editor of two papers, and 

 have other business on hand. One paper is a relig- 

 ious monthly journal devoted to the defense of the 

 Rible and Christianity, and is one year and two 

 months old. The other is a weekly local newspa- 

 per about 00 days old. I have a partner who does 

 the work with other hands. He is a member of the 

 church also. We are both energetic, young, con- 

 scientious, and honest; yet we are going behind ev- 

 ery week. I am restless and uneasy over the state 

 of our business. I do not feel happy in the minis- 

 try. I once had no other calling, but could not keep 

 my family up by it. During those days, my cry 

 went up continually for a nearness to God, and for 

 help to continue to trust God for all needed good. 

 I came out in debt, and sought the printing busi- 

 ness, having been impressed previously, as I be- 

 lieved, that a journal for the defense of truth and 

 religion ought to be published. I had not a dollar 

 to commence on, but prayed for the means if it was 

 God's will. God caused one of my brothers to get 

 rich very suddenly, and he gave me the means. I at 



once commenced the publication of , 



believing God had called me to that work. The cir- 

 culation has not reached what I expected it would 

 by the close of the first volume. I am in debt with 

 it, or rather it has caused rne to get in debt. I can 

 not see my way out. I can not stop it without dis- 

 grace, and could not pay the money back to those 

 who subscribed. The weekly does not pay, but will 

 pay if I devote it to the interests of a political par- 

 ty. This, I am afraid to do. And, in despair, I cry 

 out, what shall 1 do? I have made but little prog- 

 ress religiously. I am too busy to study any, my 

 library is dusty, my soul is lean, my purse is flat, 

 and I am miserable. 



I send you a copy of our religious paper; read it, 

 and pass judgment on it. Do not fear to express 

 yourself just as you feel impressed. I want you to 

 write me a letter. Do not by any means publish 

 this letter or my name. This is equal to a dying 

 man's request; please regard it. If you have not 

 time now to answer me, lay it by until you have, or 

 I will pay you for your time and all expenses of 

 writing. Don't mistake me; I know what religion 

 is; I have tasted of the heavenly gift. I am ;i Cum- 

 berland Presbyterian. If it meets your approba- 

 tion, send us your journal in exchange for the 



. Pray for me. O how I need help I 



May God bless you in your labors. I believe you 



are on the right track. Anything will be accepted 

 from you in the way of advice. Should I never hear 

 from you, nor see you, still remember me. 



Yours in hope of endless life. X. Y. Z. 



May God grant, my poor friend, that I 

 may be able to give yon safe advice in this 

 your dire extremity, as indeed I know it 

 must be from what experience I have had in 

 business troubles. I have read your letter 

 several times, and I have thought abont it, 

 and prayed about it, and for you. I have 

 looked over your paper too. I presume you 

 are aware that my line of work is a little out 

 of the general one, even in religious matters. 

 It seems to me your paper, and, 1 fear, your 

 sermons, are too cold and distant. I do not, 

 in any place, find in it the warm-hearted 

 kindness and friendliness that I rind in the 

 letter you have written to me ; in the latter, 

 you yourself come out strongly and honest- 

 ly. I read the letter to my wife, and her 

 heart warmed toward you in an instant, and 

 she asked to see the paper. Here is my 

 advice: 



Get down out of your pulpit, and talk to 

 your people as you have talked to me. 

 Leave out those fine articles on doctrine, in 

 your paper, and write such a letter as you 

 have written to me. Go to every one you 

 owe, and tell them the whole truth, and 

 throw yourself on their mercy. You have 

 no right to take their money, but you have 

 a right to ask them to forgive you for the 

 mistake you have made, and to try to over- 

 look the wrong you have done them. Be 

 honest, true, straightforward ; if your cred- 

 itors will take it, give them everything you 

 have in the world, even to your clothing. 

 Hand it all over as faithfully and complete- 

 ly, as if you expected to be struck down 

 dead, as were Ananias and Sapphira. Let 

 it all go; then you can trust God as do the 

 fowls of the air, and then shall you have joy 

 and peace to your soul. I know this is 

 strong, but you are a minister of the gospel, 

 and if you turn your back or try to flee these 

 things, it will be heralded far and wide. 

 Do not, my brother, O, I pray you, fail to 

 face the situation fearlessly and bravely. 

 Go down on your knees, if need be, to ask 

 forgiveness of those you have wronged, but 

 do it honestly and squarely, like a man. If 

 you are getting deeper in debt every day, as 

 you are, stop your paper at once, both of 

 them. Send out one more number to make 

 your confession and ask forgiveness, and 

 then do not issue another number, with oth- 

 er people's money. Trust God, and fear not. 

 Your opening editorial in the number you 

 sent me indicates to me that you do not 

 trust God and your fellow men. When you 

 are serving God and your fellow men, they 

 will come forward eagerly, and give you all 

 the help you need. I know they give me far 

 more than I deserve. 



I some way feel as if I must say a word to 

 your wife. Much depends on her. If you 

 nave children, all the better, you can trust 

 God more. You are now just where von 

 can work hard, and be happy,— happier than 

 you have ever been in your life, if you will 

 only take up this cross that lies before you. 

 You speak of disgrace ; there is disgrace in 

 going ahead ont day under false colors, but 





