448 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Sept. 



we must be at the mercy or caprice, I might 

 say, of the hour, or of the circumstances that 

 surround us. It is a sadder thought still, for 

 me to think that I am always to remain thus 

 and that there is to be no improvement. In 

 our better moments we are sorry for these 

 moods, and lament that they will get the bet- 

 ter of us ; but how many of us are there who, 

 when angry, recognize the fact, and feel sor- 

 ry that such is the case V Did you ever 

 know any one who had the honesty and the 

 good sense to admit he was angry when such 

 was really the case, and who had the heroism 

 to battle manfully against it V About a year 

 ago I got to thinking of these things, and, 

 recognizing how much I spoiled my influence 

 with those around me, to whom I was anx- 

 ious at least to set a good example, I con- 

 trived a plan of curing myself of my fretful, 

 fault-finding ways. I always knew after- 

 ward when I had been in a wrong mood, and 

 I had apologized so many times tor it, that I 

 feltapologies were rather losing their weight. 

 I wrote my favorite text on the blackboard, — 



It is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, 

 saith the Lord of hosts. 



The text answered the purpose for a while, 

 but I finally forgot it, or else looked up at it 

 and concluded it would not work every- 

 where, and that it was my duty to scold. 

 You see, Satan had me in his power so far, 

 for the time being, that my ordinary good 

 judgment had deserted me. There was one 

 thing that always told me when I was wrong, 

 and that was, that I was unhappy. I am 

 usually happy and cheerful, even when I am 

 called upon to bear trials, providing I do 

 bear them and not get vexed. In my cool 

 and meek moments I formed resolutions ; 

 but, under the weight of cares and perplexi- 

 ties, I got cross, and decided that my resolu- 

 tions were not good, or could not be carried 

 out. I believe I am pretty good at keeping 

 a promise given anybody else, but I do not 

 seem good at keeping promises made to my- 

 self. Many a man resolves to stop drink- 

 ing ; but, as I told you, under the pressure 

 of temptation, he changes his mind and de- 

 cides not to stop just yet. If he stands up 

 in a public gathering of his friends and 

 neighbors, and makes a promise, or signs a 

 pledge, as he would sign a note, he keeps 

 that promise, because he has publicly com- 

 mitted himself. I determined to publicly 

 commit myself, and then, out of respect to 

 this promise, I should be under bonds, as it 

 were, not to scold. I had a talk with my 

 clerks one evening as we closed the day's la- 

 bors, and told them I wished to get into a 

 habit of attending to all my duties without 

 scolding or getting cross, and, producing a 

 little call-bell I had purchased, I begged 

 them to call me to order by touching the bell 

 whenever I got to talking loudly or vehe- 

 mently, and that I would promise to stop 

 and remain silent, if I could do no more, un- 

 til I was able to resume my duties in an or- 

 dinary and cheerful tone. No matter what 

 the nature of the business, or what the cir- 

 cumstances, I wished to be helped to rule 

 myself. 



Suppose I should be called to order when 

 I was in order. That was just what I de- 

 sired ; in fact, I wished to be tested in every 



way possible, to see if I could be so far 

 thrown off my guard, after this public com- 

 mittal, as it were, as to be unable to pre- 

 serve a meek and humble frame of mind. 

 One who can not be upset by any amount of 

 provocation is worth his weight in gold al- 

 most anywhere in this world, other things 

 being equal, of course. The only thing I 

 feared was that I might some time be allow- 

 ed to go on until I should be so angry I would 

 utterly disregard the sound of the bell, and 

 throw off all restraint and give up trying. I 

 did not fear this very much, however, for no 

 such thing had ever happened since I had 

 accepted my Savior as my guide. 



Did my project succeed V It was never 

 tried, because no one could be found who 

 would accept the task of taking the bell in 

 charge. If you reflect a little, you will see 

 that it was a rather sacred task to undertake. 

 I presume there are many who will think 

 the idea ridiculous, of placing one's self un- 

 der a guardian, and thereby confessing that 

 he is unable to take care of himself. 



And whosoever will be chief among- you, let him 

 be your servant.^MATT. xx. 27. 



I have several times been taken to task by 

 kind friends because I speak of having so 

 many temptations. There is one class of 

 you who say that, if I had accepted Christ 

 and was fully converted, it would be all 

 peace, and Satan would not trouble me thus. 

 While there is an element of truth in the 

 position taken by these friends, I would sug- 

 gest that there can not very well be peace at 

 all times, to those who are going to war. 

 Jesus once said he came not to bring peace, 

 but a sword. Can you go with me this min- 

 ute, my sister or brother, into the saloons of 

 our town, and remonstrate with them upon 

 their sinful ways, and not have your peace 

 disturbed in the least V A good friend of 

 mine, and one who is a minister, once sug- 

 gested that if I should conquer all of these 

 temptations and have no more battles to 

 fight, I might get proud and uncharitable to 

 the rest of stumbling humanity; whereas, as 

 it now stands, the consciousness of my be- 

 ing a sinner too, kept me from holding my 

 head very high, and helped me when kneel- 

 ing upon the stone floor in our jail, to say 

 with a real and intense earnestness, "God be 

 merciful to me, a sinner. "' Paulliad a thorn 

 in the flesh, and often prayed to have it re- 

 moved, but God thought best to give him 

 grace to bear it, and let it remain. Paul 

 was happy in spite of it; yea, happier per- 

 haps after his struggles to conquer it, than 

 he would have been otherwise. 



Comic near me, () my Savior, 



Thy tenderness reveal; 

 Oh, let me know thy sympathy 



Which thou tor me dost fee) ; 

 I need thee every moment ; 



Thine absence brings dismay : 

 But when the tempter hurls his darts, 



"Twere death with thee away. 



We omitted to call attention to friend Dadant's 

 advertisement last month, offering- Cyprian queens, 

 imported direct, for only $10.00 each. It seems the 

 prices are to come down still more, for friend Jones 

 has just written the following: 



I have received some of the queens, and there will he weekly 

 arrivals after this. You may quote the Cyprian and Holy-Land 

 queens at from $7. 00 to $12.00. D. A. Jones. 



Beeton, out., Canada, Aug- 21, 1880. 



