GLEANIKGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



J AX. 



fore you give it too heavy loads or heavy 

 d(»ses. 



Can a man be a Christian, and yet b? un- 

 able to ir.cel his liouest duesV Wliy, y(S, of 

 coxirse lie can, for Christians are often beset 

 with unseen reverses; but I tell you, my 

 friends, a Christian can work for the master 

 tenfold more effectively if he can be free 

 from these kinds of encumbrances, and he 

 ought to be very careful that he docs not 

 get into any places that will cripple him and 

 cumber him, and weigh him down in the 

 way debt does. Now do you see my applica- 

 tion':* When you go into busineh-s, have a 

 little business, and have that little nicely 

 attended to. Have your shop and your tools 

 all decent and in order. Be so much abreast 

 of your work that it will not suffer if you 

 take an liour or a day to sit at the Master's 

 feet, or to do errands for him when he l)ids 

 you. When you can manage easily without 

 being cumbered, and feeling that your work 

 is drudgery, then, if you choose, undertake 

 a little more, or enlarge somewhat. 



But I do think, dear friends, it is a most 

 excellent thing to have some hard cash 

 ahead. ^Ir. Terry has written an excellent 

 article in the Oliio' Farmer recently, on this 

 very subject. He said that he once had an 

 accident that came near taking his life, lie 

 was too badly hurt to speak, or give any sign 

 to let them" know that he knew what was 

 going on around. But even at such a time it 

 gave him a thrill of pleasure, and he thinks 

 helped toward his recovery, to remember 

 that there was money enough in the bank to 

 meet all his obligations, and pay all ex- 

 penses attending a spell of sickness. Mr. 

 Terry is a farmer. He makes farming pay ; 

 but after reading his articles for some time 

 past, I have come to the conclusion that one 

 great secret of it is, that he is never cum- 

 bered with much serving. He has not only 

 lime to do every thing tliat needs to be done, 

 and to do it well, but he has a little spare 

 cash always on hand to meet any contin- 

 gency, or to take advantage of any rare 

 chance that comes along. I do not know 

 tliat ]Mr. Teiry is a Christian, but I do 

 know and feel" that he sets a good exam- 

 l)Ie for Christians. 



A few days ago it all at once occurred to 

 me that this young brotlier of whom I have 

 been speaking was in danger of going 

 tlirougli life without enjoying the things 

 that (iod has placed here in this world to 

 make us hajipy. He is a farmer, and has a 

 large beautiful farm, if 1 am c(trrect ; but 

 with tlie amount of business he always has 

 on hand, and which he is unable to attend to 

 without exjx'usive hired help, I am afraid 

 that life to him will, on the whole, be a sort 

 of weary slavery of business, instead of be- 

 ing glad and "joyous, as (iod intended it 

 should be. A few days ago he told me if his 

 last venture did notsucceed any better, he 

 was going on to his farm with his boys, and 

 that he would not have a bit of hired help 

 around him. What they could not do 

 should be left undone, and they would take 

 things easy. It seemed to me' like a bit of 

 bright sunshine coming out through the 

 clouds, and 1 decided I v.ould take a part of 

 the advice myself. 



Now, why is it that Ave voluntarily cumber 

 ourselves Avith so many cares? I have 

 thought of this matter a great deal. As a 



general thing, I believe we cumber ourselves 

 ecause we hope to make much money by 

 some new investment or industry, or we 

 hope to make money easier than we have 

 been doing. Some of us get tired of the 

 monotony of every-day life. V,'e want some- 

 thing new— some sort of excitement as it 

 were. Tlie Root family are especially sub- 

 ject to such feelings. I believe. If they do 

 not have some sort of excitement going on, 

 they imagine they are sick— at least that is 

 my disposition a good deal. 



And this brings us to our text again— 

 what do we desire most in life? and is the 

 thing we desire most, the one thing needful? 

 When Christ is tirst and foremost, and 

 Avhen we get up a healthy excitement in re- 

 gard to living pure lives, then we are all 

 right. Now. suppose we should get carried 

 away with the idea of doing justly, loving 

 mercy, and walking Immbly "before tiod, 

 what harm would it do? Or suppose we 

 should get up such an enthusiasm that we 

 could hardly wait for daylight to come, and, 

 in a determination to stop expenses, make 

 the best of every thing we already possess, 

 owing no man aught but love and kindness, 

 and tilings of this sort, would anybody be 

 afraid that we should carry it to "too great 

 an extreme? I am fond of excitement ; 

 fond of neAv hobbies ; but if I do not look 

 out it runs into a fondness for buying new 

 and expensive machinery, new and liigh- 

 priced seeds, strawberries, raspberries, poul- 

 try, etc. Well, during the past few months 

 I have been very happy in a new idea of 

 taking good care of the property «?)Y(/f7// in 

 my hands, and a blessing has come witli it. 

 It seems to me it is a good deal like my 

 brother's decision to go on to his farm, Avith- 

 out a bit of hired help, tlius stopping out- 

 goes, do the best he could, Avorking alone 

 with the children (iod has given him. and 

 accepting such reAvard as God chooses to 

 giA'e, and 7}(rtAe expenses come inside of this 

 reAAard. Does not this come pretty nearly 

 in line Avith our text? One Avho does this 

 can look to the Savior, and sit at liis feet 

 Avith a clear conscience, and the liappy, 

 peaceful sense of Avronging no man. When 

 some money is put aAvay for sickness and a 

 rainy day, and the lesson has been Avell 

 learned, of making expenses keep inside tlie 

 income, then let us Avisely and carefully con- 

 sider new seeds, ucav stock, new inachinery, 

 etc. In carrying this out, perhaps Ave may 

 go through tlie world i)oortr in dollais and 

 cents than by taking risks and inciiring debt, 

 (I can not for a minute think it possible, 

 however, in a general Avay ; can you?) but 

 shall we not be richer in that good part 

 which shall not be taken away? 



NoAV. friends, hoAV shall it be? Will this 

 next venture that stands right l.efore you 

 cause you to be " cumbered Avitli mucli serv- 

 ing,"' spoil your happiness and peace of 

 mind, or will" it lead to a low seat at the 

 Master's feet, Avith kindness and good Avill 

 toward men? Is Christ the Savior first, 

 foremost, and all in all to you? or are you 

 so far from him that the cares of the 



