1901 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



59 



see you give the mother a kind word and per- 

 haps a loving touch ; but if you should, later 

 in tlie <la3\ or the next day, scol 1 and give her 

 pain by harsh words, it would be inconsistent. 

 The average boy or girl might siy, and with 

 reason, " Well, I do not think pa cares so very 

 much about ma after all. If he is going to 

 scold just a little while after, in the way he 

 has been doing, he had better leave off the 

 first part of it. He had better either be /ess 

 kind and gentle at times if he is going to get 

 cross so soon, and not be so changeable." 



Yes, even children notice inconsistencies 

 like these ; but even if their childish hearts 

 do revolt they will learn to copy it after just a 

 little while. They get an idea it is the ptoper 

 thing to do to talk " pretty " when you want 

 a favor, and then be cross and unkind when 

 you feel like it. It is hard work for me to be 

 even - tempered and always the same ; and 

 sometimes I feel like giving up and .saying I 

 can not do it ; but for the dear Savior's sake I 

 will keep trying. When I can keep in mind 

 that I am a pupil, and that he is the teacher, 

 that he is to lead and I am simply to follow, 

 ihen I come out conqueror. 

 I After the words I have mentioned, spoken 

 in jest and pleasantry about the screen-door, 

 it occurred to me there was something in the 

 Bible that seemed a little like it. I found it 

 in the 20th chapter of John. In fact, John, in 

 several places, in speaking of himself, instead 

 of using the pronoun/, says, "that disciple 

 whom Jesus loved." I have often wondered 

 at these words. It would seem to indicate 

 that there were certain ones for whom Jesus 

 cherished a particular regard. Somewhere 

 else he says, "If ye love me, keep my com- 

 mandments ; " and we might infer that John 

 had been unusually ready to hear his words 

 and obey, as nearly as he could, to the letter. 

 John was a disciple particularly loved by the 

 Savior, and he seems so sure of it that he does 

 not hesitate to say as much, only he does not 

 tell us outright that he was the one. Again, 

 in the story of Lazarus, Mary says to him, 

 "Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick." 

 From this we learn that Jesns loved particular- 

 ly the brother, Lazarus. It was so well known, 

 thqt Mary did not hesitate to speak of her 

 brother in that way — '' he whom thou lovest." 

 The very thought of it thrills my heart through 

 and through. Sometimes when I have been 

 pleading for Christ, especially when I at first 

 dreaded to undertake the task, after I have 

 finished there has come a feeling that Je.sus 

 loves me ; and these thoughts or thrills are 

 some of the very most precious things in all 

 my religious experience. Mary simply said 

 that he whom Jesus loved was sick. She did 

 not add any thing further. We read further 

 in that story that Jesus paid but little atten- 

 tion, apparently, to the message. He did not 

 go immediately, as she had a right to expect 

 he would ; neither did he say the word, and 

 command that Lazarus should be made well. 

 We do not know God's plans, neither do we 

 know why he allows suffering and sickness ; 

 bit we may know that he hears and remem- 

 bers, especially those whom he loves. 



Years ago I heard a revival minister tell of 



an old colored man who used to pray, when 

 his enemies tried him severely, something aft- 

 er this fashion : "Lord, your property is in 

 danger. Come and look after it." There was 

 a sort of assurance in this old colored man's 

 mind — we might almost call it audacity — for 

 thinking that God regarded him as his prop- 

 erty. Recently in a very trying experience, 

 when I felt a good deal at sea as to what I 

 ought to do, I remembered this illustration, 

 and I breathed an inward prayer something 

 like it. There came to me at once a sense of 

 relief. It seemed as though the great Father 

 above heard it and answered it : "Yes, dear 

 child, you are my property. I will keep you 

 from the snares of the evil one. " After that 

 there was a peaceful feelina; of rest and con- 

 tentment that caused me to feel that I was in 

 the hands of Him whom even the winds and 

 the waves obey. I think that Christians some- 

 times need that assurance. It rests them, and 

 prepares them for life's conflicts ; and they 

 may have it if they are ready to put a.side self 

 and to let the spirit of Jesus rule. I like this 

 new phrase that has come up — " What would 

 Jesus do?" or, " I will promise to do as Je- 

 sus would do, as nearly as I can, to the best 

 of my judgment and understanding." What 

 a world this would be if we could meet and 

 deal with people who are united for a purpose 

 or on a common platform and living such a 

 life as this ! Some time ago I was in a home 

 where the father and a son, the latter almost 

 man grown, did not get along well together. 

 The boy was very much needed at home. In 

 fact, there was more property and business 

 than the father could well manage ; but, un- 

 fortunately, both father and son were consid- 

 erably set in their ways. The father laugh- 

 ingly said that he feared the trouble was, the 

 boy was so much of "ac'iipofT the old block." 

 The poor mother stood midway between them. 

 She did all she could to be a mediator. She 

 was loyal to the husbatid and also loyal to her 

 boy, and yet they were widely apart. The boy 

 left his home and went away off. I have had 

 more or le<:s talk with all three of the parties. 

 I begged the father to put self aside and let 

 Jesus rule ; but I do not think he felt quite 

 ready to do so. The good mother would have 

 gladly acquiesced in my remedy for the trou- 

 ble (for all troubles), for she would do almost 

 any thing to have her bov at home. I do not 

 know whether the boy is ready as yet to do 

 "as Jesus would do," as nearly as he can 

 judge, or not ; but with his mother's help I 

 think he could be easily persuaded. 



Oh what a beautiful and lovely home is that 

 where Jesus rules and is over all ! Through 

 him come harmonv and peace and joy ; for 

 where Jesus rules, Satan can not get in even a 

 finger. We must accept him, as in the lan- 

 guage of our text, as the Son of God. We 

 must believe that God sent him as his mes- 

 senger from heaven to earth, to heal all the^e 

 troubles, and to bring p'='ace and good will 

 into every home. In fact, the very last words 

 of the Old Testament are a prophecv to the 

 effect that " he shall turn the heart of the fa- 

 thers to the children, and the heart of the 

 children to the fathers." 



