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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Nov. 1 



ports while the editors of some of our agri- 

 cultural papers are still talking about sweet 

 (ilover as a "noxious weed." 



I consider that sweet clover is one of the best plants 

 or clover known. It is worth $10.00 per acre as a fer- 

 tilizer alone. I sowed three or four acres last spring 

 on wheat ground; and when I cut the wheat it was 

 about a foot high; and when I turned the stock in the 

 field (horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs) they all ate that 

 before they touched the red clover, and now they eat 

 it close to the ground. There was a decided increase 

 in the flow of milk. It can not be beat for pasture, and 

 it yields the finest honey. L. A. Lawmaster. 



Upper Sandusky, O., Oct. 8. 



THE WONDERBERRY; WHAT A RAILWAY POSTAL CLERK 

 SAYS THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA THINK OF IT. 



Dear Mr. Root: — I was greatly surprised to see in a 

 recent issue of Gleanings the position you took in re- 

 gard to the wonderberry, wilderberry, garden huckle- 

 berry, or whatever you choose to call it. I am writing 

 you, not with the intention of changing your opinion 

 or criticising you, but simply to show the difference 

 of opinion that may exist upon even so small a matter. 



I presume it is the general opinion among people of 

 the Eastern States who have not paid us a visit "out 

 west " that we are pretty hard run out here for fruit 

 or almost any other of the good things; but I want to 

 tell you, Mr. Root, that there are many of us who are 

 not starved for fruit till we can eat those things and 

 call them good. It surprises me that one who has 

 been such a leader in the production of comb honey, 

 and must have partaken of the most delicious fruits of 

 the earth, can find anything good in the wonderberry. 



Several years ago I saw the garden huckleberry ad- 

 vertised by Miss Mary Martin. Upon writing her for 

 prices she sent me a package of seed gratis, from 

 which I raised a large number of plants. It certainly 

 is a wonderful plant, and filled nearly every claim un- 

 til it came to the table, where it failed completely with 

 myself and neighbors. We tried them hot and tried 

 them cold; tried them cooked, and then cooked some 

 more; tried them sweet and tried them sour; tried 

 them preserved and tried them in pies; tried them be- 

 fore frost and tried them after; but in every instance 

 they failed to tickle our palate. 



Some months ago some one wrote our Oklahoma 

 Farm Journal, asking about these berries. The editor 

 advised him to stand by the old tried and true fruits, a 

 large list of which succeed wonderfully here, and re- 

 ceived a good scoring from some one who was pleased 

 with the taste of the wonderberry. The editor simply 

 closed the matter by remarking that "there is no ac- 

 counting for the tastes of some people." 



N. Fred Gardiner, 



Geary, Okla., Oct. 18. Railway Postal Clerk. 



KIND WORDS. 



Dear Mr. Root.— It is with much pleasure and often 

 profit that I peruse Our Homes the first thing after it 

 comes into the house; and the various letters of ap- 

 probation and criticism are interesting, so perhaps it 

 may not be amiss for me to give a little expression. 



I am quite of the opinion that Solomon fell from the 

 good estate he once enjoyed; and we are told that by 

 their fruits we are to know them. Surely none would 

 hold up his example to the rising generation. 



I wish your temperance papers might go into every 

 home; that the spirit of them might reach from pole to 

 pole, and from the river's mouth tclthe ends of the 

 earth. One grand step would be taken if all young 

 women, this fair land over, would make a stand and 

 not accept the attentions of any young man who 

 "just takes a little and sees no harm in it." Surely 

 intemperance is the greatest curse of the land. 



I have noticed in several papers that the Bible is 

 spoken of as the " Word of God." Now, in all sincer- 

 ity I ask how this can be, for we read (II. Tim. 3 : 16) , 

 " All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is 

 profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for 

 instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may 

 be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 

 They are, then, but a declaration of the fountain and 

 not the fountain itself. They contain a history of 

 God's people in divers ages — a prophetical account of 

 many things and events, and a full account of all the 

 thief principles of the doctrine of Christ ; for the 

 i)rophecies came not in old time by the will of man, 

 but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the 

 Holy Ghost. Therefore are the words of God spoken 



and written by holy men of old, anointed of God for 

 the work, but they are not God the Word nor the 

 Word of God, for that was in the beginning with God, 

 and was God— John 1:1. It was before the scriptures 

 were, and was, in the fullness of time, made flesh and 

 dwelt among us. How can we, therefore, put them 

 above their place by calling them the "Word of 

 God "? And, again, we read in Romans (10 : 8>, "The 

 word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and heart." 

 Now, this "word" is certainly not the Bible, for how 

 could it be in the mouth or heart? 



With these few observations on the subject I close, 

 wishing that much good may come from Our Homes. 



Centervile, R. I., Sept. 28. M. C. Foster. 



Our stenographer, W. P. Root, submits 

 the following in regard to the above letter: 



The foregoing remarks relative to calling the Bible 

 the " Word of God " are very timely. It is common in 

 religious papers thus to style the book. The "Word 

 of God," in a biblical sense, always applies to Christ ; 

 but" the word of God" means a word or message 

 from him just as we would speak of a message from 

 anybody else. In this sense the Bible may be called 

 " the word of God." Even the correct Sunday Scfiool 

 Times commonly speaks of the Bible as "the Word of 

 God" because "that is the name of the book." But 

 that is an unusual name for it, not in general use. As 

 a book the Bible should be called the Bible. That 

 word has more dignity than any other. Some words 

 have the right of way over all others, and the majestic 

 word Word is one of them. 



some kind words and suggestions for the home 

 department. 



Dear Brother:— 1 have been expecting to see some of 

 " the friends " take an interest in your suggestion to 

 state their views upon the whereabouts and condition 

 of the departed, immediately after their death. Not 

 seeing any thing upon the subject, and feeling that 

 your invitation is worthy of serious thought, I there- 

 fore, after some deliberation, have concluded to offer 

 a few lines. In doing so I beg to state that it is ap- 

 proached reverently, and I trust with the forbearance 

 of yourself, and the friends may at least help to excite 

 enough interest in the matter to draw an expression 

 from others more competent and better informed to 

 handle such a momentous and all-important subject. 



First, the only authoritative source of information 

 upon the subject is the Holy Bible. 



Second, the most reliable and unquestionable writer 

 or individual must be one who has passed through 

 death from life in this world down to death and back 

 into life again. This at once narrows the authorities 

 down to the Lord Jesus Christ. 



Third, at death of the body the condition of the sub- 

 ject is transformed or changed from a corporeal or 

 earthly boing to a spirit being, of which absolutely 

 «of/!(>!g is known as to their being, limitations, or abode. 

 A spirit's nature or possibilities are not defined and 

 are undefinable; in fact, it is questionable whether the 

 mind of man is endowed with faculties for compre- 

 hending the spirit estate in any measure. 



Our Lord's disciples desired information of him re- 

 garding this subject, to which he replied, "In my 

 Father's house are many mansions, and I go to pre- 

 pare a place for you, that where I am there ye may be 

 also." Wm. B. Hess, Sr. 



Cleveland, 0. 



" where will THEY EVER GET ALL THE BRIMSTONE?" 



Dear Mr. Root:— In your Home paper, Oct. 1, you 

 speak of "fire and brimstone." This reminds me of 

 an interesting anecdote related by the Rev. Mr. Rozelle, 

 of Philadelphia. Last winter, when we were in St. 

 Petersburg, he preached one sermon in Grace Church 

 (Baptist). His text was, "Whatsoever a man soweth, 

 that shall he also reap." It was the best sermon on 

 that subject that I ever heard; and to illustrate one 

 point he used the following: Once a devoted Christian 

 lady was discussing the subject of eternal punishment 

 with an infidel. He said, "Now, madam, you don't 

 suppose there is such a place as the Bible describes— a 

 place of fire and brimstone?" 



"/ certainly do." 



" Well, I can prove to you that it can't be so. Just 

 think of all the people who have lived since the crea- 

 tion of the world, and will live down to the end of time. 

 Where could they ever get the brimstone?" 



" Laws/— don't you know that everybody takes his 

 brimstone with him?" 



How true! we certainly do take our conscience with 

 us. W. C. Gault. 



Savannah, Ohio, Sept. 6. 



