NOVEMBER 15, 1912 



"Why, papa! aren't you glad to see me? and 

 isn't this a nice place?" For an answer he took 

 her by the hand and said, "Come; let's go home." 

 He said it nearly killed him, but caused him to 

 see it might have been another man, and his a 

 ruined girl and home. He reformed, and now has 

 three ohildi-eu — the eldest a boy 20; the next a 

 girl 18, and a boy 14. 



You spoke of tobacco. I am sure it is the be- 

 ginning of downfall and ruin. I never yet saw a 

 real user that had very much real snap and vim 

 to him, and who amounted to very much in life. 

 He may accumulate wealth ; but what is that ? 

 So do thieves and thugs. If our own minister 

 here would, when preaching for converts (and that 

 ought to be every sermon) simply preach, teach, 

 and live a pure, clean religion, such as Christ 

 taught, and as I firmly believe intended to be 

 taught, we women wouldn't have to go to church 

 and pull our skirts away, or, if no room elsewhere, 

 sit over a pool of tobacco spit. Our minister here 

 a few evenings ago, during prayer, had to stop 

 to spit. He even keeps it in his mouth during 

 service, and three times during the sermon hawk and 

 spit on the pulpit carpet, and rub it in with his 

 shoe. Some of our lady ( ?) members use snufif 

 and tobacco, and spit on the floor at church. God 

 help us that we may not sit by with folded hands 

 and allow these things to exist. I have quit going 

 to hear him preach, for the trustees will sit there 

 and know it all, and still not a word. How hard 

 to teach purity at home, and send our children to 

 hear such things, and see our churches defiled 1 



Oct. 30. 



The good sister who sends us the above 

 letter wishes to have her name withheld, for 

 obvious reasons. In regard to a minister 

 who uses tobacco, she should not on that ac- 

 count quit going- to church. I would not 

 do that, nor advise it. Let this good sis- 

 ter, who, I am sure, has grace and wisdom 

 (and if not it will be given her in answer 

 to prayer), go to her jjastor, see him alone, 

 and tell him gently the effect of this habit 

 on the young men in their community. Tell 

 him this, which he can get from this journal 

 in Our Homes, that not only railroad com- 

 panies have declared against the use of 

 strong drink and tobacco, but great busi- 

 ness houses as well (see something in re- 

 gard to this matter in another column) have 

 come to the front, demanding clean men 

 without these dangerous and filthy habits. 

 I am sure the clergy of our land will not 

 be backward in reforms along this line. My 

 impression is that there are but very few 

 ministers in any of our evangelical churches 

 now who are users of tobacco. It debars 

 a man entirely from entering the Methodist 

 ministry. Some very good old ministers, I 

 know, who learned the tobacco habit early 

 in life, are still preaching; but they not 

 only have to put up with a poor parish, 

 but they generally get poor pay. The min- 

 ister who uses tobacco is generally marked 

 down several notches in salary provided 

 he is hired at all. Our stenographer just 

 informs me of a minister (of a good-sized 

 church) whom he lately heard in Cleveland, 

 who now uses tobacco, much against the 

 wishes of his flock. Some of the members 

 have tried to induce him to resign, but 

 he stubbornly refuses, and quite a good 



19 



many of his congregation absent themselves, 

 refusing to hear such a man preach. As a 

 matter of course, he is what we might 

 term a "liigh liver" in other respects, at- 

 tending questionable places of amusement, 

 card-playing, etc. 



A KIND WORD INDEED FOR THE HOME PAPERS. 



Dear Mr. Root: — My son takes your journal. 

 The oher day I picked it up and thought I would 

 see if I could learn something about bees, and in 

 looking through its pages I saw a part entitled 

 "Our Homes." I read with delight and blessing 

 to my soul your sermon on Matt. 12:46-50. It 

 gave me a little better glimpse ol my Savior, and, 

 in truth, I can say he is the greatest asset that 

 has ever come into my life. I enjoyed this article 

 so much I looked up another, and I read and 

 saw how you trusted God about the money, and 

 then about the smoker. No, indeed, do not pay 

 any attention to your critics. They have not been 

 born into bis kingdom; are olind as to spiritual 

 things which must be spiritually discerned. The 

 Lord knew at the start just what difficulties were 

 going to beset you in regard to the smoker propo- 

 sition. In the first place, he knew he could de- 

 pend upon you. He knew when he impressed you 

 to do a thing, and you were satisfied it was from 

 him, that you would do it without quibble. He 

 knew you would quit making the smoker you 

 started to make, and therefore he knew just what 

 you would be up against. He knew, also, what 

 prayer you would also offer up to him, because you 

 prayed in the Spirit; so, long before it was made, 

 he began preparations for its answer. Then when 

 you made the request the answer was nigh at 

 hand. Bless the Lord, for he is good. Indeed, 

 it is sweet to trust in Jesus, knowing that "he 

 careth for you," and that all things shall work to- 

 gether for good to those that love the Lord and 

 are chosen according to his purpose. May the 

 Lord bless you, brother Root, and cause you to 

 write many more sermons. 



Denair, Cal., Sept. 13. J. T. Snidee. 



I should hardly dare to print the above letter 

 with its strong language of encouragement were 

 it not that I am sure that the writer means to 

 commend the Lord Jesus Christ and not your hum- 

 ble servant, who has been graciously permitted to 

 speak for liim a few words. 



Convention Notices 



The annual meeting of the Pecos Valley branch 

 will be held at the Dickens school building, second 

 door south of Fourth Street, on Pennsylvania Ave- 

 nue, Roswell, New Mexico, Nov. 21, 1912, at 9 

 A. M., and with continued sessions. There is very 

 important business to come before the association. 

 Let all members be on hand promptly. Each and 

 every beekeeper in the Pecos Valley and State are 

 invited to be present. 



At 2 P. M. of said date a session will be held 

 at which all fruit-gi'owers are invited to meet with 

 us — especially those orchardists who believe the 

 honey-bee and other insects are of benefit to fruit- 

 growing. 



Henry C. Barron, Secretary. 



R. B. Slbase, President. 



WISCONSIN beekeepers' association. 



The thirty-fourth annual convention of the Wis- 

 consin State Beekeepers' Association will be held at 

 the Capitol building, Madison, December 17 and 

 18, beginning at 10 A. M., Tuesday. 



As usual an interesting program, consisting of 

 papers and questions, will be presented for discus- 

 sion. Important legislation, to be presented to the 

 next legislature, will be discussed. 



The Northwestern Beekeepers' Association holds 

 its annual convention at Chicago, December 19 and 

 20, thus giving all members an opportunity to at- 

 tend both conventions at very little additional ex- 

 pense. 



Headquarters for the beekeepers will be Simons 

 Hotel. To secure a room you must write in ad- 

 vance, enclosing $1.00. 



Augusta, Wis., Nov. 9. Gus Dittmer, Sec. 



