GRAFTING, OR HORTICULTURAL CONVERSION. 30! 



ciple of anything for the good of the state, 

 they would be quietly strangled. 



But the spirit of Christianity is opposite to all 

 this, and leads us to look at this class as I did 

 at my thrifty but worse than useless cherry- 

 tree, whose fruit was only a large pit with a bit- 

 ter skin drawn over it. If its abundant vitality, 

 however, could be turned into useful channels 

 that is, into grafts of some excellent variety, 

 how much better thus to utilize life by conver- 

 sion to noble ends, than to destroy it ? 



Early in April, therefore, every branch of 

 sufficient size, from the top down, was grafted ; 

 and in due time they were nearly all growing 

 finely, and I felt that I should now have a 

 practical convert standing before my house, that 

 would tend to inspire general confidence in my 

 ministry. 



But now comes in my irrational blunder, and 

 one that I fear is too common on the part of 



