1894 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



changed my mind in this tiling; for the best 

 and truest friends I have on eartli are among 

 these hard-working servants of (Jod; but yet I 

 remember my old feelings of hostility toward 

 them, and it pains me to the bottom of my 

 heart when I see them heedlessly give unbe- 

 lievers rcitsoii to think them lacking in percep- 

 tion in business and scientific matters. 1 do 

 not know of any thing more damaging to the 

 cause of the Christian religion than to see a 

 minister forget his sacred calling so far as to 

 let his name be paraded in an advertisement 

 for a fraud. Ministers, as a rule, do have 

 more or less scientific education. They know 

 more or less of physiology and chemistry; but, 

 notwithstanding, they either forget this educa- 

 tion, or they neglect to notice that the thing 

 th<'y indorse or recommend is at shameful vari- 

 ance with all te.vt-books' teachings. It is urged 

 that this is a progressive age, and that if one 

 does not look out he is behind the times. Yes, 

 this is a progressive age; but all i-eal progress 

 is made along the beaten path of science. Peo- 

 ple are not progressive in perpetual motion, nor 

 in regard to the philosopher's stone, nor in the 

 elixir of life, and suchlike remants of heathen- 

 ism. 



In conclusion, it is a sad reflection on the 

 clergy as a class; nay, more— it is a sad reflec- 

 on the intelligence and civilization of this 

 present age, to see any one who professes to 

 have a tolerable education accept the idea that 

 a wire attached to such a bauble may bring 

 " pure oxygen from the atmosphere into the 

 circulation.'" Dr. Priestly, the discoverer of 

 oxygen; Harvey, who discovered the circula- 

 tion of the blood; and Farady, who made im- 

 portant discoveries in electricity, might be ex- 

 pected to groan in their very graves to think 

 that, at this late date, ministers of the gospel, 

 and college professors, should indorse such 

 reasoning, and advise the world at large to in- 

 vest their money in the " instruments." 



God is llglit, and in him is no darkness at all.— I. 

 John 1:5. 



And this is the promise that lie hatli promised us, 

 even t'ternal life.— I. John 2:25. 



Mrs. Root said, a few days ago, that young 

 people, or people of middle age, might get along 

 in this world tolerably well without any faith 

 in an overruling Providence: but as we ap- 

 proach the decline of life, say after we are 

 forty or fifty years old, humanity would be sad- 

 ly off without the sustaining power and grace of 

 a faith in God and his promises. I believe she 

 is right. As we pass by youth and middle age, 

 sooner or later we begin to be conscious of a 

 failing strength and failing powers. We begin 

 to look about us for something to lean upon; 

 and I t(!ll you, friends, we need something 

 more than the support of a wooden staff. In 

 studying humanity I have sometimes thought 

 that we all need a reserve force of cheerfulness 

 to draw on as occasion may make it conven- 

 ient. Where I sit dictating I like to look at 

 the great reservoir of water on the hill. The 

 water stands within a foot of the ovcirflow- 

 pipe; and during this intense July heat it is 

 not only convenient but comforting to realize 

 that ttiere is something like a reserve fund of 

 •.'(HK) barrels of water to draw on. There is so 

 little wind that the mill stands almost idle, 

 with the thermometer up from (wl to i<8 in the 



shade. It is excellent weather for the farmers 

 to gather their hay and grain, for the thrash- 

 ing-machines can follow almost immediately 

 after the modern harvesting a|)pliances. Hut 

 man and b(»ast constantly fed the need of mois- 

 ture. The big stone wateiing- trough is con- 

 tinually patronized. The thirsty hoises begin 

 to step with more energy as they catch sight of 

 the well-known trough; and the driver si)rings 

 from his big hay-rack with alacrity, and grasps 

 the tin cup as he turns the hydrant. While 

 the windmill is idle, a pump in the basement is 

 worked by our steam-engine ; and when no 

 water is being drawn fom the hydrant, the sur- 

 plus goes into our water-pipes, and accumulates 

 in the great reservoir on the hill. 



Of late, it is getting to be the fashion to have 

 reservoirs for a surplus of other things besides 

 water. .Storage batteries are fttmo.sf, a success; 

 and you know what I have said about storing 

 up heat in the depth of winter so you can have 

 some to draw on the next day. Well, since Mrs. 

 Root's remarks I have been thinking of a stor- 

 age battery for cheerfulness. 1 guess it had 

 better be called faith in God; and my two texts 

 at the head of this talk tell us why a faith in 

 (Jod will tide us over times of great trial. 

 First, we are told, " God is light, and in him is 

 no darkness at all." Oh, I am glad to find that 

 passage in the Bible! for what should we do if 

 there were nothing greater, stronger, and wiser 

 in the universe than humanity? I have talked 

 with some unbelievers who tried to make out 

 that poor weak humanity is all-sufficient. The 

 other part of our text tells us, "' And this is the 

 promise that he hath promised us, even eternal 

 life." We need not be troubled, even if we are 

 getting old, and if we begin to feel that our 

 powers are failing, and that strength and ener- 

 gy are waning. Oh, nol for our faith is in him, 

 and his promises are all true. The words 

 "eternal life "do not mean simply living for 

 over; for if it did it would not be any comfort 

 at all to the old veteran. One who reads his 

 Bible knows thateternal life is something more 

 than existence in this world of ours. 



Now a word more about that reservoir of 

 mine — that reservoir of faith— that storehouse 

 where we have a great lot of ch(^erfulness put 

 up for a time of need. Did you ever think 

 what a boon a bright, cheerful disposition is? 

 As you go through the world, how everybody 

 seems to lean upon and take hold of the able 

 and efflcient man, and the man who is always 

 cheerful and good-natured— the one who can 

 set everybody to laughing just when there 

 seems to be danger of a fight. Dear me! but 

 haven't we had tights in earnest during this 

 month of July? I have wondered sometimes 

 whether these contending parties ever recalled 

 themselves enough to look pleasant and good- 

 natured, and be cheerful. One refreshing little 

 incident occurred right in our own' vicinity. 

 The coal-miners struck for fio cts. a ton. The 

 proprietors of the mine were willing to give it, 

 in order to let the work go on: but the Union 

 would not allow the owners and workmen to 

 go ahead, even if they were at an agreement. 

 Well, when the strike was ended, what did the 

 owners do? Why, they did all they proposed, 

 and more too. They said, " You wanted 05 cts., 

 and we agreed to give you that much ; now 

 here is 70 cts., and let's get to work, and be 

 pleasant and good-natured about it." This is 

 the kind of .joke I enjoy; and I confess I was 

 somewhat disappointed that I did not see more 

 of it. I confess I iJ'nl expect to see both capital 

 and labor get ashamed of themselves and 

 ashamed of so much (juarreling: and I expected 

 to see more exhibitions of the true American 

 spirit of liberality. But, about that storage 

 battery for cheerfulness. 



