406 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 



speak English very well. It was generally 

 known that I did the work from a simple 

 love to my fellow-man, and love to Christ. 

 People gave me the credit of being an hon- 

 est Christian, pure in heart, just as friend 

 Lighty has done at the opening of his let- 

 ter. Of coiu'se, I was watched narrowly, 

 as every Christian is and ought to be. 

 Wlien people saw me going home alone 

 'cross lots, and through the woods, their 

 opinion of me and my work would be slight- 

 ly different from what it might be if I came 

 in a fine carriage ; and it occurred to me 

 that some who were watching might have 

 said : 



" Oh ! it is not so v6ry strange, after all, 

 that Mr. Boot is so much taken up with 

 Sunday-school work. Who would not like 

 to ride out Sunday- afternoon in a nice car- 

 riage, with a good-looking girl for company, 

 even if she did happen to be a Sunday- 

 school teacher V " The Bible says, " Shun 

 every appearance of evil." I had taken up- 

 on myself the sacred and solemn calling of 

 a spiritual teacher. My relation to the lit- 

 tle neighborhood round about Abbeyville 

 was much like that of a pastor to his flock. 

 I stood on holy ground : and I tell you, 

 friends, it behooves such a one to be not 

 only holy in action, but pure in heart, and 

 to shun even the appearance of evil. No- 

 body ever talked about me, that I know of ; 

 in fact, 1 have never found people ready to 

 talk about me in that way, even if they had 

 excellent reason for so doing ; and I do not 

 believe that any minister is very often in 

 danger of being talked about in this way, if 

 he fully recognizes what his high and sa- 

 cred calling demands. Go on foot five miles 

 —yes, or more than live miles, rather than 

 give the world any /ami excuse for starting 

 scandal. 



Christians and unbelievers often get a 

 good deal stirred up in discussing these 

 very matters touched upon by friend 

 Lighty. Yes, they sometimes get almost 

 into a fighting mood. Well, I want to say 

 in conclusion that I think it is an excellent 

 thing to get into a fighting mood ; but for 

 God's sake, dear friends, don't fight each 

 other. Fight the inborn sin in your own 

 hearts. Resolve with all your might, 

 strength, mind, and soul, that you will show 

 your opponent by the way you live, and by 

 the stamping-out of every suggestion of 

 Satan before it can even take root, that you 

 intend to be pure in heart according to the 

 language of our text. If you do this, criti- 

 cism and unkind llings at you will not hurt 

 you, but do you good ; and if you live so 

 near to Christ that abusive words only 

 drive you to him, and make you fight 

 against sinful sxiggestions in your own 

 heart the harder, then can you be glad of 

 criticism. You can rejoice when you have 

 been wrongfully accused and misrepresent- 

 ed. No doubt some of you will think these 

 are pretty strong statements ; and I have 

 seen professing Christians stare at me in 

 amazement when 1 suggested to them that 

 they ought to be thankful because people 

 did talk about them. Why, dear friends, 

 we are getting right on to the ground 

 where that wonderful text comes in— the 



Sa,vior's own words, when he said, " Re- 

 joice, and be exceeding glad." Do you re- 

 member when it was that you were to re- 

 joice and be exceeding glad V Why, 

 '' When men shall revile you, and perse- 

 cute you, and say all manner of evil against 

 you falsely for my sake." Therefore all we 

 who call ourselves Christians need not be 

 troubled, even if friend Lighty and a good 

 many others who reject Christianity do say 

 that our jails are filled with Christians, and 

 ask, •' Who but Christians swing upon the 

 gallows V " etc. What shall we do V do you 

 ask V Why, stick closer to the Master ; 

 fight harder for absolute purity, not only in 

 appearance, but strive to be pure in heart ; 

 and we shall not only conquer in argument, 

 but, when the last great day comes, the 

 promise of the closing words of the text is 

 youvs— '"'For— they shall — see— God.''' 



^EP0^3Fg ENcea^TieiNe. 



WINTKRED WITHOUT LOSS. 



flUR report for 1887 is as follows: We took out 

 of the cellar 9 swarms, April 20 (which was 

 all we put in in the fall). We increased to 25, 

 and got about 432 lbs. of comb honey— an av- 

 erage of 48 lbs. per colony, spring count. 

 We have wintered the whole without loss so far. 

 Sherman Stancliff, Jr. 

 Malone, N. Y., April 27. 1888. 



Horsemint is in abundance; and if the weather is 

 right when in bloom, we shall have ii good season. 

 Sweethome, Te-x., April 2, 1888. Ad. Meyer. 



To-day is the first day I saw the bees carry natural 

 pollen, as it has been fine weather for some time, 

 and some flowers are in bloom. G. Hee.sch. 



Milwaukee, Wis., April 28, 1888. 



Yesterday and to-day is the first that bees gather- 

 ed pollen. About two weeks ago I noticed a few 

 bees carrying a little pollen; but ever since, until 

 yesterday, it was too cold for bees to fly. I never 

 had as good success in wintering in chaff hives. 



Clarion, Pa., April 27, 1888. J. T. Fletcher. 



My 3.5 stands of bees,' all but .5, have wintered well 

 on their summer stands, packed in forest leaves, all 

 strong and healthy. They are gathering pollen. 

 Our spring is so far very dry — only one rain so far 

 in April. I will try to give you reports from this lo- 

 cality. W. H. Horsley. 



Oxford, .Johnson Co.. Iowa, April 19. 1888. 



WINTERED WELL. 



Our bees wintered well in the Uncompagre Valley. 

 I think 10 per cent will cover all losses. Nearly all 

 are wintered on summer stands. T saw the first 

 drone fly April 22. Uees are very busy now on our 

 numerous wild flowers. The buck-brush and squaw- 

 brush are among the first flowers. The latter re- 

 sembles the willow in appearance, and bears a red 

 berry the size of a small pea. It is the only kind of 

 wild fruit we have in this valley. I planted some 

 alsike clover last year. June 1st, and it nearly all 

 winter-killed. Honey is worth from 20 to 30;cents. 



Brown, Col., April 28, 1888. E. E. HAiMMOND. 



