482 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 1. 



minutes, and I would send the boy to bring one 

 from the carp-pond, wliere lie (the gardener) 

 and I had been using it the day before. I pre- 

 sume he had foi'gotten this extra spade that I 

 had in mind. Instead of explaining things 

 gently, however, about the spade at the carp- 

 pond. I was a little put out by his refusal and 

 question, and so I replied, in answer to his ques- 

 tion as to what he should do, " Why, my friend, 

 I think the flrst thing you are to do is to do a 

 little better in some respects than you have 

 deen doing." I intended at the time to keep 

 strictly within bounds, and to do nothing that a 

 Christian "' workman" should not do. He. how- 

 ever, insisted that I should tell him wherein he 

 had been remiss. I knew it was a bad time for 

 either of us to tell the other of his faults, and I 

 started to go away, proposing to tinish the con- 

 versation when both of us were in a better frame 

 of mind. Before I got out of his hearing, how- 

 ever, he said something about having much un- 

 pleasant work to do, and of being obliged to put 

 up with a good deal for the accommodation of 

 others. At this I stopped and said something 

 as near the following as I can recollect: 



" My good friend, if things are so unpleasant 

 and inconvenient here, had you not bettei' find 

 a place where you can have nice easy work and 

 nothing objectionable to do ?'" 



For several nours afterward I kept telling 

 myself that I had said nothing out of the way, 

 or' unreasonable. But slowly the matter began** 

 to lie heavily on my conscience — not because I 

 was sorry to see him decide to work for some- 

 body else, for it was rather a relief just then to 

 have him do so: but I felt a heavy load on my 

 consccience, to think that, when any one of my 

 men had decided to work elsewhere, we should 

 have dissolved onr relations, which were of 

 several years' standing, and pai't company with 

 unkind feelings in our hearts toward each oth- 

 er. When I went to bed that night I kept 

 thinking. "Oh what would I give if we had 

 parted company with pleasant feelings and 

 kind expressions for each other's welfare?' 



We have been having one of the most severe 

 drouths that has been known for years here in 

 this part of the State of Ohio. I had been for 

 days anxiously watching the barometer: yes. I 

 have prayed at home, and at the noon service, 

 that God would send us the rain we so much 

 needed, if consistent with his holy will. Well, 

 the rain came this very day: and while my 

 prayers were being answered I was so ungrate- 

 ful and unthankful that I allowed myself to 

 feel vexed — another evidence of my being a poor 

 bungling workman. I told my wife, as we pre- 

 pared to go to bed that night, that only one 

 thing prevented me from being really happy. 

 This one thing was the one item I have been 

 mentioning: and the first thing on awakening 

 in the morning was this same load on my con- 

 science, and a feeling of shame that, whatever 

 my abilities in other dii'ections, I was but a poor 

 stumbling and blundering workman in the 

 service of Christ Jesus. Some of vou may say. 

 " Why. Mr. Root, this is all ■ folderbl.' When a 

 man is stubborn or contrary, or when you do 

 not need him. it is all moonshine about shaking 

 hands, and wishing each other good luck, and 

 all that." Well. I do not know that I believe 

 in any sentimentality about it: but I do believe 

 in "living at peace with all men so far as in 

 me lieth;" and when a man has been in your 

 employ for five or six years, or you have been 

 five or six years in his employ, if things come 

 up that make it advisable on one or both sides 

 to dissolve relations, it is the duty of every 

 Christian, I am sure, to bid each other God- 

 speed, with pleasant feelings on both sides. 

 Very likely it is not often done: but. oh how 

 great will be the gain in these times when there 



is danger of war (almost any moment) be- 

 tween capital and labor I And how greatly does^ 

 it behoove us to be constantly looking, in the 

 language^ of our text, " unto Jesus, the author 

 and finisher of our faith"! Why not see my 

 friend, or write to him what I say,"and tell him 

 the truth ? Well, it is not so easy a matter. So 

 far as business is concerned, the'matter stands 

 satisfactory, iirobably, on both sides where It is; 

 but, how about the spiritual bearing of the 

 whole matter '? The boy who stood by with the 

 spade in his hand would naturally think that, 

 if that were the way C/iri.sfir(».s dissolve busi- 

 ness relations, it must be the right and proper 

 way; and yet this boy is very (jreathj in need of 

 Christian influences. Again, our mutual friends 

 will surely know, sooner or later, that there has 

 been trouble between us: and it will be the 

 most natural thing in the world for each of us 

 to speak disjiaragingly of the other, and thus, 

 Christ Jesus be put to shame instead of being 

 gloi'ified. 



^feB^cce QdMWfi. 



CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH WE GIVE SMOKERS TO PERSONS WHO 

 STOP USING TOBACCO. 



First, the candidate must be one of those who have piven up 

 tobacco in consequence of what he has seen and read in this 

 department. Second, he promises to pay for the smoker 

 should he ever resume the use of tobacco in any form, after 

 receiving the smoker. Third, he must be a subscriber to 

 Gleanings. Any subscriber may, however, have smokers sent 

 to neighbors or personal acquaintances whom he has labored 

 with on the matter of tobacco-using, providing he give us his 

 pledge that, if the one who receives the smoker ever iises to- 

 bacco again, he (the subscriber) wiU pay for the smoker. The 

 one who receives the smoker in this case need not be a sub- 

 scriber to Gleanings, though we greatly prefer that he be one, 

 because we think he would be strengthened by reading the 

 testimonials from time to time in regard to this matter. The 

 full name and address of every one who makes the promise 

 must be furnished for publication. 



OKDERS FOR A FBIEXD. 



A friend of mine, Mr. Robert Jones, has quit 

 the use of tobacco, and he thinks he is entitled 

 to one of your smokers. If you think he is 

 worthy of one. please send it to my address and 

 I will see that he gets it: and if he ever uses 

 tobacco again, I promise to pay for the same. 



Morgan, Ky.. May 1. H. C. Clemons. 



NO MORE TOBACCO FOR HIM. 



Through the influence of the Tobacco Col- 

 umn, which I have read in Gleanings, 1st. I 

 have stopped the use of tobacco; 3d. I promise 

 to pay for the smoker should I ever resume the 

 use of tobacco in any form after receiving the 

 smoker: and if you think I am entitled to a 

 smoker. I shall be very well pleased. 



Oxford Depot, N. Y., Apr. 21. Harry Earl. 



another young convert. 



Billy Clarno, who is now working in my api- 

 ary, is 16 years of age, and has used tobacco 

 several years. I have persuaded him to break 

 short off, and he requests me to ask you for a 

 smoker, and says he will never use tobacco 

 again: but in case he breaks his pledge he 

 promises to pay for the smoker. H. Lathrop. 



Browntown Wis., Apr. 29. 



My husband, H. W. White, has been smoking 

 for 23 years (never chewed tobacco). Six 

 weeks ago he laid his pipe aside. I wondered 

 what it meant, but said nothing. He asked if 

 I saw any change in him. I said. " Yes, for the 

 better." He said he had made up his mind ta 

 stop smoking, and has not said why. I give 

 Gleanings credit for it. Please send him a 

 .smoker. If he goes to smoking again I will pay 

 for it. B. J. White. 



Broad Run Station. Va., May 11. 



