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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



July 15 



She smiled very pleasantly, gave me all the 

 information I desired, and then, like the clem- 

 atis, there seemed to be something in her 

 smile that was almost roguish or playful. The 

 clematis said to me something like this : 



"Mr. Root, you did not know before that 

 there was any thing in the whole wide world 

 so pretty, did you ? Well, I am glad to have 

 given you this pleasant surprise, and to re- 

 mind you again that ' eye hath not seen, nor 

 ear heard, neither have entered into the 

 heart of man, the things that God hath pre- 

 pared for those who love him.' 1 " Then it oc- 

 curred to me that, for many months back, my 

 heart has been unusually pure, and free from 

 sin or sinful thoughts, and I was reaping the 

 promised reward. I did not want the clema- 

 tis. There was not a trace of the sin of covet- 

 ousness in my heart. I enjoyed having the 

 clematis belong to the man who planted it 

 and cared for it. In regard to the cherries, 

 I did want them at first, but afterward I 

 experienced a keener thrill of pleasure and 

 joy by not touching or tasting them, even 

 though the owner would doubtless have given 

 them to me freely had I asked for them. And 

 now may God help me to be careful just how I 

 say what I wish to ; but before I say it I wish 

 to tell a little story. 



Since the death of Dr. James Brand, of 

 Oberlin College, it has been my pleasure to 

 listen to a sermon in regard to the life of that 

 good man. Dr. Brand grew up in the wild 

 forests of Canada, with almost no opportunity 

 at all for an education. He hungered and 

 thirsted for books, but was too poor to buy 

 them. When he was well along in his teens 

 he attended the meeting of a debating society 

 at a country schoolhouse. The subject was, 

 "Which is greater — the works of God or the 

 works of man ? " — that old, old topic. Young 

 Brand was long, lank, awkward, and unedu- 

 cated. His hearers were laughing at the mis- 

 erable work he was making ; but his last illus- 

 tration ot the works of God turned the scale. 

 In summing up the case he asked the audience 

 to give their attention finally to God's grand- 

 est work, a beautiful woman ; and then the 

 eloquence he displayed in after-life broke 

 fortli for the first time, and with cheers and 

 applause he won the day. To the soul that 

 loves God, nature and art both unfold beauties 

 that a bad man never gets a glimpse of ; but 

 whether it be flowers or fruit, or the subject 

 that Dr. Brand called up for his closing argu- 

 ment, let us remember that to enjoy these 

 things really, self and selfish feelings and pas- 

 sions must be gotten rid of. They must be 

 crucified and put out of the way. Then shall 

 the soul be prepared to enjoy these gifts that 

 God prepared tor him from the beginning of 

 the world. " No good thing will he withhold 

 from them that walk uprightly." 



Before leaving home I proposed to explore a 

 cave in the neighborhood of Flat Rock, Sen- 

 eca Co. When I came into that little village 

 I was told there was no hotel, but that I could 

 get dinner at a farmhouse near by — a dainty 

 little country home, with fruit, flowers, and a 

 pretty garden adjoining. The men folks were 

 at work in the field ; but another pleasant 



voung woman smilingly told me I could have 

 dinner, and, furthermore, that I could lie 

 down in a cool breezy place, and have a nice 

 nap before dinner. As I closed my eyes and 

 sank into unconsciousness, more thrills of 

 thanksgiving and praise came into my heart. 

 I have put up at hotels where it cost a dollar 

 for lodging and a dollar for each meal ; but, 

 oh dear me ! such hotels can not compare with 

 this country home. We had a beautiful din- 

 ner of things from the garden, and a cherry 

 pudding for dessert. Now, I do not know 

 how other folks feel about it ; but no great 

 hotel or Pullman dining-car ever served such 

 a delicious cherry pudding as that was. Per- 

 haps one thing that made me enjoy it was that 

 I felt it was a Christian home. While I am 

 speaking of the rest and refreshment that I 

 enjoyed so much at Flat Rock, let me tell you 

 about my dinner in a little country town two 

 days later. I will not give you the name of 

 the town this time. There was only one hotel 

 in the place. It was half hotel and half sa- 

 loon. The saloon was the "bigger half." I 

 felt that I should be misused in that place if 

 they knew who it was who sat down to dinner, 

 so I decided to make no remark that would 

 give any one a clew as to who I was or where 

 I came from. Before we were half through, 

 however, a burly red-faced man at the head 

 of the table commenced : 



" Stranger, a'n't you a preacher?" 

 I assured him I was not. 



"Then you belong to the Salvation Army, 

 cert tin." 



I told him he was mistaken again. Finally 

 he said : 



" Well I know you are a Christian, any 

 way." 



At this charge, I was obligtd to show my 

 colors, and to admit that he was right. Then 

 I asked him : 



" My dear sir, may I inquire why you first 

 took me lor a minister, then declaied I must 

 belong to the Salvation Army, and finally in- 

 sist that I am a Christian, any way? What 

 do you see about me that mak s you take this 

 position so strongly?" 



" Well, 1 knew you were a Christian the 

 first time 1 looked at you. I can see it in 

 your face."'- 



Just then it occurred to me what is said in 

 Revelation : " He that overcometh will I make 

 a pillar in the temple of my God. . . And I 

 will write upon him a new name." If flu re is 

 something in my make-up that proclaims I 

 am a Christian, even when I try to avoid the 

 subject, then shall I rejoice. I am inclined to 

 think, however, that my face strongly pro- 

 claimed to every one that I was not a drink- 

 ing man ; but that man's face strongly pro- 

 claimed to the whole wide world that he was 

 a drinking man, and a hard drinker too. 



When I started out I had asked for physical 

 strength. The petition was granted, and I 

 rode thirty or fort}- miles every day for several 

 days ; less fatigued, perhap-, than I ever was 

 before with such roads as I chanced to find 



*And they shall see his face: and his name shall be 

 in their fortheads.— Rev 22:4. 



