1899 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



(591 



most. Do you suggest notes? Well, notes 

 are some help; but when I am obliged to look 

 for them they break the thread of my dis- 

 course, and oftentimes get me off from the 

 track. It is much better for me to make such 

 thorough preparation that no notes are needed. 

 On this occasion I prayed with more than 

 usual earnestness over the matter, and the 

 prayer was answered. Ever}' text I had plan- 

 ned to use was right at my tongue's end when 

 I wanted it, and I could speak it with clear- 

 ness, force, and emphasis. 



Before retiring for the night, Bro. Reed and 

 I knelt together as we often do. In his prayer 

 he thanked God for the privilege of passing a 

 few hours with his old friend and fellnw- 

 worker ; and as we arose to our feet, I told 

 Bro. Reed something that happened more 

 than twenty years ago. I believe that I have 

 hungered and thirsted after righteousness 

 more or less all my life ; but the thought 

 never occurred to me to seek first the king- 

 dom of God and his righteousness until, 

 through Bro. Reed, I caught a glimpse of 

 God's kingdom. This glimpse came about a 

 little strangely too. Before I met him I had 

 been for many years rather opposed to revival 

 meetings ; but after I became sufficiently 

 acquainted with the young pastor to know, as 

 everybody else does, how thoroughly he was 

 given, body and soul, to God's righteousness, 

 I looked at him with more charity. I thought 

 he was mistaken, but still I admired his un- 

 selfish zeal. It seems to me no one can avoid 

 doing so when he once comes to know him 

 and see him. Well, one Sunday morning as 

 we stood up, I think it was while they were 

 singing before the sermon commenced, all of 

 a sudden something suggested that I should 

 give up my old life and commence a new one 

 by laboring by Bro. Reed's side. God knows 

 I had no thought of being his equal in any 

 way in the work of saving souls ; but the idea 

 presented itself that, if I could stand near him, 

 perhaps a little behind him, and hold up his 

 hands, and perhaps bring him tilings he might 

 happen to need, or give him a lift when he 

 greatly needed a helper — why, it seemed to 

 me that such a work would be nearer perfect 

 happiness than any thing else I could think of 

 in this wide world. The thought of it thrilled 

 me again and again. 



Now I know, dear friends, that I should 

 strive to serve Christ Jesus and him only ; but 

 I do not feel after all as though my first visions 

 of Christ's work were so very much out of the 

 way, even if they did connect themselves with 

 the younof pastor of our church with all his 

 devotion and enthusiasm. Well, years have 

 gone by, and many changes have been 

 wrought. I do not think a year has passed, 

 however, wherein Bro. Reed and I have not 

 labored together more or less; and after almost 

 25 years, as we knelt side by side, he in his 

 prayer thanked Goi, while I myself was also 

 mentally thanking God, that my early vision 

 of happiness and joy had been at least to some 

 extent realized. A great many times during 

 these years my dear brother has helped me by 

 counsel and wise suggestions. He has helped 

 me when nobody else could help me in a like 



manner ; and it rejoices my heart to look back 

 and see that I too have been many times per- 

 mitted to help him, when perhaps nobody 

 else could help or would help. God has help- 

 ed us to know each other and to help each 

 other. Why should not those who are hun- 

 gering and thirsting after righteousness be 

 helpful one to another? 



The next morning I was off on my wheel 

 for a spin through the beautiful hills and val- 

 leys of Central Ohio. I noticed the wheel- 

 book said Licking County is one of the most 

 beautiful, agriculturally, in the State. I fully 

 realized it that morning. I was happy, be- 

 cause I had responded, as best I knew how, 

 to God's call. In a little time I was looking 

 over the pleasant city of Mt. Vernon. I visit- 

 ed the park where they have been having 

 many religious meetings lately, and saw the 

 flowing wells where pure soft water pours out 

 of the ground without pump or windmill or 

 any thing of the sort. What a beautiful gift 

 from God are these flowing wells ! It makes 

 me think of my text — hungering and thirsting 

 after righteousness. And is it not true that 

 every wayside well or spring helps toward 

 righteousness ? Oh how I do love to see thirsty 

 people and domestic animals slake their thirst 

 with pure wholesome water ! 



Toward the close of the day I made a stop 

 at Apple Creek, Wayne Co., Ohio, where I 

 was told there were some flowing wells of 

 great volume. Near one of these wells we 

 have a subscriber — Benjamin Ziircher. When 

 I first began to inquire in his neighborhood 

 for a man by that name I was somewhat dis- 

 appointed to hear people say they knew no 

 such man ; but an old German said he could 

 tell me where Benjamin Ziitaker lived, if that 

 was the man I wanted. When I found my 

 friend he laughingly told me that the people 

 all around there would call him Zittaker in 

 spite of all he could do. but that his name 

 was really Ziircher. Well, I was really glad I 

 called on Benjamin. Shall I tell you why? 

 Because he is an enthusiast on fruit culture. 

 He has planted out on the hills of Ashland Co. 

 3000 pear-trees, 3000 plum trees, and ever so 

 many other kinds of trees whose names I can 

 not remember now. He showed me some of 

 the "gold" plums from Luther Burbank. 

 They are beautiful plums to look at, and when 

 ripe are said to be delicious to rat, while at 

 the same time they are as hardy as the wild 

 plums scattered all over Ohio. 



I could not stop with friend Ziircher very 

 long, however, because I wished to visit the 

 largest well in Wayne Co., and perhaps one of 

 the largest flowing wells in Ohio. As it was a 

 very dry and dusty time, I found these wells 

 doing excellent service in filling up water- 

 tanks of all descriptions for the farmers. The 

 one near schoolhouse No. 7, East Union Town- 

 ship, fills a three-inch pipe, and rises up about 

 three feet above the ground. They found this 

 vein at only 89 feet depth. When I got there 

 a farmer was swearing because the standpipe 

 was not six inches higher so it would pour the 

 water directly into his wagon-tank. I told 

 him that, instead of using bad words, such a 

 flow of beautiful pure water should lead every 



