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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



449 



/ . OUR. . ; 

 HOK/IES, 



BY A.I. ROOT. 



Let us not be weary (nor worried) in well doing; 

 for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.— Gal. 

 6:9. 



Perhaps, friends, I am taking a little 

 liberty in adding to a scripture text; but 

 the words I have put in the parenthesis are 

 by way of explanation — like a footnote, for 

 instance; and mj' opinion is, although I am 

 not a translator of Greek, that the word 

 wearied would include worried. And, by 

 the way, what a beautiful text that is, any 

 way! We often admire great speakers or 

 writers for their skill in putting grand 

 thoughts into few words; but has there ever 

 been a writer or speaker since the world 

 began who could put more thought into a 

 few simple words or phrases than Paul, 

 the great apostle to the gentiles ? The 

 words of my text are an illustration of that 

 fact — let us not be weary in well doing. 

 Many times when our friends meet with 

 discouragements and repeated losses we try 

 to say something encouraging. We often 

 say, after expressing our sympathy, "Do 

 not take it to heart too much. You proba- 

 bly will have better luck next time." Or, 

 " It is a long lane that has no turning," 

 and many such expressions. But just com- 

 pare all these words of sympathy and en- 

 couragement, coming from the average per- 

 son, with the thought in our text. The man 

 who has lost his house and home, and may 

 be his wife and loved ones, may have been 

 an earnest, honest hard worker. It does 

 seem as if some people were especially un- 

 fortunate; but our text says to such, first, do 

 not think of giving up your principles and 

 industrious habits. Keep on, and, even 

 though you have slurs and jeers cast at 

 your past integrity, hold fast to your faith 

 in God. And then how beautifully worded 

 is the promise — in due season, perhaps not 

 right away I May be there is more bad 

 luck, as the world puts it, still in store for 

 you; but if you just keep on, and hold fast 

 to your faith, you will reap your reward. 

 The condition of this reward is that you do 

 not become faint- hearted nor get it into 

 your head that there is no use in trying so 

 hard, any longer, to do right. 



Just day before yesterday these words 

 came into my mind like sweet music. I re- 

 peated them over and over, mentally, and 

 it sent a thrill through me every time. It 

 seemed to stand out beyond all other Bible 

 texts and promises. It seemed like a bright 

 star on the face of the heavens. Once in a 

 while these beautiful scripture promises 

 come to me in just that way. It seems as if 

 their meaning and hopefulness were illu- 

 mined b3'^ the Holy Spirit; and such revela- 

 tions come to me oftenest when I am giving 

 up my own plans and projects, and work- 

 ing for something else or for somebody else. 

 And now if you will listen I will try to tell 



the little story of what brought this text t> 

 mind. 



Last fall I sold off the last of my green- 

 houses. For the first time in many years I 

 did not have any plants to work with and 

 to pet and love during the whole winter. 

 Along in February I felt as if I could stand 

 it no longer. I subscribed again for two 

 floral journals and built a little greenhouse; 

 but I shall have to tell you in another de- 

 partment about that greenhouse that was 

 built in winter. 



Monday morning, April 11, I was out in 

 this little greenhouse when the sun was 

 just coming up. I had planned quite a 

 number of improvements and work to be 

 done among my pets I had my breakfast 

 quite early so I might finish before my 

 regular business in the factory. Just then 

 Ernest came in hurriedly to say that he 

 was wanted at Columbus immediately in 

 reference to the Brannock local option bill 

 then pending. He said there were particu- 

 lar reasons why he could not leave home, 

 and added: 



"Now, father, I want you to go in my 

 place. You can look after what is to be 

 done, may be, better than I can; and it 

 will be in the service of the State, just at a 

 time when the influence of every good tem- 

 perance man is needed." 



To tell the truth, I did not want to go a 

 bit. I have been traveling around quite 

 a little lately, and I wanted to stay at 

 home. Besides, I dreaded pushing myself 

 into the presence of public men, especially 

 the bright young law-makers of Ohio. I 

 am not enough of a politician to keep post- 

 ed even in the affairs of the State and na- 

 tion. I knew I should expose my ignorance 

 at every turn; and then came a feeling such 

 as I have mentioned vshen 1 wrote about my 

 Sunday-school class and the flying ma- 

 chine — that I was getting to be too old to be 

 of much account; my influence would not 

 count very far, any way, etc. I mention 

 this, dear friends, because I am persuaded 

 that all elderly people have similar tempta- 

 tions. Of course, there is such a thing as 

 pride in trying to show people how smart 

 you are, etc. ; and I confess that, in my 

 younger day, I had a good deal of pride 

 and ambition; but, thank God, that has all 

 gone by now. Whenever I can do any 

 good, however, for my State or nation, I 

 hope I am ready to do it. God knows I do 

 not relish pushing myself forward. 



I hastily gave directions to one of our 

 boys to take care of the greenhouse until I 

 returned, and then was off on the train. 

 At the depot I met our Representative for 

 this district, and was pleasantly surprised 

 to find him so ready and so glad to tell me 

 all about the temperance work in the House, 

 and the prospec s of the Branncck bill in 

 the Senate; and when I left him it was 

 with a feeling that, if we had many more 

 clean, bright, honest, scholarly men like 

 him among our Representatives, we might 

 thank God and feel hopeful over the State 

 of Ohio. 



