JANUARY 1, 1914 



35 



Our Homes 



A. I. Root 



Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest 

 he fiill. — I. Cor. 10:11!. 



Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a 

 right spirit within me. — Psalm 51:10. 



He that ruleth his spirit is better than he that 

 taketh a city. — Prov. 16:32. 



Every little while I get to thinking I have 

 got past at least some of my weaknesses of 

 early life, and that I am now, in advanced 

 age, making a pretty good record as a citi- 

 zen and as a Christian ; but it almost seems 

 sure, after such reflections, that Satan gives 

 me another pretty severe " tussle." I think 

 that one of my experiences of recent date 

 may be helpful to some of you. 



This is the third winter I have been run- 

 ning the Sears automobile I have told you 

 about, and it has given me more satisfaction 

 during the past six weeks than ever before. 

 It has not been to the shop once, for Wesley 

 and I have been able to make all repairs 

 needed. After standing untouched during 

 the whole summer, with gasoline left in the 

 tank, it started right off promptly. 



Xow, wliile the machine has been all that 

 could be desired, the compound pump sent 

 with it, for pumping up the tires, has been 

 giving a lot of trouble. It has for some 

 time failed to pump up the tires real hard. 

 Ernest always scolds because I let my tires 

 get down so soft. I tell him there is less 

 "jolt" in riding; but he maintains (and 

 justly) it is harder on the rubber tires, and 

 takes more power. In turning corners it is 

 also much harder work if a tire is partially 

 flat, because a larger surface lias to twist 

 round on the pavement or sandy road, and 

 this twisting also wears the rubber tire much 

 faster. First, oil worked over into the small 

 rubber air-tube of the pump, cutting the 

 rubber so it clogged. A big wire pulled 

 through several times removed two bits of 

 rubber. Then I had trouble and worry in 

 finding how to get the double cylinder apart. 

 When I finally got at the plunger, one leath- 

 er was worn through. Each time I found 

 some defect I was " dead sure " I had rem- 

 edied the trouble; but each time the pump 

 failed to push up the tires good and hard. 

 This pump that cost enough to do the best 

 kind of work puzzled me, so I lay awake 

 nights thinking about it. Why not take it 

 to a garage? There are several reasons. We 

 have a garage of our own in Medina, and 

 I have been in touch with mechanical work 

 all my life, and it hurts me to give up beat- 

 en. Very likely there is some foolish pride 

 right along here. 



It was my 74th birthday, but I had forgot- 

 ten it at the time. I had worked in vain at the 



l)ump the day before, and was at it again 

 until nearly noon. My nervous hands were 

 covered with black grease, my back ached, 

 and I was conscious I was getting in a bad 

 frame of mind. That " alarm bell " was 

 getting louder and louder. I was vexed and 

 impatient. I didn't want any dinner, nor 

 any nap before dinner. On this day par- 

 ticularly it was incumbent on me to be 

 pleasant and smiling to Mrs. Root when I 

 sat down to the dinner that she had taken 

 unusual joains in preparing. A drinking 

 man once said to me, " Mr. Root, I am on a 

 horse I can't manage. When he goes I have 

 to go." I told him that " horse " would 

 land him in a drunkard's grave, and it did, 

 not long after. As I struggled with that 

 rebellious spirit I wondered if I, A. I. Boot, 

 was not in danger of being in a like pre- 

 dicament. Suppose a visitor or a group of 

 visitors should call as they do almost every 

 day, wanting to see and shake hands with 

 the author of the Home papers. The thought 

 of it almost made the chills run down my 

 poor tired back. I rushed to my little room 

 upstairs in our home where I take my day- 

 time naps, and tried to sleep, but sleep 

 wouldn't come. I had not yet " let go " of 

 the pump, and, in fact, I could not get it 

 out of my mind. I jumped out of bed, knelt 

 down as I have done many times before, 

 when, all at once, that wonderful prayer, 

 that heautifid prayer of David's, occurred 

 to me, and I prayed, " Create in me a clean 

 heart, God, and renew a right spirit with- 

 in me." 



Were ever words before framed to fit so 

 exactly such a ease as mine? I said men- 

 tally, " Now I can sleep ;" but Satan was 

 not ready to give up just yet. I remember 

 thinking the prayer was not going to do any 

 good, after all, tliis time. Let me pause 

 right here. Unbelief and doubt are the 

 result and a part of all sin. They go along 

 together. But now listen : In spite of my 

 still cherished rebellious thoughts and un- 

 belief, the dear Savior, with his great pa- 

 tience and infinite love, had mercy on me. 



In his arms he'll take and shield thee; 

 Thou wilt find a solace there. 



That is just what happened. Oblivion 

 came — blessed oblivion ! My troubles were 

 forgotten — wiped out. In half an hour I 

 awoke, " clothed and in my right mind," 

 and went down to dinner praising God, and 

 the good wife who had provided such a 

 beautiful birthday dinner. 



In the afternoon I discovered the leather 

 I was using was too thick and hard. In 



