FEBRUARY 15, 1916 



169 



A. I. Root 



OUR HOMES 



Editor 



Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me 

 and know my thoughts ; and see if there be any 

 wicked way in me, and lead me in the way ever- 

 histing. — Psalm 139:23. 



Nearly sixty years ago an old gentleman 

 gave me some advice that has been of bene- 

 fit to me all my life. He was a money- 

 lender. I went to him with my father to 

 borrow $500, in order that I might go into 

 business as partner with the man I was 

 working for. My father was to sign the 

 note with me. When told why I wanted the 

 money Mr. Beekman said something as fol- 

 lows: 



" My young friend, I have money to let, 

 and it is my business. Your father for se- 

 curity will be all right; but I want my 

 money to do good, and not harm. I should 

 like to give you a little advice; but judging 

 from past experiences with young men, I 

 fear it will do no good." 



I urged him to go on. 



" Well, you have doubtless heard hard 

 stories about me. Perhaps you have heard 

 me called hard names." 



I assented, because it was true. 



" Well, this is because, if I loan money 

 at a reasonable rate, I must have it back 

 according to agreement. I should go bank- 

 rupt myself if I did not insist on this. If 

 I understand, you have already a good job 

 at fair pay." 



I assented again. 



" Well, even though I have money lying 

 idle, and want to have it earning something, 

 I would advise you at your age to stick to 

 work and earn the money instead of bor- 

 rowing. By the time you have earned $500, 

 or something like it, you will know better 

 how to take care of it, and perhaps be able 

 to start in business alone." 



He then turned to mv father and re- 

 marked that " Boys in their teens seldom 

 listen to any such advice." 



Right here I surprised both my father 

 and Mr. Beekman by saying: 



" Mr. Beekman, I not only thank you 

 from the bottom of my heart, but I am go- 

 ing to take your advice;" and as father and 

 I drove home he said I had lifted quite a 

 load from his mind by the course I had 

 taken. In a year or a little more the man 

 I was going in with ran away, leaving debts 

 right and left unpaid. 



During the past season, on account of the 

 large amount of honey we have been han- 

 dling we have borrowed more money than 

 usual. The bankers loaning us the money 

 said : 



" We are glad to help great enterprises 

 by giving them such accommodations as 

 their statement entitles them to; but we 

 must be sure there is no blundering care- 

 lessness or crookedness in reporting condi- 

 tions. Have your business audited by some 

 outside disinterested firm, and we shall be 

 glad to accommodate you in every way in 

 our i3ower." 



Tliis was so strikingly like what our good 

 old friend Mr. Bleekman had said to me 

 years ago that it brought the whole thing 

 to my mind. 



This " auditing " business was a new 

 thing to me, and I asked a great many 

 questions. Of course national banks are 

 audited every so often by a government 

 inspector, and in the same way there are 

 firms in our great cities that make a busi- 

 ness, when required, of going all through 

 any factory or great business concern so 

 they may certify to the great world at large 

 that the institution is not a hollow shell or 

 " make believe " that may " bust up " al- 

 most any day. This institution might do a 

 lot of good by informing the proprietors of 

 things they didn't know about. We have 

 lately been told in regard to the Eastland 

 disaster that the paid inspector had not 

 looked the old boat over for the last three 

 years. 



Right over in Summit Co., adjoining 

 Medina Co., they recently found a man who 

 had been receiving a salary for years for 

 caring for canal locks, after the locks of 

 the old unused canal had rotted away! 

 When called to account, he replied that, as 

 nobody objected, he thought it all right to 

 draw his salary. 



Does it not begin to look as if some out- 

 side " auditing institution " were needed all 

 over our land? And finally, dear friends, 

 is there not greater need that the Holy 

 Spirit should look into your hearts and 

 mine to see if there be any crookedness or 

 cheat, and admonish us? 



While pondering on this matter it oc- 

 curred to me I had seen something in God's 

 jjrecious word that " hit the nail " exactly 

 " on the head," and after considerable hunt- 

 ing I found it. 



Dear reader, are you ready to make with 

 me this prayer of David your prayer? 



" Search me, God, and know my heart ; 

 try me and know my thoughts; and see if 

 there be any wicked way in me, and lead 

 me in the way everlasting." 



