Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-02-05
Snakes and Wild Honey.

time, a great many snakes-"a wag-
on body full of them," was the way
my friend put it. He was great on
snakes, this hardy mountaineer.
"But," continued my friend, who was
something of a philosopher, 81 never
did hear of him finding bee tree"
In the woods where this man found
Ibis snakes, there were lots of bee
trees and wild honey galore. But this
man was looking for snakes, not for
honey. He found what he was looking
for. We all do mostly. We would not
see near so much trouble if we did
not look for it. Now, you may say
that the man who found and killed
those snakes, was more of a public
|benefactor than he would have been
prospecting for the hidden treasure
of truant bees. The point is, however,
he found what he was looking for and
he was satisfied.
At the roots of a tree where these
sweet little carpenters had built
their house the snake-hunter killed a
rattle-snake pilot, but he never heard
the hum of the bees, nor caught the
scent of the honey. To find bees and
honey, you must look up; to see the
snakes and chilly things, you must
look down. 81 will look unto the hills"
said one who was wise and strong.
Wisdom and strength, beauty and
health, are the blessings of those who
look up.
The good, the beautiful and true
are all around US, and he who has
eyes to see can see them. There are
also the evil, the false and the de-
formed about US, and if we will, we
can see these all the time.
Some people are always looking
for the bad in others: "The country
is going to the bad; the churches are
all dead; every man has his price; all
the good times are in the past, and
all the good people Except them
selves, are in their graves.
Once 1 visited a man who talked
/ like this. He was Christian, he said.
He was thinking of coming out of the
church because sthe churches were
all dead" He read his Bible; he talk
ed great deal about religion, he pro-
fessed to be dwelling in spiritual
atmosphere far above the ordinary
Christian, but this good man was
most keenly sensitive to the faults
and failings of his fellow man. The
church of which he was member,
had large membership, but he said
there was not a score Of spiritual
people in it. was glad had become
Christian before l met this snake
hunter, for there was nothing in his
character to remind one of the "meek
and lowly One," or to make one de-
sire the religion that he professed to
have.
Holiness that makes one critical,
censorious, fault-fnding and imp2.-
tient with those who do not agree
with them is not that holiness which
''no man shall see the Lord" That is
the kino the Pharisee had, who
thanked the Lord he was not as other
men.
We should fight evil and contend
for the right There are enongh peo-
pie already to talk things down! We
should talk things up! Tell all the
good things about your church, your
preacher, your Sunday School, your
friends and neighbors.
The devil will attend to the other
side. He is a great advertiser also,
but he has too much sense to adver-
tise the good side of things. That
would be bad policy, from the devils
standpoint. When we talk about the
churches being dead, and cannot be
pleased with the preachers, we be-
come press-agents for "old Harry,
which pleases him well.
Life is too short to be looking for
snakes and poisonous scorpions and
chilly things. We must look up for
the honey and the beauties of nature,
and up to natures God, and exclaim
with the poet:
"Tis pleasant to wander away by
the stream,
And muse on Gods infinite grace,
And see in each object of nature,
His love.
In preparing for US this beautiful
place.
]. Russell Wright.