wrong, mother was wrong, sister
was wrong, and I was wrong; but now, since I have learned to know and
love Jesus it is all right. I know why everything went wrong
before:--it was because I was wrong myself." And this is true. The
first thing that religion does for us is to make us _be_ right
ourselves, and then to _do_ right to others.

"Be." A young lady had been trying to do something very good, but had
not succeeded. Her mother said, "Marian, my child, God gives us many
things to _do_, but we must not forget that he gives us some things
to _be_; and we must learn to _be_ what God would have us be, before
we can _do_ what God would have us do."

"O dear mother, please tell me about _being_, and then I shall know
better about doing."

"Well, listen my child, while I remind you of some of the Bible be's:
God says:

"_Be_--ye kindly affectioned one to another."

"_Be_--ye also patient."

"_Be_--ye thankful."

"_Be_--ye children in malice."

"_Be_--ye therefore perfect."

"_Be_--courteous."

"_Be_--not wise in your own conceits."

"_Be_--not overcome of evil."

"Thank you, dear mother," said Marian. "I hope I shall have a better
day to-morrow; for I see now that _doing_ grows out of _being_."

This is a point worth dwelling on, and so I will introduce to your
notice here:

A SWARM OF BEES WORTH HIVING.

"Be patient, Be prayerful, Be humble, Be mild,
Be wise as a Solon, Be meek as a child.

"Be studious, Be thoughtful, Be loving, Be kind,
Be sure you make matter subservient to mind.

"Be cautious, Be prudent, Be trustful, Be true,
Be courteous to all men, Be friendly with few.

"Be temperate in argument, pleasure and wine,
Be careful of conduct, of money, of time.

"Be cheerful, Be grateful, Be hopeful, Be firm,
Be peaceful, benevolent, willing to learn;

"Be courageous, Be gentle Be liberal, Be just,
Be aspiring, Be humble, because you are dust.

"Be penitent, circumspect, sound in the faith,
Be active, devoted; Be faithful to death.

"Be honest, Be holy, transparent and pure;
Be dependent, Be Christ-like and you'll be secure."

Here is a swarm of between forty and fifty bees. The religion of
Jesus will help us to make these all our own. How great then must the
value of religion be! Surely it is worth while for each of us to try
and secure it!

I think I never saw a better view of the value of religion than is
seen in the