“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 following statement of what it does for us.  I know not by whom it was written, but it is put in the form of that sacred sign to which we owe all the blessings of salvation—­the sign of

THE CROSS.

    “Blest they who seek
    While in their youth,
    With spirit meek,
    The way of truth. 
    To them the sacred scriptures now display
    Christ as the only true and living way;
    His precious blood on Calvary was given
    To make them heirs of endless bliss in Heaven. 
    And e’en on earth the child of God can trace
    The glorious blessings of the Saviour’s grace. 
    For them He bore
    His Father’s frown;
    For them He wore
    The thorny Crown;
    Nailed to the Cross,
    Endured its pain,
    That his life’s loss
    Might be their gain. 
    Then haste to choose