We  naturally  feel  that  some  good  saints  in  the  flesh,  even
though  they  are  "pillars  of  the  church,"  need  more  than
a  "  sea-change  "  before  they  can  become  proper  citizens  of
"Jerusalem  the  Golden ;  "  but  having  compared  a  raspberry
bush,  bending  gracefully  under  its  delicious  burden,  with
the  insignificant  seed  from  which  it  grew,  we  are  ready  to
believe  in  all  possibilities  of  good.  Thus  we  may  gather
more  than  berries  from  our  fruit-gardens.  Nature  hangs
thoughts  and  suggestions  on  every  spray,  and  blackberry
bushes  give  many  an  impressive  scratch  to  teach  us  that
good  and  evil  are  very  near  together  in  this  world,  and  that
we  must  be  careful,  while  seeking:  the  one,  to  avoid  the  other.
PRELIMINARY  PARLEY.  19

In  every  field  of  life  those  who  seek  the  fruit  too  rashly  are
almost  sure  to  have  a  thorny  experience,  and  to  learn  that
prickings  are  provided  for  those  who  have  no  consciences.
