Gathering the Fruit—A Dream
115
But soon I seemed to be alone again. Every little while I heard
talking and laughing at the wagon. I called out to those who were
there, “What are you doing?” They answered, “We could not find any
berries, and as we were tired and hungry, we thought we would come
to the wagon and take a lunch. After we have rested awhile, we will
go out again.”
“But,” I said, “you have brought in nothing as yet. You are eating
up all our supplies, without giving us any more. I cannot eat now; there
is too much fruit to be picked. You did not find it because you did not
look close enough. It does not hang on the outside of the bushes; you
must search for it. True, you cannot pick it by handfuls; but by looking
carefully among the green berries, you will find very choice fruit.”
My small pail was soon full of berries, and I took them to the
wagon. Said I, “This is the nicest fruit that I ever picked, and I gathered
it near by, while you have wearied yourselves by searching at a distance
without success.”
Then all came to see fruit. They said, “These are high-bush berries,
firm and good. We did not think we could find anything on the high
bushes, so we hunted for low-bush berries only, and found but few of
these.”
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Then I said, “Will you take care of these berries, and then go with
me to look for more fruit on the high bushes?” But they had made
no preparation to care for the fruit. There were dishes and sacks in
abundance, but they had been used to hold food. I became tired of
waiting, and finally asked, “Did you not come to gather fruit? Then
why are you not prepared to take care of it?”
One responded, “Sister White, we did not really expect to find any
fruit where there were so many houses, and so much going on; but
as you seemed so anxious to gather fruit, we decided to come with
you. We thought we would bring enough to eat, and would enjoy the
recreation, if we did not gather any fruit.”
I answered, “I cannot understand this kind of work. I shall go to
the bushes again at once. The day is already far spent, soon the night
will be here, in which we can gather no fruit.” Some went with me,
but others remained by the wagon to eat.
In one place a little company had collected, and were busily talking
about something in which they seemed much interested. I drew near,
and found that a little child in a woman’s arms had attracted their