the crown of thorns-第1部分

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The　Crown　of　Thorns

A　token　for　the　sorrowing

by　E。　H。　Chapin






PREFACE。


One　of　the　discourses　in　this　volume…〃The　Mission　of　Little　Children〃was　written　just　after　the　death　of　a　dear　son；　and　was　published　in　pamphlet　form。　　The　edition　having　become　exhausted　sooner　than　the　demand；　it　was　deemed　advisable　to　reprint　it；　and　accordingly　it　is　now　presented　to　the　reader；　accompanied　by　others　of　a　similar　cast；　most　of　them　growing　out　of　the　same　experience。　　This　fact　will　account　for　any　repetition　of　sentiment　which　may　appear　in　these　discourses；　especially　as　they　were　written　without　any　reference　to　one　another。

To　the　sorrowing；　then；　this　little　volume　is　tendered；　with　the　author's　sympathy　and　affection。　　Upon　its　pages　he　has　poured　out　some　of　the　sentiments　of　his　own　heartfelt　experience；　knowing　that　they　will　find　a　response　in　theirs；　and　hoping　that　the　book　may　do　a　work　of　consolation　and　of　healing。　　If　it　impresses　upon　any　the　general　sentiment　which　it　contains；　the　sentiment　of　religious　resignation　and　triumph　in　affliction；　if　it　shall　cause　any　tearful　vision　to　take　the　Christian　view　of　sorrow；　if　it　shall　teach　any　troubled　soul　to　endure　and　hope；　if　it　shall　lead　any　weary　spirit　to　the　Fountain　of　consolation；　in　one　word；　if　it　shall　help　any；　by　Christ's　strength；　to　weave　the　thorns　that　wound　them　into　a　crown；　I　shall　be　richly　rewarded；　and；　I　trust；　grateful　to　that　God　to　whose　service　I　dedicate　this　book；　invoking　his　blessing　upon　it。

E。　H。　C。

May；　1860




CONTENTS。


THE　THREE　TABERNACLES　　　11　THE　SHADOW　OF　DISAPPOINTMENT　　　　41　LIFE　A　TALE　67　THE　CHRISTIAN　VIEW　OF　SORROW　　　　99　CHRISTIAN　CONSOLATION　IN　LONELINESS　121　RESIGNATION　143　THE　MISSION　OF　LITTLE　CHILDREN　　167　OUR　RELATIONS　TO　THE　DEPARTED　　　191　THE　VOICES　OF　THE　DEAD　　223　MYSTERY　AND　FAITH　　　243




THE　THREE　TABERNACLES


And　Peter　answered　and　said　to　Jesus；　Master；　it　is　good　for　us　to　be　here：　and　let　us　make　three　tabernacles　；　one　for　thee；　and　one　for　Moses；　and　one　for　Elias。　　MARK　ix。　5。


Caught　up　in　glory　and　in　rapture；　the　Apostle　seems　to　have　forgotten　the　world　from　which　he　had　ascended；　and　to　which　he　still　belonged；　and　to　have　craved　permanent　shelter　and　extatic　communion　within　the　mystic　splendors　that　brightened　the　Mount　of　Transfiguration。　　But　it　was　true；　not　only　as　to　the　confusion　of　his　faculties；　but　the　purport　of　his　desire；　that　〃he　knew　not　what　he　said。〃　For　even　〃while　he　yet　spake；〃　the　cloud　overshadowed　them；　the　heavenly　forms　vanished；　they　found　themselves　with　Jesus　alone；　and　an　awful　Voice　summoned　them　from　contemplation　to　duty；　from　vision　to　work。

Peter　knew　not　what　he　said。　　He　would　have　converted　the　means　into　an　end。　　He　and　his　fellow…disciples　had　been　called　to　follow　Christ　not　that　they　might　see　visions；　but　had　been　permitted　to　see　visions　that　they　might　follow　Christ。　　Just　previous　to　that　celestial　interview；　Jesus　had　announced　to　them　his　own　painful　doom；　and　had　swept　away　their　conceit　of　Messianic　glories　involved　with　earthly　pomp　and　dominion；　by　his　declaration　of　the　self…denial；　the　shame；　and　the　suffering；　which　lay　in　the　path　of　those　who　really　espoused　his　cause　and　entered　into　his　kingdom。　　They　needed　such　a　revelation　as　this；　then；　upon　the　Mount　of　Transfiguration；　to　support　them　under　the　stroke　which　had　shaken　their　earthly　delusion；　and　let　in　glimpses　of　the　sadder　truth。　　It　was　well　that　they　should　behold　the　leaders　of　the　old　dispensation　confirming　and　ministering　to　the　greatness　of　the　new；　and　the　religion　which　was　to　go　down　into　the　dark　places　of　the　earth　made　manifest　in　its　authority　and　its　source　from　Heaven。　　It　was　well　that　they　should　see　their　Master　glorified；　that　they　might　be　strengthened　to　see　him　crucified。　　It　was　well　that　Moses　and　Elias　stood　at　the　font；　when　they　were　about　to　be。　baptized　into　their　apostleship　of　suffering；　and　labor；　and　helping　finish　the　work　which　these　glorious　elders　helped　begin。　　But　that　great　work　still　lay　before　them；　and　to　rest　here　would　be　to　stop　upon　the　threshold；to　have　kept　the　vision　would　have　thwarted　the　purpose。　　Upon　a　far　higher　summit；　and　at　a　far　distant　timewith　fields　of　toil　and　tracts　of　blood　betweenwould　that　which　was　meant　as　an　inspiration　for　their　souls　become　fixed　for　their　sight；　and　tabernacles　that　should　never　perish　enclose　a　glory　that　should　never　pass　away。

You　may　have　anticipated　the　lessons　for　ourselves　which　I　propose　to　draw　from　this　unconsidered　request　of　Peter。　　At　least；　you　will　readily　perceive　that　it　does　contain　suggestions　applicable　to　our　daily　life。　　For　I　proceed；　at　once；　to　ask　you　if　it　is　not　a　fact　that　often　we　would　like　to　remain　where；　and　to　have　what；　is　not　best　for　us？　　Do　not　illustrations　of　this　simple　thought　occur　easily　to　your　minds？　　Does　not　man　often　desire；　as　it　were；　to　build　his　tabernacles　here　or　there；　when　due　consideration；　and　after…　experience　will　convince　him　that　it　was　not　the　place　to　abide；　that　it　was　better　that　the　good　be　craved；　or　the　class　of　relations　to　which　he　clung；　should　not　be　permanent？　　In　order　to　give　effect　to　this　train　of　reflection；　let　me　direct　you　to　some　specific　instances　in　which　this　desire　is　manifested。

Perhaps　I　may　say；　without　any　over…refinement　upon　my　topic；　that　there　are　three　things　in　life　to　which　the　desires　of　men　especially　cling；　three　tabernacles　which　upon　the　slope　of　this　world　they　would　like　to　build。　　I　speak　now；　it　is　to　be　remembered；　of　desires　of　impulse；　not　of　deliberation；　of　desires　often　felt；　if　not　expressed。　　And　I　say；　in　the　first　place；　that　there　are　certain　conditions　in　life　itself　that　it　sometimes　appears　desirable　to　retain。　Sometimes；　from　the　heart　of　a　man；　there　breaks　forth　a　sigh　for　perpetual　youth。　　In　the　perplexities　of　mature　years；　　in　the　experience　of　selfishness；　and　hollowness；　and　bitter　disappointment；　in　the　surfeit　of　pleasure；　in　utter　weariness　of　the　world；　he　exclaims；　〃O！　give　me　back　that　sweet　morning　of　my　days；　when　all　my　feelings　were　fresh；　and　the　heart　was　wet　with　a　perpetual　dew。　　Give　me　the　untried　strength；　the　undeceived　trust；　the　credulous　imagination；　that　bathed　all　things　in　molten　glory；　and　filled　the　unknown　world　with　infinite　possibilities。〃　　Sad　with　skepticism；　and　tired　with　speculation；　he　cries　out　for　that　faith　that　needed　no　other　confirmation　than　the　tones　of　a　mother's　voice；　and　found　God　everywhere　in　the　soft　pressure　of　her　love；　and　when　his　steps　begin　to　hesitate；　and　he　finds　himself　among　the　long　shadows；　and　the　frailty　and　fear　of　the　body　overcome　the　prophecies　of　the　soul；　and　no　religious　assurance　lights　and　lifts　up　his　mind；　how　he　wishes　for　some　fountain　of　restoration　that　shall　bring　back　his　bloom　and　his　strength；　and　make　him　always　young！　　〃Why　have　such　experiences　as　decline；　and　decay；　and　death　？〃　he　asks。　〃Is　it　not　good　for　us　to　be　ever　young；？　　Why　should　not　the　body　be　a　tabernacle　of　constant　youth；　and　life　be　always　thus　fresh；　and　buoyant；　and　innocent；　and　confiding　？　Or；　if　we　must；　at　last；　die；　why　all　this　sad　experience；　　this　incoming　of　weakness；　this　slipping　away　of　life　and　power？〃

But　this　is　a　feeling　which　no　wise　or　good　man　ever　cherishes　long；。　　For　he　knows　that　the　richest　experiences；　and　the　best　achievements　of　life；　come　after　the　period　of　youth；　spring　out　of　this　very　sadness；　and　suffering；　and　rough　struggle　in　the　world；　which　an　unthinking　sentimentality　deplores。　　Ah；　my　friends；　in　spite　of　our　trials；　our　weariness；　our　sad　knowledge　of　men　and　things；　in　spite　of　the　declining　years　among　which　so　many　of　us　are　standing；　and　the　tokens　of　decay　that　are　coming　upon　us；　nay；　in　spite　even　of　our　very　sins；　who　would　go　back　to　the　hours　of　his　youthful　experience；　and　have　the　shadow　stand　still　at　that　point　upon　the　dial　of　his　life？　　Who；　for　the　sake　of　its　innocence　and　its　freshness；　would　empty　the　treasury　of　his　broader　knowledge；　and　surrender　the　strength　that　he　has　gathered　in　effort　and　endurance？　　Who；　for　its　careless　joy；　would　exchange　the　heart…warm　friendships　that　have　been　annealed　in　the　vicissitudes　of　years；　the　love　that　sheds　a　richer　light　upon　our　path；　as　its　vista　lengthens；　or　has　drawn　our　thoughts　into　the　glory　that　is　beyond　the　veil？　Nay；　even　if　his　being；　has　been　most　frivolous　and　aimless；　or　vile；　in　the　penitent　throb　with　which　this　is　felt　to　be　so；　there　is　a。　spring　of　active　power　which　exists　not　in　the　dreams　of　the　youth；　and　the　sense　of　guilt　and　of　misery　is　the　stirring；　of　a　life　infinitely　deeper　than　that　early　flow　of　vitality　and　…　consciousness　which　sparkles　as　it　runs。　Build　a　tabernacle　for　perpetual　youth；　and　say；　〃It　is　good　to　be　here〃？　It　cannot　be　so；　and　it　is　well　that　it　cannot。　Our　post　is　not　the　Mount　of　Vision；　but　the　Field　of　Labor；　and　we　can　find　no　rest　in　Eden　until　we　have　passed　through；　Gethsemane。

Equally　vain　is　the　desire　for　some　condition　in　life　which　shall　be　free　from　care；　and　want；　and　the　burden　of　toil。　I　suppose　most　people　do；　at　times；　wish　for　such　a　lot；　and　secretly　or　openly　repine　at　the　terms　upon　which　they　are　compelled　to　live。　The　deepest　fancy　in　the　heart　of　the　most　busy　men　is　repose　…　retirement…command　of　time　and　means；　untrammeled　by　any　imperative　claim。　And　yet　who　is　there　that；　thrown　into　such　a　position；　would　find　it　for　his　real　welfare；　and　would　be　truly　happy？　　Perhaps　the　most　restless　being　in　the　world　is　the　man　who　need　do　nothing；　but　keep　still。　　The　old　soldier　fights　all　his　battles　over　again；　and　the　retired　merchant　spreads　the　sails　of　his　thought　upon　new　ventures；　or　comes　uneasily　down　to　snuff　the　air　of　traffic；　and　feel　the　jar　of　wheels。　　I　suppose　there　is　nobody　whose　condition　is　so　deplorable；　so　ghastly；　as　his　whose　lot　many　may　be　disposed　to　envy；a　man　at　the　top　of　this　world's　ease；　crammed　to　repletion　with　what　is　called　〃enjoyment；〃　ministered　to　by　every　luxury；　the　entire　surface　of　his　life　so　smooth　with　completeness　that　there　is　not　a　jut　to　hang；　a　hope　on；　so　obsequiously　gratified　in　every　specific　want　that　he　feels　misera