the crown of thorns-第19部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


rom　the　great　whole　of　life。　　It　is　consigned　to　the　darkened　chamber　of　mourning；　and　the　weary　and　disappointed　spirit。　　Besides；　to　seek　religion　only　in　sorrow；to　fly　to　it　as　the　last　refuge；argues　an　extreme　selfishness。　　We　have　served　the　world　and　our　own　wills；　we　have　lived　the　life　of　the　senses；　and　obeyed　the　dictates　of　our　passions　so　long　as　they　could　satisfy　us；　and　now　we　turn　to　God　because　we　find　that　he　only　can　avail　us！　　We　seek　religion　for　the　good　it　can　do　us；　not　for　the　service　we　can　render　God。　　We　lay　hold　of　it　selfishly；　as　something　instituted　merely　for　our　help；　and　lavish　our　demands　upon　it　for　consolation；　turning　away　sullen　and　skeptical；　it　may　be；　if　these　demands　are　not　immediately　answered。　　Many　come　to　religion　for　consolation　who　never　apply　to　it　for　instruction；　for　sanctification；　for　obedience。　　Let　us　learn　that　we　can　claim　its　privileges　only　by　performing　its　duties。　　We　can　see　with　the　eye　of　its　clear；　consoling　faith；　only　when　it　has　spiritualized　our　entire　being；　and　been　developed　in　our　daily　conduct。　　Affliction　may　open　religious　ideas　in　the　soul；　but　only　by　the　soul's　discipline　will　those　ideas　expand　until　they　become　our　most　intimate　life；　and　we　habitually　enjoy　celestial　companionship；　and　that　supersensual　vision　of　faith　by　which　we　learn　our　relations　to　the　departed。

That　faith　let　us　receive　and　cherish。　　If　we　live　it　we　shall　believe　it。　　No　sophistry　can　steal　it　from　us；　no　calamity　make　us　surrender　it。　　But　the　keener　the　trial　the　closer　will　be　our　confidence。　　Standing　by　the　open　sepulchre　in　which　we　see　our　friends；　〃not　dead；　but　sleeping；〃　we　shall　say　to　insidious　skepticism　and　gloomy　doubt；　in　the　earnest　words　of　the　poet；

〃O！　steal　not　thou　my　faith　away；　　　　　Nor　tempt　to　doubt　a　lowly　mind。　Make　all　that　earth　can　yield　thy　prey；　　　　　But　leave　this　heavenly　gift　behind。　Our　hope　is　but　the　seaboy's　dream；　　　　　When　loud　winds　rise　in　wrath　and　gloom；　Our　life；　a　faint　and　fitful　beam；　　　　　That　lights　us　to　the　cold；　dark　tomb；

Yet；　since；　as　one　from　heaven　has　said；　　　　　There　lies　beyond　that　dreary　bourn　A　region　where　the　faithful　dead　　　　　Eternally　forget　to　mourn；　Welcome　the　scoff；　the　sword；　the　chain；　　　　　The　burning　waste；　the　black　abyss：　I　shrink　not　from　the　path　of　pain；　　　　　Which　leads　me　to　that　world　of　bliss。

Then　hush；　thou　troubled　heart！　be　still；　　　　　Renounce　thy　vain　philosophy；　Seek　thou　to　work　thy　Maker's　will；　　　　　And　light　from　heaven　shall　break　on　thee。　'Twill　glad　thee　in　the　weary　strife；　　　　　Where　strong　men　sink　with　falling　breath；　'Twill　cheer　thee　in　the　noon　of　life；　　　　　And　bless　thee　in　the　night　of　death。〃



The　Voices　of　the　Dead



〃And　by　it　he　being　dead　yet　speaketh。〃　　Hebrews　xi。　4。



Much　of　the　communion　of　this　earth　is　not　by　speech　or　actual　contact；　and　the　holiest　influences　fall　upon　us　in　silence。　　A　monument　or　symbol　shall　convey　a　meaning　which　cannot　be　expressed；　and　a　token　of　some　departed　one　is　more　eloquent　than　words。　　The　mere　presence　of　a　good　and　holy　personage　will　move　us　to　reverence　and　admiration；　though　he　may　say　and　do　but　little。　　So　is　there　an　impersonal　presence　of　such　an　one；　and；　though　far　away；　he　converses　with　us；　teaches　and　incites　us。　The　organs　of　speech　are　only　one　method　of　the　soul's　expression；　and　the　best　information　which　it　receives　comes　without　voice　or　sound。　　We　hear　no　vocal　utterance　from　God；　yet　he　speaks　to　us　through　all　the　forms　of　nature。　　In　the　blue；　ever…arching　heaven　he　tells　us　of　his　comprehensive　care　and　tender　pity；　and　〃the　unwearied　sun〃　proclaims　his　constant　and　universal　benevolence。　　The　air　that　wraps　us　close　breathes　of　his　intimate　and　all…pervading　spirit；　and　the　illimitable　space；　and　the　stars　that　sparkle　abroad　without　number；　show　forth　his　majesty　and　suggest　infinitude。　　The　gush　of　silent　prayerthe　sublimest　mood　of　the　spiritis　when　we　are　so　near　to　him　that　words　cannot　come　between；　and　the　power　of　his　presence　is　felt　the　most；　felt　in　the　profoundest　deep　of　our　nature；　when　the　curtains　of　his　pavilion　hang　motionless　around　us。　　And　it　is　so；　I　repeat；　with　all　our　best　communions。　　The　holiest　lessons　are　not　in　the　word；　but　the　life。　　The　virtues　that　attract　us　most　are　silent。　　The　most　beautiful　charities　go　noiseless　on　their　mission。　　The　two　mites　reveal　the　spiritual　wealth　beneath　the　poor　widow's　weeds；　the　alabaster　box　of　ointment　is　fragrant　with　Mary's　gratitude；　the　look　of　Christ　rebukes　Peter　into　penitence；　and　by　his　faith　Abel；　being　dead；　yet　speaketh。

Yes；　even　the　dead；　long　gone　from　us；　returning　no　more；　their　places　left　vacant；　their　lineaments　dimly　remembered；　their　bodies　mouldering　back　to　dust；　even　these　have　communion　with　us；　and　to　speak　of　〃the　voices　of　the　dead〃　is　no　mere　fancy。　And　it　is　to　that　subject　that　I　would　call　your　attention；　in　the　remainder　of　a　brief　discourse。

〃He　being　dead　yet　speaketh。〃　　The　departed　have　voices　for　us。　In　order　to　illustrate　this；　I　remark；　in　the　first　place；　that　the　dead　speak　to　us；　and　commune　with　us；　through　the　works　which　they　have　left　behind　them。　　As　the　islands　of　the　sea　are　the　built…up　casements　of　myriads　of　departed　lives；as　the　earth　itself　is　a　great　catacomb；so　we　who　live　and　move　upon　its　surface　inherit　the　productions　and　enjoy　the　fruits　of　the　dead。　　They　have　bequeathed　to　us　by　far　the　larger　portion　of　all　that　influences　our　thoughts；　or　mingles　with　the　circumstances　of　our　daily　life。　　We　walk　through　the　streets　they　laid　out。　　We　inhabit　the　houses　they　built。　　We　practise　the　customs　they　established。　　We　gather　wisdom　from　books　they　wrote。　　We　pluck　the　ripe　clusters　of　their　experience。　　We　boast　in　their　achievements。　　And　by　these　they　speak　to　us。　　Every　device　and　influence　they　have　left　behind　tells　their　story；　and　is　a　voice　of　the　dead。　　We　feel　this　more　impressively　when　we　enter　the　customary　place　of　one　recently　departed；　and　look　around　upon　his　work。　　The　half…finished　labor；　the　utensils　hastily　thrown　aside；　the　material　that　exercised　his　care　and　received　his　last　touch；　all　express　him；　and　seem　alive　with　his　presence。　　By　them；　though　dead；　he　speaketh　to　us；　with　a　freshness　and　tone　like　his　words　of　yesterday。　　How　touching　are　those　sketched　forms；　those　unfilled　outlines　in　that　picture　which　employed　so　fully　the　time　and　genius　of　the　great　artistBelshazzar's　feast！　　In　the　incomplete　process；　the　transition…state　of　an　idea　from　its　conception　to　its　realization；　we　are　brought　closer　to　the　mind　of　the　artist；　we　detect　its　springs　and　hidden　workings；　and　therefore　feel　its　reality　more　than　in　the　finished　effort。　　And　this　is　one　reason　why　we　are　impressed　at　beholding　the　work　just　left　than　in　gazing　upon　one　that　has　been　for　a　long　time　abandoned。　　Having　had　actual　communion　with　the　contriving　mind；　we　recognize　its　presence　more　readily　in　its　production；　or　else　the　recency　of　the　departure　heightens　the　expressiveness　with　which　everything　speaks　of　the　departed。　　The　dead　child's　cast…off　garment；　the　toy　just　tossed　aside；　startles　us　as　though　with　his　renewed　presence。　　A　year　hence；　they　will　suggest　him　to　us；　but　with　a　different　effect。

But　though　not　with　such　an　impressive　tone；　yet　just　as　much；　in　fact；　do　the　productions　of　those　long　gone　speak　to　us。　　Their　minds　are　expressed　there；　and　a　living　voice　can　do　little　more。　Nay；　we　are　admitted　to　a　more　intimate　knowledge　of　them　than　was　possessed　by　their　contemporaries。　　The　work　they　leave　behind　them　is　the　sum…total　of　their　livesexpresses　their　ruling　passionreveals；　perhaps；　their　real　sentiment。　　To　the　eyes　of　those　placed　on　the　stage　with　them；　they　walked　as　in　a　show；　and　each　life　was　a　narrative　gradually　unfolding　itself。　We　discover　the　moral。　　We　see　the　results　of　that　completed　history。　　We　judge　the　quality　and　value　of　that　life　by　the　residuum。　　As　〃a　prophet　has　no　honor　in　his　own　country；〃　so　one　may　be　misconceived　in　his　own　time；　both　to　his　undue　disparagement；　and　his　undue　exaltation；　therefore　can　another　age　better　write　his　biography　than　his　own。　　His　work；　his　permanent　result；　speaks　for　him　betterat　least　truerthan　he　spoke　for　himself。　　The　rich　man's　wealth；the　sumptuous　property；　the　golden　pile　that　he　has　left　behind　him；by　it；　being　dead；　does　he　not　yet　speak　to　us？　　Have　we　not；　in　that　gorgeous　result　of　toiling　days　and　anxious　nights；of　brain…sweat　and　soul…rack；the　man　himself；　the　cardinal　purpose；　the　very　life　of　his　soul？　which　we　might　have　surmised　while　he　lived　and　wrought；　but　which；　now　that　it　remains　the　whole　sum　and　substance　of　his　mortal　being；　speaks　far　more　emphatically　than　could　any　other　voice　he　might　have　used。　　The　expressive　lineaments　of　the　marble；　the　pictured　canvas；　the　immortal　poem；by　it；　Genius；　being　dead；　yet　speaketh。　　To　us；　and　not　to　its　own　time；　are　unhoarded　the　wealth　of　its　thought　and　the　glory　of　its　inspiration。　　When　it　is　gone；when　its　lips　are　silent；　and　its　heart　still；then　is　revealed　the　cherished　secret　over　which　it　toiled；　which　was　elaborated　from　the　living　alembic　of　the　soul；　through　painful　days　and　weary　nights；the　sentiment　which　could　not　find　expression　to　contemporaries；the　gift；　the　greatness；　the　lyric　power；　which　was　disguised　and　unknown　so　long。　　Who；　that　has　communed　with　the　work　of　such　a　spirit；　has　not　felt　in　every　line　that　thrilled　his　soul；　in　every　wondrous　lineament　that　stamped　itself　upon　his　memory　forever；　that　the　dead　can　speak；　yes；　that　they　have　voices　which　speak　most　truly；　most　emphatically　when　they　are　dead？　　So　does　Industry　speak；　in　its　noble　monuments；　its　precious　fruits！　　So　does　Maternal　Affection　speak；　in　a　chord　that　vibrates　in　the　hardest　heart；　in　the　pure　and　better　sentiment　of　after…years。　　So　does　Patriotism　speak；　in　the　soil　liberated　and　enriched　by　its　sufferings。　　So　does　the　martyr　speak；　in　the　truth　which　triumphs　by　his　sacrifice。　So　does　the　great　man　speak；　in　his　life　and　deeds；　glowing　on　the　storied　page。　　so　does　the　good　man　speak；　in　the　character　and　influence　which　he　leaves　behind　him。　　The　voices　of　the　dead　come　to　us　from　their　works；　from　t