the crown of thorns-第7部分

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re　murmurs　of　our　individual　life；　for　that　will　be　as　〃a　tale　that　is　told。〃

The　whole　train　of　thought　I　am　now　pursuing　strikes　us　with　peculiar　force；　in　reading　the　biographies　of　men　who　have　lived　intensely；　who　have　realized　the　fulness　of　life；　who　have　mingled　intimately　with　its　varied　experiences；　and　occupied　a　large　place　in　it。　　We　see　how　to　them　life　was；　as　it　is　to　us；　an　absorbing　fact；how　they　have　planned；　and　thought；　and　acted；　as　though　they　were　to　live　forever；　and　yet　we　have　noticed　the　premonitions　of　change；　the　dropping　away　of　friends；　the　failing　of　vigor；　the　deepening　of　melancholy　shadows；　and　the　coming　of　the　end；　the　business　closed；　the　active　curiosity　and　intermeddling　ceased；　the　familiar　haunts　abandoned；　the　home　made　desolate；　the　lights　put　out；　the　cup　fallen　beneath　the　festal　board；　and　all　the　earnest　existence　stopped　forever。　And　this；　too；　so　quick；filling　so　small　a　space　in　absolute　time！　　From　their　illustration　let　us；　then；　realize　that　our　life；　too；　amid　all　these　real　conditions；　is　unfolding　rapidly　to　an　end；　and　is　〃as　a　tale　that　is　told。〃

But　life　is　like　a　tale　that　is　told；　because　of　its　comprehensiveness。　　It　is　a　common　characteristic　of　a　narrative　that　it　contains　a　great　deal　in　a　small　compass。　It　includes　many　years；　and　expresses　many　results。　Sometimes　it　sweeps　over　different　lands；　and　exhibits　the　peculiarities　of　various　personages。　　In　one　word；　it　is　characterized　by　comprehensiveness。　　And　this；　I　repeat；　is　also　a　characteristic　of　human　life。　　When　the　consideration　of　the　brevity　of　our　mortal　existence　excites　us　to　diligence　it　is　well；　but　when　we　make　it　an　argument　for　indolence；　disgust；　and　despair；　we　should　be　reminded　of　the　fact　I　am　now　endeavoring　to　illustrate；the　fact　that　even　the　briefest　life　contains　a　great　deal；　and　means　a　great　deal；　and　that；　if　we　estimate　things　by　a　spiritual　standard；　a　man's　earthly　being　may　contain　more　than　all　the　cycles　of　the　material　world。　　From　the　best　point　of　view；　life　is　not　merely　a　term　of　years　and　a　span　of　action；　it　is　a　force；　a　current　and　depth　of　being。　　Indeed；　considered　in　its　most　literal　sense；　as　the　vital　spark　of　our　animal　organism；　it　is　something　more　than　a　measurement　of　time；　it　is　a　mysterious；　informing　essence。　　No　man　has　yet　been　able　to　tell　us　what　it　is；　where　it　resides；　or　how　it　acts。　We　only　know　that　when　we　gaze　upon　the　features　of　the　dead　we　see　there　the　same　organs　that　pertained　to　the　living；　but　something　has　gone；something　of　light；　power；　motion；　and　that　something　we　call　life。

But　it　is　chiefly　in　a　moral　sense　that　I　make　the　remark　that　life　is　something　more　than　a　term　of　years　or　a　span　of　action。　　In　fact；　life　is　a　sum　of　spiritual　experiences；　and　thus　one　act；　or　result；　often　contains　more　than　a　century　of　time。　　Who　does　not　understand　the　fact　to　which　I　now　refer？　　Who　has　not　felt　something　of　it？　　Has　not　each　one　of　us；　at　times；　realized　that　he　lived　a　year　in　a　single　day；in　a　moment；in　an　emotion　or　thought？　　Nay；　could　that　experience　be　measured　by　any　estimate　of　time？　　And　if　we　should　compute　the　length　of　any　life　by　such　experiences；　and　not　by　a　succession　of　years；　would　it　not　be　a　long　life？　　At　least；　would　it　not　be　a　full　and　immeasurable　life？

But；　while　every　man's　history　will　furnish　instances　of　what　I　mean；　let　us；　for　the　sake　of　clearer　illustration；　consider　some　of　the　experiences　which　are　common　to　all。　Defining　life　to　be　depth　and　intensity　of　being；　then；a　current　of　spiritual　power；　and　not　a　mere　succession　of　incidents；how　much　we　live　when　we　acquire　the　knowledge　of　a　single　truth！　　What　an　inexhaustible　power！what　an　immeasurable　experience　it　is！　　We　are　made　absolutely　stronger　by　it；　we　receive　more　life　with　it；a　new　and　imperishable　fibre　of　being。　　Fortune　cannot　pluck　it　from　us；　age　cannot　weaken　it；　death　cannot　set　limits　to　it。　　And　now；　with　the　fulness　of　this　one　experience　as　a　test；　just　consider　our　whole　mortal　experience　as　filled　up　with　such　revelations　of　truth。　　Suppose　we　improve　all　our　opportunities；　into　what　boundless　life　does　education　admit　us；　and　the　discoveries　of　every　day；　and　the　ordinary　lessons　of　the　world！　　Tell　me；　is　this　life　to　be　called　merely　a　brief　and　worthless　fact；　when　by　a　little　reading；　for　instance；　I　can　make　the　experience　of　other　men；　and　lands；　and　ages；　all　mine？　　When　in　some　favored　hour；　I　can　climb　the　starry　galaxy　with　Newton；　and　pace　along　the　celestial　coast　to　the　great　harmony　of　numbers　and　unlock　the　mighty　secret　of　the　universe？　　When　of　a　winter's　night；　I　can　pass　through　all　the　belts　of　climate；　and　all　the　grades　of　civilization　on　our　globe；　scan　its　motley　races；　learn　its　diverse　customs；　and　hear　the　groaning　of　lonely　ice…fields　and　the　sigh　of　Indian　palms？　　When；　with　Bacon；　I　can　explore　the　laboratory　of　nature；　or　with　Locke；　consult　the　mysteries　of　the　soul？　　When　Spenser　can　lead　me　into　golden　visions；　or　Shakespeare　smite　me　with　magic　inspiration；　or　Milton　bathe　me　in　immortal　song？　　When　History　opens　for　me　all　the　gates　of　the　past；Thebes　and　Palmyra；　Corinth　and　Carthage；　Athens　with　its　peerless　glory；　and　Rome　with　its　majestic　pomp？when　kings　and　statesmen；　authors　and　priests；　with　their　public　deeds　and　secret　thoughts　are　mine？　　When　the　plans　of　cabinets；　and　the　debates　of　parliaments；　and　the　course　of　revolutions；　and　the　results　of　battle；　are　all　before　my　eyes　and　in　my　mind？　　When　I　can　enter　the　inner　chamber　of　sainted　souls；　and　conspire　with　the　efforts　of　moral　heroes；　and　understand　the　sufferings　of　martyrs？　　Say；　when　all　these　deep　experiences…these　comprehensive　truths…may　be　acquired　through　merely　one　privilege；　is　life　but　a　dream；　or　a　breath　of　air？　　Thus；　too；　do　immeasurable　experiences　flow　in　to　me　from　nature；from　planet；　flower；　and　ocean。　　Thus；　too；　does　more　life　come　to　me　from　contacts　in　the　common　round　of　action。　　And；　I　repeat；　every　truth　thus　gained　expands　a　moment　of　time　into　illimitable　being；positively　enlarges　my　existence；　and　endows　me　with　a　quality　which　time　cannot　weaken　or　destroy。

Consider；　again；　how　much　we　really　live　in　cherishing　good　affections；　and　in　performing　noble　deeds。　　We　have　the　familiar　lines　of　the　poet；　to　this　point：


〃One　self…approving　hour　whole　years　outweighs　　Of　stupid　starers　and　of　loud　huzzas。〃


It　is　true。　　There　is　more　life　in　one　〃self…approving　hour；〃…one　act　of　benevolence；　one　work　of　self…　discipline；than　in　threescore　years　and　ten　of　mere　sensual　existence。　　Go　out　among　the　homes　of　the　poor；　lift　up　the　disconsolate；　administer　comfort　to　the　forlorn；　in　some　way；　as　it　may　come　across　your　path；　or　lie　in　the　sphere　of　your　duty；　do　a　deed　of　kindness；　and　in　that　one　act　you　shall　live　more　than　in　a　year　of　selfish　indulgence　and　indolent　ease；yea；　more　than　in　a　lifetime　of　such。　　The　poet；　with　his　burning；　immortal　lines；　while　doing　his　work；　lives　all　the　coming　ages　of　his　fame。　　From　every　marble　feature　he　chisels；　the　sculptor　draws　an　intensity　of　being　that　cannot　be　imparted　by　a　mere　extension　of　years。　　The　philanthropist；　in　his　walks　of　mercy　and　his　ministrations　of　love；　lives　more　comprehensively　than　another　may　in　a　century。　　His　is　the　fathomless　bliss　of　benevolence；the　experience　of　God。　　The　martyr；　in　his　dying　hour；　with　his　face　shining　like　an　angel's；　does　not　live　longer；　but　he　lives　more　than　all　his　persecutors。

Consider；　too；　the　experiences　of　religion；　of　worship；　of　prayer。　　In　the　act　of　communion　with　God；　in　the　realization　of　immortality；　in　the　aspirations　and　the　idea　of　perfection；　there　is　a　depth　and　scope　of　being　from　which　all　sensual　estimates　of　time　drop　away。

Our　mortal　life；　then；　is　very　comprehensive。　　If　we　measure　it；　not　by　its　length　of　years；　but　by　its　spiritual　results；　be　they　good　or　evil；　it　is　a　full　and　large　life。　　It　then　appears；　like　the　immortal　state；　not　as　a　fact　of　succession；　but　of　experience。　　Christ　has　defined　eternal　life　as　such　a　fact。　　〃Eternal　life；〃　he　says；　〃is　to　know　thee；　the　only　true　God；　and　Jesus　Christ　whom　thou　hast　sent。〃　　The　life　of　the　blessed　in　heaven　is　not　marked　by　years　and　cycles；　it　is　not　so　much　protracted　being；　as　a　power　of　knowledge；a　depth　of　glad　and　holy　consciousness；…　…a　constant　pulsation　of　harmony　with　God。

Again；　every　life　may　be　compared　to　〃a　tale　that　is　told；〃　because　it　has　a　plot。　　In　the　narrative　there　is　a　combination　of　agencies　working　to　a　crisis。　　There　is　a　main…point　with　which　all　the　action　is　involved。　　And　so　every　human　life　has　its　main…point。。　　I　will　not　now　take　up　time　to　carry　out　this　illustration　minutely。　　The　mere　suggestion　that　each　one　is　working　out　a　peculiar　destiny　invests　even　the　meanest　life　with　a　solemn　dignity；　and　counteracts　any　disparaging　argument　drawn　from　its　brevity。

But　still　I　would　urge；　that　the　propriety　of　this　comparison　between　the　peculiar　tendency　of　an　individual　life　and　the　plot　of　a　story；　is　seen　in　the　fact　that　every　man　is　accomplishing　a　certain　moral　result　in　and　for　himself。　This　is　inevitable。　　We　may　be　inactive；　but　that　result　is　forming；　the　mould　of　habit　is　growing；　and　the　inward　life　is　unfolding　itself；　after　its　kind。　　We　may　think　our　career　is　aimless；　but　all　things　give　a　shape　to　our　character。　And　does　not　this　consideration　make　our　mortal　life　of　deep　consequence　to　us？

All　circumstances　and　experiences　are　chiefly　important　as　affecting　this　result。　　One　of　the　highest　views　we　can　take　of　the　universe　is　that　of　a　theatre　for　the　soul's　education。　　We　are　placed　upon　this　earth　not　to　be　absorbed　by　it；　but　to　use　it　for　the　highest　spiritual　occasions。　　We　are　placed　among　the　joys　and　sorrows　of　our　daily　lives　to　be　trained　for　immortal　issues。　　Our　business；　our　domestic　duties；　and　all　our　various　relations；　constitute　a　school　for　our　souls。　　Here　our　affections　and　our　powers　are　acted　upon　for　good　or　for　evil。　　Grief　strengthens　our　faith　and　elevates　our　thoughts；　joy　quickens　our　gratitude；　our　obedience；　and　our　trust；　temptation　forms　in　us　an　exalted　and　spontaneous　virtue；　or　enfeebles　and　enslaves　us。　Chiefly；　then；　s