the way of all flesh-第52节

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upon　the　lips　of　men；　they　decided　to　accept　the　invitation。　　When
the　appointed　time　came　they　went　with　some　confusion　and　self…
abasement　to　the　rooms　of　this　man；　on　whom　they　had　looked　down
hitherto　as　from　an　immeasurable　height；　and　with　whom　nothing　would
have　made　them　believe　a　few　weeks　earlier　that　they　could　ever　come
to　be　on　speaking　terms。

Mr　Hawke　was　a　very　different…looking　person　from　Badcock。　　He　was
remarkably　handsome；　or　rather　would　have　been　but　for　the　thinness
of　his　lips；　and　a　look　of　too　great　firmness　and　inflexibility。
His　features　were　a　good　deal　like　those　of　Leonardo　da　Vinci；
moreover　he　was　kempt；　looked　in　vigorous　health；　and　was　of　a　ruddy
countenance。　　He　was　extremely　courteous　in　his　manner；　and　paid　a
good　deal　of　attention　to　Badcock；　of　whom　he　seemed　to　think
highly。　　Altogether　our　young　friends　were　taken　aback；　and　inclined
to　think　smaller　beer　of　themselves　and　larger　of　Badcock　than　was
agreeable　to　the　old　Adam　who　was　still　alive　within　them。　　A　few
well…known　〃Sims〃　from　St　John's　and　other　colleges　were　present；
but　not　enough　to　swamp　the　Ernest　set；　as　for　the　sake　of　brevity；
I　will　call　them。

After　a　preliminary　conversation　in　which　there　was　nothing　to
offend；　the　business　of　the　evening　began　by　Mr　Hawke's　standing　up
at　one　end　of　the　table；　and　saying　〃Let　us　pray。〃　　The　Ernest　set
did　not　like　this；　but　they　could　not　help　themselves；　so　they　knelt
down　and　repeated　the　Lord's　Prayer　and　a　few　others　after　Mr　Hawke；
who　delivered　them　remarkably　well。　　Then；　when　all　had　sat　down；　Mr
Hawke　addressed　them；　speaking　without　notes　and　taking　for　his　text
the　words；　〃Saul；　Saul；　why　persecutest　thou　me？〃　　Whether　owing　to
Mr　Hawke's　manner；　which　was　impressive；　or　to　his　well…known
reputation　for　ability；　or　whether　from　the　fact　that　each　one　of
the　Ernest　set　knew　that　he　had　been　more　or　less　a　persecutor　of
the　〃Sims〃　and　yet　felt　instinctively　that　the　〃Sims〃　were　after　all
much　more　like　the　early　Christians　than　he　was　himselfat　any　rate
the　text；　familiar　though　it　was；　went　home　to　the　consciences　of
Ernest　and　his　friends　as　it　had　never　yet　done。　　If　Mr　Hawke　had
stopped　here　he　would　have　almost　said　enough；　as　he　scanned　the
faces　turned　towards　him；　and　saw　the　impression　he　had　made；　he　was
perhaps　minded　to　bring　his　sermon　to　an　end　before　beginning　it；
but　if　so；　he　reconsidered　himself　and　proceeded　as　follows。　　I　give
the　sermon　in　full；　for　it　is　a　typical　one；　and　will　explain　a
state　of　mind　which　in　another　generation　or　two　will　seem　to　stand
sadly　in　need　of　explanation。

〃My　young　friends；〃　said　Mr　Hawke；　〃I　am　persuaded　there　is　not　one
of　you　here　who　doubts　the　existence　of　a　Personal　God。　　If　there
were；　it　is　to　him　assuredly　that　I　should　first　address　myself。
Should　I　be　mistaken　in　my　belief　that　all　here　assembled　accept　the
existence　of　a　God　who　is　present　amongst　us　though　we　see　him　not；
and　whose　eye　is　upon　our　most　secret　thoughts；　let　me　implore　the
doubter　to　confer　with　me　in　private　before　we　part；　I　will　then　put
before　him　considerations　through　which　God　has　been　mercifully
pleased　to　reveal　himself　to　me；　so　far　as　man　can　understand　him；
and　which　I　have　found　bring　peace　to　the　minds　of　others　who　have
doubted。

〃I　assume　also　that　there　is　none　who　doubts　but　that　this　God；
after　whose　likeness　we　have　been　made；　did　in　the　course　of　time
have　pity　upon　man's　blindness；　and　assume　our　nature；　taking　flesh
and　coming　down　and　dwelling　among　us　as　a　man　indistinguishable
physically　from　ourselves。　　He　who　made　the　sun；　moon　and　stars；　the
world　and　all　that　therein　is；　came　down　from　Heaven　in　the　person
of　his　Son；　with　the　express　purpose　of　leading　a　scorned　life；　and
dying　the　most　cruel；　shameful　death　which　fiendish　ingenuity　has
invented。

〃While　on　earth　he　worked　many　miracles。　　He　gave　sight　to　the
blind；　raised　the　dead　to　life；　fed　thousands　with　a　few　loaves　and
fishes；　and　was　seen　to　walk　upon　the　waves；　but　at　the　end　of　his
appointed　time　he　died；　as　was　foredetermined；　upon　the　cross；　and
was　buried　by　a　few　faithful　friends。　　Those；　however；　who　had　put
him　to　death　set　a　jealous　watch　over　his　tomb。

〃There　is　no　one；　I　feel　sure；　in　this　room　who　doubts　any　part　of
the　foregoing；　but　if　there　is；　let　me　again　pray　him　to　confer　with
me　in　private；　and　I　doubt　not　that　by　the　blessing　of　God　his
doubts　will　cease。

〃The　next　day　but　one　after　our　Lord　was　buried；　the　tomb　being
still　jealously　guarded　by　enemies；　an　angel　was　seen　descending
from　Heaven　with　glittering　raiment　and　a　countenance　that　shone
like　fire。　　This　glorious　being　rolled　away　the　stone　from　the
grave；　and　our　Lord　himself　came　forth；　risen　from　the　dead。

〃My　young　friends；　this　is　no　fanciful　story　like　those　of　the
ancient　deities；　but　a　matter　of　plain　history　as　certain　as　that
you　and　I　are　now　here　together。　　If　there　is　one　fact　better
vouched　for　than　another　in　the　whole　range　of　certainties　it　is　the
Resurrection　of　Jesus　Christ；　nor　is　it　less　well　assured　that　a　few
weeks　after　he　had　risen　from　the　dead；　our　Lord　was　seen　by　many
hundreds　of　men　and　women　to　rise　amid　a　host　of　angels　into　the　air
upon　a　heavenward　journey　till　the　clouds　covered　him　and　concealed
him　from　the　sight　of　men。

〃It　may　be　said　that　the　truth　of　these　statements　has　been　denied；
but　what；　let　me　ask　you；　has　become　of　the　questioners？　　Where　are
they　now？　　Do　we　see　them　or　hear　of　them？　　Have　they　been　able　to
hold　what　little　ground　they　made　during　the　supineness　of　the　last
century？　　Is　there　one　of　your　fathers　or　mothers　or　friends　who
does　not　see　through　them？　　Is　there　a　single　teacher　or　preacher　in
this　great　University　who　has　not　examined　what　these　men　had　to
say；　and　found　it　naught？　　Did　you　ever　meet　one　of　them；　or　do　you
find　any　of　their　books　securing　the　respectful　attention　of　those
competent　to　judge　concerning　them？　　I　think　not；　and　I　think　also
you　know　as　well　as　I　do　why　it　is　that　they　have　sunk　back　into　the
abyss　from　which　they　for　a　time　emerged：　　it　is　because　after　the
most　careful　and　patient　examination　by　the　ablest　and　most　judicial
minds　of　many　countries；　their　arguments　were　found　so　untenable
that　they　themselves　renounced　them。　　They　fled　from　the　field
routed；　dismayed；　and　suing　for　peace；　nor　have　they　again　come　to
the　front　in　any　civilised　country。

〃You　know　these　things。　　Why；　then；　do　I　insist　upon　them？　　My　dear
young　friends；　your　own　consciousness　will　have　made　the　answer　to
each　one　of　you　already；　it　is　because；　though　you　know　so　well　that
these　things　did　verily　and　indeed　happen；　you　know　also　that　you
have　not　realised　them　to　yourselves　as　it　was　your　duty　to　do；　nor
heeded　their　momentous；　awful　import。

〃And　now　let　me　go　further。　　You　all　know　that　you　will　one　day　come
to　die；　or　if　not　to　diefor　there　are　not　wanting　signs　which　make
me　hope　that　the　Lord　may　come　again；　while　some　of　us　now　present
are　aliveyet　to　be　changed；　for　the　trumpet　shall　sound；　and　the
dead　shall　be　raised　incorruptible；　for　this　corruption　must　put　on
incorruption；　and　this　mortal　put　on　immortality；　and　the　saying
shall　be　brought　to　pass　that　is　written；　'Death　is　swallowed　up　in
victory。'

〃Do　you；　or　do　you　not　believe　that　you　will　one　day　stand　before
the　Judgement　Seat　of　Christ？　　Do　you；　or　do　you　not　believe　that
you　will　have　to　give　an　account　for　every　idle　word　that　you　have
ever　spoken？　　Do　you；　or　do　you　not　believe　that　you　are　called　to
live；　not　according　to　the　will　of　man；　but　according　to　the　will　of
that　Christ　who　came　down　from　Heaven　out　of　love　for　you；　who
suffered　and　died　for　you；　who　calls　you　to　him；　and　yearns　towards
you　that　you　may　take　heed　even　in　this　your　daybut　who；　if　you
heed　not；　will　also　one　day　judge　you；　and　with　whom　there　is　no
variableness　nor　shadow　of　turning？

〃My　dear　young　friends；　strait　is　the　gate；　and　narrow　is　the　way
which　leadeth　to　Eternal　Life；　and　few　there　be　that　find　it。　　Few；
few；　few；　for　he　who　will　not　give　up　ALL　for　Christ's　sake；　has
given　up　nothing

〃If　you　would　live　in　the　friendship　of　this　world；　if　indeed　you
are　not　prepared　to　give　up　everything　you　most　fondly　cherish；
should　the　Lord　require　it　of　you；　then；　I　say；　put　the　idea　of
Christ　deliberately　on　one　side　at　once。　　Spit　upon　him；　buffet　him；
crucify　him　anew；　do　anything　you　like　so　long　as　you　secure　the
friendship　of　this　world　while　it　is　still　in　your　power　to　do　so；
the　pleasures　of　this　brief　life　may　not　be　worth　paying　for　by　the
torments　of　eternity；　but　they　are　something　while　they　last。　　If；
on　the　other　hand；　you　would　live　in　the　friendship　of　God；　and　be
among　the　number　of　those　for　whom　Christ　has　not　died　in　vain；　if；
in　a　word；　you　value　your　eternal　welfare；　then　give　up　the
friendship　of　this　world；　of　a　surety　you　must　make　your　choice
between　God　and　Mammon；　for　you　cannot　serve　both。

〃I　put　these　considerations　before　you；　if　so　homely　a　term　may　be
pardoned；　as　a　plain　matter　of　business。　　There　is　nothing　low　or
unworthy　in　this；　as　some　lately　have　pretended；　for