passages from an old volume of life-第29节
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owed sermons； are listened to without a word of comment or a look of disapprobation。
One of the ablest and most conscientiously laborious of our clergymen has lately ventured to question whether all his professional brethren invariably give utterance to their sincerest beliefs； and has been sharply criticised for so doing。 The layman； who sits silent in his pew； has his rights when out of it； and among them is the right of questioning that which has been addressed to him from the privileged eminence of the pulpit； or in any way sanctioned by his religious teacher。 It is nearly two hundred years since a Boston layman wrote these words： 〃I am not ignorant that the pious frauds of the ancient； and the inbred fire （I do not call it pride） of many of our modern divines； have precipitated them to propagate and maintain truth as well as falsehoods； in such an unfair manner as has given advantage to the enemy to suspect the whole doctrine these men have profest to be nothing but a mere trick。〃
So wrote Robert Calef； the Boston merchant； whose book the Reverend Increase Mather； president of Harvard College； burned publicly in the college yard。 But the pity of it is that the layman had not cried out earlier and louder； and saved the community from the horror of those judicial murders for witchcraft； the blame of which was so largely attributable to the clergy。
Perhaps no； laymen have given the clergy more trouble than the doctors。 The old reproach against physicians； that where there were three of them together there were two atheists； had a real significance； but not that which was intended by the sharp…tongued ecclesiastic who first uttered it。 Undoubtedly there is a strong tendency in the pursuits of the medical profession to produce disbelief in that figment of tradition and diseased human imagination which has been installed in the seat of divinity by the priesthood of cruel and ignorant ages。 It is impossible； or at least very difficult； for a physician who has seen the perpetual efforts of Naturewhose diary is the book he reads oftenestto heal wounds； to expel poisons； to do the best that can be done under the given conditions；it is very difficult for him to believe in a world where wounds cannot heal； where opiates cannot give a respite from pain； where sleep never comes with its sweet oblivion of suffering； where the art of torture is the only science cultivated； and the capacity for being tormented is the only faculty which remains to the children of that same Father who cares for the falling sparrow。 The Deity has often been pictured as Moloch； and the physician has； no doubt； frequently repudiated him as a monstrosity。
On the other hand； the physician has often been renowned for piety as well as for his peculiarly professional virtue of charity；led upward by what he sees to the source of all the daily marvels wrought before his own eyes。 So it was that Galen gave utterance to that psalm of praise which the sweet singer of Israel need not have been ashamed of； and if this 〃heathen〃 could be lifted into such a strain of devotion； we need not be surprised to find so many devout Christian worshippers among the crowd of medical 〃atheists。〃
No two professions should come into such intimate and cordial relations as those to which belong the healers of the body and the headers of the mind。 There can be no more fatal mistake than that which brings them into hostile attitudes with reference to each other； both having in view the welfare of their fellow…creatures。 But there is a territory always liable to be differed about between them。 There are patients who never tell their physician the grief which lies at the bottom of their ailments。 He goes through his accustomed routine with them； and thinks he has all the elements needed for his diagnosis。 But he has seen no deeper into the breast than the tongue； and got no nearer the heart than the wrist。 A wise and experienced clergyman； coming to the patient's bedside；not with the professional look on his face which suggests the undertaker and the sexton； but with a serene countenance and a sympathetic voice； with tact； with patience； waiting for the right moment；will surprise the shy spirit into a confession of the doubt； the sorrow； the shame； the remorse； the terror which underlies all the bodily symptoms； and the unburdening of which into a loving and pitying soul is a more potent anodyne than all the drowsy sirups of the world。 And； on the other hand； there are many nervous and over…sensitive natures which have been wrought up by self…torturing spiritual exercises until their best confessor would be a sagacious and wholesome…minded physician。
Suppose a person to have become so excited by religious stimulants that he is subject to what are known to the records of insanity as hallucinations： that he hears voices whispering blasphemy in his ears； and sees devils coming to meet him； and thinks he is going to be torn in pieces； or trodden into the mire。 Suppose that his mental conflicts； after plunging him into the depths of despondency； at last reduce him to a state of despair； so that he now contemplates taking his own life； and debates with himself whether it shall be by knife； halter； or poison； and after much questioning is apparently making up his mind to commit suicide。 Is not this a manifest case of insanity； in the form known as melancholia？ Would not any prudent physician keep such a person under the eye of constant watchers； as in a dangerous state of； at least； partial mental alienation？ Yet this is an exact transcript of the mental condition of Christian in 〃Pilgrim's Progress；〃 and its counterpart has been found in thousands of wretched lives terminated by the act of self…destruction； which came so near taking place in the hero of the allegory。 Now the wonderful book from which this example is taken is； next to the Bible and the Treatise of 〃De Imitatione Christi；〃 the best…known religious work of Christendom。 If Bunyan and his contemporary； Sydenham； had met in consultation over the case of Christian at the time when be was meditating self…murder； it is very possible that there might have been a difference of judgment。 The physician would have one advantage in such a consultation。 He would pretty certainly have received a Christian education； while the clergyman would probably know next to nothing of the laws or manifestations of mental or bodily disease。 It does not seem as if any theological student was really prepared for his practical duties until he had learned something of the effects of bodily derangements； and； above all； had become familiar with the gamut of mental discord in the wards of an insane asylum。
It is a very thoughtless thing to say that the physician stands to the divine in the same light as the divine stands to the physician； so far as each may attempt to handle subjects belonging especially to the other's profession。 Many physicians know a great deal more about religious matters than they do about medicine。 They have read the Bible ten times as much as they ever read any medical author。 They have heard scores of sermons for one medical lecture to which they have listened。 They often hear much better preaching than the average minister； for he hears himself chiefly； and they hear abler men and a variety of them。 They have now and then been distinguished in theology as well as in their own profession。 The name of Servetus might call up unpleasant recollections； but that of another medical practitioner may be safely mentioned。 〃It was not till the middle of the last century that the question as to the authorship of the Pentateuch was handled with anything like a discerning criticism。 The first attempt was made by a layman； whose studies we might have supposed would scarcely have led him to such an investigation。〃 This layman was 〃Astruc； doctor and professor of medicine in the Royal College at Paris； and court physician to Louis XIV。〃 The quotation is from the article 〃Pentateuch〃 in Smith's 〃Dictionary of the Bible；〃 which； of course； lies on the table of the least instructed clergyman。 The sacred profession has； it is true； returned the favor by giving the practitioner of medicine Bishop Berkeley's 〃Treatise on Tar…water；〃 and the invaluable prescription of that 〃aged clergyman whose sands of life〃but let us be fair； if not generous； and remember that Cotton Mather shares with Zabdiel Boylston the credit of introducing the practice of inoculation into America。 The professions should be cordial allies； but the church…going； Bible… reading physician ought to know a great deal more of the subjects included under the general name of theology than the clergyman can be expected to know of medicine。 To say； as has been said not long since； that a young divinity student is as competent to deal with the latter as an old physician is to meddle with the former； suggests the idea that wisdom is not an heirloom in the family of the one who says it。 What a set of idiots our clerical teachers must have been and be； if； after a quarter or half a century of their instruction； a person of fair intelligence is utterly incompetent to form any opinion about the subjects which they have been teaching； or trying to teach him； so lo
