the crown of thorns-第11节

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become　weaned　from　earth；　and　the　dissatisfaction　and　discontent　which　sorrow　thus　induces　are　as　kind　and　providential　as　the　carelessness　of　youth。

Who　does　not　see　that　it　is　so；that　as　we　journey　on　in　life　there　are　made　in　our　behalf　preparations　for　another　state　of　being；unmistakable　premonitions　of　that　fact　which　the　author　of　the　Epistle　to　the　Hebrews　so　eloquently　states；　that　〃here　have　we　no　continuing　city〃？　　The　gloss　of　objects　in　which　we　delighted　is　worn　off　by　attrition；is　sicklied　o'er　by　care；　the　vanity　of　earthly　things　startles　us　suddenly；　like　a　new　truth；　the　friends　we　love　drop　away　from　our　side　into　silence；　desire　fails；　the　grasshopper　becomes　a　burden；　until；　at　length；　we　feel　that　our　only　love　is　not　here　below；until　these　tendrils　of　earth　aspire　to　a　better　climate；　and　the　weight　that　has　been　laid　upon　us　makes　us　stoop　wearily　to　the　grave　as　a　rest　and　a　deliverance。　　We　have；　even　through　our　tears；　admired　that　discipline　which　sometimes　prepares　the　young　to　die；　which；　by　sharp　trials　of　anguish；　and　long　days　of　weariness；　weans　them　from　that　keen　sense　of　mortal　enjoyment　which　is　so　naturally　theirs；　which；　through　the　attenuation　of　the　body；　illuminates　the　soul；　and；　as　it　steals　the　bloom　from　the　cheek；　kindles　the　lustre　of　faith　in　the　eye；　and　makes　even　that　young　spirit　look；　unfaltering；　across　the　dark　river；　and；　putting　aside　its　earthly　loves　and　its　reasonable　expectations；　exclaim；　〃Now　I　am　ready！〃　　But　it　would　appear　that　equal　preparation；　though　in　different　forms；　is　provided　for　most　of　us；　in　the　various　experiences　of　sorrow　which　we　are　called　upon　to　know；　and　which；　if　we　would　but　heed　them；　have　a　celestial　mission；　seeking　to　draw　us　up　from　this　lower　state；　to　induce　us　to　lay　up　our　treasure　where　neither　moth　nor　rust　corrupts。　　And　in　the　Christian　view　of　man　as　an　heir　of　the　spiritual　word；　does　not　sorrow；　in　this　its　weaning　tendency；　receive　a　most　beautiful　explanation？

And；　because　it　accomplishes　this　work；　may　be　the　reason　why　sorrow　always　wears　a　kind　of　supernatural　character。　　It　is　true　that　blessings；　equally　with　afflictions；　come　from　Heaven；　but　this　truth　is　not　so　generally　felt。　　A　sharp　disappointment　will　suddenly　drive　us　to　God。　　The　mariner　of　life　sails；　unthinking；　over　its　prosperous　seas；　but　a　flaw　of　storm　will　bring　him　to　his　prayers。　　And　religion；　reason　as　we　will；　is　peculiarly　associated　with　affliction。　　And　does　not　sorrow　possess　this　supernatural　air；　not　merely　because　it　interrupts　the　usual　order　of　things；　but　because；　more　than　joy；　it　has　a　weaning　and　spiritual　tendency；is　sent；　as　it　were；　more　directly　from　God　for　this　specific　purpose？　　At　least；　after　the　sanctifying　experience　of　sorrow；　we　hold　our　joys　more　religiously。

There　are　other　tendencies　of　sorrow　akin　to　this；　upon　which　I　might　dwell；　and　which　show　the　explanation　that　it　receives　in　the　Christian　light。　　The　humbling　effect　that　it　has　upon　the　proud　and　hard…hearted；　the　equalizing　result　which　it　works；　making　the　rich　and　poor；　the　obscure　and　the　great；　stand　upon　the　level　of　the　common　humanity；the　common　liability　and　dependence。　　I　might；　expanding　the　topic　already　touched　upon；　speak　of　the　influence　which　sorrow　sheds　abroad；　chastening　the　light；　at　tempering　the　draught　of　joy；　and　thus　keeping　our　hearts　better　balanced　than　otherwise。　　But　I　have　sufficiently　illustrated　its　mission。　　I　have　shown　its　use；　even　its　beauty；　in　the　Christian　view。　　I　have　shown　why　Christianity；　as　the　universal　religion；　is　rightly　styled　the　〃religion　of　sorrow；〃　and　why　Christ；　as　the　perfect　teacher　and　example；　was　〃a　man　of　sorrows；　and　acquainted　with　grief。〃

Let　us　all；　then；　recognize　the　fact　that　life　itself　is　a　discipline。　　That　for　each　of　us　sorrow　is　mingled　with　joy　in　order　that　this　discipline　may　be　accomplished。　　No　one　reaches　the　noon　of　life　without　some　grief；　some　disappointment；　some　sharp　trial；　which　assures　him；　if　he　will　but　heed　it；　that　life　is　already　declining；　and　that　his　spirit　should　train　itself　for　a　higher　and　more　permanent　state。　　In　the　failure　of　mortal　excellence　let　him　recognize　the　proof　of　an　immortal　good；　and　from　the　bitterness　that　mingles　with　these　earthly　waters；　turn　to　drink　of　the　celestial　fountain。　　Of　all　things；　let　us　not　receive　sorrow　indifferently；　or　without　reflection。　　Its　mission　is　for　discipline；　but　we　feel　it　to　be　discipline　only　by　recognizing　its　source　and　its　meaning；　〃it　yieldeth　the　peaceable　fruits　of　righteousness〃　only　〃to　them　that　are　exercised　thereby。〃　　Otherwise；　it　may　come　and　go　as　the　storm　that　rends　the　oak；　or　the　drenching　tempest　that　glides　off　as　it　falls。　　It　may　startle　us　for　a　moment；it　may　hurt　us　with　a　sense　of　pain　and　loss；it　may　awe　us　with　its　mystery；　but　unless　it　rouses　us　to　solemn　thought　upon　the　meaning　of　life；　to　self…communion　and　prayer；　to　higher　and　holier　action；　it　availeth　little。　　It　should　not　smite　the　heart's　chords　to　wring　from　them　a　mere　shriek　of　distress；　but　to　inspire　it　with　a　deeper　and　more　elevated　tone；　and　by　the　element　of　sadness　which　it　infuses　make　a　more　liquid　and　exquisite　melody。

But　while　we　are　thus　taught　to　chasten　our　views　of　life；　and　to　hold　even　our　joys　with　seriousness；　and　with　wise　forethought；　let　us　not　look　upon　things　with　any　morbid　vision；　or　cast　over　them　a　monotonous　hue。　　Let　us　not　live　in　gloom　and　bitterness。　　The　Christian；　of　all　others；　is　the　best　fitted　for　a　cheerful　and　proper　enjoyment　of　life；　because　he　wisely　recognizes　the　use　of　things；　understands　their　evanescent　nature；　and　sees　the　infinite　goodness　that　has　so　ordained　it。　　He　is　not　surprised　by　sudden　terrors。　He　is　prepared　for　sorrow；　and　thus　can　rest　in　peace　with　the　good　that　he　has；　while　those　who　bury　heart　and　soul　in　the　present　enjoyment；　and　know　nothing　but　sensual　good；　are　broken　down　by　calamity。　　The　sudden　change；　like　a　thunder…　gust；　puts　out　their　light；　and　darkens　all　their　life；　and　it　is　they　who　are　apt　to　fall　from　the　summit　of　delight　into　a　morbid　gloom；　while　the　Christian；　with　his　balanced　soul；　inhabits　neither　extreme。

Finally；　let　us　remember　that　it　is　not　the　object　of　sorrow　to　overcome；　but　to　elevate；　not　to　conquer　us；　but　that　we；　by　it；　should　conquer。　　It　converts　the　thorns　that　wound　us　into　a　crown。　　It　makes　us　strong　by　the　baptism　of　tears。　The　saint　is　always　a　hero。　　This　explains　that　grand　distinction　between　Heathen　and　Christian　art；　of　which　I　spoke　in　the　commencement；　that　expression　of　power　blended　with　agony；of　celestial　beatitude　refining　itself　upon　the　face　of　grief。　　Christianity　has　made　martyrdom　sublime；　and　sorrow　triumphant。　　Christ　is　〃the　Captain　of　our　salvation；〃…the　leader　of　〃many　sons　unto　glory；〃　for　he　was　〃a　man　of　sorrows；　and　acquainted　with　grief。〃




Christian　Consolation　in　Loneliness


〃And　yet　I　am　not　alone；　because　the　Father　is　with　me。〃　John　xvi。32。


These　words　are　found　in　the　farewell　address　of　Jesus　to　his　disciples。　　They　were　uttered　in　the　dark　hour　of　coming　agony；　and　in　the　face　of　ignominious　death。　　Because　Christ　was　divinely　empowered；　and　possessed　the　spirit　without　measure；　let　us　not　suppose　that　to　him　there　was　no　pain　or　sorrow；　in　that　great　crisis。　　With　all　his　supernatural　dignity；　he　appears　to　us　far　more　attractive　when　we　consider　him　as　impressible　by　circumstances；as　moved　by　human　sympathies。　　He　is　thus　not　merely　a　teacher；　but　a　pattern　for　us。　　In　all　our　trials　he　not　only　enables　us　to　endure　and　to　triumph；　but　draws　us　close　to　himself　by　the　affinity　of　his　own　experience。　　We　see；　too；　how　the　best　men；　men　of　the　clearest　faith；　may　still　look　upon　death　with　a　shudder；　and　shrink　from　the　dark　and　narrow　valley；　not　because　they　fear　death　as　such；　but　because　of　the　agony　of　dissolution；　the　rupture　of　all　familiar　ties；　and　the　solemn　mystery　of　the　last　change。

But　death　and　suffering；　as　Jesus　was　now　to　meet　them；　appeared　in　no　ordinary　forms。　　He　was　to　bear　affliction　with　no　friendly　consolations　around　him；　but　alone！alone　in　the　wrestling　of　the　garden；　and　amid　the　cruel　mockery。　Not　upon　the　peaceful　death…bed；　but　upon　the　bare　and　rugged　cross；　torn　by　nails；　pierced　with　the　spear；　crowned　with　thorns；　taunted　by　the　revilings　of　the　multitude；　the　vinegar　and　the　gall。　　He　must　be　deserted；　and　encounter　these　trials　alone。　　He　must　be　rejected；　betrayed；　crucified　alone。　　And　as　he　spoke　to　his　disciples　those　words　of　affection　and　holiness…those　words　so　full　of　counsel　and　sublime　consolation…he　remembered　all　this；　he　remembered　that　they　who　now　clung　to　him；　and　listened　in　sorrow　to　his　parting　accents；　would　soon　be　scattered　as　sheep　without　a　shepherd；　and　leave　him　to　himself　in　all　that　shame　and　agony。　　But　even　as　he　foretold　it　there　gleamed　upon　his　spirit　the　sunshine　of　an　inner　consciousness；a　comfort　that　no　cloud　could　darken；　and　instantly　he　added；　〃And　yet　I　am　not　alone；　because　the　Father　is　with　me。〃

Having　thus　considered　the　circumstances　in　which　these　words　were　spoken；　I　now　proceed　to　draw　from　them　a　few　reflections。

I　would　say；　then；　in　the　first　place；