mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第48节

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from　his　own　pulpit　every　Sunday。　　Contemplate　this　freak　of　nature；　and
think　what　a　Cardiff　giant　of　self…righteousness　is　crowded　into　his
pigmy　skin。　　If　we　probe；　and　dissect；　and　lay　open　this　diseased；　this
cancerous　piety　of　his；　we　are　forced　to　the　conviction　that　it　is　the
production　of　an　impression　on　his　part　that　his　guild　do　about　all　the
good　that　is　done　on　the　earth；　and　hence　are　better　than　common　clay
hence　are　competent　to　say　to　such　as　George　Holland；　〃You　are　unworthy；
you　are　a　play…actor；　and　consequently　a　sinner；　I　cannot　take　the
responsibility　of　recommending　you　to　the　mercy　of　Heaven。〃　　It　must　have
had　its　origin　in　that　impression；　else　he　would　have　thought；　〃We　are
all　instruments　for　the　carrying　out　of　God's　purposes；　it　is　not　for　me
to　pass　judgment　upon　your　appointed　share　of　the　work；　or　to　praise　or
to　revile　it；　I　have　divine　authority　for　it　that　we　are　all　sinners；　and
therefore　it　is　not　for　me　to　discriminate　and　say　we　will　supplicate　for
this　sinner；　for　he　was　a　merchant　prince　or　a　banker；　but　we　will
beseech　no　forgiveness　for　this　other　one；　for　he　was　a　play…actor。〃

It　surely　requires　the　furthest　possible　reach　of　self…righteousness　to
enable　a　man　to　lift　his　scornful　nose　in　the　air　and　turn　his　back　upon
so　poor　and　pitiable　a　thing　as　a　dead　stranger　come　to　beg　the　last
kindness　that　humanity　can　do　in　its　behalf。　　This　creature　has　violated
the　letter　of　the　Gospel；　and　judged　George　Hollandnot　George　Holland；
either；　but　his　profession　through　him。　　Then　it　is；　in　a　measure；　fair
that　we　judge　this　creature's　guild　through　him。　　In　effect　he　has　said；
〃We　are　the　salt　of　the　earth；　we　do　all　the　good　work　that　is　done；　to
learn　how　to　be　good　and　do　good　men　must　come　to　us；　actors　and　such　are
obstacles　to　moral　progress。〃　　Pray　look　at　the　thing　reasonably　a
moment；　laying　aside　all　biases　of　education　and　custom。　　If　a　common
public　impression　is　fair　evidence　of　a　thing　then　this　minister's
legitimate；　recognized；　and　acceptable　business　is　to　tell　people　calmly；
coldly；　and　in　stiff；　written　sentences；　from　the　pulpit；　to　go　and　do
right；　be　just；　be　merciful；　be　charitable。　　And　his　congregation　forget
it　all　between　church　and　home。　　But　for　fifty　years　it　was　George
Holland's　business　on　the　stage　to　make　his　audience　go　and　do　right；　and
be　just；　merciful；　and　charitablebecause　by　his　living；　breathing；
feeling　pictures　he　showed　them　what　it　was　to　do　these　things；　and　how
to　do　them；　and　how　instant　and　ample　was　the　reward！　　Is　it　not　a
singular　teacher　of　men；　this　reverend　gentleman　who　is　so　poorly
informed　himself　as　to　put　the　whole　stage　under　ban；　and　say；　〃I　do　not
think　it　teaches　moral　lessons〃？　　Where　was　ever　a　sermon　preached　that
could　make　filial　ingratitude　so　hateful　to　men　as　the　sinful　play　of
〃King　Lear〃？　　Or　where　was　there　ever　a　sermon　that　could　so　convince　men
of　the　wrong　and　the　cruelty　of　harboring　a　pampered　and　unanalyzed
jealousy　as　the　sinful　play　of　〃Othello〃？　　And　where　are　there　ten
preachers　who　can　stand　in　the　pulpit　preaching　heroism；　unselfish
devotion；　and　lofty　patriotism；　and　hold　their　own　against　any　one　of
five　hundred　William　Tells　that　can　be　raised　upon　five　hundred　stages　in
the　land　at　a　day's　notice？　　It　is　almost　fair　and　just　to　aver　（although
it　is　profanity）　that　nine…tenths　of　all　the　kindness　and　forbearance　and
Christian　charity　and　generosity　in　the　hearts　of　the　American　people
today　got　there　by　being　filtered　down　from　their　fountain…head；　the
gospel　of　Christ；　through　dramas　and　tragedies　and　comedies　on　the　stage；
and　through　the　despised　novel　and　the　Christmas　story；　and　through　the
thousand　and　one　lessons；　suggestions；　and　narratives　of　generous　deeds
that　stir　the　pulses；　and　exalt　and　augment　the　nobility　of　the　nation
day　by　day　from　the　teeming　columns　of　ten　thousand　newspapers；　and　not
from　the　drowsy　pulpit。

All　that　is　great　and　good　in　our　particular　civilization　came　straight
from　the　hand　of　Jesus　Christ；　and　many　creatures；　and　of　divers　sorts；
were　doubtless　appointed　to　disseminate　it；　and　let　us　believe　that　this
seed　and　the　result　are　the　main　thing；　and　not　the　cut　of　the　sower's
garment；　and　that　whosoever；　in　his　way　and　according　to　his　opportunity；
sows　the　one　and　produces　the　other；　has　done　high　service　and　worthy。　
And　further；　let　us　try　with　all　our　strength　to　believe　that　whenever
old　simple…hearted　George　Holland　sowed　this　seed；　and　reared　his　crop　of
broader　charities　and　better　impulses　in　men's　hearts；　it　was　just　as
acceptable　before　the　Throne　as　if　the　seed　had　been　scattered　in　vapid
platitudes　from　the　pulpit　of　the　ineffable　Sabine　himself。

Am　I　saying　that　the　pulpit　does　not　do　its　share　toward　disseminating
the　marrow；　the　meat　of　the　gospel　of　Christ？　　（For　we　are　not　talking　of
ceremonies　and　wire…drawn　creeds　now；　but　the　living　heart　and　soul　of
what　is　pretty　often　only　a　specter。）

No；　I　am　not　saying　that。　　The　pulpit　teaches　assemblages　of　people　twice
a　week　nearly　two　hours　altogetherand　does　what　it　can　in　that　time。　
The　theater　teaches　large　audiences　seven　times　a　week28　or　30　hours
altogetherand　the　novels　and　newspapers　plead；　and　argue；　and
illustrate；　stir；　move；　thrill；　thunder；　urge；　persuade；　and　supplicate；
at　the　feet　of　millions　and　millions　of　people　every　single　day；　and　all
day　long　and　far　into　the　night；　and　so　these　vast　agencies　till　nine…
tenths　of　the　vineyard；　and　the　pulpit　tills　the　other　tenth。　　Yet　now
and　then　some　complacent　blind　idiot　says；　〃You　unanointed　are　coarse
clay　and　useless；　you　are　not　as　we；　the　regenerators　of　the　world；　go；
bury　yourselves　elsewhere；　for　we　cannot　take　the　responsibility　of
recommending　idlers　and　sinners　to　the　yearning　mercy　of　Heaven。〃　　How
does　a　soul　like　that　stay　in　a　carcass　without　getting　mixed　with　the
secretions　and　sweated　out　through　the　pores？　　Think　of　this　insect
condemning　the　whole　theatrical　service　as　a　disseminator　of　bad　morals
because　it　has　Black　Crooks　in　it；　forgetting　that　if　that　were
sufficient　ground　people　would　condemn　the　pulpit　because　it　had　Crooks
and　Kallochs　and　Sabines　in　it！

No；　I　am　not　trying　to　rob　the　pulpit　of　any　atom　of　its　full　share　and
credit　in　the　work　of　disseminating　the　meat　and　marrow　of　the　gospel　of
Christ；　but　I　am　trying　to　get　a　moment's　hearing　for　worthy　agencies　in
the　same　work；　that　with　overwrought　modesty　seldom　or　never　claim　a
recognition　of　their　great　services。　　I　am　aware　that　the　pulpit　does　its
excellent　one…tenth　（and　credits　itself　with　it　now　and　then；　though　most
of　the　time　a　press　of　business　causes　it　to　forget　it）；　I　am　aware　that
in　its　honest　and　well…meaning　way　it　bores　the　people　with　uninflammable
truisms　about　doing　good；　bores　them　with　correct　compositions　on
charity；　bores　them；　chloroforms　them；　stupefies　them　with　argumentative
mercy　without　a　flaw　in　the　grammar　or　an　emotion　which　the　minister
could　put　in　in　the　right　place　if　he　turned　his　back　and　took　his　finger
off　the　manuscript。　　And　in　doing　these　things　the　pulpit　is　doing　its
duty；　and　let　us　believe　that　it　is　likewise　doing　its　best；　and　doing　it
in　the　most　harmless　and　respectable　way。　　And　so　I　have　said；　and　shall
keep　on　saying；　let　us　give　the　pulpit　its　full　share　of　credit　in
elevating　and　ennobling　the　people；　but　when　a　pulpit　takes　to　itself
authority　to　pass　judgment　upon　the　work　and　worth　of　just　as　legitimate
an　instrument　of　God　as　itself；　who　spent　a　long　life　preaching　from　the
stage　the　selfsame　gospel　without　the　alteration　of　a　single　sentiment　or
a　single　axiom　of　right；　it　is　fair　and　just　that　somebody　who　believes
that　actors　were　made　for　a　high　and　good　purpose；　and　that　they
accomplish　the　object　of　their　creation　and　accomplish　it　well；　should
protest。　　And　having　protested；　it　is　also　fair　and　justbeing　driven　to
it；　as　it　wereto　whisper　to　the　Sabine　pattern　of　clergyman；　under　the
breath；　a　simple；　instructive　truth；　and　say；　〃Ministers　are　not　the　only
servants　of　God　upon　earth；　nor　his　most　efficient　ones；　either；　by　a
very；　very　long　distance！〃　　Sensible　ministers　already　know　this；　and　it
may　do　the　other　kind　good　to　find　it　out。

But　to　cease　teaching　and　go　back　to　the　beginning　again；　was　it　not
pitiablethat　spectacle？　　Honored　and　honorable　old　George　Holland；
whose　theatrical　ministry　had　for　fifty　years　softened　hard　hearts；　bred
generosity　in　cold　ones；　kindled　emotion　in　dead　ones；　uplifted　base
ones；　broadened　bigoted　ones；　and　made　many　and　many　a　stricken　one　glad
and　filled　it　brimful　of　gratitude；　figuratively　spit　upon　in　his
unoffending　coffin　by　this　crawling；　slimy；　sanctimonious；　self…righteous
reptile！






APPENDIX　K

A　SUBSTITUTE　FOR　RULOFF　HAVE　WE　A　SIDNEY　CARTON　AMONG　US？

（See　Chapter　lxxxii）

To　EDITOR　of　'Tribune'。

SIR；I　believe　in　capital　punishment。　　I　believe　that　when　a　murder　has
been　done　it　should　be　answered　for　with　blood。　　I　have　all　my　life　been
taught　to　feel　this　way；　and　the　fetters　of　education　are　strong。　　The
fact　that　the　deathlaw　is　rendered　almost　inoperative　by　its　very
severity　does　n