study of the king james bible(钦印〈圣经〉研究)-第41节
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other thoughtful men。 And the Bible taught him that。 His concern was for
the higher elements of life； his appeal was to the worthier values in men。
The concern of the stage of his day was for the more volatile elements in
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men。 The test of a successful play was whether the crowds； any crowds；
came to it。 And as always happens when a man wants to catch the interest
of a crowd； the stage catered to its lowest interests。 You can hardly read
the story of the times without feeling that the Puritan made no mistake in
his day。 He could not have been the thoughtful man who would stand
strong in the struggle for liberty on that side of the sea and the struggle for
life on this side of the sea without opposing trifling and vice。
2。 The antagonism of the early Puritan to popular frivolity needs to
have the times around it to be understood。 No great movement carries
everybody with it； and while it is still struggling the majority will be on
the opposing side。 While the real leadership of England was passing into
the stronger and more serious hands the artificial excesses of life grew
strong on the people。 〃Fortunes were being sunk and estates mortgaged in
order that men should wear jewels and dress in colored silks。〃＇1＇ In the
pressure of grave national needs men persisted in frivolity。 The two
reigning vices were drunkenness and swearing。 In their cups men were
guilty of the grossest indecencies。 Even their otherwise harmless sports
were endangered。 The popular notion of the May…pole dances misses the
real point of the Puritan opposition to it in Old and New England。 It was
not an innocent； jovial out…door event。 Once it may have been that。 Very
often it was only part of a day which brought immorality and vice in its
train。 It was part of a rural paganism。 Some of the customs involved such
grave perils； with their seclusion of young people from early dawn in the
forests； as to make it impossible to approve it。 Over against all these things
the Puritans set themselves。 Sometimes they carried this solemnity to an
absurd length； justifying it by Scripture verses misapplied。 Against the
affected elegancies of speech they set the plain yea； yea and nay； nay of
Scripture。 In their clothing； their homes； their churches； they； and in even
more marked degree； the Quakers； registered their solemn protest against
the frivolity of the times。 If they went too far； it is certain their protest was
needed。 Macaulay's epigram is familiar； that the Puritan 〃hated bear…
baiting； not because it gave pain to the bear； but because it gave pleasure
to the spectators。〃 In so far as that is true； it is to the credit of the Puritan；
for the bear can stand the pain of being baited far better than human nature
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can stand the coarsening effects of baiting him； and it is nobler to oppose
such sport on human grounds than on animal grounds。 But； of course； the
epigram is Macaulay's； and must be read with qualification。 The fact is；
and he says it often enough without epigrams； that the times had become
trifling except as this grave； thoughtful group influenced them。
＇1＇ Trevelyan； England under the Stuarts； p。 66。
3。 The attitude of the Puritans toward the Sabbath came from their
serious thought of the Bible。 Puritanism gave England the Sabbath again
and planted it in America as an institution。 Of course； these men learned
all that they knew of it from the Bible。 From that day； in spite of much
change in thought of it； English… speaking people have never been wilful
abusers of the Sabbath。 But the condition in that day was very different。
Most of the games were on the day set apart as the Sabbath。 There were
bull…baiting； bear…baiting； and football on Sunday。 Calvin himself； though
not in England； bowled on Sunday； and poor Knox attended festivities
then； saying grimly that what little is right on week…days is not wrong on
Sundays。 After the service on Sunday morning the people thronged to the
village green； where ale flowed freely and games were played until the
evening dance was called。 It was a work…day。 Elizabeth issued a special
injunction that people work after service on Sundays and holidays if they
wished to do so。 Employers were sustained in their demand for Sunday
work。
There are always people in every time who count that the ideal
Sabbath。 The Puritans found it when they appeared。 The English
Reformation found it when it came。 And the Bible found it when at last it
came out of obscurity and laid hold on national conditions。 Whatever is to
be said of other races； every period of English…speaking history assures us
that our moral power increases or weakens with the rise or fall of Sabbath
reverence。 The Puritans saw that。 They saw； as many other thoughtful
people saw； that the steady； repeated observance of the Sabbath gave
certain national influences a chance to work； reminded the nation of
certain great underlying and undying principles； in short； brought God into
human thought。 The Sunday of pleasure or work could never accomplish
that。 Both as religionists and as patriots； as lovers of God and lovers of
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men； they opposed the pleasure…Sunday and held for the Sabbath。
But that comes around again to the saying that the persistent moral
appeal of the Bible gives it inevitable influence on history。 It centers
thought on moral issues。 It challenges men to moral combats。
Such a force persistently working in men's minds is irresistible。 It
cannot be opposed； it can only fail by being neglected。 And this is the
force which has been steadily at work everywhere in English…speaking
history since the King James version came to be。
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LECTURE VI
THE BIBLE IN THE LIFE OF TO…DAY
THIS lecture must differ at two points from those which have
preceded it。 In the first place； the other lectures have dealt entirely with
facts。 This must deal also with judgments。 In the earlier lectures we have
avoided any consideration of what ought to have been and have centered
our interest on what actually did occur。 We especially avoided any
argument based on a theory of the literary characteristics or literary
influence of the Bible； but sought first to find the facts and then to
discover what explained them。 It might be very difficult to determine what
is the actual place of the Bible in the life of to…day。 Perhaps it would be
impossible to give a broad； fair judgment。 It is quite certain that the people
of James's day did not realize the place it was taking。 It is equally certain
that many of those whom it most influenced were entirely unconscious of
the fact。 It is only when we look back upon the scene that we discover the
influence that was moving them。 But； while it is difficult to say what the
place of the Bible actually is in our own times； the place it ought to have is
easier to point out。 That will involve a study of the conditions of our times；
which suggest the need for its influence。 While we must consider the facts；
therefore； we will be compelled to pass some judgments also； and therein
this lecture must differ from the others。
The second fact of difference is that while the earlier lectures have
dealt with the King James version； this must deal rather with the Bible。
For the King James version is not the Bible。 There are many versions；
there is but one Bible。 Whatever the translators put into the various
tongues； the Bible itself remains the same。 There are values in the new
versions； but
