12-as concerns interpreting the deity-第2节

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King　David　of　Scotland　。　。　。　under　color　of　religion　caused

his　followers　to　deal　most　barbarously　with　the　English。　　They

ripped　open　women；　tossed　children　on　the　points　of　spears；

butchered　priests　at　the　altars；　and；　cutting　off　the　heads　from

the　images　on　crucifixes；　placed　them　on　the　bodies　of　the　slain；

while　in　exchange　they　fixed　on　the　crucifixes　the　heads　of　their

victims。　　Wherever　the　Scots　came；　there　was　the　same　scene　of

horror　and　cruelty：　　women　shrieking；　old　men　lamenting；　amid　the

groans　of　the　dying　and　the　despair　of　the　living。





But　the　English　got　the　victory。





Then　the　chief　of　the　men　of　Lothian　fell；　pierced　by　an　arrow；

and　all　his　followers　were　put　to　flight。　　For　the　Almighty　was

offended　at　them　and　their　strength　was　rent　like　a　cobweb。





Offended　at　them　for　what？　　For　committing　those　fearful

butcheries？　　No；　for　that　was　the　common　custom　on　both　sides；

and　not　open　to　criticism。　　Then　was　it　for　doing　the　butcheries

〃under　cover　of　religion〃？　　No；　that　was　not　it；　religious

feeling　was　often　expressed　in　that　fervent　way　all　through　those

old　centuries。　　The　truth　is；　He　was　not　offended　at　〃them〃　at　all；

He　was　only　offended　at　their　king；　who　had　been　false　to　an　oath。

Then　why　did　not　He　put　the　punishment　upon　the　king　instead　of

upon　〃them〃？　　It　is　a　difficult　question。　　One　can　see　by　the

Chronicle　that　the　〃judgments〃　fell　rather　customarily　upon

the　wrong　person；　but　Henry　of　Huntington　does　not　explain　why。

Here　is　one　that　went　true；　the　chronicler's　satisfaction

in　it　is　not　hidden：





In　the　month　of　August；　Providence　displayed　its　justice　in

a　remarkable　manner；　for　two　of　the　nobles　who　had　converted

monasteries　into　fortifications；　expelling　the　monks；　their　sin

being　the　same；　met　with　a　similar　punishment。　　Robert　Marmion

was　one；　Godfrey　de　Mandeville　the　other。　　Robert　Marmion；

issuing　forth　against　the　enemy；　was　slain　under　the　walls　of　the

monastery；　being　the　only　one　who　fell；　though　he　was　surrounded

by　his　troops。　　Dying　excommunicated；　he　became　subject　to　death

everlasting。　　In　like　manner　Earl　Godfrey　was　singled　out　among

his　followers；　and　shot　with　an　arrow　by　a　common　foot…soldier。

He　made　light　of　the　wound；　but　he　died　of　it　in　a　few　days；

under　excommunication。　　See　here　the　like　judgment　of　God；

memorable　through　all　ages！





The　exaltation　jars　upon　me；　not　because　of　the　death　of　the

men；　for　they　deserved　that；　but　because　it　is　death　eternal；　in

white…hot　fire　and　flame。　　It　makes　my　flesh　crawl。　　I　have　not

known　more　than　three　men；　or　perhaps　four；　in　my　whole　lifetime；

*whom　I　would　rejoice　to　see　writhing　in　those　fires　for　even　a

year；　let　alone　forever。　　I　believe　I　would　relent　before　the

year　was　up；　and　get　them　out　if　I　could。　　I　think　that　in

the　long　run；　if　a　man's　wife　and　babies；　who　had　not　harmed　me；

should　come　crying　and　pleading；　I　couldn't　stand　it；　I　know　I

should　forgive　him　and　let　him　go；　even　if　he　had　violated　a

monastery。　　Henry　of　Huntington　has　been　watching　Godfrey　and

Marmion　for　nearly　seven　hundred　and　fifty　years；　now；　but　I

couldn't　do　it；　I　know　I　couldn't。　　I　am　soft　and　gentle　in　my

nature；　and　I　should　have　forgiven　them　seventy…and…seven　times；

long　ago。　　And　I　think　God　has；　but　this　is　only　an　opinion；

and　not　authoritative；　like　Henry　of　Huntington's　interpretations。

I　could　learn　to　interpret；　but　I　have　never　tried；　I　get　so

little　time。



All　through　his　book　Henry　exhibits　his　familiarity　with　the

intentions　of　God；　and　with　the　reasons　for　his　intentions。

Sometimesvery　often；　in　factthe　act　follows　the　intention

after　such　a　wide　interval　of　time　that　one　wonders　how　Henry

could　fit　one　act　out　of　a　hundred　to　one　intention　out　of　a

hundred　and　get　the　thing　right　every　time　when　there　was　such

abundant　choice　among　acts　and　intentions。　　Sometimes　a　man

offends　the　Deity　with　a　crime；　and　is　punished　for　it　thirty

years　later；　meantime　he　was　committed　a　million　other　crimes：

no　matter；　Henry　can　pick　out　the　one　that　brought　the　worms。

Worms　were　generally　used　in　those　days　for　the　slaying　of

particularly　wicked　people。　　This　has　gone　out；　now；　but　in　old

times　it　was　a　favorite。　　It　always　indicated　a　case　of　〃wrath。〃

For　instance：





。　。　。　the　just　God　avenging　Robert　Fitzhilderbrand's

perfidy；　a　worm　grew　in　his　vitals；　which　gradually　gnawing　its

way　through　his　intestines　fattened　on　the　abandoned　man　till；

tortured　with　excruciating　sufferings　and　venting　himself　in

bitter　moans；　he　was　by　a　fitting　punishment　brought　to　his　end。

（P。　400。）





It　was　probably　an　alligator；　but　we　cannot　tell；　we　only

know　it　was　a　particular　breed；　and　only　used　to　convey　wrath。

Some　authorities　think　it　was　an　ichthyosaurus；　but　there　is

much　doubt。



However；　one　thing　we　do　know；　and　that　is　that　that　worm　had　been

due　years　and　years。　　Robert　F。　had　violated　a　monastery　once；

he　had　committed　unprintable　crimes　since；　and　they　had　been

permittedunder　disapprovalbut　the　ravishment　of　the　monastery

had　not　been　forgotten　nor　forgiven；　and　the　worm　came　at　last。



Why　were　these　reforms　put　off　in　this　strange　way？　　What　was　to

be　gained　by　it？　　Did　Henry　of　Huntington　really　know　his　facts；

or　was　he　only　guessing？　　Sometimes　I　am　half　persuaded　that

he　is　only　a　guesser；　and　not　a　good　one。　　The　divine　wisdom

must　surely　be　of　the　better　quality　than　he　makes　it　out　to　be。



Five　hundred　years　before　Henry's　time　some　forecasts　of　the

Lord's　purposes　were　furnished　by　a　pope；　who　perceived；　by

certain　perfectly　trustworthy　signs　furnished　by　the　Deity　for

the　information　of　His　familiars；　that　the　end　of　the　world　was





。　。　。　about　to　come。　　But　as　this　end　of　the　world　draws

near　many　things　are　at　hand　which　have　not　before　happened；　as

changes　in　the　air；　terrible　signs　in　the　heavens；　tempests　out

of　the　common　order　of　the　seasons；　wars；　famines；　pestilences；

earthquakes　in　various　places；　all　which　will　not　happen　in　our

days；　but　after　our　days　all　will　come　to　pass。





Still；　the　end　was　so　near　that　these　signs　were　〃sent　before

that　we　may　be　careful　for　our　souls　and　be　found　prepared

to　meet　the　impending　judgment。〃



That　was　thirteen　hundred　years　ago。　　This　is　really　no

improvement　on　the　work　of　the　Roman　augurs。



…