the professor at the breakfast table-第42节

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fellow…worshippers　in　the　humble；　yet　not　inelegant　Chapel　of　Saint

Polycarp？



The　young　Marylander；　who　was　born　and　bred　to　that　mode　of　worship；

had　introduced　her　to　the　chapel；　for　which　he　did　the　honors　for

such　of　our　boarders　as　were　not　otherwise　provided　for。　　I　saw　them

looking　over　the　same　prayer…book　one　Sunday；　and　I　could　not　help

thinking　that　two　such　young　and　handsome　persons　could　hardly

worship　together　in　safety　for　a　great　while。　　But　they　seemed　to

mind　nothing　but　their　prayer…book。　　By…and…by　the　silken　bag　was

handed　round。　I　don't　believe　she　will；　so　awkward；　you　know；…

besides；　she　only　came　by　invitation。　　There　she　is；　with　her　hand

in　her　pocket；　though；and　sure　enough；　her　little　bit　of　silver

tinkled　as　it　struck　the　coin　beneath。　　God　bless　her！　she　has　n't

much　to　give；　but　her　eye　glistens　when　she　gives　it；　and　that　is

all　Heaven　asks。　That　was　the　first　time　I　noticed　these　young

people　together；　and　I　am　sure　they　behaved　with　the　most　charming

propriety；in　fact；　there　was　one　of　our　silent　lady…boarders　with

them；　whose　eyes　would　have　kept　Cupid　and　Psyche　to　their　good

behavior。　　A　day　or　two　after　this　I　noticed　that　the　young

gentleman　had　left　his　seat；　which　you　may　remember　was　at　the

corner　diagonal　to　that　of　Iris；　so　that　they　have　been　as　far

removed　from　each　other　as　they　could　be　at　the　table。　　His　new　seat

is　three　or　four　places　farther　down　the　table。　　Of　course　I　made　a

romance　out　of　this；　at　once。　　So　stupid　not　to　see　it！　　How　could

it　be　otherwise？Did　you　speak；　Madam？　　I　beg　your　pardon。　　（To　my

lady…reader。）



I　never　saw　anything　like　the　tenderness　with　which　this　young　girl

treats　her　little　deformed　neighbor。　　If　he　were　in　the　way　of　going

to　church；　I　know　she　would　follow　him。　　But　his　worship；　if　any；　is

not　with　the　throng　of　men　and　women　and　staring　children。



I；　the　Professor；　on　the　other　hand；　am　a　regular　church…goer。　　I

should　go　for　various　reasons　if　I　did　not　love　it；　but　I　am　happy

enough　to　find　great　pleasure　in　the　midst　of　devout　multitudes；

whether　I　can　accept　all　their　creeds　or　not。　　One　place　of　worship

comes　nearer　than　the　rest　to　my　ideal　standard；　and　to　this　it　was

that　I　carried　our　young　girl。



The　Church　of　the　Galileans；　as　it　is　called；　is　even　humbler　in

outside　pretensions　than　the　Church　of　Saint　Polycarp。　　Like　that；

it　is　open　to　all　comers。　　The　stranger　who　approaches　it　looks　down

a　quiet　street　and　sees　the　plainest　of　chapels；a　kind　of　wooden

tent；　that　owes　whatever　grace　it　has　to　its　pointed　windows　and　the

high；　sharp　roofstraces；　both；　of　that　upward　movement　of

ecclesiastical　architecture　which　soared　aloft　in　cathedral…spires；

shooting　into　the　sky　as　the　spike　of　a　flowering　aloe　from　the

cluster　of　broad；　sharp…wedged　leaves　below。　　This　suggestion　of

medieval　symbolism；　aided　by　a　minute　turret　in　which　a　hand…bell

might　have　hung　and　found　just　room　enough　to　turn　over；　was　all　of

outward　show　the　small　edifice　could　boast。　　Within　there　was　very

little　that　pretended　to　be　attractive。　　A　small　organ　at　one　side；

and　a　plain　pulpit；　showed　that　the　building　was　a　church；　but　it

was　a　church　reduced　to　its　simplest　expression：



Yet　when　the　great　and　wise　monarch　of　the　East　sat　upon　his　throne；

in　all　the　golden　blaze　of　the　spoils　of　Ophir　and　the　freights　of

the　navy　of　Tarshish；　his　glory　was　not　like　that　of　this　simple

chapel　in　its　Sunday　garniture。　　For　the　lilies　of　the　field；　in

their　season；　and　the　fairest　flowers　of　the　year；　in　due

succession；　were　clustered　every　Sunday　morning　over　the　preacher's

desk。　　Slight；　thin…tissued　blossoms　of　pink　and　blue　and　virgin

white　in　early　spring；　then　the　full…breasted　and　deep…hearted　roses

of　summer；　then　the　velvet…robed　crimson　and　yellow　flowers　of

autumn；　and　in　the　winter　delicate　exotics　that　grew　under　skies　of

glass　in　the　false　summers　of　our　crystal　palaces　without　knowing

that　it　was　the　dreadful　winter　of　New　England　which　was　rattling

the　doors　and　frosting　the　panes；in　their　language　the　whole　year

told　its　history　of　life　and　growth　and　beauty　from　that　simple

desk。　　There　was　always　at　least　one　good　sermon；this　floral

homily。　　There　was　at　least　one　good　prayer；that　brief　space　when

all　were　silent；　after　the　manner　of　the　Friends　at　their　devotions。



Here；　too；　Iris　found　an　atmosphere　of　peace　and　love。　　The　same

gentle；　thoughtful　faces；　the　same　cheerful　but　reverential　spirit；

the　same　quiet；　the　same　life　of　active　benevolence。　　But　in　all

else　how　different　from　the　Church　of　Saint　Polycarp！　　No　clerical

costume；　no　ceremonial　forms；　no　carefully　trained　choirs。　　A

liturgy　they　have；　to　be　sure；　which　does　not　scruple　to　borrow　from

the　time…honored　manuals　of　devotion；　but　also　does　not　hesitate　to

change　its　expressions　to　its　own　liking。



Perhaps　the　good　people　seem　a　little　easy　with　each　other；they

are　apt　to　nod　familiarly；　and　have　even　been　known　to　whisper

before　the　minister　came　in。　　But　it　is　a　relief　to　get　rid　of　that

old　Sundayno；Sabbath　face；　which　suggests　the　idea　that　the

first　day　of　the　week　is　commemorative　of　some　most　mournful　event。

The　truth　is；　these　brethren　and　sisters　meet　very　much　as　a　family

does　for　its　devotions；　not　putting　off　their　humanity　in　the　least；

considering　it　on　the　whole　quite　a　delightful　matter　to　come

together　for　prayer　and　song　and　good　counsel　from　kind　and　wise

lips。　　And　if　they　are　freer　in　their　demeanor　than　some　very

precise　congregations；　they　have　not　the　air　of　a　worldly　set　of

people。　　Clearly　they　have　not　come　to　advertise　their　tailors　and

milliners；　nor　for　the　sake　of　exchanging　　criticisms　on　the

literary　character　of　the　sermon　they　　may　hear。　　There　is　no

restlessness　and　no　restraint　　among　these　quiet；　cheerful

worshippers。　　One　thing　　that　keeps　them　calm　and　happy　during　the

season　so　evidently　trying　to　many　congregations　is；　that　they　join

very　generally　in　the　singing。　　In　this　way　they　　get　rid　of　that

accumulated　nervous　force　which　escapes　in　all　sorts　of　fidgety

movements；　so　that　a　minister　trying　to　keep　his　congregation　still

reminds　one　of　a　boy　with　his　hand　over　the　nose　of　a　pump　which

another　boy　is　working；this　spirting　impatience　of　the　people　is

so　like　the　jets　that　find　their　way　through　his　fingers；　and　the

grand　rush　out　at　the　final　Amen！　has　such　a　wonderful　likeness　to

the　gush　that　takes　place　when　the　boy　pulls　his　hand　away；　with

immense　relief；　as　it　seems；　to　both　the　pump　and　the　officiating

youngster。



How　sweet　is　this　blending　of　all　voices　and　all　hearts　in　one

common　song　of　praise！　　Some　will　sing　a　little　loud；　perhaps；and

now　and　then　an　impatient　chorister　will　get　a　syllable　or　two　in

advance；　or　an　enchanted　singer　so　lose　all　thought　of　time　and

place　in　the　luxury　of　a　closing　cadence　that　he　holds　on　to　the

last　semi…breve　upon　his　private　responsibility；　but　how　much　more

of　the　spirit　of　the　old　Psalmist　in　the　music　of　these　imperfectly

trained　voices　than　in　the　academic　niceties　of　the　paid　performers

who　take　our　musical　worship　out　of　our　hands！



I　am　of　the　opinion　that　the　creed　of　the　Church　of　the　Galileans　is

not　laid　down　in　as　many　details　as　that　of　the　Church　of　Saint

Polycarp。　　Yet　I　suspect；　if　one　of　the　good　people　from　each　of

those　churches　had　met　over　the　bed　of　a　suffering　fellow…creature；

or　for　the　promotion　of　any　charitable　object；　they　would　have　found

they　had　more　in　common　than　all　the　special　beliefs　or　want　of

beliefs　that　separated　them　would　amount　to。　　There　are　always　many

who　believe　that　the　fruits　of　a　tree　afford　a　better　test　of　its

condition　than　a　statement　of　the　composts　with　which　it　is　dressed；

though　the　last　has　its　meaning　and　importance；　no　doubt。



Between　these　two　churches；　then；　our　young　Iris　divides　her

affections。　　But　I　doubt　if　she　listens　to　the　preacher　at　either

with　more　devotion　than　she　does　to　her　little　neighbor　when　he

talks　of　these　matters。



What　does　he　believe？　　In　the　first　place；　there　is　some　deep…rooted

disquiet　lying　at　the　bottom　of　his　soul；　which　makes　him　very

bitter　against　all　kinds　of　usurpation　over　the　right　of　private

judgment。　　Over　this　seems　to　lie　a　certain　tenderness　for　humanity

in　general；　bred　out　of　life…long　trial；　I　should　say；　but　sharply

streaked　with　fiery　lines　of　wrath　at　various　individual　acts　of

wrong；　especially　if　they　come　in　an　ecclesiastical　shape；　and

recall　to　him　the　days　when　his　mother's　great…grandmother　was

strangled　on　Witch　Hill；　with　a　text　from　the　Old　Testament　for　her

halter。　　With　all　this；　he　has　a　boundless　belief　in　the　future　of

this　experimental　hemisphere；　and　especially　in　the　destiny　of　the

free　thought　of　its　northeastern　metropolis。



A　man　can　see　further；　Sir；he　said　one　day；from　the　top　of

Boston　State　House；　and　see　more　that　is　wor