the professor at the breakfast table-第58节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





I　am　a　Churchman；the　young　man　said；by　education　and　habit。　　I

love　my　old　Church　for　many　reasons；　but　most　of　all　because　I　think

it　has　educated　me　out　of　its　own　forms　into　the　spirit　of　its


highest　teachings。　　I　think　I　belong　to　the　〃Broad　Church；〃　if　any

of　you　can　tell　what　that　means。



I　had　the　rashness　to　attempt　to　answer　the　question　myself。　Some

say　the　Broad　Church　means　the　collective　mass　of　good　people　of　all

denominations。　　Others　say　that　such　a　definition　is　nonsense；　that

a　church　is　an　organization；　and　the　scattered　good　folks　are　no

organization　at　all。　　They　think　that　men　will　eventually　come

together　on　the　basis　of　one　or　two　or　more　common　articles　of

belief；　and　form　a　great　unity。　　Do　they　see　what　this　amounts　to？

It　means　an　equal　division　of　intellect！　　It　is　mental　agrarianism！

a　thing　that　never　was　and　never　will　be　until　national　and

individual　idiosyncrasies　have　ceased　to　exist。　　The　man　of　thirty…

nine　beliefs　holds　the　man　of　one　belief　a　pauper；　he　is　not　going

to　give　up　thirty…eight　of　them　for　the　sake　of　fraternizing　with

the　other　in　the　temple　which　bears　on　its　front；　〃Deo　erexit

Voltaire。〃　　A　church　is　a　garden；　I　have　heard　it　said；　and　the

illustration　was　neatly　handled。　　Yes；　and　there　is　no　such　thing　as

a　broad　garden。　　It　must　be　fenced　in；　and　whatever　is　fenced　in　is

narrow。　　You　cannot　have　arctic　and　tropical　plants　growing　together

in　it；　except　by　the　forcing　system；　which　is　a　mighty　narrow　piece

of　business。　　You　can't　make　a　village　or　a　parish　or　a　family　think

alike；　yet　you　suppose　that　you　can　make　a　world　pinch　its　beliefs

or　pad　them　to　a　single　pattern！　　Why；　the　very　life　of　an

ecclesiastical　organization　is　a　life　of　induction；　a　state　of

perpetually　disturbed　equilibrium　kept　up　by　another　charged　body　in

the　neighborhood。　　If　the　two　bodies　touch　and　share　their

respective　charges；　down　goes　the　index　of　the　electrometer！



Do　you　know　that　every　man　has　a　religious　belief　peculiar　to

himself？　　Smith　is　always　a　Smithite。　　He　takes　in　exactly　Smith's…

worth　of　knowledge；　Smith's…worth　of　truth；　of　beauty；　of　divinity。

And　Brown　has　from　time　immemorial　been　trying　to　burn　him；　to

excommunicate　him；　to　anonymous…article　him；　because　he　did　not　take

in　Brown's…worth　of　knowledge；　truth；　beauty；　divinity。　　He　cannot

do　it；　any　more　than　a　pint…pot　can　hold　a　quart；　or　a　quart…pot　be

filled　by　a　pint。　　Iron　is　essentially　the　same　everywhere　and

always；　but　the　sulphate　of　iron　is　never　the　same　as　the　carbonate

of　iron。　　Truth　is　invariable；　but　the　Smithate　of　truth　must　always

differ　from　the　Brownate　of　truth。



The　wider　the　intellect；　the　larger　and　simpler　the　expressions　in

which　its　knowledge　is　embodied。　　The　inferior　race；　the　degraded

and　enslaved　people；　the　small…minded　individual；　live　in　the

details　which　to　larger　minds　and　more　advanced　tribes　of　men　reduce

themselves　to　axioms　and　laws。　　As　races　and　individual　minds　must

always　differ　just　as　sulphates　and　carbonates　do；　I　cannot　see

ground　for　expecting　the　Broad　Church　to　be　founded　on　any　fusion　of

intellectual　beliefs；　which　of　course　implies　that　those　who　hold

the　larger　number　of　doctrines　as　essential　shall　come　down　to　those

who　hold　the　smaller　number。　　These　doctrines　are　to　the　negative

aristocracy　what　the　quarterings　of　their　coats　are　to　the　positive

orders　of　nobility。



The　Broad　Church；　I　think；　will　never　be　based　on　anything　that

requires　the　use　of　language。　Freemasonry　gives　an　idea　of　such　a

church；　and　a　brother　is　known　and　cared　for　in　a　strange　land　where

no　word　of　his　can　be　understood。　　The　apostle　of　this　church　may　be

a　deaf　mute　carrying　a　cup　of　cold　water　to　a　thirsting

fellow…creature。　　The　cup　of　cold　water　does　not　require　to　be

translated　for　a　foreigner　to　understand　it。　　I　am　afraid　the　only

Broad　Church　possible　is　one　that　has　its　creed　in　the　heart；　and

not　in　the　head；that　we　shall　know　its　members　by　their　fruits；

and　not　by　their　words。　　If　you　say　this　communion　of　well…doers　is

no　church；　I　can　only　answer；　that　all　organized　bodies　have　their

limits　of　size；　and　that　when　we　find　a　man　a　hundred　feet　high　and

thirty　feet　broad　across　the　shoulders；　we　will　look　out　for　an

organization　that　shall　include　all　Christendom。



Some　of　us　do　practically　recognize　a　Broad　Church　and　a　Narrow

Church；　however。　　The　Narrow　Church　may　be　seen　in　the　ship's　boats

of　humanity；　in　the　long　boat；　in　the　jolly　boat；　in　the　captain's

gig；　lying　off　the　poor　old　vessel；　thanking　God　that　they　are　safe；

and　reckoning　how　soon　the　hulk　containing　the　mass　of　their

fellow…creatures　will　go　down。　　The　Broad　Church　is　on　board；

working　hard　at　the　pumps；　and　very　slow　to　believe　that　the　ship

will　be　swallowed　up　with　so　many　poor　people　in　it；　fastened　down

under　the　hatches　ever　since　it　floated。



All　this；　of　course；　was　nothing　but　my　poor　notion　about　these

matters。　I　am　simply　an　〃outsider；〃　you　know；　only　it　doesn't　do

very　well　for　a　nest　of　Hingham　boxes　to　talk　too　much　about

outsiders　and　insiders！



After　this　talk　of　ours；　I　think　these　two　young　people　went　pretty

regularly　to　the　Church　of　the　Galileans。　　Still　they　could　not　keep

away　from　the　sweet　harmonies　and　rhythmic　litanies　of　Saint

Polycarp　on　the　great　Church　festival…days；　so　that；　between　the

two；　they　were　so　much　together；　that　the　boarders　began　to　make

remarks；　and　our　landlady　said　to　me；　one　day；　that；　though　it　was

noon　of　her　business；　them　that　had　eyes　couldn't　help　seein'　that

there　was　somethin'　goin'；　on　between　them　two　young　people；　she

thought　the　young　man　was　a　very　likely　young　man；　though　jest　what

his　prospecs　was　was　unbeknown　to　her；　but　she　thought　he　must　be

doing　well；　and　rather　guessed　he　would　be　able　to　take　care　of　a

femily；　if　he　didn't　go　to　takin'　a　house；　for　a　gentleman　and　his

wife　could　board　a　great　deal　cheaper　than　they　could　keep　house；

but　then　that　girl　was　nothin'　but　a　child；　and　wouldn't　think　of

bein'　married　this　five　year。　　They　was　good　boarders；　both　of　'em；

paid　regular；　and　was　as　pooty　a　couple　as　she　ever　laid　eyes　on。



To　come　back　to　what　I　began　to　speak　of　before；　…the　divinity…

student　was　exercised　in　his　mind　about　the　Little　Gentleman；　and；

in　the　kindness　of　his　heart；for　he　was　a　good　young　man；and　in

the　strength　of　his　convictions；for　he　took　it　for　granted　that　he

and　his　crowd　were　right；　and　other　folks　and　their　crowd　were

wrong；he　determined　to　bring　the　Little　Gentleman　round　to　his

faith　before　he　died；　if　he　could。　　So　he　sent　word　to　the　sick　man；

that　he　should　be　pleased　to　visit　him　and　have　some　conversation

with　him；　and　received　for　answer　that　he　would　be　welcome。



The　divinity…student　made　him　a　visit；　therefore　and　had　a　somewhat

remarkable　interview　with　him；　which　I　shall　briefly　relate；　without

attempting　to　justify　the　positions　taken　by　the　Little　Gentleman。

He　found　him　weak；　but　calm。　　Iris　sat　silent　by　his　pillow。



After　the　usual　preliminaries；　the　divinity…student　said；　in　a　kind

way；　that　he　was　sorry　to　find　him　in　failing　health；　that　he　felt

concerned　for　his　soul；　and　was　anxious　to　assist　him　in　making

preparations　for　the　great　change　awaiting　him。



I　thank　you；　Sir；said　the　Little　Gentleman；　permit　me　to　ask　you；

what　makes　you　think　I　am　not　ready　for　it；　Sir；　and　that　you　can　do

anything　to　help　me；　Sir？



I　address　you　only　as　a　fellow…man；said　the　divinity…student；and

therefore　a　fellow…sinner。



I　am　not　a　man；　Sir！　said　the　Little　Gentleman。　I　was　born　into

this　world　the　wreck　of　a　man；　and　I　shall　not　be　judged　with　a　race

to　which　I　do　not　belong。　　Look　at　this！　he　said；　and　held　up　his

withered　arm。　See　there！　and　he　pointed　to　his　misshapen

extremities。　Lay　your　hand　here！　and　he　laid　his　own　on　the

region　of　his　misplaced　heart。　I　have　known　nothing　of　the　life　of

your　race。　　When　I　first　came　to　my　consciousness；　I　found　myself　an

object　of　pity；　or　a　sight　to　show。　　The　first　strange　child　I　ever

remember　hid　its　face　and　would　not　come　near　me。　　I　was　a　broken…

hearted　as　well　as　broken…bodied　boy。　　I　grew　into　the　emotions　of

ripening　youth；　and　all　that　I　could　have　loved　shrank　from　my

presence。　　I　became　a　man　in　years；　and　had　nothing　in　common　with

manhood　but　its　longings。　　My　life　is　the　dying　pang　of　a　worn…out

race；　and　I　shall　go　down　alone　into　the　dust；　out　of　this　world　of

men　and　women；　without　ever　knowing　the　fellowship　of　the　one　or　the

love　of　the　other。　　I　will　not　die　with　a　lie　rattling　in　my　throat。

If　another　state　of　being　has　anything　worse　in　store　for　me；　I　have

had　a　long　apprenticeship　to　give　me　strength　that　I　may　bear　it。　　I

don't　believe　it；　Sir！　　I　have　too　much　faith　for　that。　　God　has　not

left　me　wholly　without　comfort；　even　here。　　I　love　this　old　place

where　I　was　born；the　heart　of　the　world