lavengro-第122章

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！



agree；　however；　in　considering　it　a　place　of　exceeding　horror。　　

Master　Ellis　Wyn；　who　by　the　bye　was　a　churchman；　calls　it；　amongst　

other　things；　a　place　of　strong　sighs；　and　of　flaming　sparks。　　

Master　Rees　Pritchard；　who　was　not　only　a　churchman；　but　Vicar　of　

Llandovery；　and　flourished　about　two　hundred　years　ago　…　I　wish　

many　like　him　flourished　now　…　speaking　of　hell；　in　his　collection　

of　sweet　hymns　called　the　〃Welshman's　Candle；〃　observes；



'〃The　pool　is　continually　blazing；　it　is　very　deep；　without　any　

known　bottom；　and　the　walls　are　so　high；　that　there　is　neither　hope　

nor　possibility　of　escaping　over　them。〃



'But；　as　I　told　you　just　now；　I　have　no　great　pleasure　in　talking　

of　hell。　　No；　friend；　no；　I　would　sooner　talk　of　the　other　place；　

and　of　the　goodness　and　hospitality　of　God　amongst　His　saints　

above。'



And　then　the　excellent　man　began　to　dilate　upon　the　joys　of　heaven；　

and　the　goodness　and　hospitality　of　God　in　the　mansions　above；　

explaining　to　me；　in　the　clearest　way；　how　I　might　get　there。



And　when　he　had　finished　what　he　had　to　say；　he　left　me；　whereupon　

Winifred　drew　nigh；　and　sitting　down　by　me　began　to　address　me。　　'I　

do　not　think；'　said　she；　'from　what　I　have　observed　of　thee；　that　

thou　wouldst　wish　to　be　ungrateful；　and　yet；　is　not　thy　whole　life　

a　series　of　ingratitude；　and　to　whom？　…　to　thy　Maker。　　Has　He　not　

endowed　thee　with　a　goodly　and　healthy　form；　and　senses　which　

enable　thee　to　enjoy　the　delights　of　His　beautiful　universe　…　the　

work　of　His　hands？　　Canst　thou　not　enjoy；　even　to　rapture；　the　

brightness　of　the　sun；　the　perfume　of　the　meads；　and　the　song　of　

the　dear　birds　which　inhabit　among　the　trees？　　Yes；　thou　canst；　for　

I　have　seen　thee；　and　observed　thee　doing　so。　　Yet；　during　the　

whole　time　that　I　have　known　thee；　I　have　not　heard　proceed　from　

thy　lips　one　single　word　of　praise　or　thanksgiving　to　。　。　。'



And　in　this　manner　the　admirable　woman　proceeded　for　a　considerable　

time；　and　to　all　her　discourse　I　listened　with　attention；　and　when　

she　had　concluded；　I　took　her　hand　and　said；　'I　thank　you；'　and　

that　was　all。



On　the　next　day　everything　was　ready　for　our　departure。　　The　good　

family　of　the　house　came　to　bid　us　farewell。　　There　were　shaking　of　

hands；　and　kisses；　as　on　the　night　of　our　arrival。



And　as　I　stood　somewhat　apart；　the　young　girl　of　whom　I　have　spoken　

so　often　came　up　to　me；　and　holding　out　her　hand；　said；　'Farewell；　

young　man；　wherever　thou　goest。'　　Then；　after　looking　around　her；　

she　said；　'It　was　all　true　you　told　me。　　Yesterday　I　received　a　

letter　from　him　thou　wottest　of；　he　is　coming　soon。　　God　bless　you；　

young　man；　who　would　have　thought　thou　knewest　so　much！'



So；　after　we　had　taken　our　farewell　of　the　good　family；　we　

departed；　proceeding　in　the　direction　of　Wales。　　Peter　was　very　

cheerful；　and　enlivened　the　way　with　godly　discourse　and　spiritual　

hymns；　some　of　which　were　in　the　Welsh　language。　　At　length　I　said；　

'It　is　a　pity　that　you　did　not　continue　in　the　Church；　you　have　a　

turn　for　Psalmody；　and　I　have　heard　of　a　man　becoming　a　bishop　by　

means　of　a　less　qualification。'



'Very　probably；'　said　Peter；　'more　the　pity。　　But　I　have　told　you　

the　reason　of　my　forsaking　it。　　Frequently；　when　I　went　to　the　

church　door；　I　found　it　barred；　and　the　priest　absent；　what　was　I　

to　do？　　My　heart　was　bursting　for　want　of　some　religious　help　and　

comfort；　what　could　I　do？　as　good　Master　Rees　Pritchard　observes　in　

his　〃Candle　for　Welshmen〃：…



'〃It　is　a　doleful　thing　to　see　little　children　burning　on　the　hot　

coals　for　want　of　help；　but　yet　more　doleful　to　see　a　flock　of　

souls　falling　into　the　burning　lake　for　want　of　a　priest。〃'



'The　Church　of　England　is　a　fine　church；'　said　I；　'I　would　not　

advise　any　one　to　speak　ill　of　the　Church　of　England　before　me。'



'I　have　nothing　to　say　against　the　church；'　said　Peter；　'all　I　wish　

is　that　it　would　fling　itself　a　little　more　open；　and　that　its　

priests　would　a　little　more　bestir　themselves；　in　a　word；　that　it　

would　shoulder　the　cross　and　become　a　missionary　church。'



'It　is　too　proud　for　that；'　said　Winifred。



'You　are　much　more　of　a　Methodist；'　said　I；　'than　your　husband。　　

But　tell　me；'　said　I；　addressing　myself　to　Peter；　'do　you　not　

differ　from　the　church　in　some　points　of　doctrine？　　I；　of　course；　

as　a　true　member　of　the　church；　am　quite　ignorant　of　the　peculiar　

opinions　of　wandering　sectaries。'



'Oh　the　pride　of　that　church！'　said　Winifred；　half　to　herself；　

'wandering　sectaries！'



'We　differ　in　no　points　of　doctrine；'　said　Peter；　'we　believe　all　

the　church　believes；　though　we　are　not　so　fond　of　vain　and　

superfluous　ceremonies；　snow…white　neckcloths　and　surplices；　as　the　

church　is。　　We　likewise　think　that　there　is　no　harm　in　a　sermon　by　

the　road…side；　or　in　holding　free　discourse　with　a　beggar　beneath　a　

hedge；　or　a　tinker；'　he　added；　smiling；　'it　was　those　superfluous　

ceremonies；　those　surplices　and　white　neckcloths；　and；　above　all；　

the　necessity　of　strictly　regulating　his　words　and　conversation；　

which　drove　John　Wesley　out　of　the　church；　and　sent　him　wandering　

up　and　down　as　you　see　me；　poor　Welsh　Peter；　do。'



Nothing　farther　passed　for　some　time；　we　were　now　drawing　near　the　

hills：　　at　last　I　said；　'You　must　have　met　with　a　great　many　

strange　adventures　since　you　took　up　this　course　of　life？'



'Many；'　said　Peter；　'it　has　been　my　lot　to　meet　with；　but　none　more　

strange　than　one　which　occurred　to　me　only　a　few　weeks　ago。　　You　

were　asking　me；　not　long　since；　whether　I　believed　in　devils？　　Ay；　

truly；　young　man；　and　I　believe　that　the　abyss　and　the　yet　deeper　

unknown　do　not　contain　them　all；　some　walk　about　upon　the　green　

earth。　　So　it　happened；　some　weeks　ago；　that　I　was　exercising　my　

ministry　about　forty　miles　from　here。　　I　was　alone；　Winifred　being　

slightly　indisposed；　staying　for　a　few　days　at　the　house　of　an　

acquaintance；　I　had　finished　afternoon's　worship　…　the　people　had　

dispersed；　and　I　was　sitting　solitary　by　my　cart　under　some　green　

trees　in　a　quiet　retired　place；　suddenly　a　voice　said　to　me；　〃Good…

evening；　Pastor〃；　I　looked　up；　and　before　me　stood　a　man；　at　least　

the　appearance　of　a　man；　dressed　in　a　black　suit　of　rather　a　

singular　fashion。　　He　was　about　my　own　age；　or　somewhat　older。　　As　

I　looked　upon　him；　it　appeared　to　me　that　I　had　seen　him　twice　

before　whilst　preaching。　　I　replied　to　his　salutation；　and　

perceiving　that　he　looked　somewhat　fatigued；　I　took　out　a　stool　

from　the　cart；　and　asked　him　to　sit　down。　　We　began　to　discourse；　I　

at　first　supposed　that　he　might　be　one　of　ourselves；　some　wandering　

minister；　but　I　was　soon　undeceived。　　Neither　his　language　nor　his　

ideas　were　those　of　any　one　of　our　body。　　He　spoke　on　all　kinds　of　

matters　with　much　fluency；　till　at　last　he　mentioned　my　preaching；　

complimenting　me　on　my　powers。　　I　replied；　as　well　I　might；　that　I　

could　claim　no　merit　of　my　own；　and　that　if　I　spoke　with　any　

effect；　it　was　only　by　the　grace　of　God。　　As　I　uttered　these　last　

words；　a　horrible　kind　of　sneer　came　over　his　countenance；　which　

made　me　shudder；　for　there　was　something　diabolical　in　it。　　I　said　

little　more；　but　listened　attentively　to　his　discourse。　　At　last　he　

said　that　I　was　engaged　in　a　paltry　cause；　quite　unworthy　of　one　of　

my　powers。　　〃How　can　that　be；〃　said　I；　〃even　if　I　possessed　all　the　

powers　in　the　world；　seeing　that　I　am　engaged　in　the　cause　of　our　

Lord　Jesus？〃



'The　same　kind　of　sneer　again　came　on　his　countenance；　but　he　

almost　instantly　observed；　that　if　I　chose　to　forsake　this　same　

miserable　cause；　from　which　nothing　but　contempt　and　privation　was　

to　be　expected；　he　would　enlist　me　into　another；　from　which　I　might　

expect　both　profit　and　renown。　　An　idea　now　came　into　my　head；　and　

I　told　him　firmly　that　if　he　wished　me　to　forsake　my　present　

profession　and　become　a　member　of　the　Church