addresses-第8章

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Boston　girl　who　was　deaf　and　dumb　and　blind；　was　an　absolute　blank；

nothing　could　go　into　that　mind　because　the　ears　and　eyes　were

closed　to　the　outer　world。　　Then　by　that　great　process　which　has

been　discovered；　by　which　the　blind　see；　and　the　deaf　hear；　and　the

mute　speak；　that　girl's　soul　became　opened；　and　they　began　to　put

in　little　bits　of　knowledge；　and　bit　by　bit　they　began　to　educate

her。　　They　reserved　her　religious　instruction　for　Phillips　Brooks。

After　some　years；　when　she　was　twelve　years　old；　they　took　her　to

him　and　he　began　to　talk　to　her　through　the　young　lady　who　could

communicate　with　her　by　the　exceedingly　delicate　process　of　touch。

He　began　to　tell　her　about　God　and　what　He　had　done；　and　how　He　loved

men；　and　what　He　is　to　us。　　The　child　listened　very　intelligently；

and　finally　said：



〃Mr。　Brooks；　I　knew　all　that　before；　but　I　didn't　know　His　name。〃



How　often　we　have　felt　something　within　us　impelling　us　to　do

something　which　we　would　not　have　conceived　of　by　ourselves；　or

enabling　us　to　do　something　which　we　could　not　have　done　alone。

〃It　is　God　which　worketh　in　you。〃　　This　great　simple　fact



Explains　many　of　the　mysteries　of　life；



and　takes　away　the　fear　which　we　would　otherwise　have　in　meeting

the　difficulties　which　lie　before　us。



Two　Americans　who　were　crossing　the　Atlantic　met　on　Sunday　night

to　sing　hymns　in　the　cabin。　　As　they　sang　the　hymn；　〃Jesus；　Lover

of　my　Soul；〃　one　of　the　Americans　heard　an　exceedingly　rich　and

beautiful　voice　behind　him。　　He　looked　around；　and　although　he　did

not　know　the　face　he　thought　that　he　recognized　the　voice。　　So　when

the　music　ceased　he　turned　and　asked　the　man　if　he　had　not　been

in　the　Civil　war。　　The　man　replied　that　he　had　been　a　Confederate

soldier。　　〃Were　you　at　such　a　place　on　such　a　night？〃　　asked　the

first。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃and　a　curious　thing　happened　that　night；

this　hymn　recalled　it　to　my　mind。　　I　was　on　sentry　duty　on　the

edge　of　the　wood。　　It　was　a　dark　night　and　very　cold；　and　I　was　a

little　frightened　because　the　enemy　was　supposed　to　be　very　near

at　hand。　　I　felt　very　homesick　and　miserable；　and　about　midnight；

when　everything　was　very　still；　I　was　beginning　to　feel　very　weary

and　thought　that　I　would　comfort　myself　by　praying　and　singing　a

hymn。　　I　remember　singing　this　hymn；





'All　my　trust　on　Thee　is　stayed；

　　All　my　help　from　Thee　I　bring；

　Cover　my　defenceless　head

　　With　the　shadow　of　Thy　wing。'





After　I　had　sung　those　words　a　strange　peace　came　down　upon　me；

and　through　the　long　night　I　remember　having　felt　no　more　fear。〃



〃Now；〃　said　the　other　man；　〃listen　to　my　story。　　I　was　a　Union

soldier；　and　was　in　the　wood　that　night　with　a　party　of　scouts。　　I

saw　you　standing　up；　although　I　didn't　see　your　face；　and　my　men

had　their　rifles　focused　upon　you　waiting　the　word　to　fire；　but

when　you　sang　out；





'Cover　my　defenceless　head

　　With　the　shadow　of　Thy　wing。'





I　said；　'Boys；　put　down　your　rifles；　we　will　go　home。'　　I　couldn't

kill　you　after　that。〃



God　was　working　in　each　of　them；　in　His　own　way　carrying　out　His

will。　　God　keeps　his　people　and　guides　them　and　without　Him　life

is　but　a　living　death。



III。



The　third　element　in　life　about　which　I　wish　to　speak　is　LOVE。



In　this　picture　we　notice　the　delicate　sense　of　companionship；

brought　out　by　the　young　man　and　the　young　woman。　　It　matters　not

whether　they　are　brother　and　sister；　or　lover　and　loved；　there

you　have　the　idea　of　friendship；　the　final　ingredient　in　our　life；

after　the　two　I　have　named。　　If　the　man　or　the　woman　had　been

standing　in　that　field　alone　it　would　have　been　incomplete。



Love　is　the　divine　element　in　life；　because　〃God　is　love。〃　　〃He

that　loveth　is　born　of　God；〃　therefore；　as　some　one　has　said；　let

us　〃keep　our　friendships　in　repair。〃　　Let　us　cultivate　the　spirit

of　friendship；　and　let　the　love　of　Christ　develop　it　into　a　great

love；　not　only　for　our　friends；　but　for　all　humanity。　　Wherever

you　go　and　whatever　you　do；　your　work　will　be　a　failure　unless　you

have　this　element　in　your　life。



These　three　things　go　far　toward　forming　a　well…rounded　life。　　Some

of　us　may　not　have　these　ingredients　in　their　right　proportion；

but　if　you　are　lacking　in　one　or　the　other　of　them；　then　pray　for

it　and　work　for　it　that　your　life　may　be　rounded　and　complete　as

God　intended　it　should　be。











Pax　Vobiscum。









I　once　heard　a　sermon　by　a　distinguished　preacher　upon　〃Rest。〃

It　was　full　of　beautiful　thoughts；　but　when　I　came　to　ask　myself；

〃How　does　he　say　I　can　get　Rest？〃　there　was　no　answer。　　The　sermon

was　sincerely　meant　to　be　practical；　yet　it　contained　no　experience

that　seemed　to　me　to　be　tangible；　nor　any　advice　that　I　could

graspany　advice；　that　is　to　say；　which　could　help　me　to　find　the

thing　itself　as　I　went　about　the　world。



Yet　this　omission　of　what　is；　after　all；　the　only　important　problem；

was　not　the　fault　of　the　preacher。　　The　whole　popular　religion　is

in　the　twilight　here。　　And　when　pressed　for　really　working　specifics

for　the　experiences　with　which　it　deals；　it　falters；　and　seems　to

lose　itself　in　mist。



The　want　of　connection　between　the　great　words　of　religion　and

every…day　life　has　bewildered　and　discouraged　all　of　us。　　Christianity

possesses　the　noblest　words　in　the　language；　its　literature　overflows

with　terms　expressive　of　the　greatest　and　happiest　moods　which　can

fill　the　soul　of　man。　　Rest；　Joy；　Peace；　Faith；　Love；　Lightthese

words　occur　with　such　persistency　in　hymns　and　prayers　that　an

observer　might　think　they　formed　the　staple　of　Christian　experience。

But　on　coming　to　close　quarters　with　the　actual　life　of　most　of　us；

how　surely　would　he　be　disenchanted。　　I　do　not　think　we　ourselves

are　aware　of　how　much　our　religious　life　is



Made　up　of　phrases；



how　much　of　what　we　call　Christian　Experience　is　only　a　dialect

of　the　Churches；　a　mere　religious　phraseology　with　almost　nothing

behind　it　in　what　we　really　feel　and　know。



To　some　of　us；　indeed；　the　Christian　experiences　seem　further　away

than　when　we　took　the　first　steps　in　the　Christian　life。　　That　life

has　not　opened　out　as　we　had　hoped。　　We　do　not　regret　our　religion；

but　we　are　disappointed　with　it。　　There　are　times；　perhaps；　when

wandering　notes　form　a　diviner　music　stray　into　our　spirits；　but

these　experiences　come　at　few　and　fitful　moments。　　We　have　no　sense

of　possession　in　them。　　When　they　visit　us；　it　is　as　surprise。

When　they　leave　us；　it　is　without　explanation。　　When　we　wish　their

return；　we　do　not　know　how　to　secure　it。



All　of　which　means　a　religion　without　solid　base；　and　a　poor　and

flickering　life。　　It　means　a　great　bankruptcy　in　those　experiences

which　give　Christianity　its　personal　solace　and　make　it　attractive

to　the　world；　and　a　great　uncertainty　as　to　any　remedy。　　It　is　as

if　we　knew　everything　about　healthexcept　the　way　to　get　it。



I　am　quite　sure　that　the　difficulty　does　not　lie　in　the　fact　that

men　are　not　in　earnest。　　This　is　simply　not　the　fact。　　All　around

us　Christians　are　wearing　themselves　out　in　trying　to　be　better。

The　amount　of　spiritual　longing　in　the　worldin　the　hearts

of　unnumbered　thousands　of　men　and　women　in　whom　we　should　never

suspect　it；　among　the　wise　and　thoughtful；　among　the　young　and

gay；　who　seldom　assuage　and　never　betray　their　thirstthis　is　one

of　the　most　wonderful　and　touching　facts　of　life。　　It　is　not　more

heart　that　is　needed；　but　more　light；　not　more　force；　but　a　wiser

direction　to　be　given　to　very　real　energies　already　there。



The　usual　advice　when　one　asks　for　counsel　on　these　questions　is；

〃Pray。〃　　But　this　advice　is　far　from　adequate。　　I　shall　qualify　the

statement　presently；　but　let　me　urge　it　here；　with　what　you　will

perhaps　call　daring　emphasis；　that　to　pray　for　these　things　is　not

the　way　to　get　them。　　No　one　will　get　them　without　praying；　but

that　men　do　not　ge