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第52章

over the teacups-第52章

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Number Five and I have occasionally talked on religious questions;

and discovered many points of agreement in our views。  Both of us

grew up under the old 〃Orthodox 〃 or Calvinistic system of belief。

Both of us accepted it in our early years as a part of our education。

Our experience is a common one。  William Cullen Bryant says of

himself; 〃The Calvinistic system of divinity I adopted of course; as

I heard nothing else taught from the pulpit; and supposed it to be

the accepted belief of the religious world。〃  But it was not the

〃five points〃 which remained in the young poet's memory and shaped

his higher life。  It was the influence of his mother that left its

permanent impression after the questions and answers of the

Assembly's Catechism had faded out; or remained in memory only as

fossil survivors of an extinct or fast…disappearing theological

formation。  The important point for him; as for so many other

children of Puritan descent; was not his father's creed; but his

mother's character; precepts; and example。  〃She was a person;〃 he

says; 〃of excellent practical sense; of a quick and sensitive moral

judgment; and had no patience with any form of deceit or duplicity。

Her prompt condemnation of injustice; even in those instances in

which it is tolerated by the world; made a strong impression upon me

in early life; and if; in the discussion of public questions; I have

in my riper age endeavored to keep in view the great rule of right

without much regard to persons; it has been owing in a great degree

to the force of her example; which taught me never to countenance a

wrong because others did。〃



I have quoted this passage because it was an experience not wholly


unlike my own; and in certain respects like that of Number Five。  To

grow up in a narrow creed and to grow out of it is a tremendous trial

of one's nature。  There is always a bond of fellowship between those

who have been through such an ordeal。



The experiences we have had in common naturally lead us to talk over

the theological questions which at this time are constantly

presenting themselves to the public; not only in the books and papers

expressly devoted to that class of subjects; but in many of the

newspapers and popular periodicals; from the weeklies to the

quarterlies。  The pulpit used to lay down the law to the pews; at the

present time; it is of more consequence what the pews think than what

the minister does; for the obvious reason that the pews can change

their minister; and often do; whereas the minister cannot change the

pews; or can do so only to a very limited extent。  The preacher's

garment is cut according to the pattern of that of the hearers; for

the most part。  Thirty years ago; when I was writing on theological

subjects; I came in for a very pretty share of abuse; such as it was

the fashion of that day; at least in certain quarters; to bestow upon

those who were outside of the high…walled enclosures in which many

persons; not naturally unamiable or exclusive; found themselves

imprisoned。  Since that time what changes have taken place!  Who will

believe that a well…behaved and reputable citizen could have been

denounced as a 〃moral parricide;〃 because he attacked some of the

doctrines in which he was supposed to have been brought up?  A single

thought should have prevented the masked theologian who abused his

incognito from using such libellous language。



Much; and in many families most; of the religious teaching of

children is committed to the mother。  The experience of William

Cullen Bryant; which I have related in his own words; is that of many

New England children。  Now; the sternest dogmas that ever came from a

soul cramped or palsied by an obsolete creed become wonderfully

softened in passing between the lips of a mother。  The cruel doctrine

at which all but case…hardened 〃professionals〃 shudder cones out; as

she teaches and illustrates it; as unlike its original as the milk

which a peasant mother gives her babe is unlike the coarse food which

furnishes her nourishment。  The virus of a cursing creed is rendered

comparatively harmless by the time it reaches the young sinner in the

nursery。  Its effects fall as far short of what might have been

expected from its virulence as the pearly vaccine vesicle falls short

of the terrors of the confluent small…pox。  Controversialists should

therefore be careful (for their own sakes; for they hurt nobody so

much as themselves) how they use such terms as 〃parricide〃 as

characterizing those who do not agree in all points with the fathers

whom or whose memory they honor and venerate。  They might with as

much propriety call them matricides; if they did not agree with the

milder teachings of their mothers。  I can imagine Jonathan Edwards in

the nursery with his three…year…old child upon his knee。  The child

looks up to his face and says to him;〃Papa; nurse tells me that you

say God hates me worse than He hates one of those horrid ugly snakes

that crawl all round。  Does God hate me so?〃



〃Alas!  my child; it is but too true。  So long as you are out of

Christ you are as a viper; and worse than a viper; in his sight。〃



By and by; Mrs。  Edwards; one of the loveliest of women and sweetest

of mothers; comes into the nursery。  The child is crying。



〃What is the matter; my darling?〃



〃 Papa has been telling me that God hates me worse than a snake。〃



Poor; gentle; poetical; sensitive; spiritual; almost celestial Mrs。

Jonathan Edwards!  On the one hand the terrible sentence conceived;

written down; given to the press; by the child's father; on the other

side the trusting child looking up at her; and all the mother

pleading in her heart against the frightful dogma of her revered

husband。  Do you suppose she left that poison to rankle in the tender

soul of her darling?  Would it have been moral parricide for a son of

the great divine to have repudiated the doctrine which degraded his

blameless infancy to the condition and below the condition of the

reptile?  Was it parricide in the second or third degree when his

descendant struck out that venomous sentence from the page in which

it stood as a monument to what depth Christian heathenism could sink

under the teaching of the great master of logic and spiritual

inhumanity?  It is too late to be angry about the abuse a well

meaning writer received thirty years ago。  The whole atmosphere has

changed since then。  It is mere childishness to expect men to believe

as their fathers did; that is; if they have any minds of their own。

The world is a whole generation older and wiser than when the father

was of his son's age。



So far as I have observed persons nearing the end of life; the Roman

Catholics understand the business of dying better than Protestants。

They have an expert by them; armed with spiritual specifics; in which

they both; patient and priestly ministrant; place implicit trust。

Confession; the Eucharist; Extreme Unction;these all inspire a

confidence which without this symbolism is too apt to be wanting in

over…sensitive natures。  They have been peopled in earlier years with

ghastly spectres of avenging fiends; moving in a sleepless world of

devouring flames and smothering exhalations; where nothing lives but

the sinner; the fiends; and the reptiles who help to make life an

unending torture。  It is no wonder that these images sometimes return

to the enfeebled intelligence。  To exorcise them; the old Church of

Christendom has her mystic formulae; of which no rationalistic

prescription can take the place。  If Cowper had been a good Roman

Catholic; instead of having his conscience handled by a Protestant

like John Newton; he would not have died despairing; looking upon

himself as a castaway。  I have seen a good many Roman Catholics on

their dying beds; and it always appeared to me that they accepted the

inevitable with a composure which showed that their belief; whether

or not the best to live b

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