black rock-第15章
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me 'ard。 Yes； you！ and you！ and you！' and his voice rose to a wild
scream as he shook a trembling finger at one and another。
'Man； it's fair gruesome tae hear him；' said Geordie； 'he's no'
canny'； and reaching out for Billy as he went stumbling past； he
pulled him down to a seat beside him； saying； 'Sit doon； lad； sit
doon。 We'll mak a man o' ye yet。' Then he rose and； using many
r's； said； 'Maister Chairman； a' doot we'll juist hae to gie it
up。'
'Give it up？' called out Nixon。 'Give up the League？'
'Na！ na！ lad； but juist the wee drap whusky。 It's nae that guid
onyway； and it's a terrible price。 Man； gin ye gang tae
Henderson's in Buchanan Street； in Gleska； ye ken； ye'll get mair
for three…an'…saxpence than ye wull at Slavin's for five dollars。
An' it'll no' pit ye mad like yon stuff； but it gangs doon smooth
an' saft…like。 But' （regretfully） 'ye'll no' can get it here； an'
a'm thinkin' a'll juist sign yon teetotal thing。' And up he strode
to the table and put his name down in the book Craig had ready。
Then to Billy he said； 'Come' awa； lad！ pit yer name doon； an'
we'll stan' by ye。'
Poor Billy looked around helplessly； his nerve all gone； and sat
still。 There was a swift rustle of garments； and Mrs。 Mavor was
beside him； and； in a voice that only Billy and I could hear； said；
'You'll sign with； me； Billy？'
Billy gazed at her with a hopeless look in his eyes； and shook his
little； head。 She leaned slightly toward him； smiling brightly；
and； touching his arm gently； said
'Come； Billy； there's no fear；' and in a lower voice； 'God will
help you。'
As Billy went up； following Mrs。 Mavor close； a hush fell on the
men until he had put his name to the pledge； then they came up； man
by man； and signed。 But Craig sat with his head down till I
touched his shoulder。 He took my hand and held it fast； saying
over and over； under his breath； 'Thank God； thank God！'
And so the League was made。
CHAPTER VI
BLACK ROCK RELIGION
When I grow weary with the conventions of religion； and sick in my
soul from feeding upon husks； that the churches too often offer me；
in the shape of elaborate service and eloquent discourses； so that
in my sickness I doubt and doubt； then I go back to the communion
in Black Rock and the days preceding it； and the fever and the
weariness leave me； and I grow humble and strong。 The simplicity
and rugged grandeur of the faith； the humble gratitude of the rough
men I see about the table； and the calm radiance of one saintly
face； rest and recall me。
Not its most enthusiastic apologist would call Black Rock a
religious community； but it possessed in a marked degree that
eminent Christian virtue of tolerance。 All creeds； all shades of
religious opinion； were allowed； and it was generally conceded that
one was as good as another。 It is fair to say； however； that Black
Rock's catholicity was negative rather than positive。 The only
religion objectionable was that insisted upon as a necessity。 It
never occurred to any one to consider religion other than as a
respectable； if not ornamental； addition to life in older lands。
During the weeks following the making of the League； however； this
negative attitude towards things religious gave place to one of
keen investigation and criticism。 The indifference passed away；
and with it； in a large measure； the tolerance。 Mr。 Craig was
responsible for the former of these changes； but hardly； in
fairness； could he be held responsible for the latter。 If any one；
more than another； was to be blamed for the rise of intolerance in
the village； that man was Geordie Crawford。 He had his 'lines'
from the Established Kirk of Scotland； and when Mr。 Craig announced
his intention of having the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
observed； Geordie produced his 'lines' and promptly handed them in。
As no other man in the village was equipped with like spiritual
credentials； Geordie constituted himself a kind of kirk…session；
charged with the double duty of guarding the entrance to the Lord's
Table； and of keeping an eye upon the theological opinions of the
community； and more particularly upon such members of it as gave
evidence of possessing any opinions definite enough for statement。
It came to be Mr。 Craig's habit to drop into the League…room； and
toward the close of the evening to have a short Scripture lesson
from the Gospels。 Geordie's opportunity came after the meeting was
over and Mr。 Craig had gone away。 The men would hang about and
talk the lesson over； expressing opinions favourable or unfavourable
as appeared to them good。 Then it was that all sorts of views；
religious and otherwise； were aired and examined。 The originality
of the ideas； the absolute disregard of the authority of church or
creed； the frankness with which opinions were stated； and the
forcefulness of the language in which they were expressed； combined
to make the discussions altogether marvellous。 The passage between
Abe Baker； the stage…driver； and Geordie was particularly rich。 It
followed upon a very telling lesson on the parable of the Pharisee
and the Publican。
The chief actors in that wonderful story were transferred to the
Black Rock stage； and were presented in miner's costume。 Abe was
particularly well pleased with the scoring of the 'blanked old
rooster who crowed so blanked high；' and somewhat incensed at the
quiet remark interjected by Geordie； 'that it was nae credit till a
man tae be a sinner'； and when Geordie went on to urge the
importance of right conduct and respectability； Abe was led to pour
forth vials of contemptuous wrath upon the Pharisees and hypocrites
who thought themselves better than other people。 But Geordie was
quite unruffled； and lamented the ignorance of men who； brought up
in 'Epeescopawlyun or Methody' churches； could hardly be expected
to detect the Antinomian or Arminian heresies。
'Aunty Nomyun or Uncle Nomyun；' replied Abe； boiling hot； 'my
mother was a Methodist； and I'll back any blanked Methodist
against any blankety blank long…faced； lantern…jawed； skinflint
Presbyterian；' and this he was eager to maintain to any man's
satisfaction if he would step outside。
Geordie was quite unmoved； but hastened to assure Abe that he meant
no disrespect to his mother； who he had 'nae doot was a clever
enough buddie； tae judge by her son。' Abe was speedily appeased；
and offered to set up the drinks all round。 But Geordie； with
evident reluctance； had to decline； saying； 'Na； na； lad； I'm a
League man ye ken；' and I was sure that Geordie at that moment felt
that membership in the League had its drawbacks。
Nor was Geordie too sure of Craig's orthodoxy； while as to Mrs。
Mavor； whose slave he was； he was in the habit of lamenting her
doctrinal condition
'She's a fine wumman； nae doot； but； puir cratur； she's fair
carried awa wi' the errors o' thae Epeescopawlyuns。'
It fell to Geordie； therefore； as a sacred duty； in view of the
laxity of those who seemed to be the pillars of the Church； to be
all the more watchful and unyielding。 But he was delightfully
inconsistent when confronted with particulars。 In conversation
with him one night after one of the meetings； when he had been
specially hard upon the ignorant and godless； I innocently changed
the subject to Billy Breen； whom Geordie had taken to his shack
since the night of the League。 He was very proud of Billy's
success in the fight against whisky； the credit of which he divided
unevenly between Mrs。 Mavor and himself。
'He's fair daft aboot her；' he explained to me； 'an' I'll no' deny
but she's a great help； ay； a verra conseederable asseestance； but；
man； she doesna ken the whusky； an' the inside o' a man that's
wantin' it。 Ay； puir buddie； she diz her pairt； an' when ye're a
bit restless an thrawn aifter yer day's wark； it's like a walk in a
bonnie glen on a simmer eve； with the birds liltin' aboot； tae sit
in yon roomie and hear her sing； but when the night is on； an' ye
canna sleep； but wauken wi' an' awfu' thurst and wi' dreams o' cosy
firesides； and the bonnie sparklin' glosses； as it is wi' puir
Billy； ay； it's then ye need a man wi' a guid grup bes
