donal grant-第65章

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wherewith　to　foil　the　enemy。

〃The　most　precious　doctrine；　if　one　may　say　so；　in　the　whole　Bible；
is　that　of　Adoption。　God　by　the　mouth　of　his　apostle　Paul　tells　us
that　God　adopts　some　for　his　children；　and　leaves　the　rest。　If
because　of　this　you　say　he　is　not　infinite　in　mercy；　when　the　Bible
says　he　is；　you　are　guilty　of　blasphemy。〃

In　a　tone　calm　to　solemnity；　Donal　answered

〃God's　mercy　is　infinite；　and　the　doctrine　of　Adoption　is　one　of　the
falsest　of　false　doctrines。　In　bitter　lack　of　the　spirit　whereby　we
cry　Abba；　Father；　the　so…called　Church　invented　it；　and　it　remains；
a　hideous　mask　wherewith　false　and　ignorant　teachers　scare　God's
children　from　their　Father's　arms。〃

〃I　hate　sentimentmost　of　all　in　religion！〃　said　Miss　Carmichael
with　contempt。

〃You　shall　have　none；〃　returned　Donal。　〃Tell　me　what　is　meant　by
Adoption。〃

〃The　taking　of　children；〃　answered　Miss　Carmichael；　already　spying　a
rock　ahead；　〃and　treating　them　as　your　own。〃

〃Whose　children？〃　asked　Donal。

〃Anyone's。〃

〃Whose；〃　insisted　Donal；　〃are　the　children　whom　God　adopts？〃

She　was　on　the　rock；　and　a　little　staggered。　But　she　pulled　up
courage　and　said

〃The　children　of　Satan。〃

〃Then　how　are　they　to　be　blamed　for　doing　the　deeds　of　their
father？〃

〃You　know　very　well　what　I　mean！　Satan　did　not　make　them。　God　made
them；　but　they　sinned　and　fell。〃

〃Then　did　God　repudiate　them？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　they　became　the　children　of　another？〃

〃Yes；　of　Satan。〃

〃Then　God　disowns　his　children；　and　when　they　are　the　children　of
another；　adopts　them？　Miss　Carmichael；　it　is　too　foolish！　Would　that
be　like　a　father？　Because　his　children　do　not　please　him；　he
repudiates　them　altogether；　and　then　he　wants　them　againnot　as　his
own；　but　as　the　children　of　a　stranger；　whom　he　will　adopt！　The
original　relationship　is　no　longer　of　any　forcehas　no　weight　even
with　their　very　own　father！　What　ground　could　such　a　parent　have　to
complain　of　his　children？〃

〃You　dare　not　say　the　wicked　are　the　children　of　God　the　same　as　the
good。〃

〃That　be　far　from　me！　Those　who　do　the　will　of　God　are　infinitely
more　his　children　than　those　who　do　not；　they　are　born　of　the
innermost　heart　of　God；　they　are　then　of　the　nature　of　Jesus　Christ；
whose　glory　is　obedience。　But　if　they　were　not　in　the　first　place；
and　in　the　most　profound　fact；　the　children　of　God；　they　could　never
become　his　children　in　that　higher；　that　highest　sense；　by　any
fiction　of　adoption。　Do　you　think　if　the　devil　could　create；　his
children　could　ever　become　the　children　of　God？　But　you　and　I；　and
every　pharisee；　publican；　and　sinner　in　the　world；　are　equally　the
children　of　God　to　begin　with。　That　is　the　root　of　all　the　misery
and　all　the　hope。　Because　we　are　his　children；　we　must　become　his
children　in　heart　and　soul；　or　be　for　ever　wretched。　If　we　ceased　to
be　his；　if　the　relation　between　us　were　destroyed；　which　is
impossible；　no　redemption　would　be　possible；　there　would　be　nothing
left　to　redeem。〃

〃You　may　talk　as　you　see　fit；　Mr。　Grant；　but　while　Paul　teaches　the
doctrine；　I　will　hold　it；　he　may　perhaps　know　a　little　better　than
you。〃

〃Paul　teaches　no　such　doctrine。　He　teaches　just　what　I　have　been
saying。　The　word　translated　adoption；　he　uses　for　the　raising　of　one
who　is　a　son　to　the　true　position　of　a　son。〃

〃The　presumption　in　you　to　say　what　the　apostle　did　or　did　not
mean！〃

〃Why；　Miss　Carmichael；　do　you　think　the　gospel　comes　to　us　as　a　set
of　fools？　Is　there　any　way　of　truly　or　worthily　receiving　a　message
without　understanding　it？　A　message　is　sent　for　the　very　sake　of
being　in　some　measure　at　least　understood。　Without　that　it　would　be
no　message　at　all。　I　am　bound　by　the　will　and　express　command　of　the
master　to　understand　the　things　he　says　to　me。　He　commands　me　to　see
their　rectitude；　because　they　being　true；　I　ought　to　be　able　to　see
them　true。　In　the　hope　of　seeing　as　he　would　have　me　see；　I　read　my
Greek　Testament　every　day。　But　it　is　not　necessary　to　know　Greek　to
see　what　Paul　means　by　the　so…translated　adoption。　You　have　only　to
consider　his　words　with　intent　to　find　out　his　meaning；　and　without
intent　to　find　in　them　the　teaching　of　this　or　that　doctor　of
divinity。　In　the　epistle　to　the　Galatians；　whose　child　does　he　speak
of　as　adopted？　It　is　the　father's　own　child；　his　heir；　who　differs
nothing　from　a　slave　until　he　enters　upon　his　true　relation　to　his
fatherthe　full　status　of　a　son。　So　also；　in　another　passage；　by
the　same　word　he　means　the　redemption　of　the　bodyits　passing　into
the　higher　condition　of　outward　things；　into　a　condition　in　itself；
and　a　home　around　it；　fit　for　the　sons　and　daughters　of　Godthat　we
be　no　more　like　strangers；　but　like　what　we　are；　the　children　of　the
house。　To　use　any　word　of　Paul's　to　make　human　being　feel　as　if　he
were　not　by　birth；　making；　origin；　or　whatever　word　of　closer　import
can　be　found；　the　child　of　God；　or　as　if　anything　he　had　done　or
could　do　could　annul　that　relationship；　is　of　the　devil；　the　father
of　evil；　not　either　of　Paul　or　of　Christ。Why；　my　lady；〃　continued
Donal；　turning　to　Arctura；　〃all　the　evil　lies　in　thisthat　he　is
our　father　and　we　are　not　his　children。　To　fulfil　the　poorest
necessities　of　our　being；　we　must　be　his　children　in　brain　and
heart；　in　body　and　soul　and　spirit；　in　obedience　and　hope　and
gladness　and　lovehis　out　and　out；　beyond　all　that　tongue　can　say；
mind　think；　or　heart　desire。　Then　only　is　our　creation
finishedthen　only　are　we　what　we　were　made　to　be。　This　is　that　for
the　sake　of　which　we　are　troubled　on　all　sides。〃

He　ceased。　Miss　Carmichael　was　intellectually　cowed；　but　her　heart
was　nowise　touched。　She　had　never　had　that　longing　after　closest
relation　with　God　which　sends　us　feeling　after　the　father。　But　now；
taking　courage　under　the　overshadowing　wing　of　the　divine；　Arctura
spoke。

〃I　do　hope　what　you　say　is　true；　Mr。　Grant！〃　she　said　with　a　longing
sigh。

〃Oh　yes；　hope！　we　all　hope！　But　it　is　the　word　we　have　to　do　with！〃
said　Miss　Carmichael。

〃I　have　given　you　the　truth　of　this　word！〃　said　Donal。

But　as　if　she　heard　neither　of　them；　Arctura　went　on；

〃If　it　were　but　true！〃　she　moaned。　〃It　would　set　right　everything　on
the　face　of　the　earth！〃

〃You　mean　far　more　than　that；　my　lady！〃　said　Donal。　〃You　mean
everything　in　the　human　heart；　which　will　to　all　eternity　keep
moaning　and　crying　out　for　the　Father　of　it；　until　it　is　one　with
its　one　relation！〃

He　lifted　his　bonnet；　and　would　have　passed　on。

〃One　word；　Mr。　Grant；〃　said　Miss　Carmichael。　〃No　man　holding　such
doctrines　could　with　honesty　become　a　clergyman　of　the　church　of
Scotland。〃

〃Very　likely；〃　replied　Donal；　〃Good　afternoon。〃

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Grant！〃　said　Arctura。　〃I　hope　you　are　right。〃

When　he　was　gone；　the　ladies　resumed　their　walk　in　silence。　At
length　Miss　Carmichael　spoke。

〃Well；　I　must　say；　of　all　the　conceited　young　men　I　have　had　the
misfortune　to　meet；　your　Mr。　Grant　bears　the　palm！　Such
self…assurance！　such　presumption！　such　forwardness！〃

〃Are　you　certain；　Sophia；〃　rejoined　Arctura；　〃that　it　is
self…assurance；　and　not　conviction　that　gives　him　his　courage？〃

〃He　is　a　teacher　of　lies！　He　goes　dead　against　all　that　good　men　say
and　believe！　The　thing　is　as　clear　as　daylight：　he　is　altogether
wrong！〃

〃What　if　God　be　sending　fresh　light　into　the　minds　of　his　people？〃

〃The　old　light　is　good　enough　for　me！〃

〃But　it　may　not　be　good　enough　for　God！　What　if　Mr。　Grant　should　be
his　messenger　to　you　and　me！〃

〃A　likely　thing！　A　raw　student　from　the　hills　of　Daurside！〃

〃I　cherish　a　profound　hope　that　he　may　be　in　the　right。　Much　good；
you　know；　did　come　out　of　Galilee！　Every　place　and　every　person　is
despised　by　somebody！〃

〃Arctura！　He　has　infected　you　with　his　frightful　irreverence！〃

〃If　he　be　a　messenger　of　Jesus　Christ；〃　said　Arctura；　quietly；　〃he
has　had　from　you　the　reception　he　would　expect；　for　the　disciple
must　be　as　his　master。〃

Miss　Carmichael　stood　still　abruptly。　Her　face　was　in　a　flame；　but
her　words　came　cold　and　hard。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　she　said；　〃our　friendship　should　come　to　so　harsh　a
conclusion；　lady　Arctura；　but　it　is　time　it　should　end　when　you
spea