the way of all flesh-第58章

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himself　of　them。



CHAPTER　XLIX



On　his　return　to　Cambridge　in　the　May　term　of　1858；　Ernest　and　a　few
other　friends　who　were　also　intended　for　orders　came　to　the
conclusion　that　they　must　now　take　a　more　serious　view　of　their
position。　　They　therefore　attended　chapel　more　regularly　than
hitherto；　and　held　evening　meetings　of　a　somewhat　furtive　character；
at　which　they　would　study　the　New　Testament。　　They　even　began　to
commit　the　Epistles　of　St　Paul　to　memory　in　the　original　Greek。
They　got　up　Beveridge　on　the　Thirty…nine　Articles；　and　Pearson　on
the　Creed；　in　their　hours　of　recreation　they　read　More's　〃Mystery　of
Godliness；〃　which　Ernest　thought　was　charming；　and　Taylor's　〃Holy
Living　and　Dying；〃　which　also　impressed　him　deeply；　through　what　he
thought　was　the　splendour　of　its　language。　　They　handed　themselves
over　to　the　guidance　of　Dean　Alford's　notes　on　the　Greek　Testament；
which　made　Ernest　better　understand　what　was　meant　by
〃difficulties；〃　but　also　made　him　feel　how　shallow　and　impotent　were
the　conclusions　arrived　at　by　German　neologians；　with　whose　works；
being　innocent　of　German；　he　was　not　otherwise　acquainted。　　Some　of
the　friends　who　joined　him　in　these　pursuits　were　Johnians；　and　the
meetings　were　often　held　within　the　walls　of　St　John's。

I　do　not　know　how　tidings　of　these　furtive　gatherings　had　reached
the　Simeonites；　but　they　must　have　come　round　to　them　in　some　way；
for　they　had　not　been　continued　many　weeks　before　a　circular　was
sent　to　each　of　the　young　men　who　attended　them；　informing　them　that
the　Rev。　Gideon　Hawke；　a　well…known　London　Evangelical　preacher；
whose　sermons　were　then　much　talked　of；　was　about　to　visit　his　young
friend　Badcock　of　St　John's；　and　would　be　glad　to　say　a　few　words　to
any　who　might　wish　to　hear　them；　in　Badcock's　rooms　on　a　certain
evening　in　May。

Badcock　was　one　of　the　most　notorious　of　all　the　Simeonites。　　Not
only　was　he　ugly；　dirty；　ill…dressed；　bumptious；　and　in　every　way
objectionable；　but　he　was　deformed　and　waddled　when　he　walked　so
that　he　had　won　a　nick…name　which　I　can　only　reproduce　by　calling　it
〃Here's　my　back；　and　there's　my　back；〃　because　the　lower　parts　of
his　back　emphasised　themselves　demonstratively　as　though　about　to
fly　off　in　different　directions　like　the　two　extreme　notes　in　the
chord　of　the　augmented　sixth；　with　every　step　he　took。　　It　may　be
guessed；　therefore；　that　the　receipt　of　the　circular　had　for　a
moment　an　almost　paralysing　effect　on　those　to　whom　it　was
addressed；　owing　to　the　astonishment　which　it　occasioned　them。　　It
certainly　was　a　daring　surprise；　but　like　so　many　deformed　people；
Badcock　was　forward　and　hard　to　check；　he　was　a　pushing　fellow　to
whom　the　present　was　just　the　opportunity　he　wanted　for　carrying　war
into　the　enemy's　quarters。

Ernest　and　his　friends　consulted。　　Moved　by　the　feeling　that　as　they
were　now　preparing　to　be　clergymen　they　ought　not　to　stand　so
stiffly　on　social　dignity　as　heretofore；　and　also　perhaps　by　the
desire　to　have　a　good　private　view　of　a　preacher　who　was　then　much
upon　the　lips　of　men；　they　decided　to　accept　the　invitation。　　When
the　appointed　time　came　they　went　with　some　confusion　and　self…
abasement　to　the　rooms　of　this　man；　on　whom　they　had　looked　down
hitherto　as　from　an　immeasurable　height；　and　with　whom　nothing　would
have　made　them　believe　a　few　weeks　earlier　that　they　could　ever　come
to　be　on　speaking　terms。

Mr　Hawke　was　a　very　different…looking　person　from　Badcock。　　He　was
remarkably　handsome；　or　rather　would　have　been　but　for　the　thinness
of　his　lips；　and　a　look　of　too　great　firmness　and　inflexibility。
His　features　were　a　good　deal　like　those　of　Leonardo　da　Vinci；
moreover　he　was　kempt；　looked　in　vigorous　health；　and　was　of　a　ruddy
countenance。　　He　was　extremely　courteous　in　his　manner；　and　paid　a
good　deal　of　attention　to　Badcock；　of　whom　he　seemed　to　think
highly。　　Altogether　our　young　friends　were　taken　aback；　and　inclined
to　think　smaller　beer　of　themselves　and　larger　of　Badcock　than　was
agreeable　to　the　old　Adam　who　was　still　alive　within　them。　　A　few
well…known　〃Sims〃　from　St　John's　and　other　colleges　were　present；
but　not　enough　to　swamp　the　Ernest　set；　as　for　the　sake　of　brevity；
I　will　call　them。

After　a　preliminary　conversation　in　which　there　was　nothing　to
offend；　the　business　of　the　evening　began　by　Mr　Hawke's　standing　up
at　one　end　of　the　table；　and　saying　〃Let　us　pray。〃　　The　Ernest　set
did　not　like　this；　but　they　could　not　help　themselves；　so　they　knelt
down　and　repeated　the　Lord's　Prayer　and　a　few　others　after　Mr　Hawke；
who　delivered　them　remarkably　well。　　Then；　when　all　had　sat　down；　Mr
Hawke　addressed　them；　speaking　without　notes　and　taking　for　his　text
the　words；　〃Saul；　Saul；　why　persecutest　thou　me？〃　　Whether　owing　to
Mr　Hawke's　manner；　which　was　impressive；　or　to　his　well…known
reputation　for　ability；　or　whether　from　the　fact　that　each　one　of
the　Ernest　set　knew　that　he　had　been　more　or　less　a　persecutor　of
the　〃Sims〃　and　yet　felt　instinctively　that　the　〃Sims〃　were　after　all
much　more　like　the　early　Christians　than　he　was　himselfat　any　rate
the　text；　familiar　though　it　was；　went　home　to　the　consciences　of
Ernest　and　his　friends　as　it　had　never　yet　done。　　If　Mr　Hawke　had
stopped　here　he　would　have　almost　said　enough；　as　he　scanned　the
faces　turned　towards　him；　and　saw　the　impression　he　had　made；　he　was
perhaps　minded　to　bring　his　sermon　to　an　end　before　beginning　it；
but　if　so；　he　reconsidered　himself　and　proceeded　as　follows。　　I　give
the　sermon　in　full；　for　it　is　a　typical　one；　and　will　explain　a
state　of　mind　which　in　another　generation　or　two　will　seem　to　stand
sadly　in　need　of　explanation。

〃My　young　friends；〃　said　Mr　Hawke；　〃I　am　persuaded　there　is　not　one
of　you　here　who　doubts　the　existence　of　a　Personal　God。　　If　there
were；　it　is　to　him　assuredly　that　I　should　first　address　myself。
Should　I　be　mistaken　in　my　belief　that　all　here　assembled　accept　the
existence　of　a　God　who　is　present　amongst　us　though　we　see　him　not；
and　whose　eye　is　upon　our　most　secret　thoughts；　let　me　implore　the
doubter　to　confer　with　me　in　private　before　we　part；　I　will　then　put
before　him　considerations　through　which　God　has　been　mercifully
pleased　to　reveal　himself　to　me；　so　far　as　man　can　understand　him；
and　which　I　have　found　bring　peace　to　the　minds　of　others　who　have
doubted。

〃I　assume　also　that　there　is　none　who　doubts　but　that　this　God；
after　whose　likeness　we　have　been　made；　did　in　the　course　of　time
have　pity　upon　man's　blindness；　and　assume　our　nature；　taking　flesh
and　coming　down　and　dwelling　among　us　as　a　man　indistinguishable
physically　from　ourselves。　　He　who　made　the　sun；　moon　and　stars；　the
world　and　all　that　therein　is；　came　down　from　Heaven　in　the　person
of　his　Son；　with　the　express　purpose　of　leading　a　scorned　life；　and
dying　the　most　cruel；　shameful　death　which　fiendish　ingenuity　has
invented。

〃While　on　earth　he　worked　many　miracles。　　He　gave　sight　to　the
blind；　raised　the　dead　to　life；　fed　thousands　with　a　few　loaves　and
fishes；　and　was　seen　to　walk　upon　the　waves；　but　at　the　end　of　his
appointed　time　he　died；　as　was　foredetermined；　upon　the　cross；　and
was　buried　by　a　few　faithful　friends。　　Those；　however；　who　had　put
him　to　death　set　a　jealous　watch　over　his　tomb。

〃There　is　no　one；　I　feel　sure；　in　this　room　who　doubts　any　part　of
the　foregoing；　but　if　there　is；　let　me　again　pray　him　to　confer　with
me　in　private；　and　I　doubt　not　that　by　the　blessing　of　God　his
doubts　will　cease。

〃The　next　day　but　one　after　our　Lord　was　buried；　the　tomb　being
still　jealously　guarded　by　enemies；　an　angel　was　seen　descending
from　Heaven　with　glittering　raiment　and　a　countenance　that　shone
like　fire。　　This　glorious　being　rolled　away　the　stone　from　the
grave；　and　our　Lord　himself　came　forth；　risen　from　the　dead。

〃My　young　friends；　this　is　no　fanciful　story　like　those　of　the
ancient　deities；　but　a　matter　of　plain　history　as　certain　as　that
you　and　I　are　now　here　together。　　If　there　is　one　fact　better
vouched　for　than　another　in　the　whole　range　of　certainties　it　is　the
Resurrection　of　Jesus　Christ；　nor　is　it　less　well　assured　that　a　few
weeks　after　he　had　ri