the procession of life-第3章

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existence；　save　among　those　most　wretched　ones。　Many；　however；

will　be　astonished　at　the　fatal　impulse　that　drags　them

thitherward。　Nothing　is　more　remarkable　than　the　various

deceptions　by　which　guilt　conceals　itself　from　the　perpetrator's

conscience；　and　oftenest；　perhaps；　by　the　splendor　of　its

garments。　Statesmen；　rulers；　generals；　and　all　men　who　act　over

an　extensive　sphere；　are　most　liable　to　be　deluded　in　this　way；

they　commit　wrong；　devastation；　and　murder；　on　so　grand　a　scale；

that　it　impresses　them　as　speculative　rather　than　actual；　but　in

our　procession　we　find　them　linked　in　detestable　conjunction　with

the　meanest　criminals　whose　deeds　have　the　vulgarity　of　petty

details。　Here　the　effect　of　circumstance　and　accident　is　done

away；　and　a　man　finds　his　rank　according　to　the　spirit　of　his

crime；　in　whatever　shape　it　may　have　been　developed。



We　have　called　the　Evil；　now　let　us　call　the　Good。　The　trumpet's

brazen　throat　should　pour　heavenly　music　over　the　earth；　and　the

herald's　voice　go　forth　with　the　sweetness　of　an　angel's　accents；

as　if　to　summon　each　upright　man　to　his　reward。　But　how　is　this？

Does　none　answer　to　the　call？　Not　one：　for　the　just；　the　pure；

the　true；　and　an　who　might　most　worthily　obey　it；　shrink　sadly

back；　as　most　conscious　of　error　and　imperfection。　Then　let　the

summons　be　to　those　whose　pervading　principle　is　Love。　This

classification　will　embrace　all　the　truly　good；　and　none　in　whose

souls　there　exists　not　something　that　may　expand　itself　into　a

heaven；　both　of　well…doing　and　felicity。



The　first　that　presents　himself　is　a　man　of　wealth；　who　has

bequeathed　the　bulk　of　his　property　to　a　hospital；　his　ghost；

methinks；　would　have　a　better　right　here　than　his　living　body。

But　here　they　come；　the　genuine　benefactors　of　their　race。　Some

have　wandered　about　the　earth　with　pictures　of　bliss　in　their

imagination；　and　with　hearts　that　shrank　sensitively　from　the

idea　of　pain　and　woe；　yet　have　studied　all　varieties　of　misery

that　human　nature　can　endure。　The　prison；　the　insane　asylum；　the

squalid　chamber　of　the　almshouse；　the　manufactory　where　the　demon

of　machinery　annihilates　the　human　soul；　and　the　cotton　field

where　God's　image　becomes　a　beast　of　burden；　to　these　and　every

other　scene　where　man　wrongs　or　neglects　his　brother；　the

apostles　of　humanity　have　penetrated。　This　missionary；　black　with

India's　burning　sunshine；　shall　give　his　arm　to　a　pale…faced

brother　who　has　made　himself　familiar　with　the　infected　alleys

and　loathsome　haunts　of　vice　in　one　of　our　own　cities。　The

generous　founder　of　a　college　shall　be　the　partner　of　a　maiden

lady　of　narrow　substance；　one　of　whose　good　deeds　it　has　been　to

gather　a　little　school　of　orphan　children。　If　the　mighty　merchant

whose　benefactions　are　reckoned　by　thousands　of　dollars　deem

himself　worthy；　let　him　join　the　procession　with　her　whose　love

has　proved　itself　by　watchings　at　the　sick…bed；　and　all　those

lowly　offices　which　bring　her　into　actual　contact　with　disease

and　wretchedness。　And　with　those　whose　impulses　have　guided　them

to　benevolent　actions；　we　will　rank　others　to　whom　Providence　has

assigned　a　different　tendency　and　different　powers。　Men　who　have

spent　their　lives　in　generous　and　holy　contemplation　for　the

human　race；　those　who；　by　a　certain　heavenliness　of　spirit；　have

purified　the　atmosphere　around　them；　and　thus　supplied　a　medium

in　which　good　and　high　things　may　be　projected　and

performedgive　to　these　a　lofty　place　among　the　benefactors　of

mankind；　although　no　deed；　such　as　the　world　calls　deeds；　may　be

recorded　of　them。　There　are　some　individuals　of　whom　we　cannot

conceive　it　proper　that　they　should　apply　their　hands　to　any

earthly　instrument；　or　work　out　any　definite　act；　and　others；

perhaps　not　less　high；　to　whom　it　is　an　essential　attribute　to

labor　in　body　as　well　as　spirit　for　the　welfare　of　their

brethren。　Thus；　if　we　find　a　spiritual　sage　whose　unseen；

inestimable　influence　has　exalted　the　moral　standard　of　mankind；

we　will　choose　for　his　companion　some　poor　laborer　who　has

wrought　for　love　in　the　potato　field　of　a　neighbor　poorer　than

himself。



We　have　summoned　this　various　multitudeand；　to　the　credit　of

our　nature；　it　is　a　large　oneon　the　principle　of　Love。　It　is

singular；　nevertheless；　to　remark　the　shyness　that　exists　among

many　members　of　the　present　class；　all　of　whom　we　might　expect　to

recognize　one　another　by　the　freemasonry　of　mutual　goodness；　and

to　embrace　like　brethren；　giving　God　thanks　for　such　various

specimens　of　human　excellence。　But　it　is　far　otherwise。　Each　sect

surrounds　its　own　righteousness　with　a　hedge　of　thorns。　It　is

difficult　for　the　good　Christian　to　acknowledge　the　good　Pagan；

almost　impossible　for　the　good　Orthodox　to　grasp　the　hand　of　the

good　Unitarian；　leaving　to　their　Creator　to　settle　the　matters　in

dispute；　and　giving　their　mutual　efforts　strongly　and　trustingly

to　whatever　right　thing　is　too　evident　to　be　mistaken。　Then

again；　though　the　heart　be　large；　yet　the　mind　is　often　of　such

moderate　dimensions　as　to　be　exclusively　filled　up　with　one　idea。

When　a　good　man　has　long　devoted　himself　to　a　particular　kind　of

beneficenceto　one　species　of　reformhe　is　apt　to　become

narrowed　into　the　limits　of　the　path　wherein　he　treads；　and　to

fancy　that　there　is　no　other　good　to　be　done　on　earth　but　that

self…same　good　to　which　he　has　put　his　hand；　and　in　the　very　mode

that　best　suits　his　own　conceptions。　All　else　is　worthless。　His

scheme　must　be　wrought　out　by　the　united　strength　of　the　whole

world's　stock　of　love；　or　the　world　is　no　longer　worthy　of　a

position　in　the　universe。　Moreover；　powerful　Truth；　being　the

rich　grape　juice　expressed　from　the　vineyard　of　the　ages；　has　an

intoxicating　quality；　when　imbibed　by　any　save　a　powerful

intellect；　and　often；　as　it　were；　impels　the　quaffer　to　quarrel

in　his　cups。　For　such　reasons；　strange　to　say；　it　is　harder　to

contrive　a　friendly　arrangement　of　these　brethren　of　love　and

righteousness；　in　the　procession　of　life。　than　to　unite　even　the

wicked；　who；　indeed；　are　chained　together　by　their　crimes。　The

fact　is　too　preposterous　for　tears；　too　lugubrious　for　laughter。



But；　let　good　men　push　and　elbow　one　another　as　they　may　during

their　earthly　march；　all　will　be　peace　among　them　when　the

honorable　array　or　their　procession　shall　tread　on　heavenly

ground。　There　they　will　doubtless　find　that　they　have　been

working　each　for　the　other's　cause；　and　that　every　well…delivered

stroke；　which；　with　an　honest　purpose　any　mortal　struck；　even　for

a　narrow　object；　was　indeed　stricken　for　the　universal　cause　of

good。　Their　own　view　may　be　bounded　by　country；　creed；

profession；　the　diversities　of　individual　characterbut　above

them　all　is　the　breadth　of　Providence。　How　many　who　have　deemed

themselves　antagonists　will　smile　hereafter；　when　they　look　back

upon　the　world's　wide　harvest　field；　and　perceive　that；　in

unconscious　brotherhood；　they　were　helping　to　bind　the　selfsame

sheaf！



But；　come！　The　sun　is　hastening　westward；　while　the　march　of

human　life；　that　never　paused　before；　is　delayed　by　our　attempt

to　rearrange　its　order。　It　is　desirable　to　find　some

comprehensive　principle；　that　shall　render　our　task　easier　by

bringing　thousands　into　the　ranks　where　hitherto　we　have　brought

one。　Therefore　let　the　trumpet；　if　possible；　split　its　brazen

throat　with　a　louder　note　than　ever；　and　the　herald　summon　all

mortals；　who；　from　whatever　cause；　have　lost；　or　never　found；

their　proper　places　in　the　wold。



Obedient　to　this　call；　a　great　multitude　come　together；　most　of

them　with　a　listless　gait；　betokening　weariness　of　soul；　yet　with

a　gleam　of　satisfaction　in　their　faces；　at　a　prospect　of　at

length　reaching　those　positions　which；　hitherto；　they　have　vainly

sought。　But　here　will　be　another　disappointment；　for　we　can

attempt　no　more　than　merely　to　associate　in　one　fraternity　all

who　are　afflicted　with　the　same