English
“It’sjustaweek,”Isaid,threedayslater,toArthur,“sinceweheardofLadyMuriel’sengagement.IthinkIoughttocall,atanyrate,andoffermycongratulations.Won’tyoucomewithme?”
Apainedexpressionpassedoverhisface.
“Whenmustyouleaveus?”heasked.
“BythefirsttrainonMonday.”
“Well—yes,Iwillcomewithyou.ItwouldseemstrangeandunfriendlyifIdidn’t.ButthisisonlyFriday.GivemetillSundayafternoon.Ishallbestrongerthen.”
Shadinghiseyeswithonehand,asifhalf-ashamedofthetearsthatwerecoursingdownhischeeks,heheldtheotherouttome.IttrembledasIclaspedit.
Itriedtoframesomewordsofsympathy;buttheyseemedpoorandcold,andIleftthemunspoken.“Goodnight!”wasallIsaid.
“Goodnight,dearfriend!”hereplied.
Therewasamanlyvigourinhistonethatconvincedmehewaswrestlingwith,andtriumphingover,thegreatsorrowthathadsonearlywreckedhislife—andthat,onthestepping-stoneofhisdeadself,hewouldsurelyrisetohigherthings!
Therewasnochance,Iwasgladtothink,aswesetoutonSundayafternoon,ofmeetingEricattheHall,ashehadreturnedtotownthedayafterhisengagementwasannounced.
Hispresencemighthavedisturbedthecalm—thealmostunnaturalcalm—withwhichArthurmetthewomanwhohadwonhisheart,andmurmuredthefewgracefulwordsofsympathythattheoccasiondemanded.
LadyMurielwasperfectlyradiantwithhappiness:sadnesscouldnotliveinthelightofsuchasmile:andevenArthurbrightenedunderit,and,whensheremarked“YouseeI’mwateringmyflowers,thoughitistheSabbath-Day,”hisvoicehadalmostitsoldringofcheerfulnessashereplied“EvenontheSabbath-Dayworksofmercyareallowed.Butthisisn’ttheSabbath-Day.TheSabbath-dayhasceasedtoexist.”
“Iknowit’snotSaturday,”LadyMurielreplied;“butisn’tSundayoftencalled‘theChristianSabbath’?”
“Itissocalled,Ithink,inrecognitionofthespiritoftheJewishinstitution,thatonedayinsevenshouldbeadayofrest.
ButIholdthatChristiansarefreedfromtheliteralobservanceoftheFourthCommandment.”
“ThenwhereisourauthorityforSundayobservance?”
“Wehave,first,thefactthattheseventhdaywas‘sanctified’,whenGodrestedfromtheworkofCreation.ThatisbindingonusasTheists.
Secondly,wehavethefactthat‘theLord’sDay’isaChristianinstitution.ThatisbindingonusasChristians.”
“Andyourpracticalruleswouldbe—?”
“First,asTheists,tokeepitholyinsomespecialway,andtomakeit,sofarasisreasonablypossible,adayofrest.Secondly,asChristians,toattendpublicworship.”
“Andwhatofamusements?”
“Iwouldsayofthem,asofallkindsofwork,whateverisinnocentonaweek-day,isinnocentonSunday,provideditdoesnotinterferewiththedutiesoftheday.”
“ThenyouwouldallowchildrentoplayonSunday?”
“CertainlyIshould.Whymakethedayirksometotheirrestlessnatures?”
“Ihavealettersomewhere,”saidLadyMuriel,“fromanoldfriend,describingthewayinwhichSundaywaskeptinheryoungerdays.Iwillfetchitforyou.”
“Ihadasimilardescription,vivavoce,yearsago,”Arthursaidwhenshehadleftus,“fromalittlegirl.
Itwasreallytouchingtohearthemelancholytoneinwhichshesaid‘OnSundayImustn’tplaywithmydoll!OnSundayImustn’trunonthesands!OnSundayImustn’tdiginthegarden!’Poorchild!
ShehadindeedabundantcauseforhatingSunday!”
“Hereistheletter,”saidLadyMuriel,returning.“Letmereadyouapieceofit.”
“When,asachild,IfirstopenedmyeyesonaSunday-morning,afeelingofdismalanticipation,whichbeganatleastontheFriday,culminated.
Iknewwhatwasbeforeme,andmywish,ifnotmyword,was‘WouldGoditwereevening!’
Itwasnodayofrest,butadayoftexts,ofcatechisms(Watts’),oftractsaboutconvertedswearers,godlycharwomen,andedifyingdeathsofsinnerssaved.
“Upwiththelark,hymnsandportionsofScripturehadtobelearnedbyhearttill8o’clock,whentherewerefamily-prayers,thenbreakfast,whichIwasneverabletoenjoy,partlyfromthefastalreadyundergone,andpartlyfromtheoutlookIdreaded.
“At9cameSunday-School;anditmademeindignanttobeputintotheclasswiththevillage-children,aswellasalarmedlest,bysomemistakeofmine,Ishouldbeputbelowthem.
“TheChurch-ServicewasaveritableWildernessofZin.
Iwanderedinit,pitchingthetabernacleofmythoughtsontheliningofthesquarefamily-pew,thefidgetsofmysmallbrothers,andthehorrorofknowingthat,ontheMonday,Ishouldhavetowriteout,frommemory,jottingsoftheramblingdisconnectedextemporesermon,whichmighthavehadanytextbutitsown,andtostandorfallbytheresult.
“Thiswasfollowedbya,colddinnerat1(servantstohavenowork),Sunday-Schoolagainfrom2to4,andEvening-Serviceat6.
Theintervalswereperhapsthegreatesttrialofall,fromtheeffortsIhadtomake,tobelessthanusuallysinful,byreadingbooksandsermonsasbarrenastheDeadSea.
Therewasbutonerosyspot,inthedistance,allthatday:andthatwas‘bed-time,’whichnevercouldcometooearly!”
“Suchteachingwaswellmeant,nodoubt,”saidArthur;“butitmusthavedrivenmanyofitsvictimsintodesertingtheChurch-Servicesaltogether.”
“I’mafraidIwasadeserterthismorning,”shegravelysaid.“IhadtowritetoEric.
Wouldyou—wouldyoumindmytellingyousomethinghesaidaboutprayer?
Ithadneverstruckmeinthatlightbefore.”
“Inwhatlight?”saidArthur.
“Why,thatallNaturegoesbyfixed,regularlaws—Sciencehasprovedthat.
SothataskingGodtodoanything(exceptofcourseprayingforspiritualblessings)istoexpectamiracle:andwe’venorighttodothat.
I’venotputitaswellashedid:butthatwastheoutcomeofit,andithasconfusedme.
Pleasetellmewhatyoucansayinanswertoit.”
“Idon’tproposetodiscussCaptainLindon’sdifficulties,”Arthurgravelyreplied;“speciallyasheisnotpresent.
But,ifitisyourdifficulty,”(hisvoiceunconsciouslytookatenderertone)“thenIwillspeak.”
“Itismydifficulty,”shesaidanxiously.
“ThenIwillbeginbyasking‘Whydidyouexceptspiritualblessings?’IsnotyourmindapartofNature?”
“Yes,butFree-Willcomesinthere—Icanchoosethisorthat;andGodcaninfluencemychoice.”
“ThenyouarenotaFatalist?”
“Oh,no!”sheearnestlyexclaimed.
“ThankGod!”Arthursaidtohimself,butinsolowawhisperthatonlyIheardit.
“YougrantthenthatIcan,byanactoffreechoice,movethiscup,”suitingtheactiontotheword,“thiswayorthatway?”
“Yes,Igrantit.”
“Well,letusseehowfartheresultisproducedbyfixedlaws.
Thecupmovesbecausecertainmechanicalforcesareimpressedonitbymyhand.
Myhandmovesbecausecertainforces—electric,magnetic,orwhatever‘nerve-force’mayprovetobe—areimpressedonitbymybrain.
Thisnerve-force,storedinthebrain,wouldprobablybetraceable,ifSciencewerecomplete,tochemicalforcessuppliedtothebrainbytheblood,andultimatelyderivedfromthefoodIeatandtheairIbreathe.”
“ButwouldnotthatbeFatalism?WherewouldFree-Willcomein?”
“Inchoiceofnerves,”repliedArthur.“Thenerve-forceinthebrainmayflowjustasnaturallydownonenerveasdownanother.
WeneedsomethingmorethanafixedLawofNaturetosettlewhichnerveshallcarryit.That‘something’isFree-Will.”
Hereyessparkled.”“Iseewhatyoumean!”sheexclaimed.
“HumanFree-WillisanexceptiontothesystemoffixedLaw.Ericsaidsomethinglikethat.
AndthenIthinkhepointedoutthatGodcanonlyinfluenceNaturebyinfluencingHumanWills.
Sothatwemightreasonablypray‘giveusthisdayourdailybread,’becausemanyofthecausesthatproducebreadareunderMan’scontrol.
Buttoprayforrain,orfineweather,wouldbeasunreasonableas—”shecheckedherself,asiffearfulofsayingsomethingirreverent.
Inahushed,lowtone,thattrembledwithemotion,andwiththesolemnityofoneinthepresenceofdeath,Arthurslowlyreplied“ShalthethatcontendethwiththeAlmightyinstructhim?
Shallwe‘theswarmthatinthenoontidebeamwereborn,’feelinginourselvesthepowertodirect,thiswayorthat,theforcesofNature—ofNature,ofwhichweformsotrivialapart—shallwe,inourboundlessarrogance,inourpitifulconceit,denythatpowertotheAncientofDays?
Saying,toourCreator,‘Thusfarandnofurther.Thoumadest,butthoucanstnotrule!’?”
LadyMurielhadcoveredherfaceinherhands,anddidnotlookup.Sheonlymurmured“Thanks,thanks!”againandagain.
Werosetogo.Arthursaid,withevidenteffort,“Onewordmore.
IfyouwouldknowthepowerofPrayer—inanythingandeverythingthatMancanneedtryit.Ask,anditshallbegivenyou.I—havetriedit.IknowthatGodanswersprayer!”
Ourwalkhomewasasilentone,tillwehadnearlyreachedthelodgings:thenArthurmurmured—anditwasalmostanechoofmyownthoughts—”Whatknowestthou,Owife,whetherthoushaltsavethyhusband?”
Thesubjectwasnottouchedonagain.Wesaton,talking,whilehourafterhour,ofthisourlastnighttogether,glidedawayunnoticed.
HehadmuchtotellmeaboutIndia,andthenewlifehewasgoingto,andtheworkhehopedtodo.
Andhisgreatgeneroussoulseemedsofilledwithnobleambitionastohavenospaceleftforanyvainregretorselfishrepining.
“Come,itisnearlymorning!Arthursaidatlast,risingandleadingthewayupstairs.
“Thesunwillberisinginafewminutes:and,thoughIhavebaselydefraudedyouofyourlastchanceofanight’sresthere,I’msureyou’llforgiveme:forIreallycouldn’tbringmyselftosay‘Goodnight’sooner.
AndGodknowswhetheryou’lleverseemeagain,orhearofme!”
“HearofyouIamcertainIshall!”Iwarmlyresponded,andquotedtheconcludinglinesofthatstrangepoem‘Waring’:—
“Oh,neverstar
Waslosthere,butitroseafar
LookEast,wherewholenewthousandsare!
InVishnu-landwhatAvatar?”
“Aye,lookEastward!”Arthureagerlyreplied,pausingatthestair-casewindow,whichcommandedafineviewoftheseaandtheeastwardhorizon.
“TheWestisthefittingtombforallthesorrowandthesighing,alltheerrorsandthefolliesofthePast:forallitswitheredHopesandallitsburiedLoves!
FromtheEastcomesnewstrength,newambition,newHope,newLife,newLove!LookEastward!Aye,lookEastward!”
HislastwordswerestillringinginmyearsasIenteredmyroom,andundrewthewindow-curtains,justintimetoseethesunburstingloryfromhisocean-prison,andclothetheworldinthelightofanewday.
“Somayitbeforhim,andme,andallofus!”Imused.
“Allthatisevil,anddead,andhopeless,fadingwiththeNightthatispast!
Allthatisgood,andliving,andhopeful,risingwiththedawnofDay!
“Fading,withtheNight,thechillymists,andthenoxiousvapours,andtheheavyshadows,andthewailinggusts,andtheowl’smelancholyhootings:rising,withtheDay,thedartingshaftsoflight,andthewholesomemorningbreeze,andthewarmthofadawninglife,andthemadmusicofthelark!LookEastward!
“Fading,withtheNight,thecloudsofignorance,andthedeadlyblightofsin,andthesilenttearsofsorrow:andeverrising,higher,higher,withtheDay,theradiantdawnofknowledge,andthesweetbreathofpurity,andthethrobofaworld’secstasy!LookEastward!
“Fading,withtheNight,thememoryofadeadlove,andthewitheredleavesofablightedhope,andthesicklyrepiningsandmoodyregretsthatnumbthebestenergiesofthesoul:andrising,broadening,rollingupwardlikealivingflood,themanlyresolve,andthedauntlesswill,andtheheavenwardgazeoffaith—thesubstanceofthingshopedfor,theevidenceofthingsnotseen!
“LookEastward!Aye,lookEastward!”
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