the professor at the breakfast table-第34章

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he　says　anything　about　the　soul　and　the　soul's　atmosphere；　religion。



Women　are　twice　as　religious　as　men；all　the　world　knows　that。

Whether　they　are　any　better；　in　the　eyes　of　Absolute　Justice；　might

be　questioned；　for　the　additional　religious　element　supplied　by　sex

hardly　seems　to　be　a　matter　of　praise　or　blame。　　But　in　all　common

aspects　they　are　so　much　above　us　that　we　get　most　of　our　religion

from　them；from　their　teachings；　from　their　example；above　all；

from　their　pure　affections。



Now　this　poor　little　Iris　had　been　talked　to　strangely　in　her

childhood。　　Especially　she　had　been　told　that　she　hated　all　good

things；which　every　sensible　parent　knows　well　enough　is　not　true

of　a　great　many　children；　to　say　the　least。　　I　have　sometimes

questioned　whether　many　libels　on　human　nature　had　not　been　a

natural　consequence　of　the　celibacy　of　the　clergy；　which　was

enforced　for　so　long　a　period。



The　child　had　met　this　and　some　other　equally　encouraging　statements

as　to　her　spiritual　conditions；　early　in　life；　and　fought　the　battle

of　spiritual　independence　prematurely；　as　many　children　do。　　If　all

she　did　was　hateful　to　God；　what　was　the　meaning　of　the　approving　or

else　the　disapproving　conscience；　when　she　had　done　〃right〃　or

〃wrong〃？　　No　〃shoulder…striker〃　hits　out　straighter　than　a　child

with　its　logic。　　Why；　I　can　remember　lying　in　my　bed　in　the　nursery

and　settling　questions　which　all　that　I　have　heard　since　and　got　out

of　books　has　never　been　able　to　raise　again。　　If　a　child　does　not

assert　itself　in　this　way　in　good　season；　it　becomes　just　what　its

parents　or　teachers　were；　and　is　no　better　than　a　plastic　image。　

How　old　was　I　at　the　time？I　suppose　about　5823　years　old；that

is；　counting　from　Archbishop　Usher's　date　of　the　Creation；　and

adding　the　life　of　the　race；　whose　accumulated　intelligence　is　a

part　of　my　inheritance；　to　my　own。　　A　good　deal　older　than　Plato；

you　see；　and　much　more　experienced　than　my　Lord　Bacon　and　most　of

the　world's　teachers。　Old　books；　as　you　well　know；　are　books　of

the　world's　youth；　and　new　books　are　fruits　of　its　age。　　How　many　of

all　these　ancient　folios　round　me　are　like　so　many　old　cupels！　　The

gold　has　passed　out　of　them　long　ago；　but　their　pores　are　full　of

the　dross　with　which　it　was　mingled。



And　so　Irishaving　thrown　off　that　first　lasso　which　not　only

fetters；　but　chokes　those　whom　it　can　hold；　so　that　they　give

themselves　up　trembling　and　breathless　to　the　great　soul…subduer；

who　has　them　by　the　windpipe　had　settled　a　brief　creed　for　herself；

in　which　love　of　the　neighbor；　whom　we　have　seen；　was　the　first

article；　and　love　of　the　Creator；　whom　we　have　not　seen；　grew　out　of

this　as　its　natural　development；　being　necessarily　second　in　order

of　time　to　the　first　unselfish　emotions　which　we　feel　for　the

fellow…creatures　who　surround　us　in　our　early　years。



The　child　must　have　some　place　of　worship。　　What　would　a　young　girl

be　who　never　mingled　her　voice　with　the　songs　and　prayers　that　rose

all　around　her　with　every　returning　day　of　rest？　　And　Iris　was　free

to　choose。　　Sometimes　one　and　sometimes　another　would　offer　to　carry

her　to　this　or　that　place　of　worship；　and　when　the　doors　were

hospitably　opened；　she　would　often　go　meekly　in　by　herself。　　It　was

a　curious　fact；　that　two　churches　as　remote　from　each　other　in

doctrine　as　could　well　be　divided　her　affections。



The　Church　of　Saint　Polycarp　had　very　much　the　look　of　a　Roman

Catholic　chapel。　　I　do　not　wish　to　run　the　risk　of　giving　names　to

the　ecclesiastical　furniture　which　gave　it　such　a　Romish　aspect；　but

there　were　pictures；　and　inscriptions　in　antiquated　characters；　and

there　were　reading…stands；　and　flowers　on　the　altar；　and　other

elegant　arrangements。　　Then　there　were　boys　to　sing　alternately　in

choirs　responsive　to　each　other；　and　there　was　much　bowing；　with

very　loud　responding；　and　a　long　service　and　a　short　sermon；　and　a

bag；　such　as　Judas　used　to　hold　in　the　old　pictures；　was　carried

round　to　receive　contributions。　　Everything　was　done　not　only

〃decently　and　in　order；〃　but；　perhaps　one　might　say；　with　a　certain

air　of　magnifying　their　office　on　the　part　of　the　dignified

clergymen；　often　two　or　three　in　number。　　The　music　and　the　free

welcome　were　grateful　to　Iris；　and　she　forgot　her　prejudices　at　the

door　of　the　chapel。　　For　this　was　a　church　with　open　doors；　with

seats　for　all　classes　and　all　colors　alike；a　church　of　zealous

worshippers　after　their　faith；　of　charitable　and　serviceable　men　and

women；　one　that　took　care　of　its　children　and　never　forgot　its　poor；

and　whose　people　were　much　more　occupied　in　looking　out　for　their

own　souls　than　in　attacking　the　faith　of　their　neighbors。　　In　its

mode　of　worship　there　was　a　union　of　two　qualities；the　taste　and

refinement；　which　the　educated　require　just　as　much　in　their

churches　as　elsewhere；　and　the　air　of　stateliness；　almost　of　pomp；

which　impresses　the　common　worshipper；　and　is　often　not　without　its

effect　upon　those　who　think　they　hold　outward　forms　as　of　little

value。　　Under　the　half…Romish　aspect　of　the　Church　of　Saint

Polycarp；　the　young　girl　found　a　devout　and　loving　and　singularly

cheerful　religious　spirit。　　The　artistic　sense；　which　betrayed

itself　in　the　dramatic　proprieties　of　its　ritual；　harmonized　with

her　taste。　　The　mingled　murmur　of　the　loud　responses；　in　those

rhythmic　phrases；　so　simple；　yet　so　fervent；　almost　as　if　every

tenth　heart…beat；　instead　of　its　dull　tic…tac；　articulated　itself　as

〃Good　Lord；　deliver　us！　　〃the　sweet　alternation　of　the　two　choirs；

as　their　holy　song　floated　from　side　to　side；　the　keen　young　voices

rising　like　a　flight　of　singing…birds　that　passes　from　one　grove　to

another；　carrying　its　music　with　it　back　and　forward；why　should

she　not　love　these　gracious　outward　signs　of　those　inner　harmonies

which　none　could　deny　made　beautiful　the　lives　of　many　of　her

fellow…worshippers　in　the　humble；　yet　not　inelegant　Chapel　of　Saint

Polycarp？



The　young　Marylander；　who　was　born　and　bred　to　that　mode　of　worship；

had　introduced　her　to　the　chapel；　for　which　he　did　the　honors　for

such　of　our　boarders　as　were　not　otherwise　provided　for。　　I　saw　them

looking　over　the　same　prayer…book　one　Sunday；　and　I　could　not　help

thinking　that　two　such　young　and　handsome　persons　could　hardly

worship　together　in　safety　for　a　great　while。　　But　they　seemed　to

mind　nothing　but　their　prayer…book。　　By…and…by　the　silken　bag　was

handed　round。　I　don't　believe　she　will；　so　awkward；　you　know；…

besides；　she　only　came　by　invitation。　　There　she　is；　with　her　hand

in　her　pocket；　though；and　sure　enough；　her　little　bit　of　silver

tinkled　as　it　struck　the　coin　beneath。　　God　bless　her！　she　has　n't

much　to　give；　but　her　eye　glistens　when　she　gives　it；　and　that　is

all　Heaven　asks。　That　was　the　first　time　I　noticed　these　young

people　together；　and　I　am　sure　they　behaved　with　the　most　charming

propriety；in　fact；　there　was　one　of　our　silent　lady…boarders　with

them；　whose　eyes　would　have　kept　Cupid　and　Psyche　to　their　good

behavior。　　A　day　or　two　after　this　I　noticed　that　the　young

gentleman　had　left　his　seat；　which　you　may　remember　was　at　the

corner　diagonal　to　that　of　Iris；　so　that　they　have　been　as　far

removed　from　each　other　as　they　could　be　at　the　table。　　His　new　seat

is　three　or　four　places　farther　down　the　table。　　Of　course　I　made　a

romance　out　of　this；　at　once。　　So　stupid　not　to　see　it！　　How　could

it　be　otherwise？Did　you　speak；　Madam？　　I　beg　your　pardon。　　（To　my

lady…reader。）



I　never　saw　anything　like　the　tenderness　with　which　this　young　girl

treats　her　little　deformed　neighbor。　　If　he　were　in　the　way　of　going

to　church；　I　know　she　would　follow　him。　　But　his　worship；　if　any；　is

not　with　the　throng　of　men　and　women　and　staring　children。



I；　the　Professor；　on　the　other　hand；　am　a　regular　church…goer。　　I

should　go　for　various　reasons　if　I　did　not　love　it；　but　I　am　happy

enough　to　find　great　pleasure　in　the　midst　of　devout　multitudes；

whether　I　can　accept　all　their　creeds　or　not。　　One　place　of　worship

comes　nearer　than　the　rest　to　my　ideal　standard；　and　to　this　it　was

that　I　carried　our　young　girl。



The　Church　of　the　Galileans；　as　it　is　called；　is　even　humbler　in

outside　pretensions　than　the　Church　of　Saint　Polycarp。　　Like　that；

it　is　open　to　all　comers。　　The　stranger　who　approaches　it　looks　down

a　quiet　street　and　sees　the　plainest　of　chapels；a　kind　of　wooden

tent；　that　owes　whatever　grace　it　has　to　its　pointed　windows　and　the

high；　sharp　roofstraces；　both；　of　that　upward　movement　of

ecclesiastical　architecture　which　soared　aloft　in　cathedral…spires；

shooting　into　the　sky　as　the　spike　of　a　flowering　aloe　from　the

cluster　of　broad；　sharp…wedged　leaves　below。　　This　suggestion　of

medieval　symbolism；　aided　by　a　minute　turret　in　which　a　hand…bell

might　have　hung　and　found　just　room　enough　to　turn　over；　was　all　of

outward　show　the　small　edifice　could　boast。　　Within　there　was　very

little　that　pretended　to　be　attractive。　　A　small　organ　at　one　side；

and　a　plain　pulpit；　showed　that　the　building　was　a　church；　but　it

was　a　church　reduced　to　its　simplest　expression：



Yet　when　the　great　and　wise　monarch　of　the　East　sat　upon　his　throne；

in　all　the　golden　blaze　of　the　spoils　of　Ophir　and　the　freights　of

the　navy　of　Tarshish；　his　glory　was　not　like　that　of　this　simple

chapel　in　its　Sunday　garniture。　　For　the　lilies　of　the　field；　in

their　season；　and　the　fairest　flowers　of　the　year；　in　due

succession；　were　clustered　every　Sunday　morning　over　the　preacher's

desk。　　Slight；　thin…tissued　blossoms　of　pink　and　blue　and　virgin

white　in　early　spring；　then　the　full…breasted　and　deep…hearted　roses

of　summer；　then　the　velvet…robed　crimson　and　yellow　flowers　of

autumn；　and　in　the　winter　delicate　exotics　that　grew　under　skies　of

glass　in　the　false　summers　of　our　crystal　palaces　without　knowing

that　it　was　the　dreadful　winter　of　New　England　which　was　rattling

the　doors　and　frosting　the　panes；in　their　language　the　whole　year

told　its　history　of　life　and　growth　and　beauty　from　that　simple

desk。　　There　was　always　at　least　one　good　sermon；this　floral

homily。　　There　was　at　least　one　good　prayer；that　brief　space　when

all　were　silent；　after　the　manner　of　the　Friends　at　their　devotions。



Here；　too；　Iris　found　an　atmosphere　of　peace　and　love。　　The　same

gentle；　thoughtful　faces；　the　same　cheerful　but　reverential　spirit；

the　same　quiet；　the　same　life　of　active　benevolence。　　But　in　all

else　how　different　from　the　Church　of　Saint　Polycarp！　　No　clerical

costume；　no　ceremonial　forms；　no　carefully　trained　choirs。　　A

liturgy　they　have；　to　be　sure；　which　does　not　scruple　to　borrow　from

the　time…honored　manuals　of　devotion；　but　also　does　not　hesitate　to

change　its　expressions　to　its　own　liking。



Perhaps　the　good　people　seem　a　little　easy　with　each　other；they

are　apt　to　nod　familiarly；　and　have　even　been　known　to　whisper

before　the