over the teacups-第30章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



at　the　door　of　their　caves；　with　the　bones；　of　pilgrims　scattered

about　them；　and　grinning　at　the　travellers　whom　they　could　no　longer

devour。　　In　the　nurseries　of　old…fashioned　Orthodoxy　there　was　one

religion　in　the　world；one　religion；　and　a　multitude　of　detestable；

literally　damnable　impositions；　believed　in　by　uncounted　millions；

who　were　doomed　to　perdition　for　so　believing。　　The　Jews　were　the

believers　in　one　of　these　false　religions。　　It　had　been　true　once；

but　was　now　a　pernicious　and　abominable　lie。　　The　principal　use　of

the　Jews　seemed　to　be　to　lend　money；　and　to　fulfil　the　predictions　of

the　old　prophets　of　their　race。



No　doubt　the　individual　sons　of　Abraham　whom　we　found　in　our　ill…

favored　and　ill…flavored　streets　were　apt　to　be　unpleasing　specimens

of　the　race。　　It　was　against　the　most　adverse　influences　of

legislation；　of　religious　feeling；　of　social　repugnance；　that　the

great　names　of　Jewish　origin　made　themselves　illustrious；　that　the

philosophers；　the　musicians；　the　financiers；　the　statesmen；　of　the

last　centuries　forced　the　world　to　recognize　and　accept　them。

Benjamin；　the　son　of　Isaac；　a　son　of　Israel；　as　his　family　name　makes

obvious；　has　shown　how　largely　Jewish　blood　has　been　represented　in

the　great　men　and　women　of　modern　days。



There　are　two　virtues　which　Christians　have　found　it　very　hard　to


exemplify　in　practice。　　These　are　modesty　and　civility。　　The　Founder

of　the　Christian　religion　appeared　among　a　people　accustomed　to　look

for　a　Messiah；　a　special　ambassador　from　heaven；　with　an

authoritative　message。　　They　were　intimately　acquainted　with　every

expression　having　reference　to　this　divine　messenger。　　They　had　a

religion　of　their　own；　about　which　Christianity　agrees　with　Judaism

in　asserting　that　it　was　of　divine　origin。　　It　is　a　serious　fact；　to

which　we　do　not　give　all　the　attention　it　deserves；　that　this

divinely　instructed　people　were　not　satisfied　with　the　evidence　that

the　young　Rabbi　who　came　to　overthrow　their　ancient　church　and　found

a　new　one　was　a　supernatural　being。　　〃We　think　he　was　a　great

Doctor；〃　said　a　Jewish　companion　with　whom　I　was　conversing。　　He

meant　a　great　Teacher；　I　presume；　though　healing　the　sick　was　one　of

his　special　offices。　　Instead　of　remembering　that　they　were　entitled

to　form　their　own　judgment　of　the　new　Teacher；　as　they　had　judged　of

Hillel　and　other　great　instructors；　Christians；　as　they　called

themselves；　have　insulted；　calumniated；　oppressed；　abased；　outraged；

〃the　chosen　race〃　during　the　long　succession　of　centuries　since　the

Jewish　contemporaries　of　the　Founder　of　Christianity　made　up　their

minds　that　he　did　not　meet　the　conditions　required　by　the　subject　of

the　predictions　of　their　Scriptures。　　The　course　of　the　argument

against　them　is　very　briefly　and　effectively　stated　by　Mr。　Emerson：



〃This　was　Jehovah　come　down　out　of　heaven。　　I　will　kill　you　if　you

say　he　was　a　man。〃



It　seems　as　if　there　should　be　certain　laws　of　etiquette　regulating

the　relation　of　different　religions　to　each　other。　　It　is　not　civil

for　a　follower　of　Mahomet　to　call　his　neighbor　of　another　creed　a

〃Christian　dog。〃　　Still　more；　there　should　be　something　like

politeness　in　the　bearing　of　Christian　sects　toward　each　other；　and

of　believers　in　the　new　dispensation　toward　those　who　still　adhere　to

the　old。　　We　are　in　the　habit　of　allowing　a　certain　arrogant

assumption　to　our　Roman　Catholic　brethren。　　We　have　got　used　to　their

pretensions。　　They　may　call　us　〃heretics；〃　if　they　like。　　They　may

speak　of　us　as　〃infidels；〃　if　they　choose；　especially　if　they　say　it

in　Latin。　　So　long　as　there　is　no　inquisition；　so　long　as　there　is　no

auto　da　fe；　we　do　not　mind　the　hard　words　much；　and　we　have　as　good

phrases　to　give　them　back：　the　Man　of　Sin　and　the　Scarlet　Woman　will

serve　for　examples。　　But　it　is　better　to　be　civil　to　each　other　all

round。　　I　doubt　if　a　convert　to　the　religion　of　Mahomet　was　ever　made

by　calling　a　man　a　Christian　dog。　　I　doubt　if　a　Hebrew　ever　became　a

good　Christian　if　the　baptismal　rite　was　performed　by　spitting　on　his

Jewish　gabardine。　　I　have　often　thought　of　the　advance　in　comity　and

true　charity　shown　in　the　title　of　my　late　honored　friend　James

Freeman　Clarke's　book；　〃The　Ten　Great　Religions。〃　　If　the　creeds　of

mankind　try　to　understand　each　other　before　attempting　mutual

extermination；　they　will　be　sure　to　find　a　meaning　in　beliefs　which

are　different　from　their　own。　　The　old　Calvinistic　spirit　was　almost

savagely　exclusive。　　While　the　author　of　the　〃Ten　Great　Religions〃

was　growing　up　in　Boston　under　the　benignant；　large…minded　teachings

of　the　Rev。　James　Freeman；　the　famous　Dr。　John　M。　　Mason；　at　New

York；　was　fiercely　attacking　the　noble　humanity　of　〃The　Universal

Prayer。〃　　〃In　preaching；〃　says　his　biographer；　〃he　once　quoted　Pope's

lines　as　to　God's　being　adored　alike　'by　saint；　by　savage；　and　by

sage；'　and　pronounced　it　（in　his　deepest　guttural）　'the　most　damnable

lie。'〃



What　could　the　Hebrew　expect　when　a　Christian　preacher　could　use　such

language　about　a　petition　breathing　the　very　soul　of　humanity？

Happily；　the　true　human　spirit　is　encroaching　on　that　arrogant　and

narrow…minded　form　of　selfishness　which　called　itself　Christianity。



The　golden　rule　should　govern　us　in　dealing　with　those　whom　we　call

unbelievers；　with　heathen；　and　with　all　who　do　not　accept　our

religious　views。　　The　Jews　are　with　us　as　a　perpetual　lesson　to　teach

us　modesty　and　civility。　　The　religion　we　profess　is　not　self…

evident。　　It　did　not　convince　the　people　to　whom　it　was　sent。　　We

have　no　claim　to　take　it　for　granted　that　we　are　all　right；　and　they

are　all　wrong。　　And；　therefore；　in　the　midst　of　all　the　triumphs　of

Christianity；　it　is　well　that　the　stately　synagogue　should　lift　its

walls　by　the　side　of　the　aspiring　cathedral；　a　perpetual　reminder

that　there　are　many　mansions　in　the　Father's　earthly　house　as　well　as

in　the　heavenly　one；　that　civilized　humanity；　longer　in　time　and

broader　in　space　than　any　historical　form　of　belief；　is　mightier　than

any　one　institution　or　organization　it　includes。



Many　years　ago　I　argued　with　myself　the　proposition　which　my　Hebrew

correspondent　has　suggested。　　Recognizing　the　fact　that　I　was　born　to

a　birthright　of　national　and　social　prejudices　against　〃the　chosen

people；〃chosen　as　the　object　of　contumely　and　abuse　by　the　rest　of

the　world；I　pictured　my　own　inherited　feelings　of　aversion　in　all

their　intensity；　and　the　strain　of　thought　under　the　influence　of

which　those　prejudices　gave　way　to　a　more　human；　a　more　truly

Christian　feeling　of　brotherhood。　　I　must　ask　your　indulgence　while　I

quote　a　few　verses　from　a　poem　of　my　own；　printed　long　ago　under　the

title　〃At　the　Pantomime。〃



I　was　crowded　between　two　children　of　Israel；　and　gave　free　inward

expression　to　my　feelings。　　All　at　once　I　happened　to　look　more

closely　at　one　of　my　neighbors；　and　saw　that　the　youth　was　the　very

ideal　of　the　Son　of　Mary。



　　　　　A　fresh　young　cheek　whose　olive　hue

　　　　　The　mantling　blood　shows　faintly　through；

　　　　　Locks　dark　as　midnight；　that　divide

　　　　　And　shade　the　neck　on　either　side；

　　　　　Soft；　gentle；　loving　eyes　that　gleam

　　　　　Clear　as　a　starlit　mountain　stream；

　　　　　So　looked　that　other　child　of　Shem；

　　　　　The　Maiden's　Boy　of　Bethlehem！



　　　　　And　thou　couldst　scorn　the　peerless　blood

　　　　　That　flows　unmingled　from　the　Flood；

　　　　　Thy　scutcheon　spotted　with　the　stains

　　　　　Of　Norman　thieves　and　pirate　Danes！

　　　　　The　New　World's　foundling；　in　thy　pride

　　　　　Scowl　on　the　Hebrew　at　thy　side；

　　　　　And　lo！　　the　very　semblance　there

　　　　　The　Lord　of　Glory　deigned　to　wear！



　　　　　I　see　that　radiant　image　rise；

　　　　　The　flowing　hair；　the　pitying　eyes；

　　　　　The　faintly　crimsoned　cheek　that　shows

　　　　　The　blush　of　Sharon's　opening　rose；

　　　　　Thy　hands　would　clasp　his　hallowed　feet

　　　　　Whose　brethren　soil　thy　Christian　seat；

　　　　　Thy　lips　would　press　his　garment's　hem

　　　　　That　curl　in　wrathful　scorn　for　them！



　　　　　A　sudden　mist；　a　watery　screen；

　　　　　Dropped　like　a　veil　before　the　scene；

　　　　　The　shadow　floated　from　my　soul；

　　　　　And　to　my　lips　a　whisper　stole：

　　　　　Thy　prophets　caught　the　Spirit's　flame；

　　　　　From　thee　the　Son　of　Mary　came；

　　　　　With　thee　the　Father　deigned　to　dwell；

　　　　　Peace　be　upon　thee；　Israel！〃





It　is　not　to　be　expected　that　intimate　relations　will　be　established

between　Jewish　and　Christian　communities　until　both　become　so　far

rationalized　and　humanized　that　their　differences　are　comparatively

unimportant。　　But　already　there　is　an　evident　approximation　in　the

extreme　left　of　what　is　called　liberal　Christianity　and　the

representatives　of　modern　Judaism。　　The　life　of　a　man　like　the　late

Sir　Moses　Montefiore　reads　a　lesson　from　the　Old　Testament　which

might　well　have　been　inspired　by　the　noblest　teachings　of　the

Christian　Gospels。





　　　　　　　　　　Delilah；　and　how　she　got　her　name。



Est…elle　bien　gentille；　cette　petite？　　I　said　one　day　to　Number　Five；

as　our　pretty　Delilah　put　her　arm　between　us　with　a　bunch　of　those

tender　early　radishes　that　so　recall　the　rosy…fingered　morning　of

Homer。　　The　little　hand　which　held　the　radishes　would　not　have　shamed

Aurora。　　That　hand　has　never　known　drudgery；　I　feel　sure。



When　I　spoke　those　French　words　our　little　Delilah　gave　a　slight；


seemingly　involuntary　start；　and　her　cheeks　grew　of　as　bright　a　red

as　her　radishes。　　Ah；　said　I　to　myself；　does　that　young　girl

understand　French？　　It　may　be　worth　while　to　be　careful　what　one　says

before　her。



There　is　a　mystery　about　this　girl。　　She　seems　to　know　her　place

perfectly；except；　perhaps；　when　she　burst　out　crying；　the　other

day；　which　was　against　all　the　rules　of　table…maiden's　etiquette；

and　yet　she　looks　as　if　she　had　been　born　to　be　waited　on；　and　not　to

perform　that　humble　service　for　others。　　We　know　that　once　in　a　while

girls　with　education　and　well　connected　take　it　into　their　heads　to

go　into　service　for　a　few　weeks　or　months。　　Sometimes　it　is　from

economic　motives；to　procure　means　for　their　education；　or　to　help

members　of　their　families　who　need　assistance。　　At　any　rate；　they

undertake　the　lighter　menial　duties　of　some　household　where　they　are

not　known；　and；　having　stoopedif　stooping　it　is　to　be　considered

to　lowly　offices；　no　born　and　bred　servants　are　more　faithful　to　all

their　obligations。　　You　must　not　suppose　she　was　christened　Delilah。

Any　of　our　ministers　would　hesitate　to　give　such　a　heathen　name　to　a

Christian　child。



The　way　she　came　to　get　it　was　this：　The　Professor　was　going　to　give

a　lecture　before　an　occasional　audience；　one　evening。　　When　he　took

his　seat　with　the　other　Teacups；　the　American　Annex　whispered　to　the

other　Annex；　〃His　hair　wants　cutting；it　looks　like　fury。〃　　〃Quite

so；〃　said　the　English　Annex。　　〃I　wish　you　would　tell　him　so；　　I　do；

awfully。〃　　〃I'll　fix　it；〃