CHAPTER XXII. A SUNDAY IN TORONTO.

What spell has o’er the populous¹ city pass’d!
The wonted current of its life is stay’d:
Its sports, its gainful schemes, are earthward cast,
As though their vileness² were at once display’d;
The roar of trade has ceased, and on the air
Come holy songs, and solemn sounds of prayer.
William Howitt.

A bright, clear, cool Sabbath! Perfect peace reigned³ in that city; not a sound disturbed its quiet. All the stores closed; no riding or driving; no groups of idle people congregated⁴ anywhere; clean quiet streets only filled with people on their way to the house of God. It was a striking contrast to many of our towns in the States, where multitudes of people are riding and driving, buying and selling, crowding to the drinking saloons, and in many other ways desecrating⁵ God’s holy day.

248Mrs. Lester told Norman that she wished him to learn that beautiful promise in the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah.

“If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words.

“Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”

“Mother,” said Norman, “people do not seem to mind traveling on Sunday. Every one was surprised that you hurried from St. Paul, so as not to be on board the boat on Sunday.”

“I think, my dear child, that those who fear God will keep his commandments. And this commandment to keep holy the 249Sabbath-day was spoken not only amid the thunders of Sinai, but amid the blissful solitudes⁷ of Eden. Prophet after prophet warned the Sabbath-breaker of coming woe⁸, and promised blessings⁹ to those who remembered the Sabbath to keep it holy. Listen to the beautiful promise God gives to those who keep his Sabbaths: ‘Even unto them will I give in my house, and within my walls, a place and a name better than of sons and daughters: I will give them an everlasting¹⁰ name, that shall not be cut off.’

“Just think of the things here promised, a home, a place in God’s house, a position better than that even of sons and daughters, and a name never to be forgotten. What a reward for the faithful and joyful¹¹ keeping of the Sabbath, in itself a happiness. But, Norman, read the seventh verse of the same chapter, (Isaiah lvi,) and you will find more blessings promised.”

250Norman found the place and read:

“Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar.”

In the morning Norman and his mother, accompanied by Mr. Campbell, went to the cathedral. It is a large handsome new church, and the grassy¹² turf around it, shaded by fine trees, gave a very pleasant aspect to the entrance. As they stood near the door awaiting the pew-opener to show them to seats, a lady in a large square pew in the corner invited them in. It was very warm; the pew was under the gallery and closely curtained, and the words of the unseen minister, as he began the service, were inaudible. Mrs. Lester whispered to Mr. Campbell, “Had we not better go somewhere where we can see and hear?”

With words of apology to the lady who 251had kindly¹³ offered them seats, they left the pew, and were shown to another in the nave¹⁴, the body of the church. It was a new thing for Norman to hear prayers for Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort¹⁵, and all the royal family, instead of the President of the United States.

Another thing showed him that he was in a foreign country. On the front of the gallery, just above him, were a gilt¹⁶ lion and unicorn¹⁷, with a crown above them. The royal arms of England were in front of the pew of Sir Edmund Head, the Governor General of Canada. The sermon was preached by the curate, a slender young man, who was soon to go to Europe for his health. After the service the two aids-de-camp of the Governor General, in full uniform, waited for him at the church door, to attend him to his carriage. He keeps up a sort of court, as the representative of royalty¹⁸, and his salary is $35,000.

After dinner Mrs. Lester, with Norman, 252went to see Dr. G., a Wesleyan minister, once a fellow passenger across the Atlantic. His house is very pleasantly situated¹⁹, overlooking the pretty grounds of the normal school, whose fine buildings are an ornament²⁰ to the city. Once, many years before, Mrs. Lester had taken tea with Mrs. G., and it was very pleasant to renew an acquaintance made under very happy auspices²¹. The evening service in the Wesleyan churches did not begin till six, and Mrs. G. asked Mrs. Lester to remain and go to the Adelaide church with them. Mrs. Lester, however, found it necessary to return to the hotel, and before she went Dr. G. showed her, from the top of the house, the numerous churches whose spires²² adorn²³ the fair city of Toronto.

They had a pleasant walk to their hotel, at the far end of the town; on their way they passed several handsome churches, one situated in a sort of court, the street terminating at the church. It was a 253pleasant evening service at the Richmond-street church: a very large congregation, hearty²⁴ singing, and a good earnest sermon.

On passing the pretty Congregational church on the corner of Adelaide and Bay streets, they walked in and found that the minister had just begun his sermon on, “At midnight there was a cry heard, Behold²⁵ the Bridegroom cometh: go ye out to meet him.” The minister, with a strong Scotch²⁶ accent was saying, as they entered, “Who of you would be willing to fix a time when you would be ready to hear that cry?” He spoke⁶ of the stillness and solemnity of the hour—midnight silence and darkness, when the slightest sound startles one; when the wind, or the rustling²⁷ of a branch against the window, often terrifies one when sitting alone or suddenly awakened²⁸ from sleep. What then will it be to hear the piercing tones of that trumpet²⁹ that will rouse the universe?

254And then he said that that night might the cry sound to one who was listening to him, that suddenly, in the still watches of the night, that soul might be called to meet the Bridegroom. The morning would come; the family assembled at breakfast would miss the absent one, and on going to his room they would find only his lifeless remains³⁰; he would never meet with them again on earth.
“Great God, is this our certain doom³¹,
And are we still secure?
Still walking downward to the tomb,
And yet prepared no more?”

1 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

2 vileness   

n.讨厌，卑劣

参考例句：

• Separating out the vileness is impossible. 分离其中不良的部分是不可能的。 来自互联网
• The vileness of his language surprised us. 他言语的粗俗令我们吃惊。 来自互联网

3 reigned   

vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式）

参考例句：

• Silence reigned in the hall. 全场肃静。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Night was deep and dead silence reigned everywhere. 夜深人静，一片死寂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 congregated   

（使）集合，聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The crowds congregated in the town square to hear the mayor speak. 人群聚集到市镇广场上来听市长讲话。
• People quickly congregated round the speaker. 人们迅速围拢在演说者的周围。

5 desecrating   

毁坏或亵渎( desecrate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• You'll go back to desecrating these people's land, blowing up palm trees? 你要过去玷污这些人的土地，炸掉他们的棕榈树？
• Such actions have the effect desecrating the Olympics and humiliating and insulting the people of China. 这种行为产生的效力是侮辱奥运会和屈辱和侮辱中国人民的。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 solitudes   

n.独居( solitude的名词复数 )；孤独；荒僻的地方；人迹罕至的地方

参考例句：

• Africa is going at last to give up the secret of its vast solitudes. 非洲无边无际的荒野的秘密就要被揭穿了。 来自辞典例句
• The scientist has spent six months in the solitudes of the Antarctic. 这位科学家已经在人迹罕至的南极待了六个月了。 来自互联网

8 woe   

n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌

参考例句：

• Our two peoples are brothers sharing weal and woe.我们两国人民是患难与共的兄弟。
• A man is well or woe as he thinks himself so.自认祸是祸，自认福是福。

9 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 everlasting   

adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的

参考例句：

• These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
• He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

11 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

12 grassy   

adj.盖满草的；长满草的

参考例句：

• They sat and had their lunch on a grassy hillside.他们坐在长满草的山坡上吃午饭。
• Cattle move freely across the grassy plain.牛群自由自在地走过草原。

13 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

14 nave   

n.教堂的中部；本堂

参考例句：

• People gathered in the nave of the house.人们聚拢在房子的中间。
• The family on the other side of the nave had a certain look about them,too.在中殿另一边的那一家人，也有着自己特有的相貌。

15 consort   

v.相伴；结交

参考例句：

• They went in consort two or three together.他们三三两两结伴前往。
• The nurses are instructed not to consort with their patients.护士得到指示不得与病人交往。

16 gilt   

adj.镀金的；n.金边证券

参考例句：

• The plates have a gilt edge.这些盘子的边是镀金的。
• The rest of the money is invested in gilt.其余的钱投资于金边证券。

17 unicorn   

n.(传说中的)独角兽

参考例句：

• The unicorn is an imaginary beast.独角兽是幻想出来的动物。
• I believe unicorn was once living in the world.我相信独角兽曾经生活在这个世界。

18 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。

19 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

20 ornament   

v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物

参考例句：

• The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。
• She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。

21 auspices   

n.资助，赞助

参考例句：

• The association is under the auspices of Word Bank.这个组织是在世界银行的赞助下办的。
• The examination was held under the auspices of the government.这次考试是由政府主办的。

22 spires   

n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Her masts leveled with the spires of churches. 船的桅杆和教堂的塔尖一样高。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• White church spires lift above green valleys. 教堂的白色尖顶耸立在绿色山谷中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 adorn   

vt.使美化，装饰

参考例句：

• She loved to adorn herself with finery.她喜欢穿戴华丽的服饰。
• His watercolour designs adorn a wide range of books.他的水彩设计使许多图书大为生色。

24 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

25 behold   

v.看，注视，看到

参考例句：

• The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
• The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。

26 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

27 rustling   

n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的

参考例句：

• the sound of the trees rustling in the breeze 树木在微风中发出的沙沙声
• the soft rustling of leaves 树叶柔和的沙沙声

28 awakened   

v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到

参考例句：

• She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。
• The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

29 trumpet   

n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘

参考例句：

• He plays the violin, but I play the trumpet.他拉提琴，我吹喇叭。
• The trumpet sounded for battle.战斗的号角吹响了。

30 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

31 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。