The ceremonies of the English Church Service are soon described. Imagine a church with one altar covered with crimson3 velvet4, the Creed5 and the Decalogue over it in golden letters, over these the Hebrew name of God, or the I.H.S. at the pleasure of the painter, and half a dozen winged heads about it, clumsily painted, or more clumsily carved: the nakedness of the other walls concealed6 by a gallery; an organ over the door, and below it, immediately fronting the priest, a clock. Here 201also in some conspicuous7 place is a tablet to record in what year the church was repaired or beautified, and to perpetuate8 the names of the church-wardens at that time in letters of gold. Another tablet enumerates9, but in faded lettering, and less conspicuous situation, all the benefactors10 to the parish; that is, all who have left alms to the poor, or fees to the minister for an anniversary sermon. The gallery and the area of the church are divided into pews, as they are called, by handsome mahogany partitions, within which the rich sit on cushioned seats, and kneel on hassocks, while the poor stand in the aisle11, and kneel upon the stones. These pews are usually freehold, attached to houses in the parish. In towns a rent is exacted for them; and in private chapels, of which I shall speak hereafter, the whole income is derived12 from them, as in a theatre. The reading-desk of the priest is under the pulpit, and under it that of the clerk; there are no other assistants except the sexton and his wife, 202who open the pews, and expect a fee for accommodating a stranger with a seat. The priest wears a surplice; the clerk is no otherwise distinguished13 from the laity14 than as he has a stronger voice than usual, reads worse than other people, that is, more like a boy at a village school, and more frequently speaks through the nose. The catholic church has no corresponding office; he is to the congregation what the leader of the band is to an orchestra.
Some part of the service is repeated by the clerk and the people after the priest; with others, as the psalms15, and all the hymns16, they proceed alternately verse by verse; the priest reads the scripture17 lessons and many of the prayers alone; he also reads the Litany, and the clerk and congregation make the petition at the end of every clause. There is nothing in the Liturgy18 to which a Catholic must necessarily object, except the absolution; and with respect to that, his objection would be to the sense in which it is taken, 203not to that which it was intended to convey. After the first lesson the organist relieves the priest by playing a tune19, good or bad according to his own fancy. This is an interlude of modern interpolation, which would have shocked the Protestants in those days when their priests were more zealous20 and longer-winded. At the end of what is properly called the morning service, though on the Sunday it is but the first part of three, a portion of the Psalms in vile21 verse, is given out by the clerk, and sung by the whole congregation: the organ seems to have been introduced in all opulent churches to hide the hideous22 discord23 of so many untuned and unmusical voices, and overpower it by a louder strain. A second part follows, which is usually performed beside the altar, but this is at the option of the officiating priest; in this the congregation and their leader have little more to do than to cry Amen, except that they repeat the Nicene Creed; this part also is terminated by psalm-singing, 204during which the priest exchanges his white vestment for a black one, and ascends24 the pulpit. He begins with a short prayer, of which the form is left to himself; then proceeds to the sermon. In old times the sermon was a serious thing, both for the preacher and the hearers; the more, the better, was the maxim25 in the days of fanaticism26, and when the sands of one hour were run out the people heard with pleasure the invitation of the preacher to take another glass with him. But times are changed; the hour-glass has disappeared, the patience of a congregation is now understood to last twenty minutes, and in this instance short measure is preferred. Immediately after the valediction27 the organ strikes up a loud peal28, with much propriety29, as it drowns the greetings and salutations which pass from one person to another. The Litany and the whole of the second part are omitted in the evening service.
Thus you perceive, that having apostatized and given up the essentials of religion, 205the schismatics have deprived divine service of its specific meaning and motive31. It is no longer a sacrifice for the people. The congregation assemble to say prayers which might as well be said in their oratories33, and to hear sermons which might more conveniently be read at home. Nothing is done which might not be done with the same propriety in a chamber34 as in a church, and by a layman35 as by a priest.
A curious legal form is observed in the midst of the service; the priest reads a list of all the persons in the parish who are about to be married. This is done three successive Sundays, that if any person should be acquainted with any existing impediment to the marriage, he may declare it in time. The better classes avoid this publicity36 by obtaining a license37 at easy expense. Those of high rank choose to be married at their own houses, a license for which can be obtained from only the primate38. In Scotland, where the schismatics 206succeeded in abolishing all the decencies as well as the ornaments39 of religion, this is the universal practice; the sacrament of marriage may be celebrated40 in any place, and by any person, in that country, and the whole funeral ceremony there consists in digging a hole, and putting the body into it!
Of the service of this heretical church, such as it is, the sermon seems to be regarded as the most important part; children are required to remember the text, and it is as regular a thing for the English to praise the discourse41 when they are going out of church, as it is to talk of their health immediately before, and of the weather immediately afterwards. The founders42 of the schism30 did not foresee the inconvenience of always attaching this appendage43 to prayers and forms which the Fathers of the church indited44 and enacted45 under the grace of the Holy Spirit, and which even they had grace enough to leave uncorrupted, though not unmutilated. To 207go through these forms and offer up these petitions requires in the priest nothing more than the commonest learning; it is, indeed, one of the manifold excellencies of the true church, that the service can neither be made better nor worse by him who performs it. But here, where a main part consists of composition merely human, which is designed to edify46 and instruct the people, more knowledge and more talents are necessary than it is reasonable to expect in every priest, or indeed possible to find. You may suppose that this inconvenience is easily remedied, that only those persons would be licensed47 to preach whom the bishop48 had approved as well qualified49, and that all others would be enjoined50 to read the discourses51 of those schismatical doctors whom their schismatical church had sanctioned. Something like this was at first intended, and a book of homilies set forth52 by authority. Happily these have become obsolete53. I say happily, because, having been composed in the first years of the 208schism, they abound54 with calumnies55 against the faith. The people now expect original composition from their priests, let their ability be what it may; it would be regarded as a confession56 of incapacity to take a book into the pulpit; and you may well suppose, if we in Spain have more preachers than are good, what it must be in a country where every priest is one.
The sermon is read, not recited, nor delivered extemporaneously57; which is one main difference between the regular English clergy58 and the sectarians. It has become a branch of trade to supply the priests with discourses, and sermons may be bespoken59 upon any subject, at prices proportioned to the degree of merit required, which is according to the rank of the congregation to whom they are to be addressed. One clergyman of Cambridge has assisted his weaker brethren, by publishing outlines which they may fill up, and which he calls skeletons of sermons; another of higher 209rank, to accommodate them still further, prints discourses at full, in the written alphabet, so as to appear like manuscript to such of the congregation as may chance to see them. The manuscripts of a deceased clergyman are often advertised for sale, and it is usually added to the notice, that they are warranted original; that is, that no other copies have been sold, which might betray the secret. These shifts, however, are not resorted to by the more respectable clergy; it is not uncommon60 for these to enter into a commercial treaty with their friends of the profession, and exchange their compositions. But even with this reinforcement, the regular stock is usually but scanty61; and if the memory of the parishioners be good enough to last two years, or perhaps half the time, they recognise their old acquaintance at their regular return.
If, however, this custom be burthensome to one part of the clergy, they who have enough talents to support more vanity 210fail not to profit by it, and London is never without a certain number of popular preachers. I am not now speaking of those who are popular among the sectarians, or because they introduce sectarian doctrines62 into the church; but of that specific character among the regular English clergy, which is here denominated a popular preacher. You may well imagine, that, as the tree is known by its fruits, I have not a Luis de Granada, nor an Antonio Vieyra, to describe. Thread-bare garments of religious poverty, eyes weakened by incessant63 tears of contrition64, or of pious65 love, and cheeks withered66 by fasting and penitence67, would have few charms for that part of the congregation for whom the popular preacher of London curls his forelock, studies gestures at his looking-glass, takes lessons from some stage-player in his chamber, and displays his white hand and white handkerchief in the pulpit. The discourse is in character with the orator32; nothing to rouse a slumbering68 conscience, 211nothing to alarm the soul at a sense of its danger, no difficulties expounded69 to confirm the wavering, no mighty70 truths enforced to rejoice the faithful,—to look for theology here would be[15] seeking pears from the elm;—only a little smooth morality, such as Turk, Jew, or Infidel, may listen to without offence, sparkling with metaphors71 and similes72, and rounded off with a text of scripture, a scrap73 of poetry, or, better than either, a quotation74 from Ossian.—To have a clergy exempt75 from the frailties76 of human nature is impossible; but the true church has effectually secured hers from the vanities of the world: we may sometimes have to grieve, because the wolf has put on the shepherd’s cloak, but never can have need to blush at seeing the monkey in it.
15. Pedir peras al olmo.
These gentlemen have two ends in view, the main one is to make a fortune by marriage,—one of the evils this of a married 212clergy. It was formerly77 a doubt whether the red coat or the black one, the soldier or the priest, had the best chance with the ladies; if on the one side there was valour, there was learning on the other; but since volunteering has made scarlet78 so common, black carries the day;—cedunt arma tog?. The customs of England do not exclude the clergyman from any species of amusement; the popular preacher is to be seen at the theatre, and at the horse-race, bearing his part at the concert and the ball, making his court to old ladies at the card-table, and to young ones at the harpsichord79: and in this way, if he does but steer80 clear of any flagrant crime or irregularity, (which is not always the case; for this order, in the heretical hierarchy81, has had more than one Lucifer,) he generally succeeds in finding some widow, or waning82 spinster, with weightier charms than youth and beauty.
His other object is to obtain what is called a lectureship, in some wealthy parish; 213that is, to preach an evening sermon on Sundays, at a later hour than the regular service, for which the parishioners pay by subscription83. As this is an addition to the established service, at the choice of the people, and supported by them at a voluntary expense, the appointment is in their hands as a thing distinct from the cure; it is decided84 by votes, and the election usually produces a contest, which is carried on with the same ardour, and leaves behind it the same sort of dissension among friends and neighbours, as a contested election for parliament. But the height of the popular preacher’s ambition is to obtain a chapel2 of his own, in which he rents out pews and single seats by the year; and here he does not trust wholly to his own oratorical85 accomplishments86; he will have a finer-tuned organ than his neighbour, singers better trained, double doors, and stoves of the newest construction, to keep it comfortably warm. I met one of these chapel-proprietors in company; self-complacency, 214good humour, and habitual87 assentation to every body he met with, had wrinkled his face into a perpetual smile. He said he had lately been expending88 all his ready money in religious purposes; this he afterwards explained as meaning that he had been fitting up his chapel; “and I shall think myself very badly off,” he added, “if it does not bring me in fifty per cent.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
chapels
|
|
| n.小教堂， （医院、监狱等的）附属礼拜堂( chapel的名词复数 )；（在小教堂和附属礼拜堂举行的）礼拜仪式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
chapel
|
|
| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
crimson
|
|
| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
velvet
|
|
| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
creed
|
|
| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
concealed
|
|
| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
conspicuous
|
|
| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
perpetuate
|
|
| v.使永存，使永记不忘 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
enumerates
|
|
| v.列举，枚举，数( enumerate的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
benefactors
|
|
| n.捐助者，施主( benefactor的名词复数 )；恩人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
aisle
|
|
| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
derived
|
|
| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
laity
|
|
| n.俗人；门外汉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
psalms
|
|
| n.赞美诗( psalm的名词复数 )；圣诗；圣歌；(中的) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
hymns
|
|
| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
scripture
|
|
| n.经文，圣书，手稿；Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》，《圣经》中的一段 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
liturgy
|
|
| n.礼拜仪式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
tune
|
|
| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
zealous
|
|
| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
vile
|
|
| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
hideous
|
|
| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
discord
|
|
| n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
ascends
|
|
| v.上升，攀登( ascend的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
maxim
|
|
| n.格言，箴言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
fanaticism
|
|
| n.狂热，盲信 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
valediction
|
|
| n．告别演说，告别词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
peal
|
|
| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
propriety
|
|
| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
schism
|
|
| n.分派，派系，分裂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
motive
|
|
| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
orator
|
|
| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
oratories
|
|
| n.演讲术( oratory的名词复数 )；（用长词或正式词语的）词藻华丽的言辞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
34
chamber
|
|
| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
layman
|
|
| n.俗人，门外汉，凡人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
publicity
|
|
| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
license
|
|
| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
primate
|
|
| n.灵长类（目）动物，首席主教；adj.首要的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
ornaments
|
|
| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
celebrated
|
|
| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
discourse
|
|
| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
founders
|
|
| n.创始人( founder的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
appendage
|
|
| n.附加物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
indited
|
|
| v.写（文章，信等）创作，赋诗，创作( indite的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
45
enacted
|
|
| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
edify
|
|
| v.陶冶；教化；启发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
licensed
|
|
| adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
bishop
|
|
| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
qualified
|
|
| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
enjoined
|
|
| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
discourses
|
|
| 论文( discourse的名词复数 )； 演说； 讲道； 话语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
obsolete
|
|
| adj.已废弃的，过时的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
abound
|
|
| vi.大量存在；(in，with)充满，富于 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
calumnies
|
|
| n.诬蔑，诽谤，中伤（的话）( calumny的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
confession
|
|
| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
extemporaneously
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
clergy
|
|
| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
bespoken
|
|
| v.预定( bespeak的过去分词 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
uncommon
|
|
| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
scanty
|
|
| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
doctrines
|
|
| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
incessant
|
|
| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
contrition
|
|
| n.悔罪，痛悔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
pious
|
|
| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
withered
|
|
| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
penitence
|
|
| n.忏悔，赎罪；悔过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
slumbering
|
|
| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
expounded
|
|
| 论述，详细讲解( expound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
metaphors
|
|
| 隐喻( metaphor的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
similes
|
|
| （使用like或as等词语的）明喻( simile的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
scrap
|
|
| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
quotation
|
|
| n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
exempt
|
|
| adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
frailties
|
|
| n.脆弱( frailty的名词复数 )；虚弱；（性格或行为上的）弱点；缺点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
formerly
|
|
| adv.从前，以前 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
scarlet
|
|
| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
harpsichord
|
|
| n.键琴（钢琴前身） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
steer
|
|
| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
hierarchy
|
|
| n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
waning
|
|
| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
subscription
|
|
| n.预订，预订费，亲笔签名，调配法，下标（处方） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
oratorical
|
|
| adj.演说的，雄辩的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
accomplishments
|
|
| n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
habitual
|
|
| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
expending
|
|
| v.花费( expend的现在分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |