Helen tapped gently at Martha’s door.
“Where do you attend church?” she inquired.
“I was just going to call for you, Helen,” said the seamstress, “to ask if you and your father wouldn’t like to attend Trinity Church with me.”
Helen hesitated a little.
“That is the great church at the lower end of Broadway, isn’t it?” she inquired.
“Yes.”
“I thought it might be a fashionable church. Father and I have been to one or two of the great churches, where the sexton didn’t seem to care about giving us seats, but finally put us away back where we found it difficult to hear the service.”
“I have had the same experience more than once,” said Martha; “but we shall have no such trouble at Trinity. Though one of the finest churches in the city, it is free to all, and the poor are as welcome as the rich.”
53“Then I shall be glad to go, and so will papa. Wait a moment, and I will tell him.”
They were soon in the street, mingling5 with the well-dressed crowds, wending their way to their respective houses of worship.
“Sunday was always pleasant to me,” said Martha, “even as a child. I remember the plain old meeting-house, where we all sat in square, high-backed pews, listening to the good old minister who is gone now to his rest and his reward. There have been great changes since then,” and she sighed sadly.
A short walk brought them to the church portals. They were early, and obtained excellent seats. The organist was already playing. Helen’s face lit with pleasure, for she had never before heard so fine an instrument or so skilful6 a player. Exquisitely7 fitted by nature for receiving musical impressions, she felt her soul uplifted by the grandeur8 of the music, and her heart penetrated9 by its sweetness. Now there was a thunderous clang, as if the organist were seeking to evoke10 from the instrument a fitting tribute to the majesty11 and power of the Creator. It seemed as if hosts of angels were clashing their cymbals12, and singing God’s high praise. Now a delicate rill of silver-voiced melody trickled13 forth14, clear and sweet, interpreting the unfathomable love wherewith God loves his children, even the lowliest.
Helen listened as one entranced, and when the last strain died away, and the organ was still, she turned towards Martha, and whispered, for she could not keep silence, “It lifts me up. It almost seems as if I were in heaven.”
“But let my due feet never fail
54And love the high embowered roof
With antique pillars massy proof,
And storied windows richly dight
Casting a dim religious light;
As may with sweetness through mine ear
And bring all heaven before mine eyes.”
It is a mistake to suppose that the plainest and cheapest churches are good enough for the poor. Europe is far more democratic in matters of religion than America. In the great continental21 cathedrals I have more than once felt inexpressibly touched to behold22 at my side some child of poverty and misfortune bending a reverent23 gaze upon some imaged saint. I have pictured to myself his probable home in some filthy24 court or dingy25 alley26, with the light of heaven shut out, dark, forbidding and noisome27, and rejoiced to think that it was his privilege to pass from such a scene into the splendors28 that fitly adorn29 the house of God. It is something to shed a ray of sunlight upon the life of a poor man—to gratify his taste, mortified30 by the gloomy surroundings of his daily life, to nourish the little flower of sentiment struggling out of the rubbish that has well-nigh choked out his ?sthetic nature, and help him to feel that life has a beautiful side, from which he is not utterly31 shut out.
So Helen and the poor seamstress, confined through the week in poor and unattractive chambers32, felt a quiet satisfaction in the grand architectural proportions and solemn beauty of the great church in which they felt themselves welcome guests. They derived33 new strength for the plain and humble34 duties of every day in the thought that one day in seven they could escape into a loftier atmosphere, and feel God’s presence nearer.
Occasionally, as the service proceeded, Helen stole a 55glance at her father, who sat beside her. His face wore a look of calm enjoyment35 and intelligent appreciation36.
As he sat with his clasped hands resting on his knees, and his eyes fixed37 upon the preacher, the vanished years returned, and beside him there sat once more the fair young bride, whose pure and saintly image lived a hallowed remembrance in the heart of father and daughter alike.
When the service closed, he did not change his position, till Helen, touching38 him gently, said, “It is time to go, papa.”
“We will come again next Sunday, Helen,” he said.
“Yes, papa.”
They walked back slowly and thoughtfully to their humble homes, speaking little, but each more happy and peaceful for the hour passed in the great church whose lofty spire39 seemed ever pointing upwards40 to that God in whose service it was reared.
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1
labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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2
benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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3
throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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4
relaxation
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| n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐 | |
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5
mingling
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| adj.混合的 | |
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6
skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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7
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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8
grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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9
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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10
evoke
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| vt.唤起，引起，使人想起 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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12
cymbals
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| pl.铙钹 | |
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13
trickled
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| v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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14
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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15
embodied
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| v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含 | |
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16
cloisters
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| n.（学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的）走廊( cloister的名词复数 )；回廊；修道院的生活；隐居v.隐退，使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 ) | |
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17
pealing
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| v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的现在分词 ) | |
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18
choir
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| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
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19
anthem
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| n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌 | |
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20
ecstasies
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| 狂喜( ecstasy的名词复数 )； 出神； 入迷； 迷幻药 | |
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21
continental
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| adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的 | |
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22
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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23
reverent
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| adj.恭敬的，虔诚的 | |
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24
filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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25
dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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26
alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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27
noisome
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| adj.有害的，可厌的 | |
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28
splendors
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| n.华丽( splendor的名词复数 )；壮丽；光辉；显赫 | |
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29
adorn
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| vt.使美化，装饰 | |
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30
mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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31
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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32
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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33
derived
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| 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 | |
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34
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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35
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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36
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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37
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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38
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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39
spire
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| n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点 | |
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40
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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