“Well, my lads,” said Thorn, when he came up to them, “you are going, I see towards the park. I will go with you; we will enjoy the fresh air and bright sunshine together, and perhaps have a little discourse3, which may be profitable as well as pleasant.”
The boys were usually very fond of the society of Willy Thorn; but just now, with their pockets full of cakes and nuts, they would have preferred being without it. However, no objection was made; they reached the park, and seated themselves under the shade of a large tree, for the sun was hot, and the shelter of the foliage4 was pleasant on that sultry afternoon.
Willy Thorn looked upwards5 at the leafy boughs7 which hung above him, through whose screen a long bright ray, here and there, pierced like a diamond lance. “This tree has put an allegory into my mind,” said he. “Boys, are you in the mood for a story?”
A story was always welcome, and in the[67] expectation of being amused, the scholars half forgot that their teacher’s presence was delaying their intended feast.
“Methought,” began Thorn, “that I had a dream; and in my dream I beheld8 a large and venerable tree. It was several thousand years old—so you may imagine its size; but it showed no signs of age; its leaves were as fresh, its fruit as abundant, as when the Israelites of old encamped under its refreshing9 shade. This tree was called the Sabbath-tree. It was given by its Lord as one of the richest blessings10 which was ever bestowed11 upon man. Freely might all partake of its fruit; but all were forbidden by a voice Divine to break even the smallest bough6 from the sacred tree.
“I saw in my dream that many thronged12 to the spot where the Sabbath-tree rose, like a beautiful green temple, in the midst of the plain; and I stood aside to mark the effect of its fruit on those who came to gather it. It strewed13 the ground in some places so thickly, that it shone like a carpet of gold.”
“I suppose,” said Bat Nayland, one of the boys, “that the fruits of the Sabbath-tree[68] are,—going to church, praying, praising, and reading the Bible?”
Thorn smiled in assent14, and continued: “I saw one haggard man come, faint with hunger, to the spot. He threw himself down on the soft grass, and fed eagerly on the nourishment15 freely provided. And I marked joy on his pale face as he ate of the fruit of the Sabbath-tree, and I remembered the holy words, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
“I saw an aged16 woman reach the tree. She was so feeble that she had hardly power to stoop to gather the fruit; but as she tasted it, her strength returned, her bent17 form became more erect18, she walked with a firmer step, and I remembered that it is written, They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
“Next, a miserable19 sufferer approached; on his countenance20 was an expression of pain. He was sick—grievously sick of the malady21 of sin, fatal to all who cannot find a cure. But he knew the healing powers of the tree. He fed, and even as he fed health[69] returned to his faded cheek, the anguish22 of his soul passed away, and the sufferer found himself whole.”
“True, most true,” replied Thorn, with an approving look; “but in due observance of Sabbath duties, we learn how to seek and where to find that cure.
“I had watched in my dream, with a rejoicing heart, thousands gathering24 the precious fruit, and receiving nourishment, strength, and healing; but now, alas25! my attention was attracted by yet greater multitudes, who thronged to the spot only, as I became painfully aware, to break and injure the beautiful tree. Some enemy had hung up a hatchet26 on its trunk, with Disobedience marked on the handle, and of this numbers made very free use to cut down large boughs from the tree.
“‘I am going on a jovial27 merry-making in the country,’ cried one; ‘I and my family shall have a treat. I want some wood to mend up my broken car.’
“‘Hold!’ exclaimed the youth who had[70] been healed, attempting to stay the hand of the Sabbath-breaker; ‘are there not six groves28 nigh at hand?—had you not better cut what you want from them?’
“‘No!’ cried the man impatiently, swinging the hatchet aloft; ‘there is no tree so convenient as this!’ and for the sake of a little pleasure in the country with merry companions, he cut a branch from the Sabbath-tree!
“Then came a woman with a face full of care. She had not faith to trust in him who clotheth the lilies, and provideth for the ravens29. ‘I want wood for a stall,’ said she, ‘whereon to sell my sweetmeats. I must earn some more pence for my living; necessity owns no law;’ and taking the hatchet of Disobedience, she also brought down a leafy bough, treading under foot as she did so a quantity of the ripe, precious fruit. Not content with thus breaking the Sabbath herself, she demanded that those who bought at her stall should each bring, in addition to their money, a fagot stolen from the holy tree!”
When Thorn came to this part of his[71] story, his scholars glanced consciously at each other. They all now felt convinced that their teacher was aware that they had been buying from a stall on Sunday.
“It was grievous,” continued Thorn, “to see what multitudes trampled30 on the Sabbath fruit, broke away twigs31, snapped branches, to help on their business or aid their amusements. Some wanted wickets for cricket, one man required a handle for his spade; and though a very little delay would have enabled them to procure33 wood from a lawful34 quarter, they were too thoughtless, too covetous35, or too impatient to reverence36 the Sabbath-tree.
“But soon I beheld in my dream, that while none could faithfully partake of the fruit without benefit, none without injury could break off a single branch. As I watched, much did I marvel37 to see how disobedience brought down punishment! The man who had repaired his car by Sabbath-breaking, had little pleasure from his intended treat. As he was driving from a public-house, suddenly a wheel of the vehicle came off, he and his party were flung out on[72] the road, and sorely bruised38 by the fall. In some cases, the wood so unlawfully taken appeared to turn at once into dust! The man digging with his Sabbath spade, found it suddenly snap asunder39, and the splinter ran into his hand, inflicting40 a terrible wound.”
“Oh, but how could that be?” exclaimed one of the boys. “Many a fellow goes larking41 on Sunday, and the wheel of his car never comes off! I don’t know what this part of your story can mean.”
“It means,” replied Willy gravely, “that disobedience to God, the wilful42 breaking of his holy commandment, unless the sin be repented43 of and renounced44, is certain to bring punishment in another world, and very frequently also in this. There are multitudes of lost, miserable sinners, who may trace their first steps on the path of ruin to breaking the Sabbath of God. No one ever yet, on his death-bed, could say that he really profited by money so gained, or that he had no reason to regret a pleasure gained by disobeying his Maker’s command.
“The poor woman who sold sweetmeats, I found in my dream, was not long in suffering[73] the penalty of disobedience. In one of the fagots so sinfully laid upon her stall, the serpent Remorse45 had lain coiled, unnoticed, unseen! As she was counting her unholy gains, made by not only sinning herself, but causing others to sin, the fierce reptile46 darted47 at her breast!—with difficulty was the serpent torn from its hold, and the poor sufferer sank on the ground, bleeding, fainting, trembling at her danger, and weeping for her sin! It was some time before she was able feebly to creep to the spot where comfort and healing might yet be procured48 by a proper use of the fruits of the Sabbath-tree.
“While the poor woman was in sorrowful penitence49, doing all that lay in her power to show her regret for the past, the boys who had purchased at her stall—who had wilfully50 broken the Sabbath, not to supply real wants, but to indulge their own greedy inclinations—”
“I’ll tell you what one of them did, sir!” exclaimed Bat Nayland, springing up from the ground: “he just emptied his pockets of what he had bought, said that he was heartily51 ashamed, and seeing an old lame52[74] beggar near, he gave every crumb53 of his purchases to him!”
THE LAME BEGGAR.
And suiting his action to his words, off[75] darted the boy, and astonished a ragged54 old man on crutches55, by bestowing56 upon him at once all his cakes and his nuts!
Dear young readers! if any of you have been tempted57 to disobey your Master’s commandment, by buying on the day which the Lord hath set apart for himself, oh, consider it not as a trifling58 transgression59.
Resolve with prayer henceforth never to break the smallest twig32 from the Sabbath-tree, but to feed on its sacred fruits with faith, and hope, and love. Be assured, then, dear children, that they will become sweeter and sweeter to your taste, and prepare you for the enjoyment60 of that Tree of Life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
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1
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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bough
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| n.大树枝，主枝 | |
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boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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8
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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9
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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strewed
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| v.撒在…上( strew的过去式和过去分词 )；散落于；点缀；撒满 | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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nourishment
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| n.食物，营养品；营养情况 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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malady
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| n.病，疾病(通常做比喻) | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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jovial
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| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
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groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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ravens
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| n.低质煤；渡鸦( raven的名词复数 ) | |
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30
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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32
twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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33
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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covetous
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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40
inflicting
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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41
larking
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| v.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的现在分词 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了 | |
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42
wilful
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| adj.任性的，故意的 | |
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43
repented
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
renounced
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| v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃 | |
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45
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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46
reptile
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| n.爬行动物；两栖动物 | |
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47
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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48
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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49
penitence
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| n.忏悔，赎罪；悔过 | |
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50
wilfully
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| adv.任性固执地；蓄意地 | |
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51
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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52
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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53
crumb
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| n.饼屑，面包屑，小量 | |
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54
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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55
crutches
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| n.拐杖, 支柱 v.支撑 | |
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56
bestowing
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| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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57
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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58
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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59
transgression
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| n.违背；犯规；罪过 | |
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60
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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