IT is late in the fall. The summer birds have fled southward. The summer residents have fled to their city homes. The mountains have blossomed out in all the brilliance1 of their autumnal colors; but the transitory glory has gone and they are brown and bare. One little flurry of snow has given us warning of what is coming. The furnace has been put in order; the double windows have been put on; a storm-house has enclosed our porch; a great pile of wood lies up against the stable, giving my boy promise of plenty of exercise during the long winter. And still the summer lingers in these bright and glorious autumnal days. And of them the carpenters and the painters are making much in their work on the new library-hall.
Do not let the reader deceive himself by erecting2 in his imagination an edifice3 of brick or stone, with all the magnificent architectural display which belongs to the modern style of American cosmopolitan4 architecture. Library-hall is a plain wooden building, one story high, and containing but three rooms. It is to cost us just $1,000, when it is finished. Let me record here how it came to be begun.
Temperance is not one of the virtues5 for which Wheathedge is, or ought to be, famous. I know not where you will find cooler springs of more delicious water, than gush6 from its mountain sides. I know not where you will find grapes for home wine-that modern recipe for drunkenness-more abundant or more admirably adapted to the vintner's purpose. But the springs have few customers, and one man easily makes all the domestic wine which the inhabitants of Wheathedge consume. But at the landing there are at least four grog-shops which give every indication of doing a thriving business, beside Poole's, half-way to the Mill village; to say nothing of the bar the busiest room by all odds7, at Guzzem's hotel, busiest, alas8! on the Sabbath day.
Maurice Mapleson is not one who considers that his parish and his congregation are coterminus. "I like the Established Church for one thing," he says. "The parish is geographical9, not ecclesiastical. All within its bounds are under the parson's care. In our system the minister is only responsible for his own congregation. It is like caring for the wounded who are brought into hospital, and leaving those that are on the field of battle uncared for."
A little incident occurring soon after he came, first opened Maurice's eyes, I think, to the need of temperance reform in the community.
He had occasion, one evening after prayer-meeting, to visit a sick child of his Sabbath-school. The family were poor and his road led him down near the brickyard toward "Limerick," as this settlement of huts-half house, half pig-stye-is derisively10 called. The night was dark, and returning, abstracted in thought, he almost fell over what he first took to be a log lying in the street. It was a man, who, on a cursory11 examination, proved to be suffering under no less a disorder12 than that of hopeless intoxication13. It was a dangerous bed. Maurice made one or two unsuccessful attempts to arouse the fellow, but in vain. Retracing14 his steps a few rods to the nearest hut, he summoned assistance, and with the aid of Pat sober, got Pat drunk upon his feet. But he was quite too drunk to help himself, and too large and heavy to be left to the sole charge of Pat sober, who happened to recognize a friend, whose home he said was a quarter of a mile down the valley. Maurice, who had preached a few Sundays ago on the parable15 of the Good Samaritan, could not bring himself to imitate the example of the Priest and Levite; so steadying the tipsy pedestrian on one side, while sober Pat sustained him on the other, they half led, half dragged the still unconscious sleeper16 to a little round hut, which he called home. The wife was sitting up for her husband and received both him and his custodians17 with objurgations loud on the first, and thanks equally loud addressed to the others. No sooner was the stupid husband safely deposited on the bed than, begging them to wait a moment, she went to the cupboard and taking down a big, black bottle, half filled a cracked tea-cup with whiskey, which she offered to Maurice as an expression of her gratitude18. "I do not know," said Maurice to me, as he told me the story, "that she will ever forgive me for declining, though I couched my declension as courteously19 as possible."
Coming home and pondering this incident, he made up his mind that something must be done for the temperance cause in Wheathedge; and further pondering led him to the conclusion that he must begin at the church.
So one evening last week he came round to talk with me about it.
"The first thing," said he to me, "is to arouse the Church. I believe in preaching the gospel of temperance to the Jews first, and afterwards to the Gentiles. I will begin in the Synagogue. Afterwards I will go to the streets, and lanes, and highways."
"You will meet with some opposition20," said I. "A temperance meeting in the church has never been heard of in Wheathedge. You will be departing from the landmarks21."
"Do you think so?" said Maurice.
"I am sure of it," said I.
"Very good," said he, "if I meet with opposition it will prove I am right. It will prove that the Church needs stirring up on the subject. If I am not opposed I shall be inclined to give up the plan. However I will not wait for opportunity. I will challenge it."
The next Sunday he gave notice that that evening there would be a Temperance prayer and conference meeting in the church, in lieu of preaching.
"The town," said he, "is cursed with intemperance22. There is one miscellaneous dry-goods and grocery store, one drug store, one mill, about half a bookstore, and an ice-cream saloon; and within a radius23 of half a mile of this church there are ten grog-shops and two distilleries, quite too large a proportion even for those who believe, as I do not, in moderate drinking. I have no remedy to propose. I have no temperance address to deliver. What I do propose is that we gather to-night and make it the subject of earnest prayer to God, and of serious conference among ourselves, that we may know what our duty is in the case, and knowing, may do it bravely and well."
As we came out of church the proposed Temperance prayer-meeting was the theme of general discussion.
Mr. Guzzem was sorry to see that this church was threatened with an irruption of fanaticism24. He thought the minister had better stick to his business and leave side-issues alone.
Mr. Wheaton thought the true remedy for intemperance was the cultivation25 of the grape, and the manufacture of modern wines. He did not believe in meetings.
Mr. Hardcap was as much a foe26 to intemperance as any one; but he thought the true remedy for intemperance was the preaching of the Gospel. Paul was the model for preachers, and Paul knew nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Deacon Goodsole inquired who that man was that preached before Felix of righteousness, temperance, and judgment27 to come. But Mr. Hardcap apparently28 did not hear the question, at least he did not answer it.
Elder Law thought it might be very well, but that the minister ought not to change the service of the Sabbath without consulting the Session. It was a dangerous precedent29.
Deacon Goodsole thought it a move in the right direction, and vowed30 he would give the afternoon to drumming up recruits. Miss Moore said she would go with him.
Mr. Gear, who has not been inside a prayer-meeting since he has been at Wheathedge, declared when I told him of the meeting, that it was the first sensible thing he had ever known the church to do; and if they were really going to work in that fashion he would like to be counted in. And sure enough he was at the prayer-meeting in the evening, to the great surprise of everybody, and to the consternation31 of Mr. Hardcap, who found in the fact that an infidel came to the meeting, a confirmation32 of his opinion that it was a desecration33 of the Sabbath and the sanctuary34.
Mrs. Laynes, whose eldest35 boy jumped off the dock last Spring in a fit of delirium36 tremens, came to Maurice with tears in her eyes to thank him for holding a temperance meeting. "I can't do anything but pray," she said; "but oh, Pastor37, that I can and will do."
The meeting was certainly a remarkable38 success, there was just opposition enough to make it so. Those that were determined39 it should succeed were there ready to speak, to sing, to pray. Those that did not believe in it were there to see it fail. Those that were indifferent were there, curious to see whether it would succeed or fail, and what it would be like. And Deacon Goodsole and Miss Moore were there with their recruits, a curious and motley addition to the congregation. The church was full. Every ear was attention; every heart aroused. And when finally good old Father Hyatt, with his thin white hair and tremulous voice, and eyes suffused40 with tears, told in tones of unaffected pathos41, the sad story of Charl. Pie's death, I do not believe that even Jim Wheaton's eyes were dry. At all events I noticed that when, at the close of the meeting, Maurice put the question whether a second meeting should be held the following month, Jim Wheaton was among those who voted in the affirmative. There were no dissentients.
When I came home from this meeting, I put on paper as well as I could Father Hyatt's pathetic story. It is as follows:
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brilliance
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| n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智 | |
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erecting
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| v.使直立，竖起( erect的现在分词 )；建立 | |
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edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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cosmopolitan
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| adj.世界性的，全世界的，四海为家的，全球的 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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gush
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| v.喷，涌；滔滔不绝(说话)；n.喷，涌流；迸发 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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geographical
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| adj.地理的；地区(性)的 | |
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derisively
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| adv. 嘲笑地，嘲弄地 | |
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cursory
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| adj.粗略的；草率的；匆促的 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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intoxication
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| n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning | |
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retracing
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| v.折回( retrace的现在分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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parable
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| n.寓言，比喻 | |
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sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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custodians
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| n.看守人，保管人( custodian的名词复数 ) | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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landmarks
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| n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址） | |
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intemperance
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| n.放纵 | |
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radius
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| n.半径，半径范围；有效航程，范围，界限 | |
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fanaticism
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| n.狂热，盲信 | |
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cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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precedent
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| n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的 | |
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vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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desecration
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| n. 亵渎神圣, 污辱 | |
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sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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pastor
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| n.牧师，牧人 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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suffused
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| v.（指颜色、水气等）弥漫于，布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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