I am sitting in my library. The fire burns cheerily in the grate. A dear voice is singing sweetly by my side. For baby is restless to-night and Jennie has brought him down to rock him to sleep here and keep me company.
The years pass in review before me. Thank God for the dear wife who three years ago persuaded me that I was a Christian1 more than a Congregationalist. The years have not been unfruitful. The work has been, oh! so little, and the harvest so great!
I believe the whole church is satisfied with the result of our peculiar2 method of candidating. I am sure there is no one who would willingly exchange Mr. Mapleson for Mr. Uncannon. There have been rumors3 once or twice that there was danger Maurice Mapleson would leave. He has twice had invitations to preach in city churches whose pulpits were vacant. But he has declined. "I hope," he says, "to live and die here. It is as God wills. But I have no ambition for a larger field of usefulness. It is all I can do to cultivate this field."
My prophesy4 has proved true respecting Mr. Work. He has broken down, given up preaching, nominally5 because of a throat trouble; really, I believe, because of spirit trouble, and has opened a young ladies' school in one of the suburbs of the city. Mr. Uncannon has left North Bizzy after a year's pastorate, for one of the great cities of the West, where he is about equally famous for his fast horses, his good cigars, and his extraordinary pulpit pyrotechnics.
Maurice Mapleson's experiment has proved a complete success. Our church at last is out of its financial difficulties. We held our annual meeting last week. And here is the financial exhibit as it appeared in the treasurer's report:
Cr.
Monthly Subscriptions6 . . . . . . . . $1,675.00
Sunday Collections . . . . . . . . . . . 395.85
Ladies' Entertainments (a special fair
having been organized by Miss Moore to
secure the interest money.) . . . . . . . 251.06
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$2,321.91
2,276.90
Balance in Treasury7 $45.01
Dr.
Minister's Salary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,500.00
Organist, (the office was discontinued,
congregational singing established, and
Deacon Goodsole's eldest8 daughter voluntered
to play.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nothing
Church Repairs-Sundries . . . . . . . . . . . 55.50
Interest on Mortgage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315.00
Sexton (Salary reduced by himself as a
contribution to the support of the church.) . . 175.00
Fire, lights and incidentals . . . . . . . . . 231.40
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$2,276.90
The church has never before had a balance in its treasury, and it was bewildered with astonishment9 at the result. The money was really due to Maurice, who was to pay, the reader will recollect10, the incidental expenses out of the monthly subscriptions and take the remainder as his salary. But Maurice positively11 refused to take it. He, however, has long wanted the old pulpit cut down and a low platform substituted. The money was voted for that purpose, and the alterations12 are now going on.
Though the pews are free, the pew system is not wholly abandoned. Each attendant selects a seat for himself or a pew for his family. This is regarded his as much as if he paid pew rent for it. But instead of a fixed13 rent he pays what he will. No one has paid less than the old rates and some have nearly doubled them. But the improvement in finances is not the only nor even the best result of Maurice Mapleson's experiment. The congregation has increased quite as much as the income. Not less than a score of families are regular attendants on our church who never went to church before. With one or two exceptions every pew is taken. We are beginning to talk quietly about an enlargement.
I think this change had something to do with the revival14 last Spring. Maurice thinks so at all events. And any attempt to go back to the old system would meet with as much opposition15 from Deacon Goodsole as from Jim Wheaton. The only member of the congregation who regrets the change is Mrs. Potiphar. She turns up her nose --metaphorically I mean--the natural nose is turned up all the time at that revival. "It did not reach any of our set," she says. "Why, bless you, I don't believe it added fifty dollars to the church income."
One would think to hear her talk that Mrs. Potiphar supported the church. If she does, her right hand does not know what her left hand is doing.
The immediate16 precursor17 of that revival was the prayer-meeting which Mr. Gear attended, and in which he asked the prayers of the church. When in June he stood up before the congregation to profess18 his faith in Christ as a Savior from sin, and in the Holy Spirit as a Divine Comforter in trial and in sorrow, he did not stand alone. Twenty-eight stood with him. Among them were nine of the boys from our Mill village Bible-class. Of that brightest of Sabbath days I cannot trust myself to speak. The tears come to my eyes, and my hand trembles as I write. I must pass on to other thoughts.
I have already explained how the Bible-class gathered to itself a second class of which Mrs. Gear took charge. Both classes have grown steadily19, and latterly, rapidly, and are now beyond all that the most sanguine20 of us ever anticipated. There is a flourishing Sabbath-school at the Mill village. Mr. Gear superintends it. Nearly half of my old scholars are teachers now. But others have come to take their places. My own class is larger than ever. Once a month Mr. Mapleson preaches in the school-house, and in the summer his congregation overflows21 upon the green sward without. Once or twice he has been forced into the grove22 adjoining. It is evident that the old school-house will not serve us much longer. Mr. Gear is already revolving23 plans for the erection of a chapel24. It seems to me rather chimerical25. No! On second thoughts nothing seems to me chimerical any more. And as Mr. Gear and Miss Moore are both engaged in this enterprize, I am confident it will succeed.
There is not in our church a more active, earnest, devoted26 Christian worker than Mr. Gear. He is one of the board of trustees, and about the only man on it who is not afraid of Jim Wheaton. He rarely misses a prayer-meeting, and though he does not speak very often he never speaks unless he has something to say. And that is more than can be said of some of those who "occupy the time" in our prayer-meetings. I understand that Mr. Hardcap was not altogether satisfied with Mr. Gear's "evidences" when he appeared before the session. But if daily life affords the true "evidences" of Christian character, there are very few of us that might not be glad to exchange with Mr. Gear. I doubt whether Dr. Argure would think he was sound in the faith. And if the "faith" is synonymous with the Westminster Assembly's Confession27 of it, I do not believe he is. Deacon Goodsole has confidentially28 hinted to me his fear that Mr. Gear has some doubts concerning the doctrine29 of election; and that he is not quite clear even on the doctrine of eternal punishment. It is not impossible. But I do not believe there is a member of our church whose faith in a present, prayer-hearing God is stronger. His first step toward securing a chapel for the Sabbath-school has been taken already. It was a meeting of the Sabbath-school teachers at his own house to pray for a chapel. And he builds on that prayer-meeting a strong assurance that he will get it. I do not think he is quite sound in the catechism. I wish I were as sound in the faith.
I have often wished to know how he solved his old doubts. If I could find his specific for skepticism, I thought to myself, it would be of inestimable value to others. So with some hesitation30, lest I should awaken31 the old unbelief, I asked him the question the other day.
"How did you finally settle your old difficulties concerning Christian truth?" said I.
"I never have," said he quietly. "They disappeared of themselves, as the snow disappears from Snow-cap when May comes."
The fire burns low upon the hearth32. The risen moon casts her soft light through the Eastern window and bathes the room with her radiance. The mountains, mist clad, stand as shadows of their daily self, more beautiful in their repose33 than in the full glory of the busy day. The baby sleeps quietly, nestled close to his mother's breast, too big I tell her for her arms; but she protests I'm wrong. And still I sit, silent, and the past defiles34 before me.
At length Jennie breaks the silence. "What are you pondering so deeply, John?"
"I was thinking, Jennie, how much I owe the little woman who persuaded me to this dear home, who convinced me that I was, or at least ought to be, a Christian more than a Congregationalist, and who taught me that I could work for Christ without infringing35 on my daily duties, and so brought to me all the flood tide of happiness that makes my life one long song of joy."
The End
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1
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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rumors
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| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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prophesy
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| v.预言；预示 | |
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nominally
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| 在名义上，表面地； 应名儿 | |
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6
subscriptions
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| n.（报刊等的）订阅费( subscription的名词复数 )；捐款；（俱乐部的）会员费；捐助 | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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8
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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9
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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10
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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12
alterations
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| n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变 | |
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13
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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14
revival
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| n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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precursor
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| n.先驱者；前辈；前任；预兆；先兆 | |
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18
profess
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| v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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20
sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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21
overflows
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| v.溢出，淹没( overflow的第三人称单数 )；充满；挤满了人；扩展出界，过度延伸 | |
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22
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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23
revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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25
chimerical
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| adj.荒诞不经的，梦幻的 | |
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26
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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29
doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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30
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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31
awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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32
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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33
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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34
defiles
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| v.玷污( defile的第三人称单数 )；污染；弄脏；纵列行进 | |
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infringing
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| v.违反（规章等）( infringe的现在分词 )；侵犯（某人的权利）；侵害（某人的自由、权益等） | |
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