I kept for nearly a year the flask2-shaped cocoon3 of an emperor moth4. It is very peculiar5 in its construction. A narrow opening is left in the neck of the flask, through which the perfect insect forces its way, so that a forsaken6 cocoon is as entire as one still tenanted, no rupture7 of the interlacing fibers8 having taken place. The great disproportion between the means of egress9 and the size of the imprisoned10 insect makes one wonder how the exit is ever accomplished11 at all ━ and it never is without great labor12 and difficulty. It is supposed that the pressure to which the moth's body is subject in passing through such a narrow opening is a provision of nature for forcing the juices into the vessels13 of the wings, these being less developed at the period of emerging from the chrysalis than they are in other insects.
I happened to witness the first efforts of my prisoned moth to escape from its long confinement14. During a whole forenoon, from time to time, I watched it patiently striving and struggling to get out. It never seemed able to get beyond a certain point, and at last my patience was exhausted15. Very probably the confining fibers were drier and less elastic16 than if the cocoon had been left all winter on its native heather, as nature meant it to be. At all events I thought I was wiser and more compassionate17 than its Maker18, and I resolved to give it a helping19 hand. With the point of my scissors I snipped20 the confining threads to make the exit just a very little easier, and lo! immediately, and with perfect ease, out crawled my moth dragging a swollen21 body and little shrivelled wings. In vain I watched to see that marvellous process of expansion in which these silently and swiftly develop before one's eyes; and as I traced the exquisite22 spots and markings of divers23 colors which were all there in miniature, I longed to see these assume their due proportions and the creature to appear in all its perfect beauty, as it is, in truth, one of the loveliest of its kind. But I looked in vain. My false tenderness had proved its ruin. It never was anything but a stunted24 abortion25, crawling painfully through that brief life which it should have spent flying through the air on rainbow wings. I have thought of it often, often, when watching with pitiful eyes those who were struggling with sorrow, suffering, and distress26; and I would fain cut short the discipline and give deliverance. Short-sighted man! How know I that one of these pangs27 or groans28 could be spared? The far-sighted, perfect love that seeks the perfection of its object does not weakly shrink from present, transient suffering. Our Father's love is too true to be weak. Because He loves His children, He chastises29 them that they may be partakers of His holiness. With this glorious end in view, He spares not for their crying. Made perfect through sufferings, as the Elder Brother was, the sons of God are trained up to obedience30 and brought to glory through much tribulation31. ━ Tract32.
一月九日
“我想现在的苦楚,若比起将来要显于我们的荣耀,就不足介意了” (罗八:18)
我有一个天蛾的茧儿,差不多藏了一年。它的结构非常特异。一头是一条细管,一头是一个球形的囊,很像试验室中的细颈瓶。当蛾出茧的时侯,它必须从球形囊那里爬过那条极细的管儿,然后才能脱身,飞翔在空中。它的身体这样肥大,那条管儿这样细小,人人都会希奇它怎样能够出来呢,它一定会碰见多少难处,花费多少心机与力气。据生物学家讲:它在作蛹的时侯,翅膀萎缩不发达;脱茧的时侯,必须经过这一番挣扎,身体中的体质才能流到翅脉中去,两翅才能有力飞翔空中。
有一天,我恰巧看见那久囚的虫儿开始活动了。整个的早晨,我忍耐着在它旁边看它在里面努力,奋斗,挣扎,可是还不能进前丝毫。它似乎再没有可能出来了,最后我的耐心破产了。我就想我比造物者更智慧,更慈爱,我决意要帮它一忙。我用我的小剪刀把茧上的丝剪薄了些,让它出来得稍为容易一些这正是我得意之作!看哪!一会儿我的蛾儿很容易地爬出来了,身体是反常的臃肿,翅膀是反常的萎缩。我守在它旁边等它徐徐地伸展它的翅膀,显露它细巧精致的彩纹。岂知大失所望。我虚伪的温柔竟成了祸根。可怜的虫儿,非但不能扑着它带虹的翅翼,飞翔空中,呈现它完全的美丽,竟很痛苦地爬了一会就不寿而终了。啊,我的智慧和慈爱害了它!一个没有发育完全的蛾儿,被我强使流产了!我把这事想了又想。许多时侯我们看见人们在忧愁,困苦,艰难中挣扎,我们觉得很是可怜;我们常愿意把神的法则变更,给他们属人的帮助。啊,眼光浅近的人啊!我们怎么知道这些唏嘘和呻吟不是他们的必需呢?目光深远的,完全的爱,为要人们得益,只得不顾怜祂们目前暂时的苦楚了。我们父神的爱正是如此。因为祂爱祂的儿女,所以才施管教,要使祂们有分于祂的圣洁。有了这样荣耀的目的,祂才不顾祂们的眼泪。神使祂的长子在苦难中得荣耀;照样,也使祂的众儿女在患难中学习顺服,得以进入荣耀。
点击收听单词发音
1 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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2 flask | |
n.瓶,火药筒,砂箱 | |
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3 cocoon | |
n.茧 | |
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4 moth | |
n.蛾,蛀虫 | |
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5 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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6 Forsaken | |
adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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7 rupture | |
n.破裂;(关系的)决裂;v.(使)破裂 | |
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8 fibers | |
光纤( fiber的名词复数 ); (织物的)质地; 纤维,纤维物质 | |
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9 egress | |
n.出去;出口 | |
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10 imprisoned | |
下狱,监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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12 labor | |
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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13 vessels | |
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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14 confinement | |
n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限 | |
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15 exhausted | |
adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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16 elastic | |
n.橡皮圈,松紧带;adj.有弹性的;灵活的 | |
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17 compassionate | |
adj.有同情心的,表示同情的 | |
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18 maker | |
n.制造者,制造商 | |
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19 helping | |
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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20 snipped | |
v.剪( snip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21 swollen | |
adj.肿大的,水涨的;v.使变大,肿胀 | |
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22 exquisite | |
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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23 divers | |
adj.不同的;种种的 | |
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24 stunted | |
adj.矮小的;发育迟缓的 | |
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25 abortion | |
n.流产,堕胎 | |
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26 distress | |
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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27 pangs | |
突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 ); 悲痛 | |
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28 groans | |
n.呻吟,叹息( groan的名词复数 );呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
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29 chastises | |
v.严惩(某人)(尤指责打)( chastise的第三人称单数 ) | |
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30 obedience | |
n.服从,顺从 | |
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31 tribulation | |
n.苦难,灾难 | |
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32 tract | |
n.传单,小册子,大片(土地或森林) | |
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