March 27

"I do not count the sufferings of our present life worthy¹ of mention when compared with the glory that is to be revealed and bestowed² upon us." (Rom. 8:18) (20th Century Trans.)

A remarkable³ incident occurred recently at a wedding in England. A young man of large wealth and high social position, who had been blinded by an accident when he was ten years old, and who won University honors in spite of his blindness, had won a beautiful bride, though he had never looked upon her face. A little while before his marriage, he submitted to a course of treatment by experts, and the climax⁴ came on the day of his wedding.

The day came, and the presents, and guests. There were present cabinet ministers and generals arid⁵ bishops⁶ and learned men and women. The bridegroom, dressed for the wedding, his eyes still shrouded⁷ in linen⁸, drove to the church with his father, and the famous oculist⁹ met them in the vestry.

The bride, entered the church on the arm of her white-haired father. So moved was she that she could hardly speak. Was her lover at last to see her face that others admired, but which he knew only through his delicate finger tips?

As she neared the altar, while the soft strains of the wedding march floated through the church, her eyes fell on a strange group.

The father stood there with his son. Before the latter was the great oculist in the act of cutting away the last bandage. The bridegroom took a step forward, with the spasmodic uncertainty¹⁰ of one who cannot believe that he is awake. A beam of rose-colored light from a pane¹¹ in the chancel window fell across his face, but he did not seem to see it.

Did he see anything? Yes! Recovering in an instant his steadiness of mien¹², and with a dignity and joy never before seen in his face, he went forward to meet his bride. They looked into each other's eyes, and one would have thought that his eyes would never wander from her face.

"At last!" she said. "At last!" he echoed solemnly, bowing his head. That was a scene of great dramatic power, and no doubt of great joy, and is but a mere¹³ suggestion of what will actually take place in Heaven when the Christian¹⁴ who has been walking through this world of trial and sorrow, shall see Him face to face. --Selceted.

"Just a-wearying for you,

Jesus, Lord, beloved and true;

Wishing for you, wondering when

You'll be coming back again,

Under all I say and do,

Just a-wearying for you.

"Some glad day, all watching past,

You will come for me at last;

Then I'll see you, hear your voice,

Be with you, with you rejoice;

How the sweet hope thrills me through,

Sets me wearying for you."

　 三月二十七日

“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）

最近在英国举行的一次婚礼中，发生了奇迹。新郎是富有的青年，社会地位很高，不幸在十岁的时候，因遇意外而双目失明，他虽然瞎了眼，仍能读得大学的学位，并且得到一个美丽的新娘，虽然从未看见过她的面容。结婚前不久，他由眼科专家施行手术。故事的最高峰，就发生在举行婚礼的那天。

那天，宾客和礼物纷纷而到。有内阁大臣、将军、主教和学术界的仕女们。新郎穿了礼服，眼睛上仍蒙着纱布和他父亲一同乘车来到教堂，那位有名的眼科专家也早等在牧师的法衣室里了。

新娘挽着白发苍苍的老父的手臂，进入教堂。她的情绪激动万分，不能开口。在今天她的爱人究竟能否恢复视觉，终将看见她的容貌？她的美丽素为别人所艳羡，而他在过去，只能以敏锐的指尖去摸索的。当她走近圣坛的时候，婚礼进行曲的柔和音调，弥漫了整个教堂，她的目光注视着新郎和伴着他的眼科医生。

父与子都站在那里，新郎面前，站着那位眼科专家，正在割断最后一条绷带。新郎向前跨了一步，好像大梦初醒，仍有些迷茫不知所措的样子。一道玫瑰色的光线穿过教堂的有色玻璃，照到他脸上，他好像仍旧不敢相信已经看见了这道亮光。

究竟看见了没有呢？看见了！瞬刻间恢复了稳定的姿态，带着空前的庄严和喜悦，走向前去会见他的新娘。他们眼对眼彼此凝视，旁观者不禁觉得，他的目光似乎永不会移开她的脸了。

女的说：“终于看见了！”男的低下头去庄重地应声道：“终于看见了！”这是十分感人的一幕，也是极大的喜悦。它暗示我们，这将是发生于天堂的实际情景，当基督徒经历了人世的苦难和悲哀，终将同样地和神面对着面彼此相见。

亲爱的真主耶稣，

我永远渴念你，

不知何年何日，你再临人世，

我是一心在翘企。

我所言所行，

都是为了渴望着你。

那欢乐的日子到来的时候，

使望待成为过去，

我会看见你，听到你的声音，

分享你的欢欣，

这希望给我多少鼓励，

我正企盼殷勤。

1 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

2 bestowed   

赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It was a title bestowed upon him by the king. 那是国王赐给他的头衔。
• He considered himself unworthy of the honour they had bestowed on him. 他认为自己不配得到大家赋予他的荣誉。

3 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

4 climax   

n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点

参考例句：

• The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。
• His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

5 arid   

adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的

参考例句：

• These trees will shield off arid winds and protect the fields.这些树能挡住旱风,保护农田。
• There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。

6 bishops   

（基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象

参考例句：

• Each player has two bishops at the start of the game. 棋赛开始时，每名棋手有两只象。
• "Only sheriffs and bishops and rich people and kings, and such like. “他劫富济贫，抢的都是郡长、主教、国王之类的富人。

7 shrouded   

v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密

参考例句：

• The hills were shrouded in mist . 这些小山被笼罩在薄雾之中。
• The towers were shrouded in mist. 城楼被蒙上薄雾。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 linen   

n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的

参考例句：

• The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
• Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

9 oculist   

n.眼科医生

参考例句：

• I wonder if the oculist could fit me in next Friday.不知眼科医生能否在下星期五给我安排一个时间。
• If your eyes are infected,you must go to an oculist.如果你的眼睛受到感染，就要去看眼科医生。

10 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

11 pane   

n.窗格玻璃，长方块

参考例句：

• He broke this pane of glass.他打破了这块窗玻璃。
• Their breath bloomed the frosty pane.他们呼出的水气，在冰冷的窗玻璃上形成一层雾。

12 mien   

n.风采；态度

参考例句：

• He was a Vietnam veteran with a haunted mien.他是个越战老兵，举止总有些惶然。
• It was impossible to tell from his mien whether he was offended.从他的神态中难以看出他是否生气了。

13 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

14 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。