登陆注册
4610300000140

第140章 GREAT-HEART(4)

"With every such returning journey he got a more and more enlarged, detached, hospitable, and Christ-like heart, and the King's palace in very glory itself had nothing better in store for this soldier-

guide than that. A nobler heaven Greatheart could not taste than he had already in himself, as he championed another and another pilgrim company from his Master's earthly gate to his Master's heavenly gate. Like Paul, his apostolic prototype, Greatheart sometimes vacillated just for a moment when he came a little too near heaven, and felt its magnificent and almost dissolving attractions full in his soul. You will see Greatheart's mind staggering for a moment between rest and labour, between war and peace, between "Christ" on earth and "Christ" in heaven--you will see all that set forth with great sympathy and great ability in Principal Rainy's new book on Paul's Epistle to the Philippians, and in the chapter entitled, The Apostle's Choice between Living and Dying.

Then there came a summons for Mr. Standfast. At which he called to him Mr. Greatheart, and said unto him, "Sir, although it was not my hap to be much in your good company in the days of my pilgrimage, yet, since the time I knew you, you have been profitable to me.

When I came from home I left behind me a wife and five small children. Let me entreat you, at your return (for I know that you will go and return to your master's house in hopes that you may be a conductor to more of the holy pilgrims), that you send to my family and let them be acquainted with all that hath and shall happen to me. Tell them, moreover, of my happy arrival to this place, and of the present late blessed condition I am in, and so on for many other messages and charges." Yes, Mr. Standfast; very good. But I would have liked you on your deathbed much better if you had had a word to spare from yourself and your wife and your children for poor Greatheart himself, who had neither wife nor children, nor near hope of heaven, but only your trust and charge and many suchlike trusts and charges to carry out when you are at home and free of all trust and all charge and all care. But yours is the way of all the pilgrims--so long, at least, as they are in this selfish life. Let them and their children only be well looked after, and they have not many thoughts or many words left for those who sweat and bleed to death for them and theirs. They lean on this and that Greatheart all their own way up, and then they leave their widows and children to lean on whatever Greatheart is sent to meet them; but it is not one pilgrim in ten who takes the thought or has the heart to send a message to Mr. Greatheart himself for his own consolation and support. I read that Mr. Ready-to-halt alone, good soul, had the good feeling to do it. He thanked Mr.

Greatheart for his conduct and for his kindness, and so addressed himself to his journey. All the same, noble Greatheart! go on in thy magnanimous work. Take back all their errands. Seek out at any trouble all their wives and children. Embark again and again on all thy former battles and hardships for the good of other men.

But be assured that all this thy labour is not in vain in thy Lord.

Be well assured that not one drop of thy blood or thy sweat or thy tears shall fall to the ground on that day when they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Go back, then, from thy well-earned rest, O brave Greatheart! go back to thy waiting task. Put on again thy whole armour. Receive again, and again fulfil, thy Master's commission, till He has no more commissions left for thy brave heart and thy bold hand to execute.

And, one glorious day, while thou art still returning to thy task, it shall suddenly sound in thy dutiful ears:- "Well done! good and faithful servant!" And then thou too "Shalt hang thy trumpet in the hall And study war no more."

同类推荐
  • 爝火录

    爝火录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说灌洗佛经

    佛说灌洗佛经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Poverty of Philosophy

    The Poverty of Philosophy

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 花当阁丛谈

    花当阁丛谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Marble Faun V.1

    The Marble Faun V.1

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 涅槃之凤倾天下

    涅槃之凤倾天下

    21世纪特工穿越重生,竟到一个玄幻世界,无法修练?不存在。暗域魔龙随身带,全系技能信手拈来,练丹,驭兽,阵法通通不在话下。然,木秀于林,风必摧之,她说“什么是善?什么是恶?何为大义?我只知道恩我者善,伤我者恶,我的大义只是护我想护的人,天下与我何干,若不容我,反了又何妨。”第一次正面相对,他说:“我叫君陌,拿了你的玉,我就是你的人,这就是订情信物,不能反悔。”她嗤之以鼻。直到多年后,一个呆萌可爱的混小子横空出世,他看着眼前无比英俊帅气的男人道:“帅哥,我娘亲说这次换她追你,给个机会呗?”某男眨巴了下眼,看着眼前这个与他有着七分相似的奶娃娃,莫名其妙的点头“好”
  • 李子红了

    李子红了

    小说以上班族业余从事农耕生活为背景,通过李园天灾人祸的生动再现,对现代城市人浮躁生活方式,以及时代大潮中新城扩张、城镇化、农民工、网恋等一系列热点问题进行了深刻思考和反思。小说语言清丽、接地气,运用审美式写作手法,舒缓的诗意表达,描绘了多彩的农耕生活细节情趣,具有浓郁的田园乡土气息。
  • 呼啸山庄(经典译林)

    呼啸山庄(经典译林)

    《呼啸山庄》描写的吉卜赛弃儿希刺克厉夫被山庄老主人收养后,因不堪受辱和恋爱受挫,外出致富。回来后发现女友凯瑟琳已与地主林顿结婚,继而产生对地主及其子女进行报复的故事。全篇充满了强烈的反压迫、求自由的斗争精神,又始终笼罩着离奇、紧张、浪漫的艺术气氛。作品开始曾被人称作是年轻女作家脱离现实的天真幻想,但结合其所描写地区激烈的阶级斗争和英国当时的社会现象,不久又被评论界给予高度肯定,并受到广大读者的热烈欢迎。
  • 春回天府(少儿卷)

    春回天府(少儿卷)

    每一个有呼吸、有生命迹象的地方都有迷彩的汪洋,白衣天使的汪洋,志愿者的汪洋,那是血脉连接起的长城内外、大江南北,甚至天涯,甚至海角,每一个肩膀扛起生命的重量。春天回来了……
  • 重生之再追你一次

    重生之再追你一次

    做为一个真爱是妻子,但在外面养情人的渣男,重生回到了与妻子相识的一年前。老天给了他一个重新来过的机会,这一次他不会再养情人,而是守身如玉的待在妻子身边,护她爱她宠她,给她创造一个再也没有伤害的世界。
  • 虹猫蓝兔相伴天涯

    虹猫蓝兔相伴天涯

    本书多卷集于一书,每在书上都有标注,作者毕竟是一学生党,更文时间不多,更文时间不定。
  • 篮坛教皇

    篮坛教皇

    今日轮回,明日传奇!2020年3月15日新书《现在我想做个好人》在都市区开始连载了!做好事就能变强!以前我没得选,现在我想做个好人!
  • 家庭安全用药百问百答

    家庭安全用药百问百答

    围绕农民朋友十分关心的具体话题,分“新农民技术能手”、“新农业产业拓展”和“新农村和谐社会”三个系列,分批出版。“新农民技术能手”系列除了传授实用的农业技术,还介绍了如何闯市场、如何经营;“新农业产业拓展”系列介绍了现代农业的新趋势、新模式;“新农村和谐社会”系列包括农村政策宣讲、常见病防治、乡村文化室建立,还对农民进城务工的一些知识作了介绍。全书新颖实用,简明易懂。近年来,江苏在建设全面小康社会的伟大实践中成绩可喜。我们要树立和落实科学发展观、推进“两个率先”、构建和谐社会,按照党中央对社会主义新农村的要求,探索农村文化建设新途径,引导群众不断提升文明素质。
  • 地海传奇4:地海孤儿

    地海传奇4:地海孤儿

    曾经是峨团陵墓第一女祭司的恬娜,如今已是孀居的中年妇人,她与遭受虐待、身负火伤的孤儿瑟鲁相遇,收其为养女,两人相依为命,克服艰困生活中的种种危机;地海最强大的法师格得,多年之后再度出现在恬娜面前,却已力量尽失,成为一个平凡人。地海世界的一切都已改变,过去深信不疑的力量与真理,从此不再相同,昔日主角们的命运,又将遭逢何种转变……
  • 现代心理训练方法

    现代心理训练方法

    该书将心理技能训练分为5类117种,包括改善认知的方法、激发动机的方法、控制情绪的方法、提高群体凝聚力的方法和比赛心理调控方法。每种方法通过“目的”和练习“方法”两部分加以介绍。