登陆注册
4610300000247

第247章 THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH OF MANSOUL, AND MR.(3)

have heard. There was something awful and overawing, something seer-like and supernatural, in the pulpit of Mansoul. Sometimes the iron chains in which the preacher climbed up into the pulpit, and in which he both prayed and preached, struck a chill to every heart; and sometimes the garment of salvation in which he shone carried all their hearts captive. Some Sabbath mornings they saw it in his face and heard it in his voice that he had been on his bed in hell all last night; and then, next Sabbath, those who came back saw him descending into his pulpit from his throne in heaven.

'Yea, this man's brow, like to a title-page Foretells the nature of a tragic volume.

Thou tremblest, and the whiteness in thy cheek Is apter than thy tongue to tell thine errand.'

If you think that I am exaggerating and magnifying the parish pulpit of Mansoul, take this out of the parish records for yourselves. 'And now,' you will read in one place, 'it was a day gloomy and dark, a day of clouds and thick darkness with Mansoul.

Well, when the Sabbath-day was come he took for his text that in the prophet Jonah, "They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy." And then there was such power and authority in that sermon, and such dejection seen in the countenances of the people that day that the like had seldom been heard or seen. The people, when the sermon was done, were scarce able to go to their homes, or to betake themselves to their employments the whole week after.

They were so sermon-smitten that they knew not what to do. For not only did their preacher show to Mansoul its sin, but he did tremble before them under the sense of his own, still crying out as he preached, Unhappy man that I am! that I, a preacher, should have lived so senselessly and so sottishly in my parish, and be one of the foremost in its transgressions! With these things he also charged all the lords and gentry of Mansoul to the almost distracting of them.' It was Sabbaths like that that made the people of Mansoul call their minister a seer.

5. And, then, there was another thing that I do not know how better to describe than by calling it the true catholicity, the true humility, and the true hospitality of the man. It is true he had no choice in the matter, for in setting up a standing ministry in Mansoul Emmanuel had done so with this reservation and addition.

We have His very words. 'Not that you are to have your ministers alone,' He said. 'For my four captains, they can, if need be, and if they be required, not only privately inform, but publicly preach both good and wholesome doctrine, that, if heeded, will do thee good in the end.' Which, again, reminds me of what Oliver Cromwell wrote to the Honourable Colonel Hacker at Peebles. 'These: I was not satisfied with your last speech to me about Empson, that he was a better preacher than fighter--or words to that effect. Truly, I

think that he that prays and preaches best will fight best. I know nothing that will give like courage and confidence as the knowledge of God in Christ will. I pray you to receive Captain Empson lovingly.'

6. The standing ministry in Mansoul was endowed also; but I cannot imagine what the court of teinds would make of the instrument of endowment. As it has been handed down to us, that old ecclesiastical instrument reads more like a lesson in the parish minister's class for the study of Mysticism than a writing for a learned lord to adjudicate upon. Here is the Order of Council:

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 早安,主君大人

    早安,主君大人

    “不想你男朋友死,就和我在一起!”君主挑起小五的下巴,满眼阴戾。他要的她心悦诚服。她却拼死守着心,想的是童年的王子。“死女人,知道背叛我的后果么??”君主扼住小五的脖子。小五满意的闭上眼睛:“是死。”君主邪魅一笑:“不,是生不如死!!!”
  • 桂花树

    桂花树

    菜头全身冒冷汗,扶着墙慢慢往家走。他不敢用手摸令他痛得想死的踝关节,轻轻一按,痛会转移到更多的地方,痛得更彻底。这次是踝关节痛,上次是膝关节,再上次是腰,反正哪儿都有可能痛。老医生没有给菜头下诊断,但年轻的医生断言这是缺少运动所致,像运动员的运动过量一个道理,失去了平衡,令到身体某些组织日积月累地发生了病变。医生的话听上去有几分道理,他开的药也有几分作用,但像止痛药,吃的时候没事,不吃又觉得痛。菜头这狼狈样正好被下班回家的赵天虹看到。隔老远赵天虹就情绪高涨地喊,菜头,你又遭报应了哪。
  • 补心球王

    补心球王

    什么?!用失去记忆换取穿越的机会?好吧,一个铁杆球迷,名字叫做石新的家伙愿意接受这条件,他选择重回18岁。干得漂亮!全新命运起步,热血传说拉开序幕!(书友群:480225845)
  • 成功人生必知的68个管理技巧(教你成功丛书)

    成功人生必知的68个管理技巧(教你成功丛书)

    追求卓越,渴望成功,是古今中外有识之士的不懈追求,更是21世纪人们的热门话题。如何捕获成功?通向成功之路的起点在哪里?本书告诉你!本书将向你传授如何才能走向成功之路?其内容浅显易懂,突出实践指导性。你不妨对照这些因素,看看自己是否具备这些成功的资本?在当今社会,拥有一颗健康的心灵,保持积极乐观的心态,去创造幸福、美好的人生。相信,你一定会从中受益,熟悉成大事的规律,掌握成大事的策略,从而取得无往不利的大事业!
  • 木叶之隐藏BOSS

    木叶之隐藏BOSS

    “雷好,我是野狼!”“呸!”“你好,我是野良奈落,很高兴认识你,少年!”漩涡鸣人看着面前似乎比自己大不了多少的年轻人露出震惊的表情道:“是你,万事屋的坂田银时?”“呸!我叫野良奈落,火之国大名!”“大名,大名,大名!”当一众欢呼声响起时,奈落露出陶醉表情将竹扇打开道:“没错,这就是我!火之国大名,生于战国时期见证荣耀光辉而走到最后的隐藏BOSS”“咔”灯光,幕布,镜头,撤,撤,撤,“不对啊,我给钱了啊,混蛋,回来,信不信我弄你们,我可是火之国大名啊!”火影忍者,战国大名,年少之身,一步步靠着带毒系统登上巅峰,成为火影世界翻云覆雨的隐藏BOSS
  • 四川文学(2015年第12期)

    四川文学(2015年第12期)

    《四川文学》: 文学刊物。以发表短篇小说为主,同时容纳其它文学体裁、品类,注重思想性与文学性的统一,刊物融现实性、艺术性、可读性于一体,聚读者、作者、编者为一家,所发作品受到省内外广大读者和全国各家文学选刊的青睐。
  • 早安帅妻

    早安帅妻

    新书《反穿女帝:总统千亿宠》上线,请移驾收藏阅读【女扮男装+军婚娱乐圈】~~“长官,饶了我,疼……”“咬耳朵都喊疼,你再敢离开我,我咬断你的腿!”白天所有人眼中,万人迷宫玺是可盐可奶小狼狗,男神颜高,擅长撩。晚上长官寒樾眼里,娇妻宫玺是可睡可宠小猫咪,肉鲜可口,擅被撩。那日,全网热搜都是“国民男神”宫玺与妖精影后的绯闻……一回家,禁欲长官就将宫玺抵在桌上,“又不听话了?”宫玺虚笑,“长官,你不是说宠我爱我,偶尔让我放任流浪吗?”“流浪?我一生只想在你身上定居,哪有你流浪的路?”1vs1,男女主身心干净,宠文。**旧文:《法医萌妃:爷,求轻宠!》
  • 别按常理出牌

    别按常理出牌

    大多数的励志书告诉我们,努力就一定会成功,可是那些崭露头角的明日之星,最终沦为“万年科员”的事实却告诉我们,如果你爹不是官一代、富一代,那么你仅仅是埋头苦干,努力工作,按照常理,遵循常规,就很难爬上职场的顶端。在职业中,如何才能在初期避免走入误区,快速培养核心能力,成企业的核心人才?成功的人靠的不是天份,不是智商,也不是丰富的经验,成功者和普通人最大的差別在于技巧,而这个技巧的核心在于不按常理出牌。《别按常理出牌》的作者以自己在跨国大公司的职场经历,手把手地教你走好人生中最关键的几步,让你的职场走直线。
  • 穴道秘书

    穴道秘书

    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。
  • 熊龙峰小说四种

    熊龙峰小说四种

    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。