登陆注册
4718700000018

第18章 (2)

I went to see an English youth in this place, one John Gilbert of Springfield. I found him lying without doors, upon the ground. I asked him how he did? He told me he was very sick of a flux, with eating so much blood. They had turned him out of the wigwam, and with him an Indian papoose, almost dead (whose parents had been killed), in a bitter cold day, without fire or clothes. The young man himself had nothing on but his shirt and waistcoat. This sight was enough to melt a heart of flint. There they lay quivering in the cold, the youth round like a dog, the papoose stretched out with his eyes and nose and mouth full of dirt, and yet alive, and groaning. I advised John to go and get to some fire. He told me he could not stand, but I persuaded him still, lest he should lie there and die. And with much ado I got him to a fire, and went myself home. As soon as I was got home his master's daughter came after me, to know what I had done with the Englishman. I told her I had got him to a fire in such a place. Now had I need to pray Paul's Prayer "That we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men" (2 Thessalonians 3.2). For her satisfaction I went along with her, and brought her to him; but before I got home again it was noised about that I was running away and getting the English youth, along with me; that as soon as I came in they began to rantand domineer, asking me where I had been, and what I had been doing? and saying they would knock him on the head. I told them I had been seeing the English youth, and that I would not run away. They told me I lied, and taking up a hatchet, they came to me, and said they would knock me down if I stirred out again, and so confined me to the wigwam. Now may I say with David, "I am in a great strait" (2 Samuel 24.14). If I keep in, I must die with hunger, and if I go out, I must be knocked in head. This distressed condition held that day, and half the next. And then the Lord remembered me, whose mercies are great. Then came an Indian to me with a pair of stockings that were too big for him, and he would have me ravel them out, and knit them fit for him. I showed myself willing, and bid him ask my mistress if I might go along with him a little way; she said yes, I might, but I was not a little refreshed with that news, that I had my liberty again. Then I went along with him, and he gave me some roasted ground nuts, which did again revive my feeble stomach.

Being got out of her sight, I had time and liberty again to look into my Bible; which was my guide by day, and my pillow by night. Now that comfortable Scripture presented itself to me, "For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee" (Isaiah 54.7). Thus the Lord carried me along from one time to another, and made good to me this precious promise, and many others. Then my son came to see me, and I asked his master to let him stay awhile with me, that I might comb his head, and look over him, for he was almost overcome with lice. He told me, when I had done, that he was very hungry, but I had nothing to relieve him, but bid him go into the wigwams as he went along, and see if he could get any thing among them. Which he did, and it seems tarried a little too long; for his master was angry with him, and beat him, and then sold him. Then he came running to tell me he had a new master, and that he had given him some ground nuts already. Then I went along with him to his new master who told me he loved him, and he should not want. So his master carried him away, and I never saw him afterward, till I saw him at Piscataqua in Portsmouth.

That night they bade me go out of the wigwam again. My mistress's papoose was sick, and it died that night, and there was one benefit in it--that there was more room. I went to a wigwam, and they bade me come in, and gave me a skin to lie upon, and a mess of venison and ground nuts, which was a choice dish among them. On the morrow they buried the papoose, and afterward, both morning and evening, there came a company to mourn and howl with her; though I confess I could not much condole with them. Many sorrowful days I had in this place, often getting alone. "Like a crane, or a swallow, so did I chatter; I did mourn as a dove, mine eyes ail with looking upward. Oh, Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me" (Isaiah 38.14). I could tell the Lord, as Hezekiah, "Remember now O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth." Now had I time to examine all my ways: my conscience did not accuse me of unrighteousness toward one or other; yet I saw how in my walk with God, I had been a careless creature. As David said, "Against thee, thee only have I sinned": and I might say with the poor publican, "God be merciful unto me a sinner." On the Sabbath days, I could look upon the sun and think how people were going to the house of God, to have their souls refreshed; and then home, and their bodies also; but I was destitute of both; and might say as the poor prodigal, "He would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat, and no man gave unto him" (Luke 15.16). For I must say with him, "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight." I remembered how on the night before and after the Sabbath, when my family was about me, and relations and neighbors with us, we could pray and sing, and then refresh our bodies with the good creatures of God; and then have a comfortable bed to lie down on; but instead of all this, I had only a little swill for the body and then, like a swine, must lie down on the ground. I cannot express to man the sorrow that lay upon my spirit; the Lord knows it. Yet that comfortable Scripture would often come to mind, "For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee."

同类推荐
  • 太上洞玄灵宝上师说救护身命经

    太上洞玄灵宝上师说救护身命经

    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。
  • 北征记

    北征记

    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。
  • 佛说阿遬达经

    佛说阿遬达经

    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。
  • 佛说医喻经

    佛说医喻经

    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。
  • 人天宝鉴

    人天宝鉴

    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
  • 世界最具故事性的中篇小说(3)

    世界最具故事性的中篇小说(3)

    我的课外第一本书——震撼心灵阅读之旅经典文库,《阅读文库》编委会编。通过各种形式的故事和语言,讲述我们在成长中需要的知识。
  • 晗暮词

    晗暮词

    慕词:“韩木,你的名字是取自‘林表明霁色,城中增暮寒’中吗?”韩木迟疑地看了一眼黑板,“我叫韩木,不叫暮寒,‘韩’是‘韩国’的韩,‘木’是‘树木’的‘木’。慕词泪,我知道你叫韩木,也知道怎么写,我又不瞎,尼玛早知道多看点书了,好丢人有木有。慕词活得这十几年,一直是慵懒而又冷漠的,并未觉得有什么事是值得自己付出全力去做。直到遇到韩木,从此慕词就有了人生第一个目标:扑倒韩木。这是一个女追男的故事,无小三小四介入,全文只有一个见到韩木智商就低的无下限的学霸(?)女,和一个整天都灰常无奈(害羞)的学霸男。
  • 与陆与之的二三事

    与陆与之的二三事

    “陆与之,你听清楚了吗,我在取悦你,如果这样能让你快乐一点的话。”“那你愿意一直取悦我吗?”年少的暗恋就是接受不了模棱两可的暧昧否则你喜不喜欢我这个恒古不变的谜题便在我的心中有了自以为是的答案但幸好你把我的自以为是倾囊收下。
  • 描绘人体地图

    描绘人体地图

    从清晨听到第一声问候,到夜晚渐人香甜的梦境;从一个新生命降临人世,到体内最后一个细胞走向死亡,我们的身体犹如一座神秘莫测的迷宫,在每一个岔路口和转弯处都隐藏着生命的符号和健康的密码。《探索世界:描绘人体地图(彩图版)》将帮助你绘制一张详尽的地图,带领你走近我们熟悉又陌生的身体,了解我们自己。
  • 度地

    度地

    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。
  • 青少年科学保健滋补食谱

    青少年科学保健滋补食谱

    青少年要想使脑功能处于最佳的状态,就必须补给大脑充足的营养,使其得到适当的食物刺激,增加其活力,使身体和大脑健康起来,也只有这样才能在日常生活和学习中提高记忆力、注意力、想像力、创造力、反应能力、应考能力、接受能力、学习效率;防治疲劳症、健忘症、抑郁症、失眠症,使大脑处于良好的状态。青少年时期是长身体和长智慧的特殊阶段,在生活中注意饮食的营养结构和合理的膳食习惯,对其脑部发育和健脑益智是至关重要的。如何在讲究营养均衡、探讨科学饮食的同时吃出一颗聪明的大脑和健康的体魄是所有人期盼的,这也是本书编写的宗旨。
  • 明高僧传

    明高僧传

    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。
  • 我在星夜深处等你

    我在星夜深处等你

    他拥有超能力,时常被这种超能力折磨地无法自控,而她,是解决他“病”的唯一良药。自从一个雪天,小白兔一不小心扑进了大灰狼的怀抱,他就对她念念不忘。“沈璟深,我要逃走了哦!”某狼从背后抱住宋星星,“想逃?大灰狼会吃掉小白兔的!”
  • 豪门盛宠:霸道老公腹黑妻

    豪门盛宠:霸道老公腹黑妻

    许小染跟薄锦言的相识,完全是一场意外。但是两人的纠缠却让千万人目瞪口呆。都说秀恩爱死得快,但是薄锦言虐起狗来连鬼都怕!“咳……薄总,夫人说她想接个戏……”“所有脖子以下的戏都不准接!!碰下手都不行!”
  • 蔷薇纪年静谧时

    蔷薇纪年静谧时

    蔷薇盛放的年华尽端,你微笑的剪影,是守望静谧的唯一微光。