So my gentle teacher with the silver hair showed me the treasures of her ancient, simple faith; and I felt that no sermons, nor books, nor arguments can strengthen the doubting heart so deeply as just to come into touch with a soul which has proved the truth of that plain religion whose highest philosophy is "Trust in the Lord and do good." At the end of the evening the household was gathered for prayers, and the Mistress kneeled among her servants, leading them, in her soft Scottish accent, through the old familiar petitions for pardon for the errors of the day, and refreshing sleep through the night and strength for the morrow. It is good to be in a land where the people are not ashamed to pray. I have shared the blessing of Catholics at their table in lowly huts among the mountains of the Tyrol, and knelt with Covenanters at their household altar in the glens of Scotland; and all around the world, where the spirit of prayer is, there is peace. The genius of the Scotch has made many contributions to literature, but none I think, more precious, and none that comes closer to the heart, than the prayer which Robert Louis Stevenson wrote for his family in distant Samoa, the night before he died:--"We beseech thee, Lord, to behold us with favour, folk of many families and nations, gathered together in the peace of this roof: weak men and women subsisting under the covert of thy patience. Be patient still; suffer us yet a while longer--with our broken promises of good, with our idle endeavours against evil--suffer us a while longer to endure, and (if it may be) help us to do better.
同类推荐
热门推荐
一生逍遥之青青子衿
毕不弃被妈妈卖掉时尚未满周岁。他通过网络结识了比自己小七岁的胡苗苗。两人很快坠入爱河，胡苗苗的父母千方百计要拆散这对苦命鸳鸯。于是他们先后私奔了三次，胡苗苗未婚生下一女，取名子矜。在女儿十五个月大时，胡苗苗抛弃子矜远走高飞。从来不信命的毕不弃找到黄半仙算了一卦，大师说姻缘难再续。他在计生办的突袭行动中差点被“瓮中捉鳖”，抱着女儿搭梯跳墙逃走。他决定带着子矜去找胡苗苗做个了断，半夜潜回家中收拾好行李，开车上路。初恋女友发来短信说自己要结婚了。一路上发生了许多意想不到的故事。往事也像潮水一样在脑海里奔涌。他在胡苗苗家附近守株待兔，连续跟踪她几天。正当他准备实施自己的“绑架”计划时，意外发生了。
