登陆注册
15729400000288

第288章

Love is life, but hatred is death.Not father, nor mother Loved you, as God has loved you; for 't was that you may be happy Gave he his only Son.When he bowed down his head in the death-hour Solemnized Love its triumph; the sacrifice then was completed.

Lo! then was rent on a sudden the veil of the temple, dividing Earth and heaven apart, and the dead from their sepulchres rising Whispered with pallid lips and low in the ears of each other Th' answer, but dreamed of before, to creation's enigma,--Atonement!

Depths of Love are Atonement's depths, for Love is Atonement.

Therefore, child of mortality, love thou the merciful Father;Wish what the Holy One wishes, and not from fear, but affection Fear is the virtue of slaves ; but the heart that loveth is willing Perfect was before God, and perfect is Love, and Love only.

Lovest thou God as thou oughtest, then lovest thou likewise thy brethren:

One is the sun in heaven, and one, only one, is Love also.

Bears not each human figure the godlike stamp on his forehead Readest thou not in his face thou origin? Is he not sailing Lost like thyself on an ocean unknown, and is he not guided By the same stars that guide thee? Why shouldst thou hate then thy brother?

Hateth he thee, forgive! For 't is sweet to stammer one letter Of the Eternal's language;--on earth it is called Forgiveness!

Knowest thou Him, who forgave, with the crown of thorns on his temples?

Earnestly prayed for his foes, for his murderers? Say, dost thou know him?

Ah! thou confessest his name, so follow likewise his example, Think of thy brother no ill, but throw a veil over his failings, Guide the erring aright; for the good, the heavenly shepherd Took the lost lamb in his arms, and bore it back to its mother.

This is the fruit of Love, and it is by its fruits that we know it.

Love is the creature's welfare, with God; but Love among mortals Is but an endless sigh! He longs, and endures, and stands waiting, Suffers and yet rejoices, and smiles with tears on his eyelids.

Hope,--so is called upon earth, his recompense, Hope, the befriending, Does what she can, for she points evermore up to heaven, and faithful Plunges her anchor's peak in the depths of the grave, and beneath it Paints a more beautiful world, a dim, but a sweet play of shadows!

Races, better than we, have leaned on her wavering promise, Having naught else but Hope.Then praise we our Father in heaven, Him, who has given us more; for to us has Hope been transfigured, Groping no longer in night; she is Faith, she is living assurance.

Faith is enlightened Hope; she is light, is the eye of affection, Dreams of the longing interprets, and carves their visions in marble.

Faith is the sun of life ; and her countenance shines like the Hebrew's, For she has looked upon God; the heaven on its stable foundation Draws she with chains down to earth, and the New Jerusalem sinketh Splendid with portals twelve in golden vapors descending.

There enraptured she wanders.and looks at the figures majestic, Fears not the winged crowd, in the midst of them all is her homestead.

Therefore love and believe; for works will follow spontaneous Even as day does the sun; the Right from the Good is an offspring, Love in a bodily shape; and Christian works are no more than Animate Love and faith, as flowers are the animate Springtide.

Works do follow us all unto God; there stand and bear witness Not what they seemed,--but what they were only.Blessed is he who Hears their confession secure; they are mute upon earth until death's hand Opens the mouth of the silent.Ye children, does Death e'er alarm you?

Death is the brother of Love, twin-brother is he, and is only More austere to behold.With a kiss upon lips that are fading Takes he the soul and departs, and, rocked in the arms of affection, Places the ransomed child, new born, 'fore the face of its father.

Sounds of his coming already I hear,--see dimly his pinions, Swart as the night, but with stars strewn upon them! I fear not before him.

Death is only release, and in mercy is mute.On his bosom Freer breathes, in its coolness, my breast; and face to face standing Look I on God as he is, a sun unpolluted by vapors;Look on the light of the ages I loved, the spirits majestic, Nobler, better than I; they stand by the throne all transfigured, Vested in white, and with harps of gold, and are singing an anthem, Writ in the climate of heaven, in the language spoken by angels.

You, in like manner, ye children beloved, he one day shall gather, Never forgets he the weary;--then welcome, ye loved ones, hereafter!

Meanwhile forget not the keeping of vows, forget not the promise, Wander from holiness onward to holiness; earth shall ye heed not Earth is but dust and heaven is light; I have pledged you to heaven.

God of the universe, hear me! thou fountain of Love everlasting, Hark to the voice of thy servant! I send up my prayer to thy heaven!

Let me hereafter not miss at thy throne one spirit of all these, Whom thou hast given me here! I have loved them all like a father.

May they bear witness for me, that I taught them the way of salvation, Faithful, so far as I knew, of thy word; again may they know me, Fall on their Teacher's breast, and before thy face may I place them, Pure as they now are, but only more tried, and exclaiming with gladness, Father, lo! I am here, and the children, whom thou hast given me!"Weeping he spake in these words; and now at the beck of the old man Knee against knee they knitted a wreath round the altar's enclosure.

Kneeling he read then the prayers of the consecration, and softly With him the children read; at the close, with tremulous accents, Asked he the peace of Heaven, a benediction upon them.

Now should have ended his task for the day; the following Sunday Was for the young appointed to eat of the Lord's holy Supper.

Sudden, as struck from the clouds, stood the Teacher silent and laid his Hand on his forehead, and cast his looks upward; while thoughts high and holy, Flew through the midst of his soul, and his eyes glanced with wonderful brightness.

同类推荐
  • 人物志

    人物志

    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。
  • 寿昌乘

    寿昌乘

    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。
  • 郊庙歌辞 梁太庙乐

    郊庙歌辞 梁太庙乐

    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。
  • 无异元来禅师广录

    无异元来禅师广录

    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。
  • 脾胃论

    脾胃论

    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。
热门推荐
  • EXO的倔强萌宝

    EXO的倔强萌宝

    这篇文,真的让你看不下去,作者正努力修改当中。
  • 穿越成二品千金

    穿越成二品千金

    在故宫睡了一觉,醒来发现穿越成了太傅之女。先皇乱点鸳鸯谱,将她指给对宰相之女有情的靖王爷。能当王妃爹爹很得意,但前有貌美“前任”,后有跋扈情敌,王爷还是冰山男!谁来告诉她,她要怎样才能暖了他?夜里跳墙拉她去喝酒貌似对她有意思的的俊逸美男是她小叔子?邻国乖张耿直的二王子百般纠缠只为求娶她?把她拐到偏远之地的又是何方神圣?男主沉闷,男配痴情,专情的她到底该作何选择?一切尽在《穿越成二品千金》
  • 四世倾恋:樱花落下的誓言

    四世倾恋:樱花落下的誓言

    第一世:我们从相遇到相识,再走过相思,可否能相守?念你,只能藏在心里;深爱你,却不敢面对你;想忘掉你,却无能为力……雪琳心你说我该怎么办?第二世:“幻界的大劫快来临了”“幻阡恋,知道么,你就是我此生逃不掉的劫”第三世:“子矜,你不能这样”“不能怎样?”邪魅的男子压在她身上热气喷洒在她身上引起她阵阵颤栗“夜子矜你要再这样我不理你了”某男败第四世:“你我本就道不同,我是神,你是魔,世代只能为敌,所以离开吧”“不,不要难道就因为我有魔的血脉你就要为此离开我吗?”一行血泪从她眼里流出“如果上天不能让我们相守,那我宁可从未认识你”转身离开,三天后魔界传来消息:魔君大婚。他,又能否面对自己的那颗心?
  • 千炎燃尽,梦中婷

    千炎燃尽,梦中婷

    15岁的初秋,15岁的花梦婷,14岁的红千炎红千炎试图逃离那一方寸土,却没想到,绕来绕去,终归是逃不过命运的掌心
  • 庶女重生,凤后倾天下

    庶女重生,凤后倾天下

    前世被所谓的亲人欺辱至死,她恨极立誓:“若有来生,必教欺我、辱我、负我之人千刀万剐!死无身葬!”重来一世,她一改软弱:仗势欺人的嫡姐装贤淑?她便以白莲相候!恶毒嫡母假温柔?那她便以冷厉交锋!本以为此生将为前世仇恨所困,却不想遇到了他……那人微微一笑,俊美如仙如幻,“我以真心相待,卿可愿以心相换?”皇朝后裔?凤氏遗脉?她手缚寒针,杀奸佞,斩外敌,与君共战!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 无限之神迹

    无限之神迹

    主角通过无限世界一步步进化最终找回自我。早先安排好的后手,神秘的身份。这恐怖的空间到底由谁所造?所有的秘密一一揭开。
  • 我家师傅被宅女拐跑了

    我家师傅被宅女拐跑了

    “永琳被我拐跑了,不服的话就来追妾身吧~by蓬莱山辉夜”“我要去找师匠啊,不要拦我!”“乖乖和我走吧,叔叔给你糖吃,世界在等着你拯救~by某氪金系统”注:不能坑死队友的歌姬不是好歌姬,治疗不带毒的奶不是好奶作为一名职业制药师夜见表示制药不带副作用真的很难,谁爱吃谁吃,反正自己做的药都不是给自己吃的
  • 假面骑士的观察者

    假面骑士的观察者

    其实这就是一个幸运儿降临在假面骑士的世界罢了!
  • 腹黑“鬼”夫

    腹黑“鬼”夫

    能不能再狗血点啊、她不过是因为看帅哥太过痴迷流了几滴鼻血而已诶,就这样就能把沉睡千年的他唤醒!?她也不过就是因为太出于一个对帅哥欣赏的态度花痴的说了句这么帅的帅哥要是能嫁给他该有多好上帝就很眷顾的告诉她,他便是他的夫君了?可是貌似那个帅哥不是人?什么?骂人?没有没有!那个帅哥的确已经不是人了,是已经不是人了,那说明什么?他以前是人!对、聪明。还说明他现在是鬼?那可不一定……
  • 轻松玩数独游戏(青少年挖掘大脑智商潜能训练集)

    轻松玩数独游戏(青少年挖掘大脑智商潜能训练集)

    潜能是人类原本存在但尚未被开发与利用的能力,是潜在的能量。根据能量守恒定律,能量既不会消灭,也不会创生,它只会从一种形式转化为其他形式,或者从一个物体转移到另一个物体,而转化和转移过程中,能的总量保持不变。