【英文原著类】thegreybrethren(阴郁的教友

TheGreyBrethren1TheGreyBrethrenTheGreyBrethren2TheGreyBrethrenSomeofthehappiestremembrancesofmychildhoodareofdaysspentinalittleQuakercolonyonahighhill.Thewalkwasinitselfapreparation,forthehillwaslongandsteepandatthemercyofthenorth-eastwind;butatthetop,shelteredbyacopseandafewtalltrees,stoodasmallhouse,reachedbyaflaggedpathwayskirtingonesideofabrighttrimgarden.I,withmysevensummersoflonely,delicatechildhood,felt,whenIgentlyclosedthegatebehindme,thatIshutmyselfintoPeace.Thehousewasalwayssomewhatdark,andtherewerenodomesticsounds.Thetwooldladies,sisters,bothborninthelastcentury,satinthecool,dimparlour,nettingorsewing.Rebeccawassmall,withanut-crackernoseandchin;Mary,tallanddignified,needednovelvetunderthenetcap.Icanfeelnowthetouchofthecooldove-colouredsilkagainstmycheek,asIsatonthefloor,watchingthenimblefingerswiththeshuttle,andlistenedasMaryreadaloudaletterreceivedthatmorning,describingameetingofthefaithfulandthe'movingoftheSpirit'amongthem.Ihadamentalpictureofthe'HolyHeavenlyDove,'withitswingsofsilverygrey,hoveringovermydearoldladies;andIdoubtnotmyvisionwasatrueone.OnceasIwatchedBenjamin,theoldgardener-amost'stiff-backedFriend'despitehisstoopandhisseventyyears-puttingscarletgeraniumsandyellowfever-fewinthecentrebed,Iasked,awe-struck,whethersuchglowingcolourswereapproved;andRebeccasmiledandsaid-Child,dosttheenotthinktheLordmayhaveHisglories?andIlookedfromthelivingrobeofscarletandgoldtothedove-colouredgown,andsaid:WoulditbeprideintheetowearHisglories?andMaryansweredforher-Thechangeisnotyet;betterbeseemsustheornamentofameekandquietspirit.The'changefromglorytoglory'hascometothembothlongsince,butitseemstomeasiftheirrobesmuststillbeQuaker-grey.Upstairswastheinvaliddaughterandniece.ForyearsshehadbeenTheGreyBrethren3compelledtolieonherface;andinthatpositionshehaddonewonderfuldrawingsoftheHighPriest,theArkoftheCovenant,andotherLeviticalfigures.Shehadacagefuloftamecanary-birdswhichansweredtotheirnamesandfedfromherplateatmeal-times.OftheseIrememberonlyRoger,agorgeousfellowwithabeautifulvoiceandstrongwillofhisown,whowouldoccasionallydefyhismistressfromthesecurefastnessofahighpicture-frame,butalwayssurrenderedatlast,andcametolistentohislecturewithdroopingwings.AcityofPeace,thislittlehouse,forthesameseverely-gentledecorumreignedinthekitchenaselsewhere:andnow,whereissuchahaunttobefound?IntheearlierpartofthiscenturytheFriendsboreamostimportantwitness.Theywereastandingrebuketoroughmanners,rudespeech,andtothetoooftenmereoutwardshowofreligion.Noonecouldfailtobeimpressedbytheatmosphereofpeacesuggestedbytheirbearingandpresence;andthegentle,sheltered,contemplativeliveslivedbymostofthemundoubtedlymadethemunusuallyresponsivetospiritualinfluence.Now,theyoungbirdshavelefttheparentnestandthesoberplumageandsoftspeech;theyareasothermen;andinafewshortyearsthewordQuakerwillsoundasstrangeinourearsastheolderappellationShakerdoesnow.ThisyearIreadforthefirsttimetheJournalofGeorgeFox.Itishardtolinktherude,turbulentsonofAmoswiththedenizensinmycityofPeace;buthehadhisworktodoanddidit,lettingbreezytruthsintothestuffy'steeple-houses'ofthe'lumpsofclay.'Comeoutfromamongthemandbeyeseparate;touchnottheaccursedthing!hethundered;andouttheycame,obedienttohisstentorianmandate;butalack,howmanytreasuresinearthenvesselsdidtheyoverlookintheirterrorofthecurse!Thegoodpeoplemadesuchhastetofleethecity,thattheyimaginedthemselvesashavingalready,inthespirit,reachedthelandthatisveryfaroff;andsotheycastfromthemtheoutwardandvisiblesignswhicharevehicles,inthismaterialworld,ofinwardgraces.MeasurelessaretheuncovenantedblessingsofGod;andtothesetheFriendshaveeverborneawitnessofpower;butnowtheTheGreyBrethren4Calvinistintrudernolongerdividesthesheepfromthegoatsinourchurches;nowthedoctrineofuniversalbrotherhoodandtherespectduetoallmenaretaughtmuchmoreeffectivelythanwhenGeorgeFoxrefusedtodoffhishattotheJustice;thequaintoldspeechhaslostitssignificance,thedresswouldimplyallthevainglorythatthewearerdesirestoavoid;theyoungQuakersofthisgenerationarenolonger'disciplined'inmattersofthecommonsociallife;yetstilltheyremainseparate.Weoftheoutwardandvisiblecovenantneedthem,withtheirinheritedmysticism,orderedcontemplation,andspiritualvision;weneedthemforourselves.Themothertheyhaveleftyearnsforthem,andwithallherfaults-faultsthegreaterfortheirabsence-andwiththeblindedeyesoftheirrecognition,sheistheirmotherstill.WHATADVANTAGETHENHATHTHEJEW?askedStPaul,andansweredinthesamebreath-MUCHEVERYWAY,CHIEFLYBECAUSETHATUNTOTHEMWERECOMMITTEDTHEORACLESOFGOD.WhatadvantagethenhastheChurchman?istheoftrepeatedquestiontoday;andtheanswerisstilltheanswerofStPaul.TheIncarnationisthesumofalltheSacraments,thecrownofthematerialrevelationofGodtoman,thegreatestofoutwardandvisiblesigns,THATWHICHWEHAVEHEARD,WHICHWEHAVESEENWITHOUREYES,WHICHWEHAVELOOKEDUPONANDOURHANDSHAVEHANDLEDOFTHEWORDOFLIFE.Astrangebeginningtruly,tousherinapurelyspiritualdispensation;butbeautifullyfulfilledinthetakingupoftheearthlyintotheheavenly-BreadandWine,thenaturalfruitsoftheearth,sanctifiedbyman'stoil,asufficiencyforhisneeds;andinstinctwithDivinelifet