a journey in other worlds-第51部分

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vanities；'　said　the　old　preacher。　　'Calamity　of　calamities；'　says
the　new。　　That　soul's　probationary　period　is　ended；　his　record；
on　which　he　must　go；　is　forever　made。　　He　has　been　in　the　flesh；
let　us　say；　one；　two；　three　or　four　score　years；　before　him　are
the　countless　aeons　of　eternity。　　He　may　have　had　a　reasonably
satisfactory　life；　from　his　point　of　view；　and　been　fairly
successful　in　stilling　conscience。　　That　still；　small　voice
doubtless　spoke　pretty　sharply　at　first；　but　after　a　while　it
rarely　troubled　him；　and　in　the　end　it　spoke　not　at　all。　　He　may；
in　a　way；　have　enjoyed　life　and　the　beauties　of　nature。　　He　has
seen　the　fresh　leaves　come　and　go；　but　he　forgot　the　moral；　that
be　himself　was　but　a　leaf；　and　that；　as　they　all　dropped　to　earth
to　make　more　soil；　his　ashes　must　also　return　to　the　ground。　　But
his　soul；　friends　and　brethren；　what　becomes　of　that？　　Ah！　it　is
the　study　of　this　question　that　moistens　our　eyes　with　tears。　　No
evil　man　is　really　happy　here；　and　what　must　be　his　suffering　in
the　cold；　cold　land　of　spirits？　　No　slumber　or　forgetfulness　can
ease　his　lot　in　hades；　and　after　his　condemnation　at　the　last
judgment　he　must　forever　face　the　unsoftened　realities　of
eternity。　　No　evil　thing　or　thought　can　find　lodgment　in　heaven。　
If　it　could；　heaven　would　not　be　a　happy　place；　neither　can　any
man　improve　in　the　abyss　of　hell。　　As　the　horizon　gradually
darkens；　and　this　soul　recedes　from　God；　the　time　spent　in　the
flesh　must　come　to　seem　the　most　infinitesimal　moment；　more
evanescent　than　the　tick　of　a　clock。　　It　seems　dreadful　that　for
such　short　misdoings　a　soul　should　suffer　so　long；　but　no　man　can
be　saved　in　spite　of　himself。　　He　had　the　opportunitiesand　the
knowledge　of　this　must　give　a　soul　the　most　acute　pang。
　　　
〃In　Revelation；　xx；　6；　we　find　these　words；　'Blessed　and　holy　is
he　that　hath　part　in　the　first　resurrection：　on　such　the　second
death　hath　no　power。'　　I　have　often　asked　myself；　May　not　this
mean　that　those　with　a　bad　record　in　the　general　resurrection
after　a　time　cease　to　exist；　since　all　suffer　one　death　at　the
close　of　their　period　here？　

〃This　is　somewhat　suggested　by　Proverbs；　xii；　28；。　　'In　the　way
of　righteousness　is　life；　and　in　the　pathway　thereof　there　is　no
death。'　　This　might　limit　the　everlasting　damnation；　so　often
repeated　elsewhere；　to　the　lives　of　the　condemned；　since　to　them；
in　a　sense；　it　would　be　everlasting。
　　　
〃Let　us　now　turn　to　the　bright　picturethe　soul　that　has
weathered　the　storms　of　life　and　has　reached　the　haven　of　rest。　
The　struggles；　temptations；　and　trials　overcome；　have　done　their
work　of　refining　with　a　rapidity　that　could　not　have　been
equalled　in　any　other　way；　and　though；　perhaps；　very　imperfect
still；　the　journey　is　ever　on。　　The　reward　is　tenfold；　yet　in
proportion　to　what　this　soul　has　done；　for　we　know　that　the
servant　who　best　used　his　ten　talents　was　made　ruler　over　ten
cities；　while　he　that　increased　his　five　talents　by　five　received
five；　and　the　Saviour　in　whom　he　trusted；　by　whose　aid　he　made
his　fight；　stands　ready　to　receive　him；　saying；　'Enter　thou　into
the　joy　of　thy　Lord。'
　　　
〃As　the　dark；　earthly　background　recedes；　the　clouds　break　and
the　glorious　light　appears；　the　contrast　heightening　the
ever…unfolding　and　increasing　delights；　which　are　as　great　as　the
recipients　have　power　to　enjoy；　since　these　righteous　souls
receive　their　rewards　in　proportion　to　the　weight　of　the　crosses
that　they　have　borne　in　the　right　spirit。　　These　souls　are　a　joy
to　their　Creator；　and　are　the　heirs　of　Him　in　heaven。　　The
ceaseless；　sleepless　activity　that　must　obtain　in　both　paradise
and　hades；　and　that　must　make　the　hearts　of　the　godless　grow
faint　at　the　contemplation；　is　also　a　boundless　promise　to　those
who　have　Him　who　is　all　in　all。
　　　
〃Where　is　now　thy　Saviour？　where　is　now　thy　God？　the　unjust　man
has　asked　in　his　heart　when　he　saw　his　just　neighbour　struggling
and　unsuccessful。　　Both　the　righteous　and　the　unrighteous　man　are
dead。　　The　one　has　found　his　Saviour；　the　other　is　yearly　losing
God。　　What　is　the　suffering　of　the　present　momentary　time；　eased
as　it　is　by　God's　mercy　and　presence；　compared　with　the　glories
that　await　us？　　What　would　it　be　if　our　lives　here　were　filled
with　nothing　else；　as　ye　know　that　your　labour　is　not　vain　in　the
Lord？　　Time　and　eternitythe　finite　and　the　infinite。　　Death
was；　indeed；　a　deliverer；　and　the　sunset　of　the　body　is　the
sunrise　of　the　soul。〃
　　　
The　priest　held　himself　erect　as　a　soldier　while　delivering　this
sermon；　making　the　great　cathedral　ring　with　his　earnest　and
solemn　voice；　while　Ayrault；　as　a　spirit；　saw　how　absolutely　he
meant　and　believed　every　word　that　he　said。
　　　
Nearly　all　the　members　of　the　congregation　were　movedsome　more；
some　less　than　they　appeared。　　After　the　benediction　they　rapidly
dispersed；　carrying　in　their　hearts　the　germs　he　had　sown；　but
whether　these　would　bear　fruit　or　wither；　time　alone　could　show。
　　　
Ayrault　had　noticed　Sylvia's　father　and　mother　in　church；　but
Sylvia　herself　was　not　there；　and　he　was　distressed　to　think　she
might　be　ill。
　　　
〃Why；〃　pondered　Ayrault；　〃am　I　so　unhappy？　　I　was　baptized；
confirmed；　and　have　taken　the　sacrament。　　I　have　always　had　an
unshaken　faith；　and；　though　often　unsuccessful；　have　striven　to
obey　my　conscience。　　The　spirits　also　on　Saturn　kept　saying　I
should　be　happy。　　Now；　did　this　mean　it　was　incumbent　upon　me　to
rejoice；　because　of　some　blessing　I　already　had；　and　did　not
appreciate；　or　did　their　prescience　show　them　some　prospective
happiness　I　was　to　enjoy？　　The　visions　also　of　Violet；　the　angel；
and　the　lily；　which　I　believed；　and　still　believe；　were　no　mere
empty　fancies；　should　have　given　me　the　most　unspeakable　joy。　　It
may　be　a　mistake　to　apply　earthly　logic　to　heavenly　things；　but
the　fundamental　laws　of　science　cannot　change。
　　　
〃Why　am　I　so　unhappy？〃　he　continued；　returning　to　his　original
question。　　〃The　visions　gave　promise　of　special　grace；　perhaps
some　special　favour。　　True；　my　prayer　to　see　Sylvia　was　heard；
but；　considering　the　sacrifice；　this　has　been　no　blessing。　　The
request　cannot　have　been　wrong　in　itself；　and　as　for　the　manner；
there　was　no　arrogance　in　my　heart。　　I　asked　as　a　mortal；　as　a
man　of　but　finite　understanding；　for　what　concerned　me　most。　
Why；　oh　why；　so　wretched？〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIV。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HIC　ILLE　JACET。

At　daybreak　the　thunder…shower　passed　off；　but　was　followed　by　a
cold；　drenching　rain。　　Supposing　Ayrault　had　remained　in　the
Callisto；　Bearwarden　and　Cortlandt　did　not　feel　anxious；　and；　not
wishing　to　be　wet　through；　remained　in　the　cave；　keeping　up　a
good　fire　with　the　wood　they　had　collected。　　Towards　evening　a
cold　wind　came　up；　and；　thinking　this　might　clear　the　air；　they
ventured　out；　but；　finding　the　ground　saturated；　and　that　the
rain　was　again　beginning　to　fall；　they　returned　to　shelter；
prepared　a　dinner　of　canned　meat；　and　made　themselves　as
comfortable　as　possible　for　the　night。
　　　
〃I　am　surprised；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃that　Dick　did　not　try　to
return　to　us；　since　he　had　the　mackintoshes。〃
　　　
〃I　dare　say　he　did　try；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃but　finding　the
course　inundated；　and　knowing　we　should　not　need　the　mackintoshes
if　we　remained　under　cover；　decided　to　put　back。　　The　Callisto
is；　of　course；　as　safe　as　a　church。〃
　　　
〃I　hope；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃no　harm　has　come　to　him　on　the　way。　
It　will　be　a　weight　off　my　mind　to　see　him　safely　with　us。〃
　　　
〃Should　he　not　turn　up　in　the　morning；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃we
must　begin　a　search　for　him　bright　and　early。〃
　　　
Making　up　the　fire　as　near　the　entrance　of　the　cave　as　they　could
find　a　dry　place；　so　that　Ayrault　should　see　it　if　he　attempted
to　return　during　the　night；　they　piled　on　wood；　and　talked　of
their　recent　experiences。
　　　
〃However　unwilling　I　was；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃to　believe　my　senses；
which　I　felt　were　misleading　me；　I　can　no　longer　doubt　the
reality　of　that　spirit　bishop；　or　the　truth　of　what　be　says。　
When　you　look　at　the　question　dispassionately；　it　is　what　you
might　logically　expect。　　In　my　desire　to　disprove　what　is　to　us
supernatural；　I　tried　to　create　mentally　a　system　that　would　be　a
substitute　for　the　one　he　described；　but　could　evolve　nothing
that　so　perfectly　filled　the　requirements；　or　that　was　so　simple。　
Nothing　seems　more　natural　than　that　man；　having　been　evolved
from　stone；　should　continue　his　ascent　till　he　discards　material
altogether。　　The　metamorphism　is　more　striking　in　the　first
change　than　in　the　second。　　Granted　that　the　soul　is　immaterial；
and　that　it　leaves　the　body　after　death；　what　is　there　to　keep　it
on　earth？　　Gravitation　cannot　affect　it。　　What　is　more　likely
than　that　it　is　left　behind　by　the　earth　in　its　orbit；　or　that　it
continues　its　forward　motion；　but　in　a　straight　line；　till；
reaching　the　paths　of　the　greater　planets；　it　is　drawn　to　them　by
some　affinity　or　attraction　that　the　earth　does　not　possess；　and
that　the　souls　held　in　that　manner　remain　here　on　probation；
developing　like　young　animals　or　children；　till；　by　gradually
acquired　power；　resulting　from　their　wills；　they　are　able　to　rise
again　into　space；　to　revisit　the　earth；　and　in　time　to　explore
the　universe？　　It　might　easily　come　about　that；　by　some
explainable　sympathy；　the　infant　good　souls　are　drawn　to　this
planet；　while　the　condemned　pass　on　to　Cassandra；　which　holds
them　by　some　property　peculiar　to　itself；　until　perhaps　they；
too；　by　virtue　of　their　wills；　acquire　new　power；　unless
involution　sets　in　and　they　lose　what　they　have。　　The　simplicity
of　the　thing　is　what　surprises　me　now；　and　that　for　ages
philosophers　have　been　racking　their　brains　with　every
conceivable　fancy；　when；　by　simply　extending　and　following
natural　laws；　they　could　discern　the　whole。〃
　　　
〃It　is　the　old　story；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃of　Columbus　and　the　egg。　
Schopenhouer　and　his　predecessors　appear　to　have　tried　every　idea
but　the　right　one；　and　even　Darwin　and　Huxley　fell　short　in　their
reasoning；　because　they　tried　to　obtain　more　or　less　than　four　by
putting　two　with　two。〃
　　　
Thus　they　sat　and　talked　while　the　night　wore　on。　　Neither