tracks of a rolling stone-第31部分

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sight　of　Samson's　　fire。　　I　could　see　his　huge　form　as　it　intercepted　the　　comfortable　blaze。　　I　pictured　him　making　his　tea；　broiling　　some　of　William's　trout；　and　spreading　his　things　before　the　　fire　to　dry。　　I　could　see　the　animals　moving　around　the　glow。　　　It　was　my　home。　　How　I　yearned　for　it！　　How　should　I　reach　　it；　if　ever？　　In　this　frame　of　mind　the　attempt　was　　irresistible。　　I　started　as　near　as　I　could　from　opposite　the　　two　islands。　　As　on　horseback；　I　got　pretty　easily　to　the　　first　island。　　Beyond　this　I　was　taken　off　my　feet　by　the　　stream；　and　only　with　difficulty　did　I　once　more　regain　the　　land。

My　next　object　was　to　communicate　with　Samson。　　By　putting　　both　hands　to　my　mouth　and　shouting　with　all　my　force　I　made　　him　hear。　　I　could　see　him　get　up　and　come　to　the　water's　　edge；　though　he　could　not　see　me；　his　stentorian　voice　　reached　me　plainly。　　His　first　words　were：

'〃Is　that　you；　William？　　Coke　is　drowned。〃

'I　corrected　him；　and　thus　replied：

'〃Do　you　remember　a　bend　near　some　willows；　where　you　wanted　　to　cross　yesterday？〃

'〃Yes。〃

'〃About　two　hours　higher　up　the　river？〃

'〃I　remember。〃

'〃Would　you　know　the　place　again？〃

'〃Yes。〃

'〃Are　you　sure？

'〃Yes；　yes。〃

'〃You　will　see　me　by　daylight　in　the　morning。　　When　I　start；　　you　will　take　my　mare；　my　clothes；　and　some　food；　make　for　　that　place　and　wait　till　I　come。　　I　will　cross　there。〃

'〃All　right。〃

'〃Keep　me　in　sight　as　long　as　you　can。　　Don't　forget　the　　food。〃

'It　will　be　gathered　from　my　words　that　definite　instructions　　were　deemed　necessary；　and　the　inference　…　at　least　it　was　　mine　…　will　follow；　that　if　a　mistake　were　possible　Samson　　would　avail　himself　of　it。　　The　night　was　before　me。　　The　　river　had　yet　to　be　crossed。　　But；　strange　as　it　now　seems　to　　me；　I　had　no　misgivings！　　My　heart　never　failed　me。　　My　　prayer　had　been　heard。　　I　had　been　saved。　　How；　I　knew　not。　　　But　this　I　knew；　my　trust　was　complete。　　I　record　this　as　a　　curious　psychological　occurrence；　for　it　supported　me　with　　unfailing　energy　through　the　severe　trial　which　I　had　yet　to　　undergo。'



CHAPTER　XXVI



OUR　experiences　are　little　worth　unless　they　teach　us　to　　reflect。　　Let　us　then　pause　to　consider　this　hourly　　experience　of　human　beings　…　this　remarkable　efficacy　of　　prayer。　　There　can　hardly　be　a　contemplative　mind　to　which；　　with　all　its　difficulties；　the　inquiry　is　not　familiar。

To　begin　with；　'To　pray　is　to　expect　a　miracle。'　　'Prayer　in　　its　very　essence；'　says　a　thoughtful　writer；　'implies　a　　belief　in　the　possible　intervention　of　a　power　which　is　above　　nature。'　　How　was　it　in　my　case？　　What　was　the　essence　of　my　　belief？　　Nothing　less　than　this：　　that　God　would　have　　permitted　the　laws　of　nature；　ordained　by　His　infinite　wisdom　　to　fulfil　His　omniscient　designs　and　pursue　their　natural　　course　in　accordance　with　His　will；　had　not　my　request　　persuaded　Him　to　suspend　those　laws　in　my　favour。

The　very　belief　in　His　omniscience　and　omnipotence　subverts　　the　spirit　of　such　a　prayer。　　It　is　on　the　perfection　of　God　　that　Malebranche　bases　his　argument　that　'Dieu　n'agit　pas　par　　des　volontes　particulieres。'　　Yet　every　prayer　affects　to　　interfere　with　the　divine　purposes。

It　may　here　be　urged　that　the　divine　purposes　are　beyond　our　　comprehension。　　God's　purposes　may；　in　spite　of　the　　inconceivability；　admit　the　efficacy　of　prayer　as　a　link　in　　the　chain　of　causation；　or；　as　Dr。　Mozely　holds；　it　may　be　　that　'a　miracle　is　not　an　anomaly　or　irregularity；　but　part　　of　the　system　of　the　universe。'　　We　will　not　entangle　　ourselves　in　the　abstruse　metaphysical　problem　which　such　　hypotheses　involve；　but　turn　for　our　answer　to　what　we　do　　know　…　to　the　history　of　this　world；　to　the　daily　life　of　　man。　　If　the　sun　rises　on　the　evil　as　well　as　on　the　good；　if　　the　wicked　'become　old；　yea；　are　mighty　in　power；'　still；　the　　lightning；　the　plague；　the　falling　chimney…pot；　smite　the　　good　as　well　as　the　evil。　　Even　the　dumb　animal　is　not　　spared。　　'If；'　says　Huxley；　'our　ears　were　sharp　enough　to　　hear　all　the　cries　of　pain　that　are　uttered　in　the　earth　by　　man　and　beasts　we　should　be　deafened　by　one　continuous　　scream。'　　'If　there　are　any　marks　at　all　of　special　design　in　　creation；'　writes　John　Stuart　Mill；　'one　of　the　things　most　　evidently　designed　is　that　a　large　proportion　of　all　animals　　should　pass　their　existence　in　tormenting　and　devouring　other　　animals。　　They　have　been　lavishly　fitted　out　with　the　　instruments　for　that　purpose。'　　Is　it　credible；　then；　that　　the　Almighty　Being　who；　as　we　assume；　hears　this　continuous　　scream　…　animal…prayer；　as　we　may　call　it　…　and　not　only　pays　　no　heed　to　it；　but　lavishly　fits　out　animals　with　instruments　　for　tormenting　and　devouring　one　another；　that　such　a　Being　　should　suspend　the　laws　of　gravitation　and　physiology；　should　　perform　a　miracle　equal　to　that　of　arresting　the　sun　…　for　　all　miracles　are　equipollent　…　simply　to　prolong　the　brief　　and　useless　existence　of　such　a　thing　as　man；　of　one　man　out　　of　the　myriads　who　shriek；　and　…　shriek　in　vain？

To　pray　is　to　expect　a　miracle。　　Then　comes　the　further　　question：　　Is　this　not　to　expect　what　never　yet　has　happened？　　　The　only　proof　of　any　miracle　is　the　interpretation　the　　witness　or　witnesses　put　upon　what　they　have　seen。　　　（Traditional　miracles　…　miracles　that　others　have　been　told；　　that　others　have　seen　…　we　need　not　trouble　our　heads　about。）　　　What　that　proof　has　been　worth　hitherto　has　been　commented　　upon　too　often　to　need　attention　here。　　Nor　does　the　weakness　　of　the　evidence　for　miracles　depend　solely　on　the　fact　that　　it　rests；　in　the　first　instance；　on　the　senses；　which　may　be　　deceived；　or　upon　inference；　which　may　be　erroneous。　　It　is　　not　merely　that　the　infallibility　of　human　testimony　　discredits　the　miracles　of　the　past。　　The　impossibility　that　　human　knowledge；　that　science；　can　ever　exhaust　the　　possibilities　of　Nature；　precludes　the　immediate　reference　to　　the　Supernatural　for　all　time。　　It　is　pure　sophistry　to　　argue；　as　do　Canon　Row　and　other　defenders　of　miracles；　that　　'the　laws　of　Nature　are　no　more　violated　by　the　performance　　of　a　miracle　than　they　are　by　the　activities　of　a　man。'　　If　　these　arguments　of　the　special　pleaders　had　any　force　at　all；　　it　would　simply　amount　to　this：　　'The　activities　of　man'　　being　a　part　of　nature；　we　have　no　evidence　of　a　supernatural　　being；　which　is　the　sole　RAISON　D'ETRE　of　miracle。

Yet　thousands　of　men　in　these　days　who　admit　the　force　of　　these　objections　continue；　in　spite　of　them；　to　pray。　　　Huxley；　the　foremost　of　'agnostics；'　speaks　with　the　utmost　　respect　of　his　friend　Charles　Kingsley's　conviction　from　　experience　of　the　efficacy　of　prayer。　　And　Huxley　himself　　repeatedly　assures　us；　in　some　form　or　other；　that　'the　　possibilities　of　〃may　be〃　are　to　me　infinite。'　　The　puzzle　　is；　in　truth；　on　a　par　with　that　most　insolvable　of　all　　puzzles　…　Free　Will　or　Determinism。　　Reason　and　the　instinct　　of　conscience　are　in　both　cases　irreconcilable。　　We　are　　conscious　that　we　are　always　free　to　choose；　though　not　to　　act；　but　reason　will　have　it　that　this　is　a　delusion。　　There　　is　no　logical　clue　to　the　IMPASSE。　　Still；　reason　　notwithstanding；　we　take　our　freedom　（within　limits）　for　　granted；　and　with　like　inconsequence　we　pray。

It　must；　I　think；　be　admitted　that　the　belief；　delusive　or　　warranted；　is　efficacious　in　itself。　　Whether　generated　in　　the　brain　by　the　nerve　centres；　or　whatever　may　be　its　　origin；　a　force　coincident　with　it　is　diffused　throughout　the　　nervous　system；　which　converts　the　subject　of　it；　just　　paralysed　by　despair；　into　a　vigorous　agent；　or；　if　you　will；　　automaton。

Now；　those　who　admit　this　much　argue；　with　no　little　force；　　that　the　efficacy　of　prayer　is　limited　to　its　reaction　upon　　ourselves。　　Prayer；　as　already　observed；　implies　belief　in　　supernatural　intervention。　　Such　belief　is　competent　to　beget　　hope；　and　with　it　courage；　energy；　and　effort。　　Suppose　　contrition　and　remorse　induce　the　sufferer　to　pray　for　Divine　　aid　and　mercy；　suppose　suffering　is　the　natural　penalty　of　　his　or　her　own　misdeeds；　and　suppose　the　contrition　and　the　　prayer　lead　to　resistance　of　similar　temptations；　and　hence　　to　greater　happiness；　…　can　it　be　said　that　the　power　to　　resist　temptation　or　endure　the　penalty　are　due　to　　supernatural　aid？　　Or　must　we　not　infer　that　the　fear　of　the　　consequences　of　vice　or　folly；　together　with　an　earnest　　desire　and　intention　to　amend；　were　adequate　in　themselves　to　　account　for　the　good　results？

Reason　compels　us　to　the　latter　conclusion。　　But　what　then？　　　Would　this　prove　prayer　to　be　delusive？　　Not　necessarily。　　　That　the　laws　of　Nature　（as　argued　above）　are　not　violated　by　　miracle；　is　a　mere　perversion　of　the　accepted　meaning　of　　'miracle；'　an　IGNORATIO　ELENCHI。　　But　in　the　case　of　prayer　　that　does　not　ask　for　the　abrogation　of　Nature's　laws；　it　　ceases　to　be　a　miracle　that　we　pray　for　or　expect：　　for　are　　not　the　laws　of　the　mind　also　laws　of　Nature？　　And　can　we　　explain　them　any　more　than　we　can　explain　physical　laws？　　A　　psychologist　can　formulate　the　mental　law　of　association；　but　　he　can　no　more　explain　it　than　Newton　could　explain　the　laws　　of　attraction　and　repulsion　which　pervade　the　world　of　　matter。　　We　do　not　know；　we　cannot　know；　what　the　conditions　　of　our　spiritual　being　are。　　The　state　of　mind　induced　by　　prayer　may；　in　accordance　with　some　mental　law；　be　essential　　to　certain　modes　of　spiritual　energy；　specially　conducive　to　　the　highest　of　all　moral　or　spiritual　results：　　taken　in　this　　sense；　prayer　may　ask；　not　the　suspension；　but　the　enactment；　　of　some　natural　law。

Let　it；　however；　be　granted；　for　argument's　sake；　that　the　　belief　in　the　efficacy　of　prayer　is　delusive；　and　that　the　　beneficial　effects　of　the　belief　…　the　exalted　state　of　mind；　　the　enhanced　power　to　endure　suffering　and　resist　temptation；　　the　happiness　inseparable　from　the　assurance　that　God　hears；　　and　can　and　will　befriend　us　…　let　it　be　granted　that　all　　this　is　due　to　sheer　hallucination；　is　this　an　argument　　against　prayer？　　Surely　not。　　For；　in　the　first　place；　the　　incontestable　fact　that　belief　does　produce　these　effects　is　　for　us　an　ultimate　fact　as　little　capable　of　explanation　as　　any　physical　law　whateve