beacon lights of history-iii-2-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



did　not　stimulate　thought　and　inquiry　as　Luther　did；　nor　inaugurate

a　great　revolutionary　movement；　which　would　gradually　undermine

papal　authority　and　many　institutions　which　the　Catholic　Church

indorsed。　　Had　he　been　a　great　genius；　with　his　progressive

proclivities；　he　might　have　headed　a　rebellion　against　papal

authority；　which　upheld　doctrines　that　logically　supported　the　very

evils　he　denounced。　　But　he　was　contented　to　lop　off　branches；　he

did　not　dig　up　the　roots。　　Luther　went　to　the　roots；　as　Calvin　did；

as　Saint　Augustine　would　have　done　had　there　been　a　necessity　in

his　day；　for　the　theology　of　Saint　Augustine　and　Calvin　is

essentially　the　same。　　It　was　from　Saint　Augustine　that　Calvin　drew

his　inspiration　next　after　Saint　Paul。　　But　Savonarola　cared　very

little　for　the　discussion　of　doctrines；　he　probably　hated　all

theological　speculations；　all　metaphysical　divinity。　　Yet　there　is

a　closer　resemblance　between　doctrines　and　morals　than　most　people

are　aware　of。　　As　a　man　thinketh；　so　is　he。　　Hence；　the　reforms　of

Savonarola　were　temporary；　and　were　not　widely　extended；　for　he　did

not　kindle　the　intelligence　of　the　age；　as　did　Luther　and　those

associated　with　him。　　There　can　be　no　great　and　listing　reform

without　an　appeal　to　reason；　without　the　assistance　of　logic；

without　conviction。　　The　house　that　had　been　swept　and　garnished

was　re…entered　by　devils；　and　the　last　state　was　worse　than　the

first。　　To　have　effected　a　radical　and　lasting　reform；　Savonarola

should　have　gone　deeper。　　He　should　have　exposed　the　foundations　on

which　the　superstructure　of　sin　was　built；　he　should　have

undermined　them；　and　appealed　to　the　reason　of　the　world。　　He　did

no　such　thing。　　He　simply　rebuked　the　evils；　which　must　needs　be；

so　long　as　the　root　of　them　is　left　untouched。　　And　so　long　as　his

influence　remained；　so　long　as　his　voice　was　listened　to；　he　was

mighty　in　the　reforms　at　which　he　aimed；a　reformation　of　the

morals　of　those　to　whom　he　preached。　　But　when　his　voice　was

hushed；　the　evils　he　detested　returned；　since　he　had　not　created

those　convictions　which　bind　men　together　in　association；　he　had

not　fanned　that　spirit　of　inquiry　which　is　hostile　to

ecclesiastical　despotism；　and　which；　logically　projected；　would

subvert　the　papal　throne。　　The　reformation　of　Luther　was　a　grand

protest　against　spiritual　tyranny。　　It　not　only　aimed　at　a　purer

life；　but　it　opposed　the　bondage　of　the　Middle　Ages；　and　all　the

superstitious　and　puerilities　and　fables　which　were　born　and

nurtured　in　that　dark　and　gloomy　period　and　to　which　the　clergy

clung　as　a　means　of　power　or　wealth。　　Luther　called　out　the

intellect　of　Germany；　exalted　liberty　of　conscience；　and　appealed

to　the　dignity　of　reason。　　He　showed　the　necessity　of　learning；　in

order　to　unravel　and　explain　the　truths　of　revelation。　　He　made

piety　more　exalted　by　giving　it　an　intelligent　stimulus。　　He　looked

to　the　future　rather　than　the　past。　　He　would　make　use；　in　his

interpretation　of　the　Bible；　of　all　that　literature；　science；　and

art　could　contribute。　　Hence　his　writings　had　a　wider　influence

than　could　be　produced　by　the　fascination　of　personal　eloquence；　on

which　Savonarola　relied；　but　which　Luther　made　only　accessory。



Again；　the　sermons　of　the　Florentine　reformer　do　not　impress　us　as

they　did　those　to　whom　they　were　addressed。　　They　are　not　logical；

nor　doctrinal；　nor　learned；not　rich　in　thought；　like　the　sermons

of　those　divines　whom　the　Reformation　produced。　　They　are　vehement

denunciations　of　sin；　are　eloquent　appeals　to　the　heart；　to

religious　fears　and　hopes。　　He　would　indeed　create　faith　in　the

world；　not　by　the　dissertations　of　Paul；　but　by　the　agonies　of　the

dying　Christ。　　He　does　not　instruct；　he　does　not　reason。　　He　is

dogmatic　and　practical。　　He　is　too　earnest　to　be　metaphysical；　or

even　theological。　　He　takes　it　for　granted　that　his　hearers　know

all　the　truths　necessary　for　salvation。　　He　enforces　the　truths

with　which　they　are　familiar；　not　those　to　be　developed　by　reason

and　learning。　　He　appeals；　he　urges；　he　threatens；　he　even

prophesies；　he　dwells　on　divine　wrath　and　judgment。　　He　is　an

Isaiah　foretelling　what　will　happen；　rather　than　a　Peter　at　the　Day

of　Pentecost。



Savonarola　was　transcendent　in　his　oratorical　gifts；　the　like　of

which　has　never　before　nor　since　been　witnessed　in　Italy。　　He　was　a

born　orator；　as　vehement　as　Demosthenes；　as　passionate　as

Chrysostom；　as　electrical　as　Bernard。　　Nothing　could　withstand　him；

he　was　a　torrent　that　bore　everything　before　him。　　His　voice　was

musical；　his　attitude　commanding；　his　gestures　superb。　　He　was　all

alive　with　his　subject。　　He　was　terribly　in　earnest；　as　if　he

believed　everything　he　said；　and　that　what　he　said　were　most

momentous　truths。　　He　fastened　his　burning　eyes　upon　his　hearers；

who　listened　with　breathless　attention；　and　inspired　them　with　his

sentiments；　he　made　them　feel　that　they　were　in　the　very　jaws　of

destruction；　and　that　there　was　no　hope　but　in　immediate

repentance。　　His　whole　frame　quivered　with　emotion；　and　he　sat　down

utterly　exhausted。　　His　language　was　intense；　not　clothing　new

thoughts；　but　riveting　old　ideas；the　ideas　of　the　Middle　Ages；

the　fear　of　hell；　the　judgments　of　Almighty　God。　　Who　could　resist

such　fiery　earnestness；　such　a　convulsed　frame；　such　quivering

tones；　such　burning　eyes；　such　dreadful　threatenings；　such　awful

appeals？　　He　was　not　artistic　in　the　use　of　words　and　phrases　like

Bourdaloue；　but　he　reached　the　conscience　and　the　heart　like

Whitefield。　　He　never　sought　to　amuse；　he　would　not　stoop　to　any

trifling。　　He　told　no　stories；　he　made　no　witticisms；　he　used　no

tricks。　　He　fell　back　on　truths；　no　matter　whether　his　hearers

relished　them　or　not；　no　matter　whether　they　were　amused　or　not。

He　was　the　messenger　of　God　urging　men　to　flee　as　for　their　lives；

like　Lot　when　he　escaped　from　Sodom。



Savonarola's　manner　was　as　effective　as　his　matter。　　He　was　a　kind

of　Peter　the　Hermit；　preaching　a　crusade；　arousing　emotions　and

passions；　and　making　everybody　feel　as　he　felt。　　It　was　life　more

than　thought　which　marked　his　eloquence；his　voice　as　well　as　his

ideas；　his　wonderful　electricity；　which　every　preacher　must　have；

or　he　preaches　to　stones。　　It　was　himself；　even　more　than　his

truths；　which　made　people　listen；　admire；　and　quake。　　All　real

orators　impress　themselvestheir　own　individualityon　their

auditors。　　They　are　not　actors；　who　represent　other　people；　and

whom　we　admire　in　proportion　to　their　artistic　skill　in　producing

deception。　　These　artists　excite　admiration；　make　us　forget　where

we　are　and　what　we　are；　but　kindle　no　permanent　emotions；　and　teach

no　abiding　lessons。　　The　eloquent　preacher　of　momentous　truths　and

interests　makes　us　realize　them；　in　proportion　as　he　feels　them

himself。　　They　would　fall　dead　upon　us；　if　ever　so　grand；　unless

intensified　by　passion；　fervor；　sincerity；　earnestness。　　Even　a

voice　has　power；　when　electrical；　musical；　impassioned；　although　it

may　utter　platitudes。　　But　when　the　impassioned　voice　rings　with

trumpet　notes　through　a　vast　audience；　appealing　to　what　is　dearest

to　the　human　soul；　lifting　the　mind　to　the　contemplation　of　the

sublimest　truths　and　most　momentous　interests；　then　there　is　REAL

eloquence；　such　as　is　never　heard　in　the　theatre；　interested　as

spectators　may　be　in　the　triumphs　of　dramatic　art。



But　I　have　dwelt　too　long　on　the　characteristics　of　that　eloquence

which　produced　such　a　great　effect　on　the　people　of　Florence　in　the

latter　part　of　the　fifteenth　century。　　That　ardent；　intense；　and

lofty　monk；　world…deep　like　Dante；　not　world…wide　like　Shakspeare；

who　filled　the　cathedral　church　with　eager　listeners；　was　not

destined　to　uninterrupted　triumphs。　　His　career　was　short；　he　could

not　even　retain　his　influence。　　As　the　English　people　wearied　of

the　yoke　of　a　Puritan　Protector；　and　hankered　for　their　old

pleasures；　so　the　Florentines　remembered　the　sports　and　spectacles

and　fetes　of　the　old　Medicean　rule。　　Savonarola　had　arrayed　against

himself　the　enemies　of　popular　liberty；　the　patrons　of　demoralizing

excitements；　the　partisans　of　the　banished　Medici；　and　even　the

friends　and　counsellors　of　the　Pope。　　The　dreadful　denunciation　of

sin　in　high　places　was　as　offensive　to　the　Pope　as　the　exposure　of

a　tyrannical　usurpation　was　to　the　family　of　the　old　lords　of

Florence；　and　his　enemies　took　counsel　together；　and　schemed　for

his　overthrow。　　If　the　irritating　questions　and　mockeries　of

Socrates　could　not　be　endured　at　Athens；　how　could　the　bitter

invectives　and　denunciations　of　Savonarola　find　favor　at　Florence？

The　fate　of　prophets　is　to　be　stoned。　　Martyrdom　and　persecution；

in　some　form　or　other；　are　as　inevitable　to　the　man　who　sails

against　the　stream；　as　a　broken　constitution　and　a　diseased　body

are　to　a　sensualist；　a　glutton；　or　a　drunkard。　　Impatience　under

rebuke　is　as　certain　as　the　operation　of　natural　law。



The　bitterest　and　most　powerful　enemy　of　the　Prior　of　St。　Mark　was

the　Pope　himself；Alexander　VI。；　of　the　infamous　family　of　the

Borgias；since　his　private　vices　were　exposed；　and　by　one　whose

order　had　been　especially　devoted　to　the　papal　empire。　　In　the　eyes

of　the　wicked　Pope；　the　Florentine　reformer　was　a　traitor　and

conspirator；　disloyal　and　dangerous。　　At　first　he　wished　to　silence

him　by　soft　and　deceitful　letters　and　tempting　bribes；　offering　to

him　a　cardinal's　hat；　and　inviting　him　to　Rome。　　But　Savonarola

refused　alike　the　bribe　and　the　invitation。　　His　Lenten　sermons

became　more　violent　and　daring。　　〃If　I　have　preached　and　written

anything　heretical；〃　said　this　intrepid　monk；　〃I　am　willing　to　make

a　public　recantation。　　I　have　always　shown　obedience　to　my　church；

but　it　is　my　duty　to　obey　God　rather　than　man。〃　　This　sounds　like

Luther　at　the　Diet　of　Worms；　but　he　was　more　defenceless　than

Luther；　since　the　Saxon　reformer　was　protected　by　powerful