back home-第7部分

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s　taught　the　infant…class　since　1867；　having　missed　only　two　Sundays　in　that　time；　once；　in　1879；　when　it　stormed　so　that　nobody　in　town　was　out；　and　once；　last　winter　a　year　ago；　when　she　slipped　off　the　back　porch　and　hurt　her　knee。　　I　can　just　see　Sister　Boggs　laying　down　the　law　to　anybody　that　finds　fault　with　the　infant…class；　let　him　be　preacher　or　who。　Why　the　very　idea！　　Do　you　mean　to　say；　sir　…　I　guess　Sister　Boggs　can　straighten　him　out　all　right。

No　less　faithful　is　Mr。　Parker；　the　leading　lawyer　of　the　town；　who　conducts　the　Bible…class。　　I　believe　one　morning　he　didn't　get　there　until　after　the　last　bell　was　done　ringing；　but　otherwise　his　record　of　attendance　compares　favorably　with　Sister　Boggs's。　　Both　teachers　agree　to　ignore　the　stated　lesson　for　the　day；　but　whereas　Sister　Boggs　leads　her　flock　through　the　flowery　meads　of　narration；　Mr。　Parker　and　his　class　have　camped　out　by　preference　for　the　last　forty　years　in　the　arid　wilderness　of　Romans　and　Hebrews　and　Corinthians　First　and　Second；　flinging　the　plentiful　dornicks　of　〃Paul　says　this〃　and　〃Paul　says　that〃　at　each　other's　heads　in　friendly　strife。　　Mr。　Parker's　class　is　also　very　assiduous　in　its　attendance　upon　the　Young　People's　meetings；　seemingly　holding　the　dogma；　〃Once　a　young　person　always　a　young　person。〃　　The　prevailing　style　of　hairdressing　among　the　members　is　to　grow　the　locks　long　on　the　left　side　of　the　head；　and　to　bring　the　thin　layer　across　to　the　right；　pasted　down　very　carefully　with　a　sort　of　peeled　onion　effect。

There　is　a　whole　lot　of　them；　and　they　jower　away　at　each　other　all　through　the　time　between　the　opening　and　the　closing　exercises；　having　the　liveliest　kind　of　a　time　getting　over　about　two　verses　of　the　Bible　and　the　whole　ground　of　speculative　theology。

Immeasurably　more　impermanent　in　method　and　personnel　is　the　regular　collegiate　department；　the　Sabbath…school　proper。　　In　the　early　days；　away　back　when　sugar　was　sixteen　cents　a　pound；　the　thing　to　do　was　to　learn　Scripture　verses　by　heart。　　If　you　were　a　rude；　rough　boy　who　didn't　exactly　love　the　Sunday…school　as　much　as　the　hymn　made　you　say　you　did；　but　still　one　who　had　rather　sing　it　than　stir　up　a　muss；　you　hunted　for　the　shortest　verses　you　could　find　and　said　them　off。　　From　four　to　eight　was　considered　a　full　day's　work。　　But　if　you　were　a　boy　who　put　on　an　apron　and　helped　your　Ma　with　the　dishes；　a　boy　who　always　wiped　your　feet　before　you　came　in；　a　boy　that　never　got　kept　in　at　school；　a　boy　that　cried　pretty　easy；　a　nice；　pale　boy；　with　bulging　blue　eyes；　you　came　to　Sabbath…school　and　disgorged　verses　like　buck…shot　out　of　a　bag。　　The　four…to…eight…verse　boys　sat　and　listened；　and　improved　their　minds。　There　was　generally　one　other　boy　like　you　in　the　class；　and　it　was　nip…and…tuck　between　you　which　should　get　the　prize；　until　finally　you　came　one　Sunday；　all　bloated　up　with　238　verses　in　your　craw；　and　he　quit　discouraged。　　The　prize　was　yours。　　It　was　a　beautiful　little　Bible　with　a　brass　clasp；　it　had　two　tiny　silk　strings　of　an　old…gold　color　for　bookmarks；　and　gilt　edges　all　around　that　made　the　leaves　stick　together　at　first。　　It　was　printed　in　diamond　type；　so　small　it　made　your　ears　ring　when　you　tried　to　read　it。

Other　faculties　than　that　of　memory　were　called　into　action　in　those　days　by　problems　like　these：　〃Who　was　the　meekest　man？　　　Who　was　the　strongest　man？　　Who　was　the　father　of　Zebedee's　children？　　　Who　had　the　iron　bedstead；　and　whose　thumbs　and　great…toes　were　cut　off？〃　To　set　a　child　to　find　these　things　in　the　Bible　without　a　concordance　seems　to　us　as　futile　as　setting　him　to　hunt　a　needle　in　a　haystack。　　But　our　fathers　were　not　so　foolish　as　we　like　to　think　them；　they　didn't　care　two　pins　if　we　never　discovered　who　had　the　iron　bedstead；　but　they　knew　that；　leafing　over　the　book；　we　should　light　upon　treasure　where　we　sought　it　not；　kernels　of　the　sweetest　meat　in　the　hardest　shells；　stories　of　enthralling　interest　where　we　least　expected　them；　but；　most　of　all；　and　best　of　all；　texts　that　long　afterward　in　time　of　trouble　should　come　to　us；　as　it　were　the　voice　of　one　that　also　had　eaten　the　bread　of　affliction；　calling　to　us　across　the　chasm　of　the　centuries　and　saying：　〃O；　tarry　thou　the　Lord's　leisure：　be　strong　and　He　shall　comfort　thine　heart。〃

In　the　higher　classes；　that　still　were　not　high　enough　to　rank　with　Mr。　Parker's；　the　exegetical　powers　were　stimulated　in　this　wise：　〃'And　they　sung　a　hymn　and　went　out。'　Now　what　do　you　understand　by　that？〃　　We　told　what　we　〃understood；〃　and　what　we　〃held；〃　and　what　we　〃believed；〃　and　laid　traps　for　the　teacher　and　tried　to　corner　him　with　irrelevant　texts　wrenched　from　their　context。　　He　had　to　be　an　able　man　and　a　nimble…witted　man。　　Mere　piety　might　shine　in　the　prayer…meeting；　in　the　class…room；　at　the　quarterly　love…feast；　but　not　in　the　Sabbath…school。　　I　remember　once　when　Brother　Butler　was　away　they　set　John　Snyder　to　teach　us。　　John　didn't　know　any　more　than　the　law　allowed；　and　we　made　him　feel　it；　until　finally；　badgered　beyond　endurance；　he　blurted　out　that　all　he　knew　was　that　he　was　a　sinner　saved　by　grace。　　Maybe　he　couldn't　just　tell　where　to　find　this；　that；　and　t'　other　thing　in　the　Bible；　but　he　could　turn　right　to　the　place　where　it　said　that　though　a　body's　sins　were　as　scarlet；　yet　they　should　be　white　as　snow。　　It　was　regarded　as　a　very　poor　sort　of　an　excuse　then；　but　thinking　it　over　here　lately；　it　has　seemed　to　me　that　maybe　John　had　the　root　of　the　matter　in　him　after　all。

The　comparative　scarcity　of　polemical　athletes　and　the　relative　plenty　of　the　Miss　Susie　Goldrick　kind　of　teachers；　apparently　called　into　being　the　Berean　Lesson　Leaf　system；　with　its　Bible　cut　up　into　lady…bites　of　ten　or　twelve　verses；　its　Golden　Topics；　Golden　Texts；　its　apt　alliterations；　like：

　　S　　AMUEL　　　　　　EEKS　　　　　　AUL　　　　　　ORROWING

and　its　questions　prepared　in　tabloid　form；　suitable　for　the　most　enfeebled　digestions；　see　directions　printed　on　inside　wrapper。　Among　the　many　evidences　of　the　degeneracy　of　the　age　is　the　scandalous　ignorance　of　our　young　people　regarding　the　sacred　Scriptures；　which　at　the　very　lowest　estimate　are　incontestably　the　finest　English　ever　written。　　Those　whose　childhood　antedates　the　lesson　leaf　are　not　so　unfamiliar　with　that　wondrous　treasure…house　of　thought。　　It　is　not　for　me　to　say　what　has　wrought　the　change。　I　can　only　point　out　that　lesson　leaves；　being　about　the　right　size　for　shaving　papers；　barely　last　from　Sunday　to　Sunday；　while　that　very　identical　Bible　with　the　blinding　type　that　I　won　years　and　years　ago；　by　learning　verses；　is　with　me　still。　　Yes；　and　as　I　often　wonder　to　discover；　some　of　those　very　verses　that　I　gobbled　down　as　heedlessly　as　any　ostrich　are　with　me　still。

Remain　to　be　considered　the　opening　and　closing　exercises；　principally　devoted；　I　remember；　to　learning　new　tunes　and　singing　old　ones　out　of　books　with　pretty　titles；　like　〃Golden　Censer；〃　〃Silver　Spray；〃　〃Pearl　and　Gold；〃　〃Sparkling　Dewdrops；〃　and　〃Sabbath　Chimes。〃　　I　wasn't　going　to　tell　it；　but　I　might　as　well；　I　suppose。　　I　can　remember　as　far　back　as　〃Musical　Leaves。〃　　There　must　be　quite　a　lot　of　people　scattered　about　the　country　who　sung　out　of　that　when　they　were　little。　　I　wish　a　few　of　us　old　codgers　might　get　together　some　time　and　with　many　a　hummed　and　prefatory；　〃Do；　mi；　Sol；　do；　Sol；　mi　。　。　。　mi…i…i…i；〃　finally　manage　to　quaver　out　the　sweet　old　tunes　we　learned　when　we　were　little　tads；　each　with　a　penny　in　his　fat；　warm　hand：　〃Shall　we　Gather　at　the　River？〃　and　〃Work；　for　the　Night　is　Coming〃；　and　what　was　the　name　of　that　one　about：

　　　〃The　waves　shall　come　and　the　rolling　thunder　shock　　　　　Shall　beat　upon　the　house　that　is　founded　on　a　rock；　　　　　And　it　never　shall　fall；　never；　never；　never。〃

What　the　proper　English　tune　is　to　〃I　think　when　I　read　that　sweet　story　of　old〃　I　cannot　tell；　but　I　am　sure　it　can　never　melt　my　heart　as　that　one　in　the　old　〃Musical　Leaves。〃　with　its　twistful　repetitions　of　the　last　line：

　　　　〃I　should　like　to　have　been　with　Him　then；　　　　　　I　should　like　to　have　been　with　Him　then；　　　　　　When　He　took　little　children　like　lambs　to　His　fold；　　　　　　I　should　like　to　have　been　with　Him　then。〃

I　fear　we　could　not　sing　that　without　breaking　down。　　As　we　recall　it；　we　draw　an　inward　fluttering　breath；　something　grips　our　throats　and　makes　them　ache；　our　eyes　blur；　and　a　tear　slips　down　upon　the　cheek；　not　of　sorrow　…　God　knows　not　all　of　sorrow　…　but　if　we　had　it　all　to　live　over　again；　how　differently　we　…　oh；　well；　it's　too　late　now；　but　still。

Leafing　over　my　little　girl's　〃Arabian　Nights〃　the　other　day；　when　I　came　to　the　story　of　〃The　Enchanted　Horse；〃　I　found　myself　humming；　〃Land　ahead！　　Its　fruits　are　waving。〃　　My　father　used　to　lead　the　singing　in　Sabbath…school；　and　when　he　was　sol…fa…ing　that　tune　to　learn　it；　I　was　devouring　that　story；　and　was　just　about　at　the　picture　where　Prince　What's…his…name　rises　up　into　the　air　on　the　Enchanted　Horse；　with　his　true　love　hanging　on　behind；　and　all　the　multitude　below　holding　their　turbans　on　as　they　look　up　and　exclaim：　〃Well；　if　that　don't　beat　the　Dutch！〃

And　another　tune　still　excites　in　me　the　sullen　resentment　that　it　did　when　I　first　heard　it。　　In　those　days；　just　as　a　fellow　got　to　the　exciting　part　in　〃Frank　at　Don　Carlos's　Ranch；〃　or　whatever　the　book　was；　there　was　kindling　to　be　split；　or　an　armful　of　wood　to　be　brought　in；　or　a　pitcher　of　water　from　the　well；　or　〃run　over　to　Mrs。　Boggs's　and　ask　her　if　she　won't　please　lend　me　her　fluting…iron；〃　or　〃run　down　to　Galbraith's　and　get　me　a　spool　of　white　thread；　Number　60；　and　hurry　right　back；　because　then　I　want　you　to　go　over　to　Serepta　Downey's　and　take　her　that　polonaise　pattern　she　asked　me　to　cut　out　for　her；〃　or　…　there　was　always　something　on　hand。　　So　what　should　one　of　these　composers　do　…　I　don't　know　what　ever　possessed　the　man　…　but　go　write　a　Sabbath…school　song　with　this　chorus：

　　　　〃There'll　be　something　to　do；　　　　　　There'll　be　something　to　do；　　　　　　There'll　be　something　for　children　to　do：　　　　　　On　that　bright　shining　shore；　　　　　　Where　there's　joy　evermore；　　　　　　There'll　be　something　for　children　to　do。〃

I　suppose　he　thought　that　would　be　an　inducement！

One　of