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！
pointed her out to him。 Their eyes met for a second； Yram turned
hers quickly away； and my father could not see a trace of
recognition in her face。 At no time during the whole ceremony did
he catch her looking at him again。
〃Why； you stupid man；〃 she said to him later on in the day with a
quick； kindly smile； 〃I was looking at you all the time。 As soon
as the President or Hanky began to talk about you I knew you would
stare at him； and then I could look。 As soon as they left off
talking about you I knew you would be looking at me； unless you
went to sleepand as I did not know which you might be doing； I
waited till they began to talk about you again。〃
My father had hardly taken note of his surroundings when the choir
began singing； accompanied by a few feeble flutes and lutes； or
whatever the name of the instrument should be； but with no violins；
for he knew nothing of the violin； and had not been able to teach
the Erewhonians anything about it。 The voices were all in unison；
and the tune they sang was one which my father had taught Yram to
sing； but he could not catch the words。
As soon as the singing began； a procession； headed by the venerable
Dr。 Gurgoyle； President of the Musical Banks of the province； began
to issue from the robing…room； and move towards the middle of the
apse。 The President was sumptuously dressed； but he wore no mitre；
nor anything to suggest an English or European Bishop。 The Vice…
President； Head Manager； Vice…Manager； and some Cashiers of the
Bank； now ranged themselves on either side of him； and formed an
impressive group as they stood； gorgeously arrayed； at the top of
the steps leading from the apse to the nave。 Here they waited till
the singers left off singing。
When the litany； or hymn； or whatever it should be called； was
over； the Head Manager left the President's side and came down to
the lectern in the nave； where he announced himself as about to
read some passages from the Sunchild's Sayings。 Perhaps because it
was the first day of the year according to their new calendar； the
reading began with the first chapter； the whole of which was read。
My father told me that he quite well remembered having said the
last verse； which he still held as true； hardly a word of the rest
was ever spoken by him； though he recognised his own influence in
almost all of it。 The reader paused； with good effect； for about
five seconds between each paragraph； and read slowly and very
clearly。 The chapter was as follows：…
These are the words of the Sunchild about God and man。 He said …
1。 God is the baseless basis of all thoughts； things； and deeds。
2。 So that those who say that there is a God； lie； unless they
also mean that there is no God； and those who say that there is no
God； lie； unless they also mean that there is a God。
3。 It is very true to say that man is made after the likeness of
God； and yet it is very untrue to say this。
4。 God lives and moves in every atom throughout the universe。
Therefore it is wrong to think of Him as 'Him' and 'He；' save as by
the clutching of a drowning man at a straw。
5。 God is God to us only so long as we cannot see Him。 When we
are near to seeing Him He vanishes； and we behold Nature in His
stead。
6。 We approach Him most nearly when we think of Him as our
expression for Man's highest conception； of goodness； wisdom； and
power。 But we cannot rise to Him above the level of our own
highest selves。
7。 We remove ourselves most far from Him when we invest Him with
human form and attributes。
8。 My father the sun； the earth； the moon； and all planets that
roll round my father； are to God but as a single cell in our bodies
to ourselves。
9。 He is as much above my father； as my father is above men and
women。
10。 The universe is instinct with the mind of God。 The mind of
God is in all that has mind throughout all worlds。 There is no God
but the Universe； and man； in this world is His prophet。
11。 God's conscious life； nascent； so far as this world is
concerned； in the infusoria； adolescent in the higher mammals；
approaches maturity on this earth in man。 All these living beings
are members one of another； and of God。
12。 Therefore； as man cannot live without God in the world； so
neither can God live in this world without mankind。
13。 If we speak ill of God in our ignorance it may be forgiven us；
but if we speak ill of His Holy Spirit indwelling in good men and
women it may not be forgiven us。〃
The Head Manager now resumed his place by President Gurgoyle's
side； and the President in the name of his Majesty the King
declared the temple to be hereby dedicated to the contemplation of
the Sunchild and the better exposition of his teaching。 This was
all that was said。 The reliquary was then brought forward and
placed at the top of the steps leading from the apse to the nave；
but the original intention of carrying it round the temple was
abandoned for fear of accidents through the pressure round it of
the enormous multitudes who were assembled。 More singing followed
of a simple but impressive kind； during this I am afraid I must own
that my father； tired with his walk； dropped off into a refreshing
slumber； from which he did not wake till George nudged him and told
him not to snore； just as the Vice…Manager was going towards the
lectern to read another chapter of the Sunchild's Sayingswhich
was as follows：…
The Sunchild also spoke to us a parable about the unwisdom of the
children yet unborn； who though they know so much； yet do not know
as much as they think they do。
He said：…
〃The unborn have knowledge of one another so long as they are
unborn； and this without impediment from walls or material
obstacles。 The unborn children in any city form a population
apart； who talk with one another and tell each other about their
developmental progress。
〃They have no knowledge； and cannot even conceive the existence of
anything that is not such as they are themselves。 Those who have
been born are to them what the dead are to us。 They can see no
life in them； and know no more about them than they do of any stage
in their own past development other than the one through which they
are passing at the moment。 They do not even know that their
mothers are alivemuch less that their mothers were once as they
now are。 To an embryo； its mother is simply the environment； and
is looked upon much as our inorganic surroundings are by ourselves。
〃The great terror of their lives is the fear of birth；that they
shall have to leave the only thing that they can think of as life；
and enter upon a dark unknown which is to them tantamount to
annihilation。
〃Some； indeed； among them have maintained that birth is not the
death which they commonly deem it； but that there is a life beyond
the womb of which they as yet know nothing； and which is a million
fold more truly life than anything they have yet been able even to
imagine。 But the greater number shake their yet unfashioned heads
and say they have no evidence for this that will stand a moment's
examination。
〃'Nay；' answer the others； 'so much work； so elaborate； so wondrous
as that whereon we are now so busily engaged must have a purpose；
though the purpose is beyond our grasp。'
〃'Never；' reply the first speakers； 'our pleasure in the work is
sufficient justification for it。 Who has ever partaken of this
life you speak of； and re…entered into the womb to tell us of it？
Granted that some few have pretended to have done this； but how
completely have their stories broken down when subjected to the
tests of sober criticism。 No。 When we are born we are born； and
there is an end of us。'
〃But in the hour of birth； when they can no longer re…enter the
womb and tell the others； Behold！ they find that it is not so。〃
Here the reader again closed his book and resumed his place in the
apse。
CHAPTER XVI： PROFESSOR HANKY PREACHES A SERMON； IN THE COURSE OF
WHICH MY FATHER DECLARES HIMSELF TO BE THE SUNCHILD
Professor Hanky then went up into the pulpit； richly but soberly
robed in vestments the exact nature of which I cannot determine。
His carriage was dignified； and the harsh lines on his face gave it
a strong individuality； which； though it did not attract； conveyed
an impression of power that could not fail to interest。 As soon as
he had given attention time to fix itself upon him； he began his
sermon without text or preliminary matter of any kind； and
apparently without notes。
He spoke clearly and very quietly； especially at the beginning； he
used action whenever it could point his meaning； or give it life
and colour； but there was no approach to staginess or even
oratorical display。 In fact； he spoke as one who meant what he was
saying； and desired that his hearers should accept his meaning；
fully confident in his good faith。 His use of pause was effective。
After the word 〃mistake；〃 at the end of the opening sentence； he
held up his half…bent hand and paused for full three seconds；
looking intently at his audience as he did so。 Every one felt the
idea to be here enounced that was to dominate the sermon。
The sermonso m