Part 15 (1/2)
”That is much to say for any man,” returned the curate.
”If any man is, then,” adjected Juliet.
”That is a great _If_,” rejoined Wingfold.”--Are _you_ honest, Helen?”
he added, turning to his wife.
”No,” she answered; ”but I am honester than I was a year ago.”
”So am I,” said her husband; ”and I hope to be honester yet before another is over. It's a big thing to say, _I am honest_.”
Juliet was silent, and Helen, who was much interested with her, turned to see how she was taking it. Her lips were as white as her face. Helen attributed the change to anger, and was silent also. The same moment the rector moved toward the place where the luncheon-tables were, and they all accompanied him, Helen still walking, in a little anxiety, by Juliet's side. It was some minutes before the color came back to her lips; but when Helen next addressed her, she answered as gently and sweetly as if the silence had been nothing but an ordinary one.
”You will stay and lunch with us, Mr. Faber?” said the rector. ”There can be no hypocrisy in that--eh?”
”Thank you,” returned the doctor heartily; ”but my work is waiting me, and we all agree that _must_ be done, whatever our opinions as to the ground of the obligation.”
”And no man can say you don't do it,” rejoined the curate kindly.
”That's one thing we do agree in, as you say: let us hold by it, Faber, and keep as good friends as we can, till we grow better ones.”
Faber could not quite match the curate in plain speaking: the pupil was not up with his master yet.
”Thank you, Wingfold,” he returned, and his voice was not free of emotion, though Juliet alone felt the tremble of the one vibrating thread in it. ”--Miss Meredith,” he went on, turning to her, ”I have heard of something that perhaps may suit you: will you allow me to call in the evening, and talk it over with you?”
”Please do,” responded Juliet eagerly. ”Come before post-time if you can. It may be necessary to write.”
”I will. Good morning.”
He made a general bow to the company and walked away, cutting off the heads of the dandelions with his whip as he went. All followed with their eyes his firm, graceful figure, as he strode over the gra.s.s in his riding-boots and spurs.
”He's a fine fellow that!” said the rector. ”--But, bless me!” he added, turning to his curate, ”how things change! If you had told me a year ago, the day would come when I should call an atheist a fine fellow, I should almost have thought you must be one yourself! Yet here I am saying it--and never in my life so much in earnest to be a Christian!
How is it, Wingfold, my boy?”
”He who has the spirit of his Master, will speak the truth even of his Master's enemies,” answered the curate. ”To this he is driven if he does not go willingly, for he knows his Master loves his enemies. If you see Faber a fine fellow, you say so, just as the Lord would, and try the more to save him. A man who loves and serves his neighbor, let him speak ever so many words against the Son of Man, is not sinning against the Holy Ghost. He is still open to the sacred influence--the virtue which is ever going forth from G.o.d to heal. It is the man who in the name of religion opposes that which he sees to be good, who is in danger of eternal sin.”
”Come, come, Wingfold! whatever you do, don't mis-quote,” said the rector.
”I don't say it is the right reading,” returned the curate, ”but I can hardly be convicted of misquoting, so long as it is that of the two oldest ma.n.u.scripts we have.”
”You always have the better of me,” answered the rector. ”But tell me--are not the atheists of the present day a better sort of fellows than those we used to hear of when we were young?”
”I do think so. But, as one who believes with his whole soul, and strives with his whole will, I attribute their betterness to the growing influences of G.o.d upon the race through them that have believed. And I am certain of this, that, whatever they are, it needs but time and continued unbelief to bring them down to any level from whatever height.
They will either repent, or fall back into the worst things, believing no more in their fellow-man and the duty they owe him--of which they now rightly make so much, and yet not half enough--than they do in G.o.d and His Christ. But I do not believe half the bad things Christians have said and written of atheists. Indeed I do not believe the greater number of those they have called such, were atheists at all. I suspect that worse dishonesty, and greater injustice, are to be found among the champions, lay and cleric, of religious Opinion, than in any other cla.s.s. If G.o.d were such a One as many of those who would fancy themselves His apostles, the universe would be but a huge h.e.l.l. Look at certain of the so-called religious newspapers, for instance. Religious!
Their tongue is set on fire of h.e.l.l. It may be said that they are mere money-speculations; but what makes them pay? Who buys them? To please whom do they write? Do not many buy them who are now and then themselves disgusted with them? Why do they not refuse to touch the unclean things?
Instead of keeping the commandment, 'that he who loveth G.o.d love his brother also,' these, the prime channels of Satanic influence in the Church, powerfully teach, that He that loveth G.o.d must abuse his brother--or he shall be himself abused.”