Volume Ii Part 30 (1/2)
”Ay, but how shall we be sure that it is so?”
”Why, Mr. Carleton, Sir,” said Mrs. Evelyn, ”do you doubt that? Do you suppose it possible, for a moment, that a benevolent being would make creatures to be anything but happy?”
”You believe the Bible, Mrs. Evelyn?” he said, smiling slightly.
”Certainly, Sir; but, Mr. Carleton, the Bible, I am sure, holds out the same views, of the goodness and glory of the Creator ? you cannot open it but you find them on every page.
If I could take such views of things as some people have,”
said Mrs. Evelyn, getting up to punch the fire in her extremity ? ”I don't know what I should do! Mr. Carleton, I think I would rather never have been born, Sir!”
”Every one runs to the Bible!” said Mr. Stackpole. ”It is the general armoury, and all parties draw from it to fight each other.”
”True,” said Mr. Carleton, ”but only while they draw partially. No man can fight the battle of truth but in the whole panoply, and no man so armed can fight any other.”
”What do you mean, Sir?”
”I mean that the Bible is not a riddle, neither inconsistent with itself; but if you take off one leg of a pair of compa.s.ses, the measuring power is gone.”
”But, Mr. Carleton, Sir,” said Mrs. Evelyn ? ”do you think that reading the Bible is calculated to give one gloomy ideas of the future?”
”By no means,” he said, with one of those meaning-fraught smiles; ”but is it safe, Mrs. Evelyn, in such a matter, to venture a single grasp of hope without the direct warrant of G.o.d's Word?”
”Well, Sir?”
”Well, Ma'am, that says, 'The soul that sinneth, it shall die.' ”
”That disposes of the whole matter comfortably at once,” said Mr. Stackpole.
”But, Sir,” said Mrs. Evelyn ? ”that doesn't stand alone ? the Bible everywhere speaks of the fulness and freeness of Christ's salvation!”
”Full and free as it can possibly be,” he answered, with something of a sad expression of countenance; ”but, Mrs.
Evelyn, _never offered but with conditions_.”
”What conditions?” said Mr. Stackpole, hastily.
”I recommend you to look for them, Sir,” answered Mr.
Carleton, gravely; ? ”they should not be unknown to a wise man.”
”Then you would leave mankind ridden by this nightmare of fear? ? or what is your remedy?”
”There is a remedy, Sir,” said Mr. Carleton, with that dilating and darkening eye which showed him deeply engaged in what he was thinking about; ”it is not mine. When men feel themselves lost, and are willing to be saved in G.o.d's way, then the breach is made up ? then hope can look across the gap and see its best home and its best friend on the other side ?
then faith lays hold on forgiveness, and trembling is done ?
then, sin being pardoned, the sting of death is taken away and the fear of death is no more, for it is swallowed up in victory. But men will not apply to a physician while they think themselves well; and people will not seek the sweet way of safety by Christ till they know there is no other; and so, do you see, Mrs. Evelyn, that when the gentleman you were speaking of sought to-day to persuade his hearers that they were poorer than they thought they were, he was but taking the surest way to bring them to be made richer than they ever dreamed.”
There was a power of gentle earnestness in his eye that Mrs.
Evelyn could not answer; her look fell as that of Constance had done, and there was a moment's silence.
Thorn had kept quiet, for two reasons ? that he might not displease Fleda, and that he might watch her. She had left her work and turning half round from the table, had listened intently to the conversation, towards the last, very forgetful that there might be anybody to observe her ? with eyes fixed and cheeks flus.h.i.+ng, and the corners of the mouth just indicating delight ? till the silence fell; and then she turned round to the table and took up her worsted-work. But the lips were quite grave now, and Thorn's keen eyes discerned that upon one or two of the artificial roses there lay two or three very natural drops.