the procession of life-第2章

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for　whose　home　this　mansion　was　intended；　have　faded　into

nothingness　since　the　death　of　the　founder's　only　son。　The　rich

man　gives　a　glance　at　his　sable　garb　in　one　of　the　splendid

mirrors　of　his　drawing…room；　and　descending　a　flight　of　lofty

steps　instinctively　offers　his　arm　to　yonder　poverty　stricken

widow　in　the　rusty　black　bonnet；　and　with　a　check　apron　over　her

patched　gown。　The　sailor　boy；　who　was　her　sole　earthly　stay；　was

washed　overboard　in　a　late　tempest。　This　couple　from　the　palace

and　the　almshouse　are　but　the　types　of　thousands　more　who

represent　the　dark　tragedy　of　life　and　seldom　quarrel　for　the

upper　parts。　Grief　is　such　a　leveller；　with　its　own　dignity　and

its　own　humility；　that　the　noble　and　the　peasant；　the　beggar　and

the　monarch；　will　waive　their　pretensions　to　external　rank

without　the　officiousness　of　interference　on　our　part。　If

pridethe　influence　of　the　world's　false　distinctionsremain　in

the　heart；　then　sorrow　lacks　the　earnestness　which　makes　it　holy

and　reverend。　It　loses　its　reality　and　becomes　a　miserable

shadow。　On　this　ground　we　have　an　opportunity　to　assign　over

multitudes　who　would　willingly　claim　places　here　to　other　parts

of　the　procession。　If　the　mourner　have　anything　dearer　than　his

grief　he　must　seek　his　true　position　elsewhere。　There　are　so　many

unsubstantial　sorrows　which　the　necessity　of　our　mortal　state

begets　on　idleness；　that　an　observer；　casting　aside　sentiment；　is

sometimes　led　to　question　whether　there　be　any　real　woe；　except

absolute　physical　suffering　and　the　loss　of　closest　friends。　A

crowd　who　exhibit　what　they　deem　to　be　broken　heartsand　among

them　many　lovelorn　maids　and　bachelors；　and　men　of　disappointed

ambition　in　arts　or　politics；　and　the　poor　who　were　once　rich；　or

who　have　sought　to　be　rich　in　vainthe　great　majority　of　these

may　ask　admittance　into　some　other　fraternity。　There　is　no　room

here。　Perhaps　we　may　institute　a　separate　class　where　such

unfortunates　will　naturally　fall　into　the　procession。　Meanwhile

let　them　stand　aside　and　patiently　await　their　time。



If　our　trumpeter　can　borrow　a　note　from　the　doomsday　trumpet

blast；　let　him　sound　it　now。　The　dread　alarum　should　make　the

earth　quake　to　its　centre；　for　the　herald　is　about　to　address

mankind　with　a　summons　to　which　even　the　purest　mortal　may　be

sensible　of　some　faint　responding　echo　in　his　breast。　In　many

bosoms　it　will　awaken　a　still　small　voice　more　terrible　than　its

own　reverberating　uproar。



The　hideous　appeal　has　swept　around　the　globe。　Come；　all　ye

guilty　ones；　and　rank　yourselves　in　accordance　with　the

brotherhood　of　crime。　This；　indeed；　is　an　awful　summons。　I　almost

tremble　to　look　at　the　strange　partnerships　that　begin　to　be

formed；　reluctantly；　but　by　the　in　vincible　necessity　of　like　to

like　in　this　part　of　the　procession。　A　forger　from　the　state

prison　seizes　the　arm　of　a　distinguished　financier。　How

indignantly　does　the　latter　plead　his　fair　reputation　upon

'Change；　and　insist　that　his　operations；　by　their　magnificence　of

scope；　were　removed　into　quite　another　sphere　of　morality　than

those　of　his　pitiful　companion！　But　let　him　cut　the　connection　if

he　can。　Here　comes　a　murderer　with　his　clanking　chains；　and　pairs

himselfhorrible　to　tellwith　as　pure　and　upright　a　man；　in　all

observable　respects；　as　ever　partook　of　the　consecrated　bread　and

wine。　He　is　one　of　those；　perchance　the　most　hopeless　of　all

sinners；　who　practise　such　an　exemplary　system　of　outward　duties；

that　even　a　deadly　crime　may　be　hidden　from　their　own　sight　and

remembrance；　under　this　unreal　frostwork。　Yet　he　now　finds　his

place。　Why　do　that　pair　of　flaunting　girls；　with　the　pert；

affected　laugh　and　the　sly　leer　at　the　by…standers；　intrude

themselves　into　the　same　rank　with　yonder　decorous　matron；　and

that　somewhat　prudish　maiden？　Surely　these　poor　creatures；　born

to　vice　as　their　sole　and　natural　inheritance；　can　be　no　fit

associates　for　women　who　have　been　guarded　round　about　by　all　the

proprieties　of　domestic　life；　and　who　could　not　err　unless　they

first　created　the　opportunity。　Oh　no；　it　must　be　merely　the

impertinence　of　those　unblushing　hussies；　and　we　can　only　wonder

how　such　respectable　ladies　should　have　responded　to　a　summons

that　was　not　meant　for　them。



We　shall　make　short　work　of　this　miserable　class；　each　member　of

which　is　entitled　to　grasp　any　other　member's　hand；　by　that　vile

degradation　wherein　guilty　error　has　buried　all　alike。　The　foul

fiend　to　whom　it　properly　belongs　must　relieve　us　of　our

loathsome　task。　Let　the　bond　servants　of　sin　pass　on。　But　neither

man　nor　woman；　in　whom　good　predominates；　will　smile　or　sneer；

nor　bid　the　Rogues'　March　be　played；　in　derision　of　their　array。

Feeling　within　their　breasts　a　shuddering　sympathy；　which　at

least　gives　token　of　the　sin　that　might　have　been；　they　will

thank　God　for　any　place　in　the　grand　procession　of　human

existence；　save　among　those　most　wretched　ones。　Many；　however；

will　be　astonished　at　the　fatal　impulse　that　drags　them

thitherward。　Nothing　is　more　remarkable　than　the　various

deceptions　by　which　guilt　conceals　itself　from　the　perpetrator's

conscience；　and　oftenest；　perhaps；　by　the　splendor　of　its

garments。　Statesmen；　rulers；　generals；　and　all　men　who　act　over

an　extensive　sphere；　are　most　liable　to　be　deluded　in　this　way；

they　commit　wrong；　devastation；　and　murder；　on　so　grand　a　scale；

that　it　impresses　them　as　speculative　rather　than　actual；　but　in

our　procession　we　find　them　linked　in　detestable　conjunction　with

the　meanest　criminals　whose　deeds　have　the　vulgarity　of　petty

details。　Here　the　effect　of　circumstance　and　accident　is　done

away；　and　a　man　finds　his　rank　according　to　the　spirit　of　his

crime；　in　whatever　shape　it　may　have　been　developed。



We　have　called　the　Evil；　now　let　us　call　the　Good。　The　trumpet's

brazen　throat　should　pour　heavenly　music　over　the　earth；　and　the

herald's　voice　go　forth　with　the　sweetness　of　an　angel's　accents；

as　if　to　summon　each　upright　man　to　his　reward。　But　how　is　this？

Does　none　answer　to　the　call？　Not　one：　for　the　just；　the　pure；

the　true；　and　an　who　might　most　worthily　obey　it；　shrink　sadly

back；　as　most　conscious　of　error　and　imperfection。　Then　let　the

summons　be　to　those　whose　pervading　principle　is　Love。　This

classification　will　embrace　all　the　truly　good；　and　none　in　whose

souls　there　exists　not　something　that　may　expand　itself　into　a

heaven；　both　of　well…doing　and　felicity。



The　first　that　presents　himself　is　a　man　of　wealth；　who　has

bequeathed　the　bulk　of　his　property　to　a　hospital；　his　ghost；

methinks；　would　have　a　better　right　here　than　his　living　body。

But　here　they　come；　the　genuine　benefactors　of　their　race。　Some

have　wandered　about　the　earth　with　pictures　of　bliss　in　their

imagination；　and　with　hearts　that　shrank　sensitively　from　the

idea　of　pain　and　woe；　yet　have　studied　all　varieties　of　misery

that　human　nature　can　endure。　The　prison；　the　insane　asylum；　the

squalid　chamber　of　the　almshouse；　the　manufactory　where　the　demon

of　machinery　annihilates　the　human　soul；　and　the　cotton　field

where　God's　image　becomes　a　beast　of　burden；　to　these　and　every

other　scene　where　man　wrongs　or　neglects　his　brother；　the

apostles　of　humanity　have　penetrated。　This　missionary；　black　with

India's　burning　sunshine；　shall　give　his　arm　to　a　pale…faced

brother　who　has　made　himself　familiar　with　the　infected　alleys

and　loathsome　haunts　of　vice　in　one　of　our　own　cities。　The

generous　founder　of　a　college　shall　be　the　partner　of　a　maiden

lady　of　narrow　substance；　one　of　whose　good　deeds　it　has　been　to

gather　a　little　school　of　orphan　children。　If　the　mighty　merchant

whose　benefactions　are　reckoned　by　thousands　of　dollars　deem

himself　worthy；　let　him　join　the　procession　with　her　whose　love

has　proved　itself　by　watchings　at　the　sick…bed；　and　all　those

lowly　offices　which　bring　her　into　actual　contact　with　disease

and　wretchedness。　And　with　those　whose　impulses　have　guided　them

to　benevolent　actions；　we　will　rank　others　to　whom　Providence　has

assigned　a　different　tendency　and　different　powers。　Men　who　have

spent　their　lives　in　generous　and　holy　contemplation　for　the

human　race；　those　who；　by　a　certain　heavenliness　of　spirit；　have

purified　the　atmosphere　around　them；　and　thus　supplied　a　medium

in　which　good　and　high　things　may　be　projected　and

performedgive　to　these　a　lofty　place　among　the　benefactors　of

mankind；　although　no　deed；　such　as　the　world　calls　deeds；　may　be

recorded　of　them。　There　are　some　individuals　of　whom　we　cannot

conceive　it　proper　that　they　should　apply　their　hands　to　any

earthly　instrument；　or　work　out　any　definite　act；　and　others；

perhaps　not　less　high；　to　whom　it　is　an　essential　attribute　to

labor　in　body　as　well　as　spirit　for　the　welfare　of　their

brethren。　Thus；　if　we　find　a　spiritual　sage　whose　unseen；

inestimable　influence　has　exalted　the　moral　standard　of　mankind；

we　will　choose　for　his　companion　some　poor　laborer　who　has

wrought　for　love　in　the　potato　field　of　a　neighbor　poorer　than

himself。



We　have　summoned　this　various　multitudeand；　to　the　credit　of

our　nature；　it　is　a　large　oneon　the　principle　of　Love。　It　is

singular；　nevertheless；　to　remark　the　shyness　that　exists　among

many　members　of　the　present　class；　all　of　whom　we　might　expect　to

recognize　one　another　by　the　freemasonry　of　mutual　goodness；　and

to　embrace　like　brethren；　giving　God　thanks　for　such　various

specimens　of　human　excellence。　But　it　is　far　otherwise。　Each　sect

surrounds　its　own　righteousness　with　a　hedge　of　thorns。　It　is

difficult　for　the　good　Christian　to　acknowledge　the　good　Pagan；

almost　impossible　for　the　good　Orthodox　to　grasp　the　hand　of　the

good　Unitarian；　leaving　to　their　Creator　to　settle　the　matters　in

dispute；　and　giving　their　mutual　efforts　strongly　and　trustingly

to　whatever　right　thing　is　too　evident　to　be　mistaken。　Then

again；　though　the　heart　be　large；　yet　the　mind　is　often　of　such

moderate　dimensions　as　to　be　exclusively　filled　up　with　one　idea。

When　a　good　man　has　long　devoted　himself　to　a　particular　kind　of

beneficenceto　one　species　of　reformhe　is　apt　to　become

narrowed　into　the　limits　of　the　path　wherein　he　treads；　and　to

fancy　that　there　is　no　other　good　to　be　done　on　earth　but　that

self…same　good　to　which　he　has　put　his　hand；　and　in　the　very　mode

that　best　suits　his　own　conceptions。　All　else　is　worthless。　His

scheme　must　be　wrought　out　by　the　united　strength　of　the　whole

world's　stock　of　love；　or　the　world　is　no　longer　worthy　of　a

position　in　the　universe。　Moreover；　powerful　Truth；　being　the

rich　grape　juice　expressed　from　the　vineyard　of　the　ages；　has　an

intoxicating　quality；　when　imbibed　by　any　save　a　powerful

intellect；　and　often；　as　it　were；　impels　the　quaffer　to　quarrel

in　his　cups。　For　such　reasons；　strange　to　say；　it　is　harder　to

contrive　a　friendly　arrangement　of　these　brethren　of　love　and

righteousne