第85部分(第2/7 页)

For　the　evening　reading　before　prayers；　he　selected　the　twenty…first　chapter　of　Revelation。　It　was　at　all　times　pleasant　to　listen　while　from　his　lips　fell　the　words　of　the　Bible：　never　did　his　fine　voice　sound　at　once　so　sweet　and　full—never　did　his　manner　bee　so　impressive　in　its　noble　simplicity；　as　when　he　delivered　the　oracles　of　God：　and　to…night　that　voice　took　a　more　solemn　tone—that　manner　a　more　thrilling　meaning—as　he　sat　in　the　midst　of　his　household　circle　（the　May　moon　shining　in　through　the　uncurtained　window；　and　rendering　almost　unnecessary　the　light　of　the　candle　on　the　table）：　as　he　sat　there；　bending　over　the　great　old　Bible；　and　described　from　its　page　the　vision　of　the　new　heaven　and　the　new　earth—told　how　God　would　e　to　dwell　with　men；　how　He　would　wipe　away　all　tears　from　their　eyes；　and　promised　that　there　should　be　no　more　death；　neither　sorrow　nor　crying；　nor　any　more　pain；　because　the　former　things　were　passed　away。

The　succeeding　words　thrilled　me　strangely　as　he　spoke　them：　especially　as　I　felt；　by　the　slight；　indescribable　alteration　in　sound；　that　in　uttering　them；　his　eye　had　turned　on　me。

“He　that　overeth　shall　inherit　all　things；　and　I　will　be　his　God；　and　he　shall　be　my　son。　But；”　was　slowly；　distinctly　read；　“the　fearful；　the　unbelieving；　&c。；　shall　have　their　part　in　the　lake　which　burh　with　fire　and　brimstone；　which　is　the　second　death。”

Henceforward；　I　knew　what　fate　St。　John　feared　for　me。

A　calm；　subdued　triumph；　blent　with　a　longing　earnestness；　marked　his　enunciation　of　the　last　glorious　verses　of　that　chapter。　The　reader　believed　his　name　was　already　written　in　the　Lamb’s　book　of　life；　and　he　yearned　after　the　hour　which　should　admit　him　to　the　city　to　which　the　kings　of　the　earth　bring　the