第87部分(第3/7 頁)

passes　my　understanding！　Certainly　I　cannot。　When　we　rode　the　wild　horses　of　our　youthful　sins；　the　red　blood　coursing　through　our　veins　like　wine；　who　was　it　that　seized　the　reins　and　again　and　yet　again　delivered　us　from　the　last　disaster？　Who　was　it　that　has　so　often　protected　us　from　the　results　of　our　own　self…willed　folly　and　even　turned　it　to　our　advantage？　Who　that　by　His　gift　of　a　higher　hope　has　stilled　the　raging　agony　of　our　griefs？　Who　that　by　the　unexpected　answers　springing　at　us　from　the　Bible’s　written　page　or　with　some　word　spoken；　apparently　at　hazard；　by　one　of　His　servants　upon　earth；　has　removed　our　doubts；　enlightened　our　darkness　and　strengthened　our　wavering　soul？　Who　that　has　shown　us　a　way　of　escape　from　sharp　temptation？　Or；　amongst　a　thousand　other　examples；　who　that　has　borne　with　our　presumptuous　profanities　and　ingratitude　and　at　last　in　His　own　good　hour　has　set　our　erring　feet　upon　the　paths　of　peace？　Or；　to　take　one　more　example；　who　was　it　that　by　a　dream　and　a　vision　of　the　night　taught　me　that　His　humbler　creatures　are　my　kin　and　not　called　to　life　to　be　slaughtered　for　my　pleasure；　even　though　some　of　them　must　die　to　serve　my　necessities？　Yet　again；　who　twice　has　snatched　me　by　the　hair　from　the　murderer’s　spears　and　bullets；　twice　from　death　in　the　deep；　and　from　a　score　of　other　perils；　perchance　that　I　might　live　on　to　bear　this　witness；　unworthy　though　it　be？

I　have　spoken　of　this　fatherhood　as　a　fact　corroborative　in　its　nature　of　the　truth　of　the　arguments　which　I　have　so　feebly　attempted　to　advance　with　reference　to　the　immortality　of　our　souls。　For　this　reason。　Even　among　the　lowest　of　us　fatherhood　implies　love。　The　fathers　are　few　who　desire　that　even　their　erring　and　unthankful　children　should　die　and　vanish　from