按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the pages before me。 Shall the story of Ahab king of Samaria profit us
when we know not the story of the Ahabs of our day； and the Naboths of our
land be stoned while we sit at east？' And he read to them portions of that
book。 And certain rich men and women rose up and went out even while he
spoke； and his wife also went out。
〃And when the service was ended and the man returned to his home； his wife
came to him weeping； and she said； 'Did you see how some of the most
wealthy and important people got up and went out this morning？ Why did you
preach such a sermon； when we were just going to have the new wing added to
our house； and you thought they were going to raise your salary？ You have
not a single Boer in your congregation！ Why need you say the Chartered
Company raid on Johannesburg was wrong？'
〃He said； 'My wife； if I believe that certain men whom we have raised on
high； and to whom we have given power； have done a cowardly wrong； shall I
not say it？'
〃And she said； 'Yes； and only a little while ago； when Rhodes was licking
the dust off the Boers' feet that he might keep them from suspecting while
he got ready this affair； then you attacked both Rhodes and the Bond （The
Afrikander Bond； the organised Dutch political party； through whom Mr。
Rhodes worked； and by whom he was backed。） for trying to pass a Bill for
flogging the niggers； and we lost fifty pounds we might have got for the
church？' And he said； 'My wife； cannot God be worshipped as well under the
dome of the heaven He made as in a golden palace？ Shall a man keep
silence； when he sees oppression； to earn money for God？ If I have
defended the black man when I believed him to be wronged； shall I not also
defend the white man； my flesh…brother？ Shall we speak when one man is
wronged and not when it is another？'
〃And she said； 'Yes； but you have your family and yourself to think of！
Why are you always in opposition to the people who could do something for
us？ You are only loved by the poor。 If it is necessary for you to attack
some one； why don't you attack the Jews for killing Christ； or Herod； or
Pontius Pilate； why don't you leave alone the men who are in power today；
and who with their money can crush you！'
〃And he said； 'Oh my wife； those Jews； and Herod； and Pontius Pilate are
long dead。 If I should preach of them now； would it help them？ Would it
save one living thing from their clutches？ The past is dead； it lives only
for us to learn from。 The present； the present only； is ours to work in；
and the future ours to create。 Is all the gold of Johannesburg or are all
the diamonds in Kimberley worth； that one Christian man should fall by the
hand of his fellowsaye； or one heathen brother？'
〃And she answered； 'Oh； that is all very well。 If you were a really
eloquent preacher； and could draw hundreds of men about you； and in time
form a great party with you at its head； I shouldn't mind what you said。
But you； with your little figure and your little voice； who will ever
follow you？ You will be left all alone； that is all the good that will
ever come to you through it。'
〃And he said； 'Oh my wife； have I not waited and watched and hoped that
they who are nobler and stronger than I； all over this land； would lift up
their voices and speakand there is only a deadly silence？ Here and there
one has dared to speak aloud； but the rest whisper behind the hand； one
says； 'My son has a post； he would lose it if I spoke loud'； and another
says； 'I have a promise of land'； and another； 'I am socially intimate with
these men； and should lose my social standing if I let my voice be heard。'
Oh my wife； our land； our goodly land； which we had hoped would be free and
strong among the peoples of earth； is rotten and honeycombed with the
tyranny of gold！ We who had hoped to stand first in the Anglo…Saxon
sisterhood for justice and freedom； are not even fit to stand last。 Do I
not know only too bitterly how weak is my voice； and that that which I can
do is as nothing： but shall I remain silent？ Shall the glow…worm refuse
to give its light； because it is not a star set up on high； shall the
broken stick refuse to burn and warm one frozen man's hands； because it is
not a beacon…light flaming across the earth？ Ever a voice is behind my
shoulder； that whispers to me'Why break your head against a stone wall？
Leave this work to the greater and larger men of your people； they who will
do it better than you can do it！ Why break your heart when life could be
so fair to you？' But； oh my wife； the strong men are silent！ and shall I
not speak； though I know my power is as nothing？'
〃He laid his head upon his hands。
〃And she said； 'I cannot understand you。 When I come home and tell you
that this man drinks； or that that woman has got into trouble； you always
answer me； 'Wife； what business is it of ours if so be that we cannot help
them？' A little innocent gossip offends you； and you go to visit people
and treat them as your friends； into whose house I would not go。 Yet when
the richest and strongest men in the land； who could crush you with their
money； as a boy crushes a fly between his finger and thumb； take a certain
course； you stand and oppose them。'
〃And he said； 'My wife； with the sins of the private man； what have I to
do； if so be I have not led him into them？ Am I guilty？ I have enough to
do looking after my own sins。 The sin that a man sins against himself is
his alone； not mine； the sin that a man sins against his fellows is his and
theirs； not mine： but the sins that a man sins； in that he is taken up by
the hands of a people and set up on high； and whose hand they have armed
with their sword； whose power to strike is their powerhis sins are
theirs； there is no man so small in the whole nation that he dares say； 'I
have no responsibility for this man's action。' We armed him； we raised
him； we strengthened him； and the evil he accomplishes is more ours than
his。 If this man's end in South Africa should be accomplished； and the day
should come when； from the Zambezi to the sea； white man should fly at
white man's throat； and every man's heart burn with bitterness against his
fellow； and the land be bathed with blood as rainshall I then dare to
pray； who have now feared to speak？ Do not think I wish for punishment
upon these men。 Let them take the millions they have wrung out of this
land； and go to the lands of their birth； and live in wealth； luxury； and
joy； but let them leave this land they have tortured and ruined。 Let them
keep the money they have made here； we may be the poorer for it； but they
cannot then crush our freedom with it。 Shall I ask my God Sunday by Sunday
to brood across the land； and bind all its children's hearts in a close…
knit fellowship；yet； when I see its people betrayed； and their jawbone
broken by a stroke from the hand of gold； when I see freedom passing from
us； and the whole land being