the ragged trousered philanthropists-第171章

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‘Will　your　train　cross　over　the　bridge？'　inquired　the　boy；　pausing　and　looking　over　the　banisters。

‘Yes。　　Why？'

‘Because　we　can　see　the　bridge　from　our　front…room　window；　and　if　you　were　to　wave　your　handkerchief　as　your　train　goes　over　the　bridge；　we　could　wave　back。'

‘All　right。　　I'll　do　so。　　Goodbye。'

‘Goodbye。'

Barrington　waited　till　he　heard　Frankie　open　and　close　the　door　of　Owen's　fiat；　and　then　he　hurried　away。　　When　he　gained　the　main　road　he　heard　the　sound　of　singing　and　saw　a　crowd　at　the　corner　of　one　of　the　side…streets。　　As　he　drew　near　he　perceived　that　it　was　a　religious　meeting。

There　was　a　lighted　lamp　on　a　standard　in　the　centre　of　the　crowd　and　on　the　glass　of　this　lamp　was　painted：　‘Be　not　deceived：　God　is　not　mocked。'

Mr　Rushton　was　preaching　in　the　centre　of　the　ring。　　He　said　that　they　had　come　hout　there　that　evening　to　tell　the　Glad　Tidings　of　Great　Joy　to　hall　those　dear　people　that　he　saw　standing　around。　　The　members　of　the　Shining　Light　Chapel　…　to　which　he　himself　belonged　…　was　the　organizers　of　that　meeting　but　it　was　not　a　sectarian　meeting；　for　he　was　'appy　to　say　that　several　members　of　other　denominations　was　there　co…operating　with　them　in　the　good　work。　　As　he　continued　his　address；　Rushton　repeatedly　referred　to　the　individuals　who　composed　the　crowd　as　his　‘Brothers　and　Sisters'　and；　strange　to　say；　nobody　laughed。

Barrington　looked　round　upon　the　‘Brothers'：　Mr　Sweater；　resplendent　in　a　new　silk　hat　of　the　latest　fashion；　and　a　fur…trimmed　overcoat。　The　Rev。　Mr　Bosher；　Vicar　of　the　Church　of　the　Whited　Sepulchre；　Mr　Grinder　…　one　of　the　churchwardens　at　the　same　place　of　alleged　worship　…　both　dressed　in　broadcloth　and　fine　linen　and　glossy　silk　hats；　while　their　general　appearance　testified　to　the　fact　that　they　had　fared　sumptuously　for　many　days。　　Mr　Didlum；　Mrs　Starvem；　Mr　Dauber；　Mr　Botchit；　Mr　Smeeriton；　and　Mr　Leavit。

And　in　the　midst　was　the　Rev。　John　Starr；　doing　the　work　for　which　he　was　paid。

As　he　stood　there　in　the　forefront　of　this　company；　there　was　nothing　in　his　refined　and　comely　exterior　to　indicate　that　his　real　function　was　to　pander　to　and　flatter　them；　to　invest　with　an　air　of　respectability　and　rectitude　the　abominably　selfish　lives　of　the　gang　of　swindlers；　slave…drivers　and　petty　tyrants　who　formed　the　majority　of　the　congregation　of　the　Shining　Light　Chapel。

He　was　doing　the　work　for　which　he　was　paid。　　By　the　mere　fact　of　his　presence　there；　condoning　and　justifying　the　crimes　of　these　typical　representatives　of　that　despicable　class　whose　greed　and　inhumanity　have　made　the　earth　into　a　hell。

There　was　also　a　number　of　‘respectable'；　well…dressed　people　who　looked　as　if　they　could　do　with　a　good　meal；　and　a　couple　of　shabbily　dressed；　poverty…stricken…looking　individuals　who　seemed　rather　out　of　place　in　the　glittering　throng。

The　remainder　of　the　Brothers　consisted　of　half…starved；　pale…faced　working　men　and　women；　most　of　them　dressed　in　other　people's　cast…off　clothing；　and　with　broken；　patched…up；　leaky　boots　on　their　feet。

Rushton　having　concluded　his　address；　Didlum　stepped　forward　to　give　out　the　words　of　the　hymn　the　former　had　quoted　at　the　conclusion　of　his　remarks：


　　　　　　　　‘Oh；　come　and　jine　this　'oly　band；　　　　　　　　　And　hon　to　glory　go。'

Strange　and　incredible　as　it　may　appear　to　the　reader；　although　none　of　them　ever　did　any　of　the　things　Jesus　said；　the　people　who　were　conducting　this　meeting　had　the　effrontery　to　claim　to　be　followers　of　Christ　…　Christians！

Jesus　said：　‘Lay　not　up　for　yourselves　treasure　upon　earth'；　‘Love　not　the　world　nor　the　things　of　the　world'；　‘Woe　unto　you　that　are　rich　…　it　is　easier　for　a　camel　to　go　through　the　eye　of　a　needle　than　for　a　rich　man　to　enter　the　kingdom　of　heaven。'　　Yet　all　these　self…styled　‘Followers'　of　Christ　made　the　accumulation　of　money　the　principal　business　of　their　lives。

Jesus　said：　‘Be　ye　not　called　masters；　for　they　bind　heavy　burdens　and　grievous　to　be　borne；　and　lay　them　on　men's　shoulders；　but　they　themselves　will　not　touch　them　with　one　of　their　fingers。　　For　one　is　your　master；　even　Christ；　and　ye　are　all　brethren。'　　But　nearly　all　these　alleged　followers　of　the　humble　Workman　of　Nazareth　claimed　to　be　other　people's　masters　or　mistresses。　　And　as　for　being　all　brethren；　whilst　most　of　these　were　arrayed　in　broadcloth　and　fine　linen　and　fared　sumptuously　every　day；　they　knew　that　all　around　them　thousands　of　those　they　hypocritically　called　their　‘brethren'；　men；　women　and　little　children；　were　slowly　perishing　of　hunger　and　cold；　and　we　have　already　seen　how　much　brotherhood　existed　between　Sweater　and　Rushton　and　the　miserable；　half…starved　wretches　in　their　employment。

Whenever　they　were　asked　why　they　did　not　practise　the　things　Jesus　preached；　they　replied　that　it　is　impossible　to　do　so！　　They　did　not　seem　to　realize　that　when　they　said　this　they　were　saying；　in　effect；　that　Jesus　taught　an　impracticable　religion；　and　they　appeared　to　forget　that　Jesus　said；　‘Wherefore　call　ye　me　Lord；　Lord；　when　ye　do　not　the　things　I　say？。。　。'　‘Whosoever　heareth　these　sayings　of　mine　and　doeth　them　not；　shall　be　likened　to　a　foolish　man　who　built　his　house　upon　the　sand。'

But　although　none　of　these　self…styled　‘Followers'　of　Christ；　ever　did　the　things　that　Jesus　said；　they　talked　a　great　deal　about　them；　and　sang　hymns；　and　for　a　pretence　made　long　prayers；　and　came　out　here　to　exhort　those　who　were　still　in　darkness　to　forsake　their　evil　ways。　And　they　procured　this　lantern　and　wrote　a　text　upon　it：　‘Be　not　deceived；　God　is　not　mocked。'

They　stigmatized　as　‘infidels'　all　those　who　differed　from　them；　forgetting　that　the　only　real　infidels　are　those　who　are　systematically　false　and　unfaithful　to　the　Master　they　pretend　to　love　and　serve。

Grinder；　having　a　slight　cold；　had　not　spoken　this　evening；　but　several　other　infidels；　including　Sweater；　Didlum；　Bosher；　and　Starr；　had　addressed　the　meeting；　making　a　special　appeal　to　the　working　people；　of　whom　the　majority　of　the　crowd　was　composed；　to　give　up　all　the　vain　pleasures　of　the　world　in　which　they　at　present　indulged；　and；　as　Rushton　had　eloquently　put　it　at　the　close　of　his　remarks：

　　　　　　　　‘Come　and　jine　this　'Oly　band　and　hon　to　glory　go！'

As　Didlum　finished　reading　out　the　words；　the　lady　at　the　harmonium　struck　up　the　tune　of　the　hymns；　and　the　disciples　all　joined　in　the　singing：

　　　　　　　　‘Oh；　come　and　join　this　'oly　band　and　hon　to　glory　go。'

During　the　singing　certain　of　the　disciples　went　about　amongst　the　crowd　distributing　tracts。　　Presently　one　of　them　offered　one　to　Barrington　and　as　the　latter　looked　at　the　man　he　saw　that　it　was　Slyme；　who　also　recognized　him　at　the　same　instant　and　greeted　him　by　name。　　Barrington　made　no　reply　except　to　decline　the　tract：

‘I　don't　want　that　…　from　you；'　he　said　contemptuously。

Slyme　turned　red。　　‘Oh；　I　know　what　you're　thinking　of；'　he　said　after　a　pause　and　speaking　in　an　injured　tone；　‘but　you　shouldn't　judge　anyone　too　hard。　　It　wasn't　only　my　fault；　and　you　don't　know　'ow　much　I've　suffered　for　it。　　If　it　'adn't　been　for　the　Lord；　I　believe　I　should　'ave　drownded　myself。'

Barrington　made　no　answer　and　Slyme　slunk　off；　and　when　the　hymn　was　finished　Brother　Sweater　stood　forth　and　gave　all　those　present　a　hearty　invitation　to　attend　the　services　to　be　held　during　the　ensuing　week　at　the　Chapel　of　the　Shining　Light。　　He　invited　them　there　specially；　of　course；　because　it　was　the　place　with　which　he　was　himself　connected；　but　he　entreated　and　begged　of　them　even　if　they　would　not　come　there　to　go　Somewhere；　there　were　plenty　of　other　places　of　worship　in　the　town；　in　fact；　there　was　one　at　the　corner　of　nearly　every　street。　　Those　who　did　not　fancy　the　services　at　the　Shining　Light　could　go　to　the　Church　of　the　Whited　Sepulchre；　but　he　really　did　hope　that　all　those　dear　people　whom　he　saw　standing　round　would　go　Somewhere。

A　short　prayer　from　Bosher　closed　the　meeting；　and　now　the　reason　for　the　presence　of　the　two　poverty…stricken…looking　shabbily　dressed　disciples　was　made　manifest；　for　while　the　better　dressed　and　therefore　more　respectable　Brothers　were　shaking　hands　with　and　grinning　at　each　other　or　ho