study of the king james bible(钦印〈圣经〉研究)-第42章
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January； 1649； though he took part in them。 Increasingly in the movements
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which led to that event and which followed it he was growing into
prominence。 After Marston Moor； Prince Rupert named him Ironsides； and
his regiment of picked men； picked for their spirit； went always into battle
singing psalms； 〃and were never beaten。〃 As he rode out to the field at
Naseby （1645） he knew he faced the flower of the loyalist army； while
with him were only untrained men； yet he smiled； as he said afterward； in
the 〃assurance that God would； by things that are not； bring to naught
things that are。〃 Then he adds； 〃God did it。〃 Never did he raise his flag but
in the interests of the liberty of the people； and back of every movement of
his army there was his confidence in the Bible； which was his mainstay。
They offered him the throne； he would not have it。 He dissolved the
Parliament which had dragged on until the patience of the people was
exhausted。 He called another to serve their need。 The evening before it met
he spent in meditation on the One hundred and third Psalm。 The evening
before the second Parliament of his Protectorate he brooded on the Eighty…
fifth Psalm； and opened the Parliament next day with an exposition of it。
The man was saturated with Scripture。 Yes； the times were rude。 It was an
Old Testament age； and in right Old Testament spirit did Cromwell work。
And it seemed that his work failed。 There was no one to succeed him； and
soon after his death came the Restoration and the return of Charles II。； of
which we have already spoken； in which occurred that hint of the real
sentiment of the English people which a wise man had better have taken。
Yet； recall what actually happened。 Misunderstanding the spirit of the
English people； which Cromwell had helped to form； but which in turn
had made Cromwell possible； the servile courtiers of the false king
unearthed the Protector's body； three years buried； hanged it on a gallows
in Tyburn for a day； beheaded it； and threw the trunk into a pit。 His head
they mockingly set on a pinnacle of the Parliament Hall； whence for some
weeks it looked over the city which he had served。 Then； during a great
storm； it came clattering down； only a poor dried skull； and disappeared no
one knows where。 But when you stand opposite the great Parliament
buildings in London to…day； the most beautiful buildings for their purpose
in the world； the buildings where the liberties of the English express
themselves year after year； whose is the one statue that finds place within
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the inclosure； near the spot where that poor skull came rattling down？ Not
Charles II。you shall look in vain for him。 Not George Monk； who
brought back the Kingyou shall not find him there。 The one statue which
England has cared to plant beside its Parliament buildings is that of Oliver
Cromwell； its Lord Protector。 There he stands； warning kings in the
interests of liberty。 John Morley makes no ideal of him。 He thinks he
rather closed the medieval period than opened the modern period； but he
will not have Cromwell compared to Frederick the Great； who spoke with
a sneer of mankind。 Cromwell 〃belonged to the rarer and nobler type of
governing men； who see the golden side； who count faith； piety； hope
among the counsels of practical wisdom； and who for political power must
ever seek a moral base。〃 That is a rare and noble type of men； whether
they govern or not。 But no man of that type governs without red blood in
his veins； and the iron that made this man's blood run red came from the
English Bible。
It is a far cry from Oliver Cromwell to Abraham Lincolnfar in years；
far in deeds； far in methods； but not far in spirit。 Great men are kindred；
generations over。 We pass from the Old Testament into the New when we
pass from Cromwell to Lincoln； but we still feel the spirit of liberty。 From
the days of the Puritans； the Quakers and the Dutch； history had been
preparing for this time。 Benjamin Franklin had done his great work for
human liberty； he had summed up his hope for the nation in his
memorable address in 1787； when he stood eighty… one years old； before
the convention assembled to frame a constitution for the new government。
He reminded them that at the beginning of the contest with the British they
had had daily prayers in that room in Philadelphia for the Divine
protection； and said： 〃I have lived for a long time； and the longer I live the
more convincing proof I see of this truth； that God governs in the affairs of
men。 And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice； is it
probable that an empire can rise without His aid？ We have been assured；
Sir； in the sacred writings； that 'Except the Lord build the house； they labor
in vain that build it。' I firmly believe this； and I also believe that without
His concurring aid we shall proceed in this political building no better than
the builders of Babel。 I therefore beg leave to move that； henceforth；
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prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven and its blessing on our
deliberation be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to
business； and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to
officiate in that service。〃
George Washington sounded a familiar note in his farewell address：
〃Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity；
religion and morality are indispensable supports。 A volume could not trace
all their connection with private and public felicity。 Let us with caution
indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion。
Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds
of peculiar structure； reason and experience both forbid us to expect that
national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principles。〃 Thomas
Jefferson； of whom it is sometimes said that he was indifferent to religion；
had yet done his great work under inspiration； which he himself
acknowledges in his inaugural address； when he speaks of the nation as
〃enlightened by a benign religion； professed indeed； and practised in
various forms； yet all of them inculcating honesty； truth； temperance；
gratitude； and the love of man； acknowledging and adoring an overruling
Providence； which by all its dispensation proves that it results in the
happiness of man here and his greater happiness hereafter。〃 Greater than
Jefferson had appeared John Marshall； greatest of our Chief Justices； like
in spirit to that John Marshall Harlan； whose death marked the year which
has just closed； of whom his colleagues said that he went to his rest each
night with one hand on the Bible and the other on the Constitution of the
United States； a description which could almost be transferred to hi
