srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第4节

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ve　heard　his　wonderful；　wonderful　singing。　Now　he'll　read　the　Divine　Word　of　God　for　us。　Brother　Logan。〃
　　　　As　he　stepped　to　the　pulpit；　Matthew　Logan's　powerful　frame　towered　over　Dr。　Johnson。　Though　he　seemed　to　have　no　neck　at　all；　the　head　resting　on　his　broad　shoulders　was　half　a　yard　above　his　partner's。　He　flipped　authoritatively　through　a　massive　black　Bible　on　the　pulpit；　found　his　place；　and　bowed　his　head　to　read　as　if　in　deference　to　the　Word　of　God。

　　　　He　began　without　introduction：
　　　　〃　'But　if　you　will　not　hearken　to　me；　and　will　not　do　all　these　mandments；　but　break　my　covenant；　I　will　do　this　to　you：　I　will　appoint　over　you　sudden　terror；　consumption；　and　fever　that　waste　the　eyes　and　cause　life　to　pine　away。　And　you　shall　sow　your　seed　in　vain；　for　your　enemies　shall　eat　it；　those　who　hate　you　shall　rule　over　you；　and　you　shall　flee　when　none　pursues　you。　I　will　make　your　heavens　like　iron　and　your　earth　like　brass；　and　your　strength　shall　be　spent　in　vain；　for　your　land　shall　not　yield　its　increase；　and　the　trees　of　the　land　shall　not　yield　their　fruit。
　　　　''　Then　if　you　walk　contrary　to　me；　and　will　not　hearken　to　me；　I　will　bring　more　plagues　upon　you；　sevenfold　as　many　as　your　sins。　And　I　will　let　loose　the　wild　beasts　among　you；　which　shall　rob　you　of　your　children；　and　destroy　your　cattle；　and　make　you　few　in　number；　so　that　your　ways　shall　bee　desolate。　I　also　will　walk　contrary　to　you；　and　I　will　bring　a　sword　upon　you；　and　shall　execute　vengeance　for　the　covenant；　and　if　you　gather　within　your　cities　I　will　send　pestilence　among　you；　and　you　shall　be　delivered　into　the　hand　of　the　enemy。'　〃
　　　　As　Matthew　Logan　rolled　out　the　words；　Covenant　felt　their　spell　falling　on　him。　The　promise　of　punishment　caught　at　his　heart；　it　snared　him　as　if　it　had　been　lying　in　ambush　for　his　gray；　gaunt　soul。　Stiffly；　involuntarily；　he　moved　toward　the　tent　as　the　curse　drew　him　to　itself。
　　　　'And　if　in　spite　of　this　you　will　not　hearken　to　me；　but　walk　contrary　to　me；　then　I　will　walk　contrary　to　you　in　fury；　and　chastise　you　myself　sevenfold　for　your　sins。　You　shall　eat　the　flesh　of　your　sons；　and　you　shall　eat　the　flesh　of　your　daughters。　My　soul　will　abhor　you。　I　will　lay　your　cities　waste。　I　will　scatter　you　among　the　nations；　and　I　will　unsheathe　the　sword　after　you；　and　your　land　shall　be　a　desolation；　and　your　cities　shall　be　a　waste。
　　　　'Then　the　land　shall　pay　for　its　sabbaths　as　long　as　it　lies　desolate　Covenant　ducked　under　an　edge　of　the　canvas　and　found　himself　standing　beside　an　usher　at　the　rear　of　the　tent。　The　usher　eyed　him　distrustfully；　but　made　no　move　to　offer　him　a　seat。　High　on　the　platform　at　the　other　end；　Matthew　Logan　stood　like　a　savage　patriarch　leveling　retribution　at　the　bent；　vulnerable　heads　below　him。　The　curse　gathered　a　storm　in　Covenant；　and　he　feared　that　he　would　cry　out　before　it　ended。　But　Matthew　Logan　stopped　where　he　was　and　flipped　through　the　Bible　again。　When　he　found　his　new　place；　he　read　more　quietly：
　　　　〃　'Whoever；　therefore；　eats　the　bread　or　drinks　the　cup　of　the　Lord　in　an　unworthy　manner　will　be　guilty　of　profaning　the　body　and　blood　of　the　Lord。　Anyone　who　eats　and　drinks　without　discerning　the　body　eats　and　drinks　judgment　upon　himself。　That　is　why　many　of　you　are　weak　and　ill；　and　some　have　died。　But　if　we　judged　ourselves　truly；　we　should　not　be　judged。　But　when　we　are　judged　by　the　Lord；　we　are　chastened　so　that　we　may　not　be　condemned　along　with　the　world。'　〃
　　　　Slapping　the　Bible　closed；　he　returned　stolidly　to　his　seat。
　　　　At　once；　Dr。　B。　Sam　Johnson　was　on　his　feet。　Now　he　seemed　to　bristle　with　energy；　he　could　not　wait　to　begin　speaking。　His　jowls　quivered　with　excitement　as　he　addressed　his　audience。
　　　　〃My　friends；　how　marvelous　are　the　Words　of　God！　How　quick　to　touch　the　heart。　How　forting　to　the　sick；　the　downtrodden；　the　weak。　And　how　easily　they　make　even　the　purest　of　us　squirm。　Listen；　my　friends！　Listen　to　the　Word　of　the　Apocalypse：
　　　　〃　'To　the　thirsty　I　will　give　water　without　price　from　the　fountain　of　the　water　of　life。　He　who　conquers　shall　have　this　heritage；　and　I　will　be　his　God　and　he　shall　be　my　son。　But　as　for　the　cowardly；　the　unbelievers；　the　polluted；　as　for　murderers；　fornicators；　sorcerers；　idolaters；　and　all　liars；　their　lot　shall　be　in　the　lake　that　burns　with　fire　and　brimstone；　which　is　the　second　death。'
　　　　〃Marvelous；　marvelous　Words　of　God。　Here　in　one　short　passage　we　hear　the　two　great　messages　of　the　Bible；　the　Law　and　the　Gospel；　the　Old　Covenant　and　the　New。　Brother　Logan　read　to　you　first　from　the　Old　Testament；　from　the　twenty…sixth　chapter　of　Leviticus。　Did　you　hear　him；　my　friends？　Did　you　listen　with　all　the　ears　of　your　heart？　That　is　the　voice　of　God；　Almighty　God。　He　doesn't　mince　words；　my　friends。　He　doesn't　beat　around　the　bush。　He　doesn't　hide　things　in　fine　names　and　fancy　language。　No！　He　says；　if　you　sin；　if　you　break　My　Law；　I　will　terrify　you　and　make　you　sick。　I　will　make　the　land　barren　and　attack　you　with　plagues　and　pestilence。　And　if　you　still　sin；　I　will　make　cannibals　and　cripples　out　of　you。　'Then　the　land　shall　pay　for　its　sabbaths　as　long　as　it　lies　desolate。'
　　　　〃And　do　you　know　what　the　Law　is；　my　friends？　I　can　summarize　it　for　you　in　the　Words　of　the　Apocalypse。　'Thou　shalt　not　be　cowardly；　or　unbelieving；　or　polluted。'　Never　mind　murder；　fornication；　sorcery；　idolatry；　lies。　We're　all　good　people　here。　We　don't　do　things　like　that。　But　have　you　ever　been　afraid？　Have　you　ever　faltered　just　a　bit　in　your　faith？　Have　you　ever　failed　to　keep　yourself　clean　in　heart　and　mind？　'Then　the　land　shall　pay　for　its　sabbaths　as　long　as　it　lies　desolate。'　The　Apostle　Paul　calls　a　spade　a　spade。　He　says；　'That　is　why　many　of　you　are　weak　and　ill；　and　some　have　died。'　But　Jesus　goes　further。　He　says；　'Depart　from　me；　you　cursed；　into　the　eternal　fire　prepared　for　the　devil　and　his　angels。'
　　　　〃Do　I　hear　you　protesting？　Do　I　hear　some　of　you　saying　to　yourselves；　'No　one　can　be　that　good。　I'm　human。　I　can't　be　perfect。'　You're　right！　Of　course；　you're　right。　But　the　Law　of　God　doesn't　care　for　your　excuses。　If　you're　lame；　if　you've　got　arthritis；　if　you're　going　blind　or　your　heart　is　failing；　if　you're　crippled；　if　you've　got　multiple　sclerosis　or　diabetes　or　any　other　of　those　fancy　names　for　sin；　you　can　be　sure　that　the　curse　of　God　is　on　you。　But　if　you're　healthy；　don't　think　you're　safe！　You're　just　lucky　that　God　hasn't　decided　to　'walk　contrary　to　you　in　fury。'　You　can't　be　perfect；　my　friends。　And　the　Law　doesn't　care　how　hard　you　tried。　Instead　of　telling　yourself　what　a　valiant　try　you　made；　listen　to　the　Bible。　The　Old　Covenant　says　to　you　as　plain　as　day；　'The　leper　who　has　the　disease　shall　wear　torn　clothes　and　let　the　hair　of　his　head　hang　loose；　and　he　shall　cover　his　upper　lip　and　cry；　〃Unclean；　unclean。〃　'　〃
　　　　He　held　his　audience　in　the　palm　of　his　hand　now。　The　orotund　resonance　of　his　voice　swept　them　all　together　in　one　ranked　assembly　of　mortality　and　weakness。　Even　Covenant　forgot　himself；　forgot　that　he　was　an　intruder　in　this　canvas　tabernacle；　he　heard　so　many　personal　echoes　and　gleams　in　the　peroration　that　he　could　not　resist　it。　He　was　willing　to　believe　that　he　was　accursed。
　　　　〃Ah；　my　friends；〃　Dr。　Johnson　went　on　smoothly；　〃it's　a　dark　day　for　us　when　illness　strikes；　when　pain　or　dismemberment　or　bereavement　afflict　us；　and　we　can　no　longer　pretend　we're　clean。　But　I　haven't　told　you　about　the　Gospel　yet。　Do　you　remember　Christ　saying；　'He　who　loses　his　life　for　my　sake　shall　find　it'　？　Did　you　hear　Paul　say；　'When　we　are　judged　by　the　Lord；　we　are　chastened　so　that　we　may　not　be　condemned　along　with　the　world'？　Did　you　hear　the　writer　of　the　Apocalypse　say；　'He　who　conquers　shall　have　this　heritage；　and　I　will　be　his　God　and　he　shall　be　my　son'？　There's　another　side；　my　friends。　The　law　is　only　half　of　God's　holy　message。　The　other　half　is　chastening；　heritage；　forgiveness；　healing…the　Mercy　that　matches　God's　Righteousness。　Do　I　have　to　remind　you　that　the　Son　of　God　healed　everyone　who　asked　Him？　Even　lepers？　Do　I　have　to　remind　you　that　He　hung　on　a　cross　erected　in　the　midst　of　misery　and　shame　to　pay　the　price　of　our　sin　for　us？　Do　I　have　to　remind　you　that　the　nails　tore　His　hands　and　feet？　That　the　spear　pierced　His　side？　That　He　was　dead　for　three　days？　Dead　and　in　hell？
　　　　''My　friends；　He　did　it　for　only　one　reason。　He　did　it　to　pay　for　all　our　cowardly；　unbelieving；　unclean　sabbaths；　so　that　we　could　be　healed。　And　all　you　have　to　do　to　get　healed　is　to　believe　it；　and　accept　it；　and　love　Him　for　it。　All　you　have　to　do　is　say　with　the　man　whose　child　was　dying；　'I　believe；　help　my　unbelief！'　Five　little　words；　my　friends。　When　they　e　from　the　heart；　they're　enough　to　pay　for　the　whole　Kingdom　of　Righteousness。〃
　　　　As　if　on　cue；　Matthew　Logan　stood　up　and　began　singing　in　soft　descant；　〃Blessed　assurance；　Jesus　is　mine。〃　Against　this　background；　Dr。　Johnson　folded　his　hands　and　said；　〃My　friends；　pray　with　me。〃
　　　　At　once；　every　head　in　the　audience　dropped。　Covenant；　too；　bowed。　But　the　wound　on　his　forehead　burned　extravagantly　in　that　position。　He　looked　up　again　as　Dr。　Johnson　said；　〃Close　your