Mr. World and Miss Church-Member: A Twentieth Century AllegoryHarris, W. S. (William Shuler)
Religion
Mr. World and Miss Church-Member: A Twentieth Century Allegory
Harris, W. S. (William Shuler)
Christian fiction
He was restless for a moment, angrily rolling his awful eyes. Suddenly
his attitude changed and he thus calmly answered my question: “The
purpose of all these schools is to counteract and, if possible, to
destroy the influence of the teachings of Him who is called Jesus
Christ. He was once visible in the flesh and declared that his kingdom
was everlasting. Of him it was said that he would reign till he put
all things under his feet.”
Then did Blackana add with fiery emphasis: “_Neither my master nor any
of his allies will ever be put under his feet._ Satan’s words ran wild
as he addressed the insulted hosts of Hell on this issue.” Knowing
that Blackana had a perfect memory, I commanded that he should reproduce
Satan’s address in my own dialect.
Like a flash of lightning he flung himself to the winds around me,
thereby transforming himself into the image of Satan. It appeared as
if a thousand spirits in fitful rage were dancing in mid-air.
Then his voice pealed forth the logic of Hell as Satan had spoken it
centuries before: “Have ye heard, my noble comrades, how that Heaven
flings insults into our teeth? Not satisfied that we grovel on these
remains of empire, we are further threatened with being cast miserably
under his feet. Whose feet I ask? The feet of our direst foe, whom to
worship, as he desireth, means serfdom worse than ours. Is there one
of you who will surrender his native dignity in such a fashion?”
Millions of voices rendered the air hideous with their cries, so
accurately did Blackana reproduce it all.
“I knew your sentiments,” continued he, triumph ringing in his tones.
“What can we do but stand unitedly on our rustic frontier, and push
the conquest on to farther realms. Then all Heaven will learn that we
are made of grit too fine and true to lie beneath the feet of any foe.”
As Blackana continued, I was struck with shuddering terror at his awful
gestures; but conscious that no harm could befall me, I continued
listening to his flaming oratory.
“We must arise and seize our opportunities. Go forth, under cover of
night, and sow the seed of our own growing; this will flourish in the
very soil that Christ would bring to highest cultivation. The germs
of our literature, rooted in human soil and growing secretly beneath
the surface, shall spread throughout the world and come to fruitage
in the light of every clime.
“We must build schools of literature, inspire the authors of the world
with our fine creed, and thereby spread our doctrines to the myriad
readers of every land and tongue. Who then, amongst our enemies, can
kill the appetite when once ’tis roused to craving for the carnal?
Give me the quill and the coming pen and press, and I can create thought
at my bidding and turn the main streams of human endeavor into
whatsoever channels I choose; and thus our river shall run full, while
other streams are drying.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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