John P.--If I did go there, every one would shrink from the mean dresses
of myself and family. If the free seats were full, we should have
to stand in the centre aisle, while those who paid to go to heaven
comfortably reclined on the cushions of their half-empty pews, or knelt
on their comfortable hassocks. In the green fields it is different, the
daisy is as bright, the grass as green, and the clover as sweet to me as
to the richest man in England; the sun shines on me although my dress is
corduroy. I feel better and happier to be free for a few hours from the
dense and smoky atmosphere of this house, and I cannot believe I shall
go to hell for that.
The Scripture Reader departs, and wends his way to Ebenezer Chapel.
This chapel is situate in a narrow street, between a sugar-baker's and a
soap-boiler's premises, and he cannot help regretting, as he smells the
foul exhalations from the sewer-grating, and the overcrowded grave-yard,
that it is unlawful to stroll into the green fields on the Lord's-day.
The bell-ringer, the grave-digger, the priest, the sexton, the
choristers, the organist, the organ-blower, the beadle, the pew-opener,
the bishop, the bishop's coachman, and groom, all ply on the Sunday
their several avocations without fear or threat of punishment; but if
John Thomas on that day, instead of driving my lord bishop to church,
and afterwards retiring to a neighbouring mews, to smoke his pipe in
an orthodox manner, until service is over, were to drive into the green
fields, or wander by the river side, he would most assuredly bring upon
himself denunciations of future damnation. By the fruit ye shall judge
of the tree. The fruit of this Sunday tree has been hypocritical,
outside show, a false and empty parade of Bibles and gilt-edged
prayer-books, grim faces, and constrained manners--this some people call
religion.
*Chapter xvi. contains the history of a rebellion on the part of Korah,
Dathan, Abiram, and On, against the authority of Moses, connected with
which there are several curious features; the rebels are swallowed up
and consumed by an explosion and fire, which of course is sent by the
Lord; but as Moses took a whole day to make the necessary preparations,
it is quite possible to account for the destruction of Korah and his
party in a more comprehensible manner. It is apparent that Moses had a
direct interest in the destruction of these men, who wished to share the
power he had arrogated to himself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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