Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-09-05

they tancied MN the mournplece OF
heavens messages of wisdom and re-
buke and love. In their eyes the very
ground on which he trod was sanctifed
The virgins of his church grew pale
around him, victims of a passion so inn
bued with religious sentiment that they
imagined it to be all religion and brought
it openly in their white bosoms as their
most acceptable sacrifice before the altar.
The aged members Of his flock, beholding
Mr. Dimmcsdales frame so feeble while
they were themselves so rugged in their
inirinity believed that he would 20
heavenward before them and enioined il
upon their children that their old bones
should be buried close to their young
pastors holy grave. And all this time,
perchance, when poor Mr.. Dimmesdale
was Thanking Of his grave, he questioned
with himself whether the grass would
ever grow on it, because an accursed
thing must there be buriedl
1t is uncomfortable, the agony with
which this public veneration tortured
him! It was his genuine impulse to
adore the truth, and to reckon all things
shadowlike, and utterly devoid Of weight
or value, that had not its divine essence
as the life within their life. Then, what
was he?-a substance?-or the dimmest
Of all shadowsg He longed to speak
out, from his own pulpit, at the full
height Of his voice, and tell the people
what he was. Il, whom you behold in
these black garments Of the priesthood
/, who ascend the sacred desk and turn
my pale face heayenward, taking upon
myself to hold communion, in your be-
half, with tho Most High Omnisciencs;
[, in whose daily life you discern the
sanctity Of Enoch; |, whose footsteps
as you suppose, leave q CLEAN along my
earthly track, whereby the pilgrims that
shall come after Inc may be guided to
the regions Of the blest; /, who have
laid the hand of baptism upon your
children; |, who have breathed the part
ing prayer over your dying friends, to
whom the amen sounded family from "A
world which they had quilted; !, your
pastor, whom you so reverence and trust
am utterly pollution and a lier
More than once Mr. Dimmesdale had
gone into the pulpit with a purpose
never to come down its steps until he
should have spoken words like the
above More than once he had cleared
his throat and drawn in the long, deep
and tremulous breath which, when sent
forth again, would come burdened with
the black secret of his soul. More than
once-nay, more than hundred times
he had actually spolsen Spoken But
how2 He had told his hearers that he
was altogether vile, viler companion
Of the vilest, the worst Of sinners, an
abomination, a thing Of unimaginable in.
! EQUITY; and the only wonder was that
they did not see his wretched body
shriyeled up before their eyes by the
burning wrath of the Almighty Gould
there be palmer speech than this
Would not the people start up in their
seats, by a simultaneous impulse, and
1 tear him down out Of the pulpit which
he defiledg Not so, indeed They heard
it all, and did but reverence him the
more. They little guessed what deadly
purport lurkedi in those self condemning
words "Ihe godly youth" said they
among themselves. 1.-THE saint OF
earth Alas, if he discern such sinful
ness in his own white soul, what horrit
spectacle would he behold in thine o.
miner
The minister well knew-subtle, buf
remorseful hypocrite that he was-thC
light in which his vague confession
would be viewed. He had striven Il
put cheat upon himself by making the
avowal of a guilty conscience, but had
\ gained only one other sin and a self ac-
! knowledged shame without the mornen.
tary relief nf being self deceived. lie
had spoken the very truth and trans
formed it into the veriest falsehood
And yet, by the constitution Of his ma
lure, he loved the truth and loathed
the lie as few men ever did. Therefore
above all things else he loathed his mis-.
rrable self
His inward trouble drove him to prac.
tees more in accordance with the old
corrupted faith Of Rome than with the
better light Of the church in which he
had been born and bred In Mr. Dim
mesdale's secret closet, under lock and
key, there was a bloody scourge. Often.
times this Protestant and Puritan divine
had piled it on his own shoulders, laugh
ing bitterly at himself the while, and
shifting SO much the more pitilessly be
cause of that bitter laugh. 1t was hi.
custom, too, as it has been that of many
other pious Puritans. to fast-not. how
ever. like them, in order TO purify tn,
body and render it the filter medium Of
celestial illumination, but vigorously
and until his knees trembled beneath
him, as an act Of penance. He KEEP
vigils likewise night after night, some
times in utter darkness, sometimes will
glimmering lamp, and sometimes
viewing his own face in looking glas
by the most powerful light which b,
could throw upon it. He thus typife,
tie constant introspection wherewith HI
tortured. but could not purify. himself
In these heightened vigils his brain of
ten reeled, and visions seemed to fit be
fore him; perhaps seen doubtfully, an,
By faint light Of their own, in the re
mote dimness of the chamber, OF NOR
wildly and close beside him, within tn
looking glass. Now it was a herd Of di
abolic shapes that grinned and mocke,
80 l. 90.