Chapter III: Brother Emmanuel.
The hush of a Sabbath was upon the land. The sounds of life andindustry were no longer heard around Chad. Within and without thehouse a calm stillness prevailed, and the hot summer sunshine laybroad upon the quiet fields and the garden upon which so muchloving care had of late years been spent.
The white and red roses, no longer the symbols of party strife,were blooming in their midsummer glory. The air was sweet withtheir fragrance, and bees hummed drowsily from flower to flower. Inthe deep shadow cast by a huge cedar tree, that reared its statelyhead as high as the battlements of the turret, a small group hadgathered this hot afternoon. The young monk was there in the blackcassock, hood, and girdle that formed the usual dress of theBenedictine in this country, and around him were grouped his threepupils, to whom he was reading out of the great Latin Bible thatwas one of the treasures of Sir Oliver's library.
All the boys were Latin scholars, and had made much progress intheir knowledge of that language since the advent of the young monkinto the household. They had likewise greatly increased in theirknowledge of the Scriptures; for Brother Emmanuel was a soundbeliever in the doctrine preached by the Dean of St. Paul's, and ofthe maxims laid down by him--that the Scriptures were not to bepulled to fragments, and each fragment explained without referenceto the context, but to be studied and examined as a whole, and soexplained, one portion illuminating and illustrating another. Aftersuch a fashion had Brother Emmanuel long been studying the Word ofGod, and after such a method did he explain it to his pupils.
All three boys were possessed of clear heads and quickintelligence, and their minds had expanded beneath the influence ofthe young monk's teaching. They all loved a quiet hour spent withhim in reading and expounding the Bible narrative, and today alarger portion than usual had been read; for the heat made exertionunwelcome even to the active lads, and it was pleasanter herebeneath the cedar tree than anywhere else besides.
"Now, I would fain know," began Julian, after a pause in thereading, "why it is that it is thought such a vile thing for men topossess copies of God's Word in their own tongue that they may readit to themselves. It seems to me that men would be better and notworse for knowing the will of God in all things; and here it is setdown clearly for every man to understand. Yet, if I understand notamiss, it is made a cause of death for any to possess theScriptures in his own tongue."
"Yea, that is what the heretic Lollards do--read and expound theScriptures in the vulgar tongue and after their own fashion," saidBertram. "Have a care, Julian, how thou seemest to approve theirmethods; for there is a great determination in high places to putdown at once and for all the vile doctrines which are corruptingall the land."
"I approve no heresy," cried Julian eagerly. "I do but ask why itbe heresy to read the Word of God, and to have in possession aportion of it in the language of one's country."
"Marry, dost thou not know that one reason is the many errors thetranslators have fallen into, which deceive the unwary and lead theflock astray?" cried Edred eagerly. "Brother Emmanuel has told mesome amongst these, and there are doubtless many others of which hemay not have heard. A man may not drink with impunity of poisonedwaters; neither is it safe to take as the Word of God a book whichmay have many perversions of His truth."
Edred looked up at Brother Emmanuel for confirmation of thisexplanation. It was the monk's habit to encourage the boys todiscuss any question of interest freely amongst themselves, helistening in silence the while, and later on giving them thebenefit of his opinion. All the three turned to him now to see whathe would say upon a point that was already agitating the country,and was preparing the way for a shaking that should lead to analtogether new state of existence both in Church and State. Evenout here in the garden, in the sanctuary of their own home, withonly their friend and spiritual pastor to hear them, the boys spokewith bated breath, as though fearful of uttering words which mighthave within them some germ of that dreaded sin of heresy.
As for Brother Emmanuel, he sat with his hands folded in hissleeves, the great book upon his knees, a slight and thoughtfulsmile playing around the corners of his finely-cut mouth. His wholeface was intensely spiritual in expression. The features weredelicately cut, and bore the impress of an ascetic life, as well asof gentle birth and noble blood. He was, in fact, a scion of anancient and powerful house; but it was one of those houses that hadsuffered sorely in the recent strife, and whose members had beenscattered and cut off. He had no powerful relatives and friends toturn to now for promotion to rich benefice or high ecclesiasticalpreferment, and he had certainly never lamented this fact. In heartand soul he was a follower of the rules of poverty laid down by thefounder of his order, and would have thought himself untrue to hiscalling had he suffered himself to be endowed with worldly wealth.Even such moneys as he received from Sir Oliver for the instructiongiven to his sons were never kept by himself. All were given eitherto the poor by his hands direct, or placed at the disposal of thePrior of Chadwater, where he had been an inmate for a short timeprevious to his installation as chaplain at Chad. He had not soughtthis office; he would rather have remained beneath the priorywalls. He thought that it was something contrary to the will of thefounders for monks to become parochial priests, or to hold officesand benefices which took them from the shelter of their monasterywalls. But such things were of daily occurrence now, and werecausing bitter jealousy to arise betwixt the parochial clergy andthe monks, sowing seeds of strife which played a considerable partin the struggle this same century was to see. But it was useless totry to stem the current single-handed, and the rule of obediencewas as strong within him as that of poverty and chastity.
When sent forth by his prior (who secretly thought that this youngmonk was too strict and ascetic and too keen-witted to be a safeinmate of a house which had long fallen from its high estate, andwas becoming luxurious and wealthy and lax), he had goneunmurmuringly to Chad, and since then had become so much interestedin his pupils and in his round of daily duties there that he hadnot greatly missed the life of the cloister.
He had leisure for thought and for study. He had access to alibrary which, although not large, held many treasures of bookmaking, and was sufficient for the requirements of the young monk.He could keep the hours of the Church in the little chantryattached to the house, and he was taken out of the atmosphere ofjealousy and bickering which, to his own great astonishment anddismay, he had found to be the prevailing one at Chadwater.
On the whole, he had benefited by the change, and was very happy inhis daily duties. He rejoiced to watch the unfolding minds of histhree pupils, and especially to train Edred for the life of thecloister, to which already he had been partially dedicated, andtowards which he seemed to incline.
And now, eagerly questioned by the boys upon that vexed point ofthe translated Scriptures and their possession by the commonpeople, he looked thoughtfully out before him, and gave his answerin his own poetic fashion.
"The Word of God, my children, is as a fountain of life. Those whodrink of it drink immortality and joy and peace passing allunderstanding. The Saviour of mankind--Himself the Word of God--hasgiven Himself freely, that all men may come to Him, and, drinkingof the living water, may find within their hearts a living fountainwhich shall cause that they never thirst again. But the questionbefore us is not whether men shall drink of this fountain--we knowthat they must do so to live--but how they shall drink of it; howand in what manner the waters of life shall be dispensed to them."
The boys fixed their eyes eagerly upon him. Julian nodded his head,and Edred's eyes grew deep with the intensity of his wish to followthe workings of the mind of his instructor.
"For that we must look back to the days of our Lord, when He washere upon earth. HOW did He give forth the Word of Life? How did Herule that it was from that time forward to be given to men?"
"He preached to the people who came to Him," answered Edred, "andHe directed His apostles and disciples to do likewise--to go forthinto all lands and pr
each the gospel to every creature."
"Just so," answered Brother Emmanuel, with an other of his slightpeculiar smiles. "In other words, he intrusted the Word--Himself,the news of Himself--to a living ministry, to men, that through themouths of His apostles and those disciples who had received regularinstruction from Him and from them the world might be enlightenedwith the truth."
The boys listened eagerly, with mute attention.
"Go on," said Edred breathlessly. "Prithee tell us more."
"Our blessed Lord and Master laid no charge upon His apostles towrite of Him--to send forth into the world a written testimony. Weknow that the inspired Word is written from end to end by the willof God. It was necessary for the preservation of the truth in itspurity that its doctrines should be thus set down--that thereshould be in existence some standard by which in generations tocome the learned ones of the earth might be able to judge of thepurity of the doctrines preached, and refute heresies and errorsthat might and would creep in; but it was to men, to a livingministry, that our Saviour intrusted the precious truths of Hisgospel, and to a living ministry men should look to have thosetruths unfolded."
"I see that point," cried Edred eagerly. "I had never thought of itquite in that way before. Does it so state the matter anywhere inthe Holy Book? I love to gather the truth from its pages. Thou hastnot told us that we are wrong in that."
"Nay, under guidance all men should seek to those holy truths; butwill they find the priceless jewel if they seek it without thoseaids our blessed Lord Himself has appointed? Wouldst thou know moreof His will in this matter? Then thou shalt."
The monk turned the leaves of the book awhile, and then paused atan open page.
"On earth, as we have seen, the blessed Saviour intrusted His truthto the care of chosen men. Now let us see how He acted when,ascended into the heavens, He looked down upon earth, and directedfrom thence the affairs of this world. Did He then ordain that awritten testimony was to be prepared and sent forth into all lands?No. What we learn then is that when He ascended into the heavensand received and gave gifts to men, He gave to them apostles,prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers--a living ministryagain, a fourfold living ministry--that by this living ministry,surely typified in the vision of St. John by the four livingcreatures with the fourfold head, the saints were to be perfected,the unity of the faith preserved, and the body of Christ edifiedand kept in its full growth and perfection till He come Himself toclaim the Bride."
Edred's eyes were full of vivid intelligence. He followed in theLatin tongue the words as Brother Emmanuel spoke them, and lookingup he asked wistfully:
"But where are they now, the apostles and prophets, the evangelistsand pastors? Have we got them with us yet?"
"We have at least the semblance of them; doubtless but for our ownsins and shortcomings we should have a fuller ministry--a fulleroutpouring of the water of life through those four God-givenchannels by which the Church is to be fed. We have the apostolicoffice ever in exercise in our spiritual head at Rome. St. Peterhas left us a successor, and his throne shall never be empty solong as the world lasts. Now and again the prophetic fire burstsforth in some holy man who has fasted and prayed until the veilbetwixt the seen and the unseen has grown thin. Would to God therewas more light of prophecy in the earth! Perchance in His grace andmercy He will outpour His Spirit once again upon the earth, andgather about his Holiness a band of men lighted by fire from above.In our wandering friars, ever going forth to the people with theword of the gospel, we have the office of evangelist in exercise;and the priest who guides the flock and dwells in the midst of thepeople of the land, surely he is the pastor, the keeper of thesheep. And thus we see that our blessed Saviour's gifts to men havebeen preserved all through these long centuries, and are stillamongst us in greater or less degree; and we can well understandthat having given us these channels, by which His vineyard is to bewatered, by which the living waters are to flow forth, it is notHis will that every man should be his own evangelist or pastor,feeding himself at will, drinking, perhaps to surfeit, of theprecious waters which should be conveyed to him through theappointed channel, but that he should be under dutiful obedienceand submission, and that thus and thus only may unity and peace bepreserved, and the body grow together into its perfect stature andfullness."
"I see all that exactly," cried Bertram, "and I will strive to keepit in mind. I mislike the very name of Lollard, and I well knowthat they be a mischievous and pernicious brood, whom it were wellto see exterminated root and branch. Yet no man can fail to seethat they love the Scriptures, and I felt they were in the rightthere. Now I well see that they may love the Word as much as theywill, but that they must still seek to be taught and fed by thosewho are over them in the Church, and not seek to eat and drink (inthe spiritual sense of the word) at their own will and pleasure.That is truly what the Church has ever taught, but I never heard itso clearly explained before.
"Come, Julian; the sun is losing much of its power now. Let usstroll along the margin of the stream, and see where best we mayfish upon the morrow.
"Edred, wilt thou come? No; I thought not. Thou art half a monkalready. We will leave thee with Brother Emmanuel to talk more onthese hard matters. I have heard enough to satisfy me, I shallnever want to turn Lollard now. The name was always enough, but nowI see more and more clearly how wrong-headed and wilful they be."
Julian, too, had got an answer that completely satisfied him, andhe readily rose to go with his brother. Those two found an hour ortwo of thought and study as much at a time as they cared for. Theycalled their dogs and sallied forth over the fields towards theshady, well-fringed river banks, and Brother Emmanuel was leftalone with his second pupil, Edred, whose eyes were still fixedupon the black lettering of the great Bible open at the lastpassage under discussion.
The monk bent an earnest glance upon the boy's face. He saw that anargument which had completely satisfied the other two had notsatisfied this other keener mind. But he asked no questions,leaving the boy to speak or not as he chose. These were days inwhich too much questioning was a dangerous thing. Many men felt asthough they were treading the crust of a volcano, and that a singleunwary step might plunge them headlong into the burning gulf.
When even such a man as Bishop Peacock had been threatened with thestake, and sent into perpetual imprisonment, even after having"recanted" his errors, no wonder that all men holding broad orenlightened opinions trembled for themselves. And yet, as thoughtwill not be bound, and the young are ever the most ardent in thepursuit of truth, and the most impatient under the yoke of fettersunwillingly worn, so neither this young monk nor his still moreyouthful companion could be content to drift on without lookinginto the stirring questions of the day for themselves.
Edred's mind at this moment was working rapidly and following up atrain of thought as fascinating as it was new. He suddenly turnedback to the very beginning of the book, and began reading tohimself some words he found there. Presently he looked up quicklyinto his instructor's face.
"Thy words about four channels put me in mind of the four streamswe read of in the beginning, that watered the garden of the Lord.It seemed to me as if perchance there was some connection betwixtthem--that the Lord's plan has ever been the same. Surely He ledforth the children of Israel through the wilderness beneath fourstandards. And here the four streams are all given. But we hear nomore of any of them later, do we, save the river Euphrates. Out ofthe four three seem to have been lost," and the boy raised his eyeswith a perplexed expression and looked earnestly at his teacher.
Between those two existed one of those keen bonds of sympathy thatoften enable persons to communicate their thoughts without themedium of words. In a moment the monk had read what was in theboy's mind, and in a fashion he answered as though Edred hadspoken.
"Thou thinkest that even as some of God's watering rivers ran dry,so some of His channels of grace, whereby He meant all men to bereplenished with heavenly light and grace, may perchance havebecome choked and useless
. Is not that thy thought, my son?"
"My father, is it sin thus to think?" asked Edred, almost beneathhis breath. "I cannot shut mine eyes and mine ears. I have heardwhispers of terrible corruption in high places even at Rome itself.I try not to hear or to think too much, but I cannot help myburning desire to know more of what passes in the world. It was buta short year ago that a godly man coming from foreign lands told usfearful tales of the corruption even of the papal court. O myfather, I fear to whisper it even to thee; but I cannot but ask inmy heart, can the popes be truly apostles? And if not, can we saythat the channel of grace once given to men is open yet for us todrink from? Ah, pardon me if I err! I will do penance for my evilthoughts. But where may we find now those four life-giving streamsby which Christ purposed to keep His body, the Church, nourishedand sustained? Prophets there be none, save here and there a sparkof the old fire. Those travelling friars are sometimes holy men;but, alas! they are bitter foes of the very Church from which theyprofess to be sent out, and are oft laid under the papal ban. Wehave our pastor priests; but do they feed the flock? O my father,how can I walk with closed eyes through this world of sin andstrife? If the channels run dry, if the pastors refuse food to thehungry people, can it be sin if they strive to feed themselves,even though they be something too ignorant to do it wisely andwell?"
A very grave, thoughtful, and austere look was stamped upon theface towards which Edred directed his gaze. It was long before hereceived any answer, and then it was but a sorrowful one.
"My son, I will not blame thee for these thoughts, albeit they becharged with peril in these days. It is human nature thus toquestion and thus to doubt. We may not blind our eyes, though wemust ever strive to chasten our hearts, that we fall not into thecondemnation of those who speak evil of dignities, and bring arailing accusation against those set over them. I, too, have had myperiod of storm-tossed doubts and fears; but I have learned to fixmine eyes upon the Holy One of Israel, who never slumbers norsleeps--upon the crucified Saviour, who has suffered that death ofagony and shame that He may draw all men unto Himself. How He willdo it I know not. How He will open up again the closed channels,and make ready His Church to meet Him and receive Him, I can noteven conjecture. But His word cannot fail; and in His own appointedtime, and in His own appointed way, I verily believe that He willdraw unto Himself all men who have ever called upon His name, andall those unto whom His name has never been proclaimed, and who,therefore, have never rejected Him. In that hope and that belief Itry to rest; and fixing my eyes and thoughts upon Him and Himalone, I strive to forget the chaos and the strife of earth, and tolook upon all men as brothers in Christ, if they will but bow theknee at that thrice holy name."
Edred looked at him with wide-open eyes.
"Heretics call upon the name of Jesus. Thinkest thou that hereticswill be saved? I thought they were doomed to hellfire forever!"
The boy spoke in a voice that was little more than a whisper. Hewas almost afraid to hear the answer, lest it should convey a germof the dreaded heresy, and yet how eager he was to know whatBrother Emmanuel really thought.
"It is not for me to say who will and who will not be saved," hesaid, slowly and thoughtfully; "and we are expressly told thatthere will be punishment for those who fall away from the faith.Yet we are not told that error will be punished with everlastingdeath. And there be places in Holy Scripture which tell us that'whoso believeth and is baptized shall be saved;' and hereticsbelieve that Christ died for the world. It says, again, that thosewho love the Lord are born of God; and shall they perisheverlastingly? My son, the mercies of God are very great; from endto end of this book we are told that. Knowing so much, need we askmore? With Him rests the judgment of all mankind. He alone can readthe heart. Let that thought be enough for us. Whether the sin ofheresy is as vile in His eyes as in those of man, He alone knows;we do not. Let us strive for our own part to keep the unity of thefaith in the bond of peace, and leave all else to Him."
As he spoke, Brother Emmanuel gently closed the book, as though toclose the discussion likewise; and Edred, looking up and roundabout him, drawing a long breath meantime, suddenly gave a start,which attracted the attention of his preceptor.
A short distance away--how he had got there neither of the pairknew; they had been too much engrossed in their talk to take muchheed of external impressions--was an elderly monk, clad in the samegown and hood as Brother Emmanuel, betokening that he too was ofthe Benedictine order; and his face, shrouded in its cowl, wasturned towards the pair with a very peculiar expression upon it. Asinister smile was in the narrow beady eyes; the features, whichwere coarse and somewhat bloated from luxurious living, were set ina look of ill-concealed malice; and the salutation addressed to thepair when he saw himself perceived had in it something of anincongruous sound.
"Pax vobiscum!" said the newcomer, lifting his hand as if to imparta blessing.
Edred instinctively bent the knee, but Brother Emmanuel's face didnot move a muscle.
"Hast thou come with a message for me from the reverend father?" heasked quietly.
"Nay, not for thee. My message was to Sir Oliver; but I will reportto the father how excellently I found thee employed--training thypupils in all godliness and honesty, and in that hatred of heresywhich it behoves all true sons of the Church to cherish."
There was a spiteful gleam in the man's eyes as he spoke thesewords that made Edred shiver; but the calm regard of the youngermonk did not waver.
"I have taught him nothing but what I have heard our good Dean ofSt. Paul's speak before princes and prelates in the pulpit,"answered Brother Emmanuel, not pretending to misunderstand theinnuendo conveyed. "Methinks it would profit many of our brothersin country places to hear what is being thought and taught inOxford and London, in all the great centres of the country. Thereverend father knows well what I hold and what I teach."
So clear and steadfast was the light in the young monk's eyes, thatthe regard of the other fell before it. He made a gesture, as if torepudiate the defence as a thing quite superfluous.
"The piety and orthodoxy of Brother Emmanuel are known far andwide," he answered, in a tone that was half cringing, halfspiteful; "no truer son of the Church than he lives in all theland."
And then with another salutation he turned and glided away in thelengthening shadows, whilst Edred turned to Brother Emmanuel withrather a scared face, and asked:
"Dost think he heard what we were saying?"
"Belike he caught a phrase or two," was the answer, spoken gravelybut quite calmly. "I would not speak words of which I am ashamed;at the same time, it is well in these perilous days to use allcaution, for an enemy can well distort and magnify the words hehears, till they sound like rank heresy. For myself I have no fear.I prize not my life greatly, though to die as a heretic, cut offfrom the Church of Christ, is a fearful thing to think of. Yet eventhat might be better than denying the truth--if indeed one believesthe truth to lie without, which assuredly I do not. But thou, myson, would do well to think something less of these matters. Thouart but a child in years, and--"
"I am quickly rising to man's estate," answered the boy, ratherimpetuously, "and my thoughts will not be chained. I must give themliberty to rove where they will. All men are talking and thinkingof these things, and wherefore not I? But, Brother Emmanuel, tellme, who was yon black-browed brother? Methinks I have seen his facebefore; but beneath the cowl many faces look alike. Who was he? andwherefore looked he so askance at thee?"
"Brother Fabian loves me not," answered the monk with a slightsmile. "I scarce know how it began; it seemed to commence from theday I entered the priory. I had looked to find things theresomewhat different. Perchance I spoke more than I should, beingyoung and ardent, and fresh from places where a different orderreigned. Brother Fabian holds various offices in the priory. Heliked not my words. Methinks he has never forgotten or forgiven. Hehas always sour looks for me, and ofttimes sneering words. But Iheed them not greatly; they do not touch me near."
Edred
was looking straight out before him, with a gaze in whichthere was much of shrinking and surprise.
"Brothers in the same monastery at enmity one with the other!" hesaid slowly, grasping more than had been spoken, with that quickintuition which existed between tutor and pupil. "Some, leadinglives of luxury, indignant with those who would protest againstthem. Brother Emmanuel, my father, my friend, when these thingscome before me, I turn with loathing from the thought of enteringthe life of the cloister; and yet how I long to give myself whollyto the cause of God! How can I judge? how can I choose aright?"
"Thou must not try to choose," answered the young monk, with atouch of austerity in his tone; "thou must await that leading andthat guiding which never fail those who truly wait upon the blessedSon of God, and strive to do not their will but the will of Him whopleased not Himself. At the foot of His Cross--before the altar,where His precious body and blood are ever abiding in memorial ofHis one sacrifice for sin--there is the place to seek grace andguidance; there is the place where peace may be found. Because manis frail, shall we despise the ordinances of God? Because men areable to make (if such be their will) a hell upon earth even of holyplaces, is that any reason why we shall think scorn of thosesanctuaries, provided by the merciful goodness of God, where menmay flee for shelter from the world, and lead a life of devotionand fasting and prayer? My son, beware of the manifold snares ofthe devil. The young are ever ready to condemn and to revolt. It isthe nature of the unchastened will of man. Be patient, and watchunto prayer. The day will surely come when (if thou wilt but listenfor it) the voice will speak in thine heart, and tell thee whatthou art called upon to do, even as it spoke in mine, and called mefrom the snares and enticements of the world to the haven of thecloister. I know not yet what my work in this world will be; but itis enough that my Lord and Master knows. I am here, abiding in myplace and awaiting my call. May He grant that whensoever andhowsoever that call may come, I may hear it and be ready for it,and may follow the guiding voice even to the end."
A rapt look was in the dark eyes. Edred caught the enthusiasm ofthat look, and half unconsciously sank down upon his knee.
"Bless me, even me also, O my father!" he cried, scarce knowingwhat words he chose; and the thin, strong hand was laid upon hishead.
"God be with thee and bless thee, my son," said the monk, in grave,steadfast tones; "and may He be thy guide and thy portionhenceforth and forever. May He show thee the way in which He wouldhave thee to go, and give thee grace and strength to follow it untothe end."
For a moment deep silence prevailed. Both were rapidly reviewingthe words that day spoken, and the thoughts suggested by the barediscussion of such subjects; and Edred, rising and looking with astrange smile into the monk's face, said softly:
"Methinks it would not be hard to die in a righteous cause; but tobe hunted to death through the spite and malice of a treacherousfoe, that would be an evil fate. I would fight with the best memberI possess against such an one, were he to be mine own enemy orthine."
A smile crossed Brother Emmanuel's face.
"Go to, boy! thou art more soldier than monk yet. Methinks thouwouldst fight bravely and well in a good cause. Perchance thatwould be the best and happiest lot for thee--
"There be thy brothers coming up from the water. Go join them, andthink not too much for thy years. Be a youth as long as thoumayest. Manhood's cares will come all too fast."
With that he turned and went quietly towards the house, whilstEdred went forth to meet his brothers.