CHAPTER TWO.
The gloom of evening was settling down over the wild scene of mountain,forest, rock, and stream, when the traveller reached the woodman's hut."You are welcome, friend, under the roof of Nicholas Moretz," said theold man, as he ushered his guest into his cottage.
Karl mean time unloading the asses, placed the fagots on a pile raisedon one side of the hut.
"Here you can rest for the night, and to-morrow morning, when we proceedinto the town to dispose of our fagots, you can accompany us withoutrisk of losing your way," the woodcutter observed, pushing open thedoor.
As he did so, a young girl ran out to meet him, and throwing her armsround his neck, received a kiss on her fair brow. She drew back with abashful look when she saw the stranger.
"Sweet one, you must get another bowl and platter for our guest," saidthe old man. "As he has travelled far with a heavy load on his back, hewill do justice to your cookery, Mistress Meta. She and the boy, mygrandson," he added, turning to the traveller, "are my joy and comfortin life, now that my poor daughter has been taken from me."
The traveller unstrapped his heavy pack from his shoulders, and placedit on a bench by the side of the wall; after which Meta brought him abowl of fresh water and a towel, that he might wash his hands and face,which they not a little required. While he was performing thisoperation she placed the supper which she had prepared upon the table,which, if somewhat coarse, was abundant.
By this time Karl came in, and the whole party took their seats onstools round the table. "Let us bless God for the good things Hebestows on us, and above all for the spiritual blessings He has somercifully prepared for us," said the traveller.
"I suppose you are a priest," said Moretz, when the stranger hadconcluded. "I thank you for the prayer you have offered up for us."
"No, my friend, I am no priest," answered the traveller. "My name isGottlieb Spena. I am a humble man with a small amount of learning; butI am able to read God's blessed word, and that is my delight every day Ilive. My wish is to serve Him, and I feel sure I can best do so bycarrying this pack of books about the country, and disposing of them tothose who desire to buy."
"This is a new thing, surely," observed Moretz. "I should like aftersupper to see some of these wonderful books you speak of, and to hearyou read from the one you call `God's word;' and if I find the price isnot too great, perhaps I may purchase one for Meta and Karl."
The young girl's eyes sparkled as her grandfather spoke. "Oh, I shouldlike to have that book!" she exclaimed. "I have heard of it, though Iknew not that it was to be sold, or that people were allowed to read it.I thought it was only for the priests to read."
"Blessed be God, for us unlearned ones who cannot understand thelanguage in which it is written, it has been translated into our nativetongue; and God has sent it as His message of love to all human beings,young and old, rich and poor. It is so easy, that he who runs may read.The youngest child may understand the message it gives, while it isequally suited to the wisest philosopher, and to the most powerful kingon his throne."
The young people hurried through their suppers while their guest wasspeaking, so eager were they to see the package opened. In those daysthousands and tens of thousands of people in so-called Christian landshad never seen a Bible, though the translation made by Dr Martin Lutherwas being spread in every direction throughout the length and breadth ofGermany by men like Gottlieb Spena, who carried packs filled with thesacred volume on their shoulders. They did the same afterwards inFrance, where the name of colporteurs [see Note] was in consequencegiven to them.
Meta waited anxiously till her grandfather and their guest had finishedtheir suppers, and then as rapidly as possible cleared away the bowlsand platters which they had used. The book-hawker with a smile observedher anxiety, and placing his pack on the table, opened it, and exhibitedto the admiring eyes of the spectators a number of volumes. "This," hesaid, taking out one, "is the Old Testament, or God's first message toman; and this is the New Testament, His last message, in which He showsHimself to us as a God of love, mercy, and pity, though by no means lessa God of justice than He does in the Old Testament. But here He showsus clearly how His justice can be amply satisfied, without the sinnerbeing punished as he deserves; how our sins may be blotted out by theOne great Sacrifice offered up. Do you understand me, my friends? Thesacrifice has been offered up, the debt has been paid, the obedience hasbeen fulfilled by Jesus Christ, who came on earth and took upon Himselfthe body and nature of man, sin excepted. He was obedient in allthings--first by God's wish coming on earth, and then dutiful and lovingto His parents, merciful and forgiving to those who persecuted Him, evergoing about and healing their infirmities, and teaching them the way ofsalvation. The good Saviour allowed Himself to be hung upon the cross;His hands and feet and sides were pierced; His blood was poured out forus,--ay, for us,--for you and me,--for the vilest of sinners. All thiswas done by the Just One for the unjust. God tells us to believe inJesus, and that through believing we are saved,--in other words, that weshould take hold of it by faith, and thus accomplish what that lovingGod, through the Holy Spirit, said: `The just shall live by faith.'"
The young people drew in their breath, and gazed steadfastly at thespeaker. To hear of sin and the cross was not new to them, for they hadbeen at churches sometimes at holy days; but it was all a mummery andspectacle, with which the priests alone seemed to have to do. Thetruths now uttered were assuredly gaining some entrance into theirminds.
"I do not understand quite what you say, friend Spena," said the oldman; "but surely God does not intend to give us the blessings of heavenwithout our doing anything to merit it? He intends us to labour, andtoil, and pay the priests, and perform penances, and go to mass, andmake confession of our sins to the priests, before He could think ofletting us into that blessed place."
"I once thought as you do," answered the book-hawker. "When I readGod's word, I learned to think very differently."
As he spoke he opened the Testament. "Listen. The Holy Spirit saysthrough the book, `God so loved the world, that He gave His onlybegotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, buthave everlasting life.' Here He says nothing about penances, or doinganything of that sort. Listen again: A ruler of the Jews, a learnedman, paid a visit once to Jesus, to ask Him about the way of salvation,and His answer was, `Ye must be born again.' He does not say you mustdo anything, or you must try to mend your ways, or you must alter yourmode of living, you must go to confession, or pay for masses, oranything of that sort. The ruler could not at first at all understandthe answer. Our blessed Lord then explained it in these words: `AsMoses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son ofman be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, buthave eternal life.' Now in the Old Testament we read of a circumstancewhich happened when the Israelites were travelling through the desert,on their way out of the bondage of Egypt to the land of promise. Theywere there bitten by fiery serpents, whose bite caused certain death.They felt themselves dying, and cried to be saved. God told Moses tomake a brazen serpent, and to raise it up in the midst of the camp, anddirected him to inform the people that all those bitten by the serpentwho looked up at the serpent should be saved. Every one of them,without exception, who did thus look, was cured. You see, my friend, byputting the two accounts together, we see clearly what our Lord means,--not that we are to do anything in a way of obtaining merit, but simplylook to Him who hung on the cross, was thus lifted up for us, and is nowseated on the right hand of God, pleading as the only Mediator all Hedid for us. A king, when he bestows gifts, gives them through hisgrace. It is an insult to offer to purchase them. Far more does Godbestow His chief gifts as an act of grace. I do not say that He doesnot expect something in return; but He gives salvation freely, and willallow of nothing to be done beforehand, but simply that the gift shouldbe desired, and its value appreciated, or partly appreciated; for wenever can value it as it deserves."
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br /> The woodcutter and his grandchildren listened earnestly to these andmany other simple truths, as their guest went on reading and explainingportion after portion. Nor did he omit to pray that God, through theHoly Spirit, would enlighten the minds of his hearers, and enable themto comprehend what he was reading and what he was saying. Hour afterhour thus passed by. Several times did Meta rise and trim the lamp.
"Must you hasten on your journey? or can you not rest here another day,and tell us more of those glorious things?" said the old man, placinghis hand on Spena's shoulder, and gazing earnestly into his face.
"Yes, I will stay, friend," answered the book-hawker, "if by so doing Ican place more clearly before you the way of salvation."
At length the inmates of the cottage and their guest lay down to rest ontheir rough couches, and angels looked down from heaven, rejoicing atwhat they there saw and heard.
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Note: Colporteurs, literally "neck-carriers;" because their packs werestrung round their necks, or, rather, the strap went round their chests.