THE VISITATION--BY SPIRIT AND BY DEATH.
When Philip retired to his room that night he was surprised to find his
wife still awake. "What a wonderful man that is who has been
entertaining you this evening," she said.
"Wonderful fool!" ejaculated the pious missionary, whose disturbed
temper had not yet become altogether serene.
Della was quite thrown back by so unwonted an exclamation, and remained
silent. At length Philip said:
"What do you know about him? where have you seen him? haven't you spent
the whole evening in this room?"
"Yes, but the windows open upon the court; I have heard every word."
"And heard no good of yourself, either," remarked Philip, snappishly.
Her husband was in so unusual a mood that Della hesitated about entering
upon the conversation she had intended. She was impulsive, however, and
did not like to wait.
"Philip, I want to say something," said she, gently.
"Well, say away," was his ungracious permission.
"I thought you had something to say," he said again, more gently, as
Della remained silent.
"It was only this: I had been thinking the same thing," she said, almost
in a whisper.
Now Philip knew very well what his wife meant. _He_, too, had thought
the same thing. But he pretended to be in the dark, and abruptly
demanded:
"The same _what_ thing? Why must you speak so enigmatically?"
"O, Philip, you could have done so much more and better without me. I
have done nothing, and have hindered you."
"And what are you going to do about it?" said Philip, coldly.
"Why, Philip, what _is_ the matter with you? How strangely you answer
me!" cried Della, excitedly.
"Never mind me now, Della I am not myself to-night; go to sleep."
Truly, thought Della, he is not himself; so she prudently resolved to
defer her "something to say" to a more favorable season.
For the next eight or nine hours Philip's mind was in a whirlpool. While
a student at Princeton, the lectures of Cardinal Wiseman had chanced to
fall in his way. He read them with avidity, particularly those "On the
Practical Success of the Protestant Rule of Faith in Converting Heathen
Nations," and "On the Practical Success of the Catholic Rule of Faith in
Converting Heathen Nations." They left upon his mind unpleasant
impressions, and created doubts and misgivings which his tutors could
with difficulty dispel. But he shut his eyes, blinded his mind, and
allowed the hour of his visitation to pass by. Now, the words of this
Mr. Chase, a stray traveler, roaming through the world without aim or
object, so far as known, had aroused this slumbering phantom of the
past, and provoked, if not challenged, him anew. He recalled the story
of Catholic missions that had read to him like a continuation of
Apostolic labors; statistics, gathered altogether from Protestant
sources, showed them to be overwhelmingly successful; the gift of
miracles and the gifts of the Holy Ghost had descended upon them, and
crowns of martyrdom numerous and shining. He had even thought with a
thrill that had he never met Della it would be glorious to join this
lion-hearted band, whose symbol was the ever-upborne Cross! But there
had avalanched down upon this temporary glow such a storm of ridicule
against Transubstantiation, worship of the Blessed Virgin and of dead
men's bones and cast-off garments, and the putrified corruptions of the
Man of Sin generally, that the one generous, struggling spark was
extinguished. Of the great Protestant Foreign Missionary Society, for
which so much money had been expended, so many millions of Bibles
distributed, so many glowing reports printed, Philip St. Leger was now a
part, knew all its ins and outs--alas! its outs.
This was the reason Mr. Chase's remarks had so fretted him: because of
the truth which he was unwilling to receive. To himself this young
missionary had admitted long before that a married man was too much
cumbered for his undertaking. At the same time he mentally insisted
that in that foreign land life without his wife would be to him
intolerable. It was truly distressing and discouraging that five years
had passed by with but the most trifling results. He thought, and not
for the first time, that were he settled in the faraway, quiet village
of Newberg, his life might not pass away so unprofitably. But he had put
his hand to the plough; should he now turn back?
The dissatisfied missionary passed a sleepless night; he murmured and
repined; he was not willing to ascribe praise to his Roman Catholic
brethren, nor to admit their right to claim the promise of our Lord to
be with them unto the end. The result was that he resisted the spirit,
and allowed this second visitation to pass by, leaving him more
self-determined than before. Therefore, with the dawn of day, he
resolutely dismissed the subject, with emphasis asserting: "I am a
Protestant; I will live and work with my Protestant brethren. We must
admit nothing on the part of our adversaries; we must make our claims as
bold as theirs."
When, therefore, a few days after, Della renewed the subject, he was
prepared to quiet her scruples.
"And is their success, then, so really wonderful as this gentleman
declares?" she inquired.
"Not at all. Doubtless in many places they do gain a temporary success,
but this is easily accounted for. The Catholic religion lies in outward
observances. They have so much show and ceremony that the ignorant
native is necessarily attracted. The dress, altar, lights, bell, all
have their part in alluring the curious. They think there must be some
great mystery connected with so much paraphernalia. They are naturally
willing to be let into the secret. But there is nothing in it at all to
convert the heart or convince the understanding. When these useless
accessories are removed, the converted heathen, as he is called,
relapses into barbarism."
"It has seemed to me, though, Philip, that if we had only something in
our service to attract the attention, we would have a great advantage;
that is the first and principal thing to get people together. By having
something to win their curiosity, a great point is gained. Giving them a
Bible is like giving them a stone for bread--they can make nothing out
of it," said Della, decidedly.
"But when they have the teachings of the Bible once thoroughly impressed
upon their minds, does it not stand to reason they would be better and
more persevering Christians?" asked Philip.
"Very likely. But the difficulty is to make this impression. We tell the
heathen, man, woman, or child, that Christ died on the Cross to redeem
us. Would he not lend us more earnest attention if we illustrated our
instruction by exhibiting to him an image of the Cross and the
Crucified--in short, if we taught him, as did the ancients, the whole
story of Redemption, and the establishment of the Church, by series of
pictures and images?"
"What is the use of going back thousands of years ago when we are living
in the nineteenth century? Why not make use of the art of printing since
we have it?"
"Certainly, wherein it is of advantage. But the majority of those whom
the missionary seeks to instruct are beyond the reach of that admirable
art. Letters have for them no meaning; books are for them only to look
at; and with a picture the eye is instructed and more pleased."
"Let us send to Rome for a cart-load of Madonnas, crucifixes, beads, and
all the et ceteras for satisfying and perpetuating superstition and
ignorance," said Philip, sarcastically.
Della was sensitive to ridicule and remained silent. Her husband
continued:
"Or, since you deem yourself a supernumerary in your present vocation,
suppose you allow me to pack you off in the return-cart to the Eternal
City, that is said to sit over the mouth of Il Inferno. You may kiss the
toe of his Holiness, and humbly ask penance for the rest of your mortal
life for having presumed to be a Protestant missionary's wife, and
carried the Bible to the dying heathen."
"The subject is too serious for any such nonsense," remarked the wife,
gravely. "The question is _how_ to convert the heathen. It seems to me
the true missionary of the Cross should not be above receiving prudent
suggestions from whatever source; more particularly ourselves, who are
inexperienced in the work."
"You are right, Della, as you always are," replied the husband, more
sincerely. "I have been revolving the subject over, and have come to a
firm resolution to turn over a new leaf on our return to the mission. If
Mrs. Fisher were not so peevish and Mrs. Dodd so distressingly
particular, we could get along better in the kitchen; the native girls
would do better, and improve. If you were to oversee that department, I
think there would be a change greatly for the better. The truth is, I
believe those women are afraid of being poisoned. They ought to give
their time in the school. If they tried to make it interesting there
would be a better attendance. It is all nonsense to spend one's whole
time in getting up dainty dishes, and _recherche_ toilets for one's
babies. At all events we must arouse ourselves from this slough of
indifference and give our best energies to the work. We have not made
half a trial yet. How can we expect success to follow aught but
energetic effort?"
Distance lent enchantment. Now that the missionaries were hundreds of
miles away, the labors of the mission seemed easy of accomplishment, and
the daily, hourly difficulties and hindrances dwindled into
insignificance.
Scarcely a month later and Philip St. Leger bent in thankfulness over a
little daughter, which the doctor said might live.
"We will call her Della," said Philip to his wife.
"Not Della, but Althea. I give her to God, Philip. May she do for Him
what I have not been able."
Philip had turned to his wife that he might the better catch her feeble
whispers. O, the dread that rushed through his heart! A ghastly pallor
was spread over the face, a convulsive spasm distorted for a moment the
sweet mouth.
"I am going--O, Philip," she said, wildly, and ere he had time to call
on God for mercy she was gone.
"Good God, doctor, is she really dead?" cried Philip, as soon as he
could speak to the physician upon the opposite side, whose fingers now
let fall the pulseless wrist.
"All is over," answered the physician, sadly.
"Why did you not call me sooner if you saw the danger? How dared you not
inform me at once?" demanded Philip.
"Pray be quiet, my dear sir. It was very sudden--entirely
unanticipated--although I had been suspecting disease of the heart. Her
lungs were a good deal affected, but her heart I think the immediate
cause of her death. Otherwise, she was doing nicely, bravely, better
than could be expected. You have met with a great loss, sir--a wonderful
loss--your wife was a noble woman. God help you!"
Della St. Leger was buried by the side of the first and third Mrs.
Adams, the second having been buried on an island in the sea. The latter
had been a Southern lady, and had brought with her a colored woman, at
that time her slave. This person, Minerva by name, remained still an
invaluable member of Dr. Adams' household. To her care the little
motherless Althea was entrusted; and Philip St. Leger, with what heart
may be imagined, went back alone to his dreary mission.