按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
abstract； the duty of fasting； I thought serious…minded persons
at least supposed they practised fasting in some way or other。 I
assumed the duty to be acknowledged and thought it only
undervalued。' We live and learn； even though we have been to
Germany。
Other tracts discussed the Holy Catholic Church； the Clergy； and
the Liturgy。 One treated of the question 'whether a clergyman of
the Church of England be now bound to have morning and evening
prayers daily in his parish church？' Another pointed out the
'Indications of a superintending Providence in the preservation
of the Prayer…book and in the changes which it has undergone'。
Another consisted of a collection of 'Advent Sermons on
Antichrist'。 Keble wrote a long and elaborate tract 'On the
Mysticism attributed to the Early Fathers of the Church'； in
which he expressed his opinions upon a large number of curious
matters。 'According to men's usual way of talking；' he wrote； 'it
would be called an accidental circumstance that there were five
loaves； not more nor less； in the store of Our Lord and His
disciples wherewith to provide the miraculous feast。 But the
ancient interpreters treat it as designed and providential； in
this surely not erring： and their conjecture is that it
represents the sacrifice of the whole world of sense； and
especially of the OldDispensation； which； being outward and
visible； might be called the dispensation of the senses； to the
FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST； to be a pledge and means of
communion with Him according to the terms of the new or
evangelical law。
They arrived at this idea by considering the number five； the
number of the senses； as the mystical opponent of the visible and
sensible universe ta aisphita； as distinguished from ta noita。
Origen lays down the rule in express terms。 '〃The number five；〃'
he says； '〃frequently； nay almost always； is taken for the five
senses。〃' In another passage； Keble deals with an even more
recondite question。 He quotes the teaching of St。 Barnabas that
'Abraham； who first gave men circumcision； did thereby perform a
spiritual and typical action； looking forward to the Son'。 St。
Barnabas's argument is as follows： Abraham circumcised of his
house men to the number Of 318。 Why 318？ Observe first the 18；
then the300。 Of the two letters which stand for 18； 10 is
represented by 1； 8 by H。 'Thou hast here；' says St。 Barnabas；
'the word of Jesus。' As for the 300； 'the Cross is represented by
Tau； and the letter Tau represents that number'。
Unfortunately； however； St。 Barnabas's premise was of doubtful
validity； as theRev。 Mr。 Maitland pointed out； in a pamphlet
impugning the conclusions of the Tract。 'The simple fact is；' he
wrote； 'that when Abraham pursued Chedorlaomer 〃he armed his
trained servants； BORN IN HIS OWN HOUSE； three hundred and
eighteen〃。 When； more than thirteen （according to the common
chronology； fifteen） years after； he circumcised 〃all the men of
his house； BORN IN THE HOUSE； AND BOUGHT WITH MONEY OF THE
STRANGER〃； and； in fact； every male who was as much as eight days
old； we are not told what the number amounted to。 Shall we
suppose （just for the sake of the interpretation） that Abraham's
family had so dwindled in the interval as that now all the males
of his household； trained men； slaves； and children； equalled
only and exactly the number of his warriors fifteen years
before？' The question seems difficult to answer； but Keble had；
as a matter of fact； forestalled the argument in the following
passage； which had apparently escaped the notice of the Rev。 Mr。
Maitland： 'Now whether the facts were really so or not （if it
were； it was surely by special providence）； that Abraham's
household at the time of the circumcision was exactly the same
number as before； still the argument of St。 Barnabas will stand。
As thus： circumcision had from the beginning； a reference to our
SAVIOUR； as in other respects； so in this； that the mystical
number； which is the cipher of Jesus crucified； was the number of
the first circumcised household in the strength of which Abraham
prevailed against the powers of the world。 So St。 Clement of
Alexandria； as cited by Fell。' And Keble supports his contention
through ten pages of close print； with references to Aristeas；
St。 Augustine； St。 Jerome； and Dr。 Whitby。
Writings of this kind could not fail in their effect。 Pious
youths in Oxford were carried away by them； and began to flock
around the standard of Newman。 Newman himself became a party
chief encouraging； organising； persuading。 His long black
figure； swiftly passing through the streets； was pointed at with
awe； crowds flocked to his sermons； his words were repeated from
mouth to mouth； 'Credo in Newmannum' became a common catchword。
Jokes were made about the Church of England； and practices；
unknown for centuries； began to be revived。 Young men fasted and
did penance； recited the hours of the Roman Breviary； and
confessed their sins to Dr。 Pusey。 Nor was the movement confined
to Oxford； it spread in widening circles through the parishes of
England； the dormant devotion of the country was suddenly
aroused。 The new strange notion of taking Christianity literally
was delightful to earnest minds； but it was also alarming。 Really
to mean every word you said； when you repeated the Athanasian
Creed！ How wonderful！ And what enticing and mysterious vistas
burst upon the view！ But then； those vistas； where were they
leading？ Supposingoh heavens！supposing after all they were to
lead to！
III
IN due course； the Tracts made their appearance at the remote
rectory in Sussex。 Manning was some years younger than Newman；
and the two men had only met occasionally at the University； but
now； through common friends； a closer relationship began to grow
up between them。 It was only to be expected that Newman should be
anxious to enroll the rising young Rector among his followers；
and； on Manning's side； there were many causes which impelled him
to accept the overtures from Oxford。
He was a man of a serious and vigorous temperament； to whom it
was inevitable that the bold high principles of the Movement
should strongly appeal。 There was also an element in his mind
that element which had terrified him in his childhood with
Apocalyptic visions； and urged him in his youth to Bible readings
after breakfastwhich now brought him under the spell of the
Oxford theories of sacramental mysticism。 And besides； the
Movement offered another attraction： it imputed an extraordinary；
transcendent merit to the profession which Manning himself
pursued。 The cleric was not as his lay brethren； he was a
creature apart； chosen by Divine will and sanctified by Divine
mysteries。 It was a relief to find； when one had supposed that
one was nothing but a clergyman； that one might； after all； be
something elseone might be a priest。
Accordingly； Manning shook off his early Evangelical convictions；
start