CHAPTER XIX.
MAN'S MISERY; OR, THE BATTLE FIELD.
QUESTION XIX. _What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?_
ANSWER. All mankind by the fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.
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IT was now the last week in March; and the children were looking forward with great delight to the making of their gardens.
The last year, Mr. Dermott selected from his grounds a pleasant, sunny spot, had it ploughed and enriched, and then divided it into four small lots for his children. They were allowed to plant just what they chose, and to take the entire care of their own enclosure. This plan succeeded so well, and afforded so much innocent and healthful amusement to the little ones, that their father was induced to repeat the experiment.
These pleasant anticipations, however, did not detract from their interest in the catechisings; and on the evening of Thursday they were in their places, eager as ever for the exercise to begin.
"We learn," commenced Mr. Dermott, "in the third chapter of Genesis, that when God first created man, he allowed him to have free communion with himself. Adam and Eve expressed no surprise when they heard the voice of the Lord in the garden. It seems to have been an event of frequent occurrence; but after they had sinned, they were afraid to come into his presence, and hid themselves; just as a child who has disobeyed the commands of his father is afraid to meet his eye.
"All communion between them was lost, and they fell under his wrath. He told Eve that, in consequence of her disobedience, she should have sickness and sorrow; and that, instead of the confiding love with which her husband had heretofore regarded her, as she had so wickedly misused her influence, she should henceforth become subject to his rule. To Adam he said,—
"'Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground.'
"Just see what misery the first married pair brought upon themselves by their rash defiance of God's commands. Into how many parts does the answer divide this misery?"
Walter glanced at the answer in the book, and replied, "Into six."
"And do all Adam's descendants come under the same?"
"Yes, sir, just as the children of Edward inherited their father's sickness and poverty."
"To the first of these we have already alluded;—loss of communion with God. Paul, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, says,—
"'For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? what communion hath light with darkness?'
"We have seen, too, how Adam and all mankind are under God's wrath and curse, and so are made liable to all the miseries of this life—to profaneness, idolatry, and other sins. Even the tilling of the ground, which before the fall was a recreation and delight, now became laborious and painful.
"Mankind are liable also to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever. It is written,—
"'Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them.'
"And who can lay his hand upon his heart and say that he has done this? No one born of woman except the Son of God. How terrible to be under the wrath and curse of the Almighty! Thanks, everlasting thanks to Him who hath given up his own life to redeem us from this dreadful curse, and to provide a way for us to be again received into favor.
"Perhaps there is not a more impressive illustration of the miseries of sin than that afforded by the battle field. An inspired apostle inquires,—
"'Whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts, that war in your members?'"
"As a specimen of those, I will relate an incident, from the pen of a clergyman, concerning the battle of Soldin.
"'At one o'clock the cannonading ceased. Toward evening, seven hundred Russian fugitives came to Soldin, a most pitiful sight! Some holding up their hands, cursing and swearing; others praying and praising the King of Prussia; without hats, without clothes; some on foot, others two on a horse, with their heads and arms tied up; some dragging along by the stirrups, and others by the tails of the horses.
"'When the battle was decided in favor of the Prussians, I ventured to the place where the cannonading had been. After walking some way, a Cossack's horse came running at full speed toward me. I mounted him, and on my way, for seven miles and a half on this side the field of battle, I found the dead and wounded lying on the ground sadly cut in pieces. The farther I advanced, the more these poor creatures lay heaped upon one another. That scene I shall never forget. The Cossacks, as soon as they saw me, cried out, "Dear sir, water, water, WATER!"
"'Righteous God! What a sight! Men, women, and children, Russians and Prussians, carriages and horses, oxen, chests, and baggage, all lying upon one another to the height of a man! Seven villages around me in flames, and the inhabitants either massacred or thrown into the fire.
"'A noble Prussian officer, who had lost both his legs, cried out to me, "Sir, you are a priest, and preach mercy: pray show me some compassion, and despatch me at once."'"
"In the next lesson I shall give you an account of a new covenant of grace."