CHAPTER X.

SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT.

THERE could be no doubt that Guy Falconer possessed genius for painting, and that an ardent love of what men call "Nature" inspired its direction, and ruled his taste. His efforts indicated a peculiar style of his own, and his friends were advised to leave it unbiased and unrestricted in its developments, until it should appear into what school of study, for detail and experience, it might most suitably be directed.

With the free air of the country around him, his health improved, his form grew strong and manly, and his character began to manifest a vigour and decision which rendered his associations of the highest importance.

His mother and Mr. Herbert had sought to lay a good foundation of Christian principles, and if Guy should go wrong, it would never be from ignorance of right. But they knew that only the Holy Spirit of God could implant love of the right, and guide to useful issues the quick perceptions and firm will which they had prayerfully striven to rescue from idle waste and natural selfishness.

Without cramping the gaiety of youth, his studies had been solid and strengthening; what he knew at all, he knew well, and if he ventured an opinion, it came from no shallow surface, but from a mine of thought in which it had been carefully shaped, though more for soundness than for ornament, and sometimes, perhaps, was also more sincere than polite.

Mr. Herbert claimed a stated portion of his time for real hard work in the study, in preparation for a college course which Mr. Hazelwood particularly desired him to pass through, and then Guy was free to enjoy his companionship with the field of vision round him.

And then the morning mist, and evening sunset, the haze on distant hills, the clouds and sky in storm and calm, the moonbeam on the river, the foliage of park and wood, deer and cattle, ivied tower and village cot, by turns caught the artist's eye, and supplied studies for his pencil.

Thanks to the influences which had hitherto shielded his life, Guy had learned much of the Creator from His own written Record, and manifestation in His Son Jesus Christ, before doing homage to "His eternal power and Godhead" in "the things that are made;" and when, feeling the meagerness of human language to express his wondering appreciation, the sweet words of Divine inspiration came suitably to his aid, and the Psalmist of Israel had tuned the lyre to which believing hearts through successive ages should chant their songs of praise.

And while, in self-abasing contrast with the Divine Majesty, he exclaimed with David, "'Lord, what is man that Thou are mindful of him?" * He was able to advance with Paul into the solution of the mystery, and by faith to "see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels," ‡ a suffering, sorrowing Man, "that He, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man," and in the glorious consummation, having subdued all enemies, and abolished all consequences of sin from the once perfect creation, will reinstate the lawful King over His restored inheritance, and then again shall "His name be excellent in all the earth," and all things animate and inanimate respond to their original intent, and "everything that hath existence shall praise the Lord."

* Psa. viii. ‡ Heb. ii.

Guy came to his wide field of study groping after no "unknown God," but from the presence of "the Truth" alone commissioned to reveal Him. There is no risk of mistake when the spirit of man as a learner listens to the Spirit of God as the teacher, and "looking unto Jesus" apprehends the mighty import of the Divine proclamation, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Whatever his chosen sphere of duty, the young believer is thus fore-armed, and Christ has a faithful soldier in the battle field.

Intent on his congenial occupation, Guy was one day sketching, beneath a group of trees that might have been planted specially as an artist's post of observation, the picturesque village of Pine-wood End, where the new school-house was becoming prominent against a background of foliage rising abruptly on a steep hill-side.

An approaching footstep, a little imitation cough failing to attract his notice, a voice tried effect upon his ear, and turning round he saw a gentlemanly-looking young man, who had been pointed out a short time before as the new tutor to the son of Sir Ryland N— of N— Hall, a neighbouring landowner.

"I beg your pardon," said he, gaily, "but may I not presume to admire your work?"

"No, sir," said Guy, smiling; "unless you wish me to think lightly of your judgment. But you may expend as much admiration as you please on the scene I am trying to represent. You will not find many so gracefully combining variety and interest."

"Ah! Now you remind me of a landsman trying to beguile an old sailor," said the young man, laughing. "You have not travelled, or you would scarcely notice a spot like this."

"Then I should not care to travel," said Guy. "But it need not be so. We may travel to admire and wonder, without losing preference for the land where we live and love."

"Ah, I see; at present your eyes are in the heart rather than the head, and I dare say that is very pleasant for the time. But what if some savage from the desert or jungle, some oily Greenlander from the icebergs, or thick-headed Serf from Siberian steppes were to meet you with this preference theory?"

"I should honour the sentiment, whatever I might think of his taste," returned Guy; "but I do not allow that preference indicates want of appreciation."

"Well, well, I can only confess for myself a delight in the beautiful and good wherever I find it," replied the stranger, with an air of self-satisfaction that rather provoked his hearer.

"An equal amount of delight?" he inquired.

"Certainly, according to the nature of the subject. Why not?"

"Then," said Guy, laughing, "you deserve to go down—

"'To the vile dust from whence you sprung. Unwept, unhonoured, and unsung.'"

"Come now, that is a challenge," said the stranger, seating himself at the foot of the tree, "and I am sure you will not deny me the right to defend myself. I should like to convince you that this idea is altogether too narrow and mean for anything so great and wide as man's capacities of intellect and affection. We are, as it were, off-shoots of Deity; we are to emulate our origin, and our sympathies ought to be as generous and universal. Benevolence and beauty being our ideal of God, we worship Him in them wherever they exist, without regard to place or time, or other associations."

"There must be other associations in my ideal of God," said Guy, gravely. "A being all beauty and benevolence might lack wisdom, power, truth, justice, and we need not forget that this very want, with inability to comprehend the union of all such attributes in one Supreme, led to the multiplication of deities in heathen worship."

"Well, you will grant at any rate that the Supreme Being whom we worship is a fount of benevolence and beauty, results of which are spread out everywhere, and everywhere demanding equal homage and admiration?"

"In what way rendered?" asked Guy, after a pause.

"Oh, in our enjoyment and happiness, our appreciative instincts, of course. What gives pleasure and makes happiness for His creatures must derive its own reward in the bestowal."

"That is to say that my satisfaction in good health, in the enjoyment of plenty, in a beautiful landscape, is God's reward for creating such agreeable things, and that He requires from me no further acknowledgment?—I am worshipping acceptably in receiving and enjoying?"

"It is not just the way I would put it," said the young tutor; "but let it stand if you like."

"It is the plain English of your statement," said Guy; "and suppose for the moment it is granted. It is only one side of things. Take the other side, in things great or small. A frightful storm that wrecks ships of all sizes on our shores, and makes hundreds of widows and orphans in a night; an earthquake that swallows up the good and bad alike; the sickness that wastes, the poverty that crushes, the deformity that revolts, the tears of bitterness that fall on many an innocent face, what then of your fanciful ideal of God? How do His attributes of benevolence and beauty stand in such a contrast? Who enjoys, who has satisfaction in such scenes? Who renders worship then to Him who is so beautiful and good?"

"I cannot, of course, enter at once into proofs from natural philosophy that would meet your argument so far as the laws of nature are concerned, but doubtless it can be met. The moral objections are more difficult to understand and deal with, but I think reason suggests that out of such seeming ills some hidden good evolves, which, if we knew it, would vindicate benevolence and goodness to our satisfaction."

"You have come to my armoury for that weapon to parry my thrust," said Guy; "you take that view by faith, and you know it is written in the Book of Truth; your mere reason could not have discovered it, and I claim the credit where it is due."

"I cannot help it if our different schools of thought bring us to the same conclusion," said the stranger, affecting to laugh. "Your Book of Truth ought not to contradict my reason."

"It explains and reconciles what mere reason cannot reach," said Guy; "and when pressed by facts, your ideal a Deity snatches a ray from the source of Light and Truth, which only makes your darkness more visible; but error is not scrupulous."

"Upon my word, I was not prepared for this encounter," said the stranger, gaily; "I usually let people think as they please, for it is not worth while to disturb them, and I always give them credit for intending to think and act for the best."

"Then you have no standard: you let everyone invent his own God, and admit that all may be equally true, or, pardon me for adding, care not if all are equally false?"

"Really I prefer to use more courteous terms to myself, and judge that I exercise Christian charity," said the tutor.

"Not Christian charity, sir, excuse me," said Guy. "True Christian charity declares God's view of man and his condition, and the terms on which they can be reconciled. Sin has made all the disturbance, and caused all the seeming contradictions, and 'the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.' 'He that is our God is the God of salvation,' and that He could not be, if judgment and justice, mercy and truth were not the attributes of His character, and the essence of His rule. Benevolence might pity the fallen, and beauty lament over ruin, but it needed mercy and truth to redeem, while wisdom planned, and love fulfilled the heavenly scheme which proved that God is also just, while justifying the repentant sinner. Pray do not think me presumptuous for holding the light to your straying steps. Take it for your own, and they will become safe and steady."

"You seem so much in earnest, young sir, that I will not charge you with presumption, though methinks more years have passed over my head than over yours, and my experiences and advantages have been greater."

"Years should give wisdom," said Guy, "and I should have been happy to learn from you, had you spoken 'as one having authority;' but if giants in human learning come and assail a boy-believer in the God of the Bible, they must expect a pebble from his sling whether it hits or not, and for that I cannot apologize."

"The people I meet with seem to find it too much trouble to think, and it is rather refreshing to find someone with a mind of his own, so I ask no apology, and shall be happy to become better acquainted," said the stranger, offering his card. "Besides, I think you can give me some information about the school-house yonder. I am told that religious services are to be conducted there, there, for which some minister will be required. My position here leaves a good deal of time on my hands, and if I make up my mind to take orders, do you think it is open to me to offer myself for the post?"

"If I am not presumptuous again," said Guy, unable to conceal his surprise, "I cannot but wonder at the idea of accepting orders to do what you disapprove of doing. Mr. and Mrs. Hazelwood intend that 'the gospel of the grace of God' shall be proclaimed there, and your ideal of God and human need flatly contradicts it."

"Oh, but you don't imagine I should treat those rustics to such subjects as you and I can discuss together! They must be taught to be honest and sober, and speak the truth, and obey their superiors."

"Fruit and flowers!" said Guy. "But you will have to do with thorns and thistles. How will you 'make the tree good' that it may produce 'good fruit'?"

"Oh, we must have patience, and work them round. Now one great means of awing and solemnizing such people has been forgotten: there is nothing striking or impressive about those buildings; they are too simple and plain, and will be entered without reverence or fear; but just drop your ignorant rustics into a magnificent cathedral, and observe the effect! Why they would feel as if all the gods of the universe were present there!"

"A flattering estimate of their case, certainly!" said Guy. "But, notwithstanding, you might happen to find among them, those who know why they assemble, and could tell you of One who said, 'Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.'"

"Possibly, if you have been taking a class there, for I am at no loss to know your school of thought by this time. Then you think if I were to apply to your respected squire, my success is doubtful?"

"Not at all," said Guy; "you have but to talk about 'schools of thought' at the Moat House, and your design to grow on 'grapes on thorns,' and 'figs on thistles,' and the matter would be quite settled."

"Really! Are they so narrow? It is a sad weakness of the Evangelical school to think none can be right but themselves. I prefer the grand broad view of God the benevolent Father of the whole human family, and the universal brotherhood of man. It is the most comfortable, good-tempered view of things, I assure you, and gives a pleasant feeling towards one's fellow creatures."

"Ignorant rustics among the rest?" inquired Guy.

"Certainly. No rushing at people as if they were going to destruction, and fretting your soul because they won't be saved."

"But saying, 'Peace, peace, when there is no peace," said Guy indignantly. "No, sir, your school of thought has the wrong head-master; but go to the Moat, and listen to those who belong to the only school where effectual instruction can be had; they will tell you far better than I can of the claims it has on your reverend attention, and show you a standing more trustworthy than your shifting sands and slippery self-complaisance."

"If report speaks truly, you have no great reason to championise the present owner of The Moat," said the stranger carelessly.

"Then report as usual is false, sir," returned Guy, warmly. "It was a good day for me, and for all the Falcon Range, when it passed into the hands of its present owner."

"I beg your pardon, I thought it might be otherwise."

"And you forget your 'grand broad view' of 'universal brotherhood' in sympathising with one at the expense of another," said Guy. "Consistency, I suppose, is too lowly a study for your lofty school."

The stranger burst into a laugh as he replied,—

"You caught me there, I admit, but do not take me for an illustration of my 'school'; I am very far from an accomplished scholar yet."

"I am glad to believe it," said Guy, kindly and frankly: "your heart is not satisfied, and will not allow you to be as comfortable as you pretend. Listen to it: it knows God is saying, 'My Son, give me thine heart,' and inwardly feels, too, that only He knows what to do with it."

"Is it true," asked the stranger, "that the Falconers' ancestry belonged to the Catholic Church?"

"Not since the Reformation," said Guy, rather struck with the terms of the inquiry. "Their chaplain became a Protestant, and soon the family and retainers followed, for he read daily from the word of God, and he found no Popery there. The sexton will be delighted to show you the remains of the old Bible that was chained to the reading-desk, and was listened to by the people who gathered from miles round the country. He can give you the history of those times, and of several relics of them for which he has great veneration."

"Relics! I thought Protestants ignored relics."

"Perhaps these are allowable," replied Guy, smiling, "giving special significance to words you must know very well: 'We have heard with our ears, and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works that Thou didst in their days, and in the old time before them,' delivering us from persecution and error, and enabling martyrs to be faithful unto death. It is a piece of an instrument of torture, and was used upon the person of one detected reading that very Bible."

"Another school of thought, you see. Those worthies thought it dangerous to allow the unlearned to read the Bible for themselves; then came the pugnacious resolve to have it and keep it and understand it as each man pleases; and presently you will be able to pave all our towns with Bibles that nobody cares for!"

"If every good and right thing were to be set aside because some abuse it and few know its real value, what would our civilization come to?" said Guy. "But we are to remember that though the sower scattered his seed over the wayside, among stones and thorns 'some fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit.' So with our Bible: it is 'the word of the kingdom,' and cannot return void, but must accomplish that which God pleases, and prosper in the thing whereto He sends it."

"You have the advantage of me in your knowledge of it, I am bound to confess," said the tutor.

"It is my 'school of thought,'" returned Guy; "it reveals the highest, purest knowledge, and being the Word of the Living God, I must receive it as I find it, neither adding to it nor taking from it, thereby escaping the snares of both those 'schools' which by turns seem to have caught your sympathies."

"I'm afraid there is no hope for me of the pastorate of Pine-wood End," said the stranger, smiling, "but perhaps I am better and shall take an early opportunity to call and make my own impression at The Moat."

Which he did, and it was not a favourable one, notwithstanding some fascination of manner, and much general information. He also visited the Church, and after a long talk with Mr. Spadeley, left that functionary in a perplexed meditation upon his probable or possible creed.

"Well, well," thought the clerk and sexton, "it is said that extremes do meet, but I'm fairly posed to know whether he be most Papist or most unbeliever; but I hope our Master Guy ain't going to take up with him nor his ways."

Then after sundry times scratching his head, and obtaining therefrom no help to a conclusion, he added, mentally,—

"It's wonderful, it is, how he slips about like an eel, and when I thought I'd caught him, he was through my fingers afore I knew it: that's like what they call a Jesuit; then he sneered at a fine old text that came nowhere but straight from the Lord Almighty: and that was like what they call Infidel. So whether he be deep like the one, with Satan to help him, or shallow like t'other, in the pride of his own heart, he's a pitiful sight to see. He parson of Pine-wood End indeed! Not while our good Squire is above ground, any way, and I'd as lief bury the whole village, school-house and all, as let such a whirligig set up to daze poor souls as he! The Lord have mercy on the young lad that's got his tutoring."

"It is a curious 'school of thought,' that of Mr. Freakes," remarked Squire Hazelwood. "I fear he is getting Sir Ryland to support 'The Book of Sports,' and introduce Sunday games in the Park at N—. And the bailiff declares he saw him and his pupil go into the Roman Catholic Chapel in our county town. But I suppose it is no business of ours."

Mistress Hazelwood sat silent and thoughtful for some time, and then looking up at her husband, "Dear Roger," she said, in lowly suggestive tones, "should we not do unto others as we would they should do unto us?"

"Surely we should, Dolly: what is on your mind?"

"We would like to be informed if we had a traitor in our house, and at least test him for ourselves; and we should for our Master's honour, and our people's welfare, desire to keep reverently the Lord's Day."

"Very true, dear wife; but what then? Would'st have me meddle with other men's matters, and get into hot water with Sir Ryland, who seems to care little what goes on in his name?"

"'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me,'" said Dorothy Hazelwood, very softly. "'And whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words—'"

"Dolly, that must not be. I will ascertain the truth of what I have heard, first, and then ride over for a quiet talk with Sir Ryland. He may perhaps take it kindly, seeing they are shooting and fishing in my preserves without asking leave, and I have not complained; but if they are poaching on my Masters' rights and defying His commands, why that's another matter, and ought to be seen to."

But the tutor had succeeded in so far ingratiating himself with the Baronet and his son as to secure a deaf ear to any suggestion of distrust. The visit to the Romish chapel was "merely one of curiosity," though they had spent the day among priests, and joined in some imposing ceremonies. The sports, too, in the Park were most innocent and suitable, not interfering with anyone who preferred Sunday school, and merely keeping young men and boys from lounging about the lanes. Sir Ryland was very much obliged; was sure his neighbour's interest was well meant; but considered himself quite able to judge of a tutor, and take care of his own family.

"Well, my Lord fared no better—nay, much worse—for speaking the truth," thought the Squire, as he rode home somewhat discouraged, until greeted by the warm earnest approval of his wife.

"Thou hast been faithful in little, and He in whose name you went, hath hearkened and noted it, dear husband. 'In His favour is life,' and 'the friendship of this world is enmity against Him.'"

The schools prospered, and the right agents were found, and Sir Ryland's offer to join the Squire in building a handsome church provided he might make the first presentation, was respectfully declined; whereupon the Baronet talked of erecting one in his own grounds to accommodate his own tenantry, and keep them from "the narrow-minded" teaching at Pine-wood End. But happily for them, his finances were not in the most flourishing condition, and Mr. Freakes was not so much admired and trusted in the neighbourhood as he considered due to his patronage and interest.

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