Pine Needles Part 5

"Pastor Harms never talked stuff."

"How do you know?"

"I have read enough of him to know. He was one of those he calls G.o.d's true seed."

"Then what did he mean? Or what do you mean?"

"Well, Flora, I will ask you a question: How many people do you know who live to do Christ's will?"

Flora did not answer immediately. Maggie on her part went to calculating.

"I know--I know--three!" she said slowly.

"_Three!_" said Flora. "Who are they?"

"That's not the question, Flo," said her brother. "How many do _you_ know?"

"Well," said Flora, "Mr. Murray is one, and you are another, I believe; but there are other nice people in the world."

"I know people drink," said Maggie, so gravely and sagely that the others laughed. "I do know. I have seen them at our house. You needn't say anything, Esther; I have once or twice when I have been at dinner, when you were not at home. Not papa, of course, and they don't do it now. Papa won't have wine on the table at all, but I saw how they did.

Some of the gentlemen began with whisky and water, and one took brandy and water, before dinner began."

"Oh stop, Maggie!" Esther exclaimed.

"No, but I want to tell you. Then they took Greek wine or Sauterne with their soup. Then they took champagne with the dinner. Then they had port wine with the cheese--oh, I recollect, Esther--and then they had Madeira and sherry with dessert, and claret and Madeira and sherry with the fruit. And some of them drank every one. I am glad papa won't have wine at all now. Uncle Eden wouldn't, a good while ago."

"People used in England, not very long ago, to drink a bottle or two of wine after dinner each man," said Meredith; "but it is not quite so bad as that nowadays."

Flora was vexed, but silent; she too remembered bowls of punch and baskets of champagne in _her_ father's time.

"And gaming--" said Maggie, and stopped.

"What?" said Meredith.

"I was thinking how fond Fenton was of it."

"Oh hush, Maggie! he wasn't!" Esther exclaimed.

"It was just the same thing, Uncle Eden said."

"Where is Fenton?" said Meredith.

"He's coming to-morrow. He likes champagne too, and other wine when he can get it. And Bolivar--Bolivar put something in his lemonade!"

"Why, Maggie," said Meredith, smiling and pa.s.sing his hand gently over the little girl's head, "you are taking gloomy views of life!"

"I was only thinking, Ditto. But it seems to me so very strange that people should be worse now than when they were heathen Saxons."

"People are a mixture now, you must remember. The good part are a great deal better, and I suppose the bad part are a great deal worse."

"Worse than the heathen!" cried Flora.

"Well, judge for yourself. But darkness in the midst of light is always the blackest, and not only by contrast either."

"If you think people are so awful, I should think you would go to work and preach to them," said Esther.

"I will," said Meredith calmly.

"Then what will you do with Meadow Park?"

"Oh, he proposes to turn that into an hospital."

"An hospital!"----

"Flora is romancing a little," said her brother. "There are no infirmaries put up yet. How sweet this place is! Do you smell the fir trees and pines? The air is a spice-box."

"The air a box!" cried Maggie laughing.

"I mean it is full of perfumes, like a spice-box. And these old stones, laid up here by the soldiers' hands of a hundred years ago, just make a dining place for us now. But it's pretty! And the air is nectar."

"You can choose whether you will smell it, or swallow it," remarked his sister.

"By your leave, I will do both. Well, shall I go on?"

CHAPTER IV.

"'The morning after the sacrificial feast at the Deep Moor, Landolf with the Billing and the free men travelled on to the May diet, which was to be held at the seven stone-houses, and before noon came to the place.

There were an enormous crowd of free men a.s.sembled, priests, n.o.bles, and commons. The place lies in the middle of a vast, level heath, on the soft declivity of a rising ground, which on the other side falls away sharply down to a boggy dell. I have already described the stone-houses.

There are seven of them, a number which must have been held sacred among the Saxons. At least in our country the so-called "Huhnen" graves, in which our forefathers lie buried, are always found either alone, or constantly by sevens together in a wide circle. The spot on which the stone-houses stand must have been sacred to Woden, for in the chronicle it is called "Wuotanswohrt," and _wohrt_ in Saxon always means a secluded, enclosed, sacred place, especially devoted to the administration of justice; for courts of justice were held under the open sky and always by day, as though to denote that justice is of heavenly origin, courts the light of suns.h.i.+ne and shuns the darkness.

The word _wohrt_ is connected with _wehren_' (which means, to keep off, Maggie), 'because everything unholy must be kept off from it, on which account also such places were hedged in. Of the transactions at this May diet, it is only told that a great sacrifice was offered, this time consisting of fourteen men, two of whom were slaughtered upon each of the stone-houses in the manner already described; that then cases of law were decided according to the ancient usage; then the state of things between the Saxons and the Franks was considered; and at this opportunity Landolf, who as guest of the Billing had been present at all the discussions, begged to be permitted to speak, and asked for leave to preach Christianity in the country. Scarcely had he preferred his request, when threatening and distrustful looks were directed upon him from almost all present, and many a hand grasped to the war-axe; for at the word _Christianity_, men's thoughts at once flew to the Franks, those hitherto enemies of the Saxons, by whom after three and thirty years of fighting they had at last been subdued. The Billing immediately observed the excitement, and before any of it could get open expression he himself was upon his feet. He related that Landolf was no Frank, but an Eastphalian, and so of their own people and race; that when a boy he had been taken prisoner by the Franks in the war and carried to the Franks' country, where he had been converted to Christianity, and had been a pupil of the good Liudgar, who himself was a Saxon and known by report to all Saxons. That afterwards he had lived with this Liudgar in the country of their brethren the Westphalians, and half a year before this time had come to him quite alone and become his guest; and as his guest he would protect the man, since he had done nothing contrary to the customs and usages of the Saxon people. In his own home he had permitted him to preach Christianity; and now here, in the a.s.sembly of the people, according to ancient law and usage, Landolf desired to ask whether he might be allowed to proclaim openly in the country the Gospel of the G.o.d of the Christians. This must now be regularly debated in the a.s.sembly of the people; and he gave permission to Landolf that free and unmolested he might say out his wishes and tell exactly what the Christian belief was. Then every one might give his opinion.

"'Now Landolf rose up. His tall figure, his n.o.ble presence, and the fearless, frank, spirited glance of his eye round the circle, made a deep impression; and in noiseless silence the a.s.sembly listened to his speech, the first preaching that ever was held in our country. This short, simple discourse has so grown into my heart and I like it so much, that I shall give it here.' Flora, are you listening?"

"Of course."

"I didn't know but you were too busy counting your st.i.tches. I want you to hear this speech of Landolf's. It is very fine.

"'"In the name of G.o.d, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the only true G.o.d. Amen. Men and brethren, hear my words. One hundred years ago"

(A.D. 960, according to the chronicle), "came two pious Christian priests to you, to make known to your fathers the Gospel of Christ, the true G.o.d; they were the dark and the fair Ewald. They were your own relations, they came from England; they were your friends, they had left England and come over the sea for the love of you; they were your guests, they had been sheltered in your houses. They wanted to let you know that G.o.d has become your Brother, that He might deliver you from your sins. You would not let them preach in your land--you were free not to do that; but you murdered them; here on these stones you slew them in honour of Woden; your brothers, your friends, your guests, you murdered, who had done you no evil. Since that time the true G.o.d, the G.o.d of the Christians, has been angry with you. You number as many as the Franks do; you are just as brave as they. Yet Charlemagne, the Frank, has conquered and subdued you. How is that? G.o.d fought with Charlemagne; He loved him--he is a Christian. G.o.d fought against you, for you have killed his priests; you are murderers. You can kill me too. Do it; I am not afraid of death; I am the servant of G.o.d; if you kill me, G.o.d will take me up to heaven. G.o.d's anger will not depart from you, unless you become Christians. Why will you not become Christians? Your G.o.ds are good for nothing; they cannot help you; they have not been able to stand before the Christian's G.o.d. Where is your _Irmensul_? Charlemagne has broken it to pieces." (Irmensul was an idol image that stood at Hildesheim). "Where is your _Wodensaak_? Charlemagne has cut it down."

(This Woden's oak stood at Verden on the Aller.) "Where is your _Helawohrt_? Charlemagne has destroyed it." (The sacred place of the G.o.ddess Hela was on the Aller, in what is now the suburb Heelen at Celle.) "Where are your brave leaders, Wittekind and Albion? They have become Charlemagne's friends and va.s.sals; they are Christians. Do you think it was Charlemagne that subdued them? No, a greater One, the G.o.d of the Christians has subdued them. Charlemagne indeed often overthrew them; but the Christian's G.o.d has conquered them. Do you know how that came about? I have heard in Munster, and I will tell you.

"'"After the last battle they lost--you know about that, your young men bled there too--before peace was concluded, the brave Wittekind said to his brother in arms, Albion, 'Come, let us go! we will pay a visit to Charlemagne in his fortress, and take a look at his power; for he is the greatest in the land.' So the bold heroes set forth; hiding their strong frames under the dress of beggars; for they wished to remain unknown, and to see and prove for themselves. Fear was not in their brave hearts.

They travelled and travelled for days and days; and wherever they came, Christians gave them food. Then they questioned with one another--'Is _this_ what Christians are?' They were many nights on their journeyings, and wherever they came the Christians took them in, although they were beggars. Then they asked one another, 'Is this what Christians are?'

Many a time they lost their way, in cities, villages, and fields; the Christians set them right, and they said to each other in astonishment, 'Is _this_ what the Christians are?' At last they came to Ingelheim."