原文
"I don't believe any but fools enter the ministry nowadays," she wrote
bitterly. "Such candidates as they have sent us, and such stuff as
they preach! Half of it ain't true, and, what's worse, it ain't sound
doctrine. The one we have now is the worst of the lot. He mostly takes
a text and preaches about something else. And he says he doesn't believe
all the heathen will be eternally lost. The idea! If they won't all the
money we've been giving to Foreign Missions will be clean wasted, that's
what! Last Sunday night he announced that next Sunday he'd preach on the
axe-head that swam. I think he'd better confine himself to the Bible and
leave sensational subjects alone. Things have come to a pretty pass if
a minister can't find enough in Holy Writ to preach about, that's what.
What church do you attend, Anne? I hope you go regularly. People are apt
to get so careless about church-going away from home, and I understand
college students are great sinners in this respect. I'm told many of
them actually study their lessons on Sunday. I hope you'll never sink
that low, Anne. Remember how you were brought up. And be very careful
what friends you make. You never know what sort of creatures are in them
colleges. Outwardly they may be as whited sepulchers and inwardly as
ravening wolves, that's what. You'd better not have anything to say to
any young man who isn't from the Island.
語彙など
- any but:〜以外のもの
- ministry:牧師
- candidate:候補者
- preach:説教する
- doctrine:教義
- heathen:異教徒
- axe-head:斧頭
- confine:限定する
- sensational subject:世間をアッと言わせる話題
- pretty:困った,厄介な
- pass:事態
- Holy Writ:聖書
- sinner:罪人
- in this respect:この点で
- outwardly:表向きは
- whited sepulcher:偽善者
- inwardly:内心では
- ravening wolves:飢えに狂うオオカミ