Unit 11 Salvation 课文翻译 综合教程一

Unit 11 Salvation

I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved. It happened like this.

There was a big revival at my Auntie Reed's church. Every night for weeks there had been much

preaching, singing, praying, and shouting, and some very hardened sinners had been brought to

Christ, and the membership of the church had grown by leaps and bounds. Then just before the

revival ended, they held a special meeting for children,

aunt

spoke

of

it

for

days

ahead.

That

night

I

was

escorted

to

the

front

row

and

placed

on

the

mourners' bench with all the other young sinners, who had not yet been brought to Jesus.

My aunt told me that when you were saved you saw a light, and something happened to you

inside! And Jesus came into your life! And God was with you from then on! She said you could

see and hear and feel Jesus in your soul. I believed her. I had heard a great many old people say

the same thing and it seemed to me they ought to know. So I sat there calmly in the hot, crowded

church, waiting for Jesus to come to me.

The preacher preached a wonderful rhythmical sermon, all moans and shouts and lonely cries

and dire pictures of hell, and then he sang a song about the ninety and nine safe in the fold, but

one little lamb was left out in the cold. Then he said:

Young lambs, won't

you come?

to all us

young sinners there on the

mourners' bench. And the little girls cried. And some of them jumped up and went to Jesus right

away. But most of us just sat there.

A

great

many

old

people

came

and

knelt

around

us

and prayed,

old

women

with

jet-black

faces and braided hair, old men with work-gnarled hands. And the church sang a song about the

lower

lights

are

burning,

some

poor

sinners

to

be

saved.

And

the

whole

building

rocked

with

prayer and song.

Still I kept waiting to see Jesus.

Finally all the young people had gone to the altar and were saved, but one boy and me. He

was a rounder's son named Westley. Westley and I were surrounded by sisters and deacons praying.

It was very hot in the church, and getting late now. Finally Westley said to me in a whisper:

damn! I'm tired of sitting here. Let's get up and be saved.

Then I was left all alone on the mourners' bench. My aunt came and knelt at my knees and

cried, while prayers and song swirled all around me in the little church. The whole congregation

prayed for me alone, in a mighty wail of moans and voices. And I kept waiting serenely for Jesus,

waiting, waiting

—

but he didn't come. I wanted to see him, but nothing happened to me. Nothing!

I wanted something to happen to me, but nothing happened.

I heard the songs and the minister saying:

you come to Jesus? Jesus is waiting for you. He wants you. Why don't you come? Sister Reed,

what is this child's name?