american tragedy

Chapter 155 (2)
Chapter 331 (2)
This statement struck the Reverend Duncan as important, and probably true.According to her then, if any living power of God, so strong and upright, had brought her to a realization of a truth which she knew well and did not understand; Because she is the mother, so he has not yet been able to make him realize that, as far as his present or future eternal soul is concerned, he is as evil and terrible as Roberta's sin, and then, in order to thank God and worship God, all his sins would be washed away, wouldn't he? Because of the crimes against him, whether he committed or not committed, she firmly believed that he did not commit, but, under the shadow of the electric chair, he could die at any time (even before the final judgment) was called back to the Lord with the vicious guilt of rape, not to mention his lies and wrongdoings.And, not just with Roberta, but with that other Lycurgus girl, isn't it? Isn't he supposed to wash away these sins by conversion or repentance? If only his soul can be saved, then she and He can bring peace to the world.

Reverend Duncan received the first letter from Mrs. Griffiths, and the second letter pleading for him.These letters from her arrival in Denver showed how lonely Clyde was and how much he needed advice and help.So Reverend Duncan set off for Auburn.As soon as he arrived, he explained to the warden his real purpose—to save Clyde's soul, for himself, for his mother, and for God.In this way, he immediately obtained permission to enter the death row, to Clyde, and he went straight to the door of his cell.When he got there, he stopped for a moment, looked in, and saw Clyde lying on the bed very sadly, trying to read a book.The tall and thin Macmillan was leaning against the iron railing again at this time, and without introducing himself, he lowered his head and prayed:

"God, please have mercy on me with your loving kindness, and blot out my transgressions with your abundant mercy.

"Wash away my iniquity and remove my sin.

"For I know my transgressions, and my sins are ever before me.

"Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done this evil in your sight, that you may be just when you reprove me, and be clear when you judge me.

"I was born in sin. I was sinful from my mother's conception.

"You love truth in heart. You will make my wisdom wiser in my secret place.

"Make me hear the voice of joy and gladness, and make my bones, which you have crushed, to leap.

"Hide your face from my sin, and wash away all my iniquity.

"God, please create in me a pure heart and restore me to a righteous heart.

"Do not cast me out of your presence. Do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

"Get me, get me out of your presence. Do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

"Restore me to the joy of deep thought, and sustain me with a willing spirit.

"I will teach the transgressor your way. The sinner will submit to you.

"God, you are the God of my salvation. Deliver me from bloodshed. My tongue sings of your righteousness.

"Open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall sing your praises.

"You don't like to receive sacrifices. If you like, I will offer them. You don't like banner sacrifices either.

"God's sacrifice is a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

After he had recited the whole Psalm in a very melodious voice, he paused.Then, look up.Fascinated by the upright, young, vigorous, pale man, he walked up to the door of the cell.McMillan went on to say:

"Clyde, I have brought you the mercy and deliverance of your God. He called me, and I came. He sent me, that I might say to you, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall become As white as snow, though red as crimson, shall be as white as wool.' Now, hear me, let us talk, with God with us."

He paused and looked at Clyde meekly.There was a warm, youthful, urbane demeanor on his lips, and Clyde was clearly attracted to this special man.And, of course, another religious man.But the Protestant minister here is nothing compared to that.Not so gripping, not so attractive.

"I am Duncan Macmillan," he said, "and I preached for God in Syracuse. I came from there. He sent me as he sent your mother to me. She Tell me everything she believes. I have heard everything you have said. I know why you are here now. But I have come here to give you joy and pleasure. "

Suddenly, he quoted the thirteenth verse 11 of the "Psalm", "I plan in my heart, and I am troubled all day long; how long will it be? Or you say it." It is also the tenth Psalm in the "Bible"; "'He said in his heart, I must not hold back, from generation to generation, from calamity.' But, you know, you are suffering. We are all those of us who live in sin. But now I think of one more thing I want to talk about it. It is the tenth chapter of the "Psalm" No.[-]: "He said in his heart, God has forgotten. He hid his face." But God wants to tell you that there is no day of disaster for him. They come to attack me. But the LORD is my trust, and from on high he stretched out his hand and caught me, and he took me up from the waters.'

"He rescued me from my great enemy."

"And those who hate me because they are stronger than me.

"Again he refused me to go to the spacious place.

"He saved me, because he delighted in me."

"Clyde, this is for you. It comes to me here to tell you. It's as if someone whispered it in my ear. I'm just saying it to you directly. The spokesperson of poetry. Make calculations with your own conscience.

Don't look into the shadows, turn around and face the light.Let us break these chains of misfortune and gloom, and drive away these shadows and darkness.You have sins, the Lord can forgive, repent.Follow the God who made the world and sustains it, He will not cast aside your faith, He will not ignore your prayers.Look back in your heart, in this cell, and say, 'Lord, save me; Lord, hear my prayer; Lord, open my eyes!'

On the other hand, because Clyde was very young and seemed lonely, as he had been since his mother and Nicholson had gone, Macmillan went on to say: "It's easy for me anytime. In Syracuse Gus, I have a lot of religious work to do, but I'm willing to take a break whenever I can to really help you out." At this point, he turned away, as if to go.

Clyde is attracted to him.His exuberant, confident, benevolent demeanor was very different from the stressful, scary, and lonely life here.Called him from behind: "Oh, please don't go, don't worry, it's kind of you to come to see me, I am very grateful to you. My mother wrote that you might come. You know, it's very lonely here. You just Maybe I haven't thought about what I said, because I don't feel guilty myself, as some people think. Still, I've been very sad. Everyone here is suffering, of course." His His eyes looked sad and tense.

Macmillan was now deeply moved for the first time, and immediately replied, "Don't worry, Clyde, I'll see you again in a week. Because now I know you need me, I'm going to pray, and Not because I think about Roberta, Alden's tragic death is your sin, your mourning. But I don't know, you haven't told me, only you and God know what is your sin, your mourning But I do know that you need spiritual help, and this is what he will give you, give you enough. The Lord will also be a high tower for those he heals, a high tower in times of trouble."

He smiled slightly, as if he really liked Clyde at the moment.Clyde felt this too, and was fascinated by it, and replied that he had nothing to say for the moment, but that he should tell his mother that he was well, and that she should not be too sorry for him, if If he wishes to do so.He found her letter sad.She was too worried about him.Who wouldn't be in his situation? In fact, if he could find peace of mind through prayer, he would gladly do so, and his mother had always urged him to pray.So far, though, to say the least, he hadn't listened to her much.His expression was dazed and gloomy, and the paleness peculiar to prisons had already appeared on his face.

Reverend Duncan was also greatly moved by him, and replied, "Well, don't worry, Clyde. Revelation and peace will come to you. I see, you have a Bible over there. You Open the "Psalms", read any part, one, No.90 one, No.20 three. Open the "Gospel of Jowo", read all the chapters, read it repeatedly, think about it, pray and pray , think of everything around you—the moon, the stars, the sun, the trees, the sea—your beating heart. Your body, your strength, and ask yourself, who made all this? How did this come about? Then, if you can't answer, ask yourself, Who created this, who created you? - whoever, anywhere, is there when you need help , wise enough, merciful enough to help you, to give you light, serenity and enlightenment, just ask yourself, the Creator of all this - to tell you what to do, what to do. Do not doubt. Just ask and just See. Ask at night, ask by day. Bow your head and pray. You will never be disappointed, I know that, because I have the peace."

He stared at Clyde confidently, then walked away smiling.Clyde leaned against the cell door, hesitating.Creator! Creator of the world...ask, try...

However, he still retained his early indifference to religion, contempt for religious cause and effect, contempt for his father's so fruitless prayers and preaching.Was it only because, like some others here, he had suffered disaster and was frightened, so he was now turning to religion? He hoped so.

But, at any rate, the Reverend Duncan McLane's look and air--so young, so confident, his striking body, face, and eyes--first attracted Clyde and then moved him.Never in his life had any religious man or priest touched him so much.

He was intrigued, fascinated, fascinated by what this man believed, whether he could believe in a firm belief at once, or not at all, or someday.

(End of this chapter)