282 THE BEST DISH. a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a stalled ox, and hatred therewith. Another said: The best dish seems to me to be the courtesy and tidiness of the lady of the house; for, if she change her face, and darken her countenance like sackcloth, or give any ground for the suspicion that the hands which dressed it were not clean, there is little pleasure or relish even in the costliest fare. Said a third: The best dish is that which is first offered to a hungry man; for the reason why the voluptuary can find, among the many which are served, scarcely one to please him, is, that he eats sooner and more than necessity requires, and never uses hunger as a sauce to his food. In the opinion of a fourth, the best dish was an open and generous heart on the part of the host; for, if the guest have the slightest ground to suppose that he has not been willingly or disinterestedly invited, or that he is grudgingly entertained, or that his words are marked and treasured up, he will have little relish for any of the dishes. Gotthold then took up the word, and added: There is certainly reason in your answers, but I too will say what I think. The best dish is that which has been earned by fair means and with a good conscience, is enjoyed with gratitude and reverence towards God, and of which the poor beggar at the gate receives his share: For how can any dish be called good which is seasoned with the tears and sighs of oppressed Christians, and with the Divine malediction? No dish 1 Proverbs xv. 17. is good which does not do the eater good; and what good can any dish do which is eaten with such a sauce? Wherever gratitude to God and charity to poor neighbors are forgotten, the last cup in life's banquet is usually quaffed amid the flames of hell, as the rich voluptuary experienced.1 Lord Jesus! give me only a crust of bread, but let it be bedropped with Thy blessing, moistened from Thy wounds, and sweetened by Thy love: I will gladly share it with a needy brother, and desire no other or better fare. CLXXXIII. Servants. AVING inquired of the servants, who had been for some time in his family, whether they were disposed to remain, Gotthold received for answer, that they had no cause of complaint; knew not what better they could do; and, if he were equally satisfied with them, had no wish to change their place. Gotthold, on his part, having no ground for dissatisfaction, retained them in his employment. The occasion, however, led him to reflect as follows: Between master and servant, mistress and maid, there is 1 Luke xvi. 23. no difference but that which God has made, for a short interval in this present world. The stars, though not all of one magnitude or brightness, have all places in one common heaven: in like manner, we occupy different degrees of honor, rank, and wealth, but have the same firmament of grace over our heads—namely, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.' What right, then, have I to despise or injure my domestics, although they must call me master, and wait my command and pleasure? And what if they shall attain to higher degrees of faith, charity, meekness, patience, and contentment, than I do? We read of a hermit who had a high notion of his own sanctity. It was revealed to him, however, that in this respect he was greatly inferior to a poor girl, who was waiting-maid at an inn. With this person he sought an interview, and, having inquired in what her pious deeds and acceptable services consisted, was answered, that she was not conscious of any particular sanctity, but tried diligently and faithfully to execute the work of the house, and the other tasks assigned to her; and especially made it a rule, every time she lifted a bundle of fagots to carry it into the kitchen, to meditate with cordial affection upon Him who, from love to her and all mankind, had once borne the tree of the cross. In the same way, many a precious stone lies neglected upon the ground, 1 Eph. iv. 5, 6. THE FRAGRANT DEATH'S-HEAD. 285 but nevertheless continues to be a precious stone. The pearl oyster is rough and unsightly on the outside, but beautiful and bright within, and precious for what it contains. Even so pious servants are often humble and despised in the world's eyes, but great in God's. CLXXXIV. The Fragrant Death's-Head. NE of Gotthold's friends had got a little scentbox, made in the shape of a death's-head, with a screw at the skull for opening and taking it asunder. It then showed various cells, filled with fragrant balm. Being asked why he had made the box in this particular shape, he replied: In order to have something continually reminding me. of my mortality. On this Gotthold rejoined: You have done well, if such was indeed your object, and not rather to possess a curiosity for people to gaze and wonder at. The thought of the mortality to which, like all your race, you are subjected, may be infinitely more profitable to you than all kinds of balm. seized with the delirium of pride, reflect that death will one day reduce you to dust and ashes, and wither If 286 THE THOUGHTS. your pomp like a flower. If overcome by angry passion, take to heart that death stands behind with his axe, you and only waits the signal from God to reduce you in an instant to the impotency of a dead gnat. If your heart ache, and your head be distracted with cares, recollect that all your trouble and anxiety will one day come to a blessed end. Oh! how precious, how fragrant, how superlatively sweet a balm it is, upon every emergency to remember our mortality! Help me, O my God! continually to live as if I did not live, that so at last I may die as if I were not dying. CLXXXV. The Thoughts. BSERVING one of his family absorbed in deep thought, Gotthold inquired: Why so pensive? Of what are you thinking? The answer was: Of nothing. To which he rejoined: It is impossible for a man not to be thinking of someWe ought, however, to accustom ourselves to have no thoughts but such as we should not be afraid to divulge, were we unexpectedly interrogated about thing. |