第10部分(第1/7 页)

One　Sunday　at　a　camp…meeting；　when　Gabriel　was　twelve　years　old　and　was　to　be　baptized；Deborah　and　Florence　stood　on　the　banks　of　a　river　along　with　all　the　other　folks　and　watched　him。

Gabriel　had　not　wished　to　be　baptized。　The　thought　had　frightened　and　angered　him；　but　hismother　insisted　that　Gabriel　was　now　of　an　age　to　be　responsible　before　God　for　his　sins—shewould　not　shirk　the　duty；　laid　on　her　by　the　Lord；　of　doing　everything　within　he　power　to　bringhim　to　the　throne　of　grace。　On　the　banks　of　a　river；　under　the　violent　light　of　noon；　confessedbelievers　and　children　of　Gabriel’s　age　waited　to　be　led　into　the　water。　Standing　out；　waist…deepand　robed　in　white；　was　the　preacher；　who　would　hold　their　heads　briefly　under　the　water；　cryingout　to　Heaven　as　the　baptized　held　his　breath：　‘I　indeed　have　baptized　you　with　water：　but　He　shallbaptize　you　with　the　Holy　Ghost。’　Then；　as　they　rose　sputtering　and　blinded　and　were　led　to　theshore；　he　cried　out　again：　‘Go　thou　and　sin　no　more。’　They　came　up　from　the　water；　visibly　underthe　power　of　the　Lord；　and　on　the　shore　the　saints　awaited　them；　beating　their　tambourines。

Standing　bear　the　shore　were　the　elders　of　the　church；　holding　towels　with　which　to　cover　thenewly　baptized；　who　were　then　led　into　the　tents；　one　for　either　sex；　where　they　could　change　theirclothes。

At　last；　Gabriel；　dressed　in　an　old　white　shirt　and　short　linen　pants；　stood　on　the　edge　of　thewater。　Then　he　was　slowly　led　into　the　river；　where　he　had　so　often　splashed　naked；　until　hereached　the　preacher。　And　the　moment　that　the　preacher　threw　him　down；　crying　out　the　words　ofJohn　the　Baptist；　Gabriel　began　to　kick　and　sputter；　nearly　throwing　the　preacher　off　balance；　andthough　at　first　they　thought　that　it　was　the　power　of　the　Lord