第23章
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  hasanalyzedthecasesofseventy-sevenconvertsorex-candidatesforconversion,knowntohim,andtheresultsstrikinglyconfirmtheviewthatsuddenconversionisconnectedwiththepossessionofanactivesubliminalself。Examininghissubjectswithreferencetotheirhypnoticsensibilityandtosuchautomatismsashypnagogichallucinations,oddimpulses,religiousdreamsaboutthetimeoftheirconversion,etc。,hefoundtheserelativelymuchmorefrequentinthegroupofconvertswhosetransformationhadbeen“striking。”“striking“transformationbeingdefinedasachangewhich,thoughnotnecessarilyinstantaneous,seemstothesubjectofittobedistinctlydifferentfromaprocessofgrowth,howeverrapid。”[128]

  Candidatesforconversionatrevivalsare,asyouknow,oftendisappointed:theyexperiencenothingstriking。ProfessorCoehadanumberofpersonsofthisclassamonghisseventy-sevensubjects,andtheyalmostall,whentestedbyhypnotism,provedtobelongtoasubclasswhichhecalls“spontaneous。”thatis,fertileinself-suggestions,asdistinguishedfroma“passive“

  subclass,towhichmostofthesubjectsofstrikingtransformationbelonged。Hisinferenceisthatself-suggestionofimpossibilityhadpreventedtheinfluenceuponthesepersonsofanenvironmentwhich,onthemore“passive“subjects,hadeasilybroughtforththeeffectstheylookedfor。Sharpdistinctionsaredifficultintheseregions,andProfessorCoe’snumbersaresmall。Buthismethodswerecareful,andtheresultstallywithwhatonemightexpect;andtheyseem,onthewhole,tojustifyhispracticalconclusion,whichisthatifyoushouldexposetoaconvertinginfluenceasubjectinwhomthreefactorsunite:first,pronouncedemotionalsensibility;second,tendencytoautomatisms;andthird,suggestibilityofthepassivetype;

  youmightthensafelypredicttheresult:therewouldbeasuddenconversion,atransformationofthestrikingkind。

  Inhisbook,TheSpiritualLife,NewYork,

  Doesthistemperamentalorigindiminishthesignificanceofthesuddenconversionwhenithasoccurred?Notintheleast,asProfessorCoewellsays;for“theultimatetestofreligiousvaluesisnothingpsychological,nothingdefinableintermsofHOWITHAPPENS,butsomethingethical,definableonlyintermsofWHATISATTAINED。

  Asweproceedfartherinourinquiryweshallseethatwhatisattainedisoftenanaltogethernewlevelofspiritualvitality,arelativelyheroiclevel,inwhichimpossiblethingshavebecomepossible,andnewenergiesandendurancesareshown。Thepersonalityischanged,themanisbornanew,whetherornothispsychologicalidiosyncrasiesarewhatgivetheparticularshapetohismetamorphosis。“Sanctification“isthetechnicalnameofthisresult;anderelongexamplesofitshallbebroughtbeforeyou。InthislectureIhavestillonlytoaddafewremarksontheassuranceandpeacewhichfillthehourofchangeitself。

  Onewordmore,though,beforeproceedingtothatpoint,lestthefinalpurposeofmyexplanationofsuddennessbysubliminalactivitybemisunderstood。IdoindeedbelievethatiftheSubjecthavenoliabilitytosuchsubconsciousactivity,orifhisconsciousfieldshaveahardrindofamarginthatresistsincursionsfrombeyondit,hisconversionmusthegradualifitoccur,andmustresembleanysimplegrowthintonewhabits。Hispossessionofadevelopedsubliminalself,andofaleakyorperviousmargin,isthusaconditiosinequanonoftheSubject’sbecomingconvertedintheinstantaneousway。Butifyou,beingorthodoxChristians,askmeasapsychologistwhetherthereferenceofaphenomenontoasubliminalselfdoesnotexcludethenotionofthedirectpresenceoftheDeityaltogether,IhavetosayfranklythatasapsychologistIdonotseewhyitnecessarilyshould。ThelowermanifestationsoftheSubliminal,indeed,fallwithintheresourcesofthepersonalsubject:hisordinarysense-material,inattentivelytakeninandsubconsciouslyrememberedandcombined,willaccountforallhisusualautomatisms。Butjustasourprimarywide-awakeconsciousnessthrowsopenoursensestothetouchofthingsmaterialsoitislogicallyconceivablethatIFTHEREBEhigherspiritualagenciesthatcandirectlytouchus,thepsychologicalconditionoftheirdoingsoMIGHTBEourpossessionofasubconsciousregionwhichaloneshouldyieldaccesstothem。ThehubbubofthewakinglifemightcloseadoorwhichinthedreamySubliminalmightremainajaroropen。

  Thusthatperceptionofexternalcontrolwhichissoessentialafeatureinconversionmight,insomecasesatanyrate,beinterpretedastheorthodoxinterpretit:forcestranscendingthefiniteindividualmightimpresshim,onconditionofhisbeingwhatwemaycallasubliminalhumanspecimen。ButinanycasetheVALUEoftheseforceswouldhavetobedeterminedbytheireffects,andthemerefactoftheirtranscendencywouldofitselfestablishnopresumptionthattheyweremoredivinethandiabolical。

  IconfessthatthisisthewayinwhichIshouldratherseethetopicleftlyinginyourmindsuntilIcometoamuchlaterlecture,whenIhopeoncemoretogatherthesedroppedthreadstogetherintomoredefinitiveconclusions。ThenotionofasubconsciousselfcertainlyoughtnotatthispointofourinquirytobeheldtoEXCLUDEallnotionofahigherpenetration。

  Iftherebehigherpowersabletoimpressus,theymaygetaccesstousonlythroughthesubliminaldoor。Seebelow,p。506ff。

  Letusturnnowtothefeelingswhichimmediatelyfillthehouroftheconversionexperience。Thefirstonetobenotedisjustthissenseofhighercontrol。Itisnotalways,butitisveryoftenpresent。WesawexamplesofitinAlline,Bradley,Brainerd,andelsewhere。TheneedofsuchahighercontrollingagencyiswellexpressedintheshortreferencewhichtheeminentFrenchProtestantAdolpheMonodmakestothecrisisofhisownconversion。ItwasatNaplesinhisearlymanhood,inthesummerof1827。

  “Mysadness。”hesays,“waswithoutlimit,andhavinggotentirepossessionofme,itfilledmylifefromthemostindifferentexternalactstothemostsecretthoughts,andcorruptedattheirsourcemyfeelings,myjudgment,andmyhappiness。ItwasthenthatIsawthattoexpecttoputastoptothisdisorderbymyreasonandmywill,whichwerethemselvesdiseased,wouldbetoactlikeablindmanwhoshouldpretendtocorrectoneofhiseyesbytheaidoftheotherequallyblindone。IhadthennoresourcesaveinsomeINFLUENCEFROMWITHOUT。IrememberedthepromiseoftheHolyGhost;andwhatthepositivedeclarationsoftheGospelhadneversucceededinbringinghometome,Ilearnedatlastfromnecessity,andbelieved,forthefirsttimeinmylife,inthispromise,intheonlysenseinwhichitansweredtheneedsofmysoul,inthat,namely,ofarealexternalsupernaturalaction,capableofgivingmethoughts,andtakingthemawayfromme,andexertedonmebyaGodastrulymasterofmyheartasheisoftherestofnature。Renouncingthenallmerit,allstrength,abandoningallmypersonalresources,andacknowledgingnoothertitletohismercythanmyownuttermisery,IwenthomeandthrewmyselfonmykneesandprayedasI

  neveryetprayedinmylife。Fromthisdayonwardsanewinteriorlifebeganforme:notthatmymelancholyhaddisappeared,butithadlostitssting。Hopehadenteredintomyheart,andonceenteredonthepath,theGodofJesusChrist,towhomIthenhadlearnedtogivemyselfup,littlebylittledidtherest。”

  IpiecetogetheraquotationmadebyW。Monod,inhisbooklaVie,andaletterprintedinthework:AdolpheMonod:I,。

  SouvenirsdesaVie,1885,p。433。

  ItisneedlesstoremindyouoncemoreoftheadmirablecongruityofProtestanttheologywiththestructureofthemindasshowninsuchexperiences。Intheextremeofmelancholytheselfthatconsciouslyiscandoabsolutelynothing。Itiscompletelybankruptandwithoutresource,andnoworksitcanaccomplishwillavail。Redemptionfromsuchsubjectiveconditionsmustbeafreegiftornothing,andgracethroughChrist’saccomplishedsacrificeissuchagift。

  “God。”saysLuther,“istheGodofthehumble,themiserable,theoppressed,andthedesperate,andofthosethatarebroughteventonothing;andhisnatureistogivesighttotheblind,tocomfortthebroken-hearted,tojustifysinners,tosavetheverydesperateanddamned。Nowthatperniciousandpestilentopinionofman’sownrighteousness,whichwillnotbeasinner,unclean,miserable,anddamnable,butrighteousandholy,sufferethnotGodtocometohisownnaturalandproperwork。ThereforeGodmusttakethismaulinhandthelaw,Imeantobeatinpiecesandbringtonothingthisbeastwithhervainconfidence,thatshemaysolearnatlengthbyherownmiserythatsheisutterlyforlornanddamned。Butherelieththedifficulty,thatwhenamanisterrifiedandcastdown,heissolittleabletoraisehimselfupagainandsay,’NowIambruisedandafflictedenough;

  nowisthetimeofgrace;nowisthetimetohearChrist。’Thefoolishnessofman’sheartissogreatthatthenheratherseekethtohimselfmorelawstosatisfyhisconscience。’IfI

  live,’saithhe,’Iwillamendmylife:Iwilldothis,Iwilldothat。’Buthere,exceptthoudothequitecontrary,exceptthousendMosesawaywithhislaw,andintheseterrorsandthisanguishlayholduponChristwhodiedforthysins,lookfornosalvation。Thycowl,thyshavencrown,thychastity,thyobedience,thypoverty,thyworks,thymerits?whatshallallthesedo?whatshallthelawofMosesavail?IfI,wretchedanddamnablesinner,throughworksormeritscouldhavelovedtheSonofGod,andsocometohim,whatneededhetodeliverhimselfforme?IfI,beingawretchanddamnedsinner,couldberedeemedbyanyotherprice,whatneededtheSonofGodtobegiven?Butbecausetherewasnootherprice,thereforehedeliveredneithersheep,ox,gold,norsilver,butevenGodhimself,entirelyandwholly’forme,’even’forme,’Isay,amiserable,wretchedsinner。Now,therefore,ItakecomfortandapplythistoMYSELF。

  Andthismannerofapplyingistheverytrueforceandpoweroffaith。ForhediedNOTtojustifytherighteous,buttheUN-righteous,andtomakeTHEMthechildrenofGod。”[131]

  [131]CommentaryonGalatians,ch。iii。verse19,andch。ii。

  verse20,abridged。

  Thatis,themoreliterallylostyouare,themoreliterallyyouaretheverybeingwhomChrist’ssacrificehasalreadysaved。

  NothinginCatholictheology,Iimagine,haseverspokentosicksoulsasstraightasthismessagefromLuther’spersonalexperience。AsProtestantsarenotallsicksouls,ofcourserelianceonwhatLutherexultsincallingthedungofone’smerits,thefilthypuddleofone’sownrighteousness,hascometothefrontagainintheirreligion;buttheadequacyofhisviewofChristianitytothedeeperpartsofourhumanmentalstructureisshownbyitswildfirecontagiousnesswhenitwasanewandquickeningthing。

  FaiththatChristhasgenuinelydonehisworkwaspartofwhatLuthermeantbyfaith,whichsofarisfaithinafactintellectuallyconceivedof。ButthisisonlyonepartofLuther’sfaith,theotherpartbeingfarmorevital。Thisotherpartissomethingnotintellectualbutimmediateandintuitive,theassurance,namely,thatI,thisindividualI,justasI

  stand,withoutoneplea,etc。,amsavednowandforever。[132]

  ProfessorLeubaisundoubtedlyrightincontendingthattheconceptualbeliefaboutChrist’swork,althoughsooftenefficaciousandantecedent,isreallyaccessoryandnon-essential,andthatthe“joyousconviction“canalsocomebyfarotherchannelsthanthisconception。Itistothejoyousconvictionitself,theassurancethatalliswellwithone,thathewouldgivethenameoffaithparexcellence。“Whenthesenseofestrangement。”hewrites,“fencingmanaboutinanarrowlylimitedego,breaksdown,theindividualfindshimself’atonewithallcreation。’Helivesintheuniversallife;heandman,heandnature,heandGod,areone。Thatstateofconfidence,trust,unionwithallthings,followingupontheachievementofmoralunity,istheFaith-state。Variousdogmaticbeliefssuddenly,ontheadventofthefaith-state,acquireacharacterofcertainty,assumeanewreality,becomeanobjectoffaith。

  Asthegroundofassurancehereisnotrational,argumentationisirrelevant。Butsuchconvictionbeingamerecasualoffshootofthefaith-state,itisagrosserrortoimaginethatthechiefpracticalvalueofthefaith-stateisitspowertostampwiththesealofrealitycertainparticulartheologicalconceptions。[133]

  Onthecontrary,itsvalueliessolelyinthefactthatitisthepsychiccorrelateofabiologicalgrowthreducingcontendingdesirestoonedirection;agrowthwhichexpressesitselfinnewaffectivestatesandnewreactions;inlarger,nobler,moreChrist-likeactivities。Thegroundofthespecificassuranceinreligiousdogmasisthenanaffectiveexperience。Theobjectsoffaithmayevenbepreposterous;theaffectivestreamwillfloatthemalong,andinvestthemwithunshakablecertitude。Themorestartlingtheaffectiveexperience,thelessexplicableitseems,theeasieritistomakeitthecarrierofunsubstantiatednotions。”[134]

  [132]Insomeconversions,bothstepsaredistinct;inthisone,forexample:——

  “WhilstIwasreadingtheevangelicaltreatise,Iwassoonstruckbyanexpression:’thefinishedworkofChrist。’’Why,’Iaskedofmyself,’doestheauthorusetheseterms?Whydoeshenotsay“theatoningwork“?’Thenthesewords,’Itisfinished,’

  presentedthemselvestomymind。’Whatisitthatisfinished?’

  Iasked,andinaninstantmymindreplied:’Aperfectexpiationforsin;entiresatisfactionhasbeengiven;thedebthasbeenpaidbytheSubstitute。Christhasdiedforoursins;notforoursonly,butforthoseofallmen。If,then,theentireworkisfinished,allthedebtpaid,whatremainsformetodo?’InanotherinstantthelightwasshedthroughmymindbytheHolyGhost,andthejoyousconvictionwasgivenmethatnothingmorewastobedone,savetofallonmyknees,toacceptthisSaviourandhislove,topraiseGodforever。”AutobiographyofHudsonTaylor。ItranslatebackintoEnglishfromtheFrenchtranslationofChallandGeneva,nodate,theoriginalnotbeingaccessible。

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