第44章
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  [54]Thetheisticexplanationisbydivinegrace,whichcreatesanewnaturewithinonethemomenttheoldnatureissincerelygivenup。Thepantheisticexplanationwhichisthatofmostmind-curersisbythemergingofthenarrowerprivateselfintothewiderorgreaterself,thespiritoftheuniversewhichisyourown“subconscious“self,themomenttheisolatingbarriersofmistrustandanxietyareremoved。Themedico-materialisticexplanationisthatsimplercerebralprocessesactmorefreelywheretheyarelefttoactautomaticallybytheshunting-outofphysiologicallythoughinthisinstancenotspiritually

  “higher“oneswhich,seekingtoregulate,onlysucceedininhibitingresults——Whetherthisthirdexplanationmight,inapsycho-physicalaccountoftheuniverse,becombinedwitheitheroftheothersmaybeleftanopenquestionhere。

  Whenwetakeupthephenomenaofrevivalisticconversion,weshalllearnsomethingmoreaboutallthis。MeanwhileIwillsayabriefwordaboutthemind-curer’sMETHODS。

  Theyareofcourselargelysuggestive。Thesuggestiveinfluenceofenvironmentplaysanenormouspartinallspiritualeducation。

  Buttheword“suggestion。”havingacquiredofficialstatus,isunfortunatelyalreadybeginningtoplayinmanyquartersthepartofawetblanketuponinvestigation,beingusedtofendoffallinquiryintothevaryingsusceptibilitiesofindividualcases。

  “Suggestion“isonlyanothernameforthepowerofideas,SOFAR

  ASTHEYPROVEEFFICACIOUSOVERBELIEFANDCONDUCT。Ideasefficaciousoversomepeopleproveinefficaciousoverothers。

  Ideasefficaciousatsometimesandinsomehumansurroundingsarenotsoatothertimesandelsewhere。TheideasofChristianchurchesarenotefficaciousinthetherapeuticdirectionto-day,whatevertheymayhavebeeninearliercenturies;andwhenthewholequestionisastowhythesalthaslostitssavorhereorgaineditthere,themereblankwavingoftheword“suggestion“

  asifitwereabannergivesnolight。Dr。Goddard,whosecandidpsychologicalessayonFaithCuresascribesthemtonothingbutordinarysuggestion,concludesbysayingthat“Religion[andbythisheseemstomeanourpopularChristianity]hasinitallthereisinmentaltherapeutics,andhasitinitsbestform。

  Livingupto[ourreligious]ideaswilldoanythingforusthatcanbedone。”AndthisinspiteoftheactualfactthatthepopularChristianitydoesabsolutelyNOTHING,ordidnothinguntilmind-curecametotherescue。[55]

  [55]Withinthechurchesadispositionhasalwaysprevailedtoregardsicknessasavisitation;somethingsentbyGodforourgood,eitheraschastisement,aswarning,orasopportunityforexercisingvirtue,and,intheCatholicChurch,ofearning“merit。”“Illness。”saysagoodCatholicwriterP。Lejeune:

  Introd。alaVieMystique,1899,p。218,“isthemostexcellentcorporealmortifications,themortificationwhichonehasnotone’sselfchosen,whichisimposeddirectlybyGod,andisthedirectexpressionofhiswill。’Ifothermortificationsareofsilver,’Mgr。Gaysays,’thisoneisofgold;sincealthoughitcomesofourselves,comingasitdoesoforiginalsin,stillonitsgreaterside,ascominglikeallthathappensfromtheprovidenceofGod,itisofdivinemanufacture。Andhowjustareitsblows!Andhowefficaciousitis!……Idonothesitatetosaythatpatienceinalongillnessismortification’sverymasterpiece,andconsequentlythetriumphofmortifiedsouls。’“

  Accordingtothisview,diseaseshouldinanycasebesubmissivelyaccepted,anditmightundercertaincircumstancesevenbeblasphemoustowishitaway。

  Ofcoursetherehavebeenexceptionstothis,andcuresbyspecialmiraclehaveatalltimesbeenrecognizedwithinthechurch’spale,almostallthegreatsaintshavingmoreorlessperformedthem。ItwasoneoftheheresiesofEdwardIrving,tomaintainthemstilltobepossible。Anextremelypurefacultyofhealingafterconfessionandconversiononthepatient’spart,andprayeronthepriest’s,wasquitespontaneouslydevelopedintheGermanpastor,Joh。ChristophBlumhardt,intheearlyfortiesandexertedduringnearlythirtyyears。Blumhardt’sLifebyZundel5thedition,Zurich,1887givesinchaptersix。,x。,xi。,andxvii。aprettyfullaccountofhishealingactivity,whichheinvariablyascribedtodirectdivineinterposition。

  Blumhardtwasasingularlypure,simple,andnon-fanaticalcharacter,andinthispartofhisworkfollowednopreviousmodel。InChicagoto-daywehavethecaseofDr。J。A。Dowie,aScottishBaptistpreacher,whoseweekly“LeavesofHealing“wereintheyearofgrace1900intheirsixthvolume,andwho,althoughhedenouncesthecureswroughtinothersectsas“diabolicalcounterfeits“ofhisownexclusively“DivineHealing。”mustonthewholebecountedintothemind-curemovement。Inmind-curecirclesthefundamentalarticleoffaithisthatdiseaseshouldneverbeaccepted。Itiswhollyofthepit。Godwantsustobeabsolutelyhealthy,andweshouldnottolerateourselvesonanylowerterms。

  Anidea,tobesuggestive,mustcometotheindividualwiththeforceofarevelation。Themind-curewithitsgospelofhealthy-mindednesshascomeasarevelationtomanywhoseheartsthechurchChristianityhadlefthardened。Ithasletloosetheirspringsofhigherlife。Inwhatcantheoriginalityofanyreligiousmovementconsist,saveinfindingachannel,untilthensealedup,throughwhichthosespringsmaybesetfreeinsomegroupofhumanbeings?

  Theforceofpersonalfaith,enthusiasm,andexample,andabovealltheforceofnovelty,arealwaystheprimesuggestiveagencyinthiskindofsuccess。Ifmind-cureshouldeverbecomeofficial,respectable,andintrenched,theseelementsofsuggestiveefficacywillbelost。InitsacuterstageseveryreligionmustbeahomelessArabofthedesert。Thechurchknowsthiswellenough,withitseverlastinginnerstruggleoftheacutereligionofthefewagainstthechronicreligionofthemany,induratedintoanobstructivenessworsethanthatwhichirreligionopposestothemovingsoftheSpirit。“Wemaypray。”

  saysJonathanEdwards,“concerningallthosesaintsthatarenotlivelyChristians,thattheymayeitherbeenlivened,ortakenaway;ifthatbetruethatisoftensaidbysomeatthisday,thatthesecolddeadsaintsdomorehurtthannaturalmen,andleadmoresoulstohell,andthatitwouldbewellformankindiftheywerealldead。”[56]

  [56]Edwards,fromwhosebookontheRevivalinNewEnglandI

  quotethesewords,dissuadesfromsuchauseofprayer,butitiseasytoseethatheenjoysmakinghisthrustatthecolddeadchurchmembers。

  Thenextconditionofsuccessistheapparentexistence,inlargenumbers,ofmindswhounitehealthy-mindednesswithreadinessforregenerationbylettinggo。Protestantismhasbeentoopessimisticasregardsthenaturalman,Catholicismhasbeentoolegalisticandmoralistic,foreithertheoneortheothertoappealinanygenerouswaytothetypeofcharacterformedofthispeculiarminglingofelements。Howeverfewofusherepresentmaybelongtosuchatype,itisnowevidentthatitformsaspecificmoralcombination,wellrepresentedintheworld。

  Finally,mind-curehasmadewhatinourprotestantcountriesisanunprecedentedlygreatuseofthesubconsciouslife。Totheirreasonedadviceanddogmaticassertion,itsfoundershaveaddedsystematicexerciseinpassiverelaxation,concentration,andmeditation,andhaveeveninvokedsomethinglikehypnoticpractice。Iquotesomepassagesatrandom:——

  “Thevalue,thepotencyofidealsisthegreatpracticaltruthonwhichtheNewThoughtmoststronglyinsists——thedevelopmentnamelyfromwithinoutward,fromsmalltogreat。[57]Consequentlyone’sthoughtshouldbecentredontheidealoutcome,eventhoughthistrustbeliterallylikeastepinthedark。[58]Toattaintheabilitythuseffectivelytodirectthemind,theNewThoughtadvisesthepracticeofconcentration,orinotherwords,theattainmentofself-control。Oneistolearntomarshalthetendenciesofthemind,sothattheymaybeheldtogetherasaunitbythechosenideal。Tothisend,oneshouldsetaparttimesforsilentmeditation,byone’sself,preferablyinaroomwherethesurroundingsarefavorabletospiritualthought。InNewThoughtterms,thisiscalled’enteringthesilence。’“[59]

  [57]H。W。DRESSER:VoicesofFreedom,46。

  [58]Dresser:Livingbythespirit,58。

  [59]Dresser:VoicesofFreedom,33。

  “ThetimewillcomewheninthebusyofficeoronthenoisystreetyoucanenterintothesilencebysimplydrawingthemantleofyourownthoughtsaboutyouandrealizingthatthereandeverywheretheSpiritofInfiniteLife,Love,Wisdom,Peace,Power,andPlentyisguiding,keeping,protecting,leadingyou。

  Thisisthespiritofcontinualprayer。[60]Oneofthemostintuitivemenweevermethadadeskatacityofficewhereseveralothergentlemenweredoingbusinessconstantly,andoftentalkingloudly。Entirelyundisturbedbythemanyvarioussoundsabouthim,thisself-centredfaithfulmanwould,inanymomentofperplexity,drawthecurtainsofprivacysocompletelyabouthimthathewouldbeasfullyinclosedinhisownpsychicaura,andtherebyaseffectuallyremovedfromalldistractions,asthoughhewerealoneinsomeprimevalwood。Takinghisdifficultywithhimintothemysticsilenceintheformofadirectquestion,towhichheexpectedacertainanswer,hewouldremainutterlypassiveuntilthereplycame,andneveroncethroughmanyyears’

  experiencedidhefindhimselfdisappointedormisled。”[61]

  [60]Trine:InTunewiththeInfinite,p。214

  [61]Trine:p。117。

  Wherein,Ishouldliketoknow,doesthisINTRINSICALLYdifferfromthepracticeof“recollection“whichplayssogreatapartinCatholicdiscipline?OtherwisecalledthepracticeofthepresenceofGodandsoknownamongourselves,asforinstanceinJeremyTaylor,itisthusdefinedbytheeminentteacherAlvarezdePazinhisworkonContemplation。

  “ItistherecollectionofGod,thethoughtofGod,whichinallplacesandcircumstancesmakesusseehimpresent,letsuscommunerespectfullyandlovinglywithhim,andfillsuswithdesireandaffectionforhim……Wouldyouescapefromeveryill?NeverlosethisrecollectionofGod,neitherinprosperitynorinadversity,noronanyoccasionwhichsoeveritbe。Invokenot,toexcuseyourselffromthisduty,eitherthedifficultyortheimportanceofyourbusiness,foryoucanalwaysrememberthatGodseesyou,thatyouareunderhiseye。Ifathousandtimesanhouryouforgethim,reanimateathousandtimestherecollection。

  Ifyoucannotpracticethisexercisecontinuously,atleastmakeyourselfasfamiliarwithitaspossible;and,likeuntothosewhoinarigorouswinterdrawnearthefireasoftenastheycan,goasoftenasyoucantothatardentfirewhichwillwarmyoursoul。”[62]

  [62]QuotedbyLejeune:Introd。alavieMystique,1899,p。66。

  AlltheexternalassociationsoftheCatholicdisciplineareofcourseunlikeanythinginmind-curethought,butthepurelyspiritualpartoftheexerciseisidenticalinbothcommunions,andinbothcommunionsthosewhourgeitwritewithauthority,fortheyhaveevidentlyexperiencedintheirownpersonsthatwhereoftheytell。Compareagainsomemind-cureutterances:——

  “High,healthful,purethinkingcanbeencouraged,promoted,andstrengthened。Itscurrentcanbeturnedupongrandidealsuntilitformsahabitandwearsachannel。Bymeansofsuchdisciplinethementalhorizoncanbefloodedwiththesunshineofbeauty,wholeness,andharmony。Toinauguratepureandloftythinkingmayatfirstseemdifficult,evenalmostmechanical,butperseverancewillatlengthrenderiteasy,thenpleasant,andfinallydelightful。

  “Thesoul’srealworldisthatwhichithasbuiltofitsthoughts,mentalstates,andimaginations。IfweWILL,wecanturnourbacksuponthelowerandsensuousplane,andliftourselvesintotherealmofthespiritualandReal,andtheregainaresidence。Theassumptionofstatesofexpectancyandreceptivitywillattractspiritualsunshine,anditwillflowinasnaturallyasairinclinestoavacuum……Wheneverthethough;isnotoccupiedwithone’sdailydutyorprofession,itshouldhesentaloftintothespiritualatmosphere。Therearequietleisuremomentsbyday,andwakefulhoursatnight,whenthiswholesomeanddelightfulexercisemaybeengagedintogreatadvantage。Ifonewhohasnevermadeanysystematicefforttoliftandcontrolthethought-forceswill,forasinglemonth,earnestlypursuethecourseheresuggested,hewillbesurprisedanddelightedattheresult,andnothingwillinducehimtogobacktocareless,aimless,andsuperficialthinking。Atsuchfavorableseasonstheoutsideworld,withallitscurrentofdailyevents,isbarredout,andonegoesintothesilentsanctuaryoftheinnertempleofsoultocommuneandaspire。Thespiritualhearingbecomesdelicatelysensitive,sothatthe’still,smallvoice’isaudible,thetumultuouswavesofexternalsensearehushed,andthereisagreatcalm。TheegograduallybecomesconsciousthatitisfacetofacewiththeDivinePresence;thatmighty,healing,loving,Fatherlylifewhichisnearertousthanwearetoourselves。ThereissoulcontactwiththeParent-Soul,andaninfluxoflife,love,virtue,health,andhappinessfromtheInexhaustibleFountain。”[63]

  [63]HENRYWood:IdealsuggestionthroughMentalPhotography,pp。51,70abridged。

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