第55章
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  [161]Bougaud:Hist。delaBienheureuseMargueriteMarie,1894,p。125。

  LetmepassnexttotheCharityandBrotherlyLovewhichareausualfruitofsaintliness,andhavealwaysbeenreckonedessentialtheologicalvirtues,howeverlimitedmayhavebeenthekindsofservicewhichtheparticulartheologyenjoined。

  BrotherlylovewouldfollowlogicallyfromtheassuranceofGod’sfriendlypresence,thenotionofourbrotherhoodasmenbeinganimmediateinferencefromthatofGod’sfatherhoodofusall。

  WhenChristutterstheprecepts:“Loveyourenemies,blessthemthatcurseyou,dogoodtothemthathateyou,andprayforthemwhichdespitefullyuseyou,andpersecuteyou。”hegivesforareason:“ThatyemaybethechildrenofyourFatherwhichisinheaven:forhemakethhissuntoriseontheevilandonthegood,andsendethrainonthejustandontheunjust。”Onemightthereforebetemptedtoexplainboththehumilityastoone’sselfandthecharitytowardsotherswhichcharacterizespiritualexcitement,asresultsoftheall-levelingcharacteroftheisticbelief。Buttheseaffectionsarecertainlynotmerederivativesoftheism。WefindtheminStoicism,inHinduism,andinBuddhisminthehighestpossibledegree。TheyHARMONIZE

  withpaternaltheismbeautifully;buttheyharmonizewithallreflectionwhateveruponthedependenceofmankindongeneralcauses;andwemust,Ithink,considerthemnotsubordinatebutcoordinatepartsofthatgreatcomplexexcitementinthestudyofwhichweareengaged。Religiousrapture,moralenthusiasm,ontologicalwonder,cosmicemotion,areallunifyingstatesofmind,inwhichthesandandgritoftheselfhoodinclinetodisappear,andtendernesstorule。Thebestthingistodescribetheconditionintegrallyasacharacteristicaffectiontowhichournatureisliable,aregioninwhichwefindourselvesathome,aseainwhichweswim;butnottopretendtoexplainitspartsbyderivingthemtoocleverlyfromoneanother。Likeloveorfear,thefaith-stateisanaturalpsychiccomplex,andcarriescharitywithitbyorganicconsequence。Jubilationisanexpansiveaffection,andallexpansiveaffectionsareself-forgetfulandkindlysolongastheyendure。

  Wefindthisthecaseevenwhentheyarepathologicalinorigin。

  Inhisinstructivework,laTristesseetlaJoie,[162]M。GeorgesDumascomparestogetherthemelancholyandthejoyousphaseofcircularinsanity,andshowsthat,whileselfishnesscharacterizestheone,theotherismarkedbyaltruisticimpulses。NohumanbeingsostingyanduselessaswasMarieinhermelancholyperiod!Butthemomentthehappyperiodbegins,“sympathyandkindnessbecomehercharacteristicsentiments。Shedisplaysauniversalgoodwill,notonlyofintention,butinact……Shebecomessolicitousofthehealthofotherpatients,interestedingettingthemout,desiroustoprocurewooltoknitsocksforsomeofthem。NeversinceshehasbeenundermyobservationhaveIheardherinherjoyousperiodutteranybutcharitableopinions。”[163]Andlater,Dr。Dumassaysofallsuchjoyousconditionsthat“unselfishsentimentsandtenderemotionsaretheonlyaffectivestatestobefoundinthem。Thesubject’smindisclosedagainstenvy,hatred,andvindictiveness,andwhollytransformedintobenevolence,indulgence,andmercy。”[164]

  [162]Paris,1900。

  [163]Page130。

  [164]Page167。

  Thereisthusanorganicaffinitybetweenjoyousnessandtenderness,andtheircompanionshipinthesaintlylifeneedinnowayoccasionsurprise。Alongwiththehappiness,thisincreaseoftendernessisoftennotedinnarrativesofconversion。“Ibegantoworkforothers“;——“Ihadmoretenderfeelingformyfamilyandfriends“;——“IspokeatoncetoapersonwithwhomIhadbeenangry“;——“Ifeltforeveryone,andlovedmyfriendsbetter“;——“Ifelteveryonetobemyfriend“;——thesearesomanyexpressionsfromtherecordscollectedbyProfessorStarbuck。[165]

  [165]Op。cit。,p。127。

  “When。”saysMrs。Edwards,continuingthenarrativefromwhichI

  madequotationamomentago,“IaroseonthemorningoftheSabbath,Ifeltalovetoallmankind,whollypeculiarinitsstrengthandsweetness,farbeyondallthatIhadeverfeltbefore。Thepowerofthatloveseemedinexpressible。Ithought,ifIweresurroundedbyenemies,whowereventingtheirmaliceandcrueltyuponme,intormentingme,itwouldstillbeimpossiblethatIshouldcherishanyfeelingstowardsthembutthoseoflove,andpity,andardentdesiresfortheirhappiness。

  Ineverbeforefeltsofarfromadispositiontojudgeandcensureothers,asIdidthatmorning。Irealizedalso,inanunusualandverylivelymanner,howgreatapartofChristianityliesintheperformanceofoursocialandrelativedutiestooneanother。Thesamejoyfulsensecontinuedthroughouttheday——asweetlovetoGodandallmankind。”

  Whateverbetheexplanationofthecharity,itmayeffaceallusualhumanbarriers。[166]

  [166]Thebarrierbetweenmenandanimalsalso。WereadofTowianski,aneminentPolishpatriotandmystic,that“onedayoneofhisfriendsmethimintherain,caressingabigdogwhichwasjumpinguponhimandcoveringhimhorriblywithmud。Onbeingaskedwhyhepermittedtheanimalthustodirtyhisclothes,Towianskireplied:’Thisdog,whomIamnowmeetingforthefirsttime,hasshownagreatfellow-feelingforme,andagreatjoyinmyrecognitionandacceptanceofhisgreetings。

  WereItodrivehimoff,Ishouldwoundhisfeelingsanddohimamoralinjury。Itwouldbeanoffensenotonlytohim,buttoallthespiritsoftheotherworldwhoareonthesamelevelwithhim。ThedamagewhichhedoestomycoatisasnothingincomparisonwiththewrongwhichIshouldinflictuponhim,incaseIweretoremainindifferenttothemanifestationsofhisfriendship。Weought,’headded,’bothtolightentheconditionofanimals,wheneverwecan,andatthesametimetofacilitateinourselvesthatunionoftheworldofallspirits,whichthesacrificeofChristhasmadepossible。’“AndreTowianski,Traductiondel’Italien,Turin,1897privatelyprinted。IowemyknowledgeofthisbookandofTowianskitomyfriendProfessorW。Lutoslawski,authorof“Plato’sLogic。”

  Here,forinstance,isanexampleofChristiannon-resistancefromRichardWeaver’sautobiography。Weaverwasacollier,asemi-professionalpugilistinhisyoungerdays,whobecameamuchbelovedevangelist。Fighting,afterdrinking,seemstohavebeenthesintowhichheoriginallyfelthisfleshmostperverselyinclined。Afterhisfirstconversionhehadabacksliding,whichconsistedinpoundingamanwhohadinsultedagirl。Feelingthat,havingoncefallen,hemightaswellbehangedforasheepasforalamb,hegotdrunkandwentandbrokethejawofanothermanwhohadlatelychallengedhimtofightandtauntedhimwithcowardiceforrefusingasaChristianman;——Imentiontheseincidentstoshowhowgenuineachangeofheartisimpliedinthelaterconductwhichhedescribesasfollows:——

  “Iwentdownthedriftandfoundtheboycryingbecauseafellow-workmanwastryingtotakethewagonfromhimbyforce。I

  saidtohim:——

  “’Tom,youmustn’ttakethatwagon。’

  “Hesworeatme,andcalledmeaMethodistdevil。ItoldhimthatGoddidnottellmetolethimrobme。Hecursedagain,andsaidhewouldpushthewagonoverme。

  “’Well,’Isaid,’letusseewhetherthedevilandtheearestrongerthantheLordandme。’

  “AndtheLordandIprovingstrongerthanthedevilandhe,hehadtogetoutoftheway,orthewagonwouldhavegoneoverhim。

  SoIgavethewagontotheboy。ThensaidTom:——

  “’I’veagoodmindtosmacktheeontheface。’

  “’Well,’Isaid,’ifthatwilldotheeanygood,thoucanstdoit。’Sohestruckmeontheface。

  “Iturnedtheothercheektohim,andsaid,’Strikeagain。’

  “Hestruckagainandagain,tillhehadstruckmefivetimes。I

  turnedmycheekforthesixthstroke;butheturnedawaycursing。

  Ishoutedafterhim:’TheLordforgivethee,forIdo,andtheLordsavethee。’

  “ThiswasonaSaturday;andwhenIwenthomefromthecoal-pitmywifesawmyfacewasswollen,andaskedwhatwasthematterwithit。Isaid:’I’vebeenfighting,andI’vegivenamanagoodthrashing。’

  “Sheburstoutweeping,andsaid,’ORichard,whatmadeyoufight?’ThenItoldherallaboutit;andshethankedtheLordI

  hadnotstruckback。

  “ButtheLordhadstruck,andhisblowshavemoreeffectthanman’s。Mondaycame。Thedevilbegantotemptme,saying:’TheothermenwilllaughattheeforallowingTomtotreattheeashedidonSaturday。’Icried,’Gettheebehindme,Satan;’——andwentonmywaytothecoal-pit。

  “TomwasthefirstmanIsaw。Isaid’Good-morning,’butgotnoreply。

  “Hewentdownfirst。WhenIgotdown,Iwassurprisedtoseehimsittingonthewagon-roadwaitingforme。WhenIcametohimheburstintotearsandsaid:’Richard,willyouforgivemeforstrikingyou?’

  “’Ihaveforgiventhee,’saidI;’askGodtoforgivethee。TheLordblessthee。’Igavehimmyhand,andwewenteachtohiswork。”[167]

  [167]J。Patterson’sLifeofRichardWeaver,pp。66-68,abridged。

  “Loveyourenemies!”Markyou,notsimplythosewhohappennottobeyourfriends,butyourENEMIES,yourpositiveandactiveenemies。EitherthisisamereOrientalhyperbole,abitofverbalextravagance,meaningonlythatweshould,asfaraswecan,abateouranimosities,orelseitissincereandliteral。

  Outsideofcertaincasesofintimateindividualrelation,itseldomhasbeentakenliterally。Yetitmakesoneaskthequestion:Canthereingeneralbealevelofemotionsounifying,soobliterativeofdifferencesbetweenmanandman,thatevenenmitymaycometobeanirrelevantcircumstanceandfailtoinhibitthefriendlierinterestsaroused?Ifpositivewell-wishingcouldattainsosupremeadegreeofexcitement,thosewhowereswayedbyitmightwellseemsuperhumanbeings。

  Theirlifewouldbemorallydiscretefromthelifeofothermen,andthereisnosaying,intheabsenceofpositiveexperienceofanauthentickind——fortherearefewactiveexamplesinourscriptures,andtheBuddhisticexamplesarelegendary,[168]——whattheeffectsmightbe:theymightconceivablytransformtheworld。

  [168]AswherethefutureBuddha,incarnatedasahare,jumpsintothefiretocookhimselfforamealforabeggar——havingpreviouslyshakenhimselfthreetimes,sothatnoneoftheinsectsinhisfurshouldperishwithhim。

  Psychologicallyandinprinciple,theprecept“Loveyourenemies“

  isnotself-contradictory。Itismerelytheextremelimitofakindofmagnanimitywithwhich,intheshapeofpityingtoleranceofouroppressors,wearefairlyfamiliar。Yetifradicallyfollowed,itwouldinvolvesuchabreachwithourinstinctivespringsofactionasawhole,andwiththepresentworld’sarrangements,thatacriticalpointwouldpracticallybepassed,andweshouldbebornintoanotherkingdomofbeing。Religiousemotionmakesusfeelthatotherkingdomtobecloseathand,withinourreach。

  Theinhibitionofinstinctiverepugnanceisprovednotonlybytheshowingoflovetoenemies,butbytheshowingofittoanyonewhoispersonallyloathsome。Intheannalsofsaintlinesswefindacuriousmixtureofmotivesimpellinginthisdirection。

  Asceticismplaysitspart;andalongwithcharitypureandsimple,wefindhumilityorthedesiretodisclaimdistinctionandtogrovelonthecommonlevelbeforeGod。CertainlyallthreeprincipleswereatworkwhenFrancisofAssisiandIgnatiusLoyolaexchangedtheirgarmentswiththoseoffilthybeggars。

  Allthreeareatworkwhenreligiouspersonsconsecratetheirlivestothecareofleprosyorotherpeculiarlyunpleasantdiseases。Thenursingofthesickisafunctiontowhichthereligiousseemstronglydrawn,evenapartfromthefactthatchurchtraditionssetthatway。Butintheannalsofthissortofcharitywefindfantasticexcessesofdevotionrecordedwhichareonlyexplicablebythefrenzyofself-immolationsimultaneouslyaroused。FrancisofAssisikisseshislepers;

  MargaretMaryAlacoque,FrancisXavier,St。JohnofGod,andothersaresaidtohavecleansedthesoresandulcersoftheirpatientswiththeirrespectivetongues;andthelivesofsuchsaintsasElizabethofHungaryandMadamedeChantalarefullofasortofrevelinginhospitalpurulence,disagreeabletoreadof,andwhichmakesusadmireandshudderatthesametime。

  Somuchforthehumanlovearousedbythefaith-state。LetmenextspeakoftheEquanimity,Resignation,Fortitude,andPatiencewhichitbrings。

  “Aparadiseofinwardtranquillity“seemstobefaith’susualresult;anditiseasy,evenwithoutbeingreligiousone’sself,tounderstandthis。Amomentback,intreatingofthesenseofGod’spresence,Ispokeoftheunaccountablefeelingofsafetywhichonemaythenhave。And,indeed,howcanitpossiblyfailtosteadythenerves,tocoolthefever,andappeasethefret,ifonebesensiblyconsciousthat,nomatterwhatone’sdifficultiesforthemomentmayappeartobe,one’slifeasawholeisinthekeepingofapowerwhomonecanabsolutelytrust?Indeeplyreligiousmentheabandonmentofselftothispowerispassionate。Whoevernotonlysays,butFEELS,“God’swillbedone。”ismailedagainsteveryweakness;andthewholehistoricarrayofmartyrs,missionaries,andreligiousreformersistheretoprovethetranquil-mindedness,undernaturallyagitatingordistressingcircumstances,whichself-surrenderbrings。

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