[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。