1。Afeelingofbeinginawiderlifethanthatofthisworld’sselfishlittleinterests；andaconviction，notmerelyintellectual，butasitweresensible，oftheexistenceofanIdealPower。InChristiansaintlinessthispowerisalwayspersonifiedasGod；butabstractmoralideals，civicorpatrioticutopias，orinnerversionsofholinessorrightmayalsobefeltasthetruelordsandenlargersofourlife，inwayswhichI
describedinthelectureontheRealityoftheUnseen。[154]
[154]The“enthusiasmofhumanity“mayleadtoalifewhichcoalescesinmanyrespectswiththatofChristiansaintliness。
TakethefollowingrulesproposedtomembersoftheUnionpourl’Actionmorale，intheBulletindel’Union，April1-15，1894。
See，also，RevueBleue，August13，1892。
“Wewouldmakeknowninourownpersonstheusefulnessofrule，ofdiscipline，ofresignationandrenunciation；wewouldteachthenecessaryperpetuityofsuffering，andexplainthecreativepartwhichitplays。Wewouldwagewaruponfalseoptimism；onthebasehopeofhappinesscomingtousreadymade；onthenotionofasalvationbyknowledgealone，orbymaterialcivilizationalone，vainsymbolasthisisofcivilization，precariousexternalarrangementill-fittedtoreplacetheintimateunionandconsentofsouls。Wewouldwagewaralsoonbadmorals，whetherinpublicorinprivatelife；onluxury，fastidiousness，andover-refinement，onallthattendstoincreasethepainful，immoral，andanti-socialmultiplicationsofourwants；onallthatexcitesenvyanddislikeinthesoulofthecommonpeople，andconfirmsthenotionthatthechiefendoflifeisfreedomtoenjoy。Wewouldpreachbyourexampletherespectofsuperiorsandequals，therespectofallmen；affectionatesimplicityinourrelationswithinferiorsandinsignificantpersons；
indulgencewhereourownclaimsonlyareconcerned，butfirmnessinourdemandswheretheyrelatetodutiestowardsothersortowardsthepublic。
“Forthecommonpeoplearewhatwehelpthemtobecome；theirvicesareourvices，gazedupon，envied，andimitated；andiftheycomebackwithalltheirweightuponus，itisbutjust。
2。Asenseofthefriendlycontinuityoftheidealpowerwithourownlife，andawillingself-surrendertoitscontrol。
3。Animmenseelationandfreedom，astheoutlinesoftheconfiningselfhoodmeltdown。
4。Ashiftingoftheemotionalcentretowardslovingandharmoniousaffections，towards“yes，yes。”andawayfrom“no。”
wheretheclaimsofthenon-egoareconcerned。Thesefundamentalinnerconditionshavecharacteristicpracticalconsequences，asfollows：——
a。Asceticism——Theself-surrendermaybecomesopassionateastoturnintoself-immolation。Itmaythensoover-ruletheordinaryinhibitionsofthefleshthatthesaintfindspositivepleasureinsacrificeandasceticism，measuringandexpressingastheydothedegreeofhisloyaltytothehigherpower。
b。StrengthofSoul——Thesenseofenlargementoflifemaybesoupliftingthatpersonalmotivesandinhibitions，commonlyomnipotent，becometooinsignificantfornotice，andnewreachesofpatienceandfortitudeopenout。Fearsandanxietiesgo，andblissfulequanimitytakestheirplace。Comeheaven，comehell，itmakesnodifferencenow！
“Weforbidourselvesallseekingafterpopularity，allambitiontoappearimportant。Wepledgeourselvestoabstainfromfalsehood，inallitsdegrees。Wepromisenottocreateorencourageillusionsastowhatispossible，bywhatwesayorwrite。Wepromisetooneanotheractivesincerity，whichstrivestoseetruthclearly，andwhichneverfearstodeclarewhatitsees。
“Wepromisedeliberateresistancetothetidalwavesoffashion，tothe’booms’andpanicsofthepublicmind，toalltheformsofweaknessandoffear。
“Weforbidourselvestheuseofsarcasm。Ofseriousthingswewillspeakseriouslyandunsmilingly，withoutbanterandwithouttheappearanceofbanter；——andevensoofallthings，forthereareseriouswaysofbeinglightofheart。
“Wewillputourselvesforwardalwaysforwhatweare，simplyandwithoutfalsehumility，aswellaswithoutpedantry，affectation，orpride。”
c。Purity——Theshiftingoftheemotionalcentrebringswithit，first，increaseofpurity。Thesensitivenesstospiritualdiscordsisenhanced，andthecleansingofexistencefrombrutalandsensualelementsbecomesimperative。Occasionsofcontactwithsuchelementsareavoided：thesaintlylifemustdeepenitsspiritualconsistencyandkeepunspottedfromtheworld。Insometemperamentsthisneedofpurityofspirittakesanasceticturn，andweaknessesoftheflesharetreatedwithrelentlessseverity。
d。Charity——Theshiftingoftheemotionalcentrebrings，secondly，increaseofcharity，tendernessforfellow-creatures。
Theordinarymotivestoantipathy，whichusuallysetsuchcloseboundstotendernessamonghumanbeings，areinhibited。Thesaintloveshisenemies，andtreatsloathsomebeggarsashisbrothers。
Inowhavetogivesomeconcreteillustrationsofthesefruitsofthespiritualtree。Theonlydifficultyistochoose，fortheyaresoabundant。
SincethesenseofPresenceofahigherandfriendlypowerseemstobethefundamentalfeatureinthespirituallife，Iwillbeginwiththat。
Inournarrativesofconversionwesawhowtheworldmightlookshiningandtransfiguredtotheconvert，[155]and，apartfromanythingacutelyreligious，weallhavemomentswhentheuniversallifeseemstowrapusroundwithfriendliness。Inyouthandhealth，insummer，inthewoodsoronthemountains，therecomedayswhentheweatherseemsallwhisperingwithpeace，hourswhenthegoodnessandbeautyofexistenceenfolduslikeadrywarmclimate，orchimethroughusasifourinnerearsweresubtlyringingwiththeworld’ssecurity。Thoreauwrites：——
[155]Above，pp。243ff。
“Once，afewweeksafterIcametothewoods，foranhourI
doubtedwhetherthenearneighborhoodofmanwasnotessentialtoasereneandhealthylife。Tobealonewassomewhatunpleasant。
But，inthemidstofagentlerain，whilethesethoughtsprevailed，IwassuddenlysensibleofsuchsweetandbeneficentsocietyinNature，intheverypatteringofthedrops，andineverysightandsoundaroundmyhouse，aninfiniteandunaccountablefriendlinessallatonce，likeanatmosphere，sustainingme，asmadethefanciedadvantagesofhumanneighborhoodinsignificant，andIhaveneverthoughtofthemsince。Everylittlepine-needleexpandedandswelledwithsympathyandbefriendedme。Iwassodistinctlymadeawareofthepresenceofsomethingkindredtome，thatIthoughtnoplacecouldeverbestrangetomeagain。”[156]
[156]H。Thoreau：Walden，Riversideedition，p。206，abridged。
IntheChristianconsciousnessthissenseoftheenvelopingfriendlinessbecomesmostpersonalanddefinite。“Thecompensation。”writesaGermanauthor，——“forthelossofthatsenseofpersonalindependencewhichmansounwillinglygivesup，isthedisappearanceofallFEARfromone’slife，thequiteindescribableandinexplicablefeelingofaninnerSECURITY，whichonecanonlyexperience，butwhich，onceithasbeenexperienced，onecanneverforget。”[157]
[157]C。H。Hilty：Gluck，vol。i。p。85。
IfindanexcellentdescriptionofthisstateofmindinasermonbyMr。Voysey：——
“Itistheexperienceofmyriadsoftrustfulsouls，thatthissenseofGod’sunfailingpresencewiththemintheirgoingoutandintheircomingin，andbynightandday，isasourceofabsolutereposeandconfidentcalmness。Itdrivesawayallfearofwhatmaybefallthem。ThatnearnessofGodisaconstantsecurityagainstterrorandanxiety。Itisnotthattheyareatallassuredofphysicalsafety，ordeemthemselvesprotectedbyalovewhichisdeniedtoothers，butthattheyareinastateofmindequallyreadytobesafeortomeetwithinjury。Ifinjurybefallthem，theywillbecontenttobearitbecausetheLordistheirkeeper，andnothingcanbefallthemwithouthiswill。Ifitbehiswill，theninjuryisforthemablessingandnocalamityatall。Thusandthusonlyisthetrustfulmanprotectedandshieldedfromharm。AndIforone——bynomeansathick-skinnedorhard-nervedman-amabsolutelysatisfiedwiththisarrangement，anddonotwishforanyotherkindofimmunityfromdangerandcatastrophe。Quiteassensitivetopainasthemosthighlystrungorganism，Iyetfeelthattheworstofitisconquered，andthestingtakenoutofitaltogether，bythethoughtthatGodisourlovingandsleeplesskeeper，andthatnothingcanhurtuswithouthiswill。”[158]
[158]TheMysteryofPainandDeath，London，1892，p。258。
Moreexcitedexpressionsofthisconditionareabundantinreligiousliterature。Icouldeasilywearyyouwiththeirmonotony。HereisanaccountfromMrs。JonathanEdwards：——
“Lastnight。”Mrs。Edwardswrites，“wasthesweetestnightI
everhadinmylife。Ineverbefore，forsolongatimetogether，enjoyedsomuchofthelightandrestandsweetnessofheaveninmysoul，butwithouttheleastagitationofbodyduringthewholetime。PartofthenightIlayawake，sometimesasleep，andsometimesbetweensleepingandwaking。ButallnightI
continuedinaconstant，clear，andlivelysenseoftheheavenlysweetnessofChrist’sexcellentlove，ofhisnearnesstome，andofmydearnesstohim；withaninexpressiblysweetcalmnessofsoulinanentirerestinhim。IseemedtomyselftoperceiveaglowofdivinelovecomedownfromtheheartofChristinheavenintomyheartinaconstantstream，likeastreamorpencilofsweetlight。AtthesametimemyheartandsoulallflowedoutinlovetoChrist，sothatthereseemedtobeaconstantflowingandreflowingofheavenlylove，andIappearedtomyselftofloatorswim，inthesebright，sweetbeams，likethemotesswimminginthebeamsofthesun，orthestreamsofhislightwhichcomeinatthewindow。IthinkthatwhatIfelteachminutewasworthmorethanalltheoutwardcomfortandpleasurewhichIhadenjoyedinmywholelifeputtogether。Itwaspleasure，withouttheleaststing，oranyinterruption。Itwasasweetness，whichmysoulwaslostin；itseemedtobeallthatmyfeebleframecouldsustain。Therewasbutlittledifference，whetherIwasasleeporawake，butiftherewasanydifference，thesweetnesswasgreatestwhileIwasasleep。[159]AsIawokeearlythenextmorning，itseemedtomethatIhadentirelydonewithmyself。I
feltthattheopinionsoftheworldconcerningmewerenothing，andthatIhadnomoretodowithanyoutwardinterestofmyownthanwiththatofapersonwhomIneversaw。ThegloryofGodseemedtoswallowupeverywishanddesireofmyheart……
Afterretiringtorestandsleepingalittlewhile，Iawoke，andwasledtoreflectonGod’smercytome，ingivingme，formanyyears，awillingnesstodie；andafterthat，inmakingmewillingtolive，thatImightdoandsufferwhateverhecalledmetohere。IalsothoughthowGodhadgraciouslygivenmeanentireresignationtohiswill，withrespecttothekindandmannerofdeaththatIshoulddie；havingbeenmadewillingtodieontherack，oratthestake，andifitwereGod’swill，todieindarkness。Butnowitoccurredtome，Iusedtothinkoflivingnolongerthantotheordinaryageofman。UponthisIwasledtoaskmyself，whetherIwasnotwillingtobekeptoutofheavenevenlonger；andmywholeheartseemedimmediatelytoreply：
Yes，athousandyears，andathousandinhorror，ifitbemostforthehonorofGod，thetormentofmybodybeingsogreat，awful，andoverwhelmingthatnonecouldbeartoliveinthecountrywherethespectaclewasseen，andthetormentofmymindbeingvastlygreater。AnditseemedtomethatIfoundaperfectwillingness，quietness，andalacrityofsoulinconsentingthatitshouldbeso，ifitweremostforthegloryofGod，sothattherewasnohesitation，doubt，ordarknessinmymind。ThegloryofGodseemedtoovercomemeandswallowmeup，andeveryconceivablesuffering，andeverythingthatwasterribletomynature，seemedtoshrinktonothingbeforeit。Thisresignationcontinuedinitsclearnessandbrightnesstherestofthenight，andallthenextday，andthenightfollowing，andonMondayintheforenoon，withoutinterruptionorabatement。”[160]
[159]CompareMadameGuyon：“Itwasmypracticetoariseatmidnightforpurposesofdevotion……ItseemedtomethatGodcameattheprecisetimeandwokemefromsleepinorderthatImightenjoyhim。WhenIwasoutofhealthorgreatlyfatigued，hedidnotawakeme，butatsuchtimesIfelt，eveninmysleep，asingularpossessionofGod。Helovedmesomuchthatheseemedtopervademybeing，atatimewhenIcouldbeonlyimperfectlyconsciousofhispresence。Mysleepissometimesbroken——asortofhalfsleep；butmysoulseemstobeawakeenoughtoknowGod，whenitishardlycapableofknowinganythingelse。”T。C。
Upham：TheLifeandReligiousExperiencesofMadamedelaMotheGuyon，NewYork，1877，vol。i。p。260。
[160]Ihaveconsiderablyabridgedthewordsoftheoriginal，whichisgiveninEdwards’sNarrativeoftheRevivalinNewEngland。
TheannalsofCatholicsaintshipaboundinrecordsasecstaticormoreecstaticthanthis。“Oftentheassaultsofthedivinelove。”itissaidoftheSisterSeraphiquedelaMartiniere，“reducedheralmosttothepointofdeath。SheusedtenderlytocomplainofthistoGod。’Icannotsupportit，’sheusedtosay。
’Beargentlywithmyweakness，orIshallexpireundertheviolenceofyourlove。’“[161]