Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-06-02

lay one great mistake OF the MystIcs
to whom we owe muci. IN this sphere
Of experience, because devoting their
lives TO this subject with energy and
decision. they gained great stores oi
knowledge. But starting with the old
idea of the impurity of matter, and re
garding the body as corrupting him
drance instead of transparent medi-
nm, they pursued their object with a
recklessness of physical laws which
mingled their divinest aspirations with
morbid fancies.
One reads the histories of II. There.
sa, John of the Cross, and Francis dC
Sales with a mixture of admiration
and pain. One cannot help regrcttine
that these glorious beings wasted sc
much of their strength in wrestling
down and destroying those laws oi
their physical nature which might
have been their strongest support IN
their qnest Of holiness. 1t was rs i
an angel, instead of using his wings tc
fly with, should sit down laboriousl,
and painfully to pulling all the fea,h
ers out by the roots.
Ii the forty days fast oil Christ b,
quoted. as it often is. as a justification
OF course of unnatural asceticism,-
we answer that Christ's connection
with the supernatural world was diff
ferent from that of any mere human
being, and that this incident was be-
sides an exceptional one to the general
course of his liie-that his disciple,
were criticised for not fasting. anu his
cheerful enjoyment of social life and
its common. homely blessings brought
on him, as compared with the severe
ascetic standard, the accusation Of 9
gluttonous man, wine -bibbcr, ETC.,
and when the accusation was brought
to him he did not deny that the Son o
Man did come eating and drinking lik,
other human beings.
Christ lived in the open air, per
formed all his journeys on foot, anc
gave all the evidences of high bodil,
health--a physical perfection in whicl
there was not only enough for daily
wants, but stock in reserve for un
common cxigencies, so that to pray al
night after teaching all day did no
produce instant prostration and ex
haustion.
The apostles following in Christ
footsteps were specimens of cheerful
hardy, healthy men. living among
men, vindicating all their rights TO or
dinary human cnicyments; and thci
axaltcd spirituality was no cellar no
hothouse growth, neither white anC
brittle for want Of light and air. no
languid and heavy from stove hea
and confinement; and, whatever ma,
be thought of modern spiritually. w
believe they touched the possible high
OF human attainment in O health,
body.
To seeker who longs for highc
plane Of Christian life. it is ccrtainl,
safe to give one direction. Do no
neglect your health. DO not rusl
, from meeting to meeting, sit in hot
) unventilated rooms till late hour il
the evening, and keep the brain am
, moral faculties hour after hour on al
, unrelieved stretch, till you becom
nervous and slceplcss. Rcmembe
that while in the body Coils ligh
must come through bodily laws. ]
Christ himself should walk vi>abl
through our streets, and our window
were choked with dust and cob
{ webs, he would not probably work
: miracle to make himself seen throug'
? them.
Nor let the seeker throw mp a.
e earthly duties to devote himself I
| those especially devotional. st. The
+ resa discovered in convent that al
+ work performed for the love Of Go
becomes a sacrament, and Francis d
! Sales has much the same sentiment
5 Wherever we are, there is where W
n can best attain If we only know il
: and whatever we have to do. if prop
erly understood, in Gods sacramer
b OF union, in which he will meet us.
\ One of the most beautiful and strik
: ing instances OF the development {
n the Higher Christian Life is foun
y in the Experience Of Mrs. Jonatha
y Edwards, as recorded by her hu,
n band.
a Here We have a soul like that OF S
: Theresa. with clear. practical. Ne
0 England training. developing the il
n tellectual equally with the spiritui
: faculties. Mrs. Edwards lived o,
y wholly and healthily that whole sphel
y Of social and family duties witho'
l. 4.