Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-06-02
From the New York Independent.
The Higher Christian Life.
BY HARRIET RErcHER STOWE.

One great reason why the discus
sions of this subject become cloudy
and confused is that, in attaining it,
the consideration of the element of per-
sonal popularity is, to great extent,
overlooked.
The inquirer has presented to him
quantities of cases, in which most
marked and delightful results have
been obtained, and instead of making
these instances, as they should be, a
means of religious suggestion and
stimulous, he forms some one or more
of them into standard of what he
is in his own personality to expect to
attain.
Now the highest form of Christian
life is that in which the union of the
soul to God is the most perfect and
complete, and the whole life and con-
duct. through its minutest ramiiica-
tions, brought into concord with this
higher harmony.
But the causes which separate souls
from this harmony are as various as
temperaments and circumstances-
False intellectual views, which obscure
the Divine character, acting on minds
of a certain class, arc the obstacle;
again, with others, physical habits.
which disturb the balance of the nerv-
ious system and interrupt the cleamess
of is perceptions-false ideas, i'm
planted by education, of what is to be
sought or expected in religion-great
stringency of personal will. unyield-
ing pride of character, tenacity and OBJ
stinacy Of disposition, habits of eilem-
macy and selfindulgence any of
these may be the obstaclc-often the
unsupported obstacle-why the soul.
flutteriRg and straining on her cord,
still, like the charmed eagle, can not
rise and soar away.
1t therefore comes to pass that there
may bc in all these cases q distinct
crisis, when the great obstacle gives
way, in marked and perceptible man
ner. and through the gap thus cleared
a flood of peace and joy irradiates the
soul and gives a new impulse to all
it's powers. There are doubtless an
equal number of cases where the bar
ricr is imperceptibly worn and flit-
ted away, and the person, without any
marked crisis, comes, by comparing
one year with another, to feel that
he has gradually gained this eleva-
tion.
The inquirer. who generally com
mences his researches by the reading
of Christian experience, finds that it is
now this idea-now that-which is the
prominent one, but in each case the
result is the same-there seems to bt
a crisis of the soul resulting in a great
accession of spiritual life and strength
This crisis is called in different age,
and denominations by different names
: 1t is called the witness of the Spirit
the assurance of faith and hope, Chris
tian perfection, holiness, ETC.; but j
: we examine the facts under all thes,
names, we shall find substantially tn,
same features of cxperience-an ex
citement of the soul towards a dcfnit,
point, purifying struggle, a marked
D victory, raising the soul into highc
plateau of its spiritual life, so that eve
/, after it sojourns in a purer air.
But rs to the first inquiry in ever,
: case-How am I to begin?-it ha
D answers as various as are human
constitution, character, and circum
! stances.
> Some undoubtedly must begin witt
(, the physical laws Of their being. 4
man who is constantly unstringin;
: his nerves and violating their actor
; by unnatural stimulus or unhealth,
: modes of life. cannot look for health,
+; religious experience. any more thai
one can see fine prospect through
:, cracked, dirty, cobweb-curtainea gar
!, ret window. All evidence goes t,
q show that the great model ma
r after whom the Christian seeks to re
I create himself, was a model PHYSICAL
:! as well as morally, and that the might
n levers of his moral and mental mis-
: sion worked on the firm fulcrum OF
strong. healthy body. Every bodil
n faculty was dclicately pure, develope
6 in perfect proportion. and capable {
l. the highest endurance. and hence th'
l. most incomprehensible union OF spil
l. itual intensity with common-scns
}. calmness which distinguished him.
l. He who does not initiate the ma
d Christ Jesus in these respects ma
N have false ecstasies. frances. and l
le luminations, and come to end Ii
,r whole in q mad-house. In this IN
r perfect communion with God can nt
l. he found by ignoring and despisin
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