Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-03-04

France, the CONTINUATION only of an
Experience common enough in the
monaeteries of Europe and Asia ages
ago.
| This form of religion ia not, there
fore, by human experience, peculiar
TO Christianity. II is not, in its origin
'r development, connected with any
known principle or doctrine of Chris
tianity. IL is something in human
nature itself, which shows itself in
precisely the same way under all
forms of religious belief
The direct tendency of it ia to in
sanity. 1t consists in the temporary
detbronement of the Judgment and
the will. The Pythoness of Delphi
went into an ecstasy under the in
duence Gas the prizes cIaimed) o.
Apollo. Her reason and will were,
for a time. dethroned. She was pos
sessed and controlled or at least
claimed to be-by smother reason
and another will. The "HurIer." or
"Howling Dsrvish, mentioned above,
by mere gesticulation and force Of
believing. works himself into a
frenxy, in which be is no longer his
own master. Will and judgment are,
for the time, gone. He cannot con-
troll himself. He knows not what he
is doing or saying, until the physical
collapse comes and goes and he re-
turns to himself, weak and dazed.
The same phenomenon, "a the
United States census officially informs
Us, and has been often noted by
psychologists and physicians, ap pears
IN the excitement OF the revival
The subjects of that excitement are
often temporarily irres ponsible
They are carried out Of themselves.
in many cases. beyond the control of
their own Judgment or will, and know
not what they do or say.
This, 10 be sure, il not always the
case. Many times the matter goes
| through it's course without any phys.
zeal demonstrations. But Just in pro-
portion to the intensity and fervor
of the revival are the participants
brought to the verge of losing self
control and guidance. Indeed, all
the arrangements are designed TO
bring them to this verge, aud to car.
ry them over; and If they are not
brough; thither and carried over, in
cases not few, "the eff ri" is not
considered successful or sufficiently
blessed
A man who puts himsslfin the way
Of having reason and will dethroned
for any length of time whatever or
who voluntarily dethrones them HIM
self, by the temporary insurrection
Of any passion or emotion whatever,
lie for be time, insane. and is court
ing and inviting permanent insanity
The healthy condition If the human
mind is that in which Judgment de-
cides and will executes. A man is
responsible, because he is a creature
made with judgment and a will.
These are the ruling powers, and are
t. control and guide the entire realm
of The nature The healthiest and
best nature is that in which all pas
sions, emotions. and feelings are con
trolled and governed by these royal
powers Of humanity. II ia the sad
condition of the insane that these
powers are helpless They are swept
away and lost in the rebellion Of the
lower mob of appetites fancies. or
passions. The insane man has cum
ming, but not judgment. He has ob-
1 mill l..
argue often, but cam reason
"Anger is short madness We
read that old Greek saying, years
ago, as an exercise. And drunken
ness is a short madness too. And
the intoxication of opium IL another
form. Any emotion or any influence
which usurps control over the man,
to any extent of destr owing his jndg
ment or his i'll, produces, while it
lasts, insanity pure and simple The
only difference between u man under
any such il fuence, and the confirmed
lunatic. is OILY that. in the A st case,
the condition terminates usually when
the exciting cause is removed. Bat
continue the condition-lot that be-
come permanent-4nd you have per
mauent insanity.
II is easy to see, therefore. why
"religious excitement" IA it is called
is found to be one of The most fruitful
causes of Iunacy The condition
sought, and even desired and prayed
tor as blessing, is condition where
in the nature is seized ard possessed
by an emotion which di.pIaces will
aud judgment for the time. The man
gives himself up utterly to emotions
and 6nds delight and happiness there.
in. For it is one of the sad results
of our natural condition of anarchy,
that the fallen and disordered nature
tskee delight in discord and lawless-
ness. IL makes no difference hat
those emotions are religious. They,
equally with other emotions that
usurp sovereignty, displace. zoe u
time, the divinely appointed rdlers OF
the nature. The man is, therefore,
for tim controlled by passion
religious passion he it--still passion
He is, for the time, 10 the condition
OF be insane
The excitement terminates how
ever, because it's Causes terminate.
and the normal condition j. again re.
sumed. Unfortunately. at times, the
excitement is too greatly prolonged.
or the causes are brought TO bear
upon nature too excitable snd the
result 10. that the abnormal condition
becomes ! ornament. The man goes
away as excited aseser HIs excite.
ment does not cease on leaving the
causes which produ led it, and we
have another case of insanity from
religious excitement" and another
inmate of an asylum.
| We, of course, are esying nothins
here against earnestness or godly