Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-12-09
Religious Insanity and Fanaticlsm
BY THEODORE VAN DUzEE, NJ. D.

BY THEODORE VAN DUzEE, NJ. D.
From time to time cases of ma.
MACY, more or less severe, occur
during or Immediately following
some period OF religious excitement,
and are at once seized upon by carp.
ing worldlings or by iDfdels, held up
to view as the results of religion in
its effects upon the mind, aud de.
rided accordingly. Too often Chris
tisns, feeling the sting of these satires,
in an over zeal for the cause which
which they profess, deny in toto the
possibility of any such results flow.
ing from the effects of religion upon
the mind, attributing these phenom.
ena, which they are unable to explain,
to other and various causes In thus
doing they frequently fasten the
barbs of sarcasm more securely, and
iniure rather than benefit the cause
of Christ. Perhaps you ask then,
Do you affirm that religion is capa.
BILE Of producing cases Of genuine
insanity? l answer, reverently but
unhesitstipgly. yes; and / believe
that by acknowledging this fact, and
giving rational explanation thereof,
we may often serve materially the
cause of Christianity. How, then,a
they to be explained
| have found IN conversation with
various individuals, and even in some
cases where the persons were con.
sidered highly educated, that a very
erroneous conception of the nature
and causes of insanity is prevalent.
1t is looked upon as disease of the
mind sui generis, and its causes re-
garded as incomprehensible. Such
views are the result of ignorance of
the anatomy of their being, and of
the physical laws which govern it
There is, in fact, no such thing as
disease of the mind. The mind, the
soul, or by what other name you
please to speak of it, is an immaterial
essence as such it is not subject to
the influences which act upon mate
rial bodies. 1t is therefore at once
placed beyond the reach of morbifc
agents-it cannot become diseased.
Now wherever may be the seat of
this essence within the body, or in
whatever way it may be connected
Herewith, it has been very satisfac-
torily proven that the brain is the
organ by which its energies are ntii.
lied aud act upon matter. The brain
is material, and therefore liable to
become diseased. When this does
take place, insanity in some form is
liable TO follow. But it is the brain,
not the mind, that has broken down.
For illustration: the engine is the
means by v hich the power of steam
is utilized; If that breaks.on account
of undue strain or over wear, it is
useless until repaired. But no one
thinks of sttributing the trouble to
impairment of the power of the steam
that drove it; that remains as good
as ever. 1t is its instrument OF utility
which is at fault This is precisely
the case in the matter of the mind
aud brain.
But, you say, every case of dis
eased brain does not produce insan-
ity; neither are all forms of demeutia
the same. Does not this indicate that
there is principle of higher nature
than the brain which at times may
be the sufferer from disease? By no
means. This very fact establishes
nv previous statement Space will
not permit 90 elaborate discussion of
this point, but | will endeavor briefly
to explain the case.
The brain is composed oftwo kinds