Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-08-08

dent and audacious heretics OF the four
teenth century, who taught that wher
man arrived at a certain state OF perfec
ton be was freed from the yoke Of the
divine law, and, contrary TO the doctrine
Of the Stolcs, who made the liberty Of
their wise men consist IN oeing free from
passions, ithey placed this liberty In being
no longer subject to the precepts Of eter'
nal wisdom. They did not believe they
ought to pray to God any, otherwise than
mentally, but what was yet more shock
Ing OF their sect was that they went
naked"
Then Boyle described some of their In.
famous customs and their teachings, toe
impure for publication, and adds, not
withstanding these profane extravagan
Giles, they affected very spiritual and
devout air, the better TO insinuate them
selves into the women's favor, aud allure
them into the snare OF their unchaste de.
slres. For this Is the rock OF all those
sects who aim to distinguish them.
selves by paradoxes In mortal.
lty. Examine TO the bottom the
visions OF the pretenders TO new
light, the Quietists, etc, you will find, II
anything can unmRsk them, 1t 10 some
thing relating to venereal pleasure. This
is the weak part Of the place, where the
enemy makes the assault. II Is the worm
which never dies and fire which never
goes out. This sect called themselves
the Fraternity Of the Poor.
LABADW, A PRACTICAL PERFECTIoNIsf.
From Boyle
All VINO know Of this man (Labadie)
know that he recommended 20 his devo-
tees, both men and women, some splr.
ltual exercises, and that he prepared
them for inward recollection and
mental prayer. II is said that
having given one OF his female disciples
a subject Of meditation, and earnestly re-
commended TO her an entire and close
application TO this great object for some
hours, he approached her when he
thought she was recollected and put his
hand TO her bosom. She briskly re-
pulsed him, and expressed to him her
great surprise at this kind Of proceeding,
and was preparing to censure him, when
he prevented her.
81 PERCEIVE, NY CHILD"
said he to her, without being disturbed
and with devout air, "that you are still
very far from perfection. Confess humbly
your weakness beg pardon OF God for
having been 10 little attentive to the
mysteries you were meditating upon. II
you had had all the necessary attention
you would not have perceived what
wgs due to your breast But you
were so little distracted from sense, so
little concentrated with the Deity, that in
a moment you knew when touched you.
My design was TO try your fervor in
prayer, whether you were raised above
matter, aud united to the Sovereign
Being, the living source of immortality
and spirituality, and | perceive, with
much grief, that you have made but very
small progress.
''Let this, my child, MI you with con-
fusion, and excite you to perform better
Tor the future the holy duty Of mental
prayer" IT Is said the maid, having good
sense as well as virtue was no less angry
at these words than 1T the action of
Labadie, and that she would no more hear
OF such guide. There Is nothing
more dangerous TO the mind than too
mystical and too distracted devotion,
and doubtless the body in that case runs
some hazard, and many are glad TO be
deceived
The foregoing Is fair, not exaggerated
phase of religious Perfectionlsts Of all
ages. Mormonism IL only another phase or
development OF Adamltism, Turlupinism,
| Picardism, etc, and our home production
on Walnut Hills is only the modification
OF the disgusting horesles referred to, to
what extent we are yet to learn. Secret
religious orgies by males and females are
always suspicious.