New-York tribune., 1909-09-25
Literary Nes0s and Criticism,

toward making ridiculous one who take her
all in all is so truly great. There was for in
stance the story about her burning her bare
arm with charcoal to see whether this external
fire were equal TO the interior fire Of divine love
No doubt the author adds this was the irritat-
ing element in the biography that led John wes-
ley TO remark. II am sure this was fool Of
saint; that is. If IL the folly of her his
torian who has aggrandized her into a mere
IDIOT"
At the time OF Catherine F4esca's birth in
Genoa, in 144T. the Fieschi had reached the full
height Of their power and worldly splendor, for
the two Popes OF the family had already reigned
two centuries before and Cardinal Luca Ffeschi
lay buried in the Cathedral for more than hun
dred years The Fieschi possessed numerous
fiefs in Liguria, Piedmont Lombardy and even
IN the Kingdom of Naples Nicoo Fieschi
cousin Of the Saint was in GATHERINGS time
prominent member of the College of Cardinals
and her own father was Viceroy Of Naples TO
King Rene OF Anjou. At the age of fourteen
Catherine had sought entrance TO a religious
community, but while the nuns hestated and
put her of on the very reasonable ground Of
her unusual youth her father died. Then came
what seems like her sacrifice in marriage TO
Giuliano Adorno an arrangement made by two
rival factions in Genoa. who hoped 10 make
peace by the enforced union OF these mutually
Indifferent and profoundly unsuited young peo-
pie" Giuliano in a few years got his affairs
into such disorder that by 1873 he had sold his
mansion at Pra, and had vacated and let his
palace in Genoa itself GATHERINGS conversion
occurred when she was twenty-six; somewhat
later, and in his own manner and degree. her
husband became a sincere convert. and they
labored together among the poor. From 1873
the couple occupied rooms in the Hospital Of
the Pammatone. where Catherine remained until
her death, thirty-one years afterward.
The unusually perfect combination OF a great
external action and administrative capacity
with lofty contemplation. and the extraordi-
nary depth. breadth and balance. distinction and
refinement of her spiritual apprehension and
teaching are the traits in the Genoese that have
made her attractive to so many minds from St
Francois de Sales. Bossuet and Fenelon to
Friedrich Won Schlegel and. in our time.
Faber. Manning Newman and Isaac Hecker-
With so great example Of fruitful piety be-
fore him the author is concerned 10 ask what
are the driving forces Of this kind Of religion,
and remembering GATHERINGS keen sense of. and
absorption in. the Infinite he asks further
whether with such devotion there can he found
room for the historical and institutional ele-
ments OF religion and at the same time for that
noble concentration upon not directly religious
contingent facts and happenings which consti-
cfc duties and virtues The answer 10 these
questions forms the most valuable portion OF
the book Religion. are told. must be
thought Of as but one element Of our complete
spirit life However much man may be SUI
premely and finally religious animal, he is not
only that, but he is a physical and sexual. a
fighting and artistic. a domestic and social. a
political and philosophical animal as we'll"
Corresponding with the native powers OF the
soul religion has within it three elements.
There is the element Of externality. the satisfy
ing of sense and memory with tangible facts
and things, and this is the historical and insti-
tutional aspect Of religion. The reflective alb
stractive side of human nature does not allow
the soul 20 remain passively dependent on mere
sense informations. and when the inquring fac
ulty comes into play religion offers itself as
thought, system or as a philosophy. final
activity Of our life, the volitional. has 20 meet
its response in a third side OF religion. the ex-
perimental and mystical Now it is the au-
thor's contention that for the development Of
personality regard must be had TO all three
functions. otherwise our life is manned. The
emotional and volitional may not safely ignore
the rational or Institutional sides Of religion.
All belong by right 20 the complete life. so that
the mystical element. that which more directly
apprehends the divine, though not the whole OF
religion. is nevertheless Indispensable. II We
should think this a hard saying and imagine
that salvation were attainable only on condition
OF becoming the mystics assured
that the availing essential OF mystical expert
ence is something for which every man has at
least some capacity. If the mystics have at
times seemed 10 bind up their testimony with.
let say. a Greek philosophy. we under
no compulsion 20 follow their metaphysics,
, though must hold hard by truth as see
IL. II We denied the ecstasies which. after
ALL are inseparable from certain psyche physical
operations. Il may be that unless are sure
we have ST. GATHERINGS genius for utilizing
such manifestations we are better of without
them AS for the ascetc seventies practised by
many mystic their significance for ourselves
is IN the testimony they offer against ''the unlit
lamp and the ungirt Ioin."