“EverythingImeetwith。”writesWhitefield，“seemstocarrythisvoicewithit——’GothouandpreachtheGospel；beapilgrimonearth；havenopartyorcertaindwellingplace。’Myheartechoesback，’LordJesus，helpmetodoorsufferthywill。WhenthouseestmeindangerofNESTLING——inpity——intenderpity——putaTHORNinmynesttopreventmefromit。’“[193]
[193]R。Philip：TheLifeandTimesofGeorgeWhitefield，London，1842，p。366。
Theloathingof“capital“withwhichourlaboringclassestodayaregrowingmoreandmoreinfectedseemslargelycomposedofthissoundsentimentofantipathyforlivesbasedonmerehaving。Asananarchistpoetwrites：——
“Notbyaccumulatingriches，butbygivingawaythatwhichyouhave，“Shallyoubecomebeautiful；
“Youmustundothewrappings，notcaseyourselfinfreshones；
“Notbymultiplyingclothesshallyoumakeyourbodysoundandhealthy，butratherbydiscardingthem……
“Forasoldierwhoisgoingonacampaigndoesnotseekwhatfreshfurniturehecancarryonhisback，butratherwhathecanleavebehind；
“Knowingwellthateveryadditionalthingwhichhecannotfreelyuseandhandleisanimpediment。”[194]
[194]EdwardCarpenter：TowardsDemocracy，p。362，abridged。
Inshort，livesbasedonhavingarelessfreethanlivesbasedeitherondoingoronbeing，andintheinterestofactionpeoplesubjecttospiritualexcitementthrowawaypossessionsassomanyclogs。Onlythosewhohavenoprivateinterestscanfollowanidealstraightaway。Slothandcowardicecreepinwitheverydollarorguineawehavetoguard。WhenabrothernovicecametoSaintFrancis，saying：“Father，itwouldbeagreatconsolationtometoownapsalter，butevensupposingthatourgeneralshouldconcedetomethisindulgence，stillIshouldlikealsotohaveyourconsent。”FrancisputhimoffwiththeexamplesofCharlemagne，Roland，andOliver，pursuingtheinfidelsinsweatandlabor，andfinallydyingonthefieldofbattle。“Socarenot。”hesaid，“forowningbooksandknowledge，butcareratherforworksofgoodness。”Andwhensomeweekslaterthenovicecameagaintotalkofhiscravingforthepsalter，Francissaid：
“Afteryouhavegotyourpsalteryouwillcraveabreviary；andafteryouhavegotyourbreviaryyouwillsitinyourstalllikeagrandprelate，andwillsaytoyourbrother：“Handmemybreviary。”……Andthenceforwardhedeniedallsuchrequests，saying：Amanpossessesoflearningonlysomuchascomesoutofhiminaction，andamonkisagoodpreacheronlysofarashisdeedsproclaimhimsuch，foreverytreeisknownbyitsfruits。”[195]
[195]SpeculumPerfectionis，ed。P。Sabatier，Paris，1898，pp。
10，13。
Butbeyondthismoreworthilyathleticattitudeinvolvedindoingandbeing，thereis，inthedesireofnothaving，somethingprofounderstill，somethingrelatedtothatfundamentalmysteryofreligiousexperience，thesatisfactionfoundinabsolutesurrendertothelargerpower。Solongasanysecularsafeguardisretained，solongasanyresidualprudentialguaranteeisclungto，solongthesurrenderisincomplete，thevitalcrisisisnotpassed，fearstillstandssentinel，andmistrustofthedivineobtains：weholdbytwoanchors，lookingtoGod，itistrue，afterafashion，butalsoholdingbyourpropermachinations。Incertainmedicalexperienceswehavethesamecriticalpointtoovercome。Adrunkard，oramorphineorcocainemaniac，offershimselftobecured。Heappealstothedoctortoweanhimfromhisenemy，buthedaresnotfaceblankabstinence。
Thetyrannicaldrugisstillananchortowindward：hehidessuppliesofitamonghisclothing；arrangessecretlytohaveitsmuggledinincaseofneed。Evensoanincompletelyregeneratemanstilltrustsinhisownexpedients。Hismoneyislikethesleepingpotionwhichthechronicallywakefulpatientkeepsbesidehisbed；hethrowshimselfonGod，butIFheshouldneedtheotherhelp，thereitwillbealso。Everyoneknowscasesofthisincompleteandineffectivedesireforreform-drunkardswhom，withalltheirself-reproachesandresolves，oneperceivestobequiteunwillingseriouslytocontemplateNEVERbeingdrunkagain！
Reallytogiveupanythingonwhichwehaverelied，togiveitupdefinitely，“forgoodandall“andforever，signifiesoneofthoseradicalalterationsofcharacterwhichcameunderournoticeinthelecturesonconversion。Inittheinnermanrollsoverintoanentirelydifferentpositionofequilibrium，livesinanewcentreofenergyfromthistimeon，andtheturning-pointandhingeofallsuchoperationsseemsusuallytoinvolvethesincereacceptanceofcertainnakednessesanddestitutions。
Accordingly，throughouttheannalsofthesaintlylife，wefindthisever-recurringnote：FlingyourselfuponGod’sprovidencewithoutmakinganyreservewhatever——takenothoughtforthemorrow——sellallyouhaveandgiveittothepoor——onlywhenthesacrificeisruthlessandrecklesswillthehighersafetyreallyarrive。AsaconcreteexampleletmereadapagefromthebiographyofAntoinetteBourignon，agoodwoman，muchpersecutedinherdaybybothProtestantsandCatholics，becauseshewouldnottakeherreligionatsecondhand。Whenayounggirl，inherfather’shouse——
“Shespentwholenightsinprayer，oftrepeating：Lord，whatwiltthouhavemetodo？Andbeingonenightinamostprofoundpenitence，shesaidfromthebottomofherheart：’OmyLord！
WhatmustIdotopleasethee？ForIhavenobodytoteachme。
Speaktomysoulanditwillhearthee。’Atthatinstantsheheard，asifanotherhadspokewithinher：Forsakeallearthlythings。Separatethyselffromtheloveofthecreatures。Denythyself。Shewasquiteastonished，notunderstandingthislanguage，andmusedlongonthesethreepoints，thinkinghowshecouldfulfillthem。Shethoughtshecouldnotlivewithoutearthlythings，norwithoutlovingthecreatures，norwithoutlovingherself。Yetshesaid，’BythyGraceIwilldoit，Lord！’
Butwhenshewouldperformherpromise，sheknewnotwheretobegin。Havingthoughtonthereligiousinmonasteries，thattheyforsookallearthlythingsbybeingshutupinacloister，andtheloveofthemselvesbysubjectingoftheirwills，sheaskedleaveofherfathertoenterintoacloisterofthebarefootCarmelites，buthewouldnotpermitit，sayinghewouldratherseeherlaidinhergrave。Thisseemedtoheragreatcruelty，forshethoughttofindinthecloisterthetrueChristiansshehadbeenseeking，butshefoundafterwardsthatheknewthecloistersbetterthanshe，forafterhehadforbiddenher，andtoldherhewouldneverpermithertobeareligious，norgiveheranymoneytoenterthere，yetshewenttoFatherLaurens，theDirector，andofferedtoserveinthemonasteryandworkhardforherbread，andbecontentwithlittle，ifhewouldreceiveher。
Atwhichhesmiledandsaid：Thatcannotbe。Wemusthavemoneytobuild；wetakenomaidswithoutmoney；youmustfindthewaytogetit，elsethereisnoentryhere。
“Thisastonishedhergreatly，andshewastherebyundeceivedastothecloisters，resolvingtoforsakeallcompanyandlivealonetillitshouldpleaseGodtoshowherwhatsheoughttodoandwhithertogo。Sheaskedalwaysearnestly，’WhenshallIbeperfectlythine，OmyGod？’Andshethoughthestillansweredher，Whenthoushaltnolongerpossessanything，andshaltdietothyself。’AndwhereshallIdothat，Lord？’Heansweredher，Inthedesert。Thismadesostronganimpressiononhersoulthatsheaspiredafterthis；butbeingamaidofeighteenyearsonly，shewasafraidofunluckychances，andwasneverusedtotravel，andknewnoway。Shelaidasideallthesedoubtsandsaid，’Lord，thouwiltguidemehowandwhereitshallpleasethee。ItisfortheethatIdoit。Iwilllayasidemyhabitofamaid，andwilltakethatofahermitthatImaypassunknown。’Havingthensecretlymadereadythishabit，whileherparentsthoughttohavemarriedher，herfatherhavingpromisedhertoarichFrenchmerchant，shepreventedthetime，andonEasterevening，havingcutherhair，putonthehabit，andsleptalittle，shewentoutofherchamberaboutfourinthemorning，takingnothingbutonepennytobuybreadforthatday。Anditbeingsaidtoheringoingout，Whereisthyfaith？inapenny？shethrewitaway，beggingpardonofGodforherfault，andsaying，’No，Lord，myfaithisnotinapenny，butintheealone。’Thusshewentawaywhollydeliveredfromtheheavyburthenofthecaresandgoodthingsofthisworld，andfoundhersoulsosatisfiedthatshenolongerwishedforanythinguponearth，restingentirelyuponGod，withthisonlyfearlestsheshouldbediscoveredandbeobligedtoreturnhome；forshefeltalreadymorecontentinthispovertythanshehaddoneforallherlifeinallthedelightsoftheworld。”[196]
[196]AnApologyforM。AntoniaBourignon，London，1699，pp。269，270，abridged。
AnotherexamplefromStarbuck’sMS。collection：——
“Atameetingheldatsixthenextmorning，Iheardamanrelatehisexperience。Hesaid：TheLordaskedhimifhewouldconfessChristamongthequarrymenwithwhomheworked，andhesaidhewould。ThenheaskedhimifhewouldgiveuptobeusedoftheLordthefourhundreddollarshehadlaidup，andhesaidhewouldandthustheLordsavedhim。ThethoughtcametomeatoncethatIhadnevermadearealconsecrationeitherofmyselforofmypropertytotheLord，buthadalwaystriedtoservetheLordinmyway。NowtheLordaskedmeifIwouldservehiminHISway，andgooutaloneandpennilessifhesoordered。Thequestionwaspressedhome，andImustdecide：Toforsakeallandhavehim，orhaveallandlosehim！Isoondecidedtotakehim；
andtheblessedassurancecame，thathehadtakenmeforhisown，andmyjoywasfull。Ireturnedhomefromthemeetingwithfeelingsassimpleasachild。IthoughtallwouldbegladtohearofthejoyoftheLordthatpossessedme，andsoIbegantotellthesimplestory。Buttomygreatsurprise，thepastors(forIattendedmeetingsinthreechurches)opposedtheexperienceandsaiditwasfanaticism，andonetoldthemembersofhischurchtoshunthosethatprofessedit，andIsoonfoundthatmyfoeswerethoseofmyownhousehold。”
Thepennywasasmallfinancialsafeguard，butaneffectivespiritualobstacle。Nottillitwasthrownawaycouldthecharactersettleintothenewequilibriumcompletely。
Overandabovethemysteryofself-surrender，thereareinthecultofpovertyotherreligiousmysteries。Thereisthemysteryofveracity：“NakedcameIintotheworld。”etc——whoeverfirstsaidthat，possessedthismystery。Myownbareentitymustfightthebattle——shamscannotsaveme。Thereisalsothemysteryofdemocracy，orsentimentoftheequalitybeforeGodofallhiscreatures。Thissentiment(whichseemsingeneraltohavebeenmorewidespreadinMohammedanthaninChristianlands)tendstonullifyman’susualacquisitiveness。Thosewhohaveitspurndignitiesandhonors，privilegesandadvantages，preferring，asI
saidinaformerlecture，togrovelonthecommonlevelbeforethefaceofGod。Itisnotexactlythesentimentofhumility，thoughitcomessoclosetoitinpractice。ItisHUMANITY，rather，refusingtoenjoyanythingthatothersdonotshare。A
profoundmoralist，writingofChrist’ssaying，“Sellallthouhastandfollowme。”proceedsasfollows：——
“Christmayhavemeant：Ifyoulovemankindabsolutelyyouwillasaresultnotcareforanypossessionswhatever，andthisseemsaverylikelyproposition。Butitisonethingtobelievethatapropositionisprobablytrue；itisanotherthingtoseeitasafact。IfyoulovedmankindasChristlovedthem，youwouldseehisconclusionasafact。Itwouldbeobvious。Youwouldsellyourgoods，andtheywouldbenolosstoyou。Thesetruths，whileliteraltoChrist，andtoanymindthathasChrist’sloveformankind，becomeparablestolessernatures。Thereareineverygenerationpeoplewho，beginninginnocently，withnopredeterminedintentionofbecomingsaints，findthemselvesdrawnintothevortexbytheirinterestinhelpingmankind，andbytheunderstandingthatcomesfromactuallydoingit。Theabandonmentoftheiroldmodeoflifeislikedustinthebalance。Itisdonegradually，incidentally，imperceptibly。Thusthewholequestionoftheabandonmentofluxuryisnoquestionatall，butamereincidenttoanotherquestion，namely，thedegreetowhichweabandonourselvestotheremorselesslogicofourloveforothers。”
Chapman，inthePoliticalNursery，vol。iv。p。4，April，abridged。
