[207]Astothisdistinction，seetheadmirablypracticalaccountinJ。M。Baldwin’slittlebook，TheStoryoftheMind，1898。
Wehavetopassasimilarjudgmentonthewholenotionofsaintshipbasedonmerits。AnyGodwho，ontheonehand，cancaretokeepapedanticallyminuteaccountofindividualshortcomings，andontheothercanfeelsuchpartialities，andloadparticularcreatureswithsuchinsipidmarksoffavor，istoosmall-mindedaGodforourcredence。WhenLuther，inhisimmensemanlyway，sweptoffbyastrokeofhishandtheverynotionofadebitandcreditaccountkeptwithindividualsbytheAlmighty，hestretchedthesoul’simaginationandsavedtheologyfrompuerility。
Somuchformeredevotion，divorcedfromtheintellectualconceptionswhichmightguideittowardsbearingusefulhumanfruit。
ThenextsaintlyvirtueinwhichwefindexcessisPurity。Intheopathiccharacters，likethosewhomwehavejustconsidered，theloveofGodmustnotbemixedwithanyotherlove。Fatherandmother，sisters，brothers，andfriendsarefeltasinterferingdistractions；forsensitivenessandnarrowness，whentheyoccurtogether，astheyoftendo，requireaboveallthingsasimplifiedworldtodwellin。Varietyandconfusionaretoomuchfortheirpowersofcomfortableadaptation。Butwhereasyouraggressivepietistreacheshisunityobjectively，byforciblystampingdisorderanddivergenceout，yourretiringpietistreacheshissubjectively，leavingdisorderintheworldatlarge，butmakingasmallerworldinwhichhedwellshimselfandfromwhichheeliminatesitaltogether。Thus，alongsideofthechurchmilitantwithitsprisons，dragonnades，andinquisitionmethods，wehavethechurchfugient，asonemightcallit，withitshermitages，monasteries，andsectarianorganizations，bothchurchespursuingthesameobject——tounifythelife，[208]andsimplifythespectaclepresentedtothesoul。Amindextremelysensitivetoinnerdiscordswilldroponeexternalrelationafteranother，asinterferingwiththeabsorptionofconsciousnessinspiritualthings。Amusementsmustgofirst，thenconventional“society。”thenbusiness，thenfamilyduties，untilatlastseclusion，withasubdivisionofthedayintohoursforstatedreligiousacts，istheonlythingthatcanbeborne。Thelivesofsaintsareahistoryofsuccessiverenunciationsofcomplication，oneformofcontactwiththeouterlifebeingdroppedafteranother，tosavethepurityofinnertone。[209]
“Isitnotbetter。”ayoungsisterasksherSuperior，“thatI
shouldnotspeakatallduringthehourofrecreation，soasnottoruntherisk，byspeaking，offallingintosomesinofwhichI
mightnotbeconscious？”[210]Iftheliferemainsasocialoneatall，thosewhotakepartinitmustfollowoneidenticalrule。
Embosomedinthismonotony，thezealotforpurityfeelscleanandfreeoncemore。Theminutenessofuniformitymaintainedincertainsectariancommunities，whethermonasticornot，issomethingalmostinconceivabletoamanoftheworld。Costume，phraseology，hours，andhabitsareabsolutelystereotyped，andthereisnodoubtthatsomepersonsaresomadeastofindinthisstabilityanincomparablekindofmentalrest。
[208]OnthissubjectIrefertotheworkofM。Murisier(LesMaladiesdusentimentReligieux，Paris，1901)，whomakesinnerunificationthemainspringofthewholereligiouslife。ButALL
stronglyidealinterests，religiousorirreligious，unifythemindandtendtosubordinateeverythingtothemselves。OnewouldinferfromM。Murisier’spagesthatthisformalconditionwaspeculiarlycharacteristicofreligion，andthatonemightincomparisonalmostneglectmaterialcontent，instudyingthelatter。Itrustthatthepresentworkwillconvincethereaderthatreligionhasplentyofmaterialcontentwhichischaracteristicandwhichismoreimportantbyfarthananygeneralpsychologicalform。Inspiteofthiscriticism，IfindM。Murisier’sbookhighlyinstructive。
[209]Example：“AtthefirstbeginningoftheServitor’s[Suso’s]interiorlife，afterhehadpurifiedhissoulproperlybyconfession，hemarkedoutforhimself，inthought，threecircles，withinwhichheshuthimselfup，asinaspiritualintrenchment。Thefirstcirclewashiscell，hischapel，andthechoir。Whenhewaswithinthiscircle，heseemedtohimselfincompletesecurity。Thesecondcirclewasthewholemonasteryasfarastheoutergate。Thethirdandoutermostcirclewasthegateitself，andhereitwasnecessaryforhimtostandwelluponhisguard。Whenhewentoutsidethesecircles，itseemedtohimthathewasintheplightofsomewildanimalwhichisoutsideitshole，andsurroundedbythehunt，andthereforeinneedofallitscunningandwatchfulness。”TheLifeoftheBlessedHenrySuso，byHimself，translatedbyKnox，London，1865，p。168。
[210]ViedespremieresReligieusesDominicainesdelaCongregationdeSt。Dominique，aNancy；Nancy，1896，p。129。
Wehavenotimetomultiplyexamples，soIwillletthecaseofSaintLouisofGonzagaserveasatypeofexcessinpurification。
Ithinkyouwillagreethatthisyouthcarriedtheeliminationoftheexternalanddiscordanttoapointwhichwecannotunreservedlyadmire。Attheageoften，hisbiographersays：——
“TheinspirationcametohimtoconsecratetotheMotherofGodhisownvirginity——thatbeingtoherthemostagreeableofpossiblepresents。Withoutdelay，then，andwithallthefervortherewasinhim，joyousofheart，andburningwithlove，hemadehisvowofperpetualchastity。Maryacceptedtheofferingofhisinnocentheart，andobtainedforhimfromGod，asarecompense，theextraordinarygraceofneverfeelingduringhisentirelifetheslightesttouchoftemptationagainstthevirtueofpurity。
Thiswasanaltogetherexceptionalfavor，rarelyaccordedeventoSaintsthemselves，andallthemoremarvelousinthatLouisdweltalwaysincourtsandamonggreatfolks，wheredangerandopportunityaresounusuallyfrequent。ItistruethatLouisfromhisearliestchildhoodhadshownanaturalrepugnanceforwhatevermightbeimpureorunvirginal，andevenforrelationsofanysortwhateverbetweenpersonsofoppositesex。Butthismadeitallthemoresurprisingthatheshould，especiallysincethisvow，feelitnecessarytohaverecoursetosuchanumberofexpedientsforprotectingagainsteventheshadowofdangerthevirginitywhichhehadthusconsecrated。Onemightsupposethatifanyonecouldhavecontentedhimselfwiththeordinaryprecautions，prescribedforallChristians，itwouldassuredlyhavebeenhe。Butno！Intheuseofpreservativesandmeansofdefense，inflightfromthemostinsignificantoccasions，fromeverypossibilityofperil，justasinthemortificationofhisflesh，hewentfartherthanthemajorityofsaints。He，whobyanextraordinaryprotectionofGod’sgracewasnevertempted，measuredallhisstepsasifhewerethreatenedoneverysidebyparticulardangers。Thenceforwardheneverraisedhiseyes，eitherwhenwalkinginthestreets，orwheninsociety。Notonlydidheavoidallbusinesswithfemalesevenmorescrupulouslythanbefore，butherenouncedallconversationandeverykindofsocialrecreationwiththem，althoughhisfathertriedtomakehimtakepart；andhecommencedonlytooearlytodeliverhisinnocentbodytoausteritiesofeverykind。”[211]
[211]Meschler’sLifeofSaintLouisofGonzaga，FrenchtranslationbyLebrequier，1891，p。40。
Attheageoftwelve，wereadofthisyoungmanthat“ifbychancehismothersentoneofhermaidsofhonortohimwithamessage，heneverallowedhertocomein，butlistenedtoherthroughthebarelyopeneddoor，anddismissedherimmediately。
Hedidnotliketobealonewithhisownmother，whetherattableorinconversation；andwhentherestofthecompanywithdrew，hesoughtalsoapretextforretiring……Severalgreatladies，relativesofhis，heavoidedlearningtoknowevenbysight；andhemadeasortoftreatywithhisfather，engagingpromptlyandreadilytoaccedetoallhiswishes，ifhemightonlybeexcusedfromallvisitstoladies。”[212]
[212]Ibid。，p。71。
WhenhewasseventeenyearsoldLouisjoinedtheJesuitorder，[213]againsthisfather’spassionateentreaties，forhewasheirofaprincelyhouse；andwhenayearlaterthefatherdied，hetookthelossasa“particularattention“tohimselfonGod’spart，andwrotelettersofstiltedgoodadvice，asfromaspiritualsuperior，tohisgrievingmother。Hesoonbecamesogoodamonkthatifanyoneaskedhimthenumberofhisbrothersandsisters，hehadtoreflectandcountthemoverbeforereplying。AFatheraskedhimonedayifhewerenevertroubledbythethoughtofhisfamily，towhich，“Ineverthinkofthemexceptwhenprayingforthem。”washisonlyanswer。Neverwasheseentoholdinhishandafloweroranythingperfumed，thathemighttakepleasureinit。Onthecontrary，inthehospital，heusedtoseekforwhateverwasmostdisgusting，andeagerlysnatchthebandagesofulcers，etc。，fromthehandsofhiscompanions。
Heavoidedworldlytalk，andimmediatelytriedtoturneveryconversationontopioussubjects，orelseheremainedsilent。
Hesystematicallyrefusedtonoticehissurroundings。Beingorderedonedaytobringabookfromtherector’sseatintherefectory，hehadtoaskwheretherectorsat，forinthethreemonthshehadeatenbreadthere，socarefullydidheguardhiseyesthathehadnotnoticedtheplace。Oneday，duringrecess，havinglookedbychanceononeofhiscompanions，hereproachedhimselfasforagravesinagainstmodesty。Hecultivatedsilence，aspreservingfromsinsofthetongue；andhisgreatestpenancewasthelimitwhichhissuperiorssettohisbodilypenances。Hesoughtafterfalseaccusationsandunjustreprimandsasopportunitiesofhumility；andsuchwashisobediencethat，whenaroom-mate，havingnomorepaper，askedhimforasheet，hedidnotfeelfreetogiveittohimwithoutfirstobtainingthepermissionofthesuperior，who，assuch，stoodintheplaceofGod，andtransmittedhisorders。
[213]Inhisboyishnote-bookhepraisesthemonasticlifeforitsfreedomfromsin，andfortheimperishabletreasures，whichitenablesustostoreup，“ofmeritinGod’seyeswhichmakesofHimourdebtorforallEternity。”Loc。cit。，p。62。
IcanfindnoothersortsoffruitthantheseofLouis’ssaintship。Hediedin1591，inhistwenty-ninthyear，andisknownintheChurchasthepatronofallyoungpeople。Onhisfestival，thealtarinthechapeldevotedtohiminacertainchurchinRome“isembosomedinflowers，arrangedwithexquisitetaste；andapileoflettersmaybeseenatitsfoot，writtentotheSaintbyyoungmenandwomen，anddirectedto’Paradiso。’
TheyaresupposedtobeburntunreadexceptbySanLuigi，whomustfindsingularpetitionsintheseprettylittlemissives，tiedupnowwithagreenribbon，expressiveofhope，nowwitharedone，emblematicoflove。”etc。[214]
[214]MademoiselleMori，anovelquotedinHare’sWalksinRome，1900，i。55。
IcannotresistthetemptationtoquotefromStarbuck’sbook，p。
388，anothercaseofpurificationbyelimination。Itrunsasfollows：——
“Thesignsofabnormalitywhichsanctifiedpersonsshowareoffrequentoccurrence。Theygetoutoftunewithotherpeople；
oftentheywillhavenothingtodowithchurches，whichtheyregardasworldly；theybecomehypercriticaltowardsothers；theygrowcarelessoftheirsocial，political，andfinancialobligations。Asaninstanceofthistypemaybementionedawomanofsixty-eightofwhomthewritermadeaspecialstudy。
Shehadbeenamemberofoneofthemostactiveandprogressivechurchesinabusypartofalargecity。Herpastordescribedherashavingreachedthecensoriousstage。Shehadgrownmoreandmoreoutofsympathywiththechurch；herconnectionwithitfinallyconsistedsimplyinattendanceatprayer-meeting，atwhichheronlymessagewasthatofreproofandcondemnationoftheothersforlivingonalowplane。Atlastshewithdrewfromfellowshipwithanychurch。Thewriterfoundherlivingaloneinalittleroomonthetopstoryofacheapboarding-housequiteoutoftouchwithallhumanrelations，butapparentlyhappyintheenjoymentofherownspiritualblessings。Hertimewasoccupiedinwritingbookletsonsanctification——pageafterpageofdreamyrhapsody。Sheprovedtobeoneofasmallgroupofpersonswhoclaimthatentiresalvationinvolvesthreestepsinsteadoftwo；notonlymusttherebeconversionandsanctification，butathird，whichtheycall’crucifixion’or’perfectredemption，’andwhichseemstobearthesamerelationtosanctificationthatthisbearstoconversion。SherelatedhowtheSpirithadsaidtoher，’Stopgoingtochurch。Stopgoingtoholinessmeetings。GotoyourownroomandIwillteachyou。’
Sheprofessestocarenothingforcolleges，orpreachers，orchurches，butonlycarestolistentowhatGodsaystoher。Herdescriptionofherexperienceseemedentirelyconsistent；sheishappyandcontented，andherlifeisentirelysatisfactorytoherself。Whilelisteningtoherownstory，onewastemptedtoforgetthatitwasfromthelifeofapersonwhocouldnotlivebyitinconjunctionwithherfellows。”
OurfinaljudgmentoftheworthofsuchalifeasthiswilldependlargelyonourconceptionofGod，andofthesortofconductheisbestpleasedwithinhiscreatures。TheCatholicismofthesixteenthcenturypaidlittleheedtosocialrighteousness；andtoleavetheworldtothedevilwhilstsavingone’sownsoulwasthenaccountednodiscreditablescheme。
To-day，rightlyorwrongly，helpfulnessingeneralhumanaffairsis，inconsequenceofoneofthosesecularmutationsinmoralsentimentofwhichIspoke，deemedanessentialelementofworthincharacter；andtobeofsomepublicorprivateuseisalsoreckonedasaspeciesofdivineservice。OtherearlyJesuits，especiallythemissionariesamongthem，theXaviers，Brebeufs，Jogues，wereobjectiveminds，andfoughtintheirwayfortheworld’swelfare；sotheirlivesto-dayinspireus。Butwhentheintellect，asinthisLouis，isoriginallynolargerthanapin’shead，andcherishesideasofGodofcorrespondingsmallness，theresult，notwithstandingtheheroismputforth，isonthewholerepulsive。Purity，weseeintheobject-lesson，isNOTtheonethingneedful；anditisbetterthatalifeshouldcontractmanyadirt-mark，thanforfeitusefulnessinitseffortstoremainunspotted。
Proceedingonwardsinoursearchofreligiousextravagance，wenextcomeuponexcessesofTendernessandCharity。Heresaintlinesshastofacethechargeofpreservingtheunfit，andbreedingparasitesandbeggars。“Resistnotevil。”“Loveyourenemies。”thesearesaintlymaximsofwhichmenofthisworldfindithardtospeakwithoutimpatience。Arethemenofthisworldright，orarethesaintsinpossessionofthedeeperrangeoftruth？
Nosimpleanswerispossible。Here，ifanywhere，onefeelsthecomplexityofthemorallife，andthemysteriousnessofthewayinwhichfactsandidealsareinterwoven。
