The Varieties of Religious Experience — William James

p. 280a universal goodwill, not only of intention, but in act. . . . She becomes solicitous of the health of other patients, interested in getting them out, desirous to procure wool to knit socks for some of them.

Never since she has been under my observation have I heard her in her joyous period utter any but charitable opinions." ^ And later, Dr. Dumas says of all such joyous conditions that " unselfish sentiments and tender emotions are the only affective states to be found in them. The subject's mind is closed against envy, hatred^ and vindictiveness, and wholly transformed into benevolence, indulgence, and mercy.

There is thus an organic affinity between joyousness / and tenderness, and their companionship in the saintly * life need in no way occasion surprise. Along with the happiness, this increase of tenderness is often noted in narratives of conversion.

" I began to work for others" ; — "I had more tender feeling for my family and friends " ; — "I spoke at once to a person with whom I had been angry " ; — "I felt for every one, and loved my friends better " ; — "I felt every one to be my friend " ; — these are so many expressions from the records collected by Professor Starbuck.^ " When," says Mrs. Edwards, continuing the narrative from which I made quotation a moment ago, " I arose on the morning of the Sabbath, I felt a love to all mankind, wholly peculiar in Its strength and sweetness, far beyond all that I had ever felt before.

The power of that love seemed inexpressible. I thought, if I were surrounded by enemies, who were venting their malice and cruelty upon me, in tormenting me, it would still be impossible that I should cherish any feelings towards them but those of love, and pity, and ardent desires for their happiness. I never before felt so far from a disposition to judge and censure others, as I did that morning. I realized also, in 1 Page 130. 2 Page 167. 3 Op. cit., p. 127.

p. 281an unusual and very lively manner, how great a part of Christianity lies in the performance of our social and relative duties to one another. ' The same joyful sense continued throughout the day — a sweet love to God and all mankind. Whatever be the explanation of the charity, it may efface all usual human barriers.^ Here, for instance, is an example of Christian non-resistance from Richard Weaver's autobiography.

Weaver was a collier, a semi-professional pugilist in his younger days, who became a much beloved evangelist. Fighting, after drinking, seems to have been the sin to which he originally felt his flesh most perversely inclined. After his first conversion he had a backsliding, which consisted in pounding a man who had insulted a girl.

Feeling that, having once fallen, he might as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb, he got drunk and went and broke the jaw of another man who had lately challenged him to fig-ht and taunted him with cowardice for refusing^ as a Christian man ; — I mention these incidents to show how genuine a change of heart is implied in the later conduct which he describes as follows : — ^ The barrier between men and animals also.

We read of Towianski, an eminent Polish patriot and mystic, that " one day one of his friends met him in the rain, caressing a big dog which was jumping upon him and covering him horribly with mud. On being asked why he permitted the animal thus to dirty his clothes, Towianski replied : * This dog, whom I am now meeting for the first time, has shown a great fellow-feeling for me, and a great joy in my recognition and acceptance of his greetings.

Were I to drive him off, I should wound his feelings and do him a moral injury. It would be an offense not only to him, but to all the spirits of the other world who are on the same level with him. The damage which he does to my coat is as nothing in comparison with the wrong which I should inflict upon him, in case I were to remain indifferent to the manifestations of his friendship.

We ought,' he added, ' both to lighten the condition of animals, whenever we can, and at the same time to facilitate in ourselves that union of the world of all spirits, which the sacrifice of Christ has made possible. " Andrd Towianski, Traduction de I'ltalien, Turin, 1897 (privately printed). I owe my knowledge of this book and of Towianski to my friend Professor W. Lutoslawski, author of ' Plato's Logic'

p. 282" I went down the drift and found the boy crying because a fellow-workman was trying to take the wagon from him by force. I said to him : — " ' Tom, you must n't take that wagon. " He swore at me, and called me a Methodist devil, I told him that God did not tell me to let him rob me. He cursed again, and said he would push the wagon over me.

" ' Well,' I said, ' let us see whether the devil and thee are stronger than the Lord and me. " And the Lord and I proving stronger than the devil and he, he had to get out of the way, or the wagon would have gone over him. So I gave the wagon to the boy. Then said Tom : — " ' I 've a good mind to smack thee on the face. " ' Well,' I said, ' if that will do thee any good, thou canst do it. So he struck me on the face.

" I turned the other cheek to him, and said, ' Strike again. " He struck again and again, till he had struck me five times. I turned my cheek for the sixth stroke ; but he turned away cursing. I shouted after him : ' The Lord forgive thee, for I do, and the Lord save thee. " This was on a Saturday ; and when I went home from the coal-pit my wife saw my face was swollen, and asked what was the matter with it.

I said : ' I 've been fighting, and I 've given a man a good thrashing. " She burst out weejjing, and said, ' O Richard, what made you fight ? ' Then I told her all about it ; and she thanked the Lord I had not struck back. " But the Lord had struck, and his blows have more effect than man's. Monday came. The devil began to tempt me, saying : ' The other men will laugh at thee for allowing Tom to treat thee as he did on Saturday.

I cried, ' Get thee behind me, Satan ; ' — and went on my way to the coal-pit. " Tom was the first man I saw. I said ' Good-morning,' but got no reply. " He went down first. When I got down, I was surprised to see him sitting on the wagon-road waiting for me. When I came to him he burst into tears and said : ' Richard, will you forgive me for striking you? '