lecture09-第3章

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Starbuck　of　California　has　shown　by　a　statistical　inquiry　how



closely　parallel　in　its　manifestations　the　ordinary　〃conversion〃



which　occurs　in　young　people　brought　up　in　evangelical　circles　is



to　that　growth　into　a　larger　spiritual　life　which　is　a　normal



phase　of　adolescence　in　every　class　of　human　beings。　　The　age　is



the　same；　falling　usually　between　fourteen　and　seventeen。　　The



symptoms　are　the　same；sense　of　incompleteness　and　imperfection；



brooding；　depression；　morbid　introspection；　and　sense　of　sin；



anxiety　about　the　hereafter；　distress　over　doubts；　and　the　like。　



And　the　result　is　the　samea　happy　relief　and　objectivity；　as



the　confidence　in　self　gets　greater　through　the　adjustment　of　the



faculties　to　the　wider　outlook。　　In　spontaneous　religious



awakening；　apart　from　revivalistic　examples；　and　in　the　ordinary



storm　and　stress　and　moulting…time　of　adolescence；　we　also　may



meet　with　mystical　experiences；　astonishing　the　subjects　by　their



suddenness；　just　as　in　revivalistic　conversion。　　The　analogy；　in



fact；　is　complete；　and　Starbuck's　conclusion　as　to　these　ordinary



youthful　conversions　would　seem　to　be　the　only　sound　one：　



Conversion　is　in　its　essence　a　normal　adolescent　phenomenon；



incidental　to　the　passage　from　the　child's　small　universe　to　the



wider　intellectual　and　spiritual　life　of　maturity。







〃Theology；〃　says　Dr。　Starbuck；　〃takes　the　adolescent　tendencies



and　builds　upon　them；　it　sees　that　the　essential　thing　in



adolescent　growth　is　bringing　the　person　out　of　childhood　into



the　new　life　of　maturity　and　personal　insight。　　It　accordingly



brings　those　means　to　bear　which　will　intensify　the　normal



tendencies。　　It　shortens　up　the　period　of　duration　of　storm　and



stress。〃　　The　conversion　phenomena　of　〃conviction　of　sin〃　last；



by　this　investigator's　statistics；　about　one　fifth　as　long　as　the



periods　of　adolescent　storm　and　stress　phenomena　of　which　he　also



got　statistics；　but　they　are　very　much　more　intense。　　Bodily



accompaniments；　loss　of　sleep　and　appetite；　for　example；　are　much



more　frequent　in　them。　　〃The　essential　distinction　appears　to　be



that　conversion　intensifies　but　shortens　the　period　by　bringing



the　person　to　a　definite　crisis。〃＇101＇







＇101＇　E。　D。　Starbuck：　　The　Psychology　of　Religion；　pp。　224；　262。















The　conversions　which　Dr。　Starbuck　here　has　in　mind　are　of　course



mainly　those　of　very　commonplace　persons；　kept　true　to　a



pre…appointed　type　by　instruction；　appeal；　and　example。　The



particular　form　which　they　affect　is　the　result　of　suggestion　and



imitation。＇102＇　If　they　went　through　their　growth…crisis　in　other



faiths　and　other　countries；　although　the　essence　of　the　change



would　be　the　same　（since　it　is　one　in　the　main　so　inevitable）；



its　accidents　would　be　different。　In　Catholic　lands；　for　example；



and　in　our　own　Episcopalian　sects；　no　such　anxiety　and　conviction



of　sin　is　usual　as　in　sects　that　encourage　revivals。　　The



sacraments　being　more　relied　on　in　these　more　strictly



ecclesiastical　bodies；　the　individual's　personal　acceptance　of



salvation　needs　less　to　be　accentuated　and　led　up　to。







＇102＇　No　one　understands　this　better　than　Jonathan　Edwards



understood　it　already。　　Conversion　narratives　of　the　more



commonplace　sort　must　always　be　taken　with　the　allowances　which



he　suggests：







〃A　rule　received　and　established　by　common　consent　has　a　very



great；　though　to　many　persons　an　insensible　influence　in　forming



their　notions　of　the　process　of　their　own　experience。　　I　know



very　well　how　they　proceed　as　to　this　matter；　for　I　have　had



frequent　opportunities　of　observing　their　conduct。　　Very　often



their　experience　at　first　appears　like　a　confused　chaos；　but　then



those　parts　are　selected　which　bear　the　nearest　resemblance　to



such　particular　steps　as　are　insisted　on；　and　these　are　dwelt



upon　in　their　thoughts；　and　spoken　of　from　time　to　time；　till



they　grow　more　and　more　conspicuous　in　their　view；　and　other



parts　which　are　neglected　grow　more　and　more　obscure。　　Thus　what



they　have　experienced　is　insensibly　strained；　so　as　to　bring　it



to　an　exact　conformity　to　the　scheme　already　established　in　their



minds。　　And　it　becomes　natural　also　for　ministers；　who　have　to



deal　with　those　who　insist　upon　distinctness　and　clearness　of



method；　to　do　so　too。〃　　Treatise　on　Religious　Affections。















But　every　imitative　phenomenon　must　once　have　had　its　original；



and　I　propose　that　for　the　future　we　keep　as　close　as　may　be　to



the　more　first…hand　and　original　forms　of　experience。　　These　are



more　likely　to　be　found　in　sporadic　adult　cases。







Professor　Leuba；　in　a　valuable　article　on　the　psychology　of



conversion；＇103＇　subordinates　the　theological　aspect　of　the



religious　life　almost　entirely　to　its　moral　aspect。　　The



religious　sense　he　defines　as　〃the　feeling　of　unwholeness；　of



moral　imperfection；　of　sin；　to　use　the　technical　word；



accompanied　by　the　yearning　after　the　peace　of　unity。〃　　〃The　word



'religion；'〃　he　says；　〃is　getting　more　and　more　to　signify　the



conglomerate　of　desires　and　emotions　springing　from　the　sense　of



sin　and　its　release〃；　and　he　gives　a　large　number　of　examples；　in



which　the　sin　ranges　from　drunkenness　to　spiritual　pride；　to　show



that　the　sense　of　it　may　beset　one　and　crave　relief　as　urgently



as　does　the　anguish　of　the　sickened　flesh　or　any　form　of　physical



misery。







＇103＇　Studies　in　the　Psychology　of　Religious　Phenomena；　American



Journal　of　Psychology；　vii。　309　（1896）。















Undoubtedly　this　conception　covers　an　immense　number　of　cases。　　A



good　one　to　use　as　an　example　is　that　of　Mr。　S。　H。　Hadley；　who



after　his　conversion　became　an　active　and　useful　rescuer　of



drunkards　in　New　York。　　His　experience　runs　as　follows：







〃One　Tuesday　evening　I　sat　in　a　saloon　in　Harlem；　a　homeless；



friendless；　dying　drunkard。　　I　had　pawned　or　sold　everything　that



would　bring　a　drink。　　I　could　not　sleep　unless　I　was　dead　drunk。　



I　had　not　eaten　for　days；　and　for　four　nights　preceding　I　had



suffered　with　delirium　tremens；　or　the　horrors；　from　midnight



till　morning。　　I　had　often　said；　'I　will　never　be　a　tramp。　　I



will　never　be　cornered；　for　when　that　time　comes；　if　ever　it



comes；　I　will　find　a　home　in　the　bottom　of　the　river。'　　But　the



Lord　so　ordered　it　that　when　that　time　did　come　I　was　not　able　to



walk　one　quarter　of　the　way　to　the　river。　　As　I　sat　there



thinking；　I　seemed　to　feel　some　great　and　mighty　presence。　　I　did



not　know　then　what　it　was。　　I　did　learn　afterwards　that　it　was



Jesus；　the　sinner's　friend。　　I　walked　up　to　the　bar　and　pounded



it　with　my　fist　till　I　made　the　glasses　rattle。　　Those　who　stood



by　drinking　looked　on　with　scornful　curiosity。　　I　said　I　would



never　take　another　drink；　if　I　died　on　the　street；　and　really　I



felt　as　though　that　would　happen　before　morning。　　Something　said；



'If　you　want　to　keep　this　promise；　go　and　have　yourself　locked



up。'　　I　went　to　the　nearest　station…house　and　had　myself　locked



up。







〃I　was　placed　in　a　narrow　cell；　and　it　seemed　as　though　all　the



demons　that　could　find　room　came　in　that　place　with　me。　　This　was



not　all　the　company　I　had；　either。　　No；　praise　the　Lord：　　that



dear　Spirit　that　came　to　me　in　the　saloon　was　present；　and



said；　Pray。　　I　did　pray；　and　though　I　did　not　feel　any　great



help；　I　kept　on　praying。　　As　soon　as　I　was　able　to　leave　my　cell



I　was　taken　to　the　police　court　and　remanded　back　to　the　cell。　　I



was　finally　released；　and　found　my　way　to　my　brother's　house；



where　every　care　was　given　me。　　While　lying　in　bed　the



admonishing　Spirit　never　left　me；　and　when　I　arose　the　following



Sabbath　morning　I　felt　that　day　would　decide　my　fate；　and　toward



evening　it　came　into　my　head　to　go　to　Jerry　M'Auley's　Mission。　　I



went。　　The　house　was　packed；　and　with　great　difficulty　I　made　my



way　to　the　space　near　the　platform。　　There　I　saw　the　apostle　to



the　drunkard　and　the　outcastthat　man　of　God；　Jerry　M'Auley。　　He



rose；　and　amid　deep　silence　told　his　experience。　　There　was　a



sincerity　about　this　man　that　carried　conviction　with　it；　and　I



found　myself　saying；　'I　wonder　if　God　can　save　me？'　　I　listened



to　the　testimony　of　twenty…five　or　thirty　persons；　every　one　of



whom　had　been　saved　from　rum；　and　I　made　up　my　mind　that　I　would



be　saved　or　die　right　there。　　When　the　invitation　was　given；　I



knelt　down　with　a　crowd　of　drunkards。　　Jerry　made　the　first



prayer。　　Then　Mrs。　M'Auley　prayed　fervently　for　us。　　Oh；　what　a



conflict　was　going　on　for　my　poor　soul！　　A　blessed　whisper　said；





'Come'；　the　devil　said；　'Be　careful。'　　I　halted　but　a　moment；　and



then；　with　a　breaking　heart；　I　said；　'Dear　Jesus；　can　you　help



me？'　　Never　with　mortal　tongue　can　I　describe　that　moment。　



Although　up　to　that　moment　my　soul　had　been　filled　with



indescribable　gloom；　I　felt　the　glorious　brightness　of　the



noonday　sun　shine　into　my　heart。　　I　felt　I　was　a　free　man。　　Oh；



the　precious　feeling　of　safety；　of　freedom；　of　resting　on　Jesus！



I　felt　that　Christ　with　all　his　brightness　and　power　had　come



into　my　life；　that；　indeed；　old　things　had　passed　away　and　all



things　had　become　new。







〃From　that　moment　till　now　I　have　never　wanted　a　drink　of



whiskey；　and　I　have　never　seen　money　enough　to　make　me　take　one。　



I　promised　God　that　night　that　if　he　would　take　away　the　appetite



for　strong　drink；　I　would　work　for　him　all　my　life。　　He　has　done



his　part；　and　I　have　been　trying　to　do　mine。〃＇104＇







＇104＇　I　have　abridged　Mr。　Hadley's　account。　　For　other



conversions　of　drunkards；　see　his　pamphlet；　Rescue　Mission　Work；



published　at　the　Old　Jerry　M'Auley　Water　Street　Mission；　New　York



City。　　A　striking　collection　of　cases　also　appears　in　the



appendix　to　Professor　Leuba's　article。















　Dr。　Leuba　rightly　remarks　that　there　is　little　doctrinal



theology　in　such　an　experience；　which　starts　with　the　absolute



need　of　a　higher　helper；　and　ends　with　the　sense　that　he　has



helped　us。　　He　gives　other　cases　of　drunkards'　conversions　which



are　purely　ethical；　containing；　as　recorded；　no　theological



beliefs　whatever。　　John　B。　Gough's　case；　for　instance；　is



practically；　says　Dr。　Leuba；　the　conversion　of　an



atheistneither　God　nor　Jesus　being　mentioned。＇105＇　But　in　spite



of　the　importance　of　this　type　of　regenerati