lectures14+15-第7节
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flesh； he went farther than the majority of saints。 He； who by
an extraordinary protection of God's grace was never tempted；
measured all his steps as if he were threatened on every side by
particular dangers。 Thenceforward he never raised his eyes；
either when walking in the streets； or when in society。 Not only
did he avoid all business with females even more scrupulously
than before； but he renounced all conversation and every kind of
social recreation with them； although his father tried to make
him take part； and he commenced only too early to deliver his
innocent body to austerities of every kind。〃＇211＇
＇211＇ Meschler's Life of Saint Louis of Gonzaga； French
translation by Lebrequier； 1891； p。 40。
At the age of twelve； we read of this young man that 〃if by
chance his mother sent one of her maids of honor to him with a
message； he never allowed her to come in； but listened to her
through the barely opened door； and dismissed her immediately。
He did not like to be alone with his own mother； whether at table
or in conversation； and when the rest of the company withdrew； he
sought also a pretext for retiring。 。 。 。 Several great ladies；
relatives of his； he avoided learning to know even by sight； and
he made a sort of treaty with his father； engaging promptly and
readily to accede to all his wishes； if he might only be excused
from all visits to ladies。〃 ＇212＇
＇212＇ Ibid。； p。 71。
When he was seventeen years old Louis joined the Jesuit
order；＇213＇ against his father's passionate entreaties； for he
was heir of a princely house； and when a year later the father
died； he took the loss as a 〃particular attention〃 to himself on
God's part； and wrote letters of stilted good advice； as from a
spiritual superior； to his grieving mother。 He soon became so
good a monk that if any one asked him the number of his brothers
and sisters； he had to reflect and count them over before
replying。 A Father asked him one day if he were never troubled
by the thought of his family； to which； 〃I never think of them
except when praying for them；〃 was his only answer。 Never was he
seen to hold in his hand a flower or anything perfumed； that he
might take pleasure in it。 On the contrary； in the hospital； he
used to seek for whatever was most disgusting； and eagerly snatch
the bandages of ulcers； etc。； from the hands of his companions。
He avoided worldly talk； and immediately tried to turn every
conversation on to pious subjects； or else he remained silent。
He systematically refused to notice his surroundings。 Being
ordered one day to bring a book from the rector's seat in the
refectory； he had to ask where the rector sat； for in the three
months he had eaten bread there； so carefully did he guard his
eyes that he had not noticed the place。 One day； during recess；
having looked by chance on one of his companions； he reproached
himself as for a grave sin against modesty。 He cultivated
silence； as preserving from sins of the tongue； and his greatest
penance was the limit which his superiors set to his bodily
penances。 He sought after false accusations and unjust
reprimands as opportunities of humility； and such was his
obedience that； when a room…mate； having no more paper； asked him
for a sheet； he did not feel free to give it to him without first
obtaining the permission of the superior； who； as such； stood in
the place of God； and transmitted his orders。
＇213＇ In his boyish note…book he praises the monastic life for
its freedom from sin； and for the imperishable treasures； which
it enables us to store up； 〃of merit in God's eyes which makes of
Him our debtor for all Eternity。〃 Loc。 cit。； p。 62。
I can find no other sorts of fruit than these of Louis's
saintship。 He died in 1591； in his twenty…ninth year； and is
known in the Church as the patron of all young people。 On his
festival； the altar in the chapel devoted to him in a certain
church in Rome 〃is embosomed in flowers； arranged with exquisite
taste； and a pile of letters may be seen at its foot； written to
the Saint by young men and women； and directed to 'Paradiso。'
They are supposed to be burnt unread except by San Luigi； who
must find singular petitions in these pretty little missives；
tied up now with a green ribbon； expressive of hope； now with a
red one； emblematic of love；〃 etc。＇214＇
＇214＇ Mademoiselle Mori； a novel quoted in Hare's Walks in Rome；
1900； i。 55。
I cannot resist the temptation to quote from Starbuck's book； p。
388； another case of purification by elimination。 It runs as
follows：
〃The signs of abnormality which sanctified persons show are of
frequent occurrence。 They get out of tune with other people；
often they will have nothing to do with churches； which they
regard as worldly； they become hypercritical towards others； they
grow careless of their social； political； and financial
obligations。 As an instance of this type may be mentioned a
woman of sixty…eight of whom the writer made a special study。
She had been a member of one of the most active and progressive
churches in a busy part of a large city。 Her pastor described
her as having reached the censorious stage。 She had grown more
and more out of sympathy with the church； her connection with it
finally consisted simply in attendance at prayer…meeting； at
which her only message was that of reproof and condemnation of
the others for living on a low plane。 At last she withdrew from
fellowship with any church。 The writer found her living alone in
a little room on the top story of a cheap boarding…house quite
out of touch with all human relations； but apparently happy in
the enjoyment of her own spiritual blessings。 Her time was
occupied in writing booklets on sanctificationpage after page
of dreamy rhapsody。 She proved to be one of a small group of
persons who claim that entire salvation involves three steps
instead of two； not only must there be conversion and
sanctification； but a third； which they call 'crucifixion' or
'perfect redemption；' and which seems to bear the same relation
to sanctification that this bears to conversion。 She related how
the Spirit had said to her； 'Stop going to church。 Stop going to
holiness meetings。 Go to your own room and I will teach you。'
She professes to care nothing for colleges； or preachers； or
churches； but only cares to listen to what God says to her。 Her
description of her experience seemed entirely consistent； she is
happy and contented； and her life is entirely satisfactory to
herself。 While listening to her own story； one was tempted to
forget that it was from the life of a person who could not live
by it in conjunction with her fellows。〃
Our final judgment of the worth of such a life as this will
depend largely on our conception of God； and of the sort of
conduct he is best pleased with in his creatures。 The
Catholicism of the sixteenth century paid little heed to social
righteousness； and to leave the world to the devil whilst saving
one's own soul was then accounted no discreditable scheme。
To…day； rightly or wrongly； helpfulness in general human affairs
is； in consequence of one of those secular mutations in moral
sentiment of which I spoke； deemed an essential element of worth
in character； and to be of some public or private use is also
reckoned as a species of divine service。 Other early Jesuits；
especially the missionaries among them； the Xaviers； Brebeufs；
Jogues； were objective minds； and fought in their way for the
world's welfare； so their lives to…day inspire us。 But when the
intellect； as in this Louis； is originally no larger than a pin's
head； and cherishes ideas of God of corresponding smallness； the
result； notwithstanding the heroism put forth； is on the whole
repulsive。 Purity； we see in the object…lesson； is NOT the one
thing needful； and it is better that a life should contract many
a dirt…mark； than forfeit usefulness in its efforts to remain
unspotted。
Proceeding onwards in our search of religious extravagance； we
next come upon excesses of Tenderness and Charity。 Here
saintliness has to face the charge of preserving the unfit； and
breeding parasites and beggars。 〃Resist not evil；〃 〃Love your
enemies；〃 these are saintly maxims of which men of this world
