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glad to draw。 One disciple of the school； indeed； has striven to
impugn the value of works of genius in a wholesale way （such
works of contemporary art； namely； as he himself is unable to
enjoy； and they are many） by using medical arguments。＇4＇ But for
the most part the masterpieces are left unchallenged； and the
medical line of attack either confines itself to such secular
productions as everyone admits to be intrinsically eccentric； or
else addresses itself exclusively to religious manifestations。
And then it is because the religious manifestations have been
already condemned because the critic dislikes them on internal or
spiritual grounds。
＇4＇ Max Nordau； in his bulky book entitled Degeneration。
In the natural sciences and industrial arts it never occurs to
anyone to try to refute opinions by showing up their author's
neurotic constitution。 Opinions here are invariably tested by
logic and by experiment； no matter what may be their author's
neurological type。 It should be no otherwise with religious
opinions。 Their value can only be ascertained by spiritual
judgments directly passed upon them； judgments based on our own
immediate feeling primarily； and secondarily on what we can
ascertain of their experiential relations to our moral needs and
to the rest of what we hold as true。
Immediate luminousness； in short； philosophical reasonableness；
and moral helpfulness are the only available criteria。 Saint
Teresa might have had the nervous system of the placidest cow；
and it would not now save her theology； if the trial of the
theology by these other tests should show it to be contemptible。
And conversely if her theology can stand these other tests； it
will make no difference how hysterical or nervously off her
balance Saint Teresa may have been when she was with us here
below。
You see that at bottom we are thrown back upon the general
principles by which the empirical philosophy has always contended
that we must be guided in our search for truth。 Dogmatic
philosophies have sought for tests for truth which might dispense
us from appealing to the future。 Some direct mark； by noting
which we can be protected immediately and absolutely； now and
forever； against all mistakesuch has been the darling dream of
philosophic dogmatists。 It is clear that the ORIGIN of the truth
would be an admirable criterion of this sort； if only the various
origins could be discriminated from one another from this
point of view； and the history of dogmatic opinion shows that
origin has always been a favorite test。 Origin in immediate
intuition； origin in pontifical authority； origin in supernatural
revelation； as by vision； hearing； or unaccountable impression；
origin in direct possession by a higher spirit； expressing itself
in prophecy and warning； origin in automatic utterance
generallythese origins have been stock warrants for the truth
of one opinion after another which we find represented in
religious history。 The medical materialists are therefore only
so many belated dogmatists； neatly turning the tables on their
predecessors by using the criterion of origin in a destructive
instead of an accreditive way。
They are effective with their talk of pathological origin only so
long as supernatural origin is pleaded by the other side； and
nothing but the argument from origin is under discussion。 But
the argument from origin has seldom been used alone； for it is
too obviously insufficient。 Dr。 Maudsley is perhaps the
cleverest of the rebutters of supernatural religion on grounds of
origin。 Yet he finds himself forced to write：
〃What right have we to believe Nature under any obligation to do
her work by means of complete minds only？ She may find an
incomplete mind a more suitable instrument for a particular
purpose。 It is the work that is done； and the quality in the
worker by which it was done； that is alone of moment； and it may
be no great matter from a cosmical standpoint； if in other
qualities of character he was singularly defectiveif indeed he
were hypocrite； adulterer； eccentric； or lunatic。 。 。 。 Home we
come again； then； to the old and last resort of certitudenamely
the common assent of mankind； or of the competent by instruction
and training among mankind。〃＇5＇
＇5＇ H。 Maudsley： Natural Causes and Supernatural Seemings；
1886； pp。 256； 257。
In other words； not its origin； but THE WAY IN WHICH IT WORKS ON
THE WHOLE； is Dr。 Maudsley's final test of a belief。 This is our
own empiricist criterion； and this criterion the stoutest
insisters on supernatural origin have also been forced to use in
the end。 Among the visions and messages some have always been
too patently silly； among the trances and convulsive seizures
some have been too fruitless for conduct and character； to pass
themselves off as significant； still less as divine。 In the
history of Christian mysticism the problem how to discriminate
between such messages and experiences as were really divine
miracles； and such others as the demon in his malice was able to
counterfeit； thus making the religious person twofold more the
child of hell he was before； has always been a difficult one to
solve； needing all the sagacity and experience of the best
directors of conscience。 In the end it had to come to our
empiricist criterion： By their fruits ye shall know them； not by
their roots。 Jonathan Edwards's Treatise on Religious Affections
is an elaborate working out of this thesis。 The ROOTS of a man's
virtue are inaccessible to us。 No appearances whatever are
infallible proofs of grace。 Our practice is the only sure
evidence； even to ourselves； that we are genuinely Christians。
〃In forming a judgment of ourselves now；〃 Edwards writes； we
should certainly adopt that evidence which our supreme Judge will
chiefly make use of when we come to stand before him at the last
day。 。 。 。 There is not one grace of the Spirit of God； of the
existence of which； in any professor of religion； Christian
practice is not the most decisive evidence。 。 。 。 The degree in
which our experience is productive of practice shows the degree
in which our experience is spiritual and divine。〃
Catholic writers are equally emphatic。 The good dispositions
which a vision； or voice； or other apparent heavenly favor leave
behind them are the only marks by which we may be sure they
are not possible deceptions of the tempter。 Says Saint Teresa：
〃Like imperfect sleep which； instead of giving more strength to
the head； doth but leave it the more exhausted； the result of
mere operations of the imagination is but to weaken the soul。
Instead of nourishment and energy she reaps only lassitude and
disgust： whereas a genuine heavenly vision yields to her a
harvest of ineffable spiritual riches； and an admirable renewal
of bodily strength。 I alleged these reasons to those who so
often accused my visions of being the work of the enemy of
mankind and the sport of my imagination。 。 。 。 I showed them the
jewels which the divine hand had left with me：they were my
actual dispositions。 All those who knew me saw that I was
changed； my confessor bore witness to the fact； this improvement；
palpable in all respects； far from being hidden； was brilliantly
evident to all men。 As for myself； it was impossible to believe
that if the demon were its author； he could have used； in order
to lose me and lead me to hell； an expedient so contrary to his
own interests as that of uprooting my vices； and filling me with
masculine courage and other virtues instead； for I saw clearly
that a single one of these visions was enough to enrich me with
all that wealth。〃＇6＇
＇6＇ Autobiography； ch。 xxviii。
I fear I may have made a longer excursus than was necessary； and
that fewer words would have dispelled the uneasiness which may
have arisen among some of you as I announced my pathological
programme。 At any rate you must all be ready now to judge the
religious life by its results exclusively； and I shall assume
that the bugaboo of morbid origin will scandalize your piety no
more。
Still； you may ask me； if its results are to be the ground of our
final spiritual estimate of a religious phenomenon； why threaten
us at all with so much existential study of its