being afraid both of professor and profane； lest； being a tender
young man； I should be hurt by conversing much with either。 For
which reason I kept much as a stranger； seeking heavenly wisdom
and getting knowledge from the Lord； and was brought off from
outward things； to rely on the Lord alone。 As I had forsaken the
priests； so I left the separate preachers also； and those called
the most experienced people； for I saw there was none among them
all that could speak to my condition。 And when all my hopes in
them and in all men were gone so that I had nothing outwardly to
help me； nor could tell what to do； then； oh then； I heard a
voice which said； 'There is one； even Jesus Christ； that can
speak to thy condition。' When I heard it； my heart did leap for
joy。 Then the Lord let me see why there was none upon the earth
that could speak to my condition。 I had not fellowship with any
people； priests； nor professors； nor any sort of separated
people。 I was afraid of all carnal talk and talkers； for I could
see nothing but corruptions。 When I was in the deep； under all
shut up； I could not believe that I should ever overcome； my
troubles； my sorrows； and my temptations were so great that I
often thought I should have despaired； I was so tempted。 But
when Christ opened to me how he was tempted by the same devil；
and had overcome him； and had bruised his head； and that through
him and his power； life； grace； and spirit； I should overcome
also； I had confidence in him。 If I had had a king's diet；
palace； and attendance； all would have been as nothing； for
nothing gave me comfort but the Lord by his power。 I saw
professors； priests； and people were whole and at ease in that
condition which was my misery； and they loved that which I would
have been rid of。 But the Lord did stay my desires upon himself；
and my care was cast upon him alone。〃＇198＇
＇198＇ George Fox： Journal； Philadelphia； 1800； pp。 59…61；
abridged。
A genuine first…hand religious experience like this is bound to
be a heterodoxy to its witnesses； the prophet appearing as a mere
lonely madman。 If his doctrine prove contagious enough to spread
to any others； it becomes a definite and labeled heresy。 But if
it then still prove contagious enough to triumph over
persecution； it becomes itself an orthodoxy； and when a religion
has become an orthodoxy； its day of inwardness is over： the
spring is dry； the faithful live at second hand exclusively and
stone the prophets in their turn。 The new church； in spite of
whatever human goodness it may foster； can be henceforth counted
on as a staunch ally in every attempt to stifle the spontaneous
religious spirit； and to stop all later bubblings of the fountain
from which in purer days it drew its own supply of inspiration。
Unless； indeed； by adopting new movements of the spirit it can
make capital out of them and use them for its selfish corporate
designs！ Of protective action of this politic sort； promptly or
tardily decided on； the dealings of the Roman ecclesiasticism
with many individual saints and prophets yield examples enough
for our instruction。
The plain fact is that men's minds are built； as has been often
said； in water…tight compartments。 Religious after a fashion；
they yet have many other things in them beside their religion；
and unholy entanglements and associations inevitably obtain。 The
basenesses so commonly charged to religion's account are thus；
almost all of them； not chargeable at all to religion proper； but
rather to religion's wicked practical partner； the spirit of
corporate dominion。 And the bigotries are most of them in their
turn chargeable to religion's wicked intellectual partner； the
spirit of dogmatic dominion； the passion for laying down the law
in the form of an absolutely closed…in theoretic system。 The
ecclesiastical spirit in general is the sum of these two spirits
of dominion； and I beseech you never to confound the phenomena of
mere tribal or corporate psychology which it presents with those
manifestations of the purely interior life which are the
exclusive object of our study。 The baiting of Jews； the hunting
of Albigenses and Waldenses； the stoning of Quakers and ducking
of Methodists； the murdering of Mormons and the massacring of
Armenians； express much rather that aboriginal human neophobia；
that pugnacity of which we all share the vestiges； and that
inborn hatred of the alien and of eccentric and non…conforming
men as aliens； than they express the positive piety of the
various perpetrators。 Piety is the mask； the inner force is
tribal instinct。 You believe as little as I do； in spite of the
Christian unction with which the German emperor addressed his
troops upon their way to China； that the conduct which he
suggested； and in which other Christian armies went beyond them；
had anything whatever to do with the interior religious life of
those concerned in the performance。
Well； no more for past atrocities than for this atrocity should
we make piety responsible。 At most we may blame piety for not
availing to check our natural passions； and sometimes for
supplying them with hypocritical pretexts。 But hypocrisy also
imposes obligations； and with the pretext usually couples some
restriction； and when the passion gust is over； the piety may
bring a reaction of repentance which the irreligious natural man
would not have shown。
For many of the historic aberrations which have been laid to her
charge； religion as such； then； is not to blame。 Yet of the
charge that over…zealousness or fanaticism is one of her
liabilities we cannot wholly acquit her； so I will next make a
remark upon that point。 But I will preface it by a preliminary
remark which connects itself with much that follows。
Our survey of the phenomena of saintliness has unquestionably
produced in your minds an impression of extravagance。 Is it
necessary； some of you have asked； as one example after another
came before us； to be quite so fantastically good as that？ We
who have no vocation for the extremer ranges of sanctity will
surely be let off at the last day if our humility； asceticism；
and devoutness prove of a less convulsive sort。 This practically
amounts to saying that much that it is legitimate to admire in
this field need nevertheless not be imitated； and that religious
phenomena； like all other human phenomena； are subject to the law
of the golden mean。 Political reformers accomplish their
successive tasks in the history of nations by being blind for the
time to other causes。 Great schools of art work out the effects
which it is their mission to reveal； at the cost of a
one…sidedness for which other schools must make amends。 We
accept a John Howard； a Mazzini； a Botticelli； a Michael Angelo；
with a kind of indulgence。 We are glad they existed to show us
that way； but we are glad there are also other ways of seeing and
taking life。 So of many of the saints whom we have looked at。
We are proud of a human nature that could be so passionately
extreme； but we shrink from advising others to follow the
example。 The conduct we blame ourselves for not following lies
nearer to the middle line of human effort。 It is less dependent
on particular beliefs and doctrines。 It is such as wears well in
different ages； such as under different skies all judges are able
to commend。
The fruits of religion； in other words； are； like all human
products； liable to corruption by excess。 Common sense must
judge them。 It need not blame the votary； but it may be able to
praise him only conditionally； as one who acts faithfully
according to his lights。 He shows us heroism in one way； but the
unconditionally good way is that for which no indulgence need be
asked。
We find that error by excess is exemplified by every saintly
virtue。 Excess； in human faculties； means usually one…sidedness
or want of balance； for it is hard to imagine an essential
faculty too strong； if only other faculties equally strong be
there to cooperate with it in action。 Strong affections need a
strong will； strong active powers need a strong intellect； strong
intellect needs strong sympathies； to keep life steady。 If the
balance exist； no one faculty can possibly be too strongwe only
get the stronger all…round character。 In the life of saints；
technically so called； the spiritual faculties are strong； but
what gives the impression of extravagance proves usually on
examination to be a relative deficiency of intellect。 Spiritual
excitement takes pathological forms whenever other interests are
too few and the intellect too narrow。 We find this exemplified
by all the saintly attributes in turndevout love of God；
purity； charity； asceticism； all may lead astray。 I will run
over these virtues in succession。
First of all let us take Devoutness。 When unbalanced； one of its
vices is called Fanaticism。 Fanaticism （when not a mere
expression of ecclesiastical ambition） is only loyalty carried to
a convulsive extreme。 When an intensely loyal and narrow mind is
once grasped by the feeling that a certain superhuman person is
worthy of its exclusive devotion； one of the first things that
happens is that it idealizes the devotion itself。 To adequately
realize