July, 1933
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
214
^C^lie C l)isc iß l in e d c J 2 i/e B y J. OLIVER BUSWELL, J r * Wheaton, Illinois
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less understand that it is only among the shallowest pseudo scientific psychologists of a repudiated branch of the Freu dian school that avoiding “ repression” means the elimina tion of self-control and discipline. W h a t is R e p r e s s io n ? In the psychological sense, repression is defined by Webster’s dictionary as, “ A process whereby impulses that are in opposition to one’s ethical and aesthetic ideals are forced into the unconscious.” This does not mean for a moment the process by which one consciously exercises self-control. It is precisely the opposite of the Christian process whereby one frankly recognizes his temptations, confessing them in prayer to the Lord, and conquering them by His enabling grace. Repression is the cowardly process o f seeking to ignore, deny, or forget those things which ought to be frankly acknowledged, faced, and conquered. The psychological process o f repression is sometimes un conscious, and sometimes more or less conscious. The following quotation from Abnormal Psychology by Professor William McDougall (page 222) is very illum inating in this connection: It seems clear that repression may be and often is effected by a.self-conscious effort; as in the case of the soldier who voluntarily represses (i.e., seeks to ignore and forget) his battle memories and their emotions, and suffers battle dreams in consequence, and who then gets rid of his battle dreams by following the advice to cease his vol untary repression. The psychologically sound method and the Christian method of getting rid of an evil memory is not to deny it or to ignore it, but to confess it in prayer, frankly facing the situation and trusting the Lord for victory.
H n tagon ism to discipline in every sphere is very prevalent in our day. A principle of liberty is popu larly brought forth which the histor ically minded student will recognize under several old names. In the field of theology, this principle would be called antinomianism; in the field f l psychology, it is represented by a certain branch o f Freudiamsm. home
D r . B uswell
of us are inclined to call it by a still older and still more common name, lawlessness. The theory to which we refer is, however, held by many respectable people who seem entirely unconscious o f the nature o f the ideas which they advance. The theory is in brief that rigorous disci pline and a well regimented life weaken character. A n A p p e a l t o C o m m o n S e n s e Wheaton College has always stood for the disciplined life, and for a reasonable amount of regularity and regime^ as contributing to the building of good habits and good character. W e believe that an appeal to the general good sense of Christian people will awaken them to the sound ness o f this position. A successful business man recently told me that he did not know o f any prominent man in the business world who had attained success, who had displayed valuable initiative and originality in a position of executive responsibility, without having gone through a process of severe and rigorous discipline in his' younger days. This discipline may have been military training, or a factory regime with routine regularity, clock-punching, and the like, but with very few exceptions, the man at the top in the business world has been strengthened by an educa tive disciplinary process. A Christian colonel in the army once told me that apart from the grace of God he knew o f no process which would make a man out of a weakling better than a stiff regime of severe military drill. Whatever one may think o f military training, it is certainly laughable from the point of view o f the common sense of one who has had army training to hear the argument that discipline weakens character. A n A p p e a l t o P s y c h o l o g y We fear that a popular misconception of ab normal psychology is at the root of the recent out break o f the objectionable antinomian theory under discussion. W e have heard much in these days about the evils of “ repression.” A child in a home govern ed by some of these popular psychological fallacies once suddenly decided to take a beet from the serv ing dish and throw it at a guest at the table. The guest was surprised by this sudden attack and expected that the par ents would institute disciplinary proceedings. Instead, how ever, the mother appealed to the guest with the words, “ Please do not say anything about the child’s behavior. I am bringing him up without any repressions, and I am studying his tendencies.” The intelligent reader will doubt-
A G limpse of the C ampus , W heaton C ollege , W heaton , III. Although McDougall does not write distinctly from the Christian point of view, he does quite remarkably illustrate the value of Christian principles. The cowardly process called repression often results in paralysis, amnesia, or insanity, or other abnormal physical and psychological symptoms. On page 218, McDougall describes a young man who had been preparing for the ministry before his expe rience in the World War. This young man received severe experiences of shock at the front. McDougall says:
* President , Wheaton College .
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