75
February 1927
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Christian Mysticism B y T he E ditor - in -C h ief
W E constantly meet the words “mystic” and “mys ticism” in articles and books that deal with reli gious experience, and, these are very many in our days. These words are frequently loosely and wrongly used. They convey no definite content to the minds of most readers apart from an idea of something poetic, dreamy and far away from the practical things and ways of life. They need to have a new birth in the thinking of Chris tians for the church of God owes much to the Mystics and real Mysticism. , In this series of articles we wish first to consider briefly the true meaning and significance of Mysticism and then seek to make the acquaintance of some of, the great Mystics of history. Evelyn Underhill, who is one of the most interesting writers, and best informed on this sub ject in our day, says that “Mysticism, according to its historical and psychological definitions, is the direct intui tion or experience of God; and a Mystic is a person who has, to a greater or less degree, such a direct experience - one whose religion and life are centered, not merely on an accepted belief or practice, but on that which he regards as first-hand personal knowledge.” One-of our great German scholars remarks that “Mys ticism is the immediate feeling of unity of the self with God.” Augustine suggests the fundamental basis of all true Mysticism when he says “Thou hast made us for Thyself, and we cannot’ rest until we rest in Thee;” At another time he said “My life shall be a real life, being wholly full of Thee.” ' Here he reveals the ideal of a true Christian Mysticism. This is what Jesus had in mind when He said “I am the Vine, ye are the branches,” This is the great mystic union of the Christian life through which we come to know the riches and the fulness of the more abundant life. In such an experience the Church had its birth, and has been renewed again by the fresh con tacts of its mystics with God. Dr. Rufus M. Jones writes: “The significant thing which the Mystic has to give us is his- testimony that he has an immediate consciousness of God. He comes to the restless, the far-wandered, the absent from homeland calmly states the mighty fact that feels perfectly at home with God.” But the great Ruys- broeck goes beyond this when he says “I desire to be by the grace of God a life-giving member of Holy Church,” and this in actual experience and history the Mystic has been in the church. When the mystic life of the Church is low, it lacks confidence and power and is full of -fear and misgivings. Its strong and creative moments have been the times when its mystic life has been rich and strong. M en W ho E xperience G od The great tides of spiritual life may be easily traced to mystic souls who experienced God in a new vision of reality, and made men to feel the abiding wonder of the unseen world. Isaiah saw God high and lifted up* and his life and experience saved Judah from a total collapse. Paul encountered Christ on the Damascus Road and from that mystic encounter has flowed one of the most potent streams influencing the history of the world. *After years of wandering Augustine heard God in the garden and a life was set on fire that shaped the course of the Church’s thinking for centuries. So we might come down through
the centuries and mark the rise of the constructive and saving influences of history in the mystic lives of the men and women who knew God at first hand. Only eternity can reveal how much we owe to this quiet walk with God and the creative and conserving touch of their life upon the years. The “Mystic Way” is a term which was first used by the Neoplatonists and was early taken over by Christian writers on the Christian life. It describes the way in which the soul of the Mystic usually develops. Generally speaking, it has three stages of Purgation, Illumination and Union. By the first of these is meant the experience or process in which the character is purified or detached from earthly interests. In the Catholic and pagan reli gions this is usually worked out by the soul’s own peni tence and efforts, but in all Christian Mysticism there is something in the experience that corresponds with this whether worked out by the soul’s own efforts or by the Spirifjof God in the life. W h a t T$. I llum ination ? By “illumination”, is meant an immediate experience of God and an-understanding of the true values of life in His light. This-comes as a result of a truly surrendered will. In many of the Mystics these two stages go hand in hand. The nearer they draw to God and clearer their vision of the Perfect, the more they appreciate their own imperfections and shortcomings. When Isaiah saw God high and lifted up, he also saw the uncleanness of his own life and the life of the people of his day. By “union” fis meant that perfect harmony of the human will with God which makes possible that idea of life set forth by Christ in John 15. The vine and the branches are one. The life of the vine flows in the branches and finds its expression there. In other words the life of the Mystic is finally im mersed in God and all his actions are inspired and di rected by the indwelling life of God. This is the flower of the consecrated or mystic life—the true “spiritual mar riage” of the soul in which the life finds its highest and deepest expressions and satisfactions. It is these things in general that we shall endeavor to study in our consideration of a few of the outstanding Mystics,-of history.
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