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第18章

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see reflected a whole world of experiences。  The books he has read;

the people he has met; the companions he keeps; the influences

that have played upon him and made him the man he isthese are

all registered there by a pen which lets nothing pass; and whose

writing can



Never be blotted out。



What I am reading in him meantime he is also reading in me; and

before the journey is over we could half write each other's lives。

Whether we like it or not; we live in glass houses。  The mind; the

memory; the soul; is simply a vast chamber paneled with looking…glass。

And upon this miraculous arrangement and endowment depends the

capacity of mortal souls to 〃reflect the character of the Lord。〃



(2)。  But this is not all。  If all these varied reflections

from our so…called secret life are patent to the world; how close

the writing; complete the record within the soul itself!  For the

influences we meet are not simply held for a moment on the polished

surface and thrown off again into space。  Each is retained where

first it fell; and stored up in the soul forever。



This law of assimilation



is the second; and by far the most impressive truth which underlies

the formula of sanctificationthe truth that men are not only

mirrors; but that these mirrors; so far from being mere reflectors

of the fleeting things they see; transfer into their own inmost

substance; and hold in permanent preservation the things that they

reflect。



No one knows how the soul can hold these things。  No one knows

how the miracle is done。  No phenomenon in nature; no process in

chemistry; no chapter in necromancy can ever help us to begin to

understand this amazing operation。  For; think of it; the past is

not only FOCUSED there; in a man's soul; it IS there。  How could

it be reflected from there if it were not there?  All things that

he has ever seen; known; felt; believed of the surrounding world

are now within him; have become part of him; in part are himhe

has been changed into their image。  He may deny it; he may resent

it; but they are there。  They do not adhere to him; they are

transfused through him。  He cannot alter or rub them out。  They

are not in his memory; they are in HIM。  His soul is as they have

filled it; made it; left it。  These things; these books; these

events; these influences are his makers。  In their hands are life

and death; beauty and deformity。  When once the image or likeness

of any of these is fairy presented to the soul; no power on earth

can hinder two things happeningit must be absorbed into the soul

and forever reflected back again from character。



Upon these astounding yet perfectly obvious psychological facts;

Paul bases his doctrine of sanctification。  He sees that character

is a thing built up by slow degrees; that it is hourly changing

for better or for worse according to the images which flit across

it。  One step further and the whole length and breadth of the

application of these ideas to the central problem of religion will

stand before us。



II。  The alchemy of influence。



If events change men; much more persons。  No man can meet another on

the street without making some mark upon him。  We say we exchange

words when we meet; what we exchange is souls。  And when intercourse

is very close and very frequent; so complete is this exchange that

recognizable bits of the one soul begin to show in the other's

nature; and the second is conscious of a similar and growing debt

to the first。



Now; we become like those whom we habitually reflect。  I could

prove from science that applies even to the physical framework of

animalsthat they are influenced and organically changed by the

environment in which they life。



This mysterious approximating of two souls; who has not witnessed?

Who has not watched some old couple come down life's pilgrimage

hand in hand; with such gentle trust and joy in one another that

their very faces wore the self…same look?  These were not two

souls; it was a composite soul。  It did not matter to which of the

two you spoke; you would have said the same words to either。  It

was quite indifferent which replied; each would have said the same。

Half a century's REFLECTING had told upon them; they were changed

into the same image。  It is the Law of Influence that WE BECOME

LIKE THOSE WHOM WE HABITUALLY REFLECT: these had become like because

they habitually reflected。  Through all the range of literature;

of history; and biography this law presides。  Men are all mosaics

of other men。  There was a savor of David about Jonathan; and a

savor of Jonathan about David。  Metempsychosis is a fact。  George

Eliot's message to the world was that men and women make men and

women。  The Family; the cradle of mankind; has no meaning apart

from this。  Society itself is nothing but a rallying point for these

omnipotent forces to do their work。  On the doctrine of Influence;

in short; the whole vast pyramid of humanity is built。



But it was reserved for Paul to make the supreme application of

the Law of Influence。  It was a tremendous inference to make; but

he never hesitated。  He himself was a changed man; he knew exactly

what had done it;



It was Christ。



On the Damascus road they met; and from that hour his life was

absorbed in His。  The effect could not but followon words; on

deeds; on career; on creed。  The 〃impressed forces〃 did their vital

work。  He became like Him Whom he habitually loved。  〃So we all;〃

he writes; 〃reflecting as a mirror the glory of Christ; are changed

into the same image。〃



Nothing could be more simple; more intelligible; more natural; more

supernatural。  It is an analogy from an every…day fact。  Since we

are what we are by the impacts of those who surround us; those who

surround themselves with the highest will be those who change into

the highest。  There are some men and some women in whose company

we are



Always at our best。



While with them we cannot think mean thoughts or speak ungenerous

words。  Their mere presence is elevation; purification; sanctity。

All the best stops in our nature are drawn out by their intercourse;

and we find a music in our souls that was never there before。

Suppose even THAT influence prolonged through a month; a year; a

lifetime; and what could not life become?  There; even on the common

plane of life; talking our language; walking our streets; working

side by side; are sanctifiers of souls; here; breathing through

common clay; is Heaven; here; energies charged even through a

temporal medium with the virtue of regeneration。  If to live with

men; diluted to the millionth degree with the virtue of the Highest;

can exalt and purify the nature; what bounds can be set to the

influence of Christ?  To live with Socrateswith unveiled facemust

have made one wise; with Aristides; just。  Francis Assisi must

have made one gentle; Savonarola; strong。  But to have lived with

Christ must have made one like Christ:  that is to say; A CHRISTIAN。



As a matter of fact; to live with Christ did produce this effect。

It produced it in the case of Paul。  And during Christ's lifetime

the experiment was tried in an even more startling form。  A few

raw; unspiritual; uninspiring men; were admitted to the inner circle

of His friendship。  The change began at once。  Day by day we can

almost see the first disciple grow。  First there steals over them

the faintest possible adumbration of His character; and occasionally;

very occasionally; they do a thing or say a thing that they could

not have done or said had they not been living there。  Slowly the

spell of His Life deepens。  Reach after reach of their nature is

overtaken; thawed; subjugated; sanctified。  Their manner softens;

their words become more gentle; their conduct more unselfish。  As

swallows who have found a summer; as frozen buds the spring; their

starved humanity bursts into a fuller life。  They do not know how

it is; but they are dif

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