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the various good reasons why the company forbids secular persons
to enter our cells； the principal one is that thus we may the
easier be kept in poverty。 After all； we are all men； and if we
were to receive people of the world into our rooms； we should not
have the strength to remain within the bounds prescribed； but
should at least wish to adorn them with some books to give the
visitors a better opinion of our scholarship。〃＇192＇
＇192＇ Rodriguez： Op。 cit。； Part iii； Treatise iii。； chaps。 vi。；
vii。
Since Hindu fakirs； Buddhist monks； and Mohammedan dervishes
unite with Jesuits and Franciscans in idealizing poverty as the
loftiest individual state； it is worth while to examine into the
spiritual grounds for such a seemingly unnatural opinion。 And
first； of those which lie closest to common human nature。
The opposition between the men who HAVE and the men who ARE is
immemorial。 Though the gentleman； in the old… fashioned sense of
the man who is well born； has usually in point of fact been
predaceous and reveled in lands and goods； yet he has never
identified his essence with these possessions； but rather with
the personal superiorities； the courage； generosity； and pride
supposed to be his birthright。 To certain huckstering kinds of
consideration he thanked God he was forever inaccessible； and if
in life's vicissitudes he should become destitute through their
lack； he was glad to think that with his sheer valor he was all
the freer to work out his salvation。 〃Wer nur selbst was hatte；〃
says Lessing's Tempelherr； in Nathan the Wise； 〃mein Gott； mein
Gott； ich habe nichts！〃 This ideal of the well…born man without
possessions was embodied in knight…errantry and templardom； and；
hideously corrupted as it has always been； it still dominates
sentimentally； if not practically； the military and aristocratic
view of life。 We glorify the soldier as the man absolutely
unincumbered。 Owning nothing but his bare life； and willing to
toss that up at any moment when the cause commands him； he is the
representative of unhampered freedom in ideal directions。 The
laborer who pays with his person day by day； and has no rights
invested in the future； offers also much of this ideal
detachment。 Like the savage； he may make his bed wherever his
right arm can support him； and from his simple and athletic
attitude of observation； the property…owner seems buried and
smothered in ignoble externalities and trammels； 〃wading in straw
and rubbish to his knees。〃 The claims which THINGS make are
corrupters of manhood； mortgages on the soul； and a drag anchor
on our progress towards the empyrean。
〃Everything I meet with；〃 writes Whitefield； 〃seems to carry this
voice with it'Go thou and preach the Gospel； be a pilgrim on
earth； have no party or certain dwelling place。' My heart echoes
back； 'Lord Jesus； help me to do or suffer thy will。 When thou
seest me in danger of NESTLINGin pityin tender pityput a
THORN in my nest to prevent me from it。'〃＇193＇
＇193＇ R。 Philip： The Life and Times of George Whitefield；
London； 1842； p。 366。
The loathing of 〃capital〃 with which our laboring classes today
are growing more and more infected seems largely composed of this
sound sentiment of antipathy for lives based on mere having。 As
an anarchist poet writes：
〃Not by accumulating riches； but by giving away that which you
have；
〃Shall you become beautiful；
〃You must undo the wrappings； not case yourself in fresh ones；
〃Not by multiplying clothes shall you make your body sound and
healthy； but rather by discarding them 。 。 。
〃For a soldier who is going on a campaign does not seek what
fresh furniture he can carry on his back； but rather what he can
leave behind；
〃Knowing well that every additional thing which he cannot freely
use and handle is an impediment。〃＇194＇
＇194＇ Edward Carpenter： Towards Democracy； p。 362； abridged。
In short； lives based on having are less free than lives based
either on doing or on being； and in the interest of action people
subject to spiritual excitement throw away possessions as so many
clogs。 Only those who have no private interests can follow an
ideal straight away。 Sloth and cowardice creep in with every
dollar or guinea we have to guard。 When a brother novice came to
Saint Francis； saying： 〃Father； it would be a great consolation
to me to own a psalter； but even supposing that our general
should concede to me this indulgence； still I should like also to
have your consent；〃 Francis put him off with the examples of
Charlemagne； Roland； and Oliver； pursuing the infidels in sweat
and labor； and finally dying on the field of battle。 〃So care
not；〃 he said； 〃for owning books and knowledge； but care rather
for works of goodness。〃 And when some weeks later the novice
came again to talk of his craving for the psalter； Francis said：
〃After you have got your psalter you will crave a breviary； and
after you have got your breviary you will sit in your stall like
a grand prelate； and will say to your brother： 〃Hand me my
breviary。〃。 。 。 And thenceforward he denied all such requests；
saying： A man possesses of learning only so much as comes out of
him in action； and a monk is a good preacher only so far as his
deeds proclaim him such； for every tree is known by its
fruits。〃＇195＇
＇195＇ Speculum Perfectionis； ed。 P。 Sabatier； Paris； 1898； pp。
10； 13。
But beyond this more worthily athletic attitude involved in doing
and being； there is； in the desire of not having； something
profounder still； something related to that fundamental mystery
of religious experience； the satisfaction found in absolute
surrender to the larger power。 So long as any secular safeguard
is retained； so long as any residual prudential guarantee is
clung to； so long the surrender is incomplete； the vital crisis
is not passed； fear still stands sentinel； and mistrust of the
divine obtains： we hold by two anchors； looking to God； it is
true； after a fashion； but also holding by our proper
machinations。 In certain medical experiences we have the same
critical point to overcome。 A drunkard； or a morphine or cocaine
maniac； offers himself to be cured。 He appeals to the doctor to
wean him from his enemy； but he dares not face blank abstinence。
The tyrannical drug is still an anchor to windward： he hides
supplies of it among his clothing； arra