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I have had no temptations since conversion。〃
＇148＇ Above； p。 200。 〃The only radical remedy I know for
dipsomania is religiomania；〃 is a saying I have heard quoted from
some medical man。
Here is an analogous case from Starbuck's manuscript
collection：
〃I went into the old Adelphi Theatre； where there was a Holiness
meeting； 。 。 。 and I began saying； 'Lord； Lord； I must have this
blessing。' Then what was to me an audible voice said： 'Are you
willing to give up everything to the Lord？' and question after
question kept coming up； to all of which I said： 'Yes； Lord；
yes； Lord！' until this came： 'Why do you not accept it NOW？' and
I said： 'I do； Lord。'I felt no particular joy； only a trust。
Just then the meeting closed； and； as I went out on the street； I
met a gentleman smoking a fine cigar； and a cloud of smoke came
into my face； and I took a long； deep breath of it； and praise
the Lord； all my appetite for it was gone。 Then as I walked
along the street； passing saloons where the fumes of liquor came
out； I found that all my taste and longing for that accursed
stuff was gone。 Glory to God！ 。 。 。 ＇But＇ for ten or eleven long
years ＇after that＇ I was in the wilderness with its ups and
downs。 My appetite for liquor never came back。〃
The classic case of Colonel Gardiner is that of a man cured of
sexual temptation in a single hour。 To Mr。 Spears the colonel
said； 〃I was effectually cured of all inclination to that sin I
was so strongly addicted to that I thought nothing but shooting
me through the head could have cured me of it； and all desire and
inclination to it was removed； as entirely as if I had been a
sucking child； nor did the temptation return to this day。〃 Mr。
Webster's words on the same subject are these： 〃One thing I have
heard the colonel frequently say； that he was much addicted to
impurity before his acquaintance with religion； but that； so soon
as he was enlightened from above； he felt the power of the Holy
Ghost changing his nature so wonderfully that his sanctification
in this respect seemed more remarkable than in any other。〃＇149＇
＇149＇ Doddridge's Life of Colonel James Gardiner； London
Religious Tract Society； pp。 23…32。
Such rapid abolition of ancient impulses and propensities reminds
us so strongly of what has been observed as the result of
hypnotic suggestion that it is difficult not to believe that
subliminal influences play the decisive part in these abrupt
changes of heart； just as they do in hypnotism。＇150＇ Suggestive
therapeutics abound in records of cure； after a few sittings； of
inveterate bad habits with which the patient； left to ordinary
moral and physical influences； had struggled in vain。 Both
drunkenness and sexual vice have been cured in this way； action
through the subliminal seeming thus in many individuals to have
the prerogative of inducing relatively stable change。 If the
grace of God miraculously operates； it probably operates through
the subliminal door； then。 But just HOW anything operates in
this region is still unexplained； and we shall do well now to say
good…by to the PROCESS of transformation altogetherleaving it；
if you like； a good deal of a psychological or theological
mysteryand to turn our attention to the fruits of the religious
condition； no matter in what way they may have been
produced。＇151＇
＇150＇ Here； for example； is a case； from Starbuck's book； in
which a 〃sensory automatism〃 brought about quickly what prayers
and resolves had been unable to effect。 The subject is a woman。
She writes：
〃When I was about forty I tried to quit smoking； but the desire
was on me； and had me in its power。 I cried and prayed and
promised God to quit； but could not。 I had smoked for fifteen
years。 When I was fifty…three； as I sat by the fire one day
smoking； a voice came to me。 I did not hear it with my ears； but
more as a dream or sort of double think。 It said； 'Louisa； lay
down smoking。' At once I replied。 'Will you take the desire
away？' But it only kept saying： 'Louisa； lay down smoking。'
Then I got up； laid my pipe on the mantel…shelf； and never smoked
again or had any desire to。 The desire was gone as though I had
never known it or touched tobacco。 The sight of others smoking
and the smell of smoke never gave me the least wish to touch it
again。〃 The Psychology of Religion； p。 142。
＇151＇ Professor Starbuck expresses the radical destruction of old
influences physiologically； as a cutting off of the connection
between higher and lower cerebral centres。 〃This condition；〃 he
says； 〃in which the association…centres connected with the
spiritual life are cut off from the lower； is often reflected in
the way correspondents describe their experiences。 。 。 。 For
example： 'Temptations from without still assail me； but there is
nothing WITHIN to respond to them。' The ego ＇here＇ is wholly
identified with the higher centres whose quality of feeling is
that of withinness。 Another of the respondents says： 'Since
then； although Satan tempts me； there is as it were a wall of
brass around me； so that his darts cannot touch me。'〃
Unquestionably； functional exclusions of this sort must occur
in the cerebral organ。 But on the side accessible to
introspection； their causal condition is nothing but the degree
of spiritual excitement； getting at last so high and strong as to
be sovereign； and it must be frankly confessed that we do not
know just why or how such sovereignty comes about in one person
and not in another。 We can only give our imagination a certain
delusive help by mechanical analogies。
If we should conceive； for example； that the human mind； with its
different possibilities of equilibrium； might be like a
many…sided solid with different surfaces on which it could lie
flat； we might liken mental revolutions to the spatial
revolutions of such a body。 As it is pried up； say by a lever；
from a position in which it lies on surface A； for instance； it
will linger for a time unstably halfway up； and if the lever
cease to urge it； it will tumble back or 〃relapse〃 under the
continued pull of gravity。 But if at last it rotate far enough
for its centre of gravity to pass beyond surface A altogether；
the body will fall over； on surface B； say； and abide there
permanently。 The pulls of gravity towards A have vanished； and
may now be disregarded。 The polyhedron has become immune against
farther attraction from their direct