Mysticism and its Results | Page 2

undue veneration of
power, and when used as a cloud to conceal crime so hideous that
nothing but the truth of God, vindicated by human laws founded
thereon, directed by wisdom, can dispel it.
Virtue and modesty shrink from public gaze. Each looks alone to its
innate sense, the gift of God, and to the sole approval of the great "I
AM."
The hidden sincere aspirations of the heart are known only to Him who
"breathed into man the {10} breath of life, and he became a living
soul." These are a secret between the created being and its Almighty
Father. At the lonely hour, when the burdened soul, knowing no earthly
refuge from overwhelming troubles, but a mightier Hand than that of
man, seeks on bended knee and with penitential tear, a blessing from on
high, no word is spoken, no sound uttered save the sob from a contrite
heart. The aspiration has gone forth inaudibly to Him who said to all
mankind, then and for future ages, "Come unto me all ye that labor and
are heavy laden and I will give you rest."[1]

"Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed, The motion
of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast. It is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye When none but
God is near."[2]
What knoweth the outer world of this? Yet wrong can not exist in such
secret communion between a penitent heart and its Maker. Pure
religious meditation, leading us from earth to heaven, is only promoted
by secret study and reflection in solitude. Neither philosophy nor
religion can be cultivated in the midst of the vortices of commerce or
other business requiring constant intercourse with hundreds of {11}
men during the day, nor in the whirl of fashion in the evening.
Thus, then, do we trace one of the uses of secrecy. Both its use and its
abuse we shall hereinafter find exemplified in marked effects not only
on individual minds, but also on the masses of mankind in past history:
its use, in the development of true piety: its abuse, in asceticism,
superstition, and overweening spiritual power resulting in crimes,
which were "a sin unto death." Another abuse of secrecy has been
manifested in means heretofore employed in the constant effort to
obtain and maintain worldly power. This was by affecting the
imagination and blinding the reason of the masses. Some time ago, an
ephemeral work was published, even the name of which is not
recollected by this writer, wherein was a picture showing the section of
a handsome tent with curtains closely drawn. Within, is a man eating
and feasting like other mortals. Without, is a stand on which are
exposed to view the usual emblems and insignia of royalty, before
which there is a kneeling crowd. An admirable illustration! True it is,
that "no man is a hero to his valet-de-chambre." Fashionable wealth
and power depend upon exclusiveness to accomplish their usual
attendant influences. Royalty hides every hour in secrecy from public
gaze, except when it occasionally becomes necessary to treat the
subjects to a mere pageant or show of military costume and outside
appearances. When Lola Montes displayed to {12} the world the mere
humanity of the old king of Bavaria, where had he any prestige left?
Schamyl has attained his extraordinary influence and power by his
seclusion, asceticism, and pretended revelations; and bravery having

crowned his efforts, he is a favorite of fortune, and the idol of a
superstitious veneration. What did not Mohammed accomplish in the
same manner? But, in illustration of the opposite effect, so well known
to the sad experience of all, hath not a mightier One testified that, "a
prophet hath no honor in his own country?"[3]
But doth not also common prudence in worldly affairs demand the use
of secrecy?
What good general will detail, even to his own forces, and still less
make public for the use of his adversary, his plans and intentions for an
ensuing campaign?--what business man communicate to the public or
to his rivals his hard thought and well-planned speculation?--what
inventor publish his new machine or discovery until he has secured his
patent-right?
In what follows, then, let us discriminate between the use and abuse of
secrecy; so that, by the lessons of the past and the present, we may be
safely guided in our course through the future.
Before going into matters of historic detail, it were well to understand
the definition of the word "mystery." {13}
Many suppose it to mean "something which is incomprehensible." This
is all a mistake.
"[Greek: Mustêrion]" means simply "a revealed secret." In other words,
"mystery," which we derive from the Greek word quoted, means
neither more nor less than a