IN ITS APPLICATION TO THE HEALING OF THE SICK, THE REDEMPTION OF MAN FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN AND DEATH, AND HIS RESTO- VOLUME I. BY E. J. ARENS. BOSTON: ALFRED MUDGE & SON, PRINTERS, No. 24 FRANKLIN STREET. 1884. COPYRIGHT, 1884, By E. J. ARENS. All rights reserved. BOSTON MEDICAL LIBRARY IN THE FRANCIS A. COUNTWAY LIBRARY OF MEDICINE PREFACE. IN giving to the public this little book, no claims are made to originality as regards the doctrine set forth herein. The germ of this doctrine is coeval with time. Jesus and the apostles preached it, and applied it to the casting out of devils and to the healing of the sick. In the fourteenth century, in those perilous times when Pope John XXII. and Louis of Bavaria were at variance, it is recorded that public worship wholly ceased on account of the manifesto issued by the Emperor in conjunction with the Princes of the Empire, proclaiming that all who would not recognize the dignity of the Emperor as God-given, should be held guilty of high treason. In those chaotic times, the more conscientious of the clergy, fearing the suspicion of heresy and dreading the Inquisition, formed themselves into a secret organization that they might strengthen each other in their common effort to live spiritual lives. They named this association Gottesfreunde, or Friends of God, citing the declaration of Jesus: ' Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you." 66 Their distinguishing doctrines were, that self-will should be subject to the will of God; that an intimate union between God and man was possible and essential; that religion based upon fear or hope of reward was worthless; that the great depths of Christian philosophy open to the mind when all scholastic conventionalisms are thrown away; that God is the only Substance; that the present world is the outer court of Heaven; and that the only forbidden fruit is self-will. The most celebrated among their leaders were Tauler, a Dominican monk of Strasburg, and Henry Suso of the same order, a member of a knightly family in Swabia. The latter was an able and eloquent preacher, whose writings have been handed down to later times, There were instances of miraculous healing in Dark Ages, and in later time, even down to the present century, miraculous cures have been performed probably through this same spirit or understanding. It will be unnecessary to ask the reader for charitable criticism when I say that I make no claims to being a ripe scholar and that my knowledge of the English language is very imperfect. The truths set forth in this volume have been expressed as clearly as possible, considering the disadvantages under which I have labored, one of which is the poverty of words in the English language to express spiritual thoughts. It has been found necessary to employ close punctuation, and in some instances to disregard some rules of grammar and rhetoric in order to give the requisite shade of thought. V The truth-seeking public will find in this volume the key to the " way of life," and with it may they open the door and walk therein. If through my efforts some are brought to health and happiness I shall be more than repaid for my labor, and the shafts of scepticism will strike a well-burnished armor and rebound into the hearts whence they came. "For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature" shall turn me from that which I know to be the truth. E. J. ARENS. BOSTON, 1884. |