book Les Graces d'Oraison (English translation, The Graces of Interior

Prayer, Kegan Paul, 1910) of P&re Poulain, SJ. Some of his psycho- logical and theological speculations and explanations have given rise to criticism and controversy. But his thesis that the criterion of fully mystical states lies in the experimental perception of the presence of God in the soul, is proved in his book by a cloud of witnesses among the mystics.
The foregoing extracts make clear what the consistent claim of the classic mystics has been, asserted with an insistence and a con- viction that is most impressive, And the great problem of mysticism, the crucial question, is: Whether this claim be objectively true? Does it express the reality, or is it a delusion of those that believe they have enjoyed such experiences? On the answer to this question depends the place of mysticism as an object of religious study. If it be negative, the writings of the mystics would retain indeed their philosophical and psychological interest, and their value as man- uals of instruction on the spiritual life and the exercise of prayer; but mysticism would not be the culminating point of religious ex- perience, the last word in the philosophy of religion. Fr Sharpe is probably right in saying that if 'mysticism' is to lose its recognized traditional meaning, the use of the word should be dropped it should not be applied to other things quite different from it.
The answer to the essential question ought to be at least largely conditioned by the evidence of the mystics themselves, for it is the only first-hand evidence we have got. Many may think the thing ruled out by its mere statement, so extravagant, so impossible, is the claim. Such, however, is not the answer of the philosophical thought of the day. So modern-minded a thinker as Dean Inge has said: 'That the human mind, while still "in the body pent," may obtain glimpses of the eternal order, and enjoy foretastes of the bliss of heaven, is a belief which I, at least, see no reason to reject. It involves no rash presumption, and is not contrary to what may be readily believed about the state of immortal spirits passing through a mortal life.' 1 And William James leaves the reality of the mystical experience as claimed by the mystics an open question, a matter of evidence, with a clear preparedness of mind to accept it as true, and certainly as a thing that science has no right to deny off-hand. 2
And so let us, without more ado, turn to our three great mystical Doctors of the Western Church, to see what they have to tell us.
1 Light, Life, and Love: Selections from the German Mystics of the Middle Ages, p. xxxvii.
8 Varieties of Religious Experience, p. 427; the words are given in full below, in the Epilogue, pp. 137-138.
PROLOGUE 15
The study of their mystical doctrine, or teaching on contemplation, will furnish us with authentic first-hand material for considering, and attempting to answer in the Epilogue of this Part not only this, the most fundamental question, but also many lesser ones, raised by the subject of mysticism.
CONTEMPLATION i. ST AUGUSTINE
ANALYSIS
PAGE
INTRODUCTORY GENERAL SKETCH 19
'ENARRATION' ON PSALM XLI. (XLII.) 20
A. PRELIMINARY PHASES 27
REMOTE PREPARATION: PURGATION
PROXIMATE PREPARATION: RECOLLECTION, INTROVERSION
B. AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL PASSAGES 31