ARTICLE II. REMARKS UPON THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF REGENERATION.

We have waited with some little impatience for some time past, to see an article upon the philosophy of regeneration, based upon views in harmony with Scripture and the phrenological philosophy of the human mind. The third article in the first number of this Journal is very correct, as far as it goes, but cannot be considered as taking up the subject at the foundation. The truth is, the subject is one belonging to the clerical profession, and to some able divine who is heartily convinced of the truth of phrenology. To do justice to the subject, in all its length and breadth, its height and its depth, will require the hand of a master: and however well the work should be accomplished, it would be certain to meet with opposition from the ignorance, prejudice, and bigotry of some. This has doubtless been foreseen by those best qualified to enter upon the task, and the public mind has been left in the dark; and those who would seize a true mental philosophy as a pearl of great price, have been frightened from going out after it, because there was a “lion in their way.” But the subject cannot long remain in this state; things are coming to a crisis; the public will embrace phrenology, and trust to their own sagacity and comprehension to reconcile it with religious truth. If phrenologists and divines neglect to settle where the boundary lines are in the disputed territory, infidel trespassers will commit depredations. It is with a view to call attention to the subject rather than with any expectation of doing it justice, that we have resolved to prepare the present article.

That our readers may be emboldened to approach the subject, we beg of them to bear in mind that all truth, whether religious or scientific, historical or prophetical—whether rational or miraculous—when fully and rightly known and comprehended, must, from the nature of things, and the character of the Great Author of all truth, be consistent with itself.

Whenever, therefore, we see apparent inconsistency, we may rest assured we do not fully understand the whole truth; and that the reason is to be found either in our own ignorance, prejudice, or incapacity. There are indeed many truths wholly beyond human comprehension; and a miracle is nothing but a manifestation of power by the Almighty upon principles perfectly consistent with all his laws, but of which man, from his limited capacity, is unable to see the consistency.

We would never stifle enquiry short of the utmost limit of human capacity to pursue it; believing that when short and partial views of truth give wrong impressions, it is better to enlarge and perfect the view, so far as we are enabled to do, than to attempt to withdraw the mind, and suppress enquiry. This we think is especially correct in relation to all those truths which are so important to us, as are those which explain our character, condition, and future destiny.

Man is the only being on the face of the earth capable of being religious; or, in other words, he is the only being endowed with faculties whose functions are in relation to religious truths and to objects of religious worship. He is the only being whose faculties enable him to conceive of and worship the Author of his own existence. What a glorious distinction! and how little do most people seem to realise it! And on this glorious truth what additional light has been thrown by the discovery and analysis of the mental organs—by the demonstration that man possesses organs more numerous and of more exalted functions than belong to any other portion of his animal creation!

The faculties thus peculiar to man, and more especially connected with the religious character of man, are not, however, exclusively so. They have another range of functional relation and action. These two ranges of functional relation we will denominate, for the sake of perspicuity, the one religious and the other secular. By way of indulging in range of expression, and using language acceptable to several classes of Christians, we may occasionally speak of the one as sanctified or evangelical, and the other worldly or temporal. The faculties which come under this class, are those termed by phrenologists the higher sentiments. They are more particularly those denominated Reverence, Hope, Marvellousness, Ideality, Benevolence, and Conscientiousness. Some of these are more particularly connected with the religious character than others. This is the case with the three first named. They seem to be the earliest, deepest, and most abundant fountains of religious feeling. The others fall into a course of religious manifestation, and give consistency of life and practical goodness to what would otherwise end in mere worship, faith, and expectation. When the character is thoroughly and consistently religious—when religious principle has become, like a piece of leaven, operative until it has leavened the whole—then, indeed, all the faculties may be said in some sort to manifest a religious function. It is then that the propensities act in subordination to, and in harmony with, the higher sentiments while those sentiments take a religious direction. The higher sentiments may predominate over the propensities in the ordinary life and conversation of the merely moral man. Such a man may be honest, benevolent, respectable, and upright, and have his propensities in subjection. He may not only be punctual in attendance on divine worship, and unite in the services with some degree of attention and feeling, but he may even erect the domestic altar, and worship morning and evening, (because all this may be true with an individual without a just charge of hypocrisy,) and yet the individual may have no prevailing, predominating, or supreme love to God. This is the case with many persons who have been blessed with favourable organisations and education combined. But this is not that kind of control of the higher sentiments which characterises the converted and thoroughly religious man. A thoroughly religious man does all things as in the presence of God, and in obedience to his will; his thoughts are habitually upon divine things. We do not say of such an individual, that he has any more or other faculties than the irreligious and profane individual. Were it so, a religious man would be either something more than a man, or the irreligious would be something less. No, blessed be God, the vilest wretch that lives has all the primitive faculties necessary to enable him to feel and appreciate religious truth. We shall show by and by that what is called the new principle, which takes place, and which guides and animates the will of the religious man, is not a new faculty.

We have now, as we trust, explained satisfactorily, according to the phrenological philosophy of the mind, what the state of the religious and the moral or irreligious is. The difference between them is now very apparent. It is easily seen that this difference is very great. It is not a difference of being, or existence, or entity. It is not the difference between one that is active and one that is inactive. They are both progressive; they both use the same faculties. They are both travellers to eternity; but they go different roads. They follow the direction of different leaders; they think and talk of different subjects. They have different anticipations: one looks to a guide, and moves forward in the broad effulgent light of divine truth; the other endeavours to find his own way in the dark, and relies upon his own unaided sagacity. One looks forward to the end of the journey of life as the point whence open to his boundless view the glories of another and brighter world; the other feels himself at best but obliged to make a leap in the dark.

So recent is the science of phrenology, and so few are the religious minds who have thoroughly examined it in all its bearings, and more especially its religious bearings, that we feel constrained to detain our readers to explain some few of the laws which govern the functional activity of the faculties in general, and also to describe the functions of several of the faculties of the religious sentiments.

1. It is a law of the manifestation of the faculties in general, that the larger the organ the greater is its tendency to vigorous action under excitement, and the greater its tendency to spontaneity.

2. When the organs of the so called religious sentiments are large, other things being equal, they are most likely to manifest their peculiarly religious function.

3. The objects of religion are so much more elevated and vast than any of the objects of mere time and sense, that they give a much more intense and powerful excitement and exercise to the faculties, especially of persons of vigorous intellect and cultivated minds. The low, groveling, sensual, and ignorant, do not so easily realise things of a spiritual nature. Hence persons with large and active organs of the higher sentiments, especially of Reverence, Marvellousness, Hope, and Ideality, find no where but in religion full satisfaction to their aspirations. They seem, as Dr. Spurzheim once remarked of such an individual, “not made for this world.” The objects which engross the minds of the world around them, appear “poor, stale, and unprofitable.” They literally go through the world as pilgrims and strangers. In such, the Christian character is incomplete; they especially need benevolence to interest them in their fellow-mortals, and to exert their energies in the glorious employment of doing good.

Our attentive readers will at once anticipate the remark, that those persons who are not converted, in whom the organs of the higher sentiments are large, other things being equal, are more susceptible of religious impressions than those who have small organs of the higher sentiments and large propensities. Does not observation of facts go to prove its truth? and is it not at least tacitly admitted by many? Indeed, this great truth has been too little known and appreciated by religious teachers, and especially in the selection of mission stations. The organisations of the inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands, and of some parts of Asia, are far more favourable to the reception of Christianity than are those of many other portions of the heathen world. But this is a subject to which we can only allude now; at some future day we hope to give it a full consideration.

We will add, for the benefit of those who have not made themselves acquainted with the leading principles of our science, that it is by means of intellectual organs that the affective faculties are all brought into relation with their objects. Hence they may be said to be in a measure the causes of excitement to such of the affective faculties, as are interested by the objects contemplated. The intellectual organs may be spontaneously active, and conjure up scenes which excite the feelings; or they may be acted upon by external objects or by other minds. We may therefore bring our feelings into a high state of excitement merely by the recollection of an exciting scene.

Reverence.—It is not easy to give a brief analysis of this sentiment. We think, however, it is constituted to be excited to action by whatever is perceived by intellect, or believed by Marvellousness to possess the quality of greatness or superior power, whether physical, moral, or intellectual. Many of the objects of respect in society are conventional. The vast works of nature excite the feeling strongly; so also do the majestic works of art, as shown in the temples erected to the Most High. Who would not feel more reverence in going up to worship in a vast temple than when seated in a hovel? None better understood how to excite the feeling of reverence than the ancient Egyptians. In them, as also in the ancient Jews, the organ must have been exceedingly developed.

2. But when the mind contemplates the Deity in all his wonderful attributes—the power which, with a word, could create a universe of worlds, and by whose wisdom all things are governed, and whose mercy, goodness, and justice, are past conception—how much greater is the excitement to the feeling of reverence! How different, too, is the emotion! It is more elevated, pure, and rapturous. When, too, the mind brings to its contemplation the wonderful dealings of the Almighty with his dependent erring creatures, as exhibited in his providences, his plan of redemption, and the influence of the Holy Spirit, our reverence scarcely knows bounds.

Marvellousness next claims our attention. 1, The simple secular function of this faculty is belief; the degree, kind, and conclusiveness of the evidence, are no part of its function. We may believe on mere authority. We may believe because it is rational, consistent, or agreeable to experience. Without this sentiment, we should scarcely believe the evidence of our senses, and perhaps we might say nothing would appear to be evident. The every day occasions for the exercise of this faculty are numerous. When large, it often becomes too active, and is apt to render persons weakly credulous. It also leads to believe in the wonderful, the spiritual, the improbable, the unnatural. 2, Its religious function is manifested in our belief in the existence and attributes of God—his revelation to man; the Saviour and his miracles—his resurrection and ascension; in the Holy Spirit and his influence on the heart, &c. How infinitely greater are these objects of belief than those of a secular kind! Immortality is spread before the eye of faith in brighter worlds above.

Hope is constantly active in reference, first, to the immediate future. We hope all things, and are carried along by this feeling through dangers innumerable, until we at last drop into the grave. Had hope no ken beyond the grave, all would be dreary; but secondly, this feeling, in its religious function, brings to view a happy eternity, where all is joy, peace, love, and praise. How different, and how much more exciting, is the hope which dwells on eternity than that which has reference to time!

We must remark here, that in the doctrines of phrenology there is nothing which can be construed to aid or oppose the peculiarly sectarian views of Christians. All those who disbelieve in the doctrine of the Trinity, will not have the same views of regeneration as those who believe in it. They will not believe in the agency of the Holy Spirit; but they will believe in a change of heart from the use of purely human means, and those will be governed by precisely the same laws in both views of the subject. We will therefore attempt to give what will be called the evangelical view of conversion, and leave it for persons of different views to account for the power which produces this change in their own way.

The first inquiry is this, What are the degrees of activity among the faculties as governed by the ordinary laws of exercise?

1. Thus some of the faculties, especially those termed religious, are brought into a very great degree of activity. This arises from the great extent and importance of the objects with which they are brought into relation.

2. The propensities in general, and Self-esteem and Approbativeness in particular, are deprived of their ordinary stimulus, and for a time become in a measure paralysed; as self, and the objects which excite the propensities, appear much diminished by contrast. To some, the contrast appears so great that they feel humbled as in the dust.

3. By little and little the higher sentiments become accustomed to this newly acquired higher degree of activity, and spontaneously range in their newly acquired world of objects. Every thing is now viewed as in the light of eternity. Man is now not only known, but felt to be an immortal being with a soul of uncounted worth. There is often a degree of exaltation of the feelings, and an increased mental power, which greatly surprises those who knew them in their former state. This appears in their deep insight into divine things, and in their exalted devotional exercises.

4. As the religious sentiments become more and more evangelized, or, in other words, as growth in grace progresses, they acquire an habitual, an uncontested ascendency over the propensities, and take the religious lead of their newly acquired masters.

In all this change, great, thorough, radical, and abiding as it really is, we recognise only the operation of the same general laws which characterise all great changes in mental character. The physical organs are affected powerfully; and the emotions are only in exact proportion to the felt importance of their objects. If exerted too much at one time, or too frequently for the healthy endurance of the cerebral organs, inflammation follows, and, with it, religious mania.

Next, inasmuch as different minds are very differently constituted, so are they differently affected by the actual process of conversion to a holy life. We shall be better understood, when we say that the temperament, age, education, intellectual and affective faculties, &c., all have an influence in relation to the manner in which their minds will be brought to the realisation of religious truth, and to experience its sanctifying efficacy. Hence it is of immense importance, that those whose office it is to bring religious truth to bear upon the minds of their fellow-men, should understand the peculiar nature of the minds on which they are to exert their action. In short, they should understand phrenology familiarly and practically, and should apply it daily to their fellow-men. We will put one or two cases. If, for instance, Conscientiousness be a strong faculty in an individual, with Cautiousness also large, and at the same time he has gone on for many years in a careless worldly course of unbelief, the religious teacher would be likely to bring vividly to his mind that searching attribute of the Almighty, viz. his justice, which cannot look upon sin but with abhorrence. He would point out the purity of heaven, and contrast it with the impurity of a world lying in wretchedness, and depict the nature, desert, and awfulness of sin, &c. &c. In this way he would probably excite remorse and apprehension. But if the individual have respectable reasoning powers, he should be impressed with the utter hopelessness of entering Heaven while remaining in his sins. He cannot fail to see at once, that Heaven is no place for him, until he becomes fit for its society. The importance of things connected with religion, should be clearly set forth and contrasted with the temporary, fleeting, unsatisfactory things of this world.

We may reasonably expect, that labours of this kind rendered discreetly, prayerfully, and in faith, will be availing through the influences of the Holy Spirit.

We would here remark, that we should never judge of the genuineness of a conversion by any special, infallible process the individual may have gone through. It may have been a slow, gradual process, as would be likely to be the case of a naturally finely organised young person, whose moral and religious education had been well conducted; or it may be quiet or unobserved, as in an individual of a large organ of Reverence, and the higher sentiments generally, but of a sluggish temperament. It may have been violent, overwhelming, and attended by a remarkable experience—as the seeing of visions, &c.—if the individual have been of an ardent temperament, and with large perceptive organs and large Marvellousness.

Equally diverse will be the growth in grace of different individuals. Some will be almost like ground by the way side, some like stony places, some like good ground covered with thorns, and some still like good ground. Aside from peculiarities of individual character, external circumstances, whether favourable or otherwise, may exert a very great degree of influence. They may be like the genial influences of a summer’s sun after refreshing showers, or they may be as the chills of the winter frost.

Equally diverse will be the ultimately formed Christian character of different individuals. But all who are truly pious, will show some indubitable signs of it in their subsequent life and character; “By their fruits ye shall know them.” Whether they have the same mind which was in Jesus in its general cast; whether they be changed in the general spirit and temper of the mind; whether they have love to, and faith in, Christ, meekness, benevolence, sincerity, tenderness, simplicity of life, love to the brethren, &c.

The means that are rendered effectual in regeneration by the agency of the Holy Spirit are equally diverse. But your next enquiry is, how do we know that the Holy Spirit has any agency in the conversion of sinners? We answer, we only know by the Scriptures that He is the agent. The point is not strictly susceptible of any other proof. But this is certain, that the agency must be one beyond our own; no one could convert himself. We know, too, that persons who have resisted all the influence of a pious education, cogent preaching, example, the ordinary and extraordinary providences of God, &c., have, when alone, and without any apparent external influence, been suddenly brought to feel the great power and efficacy of religion. All must therefore acknowledge the influence to be mysterious. It would indeed be difficult, as we believe, to account for revivals wholly from natural causes. Still, however, this point rests upon Scripture; and phrenology certainly contributes nothing to render the Scripture doctrine less easy of belief.

It is proper to notice here, that when conversions appear mysterious, or when sudden and in advanced life, they are almost miraculous. It is not the ordinary method, in which the mind is prepared for the hearty reception of divine truth. The new principle introduced into the mind is, as we before said, no new faculty. The expression is at best obscure, and calculated to produce erroneous impressions. In one of our beautiful hymns it is thus expressed—

Here the new principle, which is otherwise expressed as love to God, is no other than this. The higher sentiments are excited into predominating activity, and led to contemplate with love and gratitude the government of God and the wonderful love, revealed in the great work of redemption of fallen men, a work in which he now feels himself especially interested. It is a change of the balance and direction of the faculties. They have seized hold of new things, which are now regarded as all important; but before they were looked upon with indifference. In relation to the mental faculties, it is not a new principle, but a new administration, produced by a change of majority. Hence the mental decisions are different. The actions spring from different motives—from a prevailing love to God, and obedience to his will.

In thus far speaking of conversion, we have shown what the Holy Spirit does not do, rather than what He does. We have done this to narrow down the field of mystery to its due limits, and to impress our readers with the necessity and importance of understanding and applying the true principles of mind in relation to religious action, as well as to education and self-culture. Having done this, we believe we have gone the full extent to which reason can go. We must look to revelation, and that alone, for whatever further light is obtained on this subject. In doing so, we are confident the reader will find nothing inconsistent with our views. What is not explained in revelation is known only to the Almighty, and is therefore a mystery past finding out.

The great laws which regulate the growth, exercise, and rest of the organs, and the force of the principle of habit or repetition, all go to show the following propositions to be eminently true and of immense importance.

1. That it is unphrenological, as well as unsafe and presumptuous, to allow children to grow up without early, constant, and judicious religious instruction and example. Where these are neglected, a sudden change may come over the person late in life; but this is hardly to be expected. How much better to commence and continue in the right course, than to go on wrong for years, trusting to a miracle to set us right. When to do so, we must turn quite round, and, as it were, to go back and begin anew!

2. That religion does not consist in belief merely, and that the work of grace requires long training of the faculties to give them strength, stability, habit, and harmonious action, so that the person will be constantly in the easy, delightful exercise of the Christian graces. One of this cast and training, where organisation favours its strong and healthy development, will show by his life and conversation that his religion not only sets well upon him, but is a part of him and pervades him throughout. It will beam forth upon his countenance, his gestures, his gait, his subdued, simple, and kind manners. His habitual obedience as a dutiful child of his heavenly Father, will show itself in his appointments, promises, and engagements. “With the blessing of God,” “With divine permission,” &c. will habitually be his language. It will show itself in his crosses, his self-denials, his labours of love, and by the ejaculation, “Thy will be done,” &c.; his moderation in relation to the objects of this world; his longing after immortality; his devotional habits, &c.

When we commenced our article, we had intended to have cited Scripture to show the harmony of all the above views with it; but we feel confident that our views will so readily call to mind all those passages of Scripture which harmonise with them, that it would be in a measure unnecessary. Besides, we did not promise to attempt a full view of the subject, but rather to embolden others to do so. We should delight to see a small work, written on the subject. It would be the vade mecum of all those who exert themselves in the cause of religious education, and the dissemination of Christian truth.

S. J.