At the meeting of the Religious Union last night Professor James spoke on "The Ascetic Life." Asceticism, he said, is out of fashion today, even in the Catholic Church. It is the result of deep religious feeling. Religious fervor affects people in different ways; creating cheerfulness in some lives, while to other it gives a negative gloominess the expression of which takes the form of asceticism.
In fact the fundamental belief which gives rise to asceticism is the belief that life is a tragedy and that we are in this world, not to avoid its hardships, but to face them bravely, even to encounter them voluntarily. In modern times the only expression of this feeling is in the military asceticism. This spirit surely should have another outlet; and much instruction may be gained on this point from the lives of the old ascetics.
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