AUDIENCE GRIPPED BY MYSTIC'S PRAYER

The varying influences of Erasmus, Loyola, and Luther in the development of Christian religion was the subject discussed by Nathan Soderblom. Archbishop of Upsala and Primate of Sweden before a crowd of over 800 people in the New Lecture Hall last night.

In his lecture, the Archbishop sought to show the effect on religion of Erasmus as a scholar, Luther as a religious hero, and Loyola as an ascetic. He described at especial length the psychology of mysticism devised by Loyola.

"This myticism", he said "includes many exercises both bodily and spiritually to which man subjects himself in order to taste divine life."

One of these mystic forms, the primate explained, is Loyola's rule of prayer.

"Loyola early learned the importance of breathing. By taking long regular breaths he could soothe the mind and the heart to restfulness. Otherwise, he found, the heart and the brain were filled with flutter and disordered emotions.

"It was for this reason that Loyola, in establishing the rule of prayer for his monastic order of Jesuits declared that each word of the Lord's Prayer should be uttered in the intervals between breaths."

To illustrate this rule of prayer, Archbishop Soderblom began to say the Lord's prayer slowly, one word between each breath, at slow, regular intervals, until the entire audience seemed to be transfixed by his even, vibrant voice. The room became very still and in a few seconds the entire audience seemed to be breathing in slow, regular unison with his words.

Suddenly the Archbishop broke off and resumed his lecture in a normal voice. Of this example of Loyala's mystic exercises, he said;

"We are thus transported to the sublime and celestial orbits of the mystics by a method which has been so carefully thought out, has been made the subject of so many experiments, and is so readily put into execution, that every man can try it for himself. Mysticism is not the monopoly of a few souls,--it is the possession of every Christian man and woman who cares to employ the ascetic exercises established by Loyola.