FENELON

For piety, and talent, and real saintliness of character, few names have ranked so high as that of Fenelon, the celebrated Archbishop of Cambray, or Cambrai, in France. Although the Pope, the King of France, and the greatest literary genius of the period combined and conspired to ruin Fenelon, his sweet Christian spirit and commanding genius triumphed over all and made him one of the most loved of men. Not only in France but throughout the world, his name is today a household synonym for piety. Francois de Salignac de la Mothe Fenelon was of noble birth. He was a younger son of Count Pons de Salignac, a Gascon nobleman, and was born in the Castle of Fenelon, in Perigord, France, in 1651. He was carefully trained at home until twelve years of age, when he was sent to the University of Cahors, and afterwards to the College of Plessis at Paris. His mind was very early turned to the subject of religion, and at the age of fifteen he preached his first sermon. His theological studies were continued at the Seminary of Saint Sulpice, the Principal of which was the celebrated and pious Abbe Tronson, a man renowned for his piety, talents, and learning. Francois became a favorite pupil of Tronson's, who gave him the most careful intellectual and spiritual training. From Tronson, who is often classed among the great Mystics, he doubtless imbibed many of the views concerning inward Christian experience and real consecration to God

which afterward made him so eminent a champion and exponent of the higher Christian life. In 1675, at the age of twenty-four, he was ordained a priest, and for three years he ministered in the parish of St. Sulpice. Before his ordination he was strongly inclined to go as a missionary to Canada or to the Levant, but his uncle kept him from doing so, although he seems to have visited Canada for a brief period.

Early in life Fenelon's remarkable genius and talents began to display themselves in devotional, philosophical, and educational books and writings. Some of his books on educational subjects are greatly prized even at the present time. The King of France, Louis XIV., was so attracted by the qualifications of Fenelon that in 1689 he was intrusted with the education of the young Duke of Burgundy, grandson of the King and heir apparent to the throne of France. The Duke was very headstrong, self-willed and passionate; but through the instruction and influence of Fenelon he gained the mastery of himself, and would doubtless have been a great and good king had he ever mounted the throne. After serving five years as tutor of the Duke, Fenelon was made Archbishop of Cambray, in 1694.

At a time when he was honored by the King of France, and rapidly rising to fame, Fenelon became acquainted with Madam Guyon, and through her prayers and conversation he was led into a deeper, richer, and fuller Christian experience which made him willing to sacrifice anything in the service of Christ. He had often heard of the piety and talents of Madam Guyon, who was suffering great persecution from members of the Roman Catholic Church on account of her teachings concerning a real crucifixion of the self life and absolute acquiesence in the will of God. While passing through the old home of Madam Guyon, on his return from a mission to the Protestants

of Poitou, he made many inquiries concerning her, and heard so much about her piety that he determined to visit her, although he knew that it might cost him the King's favor and also his reputation and position to do so. No doubt the Lord put it into his heart to visit her under such trying circumstances. He met her first at the village of Beine, at the home of the Duchess of Charost. They conversed for some time on the subject of inward experience, the subject which interested them most. The experience of Madam Guyon made a deep impression upon the mind of Fenelon. Next day he visited her again at the home of the Duchess of Bethune, in Paris. They spent some time in prayer together, but Fenelon was not yet filled with the Spirit, although his eyes were opened to see more clearly what the Lord had in store for him.

During the next eight days a great burden of prayer for Fenelon rested upon the heart of Madam Guyon, and then the agony of soul passed away and she found inward rest. Near the end of this period of travail of soul, she wrote Fenelon a letter dated Paris, November, 1688, telling of her burden of prayer for him and urging him to make a complete surrender of his will to God. In this letter she says: "For seven days past I have been in a state of continual prayer for you. I call it prayer, although the state of mind has been somewhat peculiar. I have desired nothing in particular. But my soul presenting continually its object before God, that God's will might be accomplished and God's glory might be manifested in it, has been like a lamp that burns without ceasing." Later, in the same letter, she says: "It seems to me that the designs of mercy, which God has upon you, are not yet accomplished. Your soul is not yet brought into full harmony with God, and therefore I suffer. My suffering is great. My prayer is not yet heard.

"The prayer which I offer for you is not the work of the creature. It is not a prayer self-made, formal, and outward. It is the voice of the Holy Ghost uttering itself in the soul, an inward voice which man cannot prevent or control. The Holy Ghost prays with effect. When the inward voice ceases, it is a sign that the grace which has been supplicated has been sent down. I have been in this state of mind before for other souls, but never with such struggle of spirit, and never for so long a time. God's designs will be accomplished upon you. I speak with confidence; but I think it cannot be otherwise."

The next day she wrote him again. "So deeply absorbing has been the application of my soul to God on your account that I have slept but little during the past night. And at this moment I can give an idea of my state only by saying that my spirit, in the interest which it feels for your entire renovation, burns and consumes itself within me.

"I have an inward conviction that the obstacle, which has hitherto separated you from God, is diminishing and passing away. Certain it is, that my soul begins to feel a spiritual likeness and union with yours, which it has not previously felt."

Fenelon was humble in spirit, and hungered for a deeper spiritual experience. Although a giant in intellect, he was willing to learn from a little child. His first great struggle was to be absolutely willing to utterly abandon himself to the will of God; for as Madam Guyon says, “A will surrendered is not always a will abandoned." Many who have surrendered their wills to God are still anxious to carry out their own plans and ambitions, and are greatly vexed when their plans are thwarted. Fenelon seems finally to have abandoned himself completely to the will of God, but he struggled long before realizing the experience for