This old article from 1904 presents a fair and balanced view of Christian mysticism, published in the "BAPTIST REVIEW
AND EXPOSITOR":
IS THERE A TRUE, CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM?
By PROFESSOR HENRY C. VEDDER, D.D.,
Crozer Theological Seminary, Chester, Pa
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/...63730400100201
The author HENRY C. VEDDER was an American Baptist church historian.
A few excerpts:
There is then a solid Scriptural basis for mysticism,
a much stronger basis than could be furnished by any
accumulation of mere proof-texts. Its basis is, in fact,
the same as the basis of the Scriptures themselves, in so
far as these are a revelation from God, unless we are to
exhaust the word "revelation" of all real significance.
To deny the fundamental tenet or thesis of the mystic,
is to take out of the Bible all that is distinctively Christian,
and reduce the Christian religion to a purely naturalistic
basis.
This essential, fundamental doctrine of mysticism may
be put into the form of a simple thesis = it is possible for
man to have direct, immediate, intuitive knowledge of
God
If these criteria are fully recognized and faithfully
applied, there is no danger in mysticism, but great gain.
It founds the Christian life on the solid rock of personal
knowledge, while efficient safeguards are provided against
fanaticism. Such a mysticism is true, because its ultimate
principle is that which validates all truth, namely,
trust in the testimony of consciousness. It is Christian,
because it subordinates the experience of the individual
to the Scriptures and the Christian consciousness of the
ages.
To reframe the good professors conclusions in a simple way:
To deny mysticism is to deny the Bible itself since all authors of the Bible acquired knowledge through the direct revelation of God.
The Christian life should be founded on the rock of personal knowledge of God which in itself is a safeguard, not a danger.