Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1848-03-02
For the Port Tobacco Times.
THE MIRACLES OF SCRIPTURE.

THE MIRACLES OF SCRIPTURE
Mr.. EDITOR: In the last number Of III
Times writer, who assumes the inspiring
title of ''Truth," has made "a simuItaneou
attack upon the "ingnorance" Of the world
"the stupidity OF prestcrafl" and the ''cun
ming stupidity" Of the Devil; and has kindl,
offered to enligh,en the nations Of the earil
relative to the ''miracles Of scrip,ure'
Now. while am free to confess, that
have nothing to Plead by way Of extenua
ton or vindication, in behalf of the igno
rance Of the world, or the 'Icunning AM
stupidity" of priests or devils; yet, a
frankly confess, that the article, aforesaid
has only served to convince me that MAJ
may write about that concerning which> hs
knows nothing, and then proclaim i, to thu
world as the legitimate offspring Of Truth
But let us examine what 'Trulh'' has said
and we will find that he has substituted
darkness for light and error for truth.
Nothing" says he, 'has sustained the
Scriptures SO we'll as the miracles which
were wrought" ! deny it. True, the
miracle are strong confirmation of the
truth of Scripture, and ought to satisfy
every rational mind of The Divine au,henti-
city of the Bible. But, then, the prophecies
are no less authoritative and convincing-nay
to me, they are more overwhelming. The
miracles were wrought hundreds and thou
sands of years ago-and we give credence
thereto upon the testimony of others. But
many of the prophecies, which the cenI
prophets predicted, have had their lulilmenl
hundreds and thousands Of years posterior
to their prediction; and every one, who
will, may become an eyewitness of the truth
of these prophecies. For instance the pro
phecies concerning the dispersion of ,he
Jews. the destruction Of Niaevah, Baby lon
Tyre, Jerusalem, and the desola.ion of Edom
Egypt, &C.. are predictions the exact fulfill
ment Of which is confirmed by the present.
condition and state Of that people and those
places. For every one knows that the Jews
are dispersed, that Ninevah, Baby Ion, &c,|
are destroyed, and that Edom and EgyprE
are laid waste. The miracles were design
ed more particularly for those who IivedE
when and where they were performed; thu
prophecies for future generations. The an
clients sa0 the miracles performed; we seeI
the prophecies fulfilled. The former were
more convincing TO them; the latter to as
But, ".are miracles wrought by the ru7csE
of science :" Ay, that's the question:
.'Tru,h" says they are. Well, as j, regards
mans agency at the present day, do no'
believe that they are wrought by the rules
OF science, or the rules Of anything else
The time for working miracles has passed
But, that miracles acere performed in ancieniE
times is very evident, and equally evden, is.
it, that they were not wrought by the "rulesi
of science,'' but by the direct agency of God.s
What is miracle? 1t is derived from mi
raculuna, and means anything wonderful
Bnt, in a theological sense it has been de-
fined can event or effect contrary to the es
tablished constitution and course of things
or deviation from the kno1cn laws of ma
ture''-(W ebs,er.) By another it has bee
defined thus: "a work or an effect above
human or natural power, performed ia al !
testa,on Of some truth; or work effected in
a manner different from the ordinary course
OF nature, by the immediate power of the
Almighty, for some particular purpose"-
(OswaId's Ely. Dic.)
1t is, then, something contrary to, or de-
WAITING from. the ''human laws OF nature''-
something ''above human power''-some
thing performed by the immediate agency Of
God. Hence the propriety of calling such a
work or event, miracle.
But all miracles, says ''Truth,' were per-
formed by "lhe rules of scieace." Well.
what is science? 1t comes from scio, "to
Know and hence embraces such truths and
facts as are certainly knoun. If, therefore
the miracles Of the Bible can be satisfactcgl-
ly accounted for and explained upon scien-
tifc principles, they must necessarily, cease
to be miracles. For according to the very
definition of miracle it must, of necessity,
be something strange-a deviation from, or
a suspension of, the established laws OF ma
ture-and such deviation or suspension
too, as no human power could bring about
such as God alone could effect. Hence the
reason why the miracles of the Scriptures
created SO much wonder and surprise in those