Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-10-22
Hnme's Argument against Miracles.

! E1S NSl-huoWH IuHdcl dI SuhCut was
brilliantly refuted by the Hon. Edward
Everett in his recent address before the
State Agricultural Society at Buffalo:
A celebrated sceptical philosopher
Of the last century-the historian Hume
--thought 10 demolish the credibility of
the Christian revelation by the concise
argument, 1t is contrary to experience
that miracle should be true, but not
contrary to experience that testimony
should be false The last part of the
proposition, especially in a free country
On the eve of popular election, is, un-
happily too well founded but in what
book-worm's dusty cell, tapestried with
the eobwebs of age, where the light of
real life and nature never forced its way
-in what pedant's school, where deaf
ears listen to dumb lips, and blind follow
efs are led by blind guides, did he learn
kI.ak it is contrary to experience that
saifacle should be true? Most certain
II be never learned it from sower or
reaper, from dumb animal or rational
man connected with husbandry. Poor
Bed Jacket, off here on Buffalo creek,
fhe could have comprehended the terms
of The proposition would have treated it
nth scorn. Contrary to experience that
phenomena should exist which we can
net trace TO causes perceptible to the hu-
nan sense, or conceivable by human
thought It would be much nearer the
truth to say that with the busbandman's
experience there are no phenomena
which can be nationally traced to any
thing but the instant energy of creative
power.
Did this philosopher ever contemplate
the landscape at the close of the year
when seeds and grains and fruits have
ripened, and stalks have withered, and
leaves have fallen, and Winter ha:
forced her icy curb even into the roaring
Jaws of Niagara, and sheeted half a con
zinent in her glittering shroud, and al
this teeming vegetation and organized
life are locked in cold and marble OBJ
sfraetisn and after week upon weel
and mOnth upon month have swept, witt
sleet and chilly rain and bowling storm
over the earth, and riveted their crysta
bolts upon the door of Natures sepul
ehre; when the sun at length begins
wkeel in higher circles through the sky
and softer winds to breathe over meltin
SHOWS, did he ever behold the long-hid
den earth at length appear, and soon th
simid grass peep forth, and anon the al
tnmnal wheat begin to paint the field, an
velvet leaflets to burst from purple bud
throughout the reviving forests an
then the mellow soil to open its fruitfl
bosom to every grain and seed droppe
frnm the planters hand, buried but
spring up again, clothed with ne
mysterious being and then, as mol
fervid suns infame the air, and soft
blowers distil from the clouds, and gel
der dews string their pearls on twig al
Eendril, did he ever watch the ripenif
grain and fruit, pendent from stalk al
vine and tree the meadow, the fel
the pasture, the grove, each after |
kind arrayed in myriad-tinted carmen
instinct with circulating life; seven m
lions of counted leaves on a single trt
each of which is a system whose exqu
ite complication puts to shame t
shrewdest cunning of the human min
every planted seed and grain which
been loaned to the earth, compoundi
Its pious usury thirty, sixty, huudr
fold, all harmoniously adapted to t
sustenance of living nature-the bre
of hungry world !; here titled col
field, whose yellow blades are noddi
with the food of man there an unpla
ed wilderness-the great Fathers ia
where " he hears the ravens or
has cultivated with his own hand his m
eiful crop of berries and nuts and AGO.
and seeds, for the humber families of
mated nature the solemn elephant,
browsing deer, the wild pigeon, VIII
Auttering caravan darkens the sky:
merry squirrel, who bounds from bral
70 branch in the joy of his little Ii
has he seen all this, does he see it ev
year and month and day; does he
and move and breathe and think in
atmosphere of wonder--himself the grt
est wonder OF all, whose smallest Fl
and faintest pulsation is as much n
terry as the blazing glories of Orit
belt-and does he still maintain th;
miracle is contrary 10 experience II
has, and if be does, then let him say
1t is contrary TO experience that the
gust Power which turns the clods of