, 1874-10-20

to find, also, tho sn,nc n5n,pathosio cnrcs md
exo,ctHnB applIc1 In droerO M we'll ms In Pafth-
tine. There aro alrcady many cnneifor1n-tab1ota
discovered md road In tho British Museum cotl-
tatntng charms and exofclsus against almost airy
OWL split Of hio6npss bnt ospecialy a,xtnst tho
soyon dovila who toruonsoa tho peoplo of Mini
vel, ~ woli NJ tl,Be around tho JUr1an.
Having THUG far analyzod ths lnontal atmoB-
phoro Of mythopootio antiquity iu a few out
lines. ! do not find It very oasy to draw the
boundary limo hotweon mYths and mlsaclos.
WHOM now turning to tho ....
NATURE AND ESSENCE or MIRACLES.
Yet feel confident to BAY tint David friedrich
stranas md othora greatly nitsAtato faots wl.cu
Identifying myths and miracles, TO throw both Of
them Into ono aid tho AaMo cantdroh. Tho l,all
tl!at destroys the fruits, aud tho rain that hefpa
produce tticn, Is not one and tho Hayno thing,
though tho olornent they contain and tho source
thoy como from is tho enme. Thoro 49,, nlcthinks.
a much wilor difference botwoen polytheistio N.Y.
thoogy and tho bc!iof In q woodworking, all
wieo. and Almighty Deity, than thero Is ho-
twacn tho belief III lntraclcs and tho bcllcf
iu the divine ruie Of lnaexlble, nuatnantne law.
Tor niracle.boliof Includes: md afllrms oven tho
plies tho general rule Of an unoliaugeablo law.
only allowing Romo exceptional Interruptions for
tho sake of tue chosen lew. It Is tic connecting
link botwoen chaotic heathonism and absolute
mouothoiBm, As diytno revelation WIS at no
time an instruction In natural philosophy and
science, no cannot expect the 1utao!itos In the
wilderness at onoo to Qhango their notions about
storm and ratn. or tho mutton Of tho sun, All
droction OF poluting out fho trno managing and
autr,g power in the groat theatre Of Mature,
but not Of explaining tho modes Of action. For
many centuries tloy atrnHgled, unt'l they a..
t riyea M at @ tbs point Of attribattng tho manifold
among tue different gods. to one aud only QUO
tod. They could u5t 10 sasi!y part with the
old fractlfy'ng hcayon:god Daal, and their fruit
soning gpa ons a5oor Asao at md thes
prophets wnntea % them to u Do. s' OILY gradually
lhoy wore elevated to trust i'll tho all-proyiding
power, wisdom, an1 love of Jehuval. But,
even then. the old notion about tho battle With
1ahab, tho rtor,n-c}oud. atill nrovailcl and
Of tho warrior-god, tho bow mud tho arrows. tho
fiery clior lbs or the chariot Of tho Bun-goi, still
present to tho mind Of the peoplc, wero glvon to
jehovah. At Ills oall, henoe'orth, tho san roBe
baltic. God opened tue gatos Of tho east aud
the west for The snn. aud tile windows OF loasen
for tho rain. At Ills bidding tho destroying AL
TO " oil postitonco did their fearfal work, ali tho
poacs either d good or ss bad ones being His
angels. But ovor keeping the roins Of thu world
III His I,auds, why should He not aomatimes,
for sono uingular contingencies, hold then .
little looser or tighter. Az Ho always admin
tstsra the conrae OF tho suo, why should Ho NOT
s.or, it for few hours to help His choson people
Aa tIo Huperintends the work Of Natnte, why
Should lle not at some approprsate tamo, have
sent down n flood to drown the wicked glants, or
made iron awItn for tho glory Of HIS name pro
claimed by His servant Ellsha? AZ Ho puts
different tongues into the mouths OF uleu aAl
beasts, why should ue not contountl tho tonsues
uf n1eu or tuaIso q serpent or nn nsa speak Wlen
lie ploaHos? Why should lie not act sometimes
in mora striking mannor TO prove himaelf to
bo Tho ouly acsor2 Tint Is tho eoutral ijea Of
miracles. Sarah, who doubling the realization
Ut the pronlise to bo8ot u son Ut the age ol 90,
ia loptoyod by tho Lord; 1s there my
questions tho collision setwcon Gods
omnipotanco and olnniscionco belng here at
stake, it must bo admitted TINT miracle belief
presents o fur higher standard. in regard to
philosophy and to morals, than mythology, v,wlero
thoro ii no unity, no rule Of wisdom or of good
nes5, hut oil olut,s.
Lenvlug. however. tho metaphysical aide Of
the question untouched. 1t remains for mo to
point out some historical foos. illustrating
soNE ooSunUESr LINES OF MYTHS AND MIRACLES.
lind rocks and riyors, old oak trees or ruined
palaces, each striking local singnlarity toll
ing itH legend. When once ascending
n, snS Saxon ys nntda F'nsm'ss e *
prominent ploco of rosx il the shape of an
a,iltnnl npon the top of tho mountain. . d. you
soe tho bear up thoro I" sad no. "Our old, good
King Charles Augustus oncc hunted that boar,
ntlu WHH uGAr lE'll&t1 uuh kuG uEGp nUYt6, ilAu
God not turaea tile boar into stoue to save our
King" Hearing tia pia!n man gpoahins thus. !
lid not waive tho question Of tue possibility Of
tho miracle at all but synlpa.hlzed with those
people, who made the. stone STEAK 40
patrialcha tales have tAcir olisin in localities
lolng their osn storiea upon Tho In
prcssivo mud Of the simple Inhabitants, The
.iuostloa Of tho possibility Of Coils turning Lots
wife into pillar Of Bllt IL as opporiuno ~ tha
of i, ,9ff c%c rf Es1
God-aelying Niobo's turning Into stone with aIi
l,or chillron, by tho wrath Of tho God. uBro the
maj, Of tue pillar OF tho salt-and there tho forls
OF the rock toll tho whoto story. So did the vol
aud tie onk treo Of Abraham, Or tue ja%-bone-
shapo Of the mountain. wlora Samson. tue uo-
brow uoroules, lIvod lis immortal lite In tho
mouth Of the peorlo, and almost al! kho ftl1oua
lcnlitics Of Palestine, create aud abapc many a
Biblical tn!e. The story OF tho buu-god wrest-
ling with dirk power OF tho night, and being
toid by tho Caaaanites betora tho Iaraclitea in-
hel ltod their laud and their tales. But tho myths
wore gradually purified nnd transformed to suit
| tlfir roilncd ie[i9iuus yie.H.
Otherwise WIS it with tho euperstitiouB belief
in sorcory aud witellcraft. 1t having too strong
q hold upon the pooplo, the power OF the sorpont
Ut Esculaplus OF healing tllo siek was asclibed
| to tho divine power POSSESSED by AIosos aud
| other prophets. The nlngio art exetcised By
| hcathnn priests and viso men was regarded also
| al divine glft bestowed on some chosen onoa,
but iA q way far excollns the pOwor OF tho hea-
thens. Honce Balaau, tllo sorcoror, ind tho witoh
Of Endor as we'll as tho Egyptian priests, must
with sleir magic testify to tho slory OF Jehoye.
lndeod the law-gyer i'll Deuteronomy, Chap. Kill,
warns Israel against tho deiuBlye proofs Of nira-
clos, wrought by idolats Gus prophets or dtoa1n-
ers for tue purpose Of entioug thom to heatheu-
i4nl for says ho, God tries vcur faith by letting
| these things DO done. "hliracled you want q
raid Molammed to his people. " fe yourselves
are miracles. Miracles arc not cxerted by the
founders OF religion but BY the mind Of thel1
| followers"
! believing in miracles. or disheleying III them,
We all bohold the true eAty Of God in tho i'll
uissolublo chain OF causes and eft'ectH. linking
every being to tho greataourco OF life in Which mau
rotec.n tho Creators highest glory by tho mira
ces wrought by solf fconQu Quorins love and truth.
/ saai,inr t,toilact