, 1874-02-22
state whether he believes III the literal truth OF
he miracle related in the Goth chapter OF II.

the miracle related in the Goth chapter OF II.
Kings.
It happened that King Hezekiah was sick, and
Isaiah tie Prophet announced to him that the
Lord lad declared TINT the King should die and
not live; but, after prayer on the part Of
Hezekah, the Lord, through Isaiah, announced
to him that He had changed His mind. and that
Hezekiah should live and not die. But the hiag
WAS curious to know what sign would bo given
him that he should go up to the house Of the
Lord again On the third day thereafter. Nov.
observe that in order to grtt1fy tile curiosity OF
an old man, the Almighty God agaln apoxe ~ to
following sign. be should know for certain that
| he should 20 up to the house OF the Lord on the
| third day, VIZ: SO Shall the shadow go forward
ton degrees, or go back ten degrees p But Hezo~
to 60 down ten degrees: Nay, but let the shadow
turn backward ten degrees. And ISAIAH the
Prophet cried unto the Lord, and Ho brought the
Ahadow ten degrees backward, BY which 1t had
gone down in the dial of Ahaz." ,....
Tho miracle referred to is much more stupen,
dous than that other one when tho Sun stood
still to enable the Jews to slaughter thoir
enemies, the ordinary day not being long enough
for the purpose.
1t1s not necessirary to cite other miracles.
The foregoing are samples good enough for =
precedent. Do you, Mr. Editor Of the Inferior,
believe that the God OF the Universe, in order to
crafty the curiosity OF old decrepit King, not
only stopped the earth upon its axis, but
ACTUALLY 4ek II btluu1uE Al %Ao oEE~oAsS
direction for forty ninutes7 Nothing is
said about the earth reversing It's machinery
again in order to get up its old motion; ;
but that must have been done, We suppose.
That would lave beou bad day for Prof. Col
bert to have tested with accuracy LIS pendulum
experiment. The expenditure OF force seems
to have been out Of all proportion to the object
attained, viz: the gratihcation Of sick old
man who had beeu troubled with a boil. Nothing
need be said in this connection, to chow the
nj OH of "a yho1a fbipr how fnr
instance, tho whole machinery, not only OF this
earth, but Of our system Of worldH,-in fact, Of
the whole universe, must have been thrown
into confusion. No man who believes in the
rsign OF Law can, OF course, believe IN any such
miracle. -':
Now, Mr. Editor OF the Interior, do tell US
whether, in good faith, you believe that Lots
wife was turued to pillar Of salt; whether the
whale did swallow Jonah but especially answer
me ss to your belief in the eun-diatoi-Ahaz story.
must tell you that you are living in different
ago from the people Who jostle you from day to
day upon the street. Your congregations do not
believe you. A few who never think give hall
way assent to your perfect Inspiration; bnt those
who are worth your efforts totally disbelevo in
your propositions. Their lives have nothing to
do with such legends OF the past, and those
legends in no manner affect their morals or re-
ligion. Your interlocutor is a member in good
standing of an Orthodox church and he knows
what ne says When ne declares tnat n1no out u
ten Of ali the members Of all the Orthodox
churches Of this city totally dsbeieve in all such
wonders, and in the plenary inspiration OF the
Bible. do not expect the editor Of the 1nte-
r1or to believe the foregoing statement; but tho
readers Of this nrticle who belong to the laity
know the statement to be true. The Interior
may call DR.. McKaig and Prof. Swing infdol;
but it ought to know, though / fear it docs not.
that they simply represent the vast majority Of
the lsity Of what are still called the Orthodox
r}uycbna 4 he1inf in theHa heoutifu1 ttSkorlCnl
legends has nothing whatever to do With the
best morality or tho highest religion.
subscribe myself Is belonging to the
PREsRYTEnIAN CHURCH.