Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-05-06
Reaaiua fpr the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
[Orlginal.l
MIRACLES.

[orgInall
MIRACLES.
Some persons entertain the notion that a
miracle is something that is contrary to ma
ture. This is certainly not correct. A mira
Gle is something that takes place in perfect
harmony with the fixed laws of nature, but
not in the usual way. In other words, what
takes place ordinarily, by circuitous pro-
cess, and by the use of secondary means, is,
in miracle, brought about directly and with
out the use of any visible means, or by using
means which are not ordinarily used.
Take the case of our Saviour turning wa
ter into wine. This was his first miracle, and
is, perhaps, as striking as any miracle he per-
formed. Now this was not contrary to ma
ture. 1t was not, however, in accordance
with the ordinary process Of making wlne'
Usually, in fact, in every other case, wine is
made by long circuitous process, and by
the use of modes which experience has point
ed out. The water of the ocean is taken up
by evaporation. This vapor is condensed
and falls in rain upon the earth. The roots
of the grape vine takes up portion Of this
water, and sends it up to the branches of the
vine These branches bud. blossom and form
grapes. The juices of these grapes are, by a
peculiar process, converted into wine. 10
make wine or to convert water into wine &C.
cording to the ordinary process, requires many
months time, but our Saviour turned water
into wine at once. He did not violate any
law of nature. Neither did he act contrary
to, or in opposition to nature. The power that
controls and governs all things, is the power
that once worked miracles. 1t is the power
of God that conducts the water in the ground
up the grape vine and converts it into sugar !;
and it is the powe- of God that controls the
whole process of changing grape juice into
wine. The miracle of our Saviour consisted
not in making wine, but in making it in a
way that it never was made before, and new.
er can be made by any created being.
What was the design our Saviour had in
view in working miracles? We answer, to
convince the world that he was the promised
Messiah. Before the cruci6xion of our Sa-
viour, he sent out his chosen disciples into the
country inhabited by the Jews, to proclaim
that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand"
By kingdom of heaven, he meant the gospel
dispensation. The Jews, from the time OF
faithful Abraham, had been confidently ex.
pecting this. Every pious Jew, in every pc
riod of their history, looked forward with
longing anxiety for the reign Of the promised
deliverer. Jesus, when he began his public
ministry, first by performing miracles, con-
vinced his immediate followers that he was
the Messiah. He turned water into wine, re-
stored life to the dead, gave sight to the blind,
made the dumb to speak, and thus demon
strated that he was the Goldman redeemer,
long promised in the Scriptures.
His disciples having been furnished with
convincing evidence that the Messiah was
come-God manifest in the fesh-and that
the kingdom which had long been promised
was at hand, near by, soon to be established
in the earth, they were sent out to proclaim
this fact That they might be able to con-
vince their countrymen that what they
preached was true, they were given power "to
heal the sick, c. 'anse the epers, raise the dead,
and cast out d,,i's."
The kingdom ,hich God promised, by his
prophets. to establish in the earth, was a
heavenly kingdom. Not a carnal kingdom.
God declared, time and again, to his people,
that he himself would redeem them. To
prove that the divine redeemer was come, and
that his kingdom, under new disrensation,
was in very short time to be established,
miracles were performed No mere man
could, in moment, change water into wine,
or heal the sick, or cleanse the leper, or raise
the dead, or cast out demons. Hence, when
the disciples of Jesus performed these mira
cles, the proof was most convincing that the
Messiah had actually come, and the better
day, for which the pious Jew had long looked,
was near by. 1t was such proof as the mind
demanded, and such that could not be resisted
only by the most consummate unbelief.
Notwithstanding these supernatural demon
strations of the fact that Jesus was the prom
ised Messiah, the great multitude of the Jews
rejected him, and when he was cruci6ed his
disciples all fled. Their faith was confirmed
by Jesus, after his resurrection, appearing
unto them aud working signs in their pres
ence. For the confirmation of all men that
Jesus Christ, who WAS condemned and crucfed,
was the true Messiah, and that the gospel dis
pensation is the kingdom of heaven which
God promised his people, soon after the sin of
Adam, the Apostles, whom he sent out to
preach the gospel to all the world, we're grant
ed power to work miracles. That they might
be able to silence all gainsayers, they were
granted power to heal the sick, raise the dead,
give sight to the blind, make the deaf to hear
and the dumb to talk. 1t was in fact Jesus
that performed the miracles. His Apostles
were only instruments in his hands.
The power of working miracles has long
since been withdrawn. 1t was continued to
about the beginning of the second century.
There is now no need of miracles The world
has line upon line, all the prophecies of the
Old Testament Dispensation, and all the mir.
acles of both dispensations proclaiming that
the Messiah has come, and that Jesus of Naz
areth was the true Messiah.
Wicked men may resort to tricks for the
purpose of deceiving the multitude; but no
more miracles will ever be performed to