The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-04-14
ARE MIRACLES PERFORMED
NO W.

ternal. The external and internal evil
'dences for Christianity however, as gen.
orally understood, do not include, all the
testimony that there is for Christianity.
There is yet stronger evidence, per.
haps, than either the internal or what we
are accustomed to call the external evi
dences.
Under the external evidences we
class the evidence from Miracles, and
under this head it is customary to refer
to the miracles of the Old and IL e
New Testament. But we have before
us perpetual miracle, perennial stream
'ot miraculous testimony, which is greatly
overlooked, and which might be made
stronger than it is.
The evidence and the ever-recurrinp
miracle that we refer to is the Regenera-
ton of human soul If in the year
1880 one single soul has been indeed and
IN fact raised from spiritual death to new
ness OF moral life; if in fact, in ours day,
any one instance can be pointed out where
a man or a woman has become, in the
full sense conveyed by the language, a
new creature in Christ Jesus; )" then here
is MIRACLE in attestation. of the truth
of Christianity
We claim that men are REGENERATED
and we point to the examples. Has phil
,osophy any thing similar to point to :?
We claim that there is in this day constant
and direct COMMUNICATION between heav-
en- and earth, and that the Holy Spirit
changes essentially the human heart and
character, so that man really comes to
have a new disposition and nature.
We say that Paul was changed in this
way. We say that Polycarp and Igna-
titus and Justin Martyr and Augustine
were changed in this way. We say that
Martin Luther and Melancthon were
changed in this way. We say that John
Bunyan, Richard Baxter, John Owen
Philip Doddridge, John Wesley, John
Newton were changed in this way. We
say that Thomas Chalmers, Hugh Mill6f,
Edward Payson, Alexander Duff, Stone
wall Jackson, Headley Wears William
Wilberforce, John Foster, Archibald
Alexander were changed in this way.
We say that George Muller has been
changed in this way. And to come down
to much larger class, we say that thou
sands of the mothers of men living in
England Germany, and America have
been changed in this way, until those
who knew them best felt 1t to be a fact,
and read it alike in their angelic features
and their daily walk.
The Christian character is, however. O.
CgroaOth, and it must be frankly admitted
that many of the plants are scrubby, and
? stunted, and devoid of luxuriance. This
is their fault; they have quenched the
Spirit" they have not consecrated them
selves unreservedly to the cause of the
Prince of Life
Compare Thomas Chalmers with Her
bert Spencer. 1t is a different type
Compare George Muller with John Stuart
Mill. To make the comparison thorough
ly, requires faculty not possessed by the
nnregenerate man. Such man would
notunderstand Muller or Chalmers fully :;
ne would not begin to enter into the
depths of their nature nor comprehend
their motives An unregenerate man
can feel this argument best by recalling
the life of Christian mother, and con
trasting such Christian woman with q
woman Of the world, or with any Pagan
mother
Here then is the true monumental evil
dence of Christianity-regenerated men
and women in every age. And oh if
Christian men and women should indeed
all live up to the full measure of Chal-
mers or Muller, what an irresistible
testimonyit would be how it would bear
down, like rushing mighty wind, all
the opposition Of sceptics and cavaliers d