The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-06-02

luIO COMPARATIVE luSlSuluCduCc'
In recent number of the Fortniqhtly
ReUie,0, of London, we find an article by
Mr.. Llewelyn Davies, written nomin-
ally against the miracles, and arguing
that it would be to "the advantage of
Christianity to dismiss them from our
contentious and our thoughts" The
writer believes that the claim made in
the name of miracles has had "a pesti
lent effect upon the Christian cause"
Yet we find this same writer emphatic
in regard to what we may term the
divine authority and mission of Jesus
Christ. In the course of the article
Mr.. Davies claims that it was not
Christ's plan 'to announce himself as a
supernatural being, and to perform
miracles as his credentials; on the con-
trary, he was deeply displeased by the
demand for miracles, and repealed the
support which men were willing to give
to miracle-worker. But from the be-
ginning to the end he assumed author
ity as having come from the Father;
he taught and gave commands, and
organized his followers, and made plans
for the future as one having authority.
"The adherents he desired, and
whom alone he expected TO win, were
those who were childlike and ready to
believe in heavenly Father. To these
he offered pardon, guidance, grace, and
help of all kinds. The Galileans he
selected and appointed as his ENJOYS
were simple, truthful men who, be-
lieved in him because they could not
doubt his assurance. And when these
ENJOYS went forth after his death to
proclaim him as Lord, they still made
the same remarkable offer,-that of
forgiveness and reconciliation to the
Father. He was exalted, they said,
to give repentance to Israel and remis.
sion of sins. The word committed to
them was: God forgives MANKIND
be We reconciled to God And st.
Paul, the chief founder of the church,
was accustomed to protest that he
stood on the self-commending power of
this message, which was as light to
those of his hearers who had eyes to
see.'
This, to our mind, is very emphatic
assertion of the supernatural character
of our Lords mission and authority.
He recognizes that Christ assumed
authority as having come from God;
that all his claims rest on this basis;
that he organized his followers into a
communion of fellowship with himself
with this understanding; that he ex-
ercised his mission in view of this au-
thority from the Father, and offered
forgiveness and reconciliation to man.
kind in his name, having been exalted
and made special messenger of God
to the world, and on this basis founded
what is known as the Christian church.
In other words, Mr.. Davies holds the
idea that Christ was himself super
natural teacher, while at the same time
he writes to eliminate the miraculous
from the New Testament, and urges
men to sdismiss it from their conten-
tions and thoughts" ''If we are to
believe'' he says, 'that the man Jesus
of Nazareth had a special commission
to reveal the heavenly Father, we are
admitting what every agnostic would
repudiate as stupendous miracle; and
1 cannot imagine that if an agnostic
were persuaded to believe this he
would obstinately stumble at smaller
miracles as incredible"
1t is somewhat singular that any one
who is willing to admit the super
natural character of Christ, and the
specially divine character of his mission,
should, after this fundamental acknowl-
edgment. stop short of accepting the
miracles which are attributed to him
in the New Testament.
The Spectator, in closing notice of
Mr.. Davies article, we'll says: "We
cannot but regret that Mr.. Llewelyn
Davies has put his protest against the
old and unspiritual use of miracles to
force belief on sceptical hearts and
consciences, with what appears to us
more energy than discrimination. For
while we heartily agree with his main
drift, we are quite sure that the ply
steal miracles of the New Testament
add majesty of their own to the
whole effect of the great spiritual mir
acle in which Mr.. Llewelyn Davies
very justly demands our faith, and are
not, as it has lately been the custom to
represent them, a mere dead weight on
the spiritual grandeur of the gospel,
rendering it more difficult to believe
than it would have been without
them.o
LAMARTINE, in his life of Columbus.
describes the approach to America:
"One day at sunrise some rushes re-
Gently torn up were seen near the yes
sci; plank evidently hewn by an axe;
a stick skillfullV carved nv some cut-