Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-12-06


this Church through innumerable
hostile assaults, as well as numerous
healings Of the sick are events
which, hatevcr a prejudiced world
now may think, will in the future
be recorded IS the most wonderful
occurrences OF the age.
The miracles of " hich we read in
the inspired works have been re-
corded for a distinctly stated pur-
pisa. OF the miracles Of Christ,
John says: "These are written,
that We might believe that Jesus is
The Christ" And Paul says OF the
Old Testament records: "rhey are
written for or admonition, upon
whom the ends Of the world are
come" To strengthen our faith
aud to give US admonition and in
s.ruction. they have been written.
The same may truly be said of
the wonderful work accomplished
by the servants of God in this dis
pensation. They have been written
for the strengthening Of our faith
and for our instruction, giving US
evidence Of the power. and
wisdom, and love of our
Father, such evidence as we
sometimes nesd, in hours Of temp
tation and darkness. They are re-
corded in order that we, in contem-
plation of the wonderful works OF
God in thepast. may find encourage
ment 10 look to Him with assurance
for the future.
But they are also test Of our faith.
in miracles we see events, or effects.
for which we cannot account in the
usual way. 4 sceptical world,
therefore, sneers at the records That
contain these events, and doubts or
even denies and riiicules the whole.
And so-eslled science has in too
many instances declared itself
against revealed religion or account
! of the miracles recorded. a believer,
having the world with its bossted
sciences against him, has, there
| fore, to exhibit not Z little courage
when required boldly to stand up
and declare that he believes. And
particularly is this the case With
regard to the miracles performed in
this last Gispensation. None but
the truly brave and the good dares
to openly and frankly declare: 81
believe in them; l believe they are
performed through the power of
God" They furnish a test TOO
severe for him who dares not face
= snee-ing world.
Yet, when we come to consider the
miracles recorded in the history OF
the various dispensa'ions; when We
inquire with 4 philosophical mind.
into their nature. we find that there
is, after sll, nothing unreasonable in
the acceptance Of them.
The same power that once or
ganized matter into forms and ill.,
fused life therein might, it seems.
just as easily infuse life into an al
ready organized, lifeless form. That
il, the creating, iifegiving power
might easily enough raise the dead,
If He chose so 20 do. But il this Is
admitted, it must also be admitted
that the same Power knows how to
stay the process of death, before life
has fled. That is, he knows how
to heal the sick.
In surrounding nature We see
daily the manifestations of q Great
ing power, organizing, liie-givingand
sustaining. The manifestations OF
this power we see in the appear
ancs of 1.-THE almost infinite variety
Of animal anu vegetable living
TOXINS that are called into existence
in Z wonderful succession. Indesd,
the whole creation is miracle.
Could there be any justification for
skepicism, it would be for thai
skepticisni which doubts the exis-
tence OF the whole creation. For
this wonder, recorded on the pages
of the book of nature, is greater
than any recorded on the pages OF
wholly Writ.
Those who argue against miracles
generally overlook an essential fact.
They forget the spiritual element
Of which the material forms are only
the visible expressions. They argue
as if these forms were only mechan-
isms. But they are clearly more than
that. They are organisms. Their
different parts not only are COM
bined for the fulfilnient OF given
purposes, but they possess an in
herent power 10 beget and keep the
mechanism Of the organism in per
feet orler. That which Is used up
is constantly and to a certain de-
gree thrown of and new parts
added. And this goes on According
to an inieiiigently devised plan
which proves the presence Of an in
teiligence within which is endowed
with creative power. In this fact
lies the possibilities not only OF the
daily occurring natural phenomena,
but 9f the less frequently occurring
effects and events which We call
miracles.
From the arguments and facts
which we have set forth in this and
previous articles on the subject, we
hope TO have proved that the
miraculous in religion is sustained
not only by the declarations of the
Scriptures, but aiso by plain facts Of
history and by sound philosophy.
We accept the solemn declaration
Of Joseph Smith and other true
prophets, that they sew and con-
yersed with God and with holy
angels; that they had visions; that 4
view was opened to them Of the
past and Of the future; That they had
power given them to perform mir
aeles in the name OF God, and that
they had message from
Him to the world. And in