Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-23

Had Jesus himself written these accoun IS
of miracles. and palmcd them of as really
supernatural act ions when they We're not.
then he would have been an impostOr.
But he did not do this-othcrs did 1t for
him, or rather they did so in one or two in
stances. Mark this carefully. Only i'll the
case Of the resurrection Of Lazarus and Of
the widow of Mains son. the feeding OF the
$3.50 and the walking on the sea making
only four instances in all. are miracles that
are apparent eXaggerations attributed to
Jesus.
If you were to read the spurious gospels
referred 10 III my chapter on the ''Docu-
mcntS,' YOU would be surprised that the
early Christians should have separated the
false and the true events as well Us they
did. The spurious gospels attribute scores
Of the abSurGeSt miracles TO Jesus, while
our gospels have at most only
half dozen. The account of
Christ's virginia. birth and bodily resurrec-
ton are later additions to the history
written probably about seveutY-fiVe or one
hundred Years after his death. st. Paul, in
!. Corinthians. w. tour Episcopal burial
service. tells of spiritual resurrection
an appearance in spiritual form of Jesus
and ourselves-and he SAYS nothing about
the vir"in birth, which he would doubtless
have done bad il been reported in his day,
or been i fact He wrote this epistle about
twenty-five years after Christ's death. and
therefore ioHg before the Gospels were
written.
You may now ask .'Of what value are
the miracles according 70 This view"
answer that they show the high estimation
in which Jesus was held by his disciples
If he had not been very wonderful char
acter they would not have mdgnfied his
natural works into miracles, nor would they
have attributed TO him miracles which he
did not perform. Only great characters
are surrounded with a halo Of legend and
miracle and all great characters in all aces
even Yyusufngton-arc so idealiZed
But second. these stories of miracles tell
Of the love and good deeds of Jesus He
was the great physician. who ever stood
ready 20 help The needy and the suffering
mi, i, 1he real value of these stories and
how mucn il speaks for the master Believe
me, if you vii. study he Bible As here inui-
Gated. find out who wrote its books when
they We're written. what Is their meaning,
which books are historical. whirh poerical,
which alicgOrICai. what Is true. what Is
partially true and what is false in il. the
book viii become more interesLiug-Cveu
faSc.rating-to YOU, and jesus Will become
more lovablc. Don't ask whether the book
IS inspired or not. but ASH first. is it true,
If tits true. then II 10 inspired. for all truth
is an inspiration. The Grand. original
thoughts of a Shakespeare. Il Goethe,
Newton. d CoperniCiuS. Oar
win. and an Emerson. which clystalized III
words, shine Ike diamonds through the
centuries. are nSnirauons as those great
souls would admit frankly
No matter how many and how
great difficulties yOUmay still expert
cuce. ldO rot ioin with fippant
pant Skeptics in heir pronunciation Of the
Bible. and never think or speak ilTeyer-
emily OF Jesus On the contrary. cling TO
the Bible and 10 him. Always strive
earnestly for more light and knowledge, as
one who has passed The brumt of the ierces
storm. ! can assure you that if you perse
we're prlyerful and vigorously YOU viii in
rvj-ab,y come st ldsj to stand upon the
finn rock of Z rational faith and sure and
comfortable hope. while the very last cloud
viii have drifIrd forever from the sky above
you aud the waves below will have been
forever Gained into the restful peace and
tranquility of a smooth "ldss-like sumner
sea. Praying that You may find that peace.
which in the words of the scripture, pass
cti all derstInGiu% l am very cordially
yu'us. Howard MACQUEAEY.
X. HEHER NEWTON THINKS LIVING LIKE
CHRIST - RELIGION.
become very yyiaaiy known in religious and
literary circles all over this country. and
mis- sermons and writings have been eNtcn-