The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-11
4 NEW IDEA OF MIRACLES
Continued from Eighth Page.
We do not see there is anything to answer /
what we have said is accepted.

We do not see tlere IS anything TO answer IL
what We have said is accepted.
EVOLUTION UNIVERSAL BELIEF.
The very statement of the case has proved
II and especially if those who object believe
IN evolution, and it is as improper now to
sneak Of an eyOlutton1st as it Is to speak Of a
gravitatiOnist. All scientists believe it. only
differing as to details. IL man doubts it..
We simply shrug our shoulders and possess
our souls in patience, knowing that all
tbIngs come to those who wait.
Lastly we will turn our attention TO the OBJ
lection that miracle never happened. IN
iaer this is the only objection really iItelli-
gent people now urge against miracles. II
fbev urge the old OBJ ection that miracle is
impossible they are simply behind the times
The best way TO argue with such one would
he TO give him vacation in which to catch
ND with modern thought.
We viii, as briefly as possible, answer the
objection that. miracle never happened;
and what we shall say will have especial
reference to the miracles Of Christ.
Here again very much VIII depend upon
your idea Of a miracle. The dednition as
given by modern theology is: Miracles are
the product OF extraordinary life. Ordinary
life can do Ordinary things. The
miracles, or extraordinary acts of
the extraordinary life are as natural to
itas the ordinary acts of the ordinary life
In such case the acts are determined by the
quality Of life. In fact, ii Wodld be as illogi
cal 10 expect en- extraordinary life to do or
binary things as to expect an ordinary life to
extraordinary
acts Of the extraordinary life are no mere
mysterious than the ordinary acts of the ordi-
nary life. In both cases the acts are deter
mined by the quality Of life. Life, then is
the only mysterious thing For ali things
hOw from life. Herein lies the superior credi-
bility Of the miracles Of Jesus above those re
corded of any other life. because we have bet-
ter means Of testing the quality of the life OF
Jesus than we have Of testing the quality of
any other life ever manifest upon this globe
And the primary question is the quality OF the
life and not the acts. If we have any posi-
bic means Of testing the quality of this life
and ind 1t extraordinary, then we will not
only expect extraordinary acts, but be sur
prised il we do not find them. Testl-
mony as to the quality of the life Of
Jesus is to be sought not only in sacred books
All that IS highest purest, noblest. most
godike In our civilization IS due to the con
tagion Of that new quality Of life first manifest
il him in its meridian splend0r.
WHAT THREE YEARS DID.
The maxim that the cause may he known
by the effect is enough to assure any one that
a life OF three years duration spent among
the peasants OF Galllee and Judea, in an OBJ
scure corner of the world, and still was sufi-
Cient to produce Christianity and its world
transforming enects, must have been the most
extraordinary yet manifest upon earth. Tes-
timOny is borne to the quality Of his life re-
peaedly in the gospels In the gospel accord
lng to St John, the quality Of the life OF Jesus
is 10 him the greatest Of the wonders re
latlng to him. He does not place the greatest
emphasis upon his wonderful words, or Won
derful acts, but upon the quality OF his life:
AS the Father hath life in himself even so
gave he to the son to have life IN himself
We declare unto you the life, the eternal
life which was with the father and was mani
tested unto US. Modern theology and science
alike say that life is the only mystery: it is
the force OF forces, and Is law of all things.
That which man is capable of producing de
ponds upon the quality Of his life. In virtue
OF different qualities OF life, genuises arise:
MoZartS, Blind Toms, Shakespeare. NapOle-
ons and prophets. To the evolutionist this
reasoning comes with logic that is simply
irresistible; 1t comes with force that loses
naught by friction with any known facts,
but ga hers cumulative force and power as the
Kingdom OF knowledge conquers the anarchy
OF chaos and superstition. For to one who is
familiar with the history Of the truth Of life
as manifest upon this planet he is more sure
OF this than anything else There is no line
you can draw and say that beyond this the
human race cannot march. Another turn of
the SPIRAL OF life and the wonders and mar.
yels and miracles of the past will be the most
common of the commonplace.
THE MIRACLES OF JESUS.
In the words of another: y right faith in
the miracles Of Jesus is not merely historical,
but also prophetic. To believe in the miracles
Of Jesus with true appreciation of their
vital cause, is to believe in spirit, and in life
and in more Of ID TO come. u am come that
they might have life, and have it more
reached lis adult stage We are plainly in
competent to draw the metes and bounds of
us Development, or TO say what can or cannot
be some score Of centuries hence: what has
OF has not been some score of centuries past.
Meanwhile there is a word of Jesus which en-
courages Is to trust that more power. as well
as more light is to Break forth from God for
heredemption OF the world from its wants and
us woes: Verify, verify, l say unto you. he
mat Delleveth on me, the works that 1 do
snail he do also, and greater works than these
snail he do Who shall say that a full
1IIment, as yet inconceivable is not to
ne given to this august prophecy when
the mental and moral spr ng sof life purified:
oeepened ana enriched by the spirit of
Chust shall pour a fuller and cleaner current
Of power through the generations Of the yet
The more l know of history. the more
Know OF man, the more 1 know OF life
makes this conviction sink deeper and
Heeper into my mind; il such marvellous
ne as know Jesus possessed, from the eff
Iecls OF that life still present in the world
0a not produce what we of weaker lives call
miracles, then that would be a greater mir
aCle ana greater tax upon fait than any
WONDER or marvel recorded in the whole
range OF what is called sacred
literature. Herculaneum and POmpeii are
I,iHng witnesses of that mighty upheaval of
Mount Vesuvius which for nearly twice ten
gentures buried them in more than Egyptian
darkness and gloom. They are Witnesses to
Jay OF the eXertion of q titanic power in the
paSl; me Ourledrellg1onS OF Greece and Rome
auq northern Europe; Jupiter, Saturn, Vulcan
anu great god Pan, dead d6ities who once
,uied the world! Stiff and cold in the marble
i ndiI OF dealh; from the midst OF eternal ST
ltAte rear eternal witness to him the puts
9Sauee OF whose mighty arm wreSted
rom their iron grasp the lordship of the
TVIIuS' he miraculous is the natural to the
1Gqean peasant king. n
MS IS modern theologys account of the
mraculors Instead OF being a violation of
Sny law OF God. At is the law Of the laws of
wIu, II Is simply God 5 age long way; mar
,glYus Phenomena attending marvellous life,
Sa ( NE ever becoming more and more mar
'elouS until 1t becomes visible manifesto
ION OF MIN the ever invisible one Modern
Lto-ogy believes in the miraculous with It's
Nnoe heart and soul. II believes in the mi
tsaculous with faith undaunted and nterri-
Ivy uy even shadow of doubt. q, it believes
~ 'ue ever living and eternal God whose ways
~ past undlng out. though we are ever find
Ivy MN more an more. 1t believes this ever
bheitiag 600 worked wonders in the past 1t
teltyeS In the wonders yet to be. IT believes
~ GOD who is above all and through all and
+. YOU all IL believes in spirit and in life
~, w oetleVes that out Of the life at present
manifest on this globe a life is TO come and
r WAL come before whose light will pale all the
iiIndI'e lious records of the dusty past It lie.
bbo. Is mat all OF to-day, and that unnumbered
nost gone on before, will he sharers OF ana
parIclpators in that life-a life that the most
IVA imagination of the widest Pomanttcist
i Oh not conceive even in m ments OF diRnest
~ pu alton when the things that are seem as
= t ~ 8h they were not, when the eternal seems
assured before US in the brightness Of his