The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-29
BELIEF IN MIRACLES.

There is nothing common. stale. nat. or
improbable in the works OF nature, and
in the ways of COD. Every thing from
His hand. and ordered by Hia counsel
bespeaks design, purpose and plan. wis
dom End power. and loving hndness. All
His works praise Him. All Is wonderful
that proceeds from Him. As the Heavens
are nigh above the earth. SD are Ills
thoughts above our thoughts. and His
ways above our ways And compared
with ours al His works are miracles
We are IN Inc midst of miracles. Ne
plough. we plant, we water. ana then
we wait on Him. We speak Of the laws
Of nature. and her forces ana courses
but what are they we talk 90 the STA
biity OF the Heavens: but what is that2
An energizing. a life giving. sustaining
power, and Intelligence must be behind
under and over all which is the Great
God in the exercise Of His being And
all things serve Him. And an THINGS. iu
the universal language oi nature. written
upon the face Of earth ana Heaven, de-
clared by the current of evcpts--pro-
nOunced by an sCunds-in marvellous
words and sentences and voices. acknowl-
edge Him-the Lord OF al. All that is
about rs Is Infinitely above and beyond
the limits Of our reason and power ana
comprehension Miracles make up our
sphere.
What 90 sensible men mean. wnen tncy
say, we don't believe in miracle The
rising Of a loaf of bread IS a miracle.
The nourishlhg Of our bodies by our food
is a miracle. CoU Is mortal man iYstit,atr
or originate any powcrP Can be- call
anything into being? He can only know
under what conditions things generally
happen. But the very exercise Of his
will, or the power Of his mind. or arm.
is not absolutely his. The Almighty
taketh away mans breath. and all his
thoughts perish. He extinguishes his
life. and his dust and ashes scatter. The
very existence Of mans viii. the success
sion Of his thoughts the balancing and
motion Of his body the continuance OF
his lie DespeaEs an ever present power
in whom he lives and moves ana has his
being.
Man is a miracle. And his home ana
SURROUNDINGS are miracles OF divine power
universe, a micrOcOsm, the image OF COD.
To what limits shall We connne our
belief Shall we believe only what We
have seen and felt and experienced and
done? is there no knowledge beyond
ours? is there no power beyond what
We know Of? Science and art ana IN
vention. chemistry and mechanics, are
daily showing new miracles: And VINO
shall limit their wonders? MI arduum
mortalibus. This age is prepared 10 be-
heve al things possible 10 science and
engineering? shall it not believe that an
things are possible with God? our time.
OF all the ages OF the world. is prepared
10 believe in The miracles or Jesus Christ
His power was superhuman because lie
was superhuman, the great power OF
God. His works and words presented
Kim as in the form 81 man, win the
power OF God. They demonstrated the
dvlneness OF His manhood The miracles
of Jesus Christ are the proclamation or
His divlulty; they avc"eh the present
God. They were supeThunan, above
human power. but not against law and
harmony and reason, and the ways OF
God. What divine power ordinarily ao-
complishes through agencies. b. slow
processes and IN the course Of time H
did at once. by divine authority-as the
Supreme Power-"with the finger Of
God" He multiplied the loaves ana
fishes: He covered the first earth with
trees and herbs, and makes the abundant
harvest out of a measure of grain. He
raised the dead: He gives life TO the
babe. He breathed the spirit OF life into
the first man: He makes living genera
tons to walk over the graves OF the |
aead. Ike healed ,he sick. and lie gave
sight to the blind: Ills power blesses the
of the physician and gives vir- |
tue TO the medicine. He cast out devils