The sun., 1894-03-11

any a priori notions about the possibility OF
the I'm possibility OF the existence OF a world ol
spirits such as that presupposed by genuine
Christianity. As regards a pr,ori notions. he
points out. In the essay on Possibilities and
Impossibilities." that nothing which is intel
lleible and can be distinctly conceived can
ever be proved false BY any abstract a priori
reasoning. It's certain. for instance, that the
existence OF demons can be distinctly con-
| oeived. The idea OF their existence implies no
| more q contradiction in terms than does the
idea OF the existence Of pathoGenic microbes
in the air. Indeed. the air permeatlnR MI
crobes constitute q tolerably exact physi-
cal analogue Of the powers OF the air "
Of ancient belief Again. In the Affirmation
that q man walked upon water. the idea Of the
subject is not contradictory OF that In the
predicate. Naturalists are familiar with In
sects which walk on water. and Imagination
has no more difficulty In putting a man In
| place OF the Insect than II has In giving m an
tho wings ofa bird and making an angel ofhim.
| or in ascribing to him the ascensivs tenden-
| cies OF a balloon. as the " Levitationists" do
Undoubtedly. II we had any reason to believe
that our present knowledge Of the nature OF
things exhausted the possibilities OF nature.
we might properly say that the attributes OF
men are contradictory OF walking on water or
floating In tho air. and that consequently
these acts are truly impossible for them. But
II IL sufficiently obvious not only that we are
at the beginning OF our knowledge OF nature.
but that the limitations OF our faculties are
such that we never can act bounds to natures
possibilities Tho same considerations are ap-
rled TO other exam pies OF supposed miracu-
lous events. Thus the change OF water into
wine implies a contradiction in terms. and
Is asauredly impossible. II we are per-
tnit.cd to assume that the elementary
hOlioqh n fba hal iata nd
forever immutable. Not only. however. is a
negative proposition OF this kind incapable OF
proof but modern chemistry Is incline ed toward
the contrary doctrine, II carbon can be got
out OF hydrogen or oxygen. the conversion OF
water into wine comes within the range OF
scientific possibility. for 1t becomes a nero
question OF molecular arrangement A for
virgin procreation. IL Is not only clearly i'm
aginable. but modern biology recognizes 1t as
an everyday occurrence among some groups
Of animals SO with restoration TO life after
death. Certain animals. long as dry as mum
mics and to all appearance as dead when
placed In proper conditions resume their
vitality. It may be said that these creatures
were not dead. but merely In n condition OF
suspended vitality. but that is only begging
the question by making tho incapacity for
restoration to lilo part OF the definition OF
death. In tho absence OF obvious LESSONS OF
some OF the more Important organs, IL Is no
easy matter, even for experts. to say that an
apparently dead man Is incapable OF restora-
ton TO life
so much for Prot Huxley's refusal to be In
nuenced by priori notions. With him. the
question as to tho existence OF a world OF
spirits Is purely one OF evidence; Is the testi-
mony adequate to bear out the theory. or is 1t
notf In his Judgment 1t Is not only made
qunte. but quite aosurdly insuiioient On that
ground he fee's compelled to reject the theory
ana no wouii feol 80 even IL there were no
POSITIVE grounds ior adopting totally diner-
ent conception OF the cosmos- This question
OF evidence manifestly resolves itself into that
OF the trustworthiness OF the Gospsl frst as
to the objective truth OF that which they mar
rate with regard to a world OF spirits second.
as to the accuracy OF the Interpretation which |
their authors put on these objective facts.
Prof. Huxley proceeds to examine the charac- |
ter and weight OF the testimony OF the evanRe-
lists and he arrives at the conclusion not |
only that the evidence regarding demonoloRy |
must be rejected. but also that the |
true or may be false. and that the ulti-