Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-20
MIRACLES OF CHRIST,
Rev. Mr.. Soaton Rejects The Mythical
and Allegorlcal Explanations
VISITING METHODIST MINISTER'S
Many Of the City Pnipits Supplied ~
Them sunday--Dr. Fair's Sermon ."
Joseph-snnday servscss'


Rev. Joseoh ". SsAten the uhNsnsn
minister sn.s. at setvfdsrc Hall sunday
nigh, nm oJesu. ana IT'S Miracles. inc
spsaxer nrss ssncss N. subject OF n''r@
cles in scnersl, aAa said: TIE a'e,Aii VI
Mrs Humphrey ward that m'fseies W
not happen 10 prs,ty generally aeee''e'
today. OF cs-syv> ams1s .Le mo'c N''
rant nart OF oar SsvuiAsson many supel-
.,y,,os,s os,Isfs ssfli hoIi ue ground anu
ANU o,sntity Of cssGsncs can sun DC
.n..rscd far no .assssr how impiauaWs
a story. BIT generally soe&kihs' INV"
cov deuAad ,~oor for any statement pre-
.sn.e5 TO them today. and are uhwh"hs
90 accept anything that Is not csnsis'sn'
with solstide fact. Cudsr the s"'
r,,,no glance OF this inquis4ng spirit MI
-a.,.s fare badly. 10 order to discuss IN
..,,,,.n.,v the e:bject Of miracles mira
ola n,us, be defined. Here Is wnSN Inc
n,oxt OF our advocates OF the sutheAl''y
=, r,,,cles make "A mistake. A stoeh
ara,,,nsrt With thesn aSs1nst We ma"
r,no does not believe that Cnr,Rt cou'o
raise n man from the dead Is 10 say u''''
me- growing OF the grass 's as gssA*
,,,..<,As mn the raising Of TIRE dad. Iha'
90 =. he M more easily explained NOW.
enc yrovins OF the grass 10 no miIaS.e
AT ali IL 10 one OF the nosi acteai i.S's
- ~. uniysr>s. a.tes;ed by millions Oh
v.,,nessex The growing grass fo'iows
o.tursI law. observable and preuic"oie.
HOW n xrovv cannot indeed be toio, ou'
that IL grows Is no mystery or niiIAS.o
Hoy, about the raising OF a dead MAJ,
Il
400, IN certain records In certain
hcs,L ne have no evidence that man o.
,,or,an or child. once actually dead oouIu
eyer come TO life. The evidence IL az, ,no
other way. Therefore, that TINS llns
sho.,,d occur requires that the operation
y, universal law be set wholly ASIDE
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
ma ,ti~ thing ever occur in the history
the world. and is II necessary that
This thing occur In the history OF tie
world. is the question 10 De a"swS, :,
Not so much Are miracles poss'pie'
but. "Are they probable? firsl I'LL
- - az. those miracles said to have hap
noncd9 In an age when the people were
,onorant and superstitious, when miracles
80 common. or rather BELIEF IN MI
rac,os This must be taken into con-
alteration in forming our judgment Inc
storv of the life OF Jesus was not written
until forty or fifty years affer ms ued'h'
What opportunity for countless nuinoeio
of fabulous tales to arise! Especlalry DIS
Iesus must have been a wonderful cnar-
ter and endowed with wonderful per-
sonai mower over the sick and infrm
Amounting. perhaps in some instances
Ia real cases of healing. To-day the IN
cuence OF the mind over the body Is ac
LnowledQed by all medical schools. and
that Jesus. by his sympathy and presence
NAV have healed some of the nervous All
uents of those brought to him we pc
lieve Is admitted by nearly, II not all,
Eiblical critics of repute. But how about
,hc greater miracles of Jesus? His feed
ing the 5000. turning water into wine and
raising Lazarus? For my part l reject
wholly the mythical. and allegorical eX-
PLANTATION Of these things. and also In part
the naturalistc method. Let US examine
for q moment the feeding OF the 5,Wo.
The account says ostensibly that 5'Wo
people were fed from five loaves and
few little fishes. and that afterward
twelve baskets full of fragments were
gathered up 1t Is commonly accepted as
rue that all things are possible with
God. but hope IL will not be considered
irreyerent IL | say that / do not believe
that even with God 1t Is possible to
create such q feast out of five loayeS
and two small fishes.
WORKS THROUGH UNIFORM LAW.
God works through uniform law. and
not through hap-hazard multiplication
tables of this kind. Even II II were pos
shle with God. the thing Is not probable.
and Is highly unnecessary. What has
been said in regard to this mi
racle applies to the miracle oil
turning water into wine? Wine and water
are wholly unlike In some Of their chem
nd 70
into wine would involve a pure creation
OF something out of nothing. If / were
to tell you that last night the water In
my pitcher turned INTO wine you would
think / vas joking. IL / persisted II my
statement, you woIid either send for
physician or take me to the lunatic asy-
lin. Why believe that this miracle hap
pened in Palestine 1850 years ago? The
raising OF Lazarus Is Of the same piece
all legend or tradition. If Lazarus actu-
ally did walk forth from the grave
bound hand and .oot," he had never
been dead. and was aroused from his
swoon by the loud voice of Jesus; II
actually dead, ne never walked forth.
Just how much OF truth there is in all
these traditions concerning Jesus is hard
TO tell. Something Of truth there may be
In most of them, perhaps all of them; but
jLst what that truth Is Will mover be
known, for ii lies Swallowed in the mists
of the past Does this absence OF the
authenticity OF the miracles affect for
Us the value Of the life and teachings OF
Jesus? II 1t does not, for long after
miracles are forgotten, the power OF his
parallels and the constrainiLg sweetness
of the Sermon on the Mount Will still In
spire the lives Of m,n.
Visiting Methodists Preach.
Large congregations were the rule In
the Richmond churches on Sunday. The
weather was a little raw, and there were
light showers In the afternoon, but these
lid not deter the people, to any con-
siderable extent, from attending worship.
The pulpits of nearly all the Methodist
churches were filled by visiting ministers.
Who came down from conference to spend
he Sabbath and preach.
Rev j. W. Stiff preached at Trinity
both morning and evening. and was heard
,y large and interested audiences. The
ext in the morning was, LET Your Light
So Shine That Others May See Your
GOOD Works." ETC., and the discourse was
forcble and practical presentation of
he truth that the children of the Most
High must not only walk in conformity
with His win as regards the obligation
dwelling upon them with reference TO
themselves. But II is their solemn duty,
Us well as privilege, to let their light
shine by exhibiting practical efforts to
elevate mankind and bring men into the
kingdom of God. Opportunities for work
n this regard are as varied as are hui
nanity's needs.
At night the text was, "Never Man
spake Like This Man." and the sermon
vas an effective presentation of the eter-
iality and immutability of truth, which
he blessed Saviour presented in such
beautiful and clear light that all the world
night behold, wonder. and embrace.
christ, he declared, originated and pro-
nulgated no new truths. but rather en-
,hasized and enforced existing truths.
and did II with such power and force
hat Of Him 1t was truly said. Never
nan spake like this man."
The speaker dwelt particularly upon
he peculiar effectiveness OF the presenta-
ion OF the truth when the medium of
Is presentation was pure and consistent.
-hrists matchless words, though, "Never
nan spake like this man." would not
,avs carried the force they exerted II
tIis life had not been above reproach.
Live the truth, and the presentation OF