New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-12
mTR4CLES.
Their Relation to Faith in
.NUdern Religion.

Modern Religion,
RELIGION AND MIRACLE, By George
A Gordon Minister OF the old South
Church Boston. Crown Syo,f pp. X, PA.
The HouEhton SIiff1in Company.
II in time past the Christian society
has been harassed by assaiants from
without who would belittIe religion by
discrediting its miraculous elements, she
now encounters what many adherents
consider d more bewildering spectacle
namely. the presence within her gates OF
avowadly filial churchmen who would II
possible reduce the prestige cf miracle
in order TO exaIt religion. It IS as gen
uine conservative. concerned for the
preservation of essential historic Chris
tianity. that DR.. Gordon, in the book be-
fore us. declares his conviction that
however stoutly one may hold to be-
lief III the miraculous the central de-
lates. difficulties. interests and hopes of
religion are elsewhere than in miracle.
1t IS because Of this conviction that he
makes plea for perspective and asks
that miracle be assigned q place agree
able with its relative Importance IN the
proportion of faith
Taking as organizing principles in the
discussion the conceptions OF natural
law and divine immanence. the author
employs no dogmatic negatives against
the possibility Of occurrences transcend
ing natural law The uniformity Of nat
IRE is an idea uncontradicted over the
entire field Of experiment, both ordinary
- hi to he
Hevc that il is an uncontradIcted con-
ception over the whole range Of cosmic
iiistory in relation TO man. but while
we are Jed ny contemporaneous expert
eEce TO believe IN the inNarlaoie order
of nature for all experience. We cannot
prove that absolute, InEariahle order
without denying the miraculous. since
there may be more THAN one version OF
The active viii OF the Most High, we
must acknowledge that tho version with
which humans are familiar is that OF
activity through natural law II is all
ro tine gain If vital religion, our author
thinks. if We can separate IL the historic
tatth between the verihabie ana rhe IN
verifabIe, not 50 that Nc may hasten 10
brand the unyerit!abie a. untrue, but 50
that We may refrain from imposing
Upon one another in one undisunguish-
able mass both that which Is open 80
veritication and that which Is not / NJ
fortunately II is just such crude com
pound that is the traditional orthodoxy
of the world Why should We put into
The same category the statement t'a'
Jesus at the wedding III cana OF ''ail'ee
turned water INTO VINE ana Hls great
Aords, 7 am the light OF the "orlo, ne
that iolio"Hfh mo 4haH nor walk lH tae
darkness. ont shaii nave me 'Eu' 'l
~" Inc statement d'o"' '''' l"i 'i','7
Of the water INTO VINO We cannot verify
T we believe IT, SAYS DR. Gordon. we 90
So on the a'th"r'S 90 me = curtin ''''S''7'-
ne statement '"7' NiI'F-' -
Jesus shall non Walk J" 'ilt darkness ''''-
SHAH have Jh' hS'1 OF NE Ia open S'
N'rifleaJl'i' an" experience "''u' %"
determine "H'ln'' -i'' 's'''..''' - ~ -
not -TIa-
WIN inc We" prey ''l'i'E more an"
more among eo''ea'e" P'''is liI''0
ll'rS''''S ar no pa %
an" 'ii0' d. 'i'i' 49, III a. ''''
Hglon does hoI "i''eI iron" o'l'el r.
Hglols' II Il llllt's 10 ma 'D' '
'sli "a - an ~ On
L" discover III HAT way 's''l III ~''-D I'D
affected "E the "eiL'a' 'l mn d'Ie' no"
docs II Tar" win Jesus -'.'H' II ''le
miraculous III inc al 7''i'.'' -
Trsai ued ~ "iii '.''' 'l'''' ~
oelle\ e uleo siio''''S - VS.
Tor miracle goo - 1i-0 nuns i'''l'Sf ' ''''
aIiJeeeaellI OF "tla'eNtF -, i'eliIeI
miracle oi HI anu
loUS Is I'' Ho'iei " i1'''7S ~ 0''- SUI "a
500 IMAM Is 1iie oFt-3l q 7Ai7'tiiceS 10TH
ing one sunllii'e "tl"ie ana Sa'lflered INTO
me pouLdiesS UNIV sfse WIG" rests '''
Inc sovereign ~ i'e