The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-12-15
POPULAR APoLoeETlcs.
Adapted from the German of Rev
Peter Mikes, S. j., by Rev.
James Watcher.


SO. In the Name of Future Science.
objection: IF there is something
we can not explain, we must assume
that our knowledge has not yet devel-
oped sufficiently to admit of an ex-
PLANTATION; but we do not abandon the
hope that later. with better means OF
knowledge, we can obtain natural
explanation according to natural laws.
In this system there is no room for
the miracle" (From the newspaper
quoted in number 32).
Answer: u Is there room in this
system for reason and common sense?
We highly esteem the progress OF
medical science; but. it would not be
a sign of reason and common sense
if a medical man would mot abandon
the hope" to be able with better
means of knowledge to explain ac-
cordings to natural laws" the raising
to life of Lazarus by Christs mere
word.
We highly esteem the science of
meteorology (science of the weather. !;
but who wants to remain reasonable
will have to abandon the hope" of
ever explaining according to natural
laws" how Christ Gained the storm by
a mere word.
1t is not a sign of science to rely
on foolish hopes, as it is poor business
TO make loan on an insolvent bank
of the future to cover up the present
insolvency.
In the presence of such and similar
miracles, which are attested beyond
all doubt, an honest science must adj
nit it's insolvency without any BUSH
ness tricks.
q For further proof of this let us
consider the following. To be able
to say that something is beyond the
limits of natural forces for now and
the future, it is not necessary to know
all that nature can do, but it is suffi-
cient to know what nature certainly
can not do.
1t is selfevident that an effect must
have it's proportionate cause. No
disease is healed naturally without
employing a remedy which has direct
ly or indirectly produced the healing.
BY mere act of the will mere man
has never yet healed sick person.
If, therefore, in future a hundred
or thousand discoveries are made and
new powers and remedies are made
known in nature, still the discovery
no odn 70 -nrnd1Io0 an
effect without a natural means or
cause.
An example-Up to the present the
science of medicine has not yet been
able to heal in an instant leprosy,
blindness from birth, etc. In his
the future the learned writer of the
Frankfurt article in the above objec-
ton would not like to abandon the
hope" that such remedies will be dis
covered. But let us suppose that in
the year 1000 medical professor in
in a moment That would be grand!
How grateful we all would be to the
discoverer!
Would that do away with the belief
in miracles? BY no means! st. Peter
heals a lame man, the professor heals
a lame man, both in an instant. Won
derful similarity! Miracles are abol-
ished, are they not? But there is just
the least little difference: st. Peter
does it without remedy, by mere
word; the professor opens his box or
bottle to administer his pill or powder
or applies the electric current or
something of the kind. No one would
call the professors cure miraculous:
st. Peters cure remains a miracle in
spite of all discoveries. To have a
miracle we must not only ask what is
done, but also how it is done. Should
ever anyone discover remedy to heal
leprosy in moment, the healing OF
the leper by Christ would still be a
miracle, for Christ used no remedy OF
medicine but a mere word: Il will
be thou made Clean
Therefore, let us not fear for the
future as to the belief in miracles
Let us also encourage the courageous
and deserving investigator, who tries
to wrest all secrets from Nature. Fol
the believer the grounds of salvation
still remain, and eternal happiness be
sides.