The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-01-19
POPULAR APoLoeETlcs.
Adapted from. the German of Rev.
Peter Mikes, S. j., by Rev.
James Watcher,

40. Before the Congress of Scientists.
Objection: To verify a miracle be-
yond all doubt a congress of scien-
fists would have to examine it with
the greatest exactness and care and
would have to have the miracle re-
peated under various conditions. This
would either lead to the discovery OF
deception or to the recommendation
of cautious judgment. The judgment
of the laity or even the people at large
can not be admitted.
Answer: u All due respect to ex-
perts and scientists! But, thanks be
to God, in some things we can attain
certainty without experts and scieno
lists. For example, we need no con-
gress of scientists to tell blind man
from a seeing one, a leper from
clean one, hunger from safety, the
living from the dead,
If the common man could no longer
judge with certainty about such
things, life would become impossible:
every moment some would die be-
cause for weeks they could not tell
whether they were hungry or not;
! leprosy and cholera, etc. could no
longer be avoided because the sick
could not be told from the we'll; and
the grave-diggers would often make
fatal blrnder by burying the living
instead of the dead.
Because the common people, includ-
ing the village physician and the Off
Gals cannot tell with scientific certain
ty whether a person is dead or alive,
the burial of the dead would have to
be postponed till a. congress of scien-
fists has spoken. Even the cadaver-
Gus smell, like that of Lazarus, would
not be sufficient, unless attested by a
scientific congress.
We see how ridiculous is the ex-
cusc that the common people can
give no expert testimony with such
plain miracles as the above. With
the same certainty the people could
verify how Jesus put moistened clay
on the eyes of the man born blind,
how He simply touched the leper, and
how He called into the grave: ''Lazar-
us, come FORTH" The conclusion to
a miracle is fully justified.
The natural senses and the simple,
sound human reason of the common
people see in such evident facts clear
er than the hundred infidel members
of a scientific congress. For these in
fidel gentlemen are from the very
start color-blind for supernatural
facts, not because of their scientific
knowledge, but because of their pref
= lldiee - They~are~ Like some hypnotic
ed persons, who under the influence
OF the hypnotist do not see or. hear
certain persons, though they converse
with others right aside. of them.
p Do these infidels think that the
infinitely great God would make a
humble bow before them and present
Himself before board of examiners,
or delegate a miracle worker to ap-
pear there? If God would stoop to
that a sensible man could no longer
respect Him.
God can in His great mercy descend
to undreamed of depths. But even in
His greatest humiliation the Son of
God did not deign to make a show
with miracles. Herod was glad to see
Jesus, because he expected to see a
miracle, but Jesus would not even an
swer a single question of the inquisi-
tive king and his court.
IF a poor Renan Ct 1922, summons
the infinite God before committee of
his kind, to act the part of a juggler,
we shrug our shoulders at the proud
fool and pass on (P. Rob, S.. j.
G. 1922, Was list Christus What is
Christ?)
No, God will not appear before a
board of examiners. but the day win
come when God win subject His crit
les to a severe examination, an ex-
amen rigorosum; and woe to the man
who will not be able to pass the ex-
animation!