The deeper danger to the reasoner himself which comes from thus obscuring the lines which divide miracles, specifi- cally so called, from the general supernatural, although al- ready incidentally suggested, seems to require at this point more explicit notice. When once the distinguishing mark ofjmiracles is obliterated, it is easy to eliminate the specifi- cally miraculous altogether by the simple expedient of sinking it in the general supernatural ; and that not merely in contemporary Christianity, but in the origins of Chris- tianity also. Numerous recent advocates of Faith-Healing have definitely entered upon this path. Thus Prebendary Reynolds, to whose book allusion has already been made, is perfectly sure that the miracles of Faith-Healing are as truly miracles as those that Christ wrought while on earth. But, the fence between miracles properly so-called and the general supernatural having been conveniently let down for him by his instructors, he is not so sure that miracles, in the sense of effects wrought immediately by God with- out the intervention of natural forces, ever occurred. He seeks analogies in mesmerism, hypnotism, and the like, and permits himself to write a passage like this: "Dr. Rudolf Heidenhaim gently stroked once or twice along Dr. Kroner's bent right arm; at once it became quite stiff. Other muscles, other members can be acted on in like manner. The effects are similar to effects produced by catalepsy. This shows how easy it was for our Lord, with His divine knowledge and power, to work every kind of healing." 9 Even Prebendary W. Yorke Fausset in- sists that the healing works of our Lord were wrought by Him not in virtue of His Deity but on the plane of His humanity, and differ not in kind but in degree "from the wonderful works of human healing, or, at all events, of healers who have wrought 'in the name of Jesus Christ'"
164 COUNTERFEIT MIRACLES
— in which, it is needless to say, he finds nothing that is strictly miraculous, though everything that is "spiritual," that is to say, supernatural.10 Some may look upon this movement of thought, to be sure, with indifference. The late Charles A. Briggs, for example, taught that "if it were possible to resolve all the miracles of the Old Testament into extraordinary acts of Divine Providence, using the forces and forms of nature in accordance with the laws of nature; and if we could explain all the miracles of Jesus, His unique authority over man and over nature, from His use of mind-cure, or hypnotism, or any other occult power," "nothing essential would be lost from the miracles of the Bible." n Few of us will be able, however, to follow Doc- tor Briggs in this judgment, a judgment which would con- found Moses with the magicians at Pharaoh's court, and reduce our Lord, in these of His activities at least, from the manifestation of God in the flesh to the exhibition of the occult powers of man. It is not easy to view, therefore, with other than grave apprehension the breaking down of the distinction between miracles and the general super- natural; because it tends to obliterate the category of the miraculous altogether, and in the long run to assimilate the mighty works of our Lord to — we put it at its best — the wonders of science, and Him, as their worker, to — we still put it at its best— the human sage.12
There is yet another effect, coming, however, from the opposite angle, which follows on breaking down the dis- tinction between miracle and the general supernatural, that we should not pass by without notice. What is the natural attitude of a man expecting a miracle? Simple expectancy, of course; just quiet waiting. But what is the natural attitude of a man praying for help from God, which is expected to come to him through the ordinary channels of law? Equally, of course, eager activity di- rected to the production of the desired result. Hence the proverb, God helps those who help themselves; and the
FANATICx\L TENDENCIES 165