2. The discussion provoked by Prof.TyndalFs so-called " Prayer-test" (q. v.) has given a fresh interest to the question, How far are we entitled to expect the divine in- terference with the ordinary course of nature in answer to prayer? The question practically resolves itself into another and simpler one, Have miracles ceased in the present age of the Church? This latter is properly a question of fact ; and it is very generally answered in the affirmative. The modern instances of miracle- working are too few and uncertain to warrant any other conclusion. All those who of late years have come for- ward with claims to the power have sooner or later proved themselves miserable pretenders, and hence the j world has justly abandoned all hope in this direction. Whether the power of working miracles was intended to be only a temporary grant to the apostolic age, and whether therefore it need have been lost out of the Church, is an entirely different question. For aught we can see, there is no limit, set in the N. T. for its pos- session and exercise, save the implied one of its neces- sity; and whether this condition has yet wholly passed away admits of grave doubt, especially in view of the fact that large portions of the earth are yet unchristian- ized. But it would lie of little avail to argue this ab- stract question. Unless we can bring recent and well- authenticated cases of miracles wrought publicly and indubitably, few, if any, will believe that we have now the right to look for them. This, we apprehend, is really the settled and universal conviction of Christian people of the present day— of Protestants at least. Hence to Prof. Tyndall's challenge that we should test the effi- cacy of prayer by a miraculous answer, we simply reply that we do not expect any such thing, nor do we feel ourselves authorized to pray for it. This is not now the legitimate scope or province of Christian prayer.
We are well aware that a certain class of well-at- tested and indeed not infrequent facts is commonly ap- pealed to in order to maintain at least the vestiges of this power as still extant in the Church. Most striking, perhaps, among these occurrences are the remarkable cases of recovery from an apparently incurable sickness, some of which have transpired within the knowledge of almost every one. These have sometimes taken place in a very marked manner in answer to the prayers of friends and congregations. Far be it from us to deny the efficacy of prayer in such cases, or to say a word that would discourage prayer in other like cases. But none of these cases — we mean those of which we have sufficient details and fidl authentication — at all come up to the idea and definition of a proper miracle. They all
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lack at least three of the essential circumstances of such an event: 1st They are nol obvious, palpable, direct, ami instantaneous reversals of the established laws of nature. Many persons have been raised from a seeming bed "i deatb ;i- low as any of these, when all hopes and means of restoration had bees abandoned, and yet no one thought of a miracle; perhaps n.> one had even prayed for recovery. The eases arc nol clearly super- natural. 2d. These cures arc not effected by any indi- vidual consciously and avowedly authorized t" exercise tin- divine power in the case, in a miracle there must be imp misgh ing, no hesitation, no shifting of responsi- bility on the pari of the operator. He must positively know and explicitly assert that he is "the finger ol God;" otherwise his act becomes the most blasphemous assumption. 3d. Genuine miracles have only been wrought a> an ocular demonstration of the commission of a divine messenger or teacher; they have in all in- stances been resorted to solely in personal attestation of sacred truth. No new doctrine "r fresh communication from Heaven purports to be made in connection with the remarkable cases under consideration. The cures are besought as a personal favor, out of regard for pri- vate feeling or public usefulness. But these were not the motives which induced our Lord or his apostles to work miracles. They simply wrought them to prove the truth of Christianity. Just here, if anywhere, may doubtless be discovered the reason why miracles have nol been perpetuated. There remains no longer any fresh revelation of < rod's « ill to man ; no new dispensa- tion or even agencies are to be established on the divine pari: and therefore no such special credentials are is- sued from the court of heaven. lis ambassadors have onh the common seal of the Gospel— the fruits of their ministry.
The same hind of argument disposes of all the other special providences often cited in proof of a divine in- tervention in answer to prayer. These likewise are not miracles, nor are they commonly so regarded. There is, however, thus much of valuable truth in the assump- tion of their pertinency here, namely, that they are really and purposely interferences of God on behalf of those interested, .and ai the request ol the petitioners. Thai God is aide to introduce himself at any and every point in mundane affairs, whether great <>r small, is one of the clearest doctrines of the Bible; infaci.it is a nec- essary supposition in any religion. But that ho is aide to do ihis without disturbing the order usually styled "the laws of nature" is with equal certainly his prerog- ative as Creator and Preserver of all. To argue other- wise is c it her to dethrone him from the dominion of the universe, or to confound government with revolution. Providence is nol miraculous; it may be special, or even extraordinary, bul it is not therefore oul of or contrary to fixed rule. Jusl here, on the other hand, we musl be permitted to enter our protest against the specious reasoning in Bushnell's Naiurt and th Supernatural, which, in our judgment, virtually does away with all miracle' by reducing ii to an imaginary, higher, and hitherto unknown law of divine establishment, called •• moral." so as to save ii IV. cm the odium of conflict with nature. A miracle, by iis very definition, must he a mi per.-., dure or a temporary violation, if you please id" a well-known and fixed law of nature. It is upon this point thai its whole significance depends. Eliminate this element, and you destroy iis entire moral force. Iiiai the laws of physical nature are adminis- tered in ultimate subservience to those of the meeral n; appro; ed no less by reason