138 ARCHBISHOP O'BRIEN OX THE 



What we here mean by a miracle may be defined as, the onfcome of an extraordinary 

 intervention of the divine power, in the order of created things. Hence a miracle must be the act 

 of the Supreme Power. But that act may be exercised either immediately by the Creator, 

 or mediately through the instrumentality of Nature's laws. In order to avoid all misunder- 

 standing it may be observed that our reasoning takes for granted the existence of a supreme, 

 intelligent, first cause, or first motor, from whom all causality depends. The learned men 

 of Egypt, the mystics of India, the philosophers of Greece and Rome, equally with the 

 prophets of the Old and evangelists of the New Testament, and a long line of illustrious 

 Christian scientists invariably made the same assumption, when not treating directly of his 

 existence. This explanation having been made, let us bring the jx)ssibility of an interven- 

 tion, such as we have described, before the bar of reason, and weigh conscientiously the 

 objections against it. 



We are assured by eminent biologists, physiologists, and doctors who make a special 

 study of man's physical growth, development and decay, from his earliest stages of inception 

 to his final dissolution, that all the changes of life are the ordered results of laws silently, 

 but with unbending constancy, working through the centuries. The geologists will maintain 

 that the same holds good in the stratification of the earth. The astronomer is certain of the 

 existence of similar unrelenting laws that govern, and guide, the mazy motions of all plan- 

 etary systems. And every unfledged Newton will be ready to stake his reputation for 

 learning, that the law of gravitation, and of molecular attraction and rejjulsion, is more 

 unvarying than wei-e the laws of the Mede or the Persian. Hence is drawn the formidable 

 objection against the possibility of miracles, which, however stated, or from whatsoever 

 special science it may be deduced, can in its ultimate analysis be reduced to this form : a 

 miracle is a suspension, or abrogation, or contradiction of nature's laws ; but these laws are 

 permanent and immutable. The stability and harmony of the visible world are dependent 

 on them. If there be a supreme intelligent Creator he has planned them, and appointed 

 unto them a predetermined end. Therefore the unvarying nature of these laws, verified in 

 themselves, and requisite for the permanence of creation, and the wisdom itself of the 

 Creator, forbid our admitting any such suspension, abrogation or contradiction, or, in other 

 words, prove the impossibility of a miracle. 



It may be readily granted that this objection, l>ased apparently in the nature of things, 

 and backed up by an array of facts from various sciences, presents a formidable appearance, 

 and looms threateningly over against the widespread belief in the miraculous. We can even 

 understand, if we cannot sympathize with, how some half-baked believer, or some dilettante 

 in science, might be so impressed by it as to seek safety therefrom by grounding arms, and 

 surrendering at discretion. To meet and refute it we shall not stop to point out how contin- 

 ually, more especially in our day, scientific theories are. exploded, nor to show that the 

 Creator of forces is superior to his work ; we shall solve the ditiiculty by proving it does not 

 exist. In other words that it is founded on a misconception of the nature of a miracle, both 

 as to its manner of jjroduction, and its ultimate relation to the highest interests of our race. 

 In a certain true sense it may be said that a miracle is the most natural of events, and rela- 

 tively to its immediate cause, no more wonderful than the fall of an apple to the ground. 

 The miraculous element of the miracle is not in its effect, but in its immediate cause, viz., 

 the volition of the Omnipotent. We shall make that clear by a familiar illustration. 



The definition of miracles generally given and accepted, either expressed or imyilied 

 some violence done to natural laws. This may be set down to a less accurate knowledge of 



