12 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



the corn was ground, after which the wind ceased. 

 According to the canon of the Hampton Lecturer, this, 

 though carrying a strong appearance of an immediate 

 exertion of Divine energy, lacks by a hair's-breadth the 

 quality of a miracle. For the wind might have arisen, 

 and might have ceased, in the ordinary course of 

 nature. Hence the occurrence did not ' compel the 

 inference of extraordinary Divine agency.' In like 

 manner Mr. Mozley considers that ' the appearance of 

 the cross to Constantine was a miracle, or a special pro- 

 vidence, according to what account of it we adopt. As 

 only a meteoric appearance in the shape of a cross it 

 gave some token of preternatural agency, but not full 

 evidence.' 



In the Catholic canton of Switzerland where I now 

 write, and still more among the pious Tyrolese, the 

 mountains are dotted with shrines, containing offerings 

 of all kinds, in acknowledgment of special mercies 

 legs, feet, arms, and hands of gold, silver, brass, and 

 wood, according as worldly possessions enabled the 

 grateful heart to express its indebtedness. Most of 

 these offerings are made to the Virgin Mary. They 

 are recognitions of ' special providences,' wrought 

 through the instrumentality of the Mother of God. 

 Mr. Mozley 's belief, that of the Methodist chronicler, 

 and that of the Tyrolese peasant, are substantially the 

 same. Each of them assumes that nature, instead of 

 flowing ever onward in the uninterrupted rhythm of 

 cause and effect, is mediately ruled by the free human 

 will. As regards direct action upon natural phenomena, 

 man's wish and will, as expressed in prayer, are con- 

 fessedly powerless ; but prayer is the trigger which 

 liberates the Divine power, and to this extent, if the 

 will be free, man, of course, commands nature. 



Did the existence of this belief depend solely upon 



