48 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



the most extraordinary and exciting escapes from peril were 

 recounted and ascribed to prayer, while equally wonderful 

 instances of calamity were adduced as illustrations of Di- 

 vine retribution. In such magazines, or elsewhere, I found 

 recorded the case of the celebrated Samuel Hick, which, as 

 it illustrates a whole class of special providences, approach- 

 ing in conclusiveness to miracles, is worthy of mention here. 

 It is related of this holy man — and I, for one, have no doubt 

 of his holiness — that flour was lacking to make the sacra- 

 mental bread. Grain was present, and a windmill was 

 present, but there was no wind to grind the corn. With 

 faith, undoubting Samuel Hick prayed to the Lord of the 

 w T inds : the sails turned, the corn was ground, after which 

 the wind ceased. According to the canon of the Bampton 

 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 infer- 

 ence of extraordinary Divine agency." In like manner Mr. 

 Mozley considers that " the appearance of the cross to 

 Constantine was a miracle, or a special providence, ac- 

 cording to which account of it we adopt. As only a mete- 

 oric 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 moun- 

 tains 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 provi- 

 dences," wrought through the instrumentality of the Mother 

 of God. Mr. Mozley 's belief, that of the Methodist chron- 



