HUMAN REASON BOOK OF GOD 211 



There is the wonderful capture of the city of 

 Jericho. When the Israelites, under Joshua, marched 

 round it seven times, and blew seven long blasts on 

 their ramshorns, the walls fell. Now, the spies may 

 have reported to Joshua the weakness of the walls, 

 and, by marching round them seven times, caused the 

 people of the city to crowd onto the walls, and the 

 vibrations of the horns caused them to fall. 



We know that the vibrations of thunder or cannon 

 or any loud noise has caused many a house to fall, 

 and would endanger any weak building or wall. I 

 believe that if every miracle in the Bible was dis- 

 approved or shown to be a natural event it would 

 not destroy or affect a single important truth it 

 teaches. 



While I believe the brave and honest man will 

 refuse happiness at the expense of truth, I must 

 partly agree with Luckey, the historian, who says 

 we owe more to our illusions than to our knowledge ; 

 that superstition appeals to our hopes as well as 

 our fears, and often meets and gratifies the inmost 

 longings of our heart. Imagination, which is alto- 

 gether constructive, contributes more to our happi- 

 ness than reason, which is mainly critical and de- 

 structive. He says: "The rude charm clasped by 

 the savage, the sacred picture protecting the poor 

 man's cottage, can bestow a more real consolation 

 in the darkest hour of human suffering than the 

 grandest theories of philosophy." This was more 

 distinctly true in the early history of the human 

 race, when ignorace and superstitious wonder domi- 

 nated all minds and all important events were 

 deemed supernatural or miraculous. 



Take the superstitious worship of the Virgin Mary; 



