'62 A. T. SCHOFIELD, M.D.^ ON SCIENCE AND THE UNSEEN WORLD. 



to see a miracle performed at the tomb of a holy jpir or saint, there. 

 It is said there was a large round stone that the strongest man can 

 scarcely raise from the ground, but which eleven men, after a 

 prayer made to the saint, lifted up with the tips of their little fingers 

 with the same ease as they could move a piece of straw. He noticed 

 that the stone was lifted with much effort, but as he expressed his 

 faith, and added a bribe, he was allowed to assist. As he used only 

 his finger so that the stone constantly inclined his way, and even 

 when he added his thumb the weight could hardly be got up, it 

 was clear there was no miracle, but a tumult was raised and he had 

 to run for his life. 



Eev. John Tuckwell, M.R.A.S. — Dr. Schofield has raised a 

 great many questions and it would be impossible even to touch 

 upon them all. But I may be permitted to say a word concerning 

 filie case of "Blind Martha." I knew her twenty years ago as she 

 :attended my ministry, and I, as well as others, was convinced that 

 vshe was not so blind as she appeared to think, for it is quite 

 possible for patients suffering from nervous infirmities to think 

 themselves much worse than they really are as we know; but 

 " Blind Martha " could run about in my school room among a 

 number of iron columns supporting the upper part of the building, 

 and romp with the children of my Sunday school and never run 

 foul of these columns. She lived in a room by herself and did 

 everything for herself. She could go through the streets also with 

 great confidence. But her blindness brought her a great deal of 

 sympathy and my impression is that she was led to suppose herself 

 worse than she really was. Personally therefore I could not accept 

 her case as evidence of the reality of faith healing. 



May I say also concerning Dr. Schofield's reference to miracles 

 that an event can scarcely be described as a miracle because it 

 " transcends all known laws " as in the case of the " miracle of 

 radium " as Professor Boys expresses himself. I have J'ead of a 

 missionary who in order to create an impression on the minds of the 

 ^natives of the country where he laboured, suddenly took out his 

 artificial teeth and allowed them to examine his toothless gums and 

 then replaced them again. But that was not a miracle. Surely the 

 only correct definition of a miracle is that it is an effect produced in 

 the constitution and course of nature by a S'z<^;ernatural force — a 

 force that is outside and above it whether Divine or demoniacal. 



