38 



DE. LUDWIG VON GERDTELL, ON 



ridiculous existence which is the lot of all forms of super- 

 stition. 



We, the disciples of Jesus, have therefore not only the right 

 but the duty of showing the scientific world that we retain our 

 position in purity of conscience, enlightened by scholarship. 



We commence our inquiry with the consideration of the first 

 objection. 



Miracles are impossible, since they destroy the fundamental 

 principle of modern science — that of the absolutely unalterable and 

 all-embracing Law of Causation. 



Before we reply to this objection we must arrive at an 

 understanding with our opponents on two preliminary questions : 



1. What is to be understood by the Law of Causation ? 



2. How does modern science establish its foundation 



principle of the absolute validity of the Law of 

 Causation ? 



We commence with the first question : What is to be under- 

 stood by the Law of Causation ? 



By Causality or Natural Law we indicate that well-grounded 

 deduction which rests on the innumerable facts of experience, 

 namely : — 



1. That every occurrence in the world of nature has a 



corresponding cause. 



2. That the same causes have the same effects in all cases ; 



or otherwise expressed, that all. occurrences in actuality 

 follow one another according to a certain unalterable 

 rule. 



For the elucidation of this second definition we give several 

 illustrations, which may be multiplied at will. A stone, 

 allowed to drop from a tower, finding no other resistance than 

 that of the pressure of the air, falls always in the direction of 

 the earth's centre. The direction of the stone's descent is 

 therefore according to an invariable rule. Water freezes at 

 32° Fahr. ; nitroglycerine explodes with intensest violence under 

 sudden heat of about 420° Fahr. or by means of impact or 

 pressure of a certain force. Strychnine, administered in a 

 certain dose, always causes the death of the person concerned. 



As soon as we know these rules of consecutive action, we are 

 in possession of a limited power of natural prophecy. We are 

 able, that is, as soon as an event takes place — such as the 

 swallowing of a certain dose of strychnine by anyone — to 

 predict with certainty in every case the result, viz., the death of 

 the person concerned. 



