MIRACLE, OR COINCIDENCE? 
We beg leave to refer the reader again to a previous chap¬ 
ter—“An Incident of the Civil War.” Having reflected over 
this incident, one will very likely inquire of himself whether 
or not miracles are definitely outmoded, or whether there is 
still Divine intervention in the daily affairs of men. The whole 
question is a highly controversial one, hence we shall avoid 
any definite commitments. The rattler which played a promi¬ 
nent role in this incident behaved in a manner quite in keeping 
with his nature, and could be relied upon to thus conduct him¬ 
self over and over again, when encroached upon in quarters 
where freedom of movement is denied him. It happens to be 
a fact which none will deny that the sound of a rattler simply 
chills the blood of those coming upon one unexpectedly. It is 
not impossible that these Union soldiers carried out their im¬ 
mediate assignment in a perfunctory manner—with sufficient 
outward show as would convince their immediate superior 
that they had, as soldiers, been thoroughly vigilant in the per¬ 
formance of their duties, but had, in reality, fled the scene by 
reason of fear. Even if this were true, no just criticism could 
possibly be directed at them—they were not open to charges 
of dereliction of duty. On the contrary, their sudden decision 
to abandon the chase might well be accepted by some as evi¬ 
dence of the Divine mind working upon their own, and direct¬ 
ing their mental processes. 
If, on the contrary, we are still living in an age of miracles, 
it is believed with all sincerity that the incident related below is 
more definitely entangled with the miraculous than the one 
set forth above. 
The same has to do with an humble old minister of the Gos¬ 
pel, afflicted with total blindness, and bowed under the weight 
of years. It was during the early pioneer days when ministers 
were few and far between, and the mode of conveyance in 
vogue at the time was slow and uncertain. He came along with 
the first influx of settlers, and at the time being in possession of 
his sight, selected a suitable site for his future home, built him- 
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