The question is thus narrowed to one of testimony. It is alleged that no evidence of the occurrence of miracles has been found since the principles of scientific investigation have been understood and acted on, and that those which are popularly believed in are referred to a time of comparative ignorance and superstition. To this it is only necessary to remark that if science will but carry its inquiries a little further back, and place proper confidence in the world's broad common sense, ample and reliable testimony will be dis. covered. The New Testament records, confirmed by the more than disinterested evidence of many, evidence to a spread which involved hatred, incessant persecution, poverty, and untold labours, with almost the certainty of ignominious and painful death, give ample accounts of miracles wrought in the simplest matters of every-day observation, and prove that imposture would assuredly have been discovered by the lynx-eyed jealousy of numerous and powerful enemies. These accounts can be set aside only on the assumption, unwarrantable and degrading to the divine Author of the universe, that miracles are impossible, or so inherently improbable that no testimony can avail in their support, or upon principles of criticism which subvert all history, and deny to man belief in aught but his own absolute experience.

With the admission of the miraculous element in human affairs, all possible objections on scientific grounds to the incarnation and resurrection of Jesus Christ are destroyed by implication.

Can science disprove the existence of the soul as something apart from and above matter, though in mysterious contact and union with it, and which is the conscious reasoning "I" we call ourself? Physical life may be but the play and counter-play of material forces in wonderful and delicate combinations of cells and organs, forming, in fact, machines of marvellous and intricate design, yet really made up of atoms like those of the surrounding world in new circumstances and under new relations. But on rising to the facts of thought and consciousness, these are found to be totally irreconcilable with materialistic theories and speculations.

Consciousness must be granted either as an attribute of universal matter, or as something peculiar to a special and distinct existence named the soul. If the latter, no proof can be offered that it ceases to be when the organism to which it is united during physical life, dies and returns to its original elements. It is removed from the sphere of observation, and nothing, apart from revelation, can pronounce on its continuance or extinction. If the former, the consciousness of any being cannot be one and indivisible, but is the aggregate consciousness of all its parts, and consequently may at any time be separated into these. Personality is, on this assumption, entirely destroyed, as what is called a person may be resolved into an infinite number of persons; for if matter is itself conscious, the consciousness must reside in its constituent atoms, inasmuch as there is no prior limit to its divisibility, and therefore

these only can be considered as forming actual wholes, or as possessing definite and indestructible limits, without which the idea of an individual is impossible.

But the human consciousness is not to be thus divided. It knows itself to be but one. Nor can this unity result from a merging of the consciousness of its parts, like drops of water which run together and are lost in the general mass; for this would destroy the very principle of individuality, which depends upon the necessity of the individual to be itself and nothing else, and with it the possibility of consciousness itself. Man is also far less conscious of bodily life than of the impressions of things which are not himself, and still more of ideas and emotions; this could scarcely be were his mind only the combined consciousness of the component atoms of his body.

As to the possibility of intellect and feeling arising from the delicate mechanical arrangements of the physical economy-being, in fact, the result of organization,-it need only be said that if these are not present, essentially or actually, in the separate atoms or forces, they cannot be produced by any action of them upon each other.

Before science, then, can cast doubt upon or disprove the existence of the soul, it has to show that the ultimate constituents of material nature are endowed with consciousness and thought-the power to form and recognize ideas-and also to demonstrate that the individual atoms of the human body can

"Move their rounds, and fusing all
The skirts of self again, may fall,"

and unite in the one consciousness of man.
likely at present to undertake.

This is a task it is not

Prayer is the next subject upon which science is supposed to throw discredit. Much of the ground upon which its propriety and efficiency may be debated has been cleared in discussing the miraculous. But it is objected to by some who would perhaps yield a partial assent to what was then advanced, on the principle that the dig nity of the Divine Being is lowered by supposing His plans subject to modification on the petitions of the creatures He has made. But unless scientific research can discover that such is actually the case, and that God is unwilling to listen to or answer the reasonable requests of those who call upon Him, it is not entitled to object to the positive assertions and precepts of Christianity. It can easily be conceived by those who think of God as a personal Being, whose heart beats with a warm interest in their welfare, and not merely as the Spring-head of an unswerving force which pulsates through all worlds, that He has at least so adapted the laws which govern the circumstances of life and human affairs as to allow of His answering the cry of the helpless and dependent.

Appeal can be made, to facts which are more eloquent than words, -in the history both of persons and of institutions. These present

arguments, palpable and beyond dispute-at least, until those who repudiate prayer can show the same providential circumstances in their lives, and establish, for instance, vast schools and asylums, and other charities, supported wholly by voluntary and unsolicited subscriptions, which never fail, though often not received until the moment they are wanted.*

If it is borne in mind that prayer may be of two kinds-superstitious and reasonable-much opposition will be seen to have force only against the former. One theory of prayer ascribes to it an occult virtue which can obtain whatever may be asked for, notwithstanding its absurdity. Christian teaching limits the expectation of an answer to that which is in accordance with the will of God, as guided by His love, and knowledge of what is for the real good of those who seek Him. True prayer is a request from a reasonable being in want of help to a reasonable Being who has almighty power to be his helper.

Three questions more particularly limited to the domain of science, but which have an intimate connection with Christian faith, now require a little notice. Of these the first is the origin of species, in regard to which it is alleged that all have been produced by a gradual change from higher to lower forms. The most serious bearing of this assertion is upon the creation of man, to whom it assigns the position of a nobly developed ape. A theory so bold, and so subversive of Scripture teachings respecting the direct creation of our race in a state of purity, intelligence, and happiness, may naturally be expected to present substantial evidence in its favour. But none is given, except a few speculations upon changes which have taken place in domesticated animals, and inferences drawn from ancient skulls, of some of which it is disputed whether they belonged to human beings or to apes, while others may be fully matched by skulls of the present day. Appeal is made to geological remains, but in default of these showing a gradual transition from form to form, it is suggested that owing to the length of geological periods, and the comparative scarcity of the relics of those far-off times, the intermediate states have disappeared. But until they are produced, the mere assumption of what may have been cannot be accepted as valid testimony to the theory.

Recent facts contradict it, as they point except in a few artificial cases to gradual degradation and extinction. The minute study of floral appendages and their numberless variations may in particular be cited as producing the conviction that each difference is the expression of a distinct and completed thought, rather than a stage of the struggle towards a higher platform of being. Many further objections may be raised, tending to show the extreme improbability that the myriad existences of earth owe their origin

* See George Müller's Annual Reports, Bristol. "Praying and Working:' Rev. W. F. Stevenson. "Six Months among the Charities of Europe:" Rev. J. De Liefde.

solely to development, and of these none is greater than the distinction of sex in all but the lower tribes. This could scarcely be arrived at in the ordinary course of development from creatures in whom the distinction is unknown.

The difference between the lowest barbarian and the highest ape is, both in physical formation and power of reasoning. immeasurably greater than that between the barbarian and the Caucasian, inasmuch as the capacity for education resides in the one by which individuals can rapidly approximate to the higher standard, while such capacity is wholly wanting in the other.

The division of mankind into distinct species bears closely upon the Christian doctrines of common fatherhood and the fall. It is held that the distinctions between the various races are so radical that it is impossible for them to have sprung from one progenitor. Against this may be cited the identity of the original root-stock of all languages, becoming more and more apparent in the opinion of the great authorities upon philology, and also the powerful influence which occupation, customs, climate, and education have been shown to exercise, even in modern times, over the appearance and physiological and cranial development of nations, an influence amply sufficient in the course of ages to produce all the variations which are found. The frequency of intermarriages, and consequent commingling of blood, and the continuance of the new races so produced, or their absorption into the superior race, show that there is no essential separation. The capacity of the most dissimilar tribes to obtain an equal and identical state of cultivation-to produce their great thinkers upon all the subjects of human inquiry and speculation-may be thought also of considerable weight as an argument for identity of species.

Lastly, the antiquity of man has been strongly asserted upon the testimony of Egyptic monuments, and of flint implements, and old dwellings, and other remains of social life, found " some fathoms lower than they ought to lie." The long Egyptian chronology has been proved to be founded upon a mistaken interpretation of the hieroglyphic records; and instead of the position of the drift and silt, in which the flint implements and hut foundations have been found, proving their antiquity to be so much greater than that which Old Testament records render possible, it seems now that the tables are being turned, and that the finding of these unquestionable relics will be the means of effecting a serious limitation in the enormous periods usually demanded for the production of geological phenomena. Even if it were otherwise, the falsity of Scripture time would be by no means proved; as these might be but the tokens of an extinct and entirely different species, physically, and in some degree intellectually-as shown by their knowledge of building and the use of weapons-intermediate between the apes and the human race, but possessing no moral and religious nature. The leading objections, or sources of objection, presented by hostile science to revealed religion and its teachings, having thus

been examined on the part of Christianity, the matter is left for further consideration and discussion, with a second reminder to controversialists that attacks on the human element in the sacred records, or on possibly human additions to its system, have no force to overthrow its grand message of mercy to the race,-and an expression of confidence in the result, that hostile sceptical science will be found narrow and pedantic, but that a broader, more open and philosophic spirit of investigation will lead back the inquirer to religion and to God. Oswestry.

W.

THOUGHTS UPON CONTROVERSY.-The essence of the dialectic method is to place, side by side with every doctrine and its reasons, all opposing doctrines and their reasons, allowing these to be stated in full by the persons holding them. No theory is to be held as expounded, far less proved, unless it stands in parallel array to every counter-theory, with all that can be said for each. For a short time this system was actually maintained and practised; but the execution of Socrates gave it its first check, and the natural intolerance of mankind rendered its continuance impossible. Since the Reformation, struggles have been made to regain for the discussions of questions generally-philosophical, political, moral, and religious-the two-sided procedure of the law courts, and, perhaps, never more strenuously than now. In Ferrier's work, entitled "Institutes of Metaphysics," the plan of putting proposition and counter-proposition side by side is strikingly carried out. He has also furnished the motto of free dialectics-" The only light of every truth is its contrasting error." For a believer's own satisfaction, we should bring before him in strength the case of the unbeliever. People may retain a mechanical faith, a string of sound words, an hereditary formula like a surname, or the coat-of-arms of the family; but if they are to have intelligent opinionsliving convictions-they must know every opposing view, in the words and with the reasons of its upholders. That was the momentary phase of philosophy, or reasoned truth, four centuries before Christ, and that, it would seem, is one of the longings of the present hour.-PROFESSOR ALExander Bain.

Such terms as nature, law, freedom, necessity, body, substance, matter, church, state, revelation, inspiration, knowledge, belief, are tossed about in the wars of words as if everybody used them exactly in the same sense; whereas most people, and particularly those who represent public opinion, pick up those complicated terms as children, beginning with the vaguest conceptions, adding to them from time to time; perhaps correcting likewise, at haphazard, some of their involuntary errors, but never taking stock, never either inquiring into the history of the terms which they handle so freely, or realizing the fulness of their meaning according to the strict rules of logical definition.-MAX MUller.

In philosophy, especially where it touches the ultimate foundations of our reason, wrong language is as misleading as a wrong opinion.-J. S. MILL.

Truth, in everything but mathematics, is not a single but a double question; not what can be said for an opinion, but whether more can be said for it than against it. There is no knowledge, and no assurance of right belief, but with him who can both confute the opposite opinion and successfully defend his own against confutation.-J. S. MILL.