he says, is as little atheistic as it is materialistic. All this must be
remembered chiefly when we undertake to explore, as we are now doing,
the unknown region which we have called the border-land of science.
There we find many strange phenomena, and we are trying to discover
their true nature and true causes. If we can explain some of them by
natural causes, as by the powers of the imagination when it is in an
abnormal or hypnotic state, very well, let us explain them. But let us
not rashly conclude that all other phenomena can be thus explained. Do
not reason this way, as some writers have done: "Some effects," they
say, "were formerly attributed to witchcraft or deviltry and can now be
explained by hypnotism. Therefore all other mysterious effects can also
be thus explained. Therefore there is not and never was such a thing as
witchcraft or deviltry. So, too, some events often reputed miraculous
can be explained by natural causes, therefore no miracle has ever
happened." That is the reasoning of rash and ignorant men, and not of
scientific minds. It does not follow from the fact that God usually
works by natural causes, that He cannot on special occasions and for
very important reasons show His hand, as it were, and act so manifestly
against the course of nature as to show us that it is He who is at work
and He wants us to mind Him. History furnishes many instances of this
kind.

IX. CREDENTIALS OF CHRIST.

Least of all have Christians a right to deny this, and we must remember
that the civilized world is Christian, almost entirely. Christians
believe in the reliability of the Bible, and in it we are constantly
informed of countless miracles in various ages. If all these accounts
are false, then Christianity is a vast imposture. Christ appealed to
them as to His credentials in His mission to the world. "If you do not
believe Me," He said, "believe My works, for they give testimony of Me.
The blind see; the lame walk; the dead are raised to life." If He spoke
falsely, He was a deceiver; if He worked those marvels by hypnotism, or
any other natural cause, He was an impostor. There is no middle way.
Either by working true miracles He proved Himself to be what He claimed
to be, the Son of God, or He was the most bold and detestable impostor
that has ever appeared on earth. This no Christian can suppose, this no
historian would admit; therefore, we must grant that He worked miracles,
and miracles are realities to be