e cardinal point in the present discussion the reality not
of miracles, but of the supernatural.--Fallacy of pointing
to physical events as essential characteristics of
supernatural Revelation.--The character of a revelation
determined not by its circumstances, but by its
contents.--Moral nature supernatural to physical.--Nature a
hierarchy of natures.--Supernatural Religion historically
attested by the moral development it generates.--Transfer
of its distinctive note from moral ideals to physical
marvels a costly error.--Jesus' miracles _a_ revelation, of
a type common with others before and after.--The unique
Revelation of Jesus was in the higher realm of divine ideas
and ideals.--These, while unrealized in human life, still
exhibit the fact of a supernatural Revelation.--The
distinction of natural and supernatural belongs to the
period of moral progress up to the spiritual maturity of
man in the image of God.--The divine possibilities of
humanity, imaged in Jesus, revealed as our inheritance and
our prize. 131

INTRODUCTORY

In a historical retrospect greater and more revolutionary changes are
seen to have occurred during the nineteenth century than in any century
preceding. In these changes no department of thought and activity has
failed to share, and theological thought has been quite as much affected
as scientific or ethical. Especially remarkable is the changed front of
Christian theologians toward miracles, their distinctly lowered estimate
of the significance of miracle, their antipodal reverse of the long
established treatment of miracles. Referring to this a British
evangelical writer[1] observes that "the intelligent believer of our
own day, ... instead of accepting Christianity on the ground of the
miracles, accepts it in spite of the miracles. Whether he admits these
miracles, or rejects them, his attitude toward them is toward
difficulties, not helps."

By this diametrical change of Christian thought a great amount of
scepticism has already been antiquated. A once famous anti-Christian
book, _Supernatural Religion_, regarded as formidable thirty years ago,
is now as much out of date for relevancy to present theological
conditions as is the old smooth-bore cannon for naval warfare. That
many, indeed, are still unaware of the change that has been experienced
by the leaders of Christian