s the basis of discussion. What is wanted is a real objective
miracle, a positive _fact_. Happily such a miracle has come to the aid
of a distressed Christianity; it is worth tons of learned apologetics,
and will give "the dying creed" a fresh lease of life.

Unfortunately the world at large is in gross ignorance of this
astonishing event. Like the earthquake, the eclipse, and the wholesale
resurrection of saints at the crucifixion of Christ, it has excited very
little public attention. But this dense apathy, or Satanic conspiracy of
silence, must not be allowed to hide a precious truth. We therefore do
our best to give it publicity, although in doing so we are blasting our
own foundations; for we belong to a party which boasts that it seeks
for truth, and we are ready to exclaim, "Let truth prevail though the
heavens fall."

Most of our readers will remember the late accident on the Brighton line
at Norwood. A bridge collapsed, and only the driver's presence of mind
averted a great loss of life. Of course the driver did his obvious duty,
and presence of mind is not uncommon enough to be miraculous. But that
does not exhaust the matter. The driver (Hargraves) is perfectly sure he
received divine assistance. He is a man of pious habits. He never
leaves his house without kneeling down with his wife and imploring
God's protection. He never steps on the engine without breathing another
prayer. On the morning of the accident his piety was in a state of
unusual excitation. He begged his wife to "pray all that day"--which
we presume she did, with intervals for refreshment; and he knelt down
himself in the passage before opening his front door. When the accident
happened he put the brake on and cried "Lord, save us," and according to
the _Christian World_ "it has since been stated by expert engineers that
no train was ever before pulled up in such a short distance."

A carping critic might presume to ask the names and addresses of these
"expert engineers." He might also have the temerity to inquire the
precise distance in which the train was pulled up, the shortest distance
in which other trains have been pulled up, and the weight and velocity
of the train in each case. He might also meanly suggest that putting
on the brake left as little as possible to Providence. For our part,
however, we will not pursue such hyper-criticism. It is applying to a
miracle a test which it is not fitted to stand. Something must be
left to faith