not that the effect is unnatural, but such as would not have been produced had not new powers been evoked.

These latter miracles are as credible, if we have trustworthy report of them, as if we saw them with our own eyes. There really is no absolute difference between the two testimonies. In the case of many witnesses, indeed, we have far more conclusive evidence than that which could be afforded by our own unaided and uncorroborated senses.

There are three things which make miracles antecedently probable and subsequently credible: alleged adequate power, sufficient motives for their performance, permanent results arising from their occurrence.

Now as to the Power, the term duvάues, seems a fit word to describe the putting forth in a répas, wonder, or prodigy, evidence for the existence and presence of the Almighty, or of one from Him. Sufficient motives are manifested, in a teleological point of view, by the onusov, or sign, or instructive light, by which we are made to understand that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The permanent results are the opening of those secret sources of power, of holiness, of wisdom, of mercy, which these symbols declare are for use of the children of men.

In this latter sense miracles are also prophecies: for not only do they sometimes fore-shadow future events, as in 2 Kings xx. 8-11; they also foretell the victories of the Son of God, and prefigure the rich and potent balm with which the Great Physician will heal the deep and deadly diseases now afflicting

nature.

The view of God, in nature and beyond nature, moving along all radii from the infinite past into the present finite creation, physical and psychical, and passing into the infinite future, most powerfully attracts scientific students, religiously inspires them, and imparts to their glorious studies yet greater glory. They discern that God is not only outside, but within the universe; and they devoutly read the Book of Nature as the biography of the Author. They recognise that dynamical agency is fundamentally distinct and separate from material conditions. In other words, "The material conditions, in fact, merely furnish the fuel and the mechanism; it is the force or

power that does the work."1 The whole process, whether intellectual, vital, chemical, or mechanical, the convertibility of physical forces, their correlation with vital, and the nexus between mental and bodily activity, leads up to that Mind whence is all power. From the apex of this pyramid, it is seen that God cannot be "cribb'd, cabin'd, and confined" within any agencies-cannot be adequately expressed by any materialistic formula. He is not a remote and retired mechanician; but, higher than the highest conception we can form of Him, He is the extension to infinity of all our noblest attributes, and certainly possesses that personality which is presence to Himself. Around Him, we conceive, is some everlasting glory, which, by self-revelation, He framed to be the Heaven of His Dwelling Place, and for the body of the light of His spiritual nature; which eternally and everywhere manifested, as the all-pervading and all-sustaining Power, is the inscrutable essence of all; without which the world would be as the baseless fabric of a vision, and thought itself would perish.

Who shall tell us of that unseen land

"The undiscover'd country from whose bourne

No traveller returns?"

Hamlet.

Is it true that there has been no return, no reappearance, no answer? Are all men liars? If so, they do not lie always, Our perceptions are twofold: sensual, by our senses; intellectual, by ideas produced in the brain, that is cerebral. Is it utterly impossible for impressions to reach our brain from an altogether different source-impressions wrought by our own organization; working on the brain precisely as do impressions from the outer and material world? It is not impossible; and their difference in origin and effect cannot always be discerned. Their instrument is the cerebrum, and the transmission of an impression along the nerves of the internal senses to the sensorium, is equivalent to that of an impression through the nerves of the external senses. Dr W. B. Carpenter, in his "Mental Physiology," says of spectral illusions—“ These 1 "Mental Physiology:" p. 694, W. B. Carpenter, M.D., LL.D.

Power of the Imagination.

357 are clearly sensorial states not excelled by external objects; and it is also clear that they frequently originate in cerebral changes, since they represent creatures of the mind, and are not mere reproductions of past sensations."

If the mind is duly impressed, a thing will seem heavy that is very light; the odour of a dead body may be perceived from a new and empty coffin, and acute agony is endured from an imaginary wound. The influence of ideas on sensitive subjects is so great, that flames have been seen to issue from magnets, and luminous phenomena became visible in dark rooms, sounds were heard in perfect silence, and intangible things were touched. Imagination has produced various shades and brilliant coruscations of flame from bare walls, until, self-deceived and spell-bound, the victims became a prey to their delusion; a delusion which proved the extraordinary power of mind over body. It is obvious that this fact, "real sensations are produced by mental states," enables us to understand how Sir Isaac Newton could recall the spectrum of the sun, by going into a dark room and intensely applying his mind; and explains the fact of some men being able, at will and at any time, to surround themselves with spectres; and how others, without will but at any time, may be haunted by horrid illusions. Sir Walter Scott, in his "Demonology and Witchcraft," gives an example-" Passing from his sitting room to the entrance hall, fitted up with the skins of wild beasts, armour, etc., he saw right before him, and in a standing posture, the exact representation of his departed friend (Lord Byron), whose recollection had been so strongly brought to his imagination. He stopped for a single moment, so as to notice the wonderful accuracy with which fancy had impressed upon the bodily eye the peculiarities of dress and posture of the illustrious poet. Sensible, however, of the delusion, he felt no sentiment save that of wonder at the extraordinary accuracy of the resemblance, and stepped forward towards the figure, which resolved itself, as he approached, into the various materials of which it was composed-great-coats, shawls, plaids, and such articles as are usually found in a country entrance-hall."

Apply these admitted facts-The visible universe and man's

physical frame are connected by bonds of energy with the invisible, are capable of receiving energy from it; and there exists a bridge between the two-a something that welds the two into one. The motions which produce and accompany thought affect the whole order of things-visible and invisible. Thought may scientifically explain the past state of the earth and by prevision foretell its future condition. Science, in fact, accepts as physically probable, that which true religion asserts as spiritually true: that Moses was enabled to reveal the past, and that prophets were inspired to explain the future. We do not offer this as an explanation of the power of prophecy, but as an attempt to show that so far from prophecy being impossible, there are states of mind in which science may shortly be able to show that it is a real though an unusual, possession.

Explanation will make this clear. We do not doubt the possibility of a science of meteorology; nor of science dealing with phenomena which are the product of many and complex factors; nor do we, while allowing that sociology cannot be brought under the control of mathematical deduction, refuse to admit that physiologic and psychological laws are true, precise, and inevitable in their result. Accepting the fact, there is a sense in which Buddhism and Mohammedanism might have been predicted. The production of gigantic personalities, and the peculiar impression produced by them, could be foreseen, such predictions being possible to an intellect able to contemplate and comprehend the many and intricate factors producing and controlling the progressive life and opinions of the world. This prevision, at present, is crude work little more than guessing; but can become systematic and thorough so soon as we know, and are able to trace the application of law to the vastness and variety of biologic phenomena. That the antecedents of the phenomena are irresistibly working out their results is certain; our knowledge of them is uncertain, owing to their vast complication; owing also to the operation of that unknown factor-human will; but the science is already in existence, and gathering precision with the development of human skill. This being the case, so far from men of science refusing to acknowledge

prophecy, they can conceive the flash of prevision as somewhat similar to the sparks which fell into Sir W. Rowan Hamilton's mind concerning the long sought fundamental equations.

Pass to another series of thought.

When we dream, it is often against our expectations and wish. Things, which we would see, are not seen; those, not desired, forcibly intrude. Insight, invention, origination, even creative genius, bearing the well marked stamp of our individuality, yet transcending ordinary power, are possessed in dreams. The imagination is sometimes constructive, at others lucky guesses are made; and a dullard, when awake, will pass, in sleep, through rapid thought and years of experience in the twinkling of an eye. The mind not only feeds upon the store of past ideas, but works them up into never-ending combinations; and those who have become deaf, as in the well known case of Beethoven, will compose music involving new combinations of sound; and men who have lost their sight, rejoice in the imagined beauties of a glorious landscape or a visionary picture. Condorcet, in his dream, found the last steps of a difficult calculation which no power of his waking thought could discover. Tartini, in his dream, heard, as he thought, the archfiend play; but when awake could not satisfactorily produce the visional music; and Coleridge's Kubla Khan is notable as a dream-poem. So true are dreams to us while they last, and work in such new shape and unaccountable directions, that intended crimes have been prevented and past crimes have been discovered-not by mere coincidences, but by some occult action of the mind. Some impression, or succession of impressions in waking moments, has given to the dreamer an almost revelatory power. The wife of General Sleeman slept within a tent which had been pitched in a lovely opening of a jungle. Her dreams were haunted all night by the sight of dead men. The General, because of information which he had received, caused the ground to be opened, and fourteen corpses, victims of the Thugs, were discovered. It is easily conceivable that the foul odour of these dead suggested to the lady, in the unconscious cerebration of the dream, the horrible vision.1

1 "Mental Physiology," p. 590: Dr. B. W. Carpenter.