Miracles and Their Fruits
The despatches are telling of a girl in London, twenty-one years of age, who has been sick ever since she was fourteen. Her condition finally became hopeless. Twenty-eight different doctors were called, one after the other, and each and all of them pronounced her case incurable, and said that she must soon die. She finally had blindness added to her other afflictions. But the reports tell of a very remarkable recovery, attested by her family, her neighbors, and numerous physicians. A circle of fire that seemed to have two hands took hold of her hands, and a voice told her to get up, and immediately her eyesight came back, and she got up and walked around the room the same as any other well person, and has kept well since. There are those who think that such things are sure evidence of the power of God. But the Son of God has Himself said, "There shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt. 24:24. And again He has said, "Ye shall know them by their fruits." Matt. 7:16. Some great marvel performed may or may not be the manifestation of the power of God. In these days we are more than likely to find that such things are the exact opposite of God's work. We need to be on our guard lest we be led into error and superstition through the real or the pretended miracles that are advertised in so many places. Two years ago Hiram C. Gill was elected mayor of Seattle, and because of the notorious vices and debaucheries that he permitted in the town, was removed from office by the recall law of the State, that had recently gone into effect. There was much said in regard to the great cleaning up the town had received. Some very striking magazine articles were published, as well as what appeared in the dailies. But at their recent primaries this same Hiram C. Gill was a candidate, and because of five or six factions that divided the sentiment, he heads the poll again, and has the strongest prospect of any one of being elected. The notoriously infamous seems to have a strong hold on our large cities, and the heroic efforts of the better element appear to be able to break it in places only, and then for but a short time. These conditions are among the very significant facts of the time. While a heavy gale was sweeping from the northwest a fire was started in Houston, Texas, in an empty house, and before it could be got under control about two hundred dwellings and something more than a dozen of the city's best industrial enterprises were burned. There was no loss of life, but it is said that conservative estimates place the property loss at about $7,000,000. The Interstate Commerce Commission has instructed the Federal district attorney to institute suits against nine of the big express companies for fraudulent overcharges to the amount of nearly $81,957,893.