MIRACLES AND THE GOSPEL.
By Henry Ward Beecher
[From "The Life of Jesus the Christ," by Henry Ward Beecher.] ALL critics of the Gospels, tho, in each group, differing by many shades among themselves, may be reduced to two classes: 1. Those who believe that the writings of the evangelists are authentic historical documents, that they are divinely inspired, and that the supernatural elements contained in them are real, and to be credited as much as any other parts of the history; and,— 2. Those who deny the inspiration of the Gospels, regarding them as unassisted human productions, filled with mistakes and inaccuracies; especially, as filled with superstitions and pretended miracles. These latter critics set aside all traces of the supernatural. They feel at liberty to reject all miracles, either summarily, with "philosophic" contempt, or by explanations as wonderful as the miracles are marvelous. In effect, they act as if there could be no evidence except that which addresses itself to the material senses. Such reasoning chains philosophy to matter; to which statement already many do not object, but boldly claim that, in our present condition, no truth can be known to men except that which conforms itself to physical laws. There is a step further, and one that must soon be taken, if these reasons are logically consistent—namely, to hold that there is no evidence of a God, unless nature be that God. And this is Pantheism, which, being interpreted, is Atheism. We scarcely need to say that we shall take our stand with those who accept the New Testament as a collection of veritable historical documents, with the record of miracles, and with the train of spiritual phenomena, as of absolute and literal truth. The miraculous element constitutes the very nerve system of the Gospel. To withdraw it from credence is to leave the Gospel histories a mere shapeless mass of pulp. What is left when these venerable records are stripped of the ministry of angels, of the mystery of the divine incarnation, of the wonders and miracles which accompanied our Lord at every step of His career? Christ's miracles were not occasional and occult, but in a long series, with every degree of publicity, involving almost every element of nature, and in numbers so great that they are summed up as comprehending whole villages, towns, and neighborhoods in their benefactions. They produced an excitement in the public mind, so great that oft-times secrecy was enjoined, lest the Roman government should interfere. That Christ would be the center and active cause of such stupendous imposture, on the supposition that miracles were but deceptions, shocks the moral feelings of those, even, who disbelieve His divinity. Widely as men differ on every topic connected with the Christ, there is one ground on which all stand together, namely, that Jesus was good. Even Infidelity would feel bereaved in the destruction of Christ's moral character. But to save that, and yet to explain away the miracles which He wrought, has put ingenuity to ludicrous shifts. Renan, to save the character of his poetic hero, is obliged to depict him as the subject of an enthusiasm which grew upon him until it became a self-deceiving fanaticism. It seems, then, that the whole world has been under the influence of One who was not an imposter, only because He was mildly insane! That such a conclusion should give no pain to men utterly destitute of religious aspirations, may well be conceived. But all others, looking upon this wanton and needless procedure, will adopt the language of Mary, and say, "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him."