were not as many or as expertly performed as those of Signor Blitz. The magicians acknowledged their inability to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh, and confessed that what they had done were the dexterities of art. They could not stand before the miracles of Moses. Pharaoh, supposing Moses to be only a great magician, called upon his own magicians to enter the lists; and they produced a little blood and a few serpents, which might easily be done; but Moses turned all the rivers of the land into blood, and their serpents were swallowed by the serpent rod. But, when it came to them to produce lice, they declared they could not do it, they had no instruments for such work, and ceased from all further attempts, saying, "This is the finger of God."

So with the witch of Endor. She is said to have raised Samuel. But she was an impostor, and intended to deceive Saul. And she was as much terrified as Saul was, when God brought up Samuel, and cried out in astonishment. It was God that raised Samuel up, to utter his own predictions. But, as for the woman, she was the last who thought to see him, and was exceedingly terrified at his appearance. So in the case of Job. The miracles which tried Job, God wrought, and not Satan. This is one of the strongest cases that has been brought. The question was, whether Job was a man of integrity. Satan questioned it, and God permitted the trial to be made. The argument of Satan was, that Job was selfish-that he found his interest in religion, and therefore he was religious. But did Satan work the miracles? No: Job testified, "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away." And, after the trial was completed of this holy man, God said to Satan, "He holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without a cause."

Other miracles are said to have been wrought in modern times, by Mahomet, and the Catholic church. But these are private miracles, and are always sustained by ex parte testimony. Mahomet said that he had wrought miracles, and that they had been wrought for him, that he went to the moon, and to the heaven of the blessed, &c.; but nobody saw these things. They were not apparent to the senses of the multitude, like the miracles of the Bible: and there are no other such miracles in history, and none on which the civil and religious institutions of nations are founded.

I omitted, in my past lectures, to say, that, in discussing these subjects, the door was open for inquiry. If there be any question which any one present would like to propose, it will be attended to. And if there be any question sent to me in writing for the next meeting, it shall be attended to. I have urged this subject on your attention, on the supposition that it is a proper subject for discussion. God forbid that discussion on so important a subject should be precluded, or that any should be called on to fall in with any views of religion without inquiry. A full and free inquiry should be made, if made at all, and in a spirit of truth, and candor, and seriousness; for this is a subject in regard to which a great responsibility rests upon us. It becomes us to approach these interesting inquiries in a spirit of humility. First, because they are the highest that the mind can reason upon; and, secondly, because they deeply affect our most vital interests. The anatomist, when dissecting for the information of his pupils, cuts boldly, because he knows that, if he makes a mistake, there is no harm done; the body is dead. But if he be operating on a living subject, he must take care where he draws his knife, lest he touch a vital part.

In reasoning upon the Bible, we are not compelled to believe

without evidence. There are many to information, that evidence is not clear.

whom, for want of

They ought not to

be wantonly accused of bad motives. If a man doubts, he is not to be sneered at and brow-beaten, and cast out of society, because he does not believe. There may be men so rude and reckless in their opposition to religion as to incur the just displeasure of all thinking men. But it is not with such men that we ought to class him who honestly doubts, but is willing to be candid, willing to weigh the evidence, willing to be convinced, and to avow his conviction, if he should find the evidence on the side of Christianity. To such I speak, if such there be in this assembly. Do not be afraid, or unwilling, that the Bible should be true. The judge who sits upon the property of men is bound to be honest; he is bound to keep both ears open, that he may hear both sides: and a judge that should keep but one ear open, and refuse to hear the other side, would be impeached. But it is just as bad to sit in judgment upon our own interest, and refuse to hear both sides. All that is needed is a candid discussion; and may God help the right!

LECTURE X.

THE PROOF OF THE REALITY OF MIRACLES.

THE subject of the present lecture will be found in the following note, which I received after the preceding invitation:

REV. DR. BEECHER :

Cincinnati, Feb. 20, 1838.

Dear Sir: You have several times expressed a readiness to answer any objection that may be made against the Christian religion, or against anything that you may urge in its defence. The object of this note is not to make objections, but to ask information; and I hope you will be as ready to give the latter, as to answer the former.

In your last lecture you assumed the position that miracles were satisfactory credentials of a message from Heaven. This is true; and if the miraculous accounts in the New Testament are true, Jesus Christ is the son of God: but what evidence have we that the New Testament is an authentic history of the life of Christ? If you can show that any one of the Gospels was written shortly after the events related in it are said to have transpired, that it was received as a true history by the Christians of the city of Jerusalem, and that it was probably open to the inspection of those interested to suppress the religion in its infancy, the proof, to my mind, of the truth of Christianity, will be conclusive.

It is related, in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, that, on the day of Pentecost, the power of speaking various languages, with which they were before unacquainted, was conferred upon the twelve apostles. If it be true that such power was conferred, the fact, I think, must be susceptible of proof.

If you can show, then, from ancient history, ecclesiastical or civil, that any of the twelve apostles (except Paul) planted the Christian religion, soon after the death of its founder, among people speaking languages not

spoken in Judea, I will have no difficulty in receiving as true all the miraculous accounts in the New Testament. I except Paul, because all that is said of him in the " Acts," as well as his recorded speeches and his writings which have come down to us, shows him to have been a man of no ordinary talents, and of liberal education; and he might POSSIBLY have acquired, in the ordinary way, before he became a Christian minister, a knowledge of the language of the people among whom he preached. But this could hardly have been the case with Galilean fishermen.

If, therefore, you can show that Andrew, or Alpheus, or Thomas, or any of the original twelve, who are acknowledged by all to have been illiterate men, did so preach among people of a strange tongue, and establish churches among them, you will satisfy me.

Yours, with respect and esteem,

A JOURNEYMAN MECHANIC.

I HAVE nothing to object to this request, and statement of the case. It is very lucid, very candid, and very just; and it gives me great pleasure to answer doubts proposed in this manner, and brought to this test; and the more so, that I feel a happy persuasion that the person who penned this note, and others who have doubts in the same way, will be satisfied. But the event must decide whether it will be so or not.

This note calls our attention to two points:

I. Were the Gospels written shortly after the events they record, so that the living generation might know the truth or falsehood of the alleged facts?

II. Was the gift of tongues, said to have been communicated on the day of Pentecost, employed by the Galilean fishermen in preaching the Gospel, and planting churches among other nations of other tongues?

These are the two questions for our consideration. And, before answering them directly, I will premise two things.

1. That Jesus Christ was the founder of the Christian religion. This few have denied, until, recently, it has been