PHILOSOPHY OF MIRACLES.
Trembling with awe and fear, the mind inquires--
"What master spirit, now, the bard inspires;
What bold philosophy shall dare assign
A law to govern miracles divine--
Tell how effects transpire without a cause,
And how kind nature breaks kind nature's laws?"
Among the popular errors of modern times, an opinion prevails that
miracles are events which transpire contrary to the laws of nature,
that they are effects without a cause.
If such is the fact, then, there never has been a miracle, and there
never will be one. The laws of nature are the laws of _truth_. Truth
is unchangeable, and independent in its own sphere. A law of nature
never has been broken. And it is an absolute impossibility that such
law ever should be broken.
That which, at first sight, appears to be contrary to the known laws
of nature, will always be found, on investigation, to be in perfect
accordance with those laws. For instance, had a sailor of the last
century been running before the wind, and met with a vessel running at
a good rate of speed, directly in opposition to the wind and current,
this sight would have presented, to his understanding, a miracle in
the highest possible sense of the term, that is, an event entirely
contrary to the laws of nature, as known to him. Or if a train of
cars, loaded with hundreds of passengers, or scores of tons of
freight, had been seen passing over the surface of the earth, at the
rate of sixty miles per hour, and propelled, seemingly, by its own
inherent powers of locomotion, our fathers would have beheld a
miracle--an event which would have appeared, to them, to break those
very laws of nature with which they were the most familiar.
If the last generation had witnessed the conveyance of news from
London to Paris, in an instant, while they knew nothing of the late
invention of the electric telegraph, they would have testified, in all
candour, and with the utmost assurance, that a miracle had been
performed, in open violation of the well known laws of nature, and
contrary to all human knowledge of cause and effect.
But, once familiar with the arts of the living age, all those miracles
cease to be such, and the laws of nature, and of cause and effect, are
found to be still moving, unimpaired, in all the harmony of primeval
existence and operation.
The same views will apply, with equal force, to all the spiritual
phenomena of the universe.
The terms _miracle_ and _mystery_ must become obsolete, and finally
disappear from the vocabulary of intelligences, as they advance in the
higher spheres of intellectual consistency. Even now they should be
used only in a relative or limited sense, as applicable to those
things which are not yet within reach of our powers, or means of
comprehension.
We will here remind the student of two principles, or laws of
existence, developed in a former chapter of this work, which will
account for all the miraculous powers of the universe--all the mighty
works ever manifested by God, or by His servants.
First. All the elements of the material universe are eternal.
Second. There is a divine substance, fluid or essence, called Spirit,
widely diffused among these eternal elements.
This spiritual substance is the most refined, subtle, and powerful
element in the universe. It is endowed with all wisdom, all knowledge,
all intelligence and power. In short, it is the light, life, power and
principle of all things, by which they move; and of all intelligences,
by which they think.
This divine element, or Spirit, is the immediate, active, or
controlling agent, in all holy, miraculous powers.
Angels, and all holy men, perform all their miracles, simply, to use a
modern magnetic term, by being in "_communication_" with this divine
substance. Two beings, or two millions--any number thus placed in
"_communication_"--all possess one mind. The mind of the one is the
mind of the other, the will of the one is the will of the other, the
word of the one is the word of the other. And the holy fluid, or
Spirit, being in communication with them all, goes forth to control
the elements, and to execute all their mandates which are legally
issued, and in accordance with the mind and wisdom of the Great
Eloheim.
God the Father is the Head. The mandates of Jesus Christ must be in
the name of the Father.
The mandates of angels, or of holy men, in order to be legal, or of
due force and power, must be issued in the name of Jesus Christ, or of
the three who compose the Head Council; and must be in accordance with
their united mind and will. The Holy Spirit then goes forth and
executes their mandates. This agency being _invisible_, and the effect
_visible_, the act performed appears to those who are unacquainted
with spiritual agency, as a miracle, or an _effect_ without a _cause_.
When Jesus Christ was clothed upon with a mortal tabernacle, he had
not the fulness of this divine substance at the first, but grew and
increased in the same, till, being raised from the dead, he received a
fulness and, therefore, had all power, in heaven and on earth.
His Apostles received a portion of this Spirit, but not a fulness,
while they were mortal; therefore, they could know and perform some
things, but not all.
The members of the Church also partook of this Spirit, through the
ministry of the Apostles, by which miraculous gifts were imparted unto
them, some to one, and some to another: some to speak in tongues; some
to interpret, or translate from one language into another; some to
prophesy, see visions, or converse with angels; and others to control,
or cast out devils, or heal the sick; and others, again, to teach and
edify the Church, or the world, by the word of wisdom, and by the word
of knowledge.
All these gifts and miracles were the workings of that one, and the
self same Spirit given to the members of the Church of the Saints,
while the world did not partake of a sufficient measure of the Spirit
to possess these gifts. The reason of this is, that they did not
repent, and believe in Jesus Christ, and be baptized in his name, and
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, by the laying on of the hands of
the Priesthood--these duties and ordinances, being the legal or
appointed channel by which the gift of the Holy Spirit was imparted.
The reason why these gifts of the Spirit have not been enjoyed in all
ages of the so called "_Christian Church_" is because it is not the
true Church; nor, is the true ministry or Apostleship to be found
among the Church, or Churches, where these gifts are denied. Every
minister and member of such institutions have need to repent, and be
baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, for remission of sins; and to
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, by the laying on of hands of
those who have authority, in order to enter into the kingdom of God.
These ordinances, ministered by a legal Priesthood, being divinely
appointed, are the only legitimate means by which man may receive and
exercise these divine powers; or, in other words, they are the means
ordained of God, by which one being may communicate or impart a
portion of this divine substance to another, so as to place that other
in communication with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and with
angels, and the spirits of just men in the world of spirits, and with
the members of the true Church on the earth.
To heal a person by the touch, or by the laying on of hands in the
name of Jesus Christ, or to impart the Holy Spirit by the laying on of
hands, is as much in accordance with the laws of nature, as for water
to seek its own level, an apple to fall to the ground when loosened
from the tree where it grew, quicksilver to attract its own
affinities, or the magnet to obey its own laws.
As the electric fluid obeys its own laws upon the wire, so, also, does
the spiritual or holy fluid convey itself, through certain channels,
from one body to another, in accordance with certain legitimate laws.
The usual channel for all spiritual fluids, whether holy or impure, in
their operations upon the human system, or in their passage from one
animal body to another, is the nerves.
A person commissioned of Jesus Christ, and filled with this spiritual
substance, can impart of the same to another, provided there is a
preparation of heart, and faith on the part of the receiver. Or if, as
in cases of healing, casting out devils, &c., it happens that the
receiver has no command of his own mind--as in cases of little
children, persons swooned, fainted, deranged, or dead, then the faith
of the administrator alone, or in connexion with other friends and
agents, in his behalf, is sufficient, in many cases, to perform the
work.
However, the touch, or laying on of hands, is not the only means of
communicating the gift of healing. A word spoken, a mandate issued, or
even a handkerchief, apron, or other garment, worn or touched by a
person full of this Spirit, and conveyed to another, has, according to
sacred history, and also the experience of the present age, proved
sufficient to communicate the spiritual fluid, between minds of strong
and mutual faith. So well acquainted was the Prophet Elisha with this
principle, that he sent his servant to lay his staff upon a dead
child, in order to raise it from the dead; but, in this instance, the
undertaking failed. The Prophet could only resuscitate the child by
placing face on face, eye to eye, mouth to mouth, hand to hand, &c.,
so as to give the greatest possible effect to the imparting of the
spirit of life.
For the holy and divine fluid, or spiritual element, to control all
other elements, agreeable to its own will, and the will of others, who
are in communication or in perfect unison with itself, is just as
natural as for the greater to control the less, or the strong the
weak. It is upon the same principle that a higher intelligence is able
to comprehend, circumscribe, and instruct that which is less.
Hence, when the worlds were framed, God spake, and this divine fluid
went forth and executed the mandate, by controlling the elements, in
accordance with the will, pattern, or design, formed in the mind of
Him that spake, and it that executed. Wisdom pondered the pattern of
all created things, weighed their properties, attributes and uses in
the balance of mature intellect. Every minute portion and member of
the several departments of life and being, every adaptation to their
natural use, was clearly conceived, formed in the mind, and matured,
ere the mandate was issued. And the whole was executed in exact
accordance with the pattern matured in the Divine Mind.
By this divine Spirit all things were designed and formed. By this
divine Substance all things live, move, and have a being. By this
agency Moses controlled the sea; Joshua, the motions of the earth;
Daniel, the mouths of the lions; and his brethren, the flames. By
this, the heavens were opened, and were shut; the rain or the dearth
prevailed; armies were subdued; the sick healed, or the dead raised;
and all in accordance with the laws of nature, it being perfectly
natural for the subordinate elements to obey the supreme, all
controlling, all pervading element, which contains in itself the
innate, and inalienable, controlling power.
The modern world, called "_Christian_" claims to have perpetuated the
system called "Christianity," while, at the same time, it declares,
that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit have ceased.
With as much propriety it might be contended, that the magnet had been
perpetuated, but had lost its magnetic properties; that water was
perpetuated with all its virtues, but had lost its power to quench
thirst, or seek its own level; that fire was still fire, but had lost
its heat.
How, we inquire, can Christianity have been perpetuated, while its
virtues, its legitimate powers, its distinguishing features, its very
life and essence have ceased from among men? Or, of what possible use
is it if it does exist? Is a compass of use when its needle has lost
its magnetic attraction? Is water of use when it no longer seeks its
level, or quenches thirst? Is fire of use when it loses its heat? Is a
sun dial of use in a dark and cloudy day; or, a watch without a
mainspring?
Or, are the mere forms and ceremonies of any system of use, when the
divine, or legitimate powers, for which such forms were instituted,
are withdrawn?
O man! be no longer deceived by solemn mockeries of things sacred, or
by great and holy names applied to corrupt and degenerate systems.
When the miracles and gifts of the divine Spirit ceased from among
men, Christianity ceased, the Christian ministry ceased, the Church of
Christ ceased.
That ministry which sets aside modern inspiration, revelation,
prophecy, angels, visions, healings, &c., is not ordained of God; but
is Anti-Christian in spirit. In short, it is that spirit of
priestcraft and kingcraft, by which the world, for many ages, has been
ruled as with a rod of iron.
The sooner the present generation lose all reverence and respect for
modern "_Christianity_," with all its powerless forms and solemn
mockeries, the sooner they will be prepared to receive the kingdom of
God. The sooner the treasuries of nations, and the purses of
individuals, are relieved from the support of priestcraft and
superstitions, so much sooner will they be able and willing to devote
their means and influence to print and publish the glad tidings of the
fulness of the Gospel, restored in this age, to assist in the
gathering of the house of Israel, and in the building of the cities
and temples of Zion and Jerusalem.