The Historical Proofs of Christianity [pp. 223-247]

2THE PRINCE TON RE VIE W.
Arnold gives an example of the inaccuracy of Bede.' The
Saxon chronicler describes a striking phenomenon on the southern coast of England, in such a way that one who is familiar
with it would be quite unable to recognize it from this author's
description. Where the observation of natural objects is so
careless, how can we expect a correct account of phenomena
which are taken for miraculous? Excited feeling, on the watch
for marvels, in minds not in the least trained to strict observation, renders testimony to a great extent worthless.
Nowv who were the original witnesses of the miracles of
Jesus? As Cardinal Newman has said, "they were very far
from a dull or ignorant race. The inhabitants of a maritime
and border country (as Galilee was); engaged, moreover, in
commerce; composed of natives of various countries, and,
therefore, from the nature of the case, acquainted with more
than one language, have necessarily their intellects sharpened
and their minds considerably enlarged, and are of all men least
disposed to acquiesce in marvellous tales. Such a people must
have examined before they suffered themselves to be excited in
the degree which the evangelists describe." Their conviction,
be it observed, was no "bare and indolent assent to facts which
they might have thought antecedently probable, or not improbable," but a great change in principle and mode of life, and such
a change as involved the sacrifice of every earthly good. There
is a vast difference between the dull assent of superstitious
minds, the impressions of unreflecting devotees, and that positive faith which transformed the character of the first disciples,
and moved them to forsake their kindred and to lay down their
lives in attestation of the truth of their testimony. A conviction on the part of such persons, and attended by consequences
like these, must have had its origin in an observation of facts
about which there could be no mistake.
6. The Gospel miracles, unlike the ecclesiastical, were none
of them merely tentative, unsuccessful, or of doubtful reality.
In ancient times, the temple of AEsculapius was thronged by
persons in quest of healing at the hands of the god. No one
could pretend that more than a fraction of these votaries were
" Lectures on Modern History" (Am. ed.), p. I28.
238