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INTERIOR VISION. 67
they have of this dense, solid, soulless world of ours. Ignoring Spirit out of it, asa thing of no account. Rejecting miracle, because it will not submit to a machinery which produces the world; but which is, of course, incompetent to explain the mastership over itself. Which machinery dissolves wholly at the frontier that separates the great, outside, unknown world, from the little, inside, known world.
Mine is not so much an attempt to restore to Superstition its dispossessed pedestal, as it is to replace the Supernatural upon its abdicated throne.
And if, after listening, for so long a time, to the mighty eloquence of Saint Paul, when heaping inference on inference and proof on proof concerning the religion of the Redeemer, of which he was then so triumphant a champion, Agrippa breaks up his charmed revery (in which he, himself touches on the confine of conviction) with the astonished exclamation: Paul, Paul, thou almost persuadest me to be a Christian! may we not hope that, now, to the reflecting reader, such light of probability shall shine from our arguments, as, that he, too, shall almost see that the Supernatural may be possible about him even in his own familiar hours, and in this our modern and present day?
In the work now in the reader’s hand, the author proposed to himself these certain objects. First: to the best of his power, to establish the possibility of the supernatural. This science denies. Next, to prove the present existence of the supernatural. This faith rejects. Lastly, to show that all religion is only possible, not in the thinking that we believe (which means miracle, per se), but in the actually believing. For mankind may be divided in the subject of belief in divine matters, or, rather, in the crediting of anything out of this world into three great sections. First, into those who believe nothing; secondly, into those who would believe if they could; lastly, into those who think that they believe. In this last large class, are included as to believe impossible things is impossible - all the conscientious and ‘good’ of all the various orders. People can only believe according to the best of their power; and their common sense stops short of a conviction of miracle; in which, as I contend, real religion can alone lie.
Tt will only be thoughts which arise out of what the author has said, that will set the reader musing. He will see that there lie other things beyond, farther reference to which in a work of this nature - indeed, in any work - would be improper. Those who willaccept, as clear illumination out of the fogs and the delusions’of this world, are those who, by intelligence and by knowledge, are fitted to recognize. Ordinary readers, of whom, out of curiosity and the natural vivacity of mind, the author feels assured he will have many, will accept the same pages as most amusing matter, certain things in which will stimulate the profoundest thoughts in those who have the higher gift. For, in reading, there are two views.
they have of this dense, solid, soulless world of ours. Ignoring Spirit out of it, asa thing of no account. Rejecting miracle, because it will not submit to a machinery which produces the world; but which is, of course, incompetent to explain the mastership over itself. Which machinery dissolves wholly at the frontier that separates the great, outside, unknown world, from the little, inside, known world.
Mine is not so much an attempt to restore to Superstition its dispossessed pedestal, as it is to replace the Supernatural upon its abdicated throne.
And if, after listening, for so long a time, to the mighty eloquence of Saint Paul, when heaping inference on inference and proof on proof concerning the religion of the Redeemer, of which he was then so triumphant a champion, Agrippa breaks up his charmed revery (in which he, himself touches on the confine of conviction) with the astonished exclamation: Paul, Paul, thou almost persuadest me to be a Christian! may we not hope that, now, to the reflecting reader, such light of probability shall shine from our arguments, as, that he, too, shall almost see that the Supernatural may be possible about him even in his own familiar hours, and in this our modern and present day?
In the work now in the reader’s hand, the author proposed to himself these certain objects. First: to the best of his power, to establish the possibility of the supernatural. This science denies. Next, to prove the present existence of the supernatural. This faith rejects. Lastly, to show that all religion is only possible, not in the thinking that we believe (which means miracle, per se), but in the actually believing. For mankind may be divided in the subject of belief in divine matters, or, rather, in the crediting of anything out of this world into three great sections. First, into those who believe nothing; secondly, into those who would believe if they could; lastly, into those who think that they believe. In this last large class, are included as to believe impossible things is impossible - all the conscientious and ‘good’ of all the various orders. People can only believe according to the best of their power; and their common sense stops short of a conviction of miracle; in which, as I contend, real religion can alone lie.
Tt will only be thoughts which arise out of what the author has said, that will set the reader musing. He will see that there lie other things beyond, farther reference to which in a work of this nature - indeed, in any work - would be improper. Those who willaccept, as clear illumination out of the fogs and the delusions’of this world, are those who, by intelligence and by knowledge, are fitted to recognize. Ordinary readers, of whom, out of curiosity and the natural vivacity of mind, the author feels assured he will have many, will accept the same pages as most amusing matter, certain things in which will stimulate the profoundest thoughts in those who have the higher gift. For, in reading, there are two views.
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