HISTORY OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 25, 18 October 1873, Page 13

HISTORY OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

By the Abbe J. E. Dakras. >

(Translated from the French for the New Zealand Tablbt.) 16.—Rationamstic Cbiticish. There is in the perusal alone of the Gospel such harmony .of tone, such exquisite simplicity, combined with a majestic loftiness of style, that no further demonstration is needed to bring conviction to the mind. It is the peculiar characteristic of the Word of God to carry with it its own light, and to'require no justification other than itself. Evidence here is so obvious that it needs no proof to demonstrate it. Hence it is in vain for Rationalism, to tell us that the Canticle of Mary is " one ot those conventional processes which form the essential feature of the apocryphal Gospels." 1. In vain to seek to persuade us that we have before our eyes •" a worthless legend, a puerile amplification." 2.-. Is it true that in the Old Testament a Godj Saviour of the,world, was promised ia'Eden, foretold by'all the Prophets, expected by all suceeding ages ? This fact cannot be denied unless by annihilating history. It is true that Jesus Christ has been adored for the past two. thousand years as Saviour, as Son of God in eternity, as the Son of Mary in time? Unless by denying one's own existence, this fact cannot be contested. Now in order that a single human brow should be Dent in prostrate adoration before Jesus Christ (and it is by thousands of thousands that His adorers are counted) the history of Jesus Christ must needs have been surrounded by incontestable signs of credibility. The more pages you pluck from' His divine history, the more possible will you render faith in His divinity. _ The miracle of having believe! without proofs, would then surpass, in aa infinite proportion, the proof of the miracles which you deny. Thus you think you have said all by rejecting the " Magnificiat" as the work of a forger; annihilated all by ranking the narrative of the Visitation among the fallacious inventions of an apocryphal writer. Nevertheless, by withdrawing these pages you have but multiplied inextricable difficulties. Let us suppose then, if you will, that St. Luke did not write this passage ; that it is the production of an unknown pen, in the second century of the Christian Era. It will be necessary for you at least to date the work, though you may not be able, in your hypothesis, to name its author. Let us take the second century, but not going further bock than the year 150, for at that epoch, Celaus, the pagan was acquainted with the Gospel of St. Luke. He read it then, even as we read it to day ; and if lie had suspected the imposture ot a legendary, he would not have failed to notify it. Now, your apocryphal writer of the;early part of the second century puts in the mouth of Mary, a prediction —clear, precise, positive; " All generations, says the Virgin of Narareth, shall call me blessed !' - To ascertain if this prophecy has been realized, you have but to open your eyes to-day, and behold what passes around you. The entire world resounds with the praises of Mary; and you will have it that an obscure legendary should have guessed that it would be so, eighteen hundred years ago, at a time too, wheu the world adored the divinity of the reigning Cassar, and burned incense plentifully upon all the altars of Venus! It is to be too lavish of the gift of prophecy, to att-ibute it so liberally to all the unknown powers of the Ist Age of the Christian era. If it is so easy a thing to prophecy, why do not the learned men of our day, who are not apocryphal writers, exercise the gift of prophecy? And when, by chance, aay of them dees attempt it, how ia it that it always fails to be verified ? The prophetio faculty outstrips all the efforts of science,—all the inspirations of human genius. The most common-place intellect cannot mistake it. Here is the reason th»t men have believed, do believe, ami even to the end of time, will believe in the Gospel. The prophecies, with which it abounds, have their verification everywhere; their control is in such a manner within the reach of all understandings, that, to establish their reality beyond a doubt, it suffices to hear them enunciated. (1.) Viede Jeaus, Inttod., page xli. (2.) I bid.