INTRODUCTION

THINGS WORTH WHILE

I

I HERE renew the expression of my unshaken confidence in the truth of the main contention of this book: that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is essentially independent of miracle; that however miracle may fare under the growing sense of natural law, Christianity in its essence is as lasting as the spirit of man and the moral being of God. While God lives in man and in the cosmos, it remains true that the supernatural pervades the natural as its superior and sovereign; for the supernatural in the natural means that God is in the established sequences of his world, and that he is

supreme. While few men of Christian faith care to deny the reality of miracle, while many recognize its logical possibility in the strict sense of the violation of natural law, while multitudes of good people sincerely believe in the

evangelical miracle, all wise thinkers are agreed that the miracle is relatively unimportant. This is my position. The miracle is relatively unimportant; as such, in all essential disputes it may be counted out or considered as incidental. The world of Christian faith does not stand or fall with miracle; therefore, whoever believes in miracle must hold it as the mere fringe of the garment of faith, and whoever ignores miracle or sets it aside may still be a profound believer in Christ and his gospel. Whoever reads with an open mind the twelfth and thirteenth chapters of First Corinthians will see that the distinction here made was of fundamental moment for Paul. Even among the higher forces of faith the apostle recognizes differing degrees of importance. "But desire earnestly the greater gifts. And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you." Then follows that tremendous judgment contained in the thirteenth chapter, upon all the forms of faith. Love is sovereign; it alone "never faileth"; it gives worth to all

1 1 Corinthians xii, 31.