the name of Hicks, three of them farmers, the other a Methodist preacher, all spiritualists. They are highly spoken of by their neighbours. Among them I spent a pleasant Sunday ten days ago, and heard those 'solid men' tell of cures performed through the mediumship of the daughter of one of them equal to those of old. A bruised thumb was relieved of all swelling and bleeding by her taking the inflammation into her own hand and arm, and then throwing it off. Her father had his foot crushed by a horse, and with it swollen and bleeding reached the house. 'Minerva,' said he, 'for heaven's sake call the doctor!' The doctor was already there, and influenced Minerva' to place that broken foot together, wipe off the blood, and take out the inflammation. He (Hicks) put on his boot and went about his business, never experiencing any serious inconvenience from the wound. A neighbour of theirs (I forget the name) dislocated his knee, and sent for Minerva instead of a surgeon. The crowd tried to fool her, telling her that the hurt was in the ankle, but she looked up with that peculiar expression of one possessed, and said, 'I know my own business,' and after trying to set the knee, called for help. Five men taking hold with her, the knee was set, and after a few passes over it with her hands, the swelling went down so as not to be noticeable.

"A. Hicks has a son aged sixteen years, who last fall had a running sore under his right shoulder. For seven long years he had suffered with it until hopes of a cure were few and faint. He would sometimes pull out rotten pipes from it several inches in length. Physicians pronounced it incurable without the loss of the arm, and hinted that his life was likely to be lost too. This young man went to his uncle's, and in three days' time by the laying on of hands,' was on the high road to health. His issue was healed, and continues well to this day."

THE DEITY is acknowledged as the curer, but most assuredly angels were the physicians-as much as they were when the angels came and troubled the pool of Bethesda, and when an angel strengthened Jesus the Christ.

HH

SECTION XIV.

SPECIAL PROVIDENCE.

A

THE marvellous incidents narrated in the previous sections, at once subdue unbelief in Special Providence; and show how by the system of sub-agency, as in the affairs of man, angels minister, not only in the great events of a man's life, but in the minute and common-place affairs of that life. Therein is wisdom, because the happiness or misery of man arises from little things; many littles make the path of life smooth or rough, and by the careful avoidance of little annoyances, life becomes a comfort to the individual; and that feeling of comfort communicates itself by look, and by action, to those dependent on him: and their comfort or joy is increased. nurse, with an invalid, has to descend to a very minute attention to little matters, so called; but great, if the comfort of the invalid is considered; yet that nurse is a spirit created in the image of God. Why, therefore, should it be considered a thing incredible, that angels should come and watch over, and cheerfully direct those mental invalids; who, conscious of their feebleness of knowledge, ask the direction and assistance of those whose position in life is superior to their own; but whose bent of mind, and feelings of kindness, find their vent and joy in visiting the sick, the bereaved, and the orphan.

If we could all get out of the fog of educational ideas of heaven, and take a common-sense Bible view of angel help; the law of Special Providence would be as plain, as of a father or mother, descending to minute business or household matters, for the well-being of the family they are providentially placed over. Blindness does not hinder the blind from accepting help, though he cannot see the helper; so neither are we, with our opaque eyes, to deny there is help, because we cannot see the helper. Test his presence by asking, and if it be done with child-like reliance, and not with the distrustful sneer,

help will come, and that as sensibly as the help felt by the blind man referred to.

In the families of my friends, and in my own family; the proofs of this have been so frequent, and so minute; that to deny it, would be to lie.

In the knowledge of the fact that a slight alteration in the chemical constituents of air, would, even with a cloudless sky, suddenly produce rain; we perceive how for great objects, spiritual intelligences might so produce a temporary change in the elements, within a limited area;. as to cause rain or wind. The power which could produce the whirlwind in front of Elijah, could produce the fire to consume the soldiers -could produce the mighty rushing wind in Jerusalemcould shake the houses, tables, and chairs, as narrated in the previous sections-could effect the incidents in this section. Admit the greater, and the lesser has room enough to enter.

THE VITALITY, the power, and the importance of this section, cannot be over-estimated. Sounds, movings, risings, &c., are all subservient to the great vital law, SPECIAL PROVIDENCE. The movements of physical bodies, are merely the lights, to show that the gas has an existence; and that gas is healthy or deadly, dependent on the manner of using it.

SPIRIT MANIFESTATION, shows the existence of spirit life; and Special Providences show the action of that power for weal or for woe upon man. Satisfied as to the existence of the one, the other is the more readily understood.

THE ORPHAN HOUSE at Bristol, containing one thousand orphans fed by Special Providence, is the grandest spectacle in the British empire. Every materialist, and Christian, should purchase a copy of Muller's narrative; and a system of minute supervision would be opened, which would fill the mind with wonder; pulverise the mental hallucination theory, and open a landscape to view, glowing with corn fields, and foliage; and the lights and the shadows of life playing over the same, would only add fresh beauty and loveliness. (See section on Impres

sions, page 438.) The landscape, in its extent, is yet so minute, as to allow the existence and examination of a single stalk and ear of corn; and the laws of nature play their part in that single thread of life, as in the whole length and breadth of the landscape.

FRANKLIN thought, and flew his kite; and declared therefrom certain laws in electricity. The consequences of that kite flight, have materially assisted man in his knowledge of phenomena, and have added much to the comfort of mankind in civilised countries.

MEN have been thinking, and by as simple a method as Franklin with his kite; have discovered the law of special providence. The incident in its feebleness was created by the experimenter, but the success of the experiment developed the existence of a Law which SHAKES EMPIRES. That law is Special Providence.

Before going into a higher range of incidents, let me give a few kite experiments, made by me through a medium I know well, and have known many years; and can therefore place all dependence in what transpired in my presence.

Having lost some choice flower seeds for sowing, and having searched in every direction about my house unsuccessfully, I thought, now is an opportunity for proving the truth of Special Providence. If angels are near us, and do help, perhaps they will solve my doubts by kindly influencing

(a medium of rather feeble powers) to find the seeds. At once he began to move; he got up, his hand stretched out, stiffened, and seemed as if drawn; he allowed his body to follow; he stated he felt a gummy sensation on his hand;" he moved about the room for about a minute, and then went into the back parlour, opened the cupboard door; his hand then floated to the top shelf, and rested on an old cash-box; it was taken down and opened, but no seeds were there; disappointed, I was putting it back, when the hand of the medium again was placed on the cash-box; I then examined again, and this time lifted up the inner part used for gold and silver; and there, under it, was the packet of seeds I was in search of.

I then flew another kite. I had, for family convenience, de an opening into the adjoining house, so as to double the

number of rooms for my family; the furniture, &c., were to be re-arranged. I asked for additional proof of the law, by the question, "Will you kindly re-arrange the furniture, pictures, &c." At once the medium was subject to the influence -he was drawn into the kitchen-all the articles were taken down; and without the slightest volition of his mind, his hand was moved, and touched an article; he took it up with both hands, and they floated to the spot it was to be placed; and when finished, all in the house were amused and delighted with the method and thought displayed in the convenient positions of the various articles. The process was continued, and the whole of the re-arrangement of household effects was carried out; the hand of the medium going to, and resting on each article, and then floating off to the room and the spot where it was to be placed; and so unique and appropriate was that arrangement, especially in my late wife's private sittingroom; that she sat and wept with gratitude. There, opposite to where she usually sat, was her husband's portrait, and below it, had been placed the picture of the cemetery, where lay four of her deceased children, &c.

Did we, as a family, merely feel amused at the result-far otherwise. I and my wife were subdued, were made conscious of the TRUTH of God's oversight of the individual. We felt, "His nature and His name is LOVE."

Since then I have flown many similar kites, and thereby Muller's providences at Bristol, and the incidents of Special Providence in this section, and elsewhere; are to me as true, as the existence of my right hand now in the act of writing

"HOMER never introduces the Deity as depriving man of the freedom of will, but as moving the will. He does not represent the heavenly power as producing the resolution, but ideas which lead to the resolution. The act, therefore, is by no means involuntary, since occasion only is given to free operations, and confidence and good hope are superadded. For either the Supreme being must be excluded from all casualty and influence on our actions, or it must be confessed that this is the only way in which he assists men, and cooperates with them, since it is not to be supposed that he fashions our corporeal organs, or directs the motions of our hands and feet, to the purposes he designs, but that by certain motives and ideas which he suggests, he either excites the active powers of the will, or else restrains them."-Plutarch.