last recorded and well authenticated miracle which occurred in the Church is one which will help us to put away all doubts concerning the existence of the human soul separate from the body, and thus able to fulfil certain spiritual functions through the intelligent soul, even without the aid of the body. I refer to the instances of those persons who had their tongues cut out, and yet, without the instrumentality of their tongues, were made to preach the Gospel of the blessed God. Now, if the reasonable spirit was made to do this without the instrumentality of the tongue, why should it be thought impossible that God, by the Holy Ghost, could not, without the senses of the body, communicate spiritual life and knowledge in the spiritual region from spirit to spirit, in the one blessed communion of all saints? And thus equals are made to help equals, though they cannot be profitable to us in the flesh (having visibly ceased to exist therein), and thus to go in and out before us. The miracle to which I have referred is that which occurred in the fifth century, which is thus recorded by Milner, in his "Church History." He enumerates several writers of the period who recorded the wonderful work of God. "At Typasa, the secretary "of Cirila was ordained bishop by the Arians. The "inhabitants seeing this, transported themselves into

"Spain, as the distance was but small. Some who "could meet with no vessels remained in Africa. The "new bishop laboured, by courtesy, to win their favour; "but they, in contempt of his ministry, assembled "themselves in a private house for public worship. Huneric, hearing of this by a message from the bishop, ordered their tongues to be cut out, and their "right hands to be cut off in the public market-place. "He seems to have permitted them to retire to Con"stantinople, but to have been determined to prevent "their open confession of the Trinity. The writer "continues: "Shall I, in compliance with modern pre'judices throw a veil over the rest, or shall I proceed "according to historical veracity?" Imperiosa trahit "veritas. A miracle followed worthy of God, whose "majesty had been so daringly insulted, and which "must at that time have much strengthened the hearts "of the faithful, who needed, indeed, some peculiar "consolations amidst such scenes of horrible

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❝tion.

persecu

The miracle itself is so well attested that I see not how it can be more so. The reader shall have "both the fact, and its proofs. Though their tongues were cut out to the root, they spake as well as before. "And if any doubt," says Victor, of Vita, "let him

go to Constantinople, where he will find a sub-deacon "called Reparatus, one who was thus treated, who

speaks plainly, and who has a particular respect "shown him in the palace of the Emperor Zeno especially by the Empress."

"Eneas, of Gaza, a Platonic philosopher, a cautious "and prudent person, was at that time at Constanti

nople, and writes thus, in the conclusion of his "Dialogue on the Resurrection:" "I, myself, saw "them, heard them speak, and wondered that their ut"terance could be so articulate. I searched for the organ of speech, and not trusting my ears, was re"solved to have the proof of the eyes. Causing them to open their mouths, I saw that their tongues were

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plucked out even by the roots, and was then more surprised that they could live, than that they could speak." Is this sufficient evidence? Hear more. Procopius, the historian, in his "History of the "Vandalic War," says: "Huneric ordered the tongues "of many to be cut out who were afterwards seen "in the streets of Constantinople when I was there, "talking without any impediment or feeling any "inconvenience from what they had suffered." Count "Marcellinus, in his "Chronicons" says: "I have

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seen some of this company of faithful confessors "at Constantinople who had their tongues cut "out, but spake without any imperfection in their "utterance." To name only one more witness. The

"great Emperor Justinian, in a constitution published 'by him for Africa, after it had fallen into his do

minion, testifies that he had beheld the same." Can such things be and overcome us like a summer cloud, without our special wonder?

CHAPTER VI.

THE DIALOGUE OF THE DEPARTED.

Betwixt us and you there is a great gulf fixed.—LUKE xvi. 26.

OUR blessed Lord, after warning us against unfaithfulness in our several places and stations in life— against an endeavour to serve God and mammon, or riches-proceeds to show the folly of so doing, the eternal injury we do to ourselves, in endeavouring to serve two masters. In this, he speaketh to every human heart; for who is he that, following his own natural inclination, does not serve for riches, rather than for God? All men are intent, at all risks or hazards, to rise in the world, and by the possession of wealth to put themselves out of a state of dependence, either upon God or man. Our Lord, then, warns His hearers against their departure from the righteousness of the law, and especially against the breach of the marriage bond. He then adds, according to St. Luke, xvi., the words wherein he describes the