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 woman," aye,  a  very  angel,  because  without  the carnal  realism  of  miracles,  John  was  quick  to  recognize the  Lamb  of  God  and,  through  the  storms  and disappointments  of  his  brief  and  tragic  life,  clung  to Him  with  unwavering  fidelity.  Lastly,  for  all  who imitate  John's  constancy  in  faith  no  human  vicissitudes can  change,  Christ  declares  the  reward  in  those words  aptly  styled  the  ninth  beatitude:  "  Blessed  are they that  shall  not  be  scandalized  in  Me."

Brethren, no  assertion  proven  by  a  miracle  can possibly be  false,  provided  it  be  a  genuine  and  true miracle. I say  genuine  and  true,  for  there  are miracles that  are  not  really  such,  but  deserve  rather to be  called  wonders. As Shakespeare  says,  there are many  things  in  heaven  and  earth  not  dreamt  of in  our  philosophy — many  occult  powers  of  Nature, which, when  called  into  play  by  divine  permission  or by  Satanic  agency,  popularly  pass  for  miracles. By such-like prodigies  mere  men  are  frequently  deceived, but angels  and  devils,  with  their  keener  insight  into Nature, know  them  to  be  false. They are  phenomena of Nature,  that  spring  from  hidden  causes,  and  without divine  consent  could  never  be  evoked. Such was the  calling  down  from  heaven,  by  Satan's  power, of fire  upon  the  flocks  and  shepherds  of  holy  Job, and the  changing  of  the  rods  into  dragons  by  the Egyptian seers. Such, too,  are  the  undeniable prodigies often  wrought  by  modern  magicians,  and such will  be  the  arts  wherewith,  at  the  end  of  time, Antichrist will  try  to  deceive  even  the  elect. God, for His  own  wise  purposes,  deigns  to  permit  such