Itishardlynecessarytoattributetotheoratorsandbiographersgenerallyaconsciousattempttodeceive。Thesimplefactis，thatasaruletheythought，spoke，andwroteinobediencetothenaturallawswhichgoverntheluxuriantgrowthofmythandlegendinthewarmatmosphereofloveanddevotionwhichconstantlyarisesaboutgreatreligiousleadersintimeswhenmenhavelittleornoknowledgeofnaturallaw，whenthereislittlecareforscientificevidence，andwhenhewhobelievesmostisthoughtmostmeritorious。[296]
　　[296]Instancescanbegivenofthesameevolutionofmiraculouslegendinourowntime。TosaynothingofthesacredfountainatLaSalette，whichpreservesitshealingpowersinspiteofthefactthatthemiraclethatgaverisetothemhastwicebeenpronouncedfraudulentbytheFrenchcourts，andtopasswithoutnoticeamultitudeofothers，notonlyinCatholicbutinProtestantcountries，thepresentwritermayalludetoonewhichintheyear1893cameunderhisownobservation。OnarrivinginSt。Petersburgtobeginanofficialresidencethere，hisattentionwasarrestedbyvariousportraitsofapriestoftheRusso-GreekChurch；theyweredisplayedinshopwindowsandheldanhonouredplaceinmanyprivatedwellings。Theseportraitsrangedfromlifelikephotographs，whichshowedaplain，shrewd，kindlyface，tothosewhichwereidealizeduntiltheyboreastrongresemblancetotheconventionalrepresentationsofJesusofNazareth。Onmakinginquiries，thewriterfoundthattheseportraitsrepresentedFatherIvan，ofCronstadt，apriestnotedforhisgoodworks，andverywidelybelievedtobeendowedwiththepowerofworkingmiracles。
　　Oneday，inoneofthemostbrilliantreceptionroomsofthenortherncapital，thesubjectofFatherIvan’smiracleshavingbeenintroduced，agentlemaninveryhighsocialpositionandentirelytrustworthyspokeasfollows：“Thereissomethingverysurprisingaboutthesemiracles。Iamslowtobelieveinthem，butIknowthefollowingtobeafact：ThelateMetropolitanArchbishopofSt。Petersburglovedquiet，andwasveryadversetoanythingwhichcouldpossiblycausescandal。HearingofFatherIvan’smiracles，hesummonedhimtohispresenceandsolemnlycommandedhimtoabstainfromallofthethingswhichhadgivenrisetohisreportedmiracles，andwiththisinjunction，dismissedhim。Hardlyhadthepriestlefttheroomwhenthearchbishopwasstruckwithblindnessandremainedinthisconditionuntilthepriestreturnedandremovedhisblindnessbyintercessoryprayers。”Whenthepresentwriteraskedthepersongivingthisaccountifhedirectlyknewthesefacts，herepliedthathewas，ofcourse，notpresentwhenthemiraclewaswrought，butthathehadthefactsimmediatelyfrompersonswhoknewallthepartiesconcernedandwerecognizantdirectlyofthecircumstancesofthecase。
　　Sometimeafterward，thepresentwriterbeingatanafternoonreceptionatoneofthegreaterembassies，thesamesubjectwastouchedupon，whenaneminentgeneralspokeasfollows：“Iamnotinclinedtobelieveinmiracles，infactamrathersceptical，buttheproofsofthosewroughtbyFatherIvanareoverwhelming。”HethenwentontosaythatthelateMetropolitanArchbishopwasamanwholovedquietanddislikedscandal；andthatonthisaccounthehadsummonedFatherIvantohispalaceandorderedhimtoputanendtotheconductwhichhadcausedthereportsconcerninghismiraculouspowers，andthen，withawaveofthearm，haddismissedhim。Thepriestlefttheroom，andfromthatmomentthearchbishop’sarmwasparalyzed，anditremainedsountilthepenitentprelatesummonedthepriestagain，bywhoseprayersthearmwasrestoredtoitsformerusefulness。Therewaspresentatthetimeanotherpersonbesidesthewriterwhohadheardthepreviousstatementastotheblindnessofthearchbishop，andontheirbothquestioningthegeneralifheweresurethatthearchbishop’sarmwasparalyzed，asstated，hedeclaredthathecouldnotdoubtit，ashehaditdirectlyfrompersonsentirelytrustworthy，whowerecognizantofallthefacts。
　　Sometimelater，thepresentwriter，havinganinterviewwiththemosteminentlayauthorityintheGreekChurch，afunctionarywhosedutieshadbroughthimintoalmostdailycontactwiththelatearchbishop，askedhimwhichofthesestorieswascorrect。
　　Thisgentlemanansweredimmediately：“Neither；Isawthearchbishopconstantly，andnosucheventoccurred；hewasneverparalyzedandneverblind。”
　　Thesamegentlemanwentontosaythat，inhisbelief，FatherIvanhadshownremarkablepowersinhealingthesick，andthegreatestcharityinrelievingthedistressed。ItwasmadeclearlyevidentthatFatherIvanisasaintlikeman，devotedtotheneedyanddistressedandexercisinganenormousinfluenceoverthem——aninfluencesogreatthatcrowdsawaithimwheneverhevisitsthecapital。IntheatmosphereofRussiandevotionmythsandlegendsgrowluxuriantlyabouthim，norisbeliefinhimconfinedtothepeasantclass。Intheautumnof1894hewassummonedtothebedsideoftheEmperorAlexanderIII。
　　UnfortunatelyforthepeaceofEurope，hisintercessionatthattimeprovedunavailing。
　　TheseexampleswillservetoillustratetheprocesswhichinthousandsofcaseshasgoneonfromtheearliestdaysoftheChurchuntilaveryrecentperiod。EverywheremiraculouscuresbecametheruleratherthantheexceptionthroughoutChristendom。
　　III。THEMEDIAEVALMIRACLESOFHEALINGCHECKMEDICALSCIENCE。
　　Soitwasthat，throughoutantiquity，duringtheearlyhistoryoftheChurch，throughouttheMiddleAges，andindeeddowntoacomparativelyrecentperiod，testimonytomiraculousinterpositionswhichwouldnowbelaughedatbyaschoolboywasacceptedbytheleadersofthought。St。AugustinewascertainlyoneofthestrongestmindsintheearlyChurch，andyetwefindhimmentioning，withmuchseriousness，astorythatsundryinnkeepersofhistimeputadrugintocheesewhichmetamorphosedtravellersintodomesticanimals，andassertingthatthepeacockissofavouredbytheAlmightythatitsfleshwillnotdecay，andthathehastesteditandknowsthistobeafact。Withsuchadispositionregardingthewildeststories，itisnotsurprisingthattheassertionofSt。GregoryofNazianzen，duringthesecondcentury，astothecureswroughtbythemartyrsCosmoandDamian，wasechoedfromallpartsofEuropeuntileveryhamlethaditsmiracle-workingsaintorrelic。
　　Theliteratureofthesemiraclesissimplyendless。Totakeourownancestorsalone，noonecanreadtheEcclesiasticalHistoryofBede，orAbbotSamson’sMiraclesofSt。Edmund，ortheaccountsgivenbyEadmerandOsbernofthemiraclesofSt。
　　Dunstan，orthelonglistsofthosewroughtbyThomasaBecket，orbyanyotherinthearmyofEnglishsaints，withoutseeingtheperfectnaturalnessofthisgrowth。ThisevolutionofmiracleinallpartsofEuropecameoutofavastprecedingseriesofbeliefs，extendingnotmerelythroughtheearlyChurchbutfarbackintopaganism。JustasformerlypatientswerecuredinthetemplesofAesculapius，sotheywerecuredintheMiddleAges，andsotheyarecurednowattheshrinesofsaints。Justastheancientmiraclesweresolemnlyattestedbyvotivetablets，givingnames，dates，anddetails，andthesetabletshungbeforetheimagesofthegods，sothemedievalmiracleswereattestedbysimilartabletshungbeforetheimagesofthesaints；andsotheyareattestedto-daybysimilartabletshungbeforetheimagesofOurLadyofLaSaletteorofLourdes。Justasfaithinsuchmiraclespersisted，inspiteofthesmallpercentageofcuresatthoseancientplacesofhealing，sofaithpersiststo-day，despitethefactthatinatleastninetypercentofthecasesatLourdesprayersproveunavailing。Asarule，themiraclesofthesacredbooksweretakenasmodels，andeachofthosegivenbythesacredchroniclerswasrepeatedduringtheearlyagesoftheChurchandthroughthemedievalperiodwithendlessvariationsofcircumstance，butstillwithcuriousfidelitytotheoriginaltype。
　　Itshouldbeespeciallykeptinmindthat，whilethevastmajorityoftheseweredoubtlessduetothemyth-makingfacultyandtothatdevelopmentoflegendswhichalwaysgoesoninagesignorantoftherelationbetweenphysicalcausesandeffects，someofthemiraclesofhealinghadundoubtedlysomebasisinfact。Weinmoderntimeshaveseentoomanycuresperformedthroughinfluencesexercisedupontheimagination，suchasthoseoftheJansenistsattheCemeteryofSt。Medard，oftheUltramontanesatLaSaletteandLourdes，oftheRussianFatherIvanatSt。Petersburg，andofvariousProtestantsectsatOldOrchardandelsewhere，aswellasatsundrycampmeetings，todoubtthatsomecures，moreorlesspermanent，werewroughtbysaintedpersonagesintheearlyChurchandthroughouttheMiddleAges。[297]
　　[297]Forthestoryoftravellersconvertedintodomesticanimals，seeSt。Augustine，DeCiv。Dei，liberxviii，chaps。
　　xvii，xviii，inMigne，tom。xli，p。574。ForGregoryofNazianenandthesimilarityoftheseChristiancuresingeneralcharactertothosewroughtinthetemplesofAesculapius，seeSprengel，vol。ii，pp。145，146。ForthemiracleswroughtattheshrineofSt。Edmund，seeSamsonisAbbatisOpusdeMiraculisSanctiAedmundi，intheMasteroftheRolls’series，passim，butespeciallychaps。xivandxixformiraclesofhealingwroughtonthosewhodrankoutofthesaint’scup。ForthemightyworksofSt。Dunstan，seetheMirac。SanctiDunstani，auctoreEadmeroandauctoreOsberno，intheMasteroftheRolls’series。AstoBecket，seetheMaterialsfortheHistoryofThomasBecket，inthesameseries，andespeciallythelistsofmiracles——themereindexoftheminthefirstvolumerequiresthirteenoctavopages。
　　ForSt。MartinofTours，seetheGuizotcollectionofFrenchChronicles。FormiracleandshrinecureschronicledbyBede，seehisEcclesiasticalHistory，passim，butespeciallyfrompage110
　　topage267。ForsimilaritybetweentheancientcustomofallowinginvalidstosleepinthetemplesofSerapisandthemediaevalcustomofhavingthemsleepinthechurchofSt。
　　AnthonyofPaduaandotherchurches，seeMeyer，AberglaubedesMittelalters，Basel，1884，chap。iv。Fortheeffectof“thevividbeliefinsupernaturalactionwhichattachesitselftothetombsofthesaints。”etc。，as“apsychicagentofgreatvalue。”
　　seeLittre，MedecineetMedecins，p。131。FortheJansenistmiraclesatParis，seeLaVeritedesMiraclesoperesparl’IntercessiondeM。deParis，parMontgeron，Utrecht，1737，andespeciallythecasesofMaryAnneCouronneau，PhilippeSargent，andGautierdePezenas。ForsomeverythoughtfulremarksastotheworthlessnessofthetestimonytomiraclespresentedduringthecanonizationproceedingsatRome，seeMaury，LegendesPieuses，pp。4-7。
　　Thereareundoubtedlyseriouslesionswhichyieldtoprofoundemotionandvigorousexertionbornofpersuasion，confidence，orexcitement。Thewonderfulpowerofthemindoverthebodyisknowntoeveryobservantstudent。Mr。HerbertSpencerdwellsuponthefactthatintensefeelingorpassionmaybringoutgreatmuscularforce。Dr。Berdoeremindsusthat“agoutymanwhohaslonghobbledaboutonhiscrutch，findshislegsandpowertorunwiththemifpursuedbyawildbull“；andthat“thefeeblestinvalid，undertheinfluenceofdeliriumorotherstrongexcitement，willastonishhernursebythesuddenaccessionofstrength。”[298]
　　[298]Forthecitationinthetext，aswellasforabriefbutremarkablyvaluablediscussionofthepowerofthemindoverthebodyindisease，seeDr。Berdoe’sMedicalViewoftheMiraclesatLourdes，inTheNineteenthCenturyforOctober，1895。
　　Butmiraculouscureswerenotascribedtopersonsmerely。
　　Anothergrowth，developedbytheearlyChurchmainlyfromgermsinoursacredbooks，tookshapeinmiracleswroughtbystreams，bypoolsofwater，andespeciallybyrelics。Here，too，theoldtypespersisted，andjustaswefindholyandhealingwells，pools，andstreamsinallotherancientreligions，sowefindintheevolutionofourownsuchexamplesasNaamantheSyriancuredofleprosybybathingintheriverJordan，theblindmanrestoredtosightbywashinginthepoolofSiloam，andthehealingofthosewhotouchedthebonesofElisha，theshadowofSt。Peter，orthehandkerchiefofSt。Paul。
　　St。Cyril，St。Ambrose，St。Augustine，andothergreatfathersoftheearlyChurch，sanctionedthebeliefthatsimilarefficacywastobefoundintherelicsofthesaintsoftheirtime；hence，St。Ambrosedeclaredthat“thepreceptsofmedicinearecontrarytocelestialscience，watching，andprayer。”andwefindthisstatementreiteratedfromtimetotimethroughouttheMiddleAges。Fromthisideawasevolvedthatfetichismwhichweshallseeforagesstandinginthewayofmedicalscience。
　　Theology，developedinaccordancewiththisidea，threwaboutallcures，eventhosewhichresultedfromscientificeffort，anatmosphereofsupernaturalism。ThevividnesswithwhichtheaccountsofmiraclesinthesacredbookswererealizedintheearlyChurchcontinuedtheideaofmiraculousinterventionthroughouttheMiddleAges。ThetestimonyofthegreatfathersoftheChurchtothecontinuanceofmiraclesisoverwhelming；buteverythingshowsthattheysofullyexpectedmiraclesontheslightestoccasionastorequirenothingwhichinthesedayswouldberegardedasadequateevidence。
　　Inthisatmosphereoftheologicthoughtmedicalsciencewasatoncechecked。TheSchoolofAlexandria，undertheinfluencefirstofJewsandlaterofChristians，bothpermeatedwithOrientalideas，andtakingintotheirtheoryofmedicinedemonsandmiracles，soonenvelopedeverythinginmysticism。IntheByzantineEmpireoftheEastthesamecauseproducedthesameeffect；theevolutionofascertainedtruthinmedicine，begunbyHippocratesandcontinuedbyHerophilus，seemedlostforever。