years, or _millennium_. This doctrine is chiefly
based upon a most literal interpretation of part of the book of
Revelation (chap, xx.), which is confessedly the most figurative
and mystical book in the Bible.

MINOR CANONS. Priests in Collegiate Churches next in rank to
the Canons and Prebendaries, but not of the Chapter. They are
responsible for the performance of daily service, and should be
well skilled in Church music.

MINISTER. _One who serves_. A term applied generally to the clergy
about the time of the Great Rebellion. It is equivalent to the
Greek word rendered _Deacon_. An effort was unsuccessfully made in
1689 to substitute _minister_ for _priest_ throughout the Prayer
Book wherever the latter word occurred.

MIRACLE. Latin, _A Wonder_. The general notion of miracles, viz.,
that they are necessary proofs or credentials of our Saviour's
commission from God, can scarcely be maintained on Scriptural
grounds. (Matt. vii. 28.) A better definition of miracles is given
by Archbishop Thomson: "The miracles of the Gospel are works done
by Christ in the course of His divine mission of mercy, which could
not have proceeded from ordinary causes then in operation, and
therefore proved the presence of a superhuman power, and which, by
their nature and drift, showed that this power was being exerted
in the direction of love and compassion for the salvation of
mankind."

If the miraculous works of Christ were disproved and done away
with, two miracles would still remain which are unassailable,
viz., the character of Christ, and the message of Christ. Therefore
the question is not whether miracles by themselves are probable,
but whether the Lord from heaven, who lived on this earth--for
none could have invented the story of His life; who left a message
on earth--for none could have invented that message; added to
his utterances certain marvels of love and compassion to draw
men's eyes towards Him for their good. This may be called the
_historic_ consideration of miracles; the _scientific_ is briefly
as follows:--We are told that the phenomena of nature are so
many links in a chain of causes and effects, and to suppose
that God breaks through this chain, is to make God contradict
Himself. To this it may be answered that apart from any question
of miracles, there are already flaws in this chain of causation,
or rather, powers from without that can shake it, as, for instance,
the outbreak of a war rendering a country, w