which Mr. Wells attributes to his Invisible King. Because we
can't have any miracles, we say we don't want them. Also, no doubt, we
see that the alleged miracles of the past were childish futilities,
doing at most a little temporary good to individuals, never rendering
any permanent service to a city or a nation, and much less to mankind
at large. They were a sort of niggardly alms from omnipotence, not a
generous endowment or a liberal compensation. But is that any reason
why an intelligent Power should be unable to devise a really helpful
miracle? Another plausible objection is that, even if we could admit
the justice of a system of rewards and punishments, good and evil are
so inextricably intermixed in this world that it is impossible to
distribute benefits on a satisfactory moral scheme. It is impossible
to manipulate the rainfall so that the righteous farmer shall have
just what he wants at the appropriate seasons, while his wicked
neighbour suffers from alternate drought and floods; nor can it be
arranged that the midday express shall convey all the good people
safely, while the 4.15, which is wrecked, carries none but undesirable
characters. To this it might be replied that the inconceivable
complexity of the chess-board of the world exists only in relation to
our human faculties; but what is far more to the point is the
indubitable fact that many salutary miracles might be wrought which
would raise no question whatever as to the moral merits or defects of
the beneficiaries. Miracles of alleged justice may reasonably be
deprecated; but where is the objection to miracles of mercy, falling,
like the blessed rain from heaven, on both just and unjust?

The haughty soul of Mr. Wells may prefer a deity who offers us no
tangible bribes--who not only does not work miracles, but will not
even utilize to material ends that great system of wireless telegraphy
between his mind and ours which he has, by hypothesis, at his
disposal. Mine, I confess, is a humbler spirit. I should be perfectly
willing to accept even thaumaturgic benefits if only they came in my
way; and I cannot regard it as a merit in a God that he should
carefully abstain from using even his powers of suggestion to do some
practical good in the world, and, incidentally, to demonstrate his own
existence.

* * * * *

It is difficult, in the course of a long discussion, to keep the
attention fixed on the precise point at issue.