was the first appearance of
man. All these things we call _miracles_ of creation; and we especially
place the creative miracle of the appearance of man on a level with the
greatest miracles of which we have knowledge, and use the name miracle for
all before mentioned newly appearing formations, whether or not we are able
to explain those originations from the preceding connection of the course
of nature and its forces. Now, in the history of mankind, where the
intellectual and ethical motives of that which happens become active, where
also the greatest ends which come up for consideration are spiritual and
ethical ends, where man himself acts freely according to ends, and where,
therefore, human and divine teleology come alternately into play, the
manifestation of a striving toward an end, in which religious consciousness
immediately sees also ends and means of God, is repeated in an eminent
degree. Every event which brings about a progress in the history of mankind
as well as of individuals, is as to this side something new, extraordinary,
teleological: _i.e._, a miracle to the religious mode of contemplation; and
this miracle is the greater as is more important the end under
consideration, and the greater and the more decisive the step towards this
end which the event accomplishes. Now, if we recognize the return of
mankind into a communion with God as the highest goal of the general and
individual history of mankind, and if we find in the latter facts which
lead to this goal, then these facts are the great central miracles of
history. As such, the facts of redemption present {371} themselves with all
that for which it once prepared the way; and, now that it has come, leads
to full and complete perfection--and among them all, the coming, the
person, and the history of Jesus Christ, stands as central fact and central
miracle in the midst of all events in the history of salvation, and forms
the central point of all religious interest. We see how unjust it is when
one urges, as an objection to a belief in miracles, that it assigns to God
arbitrary and capricious actions. We call the manifestations of divine
teleology miracles. But striving towards an end and conformity to a regular
plan is not arbitrariness or caprice, but the contrary; and the greater our
estimate of the highest cause of all things, the greater will appear to us
the conformity to a plan and to law of all which presents itself as
miracles in the course of e