But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying,
Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Matt. xiv., 24-27.

That the disciples who were daily with the Lord should have been afraid, and thought they saw something supernatural, suggests that Jesus, through a force that we do not as yet understand, was able to make his natural body lighter at will. Though very many marvels were performed, and great mastery of the force from the Overworld was shown by Jesus, yet that manifested in his life did not compare to that which came after he had suffered on the cross.

And the sun was darkened and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

Luke xxiii., 45.

And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

Mark xvi., 3, 4.

And behold there was a great earthquake, for the
angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came
and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat
upon it.
Matt. xxviii., 2.

And they found the stone rolled away from the
sepulchre,

And they entered in and found not the body of
the Lord Jesus.
Luke xxiv., 2, 3.

And seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. John xx., 1. In only two gospels are we told the story of the birth of Jesus, but in four are the wonders of the resurrection related, and angels credited with using superforce.

This same force was employed in apostolic days by angel guides and also by the apostles themselves, aided by angels. When Peter was in prison, sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and keepers before the prison doors, the Scripture says:

And behold, the Angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. Acts xii., 7.

When they were passed the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord.

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod. Acts xii., 10, II. This miracle is most beautifully portrayed in a mural painting by Raphael in the Vatican. The amount of light shown in the picture tells us that even in the age when devils were believed in, rather more than angels, Raphael felt sure that this angel was one of light.

Superforce is used often without the hand of the angel being seen. When Paul and Silas were in prison, having received many stripes, their feet being made fast in the stocks, a miracle occurred.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. Acts xvi., 25, 26.

All through the early centuries of the

Christian era we see how potent was the superforce, but the records of the lives of the saints are so mixed with legend that it is difficult for the layman to distinguish between truth and fiction. In the life of St. Columba mention is twice made of doors opening by a superforce. When with some of his monks this saint went to visit King Brude, in his royal residence near Inverness, they were refused entrance. "The gates were bolted, but Columba making the sign of the cross, the

bolts flew back, the doors stood open, and the monks entered the castle." (Lucy Menzies Life of St. Columba, p. 93.)

In the life of Thomas à Becket we read of something similar happening when he and his monks would pass through a certain door that was locked. "One of the monks ran before to force it, for the key was lost; suddenly the door flew open as if of itself." (Stanley, his. mem. of Canterbury, p. 96.)

In the journal of the Wesley family, Rev. Samuel, father of John Wesley, says, "I have been thrice pushed by an invisible power, once against the corner of my desk in the study, a second time against the door of the matted chamber, the third time against the right side of the frame of my study door as I was going in " (page 247). Emily Wesley, writing to her brother about the disturbances at the parsonage, says, "I heartily rejoice at having such an opportunity of convincing myself, past doubt or scruple, of the existence of some things besides those we see."

In modern times there is perhaps no stronger evidence of a superforce than the life of Joan of Arc, else what was it that enabled a poor, unlettered peasant girl to play the part she did in the hundred years' war? All superforce is from the other world. It may be used, is used, both by good and by bad spirits. Whether it is good we may see from the end attained. No one who believes the Scripture can doubt that in Peter's case it was an angel of light that loosened his chains. This light seen in the prison was of the same nature of that seen on the plains of Bethlehem.

And the glory of the Lord shone round about
them.
Luke ii., 9.

The same that blinded Paul.

Acts ix.,

3.

And suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. Manifestations of light from the Overworld are not confined to the Bible days. Of St. Columba we read, "A most brilliant pillar wreathed with fiery tresses preceded this same

man of God." Again, "One night when a monk burning with the love of God, went to church to pray, he saw Columba come in and along with him a golden light that came down from the highest heavens and filled that part of the church." (Adamnan's Life of Columba III., xv.)

Of King Oswald's bones, which were being moved and were left out all night, it is said, "For during that whole night a pillar of light, reaching from the wagon up to heaven, was seen by almost all the inhabitants of the province of Lindsey." (Bede b. iii., chap. xi.)

The nuns in the monastery of Barking received direction regarding a burial-place by means of light. On a sudden a light from heaven, like a great sheet came down upon them all, and struck them with so much terror that they, in consternation, left off singing. But that resplendent light, which seemed to exceed the sun at noonday, soon after rising from that place, removed to the south side of the monastery, that is, to the westward of the oratory, and having continued there some time, and covered those parts in sight of them all, withdrew itself up again to heaven. (Bede b. iv., chap. vi.) We might go on multiplying examples of superforce and fill many volumes, but let us meditate upon a few lines from Job.

Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?

Job xxxvii., 5, 15.

XII

SUPERSIGNS

Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God: ask it either
in the depth or in the height above.
Isa. vii., II.

"The signs and wonders which broke in upon the
indifference and awoke the belief of Jew and Gentile,
whether they were produced by momentary suspen-
sion of law or by its pre-ordained operation, were
equally His work from whom all law proceeds."
Robert Dale Owen.

All through the ages we find men asking for a sign from heaven or seeing one in natural phenomena. It would seem as though the desire for a sign were almost universal; that at times when the mind of man is in doubt, when he stands midway between earthly desire and heavenly aspiration, he yearns for something that will point the way, or more often for a sign that will coincide with his inclination and ease his conscience.

The poet of Genesis saw the sun and moon as signs.

And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. Gen. i., 14. Noah saw in the rainbow a token and a promise that meant no more floods.

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. Gen. ix., 13. The sailor to-day sees in the rainbow the signs of both good and bad weather, depending upon when seen. The Egyptians used the sign of Horus' outspread wings over their doors for protection. Moses told the Israelites to strike their doorposts with blood.