PRAYER AND INDUCTIVE SCIENCE.
[To TUE EDITOR OF TIIE "SPECTATOR."] SIR, — Some little while ago you called attention to Mr. Seebohm's interesting paper in the Fortnightly Review on the Christian hypothesis and the means of its verification. Will you allow me to make the following observation, as a contribution towards the investigation which he suggested ?
The following are, I conceive, undisputed facts with regard to the Abyssinian captives, for whose release thanksgiving has to-day been offered throughout England. During the period of their captivity, and especially during the latter part, many prayers for their safety have been put up by many people who have believed that such prayers might he availing. Not only has the prayer for all prisoners and captives been used as usual, but in many churches especial prayers have been asked on their behalf. During every moment of the same period, a single word from King Theodore would have resulted in the death of all his prisoners ; and the history and
character of the King raised no presumption whatever against his issuing such a command, but very much the contrary. As the crisis of the campaign drew near, he appears to have vacillated in his intentions, and once at least been on the point of putting his prisoners to death ; in short, the probability of his ordering all his prisoners to be slain was very great, and the probability of his doing what he did, namely, releasing his prisoners, notwithstanding that he defended his fort, was very small. Different minds will estimate differently the probabilities to which I refer, and I do not profess to have the means myself of weighing them exactly ; but the broad facts are, I take it, beyond doubt, that throughout, the success of our campaign, so far as regarded the release of the pri- soners, hung upon the whim and caprice of a barbarous and blood- thirsty savage ; that success in that respect was prayed for, and success has resulted.
These phenomena consort with the theory of there being a God who hears and answers prayer, and in whose rule and governance are the hearts of kings, and of His having been pleased to hear the prayers addressed to Him for the deliverance of the Abyssinian prisoners, and to answer them. We may be content to accept the facts without any explanation, but I know of no other theory which can explain them.
I do not for a moment suggest that the facts I have stated are any conclusive evidence of the efficacy of prayer. I only submit that if the hypothesis of its efficacy related to physical science, no honest physical philosopher would neglect to record these events
as an affirmative instance.—I am, Sir, &c., E. PRY.
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