To the parent it has bestowed the agony of dread for the fate of departed offspring, guileless infants, as well as the matured. This legend of the fall of man has established in the paths of life its drag net Sin, a word of such unlimited theological definition, that any one of average rectitude, by some trifling inadvertance of thought or action, is likely to bring upon himself the condemnation of a frowning God; so that, the worthy as well as the unworthy, may not escape the services of theological assistance and intercession. But for the doubt that exists, and has probably always existed, except among the ignorant and sluggish minded, of the truth of this puerile invention, it would have reduced humanity long ago to a state of universal hopelessness and despair. The theologians have but little left now but the miracles to defend, and although it must be conceded by them that the miracle of Joshua has fallen, others whose fallacy cannot be so well demonstrated by science, are held to with the tenacity of desperation, and in utter disregard of reason and common sense. Fortunately, in the interest of truth, we are given an opportunity to study the evolution of miracles, in a case so modern that every statement in proof of their fallacy can be substantiated by the current literature of the time. Saint Francis Xavier was an earnest, sincere and truthful Jesuit, whose religious services were performed in the middle of the sixteenth century. He gave up a promising career as professor in a Paris academy, and in his enthusiasm and devotion to Christianity, went as missionary to the Far East. Among the various tribes of lower India, and afterward in Japan he wrought untiringly, toiling through village after village collecting the natives by means of a hand bell. After twelve years of such efforts seeking new converts for religion, he sacrificed his life on the desert island of San Chan. During his career as missionary he wrote great numbers of letters, which were preserved, and have since been published, and these, with the letters of his contemporaries, exhibit clearly all the features of his life. No account of a miracle wrought by him appears either in his own letters or any contemporary document. More than that, his brother missionaries, who were in constant and loyal fellowship with him, make no illusions to them in their communications with each other, or with their brethren in Europe. This silence regarding his miracles was clearly not due to any unbelief in them, because these good missionary fathers were free to record the slightest occurrence which they thought evidence of Divine favor. One of them sends a report that an illuminated cross had been recently seen in the heavens; another that devils had been cast out of the natives by the use of holy water; others send reports that lepers had been healed by baptism, and that the blind and dumb had been restored by the rites of the church; but to Xavier no miracles