A.D. 1936-AN ABNORMAL YEAR

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21714, 22 February 1936, Page 22

A.D. 1936-AN ABNORMAL YEAR

10 *B» I Sir,—Histoiy and events year. ! to date. Sittlcate in every :of. lif %£l one is extremely^n^u^^^tj^y will add most to bis enjoyinejii; of and, unless he has obtained thtej&ecjel-k sary knowledge, or, preparatory perience, much disappointment .is^4»V ; evitable. The, apparent psychological cause is owing. to the .year. 1936. being? a multiple of llr—the, main 3*un-spot period—a period'.of solarrejuvenation, and the sun's energy, being intensified,it reflectsf.its vitalising• influence on this planet' an unusual-.'degree.. According'to history every Eleventh year, including the Crucifixion,. 33, has apparently been an-abnormal year; and,"' ; especially during last century and to , date, it has usually • been an epochmaking period. The outstanding ones I are: 1804—Napoleon became first Bra*' I peror of Prance, with England, Ausi tria, and Russia united against him; 1 1815—Waterloo; 1826-^the-driest yea?, in Europe, on record; 1837—-Queen Vic- i toria succeeds William IV;,A/year of i peace and. the beginning of an -era of national prosperity. 1870—The FrancoPrussian war. 1881—Boer war ended on March 22, Tsar; Alexander 11. and President Garfield assassinated. 1892 —Duke of Clarence and Cardinal' Manning died January 14, and Spurgeon January 31. 1903—The wettest year in Europe on rejcord. - 1914—War declared with Germany. 1925—N0 war, as the world had ,not fully recuperated. But what isr the position to-day, 1936. This year is also the first of the nine-year cycle and adds determination and. energy -to energy. The phenomenon occurs once every 99 years, thus making 1936 the most unique,of the century. Remembering' that history repeats itself and that the probability of war is being contributed to by factors unknown or unrecognised, we look in vain for evidence that, a world war, ■ unequalled in its appalling destructiveness, is not imminent. The Olympic Games in Berlin will probably be celebrated in due order and some sensational new records will be made, but, beyond this event, diplomacy's efforts to maintain peace are likely to be unavailing. Our obyious duty is unitedly to conserve our abundant resources and npt waste our energies .frivolously... ..Science,, especially in air travel, is daily adding links which bind us to the outer world's sorrows and joys. The greatest pity is that the Church, which nominally provides relief, if not actual security—from war and its afflictions, seems powerless to guide or influence the nations to any appreciable extent. Her appliances for lifting up the Christ in the hearts of the people are either obsolete or urgently need overhauling. Meanwhile we must adhere to the Master's precept—" What I say unto you I say unto all—watch."—Yours, etc., C. H. MASON. Timaru, February 20, 1936.