THE ANCIENT SCIENCE OF ASTROLOGY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12931, 29 July 1905, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE ANCIENT SCIENCE OF ASTROLOGY.

III'.: has recently been said that the vic-torious-results of the present war, to the Japanese are due to the counsels of their astrologers, who have specified the dates on which attacks should bo made on the Russian troops, a'nd indicated the. positions, ■ north, south, oast, or west, from which such attacks should, if possible, he made. The truth of the statement is extremely probable, as. in China and Japan astrology has been practised for thousands of years, and there is no educated native of these countries who has not some knowledge of the science. The late Japanese Ambassador in London, was a skilled astrologer, but as lie was unable to give the required time to the hard work of mathematical calculations, he retained a practical astrologer in his suite. In England it is generally pronounced by those who know nothing about it as a superstition. Kepler, one of our greatest astronomers; the poet Dryden; Elamstecd, the first Astronomer Royal, were regarded as men of ill-regulated minds because of their belief in the influence of the stars on. human destiny.

That the range of the mentally ill-regu-lated was wide became plain to the Average Man when lie was told that two astrological almanacs, published in London, and of little use save to those acquainted with the science, sold by thousands annually. _ Medical men, lawyers, and soldiers practise astrology in private, and not one of them would sign a lease, or an agreement, or enter into any business arrangements without first consulting his horoscope. Out of deference to public opinion, and unwilling to be considered idiots, they keep their belief in astrology secret. One can imagine the roar of laughter from the mess table that would follow a confession of belief in it; or the regard that patients or clients would have for a. man who consulted the stars. 11. would be almost as bad as if he had written poetry. A '"shrewd,'enterprising young Northcountryman, who was managing a very large business in the City of London, and in a fair way to make his fortune," told Mr.

Stead, as related by him in Borderland for July, 1895, that in six years he had spent two thousand pounds in paying astrologers to advise him in his business, and that ho did not think that any money which lie had invested had been, better spent. Against the advice of his friends, but in obedience to his astrologer—wlioao wisdom lie had already provedhe threw up an important business in Manchester to come to London.

The realisation of his predicted success induced him to study-astrology for himself; but as he had not time for calculations, etc., lie employed w professional astrologer. Hearing this, the Average Man is sufficiently interested to ask: WHAT. IS ASTROLOGY? It is a science just like astronomy, botany, geology; it depends chielly on arithmetical calculations and mathematical deductions, and it is within the power of any fairly educated man or woman to prove whether or not there is any truth in it. Every parent owes it as a reparation to his child for having brought him into this wretched world to have its horoscope cast. There would be seen the child's temperament and special talent, the country and city where success would" most readily be gained by him, the periods when illness or misfortune should be guarded against, the most fortunate times for his advancement, the type of people who would be his friends or his enemies. It will also show the failings most to be feared and corrected, and the profession for which lie is beet suited, so that years need not be wasted and misery incurred by forcing him into a, calling for which he has no aptitude, and in which he never would find prosperity. THOSE All OCT TO MARRV. One of the most beneficent uses of astrology is that it is capable of saving the multitude from unhappy marriages. A comparison of the horoscopes of those about to marry would show whether such a union would turn out happily or miserably. If such comparisons were made and acted upon there would bo no divorces. An Eastern proverb lias it that "The stars govern man, but the wise man governs.the stars." The story is told of an astrologer whose horoscope warned him never to marry, as nilhappiness lay that way.v- Fate brought into his lonely life a- girl whom . lie liked. lie cast her horoscope'-.from the '•! dale- 1 given him, and ' found it harmonised with' ■ his own. They married, 'a.nd ;lived unhappily ever afterwards. . /One day lie asked if she were sure the date she had given him of her birth were correct, when she told 1 him she never quite knew what it was, but took it for granted it was that she had stated. Then he realised her mistake—and his own. WHAT IS A HOROSCOPE? When the Average Man asks what a, horoscope is he is told it simply is a map of the heavens for the moment of birth, in which is found the sign of the zodiac then rising in the ea'st, and the longitudinal degrees of the sun, moon, and planets, as found in. an astronomical almanac. - From the position of tho planets rising or setting, from the signs and the houses they occupy, and from their distances to each other, an accurate description may be given by a capable astrologer of the character, mental and moral qualities, and chief events in . the life of the individual for whom the horoscope is cast. It is desirable that the hour of birth should, if possible, be given, that the sign rising in the east might be ascertained, for this influences in a marked manner (lie mental and physical qualities of an individual. Sometimes a mere glance will show the practical astrologer the sign under which a 1 man was born.

We all know people who bear resemblances, more pr less striking, to a lion, a goat, a- ram, a bull, a serpent, etc., who are born when the signs of Leo, Capricorn, Aries, Taurus, or Scorpio were rising respectively. s Appearances are modified by the planet or planets that may be found in the rising'sign or in the mid-heaven, which also leave certain outward, as well as inwa'rd, impressions. We speak of tho jovial, the mercurial, the saturnine, the martial man, without considering that the terms have astrological references. The practised astrologer can see on each man's face the signs of the planets that most; influence him, and not only that, but lie can tell whether, these planets are favourably aspected or the reverse*—that is, if they give good or, evil tendencies. In this way lie is enabled to look beneath the surface to the deeper currents of life; to see unsuspected things; the upward struggle of a soul cr its downward course; revelations that the most wooden face cannot conceal.