CORRESPONDENCE. PRAYERS FOR RAIN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIII, Issue 14352, 18 November 1910, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

PRAYERS FOR RAIN.

J To tin- Editor of the. "TiiiiAru Herald." ■"*ir, — It there id onjxkmjj _q m-ino vnu must iiavo cumo to the obvious conclusion that the mime "John Blunt" | whether hereditary or aet_uiicd, is a. ! v ery heavy handicap u> the study of j metaphyseal .\l r blunt ! again asks,: -it there :6 any seu_u iu > asking (Jed to send rain coiitrarv to j the natural laiv.'' No; but there is seu_o iu asking Cud to send rain m accordance with the natural law. The weather hi by nature changeable and consequently, can be changed and is iiuu- controlled to some extent bv tho w.li of num. The desire to eontrol must needs precede the fact. Tit.- law of Truth says: --Ask and ye shail have* —either a sluggish liver, a peerage, or whatever you will. It matters little whether a mart be Christian, Piman or heathen. his r.-ittost v.ili invariably ho {.ranted '.'. ho asks in euniotinity with ! the hue iMVerning the suppiv of that I which lie «!. mi'uds. We prefer C'ltris- ! t|:'.!ii:y. notwithstanding its imperfec- | lM!i>. its accepted in...interpretations. j which have been übsorbvd by the ignorant and stii.erstiti.Mis at the ii;~;;.-i- ---| ti-.it of s.-lii.h.u-s and dosr.- for teni- } por.il po«-. r. because it is more oon- ! iIH.-iv,- ti. the attainment nl s, Icntifii-a.-huvo:::-ttt-. tie v.eifare of hwmanil v. , and th ■ at!-;,.;. ■ c.vth.au.,.ll than anv j other known r. hgion. .-\, r similar r. a- ! s-.ti-a ship an_-.H-.-rs her helm ro_ar. i; .-s <•: the nationality of the man at the «!-.-.•!. !,•:: ~,,... ~., ;,..., v h, H ,. (l t „ >li:a:::y on a l.nr.h ~;.;,, in t.r. .eron.e t.. a ( n-n. itmk or an Arab dhou. I Mr .{hint's .;..,. dixit .\, harmic-s. but | .-.. child.-.h. Will y..11 kindly permit me I to explain v.hy put tin- baek' the c|.,-k i tu.. h. urs caitses th,. ~[■„ t ,, r ;. t> tUI . j h,.tri-~ ear'i.-r. Tit., stm r..5.-- this mnru-

iu_ at ...I' ;,,,;.. (,y t !ie clock. If th. >■'... -k had ;,'-eii..i:s.y 1,e,. u p, lt ],. u .\ i

tv... u..u.-> tt.e sun would have at -:.-»J a.m. by the ...0.-k. S.Y.. mean rime. hi,- sun eros, d the zenith today at 11.-l.j a.m.. and not at 1_ noon a? most people suppose, so that it is already minutes, earlier than tho e..;ek by wnieh time is compared. Mr Hittnt niuarks: -If ram can be br.uaht abut by prayer tltea Christian cuuntries should command a better average. rainaU than heathen countries. Is this so?" Yes, that is so. He also wants to know how I my forecasts -

I ••!)•■ I hazard a gue.-s and p.av I t'.»r a fortnight:-" On the L'atiii October ! I predicted that the drought would | probaMy continue until about the 12th November, and terminate in heavy ran. it >tor_\ says 1 was not far out. "tit us hi-, Mr Macpherson, '. says -• Bt . t . t!1 ,_ or b 0 reliably accurate ' for 1'! hours ahead" f.>r the- simple reason that, ui my hum Wo opinion. ir.any of the • .-auses which itifluonco the vuppiy tit sundi no ar.d rain are either t.u.liy i'ji'."r«-<l by t::o ■:;. r department cr at the nT,5t- considerablT uud- r-r.itcd. About thirty years I particular'}- desired to know the of rain. As a result of that desire or prr.ver and th<- inevitable observation and enquiry which such desire crates, I n.-t n.y weather htnta*. Mr Hliint says: '•'Hie natural law is nr.t subject to the Aim .thty's whim." >-«-itig that t!ii> natural law is Uw> Almighty's whim or wii'. the remark is na an.unless. 'l'lic "• mora! " which he claims for his letter does not tally with tho ■■moral'' which your reader* doubtless gather from it. l'ray.r is the putting in motion of a spiritual law. ami nothing ran remove •■ part.a! ignorance - ' as qui-!;!y a.-i ;>rayer. After utauy years of study which has kvn necessarily intermittent. I must confess to a Very limited knowled-e .;' the .science of meteorology. Some nrofossors 1 have til.-: and authors 1 havv read are walking c:ieyc.ot>ed as of information, but when it comes to a question of helping the farmer or others whose occupation depends entirely on the .state of the weather t'-r it- success or failure, their Valuable (;-, advice com-s hist too late. I Venture to predict that within twentv years tne scien-e will rise Horn what may now I*, considered a harmi. s.s hohoy to one of the most potent f:,c----t-rs ;u the World el produce and commerce. The supply of buiishino and ra.u will not I*.- loft to chance ammo.-., than is the ih,-.v of wat-c Iron, •mr lak.-s and rivers. Man wilt cveii- ■-■■:■ :•; >.::' A ih~ reins of the weather s-i::.-.-:it t.-r all his needs, and p-ravers i ('••' : ' r " v ; t ",!- " J ," < • nmetine; link '>-!.;...■„ h rii-.-h and ultimate .-ucce-s. in ti..s as m other matters.—l am etc ~. I'- ••■ MASOX. " Vain.a-.aiUi, Nov. 17th.