SUPERNATURAL INTERVENTION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18202, 1 March 1929, Page 13

SUPERNATURAL INTERVENTION.

ADDRESS AT TEMUK4. At a service in the Mission Hall, Temuka. Mr Douglas B. Muir gave an address, in the course of which he contended that God’s sympathies were evidently with the Allies in the recent Great War. Taking for his subject, “Does God ever obviously take a part in settling matters between the nations of the earth,” the speaker said: "Yes, the Old Testament teems with instances, and furthermore at no time has there been any lack of eases to prove that He does. In dealing with a subject like this, it goes without saying that recent history speaks louder and more pointedly to people than more ancient historical events could possibly do. The last Great War, recent enough history surely, provides truly remarkable instances of supernatural intervention. An absorbing, interesting, wonder-creating chapter of history was made during that war; the giant military intellects of this world, the most perfect equipment, carefully guarded secrets aiid elaborate plans, almost supernatural daring, availed not at all to save from the effect of forces working that selfevidently were quite beyond human powers to cope with or understand. The following illustrations are striking. It is recorded that, at four o’clock on the afternoon of April 22, 1915, the Germans let loose for the first time their deadly poisonous gas; the dastardly act was wholly unexpected by our troops and we are told they fell in piles. This opened the way (we are informed) for the Germans to go forward and make a finishing capture. They were anxious enough to do such a thing, but they did not. AVhy? The reason supplies a remarkable reply to the question. Dr. Shamus, head of the meteorological department in Germany, was instructed to advise the military authorities. He sent word on April 22 that the direction of the wind was suitable and fixed for 3 6 hours at least. The gas was let loose with horrible results, but very soon and suddenly it whirled back over the German Army, killing, gasping, suffocating thousands of their own soldiers. Dr. Shamus in his official report, said: ‘ln forty years’ records of my department, no instance has ever been recorded of the wind acting so peculiarly.’ Strange and striking is the fact that the wind only whirled back in the restricted area of these particular operations. Just a coincidence, says the sceptic. It was a particularly lucky one for the Allies.

“Here is another wonderful coincidence. The armies of Germany and Austria had swept down the Alps to swallow ’D Italy. Just before them lay Ve: the heart of Italy. Taking Venice Id not only have finished Italy, but the Allies also—so it was stated. There was just the slow running, easily-bridged, river Piave to cross; bridges were built enabling the soldiers to cross in tens of thousands. They did not take food as they had only 6& miles to go to reach Venice. Suddenly just as victory seemed assured, out of the sky burst a Niagara, the river became a raging sea, sweeping bridges, Germans and Austrians to destruction. Terror seized the rest of the German and Austrian soldiers, who were cut off and without supplies, and they became an easy prey, the Italians capturing and slaying over 4000. The General of the destroyed army said brokenly, ‘God did it.’ It certainly looks like it.

“By November 17, 1927, the German submarines in numbers and equipment had reached their highest point of power and efficiency; they were sent out in droves to destroy all shipping. German papers wrote as if the war were already finished. What happened? When all was ready and the submarines were out, for weeks the seas tumbled and raged with amazing fury. The submarines could not get back to their base, the angry seas forcing them to come to the surface, resulting in 199, with 3000 of their crews being captured or sunk.. The Great Book says: ‘He causeth the sea to arise and swallow them, He maketh them afraid with His storm.’ ‘Thou breakest the ships of Tarsish.’ ‘Thou terriflest them at sea.’ Two hundred and nineteen times the inspired word tells of God’s doings and dealings with storms; are we to think that on this particular occasion the storms that rage to the undoing of the enemy

submarine effort just happened aong? No; especially when we read: ‘He holdeth the sea in the hollow of His hand.’

“September 6. 1914, one month after the War began, the Germans are in sight of Paris. The French soldiers defending just a few miles out from Paris, have but eight hours ammunition left. All government records, documents and securities had been removed, also the women and children, as Paris, humanly

speaking, was doomed. Only eight hours to go and the Germans get Paris. But what happened? Instead of pressing on to sure victory, the Germans cease firing and don’t resume again for forty seven hours — just the respite the French needed. You all know the rest. The French General, Gallienny, used this time to rush men and munitions to the front. To do this he commandeered everything on wheels in Paris The German Generals, Von ICluck, Hansen. Benbow, in their report, said they did not know why they stopped firing. Clearly some Power had decreed. ‘So far shalt thou come, and no further.’

“By the spring of 1917, the German scientists considered that they had solved the problem of scientifically growing foodstuffs immune from all blights and diseases. They announced at that time that Germany would have the potato crop of ail time; they had treated the seed in

such a way that no blight above ground or disease under ground, j could harm them, and they certainly flourished amazingly, till they were j in flower, when one day they were j smitten with a hitherto unknown j blight, shrivelling them as though i swept by fire. General Ludendorf, in ! his history of the war, says that it was the failure of the potato crop in 1917 that lost Germany the war. Just a coincidence, was it? How was it then that Britain that same year, starting with the coldest, most unpromising spring for years, finished up harvesting tremendous crops from all the plantings, having to spare, to help feed her Allies. We read: ‘He giveth seed time and harvest. Pie sendeth the early and the latter rains,’ and to some, ‘He will make their harvest a heap of ruin and they shall beg in the harvest time.’ Do all these things just happen by accident? I would say that they fit in

too aptly for that. “Experts recognised that early in the war, Germany was superior in the air, yet she admitted that she was beaten in the air the last war months. The head of the German Air Service says: ‘Our enemies did not have superior air ships or fighting men, but it was the accursed clouds that defeated us. Nearly every time we seemed about to score heavily, the accursed clouds would intervene and spoil us.’ ‘My clouds shall curse them in that day,’ saith the Lord. Many of our own men de-

clared that often when they were in a tight corner, a cloud coming from nobody knew where, would cover them over. ‘A cloud came upon them J to hide them.’ ‘Behold the sea, the ! earth, the sky, they are mine, saith j the Lord.’ It is believed by friends ; and foes alike that in the early days j of the war lliat if. instead of wast- j ing time over Paris, Germany had ' centred her efforts on securing the I channel ports, she would have won i the war. That sounds feasible to a l layman, but how is it that the wrong thing was always done, and in the interest of our Allies. “Let, me close my list of illustrations by giving one about an individual (a cowboy tells it about his mate). They put part time in, capturing wild horses. For a long time

they had been trying to capture a most magnificent specimen of horseflesh. A cream stallion, silver mane and tail, glorious action, perfect in ; shape and carriage, a wonderful crea- j ture of beauty. One day they thought they had the prize captured, but he was too active for them and was on ; the point of escaping when the mate drew his shooting iron in his rage and shot dead that picture of beauti- ( ful, vigorous life. Almost immedi- ■ ately his own horse put a foot in a ! hole, falling and throwing the man heavily on his head, breaking his 1 neck. The cowboy says, though he does not know anything about reli- j gion, and these sort of things, nothing would make him believe that his mate’s death was just an accident, • but an act of God in the way of : prompt, decisive retribution. “Assuredly, nations and individuals must give way to the majesty and will of God; the wise seek to know God’s will concerning themselves, and do it, realising that He alone has all power in Heaven and j onearth.”