PRAYING FOR RAIN.

Maoriland Worker, Volume I, Issue 8, 20 April 1911, Page 17

PRAYING FOR RAIN.

Dear "Worker,'-' —I noticed in the issue of the '•Feildin_; Star" for Saturday, April 1st —appropriate day —a letter from a correspondent advocating that prayers tor rain should be offered in all the churches, i had ventured to hope that such complete ignorance of tne laws ox nature Avas not now to be met with. But evidently 1 am Avrong, and the belief in prayer as a medium for the control of physical phenomena apparently still holds good witn those wiio are, alter all, but uttle farther advanced than the ignorant Chinese, avlio set oit fireworks and beat gongs, etc., to prevent an eclipse 01 the SLixi. The correspondent in question remarks that stocit are m a sad condition tor v ant ol water, and that the outlook for the struggling farmer is serious, if prayer were an effective means or obtaining rain, AViiy wa_ it not tried beipre. Given that there is a Creator, we are told that lie "will not withhold any good tiling asked in laith." From tins we must presume that Tie will AVithhoid bad things if asked to do so. I would here suggest that all Christians forthwith ask that this be done, for there is not one among them tnat win deny that bad things Lest this should be interpreted "evil" things, I will specify Avhat I mean —potato blight, turnip fly, pestdences and families, etc. Do Aye pray or spray Avhen the potatoes have the blight? Do Aye run to the priest or the doctor Avhen fever breaks out ? And Avhen there is a famine, do Aye turn to the Almighty or do Aye send away by the boat-load foodstuffs for the starving people ? The already decimated ranks of those who believe in the efficacy of prayer are still rapidly tbinning, and i venture to state that, even if prayers for rain are offered in churches, there Avill be but a small proportion of the congregations avlio conscientiously believe in their effectiveness. It is noticeable that these suggestions re praying for rain alAvays come at the end of a long period of drought, Avhen the possibilities of rain increase every day, and if it does rain shortly after, it is attributed to their prayers having been answered and thanks are given accordingly.—l am, HAROLD F. WISE.