Weekly Trinity journal., 1872-03-09
BLEssR BE THE RAIN

Whoever has perused Cervante's mas
terpiece "Don Quixote," could not tail
TO note that the world-renowned and in
some respects unfortunate Sancho Pan
IN" in addition to his " gumption " and
comicalities was profoundly philosophi-
cal. One saying Of his alone immortal
lied him through all succeeding genera
tions. Said he, Blessed be the man
who first invented sleep" From that
time hitherto everybody echoed "amen"
But Sancho Panza was illiterate and
knew nothing of the grand truths science
has developed since his day. While we
are disposed to rather bear the ills we
have than fly to others that we know not
Of" conscience makes towards of us
ALL" and we would quaf Lethe's IA
bled stream. He to whom tired ma
ture's sweet restorer balmy sleep" comes
unbddcn is supremely fortunate. Of
tenders against the laws of conscience
and hygiene must invoke the aid Of sleep
inducing influences praised by the Greeks
and Romans as "wine," by the Scotch
and Irish as whisky" by the English
as calf and 'alf" by the Swiss as "kirch-
wasser," by the Holanders as "schnapps"
and so on and so on all the virtues of ev-
erything of the sort being concentrated,
so physicians now insist in the chloral
L,,Jro4, of ,,,oJ,rr 4;,,or n o,p n. ~ &.
a legal maxim that "The greater includes
the less" Sancho Panza realized the ben
eft resulting to mankind from oblivion
to past follies and well-founded anticipa-
ton of future woes no matter how obtain
ed. But with all his wisdom and pro-
found thought, one important matter new
er figured in his meditations, namely {:
the rain. For the benefit Of future San
cho Panzas we take for our text Blessed
be the man who first invented rain" at
talleth alike on the just and the unjust"
Rain maketh the desert garden and
"the wilderness to blossom as the rose"
Without rain the world would, so far as
mankind is concerned, relapse into chaos.
All rain is caused by evaporation from
the waters which cover three-fourths of
the globe. The physical history Of the
earth tells us that animated nature first
appeared in the "waters of the great
deep" The liquid element is primal
necessity to animal life everywhere. The
Il ~ 3, I.l al I,,
man and animal. The traveller impelcd
by motives of gain or curiosity to traverse
the Saharas of the old or new worlds,
learns that the sight of birds or animals
or even of lizard, indicates the proxim-
tiles of water and sustenance for man and
beast. Animated nature is sustained by
breathing, drinking and eating. The or
gans of respiration must be supplied first;
after that thirst kills much quicker than
hunger. In torrid climes an imperious
necessity leads an ignorant people to seek
for supernatural rain producing power.
In the deserts of torrid climes " the rain
maker" is reverenced as god. To him
that he has of this worlds goods. No
sacrifice is too great and no danger ap-
pals, if deemed necessary to procure the
lite-giving showers. Is it necessary that
the heart of lion in whose glossy coat
there is not hair other than snowy white
should be had, or the whisker of an en-
tirely coal black tiger, is essential to the
efficacy of the charm that will compel
"the windows of heaven to open " at the
rain makers command ? There is no
murmur or hesitation. There is no work
possible but is accomplished to obtain
rain, and if after all the crcdulous Afri-
can fances or knows himself deceived
his vengeance is alike certain and terri
BILE. Take the world over and rain is
the foundation of civilization. Popula-
ton everywhere centcrs where the soil is
susceptible of cultivation. Nowhere will
" the earth yield its fruits" without
moisture. All animals, man included,
and all vegetation principally consist of
water. Water WHITES everything sleep
refreshes, but rain "giveth life." Tenth
ly and lastly, water runs mills, puts out
fires, cures the sick, and finally but not
least in the category, is indispensable in
procuring gold from the "bowels of the
earth" The dwellers of the deserts, the
farmers and physicians may sing the
praises Of water, each in their own pecui-
lar key, but the miners in joining the
chorus will be found to drown them all.
They one and all will heartily appreciate
the sentiment of our text " Blessed be
the man who invented rain"