, 1873-03-15
THE TEACHING OF THE FLOODS.
(PaU Mall Gazettee.)

49, "a u ANSO 0NlAoJ
what is known as the 'Pray for Fair Wea~
ther' was read, and Heaven was reminded
that though for sin of man the world was
once drowned except eight persons, yet a
promise was made that it should never be
so destroyed again. And then it is added,
"that although we for our iniquities have
worthily deserved a plague of rain and
waters, yet upon our true repentance" &c.
But the question arises, Is it so ? O~fcourse,
if we believe that this is a plague Of rain
and waters sent because of our iniquities
there is no more to be said. We have on
ly to amend our lives and wait. Are these
rains and waters in truth a plague?
A letter lately appeared from Mr.. Den
ton on this subject which conveys so much
that is suggestive, sensible, and practical
that it seems worth while to follow it up
by considering seriously what is the teach
ing of the inundations, and whether we
cannot do something better about the rain
than pray that it may fall no longer. Mr..
Denton observes that the present excess
does but Just restore the balance of our
water-supply, which has been greatly dis
turbed by some years of drought, and that,
in spite Of it, the deep wells dependent on
the water-bearing strata shows little indi-
cation of rising to their usual level at this
time of the year. He remarks further that
the general health Of the country is most
satisfactory-a result probably due to the
cleansing effects of the heavy rainfall in
washing out the dirty places of u towns
and vilIages-and that probably the same
benefit will follow the thorough washing
of land which will clear localities of ende-
mic disease among cattle and sheep. Last
Iy, he refers to the mathematical certainty
that the prevailing extreme Wetness affords
US the means of providing against the scar
city of water which may be expected in
summer. These ideas seem to us to Sug-
gest merely the commencement of that
which we shall before long find our best
wisdom in the end. There are, no doubt,
even now a number of people who serious
ly imagine that the laws of nature have
been SO unskilfulIy arranged that they re-
quire to be occasionally altered according
to our own notions, to make them work
properly, and that suddenly, or on emer-
genCies, to cause more sunshine here, less
rain there, a breeze instead of a wind, and
no storms at all except when every vessel
was in port and every man in bed, at the
request of separate individuals and congre-
cations, would be really better for the hu-
mar race. What would follow if foolish
prayers about the distribution of wealth
and health, of rain and heat, of happiness
and sorrow, were granted at once?
The statistical calculations concerning
cyclones, trade winds, currents, geological
and meteorological influences which have
been SO laboriously gathered and compar-
ed during so many years would be literal
ly worth nothing. Skill, study, and in
dustry would be rendered absolutely use
less, Tor it would always be easier to pray
that fields should be ploughed without
work, that corn should grow without be-
ing sown, and that battered old collier
boats should float as safely as well-buiIt
ships, than to give the labour, industry, and
skill by which such results could be secur-
ed. There would be in fact miracles at
discretion, the end Of all being chaos and
universal confusion. Now, for every dis
aster there is a cause-too much cargo,
want of pluck, of perseverance, of iudg-
ment, Of foresight, of knowledge. When
the French discovered that by killing the
small birds, which picked off seeds and
fruits they multiplied insect life to a des-
tructiVe degree, they forthwith prohibited