The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1875-06-03
HumtIiation, Fasting and Prayer
Proclamation.

WHEREAS, God Almighty has established GER
tain fixed laws of Nature, for the government of
tbe Universe and all that is in it; which laws if
faithfully obeyed, will produce only good results
and all ills come from violations of those laws;
And whereas, God never interposes directly in
the affairs of this earth, for good bad, except
through the certain action of his fixed laws-a
man may thrust his hand into the fire, and pray
until his teeth drop out, but the fire will contin-
ne TO burn him; a nation may violate the laws
of health or of production, and may fast and pray
until their entrals like shitepokes and their
knee-bones wear holes through marble floors,
but pestilence and famine will prevail;
And whereas, true prayer consits in acts, and
in strict observance of the natural laws of God /;
Therefore, by virtue of authority vested in 1T,
by its obligation to do all in its power to enlight-
en- the people and promote their welfare, the
Kansas Chief issues this, its proclamation:
season of humiliation, fasting and prayer is
set apart commencing ON Thursday, the Sd day
Of June, 1875, and to continue perpetually, that
the Plague sent upon our people for their sins in
violating the laws OF God may depart from us,
and never more return.
Our sins have consisted in wickedly and want
only killing the birds provided by nature for
/ destroying noxious insects; in rObbng the face
of the earth of timber and grass, the sources Of
moisture, thus drying up streams, producing
tlrought, and inviting the myriads of destructive
insects peenliar to arid and bsrreu regions; fnd
N taking rom The Soil aii1se can gets without
retufning anything for compensation
Let your fasting be total abstinence from
cruel sports, whereby the creatures sent to pro
tect us from plaques are destroyed.
Let your prayers consist in planting groves to
incite moisture and rainfall, to ward off tempests
in Summer and rude blasts in Winter, and to of
fer welcome to the birds; in preventing prai.
rie fires from sweeping over the face of the coun
try, depriving it of its natural covering of grass
and young timber, rendering it subject to drought
and sterility; encouraging and protecting the
birds that feed upon insects and preventing theil
increase to such numbers as to constitute a
plague; in saving and taking care of manure
and placing it on the soil in return for the crops
which you gather from it; and in planting and
gathering in proper manner and in good season,
taking good care of crops and stock, and diseour-
aging laziness and shiftlessness generally.
Let your humiliation consist in keeping loaded
shotgun in the house, and lodging load of bird
shot in the rump of every man or boy whom you
find shooting bird, setting fire to the prairie
grass, or uselessly destroying or injuring tree.
And have faith that such fasting, humiliation
and prayer, if persistently followed and con-
stantly kept up, will in time be answered, and
continue to be answered as long as we continue
our devotions.
In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set
Seal. our hand, and affixed our seal,
--- at Troy, this Sd day of June,
: 81 a year, A. ID. 1875, and of the Inde-
in advance. ! pendence of the United States
-- the ninety ninth.
THE CHIEF.