Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-01-04

No belief i more gsnsra. En iai
the moon exercises - init z ever
the weather. People who i IS hat
they are not superalitious IN aall-
est degree, believe that nna II
the weather Is almost cert u oc-
cur with every change y moon.
Perhaps they inherit the - l IF
not. they acquired i yer. F IN
life and strengthened It thre 81 ysaIrn
Of observation. Their Oh F4a Ions
were not very accurate. Naa heir
methods Of recording then az rom
methodical. They believe hsf tie
weather changes with the fa1oa. ard
when sndden change dis pcenr At
The appearance of q nes helf
or full moon they remembered il and
sometimes noted it down. IL the
weather did not change at or about
the same time the moon did, they did
not charge their memory with the
failure. BY means like these they
became more strongly convinced Of
the influence of the moon on the
weather.
Scientific men in different times and
in various countries have attempted
to overturn the popular and almost
universal belief that the moon infu-
enced the weather. They have been
at the trouble of keeping an accurate
account of the prevalence Of winds,
the fall Of water, the degree Of tenn
perature and other phenomena, with
a view of showing whether changes
are more likely to occur at one time
in the lunar month than at another.
They have all come to the conclusion
that no coincidence exists between the
changes Of the moon and those of the
weather.
At the meeting of the British As
sociation for the advancement of
Science, this year, Sir William Thorn
as stated that careful observation
with the barometer, Thermometer and
thermometer. at the time Of new moon,
full moon and half moon, has failed
to establish any relation whatev-
er between the phases of the moon
and the weather, and that "if there
is any dependence of the weather
on the phases of the moon, it is
only to a degree quite impercep-
tible to ordinary observation" Still,
it is questionable if this announce
ment will in the least shake the faith
of farmers and sailors who, more than
other classes of persons, are directly
interested in the weather, IN their
own ideas about the influence Of the
moon upon it.
They will 60 through life not ex-
pecting to see drought broken. or
the cessation of a continnons rain till
the moon changes. Neither will their
faith be changed in the favorable or
unfavorable influence Of the moon
on certain crops planted ct different
times in the lunar month. They will
continue to plant potatoes and other
root crops ''in the dark on the moon"
and to SOW small grain Elm the light
of the moon. They will slaughter
their hogs and their bullocks, if they
are intended for home consumption,
when the moon is on the increase, so
that "the meat will not waste away
in the frying-pan." They will, how
ever, lay up rail fence when the moon
Is decreasing in size so ss to prevent
the rails from warping and from rot
ting out before their time.
1t may be said that no evil results
from believing in harmless snpersti-
tlon. Such, however, is not always
the case. DR.. Harper has shown that
superstitious people are very likely to
be conquered in war. They will not
set out on a march or engage in any
hazardous undertaking unless all the
signs and omens are favorable. If
they place reliance in lucky or un-
lucky days they will accomplish less
IN a given time than people who re-
gard all days as of equal value. IF
they rely on supernatural aid they
will not use their best exertions.
They will attribute victory or defeat
to other than human and natural
causes.
If such are the effects il belief in
superstitions on people engaged in
war, similar unfavoFable effects would
be observed among people engaged in
peaceful pursuit like THAI of farm
ing. The delay Of two weeks in plant
ing crop would often result in fail
ure. It Is likely that the general be-
lief In certain agricultural supersti-
tions has had much to do with rem
dering farming Improbable. It is
generally very difRcult to discover the
origin OF superstition, on account Of
Its great antiquity.
Superstitio0s beliefs are the Oldest
we inculcate. They are also among
the first We receive in childhood.
They are taught in tie nursery long
before we learn to read. and many
years before we begin tostudy science.
Such beliefs are very difficult to dis
pose Of Our Judgment may condemn
them as follies, but they remain to in
fiuence our actions. Few persons are
willing to acknowledge that theyIare
superstitious. although they hold to
beliefs having no foundation on care
fully considered observations made
by themselves or others. They hold
to the doctrine that relations exist be-
tween certain things that cannot be
explained with our present knowledge
Of science.-Chicago Tinles.
-
H. A Cortland man who read at
| the end Of a friends marriage nokies