Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-06-30
Bible Proof in Trees.

Biblical history has been recalled by
she Forestry Bureau of the Govern
ment to assist in advertising a new
pamphlet it has just issued on the
giant trees OF California. The tree sci
cntists have discovered in the grains of
the California tree what they claim
to be unmistakable proof that the great
drought and famine in Palestine. in the
days Of the prophet Elijah. S76years
before Christ, was equally felt on the
Pacific Coast of the United States.
However. the press agent of the Bu-
reau of Forestry tells his own story in
the following language:
In the days of the Prophet Elijah
sore famine afflicted the land of Pales-
tine. No rain fell, the brooks ran dry
and dire disaster prevailed. Go through
the land. said King Ahabi to the pro-
phet, Obadiah, unite all the fountains
of water and unto all the brooks: per-
adventure we may find grass and save
the horses and the mules alive, THAT
we lose not all the beasts
when Obadiah went forth inasGarch
Of forage he fell in with his cftiefs Eli
ah, and brought him to Afah, who
greeted him as the troubler Of Israel.
Then Elijah prayed for rain. according
to the Bible story, and the famine was
stayed. From this famine in PALESTINE
some $50 years before Christ. To- the
forests of the Sierra Nevadas. in the
twentieth century, is far cry, but the
connecting link between the past and
the present, between the ancient easy
and the modern west. is found in tho
big trees of California, the huge species
known as Sequoia Washingtoniana:
ion, a.,tt cd <AnFatZ
of the Big Trees by Ellsworth Hunt-s
ington, Just placed in sale by the Sup
erintendent of Documents. washington.
d. c., it is shown that the growth rings
IN the big trees of California indicate
that in general the same sequence OF
climatic changes took place in Califor-
fornia and Asia Minor. Curves indi-
eating climatic conditions in California
ard Asia Minor show remarkable
resemblance between the two regions.
,.The curves begin with the epochSof
the Trojan War. about 1900 b. {. There
10th curves dip very low, indicating an
epoch of sudden and severe dessieatioH
That particular period. historians Rlk
us. was one of the most chaotic in at
history.
THE famine in the days of Elijah ap-
pear, IN both curves. Apparently at
that time the climate did not become
extremely dry. nothing like SO bad as
il had beer Il few hundred years earlier
during the twelfth century. but there
was rather a distinct falling off in the
amount of rainfall as compared with
the uncommoniy good conditions of the
preceding century. About 100 years be-
fore Christ both curves stand high in
the day when the Greeks were laytn1
the Foundation of their future greae
ness and the empires of MesopotamiAs
were at their height Then comes /
pronounced falling off. With recovery
900 or 400 years Before Christ, another
decline eliminating about 200 B. c. and
a recovery reaching a high point about
so 3. C.
Tit time OF Christ, the great era or
universal peace under the sway OF
Rome, was apparently an epoch of raw
orable climate, n time of abundant rain
and consequent good crops in all the.
countries around tile Mediterranean
Sea and eastward in Asia, as well as
in California. Next comes a long period
of decline eliminating six or seven
centuries after the time of Christ. NO
period in all history, save that wnich
centers about 1900 Il. c., was more cha
otto, and that early period also appears
TO have been a time OF greatly dimin-
ished rainfall.
This publication. which may he pur-
chased from the superintendent OF
Documents, Government Printing Or
flee, for S cents, gives a detailed ac-
count of the reasons and the work that
led to the conclusions given above. IL
also contains 13 illustrations. showing
the big trees in the Yosemite. Sequoia
and General Grant National Parks
Washington Chronicle.