Miraculous Powers

CHAPTER XIII. MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS

Praying for Rain

“In the Summe of 1623, the people of Plymouth were visited with a severe and distressing drouth. From about the middle of May to the middle of July, the rain was entirely withheld, the ground became exceeding dry, and the corn greatly parched and dried up; so that famine, with its attendant evils, seemed inevitable. In their extremity they repaired to Him who had so often appeared for them in the dark hour of affliction. A day of fasting and prayer was appointed; they met and continued their fervent supplications for eight or nine hours, without cessation. During the former part of the day the sky was cloudless, and the sun poured his clear and scorching rays upon the surrounding fields; but before night the heavens were overcast, and soon the rain fell in gentle, refreshing showers, which continued at intervals, for fourteen days. The natives were struck with amazement at the sight, and could not but acknowledge that the blessing came in answer to prayer. One of them, named Hobomack, exclaimed, ‘Now I see that the Englishman’s God is a good God, for he has heard you, and sent you rain, and that without storms and tempests, which we usually have with our rain, which breaks down our corn; but yours stands whole and good still; surely your God is a good God.”—Early Hist. of New England, pp. 41, 42. MIRP 107.1

Mr. Fox, the distinguished martyrologist, in treating of events in the second century, says: MIRP 108.1

“About this time several of the Northern nations having conspired against Rome, the Emperor marched against them with 975,000 men. Having arrived within the country of Germany, they fell unconsciously into an ambuscade of the enemy, where they were in imminent danger of being defeated, and to add still more to their difficulty, they were almost entirely cut off from water. The emperor in this emergency, commanded his soldiers to call upon their gods for aid, which was accordingly done, but to no purpose. He next called upon that division of his army which was composed of Christians, and commanded them to pray to their God, which was immediately complied with. They prostrated themselves before Heaven and implored relief, when suddenly a heavy shower descended, and the whole army was thus saved; and while it rained upon the Roman army, the hail descended in torrents upon their enemies, which induced a great portion of them to disperse, while many others came over to the Romans. Thus was a great victory gained, and the empire probably saved through the interposition of Heaven, The emperor wrote immediately to the senate on the subject, in which he fully acknowledge the services of the Christians, and gave immediate orders for stopping the persecution against them.”—Fox’s Book of Martyrs (latest edition), pp. 26, 27. MIRP 108.2