The House Party and the Weather

THE IMPROVEMENT ERA -<>ss- Vol. 33-41 DECEMBER, 1929 No. 2 The House Party and the Weather A Parable — After a Faskion ONCE upon a time there was a party at our home, even as there had been parties before and have been since; but this one was out of the ordi- nary. A small company of girls, chums and guests of our girls, had come to spend a few days to- gether, as girls like to do. When was it? Ah, the years have sped their way with swift wings since then ! Every one of that gladsome, winsome, lovely and lovable bevy of girls is now a matron in her own right, lovable as ever, with girls of her own — to say nothing of the boys. Never mind the boys; this part of our story has to do with girls. Boys did not count, ex- cept as mustn't- meddle lookers-on, in that little house party far back in the yesteryears. I was a looker- on too, a privileged one in a limited sense, being let into little secrets and whispered conspira- cies— for there were factions in the par- ty, each trying to out-do the others in plotting and schem- ing for the happi- ness of all. Blessed be the fac- ulty of recollection! Cheer and comfort come to me tonight By JAMES E. TALMAGE of the Council of the Twelve as I write — for the indestructible kineograph of the past is clear and brilliant. Dr. James E. Talmage HTHE party was a joyous one and ■ a goodly. Every waking hour was provided for with program varied and full. Wholesome fun and frolic had their place, as had reading, music and story-telling, with just enough of seriousness to make stimulating contrast. Outdoor activities in the early autumn days, with cozy gatherings be- fore the open fire or attendance at the- ater or concert in the evenings was the usual order. (^)N my arrival ^ home once at dusk I was forcibly seized — a not un- willing prisoner — and was dragged in- to the kitchen to view the prepara- tions for next day's picnic. The display was appetizingly tempting. There was to be an early start, for the pro- posed hike led up City Creek Canyon, thence on beyond Black Mountain, with Dry Canyon as the homeward stretch. The cumulate knowledge of the group was all-suffi- cient. They were sure of the trail, where they had to leave the canyon road; they knew just where the late flowers were to be found, where to get the best view of massive limestone

104 The Improvement Era for December, 1929 walls and crags, where to look for the weathered-out "stone lilies" — ■ those fossilized crinoids that tell of ocean life millenniums ago — all of this and much more. Oh, the joys of anticipation! T ENTERED into the gladsome spirit of it all, and when re- leased from custody went to my room. Glancing by habit at the barometer hanging above my desk I noted that a very considerable fall in air pressure had occurred dur- ing the day, and, as a later reading showed, this was still in progress. A test with the hygrometer demon- strated that the humidity of the at- mosphere was unusually high. These observations led to an ex- amination of weather data in the day's paper. When the evening dinner was finished, as the girls were about to hasten from the table, I ventured to advise that they change their program for the next day and en- joy themselves at or near home, postponing the canyon trip. Then came the inevitable "Why?" "Because of bad weather: a heavy storm is coming tomorrow." Disappointment was plainly man- ifest; this led to amazement, and in turn to dismay. I was pulled to the open door, then pushed out- side, and was rather peremptorily told to look at the stars. I looked: they were all there, in their places and shining brightly. Questions were put. How could I stand be- neath so glorious a sky and speak of rain and wind for the morrow? The prediction, the warning, the advice were repeated; and, of course, the forecaster was made to know that he was very unpopular, then and there. Verily, that poor prophet was without honor in his own household. "\TEXT morning the barometric reading was lower still. No, the barometer had not fallen; to say that it had would be to follow a loose and inaccurate style of speech, all too common. The in- strument still hung above my desk, and hangs there yet; but on that bright morning it showed that the atmospheric pressure had decreased or fallen during the night. At the breakfast table the weath- er-prophet found his chair shifted from its usual place; it was set so that the direct sunlight would fall upon his plate, if not in his face. After appreciation of the lovely weather had been impressively voiced, somebody made a remark, casual of course, about there being different kinds of prophets. One smiling miss, who was a student in a Church school and whom I had observed in the act of return- ing the Bible to its place as I came down to breakfast, said that she remembered something in Deuter- onomy, eighteenth chapter as she vaguely recalled, about the test of a true prophet being that his pre- dictions came to pass; but weather- prophets were not specifically men- tioned in that chapter, she added. The weather-prophet reiterated his forecast and counsel of the pre- ceding evening, with even greater certainty and earnestness. T^ATHER," said one of our girls, "if you say we mustn't go to- day, of course we wont. Do you really mean that we must not?" "No, indeed," was the reply; "I know we shall have a storm to- day; and to be overtaken by it in the canyon or on the mountain would be not only disagreeable but dangerous. So I advise you to stay near home. But you may do as you please." The girls went into executive session ; a decision was soon reached — to start at once and go as far as they could while the weather was fair; and that if any really threat- ening signs of rain appeared they would turn back. \7E left the house at about the ^ same time, the girls and I, they for the canyon, I for the of- fice, they with lunch-baskets, camera, and other accessories, I with rain-coat on arm and um- D 'R. JAMES E. TALMAGE, a member of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is prominent in literary as well as religious circles, for he has long been recognized as an outstanding author and educator. He has writ- ten many books on nature, science and theology; and during his years as professor and president of various Utah schools, he made deep im- pressions upon the minds and hearts of the hundreds of students for- tunate enough to come under the influence of his tireless energy, thorough training and strong per- sonality. As a member of severa. scientific societies he is internation- ally known, and through such af- filiations has been able to accom- lish much good for the Church to which he renders implicit devotion. brella in hand. And the sun was still shining, though clouds could be seen in the north and west. By early afternoon the sky was darkened, then blackened. Before long lightning flashed and thun- der rolled, while the wind roared in fury. The Storm King was abroad, with a mighty army in full action. The possibility of torrents in the canyons caused me concern. I went home early, with mackin- tosh and umbrella in good service, and with a half-formed plan of enlisting aid and setting out to find the girls. Anxiety was soon dispelled, however. I arrived just in time to witness the return of the bedraggled brigade. A QUICK count showed all *■ present, but in what a state! Have you ever seen a flock of chick- ens rushing for shelter after having been caught afield in a heavy downpour? Never mind answer- ing; the question may have noth- ing to do with the story — irrele- vant indeed. A bath, dry clothing and din- ner restored the feminine spirits to a condition near normal gaiety. They laughed over their misadven- tures and had much to tell. How- ever, one of the girls guardedly expressed a thought that brought a serious look to every counte- nance; commotion followed. Then came the most grievous tragedy of the day: 'T'HEY blamed the weathet- prophet for it all — for the rain and the wind, the lightning and thunder, the soaked sand- wiches, the torn dresses, and for the loss of sundry articles dropped in the hurried retreat. Why had he cast so evil a spell over them, with his barometer, his hygro- meter, and his magical conjura- tions? Later, they came to un- derstand— in part, at least. Thank you, girls as you were, women as you are — thank you, each and all, for the good food of thought with which you have served me. I too find it difficult, sometimes, to understand; but is it not so with all of us? \7E are prone to confound * foreknowledge with cause: and this weakness of ours, absurd- ly inconsistent, illogical and child- ish though it be, is particularly manifest in our appraisement of Divine prophecy and its fulfilment. In mercy the Lord warns and

The Improvement Era for December, 1929 105 forewarns. He sees the coming storm, knows the forces operating to produce it, and calls aloud through his prophets, advises, counsels, exhorts, aye, even com- mands— that we prepare for what is about to befall and take shelter while yet there is time. But we go our several ways, feasting and making merry, con- soling conscience with the easy fancy of "time enough" and in idle hope that the tempest will pass us by, or that, when it begins to gath- er thick and black about us we can turn back and find shelter. CO has it been, so is it likely to be, else history is no indicator of futurity. Man is self-centered and selfish; he follows his bent for pleasure, wealth, power, ignoring the barometer of advancing time, though it signals change and tur- moil as surely as did the writing on the wall at Belshazzar's impious feast. When the storm bursts — in war, pestilence, famine, earthquake or destruction in general — he at- tributes evil to the prophets who spake and to the God who gave them utterance. "DRAY be not hasty in denying parallelism between the expe- rience of the girls in our story and that of mankind with respect to the great events of history. It may be thought that prophetic warning, based on foreknowledge of ap- proaching calamity, would be un- necessary and void if God, who knows all and is almighty — om- niscient and omnipotent — chose to avert the impending disaster. True, the human forecaster, depending upon present observations, can tell of coming events only as they cast their shadows before; but one may say that Deity can so order things that there would be no looming disasters to cast shadows and fol- low them with dread reality. This fragmental thought may be shaped to mean that God could prevent the coming of the storm if He would. A DMITTEDLY so, in a nar- **~ row sense; but would He? By another conception one may ra- tionally and without irreverence ask: Could He? As to the at- tributes of Deity, enough has been revealed to make us know that God operates through law — Divine law — and it follows that He does not violate law. Therefore, God cannot arbitrarily, capriciously, prevent or set aside the results of obedience or disobedience to law. W, E become men, not after Wc have been dissipated, and disap pointed in the chase of false pleas- ure; but after we have ascertained, in any way, what impassable bar- riers hem us in through this life; how mad it is to hope for con- tentment to our infinite soul from the gifts of this extremely finite world; that a man must be sufficient for himself; and that for suffer it and enduring there is no remedy but striving and doing. Manhood be- gins when we have in any way made truce with Necessity; begins even when we have surrendered to Necessity; as the most part only do; but begins joyfully and hope- fully only when we have reconciled ourselves to Necessity; and thus, in reality, triumphed over it, and felt that in Necessity we are free. — Thomas Carlyle. HTO the Children of Israel in the ■*• olden days, after they had been brought up from Egypt into the land of promise, Jehovah pre- sented two panoramas, of contrast as strong as that between noon and midnight. One showed blessings surpassing all rational expectation, assurance of rich harvests and thriving flocks, of individual and national prosperity; the other de- picted misfortune and loss, captiv- ity and servitude. The realization of the one or the other, of blessing or cursing, was contingent upon their fidelity in righteousness or their high treason in sin. AS it became apparent that *■ Israel had chosen the evil al- ternative, the Lord brought before them again and again the picture of impending distress. He pleaded with them as a father with a way- ward son; He commanded and threatened, but they would not heed. In time came the Assyrian captivity, later the Babylonian, and then subjugation by Rome. In accord with the fateful prophecy voiced by Amos, Israel have been scattered amongst the nations "like as corn is sifted in a sieve." All this was foreknown to Israel's God — yes, and more, for beyond the dispersion He saw the gathering of His people, now in progress. Did Jehovah, whose prescience embraced the events of centuries and millenniums, bring the curse upon Israel, or did Israel bring it upon themselves? (~XOD reads the future of child and children, of men individ- ually and of men collectively as communities and nations; He knows what each will do under given conditions and sees the end from the beginning. His fore- knowledge springs from intelli- gence and supreme wisdom. He sees the future as a state which in the sequence of events will be, not as one which must be because He has willed that it shall be. The predicted judgments of the last days, now manifest, are just and, withal, beneficent. They were divinely foretold, and the way of escape or protection was prepared aforetime. So may we apply our parabolic story of the girls and the weather. / 1 <t Poison Poppies A MAN, keeping a fine swarm of **■ bees, loved the little busy creatures ; summer after summer he watched them go to fields of sweet clover, and fly back to the hive to deposit their treasure and seal it over with the wax which would keep it clean and wholesome and nourishing. One summer the bees discovered a garden of poppies. No need had they to go in search of other fields when here in such abundance grew gorgeous blooms. But before they had found the honey, they grew sleepy, and turned toward home to rest. The drug in the flowers had had its effect. Upon awaken- ing, they hurried back to the fasci- nating spot, there to buzz drowsily about until their senses were dulled, and they could sleep again, forgetful of the sunny hours pass- ing by. Winter came, and found them unprepared, for their whole summer had been wasted in the soothing poppy garden. Are there pleasures, gay and be- wildering which draw us away from the life-giving joys of less spectacular pursuits? We know the difference between the things which give health and happiness, and those which give only momen- tary excitement, followed by dis- content and regret, but knowing, are we choosing wisely, that the winter to follow the sweet spring- time of youth shall find us ready, our hives of life filled to overflow- ing with the sweetness which will carry us through the rest of our days? *This is a true incident, related by a friend of the Bee-Keeper in a meeting of Y. L. M. I. A. officers.