This is the strangest Mother's Day poem I have ever read, but I share it because it was written by a mother—a mother who, by God- given insight, has painted an accu rate and yet contemporary picture of our lives as mothers. THOU SHALT NO T KILL Yesterday I killed my son’s joy In the victory of his team. I complained about his dirty clothes And that ripped seam. The day before I killed my daugh ter’s pride In the dress that she had made. I pointed out its faults Then added my faint praise. One day I killed a friendship And affection turned to hate. I had misunderstood her motive Until it was too late. Today I killed my husband’s love— Not with a mighty blow. It had died bit by bit, Year by year— so slow. First I robbed him of his pleasures In those simple satisfactions. Oh! Had he no self-confidence And some worth-while ambitions? I wounded him with cruel jibes When others, too, might hear And thought his wince of pain Was but unmanly fear. Tonight I saw the light of love Die slowly in his look, When he reached toward me his hand But I picked up my book. Oh! God of the resurrection, Restore to me this man. Then teach me how to truly love And loving— understand. M Y CHILD SAID TH A T ? Even at four Rick was always in control of his temper and nothing- ever seemed to upset his self-control. But one day he came to his mother, his face red with rage, and in his hands, his favorite truck, broken in two pieces by his little sister Laurie. With quiet fierceness he said, “ Moth er, I wish the Lord would hurry up and save Laurie’s little black heart.” Joyce Landorf E d ito r ia l N o t e : Readers are encouraged to contrib ute to this column true experiences in volving children. It may be dramatic, inspirational or humorous. All entries become the property of the editors and cannot be returned. Should the editors choose your entry for publication, “ Better Homes and Gardens” will send you one of their fine cook books. Q i] By Edith Wyvell— 1968 Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Science and the Bible by Bolton Davidheiser, Ph.D. M tt& i totfé/Uftq...
I T is e st im a t e d that dowsing, or “water witching,” is practiced by more than 25,000 persons in this country. The usual method is by means of a forked stick held in the hands. As the dowser walks along, the presence of underground water is indicated by a downward tipping of the free end of the wand. Willow seems to be the favored material for the dowser’s wand, though witch- hazel is also popular. Some dowsers now prefer nylon, while others use a pair of pliers or even a wire coat hanger. The value of dowsing is a matter on which there is much difference of opinion, and it is not the chief issue to be considered here. Dowsing has no known scientific explanation, but it does not follow from this that it necessarily is a delusion or that it has no efficacy. In fact, the greater the evidence of efficacy in this meth od of finding water, the greater also is the evidence that it really is a form of witchcraft and a phenomenon governed by evil spirits. Since more Christians seem to be engaged in water witching than in any other activity which appears to be satanic, the facts ought to be known so that those who are innocently pursuing this practice may be warned. Let us consider the evidences that dowsing is a spirit phenomenon. 1. The dowser’s wand performs in the hands of some people and not in the hands of others. Some people who are unable to perform with the wand are able to do so if they are in physical contact with a person who is a dowser. 2. A person who has ability as a dowser may have powers of which he himself is unaware. For example, when the stick dips and the dowser announces water he may be embar rassed because no water is there. He may later find out that for him it is the second dipping of the stick which reveals the place where the water is, while the distance he walks between the first and second dippings of the stick shows the depth of the water below the surface! 3. In another kind of case the nov
ice is embarrassed when there is no water where the stick dips for him, because for him the wand indicates minerals in the ground instead of water. 4. Some may object that there real ly is a scientific explanation of dows ing which has not yet been discov ered. This is contradicted by the fact that an estimated 5% of modern dowsers do their work over maps because this is more convenient than traveling to the actual site where water is to be located! Certainly this can have no scientific explanation. If it is effective, there must be a differ ent kind of explanation. 5. Henry Gross of the state of Maine is America’s most famous dowser. He claims his wand will an swer any appropriately worded ques tion. He merely thinks the question and the wand responds! For example, he can ask whether water is within 100 feet of the surface. If the wand answers affirmatively by dipping, he can ask other questions to narrow down the depth to a rather exact figure. Similarly he can find out how many gallons per minute will flow. Obviously there can be no scientific explanation of such a phenomenon. One time when Henry Gross drove up to a farm where there were guests, a plan was devised to test him. The guests hid, and he was asked to find them with his wand. The wand indicated one too many people, but it turned out that there was a trespasser whose whereabouts were unknown until his position was pointed out by the remarkable wand! It follows that water witching is either a delusion or else it is diabolic. If a delusion, it is folly for anyone to engage in it. If it is diabolic, it is spiritually dangerous. Christians who practice dowsing should be aware of these things. Moreover, as a Chris tian would not accept the services of a spiritist who practices diagnos ing and healing, he should think twice before permitting a dowser to practice on his property. Read what is said about diviners in Deuteronomy 18:9-12. Hjj]
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M A Y , 1968
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