InEngland，thefirstlightningconductoruponachurchwasnotputupuntil1762，tenyearsafterFranklin’sdiscovery。ThespireofSt。Bride’sChurchinLondonwasgreatlyinjuredbylightningin1750，andin1764astormsowreckeditsmasonrythatithadtobemainlyrebuilt；yetforyearsafterthistheauthoritiesrefusedtoattachalightning-rod。TheProtestantCathedralofSt。Paul’s，inLondon，wasnotprotecteduntilsixteenyearsafterFranklin’sdiscovery，andthetowerofthegreatProtestantchurchatHamburgnotuntilayearlaterstill。
Aslateas1783itwasdeclaredinGermany，onexcellentauthority，thatwithinaspaceofthirty-threeyearsnearlyfourhundredtowershadbeendamagedandonehundredandtwentybell-ringerskilled。
InRomanCatholiccountriesasimilarprejudicewasshown，anditscostattimeswasheavy。InAustria，thechurchofRosenberg，inthemountainsofCarinthia，wasstrucksofrequentlyandwithsuchlossoflifethatthepeasantsfearedatlasttoattendservice。Threetimeswasthespirerebuilt，anditwasnotuntil1778——twenty-sixyearsafterFranklin’sdiscovery——thattheauthoritiespermittedarodtobeattached。
Thenalltroubleceased。
AtypicalcaseinItalywasthatofthetowerofSt。Mark’s，atVenice。Inspiteoftheangelatitssummitandthebellsconsecratedtowardoffthepowersoftheair，andtherelicsinthecathedralhardby，andtheprocessionsintheadjacentsquare，thetowerwasfrequentlyinjuredandevenruinedbylightning。In1388itwasbadlyshattered；in1417，andagainin1489，thewoodenspiresurmountingitwasutterlyconsumed；itwasagaingreatlyinjuredin1548，1565，1653，andin1745wasstrucksopowerfullythatthewholetower，whichhadbeenrebuiltofstoneandbrick，wasshatteredinthirty-sevenplaces。
AlthoughtheinventionofFranklinhadbeenintroducedintoItalybythephysicistBeccaria，thetowerofSt。Mark’sstillwentunprotected，andwasagainbadlystruckin1761and1762；andnotuntil1766——fourteenyearsafterFranklin’sdiscovery——wasalightning-rodplaceduponit；andithasneverbeenstrucksince。[262]
[262]ForreluctanceinEnglandtoprotectchurcheswithFranklin’srods，seePriestley，HistoryofElectricity，London，1775，vol。i，pp。407，465etseq。
So，too，thoughthebeautifultoweroftheCathedralofSiena，protectedbyallpossibletheologicalmeans，hadbeenstruckagainandagain，muchoppositionwasshowntoplacinguponitwhatwasgenerallyknownas“thehereticalrod。”butthetowerwasatlastprotectedbyFranklin’sinvention，andin1777，thoughaveryheavyboltpasseddowntherod，thechurchreceivednottheslightestinjury。Thisservedtoreconciletheologyandscience，sofarasthatcitywasconcerned；butthecasewhichdidmosttoconverttheItaliantheologianstothescientificviewwasthatofthechurchofSanNazaro，atBrescia。TheRepublicofVenicehadstoredinthevaultsofthischurchovertwohundredthousandpoundsofpowder。In1767，seventeenyearsafterFranklin’sdiscovery，norodhavingbeenplaceduponit，itwasstruckbylightning，thepowderinthevaultswasexploded，onesixthoftheentirecitydestroyed，andoverthreethousandliveswerelost。[263]
[263]SeearticleonLightningintheEdinburghReviewforOctober，1844。
Suchexamplesasthese，inallpartsofEurope，hadtheireffect。
Theformulasforconjuringoffstorms，forconsecratingbellstowardofflightningandtempests，andforputtingtoflightthepowersoftheair，werestillallowedtostandintheliturgies；
butthelightning-rod，thebarometer，andthethermometer，carriedtheday。AvigorouslineofinvestigatorssucceedingFranklincompletedhisvictory，ThetravellerinremotedistrictsofEuropestillhearsthechurchbellsringingduringtempests；
thePolishorItalianpeasantisstillpersuadedtopayfeesforsoundingbellstokeepoffhailstorms；buttheuniversaltendencyfavoursmoreandmoretheuseofthelightning-rod，andoftheinsuranceofficeswheremencanberelievedoftheruinousresultsofmeteorologicaldisturbancesinaccordancewiththescientificlawsofaverage，basedupontheascertainedrecurrenceofstorms。So，too，thoughmanyapoorseamantruststohischarmthathasbeenbathedinholywater，orthathastouchedsomerelic，thetendencyamongmarinersistovaluemoreandmorethosewarningswhicharesentfarandwideeachdayovertheearthandundertheseabytheelectricwiresinaccordancewithlawsascertainedbyobservation。
Yet，eveninourowntime，attemptstorevivetheoldtheologicaldoctrineofmeteorologyhavenotbeenwanting。Twoofthese，oneinaRomanCatholicandanotherinaProtestantcountry，willserveastypesofmany，toshowhowcompletelyscientifictruthhassaturatedandpermeatedmindssupposedtobeentirelysurrenderedtothetheologicalview。
TheIslandofSt。Honorat，justoffthesoutherncoastofFrance，isdeservedlyoneoftheplacesmostveneratedinChristendom。ThemonasteryofLerins，foundedthereinthefourthcentury，becameamotherofsimilarinstitutionsinwesternEurope，andacentreofreligiousteachingfortheChristianworld。Initsatmosphere，legendsandmythsgrewinbeautyandluxuriance。Here，asthechroniclerstellus，atthetouchofSt。
Honorat，burstforthastreamoflivingwater，whicharecenthistorianofthemonasterydeclaresagreatermiraclethanthatofMoses；herehedestroyed，withatouchofhisstaff，thereptileswhichinfestedtheisland，andthenforcedtheseatowashawaytheirfoulremains。Here，topleasehissister，Sainte-Marguerite，acherrytreeburstintofullbloomeverymonth；herehethrewhiscloakuponthewatersanditbecamearaft，whichborehimsafelytovisittheneighbouringisland；
hereSt。PatrickreceivedfromSt。JustthestaffwithwhichheimitatedSt。HonoratbydrivingallreptilesfromIreland。
PillagedbySaracensandpirates，theislandwasmadeallthemorepreciousbythebloodofChristianmartyrs。Popesandkingsmadepilgrimagestoit；saints，confessors，andbishopswentforthfromitintoallEurope；inoneofitscellsSt。VincentofLerinswrotethatfamousdefinitionofpurereligionwhich，fornearlyfifteenhundredyears，hasvirtuallysupersededthatofSt。James。Naturallythemonasterybecamemostillustrious，anditsseat“theMediterraneanIsleofSaints。”
Buttowardthecloseofthelastcentury，itsinmateshavingbecomeslothfulandcorrupt，itwasdismantled，allsaveasmallportiontorndown，andtheislandbecamethepropertyfirstofimpiety，embodiedinaFrenchactress，andfinallyofheresy，embodiedinanEnglishclergyman。
BoughtbackfortheChurchbytheBishopofFrejusin1859，therewaslittlerevivaloflifefortwelveyears。Thencamethereaction，religiousandpolitical，afterthehumiliationofFranceandtheVaticanbyGermany；andofthisreactionthemonasteryofSt。Honoratwasmadeoneofthemoststrikingoutwardandvisiblesigns。PiusIXinterestedhimselfdirectlyinit，calledintoitabodyofCistercianmonks，anditbecamethechiefseatoftheirorderinFrance。TorestoreitssacrednessthestrictsystemofLaTrappewasestablished——labour，silence，meditationondeath。ThewordthusgivenfromRomewassecondedinFrancebycardinals，archbishops，andallchurchmenespeciallyanxiousforpromotioninthisworldorsalvationinthenext。Worn-outdukesandduchessesoftheFaubourgSaint-Germainunitedinthisenterpriseofpiousreactionwiththefrivolousyoungsters，thepetitscreves，whohauntthepurlieusofNotreDamedeLorette。Thegreatchurchofthemonasterywashandsomelyrebuiltandamultitudeofaltarserected；andbeautifulfrescoesandstainedwindowscamefromtheleadersofthereaction。Thewholeeffectwas，perhaps，somewhattheatricalandthin，butitshowednonethelessearnestnessinmakingtheold“IsleofSaints“aprotestagainstthehatedmodernworld。
Asiftobiddefiancestillfurthertomodernliberalism，greatstoreofrelicswassentin；amongthese，piecesofthetruecross，ofthewhiteandpurplerobes，ofthecrownofthorns，sponge，lance，andwinding-sheetofChrist，——thehair，robe，veil，andgirdleoftheBlessedVirgin；relicsofSt。JohntheBaptist，St。Joseph，St。MaryMagdalene，St。Paul，St。
Barnabas，thefourevangelists，andamultitudeofothersaints：
somanythatthebarementionofthesetreasuresrequirestwenty-fourdistinctheadsintheofficialcataloguerecentlypublishedatthemonastery。Besidesallthis——whatwasconsideredevenmorepowerfulinwardingoffharmfromtherevivedmonastery——thebonesofChristianmartyrswerebroughtfromtheRomancatacombsandlaidbeneaththealtars。[264]
[264]SeetheGuidedesVisiteursaLerins，publishedattheMonasteryin1880，p。204；alsotheHistoiredeLerins，mentionedbelow。
Allwasthusconformedtothemedievalview；nothingwastobeleftwhichcouldremindoneofthenineteenthcentury；the“agesoffaith“weretoberestoredintheirsimplicity。PopeLeoXIII
commendedtothebrethrenthewritingsofSt。ThomasAquinasastheironegreatobjectofstudy，andworkspublishedatthemonasterydweltuponthemiraclesofSt。Honoratasthemostpreciousrefutationofmodernscience。
Highinthecupola，abovethealtarsandrelics，wereplacedthebells。Sentbypiousdonors，theyweresolemnlybaptizedandconsecratedin1871，fourbishopsofficiating，amultitudeofthefaithfulbeingpresentfromallpartsofEurope，andthesponsorsofthegreattenorbellbeingtheBourbonclaimanttotheducalthroneofParmaandhisduchess。Thegoodbishopwhobaptizedthebellsconsecratedthemwithaformulaannouncingtheirefficacyindrivingawaythe“PrinceofthePoweroftheAir“andthelightningandtempestsheprovokes。
Andthen，aboveall，atthesummitofthecentralspire，highaboverelics，altars，andbells，wasplaced——A
LIGHTNING-ROD！[265]
[265]SeeGuide，asabove，p。84。LesIslesdeLerins，bytheAbbeAlliezParis，1860，andtheHistoiredeLerins，bythesameauthor，aretheauthoritiesforthegeneralhistoryoftheabbey，andareespeciallystronginpresentingthemiraclesofSt。Honorat，etc。TheCartulaireofthemonastery，recentlypublished，isalsovaluable。Butthesedonotcovertherecentrevival，foranaccountofwhichrecoursemustbehadtotheveryinterestingandnaiveGuidealreadycited。
Theaccountofthemonastery，publishedunderthedirectionofthepresentworthyabbot，morethanhintsatthesaving，byitsbells，ofashipwhichwaswreckedafewyearssinceonthatcoast；andyet，toprotectthebellsandchurchandmonksandrelicsfromtheveryfoewhom，inthemedievalfaith，allthesewerethoughtmostpowerfultodriveaway，recoursewashadtothescientificdiscoveryofthat“arch-infidel。”BenjaminFranklin！
PerhapsthemoststrikingrecentexampleinProtestantlandsofthischangefromtheoldtothenewoccurrednotlongsinceinoneofthegreatPacificdependenciesoftheBritishcrown。Atatimeofseveredroughtanappealwasmadetothebishop，Dr。
Moorhouse，toorderpublicprayersforrain。Thebishoprefused，advisingthepetitionersforthefuturetotakebettercareoftheirwatersupply，virtuallytellingthem，“Heavenhelpsthosewhohelpthemselves。”ButmostnoteworthyinthismatterwasitthattheEnglishGovernment，notlongafter，scanningthehorizontofindsomemantotakeupthegoodworklaiddownbythelamentedBishopFraser，ofManchester，choseDr。Moorhouse；andhisutteranceuponmeteorology，whichafewgenerationssincewouldhavebeenregardedbythewholeChurchasblasphemy，wasuniversallyalludedtoasanexampleofstronggoodsense，provinghimespeciallyfitforoneofthemostimportantbishopricsinEngland。
ThroughoutChristendom，theprevalenceoftheconvictionthatmeteorologyisobedienttolawsismoreandmoreevident。Incitiesespecially，wheremenareaccustomedeachdaytoseepostedinpublicplaceschartswhichshowthestormsmovingovervariouspartsofthecountry，andtoreadinthemorningpapersscientificpropheciesastotheweather，theoldviewcanhardlybeveryinfluential。
SignificantofthiswasthefeelingoftheAmericanpeopleduringthefearfuldroughtsafewyearssinceintheStateswestoftheMissouri。Nodayswereappointedforfastingandprayertobringrain；therewasnoattributionofthecalamitytothewrathofGodorthemaliceofSatan；butmuchwassaidregardingthefollyofourpeopleinallowingtheupperregionsoftheirvastriverstobedenudedofforests，thussubjectingtheStatesbelowtoalternationsofdroughtanddeluge。Partlyasaresultofthis，abeginninghasbeenmadeofteachingforestcultureinmanyschools，tree-plantingsocietieshavebeenformed，and“ArborDay“isrecognisedinseveraloftheStates。Atrueandnobletheologycanhardlyfailtorecognise，intheloveofNatureandcareforourfellow-menthuspromoted，somethingfarbetter，bothfromareligiousandamoralpointofview，thananyeffortstowintheDivinefavourbyflattery，ortoavertSatanicmalicebyfetichism。