A Remarkable Occurrence

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 26, 1914

A Remarkable Occurrence

FROM the province of Kiang-si, China, a missionary reports a most remarkable instance of what appears to be a divine providence in behalf of this section. A long drought had prevailed, and, added to this, the country had been devastated by brigands and robbers. The occurrence, as reported in the China Press, February 17, a newspaper published at Shanghai, is as follows:—

"KIU-KIANG, FEBRUARY 12. The following interesting story comes from a missionary friend resident in this province:—

"On the seventh of January, in the early afternoon, there fell like a snowstorm quantities of the grain known as gao liang, in some places so thickly that it could be swept up, while in others it could only be picked up grain by grain. This happened over a large area of country, from Teh An, forty miles south, and extending west as far as Wu Ling, a distance of one hundred miles. The wind was coming from the northeast at the time.

"The grain was much harder than ordinary dry grain, and as this article (gao liang) is not grown in this part of the country, the people did not recognize it, and said, 'What is it' (manna)?

"One sheng will make eight large bowls of 'red rice,' so it is very profitable, and the natives' comment was that while Yuan Shi Kai had sent soldiers down last summer to rob them and destroy their harvest, Heaven did not approve, and sent this as an expression of sympathy; and it is said that where the people lost most, the grain fell thickest. Here is a 'find' for those who wish to explain all miracles by natural sources! Did the grain come from north China, or from the volcano district in Japan? The natives say it came from Heaven; and so it did, so far as they are concerned."