Lightning Rods | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 23, 1864

Lightning Rods.

For several years past there has been a wide-spread mania in community on the question of lightning rods. Eloquent dealers in this article have traversed the country at every angle of the compass, and by fair speeches and elaborate arguments have robbed honest men of thousands of dollars in money and time, to say nothing of patience, for their worthless truck, which at last sells for old iron. Such as would like to know what truly scientific men think of lightning rods had better preserve the following paragraph which we take from the N. Y. Tribune of Aug. 13, 1864.

G. W. A.

Lightning Rods.—S. H. SUTTON, Naples, N. Y., says: "I am an attentive reader of the doings of the 'Farmers' Club,' and would be pleased to have you present a subject to the Club for discussion, viz: are lightning rods a security and protection to buildings against the effects of lightning?"

"At this time there are two or three splendid teams and carriages fitted up for the purpose of 'rodding' every man's house and barn that they can, by eloquent arguments, make to see the great danger of lightning, and 'the great protection' their rods will give to life and property. Many of my neighbors never have been struck yet with lightning: yet they have been struck by these peddlers with the idea of their danger, and badly struck with the bill of expense. Now, before I 'rod' my house I want to know what the Club thinks of the utility of lightning rods."

Well, Sir, if you have been, as you say, an attentive reader of these reports, you do know that the subject has been most fully discussed, both by lightning-rod makers and by those who disbelieve in their utility, and that the evidence adduced has always been largely in favor of not incurring one dollar of expense for a conductor. The reasons for this conclusion are, that we cannot find that they have ever saved a building, or that an insurance office will take a risk for one cent less upon a house with than it will without conductors. Besides, we do know that buildings furnished in the most "scientific" manner with conductors have been struck by lightning, and some of us would not accept a conductor as a gift. That is what the Farmers' Club thinks of their utility.