Astrology, the science of the stars and their influence on the lives
and destinies of human beings, is a very old and honorable subject. It
was early developed in Egypt and flourished chiefly in Chaldea, whose
star-gazers and prognosticators were so famous that the name “Chaldee”
came to be used as having the same meaning as Astrologer, not only
in the Bible but among ancient writers. In the East it still has its
followers and is much practiced by the Arabs and Asiatics. Its vogue
in Rome and Greece was great, but it was forbidden by the Emperor
Augustus, only to be revived later. The Moors in Spain held it in great
respect and made it popular among the nations of Europe.
Astrology continued to be popular until the sixteenth century. It was
practiced by the European courts as late as the eighteenth century,
even in England. It was considered a worthy science even by the great
astronomer Kepler, and Lilly, another astronomer, was called before
the House of Commons in the reign of Charles II to give his opinion of
future events.
Astrology teaches us that the heavenly bodies influence not only the
earth but all living creatures on the globe. Every child born is
subject to the planet or star under which it came to life. When a child
is born its mind is still a blank and its character unformed. The stars
find a ready tablet on which to record their marks for good or evil,
and the character, disposition, passions, gifts, talents, etc., which
the child will show in later years are decided on thru the influence of
the heavenly bodies. Thus, the planet Mercury gives wisdom and force
of mind; Venus gives the power of loving; Mars, the desire to work and
fight; etc.
The general method of procedure in discovering the characteristics or
deciding the fate of a man is to draw a horoscope, representing the
position of the stars and planets in the whole heaven or within one
degree of the eastern horizon, at the time of the individual’s birth.
If the horoscope is to decide the success of an undertaking the date of
the same is taken as a starting-point. Significance is given to each
of the heavenly bodies as they appear singly or in conjunction and the
horoscope is interpreted according to these significations.
The great physician, Paracelsus, was enthusiastic in his teachings
that the heavenly bodies had a great effect upon the bodies of men,
especially upon their diseases, and many doctors until recent years
consulted the stars in an endeavor to find the proper remedies for the
suffering.
The Bible has many instances which show the esteem in which Astrology
was held. In the very first part we read that God made the stars to
serve as “signs, seasons and days.” We read that the “stars in their
courses fought against Sisera.” This shows how the heavenly bodies were
supposed to influence the deeds of men.
We all know that the tides are caused by the pulling of the moon, and
that this planet would be a dreary waste were it not for the light and
heat it gets from the sun. We have recently discovered that the sun’s
rays also give us health, that they possess a great curative power and
that the ultraviolet rays are of benefit in many diseases. It is but
natural to suppose, therefore, that other planets and even distant
stars influence this earth and its inhabitants. Many of the stars of
which we see but dim specks are many thousands of times bigger than our
sun and may exert a correspondingly great influence.
All celestial bodies probably do have some influence on our minds and
our bodies. They move in their orbits just as each human being has his
own circle or orbit in which he moves from birth to death. It seems
rational to suppose that every individual is subject to the influence
of some particular planet which was in the ascendant at the time of his
or her birth, and that a knowledge of the planet may help decide the
ultimate career and fortune of the child.
We may go further and claim that the planet of a child may affect the
future of the parents and that there is a mysterious relation between
the parents and their offspring. The orbits of the parents are often
entirely changed by the coming of a child. It is not a rare occurrence
to have the influence of the child completely overpower the lives of
the parents. We all are acquainted with folks who date their good or
bad fortune from the birth of a particular child. People who have been
respected and prosperous seem suddenly hounded by misfortune after the
birth of a son, and end in poverty. On the other hand, many a family
can date its good fortune from the day a son or daughter was born to
them.
Dame Fortune is certainly a fickle fairy who dispenses her good and bad
gifts with an erratic hand, and no one can tell what fate may befall.
“Read the answer in the stars,” is the only logical reply to the many
puzzles that come up for solution.
Warnings and danger signals are shown to us by nature more often than
we think. But we are so intent on our troubles or on making money that
we fail to recognize them. Nature has resource to dreams, premonitions,
signs and omens to tell us of our impending fate. We are often agitated
without knowing why, have moods of depression and causeless fears. They
are portents on the part of nature that we are often too ignorant to
heed.
A study of Astrology may help us avoid many pitfalls. It must not be
considered from a superstitious point of view, but as a possible fact
in nature that may lead us to better things.