connection
with this scriptural doctrine of winds came a scriptural doctrine of
earthquakes: they were believed to be caused by winds issuing from the
earth, and this view was based upon the passage in the one hundred and
thirty-fifth Psalm, "He bringeth the wind out of his treasuries."(210)

(210) For D'Ailly, see his Concordia astronomicae veritatis cum
theologia (Paris, 1483--in the Imago mundi--and Venice, 1490); also
Eck's commentary on Aristotle's Meteorologica (Ausburg, 1519), lib. ii,
nota 2; also Reisch, Margarita philosophica, lib. ix, c. 18.

Such were the main typical attempts during nearly fourteen centuries to
build up under theological guidance and within scriptural limitations a
sacred science of meteorology. But these theories were mainly evolved
in the effort to establish a basis and general theory of phenomena: it
still remained to account for special manifestations, and here came a
twofold development of theological thought.

On one hand, these phenomena were attributed to the Almighty, and, on
the other, to Satan. As to the first of these theories, we constantly
find the Divine wrath mentioned by the earlier fathers as the cause of
lightning, hailstorms, hurricanes, and the like.

In the early days of Christianity we see a curious struggle between
pagan and Christian belief upon this point. Near the close of the second
century the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, in his effort to save the empire,
fought a hotly contested battle with the Quadi, in what is now Hungary.
While the issue of this great battle was yet doubtful there came
suddenly a blinding storm beating into the faces of the Quadi, and this
gave the Roman troops the advantage, enabling Marcus Aurelius to win a
decisive victory. Votaries of each of the great religions claimed that
this storm was caused by the object of their own adoration. The pagans
insisted that Jupiter had sent the storm in obedience to their prayers,
and on the Antonine Column at Rome we may still see the figure of
Olympian Jove casting his thunderbolts and pouring a storm of rain from
the open heavens against the Quadi. On the other hand, the Christians
insisted that the storm had been sent by Jehovah in obedience to THEIR
prayers; and Tertullian, Eusebius, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Jerome
were among those who insisted upon this meteorological miracle; the
first two, indeed, in the fervour of their arguments for its reality,
allowing themselves to be carried c