"And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

   And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

   And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying Lord, save us: we perish.

   And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful. O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

   But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!"

  --Matthew 8:23-27

   In this passage, we are taught the effects of fearfulness and the power of faith. Fear is one of the most destructive emotions known to man. It can play havoc with the physical body, deranging digestion, interfering with the metabolic changes and the elimination of waste, and upsetting the whole system. Those who indulge in it surround themselves with a steel-gray auric shell which acts as a barrier to the helpful thoughts and prayers of others.

   Faith, on the other hand, "opens and expands our mental capacity as sunlight unfolds the beautiful flower." "Faith is the force in man which opens up the channel of communication with God and brings us into touch with His Life and Power." The poet Tennyson called it:

   The great world's altar- stairs that slope thro' darkness up to God.

   We also find in this passage of Scripture an indication of a power man at some future time will possess-control of the elements. Christ Jesus possessed this power, so that even the winds and the sea obeyed Him.

   Max Heindel pointed out that: "Scientists have attempted time and again to offer an adequate explanation of the phenomena of wind and storm, but have failed signally. Nor can they succeed while they seek a mechanical solution to what is really a manifestation of life. Could they see the hosts of Sylphs winging their way hither and thither, they would know who and what is responsible for the fickleness of the wind: could they watch a storm at sea from the etheric viewpoint, they would perceive that the saying 'the war of the elements' is not an empty phrase, for the heaving sea is truly then a battlefield of Sylphs and Undines and the howling tempest is the war cry of spirits in the air."

   To explain fully what transpires in a storm we must consider the semi- intelligent action of the Sylphs who lift the finely divided vaporized particles of water prepared by the Undines from the surface of the sea and carry them as high as they may before partial condensation takes place and clouds are formed. These particles of water they keep until forced by the Undines to release them. When we say it storms, battles are being fought on the surface of the sea and in the air, sometimes with the aid of Salamanders to light the lightning torch of separated hydrogen and oxygen and send its awe-inspiring shaft crashing zigzag through the inky darkness, followed by ponderous peals of thunder that reverberate in the clearing atmosphere, while the Undines triumphantly hurl the rescued raindrops to Earth that they may be again restored to union with their mother element.

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