The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-11-13
The Religious, Political, and Philosophical
Excitements of the Age,

The Religious, Political, and Philosophical
Excitements of the Age.
Strange and wonderful times these We have
beyond doubt, fallen upon marvellous and very
curious times. What means this strange commo-
tion-ohon-otion, we know not Father Miller says
1t is because the world is coming to end next
year, and these the last times. And we are in
clined to his opinion, that these really the last
days, for the reason that we have never seen any
later ones.
The mighty deep of human mind and thought
to be stirred up from the lowest bottom. First
comes father Miller, taking advantage of the obscu-
rites of prophecy, of the imperfect knowledge OF
the common people, and more than all, of the
tural predIsposion of the human mind TO supersti-
tion and tells the inhabitants of the earth that the
whole world and all that is thereia, mountains and
vallies, woodlands and plains, earth and water, SIN
ners of all ages, sexes and condition, including
much cattle and mosquitoes, all-all-al are to be
burnt up in mighty bonfire in the very next year
of 1913, now rapidly approaching us, like gigantic
monster, growing and crashing his teeth, opening
wide his Jaws, breathing hot flames and fumes Of
fire and birthstone stealthlly crouching and creep
ing along, ready for a spring to devour us all Oh
dear!
Mler's subject furnishes him with fearful and
terrific engines TO work upon the superstltious ina
ginations of the uneducated and unreflecting 1919
Terrible year! The world is TO be finally consumed
Husbands shall see their wives caught up to heaven,
while they themselves the wicked monsters, shall
be burning in the flames of fire and liquid birthstone
earth Parents shall rise to heaven on that day,
and see their children plunged into the torments of
hell forever and ever! Brothers and sisters shall be
parted never to embrace again Men and women
will SIT in heaven and see their kindred roasting and
brolllng hat happy and delightful place heaven
must bel in the fiery lake that Is burning, scorchng
and devouring below And all this in few short
months What horrible theme is this to work
upon the popular mind-especlally when backed,
supported and illustrated by the infable scriptures
book, chapter, and verse!
What are the consequences OF these doctr,ues'-
Mhv the farmers are selling off their lands their
cattle and their pigs and the mechanics are selling
off their tools and all to invest the proceeds In house
lots in the city of the New Jerusnlem which has
been all surveyed and laid out ready tor customers.
Next comes the pugnacous DR. Brownlee, bucket
in hand deuging DR. Miller and his conhagration
with whole torrents of Croton water. He eIters
into contract with the present administration above
TO DELAY the big bonfire until 1866 This is really
quite refreshing; although, to prevent accidents,
we think il quite fortunate that the Croton Is ready
at hand-.notwithstandin we have great confidence
in DR.. Brownlees responsibility as an underwater.
He should be elected president OF some Fire lnsur-
ance Company. To be the safe side, we advise
the citizens of New York to introduce the Croon
into every house without delay to have il ready; II
can do no harm We also advise them to subscribe
for the Herald as we intend to run expresses the
time approaches which will always give its read
ers the earliest notice of any alarm of fire. There
is no danger about the subscription, We are fully
insured through the campaign.
Then again comes DR. Augustine Smith, with his
geological hammer, knocking all the fire and brlm
stone on, of the head of DIR. Miller, and staving &c
pieces all DR. Brownlee's buckets-audaclously de
monstratng that the world has lived more than two
millions of years already, and will survive rount
million of years to come These biologists, by the
way, will effect insurance at 80 per cent less pre-
MUM than DIR. Brownlee, TO say nothing of DR.. Mil
Ter, who will not insure at all.
Geology, according to DR.. Smith, who is Of
the most distinguished members of the old med-
cal school, is likely to prove a specific, a complete
antiphlogistc for all these prophetic fevers and mil
lennium inflammatons which, like frightfu
epidemic, are now sweeping off such large numbers
of religious fanatics Geology demonstrates con
clusivey, like the science of mathematics, that the
earth is of unlimited antquity-the strata of which
il is composed show it. Take Mount Etna, fo
instance it took IL 900 years to make the surround
ing formations And TO make all the formations
that are now known to exist, it has required mil
lion of years. These formations are still progress
ing by infinitely long periods Of time; nor does the
earth even now show any signs of age. Study pro
phecy, therefore, if you like, but don't forget geo
lsgy 1t is great science, and is destined to worl
out mighty results.
Ont whole, these are erycurious times. All II
excitement, enthusiasm, and revolution Ii re
minds of the days of the French revolution
and of the English revolution, when all opinion:
were afloat, not only in the matter of religion, bu
also Of politics. philosophy, and morals. Betweer
Joe Smith, Gov. Dorr Father Miller, Fourier Brs
bane, Abby Kelly, Abby Folsom, Margaret Bishop
and Mrs Col Mesmeric Stone, there is no doub
but mighty uproarious revolution is close at hand
Stand from under let II come.