The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-08-19
ANDERSON, S. G. THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1889

view than l had ever yet had of the ma
iesty of the Almighty, accompanied with
a humiiating, and, 1 trust, a profitable,
sense of my own utter insignlficancc.
That movement of tho moon, that sub
limo VOYAGE of the worlds, often recurs
to my Imagination, and even at this dis
tant day as distinctly, as majcstically,
and nearly as fearfully, as it was then
beheld
A group of silent, dusky forms stood
near me; one motion appeared to govern
all. My father stood immovable, some
fifteen feet from me, but l could not dis
Germ his features. Three minutes Of dark
ness, all but absolute, elapsed. They ap-
pcared strangely heightened by the in
tensity of feeling and the flood Of over
powering thought which filled the mind
Thus far the sensation created ny this
majestic spectacle had been one of humil-
iation and awe. 1t seemed as if the great
Father of the Universe had visibIy and
almost palpably yelled his face in wrath
But appalling as the withdrawal OF light
has been, most glorious, most sublime,
was its restoration The corona of light
above the moon became suddenly bright
or. the heavens beyond were illuminated,
the stars retired. and light began to play
along the ridges of the distant mountains
And then flood of grateful, cheering,
consoling brightness fell in the valley,
with sweetness and power inconceiv-
able to the mind unless the eye has &C
tnallv bebeld it. | can liken this sudden,
Joyous return of light, after the eclipse,
to nothing of the kind that is Familiarity
known. 1t was certainly nearest to the
change produced by the swift passage of
the shadows of very dark cloud, but it
was the effect of this instantaneous trans
ton, multiplied more than a thousand
fold. II seemed to speak directly to our
spirits, with assurance of protection, of
gracious mercy, and of that divine love
Which has produced all the glorious COM
binations of matter for our enjoyment.
1t was not in the least like the gradual
dawning of day, or the actual rising OF
the sun. There was no graduation in the
change. 1t was sudden, amazing, like
what the imagination would teach US to
expect of the advent of heavenly Wis
ion. know that philosophically l am
wrong; but, to me, it seemed that the
rays might actually be seen flowing
through The darkness in torrents, till tney
had again Illuminated the forest, the
mountains, the valley, and the lake with
their glowing, genial touch.
There was another grand movement. as
the crescent of the sun re.appeared, and
the moon was actually seen steering her
course through the void Venus was still
shining brilliantly.
This second passage of the moon lasted
but q moment TO the naked eye. AS it
ceased, my eye fell again on the scene
around me. The street, now as distinct
ly seen as over, was filled with the popu-
lation of the village. Along tho line of
road stretching for mile from the valley,
against the side of the mountain, were
twenty wagons bearing travellers, or
teams from among the hills. All had
stopped on their course, impelled, appa-
rentiy, by unconscious reverence, as much
as by curiosity, while every face was
turned toward Heaven, and every eye
drank in the majesty of the sight. Wo-
men stood in the open street near me,
with streaming eyes and claspcd hands,
and sobs were audible in different dlrec-
tions. Even the educated and rejecting
men at my side continued silent in
thought. Several minutes passed before
the profound impressions of the spectacle
allowed of speech. At such o moment
the spirit of man bowsssin humility before
his Maker.
The changes of the unwonted light,
through whose gradations the full brilli-
ancy of the day was restored, must have
been very similar to those by which it
had been lost, but they werc little noted.
I remembered, however, marking the in
slant when | conld first distinguish the
blades of grass at my feet; and, later
again, watching the shadows Of the leaves
on the ground walk. The white lilies in
nv mothers flower garden were observed
by others among the first objects of the
vegetation which could be distinguished
from the windows of the house. Every
living creature was soon rejoicing again
in the blessed restoration of light after
that frightful moment of night at noon
day.
Men who witness any extraordinary
spectacle together, are apt, in after times,
to find pleasure in conversing on Its I'M
pressions But l do not remember to
have heard single being freely commu.
nicative on the subject of his individual
feelings at the most solemn moment OF
the eclipse. 1t would seem as if scnsa.
tions were aroused too closely connected
with the constitution OF the spirit to be
irrcverently and familiarly discussed l
shall only say that I have passed varied
and cvcntful life, tlfas it has been my for
tune to SEQ earth, heavens, ocean and man
in most OF their aspects; but never have
| beheld any spectacle which so plainly
manifested tho majesty of the Creator, or
so forcibly taught the lesson of humanity
Il.