The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-07-05

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nom other comets teaches us, may travel his ap-
pointed orbit for even thousands OF Years. we
have yet 10 find out their substance ana their uti-
mate purpose and destiny" .o .,o
Professor Han then took us down INTO Tue
library and from q recent paper OF the french
Academy, by NJ. Rayet submitted oy Leverrier' ne
read to US Rayet's report oI his appncauOn OF the
test OF the spectroscOpe 10 this comet from when
II appears to be a light gaseous substance, whose
constituent elements stni remain 10 DC ae'ei
mined. ~.. a., oor,,
AT Is Within 60 900 900 or 81 OOO 600 of miles from
us tonight or neariy half way between US ana inc
sun. by the 9tn of July 1t win be about So'ooo'oVo
OF miles from the earth, and 1t would tneh 10 US
be truly magnificent spectacle II within .h hn,
range OF our vision after nishtall. bu' uy wa. ,a
horizon at nghtan to be only partially Vlsloie
here. il visible at ali IN the twlllgnt. - no'ns
rapidly southwark and to the horizon"
.What is its velocity at this time Y' o.o ooo
"t is moving at the rate OF more imam ana nTW
OF miles day, or at the nigh speeq III rouu n h
bers, OF $4,000 miles an hour whicn loI ohe muir
is nearly four times the circuit OF our globe.
AS the recent report from Professor Parkhurst
subs ntially correct f'' . l..
Eyes in his statements of facts in reference to
the comet he is substantially correct; out as TO
the play OF his ina gination nave nothing to say"
The Professor then took US into the cnronometer
room and opened TO US large DOA oil cnronoue-
teT arranged IN rows hey 70 and as
they marked a quarter past three O'CLOCK we
were admonisned without gong farther that it
sor for the time and the attentions he had shown
us, wished hm good night.
Admiral Davis pronounces this beautiful comet.
Professor Eastman says II will be, lew DAYS
hence, splendid comet. Professor Newcombe, In
stock in tais comet;n but Professor Han, whose
special field OF DUTY is among the comets, with ms
"comet seeker" is enthusiastic over 1t as most
interesting stranger and perfect beauty, and
growing more and more beautiful ana interesting
from night TO night, under the wonderful and
mysterious power, attractive, expansive ana re-
pulAve, OF the sun.
The Great Comet of Is43 and the Meteor
illogical Shower of Is33-The Prophecy
by Miller of the End of the World.
WASHINGTON, July 8, 1874.
To the writer OF the following reconectiOns OF
the great comet OF 1s43 the little comet OF 1874 Is
indeed an insignificant interlOper On St. Pat
ricks Day, 1S43 this witness left Washington, as
young Journalist, on venture to New York.
Stopping with friend Tor the night in Baltimore,
he was introduced in the evening at her house TO
an intelligent and interesting lady, who as the
first topic OF conversation, introduced the great
comet which was then Naming in the western sky
with o tail which to the naked eye seemed to
sweep across nearly one-flfth Of the ARMAMENT
and in the absence Of the moon, completely eclips-
ing everything in the heavens. The lady intro
duced the celestial stranger with the inquiry
''Let NE ask you, sir, what is your opinion Of
this wonderful and, to me, this alarming comet?
Do you think, as the Second Advent people con-
tend, that it can be sent as warning Of the COM
ing of the day of judgmentY"
The writer, without pausng to think OF the pos
ebe consequences answered, in substance -'It
may be 50. The prophet Miller bases his theory
of the Second Advent upon the prophecies of
Daniel which, you know. eliminate IN the day OF
judgment. These prophecies have been taken up
by the prophet Miller, and in applying fixed
have all been fulfilled except the coming OF the day
OF judgment, which, the order Of these great
events, he finds must be in this very year. 1S4a.
And this comet Is held by these believers
In the prophet Miller, or Second Advent
people rn in the sky Of the
wlsest astronomers have failed to give any notice
OF the approach OF this comet; that 1t comes
much a surprise to them as to the most ignorant
people, and that therefore it is something en-
tirely out OF the regular order of things IN the
heavens Such Is the reasoning OF these Second Ad
vent people. and there may be something in 1t.
THE SIGN IN THE HEAVENS
The narrator was next detained at Philadelphia
Oh the night Of the 18th OF March IN heavy snow
storm, aud was most OF the next day on the rail-
New Jersey rs At night on the steamboat from
Amooy, the comet shone out in splendid relief, the
sky being exceedingly clear under roaring March
nOr'wester. Down below there u gathering
OF Mlerites, some thirty, or less
singing, praying and exhorting in prepare:
judgment. One Of their preachers "' said
that among the signs on the earth was this late
wonderful snow storm in the middle OF March,
while the awful sign in the heavens becoming
more glorious from night to night was this great
comet, threatening to set the world on fire. They
could see it for themselves in all its sublime
majesty, and by twos and threes they all came on
deck to see 1t, some OF them praying audoy and
thanking God for this glorious manifestation OF
His coming, and all OF them ret urning to their
hymns and PRAYERS in the forward cabin below.
THE ASCENSION ROBES
To the best OF the writer's recollection IL was
In April that ne met the Mlerites again at camp
meeting OF the Society on Long Island, some three
weeks alter their prayer meeting on The steam
boat AT TINS camp meeting the comet
stantly referred to as the lnfallble sign OF 'tne
second coming Of the Son OF Man." ana OF the ris.
ing OF the SAINTS in their ascension robes (o ten
cent muslin) TO welcome Him. Most OF the
brethren and sisters If not all In the camp, had
their ascension robes in readiness So that tney
were white they said, the quality or the nature Of
the fabric made no difference. Cheap cotton, how
ever, was the prevailing article. by referring TO
file Of the NEW YORK HERALD OF April, 1S43 this
writer's account OF that Millerte camp meeting
A week or two later the writer was saddened by
the information that the interesting and intelligent
lady who had asked Tor his opinion ON the comet
at Baltimore had been readlD0 up the prophecies
OF Daniel and the interpretations OF Miller, and,
becoming fully convinced that the Judgment day
was near at hand had prepared her ascens sion robe
and was awaiting the trumpet OF Gabriel to rise
with the saints to the Kingdom OF heaven.
IDLE FEARS.
But the great comet OF 1S43 quietly passed away,
and was not followed by ANY greater terrestrial
disturbance, even In 1874, than the election OF
JdMes H. FOLK over tne great henry Clay lOf PreS
dent OF the United States But such q comet as
that at this day would be the universal sensation
OF the civilized world. TO the naked eye the
nucleus Of that comet in March was larger than
Jupiter, though not bright and his tail, like the
stationary trail OF great meteor, seemed to
stretch across fifth or a sixth OF the Ornament,
and, with q graceful curve and with gently in
creasing width to the extremity, which made it
exceedingly beautiful.
THE GREAT METEOROLOGICAL SHOWER.
But even this great comet oil le43 was meteor
0loglcal tri1e compared with the sublime storm
n M nj nj thn
writer, then boy. had the good fortune TO be an
observer He was reused from his sleep by the
cries OF "a frightened negro at the door.
WI axe up, wake up, AL OF you. De stars Is
fallin from heaven. De judgment Is come. Wake
up, and de Lord have mercy on Us ALL"
~ ell. SAM what are you doing thereof cried
the master OF the house. "Have you been out
stealing and do you come to cOnfessyn
''Yes, master here's de bunch of chickens, got
out de coop. No use now. De judgment is come.