The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-08-28
VOL. VIII.
THE TRRRoRs OP1s o.

THE TERRORS OF Is o.
Predictions vague, and therefore the
more effective in disturbing popular
fancie7, continue to be made with ref
Greece TO the coming Of plsgues and
desolations such as were never known
in the worlds history. The popular
mind has been given this direction by
the pulpit. We are often threatened,
for our unexampied sinfulness. with
Goa's direst vengeance. Days of fast
ing and prayer are devoted to pro-
I phetic denuucistions Of popular vices
| and national crimes, and the people
absolutely give share of cFedence to
vague prophecies uttered by Ut known
m n and women. Recently old papers
! have been drawn from du u hiding
places in Denmark and Sweden, their
| authorship ascriGed to kepier and Ty-
cho Brahe, great astronomers and
astrologists, who fourished 800 years
ago. Jupiter, Mars and SIturn were
known to these philosophers, lut IRA
nus was not. Despite this fact they
predicted results electrical, and thus
atmospheric and physical and moral, Of
wlich subsequently written history
tells in fearful words aud ba,ed brea'h.
Much space is given to Napoleonic
/ was. The astronomers declare that
The cor queror Napoleon the Great
shall become naughty and d,spotic,
drunken with ambition, leading his
victorious hosts through fire and blood
as a glutton revels at feast. Then
snail he penetrate the moth (Russis)
for new cOnquesis, passing beyond the
| line OF his auspicIous star, and two
stars of evil omen confront him. His
victorious banners shall wither like dry
twigs in the blast OF fire. He shall
stagger back before a hurricane of de-
structjen, tattered, bleeding and torn,
and fall PROSTATE to the earth. Yet
shall be rise again IN the furious agony
of dying giant, to sink sgair, chOk-
ing in sea Of blood.
Numerous like predictions occur.
which seem to refer conclusively to
momentous events in modern history,
among which are the destruction OF
Lisbon by earthquake, the Crimean
war, extinction of the Papal temper
atty, the Franco German conflict, and
other great natural and politicsl con-
vulsions; while a great proportion OF
the prognosticatlons are not readily as
signed, probably referring to events
that were unduly magnitied in the CAL
culations of the astrologer, or, as likely,
were erroneous predictions of events
that did not occur at all. The rise of
a mighty nation on the western conti-
nent, undoubtedly referring to the
American Republic, is vaguely alluded
to, with no reference to the war OF in
dependence or any OF the leading events
in the early history of this country. In
the latter portion OF his predictions,
however, tending to a great culmins-
ton Of natural and political conyu'-
sions, which he locates in the early part
OF the 1880 decade, the astrologer &C.
votes special attention 10 the great ns-
ton on the western continent, which
he seems to regard as a chef point up
on which impending calsmites from.
pernicious stellar influences will con
verge. Every reader of history must
confess the perfect accuracy with winch
the course of events is defined more
than two hundred years before they
came to pass.
The next chapter of terrible prophC-
cies discusses events Of to-day. It
opens with glnomiest forebodings, ana
scenes of terror are fixed in America.
The globe is checked with angry shsd
ows," and wars, pestilencts and fam
ines gather strength and haaViness OF
tread as they slowly and painfully
climb the stairway Of resounding years.
The philosopher says:
* The luTid rays Of the three
stars impinge on the center area of this
continent Europe |. circling westward
and passing over tue sea to the western
continent at the close of the decade.
This representation, with its at
tendsnt chart, seems to refer to the
Hungarian rebellion, the Crimeau war,
the Austro Prnssian struggle and the
Italian war, after which series the stars
pass to this continent, aud tie bellicose
influence is marked by the bre king
out OF the war of secession. The Gu i
Gus proguostications continue:
The great empire of the West shall
writhe in crushing agony, yet it shall
rise in power and ms ssty and cast off
the black mantle OF great wickedness
in its deliverauce.
Passing over mass of calculations
chiefly devoted to the destinies of Eu-
ropean nations, the astrologis.'s studies
are again diverted to the western cor
tinent, with the following prognosticA-
tions:
Near the close of the third decade
the stars of evil portent again impinge
in the EIs with dire wrath, EN- t'ing
ar dispensing great fatality with
sword, pestilence and famine. The
trail of flame again passes westward
over the sea to the western continent,
gathering intenser fury oy the greater
power convergenct of angry intlI-
euces IN the second ye Of the fourth
decade. Dire calamity clouds tie
great Oestern empire, end stars of
promise pale aud expire. Great con-
vuls;ans of nature are poitended. Seas
AMI rivers shall go dry aud mountains
sink, snd new lands shall appear. See
Gimner Wars shall be extingaishee
by great terror, and armies shall meet
with pestilence and famine, and the
great empire shall not rise again. but
shall be therceierth as stFsnge peoples,
lhving with jealousy and enmity."
THIS is certainly very dismal aspect
Of fu,urity from the outlook of old
Danish sstrology. and Il not SIS entirely
reliable as the alarming spprehensions
excited by modern astronomers regard
ing possible results OF the approach
ing grand planetary conjunction these