The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-06-23
supBRsrrrrous or THE AGE.

cation. and the blaze OF On elevated and pros
gressive intelligence has dispelled the dark
ness in this respect of former centuries there
Is no question, still in our own day and Time
superstition still has foothold and not alone
among the ignorant classes, but to some
degree. among the cultured and educated
| We dare say there is notla man or woman
vho reads these lines, indeed 10 all the limi''
| of the universe, no matter what his or hel
intelligence, or learning may be, who is no
TO some extent influenced by som
species of superstition. We may b
ashamed to confess 1t even in our own hearts
ye. we know it to be fact, and we may
feel some sense of humiliation because OF II
yet we cannot shake off its thraldom. IL was
but Yesterday we read of Il priest In ono o.
The northern states " no, for some months past
has been reaping rich harvest by Imposing
upon the credulity end playing upon the
superstition of multitudes of people by per
forming what he called miracles. Hissimpo'
silion was discovered and exposed, and he
was arrested for obtaining money under false
pretenses, but as he had never solicited
money for. his performances, or made any
charges, only accepting as gifts what waf
offered him, he had to be released. Despite
his exposure there are hundreds OF bis VIC
Tins who cannot be made to shake OIL or
give up their superstitious belief in
his incantations and jugglery. Every
day we see some account or other
of what is called prayer cures, where by
special prayers and much petitioning to
divine grace, some affl cted person is sud-
denly and miraculously restored to health.
We say in no spirit of disrespect to religious
teachings, or to the efficacy of prayer, yet
we look upon such thirgs as but the work.
inss o. superstition. We have an implicit
faith and trust 10 prayer, but it must be
prayer uttered in the right spirit, and in &C.
cordance with the divine injunction and
formula. Yesterday was the day fixed by
some of the latter day prophets and inter-
prefers of the biblical prophecies for the
destruction of the world and the day of
Judgment. So deep hold had the supersti-
lious belief in this prophecy taken upon the
minds of great many people throughout
the country, that they had for months and
months past neglected all temporal
affairs and given themselves up
to fasting and prayer and preparation
for the final dissolution Of all mundane
things. Their ascension robes were ready
and they had wrought Themselves up to an
ecs:acy of anticipation and longing for the
glories of the life everlasting that they
yearned for the day and hailed its dawning
with rapturous praise. Poor, weak mortals,
they will never be as happy again on this
earth as they were al sunrise yesterday morn
log and all through the day, with their eyes
fixed upon the east, straining them to see the
approach of the blessed Savior with his
cohorts of clarifying angels. from the battle
ments of heaven to earth, to call together
around him from life and from the grave the
elect of his kingdom. And they will never
be 40 besrtsore and SO bowed down with
disappointment again as they were when they
looked upon the going down OF the
sun amid the crimson glories of the west. In
Canada and Manitoba ard no doubt in
other portions of the globe, there are farm
ers who planted no crops because in their
superstition they believed the 18th OF June
was the funeral day of earth, the last day OF
lis existence amid the stars and planets OF
heaven. Ia their foolish fancy they could
almost hear the requiem of the dead world,as
sun and moon caught the sad refrain sounded
from Orion to Uranus, and from Venus to
Mars, while the stars of tie milky way
chaunted q solemn TIE Deum But this super
s.i,ion Of the worlds decesse in 1891 does not
end with the 18th of June The astronomists
many of them of position and renown in the
world of learning, and the as,rologista, who
assume TO read the future from the scroll OF
the heavens, the stellar system being as an
open page 10 them revealing the secrets
yelled from common eyes and understand
ing, cay that mighty events, startling, won-
derfuL awful, are in the pregnant would be
of this good year Of 1881, and yet TO be
brought forth for the dire confoundiDg. il
not humiliation of the weak creatures OF this
earth. Professor Proctor has comet
plupging full tilt head on for the bosom Of
The sun, 10 reach there, we believe, about The
18th of November, when the heat of their
embrace will be 30 great that animal life on
the earth csnnot withstand il. But We have
not enumerated or even referred to 1.-THE of
tue superstition of this day aud time that
wrack the brains and trouble the hearts OF
mullituses of people. Kentucky has
breaches, who lie daily holding
forth to immense thropgs Of people,
the Rev. Mr.. Barnes he il, who believes that
God communes directly with him and directs
him what TO say and do and through him works
mirscles. He no doubt is infatusted with
this hsIlucinstion and in his ecstscy Of
religious fervor is striving 10 do good and 70
bring people unto repentance. And there
are hundreds a people who superstitiously
tsl;sva him. And right here Ia our midst