Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-01-21
The End Not Yet.

A lengthy article has been recently 60
ing the rounds of the press announcing
the startling prediction that there is great
danger Of the world coming to an end
sometime during this year. The manner
in which this dreaded event was to be ac-
complished, was, as the prediction went,
that one of the numerous comets, which
occasionally visit our solar system, would
this year be deserted by the unknown
force that usually guides these mystel isus
bodies harmlessly through the planets of
our solar system in their revolutions about
the sun, and obsdient to the attraction of
sravitation would fall into that luminary
The effect of this, it was said, would be
to so greatly increase the amount of heat
generated by the san, as to destroy all the
higher forms Of animal life on the Earth
1t Was very gravely stated, however. that
the people at the poles, While their tenn
psrature would be gl eatly increased. might
possibly survive this terrible heat, md in
the course of time re-people the Earth
The " ashington Post, in behalf of many
erring sinners, who were painfully CON
scious of not being ready to pass their fl
nal accounts, and who contemplated the
alternative of emigrating to the polar re-
sions, sent out one of its enterprisirg re-
porters during the past week for the pur-
pose of interviewing the sage professors
of the astronomical science who are re-
tanned tor their wisdom in the government
observatories at Washington upon hand
some salaries. The result of these inter
views has been very encouraging to the
transgressors, and very disastrous to the
cause of virtuous reform. One of these
grave professors prof Harknes.) whose
desk the reporter found covered with sage
calculations, in response TO the inquiry Of
the Post said:
Il can dispose of it in three sentences
In the first place there is no evidence that
any comet is about to fall into the Sun
secondly, if comet did fall into the sun,
it is not likely that it would increase the
heat Of that body sufficiently to cause ser
ious damage to the earth and, lastly, phv-
,ias,s 90 not uefrere, 81 the artic!s a.a; Is.
that the falling OF meteorites into the sun
is the principle source of its heat. SO far
A. is now known, the only adsq uate source
seems to be the shrinking of the suns di-
ametsr produced 10y the action Of its own
gravity"
THAT seems to settle the whole matter"
the Post.
That is what mean it should do. i
think that articles of that kind" said he,
pointing TO IN extract, ARE not worth a
consideration, except TO expose
their very absurdity."
While this Undertaking stAtemen, OF
the learned professor may serve to relieve
the minds of sinners from the app'shsn-
sion of an early destruction of this mum
dane sphere, and an immediate ternina-
ton of their erring lives. it contains never.
theless some valuable suggestions for the
minds Of arrogant infidels. II the source
of The Suns heat be, As stated by the pro-
lessor, the 'shrinking Of its diameter
caused BY its own gravity" this is strong
ly in corrobaration of the revelation Of ST.
John that this luminary will in the natur-
al order of things eventually cease to give
its light" The opinion of the professor,
however, if it is to he credited, gives US
every reasonable assurance that the end is
not yet.