The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-12-14
A TERRIBLE PROPHECY.
The Red Sunsets, Cyclones and
Earthquakes Foretelling Coming
Disaster-How to Meet it.

following sunset and preceding sun
rise have attracted wide attention
from students of the skies and the
people generally. During the days
of recent weeks the sun seems to
have been obscured by thin veil of
a dull leaden hue which, as the sun
receded toward the horison, became
more luminous, then yellow, then
orange, then red; and, as night set
tied down upon the earth, dull pur-
pie. At first it was thought these
appearances were ordinary sunset re-
aections of light, but it is now pretty
certain that they are either the misty
substance Of the tail of some unseen
comet, in which the earth is en-
veloped, or surrounding stratum of
world dust or very small meteors.
Professor Brooks, of the Red House
Observatory, Phelps, N. Y, has turn
ed his telescope upon these objects
and discovered what he thinks are
myriads of telescope meteors. If it
is unorganized world dust, or de-
composed vapors, as the Democrat
and Chronicle of Rochester, N. Y,
remarks: "How is this matter to be
disposed Of? Will it settle and form
deposit upon the earth, or remain
a partial opaque shell about the earth
to cut off portion of the suns light
upon it 2"
Whatever the mystery is, there is
no denying that some very, strange
forces are at work in the upper airs.
The terrible tornadoes and cyclones
which have swept our own country,
and the fearful volcanoes and earth
quakes which have destroyed so
many cities and thousands of people
the tidal waves which mysteriously
rise and fall on coasts hitherto un-
vexed by them-the tremendous &C
tivity which is evident in the sun by
the constant revelation of enormous
spots upon its surface-all indica-
lions of unusual energy in the heav-
emily bodies.
These circumstances recall Profess
sor Grimmer's prophecies that from
1881 to 1887, the passage of the five
great planets-Mars, Neptune, Jupiter,
Uranus and Saturn-around the sun
would produce strange and wonder
full phenomena. He says: "The
waters of the earth will become more
or less poisonous. The air will be
foul with noisome odors. Ancient
races will disappear from the EARTH"
He attempts to prove his prophecy
by the fact that in 1920, when Mars
and Saturn made their passage around
the sun coincidentally, great destruc.
ton and mortality visited all parts of
the globe. He also found the same
results in previous perehelion pass
ages of the planets, and argues that
these circumstances alwayssproduce
epidemics and destructive diseases
which will battle the skill of the most
eminent physicians; that the poor
will die by thousands, the weak and
Incorporate falling first, ttose whose
blood has been impov shed by
excess of work or dissipation next
and only those who are in compare
tive vigor shall escape to enjoy the
ira of renewed activity and prosperi-
ey which will follow the period of de-
struction.
lhasmuch as the entire world
seems subject to the sway of the
heavenly bodies no part of the earth,
he thinks, can escape scourging. He
even predicts that America will lose
over ten millions of people; that
farmers will be stricken with fear and
cease to till the soil; that famine will
make human misery more wretched.
That hundreds will flee to overcrowd
ed cities for aid in vain. That sud-
den changes in ocean currents, tenn
perature and surroundings will en-
,irely transform the face of nature
and climate of countries that the
air will be so foul with malaria and
other noxious gases; that those who
survive will be troubled with dis
orders Of the digestive organs. That
many who escape other ills will bloat
with dropsy and suddenly pass away,
while others will grow thin and drag
out miserable existence in inde-
scribable agony for weeks. Neuralgia
pains in different parts of the body
will torment them. They will easily
tire and become respondent. A
faint, hot feeling will be succeeded
by chilly sensations while hallucina-
tons and dread of impending i'll will
paralyze all effort. ''The birds of
the air, the beasts of the field and
even the fish of the sea will become
diseased, poisoning the air and poi
soning the waters of the globe"
We are told on the other hand that
those who shall pass through this