Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-02
HE LAST OF THE YEAR 1000
Strange Superstltions and Awful Appre-
hensiOns-Satan UnIoOsed.

strange Superstitions and Awful Appre-
hensiOns-Satan Embossed.
The laborers in the fields and the arti-
sans in the towns, says SUNDAY at Home,
could not be induced to 60 about their
daily tasks with any regularity (notwith-
standing that their daily bread depended
| upon it,, for thinking of the outbreak of
Divine wrath which was about to take
! place. There were some wise and sober
men, even in that age of darkest ignor-
ance, who endeavored to persuade the
| people that their alarm was without reas-
enable foundation, and even if this had
| been otherwise, that it would still beft
| them TO go about the duties of life with
dlIgence and faithfulness, as unto God
| so that the Lord if he should come. as
they expected, might find them watching.
| The terrified and cOnscience-stricken men
| Pald no need TO remOnstrances like these,
but gathered eagerly round fanatic
| monks or half-craZed pilgrims. who
! poured into their ears their tale of bor-
rors, ever growing more wild and terrible
as the last week Of the year 1000 went by.
| When the last day of that week dawned
the madness had attained it's height.
All work, of whatsoever kind, was sus-
| pended. The market places were deserted:
| the shops were shut; the tables were not
| spread for meals; the very household
| 1lres remained unighted. Men, when
they met IN the streets, scarcely saw or
| spoke TO one another. Their ewes had a
wild stare in them, as though they ex-
| pected every moment some terrible mani
lestatlon to take place. A strange, I'M
| natural silence prevailed everywhere ex-
cept In the churches, which were already
thronged with eager devOtees, who pros
trated themselves before the shrines of
thelr taVorlte saints, lmploring their pro-
lection during the fearful scenes that
were on the point of being displayed. AS
the day wore on the number of those who
sought admission grew greater and great
er, until every corner of the sacred edi-
| noes, large as these were, were
denselY crowded, and it became i'm
possible to find room for more.
but the multitude outside still strOve
ana clamored for admission, filling the
porches and doorways and climbing up
the buttresses to find refuge on the roofs
which they could not obtain inside. 1t
was generally believed that the expected
looslng of satan would take place at some
time or other before the night was ended,
but at what precise moment no one could
say. a strange and solemn commentary
ON the text which bids men to watch be-
cause they know not whether the master
OF Ine mouse Will come at IL or at mid
night or at cock-crowing or in the morn
ing" was presented by the multitudes
which filled the churches that night.
Watch in every truth they did. Not an
eye was closed throughout that length
ened vigil; not a knee but was bent in
humblest supplicatiOn; not voice but
Joined the penitential chant or put up a
fervent entreaty for help and protection.
There were no clocks in those days; but
the flight of the hours was marked by
great waXen tapeTs with metal balls at
tached at intervals to them. These fell,
one after another, as the flames reached
the strings by which they were secured.
into braZen basin beneath with a
clang which resouuded through the
Church. At the recurrence of each
Of these warning sounds, the awe of |
the vast assembly seemed to deepen and |
intensity, as each realized the terrible |
fact that between him and the outburst
OF Divine wrath only the briefest interval
could now remain. At last the night, |
long as it was, began to draw to an end. |
The chill which precedes daybreak per-
vaded the air, and in the eastern sky the |
hrst pale CLEAN of morning began to show |
itself. This must be the signal for the |
long pent-up anger of Heaven to show |
itself. Satan was even now being loosed |
from his bondage. But no; the light grew |
stronger in the heavens, and the fame of |
the candle paled before it, and at last the |
rays of the risen sun streamed through |
the windows and fell on the white and |
anxious faces of the watchers. The |
night had passed away. A new day, a |
new year, new century had begun. The |
terror which had possessed their souls |
was after all, God be thanked for it, a de- |
lusiOn