The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1885-02-27
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.
A Mysterious Heavenly Stranger
to Appear in 1891.

The star called the Pilgrim W
were not so fortunate as to sec
and from so little being publishe
about it, we judge that many other
we're either in like ignorance o
carelessness about it. But if wha
history relates concerning certain
periodical stars of great splendo
be correct, there was no careless
ness, if ignorance; neither viii
there be at its expected return
about 1891.
There does not appear to be any
name given to this star, which ap
peared in the dark and dim past
A. A, 945, in or near Cassiopeia
Another appeared in the same re
gion in 1864.
So benlghted was that age of the
world that very little has been pre-.
served concerning their exact date
or of their size and appearance.
But in 1872 another appeared in
the same region in the early part
of November and was obsered by
the celebrOted TychO Brahe aud
others. This was so remarkable
that it determined that gentleman
to become an astronomer. He also
wrote treatise upon this star. 1t
is described by some as larger than
Venus at it's brightest. 1t retain
ed its size and splendOr, a dazzling
whiteness with a blueish cast, tor a
few weeks, then gradually dimin-
ished in luStre and size, and being
circumpolar it was followed till it
was no larger than star OF the
sixth or seventh magnitude; then
it disappeared. 1t has been in
sight tor about six or seven
month.
This wonderful star naturally
started train OF serious thought
in the minds of the thinking men OF
that age. This immense star (tor
as it has no parallix, it must have
been immensely distant) seems to
have appeared suddenly as if it
had recently become ignited. 1t
may have done SO, and thus become
an example of what is predicted for
our own earth. But if this was
world gradually consuming, it can
not return to us in Its original
SplendOr in 1891. But if it was
gradually approaching Though un-
perceived, through favoriu G causes)
as it receded, we yet may be favor
ed with the sight.
These periods, though varying a
little, are something more than 300
years. But could this, through the
hindrance of clouds and twilight,
have escaped their view TILL it was
upon tbem,w with all its slpendOrP 1t !
is not absolutely impossible. We
have not forgotten how a large
comet pOunced upon us early one
morning, few years since. But
this ancient star was not thought
to be comet; it seemed TO keep
its position among the starry
worlds. lfit was neither a Burning
world, with all its vast accumula.
ton OF combustible gasSes in the
higher regions of its atmosphere,
,om bined with Its decomposed
waters, nor yer comet, what was
II
Some have thought that it was
asst sun, with very illiptical or
lit, aud thai orbit lay along our
inc of vision. 1t is possible that
f they had possessed instruments
s we do now, they would have dis
orered motion enough in sixteen
lonths, or rather in thirty.two
lOuths, counting Its visible APP
roach, to justly such a theory.
If this Que aud the sane star !
18th tie present one, its time of /
ppearance varies a little. It's /
rst recorded period is 319 years; {
S next 3OS years. If its next was Q
le same as last it should have /
cen here in 1880. But if it should c
,tnrn in the time of its first OBJ
,rved period, it would be in 1891. |;
ut ifit varies it is liable to appear d
any time now in or near Cassie. a
Ella. History mentions other so. n
llled new stars, one in A. ID. 130, 9
lOther in A. ID. $50, near Affair. il
continued in splendOr equal to
ems for three weeks, and after P
ard entirely disappeared. In d
ew OF all these cases, it seems as b.
ough the combustion theory in
Iould not be disregarded, as nj
ese are spoken of as appearing il
Iddenly. The fact that the one
scOvered iu November, 1872, had @
1t become less than Jupiter in ap- SC
trent size, within three months lt
me, while yet it was circumpOlar, =
against the idea of its gradual
'proach undiscovered.
On this subject the late Prof.
Ince, one of the most learned as ~
1nOmers of his age, has the fol. " "
wing remarks: .n
''The disappearance of some ~
lrs may be the destruction of 9S G
at system at the time appointed II, ~
the Deity for the probation of =,
inhabitants, and the appear '''
ce of new stars may be tor the
nation of new systems for new
;es OF beings then called into ex- !!
ence to adore the works of their st'
eator." gl'
Dr.. Mason Good seemed to have gu
but the same opinions. In the as
lrse of his remarks he says: at Uni
IN extraordinary fact, that with. ea'
the period of the last century an