The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-02-17
The Advent of the Savior.

The conjunction of Venus and Jupi-
ter, recently, was rare, not frequent,
occurrence. Strange to say, the con.
junction has always conceded with
notable events, but we do not necessa-
rily incline to the opinion held by Lieu
tenant Totten, U. S. A., of New Haven,
that the SAvior's advent is imminent.
Nevertheless, what Lieutenant Totten
has to say is of rare in crest:
These planets are for signs and seasons
They never fail to make them. Some
twenty-one conjunctions have occurred
since Luthers time. On July 20 and q,
1859, there was a conjunction Of Jupiter and
Venus which closely resembled the coming
one. Now, this conjunction followed the
regular law and preceded historic events of
the utmost moment. They give warning to
the watchers exactly as the conjunction
which preceded the nativity by several years
warned the Magi of coming events. The con-
junction of 1859. of course, preceded the
year 1860. Let us see what occurred in 1850
and thereabouts. 1t is perhaps needless to
mention the civil war, an unparalleled
strife. But the world was in the throes OF
war at the same time, for all the world had
hitherto revolved about Rome. 1t was in
1860 that Victor Emanuel led the insurrec-
ton in the papal states, on September 8.
The Sardinians entered on September II,
and defeated the papal troops at Castel FL
dardo on September IS, taking Arcona on
September 1923. Victor Emanuel took
command Of the army and entered the king
dom of Naples on October IA. Garibaldi
defeated the Neapolitans at Volturno, and
greeted Victor Emanuel as king of Italy on
October %. He entered Naples as king on
November Z. This was as short as the
Franco Prussian war. In the far East af-
fairs were likewise significant in religion.
The massacre of the Christians by the
Druses was May l6 to July l. The Moham-
medans massacred the Christians at Damas.
Gus, 800 slain, on July Q; the English and
French governments interfered in August;
1900 French soldiers landed at Beyrout on
August %; Lord Dufferin, the British COM
missioner in Syria, arrived in Damascus on
September 6. Note now that these Septem-
Italy-both struck together. Note, how
ever, a more significant fact: From the
Mohammedan capture of Jerusalem, A. ID.
637, to the Syrian massacre, followed by
European intervention, and to Victor Eman-
uel's success in the western hierarchy, are
exactly ,260 lunar years. The next seven
years were loaded with religious dates of
vital diplomatic import, and ended with the
/ ,335th solar year from Justinian. All know
the events of the succeeding years, for the
decade closed in 1870, or ,260 years from the
celebrated decree of Emperor Phocas, and
the temporal power OF the pope was, at
least for a little season, over. Take again
one more illustration, brief one-I have no
time for more. L believe the advent season
actually dates from 1923 This was exactly
2 800 years from Israels captivity. l use
Israel in distinction from that of Judah.
Their times OF punishment were over.
Since 1923 the watchers are counting one
generation Of threescore years and ten to at
least the lunar beginning OF the climax, be
that what it may. Now Millers day comes
in between. Historians will never forget
those days Of excitement. Venus and Sat
urn came into conjunction in the same
field of the telescope on December 10 1916,
and marked another of those condolences
which never fail
Lieutenant Totten believes that the
age ends with the generation now liv- !
ing, and the Savior's advent may occur