Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-12-22

ouuueniy unewnole heavens became a scene
never to be forgotten. From the constel-
lation Leo meteors began to shoot out in
all directions. For the two hours between
and in the morning it was estimated
that thousand meteors minute flashed
and expired. 1t grew lighter than noon
day. Arrows of fire. Balls of fire. Trails
Of fire. Showers Of fire. Some of the ap-
pearances were larger than the full moon.
All around the heavens explosion followed
explosion. Sounds as well as sights The
air filled with uproar. All the luminaries
of the sky seemed to have received march
ing orders. The heavens ribbed and inter-
laced and garlanded with meteoric dis.
play. From horizon to horizon everything
in combustion and conflagration.
Many brain that night gave way. 1t
was an awful strain on strongest nerves.
Millions of people fell on their knees in
prayer. Was the world ending or was
there some great event for which all heav-
en- was illuminated? For eight momcn-
tous hours the phenomenon lasted. East,
west, north, south, it looked as though
the heavens were in maniac disorder. AS
tronomers watching that night said that
those meteors started from 2,20O miles
above the earth's surface and moved with
ten times the speed of a cannon ball.
WHEN THE STARS FELL"
The owner of a plantation in South Caro-
lima says of that night scene: II was sud
denly awakened by the most distressing
cries that ever fell on my ears. Shrieks Of
horror and cries Of mercy I could hear
from most of the negroes on three planta-
tions, amounting in all to about six or
eight hundred. While earnestly listening
for the cause heard faint voice near the
door calling my name. arose, and taking
my sword stood at the door. At this m1-
ment heard the same voice still beseeching
me to rise, and saying, oh, my God, the
world is oD fret then opened the
door, and it is difficult to say which ex-
cited me most, the awfulness of the scene
or the distressed cries of the negroes. Up
ward of one hundred lay prostrate on the
ground, some speechless and some uttering
the bitterest cries, but most with their
hands raised imploring God to save the
world and them. The scene was truly
awful for never did rain fall much thicker
than the meteors fell toward the earth"
But the excl -ement thus described by the
southern planter ran among the whites as
well as the blacks, among the intelligent
as well as the superstitious.
The spectacle ceased not until the rising
sun of the November morning eclipsed il,
and the whole American nation sat down
exhausted with the agitations of night
to be memor uble until the earth itself shall
become falling star. The Bible closes
with such scene of falling lights--not
only hdgety meteors, but grave old star
ST. John saw it in prospect and wrote, ''The
stars OF heaven fell unto the earth, even as
fig tree casteth her untimely figs when
she is shaken of a mighty wind" What
time that will be when worlds dropi Rain
of planets. Gravitation letting loose her
grip on worlds. Consultations flying apart.
Galaxies dissolved.
The great orchard of the universe swept
by the last hurricane letting down the
stars like ripened fruit. Our old earth will
go with the rest, and let it go, for it will
have existed long enough to complete its
tremendous experiment. But there will
be enough worlds left to make a heaven
out Of, If any more heaven needs to be
built. That day finding us in Christ, our
nature regenerated, and our sins pardoned,
and our hope triumphant, we will feel no
more alarm than when in September pass
ing through On orchard you hear the APP
Piles thump to the ground, or through a
and you hear an untimely lg
drop on the coor.
You will only go up stairs into another
story, better lighted story, better fur
nished story, a better ventilated story,
hetter nictrred story. and into story
lConclusion on eth page.l