The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-05-12

composed o. twelve lunar monfhs
when common, and Of thirteen lunar
month1 when cmbolismics and these
years succeed each other IN such . way
that nfter period Of nineteen years
the commencement Of the Jewish year
arrives A. the same epoch a. the solar
year. The Jewish year b therefore :
Iunar-solar year. and the civil year Of
this remarkable people. IN common
with all Oriental nations, commences
with the new moon Of September, and
the ecclesiastical year 4 the new moon
Ia March
The Egyptians, who reached high
state Of civilization In the dim twilight
Of remote antiquity, calculated The
year - consisting 81 three hundred
and sixty days or twelve months Of
thirty days In the pursuit Of astroi-
ogy that vain attempt 70 evolve the
secret 81 the supposed mystic connec-
tion between the celestial bodies and
the destiny Of mantle Egyptians
wehe unconsciously laying the ground
work u the sublime science Of astron-
omy; and In period Of continued OBJ
servatlon they found that the year Of
three hundred and sixty days fell short
Of q true solar year By FIVE days This
new year came into force and com
menced on the 2eth Of February, TAI D.
g, and this day was the beginning OF
the era Of Nebonassar The year Of
three hundred and sixty-Hve days was
followed for a period Of seven hundred
and twenty-thrce years; but 10 the
year rs y. Y. a supplementary day was
added every four years, and this year
Of three hundred and sixty Ave and one
fourth days became . fixed year. and
was adopted BY the Romans when they
conquered Egypt This year was also
adopted BY the copts. and the first year
Of the era Of the martyrs commenced
on the 2oth Of August, A. D. 2sA
The Greeks, the most cultured Of the
nations Of antiquity. were rather slow
70 turn their powers Of observation 70
the sky. They employed at hrst- Dor.
rowing from the Egyptians and the
Dabyloniansthe year Of three HON
bred and sixty days, divided into
twelve months Of thirty days Each
month consisted Of Three decades; and
this Is the sole example in ancient his
tory Of a week Of ten days. Meton, OF
Athens. In 432 .. G., having observed
the summer solsticc, found that .
period Of nineteen solar years con-
tanned two hundred and thirty Ave
lunations exactly, and that at the end
OF this period the sun and the moon re-.
turned 70 the same point in the heaY-
ems. This discovery was considered So
important that an account Of II was
carved In letters Of gold upon the tom
pie OF Minerva, and hence the origin Of
what Is generally known as the golden
number. For the purposes Of chronol.
oRy, the Greeks counted the years by
means Of olympiads; the first olympiad
occurred 77o b G.. and the Inst 10 the
year $40 Of the ChriHtian era.
The Roman year, rs instituted BY
Nnma and regulated by the moon, con.
sisted Of three hundred and fifty-ciRht
days, divided into twelve months Of
unequaled length. But this year 81
three hundred and fifty Ave days did
not correspond to the periodic return
Of the seasons, and in the time OF Jul.
ius Caesar the Roman calendar had
fallen into great disorder. To correct
this confusion, Cesar sought the as
sistance Of Sosigenes, distinguished
astronomer Of Alexandria; and II was
decided that the civil year should con.
sist of three hundred and sixty Ave
days, six hours sin other words, that
there should be three consecutive
years Of three hundred aud SIXTY Eve
days, and that the fourth should con.
tain three hundred and sixty-si1
days, the extra day being intcrcalated
between the esd and the gath OF Feb
ruary; and as the cath was tho sextc
calendas- six days prior to the lat OF
March inclusive-the additional day
was called Observation-Disclosures: hence
the origin Of our word bissextile,
This change took place in the year Al
II. G.; and to correct the disorders IL
the calendar, 1t was necessary that the
| previous year should consist OF foul
hundred and forty-five days. The Jul
ian year is still actually followed by
the Russians, Greeks, and some Crien
tai Christians.
| The year as 6xed by Julius Cesar be
4 ing fully steven gminutes longer thar
the true solar year, another chang,
i YEAS made In the'year 1852, whom Pop,
Gregory Kill ordered that Thursday
the 4th Of October. 1852. shonld be fol
lowed by Friday the 10Th oS October
This, as 1t has been called the New
Style, was not adopted In England III
the year 1862. The quarter days ar
Christmas, Lady Day, Midsummer an
Michaelmas; so, when the New Styl
came into operation. these day
were advanced, so to speak, clcye
days, and thus became the 9th OF Jar
nary, April and July, and the 10th q
October most important days in cor
nection with stock and annuity bus
ness Chambers Journal.
wonderful Work OF = watch.
Have you any idea Of the extraord
II - q a a