Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-01-12

The Egyptians, who reached high
state OF civilization In the dim twilight
OF remote antiquity, calculated the
year rs consisting Of three hundred
and sixty days, or twelve months of
thirty days. In the pursuit Of astrol.
ogy-that vain attempt to evolve the
secret of the supposed mystic connec.
ton between the celestial bodies and
the destiny of MANTLE Egyptians
were unconsciously laying the ground.
work OF the sublime science of astron-
omy; and in period OF continued oh.
scrvation they found that tho yenr OF
three hundred and sixty days fell short
OF u true solar year by five days This
new year came into force and com.
mencod on the Goth of February, 74I II.
C., aud this day was the beginning OF
the era OF Nebonassar The wear OF
three hundred and sixty-five DAYS was
followed for period of seven hundred
and twenty-thrce years; but In tho
year 20 u. Z. a supplementary day was
added every four years, and this wear
OF three hundred and sixtv-fve 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 Goth of August, A. d. 2sA
The Greeks, the most cultured Of the
nations OF antiquity, were rather slow
to turn their powers Of observation to
the sky They employed at iirst--bor.
rowing from the Egyptians aud the
Babylonians--the year OF three hun.
dred 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 week of ten days Melton, OF
Athens, In 432 u. C., having observed
the summer solsticc, found that a
period OF nineteen solar years con.
tanned two hundred and thirty.flyc
lunations exactly, and that Mt the end
of this period the sun and the moon re.
turned TO the same point in the heav.
ena. This discovery was considered SO
important that an account Of IL was
carved In letters of gold upon the ten.
pie OF Minerva, and hence the origin Of
what is generally known rs the golden
number. For the purposes OF chronol.
ogy, the Greeks counted the years by
means of olympiadsi the first olympiad
occurred 710 Ii. C., aud the last In the
year 4i0 OF the Christian era.
The Roman year, rs instituted 10y
Numa aud regulated by the moon, con.
sisted OF three hundred and fifty-eight
days, divided into twelve months OF
unequaled length. Hut this year OF
three hundred and flfty.ilye days did
not correspond TO the periodic rcturn
of the seasons, and In the time OF Jul
ius Cpsar the Roman calendar had
fallen into great disorder. TO correct
this confusion, Cmsar sought the ms
sistnnce Of Sosigcnes, distinguished
astronomer OF Alexandria; and II wa,
decided that the civil year should con
sist Of three hundred and siNty-nv,
days six hours-in other words, thai
there should be three consccutiv,
years Of three hundred aud sixty-lv,
days, aud that the fourth should con
tain three hundred and sixty-si,
days, the extra day being intercalate,
between the 23d and the gath OF Feb
ruary; and as the cath was the sext
calcndas- six days prior To the LIST O
March inclusivc-the additional da,
was called bis-se xto-caleu das; hcnc
the origin OF our word blsscNtilc
This change took place In the year 4
H. C.; and TO correct the disorders 4
the calendar, IL was necessary that th
previous year should consist of fou
hundred aud forty.hve days The Jul
ian year is still actually followed b,
the Russians, Greeks, and some Oricn
tai Christians.
The year us fixed by Julius Cnsar be
ing fully eleven minutes longer thu
the true solar year, another chang,
was made in the year 1852, when Pop
Gregory XIII. ordered that Thursday
the 4th of October, 1853, should bc fol
lowed by Friday the 18th OF October
| This as II has been called. the New
Style, was not adopted In England Ill
the year 1853. The quarter days ar,
Christmas, Lady Day, Midsummer AM
| Michaelmas; So when the New Styl,
came into operation, these day
were advanced, so TO speak, clever
days, and thus became the 9th Of Jan
uary, April and July, and the 10th o
October-most important days In con
nection with stock and annuity bust
ness. Chambers Journal
|