The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-16
+ -DOOMSDAY PANICS.
MANY TIMES HAS THE DATE FOR The
WORLDS END BEEN SET.
Some of the Most Important Reviewed.
Beginning With the First Century Of
the Christian Era-How These Prcdic-
lions Took In tho Millennium,

An expectation of the speedy end of the
world has followed man ever since the del
uge, but 1t assumed an especially active
condition after the coming of Christ. Ger
tain of Chrlsts own words, which evident.
ly bore u spiritual significance, were inter.
prcted literally by the apostles as predict.
ing tho worlds end. st. Paul, and the au
thor of tho Apocalypse, evidently expected
its Immediate occurrence. All the forctold
symptoms seemed to be daily manifested,
mnch moro strikingly, perhaps, than ut
any subsequent time Tremendous Garth
quakcs and plaques dcsolatcd the Roman
ompirc-tho terrible scgo of Jerusalem
was in itself literal Judgment day 70,
the Jews Vcsuvius flowed over on tho
doomed cities Mt its base, scattering its
ashes afar over Europe and Asia Every
thing seemed to confirm the Christian be-
ilcf that this worlds existence was fatcd
to terminate with the first century, but tho
year 101 dawncd on u still active universe.
with the easy ndaptability which is ever
such feature of doomsdny prophets the
date was moved to 133-a century after
Christ's ascension. We cannot question
the sincerity Of these expectations To tho
harasscd Christians they were IL comfort
and stimulus. When Hadrian built Il tenn
pie to Jupiter on the site of the temple
my thphS,liu tltslb ucIC lIltCtU WAS the
denomination of dcsolation' standing in
tho holy place Outraged Jews rose in
thousands against tho sacrilcgo and de-
Stroycd the hcathcn affairs, but Mt tho cost
Of nearly 100000 lives. Yet the end did
not como.
1t was necessary for the Baxtcrs of that
ago once moro to revise their calculations,
and this time they granted the world a
little breathing space They started the
thousand years" theory. The millennium
was to commence with the year 1000. Sc
strongly did this belief take hold of the
popular mind that it may be said to havo
assumed the confidence of u certainty.
Tho dark ages, therefore, were not per
picked by this daily anticipation of doom
an anticipation which can never be said
to have done much in reforming mems
morals If anything is needed to prove tho
small power of fear us an improving
agency, it is this fact But even 1000
years pass by at last, and in the tcpth cen
tury people began once moro to study the
signs of the times. The ignorant million
with very Vague notions of millcnnial hap
plncss, confused its advent with that of
doomsday, and great was their terror I'M
der the thundcrs of the pulpit. The state
OF the world, indeed, tailed very well with
the expected symptoms. Fraud violence.
NANS'Nyi cppi'SSioIi, tllclO McEt cNcrNWIcfO
rampant. 1t was the reign of brute force
IN all its glory. Might was the only sue
cessful right. Everything seemed to prove
that tho end of this dispensation was at
hand, and passion for religion might be
only skin deep, but 1t was very powerful
Churches Werc crowded with eager listen
crs Tho attendance i'll church became 50
increased that few of the buildings wcro
large enough to meet the demand From
that era date many n fine minister and
cathedral; churches already beautiful were
torn down to mako room for better; tho
rich and powerful raised noble ctificcs and
literally endowed them. 1t seems some
what incongrous that elaborate and OK
quisitc churches should have been built.
with such promise of permunence, lust at
time when the end was expected. AS tho
tenth century ncared it's close the impress
Sion dccpcncd. Many persons sold all their
goods ana gave to the poor Rich and poor
went on pilgrimage. The nerves of Eu-
rope were so highly strung that the great
est eXccsscs were pcrpctratcd from motives
OF picty. Ascctism, self flagellation, pcn-
ancc were practiccd with cagerncss. Per
sons died from sheer fright when sudden
shocks made them fancy their fears wcro
realized One thunderstorm i'll Paris is
said to have killed 81 people purely by ter
ror. Yet after all this violent uphcaval of
the conscience of wide Christcndom the
eleventh century dawncd on world not
yet burned by the last fires nor yet the seat
of n forctold millennium
Five centuries passed before the next
general panic. An astronomer named
Stofller forctold that Il conjunction of tho
planets III 1921 would bring a dclugc and,
though this was Il distinct contradiction of
Biblical teaching, the belief made progress.
Noah's example was followed widely. Ono
Partisan built u raft and stored it with
provisions that would last six months.
Persons resolved that this second flood
should find moro than one ark of safety.
Tho inhabitants of small village so miles
from any river spent all their wealth in
constructing large vessel. Skcptics took
advantage of tho scare by buying land Mt
absurd prices But the date came and
passed No dcluge fell. The arks were
not needed The prophecy Of the rainbow
was again n true one.
Tho great eclipse of 1864 gave the world
It's next terror Forctold by astronomers,
Ignorance augured the worst from SO I'M
common an occurrence. Churches were
again crowded with dcvout worshipcrs.
trembling with apprehension of an event
which they thought might carry off the
carth S atmosphere or poison its waters
The eclipse came, and earth survived it
linen came the comet of 1879, which really
approached very near to this planet in its
swift career. Many persons really thought
1t was to be the end, and the demand for
Bibles became so great that II London book
seller found himself compelled to strike off
two special editions The comet passed
and with it the special demand for Bibles
Then came the terrible earthquake of Lis
f,f 1,i OIL, CT.
large portion of the world. Naturally
nnnncrL the CRY. 11.n. .,a...;.. L..