The Boise citizen. (Boise, Idaho) 1906-1910, 1910-05-20
What Are Comets?

1en beggars die said Caphurnia Caesar there are ne
comets seem but when parsonage of exalted dignity comes 10 III
later end very different affair "The heavens themselves a
forth the death of Princes Three or 400 years ago the death
King Edward in close Connection with the approach comet 20 say
nothing of half dozen earthquakes the floods in the Seine the m
heard of through the Middle West and the terrible forest
fires Minnesota and Wisconsin would have thrown the world INTO
frenzy of says the Orgona All these events would have
been attributed the influence Of the celestial monster and would
have been the universal opinion that the world about to end IN
vast coniagraon we control our tears good da p
AS Haey wings down dive through the plane OF
the ecpc gaze calmly enough and syer little over
the visitation try best to let anybody know about It,
Most people are still afraid of comets but there are few who are MOI
ashamed Of their epidaion
intellectually the world travelled long way from the time
when everybody supposed that balls of fire hurled
wicked world by the Almighty We still believe that they are
balls more less fiery and doubt the Almighty directs their course
but it by the laws which govern the movements the stars and
planets and the purpose which directs heavenly body its orbit
directs all the rest Orgen Of the fathers OF the church, taught
that comets indicated the downfall of empires and worlds and in the
thirteenth century the famous philosopher Thomas Aqunas held the
same opinion
All through the middle ages when appeared man
kind lost its wits through This particularly the with
the return of Haleys comet in 1856 The Turks were then beseg
ing Constannope and seemed likely the whole of
Europe Just the climax of the danger Haes appeared
blazing in the sky much formidable object than is
Perhaps of has wasted away during wandengs space
Perhaps planet belonging another system has captured po
ton OF its substance for comet nothing but gas and easily led
asray.
At any in 1456 Haley cement nnocuou seems
was huge and earsome spectacle Pope Calxts III decreed
era days of prayer the impending destruction from the
Christians to the Turks and into the tany of the church nco
porated the plea From the Turk comet good Lord deliver
US lhere another visible 1882 this
British chrchmen opportunity display their belief pro-
phetc character Canme who Germany the
to King Henry VIII that do lightly appear but always
porend some great matter The great which he thought
that one portended was his promotion be Archbishop
erDury no doubt Queen Elizabeth of her
british church. instructed the people that
wrath OF the Almighty and Milton who belongs period
says that they shake pestence and their horrd
The comets horrid hair its tail which know to be
nothing more than sunlight condensed of an electric
searchight
AT the time 1882 when HALEY was computing the orbit
md predicting its regular returns another the ROYAL So
HIM Tor whatever changes may portend Martin Luther was
the of mind Every comet he averred oretokens
ure calamity and IN his declared that thew
we're the works of the devil Luther most intimate terms
With the devil One interview with that interesting parsonage he
losed as every child has read by throwing his bottle at him
1t only IN recent that have really conquered Our panic
ear OF comets and confessed above perhaps the conquest
OF yet complete We the teaching science that thew follow
ne law OF grav1aton and ereney orbits but in orr
cret souls we incline to hold with Luther that devil has hand
sending them Perhaps Calico did ANYBODY TO Law the
)ndatons OF the modern of these
lem all his lie and wrote great deal about Naturally what
sad was substantially Calico keenest
enc INSTINCT but 1t Newton and HALEY who really wrested
eS from the domain OF superstition subjected them 70 scen
nc law Many ecclesiastlcs of that time thought it their du 70
dHdh the ola theory however, after
urd thus Andreas Calculus of Magdeurg said in 1878 that
was all very we'll Tor the scientists comets were com
se OF an earthly greasy tough and sticky vapor or mist t
MS part ne kew that they composed Of the thick smoke Of
imam SINS N -