the great controversy-第56章

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and　America。　It　was　felt　in　Greenland；　in　the　West　Indies；　in　the　island　of
Madeira；　in　Norway　and　Sweden；　Great　Britain　and　Ireland。　It　pervaded　an
extent　of　not　less　than　four　million　square　miles。　In　Africa　the　shock　was
almost　as　severe　as　in　Europe。　A　great　part　of　Algiers　was　destroyed；　and　a
short　distance　from　Morocco；　a　village　containing　eight　or　ten　thousand
inhabitants　was　swallowed　up。　A　vast　wave　swept　over　the　coast　of　Spain　and
Africa　engulfing　cities　and　causing　great　destruction。

It　was　in　Spain　and　Portugal　that　the　shock　manifested　its　extreme　violence。
At　Cadiz　the　inflowing　wave　was　said　to　be　sixty　feet　high。　Mountains；　〃some
of　the　largest　in　Portugal；　were　impetuously　shaken；　as　it　were；　from　their
very

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foundations；　and　some　of　them　opened　at　their　summits；　which　were　split　and
rent　in　a　wonderful　manner；　huge　masses　of　them　being　thrown　down　into　the
adjacent　valleys。　Flames　are　related　to　have　issued　from　these　mountains。〃
Sir　Charles　Lyell；　Principles　of　Geology；　page　495。

At　Lisbon　〃a　sound　of　thunder　was　heard　underground；　and　immediately
afterwards　a　violent　shock　threw　down　the　greater　part　of　that　city。　In　the
course　of　about　six　minutes　sixty　thousand　persons　perished。　The　sea　first
retired；　and　laid　the　bar　dry；　it　then　rolled　in；　rising　fifty　feet　or　more
above　its　ordinary　level。〃　〃Among　other　extraordinary　events　related　to　have
occurred　at　Lisbon　during　the　catastrophe；　was　the　subsidence　of　a　new　quay；
built　entirely　of　marble；　at　an　immense　expense。　A　great　concourse　of　people
had　collected　there　for　safety；　as　a　spot　where　they　might　be　beyond　the
reach　of　falling　ruins；　but　suddenly　the　quay　sank　down　with　all　the　people
on　it；　and　not　one　of　the　dead　bodies　ever　floated　to　the　surface。〃Ibid。；
page　495。

〃The　shock〃　of　the　earthquake　〃was　instantly　followed　by　the　fall　of　every
church　and　convent；　almost　all　the　large　public　buildings；　and　more　than　one
fourth　of　the　houses。　In　about　two　hours　after　the　shock；　fires　broke　out　in
different　quarters；　and　raged　with　such　violence　for　the　space　of　nearly
three　days；　that　the　city　was　completely　desolated。　The　earthquake　happened
on　a　holyday；　when　the　churches　and　convents　were　full　of　people；　very　few
of　whom　escaped。〃　Encyclopedia　Americana；　art。　〃Lisbon；〃　note　（ed。　1831）。
〃The　terror　of　the　people　was　beyond　description。　Nobody　wept；　it　was　beyond
tears。　They　ran　hither　and　thither；　delirious　with　horror　and　astonishment；
beating　their　faces　and　breasts；　crying；　'Misericordia！　the　world's　at　an
end！'　Mothers　forgot　their　children；　and　ran　about　loaded　with　crucifixed
images。　Unfortunately；　many　ran　to　the　churches　for　protection；　but　in　vain
was　the　sacrament　exposed；　in　vain　did　the　poor　creatures　embrace　the
altars；　images；　priests；　and　people　were　buried　in　one　common　ruin。〃　It　has
been　estimated　that　ninety　thousand　persons　lost　their　lives　on　that　fatal
day。

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Twenty…five　years　later　appeared　the　next　sign　mentioned　in　the
prophecythe　darkening　of　the　sun　and　moon。　What　rendered　this　more
striking　was　the　fact　that　the　time　of　its　fulfillment　had　been　definitely
pointed　out。　In　the　Saviour's　conversation　with　His　disciples　upon　Olivet；
after　describing　the　long　period　of　trial　for　the　church；the　1260　years　of
papal　persecution；　concerning　which　He　had　promised　that　the　tribulation
should　be　shortened；He　thus　mentioned　certain　events　to　precede　His
coming；　and　fixed　the　time　when　the　first　of　these　should　be　witnessed：　〃In
those　days；　after　that　tribulation；　the　sun　shall　be　darkened；　and　the　moon
shall　not　give　her　light。〃　Mark　13：24。　The　1260　days；　or　years；　terminated
in　1798。　A　quarter　of　a　century　earlier；　persecution　had　almost　wholly
ceased。　Following　this　persecution；　according　to　the　words　of　Christ；　the
sun　was　to　be　darkened。　On　the　19th　of　May；　1780；　this　prophecy　was
fulfilled。

〃Almost；　if　not　altogether　alone；　as　the　most　mysterious　and　as　yet
unexplained　phenomenon　of　its　kind；　。　。　。　stands　the　dark　day　of　May　19；
1780；a　most　unaccountable　darkening　of　the　whole　visible　heavens　and
atmosphere　in　New　England。〃R。　M。　Devens；　Our　First　Century；　page　89。

An　eyewitness　living　in　Massachusetts　describes　the　event　as　follows：　〃In
the　morning　the　sun　rose　clear；　but　was　soon　overcast。　The　clouds　became
lowery；　and　from　them；　black　and　ominous；　as　they　soon　appeared；　lightning
flashed；　thunder　rolled；　and　a　little　rain　fell。　Toward　nine　o'clock；　the
clouds　became　thinner；　and　assumed　a　brassy　or　coppery　appearance；　and
earth；　rocks；　trees；　buildings；　water；　and　persons　were　changed　by　this
strange；　unearthly　light。　A　few　minutes　later；　a　heavy　black　cloud　spread
over　the　entire　sky　except　a　narrow　rim　at　the　horizon；　and　it　was　as　dark
as　it　usually　is　at　nine　o'clock　on　a　summer　evening。　。　。　。

〃Fear；　anxiety；　and　awe　gradually　filled　the　minds　of　the　people。　Women
stood　at　the　door；　looking　out　upon　the　dark　landscape；　men　returned　from
their　labor　in　the　fields；　the

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carpenter　left　his　tools；　the　blacksmith　his　forge；　the　tradesman　his
counter。　Schools　were　dismissed；　and　tremblingly　the　children　fled　homeward。
Travelers　put　up　at　the　nearest　farmhouse。　'What　is　coming？'　queried　every
lip　and　heart。　It　seemed　as　if　a　hurricane　was　about　to　dash　across　the
land；　or　as　if　it　was　the　day　of　the　consummation　of　all　things。

〃Candles　were　used；　and　hearth　fires　shone　as　brightly　as　on　a　moonless
evening　in　autumn。　。　。　。　Fowls　retired　to　their　roosts　and　went　to　sleep；
cattle　gathered　at　the　pasture　bars　and　lowed；　frogs　peeped；　birds　sang
their　evening　songs；　and　bats　flew　about。　But　the　human　knew　that　night　had
not　come。　。　。　。

〃Dr。　Nathanael　Whittaker；　pastor　of　the　Tabernacle　church　in　Salem；　held
religious　services　in　the　meeting…house；　and　preached　a　sermon　in　which　he
maintained　that　the　darkness　was　supernatural。　Congregations　came　together
in　many　other　places。　The　texts　for　the　extemporaneous　sermons　were
invariably　those　that　seemed　to　indicate　that　the　darkness　was　consonant
with　Scriptural　prophecy。　。　。　。　The　darkness　was　most　dense　shortly　after
eleven　o'clock。〃The　Essex　Antiquarian；　April；　1899；　vol。　3；　No。　4；　pp。　53；
54。　〃In　most　parts　of　the　country　it　was　so　great　in　the　daytime；　that　the
people　could　not　tell　the　hour　by　either　watch　or　clock；　nor　dine；　nor
manage　their　domestic　business；　without　the　light　of　candles。　。　。　。

〃The　extent　of　this　darkness　was　extraordinary。　It　was　observed　as　far　east
as　Falmouth。　To　the　westward　it　reached　to　the　farthest　part　of　Connecticut；
and　to　Albany。　To　the　southward；　it　was　observed　along　the　seacoasts；　and　to
the　north　as　far　as　the　American　settlements　extend。〃William　Gordon；
History　of　the　Rise；　Progress；　and　Establishment　of　the　Independence　of　the
U。S。A。；　vol。　3；　p。　57。

The　intense　darkness　of　the　day　was　succeeded；　an　hour　or　two　before
evening；　by　a　partially　clear　sky；　and　the　sun　appeared；　though　it　was　still
obscured　by　the　black；　heavy　mist。　〃After　sundown；　the　clouds　came　again
overhead；　and

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it　grew　dark　very　fast。〃　〃Nor　was　the　darkness　of　the　night　less　uncommon
and　terrifying　than　that　of　the　day；　notwithstanding　there　was　almost　a　full
moon；　no　object　was　discernible　but　by　the　help　of　some　artificial　light；
which；　when　seen　from　the　neighboring　houses　and　other　places　at　a　distance；
appeared　through　a　kind　of　Egyptian　darkness　which　seemed　almost　impervious
to　the　rays。〃Isaiah　Thomas；　Massachusetts　Spy；　or；　American　Oracle　of
Liberty；　vol。　10；　No。　472　（May　25；　1780）。　Said　an　eyewitness　of　the　scene：
〃I　could　not　help　conceiving　at　the　time；　that　if　every　luminous　body　in　the
universe　had　been　shrouded　in　impenetrable　shades；　or　struck　out　of
existence；　the　darkness　could　not　have　been　more　complete。〃Letter　by　Dr。
Samuel　Tenney；　of　Exeter；　New　Hampshire；　December；　1785　（in　Massachusetts
Historical　Society　Collections；　1792；　1st　series；　vol。　1；　p。　97）。　Though　at
nine　o'clock　that　night　the　moon　rose　to　the　full；　〃it　had　not　the　least
effect　to　dispel　the　deathlike　shadows。〃　After　midnight　the　darkness
disappeared；　and　the　moon；　when　first　visible；　had　the　appearance　of　blood。

May　19；　1780；　stands　in　history　as　〃The　Dark　Day。〃　Since　the　time　of　Moses
no　period　of　darkness　of　equal　density；　extent；　and　duration；　has　ever　been
recorded。　The　description　of　this　event；　as　given　by　eyewitnesses；　is　but　an
echo　of　the　words　of　the　Lord；　recorded　by　the　prophet　Joel；　twenty…five
hundred　years　previous　to　their　fulfillment：　〃The　sun　shall　be　turned　into
darkness；　and　the　moon　into　blood；　before　the　great　and　terrible　day　of　the
Lord　come。〃　Joel　2：31。

Christ　had　bidden　His　people　watch　for　the　signs　of　His　advent　and　rejoice
as　they　should　behold　the　tokens　of　their　coming　King。　〃When　these　things
begin　to　come　to　pass；〃　He　said；　〃then　look　up；　and　lift　up　your　heads；　for
your　redemption　draweth　nigh。〃　He　pointed　His　followers　to　the　budding　trees
of　spring；　and　said：　〃When　they　now　shoot　forth；　ye　see　and　know　of　your　own
selves　that　summer　is　now　nigh　at　hand。　So　likewise　ye；　when　ye　see　these
things

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come　to　pass；　know　ye　that　the　kingdom　of　God　is　nigh　at　hand。〃　Luke　21：28；
30；　31。

But　as　the　spirit　of　humility　and　devotion　in　the　church　had　given　place　to
pride　and　formalism；　love　for　Christ　and　faith　in　His　coming　had　grown　cold。
Absorbed　in　worldliness　and　pleasure　seeking；　the　professed　people　of　God
were　blinded　to　the　Saviour's　instructions　concerning　the　signs　of　His
appearing。　The　doctrine　of　the　second　advent　had　been　neglected；　the
scriptures　relating　to　it　were　obscured　by　misinterpretation；　until　it　was；
to　a　great　extent；　ignored　and　forgotten。　Especially　was　this　the　case　in
the　churches　of　America。　The　freedom　and　comfort　enjoyed　by　all　classes　of
society；　the　ambitious　desire　for　wealth　and　luxury；　begetting　an　absorbing
devotion　to　money…making；　the　eager　rush　for　popularity　and　power；　which
seemed　to　be　within　the　reach　of　all；　led　men　to　center　their　interests　and
hopes　on　the　things　of　this　life；　and　to　put　far　in　the　future　that　solemn
day　when　the　present　order　of　things　should　pass　away。

When　the　Saviour　pointed　out　to　His　followers　the　signs　of　His　return；　He
foretold　the　state　of　backsliding　that　would　exist　just　prior　to　His　second
advent。　There　would　be；　as　in　the　days　of　Noah；　the　activity　and　stir　of
worldly　business　and　pleasure　seekingbuying；　selling；　planting；　building；
marrying；　and　giving　in　marriagewith　forgetfulness　of　God　and　the　future
life。　For　those　living　at　this　time；　Christ's　admonition　is：　〃Take　heed　to
yourselves；　lest　at　any　time　your　hearts　be　overcharged　with　surfeiting；　and
drunkenness；　and　cares　of　this　life；　and　so　that　day　come　upon　you
unawares。〃　〃Watch　ye　therefore；　and　pray　always；　that　ye　may　be　accounted
worthy　to　escape　all　these　things　that　shall　come　to　pass；　and　to　stand
before　the　Son　of　man。〃　Luke　21：34；　36。

The　condition　of　the　church　at　this　time　is　pointed　out　in　the　Saviour's
words　in　th