The Falling Stars by Wm. S. Foote

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 3, 1866

The Falling Stars.

By Wm. S. Foote

As there has been much speculation relative to the cause of what some are pleased to call the "Meteoric Shower" of Nov. 12, 1833, and as many who are opposed to the present truth, profess to consider it as an event which does not fulfill the prophecy of our Saviour in Matt. xxiv, "The stars shall fall from heaven;" it may be well to regard the opinion of a writer in Tract, No. 33, published by the American Reformed Tract Society, who unwittingly bears testimony to the truth of our Lord's prediction. He does not stand alone, but his testimony is corroborated by that of other astronomers of note at the present time. Some would-be wise men, have ascribed the cause to be "A highly electrical state of the atmosphere," some have called them "Gaseous Aerolites," &c. The testimony referred to, is as follows:

"The source whence these (so-called) meteors proceed, is distinctly ascertained to be a belt of small Planetoides, revolving around the sun, in a little less than a year, and in an orbit intersecting the earth's, at such an angle, that every thirty-three years or thereabouts, the earth meets the full tide on the 12th of November. These meteors are true and proper stars. All the observations made during the year 1833, agree with those of previous years, and confirm what may be regarded as sufficiently well established, the cosmical origin of shooting stars."

WM. S. FOOTE.