CELESTIAL PHENOMENA by Wm. Penniman

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 24, 1881

CELESTIAL PHENOMENA.

By Wm. Penniman

BY WM. PENNIMAN.

THE Christian Herald of Dec. 9, 1880, gives the following in regard to celestial phenomena: "The celestial commotions now engaging the attention of astronomers in this country and in Europe, are believed to indicate that mighty changes are in progress, not only in the planetary orbs but in the sun itself. The spots on the sun's surface observed two months ago, now cover two-thirds of its diameter or 190,000 miles, and the protuberances, first noticed by the French astronomer Tholeon, search almost to the corona. In the planet Jupiter there are also evidences of unwonted activity. An eminent astronomer says: 'Beneath the apparently quiescent envelope of this vast star, tremendous energies are at work, causing outbursts compared with which our grandest volcanic eruptions are utterly insignificant, and originating hurricanes which have been seen to sweep its skies for weeks with currents, moving over one hundred and fifty miles an hour.'"

The New York Herald which has attained much celebrity for the accuracy of its weather forecasts, commenting on these facts, says: "The present celestial activity should be closely watched and compared with the phenomenal weather now transpiring in our own atmosphere. The new year, if we may judge from the present indications, promises to be one of marked meteorological phenomena, which should be diligently investigated from every view-point, stellar and terrestrial." These remarkable phenomena are sure to be diligently investigated by scientists, but to the Christian believer they are interesting chiefly because Jesus said that his coming would be heralded by signs in the sun, moon, and stars. Mark 21:25.