WHAT OF THE NIGHT? by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 22, 1879

WHAT OF THE NIGHT?

By Editor

Much that is published in this number of the Review, as well as what has appeared from week to week in previous numbers, might be appropriately gathered together into one chapter under the heading, “The Signs of the Times.”

The political, religious, and physical condition of the world, is preaching every day a threefold sermon of startling power. Yet only a few have eyes to see and ears to hear its significant sights and sounds.

The article given in another column on “Commercial Lying,” speaks volumes. What must be the moral condition of the community where such courses are deliberately followed by professedly Christian men?

The Christian Weekly also gives in its issue of May 17, a similar chapter on the lack of principle in the journalistic profession. Reporters invade the sanctity of private life, and, seeking information which is justly refused, they perhaps give in the next paper a circumstantial account as if gathered from that interview, which is an entire fabrication from beginning to end. Another case is mentioned where a reporter sought of a lady of high standing, particulars concerning an approaching marriage. As she very properly declined to give them, he threatened, if she did not, to publish in the next paper that she herself was found in a disgraceful condition of dress, and under the influence of liquor!

Thus there seems to be a deplorable lack of principle, truthfulness, and honesty, in all departments of the commercial and literary world.

“Catholicism in America,” as given in this paper, is another subject to give concern to those who are not assured by the prophecies of a deliverance soon to come, over the ruin of all anti-christian powers.

Abroad, in the eastern world, a whole continent stands in consternation, listening for the tread of the secret conspirator. Civil revolution threatens the overthrow of one great nation. Labor troubles and commercial disasters weigh down another. Famine in other quarters gathers into the grave its millions. Pestilence past and prospective excites to fears of unknown terrors. In an unwonted degree, floods desolate and flames consume. These are only some of the high peaks of troubles, that lift their heads above the common flood of murders, suicides, debauchery, theft, robbery, embezzlement, drunkenness, cruelty and injustice, which pours itself in sickening abundance through the columns of all the dailies.

See also from the article by Eld. Littlejohn, in this number, how the forces of infidelity and a nominal Christianity are marshalling for the final conflict; while the message which is to warn the world, and prepare a people for the coming crisis, is going through the land.

Of physical phenomena which are peculiar to these last days, we mention only one class, that coming under the head of the sea and waves roaring. The most remarkable event of this kind was caused a few years ago, by what is known as the earthquake of Arica. This produced undoubtedly the greatest commotion of the waters of the globe that has occurred since the days of Noah. The account is given in Morris' great work, “The Present Conflict of Science with Religion,” p. 530. All these things are tokens that the last and darkest shadows of the night are rolling over us, and that the day is at hand.

THE EARTHQUAKE AT ARICA.

On the 13th of August, 1868, there occurred a fearful and most destructive earthquake on the Pacific coast of South America; those who perished by it were counted by tens of thousands, whilst the property destroyed could only be estimated by millions of dollars. The crust of the earth was swayed and upheaved a distance measured along the shore of some 250 miles, while the disturbance extended far away under the sea. This agitated the ocean into waves of the most extraordinary character. At Arica, the center of the violence, the sea was seen to retire, as if about to leave the shores wholly dry; but presently its waters returned with tremendous force. A mighty wave half a hundred feet high, whose length seemed immeasurable, was seen advancing like a dark wall upon the unfortunate city, a large part of which was overwhelmed by it; while two ships of war were carried far beyond the town, and there left stranded high and dry. At Chala, three such waves swept in, and overflowed nearly the whole town, the sea passing more than half a mile beyond its usual limits. At Islay and Iquique similar phenomena were witnessed. At the former place the sea flowed in no less than five times, and each time with greater force. Afterward the motion gradually diminished, but even an hour and a half after the commencement of this strange disturbance, the waves still ran forty feet above the ordinary level. At Iquique, the people beheld the inrushing wave while it was still a great way off. A dark blue mass of water, some fifty feet in height, was sweeping in upon the town with inconceivable rapidity. An island lying before the harbor was completely submerged by the great wave, which still came rushing on, black with the mud and slime it had swept from the sea-bottom. Many buildings were washed away, and in the low-lying parts of the town there was a terrible loss of life.

This great ocean wave swept in all directions around the earth—traveling at the rate of from 250 to 400 nautical miles an hour. In less than three hours after the occurrence of the earthquake, it reached and inundated the port of Coquimbo, in Chili, some 800 miles from Arica; and an hour later arrived at Constitution, 450 miles still farther south, where for some three hours the sea rose and fell with strange violence. On the other hand, it traveled with equal swiftness northward, and swept the shores of southern California, rising upward of sixty feet above the ordinary sea-level, and presenting the most imposing of all the effects of the great shock. Even in San Pedro Bay, full 5,000 miles from the center of disturbance, a wave twice the height of an ordinary house rolled in with unspeakable violence only a few hours after the earthquake.

Not only did this fearful billow rush in upon the shores, the tremendous energy of the upheaving force sent it also outward into the open ocean. The Sandwich Islands, which lie 6,300 miles from Arica, it might be imagined, would have been safe from its effects. But on that very night the sea around this group rose in a surprising manner, insomuch that the inhabitants thought the islands were sinking, and would shortly lie beneath the waves. Some of the smaller islands, indeed, were for a time completely submerged. Before long, however, the sea fell again, and as it did so the people were under the impression that the islands were rising bodily out of the water. For no less than three days this strange oscillation of the sea continued to be experienced, the most remarkable ebbs and flows being noticed at Honolulu. Onward, and still onward, over the broad bosom of the Pacific the great sea-wave swept, and on the 14th reached Japan, where, 10,500 miles from Arica, enormous billows poured in succession upon the shores,—having traveled over considerably more than two-fifths of the earth's circumference, a distance which the swiftest ships could not traverse in less than six or seven weeks.

As over the northern hemisphere, so over the southern did this tremendous wave sweep. At about half past two on the morning of the 14th it rolled in upon the Samoa Isles, the watchmen startled the inhabitants from their sleep with the cry, that the sea was about to overwhelm them; and already, when the terrified people rushed upon their houses, the sea was found to have risen far above the highest water-mark. But it presently began to sink again, and then commenced a series of oscillations, which lasted for several days, and were of a remarkable nature. It occupied but a little space more before the huge billow arrived at the New Zealand Islands; four times did the sea retire, and four times did it return upon these shores with great power, at intervals of about two hours. It finally reached the coast of Australia, in five well-marked waves, and then gradually subsided.

Such were the effects of the earthquake of Arica. It has been calculated that the width of this immense wave varied from 200 to 1,000 miles, and that its length in mid Pacific could not have been less than 8,000 miles. Who can contemplate this enormous volume of water moving at such a fearful speed, and not be filled with awe in view of the power that sent it abroad!