Aurora Borealis by Adolphus Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 29, 1870

Aurora Borealis.

By Adolphus Smith

On the morning of the 24th of October, we beheld a display of Aurora Borealis, perhaps never surpassed, if ever equaled, in this latitude. Beginning with a faint, white light near the horizon in the north, it slowly rose and spread with wavy coruscations, until it reached an altitude of about twenty degrees, where, as with a crown, it encircled a very dark nucleus, the diameter of whose circle rested upon the horizon. From this were emitted rays of light reaching almost to the zenith, and assuming, at one time, a form of beauty and sublimity seldom delineated upon the canvas of heaven. This consisted of a ground-work of blood red, with stripes of cream color nearly as regular as those of a carpet, and extending in altitude from

the crown of light in the north, almost to the zenith, and, laterally, nearly covering Ursa Major, and reaching thence to the milky way.

As we looked upon this phenomenon, we were led to regard it as one of the many wonders and signs that should herald the coming of the Son of Man.

Greater displays are no doubt frequently witnessed in higher latitudes, but there they cease to be wonders. It is not that such phenomena may not be traceable to laws of nature governing their action, but the magnitude and frequency of their occurrence indicate a convergence to a point near at hand, when an event grand and awful shall crown the wonders of six thousand years.

“All things remain as they were from the beginning,” says the skeptic; to which the Spiritualist responds, “And shall ever remain, as long as God exists.” But the student of prophecy beholds in earth, and sea, and heavens, solemn tokens of this world’s dissolution, beyond which the finger of hope points to new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. “Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.” ADOLPHUS SMITH.