CONVULSIONS OF NATURE by D. T. Taylor

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 24, 1878

CONVULSIONS OF NATURE.

By D. T. Taylor

Aug. 9 and 10 were terrible days all over New England, Northern New York, and Ontario. The period was distinguished for unprecedented rain-falls, the water pouring out of the skies in torrents, with rain and electrical discharges. The rains were actually tropical in their excess of fury, and the fires of heaven played alarmingly day and night. The thunders roared, crashed, and pierced with terrific sound. Hail such as is seldom seen in the above region fell rattling on roofs and fields. For a space of 600 miles the elements held furious carnival. In many towns the sky became black and it was dark as midnight in the dwellings. Chariots of ruin seemed rolling abroad. In but two Boston dailies I count up as follows: Deaths by lightning, 4; persons who were partially injured by the fluid and either shocked or made unconscious, but recovered, 50; dwellings, buildings, shops, churches, and barns struck and consumed, 50; houses struck and injured, 25; other things struck, 20. This does not include any cases in Ontario.

In addition to these casualties, the city of Washington, D. C., was visited by a terrible tornado. Warwick, in Massachusetts, also experienced one, and Wallingford, Ct., was swept with the besom of destruction; over 50 dwellings were torn to atoms, 30 others were partially demolished, and 50 barns were destroyed. The lives lost numbered 30; 27 of these were buried in one day. The property loss is $250,000. The force of the wind was frightful. Whole rafters and clapboards were carried to Haddam, 12 miles away, and papers were picked up at Peacedale, R. I., 65 miles away! Into all the region where descended the fury of the storm, was carried terror. Men never saw more vivid and dazzling lightning. No such tornado was ever before witnessed in Connecticut, and the one at Washington was “one of the most terrific ever seen there.” At Cambridge, Mass., hail fell two and three inches in length, and an inch square. Many hailstones were the size of hens’ eggs, and one piece of ice weighed four ounces. Balls of fire fell near men, and were seen to roll through dwellings.

Such was the ruin of two days only. Memorable days indeed to thousands. God is behind the storms. He rules. His indignation flashes upon an evil world, and in the thunder he utters his warnings. The season is a marked one, and strikingly phenomenal. The pestilence has struck the South, and a hundred cities are in dread. Its ravages are sudden and malignant to a degree never before known. Death rides on the breeze, and thousands fall before his sickle. I expect storms will rage, pestilences devour, and ruin make havoc with life and property till Jesus comes. There is no safety for any one, anywhere, save in Jesus Christ. Let us hide in him as our eternal refuge. Impenitent reader, fly, O, fly to Christ to-day, yea, now.—D. T. Taylor, in Bible Banner.