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253
as a spot where they might be beyond the reach of falling ruins; but
suddenly the quay sunk down with all the people on it, and not one of
the dead bodies ever floated to the surface.”
The shock of the earthquake “was instantly followed by the fall of
every church and convent, almost all the large and public buildings,
and one-fourth of the houses. In about two hours afterward, fires
broke out in different quarters, and raged with such violence for the
space of nearly three days that the city was completely desolated. The
earthquake happened on a holy day, when the churches and convents
were full of people, very few of whom escaped.” “The terror of the
people was beyond description. Nobody wept; it was beyond tears.
They ran hither and thither, delirious with horror and astonishment,
beating their faces and breasts, crying, ‘Misericordia! the world’s at
an end!’ Mothers forgot their children, and ran loaded with crucifixed
images. Unfortunately, many ran to the churches for protection; but
in vain was the sacrament exposed; in vain did the poor creatures
embrace the altars; images, priests, and people were buried in one
common ruin.” “Ninety thousand persons are supposed to have been
lost on that fatal day.”
Twenty-five years later appeared the next sign mentioned in the
prophecy,—the darkening of the sun and moon. What rendered this
more striking was the fact that the time of its fulfillment had been
[306]
definitely pointed out. In the Saviour’s conversation with his disciples
upon Olivet, after describing the long period of trial for the church—the
1260 years of papal persecution, concerning which he had promised
that the tribulation should be shortened—he thus mentioned certain
events to precede his coming, and fixed the time when the first of
these should be witnessed: “In those days, after that tribulation, the
sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light.” [
Mark
13:24
.] The 1260 days, or years, terminated in 1798. A quarter of
a century earlier, persecution had almost wholly ceased. Between
these two dates, according to the words of Christ, the sun was to be
darkened. On the 19th of May, 1780, this prophecy was fulfilled.
“Almost if not altogether alone as the most mysterious and as yet
unexplained phenomenon of its kind, ... stands the dark day of May 19,
1780,—a most unaccountable darkening of the whole visible heavens
and atmosphere in New England.” That the darkness was not due to an
eclipse is evident from the fact that the moon was then nearly full. It