Heralds of the Morning
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that if every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in
impenetrable darkness, or struck out of existence, the darkness could
not have been more complete.” Though the moon that night rose to the
full, “it had not the least effect to dispel the death-like shadows.” After
midnight the darkness disappeared, and the moon, when first visible,
had the appearance of blood.
[308]
The poet Whittier thus speaks of this memorable day:—
“‘Twas on a May-day of the far old year
Seventeen hundred eighty, that there fell
Over the bloom and sweet life of the spring,
Over the fresh earth, and the heaven of noon,
A horror of great darkness.”
“Men prayed, and women wept; all ears grew
sharp
To hear the doom-blast of the trumpet shatter
The black sky.”
May 19, 1780, stands in history as “The Dark Day.” Since the time
of Moses, no period of darkness of equal density, extent, and duration
has ever been recorded. The description of this event, as given by
the poet and the historian, is but an echo of the words of the Lord,
recorded by the prophet Joel, twenty-five hundred years previous to
their fulfillment: “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon
into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.”
[
Joel 2:31
.]
Christ had bidden his people watch for the signs of his advent, and
rejoice as they should behold the tokens of their coming King. “When
these things begin to come to pass,” he said, “then look up, and lift
up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” He pointed his
followers to the budding trees of spring, and said: “When they now
shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now
nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass,
know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” [
Luke 21:28, 30,
31
.]
But as the spirit of humility and devotion in the church had given
place to pride and formalism, love for Christ and faith in his coming
had grown cold. Absorbed in worldliness and pleasure-seeking, the