[meteorite-list] Newspaper Article, 01-29-1881 The End Not Yet

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From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:07:01 2004
Message-ID: <OE128udR24FCObwJiHd000224ff_at_hotmail.com>

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Paper: Denton Journal
City: Denton, MD
Date: Saturday, Janaury 29th, 1881
Page: 1
The End Not Yet
A lengthy article has been recently going the rounds of the press annouci=
ng the startling prediction that there is great danger of the world comin=
g to an end sometime during this year. The manner in which this dreaded e=
vent was to be accomplished, was, as the prediction went, that one of the=
numerous comets, which occasionally visit our solar system, would this y=
ear be deserted by the unknown force that usually guides these mysterious=
bodies harmlessly through the planets of our solar system in their revol=
utions about the sun, and obedient to the attraction of gravition would f=
all into that luminary. The effect of this it is said would be to so grea=
tly increase the amount of heat generated by the sun, as to destroy all t=
he higher forms of animal life on the Earth. It was very gravely stated, =
however, that the people at the poles, while their temperature would be g=
reatly increased, might possible survive this terrible heat and in the co=
arse of time re-people the Earth. The Washington Post, in behalf of many =
erring sinners who were painfully conscious of not being ready to pass th=
eir final accounts, and who contemplated the alternative of emigrating to=
the polar regions, sent out an enterprising reporter during the past wee=
k for the purpose of interviewing the sage professors of teh astronomical=
science who are retained for their wisdom in the goverment observatories=
at Washington upon some salaries. The result of these interviews has bee=
n very encouraging to the transgressor, and very disastrous to the cause =
of virine and reform. One of these grave professors (Prof. Harkness) whos=
e desk the reporter found covered with sage calculations, in response the=
inquiry of the Post said:
"I can dispose of it in three sentences. In the first place their is no e=
vidence that any comet is about to fall into the sun; secondly, if a come=
t did fall into the sun, it is not likely to increase the heat of that bo=
dy sufficiently to cause serious damage to the earth; and, lastly, physia=
sts do not believe, as the article states, that the falling of the meteor=
ites into the sun is the principle source of its heat. So far as it is no=
w known, the only adequate source seems to be the shrinking of the sun's =
diameter produced by this action of its own gravity."
"That seems to settle the whole matter," commented the Post.
"That is, I mean it should do. I think that articles of that kind are not=
worth a moment's consideration, except to expose there very absurdity."
While this unhesistating statement of the learned professor may serve to =
relieve the minds of sinners from the apprehension of early destruction o=
f this mundane sphere, and an immediate termination of their erring lives=
, it contains nevertheless some valuable suggestions for the minds of arr=
ogant ifidels, If the sourse of the sun's heat be, as stated by the profe=
ssor, the "shrinking of the sun's diameter coused by its own gravity" thi=
s is strongly in corribaration of the revelation of St. John that this lu=
minary will in the natural order of things eventually cease to give its l=
ight. The opinion of the professor, however, if it is to be credited, giv=
es us every reasonable assurance that the end is not yet.

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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV> Paper: Denton Journal City: Denton, MD Date: Saturday,=
Janaury 29th, 1881 Page: 1 The End Not Yet A length=
y article has been recently going the rounds of the press annoucing the s=
tartling prediction that there is great danger of the world coming to an =
end sometime during this year. The manner in which this dreaded event was=
to be accomplished, was, as the prediction went, that one of the numerou=
s comets, which occasionally visit our solar system, would this year be d=
eserted by the unknown force that usually guides these mysterious bodies =
harmlessly through the planets of our solar system in their revolutions a=
bout the sun, and obedient to the attraction of gravition would fall into=
that luminary. The effect of this it is said would be to so greatly incr=
ease the amount of heat generated by the sun, as to destroy all the highe=
r forms of animal life on the Earth. It was very gravely stated, however,=
that the people at the poles, while their temperature would be greatly i=
ncreased, might possible survive this terrible heat and in the coarse of =
time re-people the Earth. The Washington Post, in behalf of many erring s=
inners who were painfully conscious of not being ready to pass their fina=
l accounts, and who contemplated the alternative of emigrating to the pol=
ar regions, sent out an enterprising reporter during the past week for th=
e purpose of interviewing the sage professors of teh astronomical science=
who are retained for their wisdom in the goverment observatories at Wash=
ington upon some salaries. The result of these interviews has been very e=
ncouraging to the transgressor, and very disastrous to the cause of virin=
e and reform. One of these grave professors (Prof. Harkness) whose desk t=
he reporter found covered with sage calculations, in response the inquiry=
of the Post said: "I can dispose of it in three sentences. In the=
first place their is no evidence that any comet is about to fall into th=
e sun; secondly, if a comet did fall into the sun, it is not likely to in=
crease the heat of that body sufficiently to cause serious damage to the =
earth; and, lastly, physiasts do not believe, as the article states, that=
the falling of the meteorites into the sun is the principle source of it=
s heat. So far as it is now known, the only adequate source seems to be t=
he shrinking of the sun's diameter produced by this action of its own gra=
vity." "That seems to settle the whole matter," commented the Post=
. "That is, I mean it should do. I think that articles of that kin=
d are not worth a moment's consideration, except to expose there very abs=
urdity." While this unhesistating statement of the learned profess=
or may serve to relieve the minds of sinners from the apprehension of ear=
ly destruction of this mundane sphere, and an immediate termination of th=
eir erring lives, it contains nevertheless some valuable suggestions for =
the minds of arrogant ifidels, If the sourse of the sun's heat be, as sta=
ted by the professor, the "shrinking of the sun's diameter coused by its =
own gravity" this is strongly in corribaration of the revelation of St. J=
ohn that this luminary will in the natural order of things eventually cea=
se to give its light. The opinion of the professor, however, if it is to =
be credited, gives us every reasonable assurance that the end is not yet.=
 </DIV></BODY></HTML>

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Received on Sun 13 Oct 2002 10:09:07 AM PDT

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