. . . now he commands all men everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he as appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:30,31).
On May 19, 1780, night fell on New England at ten in the morning and continued for five hours. The birds went to roost, the noon meal had to be eaten by candlelight, and no reading or writing could be done except by candlelight. No, this was not an eclipse; the moon was in the wrong phase.
I think the most interesting part of the whole story is the human response to the "unnatural" phenomena. Church buildings became a gathering place for many to seek a last-minute pardon from God. Many others crowded into the taverns to escape reality. But the most healthy response was uttered by House member Abraham Davenport when the Connecticut Legislature came to the panicky conclusion that it was Judgment Day: The Day of Judgment is coming or it is not. If it is not, there is no occasion for alarm. If it is I wish to be found in the line of my duty . . .
How will it be for you when the promised judgment really does come?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
P.S. It is said that the explanation for this phenomena was massive forest fires in Canada that the smoke blotted out the sun. Perhaps so, but it seems very unlikely that would happen so early in the year in eastern Canada.
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