Increase Mather, father of Cotton Mather (both eminent and learned divines of the Congregational Church, Boston, Mass.), in a book of five sermons on “Fearful Sights and Great Signs Shall There Be from Heaven,” published in 1680, made no reference in his sermons to any fiery display of aurora. He said he had searched all history, both ancient and modern. He referred to fiery comets, one of which was visible when he preached his fifth sermon. He had found in history accounts of several blazing stars, which he supposed had sufficiently the appearance at times of “blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke” in the heavens to be in fulfilment of the word of the Lord by the prophet Joel. LDT 21.2
In a book published in London, about one hundred and twenty years ago, entitled “Dictionary of Arts and Sciences,” is an account of the fiery aurora of 1716. This book states expressly that “the oldest inhabitants there, at that time, had never seen nor heard of the like before.” LDT 21.3