A quotation is here credited to “Herschel the astronomer.” I have spent some time in running down this quotation, and find no basis upon which it can be stated that these words were uttered by Herschel, the astronomer. On the contrary, there is good ground for inferring that he never did make such an expression. This statement is here quoted as found in a book entitled Our First Century, by R. M. Devens, being used as a sort of “text” at the beginning of his article on the “Dark Day,” where it is attributed simply to “Herschel.” No one seems to know who this “Herschel” is, although it has been suggested that it was Dr. Herschel, a converted Jew, who believed in the near coming of Christ, and preached on this subject in this country in 1845. WWPGC 25.7
Response: Criticism accepted, and the point of issue was cared for by the deletion of reference to Herschel the astronomer, and the substitution of another quotation describing the dark day. WWPGC 25.8