I. Lisbon Quake and Dark Day Regarded as Harbingers

Thus, as previously noted, the great Lisbon earthquake of November 1, 1755, was regarded by many in both the Old World and the New as the initial sign of the impending last times, stipulated under the sixth seal, which would come just before earth’s climax. There were, for example, “A.B.” in The Gentleman’s Magazine of London, and twenty-one noted English clergymen who preached thereon on the commemorative fast day, of February 6, 1756, as well as Thomas Prentice, Charles Chauncy, Jonathan May hew, and others in New England. ^{1See Prophetic Faith, Vol. II, pp. 674-677; Vol. III, pp. 187-193.}PFF4 289.2

But under the same sixth seal the darkening of the sun was likewise looked for, and the famous “Dark Day” of May 19, 1780, experienced in North America, was similarly proclaimed in various contemporary sermons as a token of the latter days for example, by Deacon Gatchel of Marblehead and Joshua Spalding of Salem. ^{2Ibid., Vol. III, pp. 211, 212, 233.} Spalding ^{3JOSHUA SPALDINO (1760-1825), called the “day-star” of returning premillennialism, was born in Connecticut and received his M.A. from Dartmouth in 1786. He studied theology under Jonathan Edwards and Samuel Hopkins, but came to repudiate their postmillennialism. He was licensed to preach in 1782 and “settled over” the Tabernacle Church at Salem in 1785. (Ibid., pp. 230-235.)} stressed a predicted series of signs (recorded in Joel, Matthew, Mark, and Luke) to come before the restitution of all things, but after the terrible “tribulation” as precursors of the imminent second coming of Christ. ^{4Joshua Spalding, Sentiments Concerning the Coming and Kingdom of Christ, pp. 14, 15, 18-22.}PFF4 290.1

Spalding mentions having “seen wonderful and alarming phenomena of darkness of the sun and moon “obviously the Dark Day of May 19, 1780 and other signs, such as the northern lights. He quotes a bit of verse “meteors ^{5“Meteors” then meant various atmospheric and celestial phenomena even hail or snow not necessarily shooting stars. See the quotation from Burnet following.} from above, Portentous, unexampled, unexplained, Have kindled beacons in the skies.” ^{6Ibid., p. 21.}PFF4 290.2

1. “FALLING OF STARS” SPECIFICALLY ANTICIPATED

In England, away back in 1697, THOMAS BURNET (1635-1715), Anglican clergyman, in a work on religio-scientific philosophy, had spoken of the coming falling of the stars of Matthew 24:29:PFF4 290.3

“The last Sign we shall take notice of, is that of Falling Stars. And the Stars shall fall from Heaven, says our Saviour, Matthew 24:29. We are sure, from the nature of the thing, that this cannot be understood either of fix’d Stars or Planets; for if either of these should tumble from the Skies, and reach the Earth, they would break it all in pieces, or swallow it up, as the Sea does a sinking ship; and at the same time would put all the inferior universe into confusion. It is necessary therefore by these Stars to understand either fiery Meteors falling from the middle Region of the Air, or Comets and Blazing Stars. No doubt there will be all sorts of fiery Meteors at that time; and amongst others, those that are call’d Falling Stars; which, tho’ they are not considerable singly, yet if they were multiplied in great numbers, falling, as the Prophet says, as leafs from the Vine, or figs from the fig-tree, they would make an astonishing sight.” ^{7Thomas Burnet, The Theory of the Earth, book 3, vol. 2, pp. 98, 99. He thinks, however, that this refers chiefly to numerous comets appearing simultaneously.}PFF4 290.4

Here in America, in 1762, EDMUND MARCH (1703-1791), able Congregational minister of Massachusetts, and Harvard M.A., referred to these last-day signs:PFF4 291.1

“If we could find the Signs in the Sun, and in the Moon, and in the Stars; particularly the sun dark[e]ned, the Moon withholding her Light, and the Stars of Heaven fallen, we should be ready perhaps to think of the Coming of the Son of Man just at hand: For upon the Earth is Distress of Nations, with Perplexity, the Sea and the Waves roaring.” ^{8Edmund March, Divine Providence ... Visibly Engaged in Fulfilling Scripture-Prophecies, p. 32. (See Prophetic Faith, Vol. III, p. 202.)} And Elias Smith, Christian Connection minister and editor, as we have already observed, having spoken of the spectacular darkening of the sun on May 19, 1780, said of the predicted falling of the stars as the next event, “We may expect them soon.”’ ^{9See pp. 179-185.}PFF4 291.2

2. GORTON: SUN DARKENED; STAR SHOWERS FOLLOW

Another nineteenth-century personal witness of the darkening of the sun on May 19, 1780, who was likewise watching for the falling of the stars, was BENJAMIN GORTON,” ^{10BENJAMW GORTON (1758-1836) was born in Connecticut, joined the militia in 1776. Rising to Lieutenant Colonel in the Commissary division, he was entrusted with getting ammunition to the forces. In 1791 he opened a store in Troy, and was very active not only in civil but in religious affairs, helping to establish both a Presbyterian and an Episcopal society in Troy. He published A Scriptural Account of the Millennium (1802), Primitive Christianity Revived (1804), A View of Spiritual, or Anti-typical Babylon (1808), and Plain Dealing With Calvinism (2nd. ed. 1811).} merchant and president of the village trustees of Troy, New York. A firm premillennialist of the literalist type, Gorton wrote A Scriptural Account of the Millennium, in which he describes the Jews returning to Palestine in unbelief, rescued from the attack of the surrounding nations by the personal appearance of Christ, and thereupon being converted. Christ destroys Gog and Magog, raises the saints, and transforms the living into the condition of unfallen Adam. Under His personal rule all nations will participate in the ceremonies of Ezekiel’s temple complete with its sacrifices, its flowing river, and its tribal division of Palestine. At the close of the thousand years the nations, deceived by Satan, revolt and perish in the final fire. At this instant the general resurrection and judgment take place, followed by the new heaven and new earth, with the New Jerusalem. ^{11Benjamin Gorton, A Scriptural Account of the Millennium, pp. 205-211.}PFF4 291.3

In a manuscript he wrote of “a remarkable darkness at Fishkill, also in Connecticut and Rhode Island.” ^{12Quoted in Adelos Gorton, Life and Times of Samuel Gorton, p. 225.} In a published work of 1808 he expands this: “Now let us examine if this is not the generation,” he says, in which those literal signs (Matthew 24:29, 32-34; Luke 21:25; Acts 2:19, 20; Joel 2:30, 31) begin to take place, and proceeds:PFF4 292.1

“The sun was remarkably darkened in 1780, 28 years last May. In Providence, Rhode-Island, it commenced in the forenoon, so that the cows returned from pasture as at evening, and fowls went to roost; candles lighted in order to see to do business; and many people much disturbed in their minds for the event.PFF4 292.2

“At Conway, Massachusetts, they dined by candle-light; and farmers were obliged to leave their sowing, and other work, in the field, for want of light. At Fishkill, New-York, in the afternoon business was, in part, laid by, by reason of darkness; all appeared to be tinged with a yellow hue. This appears to be the first particular sign spoken of apparent to the natural eye immediately: the second is that of the moon’s turning to blood, this I have not seen, but, from information, I have reason to believe it did take place between 2 o’clock and day break in the morning of the same night after which the sun was darkened, which was said to appear as a clotter of blood; and it is the more probable, as that night, before the moon appeared, was as dark, in proportion, as the day, and of course would give the moon an extraordinary appearance not suffering her to give her light.” ^{13Benjamin Gorton, A View of Spiritual, or Anti-typical Babylon, With Its Downfall Exhibited.... The Certainty of the Near Approach of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, pp. 73, 74.}PFF4 292.3

He immediately states, “The next in course, it seems, is the falling of the stars from heaven,” and adds accounts (from Richmond, Virginia, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Saratoga County, New York) of the slight meteoric shower of April 20, 1803” ^{14Ibid., pp. 74-80. This was an unusual shower of the April meteors now known as the Lyrids. See Appendix B.} a much smaller display than the great November shower which, thirty years later, was to attract worldwide attention and turn the minds of many to prophetic fulfillment.PFF4 292.4

Picture 1: ORBITAL PATH OF THE LEONID METEORS
(Upper) The vast “Race Course” of the leonid meteors in the solar system, (Lower) Celestial crossroads, where the earth annually cuts through the leonid highway. (Upper) The giant Stream of the leonid meteors moves in an ellipse that touches the Earth’s orbit at one end and passes slightly beyond the orbit of the plaent uranus at the other. There meteors require Thirty-three years to complete their circuit. The denger portionof the meteors stream (the “Main Swarm”) is so elongated that it takes about three years to pass a given point. Therefore the Earth, in its annual circuit cuts through the denger part of the stream several years in succesion; (lower) Earth’s orbit cuts obliquely through the leonid stream, requiring several hours to complete the journey.
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