17. Heralds Of The Morning. 319
sundown, the clouds came again overhead, and it grew dark very [ 308 ] fast.”“ Nor was the darkness of the night less uncommon and terrifying than that of the day; notwithstanding there was almost a full moon, no object was discernible but by the help of some artificial light, which, when seen from the neighboring houses and other places at a distance, appeared through a kind of Egyptian darkness which seemed almost impervious to the rays.” 487 Said an eye-witness of the scene:“ I could not help conceiving at the time, that if every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in impenetrable shades, or struck out of existence, the darkness could not have been more complete.” 488 Though at nine o ' clock that night the moon rose to the full,“ it had not the least effect to dispel the deathlike shadows.” After midnight the darkness disappeared, and the moon, when first visible, had the appearance of blood.
May 19, 1780, stands in history as“ The Dark Day.” Since the time of Moses, no period of darkness of equal density, extent, and duration, has ever been recorded. The description of this event, as given by eye-witnesses, is but an echo of the words of the Lord, recorded by the prophet Joel, twenty-five hundred years previous to their fulfilment:“ The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.” 489
Christ had bidden His people watch for the signs of His advent, and rejoice as they should behold the tokens of their coming King.“ When these things begin to come to pass,” He said,“ then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” He pointed His followers to the budding trees of spring, and said:“ When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your
487 Thomas,“ Massachusetts Spy; or, American Oracle of Liberty,” Vol. X, No. 472( May 25, 1780). 488 Letter by Dr. Samuel Tenney, of Exeter, N. H., December, 1785( in
“ Massachusetts Historical Society Collections,” 1792, 1st series, Vol. I, p. 97). 489 Joel 2:31.