The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 309

it grew dark very 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.”—Isaiah Thomas, Massachusetts
Spy; or, American Oracle of Liberty, vol. 10, No. 472 (May 25, 1780).
Said an eyewitness 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.”—Letter by Dr. Samuel Tenney, of Exeter,
New Hampshire, December, 1785 (in Massachusetts Historical Society
Collections, 1792, 1st series, vol. 1, p. 97). 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
eyewitnesses, is but an echo of the words of the Lord, recorded by
the prophet Joel, twenty-five hundred years previous to their fulfillment:
“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before
the great and terrible day of the Lord come.” Joel 2:31.
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 own selves that summer is now nigh at
hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things

308