somes REMARKS ON THE GREAT AND UNUSUAL DARKNESS ‘That appeared on Fripay, May 19, 1780. Which alarmed Thoufands, and excited a few of the Learned to make fome very cu rious Oble.vations — heir Refult’ the Public has perufed in Mefii’rs Gid’s and Wilis's Papers, viz. That the late Dark- neis was occationed by the Smoke of Lorne Leaves ; which, I think, nothing can he more fiimple and abvfurd. Ry a FARMER, In the State of the Muifichufetts-Bay, And it foall come to pafs in that Day, faith the Lotn Gon, that £ will cauje the Sew to go down at Neon, and I will darken the Exrth in the clear Duy. Amos viii. gs hed for the benefit ofthe Comm nity. Dawvans, ver Sates: Primed ard Sod by BP ussru nest the Bel Taverns M.ocedxxs, Ac the fame Vl es my bidy a Numd.* » . A riMfetudof which ace sn the Tines—Cufh pa iS for RanSome REMARKS, &., My Fritnps and CountryMen, HE late wonderful and unufual dark~ nefy on the nineteenth day of May latt, ftruck the Inhabitants of this State with horror and amazement, and at the fame time filled them with alarming apprehenfions : Yea the very brutes feamed greatly agitated. If £, could a thinking being fet unmoved, while he beheld the Sun, (that fplendid lu- minary, whofe bright beams of light af- ford tne utmoR joy to the beholder) vail’d in dirknefs at noon-day ? To view nature dreffed in her mourning attire :—The earth inveloped in darknefs i—The hufbandmen returning from their fields in great fxg prife :—The midnight centincls crowing 1 fwer to each other :—The difinal dia of peeping frogs :— The night-birds, fing ing forth their dreary notes :—The beafts Baezing in wild confternation :—-Every countenance feemed to gather blacknefs : Bea, a difmal yloon which filled the beholder with fear and aftonithment, wait- ing with much anxicty for fome great event—in fine, the darknefs was inch as we nor our fathers never faw its equal. Tue3 Tue ftrange C ead of the foarned that was put in the Public Papers I cannot agree to, viz. That the great and unufual darknefs was occafioned by the {noke of burnt leaves, together with the common exhalations from the earth and water. But if this be true, Why has not that {moke produced fuch an effet before ? Leaves have been burntgs common exhalations have arifen above fixty years to my know- ledge, yet they never produced fuch an ef- before. The refult of the Jearned as figned Viator, or Traveller : Had it been. Errans, or Wanderer, it would ex~ adtly agreed with their ftrange opinion. Tus may convince us, how liable the beft of men are to miftakes > How dangerous is it then for u to build our faith on any man’s opinion? No wonder the Apoftles counfelled their hearers, to /earch the feriptures, to fee if them things were fo. Tuts uncommon darknefs was doubtlefs produced by the intervention of thofe clouds from the weftward, (between the earth and fun ;) they fir appeared exceeding black, until they were fpread over the fun, theic color was then changed to a beafly ysllow, which doubtlefs was effected by the rays of light from the fun.—But fhould any in- quis,quire, Why the Cs exhalations,é&c. ne+ ver formed clouds with a denfity fuiicient to produce fuch an effec before ? tue dif- ficulty will ftiil be as great as ever. Ir it be grintet (as doubilefs it may) that the Jate darknets of the tan and moon was trom the force of natural caufes, moving and opeating in aa upufual minner, of © ald we invettigate ever fo many true cau fes for the folution of this flange prwno- menon 5 yet at will fll remain, that the flarkneis was the Lox ’s doings, and it is mervelous in our eyes. Narorv’s Gop hath given the power vf motion and operation to natu al caules, and always co-eperates with them, other- wife they would cfivé nothing: Chuds ent darka'fi are rand about bin, flormy winds, Bail aid fiarre ulfiting Is coord. AM the ele- ments sre at hig difpoial ready to obey his fovereix mnant. Le ereateth duck caifetd the vapars to afezis, and dot! » be phaferh. ste darkacls muft be allowed to vine Power, from hence jr we thould take a fuitihle no~ fh a giest ond memorable event. > fuch circum’ nc!to have no appiehenfidn of danger, mutt argue the gieaieft ftupidity imaginable. The divine Being has fome great and noble end by this dutpenfition, which becomes us to {arch out and promote. Thefe thiigs come not by chance, neither do they arife out of the duft, bur are fent tor tome vaiuable pur- pole, and if we rightly improve them, by the divine blefling, they muy be for the ge- neral good and happinef> of mankind Tue voice of this difpenfation crieth to the city, it crivth aljy to the country : Let all the children ot wijdtom underfland, and at- tend to it, The funers in Zion may swell tremble carfulneys Jurprife the bvpocrite, wocn they behola. the ‘operation of his hand, the greatnefs of his power, from which they can neither hide nor efcape. How folicitous fhould we be now toac- quaint ourfelves with that Being who holds the reins of univerfal government, /o that we may be at peace, that thereby good might come unto us, Wow often do remarkable ditpentations precede time fingulor judg- ment: Though I do nt pretend to predict what will follow this, for Lam no Prophet, nor do Upretend to inv revel ition, for Fam. no Enthofialt ; yet ve muy rationally con- clude, that fome fingular judgment will follow,6 follow, and this may be the very begin ing of {orrow. Our Savior foretcHing the deftruction of Jerufalem, and the figns of the eid of the world, acquaints his auditors fome particu- lar figns fhould precede, viz. wars, earth- qukes, figns in the fun and moon, &c. Immediately after the tribulation, the fun was to be dirkened 5 tribula ion is what we have paffed through thele five years, Our enemies have been (ufered to ravage our towns ; the fruits of the earth have been cut fhort by reafon of the drought, florms and mildews ; many of us have heara the poor cry for bread, when it was ow: of vur power torelieve them, How many of oat young men have been flain in batde ! and our Viituous virgins not gives in marriage ! We have beheld with compeffion pa rents bewailing the Iefs of their children flain, or carried into captivity 5 wives la menting the lofs af theic tender hutsonds. Afk the bereaved orphan, and he will tell you with a flood of tears, that his beloved father was flun in battle. have many evidences that thefe are days, the feripruss we daily rites rally fulfilling : A day (fain tae P..ohet Sul)C7 Joel ) of darknels and Pee a day plouds and thick dackne/s i Profperity is of- ten expreffed by the metathar ef light, and adverfity by darkne(s; the repeating of the fynonimous terms is to exprefs the extremi- and length of thefe troubles : Again, the ja foall be turned into darknefr, Zech. xix. 6,7. In that day the li bt fhall not be clear nor dark, but is fall be one day known to the Lord, not day nor night, yet it fhall come to paft at even time it flalt be light Thee feriptures may allude to the diftreffes that were to be- fall the Jews and the church s yet they are now literally fulfilled We have lately piff-d through an af- fe@ing {cene, the like I helieve has not been fince that horrid tragedy was aéted, viz. the crucifixion of our Lorp and Savior 5 the fun was then darkened, Earthguike fbut woas the fun’s glorious eys, loth to fee the Lorn of ghry vie / faith the Poet. Yea, mercocks tet, the g aves opened, and uni- gardai nature was in a com.notion |! Amp thouid fome fingular evil follow this difpenfation, which we have great rea fon to expe, what could we lock for bet- ter than judg nevt without meicy, while fuch monttrous wekednefs is pracifed amongft us? Whata black catalogue of crimes8 crimes are we juftly cha:gable with |! How is the world idol:zed ! What covetoufnefs and earthly mindedne(s abounds, which is death | What carnal fecurity and itupidity even in profeffurs of religion! How is Goo’s name and fibbath profaned with in~ decent behavior, needlets travelling, vilit- ing, foolith and profane talking and jefting ! How many ncedleilly ablent themtelves fiom jublic worthip | How does cheating, lying, abominable extortion, oppreffion, felfidiinefs and all kinds of dithone@y pre- vail amongit us! Purents it foems have for gottheir duty ; childien daily grow ftube born and tebciliuus: Ln fine, tras vital pis ty and morality is banifhed fiom amongit us. Our Teschers have forgot the tolemn wah for jedi) Mow many dif pwe nus acer, only for more fam lary! How fav of them are enquiring, Whether their Lib 1s are crowned with fac~ cefs or not ? O- whether they have won any to Curist ? Yes, they feem little con= cerned for the fheep; though they fee the wolf coming, yet they flee away, and appear more defirous to have their fala- rics made good than any thing elte. Tits is fevere dottrine, byt no more fo than the truth. Yet, thanks to Gon, this is not the cafe with oll; ! believe there areq are many who are daily ‘at the throne of grace in behalf of their pe »ple, defiring that their} bor might b+ crowned with fuccets, who fighandery for the abominations of the land. Anp fhall we, my Countrymen, per= Sit in fin? Is this our returns of gratitude to Gor fo all his benefits aid favors beftow= rdon us? How wonderfully has Gop de~ dus from the hands of our enemies, (aben there was but a flep between us and dea) whofe tender mescies in many inftances have been cruelty. Truly swe may fay, bad not Gon been on our fide they woula have frwal- lows4 us up alive. What large bodies of veteran and diciplined troops, both Britifly and mercenaries, have been feat with the affiftance of power‘ul fleets againft our then. defencelefs coait, the invabitants undifci- plined, unarmed, unexperienced, yea defti~ tute of almoft every thing neceffiry for war, and contemptible in the eyes of our enemies: Yet Gop his hu:nbie i their pride, preferved us and oftentimes given us vidtury both by fea and land, and ciuled large quan= tities of their intereft to fall into our bands. He has alfo called vpon us in many in- ances and wiys to rewrn to him, by pro- vitences, deaths of tiiends and em eee by claiming judgments : Yet, like the dea! : 5 adder, 1ao adder, we have ftopped our ears, hardens ed our hearts; like mon of old have tref- paffed yet more and more. Be aftonifhed O heavens at this ! Here is ingratitude with- out a paralle:: Yea, the fan at noor-day hides his face as if unwilling to behold fuch monftreus wickednefs. Ob / Backfiding New-England, attend now to the thing: wwbich belong to your peace before they are for ever bid from your eyes. Wuar great reafon have we to blefs and prafe him who fent the late darknefs, that he fuffered it to ex:end no further, that it only terrified and did not deftroy. How de- plorable muit our condition have been had at continued for a few days, Who of us ex- pected fuch a day in the morning we went forth to labor in our fields ? But foon the wefte: n clouds vail’dthe fun! Darkocfsover~ ipread the earth ! And while we were cry- ing pe-ce to ourfelves, fudden deftruction feemed ready to break upon us! But this may aff rd us confolation, that all the trou- ble and :ffli@tion we meet with in this world are under the direSti vn of a kind Providence, andif we righily unsrve them we have reafon to hope they will be fanétified unto Us fur our bill good ; and ‘be a means of con-{x J convincing and converting finners, and ex. citing Chriftians to holinefs, My Conntrymen, We have lately been carried through a fhort and unexpeded night, and the thadow cf death is turned into the morning, and we have anothe ops portunity to repent. Such an unufail judgment is fiflicient to convince ns that att Gop is angry, and if we turn not he perhaps deftroy us, or give usup to Ay nes of Sart, to treafure up to ow wrath azainft tbe dey of wrath, Let as ote ten call to mind the thoughts whi that ditmal hour poflffed our bre fome apprehended the bridegroom ws cov ing, and foon expeéted to fee the H. on fie overtheir heads, and the great caufe of all approaching to take vergeance on who had not obeyed his Gulpel. Did we find ourfelves prepared for fuch a great event as fome imagined was coming “p-n us? Was the profpeat delightfome and 4 » ous ? Could we then heartily welcom: th grim reflenser Death, defiring to be trom this body of clay ? Again did ourlelves prepared to ftand bef we th. of sll the earth? Doubtlets tl with tome, But were there not af number who12 with horror at the thoughts of death and entering into eternity. Did not many thea ‘with they had attended to the one thing need~ ful, and had been true Chriftian:? Some per- Siaps were on their knees begeing for lohger time ; If fo, how thould fa:h improve this prefent opportunty: Gop has been better to them than their fears, and granted their requeft ; let fuch fee to it that they har- den not their hearts like wicked Phararb as foon as he faw there was refpite. And muy this difpenfation excite us to put off the works of darknefs, t» be fober and vi- giline 5 preparing for death and judgment which are haftening upon us, and let all Chriftians be d-ily entreating that Gop who Bas ail power in his hand, that he would appear for us, and build up his caufe and intereft throughout the world ; that dying and decaying Religion might revive and and that he would wift thir vine, whicd his own right bani hath planics ; whoje hedges Jem to be broken drwn and given up te the boar of the witderncts. Acatn, let ns be prepared to meet Gop in whatever way he is pleafed to meet with us, and may we be prepared for departing out of this world ; may we confider it as uot car home, that we are only probation- ers :13 ers: May we ve scot Sia 1 Gop, throug Curist, having a part in the merits of his death and tuffering ; fo that when He fball ar, who it the believers life, we may appear fo with bim in giny : May we be feeking nearer communion with him : May we ftrive to be aflimlated into the Divine likenefs : May we behave ourfelves becoming Chrif= tians. Let us lay afide all evil {peaking, backbiting, flandering and making rules for our neighoors, which we ourfelves would nog be willing to attend to. Finally, Let us Airive to live in peace, fo that the Gon of peace may be with us alweys ; by which we hall be enabled inthe midft of that amazing {cere of a diffulving world, when our ears will be fa- luted with the difmal found of rending rocks! qusking earth ! burfting tomb. ! and dif- fulving nature ! to ftand forth unmoved with walinnefs and ferenity of mind, faying, This is our Gon, we Lave waited for him, now we will be glad and rejice in bis falvation. Last1y, May we take a fuitable notice of the late difpenfation, and let us turn to that Gop from whom we have fo greatly re- volted and fallen, fo that he may be at neace, and his bleffiag may defcend and reft upom us, even lite forevermore. AMEN.4 A Sertprurat Accyunr of the uncom- mon Darkness tha: hyppened in Newe Evotanp, on Fripay, May 19. 1780. Lovine Brotners, Boston, May, 80. N as much as we have {9 many widen able proofs that the diy of the Lorp draws near, [think it is more certified tous in the fun, moon and furs all being Gnitten at once, which no writing, that [ever found, gave any account of fuch athing, before May 19, 17805 neither can I find but o night of that uncommon da: kaels m-atign- ed tnScripture, before Curr 1s T's fecondc m+ ing— Chat thefe few lines may bea wirnng and comfort to you, isthe hearty wrth of you: loving Broth:r, Jou Kewnrpy. Begin at D/aizh xiii. and Oth vereo— J Howl ye, for the day of the Logp sat hand ; it fhill come asa def-udtion from the Almighty. V. 10. For the tars of Hea-. ven, and the conft-llations thereof fhall not give their light : he fan dhall be darkned in bis going fo th, ind the moon thail not caule her light to thine —Exek. xxxii. 7. And whea 1 (hall pat thee cut, Lwill ca- ver the Heiven, and mike the ftirs thereof dark : ( will cover the fun with a cloud, and the moon {hell not give her lich. — Yoel ii. 31. The fan fvall be atrdurknels, d the mous ito » betore she great and£5 sd terribleday of the Lor come iii. 15. The fun and the moon thall be darkned, and ths & srs (hall withdraw thei: thining.— dings v. 10, 17,18. Therefore the Lorn the Go ‘ot hofts, the Lory faith thus, Wailing thall be in ail ftreets, end they thall fay in all the high ways, Alas, alas! And they thall call the Hufbandmen tq mourning, and fuch as are fkilfal of lamentation to wailing ; which may be referred to the 19th of May, 1780, as it was the cafe in moft towns in this State. Aadinal vineyards hall be wailing : For £ will paf through thee (ith the Lory. Wo unto vou that defice the déy of the Lorn : To whit end is it for you ? The day of the Lorn is darknefs, and not light. 29. Shall pot the day of the Lorp be darknefs and snot light ? Even very da k, and no brightnege in it 2 Mar. xxiv 7, For nation fhall againit nation and kingdom againit king- Fm: And the-e thail be famines, and pefti- lences, ande «:thqu :kes iv divers places. 8. Al: thete » the begining of forrows. 10. Th n thall m ny be offended, and betray Ove anoths:, ana fhall hate one another. 11, And many fulfe prophets thal arife, and fhall uece:ve many. 24. For there thall arife ia'fe cheift:, and falfe prophets, and fhall thew g cat fignsand wonders, infomuch that (if ik weie poffirle) they fhall deceive the very16 very ele&. 25. Behold [ have told you be~ fore 29. Immediately after the tribulation of thofe davs, hall the fan be darkened and the mvon thall not give her light, and the ftars {hali fall from Heaven, and the powers of Heaven (hull be thaken. 33. So like» wife ye, when ye dhall fee all thefe thing: know that itis near, even at the doors. 44. Therefore be ye alfoready : For in fach an hour as you think not, the Son of Min €or Mark xiir. 24 25, Bu. io thote tnbulativg, th: fun Ohill te varkoed, a give he: light. And the 2.9.0 Hevea thai ta’! powers that are iu Heaven skill be th ken, 28 2g. Liew earn a psiatle f the figtwe: When her bracch is set reas der, ang pucteth fo th leaves ye koow that fummer is nee: Suye in like manner, when ye bail fee thele sh'rys come to pals, know thet it 1s nigh, even ax the coors, Jute xx, 25. Atd thece thai! be figis in the fen, and in aud in the tere 5 ww yen the cash perplexity, the ica and the waves +: arth hill’ pals -way ; dut ty words thal not pals sway. 35. For as a trate Gait ae me cn i them that dwell on the face of the while cubed eh ve 36 ge F they hail fay, Pease aac! tery; then fade en cot cometh ueon them a U.voil upcn a wom... with child 5 and they fhall not efespe, Lut yo, Breth en, ues we. in eo nels, thar thatday houlé overs ke you asa thick, Rew 42, "13, And the fourth Angel tounsed, ani! the third pats ef the fun was imitten, and the chird pert vi the moon, and the ,third part of the lars; fo an the ths ;ait of were Geskned : And the day th ize not for a third part 2 and the night iikewife, Ard Etch fiying through the mid of Licaveay fayi woice, Wo, wos wo, to the inhavitar..” uf thr eo:th >, fen of the cther voicce of ibe trumpet of te thee Ane ari whigh are yet to found cfs of ations with ngs 53 Heaven ane E1N ie