In What Year Did It Happen?

[AussieMick]

The end of the world is of course often called The Day of Judgement

[AussieMick]

Walt Whitman referred to the anecdote.

[AussieMick]

I think this needs to be concluded ... 12 hours from now.

[AussieMick]

In 1833 some people thought the Day of Judgement had come. "One witness to the 1833 Leonid meteor storm used the story to good effect years later".

https://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-conte...eonids.pdf

[Rob Wick]

Very interesting Mike. I had never heard about that.

Best
Rob

[Anita]

Mike, I knew about the Leonid meteor storm but not abut the Lincoln connection. Also didn't pick up on your challenging clues!
Thanks for this post. It's been a most enjoyable learning experience!

[AussieMick]

I thought it would be picked very early ... especially when I said googling was Ok (at the very start) ... maybe I should have repeated that.

It is though much easier for me to talk when I already know the answer.

[David Lockmiller]

(07-05-2024 01:28 AM)AussieMick Wrote:  In 1833 some people thought the Day of Judgement had come. "One witness to the 1833 Leonid meteor storm used the story to good effect years later".

https://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-conte...eonids.pdf

Great story!!!

In the gloomiest period of the war, he [President Lincoln] had a call from a large delegation of bank presidents. In the talk after business was settled, one of the big Dons asked Mr. Lincoln if his confidence in the permanency of the Union was
not beginning to be shaken — whereupon the homely President told a little story.

“When I was a young man in Illinois,” said he, “I boarded for a time with a Deacon of the Presbyterian church. One night I was roused from my sleep by a rap at the
door, & I heard the Deacon’s voice exclaiming ‘Arise, Abraham, the day of judgment has come!’ I sprang from my bed & rushed to the window, and saw the stars falling in great showers!

But looking back of them in the heavens I saw all the grand old constellations with which I was so well acquainted, fixed and true in their places. Gentlemen, the
world did not come to an end then, nor will the Union now.”

[J. Beckert]

Edwin Booth was born during the Leonid meteor shower. His mother took it as a harbinger that he was destined for great things.

[AussieMick]

(07-07-2024 05:31 AM)J. Beckert Wrote:  Edwin Booth was born during the Leonid meteor shower. His mother took it as a harbinger that he was destined for great things.

She got that wrong.

[David Lockmiller]

(07-06-2024 04:37 AM)David Lockmiller Wrote:  

(07-05-2024 01:28 AM)AussieMick Wrote:  In 1833 some people thought the Day of Judgement had come. "One witness to the 1833 Leonid meteor storm used the story to good effect years later".

https://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-conte...eonids.pdf

Great story!!!

In the gloomiest period of the war, he [President Lincoln] had a call from a large delegation of bank presidents. In the talk after business was settled, one of the big Dons asked Mr. Lincoln if his confidence in the permanency of the Union was
not beginning to be shaken — whereupon the homely President told a little story.

“When I was a young man in Illinois,” said he, “I boarded for a time with a Deacon of the Presbyterian church. One night I was roused from my sleep by a rap at the
door, & I heard the Deacon’s voice exclaiming ‘Arise, Abraham, the day of judgment has come!’ I sprang from my bed & rushed to the window, and saw the stars falling in great showers!

But looking back of them in the heavens I saw all the grand old constellations with which I was so well acquainted, fixed and true in their places. Gentlemen, the
world did not come to an end then, nor will the Union now.”

I thought this morning that I would add an observation:

Considering the circumstances, I believe the story exemplifies how well President Abraham Lincoln thinks and expresses himself.

I used the present tense because when you read history, you have to "live" in the "exact moment of that place and time."

[J. Beckert]

(07-07-2024 06:24 AM)AussieMick Wrote:  

(07-07-2024 05:31 AM)J. Beckert Wrote:  Edwin Booth was born during the Leonid meteor shower. His mother took it as a harbinger that he was destined for great things.

She got that wrong.

I don't know. I'd say Edwin did rather well for himself. He survived JWB shooting the President well. He rec'd a standing ovation when he returned to the stage in 1866, toured Europe and recovered financially after the demise of his beloved Booth Theater in NYC.