Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 155, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 June 1910 — SAW COMET IN 1835. [ARTICLE]

SAW COMET IN 1835.

Dr. Matraey- of Atlanta Remember* Former Visit of •‘Halley.” “Afraid of Halley’s comet, negress loses her mind.’* over the possible dire results of Halley’s comet coming In emu tact with the earth, Jane Godfrey, a young negress, has lost hen mind and to-night Is locked in the county Jail preparatory to being transferred to the state asylum. "Other negroes in this community are more or less alarmed over what some of them declare is ‘the Visitin’, of God’s wrath’ in the of the comet.’’ The above clipping and similar notices in the daily papers bring to mind some of the sensational scenes that happened when this same comet appeared in the year 1835, says Dr. B. J. Massey, in the Atlanta Constitution. The whole country had Just recovered from the impression made upon it by the failing of the stars only two years before. At that time almost all the negroes of the south and a great many illiterate and ignorant white people felt that when the stars fell the world had come to an end or would soon do so. j Although quite a child, only 7 years of age, I remember distinctly some of* the startling, although very amusing, Circumstances that happened in good old Georgia about the middle of November, 1835. About the time pur good people were recovering from the shock of the stars falling Millerism had, begun to hold its sway. William Miller, after whom Millerism got Its name, was a premillennialist and thousands of followers expected the immediate return of Jesus to reign upon the earth, believing in the literal fulfillment of the prophecies. They claimed that the first judgment would take place not later than 1840, or perhaps several years more. So firm was the faith of many that they disposed of all their worldly possessions preparatory to this event So far as I could learn, no one in Georgia did so, but thousands In other parts of the country prepared "ascension robes,” ready to be fully clothed for the occasion. When the comet appeared many felt that this was a token that judgment day was close at hand and that the world was coming to an end. Negroes held meetings at ■ various times and became very much excited over the subject. At these meetings, in order to be ready when the world comes “ter er een,” they wanted to be ready to go. Here they confessed their sins to one another, and to their good “old Marster above.” Old Aunt Esther, one of my father’s servants, confessed to "cussing” the cow because she kicked over the bucket of milk, while Aunt Esther was down on frer knees praying and she asked her “Heavenly Marster” to forgive her for it. ' Old Uncle Martin asked to be forgiven for eating the chicken pie which his wife had cooked from a chicken that he stole the night before from Miss Sophia’s chicken coop, and all such other ludicrous scenes were being enacted. Among the lower class of white people things almost as ludicrous were daily happening. I remember well one of our neighbors, old Mr. Baird, came over and got very mad, almost uncontrollable, because my father would not agree with aim in his extreme Millerism, and because he would not help him get ready “and buy ascension robes and prepare for judgment day." In that day and time, compared to the present state or science people were very Ignorant of comets, always dreading their appearance. When Halley’s comet made Its appearance, in 1835, Gen. Andrew Jackson (Old Hickory) was then president of the United States, and at least three-fourths of the area of the present country was still a wilderness. So there were few scientific workers in that day. Not even a single observatory had been established in all America, consequently the masses knew little or nothing of scientific matters, especially astronomy. This comet was named for Sir Edward Halley, the son of a soap boiler of London. Although of a very humble lineage, Halley soon became a leading English astronomer, an intimate friend and companion of Sir Isaac Newton. Of all the scientists he was the very first to identify this comet as a periodic visitor and to predict its return In 1910.