| 107 found on record. It must be acknowledged by all classes that it is no fiction, but is in truth what it is represented to be, a "dreadful visitation of Providence:" For on examination of the scriptures, we find that these things must come on the earth, and are scarcely "the beginning of sorrow." See Jer. 33:19, 20. "Behold a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury even a grevious [grievous] whirlwind: It shall fall greviously [grievously] upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter day ye shall consider it perfectly."
The writer of the account says, "our delightful china trees are torn up. We are peeled and desolate." The prophet has said that it should be so: See Micah 5:14. "And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities." We do not refer to these passages of scripture in order to aggrevate [aggravate] the case of the bereaved; for we consider that it is no small affliction upon those who are deprived of their friends and made desolate by the hand of God being laid heavily upon them in the whirlwind. But as faithful servants of the Lord, we must make a proclamation of those things that we know and most assuredly believe; taking the prophets, apostles, and Jesus himself for our authors concerning the calamity, perplexity, distress and distruction [destruction]which must inevitably come on the inhabitants of the earth except they repent.
The Son of man is about to make his second advent into the world, to reign a thousand years: in which time satan is to be bound. See Rev. 20:1, 2. "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, leaving the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon that old serpent, which is the devil and satan, and bound him a thousand years.-
Prior to the eventful day when satan is to be bound, and the Son of man comes to reign on the earth, there are to be "signs in the Sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the power of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory:" Luke 21:25, 26, 27. Also, Joel-having in view the same thing says, "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The Sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come."-Joel 2:30, 31.-Malichi says, "that all the proud, yea, and all they that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts." Paul to the Thessalonians says, "that he (the Lord) shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel our Lord Jesus Christ."
From the foregoing quotations we learn that in the last days, there shall be grevious [grievous] whirlwinds; and cities shall be destroyed, groves shall be plucked up: and that previous to the second advent of Christ, and the binding of satan., there are to be various signs manifested, which of course must be visible; such as signs in the sun, moon and stars; there is to be distress and perplexity upon the earth, the sea and the waves roaring. Also great wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, &c. and the wicked are to be burned up as stubble; and those that obey not the gospel, are to suffer the vengeance of the Lord when he comes with his mighty angels in flaming, fire.
Now we would ask the candid observer, are not these things begining [beginning] to take place? Is not the earth perplexed? Has not the whirlwinds desolated cities? has not the destructive element of fire, travelled [traveled] unexampled fury, through our flourishing and delightful cities, and left evident marks of indignation? Have not great destructions been caused by the prowling waves "heaving themselves beyond their bounds; the sea and waves roaring?"-Have not signs been manifested in the earth, in the sun and in the stars?-Who could gaze upon the heavens on the night of the 13th of Nov. 1833; and view the awful commotion of the stars, and then say that God has not given a sign that is characterestic [characteristic] of himself?
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