Extracted text
Editorial transcription, proofed and normalized from the scan. Line-break hyphenation, column interleaving, and OCR errors have been repaired; the claims remain those of The Flaming Sword.
Editorial Discussions and Miscellany.
The Editor.
The Eclipse of the Sun.
Editor Flaming Sword: — I see the astronomers are making great preparations for observing and photographing the sun's eclipse on the 28th inst. I should be glad to see something in The Flaming Sword concerning this phenomenon. Is there any special significance to be attached to this eclipse? Astronomers seem to be able to foretell eclipses accurately, and to map out the path of totality. If the Copernican system be not true, how do you account for this accuracy? — Reader.
We have gone over much of this ground concerning eclipses before; but as general interest has been aroused by the coming eclipse, we deal with the subject again briefly. Astronomers are in possession of the facts of observation of the phenomena of eclipses; they make calculations from the basis of these facts; the eclipses occur, and the people are filled with wonder. There is nothing strange or mysterious about the prediction of eclipses; of course, there are intricacies to be considered, but the matter is simpler by far than is generally supposed.
Accurate eclipse predictions do not prove the Copernican system; astronomers of past systems were able to predict eclipses for centuries to come. Eclipses recur at specific intervals. The length of an eclipse cycle is 18 years, and 10 to 12 days according to the number of leap years intervening. During an eclipse cycle, 70 eclipses occur, — 41 solar, and 29 lunar; and these are repeated during the next cycle. In proof of this, we quote from Astronomer Newcomb:
"There is a curious law of the recurrence of eclipses, which has been known from ancient times. It is based on the fact that the sun and moon return to nearly the same positions relative to the node and perigee of the moon's orbit, after a period of 6,585 days, and 8 hours, or 18 years and 12 days. Hence, eclipses of every sort repeat themselves at this interval."
This should settle the question in the mind of the inquirer and others, regarding whether a theory of astronomy has anything to do with foretelling eclipses.
But how about the path of totality? The recurrence of the path in given latitude and longitude, is regular. If the eclipse cycle were just 6,585 days, every time an eclipse of a given kind or character occurred, the path would cover the same longitude; but notice the 8 hours remaining over. 8 hours of time cover 120° of longitude; and the same kind of an eclipse will be visible 120° west of where it was visible before; but after a period of three occurrences of the same eclipse, or kind of an eclipse, the path will cover the same ground.
This coming eclipse is a repetition of the total eclipses of 1846, 1864, and 1882. That of 1846 had a path very nearly the same as the coming one; that of 1864 was visible on the Pacific Ocean, and ended where the coming one begins; while the one of 1882 swept from Egypt to just south of Japan. The next eclipse of this same series will occur June 8, 1918, and will be visible on the Pacific Ocean again, but in a higher latitude; but with a knowledge of what relation the moon's orbit will sustain to the sun at that time, the path can be located as to latitude to a degree. With such facts in possession of the astronomer, it is not a difficult matter to predict eclipses and to map out the paths, from the records of previous eclipses and paths. The Copernican system has nothing to do with it; observed angles, not distances, enter into the calculations; time, not system, is considered!
But do not the astronomers project their shadow maps on the basis of the earth's convexity? We reproduce a map of the path of totality in the coming eclipse. Take a good look at the map; it speaks for itself.
- --
Miscellany.
The ancients pictured halos, coronæ, encircling the heads of their deities, the human suns. The astronomer photographs the corona about the sun in the physical heavens. Is this a coincidence? If so, account for it; if not, then how did the ancients know, without the telescope, that the physical sun is seen with a corona, that they should crown their corresponding deities with halos?
Modern astronomy guides the ships of a perverted commerce on the seas; but the practical application of the genuine, scientific astronomy is capable of guiding ships on the human sea — worship, fellowship, the ship of state, and all the relationships of humanity.
Ford Roberts, the English general, is a Baptist, and believes in immersion; but he is baptizing the Boers by pouring shot and shell into their laagers.
"People with hitches in their brains are capable of doing almost anything." Perhaps they are so capable because they have something to tie to!
The enlightened intellect is the lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path to destiny in the natural kingdom of the Gods!
Truth is trailed in the dust by the dragon, the great serpent; it has followed the serpentine path of the declension of the age.
Politicians weigh great questions by manipulating the balances of power!
There can be no worse worship than the worship of gold.
The Flaming Sword · Vol. 14, No. 27 · May 25, 1900 · PDF p. 8