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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 1089 birth of Christ, the birth of Luther, and many others of note. Josephus stated that it was the knowledge of the astronomers of Christ’s time con cerning certain star combinations about to take piène which caused thè general expectancy at that time that the promised Messiah was about to be born. * While it probably may not be said that at every conjunction of the great planets some great leader has been raised up, it is at least peculiar that so many great crises have come at these particular periods. Again it is a fact worthy of remark that just at the present time there is a universal expectancy of some sort of a crisis. There is a general feel ing that some great leader must arise, capable of taking the helm of affairs and bringing some kind of order out of the chaos. Some Bible students express their belief that even now the person of the anti-christ may be somewhere in the world. There has also been a certain foreboding that we are about to witness unusual changes in climate as indicated by the strange weather conditions the past few years. With no desire to be sensational, we want to call attention to the statements recently published by Professor Albert F. Porta, the noted astronomer. He says, “ Be w arned in advance. T remendous things are going to happen from December 17 to 20, 1919 and th e re afte r,” and explains his prophecy as follows : “The planets in th e ir orbits swing in g reat eclipses about th e sun. They are linked to th e sun, and to each other, by chains of electro-magnetic energy whose compelling forces counteract each o th er and hold each planet in its regu lar path. Whenever two planets wheel into such positions th a t they pull tog eth er on th e sun— eith er in “ conjunction” on th e same side of th e sun, or in “ opposition” w ith th e sun between-them— th e ir united pull causes th e sun ’s gases to “ explode” — to leap ou t into space in th e w hirling volcano we call a sunspot. These sunspots in tu rn cause storm s in th e atmosphere of our ea rth— doubt less on o th er planets as well. Two planets, united, are enough to cause a small sunspot and a small storm . Three cause a la rg e r one— four make a very g reat storm indeed. But— on December 17, 1919, no less th a n seven p lanets will pull jo in tly on th e sun. These will include all the m ightiest planets, those w ith th e most power ful pull. Six of them— Mercury, Mars, Venus, Ju p iter, S atu rn and Neptune—will be in conjunction; grouped tog eth er in th e g reatest “ league of p lan ets” ever known in the annals of astronomy. They will be massed in the narrow lim it of hu t 26 degrees, on th e same side of th e sun. D irectly opposite, coming into opposition w ith th is gigantic league, will be th e huge p lanet U ranus. The m agnetic cu rren ts between U ranus and th e six p lanets will pierce th e sun like a m ighty spear. Our earth is outside the league a t an angle of nearly 90 degrees— in perfect position to receive almost th e full force of th e monster electrical disturbance as it leaps into activity on what, to us, will be th e eastern horizon of th e sun ’s disc. Such a close grouping of p lanets h as nev er been recorded before. The whole so lar system will he strangely out of balance. W hat will he th e outcome? My knowledge does no t p erm it me to state, beyond th e fact th a t th e storm s, eruptions and earthqu ak es may be trem endous in th e ir stren g th and scope.” Can the believer help but turn his attention to the prophetic state ments concerning the last days, “ Great signs shall there be from the heav ens—great earthquakes shall be in divers places, famines, pestilences and fearful sights.” (Lk. 21:11.) “ There shall be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars; upon earth distress of nations with perplexity—■
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