Cease Your Worry, World Will Last Ten Billion More Years

1920

Paris, April 13 — There's no need to worry about the end of the world for another ten thousand million years, according to Charles Nordmann, the well known scientific writer. Basing his opinion on the latest researches, M. Nordmann states that the rays of the sun, the source of all terrestrial life, should last at least 10,000,000,000 more years, unless there is a collision between the solar body and another planet.

Two famous savants, Hermoltz and Henri Poincare, estimated that the sun would have burned itself out within eight million years, but the recent discovery that the solar mass contains immense deposits of radium, means the sun's heat will have a vastly greater duration.

—The Chronicle Telegram, Elyria, Ohio, April 14, 1920, page 9.

Professor Disputes That Volcanoes Forecast "End of the World"

1922

French Scout Fears of Volcanic Perils

Paris Newspaper Ridicules Idea That Eruptions Forecast "End of the World"

PARIS, Aug. 26 — If all the volcanoes in the world were to become active at the same hour the earth, or any large part of it, would be no nearer being "destroyed" than it is at this moment.

Professor Lacroix, of the French museum, whose field is mineralogy and whose pet subject is volcanoes, made this astonishing statement in reply to the recent prophecy made by Dr. Milton Nobles, of Philadelphia, that volcanic action would wipe out the continent of Europe within a month.

Budapest to Be Center

The center of destruction, according to the prophecy, was to be Budapest. So when, the very next day, reports came from Hungary that tremblings of the earth's surface had been felt, while simultaneously there were small earthquakes in France and in Spain, many good souls of Paris flocked to the churches to await the Last Judgment, and the witty paragraphers of the Paris dailies prepared their best barbs.

L'Intransigeant interviewed M. le Professor Lacroix.

"Pessimists who have already permitted themselves to rejoice at the idea of the approaching end of the world, announced by an American geologist, will find in the words of this volcano authority new cause for lamentation," says that journal and quotes the professor:

"It is true that the region around Budapest is highly volcanic. Of course the volcanoes are old, dating from the tertiary period.

"But supposing they start all at once to spit forth lava, even supposing — you see I am generous with suppositions — that all the volcanoes of the world began to erupt at once. All that would not affect the solidarity of our planet."

M. Lacroix showed his interviewer a map of Europe.

"These red spots indicate the regions where are volcanoes, extinct or active. You see what a small area they cover in comparison with the stable regions of the continent.

Italy Has Active Craters

"The only really active volcanoes in Europe are those of Italy — Vesuvius, Stromboli, Vulcano and Etna, in particular.

"The axiom is: The effects of all volcanic phenomena are essentially local.

"Add to this that the units in most volcanic groups, for example, Etna, Stomboli and Vesuvius, are separated by scores of miles as the crow flies, and the fact that when one of these neighboring craters is in eruption the others are inactive, thus proving that their reservoirs are independent, and the idea of a universal eruption becomes ridiculous.

"Tell your readers they may sleep soundly with both eyes shut."

Newspaper Scouts Idea

Le Temps didn't bother to consult a scientist. It scouted the prophecy and with it all prophecies — except political ones.

"One of those American journalists who know how to 'create events' like Napoleon himself wirelesses over the world that a certain savant announces the approaching eruption in the neighborhood of Budapest of no fewer than 70 craters," ran the account.

"In the year 2000, so close that our children will live to see it, we can measure the progress of humanity by observing the survival of the same panic fears of which the year 1000 leaves us a legend.

"In 10 centuries science has mastered nature, but not the imagination of men."

—The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, August 27, 1922, page 24.

Get Wise: Little Nuggets of Wisdom

Bedford, Pennsylvania, 1920

Trading a peck of trouble for a pint of whisky is a poor bargain.

The poor fellows whose thirst for whisky in Massachusetts brought them to their grave will not trust their fellow-man any longer. They've handed in their checks.

If you are the architect of fortune don't build too many castles in the air.

If you have to hit a man on the head to make him see a joke, hit him so hard that he will never see another one.

Nobody is so blind as he who refuses to see through other people.

It is well to make well rounded periods in making a speech. In fact some could devote all their time to punctuation and omit words. Everybody would be better pleased.

In these days the fellow who shoots off his mouth about prohibition isn't apt to be loaded.

When blushing, modesty gets so flustered it doesn't know which way to turn, it simply turns red.

Procrastination is the thief of time. Insomnia, is never ready to say goodbye till the alarm clock is ready to go off.

It is polite now to tell a whole country to 'dry up".

The report that the world would come to an end on December 17, caused some little stir in Bedford. However Mrs. Pedro Helwanger and some of her neighbors got consolation from the fact that if it did end they would get rid of Pedro. After Pedro learned of this conspiracy he was glad it did not come as he likes to get ahead of his wife and neighbors.

—Bedford Gazette, Bedford, Pennsylvania, January 2, 1920, page 5.

The End of the World

----------
ARE AGAIN AWAITING END OF THE WORLD

Holy Rollers Certain That It Will Come on June 21.

Duxbury, Mass., April 15,-The end of the world is coming again, according to another vision of Eva Brown of Pawtucket, and hundreds of Triune Immersionists began a convention here to prepare for the expected event. This coming end of the world is to be "without fail."

June 21 is the date set by Miss Eva's vision for the world's finish. Eva announces that "something terrible is to happen on June 21."

The Triune Immersionists have been called Holy Rollers and "End of the World Leaders." But the first of these names is the one which they use themselves. It comes from the triple form of immersion, which is conducted at the conventions. Hundreds were immersed last year.

At that time many gave away their earthly goods and chattels and waited confidently for the termination of this earth. When the expected failed to happen the immersionists went over their calculations and ascertained that a mistake had occurred.

--Fitchburg Daily Sentinel, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, April 15, 1910, page 12.

------------------------

Eva Brown, a young woman associated with that eccentric religious body known as the Holy Rollers, predicted the end of the world for June 21st. Families among the faithful were disrupted, believers sold their property instead of giving it away, as logically they should have done, and others abandoned their business. Yet here we are still doing business at the old stand. The earth is speeding on in its orbit, and the eternal grind of human affairs is going on in the usual fashion. It would save some people a lot of trouble in the opinion of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, if they could take a course in the history of religious delusions. For 2,000 years prophets of terrestrial ruin have been fixing dates for the final wind-up; yet the catastrophe has never materialized.

--Olean Evening Times, Olean, New York, June 27, 1910, page 2.

----------

PAWTUCKET, R.I., June 17.-Pretty nineteen-year-old Eva Brown, prophetess of the sect known variously as "Latter Day Reigners," "Holy Rollers," "End of the World Leaders" and "Triune Immersionists," whose prophecy of the end of the world caused many members to dispose of their property and migrate to Duxbury, Mass., last fall, to await the termination of the earth, has the faithful again in a turmoil over her prediction that something awful is going to happen to this mundane sphere on June 21.

As a result a thousand or more members of the faith are preparing to hold another convention at Duxbury. Miss Brown does not say whether the "something terrible will be the actual end of the world, a heavy frost in the tropics, or the appearance of a mouse in church at prayer meeting.

When the expected failed to happen the other time the Immersionists went over their calculations carefully and ascertained that a mistake had been made. Miss Brown has announced in advance that there will be no mistake this time.

--The Racine Daily Journal, Racine, Wisconsin, June 18, 1910, page 7. (The grainy picture above is from this source.)

---------------------------

PREPARING AGAIN FOR END OF WORLD

Holy Rollers Take Miss Eva's Advice; Scheduled For June

Duxbury, Mass., April 15.-The end of the world is coming again, according to another vision of Eva Brown of Pawtucket, and hundreds of Triune Immersionists began a convention here to prepare for the expected event This coming of the end of the world "is to be without fail" June 21 is the date set by Miss Eva's vision for the world's finish. Eva announces that "something terrible is to happen on June 21."

"On June 21 the sun leaves Aries and enters Cancer," she said. "This signifies some unusual development, the exact nature I do not care to say. What will happen on June 21 will be of special significance to everybody on this earth."

The Triune Immersionists have been called Holy Rollers and "End of the World Leaders," but the first of these names is the one which they use themselves.

Hundreds gave away their earthly goods and chattels and waited confidently for the termination of the earth last year. When the expected failed to happen the Immersionists went over their calculations carefully and ascertained that a mistake had occurred.

--Indiana Evening Gazette, Indiana, Pennsylvania, April 15, 1910, page 4.

----------

Anticipating the end of the world on June 21st more than 400 religious enthusiasts at Duxbury, Mass., have worked themselves up to a state of frenzy. They eat but two meals a day and drink hot water for a beverage.

--Olean Evening Times, Olean, New York, April 19, 1910, page 2.

----------

WORLD ENDS TOMORROW

At Least That Is the Prediction of Holy Rollers' Prophetess

Duxbury, Mass., April 18.-By the courtesy of Prophetess Eva Brown, the Holy Rollers learned that the end of the world will come at 15 minutes before noon on Tuesday, April 19. To prepare for the end, sixteen converts waded out into the frigid water of the mill pond at Ashdod Sunday and were forced beneath the water in the triple baptism of the tri-immersionists, while a rejoicing multitude; stood upon the bank and sang.

Men and women of 55 went through the ordeal, as well as girls from 18 to 25 years of age, 15-year-old boys and one little girl only 8 years old.

--Fitchburg Daily Sentinel, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, April 18, 1910, page 9.

Comment: The above article may have misunderstood what date Eva Brown meant.

There's an article at this link that says:

Three hundred Triune Immersionists, defeated in their hopes of the end of the world, are now sadly plodding back from West Duxbury, Mass., to the homes they left shortly ago, some as far away as Virginia, to pick up again the thread of the earthly life they thought they had laid down forever. Not only that. Many of them are going back to face scenes of desolation and destitution. Believing the usefulness of worldly goods outlived, they gave up their jobs, abandoned their businesses, sold their property and donated all they had to the church.

----------
Comment: And from an entirely different point of view:

END OF THE WORLD IN THREE YEARS

Paris, Feb. 1.- A coterie of scientists have practically pronounced a death sentence on the, earth, and the time of execution is fixed for the year 1912. The scientists are chiefly French who are responsible for this latest sensation in the way of predictions of the "important-if-true" kind. They say the sun will be at a low ebb of activity in the year 1912 and that there will be a hardening of the earth's elastic crust. The vast masses of hot material comprising the earth's interior will have to throw off their pent up, squeezed up energies. There will be explosions, volcanoes, earthquakes. eruptions. The whole planet may be rent and torn as the moon was when it lost its life.

--Olean Evening Times, Olean, New York, February 1, 1909, page 1.