Fanaticpreacherskeptuptheflameofterror。Everyshootingstarfurnishedoccasionforasermon，inwhichthesublimityoftheapproachingjudgmentwastheprincipaltopic。
Theappearanceofcometshasbeenoftenthoughttoforetellthespeedydissolutionofthisworld。Partofthisbeliefstillexists；
butthecometisnolongerlookeduponasthesign，buttheagentofdestruction。Solatelyasintheyear1832thegreatestalarmspreadovertheContinentofEurope，especiallyinGermany，lestthecomet，whoseappearancewasthenforetoldbyastronomers，shoulddestroytheearth。Thedangerofourglobewasgravelydiscussed。Manypersonsrefrainedfromundertakingorconcludinganybusinessduringthatyear，inconsequencesolelyoftheirapprehensionthatthisterriblecometwoulddashusandourworldtoatoms。
Duringseasonsofgreatpestilencemenhaveoftenbelievedthepropheciesofcrazedfanatics，thattheendoftheworldwascome。
Credulityisalwaysgreatestintimesofcalamity。Propheciesofallsortsarerifeonsuchoccasions，andarereadilybelieved，whetherforgoodorevil。Duringthegreatplague，whichravagedallEurope，betweentheyears1345and1350，itwasgenerallyconsideredthattheendoftheworldwasathand。PretendedprophetsweretobefoundinalltheprincipalcitiesofGermany，France，andItaly，predictingthatwithintenyearsthetrumpoftheArchangelwouldsound，andtheSaviourappearinthecloudstocalltheearthtojudgment。