rst retired, and laid the bar dry; it then rolled in, rising fifty feet
or more above its ordinary level." "Among other extraordinary events
related to have occurred at Lisbon during the catastrophe, was the
subsidence of a new quay, built entirely of marble, at an immense expense.
A great concourse of people had collected there for safety, as a spot
where they might be beyond the reach of falling ruins; but suddenly the
quay sank down with all the people on it, and not one of the dead bodies
ever floated to the surface."(481)

"The shock" of the earthquake "was instantly followed by the fall of every
church and convent, almost all the large public buildings, and more than
one fourth of the houses. In about two hours after the shock, fires broke
out in different quarters, and raged with such violence for the space of
nearly three days, that the city was completely desolated. The earthquake
happened on a holy-day, when the churches and convents were full of
people, very few of whom escaped."(482) "The terror of the people was
beyond description. Nobody wept; it was beyond tears. They ran hither and
thither, delirious with horror and astonishment, beating their faces and
breasts, crying, '_Misericordia! the world's at an end!_' Mothers forgot
their children, and ran about loaded with crucifixed images.
Unfortunately, many ran to the churches for protection; but in vain was
the sacrament exposed; in vain did the poor creatures embrace the altars;
images, priests, and people were buried in one common ruin." It has been
estimated that ninety thousand persons lost their lives on that fatal day.

Twenty-five years later appeared the next sign mentioned in the
prophecy,--the darkening of the sun and moon. What rendered this more
striking was the fact that the time of its fulfilment had been definitely
pointed out. In the Saviour's conversation with His disciples upon Olivet,
after describing the long period of trial for the church,--the 1260 years
of papal persecution, concerning which He had promised that the
tribulation should be shortened,--He thus mentioned certain events to
precede His coming, and fixed the time when the first of these should be
witnessed: "In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light."(483) The 1260 days, or
years, terminated in 1798. A quarter of a century earlier, persecution had
almost wholly ceased. Following this persecution, according to the