Omaha Daily Bee (Omaha [Neb.]), April 9th 1917
The Bee’s Letter Box
Prophecies of the World War.
Omaha, April 6. – To the Editor of The Bee: Since prophecy has always proven a foreknowledge of coming events, and since, in the present world crisis, many people are calling attention to past prophecies, it may not be amiss to recall two that are not generally known, the more so because one of them has not yet fulfilled that relates to these United States. In January 1902, the following appeared in the Indianapolis News:
Strange Vision in the Sky – Jay County Man Witnesses Marvelous Mirage – Portland, Ind., January 20. – The correspondent of The News is in receipt of the following signed statement/:
“On the evening of the 10th of December, 1901, while in a perfectly normal state of mind and body, I saw what seems to me to be remarkable vision in the heavens, mostly in the northwest, which I make known in hopes that some of the sages may be able to interpret, as I believe it portends something unusual, in which the nations of the earth are to figure in the year 1918. I saw what seemed to be the banners or flags of all nations of the earth suspended in the clear heavens, and they were surrounded with the beautiful national emblems, among which Old Glory occupied the position of prominence in the galaxy of splendor, which was the head of the column, or center, around which the other emblems were positioned.
“As I was beholding these emblems I turned to the southeast and saw there a splendid train of cars, drawn by steam, moving rapidly through the air. The train seemed to be moving toward the southwest. It entered a bridge and was lost to my view. In the midst of my vision I saw clearly the date, 1918, distinctly marked against the gray heavens.
“R. W. BOWMAN”
Note. – Bowman is a well known resident of Penn township and is totally unable to account in any way for the vision.
The publication of the foregoing was followed by the following special of the Indianapolis News:
War Foretold by Vision – Bowman’s Vision Recalls Another Interesting One in 1845 – Hagerstown, Ind., Jan 13. – The remarkable vision seen by Mr. Bowman of Jay county, as related in The News, served to recall to the mind of Lorenzo D. Fox, a well known and respected citizen, who lives half a mile from Hagerstown, another marvelous manifestation in the heavens, which he witnessed many years ago. Unlike that of Mr. Bowman, Fox’s testimony is substantiated by four other credible witnesses, whose absolute honesty and truthfulness every one who knew them would vouch for. One evening late in the fall of 1845, Fox, with four young companions, set out on a ‘coon hunt near Greensfork. Nearly midnight they sat down on a log to rest. The night suddenly grew darker and the dogs returned and whined at the hunter’s feet, as if fearing some foe that was invisible.
A streak of flame suddenly leaped from the horizon in the south of the zenith. The flamed burned red, green and vermillion, and lasted several seconds, when it was suddenly warped and twisted into many shapes, writing in gigantic figures, “1,” “8,” “6” and “1” against the sky. They told their story, and it spread about and was finally taken up by the Mormons as a prophecy concerning themselves and some future event touching their church, which had thus been divinely foretold by God. The story gained them many converts, but failed in application to their affairs. There was a well defined belief that when 1861, the date marked by the changing figure, should come wonderful things would occur. When 1861 finally arrived all of those young men realized that they were chosen to witness a wonderful manifestation of a prophecy of the greatest war in American history.
The one who sends you this does not know why both these prophecies were given sixteen years before the events should happen, but she has no doubt that in the settling of the president world calamity that the United States will lead, for what else could the grouping of the flags of all nations mean but peace all over the world. And what else could the prominence of “Old Glory” in this grouping mean but that the United States will have the most prominent part in the establishment of peace.
Stand by our president.
AMERICA B. COOPER.
Disclaimer: This 1917 newspaper article was published prior to 1931. Under United States copyright law (specifically the 95-year rule), this work has entered the public domain and is thus free to use or republish. It is presented here as an interesting and folkloric newspaper oddity.
[Note: 1918 was the end of World War I as well as the beginning of the Spanish Flu Pandemic.]
Another article on this story was the Cheyenne Record article from December 13th 1917 entitled “Indiana Farmer Sees Strange Visions in the Sky.”
Source(s): https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn99021999/1917-04-09/ed-1/?sp=4
Categories: Newspapers, Sky Visions, Nebraska (NE)