A MOCK LUMINARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 48

A MOCK LUMINARY.

By a Banker

High in the upper regions of the atmosphere, and practically beyond the influence of the heat radiating from the earth, we frequently see, especially in summer, a number of fleecy white curl clouds, •which, it is easy to discern, are far above any other cloudo which may be passing at the time. These graceful, almost diaphajious, flecks of apparent vapour are at a very great eie\ ation ; m fact, so high that to aeronauts, even ia their highest flights, they appear as far removed in the upper reaches of the larified air as when viewed from the surface of the earth. But although apparently ordinary clouds, they are leally formed of microscopic crystals of ice, so minute that even in that attenuated atmosphere it is possible for them to remain suspended, almost on nothing. Sometimes, though perhaps rarely, the icespangles are so diffused that a scarce perceptible haze is all that is discernible, and on these occasions most wonderful phenomena become apparent, the most noteworthy being mocksuns and luminous circles.

Several years ago the writer had the advantage of observing the former phenomenon from the Righi, in Switzerland. He had stayed the night at the summit, and rose at daybreak in order to witness the glories of the rising sun, glories positively bewildering in their startling magnificence. Isolated in the midst of lofty snow-capped mountains, the peak rises sheer from the lovely lake of Lucerne on the one side, and of Zug on the other. Immediately beneath, the enchanting scene, dark forests and glittering lakes, green meadows and winding roads. »niall townships and pretty chalets, all are spread out like a map, which, if the ascent be made on foot (a vandal railway is now the general mode of ascent), gradually expands out to the view, every additional thousand feet of elevation adding to the charm of the scene. But the view of the sunrise 111 the early morning surpasses all. At fust all the lower scene is blotted out from view, hidden in the, as yet, undispelled fehades of night, while the peaks and buttresses of the suirounding mountains, all clad in a shroud of virgin snow, are but vaguely visible in the gloom. Soon, however, a strange luminosity appears to light them up, clearer and clearer and clearer, until, first the highest points, then the entire range, gradually assume a glorious rose tint, which grows ever brighter and more lustrous, until at length the mountains appear as if carved out of the lovely sardonyx itself.

And now the orb of day rises full into view, the mists are dispersed, the roseate mountain tops sue metamorphosed into tbeir natural dazzling and spotless purity, and the prospect beneath opens out as a sharply defined picture.

But on the occasion to which the writer alluded the conditions were somewhat different. Perhaps a quarter of an hour before its time, and before the mountains had fully assumed their usual rose tint, the .sun commenced to rise. It lacked, however, its usual brilliance, and when fully risen rapidly became less and less bright, at length, to the astonishment of all, disappearing altogether without any apparent cause. But almost immediately afterwards, the great luminary again commenced to lise; this time brilliant and resplendent; and it was realised that the first was but a counterfeit — a mock sun — and that while we believed tha-t we were witnessing the advent of the real orb of day, we saw only a sham presentment, a vapoury nothing. And just so is it sometimes with ourselves. Desirous, perhaps, of accepting the Sun of Righteousness as our Mediator 5 instead of holding fast to the simple Gospel, we substitute foj; the east scriptural doctrine of justification

by faith a series of man-made dogmas which draw us farther and farther away from Him, until at length we must find to our dismay that in holding on to the Sun of our own righteousness, our luminary is but a vain and profitless dcccit — a Mock Sun.