Atmospheric Phenomenon

A luminous and electric ball was seen in the sky over Windermere on the 25th ult. In the course of three minutes it assumed the shapes of a pyramid, a flame, a spiral serpent, the figure of the letter Z, very brilliant at its angles, and lastly, of a compressed cresent [crescent], when it disapeared [disappeared].

A well known corespondent of the Liverpool Albion, signing himself "R." of Prescott, on meteorological subjects, writes thus in that paper of the 6th inst: God will not be mocked in his designs on earth, but the forms of light and the clouds may yet instruct them of their deficiencies. Never before did I see such funereal, such lugubrious and portentious [portentous] visions of sky for evil as for two months have hovered over us. Never within the memory of man did such clouds produce such successions of thunder storms, inundations, and hurricanes. The locust, the horse-resembling, the crucial, the palmated, the sheaf-reared ensign of Ceres, the funereal meshlike, the serpentine, the snake rod-like: these have never failed to be the sequents [sequence] of forms of light more terrible than they, and which seem to have been prepared to exhaust over our land a magazine of evil, of which none of us can yet proclaim the end, and of which, it is more than probable, we have only seen the beginning. Be warned, ye great ones of the land, for God's wrath is on the wheel of nature, working it towards a nation's destruction. Once more I say, be warned!"

From the Western Reserve Cabinet and Family Visitor.

JAMES G. BENNETT, of the New York Herald, has been found guilty in two indictments for Libels against Judges Noah and Lynch, and has been sentenced to pay a fine of some two or three hundred dollars. Notwithstanding this mishap, the noted editor of the Herald is certainly rising in the world, for the city council of the famous City of Nauvoo have taken him under their special protection and patronage. They have passed a solemn resolution, in city council convened, to the effect that James Gordon Bennett is "rayther" [rather?] the greatest editor and his Herald a little the tallest paper that this planet can produce. At this rate Bennett will be able to out-live any number of indictments.

Thus saith the sectarian editor of the "Western Reserve Cabinet and Family Visitor" of March 1st, 1842. Now James Gordon Bennett is one of the most able editors, and his Herald one of the best conducted papers this world ever saw. He is a more moral man, a greater benefactor of the human race, and a better Christian, than any sectarian editor on this continent; and the New York Herald diffuses more useful knowledge, and correct information, than all their illiberal, bigoted, prejudiced, narrow contracted papers combined. The Herald will "rise in the world" either with or without the Mormon support-so do not trouble yourself Mr. Hall.

GEN. JOSEPH SMITH, the President and founder of the sect called "the Latter Day Saints of the Church of Jesus Christ" was born in Sharon, Windsor co. Vt. in 1805, 23d of December. Old Windsor county is now boasting of as many distinguished men in different spheres as any in the Union. This poor farmer's son has built up a denomination of nearly 100,000 people in Europe, Asia, Africa, and nearly all the islands of the great oceans. Besides, Gen. Smith did not invent his creed himself; but an angel of the Lord delivered it to him on Mount Moriah, N. Y. on the 22nd September, 1827.

The above is from the able pen of that fearless champion of the rights of man, Col. John Wentworth, Editor of the Chicago Democrat. The west can boast of no more able editor, nor can any of her growing cities produce a better conducted paper. As to Col. Wentworth's religious views we know nothing-we presume he has no particular predilections for us; but that he entertains the same noble and generous feelings towards all professing christians, and all good men. He certainly is one of the most brilliant stars in the constellation of Illinois-and as a political leader he has no superior.

TIMES AND SEASONS.

CITY OF NAUVOO,

FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 1842.