“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday” (Ps. 91:5-6).
The Black Cloud Coming Down Over Alaska
Then as I watched, another amazing thing was taking place. Far to the Northwest, just out over Alaska, a huge, black cloud was arising. As it rose, it was as black as night. It seemed to be in the shape of a man’s head. As it continued to arise, I observed two light spots in the black cloud. It rose further, and a gaping hole appeared.
I could see that the black cloud was taking the shape of a skull, for now the huge, white, gaping mouth was plainly visible. Finally the head was complete. Then the shoulders began to appear and on either side long, black arms. It seemed that what I saw was the entire North American Continent, spread out like a map upon a table with this terrible skeleton-formed cloud arising from behind the table.
It rose steadily until the form was visible down to the waist. At the waist, the skeleton seemed to bend towards the United States, stretching forth a hand toward the East and one toward the West—one toward New York and one toward Seattle.
As the awful form stretched forward, I could see that the entire attention seemed to be focused upon the U.S., overlooking Canada at least for the time being. As I saw the horrible black cloud in the form of a skeleton bending towards America, bending from the waist over, reaching down toward Chicago and out towards both coasts, I knew its one interest was to destroy the multitudes.
As I watched in horror, the great black cloud stopped just above the great lakes region, and turned its face towards New York City. Then out of the horrible, great gaping mouth began to appear wisps of white vapor that looked like smoke, as a cigarette smoker would blow puffs of smoke from his mouth. These whitish vapors were being blown toward New York City. The smoke began to spread, until it had covered all the eastern part of the United States.
Then the skeleton turned to the West, and out of the horrible mouth and nostrils came another great puff of white smoke. This time it was blown in the direction of the West Coast. In a few moments time, the entire West Coast and L.A. area was covered with its vapors. Then towards the center came a third great puff. As I watched, St. Louis and Kansas City were enveloped in its white vapors. Then on it came towards New Orleans.
Then on they swept until they reached the Statue of Liberty where she stood staggering drunkenly in the blue waters of The Gulf. As the white vapors began to spread around the head of the statue, she took in but one gasping breath, and then began to cough as though to rid her lungs of the horrible vapors she had inhaled. One could readily discern by the coughing that those white vapors had seared her lungs.
