Dead Short

1977, can anyone explain what the 3 modules are inside the center console in front of the gear shift.  When I hook the + battery cable on, they click, if i disconnect one, the other will click.  The round one I am presuming to be the flasher (round, 1 inch long).  What ever is making contact will kill a new battery in less than 2 hours.  Car started up till yesterday, now I have no spark so I think the coil or magneto fried, however I do have power to the distributor ?  Could this be related?  Chiltons on the way...