Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-04-13
A SERMON TO THE FIREMEN.

Il is stated that the largest congregation for
hgions purposes that ever assembled within the
walls Of q building, in this country, were gathered
together at the Academy of Music, in New York, on
the night Of the 18th of March, to listen to sermon
to the fremen, from the Rev. W. P. CORBIr pastor
Of the Methodist Church
We append the concluding portion Of the sermon:
90 would you be wise, embrace the religion Of
Jesus Christi Would you be saved from the power
Of temptation with which you are surrounded, come
to my SaviOrl And when done with earth and time,
the clarion Of heaven will recOr your virtues, and
angel pencils paint them upon the rosy clouds Of an
unchanging sky But, gentlemen, you should en-
brace and be in terested in this great and glorious
work because of your peculiar dangers. IL IS said
Of the poor mariner that there is but plank be-
tween him and death. So your position is one of
extreme peril. You leave your stores in the day
time and your houses at the midnight hour and you
know not that you will ever live 70 them again
in this world. falling wall or a burnt of timber
may hurl you rushiDgly into the spirit world, and
nothing but your charred and blackened remains be
left to tell the noble but hOrrid death you died On
the night Of the 3rd of January, 1886, one Of the
coolest nights ever experienced upon this western
continent q fire broke out in the vicinity of Wall
street. Hour after hour the alarm waved on, aud
those who looked out Of their windows at the mid
night saw the clear frosty heavens rejecting in
brassy splendor New York's most awful conhsgra
ton. In the morning many of the worn out aud
exhausted fremen, faint, frozen, almost lifeless
were carried to their homes to die. Late IN the even
ing the fire laughing at all human efforts, and leap
ing from roof to roof communicated itself to build
ing that was supposed to be beyond the reach Of the
fiery elements and involved in flames before the
inmates Of the building had any idea Of their danger
Halfdressed and rushing from this house, came
family the cries and shreks and grOsns Of the poor
mother as they rose to heaven, told the multitude
that she had left her babe behind So one Of New
York's noblest fremeu: where is the baby =
- al h.
pointing to the tOpmost window Of the house. A
ladder had been placed against side Of the build
ing but owing to the rapdity Of the spread Of the
flames had been ordered removed. young man
flew upon the ladder, but jlst as he had entered
the window, q volume of smoke and then Of fame
rolled out from II. Now came another, and yet
more terrible volume of flame, declaring the awful
ruin that was working within, and the multitude
sent up shOnt that rent the heavens, He's lost
he's lOst' aud the poor mother sWOOned Insenslble
There Mr.. Corbt made a considerable pause All
was anxiety; every eye was on the window; then
came another shout that rent the shuddering stars
They ssW him at the window below, yet alive. \
ladder was reached to him, and calmly and quietly
the noble man descended, with a bundle on his arm.
Blackened, blesChed, Scared suHOcsted, with hair
and eyebrows all gone, he came down, and, unwind
ing and unwiuding he laid that little babe upon the
bosom Of lite inseusible mother, even without the
smell Of fire upon its garments. And while that
little lamb lay there, and with its infant cries
woke up that insensbie mother, the crowd that saw
that deed hurled up to heaven a shout such Amer
leans only know how to shout when they see such
deed performed as that But that man who virtually
gave his hte-mark, gentlemen-nOblC, glorious
almost God-like as was his deed-had he been
lost he would have been banished from God and
from the glory Of his power forever he was without
religion But suppose he had had an interest in the
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ then had he fallen he
would have rode to heaven in his IRE chariot. Here
then is reason why you should be engaged in this
divine cause. When you 60 out from your dear
mother, when you leave your sweet wife and
little babes asleep, and 60 at the sound Of the
alarm bell, you know not whether you will
ever return And now, when We ind men
eff all ranks engaged in this wOrk-merchauts
judges lawyers, men addicted to gambling and to
fighting the bravest Of the brave, and the weak aud
timorOus-win you not engage in it? o gentlemen
Of the Fire Department, l want you for my Master
You who would not allow a baby to burn to DEATH
will you manifest all this sympathy for the poor body
none for your own deathless souls
$50 much for suffering humanity, nothing for the
suffering Savior? Shall he bleed, and thirst, and
die in vain? Say, ye fathers, sons, brothers. Soon
the triumphs Of Christianity will place upon the
head Of Christ the crown of a redeemed world, and
will you add no jewel to it? By the love Of God,
by dying suffering Savior, by the mighty opera
lions Of the Holy Ghost, which are now shaking
this community from centre to circumference, by
the loved ones that have upheld their heads upon
the bosom Of Jesus. and bresthed their Lives out
sWestly thereof, the fearful retributiOns Of
coming eternity, ask you one and ell to engage In
this glOrious cause. Come to Jesus "
ELECTION OF ATTORNEY GENERAL We are IA
debted to our friend Whitmore editor of the Somer
vile Democrat, for the official vote Of Hardeman
county. This makes our returns complete, which
are as follows: