Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-05-05
LOCAL NEWS.
Humiliation and Prayer.

A'0Nei SiuCe AleSdtlUIla WAS CITY udS d Vi
OF public humiliation and prayer been so gen
rally observed within its Limits as was yeste
day. Business of all kiads was almost entire
suspended, and the day in all respects wore Il
appearance of Sunday. L1ree congregation
attended the churches, and tho innumerabl
prayers that assembled to the Throne OF Ora,
for the souls Of the departed ard the bodies
the sufferers We're the sincere offeringa
mournful and sympathetic hearts
The following is 8 brief account Of the iii
courses delivered in the different churches
The city:
CHRIST CHURCH.
Rev. MIR. Mckim preached
Tex. Lam iii 40.--"Lot us search and tl
our ways and turn again to the Lord.
Virginia sits t. day in ssckclo,h and ashes
Nor does she weep alone. Her sister States unit
in synpathizing SORROW. All eyes are turne,
to Richmond, and she, Inflated city, sends VI
to Heaven one prolonged wall oi woe! Neye
might she with more propricty than now bs
called the NloCe OF cities. This profound
impression is produced by the appalling charac
Ter and unexamplcd horror Of the disaster, moi
by the numbers killed anl wounded. (Tht
speaker here described the scene, the horrible
darkness, the una7alug struggles for breath,
the cries and gr0ans, the tears an1 PRAYERS Of
the victims.
Our duty to day is to point out the lessons
ui this dreadful event. Before doing so observe
that calamities which behalf others are not to
be interpreted as judgments upon them but as
warnings to oursclyes-see Luke K iii. ).
Three great lessons to be learoed at the ruins
vi the Capitol, % lesson OF Gods special Provi
dence, lesson OF torbsarance and charity, and
y lesson OF Repentance toward God"
The finger OF God as plainly manifest in that
court room as at BelchazZars feast, and it re.
qnires Mcdaniel to read its warnings. The voice
uf the lnfde and The D1st is huShed at such
quake which shook the prison at Phiiippi, and
brought the jaiIor to bis knees, this calamity
made all Ieel that God was near; all prayed
then. None blasphemed, and none have since
questioned the wisdom or justice OF God. lThe
speaker here called attention TO the many
specla rroeidentis dellverances which have
been noted; zone taken, and another lefty
"A less u OF torbearauc. and brotherly love. -
This so plaioly written as with the toger OF
God on the dismantled walls OF the Capitol,
that the press and public men of Virginia, as
with one voice, have observed 1t.
just before the crash came what scene of
strife and bitterness; a moment after and all
differences forgotten; all brothers then. How
petty and contemplate then appeared the con-
trover>y. How petty all our quarrels and ambi
lions, &c, will appear in the infinitely more
fearful crash of dissolving universe.
One more lesson. Be ye therefore ready
also, for the son Of man cometh at an hour
when ye think not" See the awful result
of petty quarrel; hundreds wounded and
dying; broken hearts; sorrow and woe
over whole state; the cry OF the widow the
val! of the orphan. 1t is symbol OF the more
terrible consequences of Gin. The suddenness
OF this calamity should warn men to prepare
to meet their God. One weak place 10 the
!lJor caused the disaster Sin is the one weak
place 10 the foundation OF impenitent men. Ii
It is not repented Of, it will prccipitate you 10
the pit Of endless woe. Teirlbie was that crash
but more terrible will be the crash OF pershing
world. Horrible that darkness, but more hor:
rlble still the blackness Of darkness forever.
Narrowing those cries for air and light, but
more 90 the lamcntation of the wicked. The
harvest is passed, the summer IS ended, and
am not saved.
ST. PAUL's CHURCH.
At St. Paul's Church the services were I'M
pressivc, the congregation large. and ell hearts
seemed bowed with the solemnity of the day.
The Anthem "of the burial service was
sung instead of the psaler. The psalm and
hymn were appropriately selected, and render.
cd by the choir in manner worthy or the occa-
sion and few can forget the hymn, Asleep IN
Jesus" which fell upon the ear like musical
echoes from the other world.
Rev. Mr.. Norton preached:
The text was Eccleslastes Vii. part l4th
verse. The Rector, With great solemnlty and
earoestness Of manner, said Amid the gloom
which covers US to day comes one ray OF lght,
10 the fact that all hearts throughout our COM
monwealth are bowed down before the throne
Of Jehovah in acknowledgment OF His SOY;
ereipnty: and all voices through the press and
putlic addresses confess Divine and SPECIAL
Providence. Doubtless, IN every congregation
to-day, there are some to whom the lessons OF
this great calamity come home With peculiar
power Certainly such Is our case. 1here are
those here to testify With thanSfalness That,
by what the world calls narrow chance, but
what themselves feel 10 be the mercy OF God,
they were saved from share IN this disaster.
There are others here who have come to &C
knowledge that Divine hand which snatched
them from the jaws OF death; themselves
shared while those on their right and lett per-
ishcd. We feel deeply too. because OF one who
IS not here this morning, and whose place
would have been here as y COMMUNICATE and
vestryman of this church. (AIluding to the late
I. A. Brewis,) :,
The speaker then spoke briefly OF the we'll
known character OF the deceased, but was pre-
vented from proceeding by feeling, lnWhich tho
congregation sympathised. liza,
The lessons to be learned from this dispen'
u,,;on ~ Cod were referred to; and in conolu-
SION the congregation was invited to send not an
empty message, but token OF sympathy 10
LUG Alter the sermon collection was made Tor
,hs benefit OF the sufferers, and $500 taken up.
lsT PRESBYTERIAN.
The Rev. Mr.. McAtee preached from Luke
l3 |, 5.
There were present at that season some
that told him of tho GallSeans, whose o'ood