The New York herald., 1871-10-16
TuE DESTRUCTION OF esneaGS.


Fourth Univcrsa,ist Gl,uroh--scrmsn ny Dr.
Chaplin.
Long before tho hour had arrived for the service
TO commence In Dr. Chapins church yesterday fora.
noon every seat was filed with worshippers, while
the vcstibule and aisles contained quite as many
more as could conveniently find standing room.
The reverend Doctor preached on ihe all-abs0rbing
question OF the hOurtne burning or lair Chicago.
HIS text selected from the First EpisIe to the
Corinthians third chspter ana portion OF the tnir-
ieenth verse-"And The fire shall trJ every mans
work, OF what sort II iS.n
The theme. he SAID, In nearly every church
throughout the land VIII to-day be Tie same. And
1T should be. Tor any man wo occupio, pulpit and
remains silent upon
AN OCCASION LIKE THIS
Is false TO his duty 10 Goa and to humlay. There
are times OF c0mm0tion and disorder when the pub
pit shonld remain Silent regarding it, for In treating
OF IL little good aud u vast deal OF injury may 20
done; but this Is not one OF those occasions. Here
we have hundreds upon hundreds OF families LETT
completely destitute. their homes gone and they
themselves without even clothes TO cover their
hacks. No; the preacher, he sa,d, cannot escape
this lie has not chosen the subject; /. has been
forced upon MIN.
History, the Doctor said, records row fires like
this one has been. and certainly our conhtry mas
never known its equal ctry OF unbounded nc.
tivIty ana enterprise, connected commercially with
the whole world, and which was but yesterday, as
1t were In the enjoyment OF every blessing or civil
zatl0n, has been reduced In few hours 10 heap
OF sm0uderinx ruins. Chicago, more than any
other city in The country, was American-was ty-
plcal OF what we are as nation. IL was in no way
bound by colonial ties to the 'od counry," but was
cliy
BUILT SOLELY gY AMERICAN ENTERPRISE
ana American capital, aad for this and many other
reasons We TOOK no lncOnstderabe amount ol pride
IN her. II was bound IN ono way or another TO
the IRE burned Chicago 1t was felt almost like rre
sweeping our own hearthsiones.
In speaking Of the lessons taught by the dreadful
calamity the reverend speaker said that the very
text from which he was speaking was suggested by
the burning Of the great city OF Cornh. This text
meant that all good tnings would survive FIRE, and
from nus fact he Judged Chicago was
the dreadful plow thar has been aimed at
her. Fire. as has been truly said, Is lie best oil SER
spare something-,nay give up its dead by the
washing Of the waves; the tornado will not destroy
an. the demon i @ amnih,iates. destroys, consumes
and bIackens az IL spares nothing OF human lie
when perchsnce anything may abide TT it-recoyers
from lit Is essentially good.
Man is often heard congra.uating himself upon
his
CONQUEST OF NATURE
Conquests, forsOoth lie has never conquered
aught Of nature, nor will he. He may tniuk Tor a
tune that he has gained the mastery, but only Tor
time. for soon she asserts herself again, and, in
and, a. we iiinA substantial wnarves, docks.
warehouses ships and the like, and almost ere
we know 1t, the mighty Atlantic heayes forth
n huge tidal wave, and all, everything Is gone.
some hoard up wealth. They say, An have IL
now; Will invest my money III real estate. III land
solid land-and tnen know it Will be safe. Do
you ASK the astronomer about 1t and he viii
quickly tell you that the sun-that great blazing
Sysr5sss IasSS any ny Sar 81 s SS b s LUZ
as sDeck OF vap0r Ill red hot furnace.
This calamity teaches us better how 10 appreciate
the value Ol our means OF communication and re-
licf-thc railroads anu the telegraph. Why these
hundreds OF roads which checker our broad laud.
ana, In tact, every other land but enerls Of
rove and sympathy, binding us closer together IN
common brotherhood. We see ou wires flashing
messages o rei,ei and Joy, ana railways has.
tening Win TIE giils of charity to the stricken
community. they are indeed
HIGHWAYS TO Con.
And the fire has, TOO, brought ont oh. 80 Iauch of
good. ID has. too. brought forth some OF the lie
based elements OF humanity; nut, tnank God, not IN
so great degree as one at first ieareL
such an example OF Caristian charity
For one, he felt axe kneellmg down and thanking
God Tor so much good IL nulnanity. But wiiie
much haa been done there was si much more
needed. Lei one think that enough relief has
already been extended, bat let all give, ana that
freely.
The speaker alluded IN mos. pathetic terms to the
thousands Of destitute families who. few days ago.
knew not what IL was to want; TO the poor little
chiarcn who are today pattcring With bare feet
amid the runs of their homes. and called upon lis
congregation 10 give bountifuliy. This call was IN
deed, most literally responded 10, for The four
large contribution boxes wnicn were passed We're
literally filed 10 overfowing with the offerings, the
greater portion oi which was In large bills