The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-16
ChIcago's Fiery Trial- Eloquent Sermons an
Noble Responses.

ChIcago's Fiery Trinl-Eloaucnt Sermons and
Noble Responses.
Never before in the history Of the world
was there manifested 80 grandly and so glo-
riously the oneness of the human family as it
has been during the past few days. And
never has Christianity doomed up 80 divine
and SO rich in its sympathies and in Its
consultations as just at this time. One
sentiment alone animates every heart and
one response alone is made to every appeal.
There is no need to s'dun" men for subscrip-
tions for Chicago sufferers, for young and old,
rich and poor alike are ready to give the
moment they are appraised that some one will
undertake to transmit their gifts to those for
whom they are intended. This outburst Of
Christian sympathy has no parallel save in
that outburst of patriotism which this nation
presented to the world in 1861. And the
sympathy of the nation is even deeper and
stronger than its patriotism.
In other columns of the HERALD to- day will be
found the stirring appeals of q score or more
of the pastors of this city and vicinity in be-
half Of those who have SO recently come out of
the burning, fiery furnace, heated, as 1t was,
seven times hotter than 1t was wont to be.
The noble response of the several congregations
to those appeals will also be read with in
terest. Well, indeed, might the eloquent pastor
Of Plymouth church declare yesterday, to his
three thousand hearers, s'that the sight
Of SO much nobility and unselishness
would transcend in value all the
loss" The lessons Of wisdom and of trust, of
sympathy and Of unity which this terrible dis
aster teaches were pointedly revealed in Mr..
Beecher's discourse. emo man stands alone,
much less community. This great disaster
is revelation of the structure and function of
cities. They are the heads of the great body
they express the life Of the nation. Chi
cago is blotted out, but every village in
the land feels the flash of that fame
Its secret threads, its nerves, extend
in multitudinous directions There is scarcely
a city on the globe but had some of the roots
of Chicago in it. When men find themselves
to-day poor and tomorrow rise up, elate and
inspired, the manhood they exhibit makes the
WuOiO WOIiu AlSIs w uCu q WuOlC COUiuuully
in the midst Of this rain Of fire stand up brave
and strong the exhibition is Of incalculable
benefit to the whole human race" Never were
truer words uttered, and the lesson of
this noble manhood will not fall UNDECIDED upon
the ears of humanity. The ashes of Chicago
to-day contain treasures richer than those
which the banks and warehouses contained be-
fore the fire, and those treasures are the COM
mon property of all mankind.
The Rev. DR.. Duryea struck the keynote of
permanent relief to which we should all
respond. The present necessity does not
represent all that will be required. A long
winter is approaching, and before even indif-
ferent shelter can be obtained or sufficient
clothing to keep away the cinching frost it
will be upon those poor sufferers. The nation
should remember this and not flag in it's noble
efforts for their relief. We would call special
attention to the organizations of Mr.. Beecher's
and DR.. Duryea's congregations for perma-
nent relief to the Congregational churches of
Chicago. Let our other churches systematic
and make peruauvuv ear.., IA --L--
present need is met the sufferers will not have
to cry out again for further aid, Let the
stream run on; the fountain is rich enough
and deep enough to supply all the wants Of
Chicago. The Rev. T. De Witt Talmage
made an eloquent appeal which was nobly
responded to.
In onr own city there was something beau
tiful in the encouraging and faithful view
which the pastors took Of the future of Chi
cage. Instead Of having lost everything DR..
Hepworth believes the people Of that city have
everything left. They have their future,
which will be more splendid than their past,
and they have an undaunted spirit and an
energy and enterprise which nothing can
appall. 1t is, after all, proud sight.
Those lusty men are not cast down.
What has been done can be done
again. And they have begun already. Talk
of the days of chivalry after this Why
shose olden times were boys play by the side
of these heroic years. And well, too, might
DR.. Chaplin remark that this fire had brought
out much of the good which is in man, and
triumphantly ask, when and where have we
seen such an example of Christian charity?
For one he said he felt like kneeling and
thanking God for so much good in humanity.
Yes, indeed but the good in us is manifested
in it's fulness only on such occasions as this.
There will be always found preachers who
look upon all such calamities as this as just
judgments from God for the sins Of the people.
One of these-Rev. DR.. Duncan, of the Gen.
trail Baptist church, Brooklyn-took just such
view. We most affectionately invite his
perusal of Rev. DR.. Ewer's sermon on this
very point. At such suggestion DR.. Ever
thinks that every man endowed with the
instincts Of humanity should start back
-, borror W. fhinL az ton And tho