The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
FoR TIE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE BROOKLYN CALAMITY.

Brooklyn on the evening of December 9th
by which one of its splendid theatres wa
wrapped in flames during the progress OF
popular play, and hundreds of victims wer
trsmpled to death beneath the feet OF tn
panic stricken multitude, or stiAed in tn
dense smoke and consumed by the flames
has sent a thrill of horror through the land
The appalling magnitude of the disaster BY
which more than three hundred souls were
suddenly swept into eternity, makes the sub
ject one upon which our thoughts may very
properly dwell, and were it not for the In
tense strain upon the public mind by reason
of the present abnormal and alarming con
dition of national affairs, it would be impOs
sible to divert attention from a calamity
which has plunged so many households into
bereavement, and spread it's pail over SO
many hearts.
And yet even in the midst of the excite.
ment, the cOmmotion, the anxious suspense,
whilst all true patriots watch the Pickering
of the lamp of constitutional liberty, and are
in momentary dread lest it go out in the
chOke-dsmp of military usurpatiOn, may it
not be well for US to turn aside for moment
and study the lessons of Gods providence in
this awful calamity. Let US then first of all
carefully guard against interpreting this dis
aster as an evidence that those who perished
by it were sinners above their fellow-men,
and that they incurred this sudden and aw-
ful fate as a special judgment because of fla
grant sin. Sinners they were, else they had
never suffered for only sinners suffer under
the government of a righteous God. But
they were not necessarily greater sinners
than We or others who might justly suffer
similar penalty. Some of them, we may
even hope, were true Christians, for although
the theatre is sssuredly no place for the dis
ciples of Christ, and most of those protesting
Christians who habitually attend theatres
must, even in the judgment of Christian
charity, be regarded as Christians only in
name, yet as even good people do through
mistaken motives occasionally attend these
places of popular dissipation, We may hope
that some of those who perished in the flames,
were prepared for that eternity into which
they were hurried, and out of the fires of the
burning theatre found door open into the
kingdom of heaven.
We may not therefore conclude solely from
that one fact that all were lost who perished
there, or that any were lost. And as the
question arises, what then may We conclude?
we answer. In so far as they are concerned
who perished in the Brooklyn Theatre, moth
ing at all. We have no judgments to pro-
nounce, no conclusions to draw. They are
in the hands of One who hath done ano will
do all things right.
But as to ourselves we have many conclu'
sions to draw, to only one or two of which
We can allude. In the first place, as the fol-
lowers of Christ We ought never to be found
in any place, or in the midst of any asSocia
tions in which we would not be willing for
our Lord to come and find US. This is 8
very good rule in reference to all the vexed
questions of popular smusementS. Would
they be of kind to which could welcome
my Lord, and on which He would smile !
Those who went to the Brooklyn Theatre
that night did not expect to meet their Lord
there, and yet there many did. We doubt
if the entertainment was of such character
as could meet His eye. We know that when
Christians are found at the Black Crook,
and other similar plays, they are where it
would mantle their faces with shame for the
Lord to find them. cat such an hour as
ye think not the Son of man cometh." If
you would be ashamed to die in theatre,
then ReUer go there.
0ne other conclusion is that of our Lord,
when told of those whose blood Plate had
mingled with their sacrifices; Except ye
repent, ye shall all likewise perish" Let US
remember that the very circumstances which
seem to US so appalling in these sudden and
terrible calamities, will be realized in us if
we refuse to repent of our sins, are daily
realized in the death of those who pass into
eternity in impenitence, and hardness of
heart. Death when it comes to them, wheth-
er by violence, by disease, or by natural de-
cay, comes atlast with startling suddenness
that surprises and oYerwhelms them. 1t
comes as Gods awful messenger to summon
them to judgment, it comes to hurry them to
destruction more awful than that of Plate s
sacrilegious sword, or Siloam'S falling tower,
or BrOoklyn's burning theatre. These man
gle and dis6gure the body from which they
have pressed out the life. That involves
both body and soul in deathlesS destruction
from which the falling tower or the cOnsum-
ing fame wOald be happy release.
FOB THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
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