The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-12-25
The Brooklyn Disaster.

Nearly all the cltrgymen OF New
York and Brooklyn have preached ser.
mons on the theater disaster. Rev.
Henry Ward Becchcr's discourse is thus
noted: The speaker began by saying
that the subject Of the memorial had al.
ready been well illustrated, and he would
conhne himself to the lessons suggested
by he occasion. Ho said: This is q
changeful life and n changeful world.
Every moment tho sunlight breaks
afresh in some portion Of the earth, and
Il is morning there. Every moment tho
shadow creeps over another portion, and
it is night. And SO the lines Of light
md shade chase one another in constant
effort, but never come together. Men
arc born to die, and death is just as
natural rs liio. It is Just ms much tho
duty OF the earth TO rid itself OF its pop
uIation Us it is to add thereto. There
is place for grief over this great loss in
tho household md in the hearts OF all.
But this public place is for honor TO the
dead, remembrance Of their virtues and
lessons for the living. There is no good
for us to do them now. VIA. to them
arc these services Of ours, they WHO
stand III the eternity Of their existence5
These are strange actors on this stage
to-day. It is place for amusement
rather than tragedy. Such another was
filed few evenings ago with people
who sought to pass away an hour in
careless mirth. The actors strove to
win their pleasure, when suddenly tho
gaunt form Of fiery demon trod before
their afIrightod gaEO. We know what
followed, and wo have grieyed over the
terrible calamity.
But already the fountains Of our tears
arc dried or drying. Griei is for tho
moment, joy for the hour and tho year.
We cannot BY circumstance and demon
stration long maintain n public grief,
and while it is fresh and tender lot us
embody 1t ilttingly. My heart has no
blanc for the proprietors or tho build
ers OF tho theater that has been do.
sLroyed. They erected it according to
tho best knowledge they possessed ut
tho time, and put into Il the best ma.
terial they could. They were not know.
ugly at fault, aud it is for us To. learn q
lesson from. the disaster. My friends
speak OF what facilities for cgress might
have been and should hare been. Bot
I tell you II you we're 10 put 1000 u On
in the open prairie md create n panic
among them they vii! trRmplo ono Ill.
other under foot. You might make
every window OF u tLGatcr n door, looff
up the very walls themselves, tell the
people to fly from The scene Of danger,
yet there will surely be destruction.
Mon under such circumstances arc AMI.
mails, and you can no moro reason with
them thap you can stop n rushing herd
Of bntfaloes by reading them the fen
commandments. III such cxcitements
all Ruch e1citements all human irlu-
Cnces ItO lost.
We can do much, but we cannot do
everything. There oughtin this calamity
to DO lesson to every proprietor and
every architect in the land. Whatever
improvements may DO made to prevent
n recurrence OF such disasters should
certainly DO done. There is q great
charity also hero to be performed. I
know how lavishly men give under first
impulses, md I say to you whatever you
are going to do in the way Of funds do 1t
quickly. These stricken mothers and
these groups OF orphans have enough to
bear in their grief without suffering also
the pangs Of want. Let lis nelp them
literally in their great sorrow. Let us
adopt them, not rs paupers, but as our
brothers mud our sisters. OF those
hero who have lost relatives or friends
in this disaster let me ask Is there
anything you would have corrected and
made right with them had you known
VIVA. was to befall tbemf The dead wo
cannot reach, but here are still tho liv.
ing among us. Nothingin our life is
certain aud regular. We arc living in q
great camp, and when tue buglc sounds
every man must be ready to go out.