Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-06

! the latter day Nation shall rise against
nation, Kingdom against Kingdom, ana
there shall be famines and pestllences
and earthquakes in divers places. a j.
these are the beginnings of sorroWs.'
! 'Aud wnen these things begin TO come to
pass, then look up and iiftup your heads;
/ Tor your redemption drawetn nlgn'' "
SECURITY IN GOD.
Rev. j. z. Wardlaw filled the pulpit OF
! Trinity Methodist church. He spoke
! from Matthew xvii, 81: "NOw, when
the centurion aud they that were with
him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake
and those things that were done they
/ feared greatly, saving, Truly, this was
the Son of God.'" From those words The
speaker drew a lesson declaring that
though the earth may tremble and quake,
and the commissions of nature continue,
man will find security if he feels the pres
ence OF the Son of God. When these won
derful supernatural exhibitions are re-
vealed let there be no fear, for Christ can
save to the uttermost. During the ser
yic9 the congregation kept one eye on the
chandelier. Toward the close OF the SER
mon 1t began to sway, and although there
was no perceptible tremor it was clear
there had been wave. Before the sac
rament was administered collection was
taken up Tor the poor.
A TERRIBLE PHENOMENON.
There wasn no regular sermon at Wesley
Monumental church yesterday morning.
II was the regular communion day, and
the pastor, Rev. w. G. Lovett, announced
that there would be no regular sermon
until night, when he would preach upon
lessons drawn from the recent terrible
visitation of earthquake. He read the
18Th chapter Of 1st Kings, telling about
the visitation of the earthquake upon
Elijah, as an aid in carrying out the Di-
vine will in reference TO him.
The announcement that the sermon
would be especially devoted to the earth
quake brought out quite a crowd to the
evening service.
The pastor read the first chapter of the
Prophecy of Nahum as his text: II have
no desire" he said, Ito be sensational, but
this most awe~insplringeVentd demands our
serious attention. An earthquake is the
most terrible phenomenon in nature. 1t
is more destructive than fire, for fire de-
stroys not the foundation upon which we
stand; more cruel than conquer, or for 1t
leaves not wall standing; more selfish
than the sea, for IL gives not back the dead
which it swallows up. These gr0ans aud
means Of our mother earth 10 but the ex-
preston of the agony OF mothers heart
over the sin and wickedness which has
become so common among her children"
THE EARTH TREMBLED.
He then made a touching allusiOn to the
trembling of the earth at the time of the
crucitXion of Jesus, and of how much
we should be impressed at this time,
as there is to be great earthquake at
the time Of the day OF judgment.
"Many men," he said, "nave changed
since Tuesday night. Many have been
n mo Fffhf n
the All.pOwerful one as they never
thought before. And yet how many have
disregarded this awful warning. heard
a man telling OF his experience in the
first great shock OF Tuesday night not
five minutes afterwards, and with every
breath he would prOfane the name Of his
Maker. God help such a man. A man
who is a sinner after the Divine nantes
tations OF the past week is sure of an
awful judgment"
An invitation TO kneel around the altar
was then extended to those who had been
awakened to their sins, and was accepted
by quite number. The entire service
was very impressive.
LESSONS FROM THE EARTHQUAKE.
lessons from the Earthquake" was
the theme OF Rev. W. E. Baker at the In
dependent Presbyterian church last
that the people were able to be present
and worship in the house of God while
their sister city is so stricken and cast
down. He also implored protection for
this city. His text, too, was from Mat
thew xvii. "a:
Now the Centurian and they that were
with him watching Jesus saw the earth
quake and those things that were done,
they feared greatly, saying, truly this
was the Son Of God"
That even the reckless leader of the
crucifixiOn should be afraid does not seem
strange in view of the occur.
renee OF the past week." the
speaker hogan. "Certainly nothing seems
more terrible than to feel the foundations
giving way, as though we were about tC
be swallowed up. 1T feels too near eter.
nifty. In studying the text we first have
the earthquake as an antidote TO inf
deity. No doubt it was the only suited
on that occasion.
TIMES OF DANGER.
''The Almighty has always had his earth
quakes and has always used them wner
1t seemed necessary. In safety men may
speculate. but they never doubt in tire o
danger. We have just seen the spectacle
of whole population recognizing the
hand of God. Last Tuesday night there
was not an infidel IN the city. There may
ne 800 now. II they see a God when tbeiI
eyes are thus occasionally opened, ther
there must be God. Men may prolonQ
their arguments when they feel secure
but they shrink when they see the walls
shaking and threatening to tOpple. Lei
us all, then, acknowledge that there is 8
God who ruleth the earth.
Earthquakes, we may be sure. are sem
| to promote Gods cause and TO convert
mems souls. They are ordered either IL
| Judgment or mercy. as the case NAV re
| quire. The one spoken OF In the Scripture
was a protest sent by the Almighty
| Long before one mad been predicted tol
! Jerusalem on account of her sins. Judg
ment is by no means postponed until the
| end of the world, rs we learn from tht
| Scriptures, where the carcass is there
will the birds be also' Drunkenness
| profanity, Righteousness do provoke lhC
| judgment OF God on community. Coo
| is God that taketh vengeance. Wha
| sort OF a moral ruler would He be if II,
| permitted iniquity to revel on our streets
/ and IN our halls. Such manifestation
is a Judgment that reaches the infde
newspapers and non.church goers.
AN EARTHQUAKE OF MERCY.
San earthquake " an earthquake O
mercy 10 all whom 1t bringeth TO repent
ance. Is not His goodness displayed II
| the few that have been injuredi A mighty
force was unclaimed, but before II haC
time TO destroy, the hand Of the Almight,
was upon 1t. A little neglect on tho par
OF our Heavenly Father, few seconds