National Republican., 1886-09-14
blessings In DIspuise,

Nothing but q deplorabe shallowness of
brain aud heart can account for the sugar
coating to the earthquake pill now being
so largely dealt out from various pulpits.
II one-hundred-thousan part OF what is
said be true either Charleston Is the wick
cdest city on earth, or the Deity plays fast
and loose with natural laws and sends
"shaker-up" to Charleston as a sportive
method Of calling the remnant OF the United
States to consciousness Of their depravity.
Charleston is, We guess, not much worse
than other cities Of the same size, or better
except In the matter Of earthquakes, aud
repetition of the Egyptian plaques. Bat
what an incOrnate flend the monster must
be whom peoples vulgar imagInatlons
coDiure up as capable Of voluntarily visit
ing city packed with human creatures
made after the supposed image OF the
Creator, and wrealilng vengeance on women
and children In South Carolina In order that
the inhabitants Of New York, Dakota, and
Nova Scotia, along with the governor OF
Texas and the special envoy to Mexico, may
be induced to bring their headlong careers
to halt
enough, but II is adamautine strength as
compared with the logic OF the premises,
which are generally as much wanting in
sense as they are deficient in religious feel.
ing or accurate knowledge. For instance,
one gifted representative OF Jehovah
calmly said on Sunday: "While men know
little at present Of the nature or laws of
earthquakes, they could prepare for their
coming, as the laws OF cyclones and storms
were now fully developed" What neces.
sarv connection has been established be.
tween cyclones and earthquakes, except in
| the place furnishing an apology for q
mind of the learned theologian whom we
have quotedH But 1t is not enough to pre-
vent earthquakes by understanding cy-
clones. Our preacher graciOusly advances
to sea storms and shipwrecks, Just as De
Quincy shows that murder ought TO be
avoided generally, not because 1t is bad In
itself, but because eventually 1t may lead to
stealing, thenie to swearing and lazlness,
from which degradation the descent Is easy
TO the lowest depths OF Sabbath.breaking.
liearEcn to the voice of the wise man:
"With due care and the observance of WELL
known indications maritime disasters could
in very large degree be avoided" But
soft! Here comes the sovereign balm for
the wounds OF people who have lost their
friends, their wealth, aud health In the
Charleston catastrophe: "There were
owners or commanders Of vessels who haye
never lost q ship or life."
We don't envy the mind of any man who
could violate the Sabbath and his holy office
by such paltry platitudes which make us
only feel that II we had ever happened to
be In the position OF great first cause, aud
our Interpretations on earth took upon
Themselves the mystery Of things after this
fashion, we should be inclined to repeat the
unhallowed language of the mortal poet
1t is all very well to dlssemblc your love
But why did you kick me down stairs?
But the morality Is even more objection
able than the bclated intelligence mani
tested In this method of improving every
terrible occasion, pro bono publlco. In.
ttcGd Of telling the man In every walk Of
'ife who "putG sand in his sugar" that earth
quakcs are sent TO warn him, the true
preacher, not being an idiot, would say
"g h'tHVsi uVh tuoH anything uOOuJ
earthquakes. don't think they do them,
selves. But ] do know that all OF us who
are humbugs shall be punished, sooner or
later, by earthquake or otherwise, there.
fore don't put sand in your moral sugar,
and thcn let Old mother earth quake as much
as she pleasrs."
Like old Jim BluIso's friend, and the
competitors Of the Ncps anil Co,,ric, of
Char!efton, we'd like to get an opportunity
Of "taEin' our chance with jim" longslde
the Amy Of occasion improyers who lnl