The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-16
SERMONS ON THE FIRE.

Rev. j. s. Jenckes's Discourse at st. Pauls
Church Yesterday Morning.
1.-THE Great Indianapolis Fire" was the sub
ject of Rev. j. S. Jenckess sermon at st. Pauls
Episcopal Church yesterday morning. A very
large congregation present and the dis
course was listened to with much interest. He
selected as his test:
And it shall come to pass when bring cloud
over the arth the bow shall be in the cloud"
Gen. XII, Id.
1--WE learn then, from our text" said DR..
Jenckes shat clouds will sometimes come over
the earth. Dark and sombre they rise at
intervals upon the horizon OF both our
material and our spiritual vision. Some
times like the one Elijah ssw from
Mount Carmel. larger at first than a
mans hand, they rise. and swell, and spread
their heecy folds toward the zenith, obscurine
the light of the MONDAY sun or plotting out the
stars of heaven. Surcharged with electric forces
they herald their coming by flashing lightning
and deep-toned thunder They burst upon
the products of the earth and the hab-
itations of Again. they as
the blessed harbingers of good, scattering
benedictions in the gentle rain from heaven
and filling all nature with joy and laughter.
But whether they come in judgment in
mercy. whether in power or in mlldness they
often visit this mundane sphere either slowly
swiftly. either warning of their approach ap-
preaching without warming.
EARLY yesterday morning one broke upon our
vision in ylis goodly city. 1t lighted up
the sky with its lurid glare, for like the one
which led the Israelites from Egypt, it
pillar of fire by night and of a cloud by day.
Dark and threatning. it spread its arms aloft
and threatened with destruction most i'm
portant commercial interests. 1t fastened it's
merry fangs upon valuable business structures
and greedily licked up the denominations of
enterprise. and industry, and thrift. 1t
damaged seriously full score of
our leading citizens. and turned ont of their
mi Vlnfn ,.1~.I
operatives and clerks. A million of dollars
would not repair all damages and insure against
all losses Merchandise of all sorts. and in
great quantities.. was destroyed. Accounts and
correspondence of great value were lost
and cannot be replaced. Safes. 9TH
their treasured contents, were found
upon trial not to be fre.proof. Ensaeeme sns
entered into in good faith before the fire must
be Cancelled from dire necessity after it, And
valuable buildings in the heart OF our busy
ton must entail upon the large
OUTLAWS to replace them, and involve
much valuable time in their restora-
ton and iuconvenience from their absence.
SO it is obvious us all. from this hasty account
of stock, that the loss has been great and wide
spread through The coming OF this cloud over
our part of the earth.
but let us notice that it is God who sends
these clouds And it shall come to
pass, when 1 bring a cloud upon the
earth All clouds then, as well as all
tnully here are wa taught His providence. And
this Is a lesson We need TO learn over and over
again IL IS so easy TO forget or to neglect It.
30 many other things are constantly thrusting
themselves between God and us that we are apt
TO give them the precedence. and 20 put Him
into the back ground Let us rather keep
In mind that it is to Him
We are indebted for everything;
Tor each breath OF air which prolongs our lives;
Tor every beam OF sunshine that falls hwart
our paths; for food, and clothing. and shelter;
for the pleasures of memory and of hope; for
the delights OF society. and friendship, and loves
Tor moral, and spiritual, and asthetical pleas
ures, as well as physical and intellectual Even
Tor the clouds, as well for the sunshine, are |
we debtors to God.
was this late cloud which has cast its tenn
porary shadow over the result OF accidenif |
lt was God who allowed the accident TO occur. |
Wast caused by careIessnessl God, in His in
scrutable providence. permitted the careless
ness or man 10 work out His mysterious /