, 1889-08-15
Is GOD GUILTY?
He Is Arraigned on the Grave Charge
OF Incepdinrism.

TIC II afrhigheu on the Grave tnarRo
OF Incepdiarism.
A few days ago an exchange that is
usually very sensible advanced the idea
that the burning of Spokane Falls was q
visitation from on high a u punishment
for the city's wickedness The same
theory has been promulgated by others,
and has excited considerable interest,
and yesterday the REVIEW received the
following:
A WARNING.
There standeth One among YOU whom ye
know not
This is solemn fact. 1t warns us,
and yet 1t comforts us, Some of US know
Him, some perhaps do not only bear
this In mind--that whether we know
Him or not, He Is standing among us
we cannot, if we would, drive him away
He is always near us, ready, If we ask
Him, with His great might to help us,
and while we looked IN pride on our
beautiful city, whose magnificent build.
inps had in n short space of time sprung
up as by magic, IA Hand that we did not
see lit the torch to every one, until only
q blackened ruin met our gaze. And
when the last. handsome structure was
ablaZe, the wind suddenly changed, so
as to save the dwellings and the hospi-
tai the home of the sick and afflicted.
While we were saying, "Our beautiful
city, our beautiful city that we have
built" even while the words were on
our lips, did not the same voice that
spake TO the king of old say TO US, Your
city is in ruins2' And, though with
almost superhuman energy we have
profit by the lesson, and acknowledge
the hand of the Most High and be
guided by His precepts, building city
a fit place for the dwelling of His Holt
ness3 five heed not, His hand will be
laid upon us until 1--WE shall know that
the Most High ruleth in the kingdom OF
men, and giveth it to whomsoever, he
will" NJ.
4 LIBERAL METHODIST
Rev. A. G.. Wilson, pastor Of the First
Methodist Episcopal church, of this
morning on "The Situation, from d
Preachers Standpoint" He took &
broad and liberal view that the common
sense public will endorse. In answer tC
the idea that some people entertained
that the fire was u Judgment Oh the city
for its wickedness, he said:
"God is not an incendiary. If all the
blasphemies ever uttered in all the
saloons of this city could be con.
not be as as blasphemous as the
idea that God fired this city. 1 dc
not believe in such special providences
No miraculous interposti0n started OF
could have averted this fire. If there
are such things as miracles, they do not
operate outside of natural laws. If We
have from incompetency or otherwise
allowed our pumps to afford a
pressure no greater than that
of a squirt gun to quench Q
flaming city, II is then Gods will that
the city should burn. If We are wei
prepared to meet a conilagration, IL will
probably be Gods will that that the
city should not burn. We should now
| let two prayers ascend--one to the cite:
of the East for men and money to re-
build our city, and the other to God fol
grit and grace to help ourselves out o.
this disaster"
REV. C. b. CRAWFORD,
rector of All Saints Episcopal church
| in his sermon, took broadly optimistic
view of the calamity. He could SEE
Gods saving hand throughout, True
the city had suffered dire calamity anC
much of it is in ruins, but it was con
| fine to the business quarter of the city
and Is q loss mainly in property anC
money, which can be replaced. It de
stroyed the business houses and saved
the homes. No homes have been mad,
desolate and the loss of life was proW
dentially small. Had the fire swep
through even Shantytown the suffering
would have been incomparably create
and there would have been losses, which
while insignificant in our eyes, woulC
have been great to those afflicted, be
cause they would have lost their all
He could see abundant reason to be pro
ioundly thankful for what had beel
saved from destruction,