Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-17
MANY ABSENT ONES.
Schoolhouse Sermon in J0hnStoWn
Suburb, by the Bishop.
LISTENERS WITH SEEKING FACES.
Two Pathetic Pictures Out Of Many That
Night be Drawn.
BISHOP wHITEHEAD'S WORDS OF CHEER
rFnoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. !

was singular congregation in many re-
speets, Your correspondent was one of the
first to arrive.
One after another of the people came in;
the looks in their eyes were all of about the
same kind-not a vacant stare: no, all of
them appeared to have kind of searching
gaze,
The strong, robust, athletieally-built man
who gave you the idea of a loving and pro-
tecting father and husband, came in with
his head bowed and his gaze upon the floor.
Before he sat down he looked around at the
number of women who were already seated,
He seemed to be serutinizing every feature,
every contour of the countenances before
him. Then another more searching glance
from his anxious eyes swept over the assem-
bly,, and only then he sat down. He bowed
his head and buried his face in his hands.
His actions, his looks suggested his
thoughts; they were not hard to read; it
was one of the thousands of wifeless and
childless men from Johnstown, who had
lost his home, his all, in the great calamity
OF two weeks ago.
STILL SEEKING THEM.
While convinced that the chubby little
hands Of bis baby boy had been torn from
his loving embrace by the waters, while he
knew that the sweet, smiling face of his
wife had already been buried in yonder
cemetery on the hill, still that thought of
innate hope which is no more than step
child of despair, was yet within him, and
even in this temporary house of God. among
"a mi Of hie frio L. L.
had so often found his dearones, the thought
became once more strong within him, the
Pickering light of hope blazed once more
into fame, but only to be quenched again
more etfectually, when he did not find those
his heart yearned for
Then another life-and-death picture was
framed. A woman about 80 years of age,
with beautiful golden-haired boY by her
side (mother and SOM, came in. The woman
had evidently lost everything except her
child. She was dressed in a thin calico
skirt and a black bodice, and her outfit
looked much the worse for wear. An old
bonnet with few crushed flowers, covered
her head. The child's clothing was in a
similar condition; but, while the mothers
face showed the traces of sorrow plainly in
every line, the little boy looked with a
spirit of wonder and establishment at the
crowd within the sehoolhouse church.
Say, mamma" he spoke out, in his
childish voice, 81 wonder if papa and little
Alice are here? There are SO many people.
and think they must be. Let me look ?''
And with these words the small fellow
tore himself away, looked all around,
scanned the face of every man and peered
into the eyes of all the little ones in the
room. After while he turned back to his
mother, however, and the feeling of that
Little child, the disappointment which must
have hlled his heart, was reflected upon his
features, though 1t cannot be described.
THE sADDEsT SOMEWHERE.
81 can't find them, mamma he said
''Let's 60 and look somewhere else.''
Those were the few words telling the
volume of grief that even child s heart can
experience.
In the meantime all the seats were filled.
hymns were sung, and after that the bishop
ascended the little pulpit
MY dear friends, brethren and sisters.''
he commenced, II think I have now the
hardest task before me that ever pre-
sented itself to me in all nv expert
ence as minister of the gospel. But of one
thing you may be certain-I have not come
here to preach to you; for you this is not the
time to listen to a sermon. Still, 1 would
like to tell you good many things. 1 feel
q good many things which I should like to
express in this hour of your sorrow and
afhiction, and if l leave ANYTHING unsaid.
do not think 1 left it out Intentionally. / |
feel 1t all, but l dare not trust myself to say
1t all. Continuing, Bishop Whitehead |
said:
There was he, the Rev. A. P. DfIler. who |
formerly stood at the head of this parish who
was man loved well, and with whom came |
into closer contact than with most of the mas
tors in my diocese.
& IA \ |
calamity which has overcome you and its dis |
astrous and narrowing results there is one |
thlng winch has struck me very forcible, |
and this Is the fact that in spite of the greatest
afi1lcuons, the most terrible misfortunes one |
thing remains unshaken, and that is our mother |
church. She still remains, with all its mercy |
all its magnifcence. We can gather around |
her knees the same as ever, and If 1 come here |
70 bring you few words of comfort / cannot |
think Of saving anything more comforting than
that, in spite of all changes and TRANSFORMED |
tlon there IL remains, the one thing stable and |
The first line of the epistle on the Feast of |
Trinity, which we celebrate to-day saws that |
there are many doors of heaven Now IT is |
possible to look to heaven through many doors. |
some people always see storms and tempests |
ahead OF them.
SPEAKING PEACE TO THEM.
Do not look.to them: the Lord is not so much |
IN the storm and in the tempest as He is in the |
while thinking of the late visitation of dread
full bereavement believe it came to curse YOU.
and so respond by even swearing at God. Do
not think that He has sent such a thing in
wrath. Whatever He does He does it for
some purpose. But the Lord is in the calm,
and whatever He works, He has done it for |
your good. II you cannot see it now there
Will nevertheless come time when YOU will
see II, through the Lord Jesus Christ who has
Deen sent us by the Lord God.
10 not lose 1alth, above all things, neither in |
Zoo nor In the church. The loved ones who |
nave Oeen torn away from you are not beyond
your reach. Ask God to bless Won frboy |
are In the portal of glories awaiting tbem
They are there just as they were here Thav |
are there in peaceful congregation and I he |
lIeYe mat your beloved pastor is among them,
mlnlsterlng and talking to them Just as he used
70 do TO you, ana they are awaiting you all to he
together again for eyermore on the grand day
Of resurrection
The reverend gentleman sssaddress affected
his audience to tears-tears which eased
pain, for no one had, perhaps, talked to
them so hopefully and cheeringly since the
food. A sigh of reinsurance came from |
many sorrowing heart; and, when the
Bishop invited them to step forward and
partake OF the sacrament, the walk of the
men seemed to be firm and that of the
women more elastic and buoyant.
In the afternoon the Bishop made ar
to hire Henry Georges hall, on
Main street, wherein services will be held
hereafter every Sunday. Rev. Mr. Bragdon
will take charge of the congregation.
HEINRICHs.
THE POTTERY CITY'S NOBLE WORK.
Six Thousand Dollars Worth of Supplies
AI-,o1w Gouf Fran Pee Tt-,--Y