St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-21
HEAVENS JUDGMENTS.
Lessons Drawn From the Recent
Cyclone CaIamities.

Cyclone Calamities.
Rev. William Wilkinson, in st. An
drew's church, yesterday morning, said,
when speaking from the text, s'Think
We that these were sinners above all the
sinners which dwell in Jerusalem? l
tell you nay; but except we repent ye
shall all likewise perish:" Two thou
sand years of experience has not been
enough to teach some people lessons of
wisdom and prudence it is needful to
learn, for in these days when any terri
BILE providence which destroys property
and life in a signal manner, if those
who lose or who die be engaged in a
business or at time they ought not, in
popular opinion it is at once set down
as a dire and sure judgment OF
God against such persons and things,
That God is still judge. no Christian
man will for an instant deny, but what
his judgments are and when they take
place wise men will not pronounce, and
certainly it is not the duty and cannot
be the pleasure of rightly educated per-
sons to smite the dead and wound the
living by judgments which can do no
good to the departed and which may do
much harm to those who are bowed
down with grief. Instead of taking up
that which does not belong to US and
which will be duly and properly at
tended to by the judge of all the earth.
who will In all cases judge righteous
judgment, with whom is mercy and
on whom is pleDte0us redemp-
ton, we have a simpler task,
a more profitable lesson is ours. AS
we look at the facts, which have DESC
lated many homes, and laid, in one lake
disaster, 100 of our fellows in the silence
of the grave, left their places vacant
and their friends in sorrow: we may see
that at all times pleasure and pain. the
pride of life and the humiliation of
death, are close neighbors. 1t is only
now and then, when some startling
calamity takes place, that this truth
yet 1t is every day and every hour
fact. There is but step between us
and death. A week since to-day 100
persons, of all ages and both sexes.
left home in high hope, bright
in the flush of health. Fathers
had left children. mothers their
children, and children their parents.
All looked for joy and safe return. The
end is known. In some cases they
brought back three in box, SO disfig
ured that those who knew them best
and who loved them most could not look
at them, and they had to be buried in
the dark. These calamities, too, show
us the degradation of human nature.
There has not been for years as large
loss of life by wind. weather, flood or
explosion. When the ghoul has not
appeared ready to rob the dead, on the
other hand. they show in calm, strong
light what heroic nobleness is at all
times latent in manly breasts only wait
ing for the opportunity to be
present to show Itself in deeds which
are glory to our humanity. Two men
two men on this Inflated day found
themselves in the water. One could have
saved himself: he did not try; he saw
his friend, who could not swim, to him
he turned, only to lay down his own
life in the struggle. This is indeed
heroic. One young man. in boat with
an old man to help him, saved thirteen
lives. Words cannot portray the
service ofathoSe encamped on the lake
shores. No thought of case, self or re-
ward, but how to aid and help and
bless. If it be true, as it is true, that
no deed of holy service is forgotten of
God. these men have rich blessings
ours to remember, that to us death
for us so to live that when
it does come it finds us ready both in
time and place, and, however men
live, that, speaking in general terms,
when they come to die they turn to re-
ligion for strength and comfort, no mat
ter what their practice in life. 1t was
remarked by man who was saved from
the Sea Wing, Il never heard such
praying as on that boat" And let us
believe it was heard and answered. for
the inspired word says Christ
heard man on the cross and granted
the prayer. Those who at Red Wing
heard the services for the burial of the
dead will never. long as life lasts, forget
the solemn scenes, or the strikingly APP
propriate words of the Office. Thou
turnest man to destruction. A thousand
years in Thy sight are buta yesterday.
Out of the deep have | called unto
Thee, o Lord. Lord, hear my voice.
With the Lord there is mercy that He
may be feared" The Eternal came
near. the present appeared very unsub-
stantial aud the unseen most real.
Eternity impressed itself upon my
heart. We are wise and blessed if we
accept Christ's words, and have judy
ment, and show repentance, and prac-
tice holiness, without which no man
shall see the Lord.