New-York tribune., 1896-06-01

SOME LESSONS FROM THE st LOUIS DISASTER
DRAWS ~ THE REv. f. :. Triple

SOME LESSONS FROM THE st LOUIS DISASTER
DRAWS nY THE REV f. = Triple
In the Path Of tho Tornado was the subject
Of the Rov. F. s Tpple's at Grace Metto-
dis, Episcopal church. Onc-hundred- nj -fourth-st
and An sterdanl-ave.. yesterday morning. lis to-t
Jeremiah XIII. 49, Behold a whrlwini OF the
Lord Is gone forth In fury. even grlevous whirl-
wind" lie said in part
Seven years ago to-day. about two hundred and
twenty five miles from this city. lying IN narrow
valley between ridges Of noun aims Was a happy
city OF 200 homes Ten thousand people lived and
worked there II was "A city OF thrift Just above
Il In the valley was an immense reservoir or water.
without ary warning the dam that held these
To-day Of the greatest elites OF this continent.
WIN population Of hgi million the chlsf ~
Louis sits In the gloom OF great calamity. and
the world weeps w,'a her Wy Is ,hs ssckc,Gh
wh.rwind"
without asking. who is responsible for this?" At
Johnstown II was the fault CT the owners OF tae
man has no control over 'ornadoes. Has God
anything to do With these terrible overturn!nss or
@n{ Gss people e h9
tnre?, These and ether 6e%Iiiorng questions
derstand Orly faith holds ua nrrn upon the i'm
pregnabc rock Of Gods mercy and goddess. But
ask us the question. Matorielism to-day has duilci
The vision OF faith, ard worldness mas led ms away
,pm & 'Rai sn ,8nCn m Win &c Goa ina keeps our ah
John Wesley had such questions asked Of him
al the time OF the Lisbon earthquake early In the
century. II had been put forth as an explanation
that God did not interfere with nature. and that
natural causes alone worked the disaster Wesley
did not agree with this explanation In the nrst
place. he said. It was untrue. and. secondly. such
explanation was uncomfortable. II God exists
and the words OF HIS Bible are true such an ex-
panation cannot be true All things In nature
Him. Fire and hail. wind and storm fulhl His
word. There is no comfort In such an explanation
IL God rules not the storm. what 10 man 10 do?
Can he appeal 10 the wind and water and earth?
There is naught left to do but to pray to God.
and ruin to Hs peope Tha Is p'o question s"fo for
which there Is no answer save by faith. 1t is not
the prInshers 91snsss Tvs to Ry into o the secrets of
afflicted and offer them the comfort that God Is
love and doeth all things well. No one knows
Faith can only reach out its hand and hold fast
His hand
But there are some lesson. which such a calamity
may teach us. 1t Will lead TO think OF
thing greater than ourselves and little bus-
nesses. Perhaps Gods purpose is to awaken and
death and eternity. When the elements are placid
forget God and his commands and our duty
Him and the consequences OF sin Is dulled God
viii be heard n His still small voice" awaken
not Ho will speak in the thunder He will be
heard.
And perhaps His purpose in thus anc;ing the
people is 20 bring mankind closer together in the
common brotherhood In the presence Of such an
awful calamity we stand closer TO each other. No
sooner had the news OF the storm at 81. Louis
reached this city than It awakened the chord OF
Help was offered. No sooner had the news been
flashed across to Europe than kilograms of sym
pathy and aid came pouring in 70 the afflicted
When the news reached the far East. China and
Japan wept with us and sent their Offers Of assist
OF what is in humanity when China opens her
heart In sympathy for far-of people Perhaps
this is one Of tae lessons that WIN teach men what
they must know before the millennium comes, and
all the world snail be one in Christ.