The morning times., 1896-05-25
his TEXT FROM THE FIRE
F0rC.ble Lesson Drawn by Rev.
Dr.. EastOn.
SIN THE MORAL CONSUMER
He Urged His Hearers to Take Warn.
ing and Prepare for IL Fate Which
Might sweep Upon Them as 1t Did
Upon the Brave FireHien-An APP
peal for the Families.

sThe Lessen of the Great Fire. was the
subject OF fnreible an eloquent discourse
delivered last evening before ii large con-
gEegation by Rev. Thomas Chalmers Easton
ID. D., at the Eastern Presbyterian Church.
The sermon was warning 10 the thou ght.
less to make preparation for the preserva-
tion of their souls.
The Rev. Dr. Easton took his text from
Isaiah iX:16, For wickelness bGrneGl as
tne fire. Referring to the fire, DIR. Eastuu
said; God speaks audihly Ia man in
these calamities. 1t is tie duty Of the
pulpit to seize upha the providence OF til..
hour and lay its teachiugs upon the heart
and conscience OF the people. Standing I'D
watching the progress Of the conflagation
THAT night great ana solemn thoughts oc-
cupiei my mind, precious lives lost, valuable
property consamed, financial losses, de-
ranged business, homes thrown into deep
sorrow, and Grape upon the doors OF many
families, which in The morning were full
OF glddne5S and Joy.
Fire, what is there iii the moral word
TO which IL answers -ynI cannos weight it,
you cannft take its precious measure. 1t
IS terrible agent, al! activity, il tends
to consumc and ruin what ever 1t touches.
Le5 it alone, ant it's ravages will be COM
plete and awful. Il must be resisted, fought
with and overcome.
SIN THE MORAL FIRE.
There is but one Thing in tile mora world
which answers to fire and Godhas mentioned
lit is wickedness, sin against God.
Goi has called his servants TO he firemen
and TO put out the fires OF sin and save
that which excsc,ls in value aini!iion worlds,
your Immortal soul.
Fire has iis attractions and there are
few men who can resist them. Evea alittie
Child loves to play with il, careless and
unconscious OF It's dangers.
80 1t is with sin; lis power lies in IT'S
fascination. Men see only its beautiful
but deadly bIaze and fail In love with
iniquity. Sin has forms as brilliant nd
anuring as any scene of pyroiechnics and
men ar" drawn to ii ana held spe!lbound
by It's pleasing aspect.
In four snort hours on last Monday
night nearly 100000 went up In smoke,
but, at the same tlmein other lands, millions
upon miihons We're being consumed. III u
short time fire will turn the proudest
and most inspiring fabric of human hands
into heap OF sInouidcring ruins. Sin
viii do the sameon!y itturns down ma nhood
instead OF warehouses and dwellings.
TRIBUTE TO THE HEROES.
In conclusion DR.. Eastou said: When
our Christians in Washington cease their
fastidious, senseless criticisms about an
earnest ministry aHh go TO work to save
souls just as our fire iaddigs, kett!er, Griffin,
huihali. Giles ana Conway worked TO save
the block on Louisiana avenue last MoE-
day, we Shall see such revival of power
as has never heen seen since the fiery
baptism OF the Holy Ghost.
There is involved great loss, great sIf-
ferint, the bride OF Griffin. after Only three
weeks OF welded bliss goes into widowEood.
the widow OF hiuhali has five orphans
around her knees wailng a loss none can
make good: but ii is 20 the praise of VAST
ington that none of these shall suffer dis
tress, none shah want, none shall starve.
PhiianthropIy runs high in the Capital Inorc
than in any other city in the union, and
we trust that thc five noble hearted Wash
ington boys WHO sank in that ra ging whir!-
pool of flame went up 10 GOD prepared"