New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-02
one Of long series which will make OF school
life one rounded and harmonious whole.
TILE Pisa EIRE.

Pisa, like Paris. is plunged in mourning. Fire
| and panic turned joyous festival into crust
of death. The mortality at the cathedral was
, not great as I'm the disaster Of the Rue Jean
' Gouion, but Pisa Is not so large as Paris. and
| the proportion of stricken households by the
ArDo is not much less than by the Seine. II
will add to the already keen realization OF the
need of special prccaution against what might
he in themselves petty blazes where masses u
humanity likely to be panicsricken are crowd
| ed together. The Paris fire has made crowds
! sensitive and easily stnmpeded. week after
il London only escaped tragedy like that of
Pisa through the GOODNESS of woman who,
setting ecclesiastical propreties at defiance, put
/ cut the chancel lights at confirmation service
where young girls with flmy wells were sway
ing so near the candle flames that the congresa-
ton was on the point Of rushing for the doors.
Now. the experience of Pisa commends her fore
sight and emphasizes the danger Of unprotected
lights at public ceremonies.
II is true that such accidents are much more
rare in churches than i'm other public places.
The Roman and other churches, which make
use of lights in their ceremonial generally, have
stone buildings. and any fire which may occur is
confined to the light materials about the altar.
But a church is peculiarly dangerous place IL
fire is once communicated to the clothing of tn,
wOrshippers, or they ale seized with violent
fears. In congregation there are generally
large numbers Of children and emotions are like
~ to be strained. \ panic among such people is
sure to have terrible consequences, particularly
in a structure such as the cathedral ut Pisa
planned with more regard to the exigencies of
ritual than to ease Of exit. When the elements
of danger in some great festival like Easter or
Whitsunday are analysed. the wonder Is that
calamities should be so rare. Given a chancel
hung with draperies. professions OF boys with
flowing robes young girls coming to the rail
surrounded by pillows of shimmering wells, AGO.
lytes carrying tapers at various angles. dropping
hot wax about them; an altar ablaze with tall
candles, likely TO fall. as did one of those at
Pisa, and crowd Of absorbed and ccstatic wOr-
shippers. and everything conspires to bring to-
geher spark and finder.
OF course, nobody expects religious use to de-
part from time cOnsecrated cOnventOnality I'm
the choice Of instruments Of worship. A Mus
sulman may adopt the argand burner in his
home, but through all the ages he will keep the
open glass Of olive oil to light his mosque If
the early Christian had known electric lights
he might have discovered in them proper sym
bolism for his altar. But the candle which he
found necessary in the catacombs and the
Roman lamp Of his domestic circle once intro
duced in the churches, came to he associated
with what was holy, and their Use was crystal
LIKED into n sacred rite. Religious services the
world over preserve customs which are archaic
in secular life, and they will continue to do So
There is no use asking for any departure. On
the contrary, it is desirable to retain what is
old and reverenced But it is proper to ask
those engaged in the conduct Of such services to
manage them with extreme caution. Candles
are dangerous things in professions and in pub
lie assemblages, and they should be handled
with due regard to that fact. Let all who wish
keep their affairs ablaze with tapers. but let
them remember what careless use of tapers
did at Pisa.