The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-09-17
The Rev. Or. ]. I. sooy Delivers IN
Interesting and Timely
Discourse Mt the
FOURTH STREET M, {. CHURCH.
Should Always be Prepared for Such
Disasters-Many More Yet
to Come.

topic. Lessons on the Galveston Disas-
ter" In his sermon he drew many log
ical lessons and ndmonished his hearers
always to be prepared for any such
calamity Us the one at Galveston.
The whole world. he said, has been
startled with the news Of q disaster
that struck terror into thousands OF
souls. In Pliny's day what we now call
cyclone, but was then termed tor
nado, swept over Italy and wrought
devastation through that peninsula.
Now q catastrophe Of equal magnitude
has swept over Galveston, involving a
loss of 100000.
In 1871 at Chicago. three hundred
persons lost their lives. In 1884 q great
storm arose. sweeping the central west
and southwestern states. In 1888 at
Johnstown, over 1000 persons lost their
lives. In 1896 a, terrible cyclone at st.
Louis killed over 500 people. The Gnl-
weston horror, in which over 5000 lost
their lives. was greater calamity than
any of these. This was more than
double the loss at Johnstown. The dis
aster at Galveston was more like the
one In Pliny's time. which fell on POM
peii and in n moments time destroyed
his beloved city.
Why This Storm ?
In thousands of hearts, Dr.. sooy
continued, has arisen question after
question. Why, was this storm from the
waters Of the gulf allowed to sweep
through Texas. destroying houses,
chapeis and schools? Why upon the
homes of the ptaceable. prosperous and
true? Why should the brave. the vlr-
tuous and the good be thus destroyed
with the vile? We are unable to rea-
son and cope with this question. These
questions must await to be answeed in
the judgment of Christ. Suffering is
now and Will continue for years to
come.
The speaker said we must first pay
attention to the Irresistible force that
had destroyed all the value that man
had lifted like kindling wood. Scian-
lists boast of their skill OF what they.
cnn do and have done. Great ships
were like egg shells In the pathway Of
this storm. Buildings were simply as
timber and kindling wood. Scientists
and Inventors ought TO lay their heads
low and humble themselves because we
are all as children In the presence of
the forces such rs God has. God had
shown his great force and power in this
disaster. We should not overlook THIS
fact. Little Is mans greatness in
comparison with the power OF God.
Mr.. Sooy then emphasized the sud-
denness Of the Galveston disaster. 1t
came. he said, with no time for prepar-
alton. 1t came over the waters Of the
lake. struck the shores of Galveston
and Travelled In Its wake Of forty miles
m hour. sweeping over the docks and
wharves and creating a flood In the city
to depth of from six to ten feet. Those
retiring in the night had no time to
clothe themselves. At Sante Fe the
storm lifted an engine from the track.
How often did these things come to us
in life Just as suddenly and unexpcct-
edly.
In these latter days men boosted OF
the number of years they had lived. II
any Of his auditors knew that this was
their last night on earth they would be
willing to listen. In the death chamber
he had not seen one who would not
listen md be eager to be shown the
way to heaven. We must be prepared
so that at the very moment OF any
great disaster We would be ready to
meet our God. While 5000 persons Ind
persisted in moments time we should
remember that more than that number
had lost their lives in falling down n
flight Of stairs. Death may not come in
cyclones and earthquakes. 1t may come
In a mere fracture Of q blood vessel mr.
by some accident by which we NAV fo,,
by the wayside.
The Lord reigneth! Such things ms
cyclones did not sweep Him out Of ex.
istence. Mr.. Sooy said he believed in
."e Di''ne ,f'''oehce' we could not
understand these disasters. Everything
~ 'h's ~offd rests on Infinite care. All
u, are utterly dependent upon Him.
There Is no prescribed or appointed cal.
u ~, winch Tue "'hd or storm obeyed.
inese FORCES ana changes are In the
naho Oh ann VINO ruled from eternity to
eternity. All things are disposed to His
mighty VIII: