The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-12-05

v;nter was at hand and the family
needed clothes and she was obliged to
nlay old Santa Claus, as usual, and
nroyide some Christmas gifts for the
children and grandchildren. That is a
GOOD part Of her life and happiness
pleasing the children. She neverasks
for anything for herself. She don't {
have to. The girls tell me what she
needs and I surprise her with it if I
have the money, and if I haven't I
strain my credit and get il anyhow.
Professor Lowrey called me here to
talk to bis college girls, for he is a
noted educator and has 260 girls out
here in the woods and is building up
an institution that is the pride Of
North Mississippi. He got four other
towns to join him in the call, and so I
lectured in Tupelo last Monday night
TO large audience in large house
sod found q warm welcome. Tits
wonderful how these old towns are
looming up and taking on new life.
Twelve years ago I was in Tupelo and
I thought it wao pretty dead. I had
only about 100 PEOPLE out to hear me
then, and this time there wore near
400. Prosperity has done it. Ten
cent cotton and cotton mill has done
it; Mckinley had nothing to do with
ii. Last night was billed fer Ripley
"a nice old courthouse town not far
away. The evening betokened storm
and by night the lightning was flash
ing incessantly all around the horizon
and the thunder pealed heavily.
Country people became alarmed and
hurried home, for everything seemed
ominous Of coming trouble. There
seemed to be something in the ele-
ments that was brooding over US, and
sure enough there was. The court
room was about half full Of people
who had dared to venture out to hear
me. Suddenly the storm came with
fearful fury. There was an awful
roaring sound from the Southeast that
was like the sound Of many waters. It
hushed the audience into solemn 81
lence. did not take the platform,
but waited. In few minutes some
wild, excited messengers came rushing
pp the steps and called for the doctors
and other help, for the cyclone had
come and torn up everything in the
suburbs and killed men and women
and children. The night was intense
|y dark, but the men rushed to the
rescue in haste and the lecture pro-
'gramme was broken up in twinkling
Everybody hurried to their homes or
20 the scene Of the disaster.
What an awful thing is Cyclone!
How quickly it comes and as quickly
goes. leaving swift destruction in it's
track. Happily itgives no warning,
For the terror misrepresentation would
gbe worse than death. This morning
i've rejoiced to learn that nobody was
killed, though many were badly
wounded. Some houses were wrecked
5}and blown away and many were nm.
Sfoofed and some were set on fire.. One
llnan was lifted up and carried away
&ghrown to the ground in the woods,
SFlth only few bruises. How strange
shat so few people are killed by cy-
flOne. 1t seems providential, and this
/ 8P0rning Che question discussed at the
breakfast table was whether God or
SSne devil was the author Of these ter
3lole visitations. One said that the
}plrlt of evil was still on the earth and
4 Fas ever contending against the spirit
r good, and this spirit brought famine,
aes'llence, fires, storms and ali. disaa-
s{isis' I Another said that am these
4 3alngs came from natural causes, and
4 3oat neither God nor the devil had
q. agency in them. Another quoted
Fon Job where the Lord delivered
99'm i over to Satan, who was going to,
2oa fro upon the earth and walking up
s lna !, down in it. He afflicted job avs
4ally' but was not allowed TO take his
ne' Anotherquoted from the Sayior's
G0fds B, when he said: s.Think you that
3uOse upon whom the tower Of Siloam
~, we're wicked above all people? T
81 is'i you nay, but unless ye repent ye
4 }}uall perish. !" Professor John Fiske,
q very great and learned man, has
tl'ten little book called .sThe NJ ys.1
sfy OF Evil. ! have read il twice
9od found but little comfor. or philo-
l0payin it. His argument is that
W ~ Is Of divine creation and designed.
Illustrate and exalt the good. That