New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-18
CALLS 1T GODS FIRE.
FIRST, CHICAGO,S FAULT
DR.. Parhchmst's Sermon on the Ir0-
0uOis Theatre Disaster.

A sarv,on 20 have been preached at the MaGi-
sen Square Presbyterian Church on GODS Ike
sponsbiIity for the Chicago Horror, by Dr.
Parkhurst who, however. was unable to be
present owing 10 a cold. was read by the as
sistant pastor. the Rev. w. ". Coe. last night
II was in part follows:
1t appears that the city through it's appropriate
agencies and commissioners. ought never 70 nave
allowed the building 60 be used IN the conoiioh III
which il then was There statutes relative 10
Fuch matters there as there here and once in
awhile the public becomes interested enough in
Why were not the statutes rigidly enforced by the
partS leglsiatlNey obligated 20 enforce 1Siac M
likelihood fhat a stature VIII De ehIoIS'u sda y
he Fire Department. OF the Buildings Department
Ponds upon ho8 much the department supposes the
people At large meant ny having the statute put
upon the books and how much the department sup
Statute remain on the books after il IS once put
In a democratic government like our own the
sta:ute-dies out OF It Just as fast as the popular
will dies out OF IL that is to say just so fast as the
popular determination. What call public
officials will not enforce law II 1t is law that
the public cares so little about as not 10 put isei
10 the trouble TO see that II is enforced
Chicago now for a while, not because new ones win
BE enacted pr9esh but g ose the bcause
thanks TO the aocity OF the event the old statutes
Of fV the popa lPf This Is ali Of it
borne out by the statements reported TO nave Pee
Judges OF our own city the effect that, although
the statutes relating 10 our theatres are ~
violated ana an effort was made awhile ago 10
their better enforcement yet the courts AZ
.SPts e sna5 so dTfotOn were thwared by the
That is the risk that is always incurred n living
under a democratic form OF government, that IaW
depends for its execution upon popular sentiment
i is comfortable form OF goEebI anS 70 main
tain. but popular tension is the only means o!
which live law can be prevented from becoming
dead letter. -,
When, then; catastrophe occurs under the S cir
cumstances that marked the catas;rophe AT III NJ
cago the fundamental responsibility is 10 pc
oes not aoouit Of ansia lighter the officials within
whose particular province the supervision OF me
theatre Law: but even So ii has TO be rernembercd
that these officials would have been prevented
their criminal negligence had the MIND OF me
esfntes iha PeS chat community had given 70 the
eas 80 ,es 10 the eRent that they know those
laws fairly represent the public Will ~. -.
burn to death sufocate six hundred people was
,he fault then prmar d o. tf ix hundred people
was Gods fire. Fire of the ways He works
suspends it's nature God is dreadfully set IN Ills
ways He never adopts mode Of procedure cre,, M
God Is Love but that is not all there IS Of Him;
He is a loving Father but He is not doting old
grandfather He is enough OF GOO 10 nave S,Iiis
respect for Himself and for the laws He has laio
martyrs Buss and Jerome thed Were @ dt the
IRE nor drew The sting Of its cai0 T6 he % n
bits in the mouth Of His omnlpotence. To say that
He did not do so is simply fact or historic recora
Theatre would have persisted as readily as any
other OF the six hundred Put on the cross
He died as soon the two thieves that We're put
alongside OF Him; yes, and sooner. -
Viewed in this light. that horrible affair AZ Chi
cago becomes feTTihoally impressive. We hear so
much about Gods love. much. ] mean. that is
said in a sided way. that come TO ina CINE
after awhile, that God is nothing but mush Of
concession; that His fondness for people has melted
out of His character all respect for Himself ana Tor
the dignity Of His own purposes and determination.
that Christianity is a way that God has taken 10
let know that He viii do anything for us ike
81 Will coax Him sufficiently.
With such light thrown upon certain side or
Gods character iT shown by disasters like the
one have been contemplating. j am sure we
all Of taking things too easily. The people
that into that theatre were taking things too
easily-the result shows that. and we are taking
things too easily.
OUT the Baltimore and Ohio. the other day.
railroad men undertook 10 trains in way
ure. and you know what came of ii.
city OF Chicago responsible for the flames be-
ing permitted feed on the six hundred theatre
eoers, IL Gods fire that fed on them, and II
there had been six hundred thousand Of them, and
all OF them saints. that would not have hindered
the great God. fun Of love though He be. from
pursuing the line that with infnitude Of wisdom
and trresistibeness Of determination He has eter-
nally laid down for Himself All Of which I beg
you 10 accept indicating not that God thinks
nothing Of us but that He thinks enough Of Him
self adopt policy that is wise enough TO stand.
and authoritative enough TO require US 10 accom-
modate ourselves 10 its behest