Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-05-11

can do Is to say: God Is good. All
things are working together for good
to them that love God" Therefore II
is only the glorious word OF faith
which will bridge over us this awful
chasm OF despair. Faith, faith, faith!
Let US have faith In a good God and
leave the explanations to him for the
light OF heaven. Earth can never ex-
plain this tragedy.
The Whole World Kin.
But there Is still another lesson. This
tragedy, as no other tragedy during the
past century. has proved how much
the American people are akin and how
much they are willing TO help each
other. God hath made Of one blood
all nations TO dwell upon the face of
the earth" But. though we may all be
OF one blood, yet no power on earth
will make US call each other brother
90 appropriately as when the heavy
hand OF trouble is laid upon a brothers
heart az = r.s5 -
know many people may not agree
with me. They affirm that this is a
mean and contemplate world and that
human heart is not In sympathy with
human heart. but the actions OF the
American people toward suffering San
Francisco give that statement the lie.
No sooner did Los Angeles and the
other cities hear what had happened
TO their sister. San Francisco, than the
money began to flow in streams. Doc
tors and nurses volunteered their sery-
Ices for help. Schools were closed to
send the children home for clothing and
food TO be expressed to San Francisco
NJ once. Churches were turned into re-
cssying stations for goods. The rail-
roads sssd. I'VE will carry the refugees
free" The express companies said, "we
viii carry the breadstuffs free" The
great dry goods stores said. sYou can
come and buy your goods at cost
price. And what Los Angeles was do
Ing Boston and New York and PhiIa-
delphia and Pittsburg and Milwaukee,
and Denver and New Orleans and all
the other American cities are doing.
Another Lesson.
But learn from the awful catastro-
phe another lesson. 1t Is this: Men
aud women seem to be blind to the
ever present signs OF danger. Because
the tragedies of the past, like the light
nings. have struck right and left and
bit everywhere. except at their own
lives. they seem to feel that they them
selves are impervious to dangers and
VIII never be smitten down. They
think. because they live In San Fran
cisco, an earthquake will never Jolt
them into ruins. Us Pompeii and Her
were destroyed They think,
because they live on Long Island. they
ran never be submerged as was Gal
weston. They think, because they live
n st. Louis, cyclone can never de-
stroy them, as Louisville, KY, and
gainesville. Ca, were DESTROYED. Oh.
yes. they can think of earthquakes and
'ornadoes and tidaiwaves- 1000. 1000
Or even 5000 miles away from home.
They may even picture one In Charles
ton. but not one at their own doorsteps.
Why. do you know that Italians
have built vineyards upon vssuvius
and for years have been living on the
very hiilsides OF the burning volcano?
So we are all living and dwelling upon
The very threshold of death. "Oh," saws
some one, Il feel so sorry for those
people or San Francisco. They have
not only lost hundreds of millions OF
dollars, but this earthquake has abso-
lutely ruined their city for n dwelling
place and business place" Is that
so? do not believe that. do not be-
Iieve that San Francisco as a dwelling
place Is any more ruined than st.
Louis was ruined after the great cy-
clone few years ago, or louisville
was ruined, or Johnstown was ruined.
Sr Galveston was ruined. or Charleston
was ruined, or Lisbon was ruined. The
sword or death can be unsheathed and
strike anywhere. We are all living upon
tne Drink OF destruction. Do not pity
The people OF San Francisco for possible
future dangers which threaten them
any more than you pity yourself, no
matter where you may dwell.
We have had this thought pressed
very close upon our hearts OF late. "Do
you think this earthquake will strike
Los Angeles?" was again aud again
asked me amid those awful silences
auring which we were waiting for
aews from the northern part of the
state. IL do not know" 1 would an
'wer. ut may 1t may not. No one
IAN tell. 1t may come to our own city.
lust as 1T did to San Francisco or
One can feel as calm as
lid the younger Pliny when he looked
lpon the awful eruptions OF vesuvius
which buried Pompeiir and Hercula-
'eum many. many centuries ago. He
'enned this letter to Tacitus just after
he two cities were submerged: "I
night boast that during all this scene
u horror rot a. sigh or an expression
4 fear escaped me. Ny support was
ounded Inv that miserable though
efeng consolation that all mankind
ESf6 invofved Tn the same CALAMITY
nd thatl inAEined I was Jperishinr
Nth the world ITSELF" So. amid the
orSors q saa aFrsnclsco's earthquake.
ga notfeei IKE taking the train and
on6 east, rs so many wanted to do.
did notSfeels-fike going even after
1os Angeles itself was vibrated by a
light earthquake. why? felt that
70 were all face to- face with IKE dam
ers wherever we went. We are all
hand In hand with death. no
aatter IN what state we live. The
uestion which faced the people of San
'rancisco is the same that. faces all |
eopie. Our safety Is not to be decided |
y how fast we can run. but by how
'eii we can do the work God has
wen us TO do Then when the death
luminous comes. no matter how or
mere II may come. may we be able to
aihaiy look up and say:-"IIere am !,
ord.- Here am 1. Come and take me
'niie l am working at my post of
uty."