Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-26
SIMILAR TO THAT
Of ANCIENT DAYS
Elder Geo. Reynolds Tells Of the
Earthquake Recorded in
Book of Mormon.
ADDRESSED l.. D. S. STUDENTS
\ Program of Decided Interest Rem
dered In Barratt Ilall--CIcvcr Chalk
Talk by II. X. Eaklc.

An interesting feature Of the stud
ents' meeting at the Latter-day Saints
university was an address by Elder
George Reynolds comparing the recent
earthquake with the greater calamity
spoken Of in the Book Of Mormon,
Elder Reynolds said:
| shall say few words on a matter
which has been prominently In the
minds of all of us during the last few
days-that is, the terrible disaster in
our neighboring state; and then shall
talk for few moments about the de-
scriptIon narrated IN the Book of Nor
mon, when the terrible commissions oc-
CURED on this continent at the time Of
the crucifixion Of our Savior The
destruction OF San Francisco has APP
pealed TO our sympathies. It has seemed
horrible. and so 1t Is. We can learn
great lesson from IT, how insignificant
and impotent we are ana how easily
the powers of nature can bring to
naught the works Of man. Many Of US
have heard OF the late Violent erup-
ton of MI. Vesuvius, and now we read
of the terrible destruction In San Fran
cisco; yet these disasters. sad though
they be and horrible as they seem, are
trlfing when compared with what oc-
CURED upon this land when our Lord
was crucfied. We have some Idea OF
the horrors that occur when tidal
wave sweeps over the land as II ola
few years ago at Galveston. we nave
some idea OF the conditions that exist
when a severe earthquake occurs and
is followed by the falling of buildings
through the tremor of the earth and by
fire. but how awful must have been
the condition of the people when TWO
| continents were shaken and storm or
UNPARALLELED intensity ragged, followed
nv three days darkness. We read or
how the cyclonic winds tore up the
forests and carried the trees out mo
the open sea, how the thunder and the
lightning which shock the solid earth
added terror, how whole cities were
destroyed, and how In their places
where they once stood there were
left only stagnant pools OF water
Mountains were upllfted where valleys
formerly hid, and instead of the nun
dreds killed In these recent disasters,
i'm this greater calamity millions lost
their lives Though the storm lasted
only a few hours, the darkness con-
tinued three days. Can we conceive
what would have been the condition
: of the people I'm San Francisco " a
| darkness of three days had followed
the earthquake? How the people
would have mourned for their friends.
and how there would have been in the
heart of everyone an anguish that
could not have been pacllied. We read
that during those three days the dark
ness was SO great that neither torches
nor candles could burn. The people
could see nothing. There was no
light of the sun. moon or stars, every
| thing was IN the thickest darkness.
| Many OF you perhaps, cannot form an
| idea OF such darkness. but ! can
| form some faint 'dea, for ] have been
| In fogs I'm London, when have held
my hand close to my face and could
| not see my fingers, and consequently
| | can imagine some of the terrors OF
| "a darkness such rs that of which the
! Book Of Mormon speaks. We are
| there told that the city OF Xarahcm In
was destroyed by fire from heaven and
other cities which are given by name
| were swept into the sea. In other
| places where cities once stood, the
| land was now covered with water.
When the three days darkness were
over the three days Christ lay 10 the
| tomb, then the light came again, and as
| the landscape was unveiled the people
| beheld that the entire. face Of nature
| was changed. Where cities once stood
| there was nothing but ruin and desoa-
| ton, Everywhere there was sorrow:
| everywhere there was weeping and
| wBillng for lost friends. We are all
| shocked by the news Of the disaster
| that has despoiled California. and when
| these things come almost 70 our doors
We begin TO appreciate the extent OF the
, ancient calamity. OF course Il IS possi-
bic that such things may happen again,
] and we are led TO ask the question.
when viii the end Of these things be?
| These events teach us valuable lessons
We learn the insignlficancc Of man.
| Whea We think OF what has been and
what may be, We are Impressed with