Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-05-10
Calnnase
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae. D. d.


Il lesson for the whole nation. The tex
Is l Kings xix, II, IL, Am earthquake
but the Lord was not in the earth
quake; and after the earthquake fire
but the Lord was not in the FIRE; and
after the fire still small voice"
Extra. Extra. Extra cried the
newsbov in the street. Like the fish
monger's call the voice echoed In and
Icapcd through my study window. II
did not cause even the tremor of the
hand that held the moving pen. why
have heard that call Of Extra, Ex.
tra"' SO often that it was like the cry
of "Wolf, Wolff in the legend Of old
did not even have interest enough to
say. Another railroad accident" or
Another eruption Of Mount Nesu-
Sius," or Another threatened war be-
tween France and Germany over the
African troubles" But suddenly nv
self complacency was reused to vche-
meDt action. A member of the family
rushed into the room and said: Have
YOU heard the news? San Francisco
Palace hotel and the Call building and
the great city hall are in complete
ruins. All the great hotels are gone
All the places of amusement are in
flames. A thousand people are dead.
The city has taken fire, and the water
mains are burst" God help them.
Tod hcip them" was my answer.
But very probably, like all first ru-
mors, there is exaggerHton IN the re-
port. San Francisco with its splendid
buildings could never have its founda-
tons ruined Let me find out from
headquarters" So ! stepped to the
telephone and called up a friend at one
Of the prominent city newspaper of
hoes and asked. Are reports as bad as
the first kilograms intmate:' Much
worse, much worse" he answered.
The city is In flames. and we fear it
Will be completely destroyed The city
Is said TO have sunk What the earth
quake did not upheave we fear that
the holocaust will obiterate. That is
the last report received. but the COM
munication is broken now. The wires
nrc all down"
Oh. the horror of il. The city Of Los
Angeles lay stunned. Two-thirds of
NIL our population had friends or rela-
tivos or business interests in the city
of San Francisco. The bleeding, moan
Ing, helpless cry OF Americas metrop-
oils of the Pacific was nowhere an
swered by n deeper sob of anguish
than that which arose from the City
of the Angels. We were one-one in
family love. one in business interests.
We seemed to he more than sisters.
San Francisco's sufferings were Los
Angeles sutferings. We are next door
neighbors in the family Of cities.
The WHIT For News.
Then the lI,g wait No housewives
down: communication stopped. All. |
Los Angeles knew then what must |
have been the feelings of the fathers |
and mothers and brothers and sisters |
when the telegraph wires thrilled and |
the news flashed over the northern and |
tho southern states that the battle of |
Fredericksburg was being fought. Oh. |
the anxious moments of waiting for |
the dead list, They say It is hard to
20 to the front and die 7 do not think
II is nearly so hard as 10 stay home and |
live and think that your dear ones
are soon 10 he numbered among the
dead. They say that all OF 1000 men
were killed at Fredericksburg. The
rumors at first declared that 10000
we're dead in San Francisco What
will my telephone bell never stop ring
.ngt' MY husband is in the Palace
lotol," says one. My mother and Sis
.ers are living there" says another.
! have two brothers there" SAYS an
other My son is there, says another.
Aye. they could say it. but what could |
say: Nothing. The wires were down.
lherr seemed to be no hope. Then the
telegraph instrument began TO click.
The streets about the different bulletin
boards were blocked News. news,
live us the news" was the cry. But
when the news began to come in. in
tead or smile upon the lip the
'Ianched cheek became palor, if that
we're possible.
Point Richmond has tumhlod into
Il" sea, was one notice The Gin |
louise has disappeared. was another
office, "Onc hundred and thirty
blocks Of business houses annihiated."
Inc Scavenger carts are carving the
l"ao through the streets blocked hy
hIIllS walls, was still another report.
lne Hhouls robhng the dead are be-
hg shot by the soldiers" CITY is nm. i.
Ter marital law" "Eivn miles of wa ,
or front ablazc." "paonlo foh,iny
zach other in the streets. Ike slammed.
ne herds Of cattle o God is there "a .
Re no end 10 this horror: Agony sooms
o be pilng itself upon agony Then i,
he old and fcehle-what are thov do.
ny: Then the mothers with ,bafr now,
,0rn babes hv their side. Thinl, or tho
ospitals being turned into chorne, s
ouscS, But still the telegraph ine,ru. J
lent ticks on. Every little movement !
Z that instrument seems 10 be |
ledge hammer beating against the suf. $
ering heart Of a nation. Il
Cries For Help. ;
Then, as the crowds grow thickor J
nd denser, we find men fighting their ,
gay out. "What is the matter with J
ou;' We ask. Let me OUT they cry O
Let me out | want 10 get the train I
M start north at once. must get
nto that doomed city and go to my q
car ones" Crowds are now blockod. II
1s me railroad Offices for passage; but. o
Lough a thousand cars were TO start
would not be long enough train IN u