The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-04-25
KILLED IN His PULPIT
The Rev. J, B, Lentz, Mormon Pastor;
Struck by Lightning.
Bolt Stuns Members of the ConErcga-
ton of the Latter Day saints' Church
at Carson, Iowa.

Carson, Iowa.--When assuring a
frightened congregation that there was
10 cause to dread a thunderstorm, the
Rev. DR.. ]. B. LentZ, pastor Of the
Latter Day Saints Church, was struck
dead by a lightning bolt in his pulpit
here. Many persons were injured i'll a
| panic-stricken rush from the church,
and, fire breaking out, for some time
there was danger of the body of the
pastor being cremated where it fell.
The storm was Of terrific intensity,
and it seemed to centre directly over
the church. There were about 400
persons at morning worship in the
| edifce. which is one of the most I'M
posing buildings in the city. The morn
| ing had been clear and beautiful, but
| about II o'clock the weather became
almost u~nbearably close. DR.. Lentz
! had just begun his sermon when the
first %thunderclap was heard. He spoke
for about fifteen minutes, giving no
| attention to the storm; then, observ-
ing that many women in the pews were
becoming restless, he stopped in his
| discourse and requested the congre-
CATION to remember that thunderstorms
were unusual in this season and that
there was little or nothing to fear from
them. He was just raising his voice
in q further plea for quiet, when sud
denly a bolt struck through the roof
Of the church.
The whole interior Of the building
blazed with light. The lightning struck
a chandelier, and from there it passed
to the preacher. DR.. Lentz had been
standing with his hands grasping the
side of the pulpit. He was partly
leaned over, and was talking with
great c%arnestness. At the shock his
head dropped on the Bible before him,
and then he slipped dead to the floor.
In an instant the whole congregation
was in a panic, and a simultaneous
rush was made for the door. There
was only one means Of exit, and scores
of women were terribly crushed. More
than twenty ON tainted, while Il
child was almost killed. The wor-
shippers fought with n another des-
perately. 1t was almost ten minutes
before the congregation got into the
street. By that time the storm was
almost spent, and many men who had
struggled in frenzy to get out Of the
church became stricken with remorse,
and gave themselves with great en-
ergy to the carrying out of the fainting
and in battling with the flames.
The lightning set fire to the pulpit,
and some of the pews. When the first
of the rescuers went up the aisles they
found the pastors body to be separated
from them by a line Of fire across the
church. The fire was spreading rap
idly, and it became evident at once
that unless effective work was done
quickly the pastors body would be
burned to ashes. When the firemen
arrived the men of the. congregation
We're battling with might and main.
The fire apparatus had been brought
into action, and two streams were
poured steadily on the body to save it
from the reach of the flames.
The body was carried out by two of
the leading members of the consre-
CATION and two Of the fremen. The
men wrapped wet cloths around their
heads, and, dashing along the aisle,
they passed in safety through the
flames, and succeeded in carrying the
body back through the fire and out OF
the church.
An examination showed that the
lightning had burned almost all the
clothing of DR.. Lentz into a crisp.
There was a scared line down the
back. Part of the hair had been
burned off, but the bolt had made no
deep mark on the body. Physicians
said that death had been On the in
stant.
The fire was e%xtinguished after a
hard battle of half an hour. The loss
to the church was comparatively small.
The tragedy caused Il profound SEN
sation here, and practically the entire
population visited the church in the
afternoon. DR.. Lentz was popular
with all classes and sets. He leaves
a widow and two children.