Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-05-12


or Galveston was ruined. or Charleston
was ruined. or Lisbon was ruined The
sword of death can he unsheathed aud
strike anywhere. We are all living upon
the brink Of destruction. DO not pi. !
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 and again
asked me amid those awful silences
during which we were waiting for
news from the northern part OF the
state II do not know" | would an
swer. 1t may. II may not. No one
can tell. II may come to our own city,
just ms II did to san Francisco or
Charleston" One can feel as calm as
did the younger pliny when he looked
upon the awful eruptions of Vesuvlus
which buried Pompeii and Hercula.
neum many. many centuries ago. He
pcnned this letter 10 Tacitus just after
the two cities were subinerged: 81
might boast that during all this scene
OF horror not Il sigh or an expression
of fear escaped me. My support was
founded In that miserable though
strong consolation that all mankind
were involved in the same calamity
and that ! imagined | was perishing
Al. q ~
horrors of San Francisco's earthquake,
did not feel like taking the train and
going east. as so many wanted TO do.
did not feel like going even after
Los Angeles itself was vibrated by a
slight earthquake. Why? felt that
we were all face To face with like dan
gers wherever we went We are all
walking hand In hand with death. no
matter In what state we live The
question which faced the people OF san
Francisco Is the same that faces all
people. our safety Is not to be decided
by how fast we can run, but by how
well we can do the work God has
given lis 10 do. Then when the death
summons comes. no matter how or
where II may come may we be able 10
calmly look up and say: Here am |,
Lord. Here am |. Come ana take me
while | am working ut my post of
duty"
The silver Lining.
Now. amid all these scenes OF de-
struction and sorrow that have come to
nh Iarnff 81 ,.ff I IN ~.
suffering people words Of congratula-
ton and good cheer First. say.
THANK God. If the earthquake had 10
come. that IL came In the early hours
of the morning" You know that San
Francisco is situated NJ the Golden
Gate of the Pacific II was truly the
Golden Gate then. The sun was Just
arising over the eastern hills and
throwing its light upon the shimmering
waters of the bay. Had this earth
quake come hours later Oakland and
Berkeley and San Rafael and scores OF
other suburban cities and towns would
have emptied their thousands aud tens
OF thousands Of business men and shop
pers into the great metropolis. Then
the huge office buildings would have
been crowded. Then. when the walls
cracked and fell. II would not have
meant the loss OF hundreds OF lives.
but of thousands upon thousands.
Thank God. say. that the earthquake
came AT $50 Il. Ill. instead OF 1870
a. III. God he praised. we say. San
Francisco's walls have toppled. but
San FrancIsco's fathers and mothers
and children live Even the blackest
clouds may have the brightest Of silver
Innings.
Second fact for congratulation: Al
though the city OF San Francisco has
fallen, yet the city of San Francisco
shall rise again. The future san Fran
cisco which shall arise will be ns much
ahead of the old city as the modern
locomotive Is better than the old pRai-
RTE schooner or canal boat. Like Gal
weston. lis streets will be broader and
lined with noblcr buildings Its pal
aces will he richer It's stores filed
with better goods. Its people will have
better homes II Is all nonsense 10 talk
about this being the end of San Fran.
cisco. You can no more blot out San
Francisco than you can obliteratc New
York or London.
A Better city.
Then. lastly congratulate SaT
Francisco because this great sorrow II
going to result In the publication and
the cleansing from sin and tile conse
Grafton of Its people To the service OF
the Divine Master The city of Sal
Francisco has been filled with eastern
people. Most of these people came
from Christian homes But after many
OF them left the old hOmesteads they
broke away. or. rather, drlfted away
from the old spiritual moorings. They
! did as 80 many eastern people who
have come TO Los Angeles have done
| They put their church letters in their
| trunks and never took them out. They
spent their week days In making money
and their Sundays In sport and fun
seeking In other words. they have
not been children of God. as their fore
fathers were children Of God. But
now. by the broken fortunes and the