The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-03-29
IN HIS PULPIT
The Re7. j. B, Lent, Mormon Pastor.
Struck by Lightning.
Bolt stuns of the congrega-
tion of the Latter Day Saints Church
at Carson, Iowa.

Carson, Iowa-When assuring n
frightened congregation that there was
no to dread a thunderstorm, the
Rev. DR.. J. B. Lentz. pastor of the
Latter Day Saints Church. was struck
dead by a lightning bolt in his pulpit
here. Many persons were injured in 81
panic-stricken rush from the church,
and, fire breaking out. for some time
there was danger of the1bedy 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
edifice, which is one of the most i'm
posing buildings in the city. The morn
ing had been clear and beautiful, but
about IL O'Clock the weather became
almost unbearably 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 We're
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
llSul. he was just IdlO1luS III tOlCC
in a 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 earnestness. 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 Z panic, n Il simultaneous
rush was made for the door. There
was only one means of exit, and scores
of women we're terribly crushed. More
than twenty women tainted, while one
child was almost killed. The wor-
| shippers fought with one another des-
p~erately. 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 i'll frenzy to get out of the
/ church became stricken with remOrse,
and gave themselves with great en-
ergy to the carrying OFT 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
were battling with might and main.
The fire apparatus had been brought
into action. and two streams were
poured steadily Oh tn body to save il
from the reach of the flames. 4
The body was carried out by two of
the leading members OF the conGre-
CATION and two of the tiremen. The
men wrapped wet cloths around their
heads, and. dashing along the aisle.
they passed in safety through the
flames. and succeeded i'll carrying the
body back through the fire and cUl of
the church.
An examination showed that the
lightning had burned almost all the
clothing of DR.. LentZ into 4 crisp.
There was 4 scared line down the
back. Part of the hair had been
burned off, but the bolt had made nc
deep mark on the body. Physicians
said that death had been on the i'll
slant.
The fire was extinguished after a
hard battle Of half an hour. The loss
to the church vas comparatively small.
The tragedy caused a 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.