New-York tribune., 1906-04-23
THE PULPITS' VIEWS.
SERMONS ON DISASTER.
Congregations Throughout the City
Hear Opinions of Their Pastors.

The San Francisco disaster formed the subject OF
many. sermons and prayers yesterday in churches
Of all denominations The following are extracts
from them:
THE REV. DIR. PARKHURST. Madison Square
Presbyterian Church:
We would not seek to understand the providence
Of life but do seek TO Eave given to us; ana ana
thousands tI,e and hundre3s Of thousands that
are to-day, knit together in the feiIowsihip my
visitation without resentment. 20 carry the
burden without breaking UNDER iers IT, IT, s1a sHe
made over t9 them class OF values bn thar iose Of
which they have been bereft.
THE REV. DR. DONALD SAGE MACKAY. Gel
legiate Church of ST. Nicholas:
1t is not the function of the Christian pulpit to
justify. much less defend, the dealings of the
a profound religious significance but that sig
niteanee Is not to be discGyeGe6 ~ human bnros Ir
the catastrophe which in few hours wiped
out the pride and glory of a modern city stag
gers the mind 1t is an impressive picture OF
the awful resources Of natural law working
That We cannot explain. but We can give 10
1nis calamity a profound religious significance
vndica5ng Coo " but 70 for helping man Cod
His is not limited by death
Ashes pas good fertilizer and out of H the d ashes
not only CITY CITY OF IF ooS bR{ as
stirred to independence and self-efort.
MoNsIGNOR LAvELLE. St Patricks Cathedral:
Now that the worst has passed, it is natural that
the people should be philosophical. Some might
even call this calamity visitation OF e. COO ; Dut
IS evidence that the people of San FRAN
cisco were evil than the residents Of other
fes cite Sg 9p h ova amer energetic msed aNabdng
munity. and doing as far as possible about what
The disaster was probably due to forces of
nature know but little about 1t recalls that
story told of in the Bible when Christ restored
the sight Of the blind man. The Apostles asked
if the man had been stricken because OF ms
-,a aSir,S Of hic hP
piled that he had not been stricken because OF
the sins of either, but that his sight had been
taken and restored to prove the power of God.
THE REV. DR. j. F. CARSON, CENTRAL
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BROOKLYN.
The calamity is national one. 1t affects not
individuals alone Is felt throHgn an tne Z Chalio
awakened for the better security of property and
the pulpit. The pulpit is the interpreter of the
writings of God by the hand of apostle prophet
are no more divine than are tns Wnes snd ID v b
plume of fire in the ruins of San Francisco
THE REV. DIR. JOSEPH sILNERMAN, RABBI
TEMPLE EMANUEL
There are those who complain that there is no
God because just and everlasting GOD Wou!d not
They are wrong. The earthquake on the Paclhc
Coast has furnished basis TO refute the aTgu-
Many who repudate the existence of a Supreme
Being insist that those terrible Gs6asGPhefS g fat ~
with knotty or misshapen trees. but every hole in
that tree furnishes home for some insect. me
very things with which the wood hunter mas fault
provide food that inspires the poet.
The REV DR. s PARKES CADMAN, CENTRAL
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, BROOKLYN.
What A rod is this San Francisco has 10 bear!
Words poor indeed and fall short OF the ms
cradle tale of suffering ensuing But apprehend
that next your uprush of sympathy and love TOT
the city of the Western haven. followed humble
thankful ascription to heaven that while not more
than others had deserved. the good God had
granted more.
The rod Will not he without its benefits for us If
these the edifcations ii imparts, and II peni-
tent, believing and suppant. we add to all our
outflow feeling the unshrinkng resolution
to cleave closer to the invisible and the eternal.