Gilpin observer., 1909-01-21
\ Reasonable View of Earthquakes.

a reasonable view OF earthquakes
The recent earthquake in Italy in
which thousands upon thousands of
human lives We're blotted out in an
instant, was so appalling that we
try to give some satisfactory ans
wer to our Questionings why such
awful calamities occur.
Such experiences as these almost
overthrow the faith of those who
have been brought up under ortho-
doX teachings because they cannot
reconcile the, awful catastrophe with
an merciful Father.
There is only one theory that will
answer such inquiry, and that is
through the law of evolution as ap-
piled to the earth. A satisfactory
answer cannot be given to those who
have been taught to believe that the
Almighty is protecting His children
from calamity and preserving them
from danger.
So let us try and answer it in a
reasonable way, and see if we can
not understand the Creator more
fully and see His law applied to the
forming of the world. The whole plan
of the development of mankind and
the animal kingdom is based on the
law of the survival of the fittest.
The race of man best fitted for eli
matte conditions is the race that will
endure. The question is often asked,
why does God not kill the devil?"
The answer is, we are placed in a
at large, and nothing is in a cage,
and where dangers and evil influen-
ces are on every hand. We are ex.
pected to take care of our selves,
and by so doing we improve oursel-
yes, physically and mentally speaking
In order to survive we must conform
to the laws of nature as they are es-
tablished, and we must suit oursel-
yes to our environment. The Crea-
tor has made laws that are immut-
able, and to change them to suit
one condition, would throw another
into chaos.
In the cooling process of the earth
from internal causes some portions
of the crust remains weaker than
other portions, and the energy stor-
ed within from the action of heat
and water forming gases. can only
be retained to a certain limit, and
then there must be a revultion, and
woe to the inhabitants Of that sec
tion when the fatal moments come.
We cannot account for the vista
tions by saying they are judgments
on the wicked because the right
eous suffer with the guilty.
Nor can we reconcile them with
the acts of merciful Creator, who
would permit such sorrows and suf-
fering among his children.
Let us recall the fact that we are
living under natural laws, and we
are commanded to conform to those
laws, and to preserve our life to
the allotted span.
I think we may safely say that
wherever great seismic disturbance
has occurred, there has been a warn
ing given to its inhabitants by slight
shocks and tremblings in the vicin-
ity, and in the case of the Mes
sina quake these have been occurring
for an indefinate period. When the
Inhabitants Of a quake section have
been warned and have refused to
heed the warning by either removing
or erecting quake proof buildings
then they must accept the newt
able.
The San Fransciscans had warn
ing OF their impending doom. it came
and they saw the result, and the
earth had scarcely ceased it's
trembling when they began to re-
build on the self same spot, with
only a hope that it might not oc
cur again.
May this not be called defiance Of
the Creators laws? The vicinity of
Seattle in Washington state has
just experienced a tremblor but we
venture to say that they will refuse
to heed its warming, regardless Of
the fact that though they themselves
may escape, the children may fall
victims.
A. T