The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-04
MAN KIND | s
UNITED BY
TRAGEDY
ALL THE WORLD STANDS APPAlL-
ED AT AWFUL CATAClYSM.
Rev. Mccreery Draws Lesson of Uni
yersaI Brotherhood Made Mani
fest by Means of Calamity

The newspapers have brought us the
details OF terrible earthquake over
In Italy, bordering on the straits Of
Messina-the ancient Charybdis. The
loss Of life has been very great and the
suffering inestimable The world stood
appalled, moment, but Is now rushing
all aid possible to the scene Our own
United States is doing we'll He who
gives quickly gives doubly. BY means
Of the telegraph. our gifts can reach
the stricken In very short time. The
world Is being bound closer together
with all calamities. The fnmines Of
India and China have received our aid
and when our San Francisco was burn
ed, the world was ready to nelp us.
Some day we will recognize
"For a that, and a that
It's coming yet, for a that;
That man to man, the world DER,
Shall brothers be for a that"
So while we deplore these calami-
ties, they give us an opportunity to
show our brotherhood. And are bind
ing the world closer together
But as there are some peculiar ideas
that have arisen in the discussions of
the calamity, We wish to endeayor "to
justify the ways of God to men,"
First, let us lay aside the thought
that the earthquake has come as
punishment to the people of Italy.
An acquaintance remarked, Il was just
saying to my wife. that the world was
getting so bad, that 1t is wonder God
did not destroy IL all" Well, believe
the world is getting better. But then
does not God punish In some other way
down here?
First-We know He Furnishes by
affecting the character. For every sin
he gives a weakened character-a
hardened heart The five traits are
lessened. the response to the true and
the good become less earnest. He
withnolds his presence and refuses to
bless until there is repentance.
Second-Then he punishes by les
sening the joy Of life and the enjoy
ment that should be ours. Ones good
time becomes less and less satisfac-
tory. The sweetness of life becomes
bitter, the good-husks. Sin brings It's
blight and tnat blight is Gods punish
ment.
Third-The anguish of conscience
is such that one seems TO be laShed
about life. This fills life full of the
sad, the disappointing So great is the
burden that men interpret the calami-
ties OF nature as punisnments from
God. One can imagine that any one
lashed by conscience would easily
think that the earthquake In Italy was
punishment But we will find upon
consideration that God Is just God.
AS lust. his punishments must be uni
form. Italy is no more wicked, per-
hans not as much as other places,
why are they not visited. Why does
God discriminate. Why so many
earthquakes In volcanic regions? No,
we find enough corrective punishments
In the other ways that God uses With
out concluding that he uses tnese
means for that purpose.
But you ask me If not punishment,
what part does God have in the mat
ter. Some people may think that God
has no part, They deny his responsi-
bIlity But In so doing they deny God.
Either God is fully responsible or He
cannot be excused for not making Him
self responsible. In either case, He
Is responsible.
Ne must conclude, then, that He
has a part, but what is It? 1t would
De easy to say that God Is love and
pass 1t by with that and no further
thought. Some would say that God is
cruel to make people suffer. But as we
find the element of suffering and pain
in 80 mucn Of life, perhaps We will be
safe In concluding that they may be
growing palms. Gods great message
To the world is that He suffers. He
loves the world and suffers In the SUI
fering of Jesus Christ for men. There
IS too much to prove tho message OF
.Io,a tf51t- ~ -nn rethcy trusi II, though
no may rot ser Why
Let rs rcccgnlxc ne faci hat the