The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-03-09
IN MEMORY
OF VICTIMS
Methodist Church Holds Memo
rial Services Because of Recent
Catastrophe.
SPEAKS OF AFFLICTION
OF THE NORTHWEST
Advises Extension of Hand of
Brotherly Love and All Assist
ance Possible Under the Con-
ditions.

Memorial services for the victims
OF the recent catastrophes in the
northwest, for those whose lives have
been snuffed out and whose homes
have been crushed to ruins, were held
at the Methodist church Sunday even
ing, the church being filled. Rev. Dr.
Charles Il. Gibson delivered the me-
mortal sermon, touching especially on
the subject of brotherly love and its
expression under such conditions.
Taking for his text, BE we ready,
for in such an hour as We think not
the Son of Man cometh." Matt. 4-4.4.
DIR. Gibson said in part
Ours is peculiar duty tonight. The
blackwinged messenger has visited
every home in this beautiful north
west. A series of disasters has left
sorrow and death in their trail.
One week ago tonight, midway be-
tween dark and daylight the little
town of Mace, Idaho, was obliterated
as the mountain shook from it's side
an awful avalanche of ice and snow.
Scarce had our hearts ceased its fut-
tering when the news was heralded
that two passenger trains had been
hurled into the canyons below, bur-
led beneath thousands of tons of the
debris of the mountain side.
The echoes of this mountain tumult
had scarce died away when to our
burden of grief was added the sad
news that just across the line in B. c.
nearly 100 more of our fellowmen
had been caught by another avail
anche and hurled into eternity.
oil hjS
northwest in which some one has not
been called upon to say an unexpected
and affectionate farewell, Hence as
"One touch of sorrow makes all the
world akin" and believing in the
brotherhood of man. it is eminently
approp late that we mngle tears with
those that weep and speak words of
sympath to those whose hearts
great grief is stirred by this storm of
affliction.
Whether God sends or only permits
these calamities is of little solace
when we look into the faces of our
friends cold and still in death. This
we know that whatever part God was
responsible for, He doeth all things
we'll" 1t is not our province or desire
to pass judgment upon the departed
ones They are in the keeping of
loving Father and will not the judge
of all the earth do right?' With
them has gone out the light of many
home. Whole families have, hand
in hand, passed through the dark
POI tails. Young men and maidens
whose future skies were rainbow
hued with hope have said hurried
farewell to youths bright dream
and calmly await that day for which
all other days were made" We who
remain cherish their memory and
will seek to emulate their virtues. If
in this hour of sorrow we could but
grasp the truth that affliction Is but
the shadow of Gods love, and pure
gold is obtained only after it has pass
ed through the heated furnace.
Let us not unjustly charge God
with the crimes of mans ignorance
nor forget that HE doth not afflict
willingly" Let us turn these sad dis
asters into valuable lessons and learn
that mans chief duty is to be We
ready" Only by so doing will the
awful burden of this great affliction
be lifted and our souls be relieved
from a weight which alone it cannot
bear.
To our distant Borrowing friends
whose grief we cannot see and into
whose trembling hand we cannot put
our hand or sympathy, we send the
message from afar, your sorrows are
our sorrows, and to you we offer a
brothers hand and a brothers help"