Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1910-03-04
PROVIDENCE AND DISASTER
The Lay-Readers Talk

The Lay-ReaderS Talk
The Reader came in a little
late on Monday morning, and ] saw
lie had something on his mind or I'm
his stomach that was troubling him,
we couldn't tell which, so the ques-
ton was put, "Well, what have you
got?" And this is what he handed
i'm:
"When great disaster comes 10 a
city or country, such as the Calves
ton flood, the San Francisco earth
quake, the Paris flood and other sim
liar, great disturbances, there are
ministers and Others who are sure TO
rise up and declare that such vista
tions are providential, sent by the
Lord as punishment for great sins,
or else retribution following trans
gression of Gods laws i'm some way.
The most recent of these is Cardinal
Gibbons, who in a newspaper inter
view stated that the great flood,
which has recently ruined the city Of
Paris was direct judgment, sent
upon the city and the French peo-
pic rs punishment for their action
] m r.ff Ion, Of =.
church from the state few years
ago. In effect, that the Great Father
was mad with the french govern
ment because it chose to cut loose.
rs government, from all connection
with the Catholic church. One is not
surprised To hear some enthusiastic
religious crank declare that the
Johnstown flood, the disasters OF
Galveston, San Francisco and at
other places, was direct visitation
of Providence, but when man Of
such standing and int ligeuce ~
Cardinal Gibbons puts out such rot
one is greatly surprised. That great
men, So-called. have their weakness
es is apparent every day. In 1911,
mistake not the date. Paris
suffered similar disaster from Hood.
but the wise and learned Cardinal
does not inform Us whether this was
a punishment upon the French
government for It's treatment OF Cath
olics nor does he state that the de-
struction Of Messina, few wears
ago, where verybody was Catholic.
was punishment or not. The Lord
destroyed Sodom on account of its
meanness, but before doing so he
run all the good people out o. town.
The learned Cardinal does not inform
us That single saint Was specially
shielded in Paris or Messina or any
where else before the fearful blows
fell upon the heads OF the offender
of the stricken cities. want no
child or anyone else, To get the idea
in his head, that God is mad. and
delights To punish and whip and
Kill. They used to tell us that God
was angry with bad people all the
time and would punish them. by
and by. Did you ever hear this little
poem?
Remember, child remember,
That God is in the sky.
Remember child that he will punisb
The wicked, by and by"
There were several verses and they
used to make me commit them TO
memory, and recite them in Sun
day school. The great Father was
represented rs The Great Punisher.
Ine old minister, sacred be his
memory, used to represent the
Sword Of Justice hanging over your
head suspended by brittle thread >"
and the King on his throne, tearing
his hair and raving mad, eager for
blood. No, this is not the truth
about God. He does not send floods
earthquakes and sickness to kill good
women and little children. All the
punishment we suffer we bring on
ourselves. Why, don't you know, that
few years ago when an excursion
boat, loaded down with Sunday