Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1912-04-26
A LESSON FROM The TITANIC
WHICH SHOULD NOT Be OVERLOOKED.


This paper would say nothing to
cast odium upon the memory OF the
heroic dead who went down to wat
cry graves in the death plunge of the
Titanic. All honor to them for their
self-sacrifice in the Women first"
slogan in that awful hour. But
while the world is reeling from the
shock OF the blow of this staggering
and unparalleled disaster, and re-
QUEENS being sung and paeans
composed to che memory of the sur
vivors and the lost, and govern
mental Investigations are in course
as we'll as better life boat equipment
and change of routes by the steamer
companies are being instituted as the
results from the lessons learned in
this horrifying catastrophe at sea,
let not this important moral lesson
be lost sight of in the midst of the
confusion and reforms being inaugu-
rated:
BE not deceived God is not Knocked: for
Whatsoever man soweth that shall he also
reap. Gal. e;7;
which being reduced to modernly
expressed English applied in tins
case, means that its taking Hateful
risks to overlook God in human en-
deavors even at sea on the most pal
atial and perfectly appointed
steamer that man has. yet built for
comfort and security against the
dangers of the mighty deep.
On many of the great liners, revel-
ry, equaling that of Babylon, is prac-
ticed and the Sabbath is but poorly
respected, but few of them carrying
a chaplain aboard, and frequently the
entire trips made without prayer
being uttered, a sermon preached, or
a sacred song sung. But notice. if
yon will, IN the accounts of this yes
sci S last moments. how the band
PLAYED Nearer, my God, toiThee, ;"
as she settled into the brIny deep;
how on the life RATS and in the boats
the Lords prayer was said in COZ
cert and other spontaneous prayers
uttered and hymns sung, and how,
when rescued by the Carpathia, one
aged couple knelt on her deck as soon
as they were taken aboard and pub
IIicly praised God for their rescue;
and how the captain of that vessel
hunted up a minister and had a
thanksgiving service held, all Of
which shows that the time came when
men and women no longer thought
iof frivolity, but, in the face of death,
were glad to turn their thoughts and
speech to God.
| OF course. there were good men and
women aboard the Titanic; some of
these were lost and some persisted, -
but the good were in bad company
and hence could not wholly escape
the ruin involved. The following
clipping sheds some light upon how
the Sabbath Immediately preceding
the disaster was spent on board:
LAST SUPPER WAS GAY ONE.
New York, April 20. -Propped
up in pillows in a bed in St. Vlncent's
hospital this afternoon, Thomas
Whitley, an assistant steward in
the first salon of the Titanic, told an
international News reporter the first
authenic story of the scene in the
dining room OF the ship on the night
of the disaster. He said:
1t was the gayest night of the trip
among the diners. We had made
great time and the probability was
that the trip would be a record
breaker. Orders had been issued
Sunday to make the dinner the finest
ever served on ship regardless of
expense and the orders were carried
out. | believe it was soon after half
past six when the passengers stroll
ed in. Mr.. Ismay sat at a table a
few feet away from the table of Mr.
and Mrs. Astor. He was in a cor
ner. The Astor table was to the
right and the captain S table was in
1.-THE center. At Mr.. Astor's table
DIR. O'Loughlin, the ships surgeon
was seated with his assistant. There
we're some other people there, but |
do not know who they were. Soon
after the dinner was served the fun
commenced. Wine was served at
the Aston table and the conversation
was very animated. The captain
talked and joked with Mr.. Astor and
occasionally Mr. Ismay spoke. The
one topic of conversation was the
new boat and the speed she was
making. | did not see the captain