The Washington herald., 1912-04-22
Hundreds Offer Prayers for Titanic Dead

reposes
Recital for victims.
In the Immaculate Conception Church
mention was made Of the disaster at an
OF the services. and at the end OF each
mass a portion OF the rosary was recited
for the Titanic victims.
Rev. Eugene De L Mcdonnell. 8. Js
pastor OF St Aloysius' Church, speaking
to 1000 men Of the Third Sunday Brigade
at the z o'clock mass. said:
The holy sacrifice being offered this
morning is for the souls of the men and
women who were lost IN the Titanic
wreck. Our sympathy is strongly aroused
by the sudden and awful death which
these poor victims received. although We
feel that God. in His INFINITE compassion,
gave every one OF them special gracez
on that dreadful occasion. Pray this
morning during the mass and offer your
communions for the souls OF ali who
went down with the Titanic"
Speaks of Heroism.
Rev. c. Ernest Smith. pastor Of St.
Thomas Episcopal Church. said:
They were trying to make record.
and they did Il. There have been other
scenes of heroism on the sea. but the
Titanic's were the noblest. because they
took place at night when the lights were
out BE British said the captain, and
save the women and children and Band
men, play ahead and comfort the dying.
And the band played, until the waters
made them stop. Nearer. my God, to
Thee, Nearer to Thee
''ol the Titanic the great law OF self
preservation was put aside by the men
because they regarded themselves as pro-
tectors Of the helpless: but such chivslry
win die II women succeed in putting
themselves in the attitude Of not needing
protection or different treatment than
men. as might come from woman suf-
frage.
The disaster was not inevitable, Il was
. Nillful. wanton waste Of life. II all the
precautions Of ocean travel are followed.
II Is safer 20 cross the Atlantic than
to walk a half dozen times around Du-
pont Circle. where there is great danger
from automobile accidents. A few years
ago. a captain would take his vessel hum
dreds OF miles south 10 avoid icebergs.
Now. the cry is, Risk everything. 10 beat
a competitor, or TO save few minutes
time 80
This desire. in travelling op sea, and
land, to save q little time at any cost.
and TO live In luxury. is the spirit OF our
age; and the transportation companies
are merely responding to this spirit. A
man hasn't time, he says. to help little
child. or to pray. or to save his soul. He
begrudges every minute that takes him
away from his chance to make more
money and from the opportunity TO en-
Joy more and more luxury"
Lessons Are Threefold.
Rev. zed Hetzel Copp. pastor of the
Sunshine Temple. said:
The lessons from this international
calamity are threefold. II shows how
unreliable are the best OF human efforts:
II brings out to the world the chivalry Of
modern manhood. and Il sweetens every
home through the loyalty OF the devoted
women who died with their husbands
rather than leave them"
Rev. c. II. Butler. pastor Of Columbia
Heights Lutheran Church. said:
Away back in the Garden of Eden,
God said to the serpent: I will put en-
nifty between thee and the woman and
between thy seed and her seed; II shall
brulse thy head and thou shalt bruise
his heel We belong to a race with a
bruised heel. Our progress is slow and
painful There is suffering and sorrow.
and many a temporary defeat, all be-
cause sin has entered the human heart.
The terrible Titanic disaster, the
greatest OF the kind ever known, Illus
trates this truth. We are not to con-
clude that this disaster came es a pun |
ishment. but II was part Of the price our
race, handicapped by sin, must pay, for |
II we were free from sin the human in |
tellect would be able the better to dis |
cover natures secrets and to harness !
her forces so that they would not cause
death and sorrow and suffering.
Benefits VIII Result.
AT least two good things, possibly |
three, will result from this fearful catas-
trophe. Our own government will take |
the lead In defining lanes Of travel on |
the sea, so that the danger from ice will |
be minimiZed. We shall see that all ves-
sells carry a sufficient number of life |
boats to care for all passengers and crew |
In the third place, It is to be hoped that |
the mad rush for speed and the ruinous |
competition, with chief attention to lux
ury rather than to safety will cease"
Rev. DIR. s. P. W. Drew. pastor of the |
Cosmopolitan Baptist Church, said:
The world is bowed with grief over
the terrible catastrophe to the Titanic, |
veritsble palace. with her cargo of hu-
man freight 1t was one of the worst |
disasters IN maritime history. It Is sad |
but nevertheless true, that wealth and |
the material things OF this life tend to |
distract our thoughts from the prepara-
tion to meet God. and while repeated |
warnings are given, they go unheeded. |
until at a moment when least expected !
Gods handwriting appears upon the
WALL