The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-22
moral LESSON IN
TITANIC TRAGEDY
Richmond Sermons = :! Largely
With Weeks Big
Disaster.

rending as tn. catastrophe may seem,
when viewed To-Day, with hardly moro
than a weak elapsed since the happen
Ing. 1t VIII be softencd by the lapse Of
time and leave civilization tao richer
for Its example of noble self sacrifice,
chivalry and vaior. Through the death
OF the unfortunates on the Titanic
countless thousands Will DE spared In
the days to come by precautlJ ns which
VIII BE- thrown about ocean travel in
the future. Finally. the calamity has
laid bare mans frailty in the presence
OF the great elements. and has demon
stratcd again his utter dependence
upon the living God
These were the thoughts that ran
through many sermon in yesterday
church services. Congregations in
every section of the city. from the
humble parishes OF the Industrial dis
trcts to the stately cathedrals Of the
West End. listened in a common bond
of human sympathy to priest and pas
tor as they rehearsed the great tragedy
and drew from 1t its lesson for the
world. In every city. town and ham
let In the United States where news
OF the wreck had penetrated. preach
crs made il the subject of their pr.n-
cipal sermons. and Richmond was no
exception.
Optimistic Note General.
While most of the preachers yaster-
day had something to say abou. the
carelessness which brought aboIt the
catastrophe. few of them had recourse
u censur. blame For the most
part they looked upon 1t Al tho penalty
OF recklessness and greed. ,raceable 10
modern conditions rather than 10 par
ticular men. In all tho sermons there
was present note OF optimism. Pro-
Sress comes always through tribula-
ton and suffering. they said in effect
and individuals must die In order that
the race may. -.vc.
Among th@se who dealt with the
sinking of me Titanic in their sermons
were Rev. II. Clay Lilly. Of the Grace
Street PRESBYTERIAN Church: Rev
George f, Green. OF the Highland Park
Methodist Church; Rev. W. u. Bu-reII.
OF the Fairmount Baptist Church: Rev
John H. Eager, Of tho Grac. Street
Baptist Church, Rev. .. CUTIE. of St
Johns Evangelical Luth ran Church.
and Rev. ". J. Young, OF tho Ccntc-
nary Methodist Church.
Not 10 &c Charged to Providence.
DR. Young. at the Centenary Metho-
dist while declaring +; to b. his belief
that modern thinking has not stolen
from the world its faith in personal
and almighty Father. who controls all
things on land and On sea, said that IL
is wrong to lay the blame for the IT,
tanic disaster at the doors of a strange
Providence" Man has mast cred great
natural forces, subducd the sea- con-
quered the air and summoned to his
aid the wonderful wireless. said the
preacher, and when troubles come Is
, prone to forget his own share in caus-
ing them.
We forget how many of our trou-
hles. how many o. what we call
! strange Providenccs arc directly
traceablo 10 our forgatfulness OF these
commandments of God. or. still worse,
TO our wilful violations OF them said
DR., Young. The investigation into
this awful calamity has proceeded far
enough for us TO know that the acct
dent was entirely avoidable.
Criminal Ctnmor for speed.
We may not yet locate blame: in
deed, | do not desire to do so. but we
may say that, whatever individual may
be primarily al fault, We must all ad =.
init that he was in sense a creature
or conditions which to-day are lead
ing us all to clamor for speed. and
/ which havN. back or them the mad rush
10 get rich. This same spirit is giving
US often dangerous limited express
trains. adultcratcd foods unhealthy
surroundings. improperly prepared men
Tor the professions. and evasIons OF
laws made for human safety and he, .
term mt All OF it might we'll he dcs-
iEnated flying in the face of Provi-
dence
Many Of these commandments Of
God arc discovered. or. when discov-
cred. are fully appreciated through tho
~ ISf0 NJ 81
Every lighthouse speaks eIoqucutly-
OF some shipwreck. This method or
discovery, this teaching by example,
is itself a law OF God. The hundreds
whose bodies lie 1000 fathoms b,lov
those icebergs have not died in vain.
Moved by their death. ,he great ma =
tons will see to II that ships carry
sufficient lifeboats; that they take :,
route beyond all possibl, contact with
iceoerss, and that tho craving for
speed and for luxury shall not inter
fer with safety
The World In Richer
Tho world is surely richer for the
nobility OF character shown In men
of all classes on the Titanic-bellbov
and stokcr and captain. millionaire ana
pauper. philanthropist and worldling.
Did not NAM of them live moro in
those few hours than in most OF their
lives before? And withai. we have ii
written iii clearcst outline that not
only on sinking ship. but every :
where else. even under conditions the
most favorable. the life Of multi
tudc together is Impossible cNcen, as
men learn the great lessons of sacrifice
and self-denial and service. Again and
again some one has to die for the
people in order that the people may
live.
1T seems to be an ordained ,.an OF
God 10 utili2 experiences OF this sort
To turn mems minds TO Him. TO teach
them their helplessress and their do
pcndencc on Him. II VIC were made
for God. If we are here to giorify Him
by every form of service 10 His king
dom and to His children. then, that We
may reach tic goal and meaning OF
our existence, scarcely too much can
moi hc. rnnlIirnd for lh., q. az