The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-03
Voice Of the People


DR.. Tnylor's Mcditations mt Monumental.
| TO the Editor of no Tlmes-pispatch:
Sir,--On the night of the goth OF
December 1 attended the services ut
! Monumental Church. which commence
rated the burning of the Richmond
: Theatre 100 years ago. These services
impressed mo deeply. solemnly and
,, reverently, and so look into my heart
and write.
The burning of the theatre was
topic very familiar in Richmond some
thirty years after the tragedy oc-
CURED, when I was small child. 1t
was very much talked about in my
own home. whore, indeed, we had a
kind or connection with II through the
agency Of the appari,ion OF one OF the
victims which. II was asserted. had
Appeared to al Inmate of our house.
! have elsewhere told the story OF tho
vision, which at that time was fully
! believed In by MO. and which awfully
| impressed me. There was also n book
In the library of my Sunday school en-
titled, "A Voice from Richmond" whose
theme was this calamity. and which /
read with absorbing interest
was very little boy when one
night suddenly met woman on fire
rushing past me out OF an allay. The
| sight paralygcd me. and l remained
rooted to the spot TIL she vas brought
/
never 10 be forgotten. Even at this
! distant day l Gun ut any time recall the
/ scene or the roaring whirlS of fame
lighting up the darkness and the
/ shrtekinG woman. her blazing arms
outStrctched In vain appeal to heaven
| and earth. Since then as coroner.
! nave seen great numbers OF persons
chiefly women and children, who have
been DESTROYED by firH. No deaths arc
more distressing Tine sight of the
1 I. ri
is peculiarly oppressive. and IL awak
! ems TIC profouudest pity and sorrow
IL was not unnatural, then, as sat
! In the church OH the memorial night
deeply moved by the solemn exercises,
That I was abla wildly to evolve tho
,fishful scenes Of tho burning thea
| tre' ana that after had retired to
| ped my sleep WAS broken BIZ mcdIta
! tlo1 upon them. How marvellous is
| INC Duman mind miracuiously able TO
! unite the present and the past. TO re-
! animate the dead. and wiring out tears
! hundred years!
could have wished that tho services.
beautiful, affecting and eminently re-
| lislous as they most appropriatelv
| were md taken somewhat more no
licc OF the human side of the calamity.
| II should not re overlooked that
/ though Heaven. for an insrrut,bIe ro,
| =
patty ana succor were no, wou,ing
! 80 doubt at that dreadfm timn there
| was displayed much OF the tyanty of
poor human nature. overwhelmed nv
the appalling vision of imminent death,
ana unable to do anything that did
not make for sclf-prcscrvatiOn but
| tRerc was, besides. much of heroic cr
! ioTt' OF devotion that dcncs inevitable
doom, and Of the other virtues that
) Sahctlfy humanity and put crowns of
glory on lowly heads. Accounts OF
tnat aWfml night havo como to us
M.ien zen OF the mothers undying
; rove lor' her child. OF mans readiness
J 70 give his life for woman, Of tc,
/ valiant doctor who did his work or
! rescue I'LL he himself was haatan
down and disabled, OF the noble co,ored
/ man VINO caught Ia his arms The burn
'iis mon and women lenpins from the
! windows Let us not forget the doors
/ OF these deeds, ana In our Ivors;,in NJ,
me great Creator. let lis egpcciallv
| praise Him for that, while lie hAs
deemcd II 1T Ia atnict Ills creatures;
with nlany impcr:cctions, lie y.t has
iherGiiully bestowed upon them attrl-
Dutcs that are divine
onT ancestors looked on the calamity
| as a ladgment from Heaven and ne
| punishment for the sins OF the p%opin
! ana thcy erected church not solely
as memorial but also. in some scn.c
! iof an atonfment. No monument .ou,d
more iitly empress the prevailing feel
HhG. IL was an opinion then widely
h"ld that to attend Il theatre wss n
wicked action. This opinion was mani
tested everywhere. at home and
! abroad IN the comments on the calam-
| ny. ana II was tn" basis Of the little
! SUNDAY school Book ! have mentioned
| 3ehevc that nowadays most of MS
take q more charitable. or at least q
modihed view. Mayor Richardson's. in
| MS address at the memorial meeting,
showed BIS kindlS nature by placing
inc victims III comparison with those
! upon whom the tower OF SLOAN f.u
ana whom the Master declared were
| not sinners above all other dw.Ilers
| In the city. And the Mayor tonchcl
/ on inc mighty problem. Why are such
! dreadful evils permitted to anltct the
world?
1t is problem which men Of every
| creed have pondcrcd-Pagan, Jew and