The Palatka news and advertiser., 1915-06-04

practically exterminating yellow fee-
yer in the canal zone. The last yell
low fever epidemic in Florida was not
without beneficial results. The w:.rn-
ing has been given. The almost fatal
illness of Edward, Prince of Wales,
afterwards King Edward VII,
was the means of driving out mala-
ria entirely from the British Isles. 1t
is the large toll of life and the heavy
mortality that are pushing yellow
fever out of the white mans grave"
and making West Africa habitable.
An experienced deep sea captain stat
eu that vessels on the great lakes
were built in slip-shod fashion and
that their sailors were inexperienced.
The loss of nearly 300 lives in storm
that ragged over the lakes two years
ago can be traced to this omission.
The warning has been given. Rail-
road disasters have emphasized the
fact that safety must depend on up
to-date signalling systems and physi-
cal fitness of all railroad men. The
| N. Y. N. H. & H. had had the warn
| ing but clung to an antiquated system
with the result that not long ago hun
dreds of people were mangled in a
ath-dealing collision. All coal mine
disasters can be traced to carelessness
on the part of man. The laws of God
are fixed-it is for US to obey them.
Earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes
what of them? Each visitation is an
educator. 1t is possible to build on
sand and it is possible to build on
rock. The Lusitania disaster of
course being purely man-made and
man-contrived on the face of it offers
no difficulties. 1t is certain that it
has weakened the cause of its perpe-
traitors more than the defeat of their
whole army.
have thus attempted in as small
compass as possible to state my
conception of God and the philosophy
of Gods terrible things" No disas-
ter should shatter our confidence in
the goodness of God. We cannot see
as far as He sees-the long train end
wide compass of purposes. The
ground reels and the earth spins.
Actually the earth is stationary, but
we are dizzy and short-sighted. If
we could hold a longer reach of times
and seize the connections of history
with broader grasp of intelligence,
events, now difficult of solution,
would become transparent. "The
wisest,' says Parker, "only knows
that he knows nothing" We have
been baffled in our purposes; our
plans have miscarried; our ideals have
been shattered; our castles have
crumbled; our hopes have been crush
ed. We longed for wealth but wealth
has not come; we sought position but
the fruit was beyond our reach; we
desired leisure but our hands are
blistered with toll. We must confess
Ignorance of the cause. The veil that
shrouds the statue Of the god of the
future has never been lifted. We
know this-that hindrances are made
ministers, opposition Of enemies
strength and moral evil nohly resisted
means of spiritual expansion.
What seem to US but sad funereal
tapers
May be heavens distant lamps"
Let US conclude with those noble
expressions of firm faith and unwa-
vering resignation from the pen of
the pious poet Browning
~ praise Thee while my days go on,
| love Thee while my days go on;
Through dark and death, through fire
and frost,
With emptied arms and treaGure lost.
| thank Thee, while my days go on"