Phoenix tribune., 1919-07-26
.CLOUDBURST AT GLOBE
TAKES AWAY ST. JOHN
BAP TiS1 CHURC H
(By w. F. watkias)

went over to Globe to church, and,
after hearing a wonderful sermon
preached by the pastor, Rev. Young, |
had the pleasure of presenting to the
people the Phoenix Tribune and ask
ing that they subscribe for it because
the representative, Mrs. Young. the
wife of the pastor. was out of the city
l didn't know that it would be the last
time that the Tribune would be pre-
sented to the people in this historic
old building that had housed. the st.
John Baptist church so long
The Story
After services, the men remained
(saints and sinners) and made up
purse and requested that 1 take it and
purchase a suitable present to give
to Rev. Young in appreciation of his
three years of service as the pastor
Of st. Johns church. AS the Women's
Home Mission meet every Monday
evening at the church, why, Mrs Wat
ms and myself went over to Globe
from Miami about 4 or 4 80 p. m,
Mrs. Watkins going to the home of
friend about quarters of mile
from the church; together, they were
to go to the church | went directly
to a jewelry store. where made the
selection and secured the gift. When
went in the store the sun was shin
ing. but when / came cut it was rain
ing and the lightning was flashing.
Having spent six years of my life on
the sea, where the storm RACES, can
truthfully say | have seen the won
ders of. the heaveAs. have heard
greast claps of thunder and have seen
great streaks of lightning, but l have
never seen the lightning play it's linn
Der game before as Invent zig-zagzing
across the hills in Globe on Monday.
July IA, 1919.
What | Saw
| decided to wait until the rain had
slackened, and then go after Mrs.
Watkins and return back to Miami.
Within thirty minutes the rain was
practically over, but the water was
rushing like mad down Broad street
main street, two feet deep. | Sc
cured a high-powered service car, but
could go no further The driver took
me along the streets and saw the
water sweeping through the various
stores. The clerks were being car
ried cut OF the postofice; the tele-
graph office was sight-it was
wrecked
l climbed high hill and | saw wa
ter leaping and rushing, seemingly as
high as was tall. | saw the electric
wires swapping like threads; | saw
great streaks of lightning the forky
kind-yes, Gods searchlight-her
and there-everywhere-as if in
search of some hidden object
Wet-but |, decided to see this
storm through / saw water sweeping
through houses, rushing in and cut
of windows | thought of the church.
looked, but | couldn't see it; but
saw a man rescuing his family, wad-
ing and carrying them to high places.
The water was waist deep in his
home. | saw houses going to pieces.
| wanted to see the church.
The Fall of old ST.. Johns
After some hard climbing over hills.
through water, over fences, | at last
came within sight of the church. 1t
seemed to be in trouble, and as J
looked | could see the old building
swaying to and fro, rocking: then she
seemed to stand erect once more, but,
alasi her foundation was sand, and
there was no protecting wall, and the
water carried away its foundation, and
helpless alone she fell, and the par
sonage adjoining fell. and both were
smashed into kindling wood
The Loss
ALL Sunday school. Books. B. Y. P.
T., Women's Home Mission the song
books, records, pews,. etc.-all were
lost The pastors effects were lost,
and he saved only what he had on his
back. When finally met him, he was
smiling, and said to me-. 1T might
have been worse, and, Some day,
these earthly things must pass He
didn't cry over the lost things, but
went about assisting others to save
as much as possible, and as l turned
away he had woman on his back,
carrying her through the water to a
place of safety.
On my way ran into Rev. Solly-