Year: 1871




We believe we speak the sentiments of the
great mass of our fellow citizens when we say
that the Chicago fire, in spite of all the loss


and misery it has created, partakes largely OF


seeming nations and men were growing in


sefshness. The Gospel doctrine of charity


seemed to be forgotten. Nations and men
lived to themselves and for themselves. To
many thinking men 1t has for years seemed as
if, ia spite of our Christianity, the external
prosperity Of which was undeniable, we were
lapsing back into species Of heather Pagan
ism. Might seemed to be growing into right.
No man seemed willing to admit that he was
his brothers keeper in any, even the m ost
modified, sense. Many indications encouraged
the belief that Christianity, like the religions
which had gone before it, had become system
of dead dogmas, and that, with wealth which
the world had never known before, we were
rapidly coming under the reign of universal
sel6shness. We dare not say that this view
of modern society was not justified by
facts. Suddenly, and as if by lightning


stroke, 1t has been shown that this view
of modern society is false, and that in
spite of all outward seeming the so-called


Christian nations are Christian at the core.


This Chicago disaster, revealing, as it has re-
vealed, the power of Christian doctrine and
the goodness of human hearts, confirms and
establishes the ancient lesson that the darkest
cloud has its silver lining and that the longest
night is followed by the dawn. We can for


moment forget the awful disaster in our joy


because of the sympathy and practical charity
which 1t has called forth.


1t is true that no such calamity has occur
red in modern times, and that the sympathy of
the world has not, in many generations, been
similarly tested. We are not unwilling to
make this admission, but we do not feel that
in making it we are at all detracting from the
strength Of our argument. The great fact re-
mains that the occasion calling for it, the
worlds sympathy has gushed out as it never
sushed out before: We cannot write in too
fattering terms Of the doings of the govern
his advisers acted with a promptitude and q
funess of liberality which left little TO be de-
sired. Oar great cities, one and all, have
We'd with each other in affording relief for the
sufferers. There is no room for special praise
where all have done 30 well. Our own cities
have been equalled by the large towns of the
New Dominion. Ottawa, Toronto, Quebec and
Montreal have shown that brotherly love and
tho liberal outflow of charity are perfectly
compatible with what are called national differ
ences. The citizens Of the New Dominion feel
and confess that the Chicago sufferers are not
the less brothers and sisters that they live
across the lines. In this case three thousand
miles of ocean have not hiudered London and
Liverpool and Manchester and Glasgow and
all the large cities of the Continent of Europe
by their munifcent contributions to succor the
distressed in the young great, but unfortunate
city Of the Western world. We have spoken
Of the noble doings of the great cities Of differ
ent nations We do not forget the noble
efforts of our corporations, of our church or
ganizations, of our trades societies, of our
public establishments and of our private
citizens. 1t gratifies us much to know that
our suggestions have been so generally
adopted and SO promptly and vigorously acted
upon. The various organizations OF this city
have done 80 well, and the liberality of our
private citizens has been in so many cases so
illustrated, that to mention
names would be invidious. It is fair, we
think, to say that Christian charity, or human
ty. or practical sympathy, or whatever the
reader chooses to call it, was never in the |
whole history of the world SO grandly ex-
hibited. 1t is also fair, we think, to say that
this exhibition Of goodness justifies us In
thinking more kindly and speaking more
hopefully of our species. We re-
joice greatly that Chicago will not be
allowed to want for any good thing but we
rejoice still more that Christian men and
women of all persuasions and shades of belief
have come so nobly forward to the assistance
Of their fellows. 1t may be bad world, but
there are may who will henceforth think that
it is not so bad as it seems.


In considering this subject it is impossible
to overlook the importance of our new agents
of civilization. We have for years known the
value of the railroad and the telegraph and
the deep sea cables. Their value and impor-
tance were never so revealed as they have
been in connection with this Chicago disaster.
We felt their value during our great civil war,
and it is not unfair for US to admit that but
for our superior command of the railroad and
the telegraph it might have been more difficult
for us to put down the insurgent South and
restore the loved Union in all its integrity.
We knew their value during the Abyssinian
war, when the British empire put forth its
strength to protect the agents of Christianity
and civilization from the attacks Of an almost
unapproachable barbarian. We knew their
value during the late Franco-G German war;