p. 24 | Scorched With Great Heat

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 13, 1911

“Scorched With Great Heat”

NEVER in the history of this country have so many fatalities occurred from the intense heat of the sun as during the last few days. Weather conditions have been unparalleled. The Washington Post of July 6, speaking of these conditions, says:—

“The loss of more than five hundred lives is to be credited to the great heat wave of July 1-5, 1911, which official weather advices say will abate somewhat to-day. The torrid period will be memorable in weather annals for its wide extent, its long duration, its record-breaking temperatures in many places, and the long list of fatalities which it has caused. The hundreds of news despatches which cities from the North Atlantic seaboard west to the plains States have exchanged during the last four days account, according to a careful review to-night, for the deaths of 431 persons from the heat and 80 from drowning—a total of 511. Incomplete as the record is from the failure of many points to report specifically the number of such deaths, it is as serious a showing as is remembered for many years, if not a record. The number of prostrations is still more difficult to compute; but from the review of the despatches it appears that thousands have been seriously overcome by heat in the great cities.”

Conditions in this old earth will grow more and more abnormal until the time shall fully be reached, as brought to view under the fourth plague, when power shall be given the sun “to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat.” In these days of calamity and peril on every side it behooves the children of God to walk softly and carefully before him, and to live in daily consciousness of divine acceptance. Those only can claim the keeping power of God who are seeking to conform daily to his laws, not only with reference to the spiritual life but with respect to their physical being as well.