Two Disasters Compared
By W. A. Colcord
Just one year to a day from the burning of the Review and Herald Office in Battle Creek—Dec. 30, 1902—occurred the awful Chicago Iroquois theater disaster,—Dec. 30, 1903,—the most destructive of life of its kind known in the history of this country. When we read of the latter, we could not help comparing the two. In the former there was a property loss of about three hundred thousand dollars, but no loss of life. In the latter the property loss, though in a building costing half a million dollars, was only twenty thousand dollars, while in less than fifteen minutes nearly six hundred persons lost their lives. In one, the fire occurred when there were very few in the building; in the other, the building was nearly full of people. How easily the cases might have been reversed! Should we not in this see the wonderful providence of God? Should we not in this see how merciful is our great High Priest, and how precious in his sight are his remnant, though erring, people? We are again forcibly reminded of the words that came to us soon after the destruction of the Review and Herald Office: “Let us praise the Lord that the lives of his children have been so precious in his sight. He might have cut off the workers in their heedlessness and self-sufficiency. But no! He says: ‘They shall have another chance. I will let the fire speak to them, and will see if they will counterwork the action of my providence. I will try them as by fire, to see if they will learn the lesson that I desire to teach them.’ When the Battle Creek Sanitarium was destroyed, Christ gave himself to defend the lives of men and women. In this destruction God was appealing to his people to return to him. And in the destruction of the Review and Herald Office, and the saving of life, he makes another appeal to them. He desires them to see that the miracle-working power of the Infinite has been exercised to save life, that every worker may have opportunity to repent and be converted. Let every one examine himself, and see whether he be in the faith. Let the people7of God repent and be converted, that their sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Another lesson we may learn from this is the insecurity of all human devisings against danger and disaster when God's protection is withdrawn. The Iroquois theater building is reported to have been “absolutely fire-proof,” and to have been built “with safety as the first consideration.” And yet in almost the first play given in it this appalling disaster occurred. And here we are again reminded of the counsel and warning that has lately come to us: “Out of the cities, is my message. . . . The time is near when the large cities will be visited by the judgments of God. In a little while these cities will be terribly shaken. No matter how large or how strong their buildings, no matter how many safeguards against fire may have been provided, let God touch these buildings, and in a few minutes or a few hours they are in ruins. The ungodly cities of our world are to be swept away by the besom of destruction. In the calamities that are now befalling immense buildings and large portions of cities, God is showing us what will come upon the whole earth.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VII, page 83. Surely we have reason to be grateful to God for his counsel, his mercy, and his protecting care. W. A. Colcord.