Amid the Ruins of Italy's Earthquake by CHAS. T. EVERSON

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 18, 1909

Amid the Ruins of Italy's Earthquake

By CHAS. T. EVERSON

CHAS. T. EVERSON

I HAVE just returned from a sojourn in the land of death, and I can assure you that it can not be compared to anything short of a picture of the last great day. The cities are, as the prophet said, “broken down.” Wherever one looks, desolation and destruction meet his eyes. I wandered over the mountain of ruins that cover almost every street in the town, and it was really heart-rending to behold the effects of the horrible disaster that had overtaken the sleeping people in a few seconds. The earthquake giant arose in all his fury, and in thirty-two seconds two large towns and about two hundred smaller towns and villages were a heap of ruins, humbled in the dust. Little did the inhabitants of the stricken cities think that ere the light of another day broke, their destiny would be sealed forever. As I wandered among the ruins, and saw some of those who had been taken unawares while tranquilly sleeping upon their beds, I thought of the great need of living always during these days of peril as if looking for the Bridegroom, that he may find us ready, whether he comes at midnight or at the day's dawning.

I saw one man and his wife lying upon their bed, crushed, with a pile of ruins resting heavily upon them. The body of one woman I saw suspended on a beam in the third story, where it was impossible to get to her. Thousands and thousands buried under the débris make the city a great cemetery, that sends forth a stench that is sickening indeed.

In the city of Messina alone, that numbered one hundred sixty thousand inhabitants before the earthquake, it is estimated that one hundred thousand were buried under the ruins, and that two hundred thousand perished in the desolated region. The earthquake of Lisbon, with its fifty thousand victims, loses much of its terribleness, when compared with the catastrophe of southern Italy. One can imagine how absolutely impossible were the chances for escape on the part of the sleeping inhabitants of the doomed cities. Wings themselves would not have helped the greater part of them. While they were peacefully sleeping, a terrible shock hurled them under huge piles of débris, before they had time to think of what had happened. Those who escaped were saved only by a miracle; for no one can be said to have been saved by acts of heroism or courage. With the earthquake there is no kind of heroism or courage that avails. One is buried in the land of forgetfulness before he has time to think of what he ought to do.

The sea also rolled in to help in the work of destruction, and many were carried out into the murky waters to perish. Dense darkness settled down on the stricken city immediately after the earthquake began to do its deadly work; for the lighting plants of the place were quickly disabled. The few inhabitants that escaped the terrible tremblings went groping around in the dark, trying to find a place of safety. Falling walls destroyed many of these.

Suddenly the dense darkness was lighted up by fires that broke out here and there in the stricken city, to complete the destruction after the visitation of the earthquake and the tidal wave. Then, as if every element of nature were bent on contributing its part to the catastrophe, the rain began to come down in torrential floods, drenching the poor survivors, who, terror-stricken, had taken refuge under the open heaven in the country, to escape from the falling walls that on every side in town threatened the unfortunate inhabitants. A more desolate picture one can hardly imagine. It really gives one some little idea of what the last great day will be, when all the powers of destruction will be turned loose, and the terror-stricken inhabitants of the world will run here and there to seek a place of safety, only to find that destruction threatens them on every hand.

It makes one sick at heart to see so many go down in destruction in a moment who have never heard a word of the third angel's message. I do not hold that, in such a terrible disaster, even Seventh-day Adventists would be exempt from destruction. But for the child of God it would be but a moment of sweet sleep, to awaken in the beautiful morn of the resurrection.

We think of the openings that this great sign of the times will probably give us in Italy. But the question that presents itself to me is, What shall we do with new openings, when we can not fill those we already have?

We have been having earthquake shocks also in Florence, Milan, and throughout northern Italy.

I hope that the hearts of our American brethren will be moved not only for the bodies of the poor, stricken Italian people, but also for their souls. May we not hope that this earthquake, with all its sad effects, will at least achieve one good result for Italy—a new recruit of workers and means for this land? God help us to do our duty toward old Italy.

Rome.