An Appeal by H. W. Cottrell; Stephen N. Haskell; William C. White; William T. Knox; Milton C. Wilcox; John O. Corliss; Charles H. Jones; E. A. Chapman

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · May 17, 1906

An Appeal

By H. W. Cottrell; Stephen N. Haskell; William C. White; William T. Knox; Milton C. Wilcox; John O. Corliss; Charles H. Jones; E. A. Chapman

By this time the world knows most of the detail of the terrible earthquake and fire which devastated San Francisco, and paralyzed business for a time in the adjoining region. The deep sympathy expressed by the outside world for the sufferers, is also well known, and duly appreciated by the people of the Pacific Coast, whether direct sufferers or not. Not only have foreign nations sent messages of condolence, as to those of a common brotherhood, but contributions of money have been freely offered for relief to the needy. Men of means have given, each from his private purse, many thousands, and one citizen of San Francisco gave an even million dollars. Congress added to these liberal offerings the sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars, until the amount has footed up to over five million dollars.

Could those remote from the unfortunate district become eye-witnesses of the abounding desolation, especially in San Francisco, their hearts would be more deeply touched than before. It is useless to undertake a description of the scene, since it beggars the most eloquent portrayal of it. Standing in the midst of the desolated territory, one may look for more than a mile in any direction, and see nothing but dreary and forlorn wastes.

Here a former street is thrown up in billowy ridges, there an open seam appears, at the bottom of which flows a stream of water. At another point a wrecked building is seen sunken into the ground several feet. Twisted steel frames stand like gaunt specters against the sky, along with broken shafts of brick, and what were once solid walls of masonry. It is a sight long to be remembered, on account of the utter desolation everywhere. One can not but think of what the scene may be in the time when “God shall arise to shake terribly the earth,” and all the cities of the nations shall fall, in the “great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth.”

One thing to be thankful for is that, so far as known, not one of our people went down to death in the calamity, though many lost their all; and this, too, in an earthquake which extended its force where most of the largest and most prosperous churches of the California Conference were located.

These losses have fallen quite heavily, too, upon the institutions of our people. While the Pacific Press at Mountain View was not entirely put out of commission by the shock, the damage which it sustained will amount to about twenty thousand dollars. The Branch Sanitarium, located in San Francisco, is a total wreck. The food store and the vegetarian café were both entirely consumed, making a total loss on these institutions of thirteen thousand dollars, to say nothing of the damage to Healdsburg College. Our work in San Francisco ought to be immediately re-established, but can not be started again without help. These institutions were doing excellent work, and should be again permitted to go forward in their God-given service for humanity.

A CORNER OF THE PACIFIC PRESS BUILDING AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE

Our people in the California-Nevada Conference are willing to do all in their power to assist in this crucial time; but, as before stated, most of our largest and best-equipped churches, such as those at San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Rosa, San Jose, Mountain View, Healdsburg, and others, have been placed at a great disadvantage, having all been sufferers from the earthquake. The brethren of the Pacific Coast, however, are of good courage, and desire to be colaborers with our Eastern brethren in recouping these losses according to their ability.

The Lord’s work on this Coast needs help now, just now, when its burdens are heavier than it can bear alone. We believe our brethren everywhere will regard the situation on the Pacific Coast as an appeal to their sympathy and support. This region has ever been prompt to respond to the needs of other parts of the field, and now in our need shall we not be made glad with the substantial sympathy of our brethren who have not been subjected to the strain under which we find ourselves? We believe that we shall, and that right away. Our confidence in the liberality of our brethren has not hitherto been misplaced, and we can not believe that it will be on this occasion, and we confidently look for our loss of thirty-three thousand dollars to be speedily contributed.

The basis of this confidence rests upon the fact that our brethren of the Southern California Conference, whose financial condition might seem to demand that all their energies be expended on the relief of home industries, have generously contributed from their scanty funds two thousand dollars to help repair the losses on our stricken institutions. We thank them from the depths of our hearts, believing that God will reward them for their liberality. Shall not others share with them in this blessing? We believe that many will do so. Let contributions be forwarded at once to Elder I. H. Evans, Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. These funds will be turned over to the Pacific Union Conference, which will attend to the proper distribution of the same.

Signed by the Committee, H. W. COTTRELL, S. N. HASKELL, W. C. WHITE, W. T. KNOX, M. C. WILCOX, J. O. CORLISS, C. H. JONES, E. A. CHAPMAN, W. N. GLENN, H. G. CHILDS, C. M. SNOW, H. H. HALL, A. O. TAIT.