Significant Items

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 18, 1872

Significant Items.

INCREASE OF INCENDIARISM.

The number of fires which have occurred in this country during the last few months, and indeed during the past year, is quite unprecedented, and the loss by them has been great, almost beyond estimate. Every day adds to the record; the New England dispatches in Monday’s Journal alone containing accounts of sixteen different fires. The report of the National Board of Underwriters, just published, shows an increase in fires of 40 per cent since the old National Board expired. The strange and alarming increase points to something more than increased carelessness and negligence; it indicates unmistakably an increase in the crime of incendiarism. Every fire which occurs should have a prompt and thorough investigation of its probable cause; and every person found guilty of incendiarism should receive the utmost penalty of the law. Only so can the public be secured from these cowardly miscreants, whom long immunity from punishment has rendered bold.

NATIONAL WEALTH AND CHRISTIAN GIVING.

The Methodist suggests, without answering, the question as to whether the liberality of the Christian church has kept pace with our national prosperity. The point is an interesting one, and church statisticians can, if they will, throw much light upon it. The Methodist says: “Great as is the charity of the times, it may well be doubted whether it is comparatively as large as is supposed. The growth of our means would almost make us believe that it is relatively less. For example, the superintendent of the last census shows that in 1850 the amount of property, real and personal, in the country, was $7,000,000,000; by 1860 it had advanced to more than $16,000,000,000; by 1870, to $30,000,000,000. No other nation ever saw recorded growth or aggregate wealth like this. In ten years it much more than doubled. In twenty years it much more than quadrupled. All this advance has been made, let us remember, in about two-thirds of a generation.”

The important question now is, has the liberality of the American church grown during these twenty years in such proportion? It is worthy of the most careful study of our religious financiers. The correct answer would be one of the best, the most crucial tests of the allegation so often re-iterated by Free-thinkers, that Christianity is now in actual decadence in America.”

THE EARTHQUAKE AT LONE PINE.

The latest files of California papers give the following extracts from a private letter to a member of the relief committee, which illustrates the terrors of the recent earthquake at Lone Pine.

“My Dear Sir: Since your departure, we have had continuous earthquakes during intervals of an hour or so. Further destruction has not been caused, but our people are suffering, a great number having lost their all. Contributions have come in from Cerro Gordo and Swansea to the amount of about $1000, and Belshaw has promised more.

“For the moment we have relieved our people with flour and other necessaries. Do your best, Colonel, for you know the extent of our damages, and rest assured that you will have the thanks of this community. While writing this, we have had two strong shocks, and I am getting nervous.

“Colonel, we have both been soldiers, but I acknowledge that I am a coward in an earthquake. Such a continuation of shocks—probably 700 in three days—has never been heard of in ancient or modern times. We are demoralized; but your Committee will stand by as long as Providence will permit. The whole valley has been moved to the southward fourteen feet. During the night we have continuous reports like a dozen parks of artillery being fired, but without shocks, and a moment afterward, we would literally tremble in our boots. We will report proceedings from day to day.

“Yours truly, R. S. GOLDMAN.

“P. S. A shake closes.”

—Boston Journal.