EARTHQUAKE NOTES by E. J. Hibbard

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, Cal. · Jun 13, 1906

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 23.

EARTHQUAKE NOTES.

By E. J. Hibbard

THE fire is supposed to have caused almost infinitely more damage to property in San Francisco than the earthquake. Why is it, I wonder, that not one in a thousand, in rehearsing the experiences of April 18 and 19, mentions the fire at all? All, all, speak of the earthquake, "the dreadful earthquake."

"Well, doctor," said one man to another on a Fillmore Street car May 14, "Are you here and alive?" The "doctor" was surprised to meet his friend. (He looked more like a rough-and-ready base-ball player than he did like a doctor.) Sport tho he was in every appearance, he spoke timidly, almost reverentially: "I survived the shock; am here as you see; tho I lost everything—diplomas and all. I surely thought the end of the world had come." (And then in a tone that suggested a fear that it might come in the not-distant future,) "But it hadn't, I'm glad of that."

Two days later, on the same car-line, three ladies were talking. It was the earthquake, only the earthquake. Each was impressed that the end of all things terrestrial had come. One—the leader in the conversation—had read a prophecy from the pen of a French seeress. She (the clairvoyant) had predicted this cataclysm, and still prophesied of future troubles. "There are to come," said she, "other earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, tidal waves—destruction upon destruction. I learned that a continent is to rise out of the Pacific Ocean, and that the American continent will, or may, become submerged. Then, after that things will go smoothly for a time."

ALLOW me a comment: Here is some truth and much falsehood. There is a Book tested and true. Why not turn to that? Am I interested to learn the future of this planet? Hear John the disciple of Christ:

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. . . . And the cities of the nations fell. . . . And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found." Rev. 16:17-20.

"And the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of what? the dragon?—No," the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand." Rev. 6:14-17.

PETER, your testimony is also wanted. Men are saying, "Calamities are not increasing." "Nothing new is happening." "All these things have been before." "There is no evidence to us of an approaching end."

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His [Christ's] coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water; whereby the world that then was being overflowed with water, perished. [Surely all wise (?) men are ignorant of the fact of a flood of waters such as God describes in the Book.]"

"But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. . . . The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

"But [solemnly, brother], "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up. . . . Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter 3:3-13.

This is the way, and not the manner predicted by a sorceress or a scientist. "Prepare to meet thy God." E. J. HIBBARD.