Editorial January 2, 1909 Issue

"NOT IN THE EARTHQUAKE."

Archibald McLellan

Within the past few days the world has been shocked by the calamity which has befallen the people of southern Italy, and the hearts and purses of the civilized world have opened in generous and loving response to the needs of the survivors of this greatest tragedy of its kind in modern history. Sad to say, however, the usual jarring note has been sounded in the views expressed by those who look upon such an occurrence as "a dispensation of Providence" or a manifestation of "the wrath of God."

To believe that God was the author of a catastrophe by which thousands of persons have been killed and maimed, and other thousands rendered homeless, is to believe that He is capable of such cruelty toward His people as would shock even a Nero. As a matter of fact, we doubt if any one at this time really believes that God is the author of such misrule. The trouble is that those who talk of "a dispensation of Providence" do not follow out the logic of such a statement.

The advent of Christian Science, and its scientific, and therefore logical, analysis of the relation of God to the universe, including man, has cleared up many of the theological misconceptions which have existed in the popular mind, and no doubt this belief of a revengeful and ferocious God soon will have passed away, as have other false notions which could not stand against the logic of Jesus' teachings. In this connection, too, it is interesting to read the experience of the prophet Elijah, when he was commanded to "stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire."

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