USA > California > The California pilgrim: a series of lectures > Part 13
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taint andl slim of corruption film, the heart, and rot it to the core !
Ah, if such as dwell far away, if parents and guardian -. if wives and children, if brothers, sisters, and those other loving ones, should hear concerning your habits of drinking, your revels, and your debauches, would they believe ? If they heard that your evenings were passed in the saloon, and that all the proceeds of your labor and the profits of your business were swept into the coffers of gamesters, deceptive, d .ft, and adroit, could they receive it as true : If they should be made to know, as we too well know, your in differences, your delinquencies, your sensualitie-, your gro-s infid lities, what havoc would there be of human happiness, human hopes, and human hearts ! How would love -lighted and trust betrayed turn to indignation and abhorrence, which years could scarce abate ! Beware, ve whose feet are in these paths of death, fest, while ye destroy yourselves, ye dash many another's cup with bitterness, anl bring down grey hairs with sorrow to the grave !
LECTURE IX.
" Except the Lord keep the city, the waterman wak th but in vain."
It was in these words that Pilgrim and Keep Faith give utterance to their feelings. as they rode away from the pron and beautiful city of Embankment, after their day of enjoy- ment with Mr. Augustine, and after having completed their survey, as they supposed, of all its wonders, mysteries. They leave the wickedness, and folly. They left it there in city of Embank- peace, sitting by the glassy stream, the regent ment near san-
set.
queen of the wide and noble valley of the
western slope. The day god was wheeling his chariot down behind the mountains, while the shining dust rolled away from the smoking track, and the light of amber and of gold overspread the earth and sky. Gradually the golden light changed to purple, and then deepened into violet, and still darker hues, like the blending colors of a maiden's hair when the soft light falls, now here and now there, on her auburn tresses.
.
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Now I saw in my dream, as I said, that the sun was set- ting, when Pilgrim and Keep Faith rode away from the city,
In charge of to procced on their pilgrimage. Judge True- judge Trueside. side had them in his vehicle, and at his house they were to pass the night.
The dwelling of the judge stood near the famous Sutter landing, on the fertile margin of the Rio de los Americanos. The family of There they found the wife of the judge, Mrs. the judge. Excellence, and her nearest relative, Miss. Be- atitude. They spent the evening and the night most cheer- fully and pleasantly ; and it required nought but some gentle persuasion to induce them to remain a day or two longer, and rest and refresh themselves, ere they proceeded on their dusty march, toward the hilly region.
As the new day was to be a high day, not only in Em- bankment and in all Bustledom, but from the orient shore
Presidential e- of the continent to its occident ; and as they
lection. might see life and character in new forms by remaining, they were content to abide where they were, for a while, and not push too rapidly upon the future. So they returned again to see almost the whole city in an uproar, and hundreds of people in a frenzied excitement of interest, ambition and strife. The annual and quadrennial elections were proceeding, and men of freedom, in a prosperous coun- try, were exercising their highest prerogatives, as citizens, in the choosing of their rulers.
There were quiet and gentlemanly men distributing tickets, The vicinity of and there were, also, those of noisy and sense- the polis. less gibber, and such as were vulgar and blas- phemous in their speech, so that many were disgusted with thens, and could not but despise their paltry clap trap, and vain attempts at wit.
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They soon learned the truth of Mr. Sharp's remark, for they met him and Mr. Antiquary at the first poll they came to, that there is nothing so flat, stale, and unprofitable, as the givings forth of the gas pipe men, who work off an extra supply on election days, in the vicinity of the polls, distilled from the dirty residuum of the campaign papers.
They saw horses and vehicles gaily caparisoned, and carrying flags and banners, and carriages filled with musicians, blowing their breath through sonorous metal into music, to excite and inspirit the various partizans by national airs and patriotic sounds. And there were wagons full of
Processions. car- men, and the men were full of odious liquids, riages, and min-ic. and the liquids were full of stimulus, and the stimulated were shouting and noisy, and hurras came up, recking with horrible odors, from bosoms oppressed by distended stomachs. Many more citizens, in truth, they saw at their places of business, quietly and actively pursuing their daily employments, who only took an hour in the day to deposit their ballots, and returned to their avocations, conscious of having done their duty well, and of having discharged a high trust manfully.
In the crowds at the corners, at the saloons, and near the liquor shops, they saw men in all stages of intoxication, Men in various from him that can dance to a merry tune, to
THOods. him that fiercely fights the awning post, or laughs a silly laugh, or hiccoughs out the fragments of a bacchanalian song. Occasionally they listened to an exciting debate, in which the combatants of the game went in to win, passing from argument to wit, from wit to slang, from slang to personal abuse, but just at the fisticuff point, were drawn apart by the crowd, as if they belonged to the canine family,
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and must do nothing more after that than to growl at each other.
Wearied, at length, with the noise, the crowds, the shonts, and the crash and din of braying instruments, they left the town to its own hubbub and confusion. A cold They get away wind was coming from the hills, and they drew from the turmoil and strife. their garments close about them, as they went hurriedly away. They spent the evening in their usual manner, reading, and conversing of their journey, and of their hopes concerning that delightful land they should, by and by, enter upon, by the will of God, and in the plenitude of his grace.
They were about to retire to their beds, when the light, lurid and flashing, in the direction of the city, drew their
They discover attention. It was evilent that the town was that the city of on fire, and that the fire was burning with Embankment is
on fire. great energy. Indeed, they knew it couldl not be otherwise ; for the wind was now blowing fiercely ; and, in terrific gusts, was sweeping over the plain.
They were forthwith in motion, resolved to render such aid as was in their power. They sought first the places where they had recently attended worship ; as they saw that the flames were leaping onward in that very direction. But they arrived too late to be of any service ; for two of the churches were already in ashes, and the new brick edifice was slowly consuming from the lofty roof.
Ere long, the flames burst from the windows, and then it was all over with that beautiful structure. On every side the disaster spread, and nothing in the neighborhood escaped the fiery calamity. Immediately they passed down to the Court House, and there could see that the church in Sixth street was still standing, but was in imminent peril.
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Progress of the They saw, also, that the safety of the comely flames. building where they were, and of the cottages in the vicinity, depended on saving the church, for if that were destroyed, everything must go in the region round.
They hastened to the ground in contest, and there they found Mr. Sharp and Mr. Antiquary busily at work, with hosts of others, some of whom they knew, tearing down some low buildings, and passing water, to keep the fire from spreading.
There were men on the roof, there was a man on the tree to saw off burning limbs, there were watchers, here and
One of [the there, to put out sparks and cinders that fell served.
churches pre- on all sides, with whirls of the wind; for, just at that time, the roaring of the winds, and the crackling of the flames, as they went carcering and triumphing on their destined path of doom, was awful and sublime ; and well might feeble mortals fear and tremble before the glowing face of power.
Still the work of destruction went onward, although the church was preserved ; and still they went to perform such deeds of mercy as they could, with their feeble hands, in carrying burdens, and preserving lives and property ; for, strange to say, all villains seemed then most active, and they Strange beha- robbed lone women of their choice treasures, vior in times of calamity. and none could tell whether the face of a stranger was the face of a friend or a foe. Mary had spent their endeavors, time, and money to save their goods, and then were forced to the conclusion, that the very men, whom they paid to help them, had plundered them of all they possessed.
At last, the spread of the flames was at an end, and the fires went down for want of fuel to feed upon. They looked
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over the site of the fair city of the day before, and thirty squares were swept bare and clean, save, as here and there, The flames ex. a heap of smoking ruins would flash a lurid light , pire. into the dusty air, when the gusty wind fanned them to a flame, and save, as a few tottering and blackened walls still braved the fury of the tempest, or a building stood entire, and served as a monument of the past.
Seven eighths of the city were no more ; and thousands were houseless and homeless, and stricken with poverty, as in a moment ; and women and children had not where to lay their heads ; and some, alas ! there were, whose husbands and fathers had perished in the devouring flames, and the The sorrowful scourge had bereft them of all that could make state of many. life dear ; and men could speak of their sorrows only in whispers; and deeper, and deeper still, was the shadow of gloom falling around them.
The calamity came fearfully, suddenly, at an unexpected moment, and when all human effort was of least avail. Exciting and wearing weeks, for many, had just been passsd. Many others were worn and exhausted by the anxieties and toils of the day. Every countenance bore the marks of fatigue. Not a few were stupefied with drink, and needed Untoward cir- care, instead of having power to render aid. cumstances. The night was fearful, and the first look at the prospect struck men dumb and powerless. All were dis- tracted, and drawn in different directions, by conflicting motives. For, how could a fireman do duty at the brakes, and leave his wife and children to perish ? How could men save their goods and stores, when their families were in danger of losing all ? And how could men think of public property, when they were trying to save a little remnant from the wreck of their private fortunes ?
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So there could be no direction and guidance, no coneen- tration of human energy, no rallying of a large force at any Men of neither needful point. And hosts there were, that public spirit, nor
charity. would not lift a finger to save an item of property, and scarcely to save a man's life. Others would help, but at such rates only, and those in advance, as scarcely left any choice between destruction and the attempt to save.
And thus it came to pass, that the whole city was destroyed. The withdrawing of those who were trying to save their households, the withdrawing of those who would try to save nothing, and the activity of those who were trying to rob every one, left but a feeble few, and those in possession of no adequate means, to battle with the elements. For those clements were already scorning all human control, and leaping forward, with whirl, bound, licking tongue, and burning breath, into the midst of ever new scenes of contest and victory.
All this the Pilgrim remarked to his companions, as they
They guard stood guarding large piles of goods that men saved property. had succeeded in saving from the breath of the destroyer, and while they waited for the morning. The wind blew stronger and colder, and they were faint and chilled, and could scarcely move a musele without pain. Their arms refused to straighten, and their knees to bend, and they felt that themselves also were sufferers, though, of of this world, they had nought to lose. But they were glad, that, even thus, they could enter into sympathy with suffering humanity, and testify their love for their fellow creatures.
Now I saw in my dream, that, while they were sitting thus, drawing blankets over their shoulders, grouped together
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amid boxes, barrels, and household stuff, several men came The company is up, and joined them, and sat down to rest. increased. These were bemoaning their hard lot, the fate of their friends and neighbors, and the doom of the city. They had toiled for months and years, and now all their carnings had been swept off in a single night, by a force they could not resist.
One said he had been anticipating the doom. Another thought it a special judgment and providence of God. Various opini- Another still thought there was no providence ons about the providence in the matter ; it had only happened so. _ 1
God in the mat-
ter. fourth thought there could be no good provi- dence in it, because the good suffered with the evil, and the churches shared the same fate as the theaters. A fifth thought most were dealt too severely by, and that their punishment was greater than they deserved ; although the. doom of this man and that, and this, that, and the other establishment, was none too bad; and if such had been singled out for judgment, all would have been well enough, and men would have said that it was just, and no fault could have been found with the dispensation.
Mr. Sharp said there was some strange disagreement among them, about the doctrine of a divine Providence over the world. For his part, he did not pretend to know the reasons of God's proceedings in his providence ; certainly not always; but he could learn something, from inference and observation, about his methods.
Keep Faith said, we should make sure there was a Provi- dence in the matter, before we discoursed about it. Ah , said Mr. Sharp, are you turning skeptic ? No, said Keep Faith, only logician ; and logic is truth, and a means of truth. You must show, for example, that the pellets of
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MORNING AFTER THE CONFLAGRATION. " These were bemoaning their hard lot."-Page 190.
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sugar in a raisin were put in from the outside, before you undertake to show how they were put in without breaking the skin. IIere is Mr. Mystic, who can't see that there is any providence in anything.
And never wishes to, perhaps, said Mr. Sharp. But, however that may be, the argument for a providence is involved in, it is much the same as, the argument for a personal God, and a moral Governor, upon which we will not enter. If he be a personal God and the moral Governor of the universe, he must also be its providential Ruler ; since a providential government is necessary to, and subordinate to, a moral government. The scriptures teach the doctrine of providence, in a great variety of forms ; and onr observation goes to confirm the whole. He who rejects this doctrine of a divine providence, can have nothing to say, let what may happen. There is no one for him to blame. The thing has merely happened so, and that is all. There was no design in it, and nothing was aimed at, or gained, by it. Nothing was wisely directed, or even unwisely; it had no direction at all. There was no reason for the occurrence of the event, and he would be unreason - able to complain that it occurred.
In respect to this visitation, as a special providence an l judgment of God upon the city, Pilgrim said he had no doubt it was a judgment of God upon the people, for their sins. So, indeed, were all forms of evil and disaster, and, therefore, this one was, in that respect, no more special than any other providence. Every one had its design and pur- pose, and was specially so ordered. This fire, he said, was a providential thing, but came about, as all providences do, by the agency of second causes. But why all these second causes should conspire, just then, to destroy the city, was
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something he could not explain. It was so forecast and prearranged in the divine plan, and human agency, and physical agencies, came naturally into it, though God fore- planned it. It was the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our eyes.
How well he foresaw all that has made up the history of Embankment, from the very first ! How long he withheld the stroke of displeasure ! How long the people hardened themselves, because judgment against their evil works was not executed speedily ! And then, when the fullness of time came, how thoroughly the work was done! How humbled, rebuked, and made even contemptible, were mere human energy, and every wish and will of man !
Keep Faith said the question had been raised, whether or not, it should be called a good providence, since no diserimi- nation had been made, and the good had suffered alike with the evil, churches had been burned as well as theaters, and the homes of purity had been destroyed along with the dens of pollution and shame.
Pilgrim said, no visitation of evil could be a good in itself ; The goodness of it must be a calamity, in some sense : but God in the visi-
tation of evil. when sent by God for a good purpose, that is, with the intent to rebuke, reform, and bless the sufferers, it was sent from a good motive in the mind of God, and was designed for good in the case of those on whom it was visited, and, therefore, it was a good providence, in that sense, though a visitation of evil. In respect to the question of discrimination, he thought it was not possible, in any such respect as intimated. Fire was not intelligent, and could not be made so. It would burn a church as quickly as a theater, other things equal. And to prevent it from burning a church, when it would burn a theater, in
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the same circumstances, would be to work a miracle and to override the laws of providence. A fire was a secondary agent, and must be put out or checked by secondary agencies, and a church must be saved by human exertions, as truly as any other building. It was the will of God, in order to accomplish the necessary discipline of life, that the tares and wheat should grow and ripen together, till the harvest. Then would the separation come. So long as bad men were found, they would mingle in society with good men, and their earthly interests would suffer and prosper, very much alike, other things equal. And while men would have the folly of theaters and brothels in the city where there were churches, they must often share the same fate in the midst of a common calamity. There was much we could not explain in the admixture of good and evil in the world, because we could not know all the relations they sustained to each other. A calamity might sweep away all the churches and spare the dens of guilt. It might spare one church and not another. The one spared might be the best, and it might be the poorest. We were not to give such providences too special an interpretation. If, when God spared churches and burned theaters, we were to say he approved of churches and condemned theaters, merely on the ground of that circumstance, we proved too much ; for the same rule of interpretation would compel us to allow, that, when churches were burned, and theaters spared, God approved of theaters rather than churches. We must fix our belief on what God approved or hated, by the character and purpose of the buildings, and not by anything which might befal them, in the day of calamity. We must justify God's ways, and explain his conduct, on the ground of what
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he was, and what he did, on the whole, and not by any one or two particular acts of his providence.
Mr. Sharp said the fifth speaker raised nearly the same issues in another form. He thought that some, to wit, the comparatively innocent, had suffered too severely, while the wicked deserved the scourge. But, said Mr. Sharp, no man on earth can elaim much lenity on the score of good desert. It might be that the best of men deserved far more evil than they suffered, and they ought never to complain under the heaviest chastisements. Mr. Littlethink must, therefore, not presume that any in this fire had suffered beyond their deserts ; all might have suffered far less. If this were a world of exact and final retributions, the worst and heaviest calamities would always fall on the worst and basest of men, and the visitations of evil would be exactly proportioned to men's characters and crimes, and that, with unvarying and precise uniformity. There would be no exceptions. But it was plainly not a world of final retributions. It was a world of trial, growth, discipline, and formation of character. Therefore it was that we saw things as they were. By and by, when characters had been fixed, and the trial was over, men would be dealt with strictly according to their deeds.
In the spared portion of the city were good men and bad. The average in the burnt portion might have been even better than in the spared one. The faet of their having been stripped of their possessions, proved nothing for or against them, on the score of moral excellence, as compared with their neighbors. The Methodist Episcopal Church was burned ; so was the El Dorado. The loss of property was about the same in each ease. Were the frequenters of the Methodist Episcopal Church, therefore,
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in character, on a level with the frequenters of the El Dorado ? When certain Jews came to our Lord with wrong notions about interpreting events of providence he corrected them thus: " And Jesus answering, said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things ? I tell you nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them; think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem ? I tell you nay ; but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
He thus taught them, that calamities and divine judgments were not to be applied solely to those who suffered them most; as though they were the most ill deserving ; though, of course, they were more or less ill deserving ; and who among men were not? And, besides, said he, if God always and uniformly destroyed thicaters, brothels, groggeries, and haunts of infamy, as often as they were built, and visited indignation and wrath, at once, on all base and wicked men, so that sin could never carry its head aloft, nor wickedness make a boast, nor riot, nor debauch, ever seem in the least agreeable, men would be governed by fear alone. They would not build such places, nor plunge into guilt, because they would fear to do so. They would perchance, in these matters, be externally upright and moral, not because they loved to be, but be- cause they were afraid to be anything else. They would be, in appearance, virtuous ; not because they loved God, goodness, and virtue ; but because they disliked and dreaded wrath, while, at heart, they might be as bad as they were now.
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The evil instincts of our nature, so to say, would not have fair play. Character would not develop as under the common forms of exposure. In short, the world would cease to be, as now, a scene of moral discipline, and would become a place of constrained wretchedness, on the part of men appalled, and not won, to virtuous conduct ; of crea- tures, who wished not to be good, but trembled to be openly bad. Men were moral beings, and God had a moral gov- ernment over them, and his providential dispensations came in to modify moral influences, and not to set them aside, and, therefore, it was, that he ordered his providences as he did.
Well, said Keep Faith, we have heard how we must not construc and interpret the providence of God in this terrific visitation of Heaven, may we not also hear how we ought to look npon it ? It would please me to learn. Would it not you, Mr. Mystic, you Mr. Speciality, you Mr. Littlethink, you Mr. Lacklight, and you Mr. Forethought. They all said, that, of course, they would hear Mr. Pilgrim and the rest, till they got to the end of the chapter.
Pilgrim said that when a divine judgment came upon a community, the whole community felt the consequences of it, more or less severely. It was a voice to the whole, and not to any one part, exclusively ; although some de- served more rebuke than others. But it was not always so, that those who suffered most, deserved most. They might even deserve the least. Yet it was not on that ground, that the visitation fell on them, as it did ; but on some ground which we could not always, at the time, perceive. It might be because those who felt it most were, in means, or in mind and heart, the best able to bear the burden of the calamity ; or because it would do
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