On a warm winter day in Boston, Massachusetts (January 15, 1919), many Bostonians came outdoors to enjoy the warmth. Some spread their lunches in the shadow of the Purity Distilling Corporation’s massive molasses tank. This steel structure was 50 feet high and 90 feet in diameter. On that day, it was nearly filled to the top with 2.3 million gallons of molasses.
Suddenly, there was a sound like machine-gun fire, as the rivets holding the tank together began to pop out. With a roar, the weakened seams split open, and the tons of molasses spewed out. The first wave was about 30 feet high and destroyed everything in its path. Several people died instantly. The suddenness with which the tank burst caused pieces of metal to fly through the air like shrapnel. One piece sliced through a pillar of the Boston Elevated Railway, causing the railway to collapse.
After the flood subsided, molasses clogged the street up to three feet deep in some places. Some survivors had to have their clothing cut off. Trapped horses had to be destroyed. The death toll reached 21, with more than 50 injured.
It may not be molasses, but sometimes in life our problems can overwhelm us just like that. With no warning, and during times when we think everything is going all right, our lives can suddenly be turned completely around. Since none of us knows when such tragedies may occur, we should all be prepared spiritually. Staying close to the Lord, and maintaining a proper relationship with Him helps us to know that when the bottom falls out (or the tank collapses), we will have the resources necessary to carry us through.
________
(The Timothy Report, Swan Lake Communications, SwanLC@aol.com, July 5, 1999