The worst storm

disaster in Kentucky's history struck on April 3, 1974 when the state

was ravaged by tornadoes as part of the famous "Super Outbreak"

that spread across much of the Southeast and Midwest. A long-lived super

cell thunderstorm complex spawned 148 tornadoes, producing a combined

path of damage exceeding 2,400 miles and leaving more than 300 people

dead. The death toll could have been much higher if warnings had not been

issued.

I know. I was

there. Face flat on the concrete first floor of Mullins Hall at Southern

Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. I heard the glass breaking from the

huge windows that lit the Mullins lounge. Our tornado ground its way across

beautiful seminary beech woods like a freight train, high-powered vacuum,

and slow-moving 18 wheeler all in one. I was so scared I forgot to pray.

In a few short minutes which seemed eternally long it was over.

The seminary

was trashed. Stately dormers crushed. Huge trees cut into. Student cars

demolished. Electricity gone. Water gone. Gas turned off. Classes called

off for two weeks. Students formed search and rescue teams to go into

area neighborhoods to pull aged seniors from the wreckage of their homes.

I know. I was there. I stepped through the picture window of one resident

only to find this little senior lady totally dazed by what hit her.

April 3 is

still a day remembered by scores of people, especially the seminary community.

For the seminary it will be a day somewhat like what November 22 is for

the nation. All in all I believe the seminary experienced something like

$3 million in damages (and that's a 1973 dollar).

Now for sure

if something like this happened at a seminary, where men and women are

taught God-talk, it only follow there would be a lot of God-talk as to

what this meant. How do you interpret a tornado hitting a God place? Believe

me, there were those who tried.

One preaching

God-talker came through and spoke in the seminary's chapel services. He

raised up what he considered the past sins of the seminary, in that how

the seminary had allowed liberal God-talk to go unchecked. In that how

some professors were teaching a humanistic slant to the Holy Book. His

simple interpretation focused the "why" on the living and teaching

of the seminary community. The seminary had been judged!

As I remember

Job's friends, I think one of his close personal friends gave Job the

same line; it was Job's fault for his misfortune. Of course, Job himself

knew deep down he had done nothing to deserve his whole life being ripped

apart.

Another preaching

God-talker came through and spoke in the seminary's chapel services. He

said if the previous God-talker was right the tornado was judgment for

past sins then God had to be a bad shot. God needed to take some shooting

lessons. For surely he would not have fired at a seminary where young

men and women prepare to tell the world about a loving God and not fired

at Louisville's Churchill Downs and the Jack Daniel Distillery. I mean,

get honest. How many more homes are wrecked by the racing tracks and distillery

than the seminary?

The Downs and

the distillery were untouched April 3, 1974.

The Rev.

Dr. John Hatcher is pastor of

River's Edge Community Church

1091 South Jeff Davis Drive

Fayetteville, Georgia 30215

770-719-0303

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