Choir practice was scheduled at the West Side Baptist Church in Beatrice, Nebraska on March 1, 1950. The events that transpired within that day truly strengthened the faith of the choir members and proved how everything does happen for a reason. The eerie way the entire choir survived the supposedly horrific event speaks volumes. What happened on that day?
The church explosion in Beatrice in 1950 shocked many, for no one, was hurt, and lives were spared. Even the explosion happened only after five minutes of the scheduled choir practice.
How Did The Choir Members Escape A Near-Death Experience?
Unbelievably, no one was injured in the explosion only because, even though there was scheduled choir practice, the members came to the church late. Not one of the fifteen members who should have been present was injured. Each member had a different reason as to why they were running late.
At the West Side Baptist Church in Beatrice, Nebraska, choir practice was always at 7:20 on Wednesday evenings. However, at exactly 7:25 on Wednesday evening, March 1, 1950, an explosion destroyed the entire church. The blast forced a nearby radio station off the air and shattered windows in surrounding homes.
It was impossible to calculate precise odds for all these events co-occurring. But past performances indicated that each person would be late for practice one in four times, which means that it was a one-in-a-million chance that the entire choir would be late that night. (Source: Snopes)
Why were the Choir Members Late in the First Place?
Reverend Walter Klempel had gone to the West Side Baptist Church to prepare for choir rehearsal in the afternoon. He returned home to eat after lighting the furnace. Most of the singers often arrived around 7:15 in the evening, which was enough time just before the practice would start.
When it was time for Klempel to return to the church with his wife and daughter, Marilyn Ruth, the choir leader discovered that her dress was stained. This was at around 7:10 in the evening. They were still at home when it happened and they waited while Mrs. Klempel ironed another dress.
Mrs. Leonard Schuster, together with her young daughter Susan, would have arrived at about 7:20 that night but Mrs. Schuster had to travel to her mother’s house to assist her in preparing for a missionary meeting that evening.
The West Side Baptist Church blew up at exactly 7:25 in the evening, with a loud noise heard in practically every part of Beatrice. The heavy wooden ceiling smashed straight down like a weight in a deadfall as the walls slid outward.
It is assumed that natural gas may have spilled into the church from a broken pipe outside and been ignited by the fire in the furnace. It was suspected as the source of the blast by firefighters. The members of the Beatrice choir had no theories on what caused the fire. Nonetheless, they began to concentrate on the final small details of their lives, wondering whether it was appropriate to say, that it was an act of God. (Source: Snopes)