Three months later everything changed . On April 18 , 1906 , the San Francisco earthquake rent the city , setting buildings alight , killing scores , devastating Leavitt 's ministry , and despoiling his church . The tremors shook the church 's bell from its tower , sending it careening through the roof , interrupting worship services for a considerable period . The earthquake also destroyed the homes of many communicants , as well as driving others from the devastated city . During the following years , Leavitt 's pastoral presence was evident across the devastated Bay Area . In 1907 , Leavitt was named one of the University preachers at the Memorial Church at the Leland Stanford Junior University in Palo Alto . ( Leavitt subsequently served as a special preacher at the university , delivering the sermon on alternate Sundays during the academic year , and he gave several baccalaureate sermons at Stanford graduation services during his tenure at First Unitarian Church )
San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Bradford Leavitt