Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1855-08-29
From the Norfolk Arpns.

expected to witness. The thought OF disease and
sudden death, the knowledge of an existing pest.
ience, we know are appalling to sinful man, and
instructive love of health and life naturally hurries
him away beyond the limits of the destroying agent
to purer atmosphere and healthier clme.-The
strong man in his prime breads the presence of an
air that poisons the lfe-blood and kills in day
and even the sincere christian feels solemn when he
reflects upon sad visitation from the great Be-
ing in whom he trusts and whom he loves. But
should christians fly, too, from the danger, at the
very time when their presence is most required p
when their words Of advice instruction and comfort
necessary ?-when nursing and watching
are so much needed? II was sick, and We visited
me not"
Surely ifthere ever time when the true dis
cples of Christ should be active and in the line of
their duty in Norfolk, this is the time for verify,
"the pestilence walketh in darkness and the des-
truction wasteth at MONDAY" Our friends, neigh
bors and acquaintances are prostrated by disease
burning with fever and tortured with pains and
how important the soothing words of the christian
at such time! But among the most panic struck,
the most alarmed, the most eager to hasten away,
there were hundreds of professors and many in
deed who are won't in days of healthfulness in
times OF happiness, peace and prosperity, to make
the loudest profession, to assume the most grave
and religious aspect and to be most ready and for
ward to give words of reproof for delinquency, and
apparently unchristian con duct. Do not some show
now, that they have beam in their eye? There
is a deep meaning in this conduct.
Of the four or five members of the clergy who
have hurried of, it may not become US to speak
now. They know their duty Perhaps this is not
the time to indulge in vituperation for although
the disease is not as bad reported Gods chasten-
ing hand is upon us. Our stores are nearly all
closed; our streets deserted, the dead and the
dying are around us; excepting the rattle of the
physicians COACH hearses and hospital wagons, the
silence in streets is often absolutely oppressive
The frantic wall of the widow falls dolefuy on the
ear the piteous cry of the orphan rings out shrilly
and dies away upon the night-wind; friends are
parting, perchance till the judgment; and the la
mentaton of the mother is heard like Rachel,
weeping for her children, and refusing to be COM
forted because they not" 1t is indeed sad
and gloomy time in loved and devoted city;
and how much the calamtous visitation is increased
in its intensity, by the inconsderate flight and alb
of religious friends, and the deprivation of
their consolatory instructions and prayers IN the
room where death claims and seizcs his victims, we
leave to the imagination of the panic-stricken chris
tan professors, who have sought more salubrious
climate and less dangerous location.
That mighty man Luther, when the plague broke
out in Wittemburg in 1916, ~ and 80 inspired by
the true courage which faith in Christ alone can
give, fearlessy looked death in the face in its most
terrible guiSc. Three times he remained in the
midst of the danger though earnestly urged to fly
81 hope" said he, {" the world may stand, though
. Martin Luther fall. Here must remain &; ! do not
say this because do not fear death-for am not
the Apostle Paul, but only his commentator-bnt
trust God will protect me from all my fears"
When the greater number of the inhabitants had
left, he said I'VE are not alone Christ and your
prayers are Wih us also the holy angels 7nrisibLe
but poace,tul! Let every one dispose his mind this
way: if he be bound to remain and assist his fellow
in their death-struggles let him resign himself
to God and say, Lord | am in Thy hands Thou
hast fixed me here Thy will be DONE" He ad-
women in the infected room, and the different de-
grees Of the fear of death stalk along as a never
ending funeral tran."
But take another example, one in which, perhaps,
the power of christian faith and love not the
moving In 1893, when the yellow fever
ragged awfully in Philadelphia, Stephen Girard. the
merchant with more than princely wealth, offered
himself as manager to superintend q hospital !;
and there he encouraged the sick, handed them
medicine, wiped the sweat from their sallow brows
and performed even many disgusting Offices of kind
ness for them, "whch nothing could render tolera
BILE but the exalted motive that impelled him to this
heroic conduct"
We heard one of our ministers say, who has not
proved recrcant to the high and holy duties of his
office and who goes willingly to the abodes of woe
and death, that he found woman whose husband
had just died of the fever. She, too was attacked
and no there to nurse and comfort her. He
looked out and the neighbors had all gone-their
! doors and windows were closed. "Here" said she
{" must lie and die alone" And there was boy
| with the black vomit, and no one but young sis
ter to attend him, during tue slow and sad hours of
| long night of pain and sorrow.
But some noble souls and great hearts are left,
! and their recompense will be great They shrink
not from their duty. They breathe still the deadly
breath of the pestience they pray for the sick and
! the dying, and whisper sweet words of faith and
consolation in the of the sufferers whose thanks
and prayers and blessings, will be remembered in
time and eternity; and if the faithful soldier of the
Cross falls while doing his duty when most needed,
he falls gloiously, and his reward will be unspeak-
| able and eternal.
| EccLEsIAsTIcAL.-In alluding to the departure OF
four or five minister's since the fever commenced its
ravages, we included at least two from the opposite
side of the river. We take pleasure in stating that
several preachers here doing their duty faithful
ly We cannot speak knowingly in this respect with
! regard to Portsmouth, but there here
whose diligent unceasng and eectual pastoral Wis
! itatons well deserve notice and commendation.
Rev. Messrs. jackson of St. Paul's Wake of Christ
Church, Qhe regular pastor having left for Europe
| several months ago. Armstrong of the Preshyte.
| rcan, Wills of the Cumberland street Methodist,
Dibrell of the CRANKY street Methodist, O'Keefe OF
ST. Patrick's, McCelland of the Methodist Protes.
tant and Jones of the African Methodist, are among
those who busily and usefully engaged in their
efforts to give consolation to the sufferers. Some o
them are in regular attendance at the Hospitals and
| none of those mentioned manifest desire to fly
from the scourge-preferring to die in the faithful
discharge of their known duty, to leaving the suffer
ing and afflicted members of their f1ocks in the
midst of disease and death, without those words o
comfort and christian consolation which it becomes
them especially to impart in the hour of extraordin
ary calamity and trial.
ALABAMA ELECTIONS.
The Democratic victory in Alabama is overwhelm