Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-09-26


dreadful disorder. In France alone, accord
ing to the statement of the will of King Louis
the Young, the number of these recepetacles
reached at one time two thousand. On the
dominons of feudal lord at Aisne, there were
ten establishments of this nature, supported
by the contributions of families each of whom
had some member immured within their walls.
These calculations give us an efecting pic
| ture of the desolatons which this dire malsdy
must have inflicted many household.
The superstition added, by its gloomy cere-
.mony, to the terror which the approach of this
dreaded disorder inspired. When an individ-
ual was pronounced in a state of contagion he
was led to neghboring church where the fu-
neral service was performed over him. He
was then conducted to the leper house, to be
/ consigned to living tomb. Arrived at the
gates of this gloomy mansion, he was stripped
| OF the dress he had hitherto worn, and arrayed
/ in funeral garb. He warned TO bid fare
well to the world and exhorted to look beyond
its chequered scenes, to the bliss wich await
| ed the faithful in heaven, where leprosy,
no impurity, no tears, no pain, no separation
could find access. The exhortation by staff
being placed in his hands, with which he was
to ward off any from coming in contact with
his person The gates then received their in
mate, and another victim was consigned to a
living tomb.
Some times it happened that natural affec-
tion gained the mastery over the fear of con-
| tagion and the sweets of social life. Dreadful
was the prospect of perpetual immurement
within the precincts of lazaretto, surrounded
!
| casionally preferred by a fond wife to separa-
tion from beloved husband. An instance ofthis
kind is recorded having occurred at the
| town of Tours. In the month Of May, 1929 a
| young man, afflicted by the leprosy had had
the ceremonies we have referred to performed
over him. The priest had repeated the accus-
toned formulary prohibiting him Fl ON walking
about, unless attired in the lazar's garment,
| forbidding him to place his naked foot on the
| ground to mix in the assembly of men, to en-
| ter the crowded streets or churches, or to wash
himself in the waters of any fountain or river.
In an other moment the gates of the lazar
house were about to be closed ON him for life.
At that instant, his wife refused to leave her
husband: 'sIf quit him. said she, sswho will
love hima who will help to console himl Do
you say 1 will myself be lepeTa God, if it
be his will, can preserve me. Did he not cure
Job and Naaman! and may he not in answer
to my prayers, restore my husband to health2
Be the issue what ii may, however, will not
abandon him, without whom, the world would
be to me DESERT Many such scenes doubt
less occurred. They will bring perhaps, to
| the readers recollectionthe touching incident
! of the self denying Moravion missionaries,
who under circumstances of somewhat anal
| ogous character, entered the lazar house in
Africa and devoted themselves, out of love to
the souls of its unh Apply inmates, to perpet-
ual estrangement from all the comforts of So
cial existence.
The lepers in France, however did not al
ways inspire sympathy. Ii is characteristic
of the natural heart, that while unsoftened by
the gospel, it is apt in seasons of widespread
calamity to become steeled to the miseries of
others from selfish anxiety for its own safety.
The alarming spread of leprosy in France
awoke at one time the superstitious fears of
the multitude, and led to excuses of deplo-
rable character. In the reign of Philip v,
rumor spread among the lower orders that the
lepers had entered into a conspiracy to infest
others with their dreaded disorder by pollu-
ting the public wells and fountains. These re-
ports were greediy believed; and the credu-
lous monarch -countenanced them by issuing
an ordinance TO the judges to exercise sunni a.
ry vengeance on all lepers whom they suspect
ed of such practices. Seyera. of these unhap.
py objects, altho' persons of distinction, were
put to the torture, and .,urned over slow fir,
at Parthenay In cther parts of the country
large multituT.e perished in the flames, kin
died by The groundless alarms of an ignoran
, popula ce.
LITER the fourteenth century the number o
lepers in France gradually diminished. In
I, massacres to which we have advefted, greati
l. thnned their ranks. As the Intercourse VII
m the East, occasioned by the CFusades, ceases
ie fresh sources of contlgio were aToioed>
e. advancing civilization of the times, also grea
r. er attention to food, ar rId above all, the mo
s. extended use of linn IN as an article OF elo'
ed ing arrested, and un' Ter the providence OIL 0o
n finally extirpated the disorder. Inc eioo'
IS remains of old IL zar houses IN some parts
er the country, still however, recall to memo
Ill the existence o this once formidable disea
u and serve as .tide-pest 70 marx the As''
he of social CO. .nfort with which our own Ase
~ been favor ID and the corresponding ooi
H. tions impo sed upon us of gratitude iot hiS
as linguistic 4 and undeserycd mercies.
it ------0. ~ h,
90 PRErT WELL LABELLED Cam was ohiy "
ded in the 70 rehead; but over the "hoi0 PC.
he d .bauchec or the inebriate the signs,a'
o. ;nfa .re written. How nature brands hin