The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-10-04
NUMBER SO.
Why are Iney Called HO,Oards ?

80 much has been said of late about the
noble work being 0One by the Howard A.
Sociation in connection with the terrible
scouge now devastating the SOUTH, tha
we are sure our readers will be interesf
IT. peruSing the following flom the "
Orleans Morning Star in regard 10 4
origin of the name by which this Heaven
deserving Association is so well known
Ii is for the benefit of our young readers
that we propose, today, 10 answer the above
question, confident that while only q few
ne ed any enlightenment upon the subject,
al may tie interested in the Information thus
conveyed.
John Howard Was born in England in
1926 aud died in 1I9O-not hundred years
age, and Yet bis name is wa;chwOrd of
comfort and tower OF belp wherever there
is sorrow 80 aSsuage Or suffering TO alleviate.
Il u said Of This good man that in early
youth he did not evince any remarkable
briliiancy OF intellect or ambition but as
Az instance Of that tender ne rtedness which
led him 10 devote his " hole lie To the well
fare of his fellow Beings, u is recorded that
the age of twenty FIVE he had terrible
attack of illness, aud upon his reSOTery tesii-
fiyd his gratitude to the woman " no nnrsed
him by marrying her, although she was
thirty years his seDiOri IL Mark Twain
ever touches upon this fact in any of bic fu-
ture entertaining sketches, we are snre he
will relate IL in such a style as 10 make Is
irresisiibly aud iTrevoCably ridirulOns bnI
tiou both chivairic and herOiS.
At tue end of three years his wife died,
and Howard, moved by the horrors OF the
earthquake at Lisbon, determined 20 visit
the place with view TO visiting the suffer
ers. On the way he was captured by a
French privsteer, aud being landed at Brest
learned by experience all the privatiOns aud
hardships of \ prisoners life. By his own
personal exertiOns he obtained the exchange
of himself and fellow ca2Iives, and return
ing to England, married . second time in
1853.
And now began that career of active phil
anihropy which has eBdesred bis name 10
all CbriSiendom aud which is so apprOpri-
ately used to-day 10y the generous men who
are following his example aud walking in
his footsteps.
We need not recapitula;e all the good
] deeds done by Howard in his lifetime, prin-
/ cipal among which were his visits TO the
/ prisons OF England, France. Germany, Hol-
! land and Belgium but they are all summed
/ up in these words of Edmund Burke, who
/ said that the Of1 -Ct of his life was "tO dive
/ into the depths of dungeons, 20 plunge into
! the infections Of hospitals, to survey the
mansions of sorrow and pain, TO take the
ga uge aud dimensions of misery, depression
. and contempt, 10 remember the forgotten. 10
. attend 10 the neglected 10 visit the forsaken
/ and 70 ameliOrate the distresses Of all men
/ in all countries"
In order 20 bring help 20 persons sick Of
pesiilence, this heroic man took passage at
I
/ vigorously quarantined Al Venice, where a
/ iung confinement enabled him 10 test The
! sufferings of the sick and the inhumauity of
/ The authorities Of that place.
/ His last determination was to visit the
/ East, as to acquire further information
| concerning the treatment Of malignant dis
| eases but while passing through Russia,
/ he contracted camp fever from poor pa
| tient whom he was nursing, and died there,
| on The shores of the Black sea, in the sixty
| fifth year of his age, 1890.
! This very imperfect sketch will poU show
/ our youlg readers why the brave men who
| are battling against poverty, pestileuce and
| death in our afflicted city are well entitled
| to The noble name Of Howard aud how its
| appropriation bestows inst aud continued
fame upon the great English philaptbrOpist,
while ~ reflects equal credit and honor npou
their own devoted zeal and heroic under
takings.
As the darkest nights are those on which
The stars shine brightest, 80 in the gloom OF
this terrible epidemic deeds Of mercy shine
most resplendent, until our hearts swell with
gratitude 10 God for all His goodness aud
! with admiration for our fellow men who, bl
their sublime acts of zeal and charity ar,
clarifying God, ennobling humanity an,
meriting blessings for themselves and 70
toe world at large. All honor TO the How
ards J