Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-16

EDITORS APPEAL-Under the above cap
| ton l observe your comments IN Saturday
APPEAL upon the communication of Rev.
W. ID. Barksdae IN the same paper, In
which he defends the course of the ministers
who lett our city when the yellow-fever APP
peared last August or afterward. Were to
sIt down and prescribe rules of action or OF
conduct by which | thought the editors Of
APPEAL should be governed in editing and
conducting the APPEAL, and assume IN do
ing 50 that ''the people had made up their
minds that my views on the subject were
correct, and that | represented their opinions
on the subject, | think it very likely that the
editors of the paper would take up the cud-
gels in their own defense, and argue that
they were more competent to judge, both
from their experience and sense of duty
to themselves and their patrons, as to the
manner in which they should conduct their
own paper. Every right-mlnded person,
whether he fills public or private station,
is presumed to be governed IN all his actions,
so far as it may affect the welfare
OF his tellow-creatures, 10y sense of duty,
the duty he owes them as a fellow being
and the duty he owes to his family and kin
dred who may be dependent upon him,
whether for support or for his advice and as
slstauce. Hence my opinion is that the
views expressed by Rev. Mr.. BaIksdale are
the true christian idea of the matter, and
that Is, that Ii a minister believed or felt it
to be his duty to remain during our recent
epidemic ana tender his services ministerial
ly or otherwise, or if another felt 1t to be the
duty he owed those dependent upon him,
and to others IN the future, to leave the CITY
during the same period, then, while the
former would doubtless receive commenda-
ton for his course, on the other hand the
latter should not be censured for pursuing
different one, for each has acted conscientious
ly IN doing that which he believed was most
conducive to the general interests OF his fell
loW-belngs, although each acted from diff
terent standpoint and were prompted by
equally good motives. Hence all your quo
tation5 from the scriptures carry no especial
weight, as the same passage is otCen differ
emily construed 10y different persons even
theologians, for the reason that they each
consider 1t from a different standpoint.
| teg to Iefer you to the remarks of Rev. c.
h. Marshall on this subject, than whom no
one who knows him for character can truth
fully assert but what he Is a competent Judge
In this matter. He says: Were 1T not for
the doctrine of extreme JUNCTION deemed so
essential by Catholics, the presence of cler-
gymen and Sisters of Charity in sick-rooms,
except as regular nurses. Is the last thing |
would permit were | physician, anIeSS the
patient, not has friends, Kere to cypress a
desire for such miHiStratiOns. | fully be-
lIsve there are not few lying asleep In the
graveyard whose end was hastened by the
presence OF clergymen, and others, VINO, no
matter OF what denomination, have felt
called upon TO rush into sick rooms to show
their mpathy [ y and get the patient ready
to die. Oh! will we never learn anything
higherSnd better than that? Everywhere
this Is The case. The Ignorance OF the dark
ages stlll hangs In gloomy folds about US.
Can i've minutes religious services over &
poor fellow covered with blisters, choked
with black vonlt, and barely able to tell his
nurse what he wants, probably not that,
renovate moral nature stepped 10 unbelef
and sin for fifty years. blanche the blackness
of purely wicked life TO snowy whiteness,
and fit for angelic associates man who, if
he were to recover, would laugh at the
idea of wishing religious services at the
time his death was deemed at hand?"
l think his views are correct, and will echo
the opinions of Eine-tenths of all those who
remained IN our city during the late epidem-
lc, more especially those who passed a por- |
ton or most of their time around the bed |
side of their sick and dying relations and |
friends. There is a time and place for all |
Things, and having passed through three yell
ow-tever epidemics Il do not consider the
lever here IN 1855 and 1867 as epidemicsl and |
having nursed and visited the sick and diving
N numerous cases in all of them, | frankly |
state that [ do not remember one single case
where athe patient expressed a desired for
Ministerial consultation, Or that the presence
If a minister, as a minister, would have ex-
erted any special beneficial effect upon the
patient. The great thought of yellow-fe
patient is to get well, and they usually think
70, and very often their friends also, up to
Utmost the last stages of their case, at which
lime they change so suddenly for the worse,
hat they are 10 no condition to comprehend
" appreciate the services of a minister. Ey-
Try one who has nursed or at
ended yellow-fever patients, realises
he necessity of keeping the sufferer
luiet mentally and avoid any and all exciting
.auses. And yet we all know the fact that
he entrance Of a minister into the sick-room
Usually Implies that the patient needs spirit
lal consolation, with view to the approach
# death. If the minister is brought there
~ the friends OF the sick person, that will at
nee be the impression on the mind of the
utferer, and it will more than lIkely have a
depressing and injurious effect. II the patient
hould desire the spiritual services of a min
ster lone case, perhaps, in hundred), then
, for one, would have no objection to COM
lying with the request; but such being so
arely the case lat least in my experienced
hat | think it not only a folly, but almost a
rlme, that ministers of any and all denomi-
ahons should be expected and virtually re-
uired to remain during an empidemic, con-
rary to that sense of duty which prompts
many of them, in common with other citizens,
0 leave tor the sake of their families and
heir friends. If all remain, il will simply
id that much more to the terrible list of the
ltferlpg and the dead. SHELBY.
Fritz Pfemfert q Co., No. Ii Court
treet, receive beer each day fresh
rom Temps renowned brew cry, pack
In Ice in their refrigerator cars
rider your beer from them.
R. J. DONOVAN & Co. are the only author
4 p |
)mpany, 262 Second street.
IdOrlFsS EXcaVating Company.
Vaults eHDtAed at reduced rates. of
ces, i92 " eshtnEtOn and A Madison,
ut sSiliiams Block.
knights OF InnisfaiI
yill give a grand ball on Monday evening,
arch 18th, at the MaurRrchor hall. q
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New size, so cents.
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