St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-11-05
Answer to Prayer.
OR AN INTERESTING STORY OF WHAT
PERPORTED TO BE.

OR AN INTERESTING STORY OF WHAT
PERpoRTED TO BE.
Rev. r. H. McCown writes to the
Louisville Courier-Journal from Pine
Hill Academy, giving an incident OF the
war and an example Of what he be-
lieved to be an answer to prayer. 1t
was on the 18th of July, 1868, when he
heard that Gen. John Morgan had
crossed the Ohio river with his army.
Many OF McCown's former pupils at
Pennsylvania university were with
Morgan, and the 10Th, Sunday, he
learned that his son, DR.. Alexander
McCown, was among them. The elder
MeCown had an appointment to preach
in Jetfersontown that day, and was
greatly exercised in mind over the fate
Of bis son and Morgan's army. About
four miles from home, he writes, |
came to a forest OF oak interspersed
with thickets OF paw-paw. ! felt that l
could proceed no further without seek
ing relief in prayer. Without explana-
ton left the buggy in charge OF my
the thicket to the roots Of a huge oak
tree, where | kneeled in prayer. AS |
bowed my knees before it and uttered a
word of prayer and supplicatiOn, with
strong crying and tears, unto Him that
was able to save from death, a voice
(what else can I tell it p at my right
seemed distinctly to utter these re-
ma1kable and appropriate words: a
thousand shall fall at thy side, and 49,
900 at thy right hand; but it shall not
come nigh thee" Psalms xci, 8. in
voluntarily turned my head to see who
had addressed me. Having fulfilled
my ministerial engagements, much OPP
pressed with WEAKNESS but more so
with grief, | returned home at a late
hour and soon sought the happy forget
fulness of this worlds cares in sleep. In
my dreams of the night | saw Gen.
Morgan's army all dispersed over hills
along the banks of large and beauti-
full river. Among the soldiers distinct
ly recognized my son Aleck. l awoke
in the morning without one vestlge OF
sorrow. felt that God would preserve
my son. Whatever others may think
of what | am about to relate | must
humbly and devoutly till death believe
it was divine deliverance in answer to
prayer at the old oak tree, Col. Nor,
gan, think it was, had ordered several
surgeons-Drs. McCown, Campbell,
Redford and one or two others-to re-
turn to battery, at which were left
some wounded. While relieving the
wounded d Federal army appeared on
the hills above them, from which a
platoon of soldiers filed off, and leveled
their guns upon the soldiers and fired,
notwithstanding DR.. Aleck McCown
waved the only white handkerchief in
the company in token of surrender.
All the surgeons told me at Cincinnati
where / met them as prisoners OF war,
that, when they saw the guns leveled
at them they expected instant death.
After the fire of the guns the surgeons
gazed in wonder at each other.
DR.. McCown spoke first and said:
"Let us mount our horses and attempt
escape.',
mo, Aleck," said DR.. Campbell, "let
us stand still; the hand OF God is in this
thing"
The Federal soldiers advanced upon
them, cursing them as they approached,
and demanded who they were, Upon
being told that they were surgeons on
duty, they cursed them the more fierce
ly and said: "Yes damn you you are all
surgeons, but we will show you quickly
what we will do with YOU"
At this. moment Col. Jacob, Of Ken
lucky, then Federal officer, rode up,
as he has several times told me, and
found the soldiers consulting about
shooting the surgeons, Addressing Dr..
McCown he said "Why, Aleck, | am
his soldiers, he said: "Men, l charge
you not to modest these surgeons, but to
supply them with everything in your
power for their wounded, as though
they were all of our army" This was
timely noble and generous. | was
standing near plank PARTITION in
hotel in Cincinnati when DIR. Campbell
was speaking OF their wonderful escape,
and to give me live impression of
their danger, he said: Suppose you
would throw your hands full of dry
beans against that partition, the rattle
of them would give. you some idea OF
the manner in which the balls whiZzed
about our ears"
My prayer was made the 10Th day of
July, at 10 o'clock a. IN. At about 3
o'clock, p. M, of the same day the sur
geOns were fired upon.
ALMOST Young AGAIN.-My mother
was afflicted long time with neuralgia
and dull, heavy inactive condition OF
the whole system; headache, nervous
prostration, and was almost helpless.
No physicians or medicines did her any
good. Three months ago she began to
use Hop Bitters, with such good effect
that she seems and feels young again,
although over 20 years old. We think
there is no other medicine tit to use in
the family" A lady in Providence,
r. I.-[Journal.
Whippifg on the back as a punish
ment for certain classes of offenses a3d
certain class of criminals has been re-
Gently revived in England, and the eff
feet is said Eos be very satisfactory.
There are classN criminals to whom
it is treat to bempssoqed; There
are some offenses Var (which a fine