Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-05-04
THE DEACON'S PIETY.
II WAS EQUAL TO ALL OCCASIONS AID
LASTED OVER EIGHTY YEARS.

suspended Religious Services Indefinitely
TO Nurse the Victims of Smallpox Epi-
demic-An Example In This as lie Was
In Devotion to the Flag.
Deacon William Trowbridge was a
small farmer living near Sheboygan
Falls. He went there ever so years ago.
Besides tilliug little patch of ground
tie deacon, who was indeed the very
soul Of honor and ever had the respect
and confidence of all in that commu-
nifty, was in the habit, before regular
preachers were sent there, Of reading
sermon OF exhorting. There was no
sham about Deacon Trowbridgcs pie.y.
He WAS sincerity itself
Fifty years ago the little village was
visited by q smallpox epidemic-an Old
fashioned, widespread and spreading
epidemic-and they didn't know how
to scotch it as we'll as they DO now.
The first Sunday after the dreaded
disease made ITS appearance the deacon $
congregation was quite large. At the
end of the services he made an announce
ment in about these words:
'These services will be postponed I'M
til after the smallpox disappears from
the community. From this on l shall
give my services to the stricken fam
lilies. | shall minister to their wants,
help to nurse them, and when they die
follow them to the grave. 1t may be
long term CT it may be short term,
but, however long or however short, it
is my plain duty to help my distressed
neighbors y
The word was well suited to the ac-
ton which followed. The good old dea-
con hurried to his home, changed his
clothes, babe his family goodby and at
once began his work of mercy. What a
work it was! The epidemic lasted near
ly all winter. Large numbers died. Few
in the village escaped the disease. The
deacon's example was followed by 9TH
ers. Men went to their homes, told their
wives and children what the deacon had
said and was doing, arranged their bust
hess, provided fuel and provisions, kissed
their dear ones and went to the aid of
the unfortunate. Like the deacon they
went without reward or hope of reward.
Like him they spent weeks and some Of
them months in that service without
daring to go home lest their dear ones
catch the disease.
The strangest OF all this strange ex-
perience is the fact that neither the dea-
con, the good souls who initiated his ex-
ample nor their families were overtaken
by the malady, Notwithstanding the fact
that the Watchers helpers and nurses
were almost constantly in the presence
of the suffering patients and notwith
standing the fact that they laid ont and
helped to bury the dead.
Nearly half of the deacon s congrega-
ton had disappeared when, the next
spring, he resumed services in the
schoolhouse. 1t was sorrowful Sun
day. Those in the audience who had not
lost members of their family had lost
neighbors and dear friends. When the
good old Christian had read chapter,
prayed and talked practical sermon,
be referred feelirgly to the scenes
through which the community had
passed. think every man, woman and
child in the room, including the deacon,
wept At the close of the talk he asked
all present to join him ON their knees
Ill asking that the community might
escape such yisitations for all time to
come. 1t was most earnest appeal.
believe that that prayer has been an
=-==e-ea. Thace may have been a few
cases of smallpox there since then, but
there has never been an epidemic.
The Sunday after Sumter was fired
upon, and while Deacon Trowbridge
was conducting services in the Baptist
church, the denomination to which he
belonged for over so years, he and his
congregation were disturbed by great
commotion in the street right in front
of the church. There were beating of
drums and sounds of fife much out of
tune. 1t was so uncommon thing that
most of the congregation walked or
ran out of the church. Finally the dea-
con closed the Bible and slowly follow
ed his fleeing flock. When outside, he
asked the cause of "this unseemly dis
turbance on the Lords day" Some one
told him that the president had called
for soldiers to uphold the honor and the
flag of the nation and that they were
going to raise company right then
and there
The old deacon's eyes flashed as he
walked out into the street, where a
young fellow was irregularly pounding
bass drum, and said: Nathan, l
know it is Sunday and that all but the
Lords work should be abandoned, but
the saving Of our country and the
shielding of its flag from dishonor is
the Lords work. Give me that drum. :"
And that model of piety strapped On
the big drum and went to pounding,
greatly outdoipg Nathan in two re-
spects-he made more noise and kept
perfect time. He drummed as no one
before had never drummed in the little
village. AS if it had gone on lightning
wings, word few through the commu-
nifty that Deacon Trowbridge had left his
pulpit to beat drum, and on Sunday
too.
Within half an hour nearly every one
i'll town and many from the outskirts
had gathered around the old drummer,
all cheering him, and on Sunday too.
That night Nathan Cole, who had been