Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-02-05
THE DEACON'S PIETY.
IT WAS EQUAL TO ALL OCCASIONS AND
LASTED OVER EIGHTY YEARS.

Suspended Religious Services indefinitely
to Nurse the Victims Of = Smallpox Epi-
demic-An Example In This as He Was
In Devotion to the Flag.
Deacon William Trowbridge was 8
small farmer living near Sheboygan
Falls He went there over so years ago.
Besides tilling little patch Of ground
the 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 a
sermon or exhorting There was no
sham about Deacon Trowbridge's piety
He was sincerity itself.
Fifty years ago the little village was
visited by 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 s
congregation was quite large. AT the
end of the services he made an announce
ment in about these words:
"These services viii be postponed I'M
til after the smallpox disappears from
the community. From this on / 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 a
long term on it may be short term,
but, however long or however short, ii
is my plain duty to help my distressed
neighbors.
The word was well suited to the ao-
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
ness, 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 overtakeD
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-
tion 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,
he referred feelingly to the scenes
through which the community had
DdSS6U. Il bnlHh OfCty man. WOlAuh oho
child in the room, including the deacon.
wept. At the close Of the talk he asked
all present to join him on their knees
in asking that the community might
escape such visitations for all time to
come 1t was most earnest appeal. !
believe that that prayer has been an
swered. There may have been 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 tho 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