Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-01-13
THE DEACON'S PIETY.
IT WAS EQUAL TO ALL OCCASIONS ANo
LASTED OVER EIGHTY YEARS.

denic An Example In Mis- rs uo Was
In Devotion 10 the flag.
Deacon William Trowbridge was a
small farmer living near Shoboygan
Falls He went there over so years ago.
Besides tilling little patch of ground
the deacon, who was indeed tho very
soul Of honor and ever had tho respect
and confidence OF all in that commu-
nifty, was in tho habit before regular
preachers were sent thore, Of reading
sermon or oxhorting There was no
sham about Deacon Towhridge's pioty.
He was sincerity itself
Fifty years ago the littlo village was
visited by II smallpox epidemio--an old
fashioned, widespread and spreading
cpidemio--and they didn't know how
to scotch it us we'll rs they do now.
Tho first Sunday after the dreaded
disease made its appearance tho doaoon's
congregation was quite large AT tho
end of the services he made an announce.
ment In about thoso words;
"TheSo services will ho postponed un.
til after tho smallpox disappears from
the community, From this ON shall
give my services to the stricken FAM.
| lilies, shall minister To their wants
help to nurso them, and when they aio
follow them to tho grave, 1t may DO u
long term on 1t may he n short term,
| but, however long or however short, 10
! is my plain duty to help my distressed
neighbors,
Tho word was we'll suited to the no
ton which followed Tho good old dea'
con hurried to his homo, changed his
clothes, babe his family goodhy and ut
once began his work of mercy, What u
work it wasl Tho epidemic lasted near.
" all winter Large numbers died. Few
in tho village escaped the disease, Tho
deacon's example was followed by 9th.
crs. Men went to their homes, told their
wives and children what tho deacon had
said aud was doing, arranged their bust
ness, provided funl and provisions, kissed
their dear onos and went to tho aid OF
tho unfortunate. Like the deacon they
went without reward or hope of reward.
Like him thoy spent weeks and some OF
them months IN that service without
daring to 40 homo lost their dear ones
catch tho disease.
Tho strnngest of all this strange ex-
porioneo Is the fnct TINT neither tho doa-
con, tho good souls who initiated his OK.
ample nor their families were overtaken
by tho malady, Notwithstanding tho fact
that tho watchers. helpers and nurses
woro almost constantly in the presence
of tho suffering patients and notwith.
standing the fact that they laid ont and
helped to bury tho dead.
| Nearly half Of tho deacon's congregn.
ton had disappeared whom, the next
spring ho resumed services in the
sohoolhouso. 1t was sorrowful Sun.
day. Those In the audience who had not
lost members Of their fnmily had lost
noighhors and dear friends. When tho
good old Christian had rond chapter,
prayed and talked u practical sermon,
no referred foolingly to tho scenes
through which tho community had
passed. ! think every man, woman and
child In tho room, including tho deacon,
went. At the close Of tho talk he asked
all present to join him on their knees
In asking that tho community might
escape such visitations for I'LL timo to
come, II was most earnest appeal. |
believe that that prayer has been AN
sworcd, There may have been few
cases Of smallpox there since then, but
there has never teen an epidemic
Tho Sunday after Sumter was fired
upon, and while Deacon Trowbridge
was conducting services In tho Baptist
church. tho denomination TO which ho
belonged for over 10 years, he aud his
congregation were disturbed by great
connection IN tho street right In front
OF the church. There were beating of
drums aud sounds Of ffo much out of
tnno. 1t was so uncommon thing that
most Of tho congregation walked or
ran out Of tho church, Finally tho den.
con closed tho Bible and slowly follow.
cd his fleeing flock. When outside, no
asked tho cause Of "this unseemly dis.
turbanco on tho Lords day" Some ono
told him that tho president had called
for soldiers TO uphold tho honor and tho
! flag Of tho nation and that thoy were
going to raise u company right then
The old doacon's Dyes flashed as ho
| walked ont into tho street, where
young fellow was irrogularly pounding
u bass drum, and said: Nathan,
know ii Is Sunday and that all but tho
Lords work should be abandoned, but
tho saving Of our country and tho
shielding Of it's flag from dishonor is
tho Lords work. Give mo that drum. !"
And that model Of pioty strapped on
the big drum and went to pounding,
greatly outdoing Nathan in two re-
spocts--he made more noise and kept
perfect time. He drummed as no one
before had never drummed IN the little
village. As IL ii 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 ono
in town and many from the outskirts
4 A Il. n. -