The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1915-01-02
Introductory Article to the Articles
by D. S. Curtis.

hottest DatCloS OF our lives when a telegram
reached us stating that we had better come
home. We knew these were not idle or
ill-advised words, so leaving at our earliest
opportunity we reached here just in time
to learn that the contagion had settled on
our own home. The disease had attacked
Brother Curtis youngest daughter, Mil
dred, and although a very light case it
became apparent it must be reported to
the health board as had been agreed upon.
Friday evening, April 7th, the child was
taken to the Isolation hospital by the au-
thorities. The mother trust in God as her
child was taken from her was strong
enough to carry her through, although any
one must know that it was a severe test :;
the father accompanied the child to the
hospital OUR greatest test was yet to
come. Quarantine was placed on the
house. Four little children of our own,
and two more of Brother Curtis had been
exposed The devil and the doctors both
agreed that nothing but vaccination could
possibly prevent the spread Of the disease
throughout the house, and obviate the ne
cessity of a quarantine
Now it seemed almost like insult. after
His most gracious care over us, to ignore,
when we came up to this test, Gods many
precious promises to let a tobacco soaked
doctor scratch dirty cowpox into our chill
dren's arms. "But" said the authorities
"IT MUST BE DONE" Our folks re-
fused. They then brought photographs
showing the awful ravages Of the disease,
all OF which we could not deny "Boil
your children and rot them in the sun, and
you have smallpox, was a favorite ex-
preston with the health doctors; but our
people were unmoved. Finally, when all
other means had failed, threats of arrest
were made. Wife and Brother Curtis and
family prepared their belongings, ready
for trip to the Bridewell at an instant s
notice. The writer who was on the out
side, spent that eventful night near the
telephone ready for call should anything
happen; but morning came and no tele-
phone call. During that all night Of
prayer wrestling with God, we told Him
II another case Of smallpox was permitted
to break out, or our children forciblv vac
cinated, it did seem as though our faith
would be strained beyond it's limit He
whispered, "God is faithful, who will not
suffer you to be tempted above that We are
able" About seven 'clock in the morn
ing, He seemed to say, 'FYou have plead
with me through the night to show YOU
what to do, and have shown you nothing
now leave it with me-" O what a load
that lifted With voice choking with
emotion I said, eyes Lord, will. -
Victory to the writer was now assured
but the devil was not so certain of our
assurance; so at about the right period
after the exposure of Brother Curtis. high
fever, headache and all the svmtoms ac-
companying the first stages of SMALLPOX
appeared and he took to his bed. He had
been frightfully exposed, having staid in
the room with his child constantly up to
the third day of the eruption and then &C
companied her to the hospital in closed
carriage. When the news Of Brother Cur
t1s' indisposition came over the wire bv
phone WE BELIEVED GOD. Certainly
we talked to the Lord great deal about it,
but always insisted that we believed Him.
For tWenty-four hours the symptoms were
identical with smallpox in it's incipient
stages, but we trusted God without waver
lng AT times when reply came over the
phone, temperature 1927 with the other
symptoms prominent "faith SEEMED like
presumption, and the devil often quoted
an old sermon we had preached on "faith
VERSUS presumption; but we believed
God. Brother Curtis never wavered in
faith although he could feel the devilish
disease in his very bones After about
thlrty-siX hours hefever abated as it usual
ly does just preceding eruption; but the
devil was defeated and his assurance that
eruption was sure to follow was his part
ing shot as he gathered up his kit of small
pox germs and vaccine virus and hied him.
self off to other fields of torture