Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-24
THE EPIDEMIC AND
THE CHURCHES


Editor Every Evening The announce
ment made IN YOUR news columns that
the closing order Of the Board Of Health
is to bc lifted the latter part of this week.
Is certainly very welcome to the thousands
OF people IN Delaware who have felt the
severe deprivation involved in the cessa
ton of church services during the past
three weeks.
With great respect ior our health
authorities and every desire 10 support
them in their fight against infection during
the prevailing epidemic. | have very
strongly felt that the closing order was
far too stringent, and in the version issued
by the State Board Of Eealth very
unfortunately wor' ed
If schools and churches must needs Cc
included IN the same category with saloons
ard moving-pictuTe shows. they should
certainly not be chara Ct erlzed ss amor z
the places of public assembly not
necessary for the public welfare 80
unfortunate slip of the pen on tie
part of the author of that order would
imply most unfortunate state OF mind
The continuance of all forms OF business
looking to material profit and physical
convenience including many which in
volved large Iisk OF spreading the IN
as unavoidable But schools and churches
are grouped vi tn pool-rooms and saloons.
seeming to imply that mental and spiritual
culture, education. public worship, saera-
nents and the pre-. ching of the Go pei
are in the same cllss with chesp aInuse-
mems and other unnece sary and un-
desirable forms OF self-indulgence.
But apart from the question of mere
words. has the absolute closing of schools
and churches helped in the checking OF
the disease?
As the result OF close and constant
contact with unfortunate victims OF the
epidemic, am thoroughly convinced to
the contrary.
Psychic conditions have proved TO be
. very large factor in the problem.
The fatal character of the epidemic has
been manlfestly due IN no small degree,
to the impaired powers Of resistance due
TO the nerve-racking strain under which
the whole world has lived during the past
four years The disease itself is MOI
newt seems to be periodically epidemic
but never before in this country has
1t been 50 Virulent or so fatal. But !
venture the assertion that even i'll our own
community, hundreds Of people have been
literally scared into illness; and ! have
myself seen young children without a
single symptom Of any physical malady
whatever, betraying actual panic about
the epidemic, as a direct result of the
interruption Of the usual and
normal habits Of their life.
1t is well worth noting that in the city
Of New York, which is the most congested
spot on this whole continent the health
have refused to issue any
closing orders, but have dealt with the
epidemic Is they treat other infectious
disease-and the epidemic has been less
fatal and under better control in New
York than In any other large city in the
country.
The order to close churches is without
precedent in my experience, and totally
contrary TO historic custom in such cir
Usually the well people
are exhorted TO gather in their respective
place OF worship at times of great sickness
md mortality, and offer special prayers
10 Almighty God in behalf of those who
are afflicted. This is not an occasion
or discussing the objective eff cacy Of
prayer, but there cannot be the slightest
1oubt about its subjective efficacy
There ls nothing more soothing to anxious
minds and perturbed spirits than a quiet
1our given to worship in the house of
God. Prayer and sacrament are veritable
against panic and despair,