The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1921-07-29
An Ola Issue Of
The Grenada Sentinel

of fugitive from duty in the hour Of
peril, stamped on their brow.
There is another calling, whose OBJ
legations to society, in time OF peril,
is equally binding and none the less
though Of very differ
ent nature-we mean the Preacher:
The bedside Of the sick and dying is
the chosen place Of the Cody man,
for exercising those ministratiOns:
which no others can lawfully do. His
duty is to preach to the living, to be
ready for ''war pestilence and fam
ine," should they come by the inter-
vention of Providence, or the violated
laws Of man or nature. His con-
slant text is, "death, hell and The
grave" the horrors of which he
paints in all the colors of gloom, to
arouse the minds Of men to turn
from the eager pursuits of the pres
ent, and contemplate the solemnities
of the future. Perhaps he has been
for years before q flock teach
ing them how to live, that they
might know how to die. To leave
them under the demoralizing and
crushing effects of even the horrible
plague, would betray a want of faith
in his own teachings, want of cOur-
age in the presence of danger he al
ways affected, and a fear, which he
ever concealed, of the very enemy
now presenting his grim visage. The
fireman who would fee when bells
were changing, people shouting and
the flames roaring and leaping with
fearful rapidity to the last retreat of
some unfortunate being, whose only
hope of rescue was in the pluck and
courage of some dauntless hero,
would be forever dishonored. The
captain. who would take to his boat,
when his vessel was plunging before
the tempest, and driving straight for
the rocks that would shivec her tim
bers and cOnsign scores Of his trust
ing passengers to the tender mercies
Of the angry deep, could never again
tread the quarter deck of another
ship, but in disgrace. The keeper of
q fortress, who would escape for safe
ty, and leave the responsibilities Of
defence in the hands of subordinates,
when the guns of the enemy were
tearing away bastions and battle
menus, WOuIu De cdSnlcTeu IOr cow
ardice.
. The Preacher, no matter Of what
Church, who would leave his flock
and people because of the terrOrs of
the pestilence, is far more guilty of
a dereliction of duty than any of the
above responsible officials. The but
terf1y floats upon the summer winds
and sucks the nectars from the way
side flowers, but when the fierce
blasts Of winter come, his beautiful
wings and erratic flights are seen no
more. Thus some of our holiday
preachers, when health and vigor
spread quiet and contentment over
the land, wandered amidst the
larbyrinths of language to find
terms severe enough to condemn the
harlot, and when pestilence, laden
with shrouds and collins stalked in,
they left in haste for a safer place,
while the polluted hands of society's
exile. administered to the sick. How
truly she did it, in more cases than
one. will be proclaimed in no bated
breath from angel lungs in the great
day Of final reckoning. The death
of the least significant of the brave
preachers who fell at their posts,
faithful to their convictions, their
teachings and example, is a broader
and more imperishable seal to the
truth of the Christian religion, than
all the sermons which our fugitive
clergymen can proclaim, though
they were permitted to live to the
end Of time while those who staid
with their suffering people, and sur
vive, like Landrum, Marshal, Palmer,
Elder and our own McCracken, will
be Giving epistles read of all men,"
in days of brightness and fortune,
preached religion which they
practiced in the darkest hour that
ever threw their dismal shadows over
an afflicted people.