The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-11-13
BY DAVID MORGAN

Delegates 10 the lOIth annual
Baptist state convention will as
semble Tuesday i'm a church build
ing that is linked inSeparably with
the convention by the life of a
man who gave himself unSparingly
70 both.
In 1859 the First Baptist church
of Wilmington was begun in the
two-tower style of Early English
Gothic. The period Of its conStrpc-
ton bridgcd two events that inn
periled the very existence of the
seaport city. One was the Civil
war. with its blockade that all
but wrecked a flouriShing trade.
The other was the yellow fever
epidemic of 1862 that swept one
life from nearly every dwelling
and sent many family into back
country exile.
During the plague the First
Baptist church lost is pastor, DR..
s. L. Prichard. 4 martyr to his
own inability 20 see others suffer
without partaklng in their suffer
ings.
The yellow fever epidemic start
cd when the daShing paNct-bOat
Kate broke through the blockade
al the mouth of the Cape Fear
and landed a cargo on Whining
ton wharveS. Behind her she left
germs of the tropical disease. so
little known in North Carolina
that for two months physicians
did not recognize it officially
Throughout the blockade and
attacks on nearby ports the in
habitantS Of Wilmington had pur-
sued their customary mode of life.
In the middle of August DR.. Prich-
ards wife and Younger children
left 10 visit relatives IN Richmond,
Va. IL i a commentary on the
restricted influence of the war
that anyone should make a casual
visit TO friends in Richmond.
threatened but two months prcvi-
ouSly by Mcclellan.
Almost naive Is the juNtapOSl-
tion of the horrors # the plague
and signs of the carefrce preOc-
cupation of men happily busy at
ordinary pursuits. In letter writ
ten by DR.. Prichard on September
% he said in one sentence, Il at
tended a meeting at the Light
House Battery, and @. married a
couple" \ little further ON. 81
attended the funeral OF Brother
BIS child Two men died just
below us Saturday night of yellow
fever"
The fever proved mighticr than
battle or blockade. Families that
had lived on unconcerncd begin
70 leave the city by the rumbling
wagon loads. Cases reported
weekly mounted TO 49,, deaths 20
III.
So many persons left the city,
closing their shops, stores, and
pharmacies. that those who did re-
main had no way of obtaining
the necessities of life. Farmers
from the surrounding country
ceased 70 come into the city %
sell their produce. To relieve this
want. General Bcauregard. then ut
Charleston, sent 10 Wilmington
nurses. doctors and supplies Amid
all. DR.. Prichard remained IN the
city. visiting at the hospitals the
victims of both war and fever.
4 few days before DR.. Prichard
was taken sick he wrote these
words TO his wife, 1T matters but
little when, where, or how we
die, so we are prepared for IT,"
In announcing his own sickness,
ne said, And do you ask me, how
| feel in view Of never meeting
my loved ones again on earth? |
cannot tell you. must not con-
ceal from you the true state OF
the case by which we are sur
rounded. | am sick now. My poor
back and head ache, the true
symptoms of fever, | know
every feeling OF your heart im-
pelS you TO share our fate. q.
Notwithstanding this, would
not have you here on any ac-
count"
The only we'll person left in
the household was his eldest son,
DHTH