The cholera : God's scourge for the chastisement of the nations; a discourse delivered on the occasion of a fast observed in reference to the approach of the epidemic, Oxford, Ohio, August 16th, 1833.

  • Scott, John W.
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The cholera : God's scourge for the chastisement of the nations; a discourse delivered on the occasion of a fast observed in reference to the approach of the epidemic, Oxford, Ohio, August 16th, 1833. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    in the regions of Northern Asia. The other, which is the ofte tiiat his rea„ us, made its way westward, at first rather slowly and gradually, until it crossed the boundary between Asia and Europe: since that period it has quickened its pace, and in many instances has literally flown upon the wings of the wind. It is now making its way over our own Continent, and there is no reason to believe it will stop its deadly march till it has made the full circuit of the globe. And then, should it return, as the case of Calcutta, and other places in Asia where it has reappeared almost every year since its origin, and the cases of London and Paris and Cincinnati fearfully forebode; and should it locate itself as a permanent disease on the surface of our globe; wThat an awful en- gine of divine wrath it will be, cutting off the human family by wholesale, and as in a moment. At the same time however that it has 6hewn this general regularity of ad- vancement in its course, it has exhibited certain apparent caprices,—certain par- ticular irregularities, which seem to point it out still more distinctly as undei the immediate controul and guidance of all directing Providence. Had it always kept steadily onward in its course, about at the same rate, and regularly taking every place in its way; the infidel philosopher might have satisfied him- self by referring it entirely to the operation of natural causes, acting according to invariable laws. But such has not been the case. Sometimes it seems to have gone round or passed over a place without touching, so that the danger would appear to be entirely past. But again it has retrograded upon it, and fallen with a tenfold fury. Paris is an example. Although as a village there- fore we may be safe up to the present hour, while it has been going round us, and is now away past to our west; we have no security, we know not what a day or an hour may bring forth. Tomorrow it may fasten upon us in our secu- rity, and our citizens and ourselves may be sickening and dying by scores. Surely the exhortation comes to us, in such circumstances, with peculiar em- phasis : Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 3. The exlensiveness of its range is another distinguishing peculiarity of this disease. Other diseases and pestilences of a peculiar character, have been in a measure confined to particular countries, and incident to particular climates, and states of the air. But not so with this. It has, as we have seen, overrun the whole breadth of the old Continent, and appears destined to overrun the whole surface of the globe. Never since the flood has the earth been swept by so universal a scourge. It appears to be limited to no place, to no climate, to no season, to no general state of the atmosphere. It has prevailed alike amid the chilling colds of Siberia, and the burning sands of Arabia;—among the snow-capped mountains of Tartary and Thibet, and on the fertile plains of Hindostan. Onward through countries both barren and fertile, cultivated and uncultivated, civilized and uncivilized, it has been making its deadly march, traversing all lands, rearing its horrid front in every corner of the earth in its course, triumphing over every class of men, and laying its fifty millions low beneath its stroke. * 4. Its marked severity of character points out this disease as a special and vindictive visitation from God. And this, whether we view it in its effects