I thought it would be good considering our current situation, to look at another time of similar circumstances and how our people responded.
In 1832, the Cholera outbreak gripped New York. Senator Henry Clay asked for a Joint Resolution of Congress to request that President Jackson set:
"A Day of Public Humiliation, Prayer and Fasting to be observed by the people of the United States with religious solemnity."
By 1849, some 5,000 in New York had died, with a mass grave on Randall's Island in the East River.
The fear of disease became so prevalent that many thousands of people actually fled the city. Out of a population of about 250,000 people, it is believed that at least 100,000 left the city during the summer of 1832.
8,000 died in Cincinnati and 3,000 in New Orleans.
Spreading up the Mississippi, 5,000 died in St. Louis, which was about 6% of the city's population.
In Chicago, 3,500 died. Cholera ravaged the Tennessee towns of Gallatin, Murfreesboro, Clarksville, Shelbyville, Franklin, Pulaski, and McMinnville.
In total, an estimated 150,000 Americans died from the infection.
In 1832, the Cholera outbreak gripped New York. Senator Henry Clay asked for a Joint Resolution of Congress to request that President Jackson set:
"A Day of Public Humiliation, Prayer and Fasting to be observed by the people of the United States with religious solemnity."
By 1849, some 5,000 in New York had died, with a mass grave on Randall's Island in the East River.
The fear of disease became so prevalent that many thousands of people actually fled the city. Out of a population of about 250,000 people, it is believed that at least 100,000 left the city during the summer of 1832.
8,000 died in Cincinnati and 3,000 in New Orleans.
Spreading up the Mississippi, 5,000 died in St. Louis, which was about 6% of the city's population.
In Chicago, 3,500 died. Cholera ravaged the Tennessee towns of Gallatin, Murfreesboro, Clarksville, Shelbyville, Franklin, Pulaski, and McMinnville.
In total, an estimated 150,000 Americans died from the infection.
On July 3, 1849, President Zachary Taylor proclaimed a National Day of Fasting:
"At a season when the providence of God has manifested itself in the visitation of a fearful pestilence which is spreading itself throughout the land, (This was before the Pentecostal movement began in America and the traditional view in Christianity was still a belief in God's Providence. The idea that we ourselves have the power to speak to diseases and command certain realities in our lives had not yet developed. So our response was to consider our lives and humble ourselves before God in prayer. It was a belief in an all-powerful God, the ruler of all things, who's plans and purpose could not be thwarted. Yet a God of mercy and love in whom we could turn in such times of trials.)
it is fitting that a people whose reliance has ever been in His protection should humble themselves before His throne, and, while acknowledging past transgressions, ask a continuance of the Divine mercy.
It is therefore earnestly recommended that the first Friday in August be observed throughout the United States as a Day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer … It is recommended to persons of all religious denominations to abstain as far as practical from secular occupations and to assemble in their respective places of public worship, to acknowledge the Infinite Goodness which has watched over our existence as a nation, and so long crowned us with manifold blessings, and to implore the Almighty in His own good time to stay the destroying hand which is now lifted up against us." (Notice it was a plea to God in His own good time to stay the disease and not an idea of our own power or holiness to command it to cease. It was considered important to make our national appeal to God. The technology we have today to have online services were not available then, it will remain uncertain how that would have affected their religious response had it been.)
"At a season when the providence of God has manifested itself in the visitation of a fearful pestilence which is spreading itself throughout the land, (This was before the Pentecostal movement began in America and the traditional view in Christianity was still a belief in God's Providence. The idea that we ourselves have the power to speak to diseases and command certain realities in our lives had not yet developed. So our response was to consider our lives and humble ourselves before God in prayer. It was a belief in an all-powerful God, the ruler of all things, who's plans and purpose could not be thwarted. Yet a God of mercy and love in whom we could turn in such times of trials.)
it is fitting that a people whose reliance has ever been in His protection should humble themselves before His throne, and, while acknowledging past transgressions, ask a continuance of the Divine mercy.
It is therefore earnestly recommended that the first Friday in August be observed throughout the United States as a Day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer … It is recommended to persons of all religious denominations to abstain as far as practical from secular occupations and to assemble in their respective places of public worship, to acknowledge the Infinite Goodness which has watched over our existence as a nation, and so long crowned us with manifold blessings, and to implore the Almighty in His own good time to stay the destroying hand which is now lifted up against us." (Notice it was a plea to God in His own good time to stay the disease and not an idea of our own power or holiness to command it to cease. It was considered important to make our national appeal to God. The technology we have today to have online services were not available then, it will remain uncertain how that would have affected their religious response had it been.)
New Jersey Governor Daniel Haines proclaimed a day of prayer and fasting which was published in the Paterson Intelligencer, August 1, 1849:
"Whereas the President of the United States, in consideration of the prevailing pestilence, has set ... a Day of Fasting ...
and whereas I believe that the people of this State recognize the obligations of a Christian nation publicly to acknowledge their dependence upon Almighty God … that abstaining from their worldly pursuits, they assemble...with humble confession of sin ... and fervently ... implore the Almighty Ruler of the Universe, to remove us from the scourge ... and speedily ... restore to us the inestimable blessing of health."
In Ohio, Dayton Mayor John Howard proclaimed a Day of Fasting and ordered all stores to close. Hundreds of citizens knelt openly in the streets and prayed.
"Whereas the President of the United States, in consideration of the prevailing pestilence, has set ... a Day of Fasting ...
and whereas I believe that the people of this State recognize the obligations of a Christian nation publicly to acknowledge their dependence upon Almighty God … that abstaining from their worldly pursuits, they assemble...with humble confession of sin ... and fervently ... implore the Almighty Ruler of the Universe, to remove us from the scourge ... and speedily ... restore to us the inestimable blessing of health."
In Ohio, Dayton Mayor John Howard proclaimed a Day of Fasting and ordered all stores to close. Hundreds of citizens knelt openly in the streets and prayed.
St. Louis was a fast-growing city of 75,000, and more than 120 died of cholera in April 1849. The toll grew six-fold in May and reached 2,200 in July. By late July there was a weekly toll of 640, seven times the city's normal death rate. Cholera killed at least 6 percent of the city's population, the official death toll was 4,317.
Compare that to our current Convid-19 threat, at the time I am writing, the numbers in Nashville are a total of 2,213 cases and 22 deaths. We are in a much better position than we were in 1849 with hundreds dying each much in cities across the country. This could be attributed to a number of things, however, with all things considered, it all falls within the realm of God's Mercy to a sinful people.
This is not written to suggest we do not take this threat seriously. I had a fellow tell me the other day who has family in an area hit more severely than some, “Generally people don't take things like this serious until people they love or close to began dying.” We don't want to wait until then. When we are asked to isolate ourselves, we need to understand, though it is not Biblical to quarantine healthy people, this disease by nature can leave one in apparent health while in reality being contaminated with the sickness.
Also, as we begin to return back to a more normal way of life, we also need to consider the Cholera epidemic of the 1800s, it returned three times in three separate waves. We will need to remain diligent and alert, staying strong in faith, and resisting the tendency to live in fear. We must live wisely, yet put our trust in the Providence of God and continue to appeal to His great Mercy. Times such as these highlight our mortality and the brevity of our lives here. It brings the reality of death to light with an opportunity to share the Gospel. That we are a broken humanity, our sin has overcome us and we have no escape of ourselves. However, God has made a way for his people, if we will turn to the scriptures, believe the work He accomplished in the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. The fear of death can be destroyed, the hope of eternal life instilled.
May the Grace of God be upon each of you,
David
Also, as we begin to return back to a more normal way of life, we also need to consider the Cholera epidemic of the 1800s, it returned three times in three separate waves. We will need to remain diligent and alert, staying strong in faith, and resisting the tendency to live in fear. We must live wisely, yet put our trust in the Providence of God and continue to appeal to His great Mercy. Times such as these highlight our mortality and the brevity of our lives here. It brings the reality of death to light with an opportunity to share the Gospel. That we are a broken humanity, our sin has overcome us and we have no escape of ourselves. However, God has made a way for his people, if we will turn to the scriptures, believe the work He accomplished in the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. The fear of death can be destroyed, the hope of eternal life instilled.
May the Grace of God be upon each of you,
David
