32 John Bachman. 



threatened soon to become epidemic. Some of my 

 friends in the Church came to me and earnestly ad- 

 vised that, as I was not yet acclimated, it would be 

 best foi me to leave the city, make a visit to my 

 friends in the North, and not return until the dan- 

 ger was over. I told them that I had no thought 

 nor desire to do anything of the kind ; that I had 

 come to them to be their minister, and hardly 

 thought it would be right for me to leave them in a 

 time of trial, when they would probably have most 

 need for my services. They continued to remon- 

 strate with me for several days ; but I stood to my 

 resolution. Finally the Vestry sent me an official 

 notice that the church would be closed after the 

 following Sunday, for the space of three months; 

 and requested me to make that announcement from 

 the pulpit. When Sunday came I made the an- 

 nouncement in accordance with the order of the 

 Vestry; but followed it with the notice to the effect 

 that we had secured the use of a vacant chapel for 

 the next three months, where I would be pleased to 

 meet with any of the congregation who might be 

 disposed to come, at the usual hours for Sunday 

 service. 



"Soon after that I received a letter from home, 

 telling me that my father was very ill, that he could 

 not long survive, and that he was anxious to see me. 

 Then I felt no hesitation about going. I took pas- 

 sage upon a vessel just about to sail for New York. 

 Before we were at sea twenty-four hours, we had two 

 men down with yellow fever, and the captain and 

 all on board were very much alarmed at it, wonder- 

 ing what was to be done. I told the captain that if he 

 would put the medicine chest at my disposal and 

 keep all the crew and passengers on deck, I would 

 go below and take charge of the sick. He was 

 greatly relieved at this, and made the necessary ar- 



