it is right for us
to do in face of this peril and scourge which God has sent upon the
city; and albeit I am well aware that it is the duty of every man
to take reasonable care of himself and his household, yet I also
feel very strongly that in the protection of the Lord is our
greatest strength and safeguard, and that our best and strongest
defence is in throwing ourselves upon His mercy, and asking day by
day for His merciful protection for a household which looks to Him
as the Lord of life and death."

Then the good man proceeded to quote from Holy Writ certain
passages in which the pestilence is represented as being the
scourge of the Lord, and is spoken of as being an angel of the Lord
with a drawn sword slaying right and left, yet ever ready to spare
where the Lord shall bid.

"I shall then," continued Harmer, "daily and nightly confide those
of this household into the keeping of Almighty God, and pray to Him
for His protection and special blessing. It may be (since His ears
are always open to the supplication of His children) that He will
send His angel of life to watch over us and keep us from harm; and
having this confidence, and using such means as seem wise and
reasonable for the protection of all, I shall strive--and you must
all strive with me--to dismiss selfish terrors and the horror that
begets cruelty and callousness, that we may all of us do our duty
towards those about us, and show that even the scourge of a
righteous and offended God may become a blessing if taken in
meekness and humility."

Then the good man proceeded to say what precautions he was about to
take for the preservation of his family. He did not propose to fly
the city. He had many valuable goods on the premises, which he
might probably lose were he to shut up his house and leave. He had
no place to go to in the country, and believed that the scourge
might well follow them there, were every householder to seek to
quit his abode. Moreover, never was there greater need in the city
for honest men of courage and probity to help to meet the coming
crisis and to see carried out all the wise regulations proposed by
the Mayor and Aldermen. He had resolved to join them--since
business was like to be at a standstill for a while--and do
whatsoever a man could do to forward that good work. His son Reuben
was of the same mind with him; whilst his wife would far rather
face the peril in her own house than go out, she knew not whither,
to be pe