"In the shout for his meed."
There ought to be no hesitation about going to infectious cases if we are called to do so. I am always quoting what Bishop King told us in one of his pastoral lectures. He was warning us against being nervous or having presentiments. He said: "I had a presentiment that I should die when I was twenty-six. And, sure enough, after I was ordained, the smallpox came to the parish where I was working. I had to go to the patients, and I had to sit up with them, and bury one myself. 'Here,' I thought, 'is my presentiment coming true; I am twenty-six.' But," he said to us in the lecture-hall, "I am here, gentlemen, this morning." Therefore we should make it a rule that what little risk there is in our profession we should take, after seeing to all needful precautions. And if it be so that we die in the course of our duty through some epidemic, we shall die at our posts, and be doing what a messenger ought to do.
"'Well,' cried he, 'Emperor, by God's grace
We've got you Ratisbon!
The marshal's in the market-place,
And you'll be there anon
To see your flag-bird flap his vans
Where I, to heart's desire,
Perched him!' The Chief's eye flashed, his plans
Soared up again like fire.
"The Chief's eye flashed; but presently
Softened itself, as sheathes
A film the mother-eagle's eye
When her bruised eaglet breathes:
'You're wounded!' 'Nay,' his soldier's pride
Touched to the quick, he said:
'I'm killed, Sire!' And, his Chief beside,
Smiling, the boy fell dead."
That was a young soldier, a messenger, who came to tell Napoleon of the success of his arms. It is called simply "An Incident of the French Camp."[22]
"Smiling the boy fell dead."
Dear brothers, if we are called to seal our message with our lives, may God give us grace to do so!