Greetings!: The Spanish Influenza

For several years I have been intending to read the book "The Great Influenza" that has been on my book shelf for quite awhile. it is the story of the deadliest plaque in history which killed over 100 million people worldwide. It is the story of the flu, sometimes called the Spanish Flu that devastated the world beginning in the winter of 1918.

But until very recently the book just collected dust. There were two reasons I decided to finally read it. The first reason is the situation our world is presently facing. Hopefully this flu will not provide the devastation that the world faced in those years.

I was astonished to read about deaths that piled up so fast that bodies had to be stacked outside buildings. There were not enough morticians to handle them. There were not enough grave diggers to bury them. There were not enough nurses and doctors to try to provide care. Entire families that were together in the morning were often dead by the evening. Many thousands of children became orphans and had nobody to care for them.

Quarantines were everywhere. Streets in major cities were empty. All public gatherings were called off. Stores were closed and folks had to hoard food and supplies. Newspapers and public officials hid the truth from the population in hope of stopping panic. Doctors all over the world tried to find a solution without any success. Some blamed it on the enemy as a tactic in World War 1 which was raging during that time.

I pray that we don't reach that point. But should that happen again, Christians do have the assurance that heaven awaits and the Lord will provide His presence and peace. That is the only sure cure.

The second reason that I wanted to read the book is because my grandparents actually lived through that time and their lives were definitely affected.

My real grandfather was a pastor and during the flu he continued to minister to people around him. As a result he caught the flu and died. He left my grandmother with my father and she was pregnant with my aunt. Because of the flu they had to place his body near a front window so that friends could pass by to view him. I often wish that I could have met my grandfather - my father finally met his father when he got to heaven.

After reading this book I now have a major regret. Why didn't I ever ask my grandparents about this time in their lives. I now have so many questions that will never be answered. What was it like? How did you get food? How many of your friends died? Did you get ill? Did you see many of the bodies of those who died? How did you pass the time? Did you have any help or contacts with friends?

But I do know that out of that tragedy the Lord provided a special blessing for our family. The church leaders felt that a pregnant widow needed a husband. So they chose three possible men as possible husbands. Two of them said "no". But the third, Pastor N.H. Wolf, my grandfather's best friend, said he'd be honored to marry my grandmother and raise Horace's children. And he did.

I could not have had a better step grandfather than Pop Pop Wolf. He was as godly a man as I have ever known and he had a profound influence on my life. I thank the Lord for him. He was God's special provision for many of us.

As a Christian we need to remember that God is in control of our lives. He cares and is always there to guide us and provide for us. He doesn't forget us no matter how needy we may be. God is good - all the time.

Here is a song that my grandparents used to sing. I think it was their testimony

(1) "Good wife, what are you singing for?
You know we've lost the hay,

And what we'll do with horse and hay
is more than I can say;

While like as not, with rain and storm,

we'll lose both corn and wheat!"

She looked up with her pleasant face,
and answered low and sweet:

"There is a heart, there is a hand, we feel but cannot see;

We've always been provided for, and we shall always be."

(2) He turned around with sudden gloom;
she said, " Love, be at rest;

You cut the grass, worked soon and late,
you did your very best.

That was your work ; you've naught at all t
o do with wind or rain,

And do not doubt but you will reap rich
fields of golden grain;