One Dissenting Voice – Prayer and Pandemic

[Rev. James DeWolf Perry, Jr. (1838-1927), was the “one dissenting voice” at an October 1918 meeting of Philadelphia Episcopal clergy during a deadly influenza outbreak. He refused to join their protest of the City’s ban on church services, an emergency measure to curb the spread of the deadly virus.]

Bio: William Carl Smith is a lawyer and writer in Narberth, PA.  Church is something of a family business for Bill, who is a deacon at Philadelphia’s Arch Street Presbyterian Church, and a co-leader of ASPC’s monthly pub-based Church in the Alehouse and a co-moderator of the weekly lunch-based “Good Book Club” Bible Study.  Bill is also the husband of Rev. Judith M. Brackett, Director of Family Ministries at Ardmore Presbyterian Church; the brother-in-law of Pastor Jim Dougans of the First Presbyterian Church of Maysville, KY;  the stepbrother of Rev. Ruth Beresford of Christ…