Well...if its from the 18th century then because our language has changed so much since then.
The verb used would be ‘is’ because we’re talking about a group of people in the present tense. I feel we would use ‘are’ only if there were specific things were were talking about, like [we] are, [you] are, [jack and jill] are, etc. Though, this wouldn’t be the case with he and she, because they always need to be in present tense.
The correct answer for the question that is being presented above is this one: "yet, those that survived, could not be recalled from the spiritual death, which they had incurred through their sins, either by the death of their friends, or the fear of death. Whereupon, not long after, a more severe vengeance for their fearful crimes fell upon the sinful nation."
....zzzozososos and so it connects