Part 7

For this one hour I can be grateful.

I can thank God for life itself, for opportunities,

For friends, and for a hundred other blessings and

Privileges to be counted, cherished, and enjoyed.

For this one hour I can be cheerful.

Equipped with a smile, a song, and a sunny disposition,

I can transform the atmosphere, enrich my environment,

And brighten the day for others.

For this one hour I can be optimistic.

Striking a happy medium between the pessimist and

The Pollyanna, I can realistically and confidently

Expect good things to happen to me and through me.

For this one hour I can spend some time in prayer.

I can pause to recharge my spiritual batteries,

Renew my mental perspectives, refresh my physical energies,

And replenish my faith in God and my fellowman.

For this one hour I can be unselfish.

I can take the Golden Rule off the shelf, dust it,

Unwrap it, and put it to work in my thoughts,

Words and actions… right now.

For this one hour I can look for the best in others.

It may take some diligent searching, patient seeking,

And careful screening, but I will work at it,

Even as I want others to look for the best in me.

For this one hour I can help make someone happy.

I can do it through a word of encouragement or comfort,

Or perhaps by a helping hand, an understanding touch,

An empathetic look, a telephone call, a letter, or a visit.

For this one hour I can be forgiving.

I can leave the lowlands of resentment, grudges and bitterness,

And rise to the highlands of understanding, love and forgiveness.

For this one hour I can be generous.

I can listen quietly and attentively when others want to talk.

I can look for opportunities to give a well-deserved compliment

To someone who needs it most.

For this one hour I can live the present.

Now is the only time I have, and I can use this hour

Wisely as a personal and precious gift from God.

(William Arthur Ward)

The following series of letters concerns a believer named Albert Merz. Albert lived in Nazi Germany at the beginning of World War II. This is early 1941 — several months before the US was plunged into the conflict at Pearl Harbor. Albert was indicted for a capital crime: choosing not to serve in the German army. This letter is penned by his court-appointed attorney shortly after Albert was convicted to die by beheading.

“From Erich Höhne

Lawyer and Notary

At the Landgericht Berlin

“To the Rifle-man Albert Merz at present Berlin-Tegel Detention prison of the Wehrmacht:

“Yesterday’s proceedings ended with the death penalty for you. This was not possible otherwise, as you remained numb towards reprimands. It came exactly as I told you at our discussion. You have to admit yourself that the Herr Senatspresident too took great pains to talk you out of your erroneous conception. The more I ponder on your conception, the more incomprehensible your behavior becomes to me. You will remember that the Herr Senatspresident read to you the word in the literal Bible, where it is said that everybody has to be subject to the authorities and that the authorities are instituted by God. If you personally always say that the Bible is sufficient for you, then you must let set this Bible passage against your concept too. You were not able to answer this Bible passage with a single word besides. If an authority, as our Führer here, calls upon the German nation to defend itself, if necessary with the sword, in the fight against intended assaults of envious neighbors, and if he as authority introduced compulsory military service, this means — according to the before-mentioned Bible passage — an order approved by God which every subject has to obey.

“Yet your case is not entirely lost; though the hard verdict has been pronounced against you it might still come to an elimination of the verdict, if you, so to speak, in the last hour, become convinced of the error of your previous concept, and declare now you are willing to render unrestrained military service.

“I hope you will come to this better conviction in the face of death. You take your point of view so unilaterally, without taking into consideration the ideas and notions of your fellow-citizens — who only want what is best for you, and who are good Christians too. This is for me by no means an objection against the Christadelphian Ecclesia, as you erroneously think, but in reality the spirit of an antichrist speaks out of you, that is the spirit of the evil one that inspired you with the spirit of conceit, as if you, together with the few adherents of your irreligion, alone had the true conception about the doctrine of Jesus Christ and all of a different faith had violated the commandments of God. However, it is the firm conviction of myself and every German man that our good Lord will be more pleased with a man who gave his life in doing his duty towards his country, than with somebody who wastes his life worthlessly only because he cannot change his mind from mere conceit. This way of acting can never find the approval of our Lord. I, as by the court officially appointed counsel for the defense, thought it my duty to admonish you once again to think this over once more. Should you come to a better judgment you have to ask for another hearing where the minutes should be taken down in a declaration to this end. But it is very urgent and you have only a few days at your disposal.

“Heil Hitler.

“(signed) Erich Höhne.”

The following two letters are from Albert after his conviction and while awaiting execution.

“Berlin, February 3, 1941.

“My beloved all, I find it hard to write you today, not for my own sake, but rather as I know that this letter will bring you much grief. Therefore I want to ask you not to take it too hard. You know my faith and my hope: Christ is my life and to die is my profit. And do not cry on account of me if I have to suffer the worst. Be firm and compose yourself. If I was sentenced to death on the 21st February and if I shall be decapitated, then you know that life, that has taken shape in me, goes back to its source and reshapes in time. When my time has ended and I have to part I want you to remember that man is destined to die and afterwards to undergo the judgment.

“Tomorrow I shall file a petition for pardon. Perhaps the court will have mercy on me, and if it has not I will still hope to get permission to write you once again. Include me in your prayers. I want to come to a close now, trusting in God and His Kingdom. I send you all my love.

“Albert.”

Here is Albert’s letter to his family after failing to obtain a pardon from the German military authorities.

“Brandenburg, April 3, 1941.

“My beloved all, I should like to use my last hours for writing you once again and asking you not to take it too hard for it is God’s will now (John 19:7, Rom 8, Isaiah 59).

“On Friday the 4th April at 5.30 in the morning my time will have expired and my struggle therewith come to an end. It is my last wish that you may live in peace together and take care that none is lost. (2Ti).

“Oh, my Beloved, if I only could write down on paper the thousand thoughts I have been addressing you in silent conversation — and still do. However, you can find many of them in the Good Book, especially the letters of the Apostles, the farewell address of Jesus in John, etc, and I hope to see you again after my awakening.

“With this I shall come to a close and you will understand, when I do not write more, it would be too much. And I send you kindest regards.

“Yours, Albert.

“Send my love to all brothers and sisters who are well disposed to me. Our Lord’s mercy be with you. Amen.”

Brother Albert Merz was executed by beheading on the following morning, April 4, 1941, for his refusal to fight in the German army.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter” (Rom 8:35-36).

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2Ti 3:12).

(KT)

“Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.”

“Preaching verse by verse through books of the Bible is the most reasonable way to teach the whole counsel of God. If I am obligated to teach the whole new covenant message and all of the mystery unfolded, the only systematic way that I know to teach it all is to take it the way it comes, one book at a time from beginning to end. If I were to approach the goal of teaching the whole New Testament in random fashion, it would be a hopeless maze to lead people through. On the other hand, if I am committed to teaching the Word of God systematically so that all of the revelation of God is brought before His people, the only way of doing that is to go through it one book at a time.

“Also, the only effective way of seeing the significance of a passage is in its context. Going through an entire book sets the passage in its context on its widest, deepest, and richest level… Neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament was written as a collection of verses to be thrown into the air and allowed to fall back wherever they might. Rather, each book has a reasonable, logical, inspired flow of thought going from point A to Z, with all stops in between. Each was designed by the Holy Spirit so that you have the Holy Spirit communicating something powerfully and clearly in the whole letter: you dare not miss a single part!

“If I received five letters in the mail one day, it would make no sense to read a sentence or two out of one, skip two, read a few sentences out of another, and go to the next one and read a few out of that, and on and on. If I really want to comprehend the letter — what is going on, the tone, the spirit, the attitude, and the purpose — I must start from the beginning and go to the end of each one. If that is true of personal correspondence, then how much more is it so of divine revelation” (John MacArthur).

“What the Bible says about the love of God cannot long survive in people’s thinking if it is abstracted [separated] from the sovereignty of God, the holiness of God, the wrath of God, and the providence of God, to mention only a few nonnegotiable elements of basic Christianity.

“The result, of course, is that the love of God in our culture has been purged of anything the culture finds uncomfortable. The love of God has been sanitized, democratized, and above all sentimentalized. This process has been going on for some time. My generation was taught to sing, ‘What the world needs now is love, sweet love,’ in which we robustly instructed the Almighty that we do not need another mountain (we have enough of them), but we could do with some more love. The hubris is staggering.

“It has not always been so. In generations when almost everyone believed in the justice of God, people sometimes found it difficult to believe in His love. The preaching of the love of God came as wonderful good news. Nowadays if you tell people that God loves them, they are unlikely to be surprised. ‘Of course God loves me; He’s like that, isn’t He? Besides, why shouldn’t He love me? I’m kind of cute — or at least as nice as the next person. I’m OK, you’re OK, and God loves you and me’ ” (DA Carson, “On distorting the love of God”, Bibliotheca Sacra 156:4).

Patience is a bitter plant, but it has sweet fruit.

“Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God” (MT).

The Bridge Builder

An old man, going a lone highway,

Came at the evening, cold and gray,

To a chasm, vast and deep and wide,

Through which was flowing a swollen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim;

The sullen stream had no fears for him;

But he turned when safe on the other side

And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,

“You are wasting strength with building here;

Your journey will end with the close of day;

You will never again pass this way;

You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide —

So why build a bridge at eventide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head:

“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,

“There followeth after me today

A youth whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm that has been naught to me

To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.

He too must cross in the twilight dim;

Good friend, I’m building the bridge for him.”

(Will Allen Dromgoole)

A prayer for animals

Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends the animals,

Especially for animals who are suffering;

For animals that are overworked, underfed and cruelly treated;

For all wistful creatures in captivity that beat their wings against bars;

For any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry;

For all that must be put death.

We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity,

And for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion

And gentle hands and kindly words.

Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals,

And so to share the blessings of the merciful.

(Albert Schweitzer)

Is your life full and busy? Perhaps, too busy? Sometimes we fill our lives so full we don’t have time for the important things. At such times I remember a story about a young girl and her bank. The little girl’s father had just given her a silver dollar to put into her bank. She excitedly ran off to her room to “deposit” the coin. However, in a few minutes she returned and handed the silver coin back to her father.

“Daddy,” she said sadly, “here’s your dollar back. I can’t get it into my bank.”

“Why not?” her concerned father asked.

“It’s too full,” she said, obviously disappointed.

Her father accompanied her back to her room and, sure enough, her bank was too full to accept even one more coin. It was filled with pennies!

Sometimes our lives are like that bank. So full of errands, obligations and activities that neither nurture us nor help anyone else, that there simply is no room left for what is truly important — the silver dollars.

Grenville Kleiser has said, “To live at this time is an inestimable privilege, and a sacred obligation devolves upon you to make right use of your opportunities. Today is the day in which to attempt and achieve something worthwhile.”

Have you made room for any large coins in your bank; for those things you believe to be worthwhile? If not, you may have to remove a few pennies, but I suspect you will never know they are gone!

(Steve Goodier)

Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the

number of apples in a seed.

“From the cowardice that dare not face new truth,

From the laziness that is contented with half truth,

From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,

Good Lord, deliver me.”

I dreamed that Jesus came, last night;

The Kingdom doors flew wide.

An apostle, dressed in shining white,

Escorted me inside.

And there, to my astonishment,

Were folks I’d always labeled

As quite unfit, of little worth,

And spiritually disabled!

Indignant words rose to my lips,

But never were set free:

For every face bore stunned surprise —

No one expected ME!

“Little minds discuss people. Average minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas” (Charles Stanley).

“I would rather contemplate what it means to eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, then to spend my time biting and devouring my brethren” (Rachel Black).

“Some time ago I was addressing men and women from the bar association of a major city. I knew it would be a challenging audience because words and arguments are their daily fare. I began by recounting a television news item I had just witnessed. A major network had as their first item of news a survey asking people if words meant anything specific at all. Do words such as ‘affair’ and ‘adultery’ have particular public meanings, or could the person speaking fuse them into his or her own private meaning? In our salvation-by-survey culture, the journalists asked people if anything meant anything anymore. Having concluded that there were significant variances in the way people used words, they next inquired if morality was purely a personal matter, or if there were indeed absolutes. Every person interviewed on the street answered the same way: ‘No! There is no objective morality; we have to define it in our own terms.’ First item: ‘were words subject to the user?’ Second item: ‘was morality a personal matter?’ Having settled on a confused answer that left the individual lord over reality, the newscaster went on to discuss a third item on the news — a warning to Saddam Hussein. If he did not stop playing his word games, we were going to start bombing Iraq. How ironic, I thought. We arrogate to ourselves moral authority and deny referents to words, except when we deal with others who play the same game. It was fascinating to see the expressions of those in the audience change and to see them recognize that communication is impossible if we do not grant univocal meaning to our words” (Ravi Zacharias, “An ancient message, through modern means, to a postmodern mind”, from “Telling the Truth: Evangelizing Postmoderns” 25,26).

“This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it — or use it for good, but what I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it! When tomorrow comes, thiday will be gone forever, leaving in its place something that I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, and not loss; good, and not evil; success, and not failure; in order that I shall not regret the price that I have paid for it” (DH Wilson).

‘Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house

Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.

Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care,

In hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed,

Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.

And Mom in her rocker with babe in her lap

Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the East there arose such a clatter,

I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.

With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray

I knew in a moment this must be The Day!

The light of His face made me cover my head;

It was Jesus — returning just like He had said!

And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,

I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.

In the Book Of Life which He held in His hand

Was written the name of every saved man.

He spoke not a word as he searched for my name.

When he said “It’s not here”, my head hung in shame.

The peoples whose names had been written above

He gathered to take to His Father of love.

Those who were ready He took without a sound,

While all the rest were left just standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;

I had waited too long and this sealed my fate.

I stood and cried as they left from my sight;

Oh, if only I had been ready tonight!

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear:

The coming of Jesus is drawing near —

There’s only one life and when comes the last call

We’ll find that the Bible was true after all!

(Author unknown, modified).

When you’ve trusted God and walked His way,

When you’ve felt His hand lead you day by day —

But your steps now take you another way…

Start over.

When you’ve made your plans and they’ve gone awry;

When you’ve tried your best and there’s no more try;

When you’ve failed yourself and you don’t know why…

Start over.

When you’ve told your friends what you plan to do;

When you’ve trusted them and they didn’t come through;

And you’re all alone and it’s up to you…

Start over.

When you’ve failed your kids and they’re grown and gone;

When you’ve done your best but it’s turned out wrong;

And now your grandchildren come along..

Start over.

When you’ve prayed to God so you’ll know His will;

When you’ve prayed and prayed and you don’t know still;

When you want to stop ’cause you’ve had your fill…

Start over.

When you think you’re finished and want to quit;

When you’ve bottomed out in life’s deepest pit;

When you’ve tried and tried to get out of it…

Start over.

When the year has been long and successes few;

When December comes and you’re feeling blue,

God gives a January just for you to…

Start over.

Starting over means “Victories Won”.

Starting over means “A Race Well Run”.

Starting over means “God’s Will Done”.

Don’t just sit there…

START OVER.

(Author unknown, modified).

A Short Course in Work Relations

The six most important words:

I admit I made a mistake.

The five most important words:

You did a great job.

The four most important words:

What do you think?

The three most important words:

Could you please…

The two most important words:

Thank you.

The one most important word:

We.

“Most of us can afford to take a lesson from the oyster. The most extraordinary thing about the oyster is this: Irritants get into his shell. He does not like them; he tries to get rid of them. But when he cannot get rid of them, he settles down to make one of the most beautiful things in the world. He uses the irritation to do the loveliest thing that an oyster ever has a chance to do. If there are irritations in our lives today, there is only one prescription… make a pearl! It may have to be a pearl of patience, but, anyhow, make a pearl. And it takes faith and love to do it” (Harry Fosdick).

“People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering” (Augustine).

“So much of what we intend to do is going to be done tomorrow. In a sense it can be said that tomorrow will be the most wonderful day in history, for that is the day when most of us are going to begin to do better.

“But today is the “tomorrow” that you looked at yesterday. You could begin today to do better and be better… why put it off?

“You’ll never find a better day than today to begin to be what you’ve always wanted to be, to begin to live your dream instead of just dreaming it. Don’t allow your desires to become museum pieces!”

Maritta Terrell

Preparing for a long trip, a traveler said to his friend: “I am just about packed. I only have to put in a guidebook, a lamp, a mirror, a microscope, a telescope, a volume of fine poetry, a few biographies, a package of old letters, a book of songs, a sword, a hammer and a set of books I have been studying.”

“But,” the friend replied, “you can’t get all that into your bag.”

“Oh, yes,” replied the traveler, “it doesn’t take much room.” He placed his Bible in the corner of the suitcase and closed the lid.

“Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen” (Leonardo da Vinci).

“The Bible in a man’s life is God in a man’s life. Where people place the Bible, they place God. The place it demands is the heart — the throne. With nothing less will God be satisfied. Do you neglect it? You neglect God. Do you allow the affairs of house, or business, or friends to ride over it, to displace it from the first position, to put it in the comer, to keep it hidden, neglected, disregarded? Then is God cast behind your back, and great is your danger. A voice of great thunder would not be too loud to rouse you from your folly. You say you have no time to read. The plea is absolutely inadmissible. You take time to eat and drink, and this is the most important kind of eating and drinking. You will have to take time to be ill some of these days. Death will rap at the door, and he won’t ask you if you have time to attend to him. Christ will stand in the earth one of these days, and what about your family, your house, your business then? You will want to turn to wisdom in a hurry, but wisdom will fly far from you” (SC).

Part 4

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less. We buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, “I love you” to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

(George Carlin)

“Faith is not a pill you take, but a muscle you use” (Unknown).

We can’t afford to win the gain that means another’s loss;

We can’t afford to miss the crown by stumbling at the cross.

We can’t afford the heedless jest that robs us of a friend;

We can’t afford the race that comes to tragic bitter end.

We can’t afford to play with fire, or tempt a serpent’s bite

We can’t afford to think that sin brings any true delight.

We can’t afford with serious heed to treat the cynic’s sneer,

We can’t afford to wise men’s words to turn a careless ear.

We can’t afford for hate to give like hatred in return;

We can’t afford to feed a flame and make it fiercer burn.

We can’t afford to lose the soul for this world’s fleeting breath;

We can’t afford to barter life in mad exchange for death.

How blind are we apart from thee, our great all-seeing Lord;

Oh, grant us light that we may know the things we can’t afford.

(Anonymous)

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,

Full of sorrow, trouble and woe.

It’s then I have to remember

That it’s in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top

And never experienced pain,

I would never appreciate God’s love,

And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn

And my growth is very slow.

Sometimes I need the mountain tops,

But it’s in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand

Why things happen as they do.

But I am very sure of one thing:

My Lord will see me through.

Forgive me, Lord, for complaining

When I’m feeling so very low.

Just give me a gentle reminder

That it’s in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord,

And use my life each day —

To share your love with others

And help them find your way.

“Many modern novels, poems, and pictures which we are brow-beaten into appreciating are not good work because they are not work at all. They are mere puddles of spilled sensibility or reflection. When an artist is in the strict sense working, he of course takes into account the existing taste, interests, and capacity of his audience. These, no less than the language, the marble, or the paint, are part of his raw material; to be used, tamed, sublimated, not ignored nor defied. Haughty indifference to them is not genius nor integrity; it is laziness and incompetence” (CSL).

“The Word of God, a jewel bright,

With facets flashing many a light.

If God’s Word you wish to know,

Delve the surface, deep below.

Few its hidden meaning see,

Or discern the Yet to be.

Search and find its meaning true,

And a message there for you”

(H Sulley).

“The Bible can never command or retain its place as the supreme mentor of human life unless its absolutely divine character is recognised. Its histories will never be studied as they require to be, or its hopes practically blended with the motives of human action, or its self-denying precepts adopted and acted upon in human life, where there is the least suspicion of the presence of a human element in its composition. This suspicion saps confidence: and the lack of confidence leads but too easily to a neglect to which we are naturally predisposed. Society is a desolation today because of this. The divine authority of the Bible is not recognised. If it were recognised, as it has been hitherto among the brethren, there would be that application to it in constant reading which would purify and ennoble with righteousness and hope. Instead of this, it is regarded as a venerable piece of literary antiquity, good in its way, but not deserving of the first place in human life, and, on the whole, inconvenient and even hurtful, if it is put into that position. All confidence in it as the word of God has been undermined in the general ranks of society through the influence of learned but false theories. A few have had that confidence restored, with the result of light and comfort and righteousness entering into their dark lives by the daily reading of the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make men wise unto salvation” (RR).

“We would never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world” (Helen Keller).

“It was this general intention [to please God in all their actions] that made the primitive Christians such eminent instances of piety, and made the goodly fellowship of the saints, and all the glorious army of martyrs and confessors. And if you will here stop, and ask yourselves, why you are not as pious as the primitive Christians were, your own heart will tell you, that it is neither through ignorance nor inability, but purely because you never thoroughly intended it. You observe the same Sunday worship that they did; and you are strict in it, because it is your full intention to be so. And when you as fully intend to be like them in their ordinary common life, when you intend to please God in all your actions, you will find it as possible, as to be strictly exact in the service of the Church. And when you have this intention to please God in all your actions, as the happiest and best thing in the world, you will find in you as great an aversion to everything that is vain and impertinent in common life, whether of business or pleasure, as you now have to anything that is profane. You will be as fearful of living in any foolish way, either of spending your time, or your fortune, as you are now fearful of neglecting the public worship” (SCDHL).

“We are, not metaphorically but in very truth, a Divine work of art, something that God is making, and therefore something with which He will not be satisfied until it has a certain character” (CSL).

Love people and use things; don’t use people and love things.

When Mahatma Gandhi was the spiritual leader of India, he was asked by some missionaries, “What is the greatest hindrance to Christianity in India?” His reply was, “Christians.”

“Many of us spend countless hours dreaming about something we truly want in our lives. We spend our waking days thinking about it. We talk with others about our dreams. We feel convinced that we are fully committed to pursuing our dream. But we fail at ever bringing these dreams into reality because we hesitate to take the first step toward making them come true. We fail to take action.

“Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote, ‘The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.’

“Are you moving in the direction of what you desire in life? Because if you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up someplace else. Aristotle, the great philosopher, was asked one day by a young man, ‘How do you get to Mount Olympus?’ To which Aristotle replied, ‘By ensuring that each step you take is in that direction’ ” (MT).

Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.

Anatoli Scharansky, a dissident Soviet Jew, kissed his wife goodbye as she left Russia for freedom in Israel. His parting words to her were, “I’ll see you soon in Jerusalem.” But Anatoli was detained and finally imprisoned. Their reunion in Jerusalem would not only be postponed, but it might never occur. During long years in Russian prisons and work camps Anatoli was stripped of his personal belongings. His only possession was a miniature copy of the Psalms. Once during his imprisonment, his refusal to release the book to the authorities cost him 130 days in solitary confinement.

Finally, twelve years after parting with his wife, he was offered freedom. In February 1986, as the world watched, Scharansky was allowed to walk away from Russian guards toward those who would take him to Jerusalem. But in the final moments of captivity, the guards tried again to confiscate the Psalms book. Anatoli threw himself face down in the snow and refused to walk on to freedom without it. Those words had kept him alive during imprisonment. He would not go on to freedom without them.

“The most important things we learn in life are the things we learn after we know it all” (Harry Truman).

Imagine, if you will, that you work for a company whose president found it necessary to travel out of the country and spend an extended period of time abroad. So he says to you and the other trusted employees, “Look, I’m going to leave. And while I’m gone, I want you to pay close attention to the business. You manage things while I’m away. I will write you regularly. When I do, I will instruct you in what you should do from now until I return from this trip.”

Everyone agrees. He leaves and stays gone for a couple of years. During that time he writes often, communicating his desires and concerns. Finally he returns. He walks up to the front door of the company and immediately discovers everything is in a mess — weeds flourishing in the flower beds, windows broken across the front of the building, the girl at the front desk dozing, loud music roaring from several offices, two or three people engaged in horseplay in the back room. Instead of making a profit, the business has suffered a great loss. Without hesitation he calls everyone together and with a frown asks, “What happened? Didn’t you get my letters?”

You say, “Oh, yeah, sure. We got all your letters. We’ve even bound them up in a book. And some of us have memorized them. In fact, we have ‘letter study’ every Sunday. You know, those were really great letters.” I think the president would then ask, “But what did you do about my instructions?” And, no doubt the employees would respond, “Do? Well, nothing. But we read every one!”

“Love: a Variation on a Theme”

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place, but have not love, I am a housekeeper… not a homemaker.

If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements, but have not love, my children learn of cleanliness… not godliness.

Love leaves the dust in search of a child’s laugh. Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window. Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk. Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys. Love is present through the trials. Love reprimands, reproves and is responsive. Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child, then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood. Love is the key that opens salvation’s message to a child’s heart.

Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection. Now I glory in God’s perfection of my child.

As a mother, there is much I must teach my child… but the greatest of all is “LOVE.” (Jo Ann Merrell)

An English Christadelphian was visiting in an African country, being guided here and there to some of the remote ecclesia in the “outback”. After a long few days of driving and talking and visiting and speaking at a dozen spots, his Christadelphian guide said, ‘We just have one more stop, but it requires such-and-such car trip, then a trek on foot a number of miles over a dirt path, to visit Brother ____ — he’s an elderly brother who lives in total isolation in such-and-such village. By the way, Brother ____ is illiterate.’

So the English brother knew he should go, and he went willingly. But he confesses thinking to himself: ‘What a waste of time! What can I give to this brother?’ or thoughts to that effect.

After an arduous trip, they finally reach the remote village. And they set about trying to find Mr ___. Where is he? From talking with several folks in the village, our English brother pieces together what Mr ___ does with his life. He is known in the village, by everyone, as the “old man with the Bible”. How does he spend his time? He walks around the village, carrying his well-worn Bible, and whenever he finds someone who seems to be resting, or in between tasks, or who just needs a break from whatever he or she is doing (children included)… then he says, “Stop and sit awhile, and how about reading to me from this book?” (Of which he had committed large sections to memory, by the way!)

So the English brother concludes his visit, truly humbled, and realizing that his guide took him to this remote outpost of the Truth, not so that he — the Englishman — might teach something, but so that he might learn something.

“Nature never taught me that there exists a God of glory and of infinite majesty. I had to learn that in other ways. But nature gave the word glory a new meaning for me” (CSL).

Heavenly Father, help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night, is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can’t make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not just to those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

One day a while back, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking in the woods. As he thought about his life this day, he knew many things were not right. He thought about those who had lied about him back when he had a job.

His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and cheated him.

He remembered family that had passed on. His mind turned to the illness he had that no one could cure. His very soul was filled with anger, resentment and frustration.

Standing there this day, searching for answers he could not find, knowing all else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak tree to seek the one he knew would always be there. And with tears in his eyes, he prayed:

“Lord, You have done wonderful things for me in this life. You have told me to do many things for you, and I happily obeyed. Today, you have told me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I cannot. I don’t know how. It is not fair, Lord. I didn’t deserve these wrongs that were done against me and I shouldn’t have to forgive. As perfect as your way is Lord, this one thing I cannot do, for I don’t know how to forgive. My anger is so deep Lord, I fear I may not hear you, but I pray that you teach me to do this one thing I cannot do — teach me to forgive.”

As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt something fall onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw something red on his shirt.

He could not turn to see what it was because where the oak tree had been was a large square piece of wood in the ground. He raised his head and saw two feet held to the wood with a large spike through them.

He raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes as he saw Jesus hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in his hands, a gash in his side, a torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into his head. Finally he saw the suffering and pain on his precious face. As their eyes met, the man’s tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak.

“Have you ever told a lie?” He asked?

The man answered, “Yes, Lord.”

“Have you ever been given too much change and kept it?”

The man answered, “Yes, Lord.” And the man sobbed more and more.

“Have you ever taken something from work that wasn’t yours?” Jesus asked?

And the man answered, “Yes, Lord.”

“Have you ever sworn, using my Father’s name in vain?”

The man, crying now, answered, “Yes, Lord.”

As Jesus asked many more times, “Have you ever…?” the man’s crying became uncontrollable, for he could only answer, “Yes, Lord.”

Then Jesus turned his head from one side to the other, and the man felt something fall on his other shoulder. He looked and saw that it was the blood of Jesus. When he looked back up, his eyes met those of Jesus, and there was a look of love the man had never seen or known before.

Jesus said, “I didn’t deserve this either, but I forgive you.”

It may be hard to see how you’re going to get through something, but when you look back in life, you realize how true this statement is. Read the following very slowly and let it sink in.

If God brings you TO it, He will bring you THROUGH it.

“Lord, I love You and I need You. Come into my heart, today. For without You I can do nothing.”

“The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones” (William Faulkner).

“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened” (Winston Churchill).

The Scriptures are like a great pool of water… in which even an elephant will have to swim, but in which also a little child may safely wade.

“A lady had recently been baptized. One of her co-workers asked her what it was like to be a follower of Christ. She was caught off guard and didn’t know how to answer, but when she looked around she saw a jack-o’-lantern on the desk and answered: ‘It’s like being a pumpkin.’ The worker asked her to explain that one.

” ‘Well, God picks you from the patch and brings you in and washes off all the dirt on the outside that you got from being around all the other pumpkins. Then He cuts off the top and takes all the yucky stuff out from inside. He removes all those seeds of doubt, hate, greed, pride, etc. Then He carves on you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all to see.’

“I’ll never look at a pumpkin the same way again!” (MT).

“A churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. ‘I’ve gone for 30 years now,’ he wrote, ‘and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons and talks. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them. So, I think I’m wasting my time and the people are wasting theirs by giving talks at all.’

“This started a real controversy in the ‘Letters to the Editor’ column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

” ‘I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today! I might not remember the details of the meals, or the details of the talks on Sundays, but the gist of them is in me, and it helps me live day by day!’ ” (MT).

“It was only a sunny smile,

And little it cost in the giving.

But it scattered the night like morning light,

And made the day worth living” (Unknown).

“Character is the foundation stone upon which one must build to win respect. Just as no worthy building can be erected on a weak foundation, so no lasting reputation worthy of respect can be built on a weak character. Without character, all effort to attain dignity is superficial, and the results are sure to be disappointing” (RC Samsel).

Character is like the foundation of a house; it can be found below the surface. People of strong character will always do what they say they will do, when they say they will do it. They are dependable and truthful when it comes to keeping a commitment.

We are all builders of a sort. Some build houses, computers, cars, products of every sort, but one thing we all build — whether we are aware of it or not — is character. Laying the foundation of good character means never taking ethical shortcuts, but doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. You can never maintain the integrity of your character through deceit and dishonesty. The true test of a person’s character is in what they would do if they knew that no one would ever know.

“A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities.

“An optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.

“For example, you can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have roses” (MT).

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry with that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

In happy moments… praise God.

In difficult moments… seek God.

In quiet moments… worship God.

In painful moments… trust God.

In every moment, thank God.

“I read about a preacher of Christ who had a friend who was an actor. The actor was drawing large crowds of people, but there were only a few in the church being preached to. One day he said to his actor friend, ‘Why is it that you can draw great crowds, and I have no audience at all? Your words are sheer fiction, and mine are unchangeable truth.’ The actor’s reply was quite simple: ‘I present my fiction as though it were the truth; you present your truth as though it were fiction.’

“Are we as believers in Christ giving the idea that the truth is fiction by the way we live and by a lack of dedication to the teachings of our Lord? I pray that we will all yield our lives to the Lord so that others may know that the Savior we love and serve is the truth!” (MT).

Don’t want to have your own way always. It would be bad for other people if you did, but it would be much worse for you!

“Most of us can afford to take a lesson from the oyster. The most extraordinary thing about the oyster is this: Irritations get into his shell. He does not like them; he tries to get rid of them. But when he cannot get rid of them, he settles down to make one of the most beautiful things in the world. He uses the irritation to do the loveliest thing that an oyster ever has a chance to do. If there are irritations in your life today, there is only one prescription — make a pearl. It may have to be a pearl of patience, but, anyhow make a pearl. And it takes faith and love to do it” (Harry Fosdick).

“Many wise words are spoken in jest, but they don’t compare with the number of stupid words spoken in earnest” (Sam Levinson).

Some boys caught two chirping baby finches. They decided to teach these birds to sing by placing them in a small cage and hanging it next to the cage of a pet canary. The canary, of course, sang beautifully, so the boys thought if the finches were close to it they too would become good songbirds. Several weeks went by with no apparent results. Then one day the youngsters were startled by a strange sound coming from the canary’s cage. “Listen,” said one of them, “the canary is cheeping like a finch.”

A similar danger awaits the Christian who fellowships with ungodly people in the world. He will become like them. But worse than that, he will incur the disfavor of the Heavenly Father, whose will it is that His children separate themselves from sin and evil.

As Christians, we shouldn’t be isolated from the world. We have to live in it, but we do not have to be “of it.” Our Lord said to the Father, “I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from evil” (Joh 17:15). Only a separated Christian can bear witness to a sinful world.

Part 2

“The clock of life is wound but once,

And no man has the power

To tell just when the hands will stop:

At a late or an early hour.

To lose one’s wealth is sad indeed;

To lose one’s health is more;

To lose one’s ‘soul’ is such a loss

That no man can restore.

The present only is ours to live,

Love, toil with a will.

Place no faith in tomorrow,

For the clock may then be still.”

“So if we have a gift to give, let us give with our whole heart. To our enemy forgiveness, to our friend faithfulness, to our children a good example, to our parents deference, to one’s wife respectful and sympathising love, to one’s husband devotedness, to all men benevolence, to wrong no quarter, to God one’s whole heart in reverential and supreme obedience.”

“You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me? What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? Where do they have me going? What do they have me thinking? And most important, what do they have me becoming? Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay? Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change” (Jim Rohn).

“It isn’t the times you have failed in your task,

It’s the times you have tried that will tell.

It’s how you rose up after falling that counts,

Not the number of times that you fell.”

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary, because it means you’ve made a difference.

It’s easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

“Our duty is not to see through one another, but to see one another through.”

America The Beautiful

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet

Whose stern impassioned stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness!

America! America!

God mend thine every flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved

In liberating strife.

Who more than self their country loved

And mercy more than life!

America! America!

May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness

And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

“Action is eloquence” (William Shakespeare).

“There are four types of men in this world:

The man who knows, and knows that he knows; he is wise, so consult him.
The man who knows, but doesn’t know that he knows; help him not forget what he knows.
The man who knows not, and knows that he knows not; teach him.
Finally, there is the man who knows not but pretends that he knows; he is a fool, so avoid him” (Ibn Gabirol).

“God rarely gives you a sign that you are on the right track, until after you have stepped out on faith!

“Because that’s what faith is… believing in God’s power, believing in His Word, believing every promise that He has made! In His Wisdom, God knows that it doesn’t build your faith if He gives you a written road map for each and every thing you do. He wants you to believe in Him, not in signs, or wonders, or yourself.

“He wants you to step out on faith alone… knowing that He is there, with you, always” (MT).

“The wolf was sick, he vowed a monk to be:

But when he got well, a wolf once more was he” (Walter Brower).

“I would rather lose in a cause that will some day win, than win in a cause that will some day lose!” (Woodrow Wilson).

“Zeal is that pure and heavenly flame

The fire of love supplies;

While that which often bears the name

Is self in a disguise.

“True zeal is merciful and mild,

Can pity and forebear:

The false is headstrong, fierce and wild,

And breathes revenge and war.

“While zeal for truth the Christian warms,

He knows the worth of peace,

But self contends for names and forms,

Its party to increase.”

(John Newton)

She bent the twig

Towards home,

Toward simple pleasures

And a firelight’s glow;

She bent the twig

Toward Truth

And courage for the paths

Where Truth must go;

She bent the twig

Toward Love

To lift the hearts of those

Who only plod;

And when the tempest raged

Her tree stood firm — for, gently,

She had bent the twig

Toward God.

“I hold it for a most infallible rule in the exposition of Scripture, that when a literal construction will stand, the furthest from the letter is commonly the worst” (Hooker).

“We need to remember that when gathered before the Table we are in the presence of Yahweh, and we should aim to keep that well in mind. When Moses was in the desert, he was told to ‘take off his shoes for the ground on which he stood was holy ground’ — made such by the presence of the angel. Therefore, the Memorial Meetings should not be denigrated to mere social gatherings, but should be elevated into solemn occasions of worship in which the greatest reverence is observed in conscious realization of the presence of Yahweh. Proper dress, decorum, mental preparation and so forth will help elevate the meetings and transform them into wonderful uplifting meetings with our God” (HPM).

Let Go and Let God

As children bring their broken toys,

With tears for us to mend,

I brought my broken dreams — to God,

Because He was my Friend.

But then, instead of leaving

Him in peace to work alone,

I hung around and tried to help

With ways that were my own.

At last I snatched them back and cried,

“How can you be so slow?”

“My child,” He said, “What could I do?

You never did let go.”

“Joy is not in what we own… it is in what we are.”

“Always speak the truth and you’ll never be concerned about your memory.”

“What is right is right even when no one else is doing it. What is wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.”

“People of integrity are honorable and upright in all actions.”

“A friendship that can be bought isn’t worth the price.”

“If you want to know how to live your life, think about what you would like people to say about you after you die…then live your life backwards.”

“There is no right way to do a wrong thing.”

“Integrity gives a person strength, but not always popularity.”

Sam Houston was a drunk and a carouser; he was also a fascinating orator, a brilliant politican and a great general — he led the fight for Texas independence and then worked to bring Texas into the United States. He was also a man of tremendous courage, and great wit and self-deprecating humor. When, late in life, he was baptized, he remarked first of all that, if his sins were indeed all washed away, he feared for all the fish downstream when the huge numbers of sins reached them! Thereafter, and for the last years of his life, he devoted a large portion of his income to charitable purposes, telling anyone who asked that, when he was baptized, his wallet was baptized also!

“Silence is the highest wisdom of a fool as speech is the greatest trial of a wise man. If thou wouldst be known as wise, let thy words show thee so; if thou doubt thy words, let thy silence feign thee so. It is not a greater point of wisdom to discover knowledge than to hide ignorance” (Quarles).

“I have borne the name of Christadelphian for forty years, and upon the significance of that title a few words may be useful. It came into existence when it was necessary to distinguish the brethren from other so-called Christians. Ever since, that name has stood for the One Faith and for separation from the present evil world in its religious, social and political aspects.

” ‘Brethren in Christ’, a high and noble calling, an honourable name! Has it lost its meaning since it first came into being? The Ecclesia at Sardis had a “name” that it lived, but it was dead. They called themselves Brethren in Christ, and they had a high reputation, but in Christ’s estimation they were like the Pharisees, ‘whited sepulchres’, outwardly beautiful, but inwardly full of dead men’s bones. Should the salt lose its savour; should the name Christadelphian ever become a misnomer; should it come to be borne by a people who have become false to the Truth it signifies, lax, latitudinarian and worldly, it might become necessary for a ‘few names’ who have lived up to the Name to repudiate a title which they once rightly gloried in.

“Brethren! remember our proud and exalted appellation; see that it never becomes tarnished, dishonoured, meaningless. It is the fact that is important; not a name. If we call ourselves Christadelphians, then let us be Brethren of Christ in that we hold his Truth unimpaired, and follow his example of holiness.”

JM Evans

“Lying is a terrible vice; it testifies that one despises God, but fears men” (Michel Montaigne).

I remember a brother who typically spoke of “breaking bread and wine” (without the “drinking” inserted). He also had a bit of a Texas accent… sort of a nasal twang (yes, it occurs in rare instances!); so it came out as:

“Every Sunday Christadelphians get together to break bread and… WHINE!”

Which led to (what I thought was the very reasonable) observation: “But don’t they have houses to WHINE in? Do they have to get together with all their brothers and sisters for such a purpose?”

Speaking of whining: the preacher greeted one of his brothers: “Brother, how are you this morning?” To which the response came, “All right, under the circumstances…” The preacher replied, “Now what is a believer doing UNDER the circumstances?”

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can” (John Wesley).

“Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting” (Elizabeth Bibesco).

“This world is a bridge; the wise man passes over it, but he does not build his house on it!”

“Excellence is not an act but a habit. The things you do the most are the things you will do the best” (Marva Collins). “Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better” (Pat Riley).

“As iron put into the fire loseth its rust and becometh clearly red-hot, so he that wholly turneth himself unto God puts off all slothfulness, and is transformed into a new man” (Thomas a’ Kempis).

“Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it. The Greek mind, dying, came to a transmigrated life in the theology and liturgy of the Church; the Greek language, having reigned for centuries over philosophy, became the vehicle of Christian literature and ritual; the Greek mysteries passed down into the impressive mystery of the Mass. Other pagan cultures contributed to the syncretist result. From Egypt came the ideas of a divine trinity… Christianity was the last great creation of the ancient pagan world” (Will Durant, “Caesar and Christ” 595).

“We ought not to make any conditions of our brethren’s acceptance with us but such as God has made the conditions of their acceptance with him” (Henry).

Deposit God’s word in your memory bank, and you will draw interest for life!

You cannot control the length of your life, but you can control its width and depth.
You cannot control the contour of your countenance, but you can control its expression.
You cannot control the other person’s opportunities, but you can grasp your own.
You cannot control the weather, but you can control the moral atmosphere which surrounds you.
You cannot control the distance that your head shall be above ground, but you can control the height of the contents of your mind.
You cannot control the other person’s faults, but you can see to it that you yourself do not develop or harbor provoking propensities.
Why worry about things you cannot control. Get busy controlling the things that depend on you.

“Notice the difference between what happens when a man says to himself, ‘I have failed three times,’ and what happens when he says, ‘I am a failure’ ” (SI Hayakawa, 1906-1992).

It’s not how many hours you put in, but how much you put into the hours. The best preparation for tomorrow is the proper use of today.

“To storm a breach,

Conduct an embassy,

Govern a people,

These are brilliant actions.

To scold, laugh, and deal gently with one’s family and oneself —

That is something rarer, more difficult, and less noted in the world” (Montaigne).

“Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the cheapest of pleasures, costs nothing, and conveys much” (Erastus Wiman).

THE ALPHABET

Although things are not perfect

Because of trial or pain,

Continue in thanksgiving;

Do not begin to blame.

Even when the times are hard,

Fierce winds are bound to blow;

God is forever able;

Hold on to what you know.

Imagine life without His love —

Joy would cease to be.

Keep thanking Him for all the things

Love imparts to thee.

Move out of “Camp Complaining”.

No weapon that is known

On earth can yield the power

Praise can do alone.

Quit looking at the future.

Redeem the time at hand.

Start every day with worship;

To “thank” is a command.

Until we see Him coming,

Victorious in the sky,

We’ll run the race with gratitude,

Xalting God most high.

Yes, there’ll be good times; and yes, some will be bad, but…

Zion waits in glory…where none are ever sad!

“He that gives good advice, builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example, builds with both; but he that gives good admonition and bad example, builds with one hand and pulls down with the other” (Francis Bacon).

Overhead projector: a teaching aid which has become a great labour-saving device. It takes material which is clear and transparent and then ensures that it goes over everyone’s head. Theologians used to take years to learn to do this.

“God didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain. But He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.”

“Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well through all the darkest valleys you must traverse. Stars may be seen from the bottom of a deep well, when they cannot be discerned from the mountaintop. So will you learn things in adversity that you would never have discovered without trouble. There is always a seed of good. Find it and prosper” (Og Mandino, 1923-1996).

“Heat and animosity, contest and conflict, may sharpen the wits, although they rarely do; they never strengthen the understanding, clear the perspicacity, guide the judgment, or improve the heart” (Walter Savage Landor, 1775-1864).

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life: “A fight is going on inside me,” he says to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil — he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. This same fight is going on inside you — and inside every other person too.”

The grandson thinks about this for a minute and then asks his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replies, “The one you feed.”

Be not thou weary in the Master’s cause,

Let not thy courage fail nor hope grow dim;

He worketh hitherto without a pause.

Rejoice in fellowship of toil with him.

Be not thou weary, for the work is great,

And time is short, the laborers are few;

Soon, soon to all will close the vineyard gate.

Do well and truly what thou hast to do.

Be not thou weary, slacken not thy zeal,

Sow broadcast, for the harvest comes at length;

E’en now thy Master doth himself reveal.

Look thou to him for all the needed strength.

Be not thou weary, the reward is sure,

Great is the recompense, if great the strife;

And he that doth unto the end endure,

Shall from the Lord receive the crown of life.

William Tyndale, first translated the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into English, making a Bible for the common people. In 1535 he was betrayed by a friend, taken prisoner to the castle of Vilford, and continued to work on his translation. He was unable to finish his work because he was sentenced to die a heretic’s death: strangulation and burning at the stake. On October 6, 1536 he cried out his last words, “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes!” and then he died. His prayer was answered within a year.

“In the Biblical view of things, a deeper knowledge of God brings with it massive improvement in the other areas mentioned: purity, integrity, evangelistic effectiveness, better study of scripture, improved private and corporate worship, and much more. But if we seek these things without passionately desiring a deeper knowledge of God, we are selfishly running after God’s blessings without running after Him. We are worse than the man who wants his wife’s services — someone to come home to, someone to cook and clean, someone to sleep with — without ever making the effort to really know and love his wife and discover what she wants and needs; we are worse than such a man, I say, because God is more than any wife, more than the best of wives: He is perfect in His love, He has made us for Himself, and we are answerable to Him” (DA Carson).

Slogans:

“The best vitamin for a Christian is B-1.”
“Don’t give up. Moses was also a basket case.”
“Prevent truth decay. Brush up on your Bible.”
“It’s hard to stumble when you’re down on your knees.”
“What part of ‘THOU SHALT NOT…’ don’t you understand?”
“A clear conscience makes a soft pillow.”
“Forbidden fruit creates many jams.”
“To belittle is to be little.”
“Don’t let the shortcomings of others bring out the shortcomings in you.”
“God answers all of His knee-mail.”

The train pulls into the small town, and a man gets off. He approaches the old fellow sitting at the station, and says to him, “I’m thinking of moving to this town. Can you tell me: what kind of people live here?” The old fellow thinks for a moment, and then asks, “What kind of people lived in the town you came from?” The man, without hesitation, says, “Oh! They were a wretched lot — they were liars, and hypocrites, and wicked, wicked people. I was so happy to get away from them.” The old man replies, “You’d better get right back on the train then, because that’s the sort of people you’ll find around here too.”

The next day another train pulls into town, and another man gets off. Approaching the same old fellow, he says, “I’m thinking of staying in this town. Can you tell me what kind of people live here?” To which comes the response: “What kind of people lived in the town you came from?” This man says, “They were fine people — kind and generous, and neighborly… I was very sorry that circumstances forced me to leave.” The old man smiles and replies, “In that case, welcome to our fair town… that’s just the kind of people you’ll find here!”

“Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them” (Ralph Waldo Emerson).

In Christ we have:

A love that can never be fathomed.
A life that can never die.
A righteousness that can never be tarnished.
A peace that can never be understood.
A rest that can never be disturbed.
A joy that can never be diminished.
A hope that can never be disappointed.
A glory that can never be clouded.
A light that can never be darkened.
A purity that can never be defiled.
A beauty that can never be marred.
A wisdom that can never be baffled.
Resources that can never be exhausted.

Part 5

“Today the Christadelphian community — ‘Brothers in Christ’ — is the inheritor of a noble tradition, by which elements of the Truth were from century to century hammered out on the anvil of controversy, affliction and even anguish… God does not establish Truth by the counting of heads, but by the trying of hearts… we as Christadelphians today resist the outstretched hands of broader ecumenical unity, and consider as traitors any among us who sell their birthright for this cause,

“To uphold Scriptural teaching was the aim of many whose exploits are [recorded in our history]. Their success varied, and the process was continuous, dynamic and even painful, needing to be adapted to the changing character of the corrupting prevailing. If contention over dogma and statements of faith has produced schism and un-Christlike action, it has also promoted intense study of the Word of God and burning loyalties and convictions — all things this spineless generation of ours desperately needs. If the faith of Christ means anything at all, it is worthy of our highest and our all. This, more than any other, is the basic message of this book. Better one who, like Paul, ‘gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you’ (Gal 2:5), than one who, half ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, sells his salty birthright for a mess of contemporary corruption” (Prot 8,9).

Did Jesus Use a Modem at the Sermon on the Mount?

(Author Unknown)

Did Jesus use a modem

At the Sermon on the Mount?

Did He ever try a broadcast fax,

To send his message out?

Did the disciples carry beepers,

As they went about their route?

Did Jesus use a modem

At the Sermon on the Mount?

Did Paul use a laptop

With lots of RAM and ROM?

Were his letters posted on a BBS

At paul@rome.com?

Did the man from Macedonia

Send an E-Mail saying “Come?”

Did Paul use a laptop

With lots of RAM and ROM?

Did Moses use a joystick

At the parting of the Sea?

And a Satellite Guidance Tracking System

To show him where to be?

Did he write the law on tablets

Or are they really on CD?

Did Moses use a joystick

At the parting of the Sea?

Did Jesus really die for us,

One day upon a tree?

Or was it just a Hologram,

Or Technical Wizardry?

Can you download the Live Action Video Clip,

To play on your PC?

Did Jesus really die for us,

One day upon a tree?

Have the wonders of this modern age

Made you question what is true?

How a single man, in a simple time,

Could offer life anew?

How a sinless life, a cruel death,

Then a glorious life again,

Could offer more to a desperate world,

Than all the inventions of man?

If in your life, the voice of God

Is sometimes hard to hear.

With other voices calling,

His doesn’t touch your ear.

Then set aside your laptop and modem,

And all your fancy gear.

And open your Bible, open your heart,

And let your Father draw near.

“The last and highest result of prayer is not the securing of this or that gift, the avoiding of this or that danger. The last and highest result of prayer is the knowledge of God — the knowledge which is eternal life — and by that knowledge, the transformation of human character, and of the world” (George John Blewett).

“Can’t” is the worst word that’s written or spoken,

Doing more harm than slander and lies,

On it is many a strong spirit broken,

And with it many a good purpose dies.

It springs from the lips of the thoughtless each morning,

And robs us of courage we need through the day.

It rings in our ears like a timely-sent warning,

And laughs when we falter and fall by the way.

(MT)

Whatever our hands touch —

We leave fingerprints!

On walls, on furniture

On doorknobs, dishes, books.

There’s no escape.

As we touch we leave our identity.

Oh God, wherever I go today

Help me leave heartprints!

Heartprints of compassion

Of understanding and love.

Heartprints of kindness

And genuine concern.

May my heart touch a lonely neighbor

Or a runaway daughter

Or an anxious mother

Or perhaps an aged grandfather.

Lord, send me out today

To leave heartprints.

And if someone should say,

“I felt your touch,”

May that one sense YOUR LOVE

Touching through ME.

(MT)

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful:

The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colors,

He made their tiny wings.

The rich man in his castle,

The poor man at his gate,

He made them, high or lowly,

And ordered their estate.

The purple-headed mountains,

The river running by,

The sunset and the morning

That brightens up the sky.

The cold wind in the winter,

The pleasant summer sun,

The ripe fruits in the garden,

He made them every one.

The tall trees in the green wood,

The meadows where we play,

The rushes by the water,

To gather every day.

He gave us eyes to see them,

And lips that we might tell

How great is God Almighty,

Who has made all things well.

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful:

The Lord God made them all.

(Cecil F. Alexander)

“In the Old Testament all the lines of its teaching converge upon him who is to come. In the New all the lines of living light radiate from him who has come. In the Old he is prepared for. In the New he is proclaimed. In the Old he is infolded. In the New he is unfolded. In the Old he is latent. In the New he is patent. In the Old he is declared. In the New he is demonstrated” (Stuart Holden).

“Scripture… is not only an armor, but also a whole armory of weapons, both offensive and defensive; whereby we may save ourselves and put the enemy to flight. It is not an herb, but a tree, or rather a whole paradise of trees of life, which bring forth fruit every month, and the fruit thereof is for meat, and the leaves for medicine. It is not a pot of manna, or a cruse of oil, which were for memory only, or for a meal’s meat or two, but as it were a shower of heavenly bread sufficient for a whole host, be it never so great; and as it were a whole cellar full of oil vessels; whereby all our necessities may be provided for and our debts discharged” (Myles Smith, Preface to the KJV, 1611).

“How odd of God to choose the Jews;

But not so odd as those who choose

The Jewish God yet spurn the Jews.”

Something does go back to God when we die. When I think about this subject, my thinking is informed by my career: I am a computer programmer.

What is the difference between a computer when it is switched on, versus when it is switched off? When you turn on your computer in the morning, it “comes to life” so to speak. Electricity starts flowing through circuits, little areas of magnetism on your hard drive are read and fed through a piece of silicon with millions of little circuits on it. Billions of nanoseconds later (many billions if you are booting up today’s huge operating systems…) your computer presents you with a nice easy-to-use interface (or something like that), which, depending upon the cleverness of the programmer, is capable of doing many, many useful things (and many not-so-useful time-wasting things…).

So what is the difference between your computer five minutes before you turn it on, and five minutes afterwards? The energy flowing through it. Now something or someone has to actually “flip the switch”, and get the process started. And the interesting thing is that if I physically remove the hard drive, and install it into a system at least somewhat similar to the computer I removed it from, my old computer is still there, really. Perhaps running faster, or with better graphics, but basically the same. So what exactly is the computer? The chip which simply processes the information, based on a set of about 30 very basic instructions (called “op codes”) (computers really only process a few pieces of information at a time, but they do it really, really, really, really fast, so fast we have the illusion that a lot is happening at the same time)… or the hard drive which is full of all the complex instructions that make your computer do the things that you think of your computer as doing?

So, now, what is the difference between a human body five minutes before it is dead, and five minutes after it is dead? Very little has changed, in one sense. But in another sense, very much has changed. Neurons, which were alive and crackling with electricity, and neurotransmitters have ceased being alive and crackling. An extremely organized system ceases being so, and gradually turns into very disorganized dust. The information content of the body, once measured in trillions of trillions of trillions of bits, eventually degrades to a very low level. Many years ago (or sadly, maybe only a few days ago) God “turned on” the system, gave it power and then sustained it. At death he withdraws that “sustenance”, that ineffable something which caused your body to be an incredibly complex and beautiful system.

But in a sense, after death, something lives on, and returns to God. For a believer, the process is almost beautiful when I think about it. God shuts off the power, gently removes the hard drive, and stores it in the safest of all places, waiting for a new body to run the program which is stored on the hard drive. Is that hard drive conscious? No. It has no power going through it, no body to run the program. Are we “with the Lord”? Absolutely.

I find that thought very comforting. Perhaps more comforting than imagining myself in “Heaven”, as many churches think of it. Heaven as they picture it seems a very strange, unworldly, and well, weird place. We were designed, and designed very well, to live within the context of a complex and beautiful system called Earth. I like very much the idea of being alive forever on a perfected Earth. Earth is our home. Now (uncomfortably sometimes) and forever.

In my profession, we often have a very deep respect for those “gurus” and “master programmers” who know much, are very clever, and can make systems that do lots of cool stuff. For me, THE Master Programmer, who created everything you see, commands a very, very deep respect.

So I hope you will not interpret my “reduction” of human beings to “computers” as a lack of respect for humans, or for their Maker!

Trevor Brierly

Centuries ago, when a mapmaker would run out of the known world before he ran out of parchment, he would often sketch a dragon at the edge of the scroll. This was intended to be a sign to the explorer that he was entering unknown territory at his own risk.

Many explorers, however, did not perceive the dragon as a mapmaker’s warning sign, but as a prophecy. They foresaw disaster and doom beyond the “known worlds” they traversed. Their fear kept them from pushing on to discover new lands and peoples.

Other, more adventuresome travelers saw the dragon as a sign of opportunity, the doorway to a new territory worth exploring.

Each of us has a mental map containing the information we use for guidance as we explore each new day. Like the maps of long ago, our mental maps have edges, and sometimes those edges seemed to be marked by dragons, or fears. At times, our fears may be valid. But at other times, our fears may keep us from discovering more of this world, or more about other people — including ourselves. Don’t let fear keep you from all that you desire to explore and know.

“Tater People” — which are you? Which do you want to be? Do it!

Some people never seem motivated to participate, but are just content to watch while others do the work. They are called “Speck Taters”.

Some people never do anything to help, but are gifted at finding fault with the way others do the work. They are called “Comment Taters”.

Some people are very bossy and like to tell others what to do, but don’t want to soil their own hands. They are called “Dick Taters”.

Some people are always looking to cause problems by asking others to agree with them. It is too hot or too cold, too sour or too sweet. They are called “Agie Taters”.

There are those who say they will help, but somehow just never get around to actually doing the promised help. They are called “Hezzie Taters”.

Some people can put up a front and pretend to be someone they are not. They are called “Emma Taters”.

Then there are those who love others and do what they say they will. They are always prepared to stop whatever they are doing and lend a helping hand. They bring real sunshine into the lives of others. They are called “Sweet Taters” (MT).

He asked for strength that he might do great things;

But he was given infirmity that he might do better things.

He asked for riches that he might be happy;

He was given poverty that he might be wise.

He asked for power that he might have the praise of men;

He was given weakness that he might feel the need of God.

He asked for all things that he might enjoy life;

He was given life that he might enjoy all things.

He had received nothing that he asked for;

But he gained more than he hoped for.

Jerusalem

And did those feet in ancient time

Walk upon England’s mountains green?

And was the holy Lamb of God

On England’s pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine

Shine forth upon our clouded hills?

And was Jerusalem builded here

Among these dark Satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold:

Bring me my arrows of desire:

Bring me my spear: O clouds unfold!

Bring me my chariot of fire.

I will not cease from mental fight,

Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand

Till we have built Jerusalem

In England’s green and pleasant land.

(William Blake)

Sometimes do you ever wonder why God called you to do something for Him? There are many reasons why God shouldn’t have called you, or me, or anyone else for that matter, but God doesn’t wait until we are perfect to call us. Think of all those God used. You’re in good company if you think you aren’t ready for God to use.

Abraham lied.
Sarah laughed at God’s promises.
Moses stuttered.
Noah was 600 years old.
David’s armor didn’t fit.
John Mark was rejected by Paul.
Timothy had ulcers.
Hosea’s wife was a prostitute.
Amos’ only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.
Jacob was a liar.
Zaccheus was too short.
David was an adulterer.
Solomon was too rich.
Jesus was too poor.
Abraham was too old.
Rahab was a prostitute.
David was too young.
Isaac and Joseph were day-dreamers.
Peter was afraid of death, and denied Christ.
Lazarus was dead.
John was self-righteous.
Naomi was a widow.
Job was a bankrupt.
Paul was a murderer.
So was Moses.
And so was David.
Jonah ran from God.
Miriam was a gossip.
Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
The Samaritan woman was divorced… more than once.
Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal, and too young.
Elijah was burned out.
John the Baptist was a loudmouth, who ate bugs.
Martha was a worry-wort.
Mary may have been lazy.
The apostles fell asleep while praying.
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer.
Timothy was too young.
So was Jeremiah.
Noah got drunk.
Did I mention Moses had a short fuse?
So did Peter, Paul and lots of folks.

The next time you feel like God can’t use you, remember the preceding people, and realize that God looks at us differently than people do.

But God doesn’t hire and fire like most bosses because He’s more like our Dad than a boss. He doesn’t look at financial gain or loss. He’s not prejudiced or partial, nor deaf to our cry. He’s not blind to our faults. His gifts to us are free. We could do wonderful things for others and still not be wonderful ourselves. The enemy says, “You’re not worthy!” Jesus says, “So what? I AM.” The enemy looks back and sees our mistakes. God looks back and sees the cross.

“It’s good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it’s good, too, to check once in a while and make sure that you haven’t lost things that money can’t buy” (George Horace Lorimer).

DON’T JOIN THAT ECCLESIA!

If you find the perfect ecclesia

Without one fault or smear,

For goodness sake don’t join that one —

You’d spoil the atmosphere!

If you find the perfect ecclesia

Where all false doctrines cease,

Then pass it by, lest, joining it,

You mar the masterpiece!

And, finding the perfect ecclesia,

Then don’t you ever dare

To tread upon its holy ground —

You’d be a misfit there!

But, since no perfect ecclesia exists

Within this world of sin,

Then let’s stop looking for that one —

And love the one we’re in!

No, it’s not a perfect ecclesia;

That’s easy to discern,

But you, and I, and all of us

Could cause the tide to turn!

What a fool you’d be to leave your post,

Looking for a place to please ya;

It could be that, where problems form

Is where GOD builds HIS ecclesia!

So let’s keep working in OUR ecclesia

Until the Resurrection,

And then we each can join THE ecclesia

With no imperfection!

“You can’t sing songs of praise in the dark if you haven’t learned the words in the light.”

“In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is the kind and gentle spirit.”

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of another” (Charles Dickens).

Dis-appointment — His appointment.

Change one letter, then I see

That the thwarting of my purpose

Is God’s better choice for me.

His appointment must be blessing

Though it may come in disguise,

For the end from the beginning

Open to His wisdom lies.

Dis-appointment — His appointment.

Whose? The Lord’s who loves me best,

Understands and knows me fully,

Who my faith and love would test;

For, like loving earthly parent,

He rejoices when He knows

That His child accepts, unquestioned,

All that from His wisdom flows.

Dis-appointment — His appointment.

Lord, I take it then as such.

For, like clay in hands of potter,

Yielding wholly to Thy touch,

All my life’s plan in Thy moulding

Not one single choice be mine.

Let me answer unrepining:

“Father, not my will, but Thine.”

Years ago, I was walking alone at the Zilker Park/Barton Springs area (a very big city park area near downtown Austin).

I think I was feeling a bit tired, not so much tired physically as mentally and emotionally, just “down”.

Then, as I walked, I noticed: way across the green fields, a school bus far in the distance, on the other side of the park. It had just pulled up, and the children were getting off and making their way to tables and campsites. I couldn’t make out much about them, not even their age, because they were so far away. But I was walking in their direction, so I kept them in view as I got closer and closer.

The strange thing about them, so I first thought, was that instead of straggling out one by one, they all seemed to be walking in twos and threes, close together.

And then I got close enough to realize: the bus was from the special school, and all the children were Downs syndrome or other special children, and some were physically impaired.

So none of them walked alone. Each one had at least one special companion, and maybe two, to help them, and to help one another along the way.

Each one was leaning on his or her friend’s arm or shoulder.

And it suddenly dawned on me: In the sight of God, we are… all… mentally retarded, developmentally handicapped, physically disabled.

None of us are what we could be, none of us are what we should be… none of us are what we will become, by the grace of God.

But He loves us anyway, right now, even with our disabilities.

And He gives us one another, to help and to support, to hold up and to hold on to, as we limp through life. Because we all need help.

I left the park that morning feeling much better than when I entered it. I was taught an important lesson, by some children who didn’t even know I was there.

“I admonish every pious Christian that he take not offence at the plain, unvarnished manner of speech of the Bible. Let him reflect that what may seem trivial and vulgar to him, emanates from the high majesty, power, and wisdom of God. The Bible is the book that makes fools of the wise of this world; it is only understood by the plain and simple hearted. Esteem this book as the precious fountain that can never be exhausted. In it thou findest the swaddling-clothes and the manger whither the angels directed the poor, simple shepherds; they seem poor and mean, but dear and precious is the treasure that lies therein” (Martin Luther).

My daily walks take me by a small shopping mall not too far from our home — where one big sign out front advertises the stores inside, with some of the descriptions being generic ones. Down one side of the sign the stores are, in order:

Goodwill

Blockbuster

Catfish

Church

The “Goodwill Blockbuster Catfish Church”?

Some of these, I assume, are self-explanatory… but others may or may not mean something to our NUSABAS (Non-USA brothers and sisters”).

“Goodwill” is a charitable organization that operates second-hand and discount stores.

“Blockbuster” is a major video-store franchise (that’s probably international).

“Catfish” (and I’m thinking you’d have to be not only USA, but southern USA, to get this one) is “Cherry Creek Catfish Restaurant”, a fine dining establishment (one of our favorites) where they serve catfish primarily — by that I mean: where one may order catfish to eat. No, not where catfish are invited to eat, but where humans (southern and Texan humans, anyway) may eat catfish… there, I think I finally got it right. Fried catfish, baked catfish, grilled catfish, catfish Mexican style, catfish Cajun style, catfish with crawdads, catfish with hushpuppies, catfish with shrimp, catfish with beans and rice… in short, all the basic food groups.

“Church” is the “Worldwide Harvest Church”, which meets in a large store turned into auditorium/sanctuary… I guess the owners of the mall won’t let the church advertise its full name out front on the big sign.

But it’s the juxtaposition (I love that word! a John Thomas-Robert Roberts kind of word! a “pioneer” word!) of the names that gives me pause as I walk by…

What kind of church do we want?

A church of goodwill? Now, that’s not a bad idea: “And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luk 2:12-14). (Which might actually be better translated, as the NIV: “peace to men on whom his favor rests”). The church of men and women on whom the favor of God has rested, and who then demonstrate a goodwill — a kind and gentle and amiable spirit to those around them, and a friendly and caring and loving desire to help others find the way to “God’s good will” too. That sounds all right.

A “blockbuster” church? Probably not… the “blockbuster” churches have thousands of members; they meet in huge, fancy, well-furnished and richly-decorated sanctuaries; they have “youth” ministries, “singles” ministries, “seniors” ministries, “gay” ministries, “upwardly-mobile, Anglo-Saxon, 35-40 age-group, two-car, 2 1/2-child” ministries. “Blockbuster” churches have gymnasiums, swimming pools, bowling lanes, psychologists, counselors, and a multitude of other programs “on premises”. They supply everything you might ever need… except the… gospel. “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1Co 1:27-29). No… we probably don’t need a “blockbuster” church.

But, then, of course, there is the “catfish” church… Sounds like those who claim the right to “worship” the Almighty in their own special way: by going fishing on Sunday morning. The “fishing” church… which is closely affiliated with the “hunting” church, the “golf” church, the church of “football”, the church of “gardening”, the church of “sleeping in on Sunday morning”, the “whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do it, and nobody has a claim on me” church. The “I can ‘worship God’ on a golf course or sitting by the creek; I don’t need to go to church” church. But Jesus said, “Where your treasure, there will your heart be also” (Luk 12:34). And where you heart is, and where you are on Sunday mornings, that’s where you really “worship”, and that’s… WHAT you really worship too!

So… no “Goodwill Blockbuster Catfish Church”.

But how about… the “Goodwill Little-Flock Sunday-Morning-I’m-There Church”?

That works for me.

Part 3

” ‘When the last word has been said about the Bible it will no longer be the Word of God’ (Joseph Parker). We never get to the end of the Bible. It is as wise in its reservations as in its revelations. Enough is reserved to give faith scope for development. Everything needful to salvation and godliness is written with such clarity that all the simple-hearted may understand; but there are other matters which, with wise divine purpose, are presented less lucidly, or even enigmatically, so as to challenge enquiry — matters fascinating, mysterious, or more intricate, but all yielding rich and sanctifying reward to devout exploration” (JS Baxter).

When he cometh, when he cometh

To make up his jewels,

All his jewels, precious jewels,

His loved and his own.

Like the stars of the morning

His bright crown adorning,

They shall shine in their beauty,

Bright gems for his crown.

He will gather, he will gather

The gems for his kingdom,

All the pure ones, all the bright ones,

His loved and his own.

Like the stars of the morning

His bright crown adorning,

They shall shine in their beauty,

Bright gems for his crown.

Little children, little children,

Who love their Redeemer,

Are the jewels, precious jewels,

His loved and his own.

Like the stars of the morning

His bright crown adorning,

They shall shine in their beauty,

Bright gems for his crown.

(WO Cushing)

“We have found the enemy — and he is us!” (“Pogo”, Walt Kelly).

If someone asked you where to find the Bible verse that begins, “For God so loved the world…” you’d probably know he was asking about John 3:16. If you had a Bible, you could find it for him in no time. But there was a time when no one could find a single verse in the whole Bible. There was no John 3:16, Gen 1:1 or any other verse because the Bible wasn’t divided into verses or even chapters. Worse yet, there were hundreds of years when there weren’t even any word divisions. Punctuation marks, capital letters and even vowels were omitted. In those days, if Genesis had been written in English, it would have started: “NTHBGNNNGGDCRTDTHHVNSNDTHRTH.” You would have had to spend hours or days just to find your favorite verse.

Words were divided by Jesus’ time, but vowels weren’t used in Hebrew Old Testaments until the sixth century AD. Gradually, capitalizations, punctuation and paragraphing worked their way into the Old and New Testaments. But Bible chapters such as we have today didn’t come into being until the 13th century. They were the work of Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

For the next 200 years, the Bible, now divided into chapters, continued to be copied by hand. Then in 1448, Rabbi Nathan startled the world by breaking the Old Testament into verses. The New Testament wasn’t divided into numbered verses until 1551 when a French printer, Robert Estienne did the job. He was planning a study Bible that would have side-by-side columns in three translations when he got the idea. He was so rushed for time he decided to do the dividing on a trip from Paris to Lyons. Some people have suggested he did the work on horseback and his sometimes awkward divisions resulted when his “jogging horse bumped his pen in the wrong places.” Yet, with a few exceptions, Estienne’s divisions provide us with the verses we have today.

So just as number of people were used in writing of the Bible over a period of centuries, it was the contribution of countless scribes, hundreds of years, and three men in particular — a Catholic archbishop, a Jewish rabbi and a Protestant printer — who turned “NTHBGNNNGGDCRTDTHHVNSNDTHRTH” into Gen 1:1.

“I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the deeps of divine revelation; a faith that paddles about the edge of the water is poor faith at best. It is little better than a dry-land faith, and is not good for much” (CHS).

His interviews were legendary. Admiral Hyman Rickover always wanted to cut through glib, rehearsed answers to get a look at the person underneath. He especially wanted to know how candidates would act under stress. On occasion he had them sit in a chair with the front legs sawed off an inch or two shorter than the back, to keep them off-balance.

In his autobiography “Why Not the Best?”, President Jimmy Carter tells about his Rickover interview. The admiral asked how he had stood in his class at the Naval Academy. “I swelled my chest with pride and answered, ‘Sir, I stood 59th in a class of 820!’ I sat back to wait for the congratulations.

“Instead came the question: ‘Did you do your best?’ I started to say, ‘Yes, sir,’ but I remembered who this was. I gulped and admitted, ‘No, sir, I didn’t always do my best.’ He looked at me for a long time, and then asked one final question, which I have never been able to forget — or to answer. He said, ‘Why not?’ “

Things I’ve learned:

I’ve learned…. That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I’ve learned…. That when you’re in love, it shows.

I’ve learned…. That just one person saying to me, “You’ve made my day!” makes my day.

I’ve learned…. That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I’ve learned…. That being kind is more important than being right.

I’ve learned…. That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I’ve learned…. That I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in some other way.

I’ve learned…. That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I’ve learned…. That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I’ve learned…. That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I’ve learned…. That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I’ve learned…. That we should be glad God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.

I’ve learned…. That money doesn’t buy class.

I’ve learned…. That it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I’ve learned… That under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I’ve learned…. That the Lord didn’t do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I’ve learned…. That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I’ve learned…. That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I’ve learned…. That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I’ve learned…. That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I’ve learned…. That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I’ve learned…. That there’s nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I’ve learned…. That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I’ve learned…. That life is tough, but I’m tougher.

I’ve learned…. That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I’ve learned…. That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I’ve learned…. That I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.

I’ve learned…. That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I’ve learned…. That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I’ve learned…. That I can’t choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I’ve learned…. That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you’re hooked for life.

I’ve learned…. That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.

I’ve learned … That it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.

I’ve learned…. That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

(Andy Rooney)

“A resurrected mind is the prelude to a resurrected body” (Dennis Gillett).

The noted English architect Sir Christopher Wren was supervising the construction of a magnificent cathedral in London. A journalist thought it would be interesting to interview some of the workers, so he chose three and asked them this question, “What are you doing?”

The first replied, “I’m cutting stone for 10 shillings a day.”

The next answered, “I’m putting in 10 hours a day on this job.”

But the third said, “I’m helping Sir Christopher Wren construct one of London’s greatest cathedrals.”

“The work of the truth will be done, whatever frets or oppositions arise among men. The very frets and oppositions are part of its machinery. Its great and solid and excellent power will quietly work its work among the good and honest-hearted, not only in spite of, but partly by means of the troubles that arise. ‘All that the Father hath given to me shall come to me.’ Here lies the strength of the righteous. Let those who wish to be of their number use it” (RR).

According to modern readings of the Koran, faithful martyrs who die in a “jihad” can expect to be carried immediately upon death to paradise, where they will be welcomed and entertained by “fair virgins”. Now some Koranic scholars, daring to apply to the ancient texts the same analytical methods long used with the Old and New Testaments, have asserted that this is a forced misreading of the text — and that what is actually supposed to await the martyrs are… “white raisins”!

How can this be? In both ancient Aramaic and in at least one respected dictionary of early Arabic, the term “hur” means “white raisin”. White raisins were prized delicacies in the ancient Near East.

Perhaps the great Islamic “truths” were originally compared (by Muhammed) to “white raisins” — of sweetness and clarity… much as Bible writers compared God’s word to honey (Psa 19:10; 119:103; Eze 3:3; Rev 10:9,10).

However, the scholar (Christoph Luxenberg, of Germany) believes that at a very early time in the development of the text, leading Islamic scholars began the tradition of reading “hur” as “houri”, or “virgin” — and that this tradition has persisted to the present day (New York Times, 3/2/02).

One can only imagine an early council of Islamic holy men: “Sharif, what do you think? would you prefer white raisins when you ascend to paradise? Or beautiful virgins?”

“Well, Omar… the grandfathers were so looking forward to the white raisins of crystal clarity, but…”

“I know. Some of the young warriors would certainly enjoy the fair virgins more!”

“Shall we take a vote, Omar?”

“Yes, indeed.”

“All in favor of white raisins?… All in favor of fair virgins?… The fair virgins have it, 27 to 2. Virgins it is. So let it be written… Now, let’s consider the sexual orientation of the two ‘raisin’ votes… why AREN’T Abdul and Hussein married anyway? Does anyone know?”

If you knew you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, whom would you call and what would you say?

So why are you waiting?

“A man will sometimes say to himself — indeed we have heard it openly suggested — that as David was forgiven his sin, and it is evident that God makes much allowance for human weakness, surely we in these days shall be excused for doing such and such things.

“These fleshly reasoners fail to perceive that by the very fact of their indulging such reflections they move the transgression of fleshly weakness into the category of deliberate despising of God’s law. If David, previous to his transgression had deliberately reasoned the matter out and concluded that since God had shown mercy in other cases, it might be worth while to undertake the risk of sinning, we should never have heard of him as an example of rectitude. In all probability he would have been treated with the severity shown to other despisers and wilful transgressors of the law” (ConCon).

“It is a most lamentable thing to see how most people spend their time and their energy for trifles, while God is cast aside. He who is all seems to them as nothing, and that which is nothing seems to them as good as all. It is lamentable indeed, knowing that God has set mankind in such a race where [eternal life] or [eternal death] is their certain end, that they should sit down and loiter, or run after the childish toys of the world, forgetting the prize they should run for. Were it but possible for one of us to see this business as the all-seeing God does, and see what most men and women in the world are interested in and what they are doing every day, it would be the saddest sight imaginable. Oh, how we should marvel at their madness and lament their self-delusion!

“If God had never told them what they were sent into the world to do, or what was before them in another world, then there would have been some excuse. But it is there, in His [guaranteed] word, and they profess to believe it” (Richard Baxter).

What we can learn from a dog:

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
When it’s in your best interest, practice obedience.
Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory.
Take naps, and stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you’re not.
If what you need lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you’re scolded, don’t buy into the guilt thing and pout… run right back and make friends.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

(Shiloh Ranch, Calder, Idaho)

Good advice

Love God more than you fear hell.
Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.
Make major decisions in a cemetery.
When no one is watching, live as if someone is.
Succeed at home first.
Don’t spend tomorrow’s money today.
Pray twice as much as you fret.
Listen twice as much as you speak.
Only harbor a grudge where God does.
Never outgrow your love of sunsets.
God has forgiven you, so you’d be wise to do the same.
When you can’t trace God’s hand, trust His heart.
Don’t toot your own horn — the notes will be flat.

(Max Lucado)

Anger is only one letter short of Danger!

“I am my neighbor’s Bible:

He reads me when we meet

Today he reads me in my house,

Tomorrow in the street

He may be relative or friend,

Or slight acquaintance be;

He may not even know my name,

Yet he is reading me.”

(Anonymous)

When you’ve trusted God and walked his way

When you’ve felt his hand lead you day by day,

But your steps now take you another way…

Start over.

When you’ve made your plans and they’ve gone awry,

When you’ve tried your best and there’s no more try,

When you’ve failed yourself and you don’t know why…

Start over.

When you’ve told your friends what you plan to do,

When you’ve trusted them and they didn’t come through,

And you’re all alone and it’s up to you…

Start over.

When you’ve failed your kids and they’re grown and gone,

When you’ve done your best but it’s turned out wrong,

And now your grandchildren come along..

Start over.

When you’ve prayed to God so you’ll know his will,

When you’ve prayed and prayed and you don’t know still,

When you want to stop ’cause you’ve had your fill…

Start over.

When you think you’re finished and want to quit,

When you’ve bottomed out in life’s deepest pit,

When you’ve tried and tried to get out of it…

Start over.

When the year has been long and successes few,

When December comes and you’re feeling blue,

God gives a January just for you to…

Start over.

Starting over means “Victories Won”,

Starting over means “A Race Well Run”,

Starting over means “God’s Will Be Done”.

Don’t just sit there…

START OVER.

” You don’t get ulcers from what you eat. You get them from what’s eating you” (Vicki Baum).

“Search the scriptures with the teachableness of a little child, and thy labour will not be in vain. Cast away to the owls and to the bats the traditions of men, and the prejudices indoctrinated into thy mind by their means; make a whole burnt offering of their creeds, confessions, catechisms and articles of religion; and, after the example of the Ephesian disciples, hand over your books of curious theological arts, and burn them before all. These mountains of rubbish have served the purpose of a dark and barbarous age; the Word, the Word of the Living God alone, can meet the necessities of the times” (Elp 5,6).

I hoped that with the brave and strong

my portioned task might lie;

to toil among the busy throng

with purpose pure and high;

but God has fixed another part,

and He has fixed it well:

I said so with my breaking heart

when first this trouble fell.

These weary hours will not be lost,

these days of misery,

these nights of darkness, tempest-tost,

can I but turn to Thee;

with secret labour to sustain

in patience every blow,

to gather fortitude from pain,

and holiness from woe.

If Thou shouldst bring me back to life,

more humble I should be,

more wise, more strengthened for the strife,

more apt to lean on Thee.

Should death be standing at the gate,

Thus should I keep my vow:

But Lord! Whatever be my fate,

Oh, let me serve Thee now.

Anne Bronte

Good advice for employees:

Business is made up of ambiguous victories and nebulous defeats. Claim them all as victories.
Keep track of what you do; someone is sure to ask.
Be comfortable around senior managers, or learn to fake it.
Never bring your boss a problem without some solution. You are getting paid to think, not to whine.
Long hours don’t mean anything; results count, not effort.
Write down ideas; they get lost like good pens.
Always arrive at work 30 minutes before your boss.
Be sure to sit at the conference table — never by the wall.
Help other people that network for jobs. What goes around comes around.
Don’t take sick days — unless you are.
Assume no one can, or will, keep a secret.
Always have an answer to the question “What would I do if I lost my job tomorrow?”
Go to the company holiday party.
Don’t get drunk at the company holiday party
Avoid working on the weekends. Work longer during the week if you have to.
The most successful people in business are interesting.
Sometimes you’ll be on a roll and everything will click; take maximum advantage. When the opposite is true, hold steady and wait it out.
Never in your life say, “It’s not my job.”
Be loyal to your career, your interests and yourself.
Understand the skills and abilities that set you apart. Whenever you have an opportunity, use them.
People remember the end of the project. As they say in boxing, “Always finish stronger than you start.”

Good advice (2):

Never have more children than you have car windows.
Never lend your car to someone to whom you have given birth.
Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart.
Know the difference between success and fame. Success is Mother Teresa. Fame is Madonna.
Never be in a hurry to terminate a marriage. Remember, you may need this man-woman someday to finish a sentence.
There are no guarantees in marriage. If that’s what you’re looking for, go live with a Sears battery.
Never go to a class reunion pregnant. They will think that’s all you have been doing since you graduated.

(Erma Bombeck)

Forget and remember:

Forget each kindness that you do as soon as you have done it.
Forget the praise that falls to you the moment you have won it.
Forget the slander that you hear before you can repeat it.
Forget each slight, each spite, each sneer, whenever you may meet.
Remember every promise made and keep it to the letter.
Remember those who lend you aid and be a grateful debtor.
Remember all the happiness that comes your way in living.
Forget each worry and distress; be hopeful and forgiving.
Remember good, remember truth,
Remember heaven is above you.

And you will find, through age and youth, that many will love you.

18 Proven Stress Reducers

Don’t rely on your memory. Write down appointments, when to pick up the laundry, when library books are due, etc.
Get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning so you don’t start the day feeling frazzled.
Keep a duplicate car key in your wallet.
An instant cure for most stress: 30 minutes of brisk walking or other aerobic exercise.
Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and erring, for sometime in life you will have been all of these.
Say “No, thank you” to extra projects you don’t have the time or energy for.
Set up contingency plans — just in case, “If either of us is delayed…”; “If we get separated in the mall, here’s what we’ll do…”
Put brain in gear before opening mouth. Before saying anything, ask yourself if what you are about to say is (a) true, (b) kind, and (c) necessary.
Stop worrying, If something concerns you, do something about it. If you can’t do anything about it, let it go.
For every one thing that goes wrong, there are 50 to 100 blessings. Count them.
Learn to live one day at a time.
Every day, do at least one thing you really enjoy.
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Laugh!
Remember that the best things in life aren’t things.
Add an ounce of love to everything you do.
If an unpleasant task faces you, do it early in the day and get it over with.
Do one thing at a time.

Good advice (3):

We could all save ourselves a lot of words if we’d only remember that people rarely take advice unless they have to pay for it.
The trouble with good advice is that it usually interferes with your plans.
Good advice is what your own kids disregard but save to give to their kids.

The easy roads are crowded

And the level roads are jammed;

The pleasant little rivers

With the drifting folk are crammed.

But off yonder where it’s rocky,

Where you get a better view,

You will find the ranks are thinning

And the travelers are few.

Where the going’s smooth and pleasant

You will always find the throng,

For the many — more’s the pity —

Seem to like to drift along.

But the steps that call for courage,

And the task that’s hard to do

In the end results in glory

For the never-wavering few.

Edgar A. Guest

Part 6

The following quotations are from “Wide as the Waters: The Story of the English Bible and the Revolution it Inspired” by Benson Bobrick:

“Next to the Bible itself, the English Bible was — and is — the most influential book ever published…

“In 1604, a committee of 54 scholars, the flower of Oxford and Cambridge, collaborated on the new translation for King James. Their collective expertise in biblical languages and related fields has probably never been matched, and the translation they produced — substantially based on the earlier work of Wycliffe, Tyndale and others — would shape English literature and speech for centuries. As the great historian Macaulay wrote of their version, ‘If everything else in our language should perish, it alone would suffice to show the extent of its beauty and power.’ To this day its common expressions, such as ‘labour of love’, ‘lick the dust’, ‘a thorn in the flesh’, ‘the root of all evil’, ‘the fat of the land’, ‘the sweat of thy brow’, ‘to cast pearls before swine’ and ‘the shadow of death’ are heard in everyday speech.

“The impact of the English Bible on law and society was profound. It gave every literate person access to the sacred text, which helped to foster the spirit of inquiry through reading and reflection. This, in turn, accelerated the growth of commercial printing and the proliferation of books. Once people were free to interpret the word of God according to the light of their own understanding, they began to question the authority of their inherited institutions, both religious and secular. This led to reformation within the Church, and to the rise of constitutional government in England and the end of the divine right of kings. England fought a Civil War in the light (and shadow) of such concepts, and by them confirmed the Glorious Revolution of 1688. In time, the new world of ideas that the English Bible helped inspire spread across the Atlantic to America, and eventually, like Wycliffe’s sea-borne scattered ashes, all the world over, ‘as wide as the waters be’.”

…..

“With the Great Bible the Scriptures in English finally achieved that official status Tyndale had envisioned for them when he died. By royal injunction… every parish church in England was to ‘set up in some convenient place’ a copy of the English Bible accessible to all as ‘the very lively Word of God’. Throughout the kingdom, copies for public use and edification were soon chained to lecterns in the vestibules of churches — six of them in St Paul’s Church alone.

“There were some constraints. The people, for example, were admonished ‘to avoid all contention and altercation’ in their discussion of Biblical passages and ‘refer the explication of obscure places to men of higher judgement’. But they ignored such injunctions and yielded completely to their new, blissful sense of spiritual awakening and release. ‘It was wonderful to see with what joy the book of God was received,’ wrote an early biographer of Cranmer, ‘not only among the learneder sort and those that were noted for lovers of the reformation, but generally all England over among the vulgar and common people; with what greediness God’s word was read, and what resort to places where the reading of it was. Everybody that could bought the book and busily read it; or got others to read it to them, if they could not themselves; and divers among the elderly learned to read on purpose. And even little boys flocked among the rest to hear portions of the Holy Scriptures read.’ “

…..

“To a remarkable degree, the translators had proved faithful to the Hebrew, to the Greek, even (in a sense) to the Vulgate, ‘for the rhythm of the English Bible, as it finally emerged,’ Sir Herbert Grierson noted, ‘owes not a little to the Latin of St Jerome.’ At the same time, nine tenths of the words were of Saxon derivation, and the entire translation had a vocabulary of only 8,000 words. It fused Anglo-Saxon and Latin elements- – the Latin, as one scholar notes, imparting stateliness and sonority to its diction; the Anglo-Saxon conforming to the Hebrew in homely vigour, concreteness and directness of style. In Anglo-Saxon, the translators captured the form of Hebrew superlatives, such as ‘Holy of Holies’, ‘Song of Songs’, ‘King of Kings’, and ‘Vanity of vanities’; and the inverted phrase — ‘throne of ivory’, ‘altar of stone’, ‘helmet of brass’, ‘man of war’, ‘children of wickedness’, ‘man of truth’, ‘prisoners of hope’, ‘rock of ages’, ‘man of sorrows’, and ‘Son of Man’. The learned and literary John Selden (an eminent 17th century lawyer, scholar and orientalist, with expertise in rabbinical law) once complained that the Bible had been ‘rather translated into English words than into English phrases. The Hebraisms are kept and the phrase of that language is kept.’ But that was precisely what gave it special dignity and strength.”

…..

“By the end of Elizabeth’s reign, the English public was the most literate in Europe — indeed, it had become ‘the people of a book’, and that book was the English Bible. Its legends, histories, war songs, and Psalms; its sacred biographies of the Hebrew fathers, who loomed as large in the imagined past as classical gods; the stern words of its mighty prophets; the infinitely illuminating parables of Christ; the life of Christ itself; apocalyptic visions — all were absorbed by the popular mind ‘unoccupied for the most part by any rival learning.’ However much the ruling powers might wish to direct the understanding of their subjects, no state or Church authority could any longer hope to force it in a mould. ‘Pandora’s box was open,’ as one historian put it, ‘and no power could put back the thoughts on religion that took hold of the minds of men.’ “

(What a contrast to the 21st century! England now seems to rank among the most irreligious nations in the world!)

“The fruit that grows on a tree does not make a tree good or bad; and works do not make a man good or bad, they only make it plain to other men whether the man who performs them is good or bad. There is an inward justification of a man before God which is by faith alone; works serve only to make his justification known before men.”

“We must always remember scriptural definitions when we are trying to apply scriptural lessons. There is no room for doubt as to who are the wise and who are the foolish from the divine point of view. In all parts of the Word we are told that ‘the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’ A worldly wisdom which ignores God is only folly temporarily disguised. Every one can see that in the affairs of this life there are times when an imposing store of learning is useless while a little special wisdom and knowledge may save life. In a stormy sea we should choose the boat manned by able seamen even though they were ignorant and unlearned men, rather than the one manned by men who had never handled an oar, even though they were the most learned of scientists. So in the ocean of human life, men who serve God are better companions than those who ignore Him whatever their knowledge of other matters may be” (PrPr).

“Last night I passed beside a blacksmith’s door,

And heard the anvil ring with vesper chimes.

Then looking in, I saw upon the floor

Old hammers worn with beating years of time.

‘How many anvils have you had?’ said I,

‘To wear and batter all those hammers so?’

‘Just one’, said he, and then with twinkling eye,

‘The anvil wears the hammers out, you know!’

And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s Word,

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon.

Yet though the noise of telling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed, but the hammers are all gone.”

It’s a free world. You don’t have to like Jews if you don’t want to, BUT if you are going to be an anti-Semite, you should be consistent and turn your back on the medical advances that Jews made possible.

I am talking about the hepatitis vaccine discovered by Baruch Blumberg, the Wasserman test for syphilis developed by August Von Wasserman, and the first effective drug to fight syphilis developed by Paul Ehrlich.

Bela Schick developed the diagnostic skin test for diphtheria.

Insulin would not have been discovered if Oskar Minkowski had not demonstrated the link between diabetes and the pancreas.

It was Burrill Crohn who identified the disease that bears his name.

Alfred Hess discovered that vitamin C could cure scurvy.

Casimir Funk was the first to use vitamin B to treat beriberi.

Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine, and later, Albert Sabin developed the oral version.

Humanitarianism requires that we offer these gifts to all the people of the world, regardless of race, color or creed. So, the anti-Semites who do not want to accept these gifts can go ahead and turn them down, but I am warning you… you are not going to feel so good.

(Ann Landers)

People are often unreasonable,

Illogical, and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,

People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,

You will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,

People may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,

Someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,

They may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,

People will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,

And it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,

It is between you and God;

It never was between you and them anyway.

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet

Whose stern, impassioned stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness!

America! America!

God mend thine every flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife.

Who more than self the country loved

And mercy more than life!

America! America!

May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness

And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

Till nobler men keep once again

Thy whiter jubilee!

(Katharine Lee Bates, 1913)

“A mountain is composed of tiny grains of earth. The ocean is made up of tiny drops of water. Even so, life is but an endless series of little

details, actions, speeches, and thoughts. And the consequences whether good or bad of even the least of them are far-reaching.”

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the LORD;

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;

He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:

His truth is marching on.

I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;

They have builded him an altar in the evening dews and damps;

I can read the righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;

His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery gospel, writ in burnished rows of steel:

“As you deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal.”

Let the hero born of woman crush the serpent with his heel;

Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;

He is sifting out the hearts of men before his judgment seat;

Oh! Be swift, my soul, to answer him; be jubilant, my feet!

Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,

With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me.

As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,

While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave;

He is wisdom to the mighty; he is succour to the brave.

So the world shall be his footstool, and the soul of time his slave.

Our God is marching on.

(see Xd 46:164)

Boys of the hills grow larger views.

For are the hills not high?

And does not climbing exercise

The will of those who try?

The highest peak is first to see

The glory of the dawn,

And that same peak can see the sun

When others think ’tis gone.

Up to the hills he lifts his eyes;

From whence shall come his aid?

His safety cometh from the Lord,

Who heaven and earth hath made.

And thus the little Son of God,

In Galilee’s green hills,

Soon learned to trust God’s staff and rod

To keep him from all ills.

O Nazareth, thy very streets

Should shout aloud for joy,

For they did feel the happy feet

Of God’s own little boy.

(WB Tunstall, Xd 102:122).

“Preach the gospel at all times — if necessary, use words.”

When I am tired, the Bible is my bed;

Or in the dark, the Bible is my light;

When I am hungry, it is vital bread;

Or fearful, it is armor for the fight;

When I am sick, ’tis healing medicine;

Or lonely, thronging friends I find therein.

If I would work, the Bible is my tool;

Or play, it is a harp of happy sound.

If I am ignorant, it is my school;

If I am sinking, it is solid ground.

If I am cold, the Bible is my fire;

And wings, if boldly I aspire.

Should I be lost, the Bible is my guide;

Or naked, it is raiment, rich and warm.

Am I imprisoned, it is ranges wide;

Or tempest-tossed, a shelter from the storm.

Would I adventure, ’tis a gallant sea;

Or would I rest, it is a flowery lea.

(Amos R. Wells)

“Hot tub religion… attempts to harness the power of God to the priorities of self-centeredness. Feelings of pleasure and comfort, springing from pleasant circumstances and soothing experiences, are prime goals these days, and much popular Christianity on both sides of the Atlantic tries to oblige us by manufacturing them for us… Now we can see hot tub religion for what it is — Christianity corrupted by the passion for pleasure… Symptoms of hot tub religion today include… an overheated supernaturalism that seeks signs, wonders, visions, prophecies, and miracles; constant soothing syrup from electronic preachers and the liberal pulpit; anti-intellectual sentimentalism and emotional ‘highs’ deliberately cultivated, the Christian equivalent of cannabis and coca” (John I. Packer, “Laid-Back Religion” 53,58).

“The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. If heed is not paid to this, it is not true music but a diabolical bawling and twanging” (JS Bach).

“It is surprising to see how clearly the liberal, neo-orthodox way of thinking is reflected in the new weakened evangelical view… By placing a radical emphasis on subjective human experience, existentialism undercuts the objective side of experience. For the existentialist it is an illusion to think that we can know anything truly… all we have is subjective experience, with no final basis for right or wrong or truth or beauty” (Francis Shaeffer, “The Great Evangelical Disaster”, pp 51,53).

“If thou bring thy sins to Jesus Christ, as thy malady and misery, to be cured of them, and delivered from them — it is well: but to come with them as thy beloved darlings and delight, thinking still to retain THEM, and to receive HIM, thou mistakest him grossly, and miserably deludest thyself” (Robert Leighton).

“When I fall into a certain sin for the first time, I may stand aghast, horrified at it. When I fall into it the second time, I am not more aghast, but less. if I go on sinning long enough, I cannot see the thing that belongs unto my peace at all, and I cannot see sin as sin. The conscience that once shouted ‘This is wrong!’ now only whispers and in the end may be silent altogether. Sin is unique in all God’s universe in that the more you practice it, the less you know its nature” (Leslie Weatherhead).

“Truth, like love, is ‘a many splendoured thing’, and presents many aspects. Too often we may find ourselves so obsessed with one of those facets that we give insufficient consideration to those others which, though presenting a different face, are yet part of the same truth. There is always what I have called the ‘Yes, but…’ syndrome. In other words, a thing may be true, yet still not be THE Truth. We have to learn to balance the Book” (Len Richardson).

A teacher asked her students to list what they thought were, currently, the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following got the most votes:

1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids

2. Taj Mahal

3. Grand Canyon

4. Panama Canal

5. Empire State Building

6. St. Peter’s Basilica

7. China’s Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one quiet student hadn’t turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list.

The girl replied, “Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.”

The teacher said, “Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.”

The girl hesitated, then read, “I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch

2. to taste

3. to see

4. to hear…”

She hesitated a little, and then added:

“5. to feel

6. to laugh

7. and to love.”

The room was so silent you could have heard a pin drop. Those things we overlook as simple and “ordinary” are truly wondrous.

A gentle reminder that the most precious and wonderful things are right in front of us: our family, our faith, our love, our good health and our friends.

“If we were arrested for being followers of Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict us?”

“The Mosaic account of the creation and fall of man was treated with profane derision by the Gnostics, who would not listen with patience to the repose of the Deity after six days’ labour, to the rib of Adam, the garden of Eden, trees of life and of knowledge, the speaking serpent, the forbidden fruit, and the condemnation pronounced against human kind for the venial offence of their first progenitors” (Gibbon).

It takes a little courage, and a little self-control

And some grim determination, if you want to reach your goal.

It takes some real striving, and a firm and stern-set chin,

No matter what the battle, if you really want to win.

There’s no easy path to glory, there’s no rosy road to fame;

Life, however, we may view it, is no simple parlor game.

But its prizes call for fighting, for endurance and for grit,

For a rugged disposition and a “don’t-know-when-to-quit.”

You must take a blow or give one’ you must risk and you must lose;

And expect that in the struggle you will suffer from the bruise.

But you must not wince or falter, if you once begin;

Be strong and face the battle; that’s the only way to win.

“What God chooses, He cleanses. What God cleanses, He molds. What God molds, He fills. What God fills, He uses” (JSB).

“Thank God that every morning when you get up you have something to do which must be done, whether you like it or not. Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you a hundred virtues which the idle will never know” (Charles Kingsley).

“A person who doesn’t know but knows he doesn’t know is a student; teach him.

“A person who knows but who doesn’t know that he knows is asleep; awaken him.

“But a person who knows and knows that he knows is wise; follow him” (Asian proverb).

“No one has any right to set up his own ignorance as the limit of that which God has revealed. A thing may be unknown to such a man, but it does not therefore follow that it is either absolutely unintelligible or a secret. He may not know of it, or, if explained to him, he may not have intellect enough to comprehend it, or his prejudices or sectarian bias may darken his understanding — this by no means makes the thing unintelligible or mysterious to other people. All that such persons have a right to say is, ‘we do not know anything about it.’ They may confess their own ignorance and resolve to look into the matter, or not, but they are presumptuously overstepping the bounds of propriety to venture to do more. This, however, is not the practice of those who have no secondary interests to subserve apart from the Truth. They only desire to know that they may believe and do; but where to know more would jeopardise the vested interests of a sect and extort the confession of its leaders and members that they were in error and knew not the Truth, investigation is discouraged and the things proscribed as too speculative and mysterious for comprehension, or if understood, of no practical utility. In this way mankind infold themselves as in the mantle of their self-esteem. They repress all progress and glorify their own ignorance by detracting from things which they fear to look into, or apprehend are far above their reach” (JT, Elpis Israel).

“Shall we make a new rule of life from tonight?: Always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary” (James Matthew Barrie, 1860-1937).

The earth is a globe, the horizon curved… so that we may not see too far down the road.

“When you’re tempted to give in to anger, resentment, self-pity, envy, or other feelings of negativity, remember this: life is a privilege, not a punishment.

“Think of how a tiny insect acts to save its own life when injured or threatened. Consider the compelling wisdom in that instinct for self-preservation. Life is precious to the living, no matter how seemingly insignificant. It is a privilege worth preserving and nurturing.

“Life is a privilege, not a punishment. Think about that. Look at your attitude; consider your actions, from the perspective that life is indeed a privilege. Why would you ever want to complain about anything?

“You’re not a victim. You’re a miracle. Your life is precious and magnificent. Keep that in mind, and live it accordingly” (MT).

It is only a tiny rosebud,

A flower of God’s design;

But I cannot unfold the petals

With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers

Is not known to such as I.

God opens this flower so sweetly,

Then in my hands they die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,

This flower of God’s design,

Then how can I have the wisdom

To unfold this life of mine?

So I’ll trust in Him for leading

Each moment of my day.

I will look to him for His guidance

Each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,

Only my Heavenly Father knows.

I’ll trust Him to unfold the moments,

Just as He unfolds the rose.

“It is the calling of great men, not so much to preach new truths but to rescue from oblivion those old truths which it is our wisdom to remember and our weakness to forget” (Sydney Smith).

“Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching” (Thomas Jefferson).

Six humans trapped by happenstance,

In dark and bitter cold,

Each one possessed a stick of wood.

Or so the story’s told.

Their dying fire in need of logs,

The woman held hers back;

For on the faces ’round the fire

She noticed one was black.

The next man, looking ‘cross the way,

Saw one not from his church

And couldn’t bring himself to give

The fire his stick of birch.

The third one sat in tattered clothes.

He gave his coat a hitch.

Why should his single log be used

To warm the idle rich?

The rich man just sat back and thought

Of the wealth he had in store,

And how to keep what he had earned

From the lazy, shiftless poor.

The black man’s face spoke of revenge

As the fire passed from his sight,

For all he saw in his stick of wood

Was a chance to hurt the white.

And the last man of this forlorn group

Did nothing but for gain.

Giving only to those who gave

Was how he played the game.

The logs held tight in death’s still hands

Were proof of human sin.

They didn’t die from the cold without;

They died from the cold within.

ADDENDUM: The Implications of the One Body

When questions of fellowship — ecclesial or interecclesial — are considered, Paul’s parable of the One Body is often referred to. This is as it should be. However, a superficial review, or a first impression, of the One Body may lead one to suppose that the only thing to be desired is “unity”, unity without artificial “barriers” or pesky “requirements”.

True unity is, of course, something to be greatly desired. But it simply cannot be achieved by brushing aside the scruples and concerns of other brethren. It can, perhaps, be achieved by all prospective parties becoming aware of those scruples and concerns, and by a loving and submissive spirit willing to go “the second mile” in addressing them.

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Cor. 12:12-27).

“The body is one” (v 12). The Father generally places believers together in “families”. The ecclesia is more often the object of concern than is the individual standing alone. No man should live to himself; that would be a direct contradiction of Paul’s elaborate allegory in 1 Cor. 12:12-27. A very important lesson of one’s spiritual education is to learn to think and to act unselfishly as part of the One Body, and not selfishly as a separate individual, even as regards one’s own salvation.

The body is one, yet it has many members (v. 14). Some are weaker or less beautiful than others (vv. 22,23), but these too are necessary. “God has combined the members of the body” (v. 24); GOD has welded these individuals together to form the ecclesia. That the work of preaching and teaching and baptizing is carried out by mortal men and women in no way mitigates the fact that God (and His Son) are actively at work in the whole process. In faith and obedience these believers have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and have become members of the One Body. Those for whom Christ died — those who are the workmanship of the Son (and his Father) — must not be treated with disdain or indifference.

The beauty and purpose of the human body is in its diversity. A severed foot or hand is repulsive and ludicrous. It is obviously dead and useless. But a living, healthy body, with all its parts functioning smoothly together, all perfectly coordinated in movement and purpose, is attractive and powerful and useful.

Likewise with the spiritual Body of Christ. No single member can be a body in itself – no matter how skilled or wise. No one of us can stand alone. We may, by unavoidable circumstance, find ourselves in lonely isolation, but we are still part of the Body; and we must think and act as part of the Body. Those who live for themselves alone, no matter how holy they may strive to be, are — like the severed hand — a monstrosity.

So it would be very wrong for an individual to leave the One Body, for some real or imagined shortcoming or fault, of his or her own, or of someone else:

“If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body” (vv. 15,16).

Indeed, the strength of the human body is in its diversity of abilities and characteristics: “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be?” (vv. 17-19).

A human body with eyes but no ears would be clearly deficient. A human body with ears but no nose would similarly be deficient.

And the analogy works on many other levels. Imagine a baseball team, with 20 of the best pitchers available, but no catchers, no fielders, and no hitters. Imagine a football team with 30 great offensive and defensive linemen, but no quarterbacks, no running backs, and no receivers. Or a choir composed solely of sopranos. Or an ecclesia with many fine speaking brothers, but no one to teach Sunday School, no one to manage the finances, no one to set up the emblems, no one to visit the sick and the elderly, no one to clean and maintain the meeting hall, no one to plan and organize ecclesial activities, no one to entertain visitors. Etcetera, etcetera.

Just as it would be wrong for any individual to leave the One Body of Christ, thinking he was not needed, so it would be wrong for any individual to push others away from the One Body, as though they were not needed:

“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ ” (v. 21).

So Paul presses home the point: there should be no division (schism) in the Body (v. 25). “And if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it” (v. 26). Life itself teaches everyone that pain in one member affects the whole body; and the loss of one part, even a small toe, can seriously affect the balance of the whole. True believers have always been concerned about the whole Body: Moses interposed himself as a would-be sacrifice on behalf of his blind and erring countrymen (Exod. 32:30-33). Nehemiah and David and Daniel and the other prophets showed no sign of dissociating themselves from Israel, no matter how wayward their brethren became. These men had learned the Bible doctrine of the One Body long before Paul articulated it. They lived fully Paul’s exhortation in 1 Cor. 13 (which, not coincidentally, follows immediately after the “One Body” analogy of 1 Cor. 12):

“LOVE suffers long” (v. 4).

“LOVE thinks no evil” (v. 5).

“LOVE keeps no score of wrong, does not gloat over other men’s sins, but delights in truth” (v. 6, NEB).

“LOVE bears all things, hopes all things” (v. 7).

In all the foregoing, it should be realized (although a superficial review might not reveal the force of this point!) that Paul is exhorting individuals who are — or should be — participating members in the same religious organization. And — let it be noted — the same is true of what follows.

In Romans 12:4,5, Paul gives what might be called the “abridged” version of 1 Cor. 12, but the same points are made, more succinctly:

“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

That last phrase adds another dimension: “each member BELONGS to all the others!” There is a price to be paid, a toll to be exacted, for the privilege of belonging to the One Body — and it is this: that every member is not just his own any more. Rather, every member, in some sense, belongs to all the other members! There is a mutual responsibility and accountability and obligation attached to membership in the One Body. Being a member of the One Body means being aware of, and concerned about, and committed to that which is of benefit to the whole — even if it must come at the expense of one’s own personal comforts and desires.

God did not design any part of the human body merely to act as a “parasite” and draw nourishment from the rest! Instead, He has designed every part to give something back, to “pull its own weight”! And the same point should be made about the One Body of Christ. So we might truly take as our motto: ‘Ask not what your ecclesia can do for you; ask what you can do for your ecclesia.’ How important to each of us is the local ecclesia? Do we truly feel a part of all it does? Do we ask how we can help the whole, not just how the whole can help us? Do we look for the areas, and the activities, where a helping hand is needed, and pitch in without being asked or solicited? Are we always considering how we can build up and edify? Or are we only concerned about our own ease and comfort and “edification”?

There are other metaphors for unity in the New Testament, each one adding facets to this divine picture of the One Body:

The shepherd and his flock (John 10:1-30), with its implicit reminder: ‘Keep close to the rest of the flock. Don’t stray into far fields and lose sight of the shepherd.’
The one vine (John 15:1-17) — calling to mind the exhortation: “Remain, or abide, in the vine!” A severed branch is like an amputated hand — useless and unfruitful.
The one temple, with one foundation and one cornerstone, serving one God (Eph. 2:11-22). Here Paul explains how “two” (in the first century, Jew and Gentile) became one when the “barrier” — the wall of separation between the court of the Gentiles (those “far away”) and the inner court of Jews only (those “near”) — was removed in Christ. And so both Jew and Gentile found their unity in a shared access to the Glory of God in Christ, and the resultant “peace” or reconciliation this brought. The Jew, finding his sins forgiven, discovers now a mutual affinity with his “neighbor” the Gentile, whom previously he probably despised, if he even noticed at all! And the two former enemies became brethren in the fellowship of need, and the fellowship of shared blessings!
Likewise, Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female all become one in Christ, without distinction, and all become heirs of the promises made to their “father” Abraham (Gal. 3:25-29). Thus, in Christ, there is a unity of parentage.
The husband and wife, in marriage, become “one flesh” (Eph. 5:22-33) — just as Adam and Eve, once (as Adam alone) one body, then (when Eve was created) two, became one again in the sight of God (Gen. 2:21-25). And all this is a “mystery”, which eloquently portrays Christ and the “church”!
The one “creation” of Christ the “creator” (Col. 1:15-29). Every member of the spiritual “new creation” owes his or her very existence to Christ. Thus there is, in Christ, a unity of spiritual origin.
The one house, one priesthood, and one nation (1 Pet. 2:2-10) — Jews and Gentiles again, in a unity of “construction” and “constitution”!
And the one “bread” (1 Cor. 10:16,17), even as weekly it recalls the literal body of Christ, becomes weekly a participatory reminder of the unity of his One spiritual Body.

Do not all these metaphors derive their force from the common theme of a single, unified entity? Is not their force drastically dissipated when set alongside a reality of two, or three, or many distinct and competing entities?

The “One Body” also finds expression in Eph. 4:4-16, where it appears as one (indeed, the first!) of the seven “unities” of the Gospel:

“There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (vv. 4-6).

It is worth noting here, and stressing, that unity implies exclusivity. What does this mean? Consider, for example, the implication of “one God and Father of all”: surely, it must be that there cannot be two, or three, or seventeen “gods” — because such a multiplicity would negate the essential unity: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD [Hebrew Yahweh] our God [Hebrew Elohim], the LORD [Yahweh] is one!” (Deut. 6:4-6). Likewise, can there be more than “one Lord [Greek kurios]”? Of course not! There is no other name under heaven whereby we may be saved (Acts 4:12), and if we were to preach another Savior alongside Christ, it would surely render our witness powerless and pointless.

And on and on we might go through the seven “unities” of Ephesians 4. Do we appreciate how deep and profound is the Biblical exhortation, then, to preserve and edify and strengthen the One Body of God’s Son? It is no less than a travesty of Bible teaching if we allow ourselves to be satisfied with the prospect of two, or three, or a dozen separate bodies of believers all claiming, implicitly, to be the One Body! Brethren, such things ought not to be!

Paul concludes his thought about the seven “unities” in Ephesians 4:16, where he writes: “From him [Christ] the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” It is essential, he is saying, that each part of the One Body be joined together with the other parts, bound together and interconnected by whatever means possible, doing its work and upholding its mutual obligation — with all other parts — to strengthen the collective Body, of which it is itself a part! None of this can be done — it should be pointed out — from outside the Body!

We learn several important lessons from the contemplation of the One Body as presented in Scripture:

The Bible teaching about the One Body demonstrates that all true believers belong together. We are obliged to work for and encourage this unity; i.e., to seek reconciliation with one another [consider such passages as 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Matt. 5:23,24; James 3:13-18], and to integrate all true believers, if possible, into the One Body.

At this point, an interesting question must be raised: how do we define the “One Body”? The answers we give may lead us, in fact, in very different directions. On the one hand, we may say that, ideally, the “One Body” consists of all individual believers in the true gospel — wherever they are found and whatever they call themselves and however (if in any way!) they organize themselves.

On the other hand, however, we may say that, practically or pragmatically, the “One Body” must be the largest group of true believers that are — like the “body” of 1 Cor. 12 and Rom. 12 — actually bound together and organized and arranged so as to strengthen and edify one another and the whole in some meaningful fashion.

In the real world, so to speak, this latter definition must lead us to the Central Fellowship, which comprises by far the greatest number of Christadelphians worldwide (approximately 95% of the whole). Why? Because to see any other entity as the One Body would immediately rule out of the equation the overwhelming majority of all Christadelphians. And because even the idealistic definition of the “One Body” must take into account the overwhelming majority of true believers. Furthermore, in terms of edifying the whole Body; providing welfare and other assistance to those members in need; and proclaiming the gospel in an effective and organized manner… in all this, the worldwide Central Fellowship may be seen to fit the definition of the One Body far better than any other “organization” or “fellowship”. (Does this mean that Central brethren or Central ecclesias are in any sense more righteous than their counterparts which are not “in Central”? No, nothing of the sort! But it does suggest that, if we are looking for the practical reality of the “One Body” in today’s world, we must start there.)

Members of smaller groups may share the same gospel hope, and may see themselves as, ideally, members of the “One Body” that includes Central brothers and sisters. But, organizationally, they do not function as members of that Body. There is the incongruity between New Testament analogy and our modern situation. Seeing this, we begin to appreciate the urgent need for the minorities (IF they believe the same gospel) to join the majority and make the “One Body”, not just a pleasant abstraction, but a practical reality.

The “ideal” view of the One Body — i.e., that it defines all true believers regardless of organization — has merit in theory: on the day of judgment Christ, with all authority committed to him by the Father, will undoubtedly determine who will eternally belong to his One Body.

But such a definition is unworkable in practice, as a guide to conduct now, for several reasons:

The Central Fellowship, by and large, will not accept such a definition in application, because it blurs the line of distinction and demarcation between itself and “others”, and at least has the potential to “open the doors” to various false teachings and wrong practices;

Such a definition would be subjective in the extreme, continually changing and always changeable, and would vary greatly from one person to another, and one ecclesia to another;

It would incorporate, in some measure, many individual “believers” into the One Body who had no real intention of being meaningful members of that Body, and no intention of understanding — much less abiding by — generally accepted “rules of order” of that Body [Should not a minimum requirement for membership in an organization be… a personal commitment to become a member?!]; and

For an ecclesia to follow such a definition in practice (i.e., in the breaking of bread) would probably result in its being disfellowshiped by Central. Thus the (idealistic) decision to “fellowship” all true believers would lead to the (practical) result of NOT “fellowshipping” the great majority of them! And a commendable desire for the greater unity would inevitably contribute to a continuing disunity.

Furthermore, the Bible teaching of the One Body emphasizes that every believer has responsibilities and obligations to other believers — and to his own local ecclesia, which are outlined in such passages as Rom. 12:16; 2 Cor. 13:11; Eph. 5:21; 1 Pet. 3:8; and 5:5; and may be summarized in the words: “Submit to one another” and “All of you be subject to one another.” In practical terms, this must mean that — where first principles are not at stake — every believer is duty-bound to abide by the will of the majority of his ecclesia, and not to foment unrest and discontent and division, but rather to seek what is positive and upbuilding for the ecclesia as a whole. Is this easy? Not necessarily, human pride being what it is. But it is, nevertheless, the requirement.

To carry this one step further, Bible teaching about the One Body also emphasizes that every ecclesia has responsibilities and obligations to all ecclesias within the One Body. Just as the individual is a single “part” of the local ecclesial “body”, so the individual ecclesia is a single “part” of the whole worldwide “Body”. Historically, we have tended to think first of the “ecclesia” in terms of the local group of believers. But there is also Biblical precedent — quite a number of passages, actually — for seeing the whole of the worldwide community of believers as THE “ecclesia” (1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13; Eph. 1:22; 3:10,21; 5:23,24…; Col. 1:18,24; Heb. 12:23; etc.). It is to THIS “ecclesia” — so long as the fundamentals of the gospel are maintained by it as a whole — that every individual, and every ecclesia, owes some degree of allegiance and submission and subjection.

If we are, individually or ecclesially, to belong to the One Body (nearly all of whom work together in the Central Fellowship of Christadelphians worldwide), then — it is humbly but firmly suggested — we cannot have it both ways: we cannot claim we are part of the One Body, and (a) expect or insist that other believers or ecclesias in the Central Fellowship recognize us as such, in the breaking of bread, and then (b) the next week take ourselves away to a mountaintop, or a private place of retreat from the Central Fellowship, and contend that we are separate from that Body, and free to pursue our objectives (e.g., “fellowship practice”) in a manner that our would-be “brothers” in Central would find objectionable or confusing or inconsistent.

The Bible teaching of the One Body, examined carefully, yields two points of view which ought to be balanced against one another. For one, the teaching reminds us of the blessings and privileges we should share in common with all members in that Body. But it also reminds us of the shared duties and responsibilities that go along with membership in that One Body.

48. Dwelling Together in Unity (Psalm 133)

It seems fitting to conclude the consideration of “fellowship” with Psalm 133. Here is the perfect picture of unity — a DIVINE UNITY: the sharing of the blessings of God, poured out in love upon us all. How foolish to suppose that Biblical fellowship can be enjoyed by those who do not share the blessing of a common hope! But how foolish also to suppose that God views favorably any division among those who, despite minor differences, do share a common hope!

This psalm might well bear the title: “The Descent of Divine Blessings”. The repetition of this word “descend” is obscured in the AV because, oddly enough, its three occurrences are translated three different ways: “ran down” and “went down” as well as “descended”. But mark its uses here, and then we may follow the lovely refrain:

“Unity is like the precious ointment

that DESCENDED upon Aaron’s beard;

Yea, that DESCENDED even to his skirts;

Even like the dew of mount Hermon

that DESCENDED upon Zion.”

Through this refrain, as with the gently descending rains of summer, our Father seeks to cleanse our hearts of all pride and boasting. He seeks to refresh in our minds the principle that our unity is derived from above (descending from God), and is not the product of our own labors. Surely James had this in mind when he wrote of:

“the wisdom that is from above….pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy….and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” (3:17,18).

“Can it be a question whether brethren should from conflict cease?” Truly unity — with God at the center — leads inevitably to righteousness, peace of mind, and the solution of those perplexing tangles in which Christ’s brethren, as they execute their duties, so often find themselves.

“Behold how good and how pleasant….” It is not simply good (right and proper) that we dwell together in unity. It is also pleasant (exceedingly delightful) that we do so. The appeal of Abraham to his kinsman Lot might as well be an exhortation to us: “Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee… for we be brethren” (Gen. 13:8). It should be enough to encourage our endeavors in the direction of unity, if only it were right in God’s sight. But the “icing on the cake” is that it is superlatively delightful as well. There is no state on earth to match this dwelling together in “the unity of the Spirit” (Eph. 4:3) — with shared feelings and purposes — whether it be as husband and wife, or as an entire family, or in the larger “family” of the ecclesia.

The brethren of Christ “dwell together”. This does not mean that they merely meet and socialize a little before and after ecclesial functions. This means instead a continuing together, in the closest communion. As David exhorted the men of Judah, “Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh” (2 Sam. 19:12). And if other duties or infirmities or distances make this personal “dwelling together” impractical, then we still have recourse to thought and prayer for one another as a means of achieving this union.

The goal, the focal point of our unity, is mount Zion and her king. We could have no unity but for Christ and the promises. This Psalm 133 is one of the fifteen “Songs of Degrees”. These glorious songs are centered in the worship of the Lord in His temple, and are in part prophetic of the kingdom age (see the relevant chapters in G. Booker, Psalms Studies, Vol. 2). They are also called “Pilgrim Songs” and “Songs of Ascents” — because they appear to have been composed with those in mind who journey upward to worship the Lord of Hosts in the elevated mount Zion.

And so we find the expression of our unity in the ascending of our common petitions and the descending of our common blessings. True brethren of Christ are united in one hope, one need, and one experience. Unity with Christ is intimately bound up with unity with our brethren. We cannot have one without the other.

“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40).

But when we exalt ourselves above our brethren then we do what our Lord and Savior would not do; we displease him; and we endanger our own oneness in the “Body of Christ”.

We must now examine the beautiful comparisons of this Divine unity: first, the holy anointing oil of Aaron (v. 2), with which the tabernacle and its furniture were also anointed (Exod. 30:23-33).

This anointing served as the consecration of God’s priests, empowering them to fulfill the duties of their office. All priests were anointed, but the high priest received a great abundance, an overflowing “to the skirts of his garments”. The anointing oil was an expression of God’s love in His ordinances: its “pouring out” prompts the “virgins” to love Him (Song of Songs 1:3). The anointing of Aaron pointed forward to that of Christ — “with the oil of gladness above his fellows” (Psa. 45:7). Christ has received a greater glory and a greater strength, so that he might be a perfect High Priest to us his brethren.

The “oil” descended first and in greater measure upon the head, Christ, and then descended to the skirts of his garments, his “Body” as well! God’s special provision of a Son in whom we might be reconciled to Him (2 Cor. 5:21) calls forth this picture of oil covering, not just the head, but the whole body! None of us is the head, only Christ. A realization of this simple fact would curtail most ecclesial wrangling and self-seeking. Our unity is that each of us is an integral part of the one, undivided “body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12). All of the body shares the blessings that came through the special anointing of the head. It is not the believers who make this unity possible, for Christ has already done so. Neither do we earn our place in “fellowship” around the table of the Lord. We merely accept it, and rejoice in the blessings it affords. Our righteousness is not our own, but his that called us. Our unity is based upon our abject humility and our sincere acceptance of our subordinate and dependent position.

Finally, in verse 3, we are called upon to consider the descending dew of Hermon as an allegory of our unity. The anointing oil has brought to our minds the death of Christ (“for in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial” — Matt. 26:12). Here, the dew stands foremost as a symbol of resurrection (his, and ours in prospect) — completing the cycle.

Hermon is a range of three peaks which dominates the northern parts of Israel, and which is visible over the entire Land. Because of its great height, Hermon is covered with snow most of the year. In late summer this snow begins to melt, the runoff feeding reservoirs and springs to supply water to the thirsty lands of the south.

The obvious and intended symbolism of Hermon is that of the Divine Blessing, stored up in the providence of God until the proper time, when it is most needed.

We can read verse 3 by omitting the phrase beginning with “and” which is in italics. Thus:

“As the dew of Hermon that descended upon the mountains of Zion….”

It is the same dew although the two areas are over 100 miles apart: Observers say that the breezes that blow from the north across the snow-covered face of Hermon bring cooling moisture as far south as Jerusalem. (Perhaps it is this very phenomenon which called forth the description of a faithful messenger — “as the cold of snow in the time of harvest”: Prov. 25:13.)

The dew comes as God’s blessing during the hottest part of the year. We are told the king’s favor is as dew upon the ground (Prov. 19:12), and especially upon the hallowed ground of Zion (Bible symbol of the unified body of saints: Heb. 12:22; Rev. 14:1). The “manna” of God — the bread of His blessing that descended each day — was said to come as the dew falling upon the ground (Num. 11:9), emblem of the unfailing compassions of God for His people, renewed each morning (Lam. 3:22,23).

“For there [upon the mountains of Zion] the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”

Finally, and most important, the dew portrays the saints on the glorious resurrection morn:

“O dwellers in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For thy dew is a dew of light” (Isa. 26:19, RSV)….

the first rays of the “Sun” revealing a glorious spectacle of reflected light, dancing upon the grass:

“From the womb of the morning like dew your youth will come to you” (Psa. 110:3, RSV).

In that greatest of all days the Lord will achieve that perfect unity of which our assemblies are only a shadow. A great multitude, which no man can number, born in a day, silently, irresistibly, as the dew of heaven. Such is the picture of the development of the body of Christ, a multiplicity and yet a unity, appearing all together for the first time.

In the memorials which we receive each Sunday we have the reason for our unity. We have the “bread which strengtheneth man’s heart” (Psa. 104:15) and the “wine that maketh glad the heart of man”. The strength and joy of a renewed life through Christ come from above. They descend upon us as the precious anointing oil, as the dew upon the earth beneath; and all we need do is stretch forth our hands and hearts to receive the eternal bounty of God’s inexhaustible store.

Let us draw together in this, the true unity of shared blessings. Let us look upon each of our brothers and sisters with deeper understanding. We are all of us, collectively and individually, those “for whom Christ died”. Let us be silent and reverent as we stand with our brethren and mingle our prayers like incense on the altar before the throne of heaven. We have come into the miraculous presence of God’s grace. It is His mercy alone that has brought each of us to share the oil of healing and the dew of refreshing, the bread of strengthening and the wine of joy. In the loving provision of His Son, the all-powerful, self-existent Lord of all being has commanded the blessing of life for evermore; and none can turn aside His decree.

May we grasp and cherish that bright hope, and lead lives worthy of the Savior who loved us all. May the contemplation of that awesome work, the reconciliation of sinners to God, transform our minds in the understanding and practice of true Biblical fellowship. And may we now — and forever — “dwell together in unity” under the shadow of His love.

45. Distance and Fellowship

This final chapter is added to the section “The Objections Considered”, even though it is not a Scripture citation, because it is one of the mottoes which through long and perhaps careless use acquires almost the force of Scripture. Under this heading or something similar, some brethren would contend that great distances and lack of personal interaction do not mitigate one’s “fellowship” responsibility at all. In other words, an ecclesia (or an individual for that matter) must become acquainted with the facts in any alleged wrongdoing no matter where around the world, and take “fellowship” action, just as if the problem were local.

The especially sad thing about this line of reasoning is that it appeals for support to the very principles that should be the most uplifting and comforting to a believer in Christ — that is, the essential worldwide unity of faith of believers with Christ and one another — and makes these wonderful ideals the basis for unwarranted and hasty dismemberment of the spiritual Body. In the ultimate sense, neither distance nor time is a barrier to Biblical “fellowship”, for it was Christ himself who told the disciples, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20). But only a very impractical person — or one thoroughly bent on a negative course of action — could fail to comprehend that distance, as well as time, can be a mitigating factor in the ability of fallible mortals to get at all the facts of a doubtful and disputed matter. Sometimes it is the course of wisdom to admit one’s inability to judge aright; sometimes the wisest words are simply: ‘I just don’t know for sure’.

Although in certain circumstances Brother Roberts is made out as a foremost exponent of this unrealistic fellowship approach, it is clear when considering all of his actions and writings that the practical outworking of such a “cut-and-dried” approach was quite different from the impression given by a few random citations.

An actual example, which concerned the brethren in my locality, serves well as illustration:

In 1883 a group of Texas brethren submitted a “position paper” concerning a regional controversy to The Christadelphian, requesting its publication. (The exact nature of the difficulty is irrelevant to our present purposes.) Brother Roberts printed the ecclesial news only, omitting the statement as to fellowship difficulties in Texas. The comments he added to the correspondence give his reason:

“The publication of your statement would only raise a controversy, which could not only do no good to any of us, but involve others in troubles best localized. We can afford to refer all doubtful matters to the tribunal of Christ, not doubtful, perhaps, to those who see clearly on the spot, but doubtful to those at a distance, who can only see them through the medium of conflicting representations” (“Fraternal Gathering”, The Christadelphian, Vol. 20, No. 233 — Nov. 1883 — p. 528).

If it appears that this position is at variance with Brother Roberts’ thoughts elsewhere given, I can only say that it is not my desire to portray anyone long deceased — especially one of the spiritual stature of Robert Roberts — as inconsistent. However, it should never be forgotten that no man, no matter how wise in the Bible, no matter how well respected for his work’s sake, no man (but Christ) has ever been perfect, or perfectly consistent.

A balanced view of Christadelphian history leads to startling, but understandable, conclusions: When controversies plagued large centers of Christadelphians — like Birmingham, London, or Adelaide — and touched brethren in editorial capacity, or otherwise well-known or influential, then those troubles were quickly exported to the most remote corners. But when a similar controversy arose in an isolated area, Texas for example, it was generally localized and ignored; thus it died out after a few unsettling years. There seems to be no more rational explanation as to why the “partial inspiration” question, for example, is still extant, but the “priesthood” question and other esoteric matters died well-deserved deaths. One is forced to the belief that the latter-day body of Christ would have been much better off had more such questions been localized, and ecclesias at a distance been allowed to concern themselves with their own affairs only.

“We must keep firmly to two rules, which might be considered by extremists to be contradictory, but which are complementary. All ecclesias as a basis of co-operation must acknowledge the same fundamental truths, while at the same time each ecclesia must have the right of judging any doubtful case. The first maintains the truth; the second provides for an ecclesia taking account of all the factors in any borderline case, these factors being only known to the members of that ecclesia. There must be mutual respect for each other’s judgments” (John Carter, “A House Divided”, The Christadelphian, Vol. 94, No. 1115 — May 1957 — p. 187).

“When fire breaks out there is need for calm, careful action. Panic is disastrous. Fanning of the flames is foolish. Spreading the fire to other places would be criminal. When controversy breaks out there is need for calm, careful thought, and all the facts of the fire drill have their spiritual counterpart. Our history as a community sadly illustrates the dangers of spreading controversy, and the evil of provoking controversy….

“Let us be on the Lord’s side to fight for unity, to put out fires of controversy, to rebuke those who would spread the fires afield. Together let us all pray that Christ may not be divided today” (H. Osborn, “Is Christ Divided?”, The Christadelphian, Vol. 102, No. 1211 — May 1965 — p. 214).

FINAL POINTS 46. The Ecclesial Guide

All ecclesias, and individuals, should have at hand a guide that, if it were read and observed, would go a long way toward solving many ecclesial problems. Unfortunately, A Guide to the Formation and Conduct of Christadelphian Ecclesias is more honored than used. It seems to be standard procedure for human nature to acknowledge the benefit of a principle in theory, but when provoked by circumstance, promptly to forget to implement that very principle that is most relevant. We all tend, under duress, to convince ourselves that rules are made for other people, and that the position in which we may suddenly find ourselves is very different from that which the framers of principles and rules envisioned. In theory, the wisdom of the words of Christ, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21), is unquestionable; but they are so easily set aside when we gaze in fond rapture upon a gleaming new automobile or a fine house or some exquisite new fashions. The standard, “Turn the other cheek”, is wonderfully appropriate if your friend’s cheek is the one smitten, but we can always think of good reasons why we should retaliate.

In just such a way, The Ecclesial Guide supplies those balanced judgments that are most needed when in controversy they are most easily forgotten. Though no one would say the rules are perfect, as the Bible itself is, at the very least they are dispassionate commentaries on the relevant passages dealing with ecclesial conduct. They have the benefit of being sound advice from a bystander not personally involved at all in whatever conflict is immediately at hand. Principles have a way of becoming distorted and either over-stressed or under-stressed when the holders thereof come under intense pressure.

A few brief excerpts from the relevant sections should suffice here:

32. Cases of Sin and Withdrawal: “Withdrawal is a serious step, and ought not be lightly taken against any brother. It erects a barrier and inflicts a stain not easily removed. It ought never to be taken until all the resources of the Scriptural rule of procedure have been exhausted. The rule laid down by Christ for the treatment of personal offences (Matt. 18:15-17) is doubtless applicable to sin in general….”

39. Absence and Separate Meetings Unlawful: “It is….an imperative law that the brethren must be one body, and that they must submit one to another. It is a law of the house that each brother and sister must meet at the table of the Lord on the first day of the week for the breaking of bread. Nothing but denial of the truth in the assembly, or overt disobedience of the Lord’s commandments among them, can justify a brother or sister in absenting himself or herself from the breaking of bread.. If the matters of difference….do not affect the question of the truth or the commandments, it is the duty of the lesser to submit to the greater number… If, instead of submitting, they separate themselves, they put themselves in a false position from which worse things than those they objected to will come. Their action means that the greater number ought to submit to the lesser, or that there should never be submission to the wishes of others, and that a disappointed minority should always leave a meeting where their wishes cannot prevail. Such a doctrine is fraught with confusion and ruin, and is inconsistent with the most elementary commandments of Christ.”

40. A Time to Separate, and How to Go about it: “It is a maxim of universal law (divine included) that no man is to be judged without a hearing. If it is true of one man, it is true of a number of men, and to be applied as scrupulously to an erring ecclesia as to an individual delinquent. Suppose this rule is not acted on, — suppose the aggrieved minority simply depart, without formulating their grievances, and without giving the offending majority an opportunity of either justifying or removing the causes of offence, the situation is afterwards embarrassed for the minority as regards other ecclesias. Other ecclesias are in fellowship with the offending majority; and if there be not a correct mode of procedure, those other ecclesias, will not have it in their power to decide upon the issue.”

41. Involved in Another Ecclesia’s Trouble: This section is too lengthy to be quoted here in full, though it is all very good and very relevant. A point certainly worth stressing: any disfellowshiped brother or ecclesia is deserving of the right of appeal to someone, and there is no weakness implied in a conscientious, even drawn-out, examination of all matters pertaining to a disagreement.

42. Ecclesias in Relation one to Another: “The bond of union is the reception of the one faith, and submission to the commandments of the Lord. It is nothing less than a calamity when rupture on secondary issues sets in, where these other conditions of union exist….

“There ought to be no interference of one ecclesia with another….An ecclesia has no right to judge except for itself. This is the independence not to be interfered with: but a similar right to judge must be conceded to all, and the exercise of it, if tempered with a respectful and proper procedure, would never offend an enlightened body anywhere. In the majority of cases the withdrawal of one ecclesia is practically the withdrawal of all, since all will respect it till set aside, and since, in most cases, a concurrent investigation would lead to its ratification. But there may be cases where a reasonable doubt exists, and where a second ecclesia will come to a different conclusion from the first. What is to be done then? Are the two ecclesias that are agreed in the basis of fellowship to fall out because they are of a different judgment on a question of fact? This would be a lamentable result — a mistaken course every way. They have each exercised their prerogative of independent judgment: let each abide by its own decision, without interfering with each other. The one can fellowship a certain brother, the other cannot. Are they to aggravate the misery of a perhaps very trumpery and unworthy affair by refusing to recognize each other, because they differ in judgment about one person? What sadder spectacle can there be than to see servants of the Lord Jesus frowning at each other, and denying each other the comfort of mutual friendship and help, because they cannot agree about a given action or speech or perhaps some unworthy person. The course of wisdom in such a case is certainly to agree to differ. An ecclesia acting otherwise — demanding of another ecclesia, as a condition of fellowship, that they shall endorse their decision in a case that has become the business of both — is in reality infringing that principle of ecclesial independence which they desire to have recognized in their own case. It would be to impose what might be an intolerable tyranny upon the brethren.”