Hymns for the Camp

I recently received information from Mark Sweat in VA about a small Confederate hymnal that has been reprinted. Hymns For The Camp is a reproduction of part of a hymnal used by Confederate soldiers during the war between the USA and CSA. It has hymns such as Amazing Grace, Just As I Am, Not all the blood of beasts, On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand, and There is a fountain. It is a words-only hymn book, no tunes.

The booklet contains 28 pages, each 2-7/8 wide-by-4-3/8 inches tall. Price is $1, plus .50¢ for postage. It can be ordered from the Lane Society. Ordering information can be found at:
Col. John Randolph Lane Society

Full electronic versions of this book can be found at
Documenting the American South and Google Books.

The hymn below is from Hymns For The Camp. It was a new one to me, and I just thought about how in those circumstances 1861-65 how it might have been both comforting and sobering.

1. Another day of soldier life
Is numbered with the past;
It was not filled with bloody strife,
And did not prove our last.
2. Thy grace, O God, hath kept us whole;
To thee we lift our praise;
Accept the homage of each soul,
And keep us all our days.
3. Keep us in safety through the night,
And with us those we love:
Save us, we pray thee, by thy might,
In battle and above.

A Sheaf of Psalms

...and Hymns and Spiritual Songs.

Off-and-on over the course of about 6 or 7 years, I have quietly worked on a hymn book. I have mentioned this before to some, but most are not aware of it. I have been compiling hymns for a new words-only hymn book, and setting it up in hymn book format. It seems that I am possibly near being able to go through with printing it. These types of hymn books are not used so much today, but that would not matter if it were something churches might be interested in and could get a blessing from.

On the basis of the apostle Paul’s writing in Ephesians and Colossians, the book would be divided under three heads: I. Psalms; II. Hymns; and III. Spiritual Songs. Under the first head would be poems/hymns based on the 150 Psalms of the Old Testament, varying from metrical rearrangements of the words to paraphrases of a Psalm into New Testament language. Hopefully this might encourage a renewed commitment to singing of the Psalms. I don't hold the position of "exclusive psalmody" -- that all singing must be from the Psalms. But the arrangement will perhaps impress upon our minds that we are singing the Psalms. Other hymn books do indeed contain hymns based on the Psalms, but we are often not made aware that we are singing such. Under the second head would be hymns based on great themes of scripture (atonement, church, faith, grace, judgment, predestination, prayer, repentance, etc.), or upon particular texts of scripture. The third head would be comprised of hymns more of an experiential nature. These are intended to be in accordance with God’s word, but in them the authors relate some experience or experiences through which they have been led by God’s grace and providence. Under these three heads there are a great variety and consistency of poems touching the revelation of God, both Old and New Testament, as well as themes describing how God has continued to work among His people through this age in accord with the divine revelation.

The idea is to fill the book with hymns that are not in Benjamin Lloyd's Primitive Hymns, thereby hoping to make it profitable for use as a supplement to those who already use Lloyd's hymn book. It could supplement other hymn books as well, though it may contain some hymns in common with them. If planned correctly, there is no duplication of this new book and Lloyd's book.

Despite its design to supplement Lloyd's and mainly for use with that words-only hymn book, it could also be used as:
A primary hymn book. It certainly will serve for this, though the absence of such traditional hymns as Amazing Grace, Alas and Did My Savior Bleed, How Firm a Foundation would be quite noticeable.
A source for devotional hymn readings. It contains many old and some new hymns, from various sources.
A gift to give friends. Hopefully the type printing will make it functional and have an appealing appearance.

I am looking at printing it in soft-cover plastic-lamination double wire wrap-around, which would be durable, while allowing the pages to lay flat. The wrap-around would allow for spine printing for edge/bookshelf visibility of the title. The book would be 186 pages, 300 hymns, with first line, meter, and subject indexes, 4¼" x 7" on 60# smooth white paper. Based on the quantity I have printed, shipping, etc., it would cost anywhere from $6 to $10.

I would welcome any thoughts that any of you have.

Should Christians 'respect' other religions?

An interesting discussion of Should Christians 'respect' other religions?, by R. Albert Mohler, Jr., 5/19/2009.

California court rules on Proposition 8

"The California Supreme Court upheld a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage Tuesday, but it also decided that the estimated 18,000 gay couples who tied the knot before the law took effect will stay wed." Read the rest of the story HERE.

What we removed

...from our wall this past weekend:

Freedom is not free.

Wishing all a happy Memorial Day. This blogger respects those Christians whose consciences allowed them to serve their country in the military when called upon, and those whose consciences would not let them serve. I don't have much respect for some who seem to have no conscience and seek to destroy the freedoms we enjoy.

Poetic blessing

May your troubles be less, your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door.

A boy, religion, parental rights and government intervention

"I feel [the judge's decision] is a blow to families," lawyer Philip Elbert said. "It marginalizes the decisions that parents face every day in regard to their children's medical care. It really affirms the role that big government is better at making our decisions for us."

Last week a Brown County (MN) District Judge ruled that 13 yr. old Daniel Hauser has been "medically neglected" by his parents. Now, this "medical neglect" is not that the parents will not give the child any treatment -- they are trying natural remedies -- but that they are not willing to submit to the specific medical treatment deemed necessary by doctors, and evidently this judge.

Daniel Hauser has Hodgkin’s disease. He and his parents are refusing treatment based on religious reasons. The boy and his mother have fled or gone into hiding. The boy because the judge has awarded his custody to Brown County. The mother because the judge has issued a warrant for her arrest for contempt of court. Police are looking for them.

Doctors claim Daniel will die if he does not receive more chemotherapy. I don't want to sound too cliché or callous, but we are all going to die -- the point being the doctors may have a good guess of what might happen, but they don't know.

All that aside, these kinds of cases are certainly emotional when we're talking about the life or death of a 13 year boy who is very sick. But should the government run roughshod over parental and religious rights? You may think this government action is OK, but what about when they come for you?

A few links to stories about this:
Daniel Hauser is Missing: Defies Court, Runs with Mother to Avoid Chemotherapy
Judge rules family can't refuse chemo for boy
Medicine, religion collide in chemo refusal

Congregational history

According to the Roman Catholic Church, "The idea that each distinct congregation fully constitutes the visible Body can, however, be traced to John Wyclif and the Lollard movement" and "The earliest literary exponent of Independence was Robert Brown, from whom the dissenters were nicknamed Brownists." [Catholic Ency.] An interesting history of Congregationalism can be found online: History of Congregationalism from about A.D. 250 to the Present Time by George Punchard (2nd edition New York, NY: Hurd and Houghton, 1865). Punchard’s history appears to disagree with the Catholic view, and I hope to get some time to look at it later.

Words have changed

Not here talking about meaning, but usage. Just reminiscing of some words we used to use around here, or used differently. I will give the word following by a dictionary definition.

Dinner - the main meal of the day, eaten in the evening or at midday. Around here older folks call the noon meal dinner and the night meal supper, while younger folks tend to call the noon meal lunch and the night meal supper. I guess the meaning hasn't changed, but which meal is the main meal of the day for most people?

Divan - a sofa or couch, often without arms or back. We always called the "couch" a "divan", but I seldom hear that anymore.

Gallery - a long porch or portico; veranda. This one was goning by the wayside by the time I came along, but the older folks still used it. I've always called a "porch" porch.

Galluses – a pair of suspenders for trousers. Another in process by the time I saw the light of day, probably because weren't many people wearing galluses anymore. When the made their comeback, slight as it was, they were suspenders.

Stoop - a small porch. Often not even much of a porch, but at least steps and a cover on them.

What words have you noticed change or gone out of common usage?

The rapid flight of Time

From The Baptist Harmony
480 P.M. Dossey's Choice.

The rapid flight of Time, and the Solemnities of Eternity.

My days, my weeks, my months, my years,
Fly rapid as the whirling spheres,
Around the steady pole;
Time, like the tide, its motion keeps,
And I must launch through boundless deeps,
Where endless ages roll.

The grave is near, the cradle seen,
How swift the moments pass between,
And whisper as they fly;
Unthinking man, remember this,
Though fond of sublunary bliss,
That you must groan and die.

My soul, attend the solemn call,
Thine earthly tent must shortly fall
And thou must take thy flight
Beyond the vast expansive blue,
To sing above as angels do.
Or sink in endless night.

Amish and Open Theism contrasted

A quote from a Yahoo News article not long after the shooting of the Amish school children near Nickel Mines: "Sam Stoltzfus, 63, an Amish woodworker who lives a few miles away from the shooting scene, said the victims' families will be sustained by their faith. 'We think it was God's plan and we're going to have to pick up the pieces and keep going, he said. 'A funeral to us is a much more important thing than the day of birth because we believe in the hereafter. The children are better off than their survivors.'"

Greg Boyd says: "When an individual inflicts pain on another individual, I do not think we can go looking for 'the purpose of God' in the event...I know Christians frequently speak about 'the purpose of God' in the midst of a tragedy caused by someone else...But this I regard to simply be a piously confused way of thinking." (Letters from a Skeptic, Colorado Springs: Chariot Victor Publishing, 1994, p. 47).

I think Amish woodworker Sam Stoltzfus understands more of God's truth than open theist theologian Greg Boyd. What do you think?

Never forget

A threat to the freedom of Americans is the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. In the Senate, its chief sponsor Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), said, "No members of society – none – deserve to be victims of a violent crime because of their race, their religion, their ethnic background, their disability, their gender, their gender identity, or their sexual orientation." (Boston Globe) Mr. Senator, who does deserve to be a victim of a violent crime? And what state does not already have laws that make violent crimes illegal and appropriately punish the acts?

Hate crimes legislation is a bogus subterfuge of pompous politicans who want to control the thoughts of their citizens and punish them for thinking a certain way. That should be obvious since the crimes that they intend to punish are already illegal and already have harsh penalties associated with them. The "hate crimes" concept is really about "thought crimes". (Perhaps we just thought the "thoughtcrime" and "thought police" in George Orwell's 1984 was futuristic fiction.)

Mr. Chappaquennedy, what were you thinking when you drove off with Mary Jo Kopechne? What were you thinking when you left her to drown? Were you ever prosecuted for what you did, much less for what you were thinking? Seems to me that Ms. Kopechne was the victim of your crime because of her sexual orientation! Physician, heal thyself.

Missing person from Austin, TX

From Texas EquuSearch:
"Kellie Hall, aka “Wednesday”, age 29, was last seen on April 25 2009 at around 12 midnight in the 7800 block of Ben White and Highway 71 in Austin, Texas.

"Kellie was last seen wearing a black tshirt, black cotton pants and tennis shoes. Please call if you have any information."

For more information:
Kellie Hall at Texas EquuSearch

Not to Sinai

Not to Sinai's dreadful blaze,
(Heb 12:18,22)
But to Zion's throne of grace,
By a way marked out with blood,
Sinners now approach to God.

Not to hear the fiery Law,
But with humble joy to draw
Water, by that well supplied,
(Isa 12:3)
JESUS opened when he died.

LORD, there are no streams but thine,
Can assuage a thirst like mine!
'Tis a thirst thyself didst give,
Let me therefore drink and live.

John Newton, Olney Hymns, 1779.

Copied

"There is something else in the record of the foot-washing which is significant and should not be overlooked. The way in which our Lord went about washing His disciples' feet dramatizes in capsule form His whole ministry of redemption. The sequence of steps taken in the foot-washing emphasizes what was involved in God's work of cleansing us from sin. Read Philippians 2:5-11 in connection with the following steps from John 13:

-He rose from supper (v.4) -- He rose from His heavenly throne and communion with the Father.
-He laid aside His garments (v.4) He laid aside His glory.
-He girded Himself with a towel (v.4) -- He took the form of a servant and became Man.
-He began to wash the disciples' feet (v.5) -- He began His present ministry of cleansing us from sin. (1 John 1:9)
-He took His garments again (v.12) -- He is now glorified.
-He sat down (v.12) -- He is now seated at the right hand of the Father. (Hebrews 1:3)"

Kelly Smith on the pool of Bethesda

John 5:7 - "The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me."

Q. Why do you suppose the pool is available to the less firm rather than the more weak?

Answer by Kelly Smith. There were five porches to this pool, and on each of them waited all those watching for the first sign of trouble in the waters, so they could rush in and hopefully be the one to be healed.

I make several observations in this. Their faith was in the pool. Their faith was in the water. Their hope was in their ability to get into the pool first. They were selfish, and caring not for each other. I believe if they had been more caring of those less able to reach the pool, perhaps the water might have been troubled more often (but that's beside this point).

This impotent man, his faith was in the water and pool as well, yet he had no hope in his own ability to get him there. He had no hope in anyone else helping his ability to receive this healing either. Christ gave him that was without hope, hope -- and made him whole. He showed him that his faith was misplaced. Showed him that Salvation... is of the Lord. Showed them all that the healing contained within the water, was not water at all, but the Grace and Power of Almighty God, in whom our faith and hope should be.

I wonder that of all that were healed in the pool, how many gave proper tribute to the true source of it? This man went on to proclaim this miracle, and Glory was given to God because of it.

[By permission. Kelly Smith, elder, Harmony Primitive Baptist Church, Calhoun, GA]

Empathy, law & the Supreme Court

"That we are discussing the next Supreme Court justice in terms of group 'representation' is a sign of how far we have already strayed from the purpose of law and the weighty responsibility of appointing someone to sit for life on the highest court in the land." -- 'Empathy' vs. law by Thomas Sowell

How can we keep from singing?

"We love music – can’t seem to get enough of it. It’s with us everywhere we go – in the car, on hold on the phone, in the restaurant, underlying every TV script, in our CD players, and on our radios. We love listening to music. At least, we have given up trying to escape it. What we don’t do much is sing. In fact, singing with any degree of enjoyment, satisfaction, or overt delight is becoming more and more the practice of a select few. Oh, we may belt out a few bars in the shower, or sing along with a favorite oldie; and we participate (more or less) in the obligatory singing that comes with worship on Sundays. But singing as an activity we enjoy, one that exercises our faith, draws us nearer to God, and puts the world on notice regarding our most basic life convictions – well, it simply isn’t much done." -- Whatever Happened to Singing? Music: Not a Spectator Sport by T. M. Moore December 6, 2003

Amen, oh me, and oh my. It does seem that in many churches singing has become a "spectator sport". Why is this? Well, I suppose to some extent we could say it is part of the times in which we live. But should it be? At least for the Christian? Singing is a command to the church and Christian. Singing is an expression of the heart.

Ephesians 5:19 -- Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Colossians 3:16 -- Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING?

My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?

What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Savior liveth;
What though the darkness gather round?
Songs in the night He giveth:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?

I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His—
How can I keep from singing?

--Robert Wadsworth Lowry (1826-1899), Meter: 8.7.8.7.

Miscellaneous

"I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all." -- Unknown
"It's better to have loved and lost than never loved at all" -- Common quote, unknown source

Wisdom divine! Who tells the price
Of wisdom's costly merchandise;
Wisdom to silver we prefer,
And gold is dross compared to her.
Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Hymns for Those That Seek and Those That Have Redemption, 1747.

How Does the Lord Direct Today?

The following began in answer to several questions by Jeff Haney in another venue. How do you know the Will of the Lord in unsaid things? How do you hear His voice in day to day life? How can a person KNOW that what they have "heard, been impressed, guided, directed or instructed" has been from the Lord, and know it without any shadow of doubt?

This is an interesting and important question, but also a difficult and complex one. I have always found knowing God's will in this regard very difficult for me.

I believe that there is a will of God (e.g. Eph. 1:11 - Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will). Further, I believe that includes His will for us. And that within that will for us there are things not expressly or specifically revealed in the Bible -- whom one should marry, whether to accept a certain job, go to a certain church, move to a certain town, etc.

How do we know the Will of God in these kinds of "unsaid" things? The writer of Proverbs says "He shall direct thy paths." But how does He do that? I will offer the following timorous thoughts for the perusal and criticism of the brethren.

Bible study/principles
Though we are talking about things left "unsaid", we must begin with Bible study. It is there that we find what is said, and therefore also learn what is unsaid. From study of the word of God we learn principles that guide us in our decision-making. For example, one cannot turn to the Bible and find the name of the wife he should marry. But he can find principles that approve or rule out certain ones. That is at least a start toward the direction of knowing the will of God in the matter.

Providence of God
This is one I have relied heavily upon, whether rightly or wrongly, perhaps thinking it was more obvious to me than others.

Acts 16:6-9 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. This may be a strange verse regarding providence, since there are some other things operating in it. I have felt providence was involved here as well as revelation. Notice that in whatever way God chose to let Paul know he was not to go into Asia, it was not specific in where he should go. So Paul & company attempted to go into another place -- Bithynia -- where the Lord ultimately did not allow them to go. You may not get a vision of someone calling you over to help, you might get a call on the phone -- "We have no preacher; you are not preaching anywhere. Can you come help us?" This might be a simple thing in God's providence to get one's attention. He opens doors and shuts them. Col. 4:3 - Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: Rev. 3:8 - I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Inner witness/feeling/conscience
I didn't put this first because I didn't want to scare any Baptists!!
John 16:13 - Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1 Cor. 2:12-16 - Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Jesus has promised that His Spirit will guide us into truth, though that guidance might fit into several different categories. One is a sort of inner witness or feeling, an answer from God's Spirit to our spirit. Romans 8:14-16 - For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: When we are converted, we cannot find our names in the Bible, and we cannot look into the Book of Life. But there is a witness of the Spirit to us whereby we know we are the children of God. Do we suppose the inner witness ceases shortly thereafter? I think not.

The conscience is not the same as the inner witness. It is something all men have. But having one, in a child of God the conscience can bear witness in accord with the Holy Spirit. If so, shouldn't we listen? John 8:9 - And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience... Acts 24:16 - And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. Rom. 9:1 - I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

Feeling can be very subjective (and some of the other is as well). But sometimes we have a feeling that something is wrong -- a fear, an unsettled heart -- that causes a timidity to move forward (in natural things as well as spiritual). Perhaps that fear may cause us to look around the corner to see if there really is something there to fear before going on. Besides fear, there is a feeling of peace, which we are called to and which can rule in our hearts. Col. 3:15 - And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. A sanctified common sense may tie in here as well. 1 Cor. 11:14 - Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? Whatever Paul meant, something he and others could see in the natural order of things agreed with the principle he was teaching.

The counsel of friends/others
Before his conversion, the eunuch of Ethiopia needed some man to guide him (Acts 8:31). This is somewhat different from the initial question. But some of us, after we become Christians, think we don't need any advice anymore -- don't need anyone to guide us. Untrue. In his book Commenting and Commentaries, Charles Spurgeon wrote, "It seems odd, that certain men who talk so much of what the Holy Spirit reveals to themselves, should think so little of what he has revealed to others." Proverbs 11:14 - Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Experience
Some things we don't know at first, but learn by experience. As we acknowledge God in what we know, through our experiences we learn to follow Him more confidently. Prov. 3:6 - In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. As we renew our mind in living and doing the things of God, the will of God generally becomes clearer to us. Romans 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Perhaps once we learn His will in one instance, we know more of it in another?

Faith/Not knowing
There is a simple fact that we may operate on what we do know, and trust God for what we do not. We do not at this time know all the will of God, and probably His will cannot be completely known in this life by finite, fallible humans. But we move forward knowing He IS at work. He is working in us His good pleasure. Phil. 2:13 - For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. At one point, Abraham had a general knowledge of where he was going, but not a specific one. Hebrews 11:8 - By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Obey what we do know. Take the rest on faith, not knowing the details, but knowing the God of the details.

I don't think a person can KNOW that what he has "heard, been impressed, guided, directed or instructed" is from the Lord beyond any shadow of doubt if it is a thing not mentioned in the Bible. I am willing to believe that some do know with certainty sometimes, but that is not something they/we can consistently have all the time.

I want to close with two warnings: (1) the above things should work together, though all might not be present on all occasions; and (2) some of what I wrote above can be quite dangerous if divorced from the Word of God.

Church growth

Conversion is God's success and not our own.

On the blog In Defense of Landmarkism, the author wrote the following:

Church growth is building up the church in spirituality and then (as a result) in numbers. Church growth depends on these factors: (Based on 33 years experience preaching and pastoring churches)
1) Christ centered, Bible preaching 1 Tim. 4:2
2) Lifestyles that reflect Christ Matt. 5:16
3) Good fellowship Acts 2:42
4) Faithfulness Heb. 10:24, 25
5) Prayer John 14:14
6) Witnessing Ps 126:5, 6
7) Sacrificial giving (tithes and offerings) Mal. 3:10
8) Worshipful music Col 3:16
9) Strong teaching ministry 2 Tim 2:2
10) Right literature Matt 28:20; Luke 1:1; Jude 3
11) First love is Christ Eph. 2:5
12) Right love John 13:34, 35; 15:12
When a church struggles with a lack of growth, one or more (usually several) of these factors are lacking. God's power still blesses His Word. His churches that work by His plan do not need music that is not worshipful, literature from outside the associated work, gimmicks, compromise, fund raisers or self help seminars. What we need is to work God's plan! His plan still works when we work the plan!

What do you readers think? Is a strict following of this plan like a "step-plan" that will always lead to the expected results? Do any of the proof texts actually say that doing those things will lead to church growth?

A Name in the Sand

Alone I walked the ocean strand;
A pearly shell was in my hand:
I stooped and wrote upon the sand
My name—the year—the day.
As onward from the spot I passed,
One lingering look behind I cast;
A wave came rolling high and fast,
And washed my lines away.

And so, methought, 'twill shortly be
With every mark on earth from me:
A wave of dark oblivion's sea
Will sweep across the place
Where I have trod the sandy shore
Of time, and been, to be no more,
Of me—my day—the name I bore,
To leave no track no trace.

And yet, with Him who counts the sands
And holds the waters in His hands,
I know a lasting record stands.
My hope is in His name.
In all the wonders He has wrought.
Whose power fills my deepest thought
And in those fleeting moments sought,
The glory due His name.

A combination of "A Name in the Sand" by Hannah Flagg Gould (from An American Anthology, 1787–1900: Selections Illustrating the Editor’s Critical Review of American Poetry in the Nineteenth Century), and the poem as published in The Sectarian, November 1903, William M. Smoot.

"Repairing" a broken link

AOL® Hometown has been shut down permanently. I noticed on a former post about Landmarkism Under Fire, there was a link to there (now broken).

To read Landmarkism Under Fire: a Study of Landmark Baptist Polity on Church Constitution by J. C. Settlemoir click on this new link.