What about Theudas?

Acts 5:36: For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

Modernists attempt to use Gamaliel’s mention of Theudas in Acts 5:36 in order to question the historical reliability of Luke-Acts.[i] For example:

“A well known historical error has Gamaliel speak of the rebel Theudas, whom the first century Jewish historian assigns to the time of the procurator Cuspius Fadus (44-46 CE) several years after the death of Gamaliel.”[ii]

This is in fact “well known,” but it is not an historical error.[iii] The “first century Jewish historian” is Josephus, who mentions a Theudas who lived after the time of Gamaliel.[iv] The speech made by Gamaliel, recorded in Acts 5, occurred in the reign of Tiberius Caesar (AD 14 to AD 37), about ten years before the rebellion of Josephus’s Theudas. The Theudas mentioned by Josephus lived under Claudius Caesar (AD 41 to AD 54). The discrepancy is created by the assumption that both Luke (and Gamaliel spoke) and Josephus write about the same Theudas, and further, if they do, that Josephus and not Luke must be correct![v]

Contrasting the two Theudases

• the Theudas of Gamaliel was boasting himself to be somebody
• the Theudas of Josephus was a magician a (false) prophet
• the Theudas of Gamaliel led about four hundred men
• the Theudas of Josephus led a great multitude of the people
• the Theudas of Gamaliel was slain and all his followers were scattered
• the Theudas of Josephus was captured in battle and later beheaded; had many followers slain in battle, and many taken alive as prisoners
• the revolt of Theudas of Gamaliel took place before the birth of Jesus [vi]
• the revolt of Theudas of Josephus took place around AD 45

Writing circa AD 62, Luke could not have been dependent on and misreading Josephus – as some suppose – because Luke’s writing is earlier than Josephus. In order to fulfill their designs, modernists must revise the dating of Luke backward – which they often do even to as late as AD 130. In this scenario, they must also deny that Luke is the author of the book of Acts. This they do on their own recognizance, assuming as fact that a later writer of Acts read and used The Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus, which he completed circa AD 94. There is no reason to suppose there could not be two men who led rebellions within some fifty years. Theudas is a form of the Aramaic Thaddæus or the Greek Theodorus, and was a common enough name. From Matthew 10:3 and Luke 6:16 it appears the names Judas and Thaddaeus (or Theudas) might be interchangeable (if not two different names for the same person). Even Josephus said, “at this time there were ten thousand other disorders in Judea,” most of which he did not undertake to record.[vii] A simple fact apparently not considered by the convolutors is that a later writer using Josephus as a source would not have put those words in Gamaliel’s mouth! Josephus said his Theudas lived “while Fadus was procurator of Judea.” This would have been an easily detectable error for a later writer using Josephus as a reference. On the other hand, Luke had no reason to worry over such a misunderstanding, since the second rebel Theudas had not yet led a rebellion at the time Gamaliel spoke.

---

[i] Liberals use the identity of Theudas to attack the historicity of Acts. Nevertheless, it appears that Eusebius may be the first to conflate as one the two men with the same name. Ecclesiastical History, p.46.
[ii] “Does Acts Portray Paul Fairly,” by Dick Harfield, p. 2. https://www.academia.edu/s/3953e9edc1 Accessed 27 October 2020 8:45 am.
[iii] Around AD 248 in writings answering the pagan philosopher Celsus, Origen mentions Theudas living before the birth of Christ. “But since it is in the spirit of truth that we examine each passage, we shall mention that there was a certain Theudas among the Jews before the birth of Christ, who gave himself out as some great one, after whose death his deluded followers were completely dispersed.” Contra Celsus (or Against Celsus) Book I, Chapter 57. http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/origen161.html Accessed 27 October 2020 10:12 am.
[iv] “Now it came to pass, while Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain magician, whose name was Theudas, persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the river Jordan; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own command, divide the river, and afford them an easy passage over it; and many were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not permit them to make any advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop of horsemen out against them; who, falling upon them unexpectedly, slew many of them, and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, and cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem. This was what befell the Jews in the time of Cuspius Fadus’s government.” “Antiquities of the Jews,” xx. v .i., translated by William Whiston, p. 418. See also: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0146%3Abook%3D20%3Asection%3D97 Accessed 27 October 2020 9:30 am.
[v] It is patently obvious that the design of this objection is to discredit the Bible, since the attackers always attack Luke’s credibility rather than Josephus’s.
[vi] Before the uprising of Judas the Galilean in the days of the taxing (Acts 9:37; cf. Luke 2:2).
[vii] Antiquities, 17.10.4. https://ccel.org/j/josephus/works/ant-17.htm Accessed 28 October 2:30 pm.

Christ’s scholars, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources. (I try to confirm the sources that I give, but may miss on occasion; please verify when possible.)

“Christ’s scholars never learn above their Bible.” -- Matthew Henry

“The enormity of Scripture can never be reduced to a few humanly-composed statements of faith.” -- Charles Carrin

“John’s baptism is a baptism of hope, while Christ’s baptism is a baptism of hope fulfilled.” -- Lynwood Jacobs

“John’s baptism is a baptism of hope, and the baptism of Jesus is a baptism of hope fulfilled.” 

“All Christian life is measured by Scripture; every word thereof.” -- John Wycliffe

“Hop-Scotch theology is as phony as a three-dollar bill.” -- Charles Carrin

“We do not examine the Bible in the light of experience; but we do examine experience in the light of the Scriptures.” -- Ronald E. Baxter

“If what we learn from the Scriptures cuts across our experience, then we ought to call a moratorium on our practice.” -- Ronald E. Baxter

Indolent and wrapped up with worldliness

When the members of the church become so indolent and wrapped up with worldliness that they no longer study the holy scriptures, when they become so indifferent to the needs of their brethren that they no longer seek to excel to the edifying of the church, when freedom means so little that they will gladly surrender it to pamper pride, they begin automatically to try and purchase that for which they are not willing to exert personal effort. And when men demand professional ministers there will arise professional ministers to supply the demand.

W. Carl Ketcherside, in The Royal Priesthood, 1956

The Baptist’s cry

“On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry” is a 6-stanza Long Meter hymn by Charles Coffin. Coffin was born in 1676 at Buzaney, Ardennes, in eastern France. In 1718, he became rector of the University of Paris, which position he held until his death in 1749. He published a collection of Latin hymns in 1727, most of which appeared in the Paris Breviary in 1736. Several of them have been translated into English, including this one below.

John Chandler (1806-1876) translated this hymn into English. It appears in The Hymns of the Primitive Church: now first Collected, Translated and Arranged (by John Chandler, London: John W. Parker, 1837, p. 40). It was labeled to be sung at Matins in Advent season. The note – (Jordanis oras prævia. No. 37) – refers to the beginning text in Latin (and then possibly the page number). Iordanis oras prævia, Vox ecce Baptistæ quatit: Præconis ad grandes sonos, Ignavus abscedat sopor. The hymn is often paired with Winchester New, arranged by Havergal and Monk.
 
1. On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
Announces that the Lord is nigh.
Come then and hearken, for he brings
Glad tidings from the King of kings!
 
2. E’en now the air, the sea, the land
Feel that their Maker is at hand;
The very elements rejoice
And welcome him with cheerful voice.
 
3. Then cleansed be every Christian breast:
And furnished for so great a Guest,
Yea! let us each our hearts prepare
For Christ to come and enter there.
 
4. For thou art our salvation, Lord,
Our refuge and our great reward.
Without thy grace our souls must fade
And wither like a flower decayed.
 
5. Stretch forth thine hand, to heal our sore,
And make us rise, to fall no more.
Once more upon thy people shine,
And fill the world with love divine.
 
6. To him, who left the throne of heaven,
To save mankind, all praise be given:
Like praise be to the Father done,
And Holy Spirit, Three-in-One.
 
Texts in modern hymnals usually have several variations from the version above, as it appears in The Hymns of the Primitive Church. Though used at Advent (which seems to focus primarily on the birth of Jesus) by many, the ministry of John the Baptist actually announced his coming as into public ministry as Messiah. He did not announce the birth of Jesus.

7 African Church Fathers, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.
7 African Church Fathers You Should Know -- “In fact there are several African church fathers that many people aren’t aware of or don’t acknowledge as African.”
Angels Marrying Humans and Jesus Preaching in Hell? The Happenings of Genesis 6 and 1 Peter 3 -- “I can’t wrap my brain around a position grammatically or contextually that says angels procreated with human beings to produce giants, and then Jesus later went to preach to these fallen angels while they were chained in demon prison.”
Baby Molly Sets World Record: Born 27 Years After She Was Frozen as an Embryo -- “I think this is proof positive that no embryo should ever be discarded, certainly not because it is ‘old!'”
Biden in September: No Victory Until the Election Is Independently Certified -- “Biden ended up delivering his victory speech on Saturday night, four days after the election. Meanwhile, the 2020 presidential election has yet to be certified...”
Correspondence of Augustine and Jerome concerning the Latin Translation of the Bible -- “Augustine calls upon Jerome to justify this departure from the customary text, tells of a disturbance which has arisen on this account, and urges him to reconsider. Jerome replies with characteristic vigor.”
Democrats’ Sore Loser Hypocrisy Is Damaging Democracy -- “The problem with the liberal critique of Trump and the Republicans lies in the fact that it was the Democrats who refused to accept the presidential election results in 2016. These are the same people who spent the last four years spreading conspiracy theories about the 2016 election...”
Figgy Barbecue Pulled Pork -- “Bring something new to the table with this easy ‘cue.”
Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill Policy Memorandum -- “In addition to consolidation, the Bill seeks to modernise and extend existing hate crime legislation...”
How Anti-Missionary Laws Are Influencing the Evangelical Church in Russia -- “In practice the so-called anti-terrorist laws turned out to be anti-missionary and even anti-church laws. Instead of a war on terror, the state unfurled a very real war against religious freedom.”
Photographer Captures Alabama-Coushatta Heritage -- “At age 14, Hector Maldonado attended his first Native American powwow in Chicago.”
Scottish Bill Would Criminalize ‘Hate Speech’ in Private Homes -- “The legislation criminalizes hate speech relating to age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity, and variations in sex characteristics, including potentially hate speech spoken in private residences.”
The Faith of Ethiopia—and Its Prime Minister: An Ancient Story Revealed -- “...according to church historian Nicephorus, Matthias, the one chosen to replace Judas, also preached the gospel in Ethiopia.”
The True Blue -- “W. C. Austin edited the magazine, a man who spent most his ministry in Arkansas and Oklahoma. The contents reflect the typical salty humor and serious spiritual concern...”
White Plains Baptist, Greene County, Org. 1806 -- “White Plains Baptist Church was organized in 1806, and pre-dates the town of White Plains, which was incorporated in 1834.”
Winged Skull Gravestone Symbols -- “Burial sites during the 18th century were usually in churchyards. So church-goers would see these macabre symbols coming and going from services. The symbols served as a means to keep one thinking with an eternal perspective.”

Was Luke a Gentile?

Was Luke a Gentile?

The idea that Luke was a Gentile is based on historical tradition and certain interpretations of Scripture. Eusebius of Caesarea wrote his Historia Ecclesiastica (or, Church History) circa AD 323. In it (III.4.7), he states that Luke “was of Antiochian parentage and a physician by profession” and in Quaestiones Evangelicae (or, Gospel Problems and Solutions) says he came from “a family from the renowned Antioch.”¹ Jerome of Stridon agrees, writing in De Viris Illustribus (On Illustrious Men) circa AD 392, “Luke a physician of Antioch, as his writings indicate, was not unskilled in the Greek language.”² 

Further, some point to Bible passages and biblically-related arguments, such as:

• Luke is not mentioned prior to the Lord Jesus’s death and resurrection.
• Luke refers a number of times to the city of Antioch, his hometown (Acts 11:19-27; 13:1-3; Acts 14:26; Acts 15:22-23; 15:35; 18:22).
• Luke was the “beloved physician” mentioned by Paul in Colossians 4:14.
• Colossians 4:10-11 fellow workers who are “of the circumcision” (i.e., Jewish).
• Luke is mentioned later in Colossians 4:14, not in that “of the circumcision” group.
• The name “Luke” is a Greek form of a Latin name.
• Acts 1:19 mentions a field with a Semitic name and then speaks of “their” language.
• Luke has great knowledge of the LXX or Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament.

On one hand, this question seems of little value. However, much ink has been spilled on the subject, with one interest to many being that if Luke was a Gentile, then the Lord entrusted more pages of New Testament to be written by a Gentile than to any other single person.

The above eight suggestions, as well as the historical tradition, may be explained in ways that do not require Luke being a Gentile.

• Paul was born in a Gentile city and is not mentioned prior to Jesus’s death and resurrection, yet we know he was a Jew, not a Gentile.
• Luke refers to many places. As an historical narrative, his writing refers to the places where the events occurred.
• Jews have physicians or doctors; this is not specific to Gentiles.
• Nor is Luke referred to as “one of you,” as Epaphras in Colossians 4:12
• Other Jews in the church are referenced by Greek names in the New Testament, such as Peter (Simon) and Paul (Saul). Jesus is a Greek name rather than an Hebrew one.
• Acts 1:19 is as easily explained as needed for Gentile readers as for a Gentile author.
• Evidence suggests Paul had great knowledge of the LXX or Septuagint; he was a Jew.

Luke was with Paul when he came to Jerusalem (Acts 21:15-17). The Jews wrongly accused Paul of bringing a Gentile into the Temple. They did not chose Luke as the offending party, but rather Trophimus (Acts 21:27-29). Either Luke was not a Gentile, or not recognizable as one – suggesting he was a Jew or Jewish proselyte prior to his conversion.

Footnotes

1. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250103.htm Accessed 16 October 2020 12:25 pm. https://bibletranslation.ws/down/Eusebius_Gospel_problems_and_solutions_2010.pdf Accessed 16 October 2020 12:20 pm.
2.          https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2708.htm Accessed 16 October 2020 12:15 pm.             

Be found faithful

Just read a few days ago: How transactional faith led evangelicals to embrace transactional politics – “Small wonder, then, that some evangelicals just adapted this transactional model of faith to politics: We’ll give you votes if you’ll do what we want. That’s a shrewd enough business proposition.” Wingfield also references Michael Gerson in This is a massive failure of character among Republicans — with evangelicals out in front.

It is well for conservatives, evangelicals, fundamentalists, and biblicists of every stripe to read such articles with humility and an eye to someone seeing either specks or beams in our eyes that we have missed. (And I believe there are some.) Are we following our Lord better and closer than we are following our politics? God, help us to do so.

Nevertheless, I find it ludicrous when liberals write pretending that they think morals matter to them but not to conservatives. Really? Perhaps we Americans have descended into a morass where morals do not really matter that much to either major party – as long as their candidates will hand them the outcome they desire! Should anyone be as stupid as suggesting a vote for a moral third party candidate (or maybe not voting at all), each side of the two-party system rushes in to tell us we are wasting out votes and to vote for their side. Then they ease back into supporting their own immorality while lecturing the other side on morality.

May we who are Christians never muddy our faith and practice to suit political practicalities and priorities. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

Freezing human embryos

A baby born from a 27-year-old frozen embryo has been big news recently. Molly Everette Gibson, born this past October from an embryo that was frozen in October of 1992, is just over 6 weeks old, yet only 18 months younger than her 29-year-old mother! The primary newsworthy item to the secular press is that Molly sets a record and makes history as the longest-frozen embryo to come to birth.

Dr. Jeffrey Keenan, President and Medical Director of the National Embryo Donation Center said, “I think this is proof positive that no embryo should ever be discarded, certainly not because it is ‘old!’ ... it’s a testament to how good God is, and to His infinite goodness and love.”

For some reason, this news item grabbed my attention in a way that such has not previously. I suppose I have never given this subject much deep thought. Assisted reproduction technologies have been around for decades, with great “success.” However, this success has created a surplus of frozen human embryos – around 1,000,000 in the United States alone, according to the National Embryo Donation Center.

If life begins at conception (as many of us believe), is it really moral and ethical to freeze live human beings?

14 Black Inventors, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• 14 Black Inventors You Probably Didn’t Know About -- “Inventor and engineer Lewis Latimer was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on September 4, 1848. He collaborated with science greats Hiram Maxim and Thomas Edison.”
• A Baptist Contribution to Political Theology -- “...three common points of political theology among early Baptists [are] the affirmation of government as divinely instituted and empowered, the need for government to provide religious liberty for all, and the obligation of Christians to dissent from governmental participation and subjection if and when a particular government acts immorally.”
• An evaluation of Ruckman’s denials of a pre-Christian Septuagint -- “Our main goal is to analyze the arguments Peter Ruckman uses in declaring there never was a Septuagint before the time of Christ, in order to demonstrate whether they are worthy of serious consideration.”
• Believer’s Baptism and Infant Salvation -- “The rejection of infant baptism left the Free Will Baptists with one question that demand solution. What happens to a child that dies in infancy...”
• Biblical Fact-Check: 613 Commandments? -- “No one exactly knows who began this myth: it’s not in the Bible nor is it in the Talmud. Yet you’ll find it trotted out in sermons fairly regularly.”
• Candace Owens Challenges Fact-Checker, And Wins -- “I wanted to show that these fact-checkers just lie, and they usually go unchecked because most people don’t have the money, don’t have the time, and don’t have the platform to go after them — and I have all three.”
• COVID-19: Americans are in “delusional psychosis” and policing each other, psychiatrist warns -- “We don’t need a police force. We don’t need a secret Stasi to go after the neighbor that isn’t wearing his mask on a park bench. We have families who are willing to do that.”
• Greg Koukl and Michael Shermer at the End of the Decade of the New Atheists -- “...atheism is way too austere for me...It commits me to too many counter intuitive things—everything comes from nothing, life comes from non-life, consciousness comes from matter, morality comes from a reorganization of molecules.”
• “Holy” Is Not Related to “Wholly” -- “Calvary Chapel doctrine is easy believism. It is second blessing or Keswick sanctification. It is revivalistic. It is mystical. It is overtly positive to a fault, going out of the way so that people won’t feel guilty.”
• Is speaking or praying in tongues Biblical? -- “The question of speaking in tongues is a hotly-debated issue within the church, one that often elicits strong emotions from both sides of the debate.”
• Justice Gorsuch Savaged Cuomo in SCOTUS Ruling Protecting Churches -- “It is time — past time — to make plain that, while the pandemic poses many grave challenges, there is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutter churches, synagogues and mosques.”
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel of America, et al. v. Cuomo -- “Justice opinions in Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, New York v. Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of New York.”
• Studying Hardshell History -- “Now they began to use the ‘time salvation’ apologetic in which they made conversion to be necessary for being saved in time from false doctrine and the practice of sin, but not necessary for being eternally saved.”
• Supreme Court Sides with Religious Groups Against Andrew Cuomo, 5-4 -- “The Court was responding to a request for an emergency injunction by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and the Agudath Israel of America, an Orthodox Jewish group, against restrictions limiting services to ten people in some areas and 25 people in others.”
• The Day Free Will Baptists Lost 600 Churches -- “I never found the word merger used in any literature or discussions. The Free Will Baptists and Calvinist Baptists always used the words union or reunion.”
• The (five) Great Commission(s) -- “This is very different from present habitual pursuit of really good attractional church services on Sunday mornings, and well-organized programs, classes, and seminars during the week...”
• Ways Grove Baptist, Jefferson County, org. 1865 -- “We believe this is the original sanctuary of Ways Grove Baptist, one of the very oldest African American Churches in Georgia.”
• Vermont governor announces school leaders will ask students about being in ‘multi-family gatherings’ over Thanksgiving -- “Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said the state’s Agency of Education is directing schools to ask students if they were part of ‘multi-family gatherings’ during the Thanksgiving holiday.”

Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• Ballot Count Upload Error in Arizona — Over 6,000 False Biden Votes Discovered -- “The error gave Biden more votes than he is currently ahead by. It seems all of these errors end up working to the benefit of one side.”
• CDC to shorten quarantine for those exposed to Covid-19 -- “We know that the biggest risk is from days four to seven. After that, the risk is lower...”
• Cuomo Defends Trump against ‘Unprofessional’ and ‘Really Biased’ Media -- “There are reporters who just are unprofessional, don’t know the facts and ask really biased questions.”
• Federal Court Rules Texas and Louisiana Can Defund Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz -- “Although the decision is a massive pro-life victory for the states and will help protect the rights of pro-life Americans from funding the abortion industry and save unborn children from abortions, the abortion giant is expected to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.”
• Georgia secretary of state: My family voted for Trump. He threw us under the bus anyway. -- “When I took office, I committed to running elections in Georgia with integrity. After any election, half of the voters will be happy and the other half will be disappointed.”
• J. C. Philpot and John H. Newman – A Vital Difference -- “For Philpot the Bible was the complete revelation of God. All questions of doctrine, experience and practice can only be settled by bringing them to the testimony of Holy Scripture alone...”
• Louisiana’s Culinary Trails -- “Not long ago, there was a scientific study that ranked Louisiana as the nation’s happiest state. Many reasons likely led to this distinction, but we’re pretty sure our incredible Louisiana cuisine played a role.”
• Massachusetts Democrats Push Unlimited Abortion in Annual Budget -- “In other words, the Massachusetts legislature aims to codify into state law the enormous loophole created by Roe and Doe, permitting all abortions after fetal viability so long as one doctor — the abortionist, who has a vested financial interest in performing the procedure — is willing to certify that any aspect of the woman’s health could be adversely affected by continued pregnancy.”
• Mississippi Sweet Potatoes: A Tasty Tradition -- “And the ever-growing love of sweet potatoes keeps the farmers in the Hospitality State extremely busy, especially around the quaint town of Vardaman, Mississippi.”
• Stuffing vs. Dressing: What’s the Difference? -- “In the most technical terms, stuffing is stuffed (literally) inside the cavity of the turkey and cooked there...Dressing, on the other hand, is roasted in a separate vessel like a casserole dish.”
• The Courier: One-Issue Wonder -- “John L. Welch and W. E. Colville produced the first issue of the Courier as a sample copy and later distributed it to the Tennessee State Association (according to the 1940 minutes of the Tennessee State Association, page 7).”
• Was J. C. Philpot a Mystic who taught Pietism? -- “To be sure Brother Philpot spoke of ‘Dry Doctrinal Calvinists’, dead Calvinists, heady notional Calvinists and ‘Graceless Calvinist’s!”

The pangs of conscience

The grief the “transgender” feels from disapproval is the right feeling. He needs to abhor his sin. This is what David felt when he committed adultery. The pangs of conscience are good. It’s like the pain someone feels when he touches a hot stove, telling him not to do that. The conscience is an internal warning device. “Coming to the aid” of someone who is hurting over disapproval of a righteous confrontation just shuts down the properly working conscience. This person is learning not to listen. He or she is not swift to hear. In other word, the person is being truly hurt, hurt in an actual way, harmed eternally, and this is not love. This is not love. It is hatred. The people being given credit for love are hateful people. What I’m writing here is very important. This is some of the worst kind of deceit that there is in the world. 

Kent Brandenburg

O give thanks unto the Lord

The hymn below is taken from the paraphrase of Psalm 106 by Nahum Tate (1652-1715) and Nicholas Brady (1659-1726). It is written in Long Meter and has been connected to many tunes, including the ever-popular Old Hundred and Sale. Here is a sampling of the text.

1. O render thanks to God above,

The fountain of eternal love,

Whose mercy firm through ages past

Hath stood, and doth for ever last.

2. Who can His mighty deeds express,

Not only vast, but numberless?

What mortal eloquence can raise

His tribute of immortal praise?

3. Happy are they, and only they,

Who from thy judgments never stray;

Who know what’s right; nor only so,

But always practice what they know.

4. Extend to me that favor, Lord,

Thou to Thy chosen dost afford;

When Thou return’st to set them free,

Let Thy salvation visit me.

5. O may I worthy prove to see

Thy saints in full prosperity;

That I the joyful choir may join,

And count Thy people’s triumph mine.

6. But ah! can we expect such grace,

Of parents vile, the viler race;

Who their misdeeds have acted o’er,

And with new crimes increased the score?

7. Ingrateful, they no longer thought

On all his works in Egypt wrought;

The Red Sea they no sooner viewed,

But they their base distrust renewed.

8. Yet he, to vindicate his name,

Once more to their deliv’rance came,

To make his sovereign pow’r be known,

That he is God, and he alone!

9. To right and left, at his command,

The parting deep disclosed her sand;

Where firm and dry the passage lay,

As through some parched and desert way.

10. Thus rescued from their foes they were,

Who closely pressed upon their rear,

11. Whose rage pursued them to those waves,

That proved the rash pursuers graves.

12. The wat’ry mountains sudden fall

O’erwhelm’d proud Pharaoh, host and all.

This proof did stupid Israel move

To own God’s truth, and praise his love.

13. But soon these wonders they forgot,

And for his counsel waited not;

14. But lusting in the wilderness,

Did him with fresh temptations press.

15. Strong food at their request he sent,

But made their sin their punishment.

16. Yet still his saints they did oppose,

The priest and prophet whom he chose.

17. But earth, the quarrel did decide,

Her vengeful jaws extended wide,

Rash Dathan to her center drew,

With proud Abiram’s factious crew.

18. The rest of those who did conspire

To kindle wild sedition’s fire,

With all their impious train, became

A prey to heaven’s devouring flame.

…

48. Let Israel’s God be ever blessed,

His name eternally confessed:

Let all his saints with full accord

Sing loud Amen—Praise ye the Lord.

The following stanzas often appear as a hymn unit with the first two (above), but are not from Tate and Brady’s Psalm 106. I am unsure of the author of these lines.

The Father’s boundless love we sing,

The fountain whence our blessings spring;

How great the depth, how high it flows,

No saint can tell, no angel knows.

Its length and breadth no eye can trace,

No thought explore the bounds of grace;

The love that saved our souls from hell

Transcends the creature’s power to tell.

One-Hit Wonders, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• One-Hit Wonders: From Hapax to Googlewhacks -- “In lexicographical circles, this type of literary one-off is called a nonce word — or, using a Greek expression that’s much more fun to say, a hapax legomenon.”
• A House Of Feasting -- “This is my first Thanksgiving, and I really, really want to impress the Tada family with my menu. But bologna rather than oyster stuffing?”
• Bat Lodging -- “A conservationist creates a unique oasis for roving insect hunters in Central Texas.”
• Calvinists and Armenians -- “I am a Calvinist...I personally know only one Armenian.”
• Conserving Ordinate Affection -- “The second means of conserving ordinate affection is to understand what we mean when we use the term affections.”
• Early Flying Machine Predated Wright Brothers’ Work -- “On October 12, 1901, the Scientific American magazine announced the news of construction of an experimental aircraft built by Burrell Cannon of Pittsburg, Texas.”
• Focus on Texas: Extremes -- “Dare you pass up the dramatic scenes and moments co-op members are sharing?”
• Kansas Middle School Ends Operation Christmas Child After Atheist Complaint -- “The [Liberty Middle School located in Pratt, Kansas] must cease participation in Operation Christmas Child or taking any other actions promoting Christianity like including religious references over morning announcements," the [Freedom from Religion Foundation] FFRF said in their Nov. 3 letter.”
• Kentucky Attorney General sues governor regarding in-person school ban -- “Kentucky’s attorney general and a Christian school have sued the state’s governor — charging that a ban on in-person classroom teaching violates the First Amendment and religious freedom.”
• New Book—Bibliology for Beginners: What Does the Bible Say about the Bible? -- “...in the face of many challenges to the Bible's authority, we need to know what the Bible says about itself.”
• Old Landmarkism, What Is It? -- “Lessons on Landmarkism, by Mike Brawner”
• Obama Says We Need More ‘Regulations and Standards’ on the Practice of Free Speech on Social Media -- “Oh, look. It's just the former President of the United States of America slandering half the country as conspiracy theorists and saying that we need local and national, as well as political and cultural work, to make sure that everyone is agreeing on the same facts.”
• Parents sue Simpson Co. School District over ban of daughter’s ‘Jesus Loves Me’ mask -- “Parents of a Simpson County elementary school student file suit in federal court against the school district after she was ordered to remove her ‘Jesus Loves Me’ face mask. According to attorneys, the district singled out the girl and robbed her of her constitutional rights.”
• The Belly or the Bowels -- “A modern reader is not usually familiar with that concept, bowels or affections, in scripture. ”
• The Most Rampant False Doctrine or Religion That You Didn’t Know Its Name: Perennialism -- “...the man said that he had deeply studied twelve or so religions and that he found that they all were the same. In other words, all religions taught the same teachings.”
• The Prayer and The Preaching by W. M. Lea as Published in The Baptist, Feb 20, 1875 -- “The Arminian prays as if his salvation wholly depended on God...”
• Thoughts on Christian Duty No. 3: Reading the Scriptures by James M. Pendleton -- “The Bible is God’s book to man. There is no book like it. The truth that it contains is more precious ‘than gold, yea than much fine gold, sweeter than honey and the honey-comb.’”
• Unplug and Escape at Chic Barndominium -- “I wanted to make it like a cute, cozy barndominium where people could come to unplug and enjoy nature and the beauty of East Texas.”

Sacred Harp’s Introductory Lesson

I searched in Newspapers.com for introductory lessons in Sacred Harp. An “introductory lesson” in Sacred Harp is traditionally a lesson of two or three songs led after the first song and prayer, though this formula is not the same in all cases.

Searching for “sacred harp” & “introductory lesson,” I found over 1100 matches; over 200 for “singing convention” & “introductory lesson;” and 90 matches for “musical convention” & “introductory lesson.” Obviously, I have not looked at all the some 1400 hits. Some of the hits are outliers – for example, “Sacred Harp” & “introductory lesson” only happening to be on the same page of the newspaper, but not in relation to each other. Some are 7-shape singings. Nevertheless, most of the hits appear to be relevant. The vast majority are in Alabama, and most of them from southeast Alabama. This is likely a coincidence of what papers are available on Newspapers.com, which areas tended to report their singings to newspapers, and which areas most commonly used the terminology. Here are a few examples.

The Boiling Springs Convention of 1893. After the house was called to order, prayer had, and officers elected, there was a 1-1/2 intermission (apparently for lunch). This was followed at 1:30 p.m. with an introductory lesson by G. F. Hunt. (People’s Party Advocate, Friday, September 8, 1893, page 3.) Afterward there was a recess of 15 minutes. It does not indicate how long this lasted, but the recess after the introductory suggests the lesson went on for a substantial time. A program announcement of the Boiling Springs Convention at the Second Baptist Church in Talladega in 1906 gives 30 minutes allotted for the introductory lesson – 11:30 am till noon.

Annual singing at Mt. Zion in Barbour County, Alabama, May 1903. After the singing was called to order, songs led by chairman, and permanent organization (i.e., election of officers) “An introductory lesson of fifteen minutes was given by W. M. Cooper, of Dothan, and the lesson was continued by W. M. Boyd, Jessie Rountree and Tom Renfroe, each one giving three pieces.” After this they took a five minute recess. (The Troy Messenger, Wednesday, May 20, 1903, page 4.)

Sacred Harp Singers Association meeting in Cullman County Courthouse in 1937. The introductory lesson was conducted by Jim Evans, D. E. Williams, Otto Allred, and Ed Thomas. (The Cullman Banner, Friday 16 July 1937, page 2.)

In 1871 the Southwestern Alabama Musical Convention introductory lesson was 25 minutes, and in 1884 the Carroll County (Georgia) Musical Convention introductory lesson was 30 minutes, followed by a recess. In 1893 at the Hillabee Convention in Chambers County, J. J. Bishop gave the introductory lesson with “time unlimited.” At the 1929 Boiling Springs Convention in Ashland, Alabama, the minutes specifically mention that J. B. Dean “had been chosen at the last convention” to lead the introductory lesson. At the 1942 Middle Creek (Alabama) Convention, after prayer “the Chairman appointed C. O. Hagler to direct three songs as the introductory lesson...”

Unfortunately, in most cases the introductory lesson is basically just reported as happening. There is little of any details of just how it was conducted. Most of the reports seem to have in common the first leader after the meeting is called to order, and a prominent lesson. It most cases the chairman first calls the singing to order with a song, and after that the introductory lesson occurred. The 1893 Boiling Springs is an exception to that rule.

B. F. White derived some of the pattern of the organization of the singing convention from another organization with which he was familiar, the Baptist association. The introductory lesson of Sacred Harp seems to correspond with the introductory sermon of the Baptist association.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving

We don’t do “stuffing.” Turkey was never part of my holiday tradition growing up. I suppose pore folks could only afford to dress a chicken and not stuff a turkey. And eventually we grew to prefer it. There is not much I love more on the holidays than a good ole pan of chicken and dressing (Southern style, that means cornbread).

Nevertheless, I really enjoyed Joni Eareckson Tada’s stuffing story on the radio yesterday, A House Of Feasting. She told of their Thanksgiving after marriage, when she “announced to [her husband] Ken that I would be using a traditional East Coast stuffing recipe with oysters.” Now I suppose my reaction would be much the same as his at the mention of oysters. However, her husband Ken wanted his mother’s stuffing – made with bologna! “’You guys use bologna?’ ‘Yeah,’ Ken said. ‘The cheap kind, too.’” Joni decided “this was not a hill to die on,” went along, and concluded, “There’s nothing like salt and grease to make things taste great.” 

I never heard or could have conceived of such. Yet, there is something intriguing about a stuffing made with bologna – as Ken said, “lots of salt and grease.” Almost makes me want to try it (but I’m afraid the bread might be way over on the light side, i.e., not cornbread as we require in the South). If you’re a brave or baloney-loving soul, the recipe can be found HERE. 

Have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.

 

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

In other words, illicita and licita

• ambilogy, noun. Uncertain or doubtful meaning in a person’s speech or writing; ambiguity.
• anxiogenic, adjective. Giving rise to anxiety; (also) producing the characteristic physiological effects of anxiety.
• barndominium, noun (aka barndo). A type of house that is a combination of a barn style structure and a condominium, creating both a home and large functional area.
• brewstered, adjective. Wealthy, rich, very well off.
• callidity, noun. Craftiness, cunning; shrewdness. Also: an act characterized by this.
• cockle stairs, noun. (A flight of) winding stairs; a spiral staircase.
• cheesed, adjective. Fed up, annoyed, exasperated. Chiefly in cheesed off.
• earthfast, adjective. Especially of a stone: fixed in the ground. Also figurative.
• hapax legomenon (pl. legomena), noun. A word or phrase that appears only once in a manuscript, document, or corpus. In biblical discussions, it means a word that only appears once in the Bible.
• nonce word, noun. A word occurring, invented, or used just for a particular occasion; a word with a special meaning used for a special occasion.
• noodge, verb. transitive: To pester, to nag at. Also intransitive: to whine, to complain persistently.
• perennialism, noun. A perspective in religion, philosophy, or spirituality that views all of the world’s religious traditions as sharing a single, metaphysical truth or origin from which all esoteric and exoteric knowledge and doctrine has grown.
• religio illicita, noun. Religion that is illicit, illegal, not permitted, esp. in the Roman Empire.
• religio licita, noun. Tolerated or permitted religion, esp. in the Roman Empire.
• spiritus, noun. The animating or vital principle in living things; spirit, soul, or life force.

Baptism of the Holy Ghost

The following is an excerpt from Circular Letter on the “Baptism of the Holy Ghost,” by T. B. Montanye. It appears in the minutes of the Philadelphia Baptist Association in 1802. The entire letter can be read HERE.

The narrow limits of a letter call us to a close. We must, therefore, leave you to gather further instruction from the few inferences deducible from the whole.

1. That though regeneration and sanctification be essential to the character of a Christian; yet neither of them constitute the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

2. However much you may enjoy of the Spirit, as the Spirit of life, light, and love; you have no Scripture grounds to call this inward baptism, and so the one baptism, and thereby live in the neglect of the appointments of Jesus Christ.

3. That as the baptism of the Holy Ghost was given for the confirmation of the gospel dispensation, it has effected its design; the sacred prophecy is fulfilled, and it has ceased.

4. That as the extraordinary work, and no other, is known in the gospel as the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and that took place after faith in Christ, or regeneration, we have no right to call regeneration baptism.

5. Though we are the hopeful subjects of divine grace, and live in the smiles of heaven; it is both our duty and privilege to submit to the appointments of Jesus Christ, as laid down in his word.

And now, dear brethren, you may perceive, that our intention is not to deny any of the blessed operations of the holy Ghost upon the human mind; but to distinguish between truth and error.

Circular Letter, by T. B. Montanye, October 5-7, 1802, in Minutes of the Philadelphia Baptist Association, from A. D. 1707 to A. D. 1807, A. D. Gillette, editor, Philadelphia, PA: American Baptist Publication Society, 1851, p. 376.

Bavinck: A Critical Biography, and other reviews

The posting of book reviews does not constitute endorsement of the books or book reviews that are linked.

• Bavinck: A Critical Biography by James Eglinton -- “Bavinck was a truly great man, and this is a worthy biography. It wasn’t a page turner, exactly, but I never felt bored, either. The pace was stately. A good fit for its subject.”
• Book Review: Analog Church, by Jay Kim -- “...we need real people in real places to hold real hands and wipe real tears and give real hugs.”
• Book Review: Augustine as Mentor, Edward Smither -- “Smither’s work is not only a fascinating historical exploration of one of the most titanic figures in church history, it’s a compelling and inspiring portrait of a man committed to carrying out Paul’s admonition to Timothy...”
• Book Review: God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel, by Costi Hinn -- “Hinn [Benny Hinn’s nephew] is upfront about the fact that he hopes that his book will be used by God to cause people to leave the prosperity gospel and reject its teachings.”
• Book Review: None Greater, by Matthew Barrett -- “One of the most interesting aspects of Barrett’s book is how he chronicles his own journey of discovery with regard to God’s character.”
• Book Review- The Christian Life -- “One feature that makes this book especially helpful is how the author is able to distill very important concepts from authors that laymen may find intimidating.”
• Book Review: The Heart of the Preacher, by Rick Reed -- “...one thing noticeably absent from Reed’s picture of a preacher’s discipleship is the local church itself.”
• Book Review: The Mortification of Sin by John Owen -- “The Mortification of Sin is essentially an examination of Romans 8:13...the bulk of Owen’s work explores the theology and practice of mortifying sin.”
• Eusebius, Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History, C. F. Cruse translator -- “This ‘new updated edition’ of Eusebius is, therefore, a mixed blessing.”
• Evangellyfish, by Douglas Wilson -- “The book is unlike any other I’ve read by Wilson: it’s a novel, and it’s satire.”
• Palm Beach doctor has written handbook on COVID-19 -- “In addition to being chief of interventional cardiology at Good Samaritan Medical Center and heading a clinic in West Palm Beach Crandall has battled contagious diseases during his missionary medical work...”
• Reviewing Anthony Esolen’s “Out of the Ashes” -- “I suspect the highest complement you can give a book written by a professor is that, upon finishing the book, you find yourself wishing that you could take a class with him.”
• Shall Never Perish: Eternal Security Examined -- “We doubt very much if a finer treatise on the assurance of salvation and the eternal security of the believer in Christ has ever been published, or can be written...If anyone can remain a ‘doubting Thomas’ after perusal of this classic work on eternal security, he must be past conviction on the subject.”
• The Purpose of Luke-Acts, by Robert Maddox -- Above all, it tries to do justice to Luke’s own expressed purpose. Whether it has got the emphasis quite right is another matter.

Thought that has been thought out

Philosophy is merely thought that has been thought out. It is often a great bore. But man has no alternative, except between being influenced by thought that has been thought out and being influenced by thought that has not been thought out. The latter is what we commonly call culture and enlightenment today. But man is always influenced by thought of some kind, his own or somebody else's; that of somebody he trusts or that of somebody he never heard of, thought at first, second or third hand; thought from exploded legends or unverified rumors; but always something with the shadow of a system of values and a reason for preference. A man does test everything by something. The question here is whether he has ever tested the test. 

G. K. Chesterton, in The Common Man

No careful student, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources. (I try to confirm the sources that I give, but may miss on occasion; please verify when possible.)

“No careful student of the early congregation of believers can fail to be impressed with the simplicity of its worship and functioning.” -- W. Carl Ketcherside

“To argue that God is ‘trying His best’ to save all mankind, but that the majority of men will not let Him save them, is to insist that the will of the Creator is impotent, and that the will of the creature is omnipotent.” -- Arthur W. Pink, in The Sovereignty of God

“Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered.” -- C. S. Lewis

“All of life illustrates biblical truth.” -- Donald Grey Barnhouse

“God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases.” -- Arthur W. Pink, in The Sovereignty of God

“Nobody is cheated out of an election, just out cheated.” -- John G. Crowley

“It’s the person on your right being willing to die for you, and you feeling the same. It shouldn’t take a war to make the world that simple.” -- Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, in TV show NCIS