Eternal rest desired

The following, according to The Life and Work of William Augustus Muhlenberg by Anne Ayres, "is the authentic version entire and as last revised by [the author]."

I Would Not Live Alway (Eternal rest desired) Job vii. 16.

1. I would not live alway—live alway below!
Oh no, I'll not linger when bidden to go:
The days of our pilgrimage granted us here,
Are enough for life's woes, full enough for its cheer:
Would I shrink from the path which the prophets of God,
Apostles, and martyrs, so joyfully trod?
Like a spirit unblest, o'er the earth would I roam,
While brethren and friends are all hastening home?
2. I would not live alway: I ask not to stay,
Where storm after storm rises dark o'er the way;
Where seeking for rest we but hover around,
Like the patriarch's bird, and no resting is found; 
Where Hope when she paints her gay bow in the air,
Leaves its brilliance to fade in the night of despair,
And joy's fleeting angel ne'er sheds a glad ray,
Save the gleam of the plumage that bears him away.
3. I would not live alway—thus fettered by sin,
Temptation without and corruption within;
In a moment of strength if I sever the chain,
Scarce the victory's mine, ere I'm captive again;
E'en the rapture of pardon is mingled with fears,
And the cup of thanksgiving with penitent tears:
The festival trump calls for jubilant songs,
But my spirit her own miserere prolongs.
4. I would not live alway—no, welcome the tomb, 
Since Jesus hath lain there I dread not its gloom;
Where he deigned to sleep, I'll too bow my head,
All peaceful to slumber on that hallowed bed.
Then the glorious daybreak, to follow that night,
The orient gleam of the angels of light,
With their clarion call for the sleepers to rise
And chant forth their matins, away to the skies.
5. Who, who would live alway? away from his God,
Away from yon heaven, that blissful abode
Where the rivers of pleasure flow o'er the bright plains,
And the noontide of glory eternally reigns;
Where the saints of all ages, in harmony meet
Their Saviour and brethren, transported to greet,
While the songs of salvation exultingly roll
And the smile of the Lord is the feast of the soul.
6. That heavenly musick! what is it I hear?
The notes of the harpers ring sweet in mine ear!
And see, soft unfolding those portals of gold,
The King all arrayed in his beauty behold!
Oh give me, oh give me, the wings of a dove
To adore him—be near him—enrapt with his love;
I but wait for the summons, I list for the word—
Alleluia—Amen—evermore with the Lord.

Most hymn books have a shortened version.

1. I would not live alway: I ask not to stay
Where storm after storm rises dark o'er our way;
The few lurid mornings that dawn on us here
Are enough for life's woes, full enough for its cheer.
2. I would not live alway, thus fetter'd by sin,
Temptation without, and corruption within:
E'en the rapture of pardon is mingled with fears,
And the cup of salvation with penitent tears.
3. I would not live alway; no, welcome the tomb:
Since Jesus hath lain there, I dread not its gloom;
There sweet be my rest, till He bid me arise
To hail Him in triumph descending the skies.
4. Who, who would live alway, away from his God;
Away from yon heaven, that blissful abode?
Where the rivers of pleasure flow o'er the bright plains,
And the noontide of glory eternally reigns;
5. Where the saints of all ages in harmony meet,
Their Saviour and brethren, transported, to greet:
While the anthems of rapture unceasingly roll,
And the smile of the Lord is the feast of the soul.

Mühlenberg, William Augustus, an eminent Episcopal minister, was born in Philadelphia September 16, 1796, being the son of Rev. Frederick Muhlenberg, D.D., who was at first a Lutheran clergyman, but entered Congress and became Speaker of the House of Representatives in the first Congress; and was the grandson of Rev. Henry M. Muhlenberg, D.D., who was the revered patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America. He was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1814, and was ordained priest in the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1820. Subsequently he established St. Paul's College at Flushing, Long Island. From 1846 to 1859 he was recter of the Church of the Holy Communion, in New York City. In 1855 he founded St. Luke's Hospital in New York City, and was its pastor and superintendent until his death. He also founded in 1865 St. Johnland, a home for the needy. Dr. Muhlenberg was one of the committee that edited Hymns Suited to the Feasts and Fasts of the Church, 1826. He died April 6, 1871. -- Hymn Writers of the Church

I would not live alway. Eternal rest desired. Four texts of this poem are extant: 1st the Original; 2nd the version given in the Prayer Book Collection, 1826; 3rd the author's revised version of 1859; and 4th his rewritten text of 1871, the second of these being that known to the hymnbooks. The history of the poem is somewhat complicated. We quote it here as given by us in the History of the American Episcopal Church, 1885, p.637, as we have nothing further to add thereto:-—
"The most famous of these (Dr. Mühlenberg's hymns) was probably first written. 'I will not live alway' has an intricate history, which was not simplified by the author's lapse of memory in his later years. In his brief ‘story of the hymn,' printed with its ‘evangelized’ text in 1871, every date is wrong by two or three years; and his assertion, ‘The legend that it was written on an occasion of private grief is a fancy,' hardly agrees with the clear and minute recollections of persons of the highest character, still living, and who knew the circumstances thoroughly. The date of composition assigned, 1824, is probably (not certainly) correct; it was written at Lancaster, in a lady's album, and began:—
I would not live alway; no, no, holy man, Not a day, not an hour, should lengthen my span.'
In this shape it seems to have had six eight-line stanzas. The album was still extant in 1876, at Pottstown, Pa., and professed to contain the original manuscript. Said the owner's sister, ‘It was au impromptu. He had no copy, and, wanting it for some occasion, he sent for the album.' In 1826 he entrusted his copy to a friend, who called on him on the way from Harrisburg to Philadelphia, to carry to the Episcopal Recorder, and in that paper it appeared June 3, 1826 (not 1824). For these facts we have the detailed statement of Dr. John B. Clemson, of Claymont, Del., the Ambassador mentioned, who also chances to have preserved that volume of the paper. Thus appearing (without name) it was adopted by the sub-committee [of the Prayer Book Collection, 1826]. When their report was presented to the entire committee in 1826—-not 1829, as Dr. Mühlenberg had it—-'each of the hymns was passed upon. When this came up one of the members remarked that it was very sweet and pretty, but rather sentimental, upon which it was unanimously thrown out. Not suspected as the author, I voted against myself. That, I supposed, was the end of it.’ The committee, which sat until late at night at the house of Bishop White, agreed upon their report to the Convention, and adjourned. But the next morning Dr. Onderdonk (who was not one of their number, but who, on invitation, had acted with the sub-committee, which in fact consisted of him and myself), called on me to inquire what had been done. Upon my telling him that among the rejected hymns was this one of mine, he said, 'That will never do,' and went about among the members of the committee soliciting them to restore the hymn in their report, which accordingly they did; so that to him is due the credit of giving it to the Church.' As thus adopted it was a small and altered selection from the original lines, made by Dr. Onderdonk ‘with some revision' by the author. He was never satisfied with these texts, but revised the poem in 1859, and re¬wrote it in 1871….The authorship of this, as of many another popular lyric, has been disputed. The claim of Henry Ward, a printer of Lichfield, Conn., has been vehemently urged, and revived but a few years ago. Of course it is unsupported by adequate evidence. When Dr. Mühlenberg was asked to assure ‘some of his brethren, editors of Church papers,' of his paternity, his manly reply was, ‘If they thought I was capable of letting the work of another pass for so many years as my own, they would not be sure of anything I might say.'" --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907), pp. 774ff

5 facts, 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.

• 5 Facts about Down syndrome -- "October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, a time to both learn about the condition and celebrate those who have this disability."
• Brief History of the SBC Conservative Resurgence -- "The SBC was firmly controlled by moderates and some liberals."
• Calvinist Health Insurance Company Declares All Conditions Pre-Existing -- "A newly formed health insurance company owned by a group of devoted Calvinists announced that they will not cover any health condition..."
• How FBC Farmersville Does Pastor Job Descriptions -- "It bothers me when churches adopt job descriptions for jobs already described in the Bible when those job descriptions demonstrate less dependence upon those biblical materials than upon corporate leadership models."
• I don't think the words in Thessalonians 3:10 mean what you think they mean -- "What's important to under stand is working was secondary in this context..." (Not recommended as truth, but interesting)
• It’s a myth that we only use 10% of our brains – here’s why -- "...the “10% myth” may have since been perpetuated by one 10% figure that is true."
• Lefties now demanding statue of Sam Houston be removed from Houston Park -- "...a group that calls itself Texas Antifa has started a campaign to take down this and any other landmark that bears the name Sam Houston."
• Righting a Wrong -- "The story of Jephthah and his tragic vow is paralleled by other stories—including a New Testament story that subverts it."
• Survey shocker: music dead last, sermons first, as worship draws -- "Americans who attend church say the sermons – not the music – keep them coming back."
• The Dust and the Dunghill -- "In our society men judge a man’s “poverty” by how much money he has in the bank or whether he meets the government’s defined threshold."
• The Family: Together in God’s Presence -- "Parents have the responsibility to teach their children by their own example the meaning and value of worship."
• Why Are So Many Lesbians Getting Pregnant? -- "One’s sexual orientation is supposed to be locked in and unchangeable, like sex, race, or ethnicity. But high pregnancy rates among lesbians confound that narrative."
• Why Brain Scientists Are Still Obsessed With The Curious Case Of Phineas Gage -- "It took an explosion and 13 pounds of iron to usher in the modern era of neuroscience."

The Seven Noahide Laws

As I go through life, I find an old dog really can learn new tricks (or new things). Somehow I’ve made it nearly sixty years never hearing of “The Seven Noahide Laws.” I ran across the term several months ago. Bet some of you never heard of it either! (They are also called the Seven Laws of Noah or Seven Noachide Laws.)

According to Wikipedia (and the Jewish Virtual Library), “The seven Noahide laws as traditionally enumerated are the following:”

• Do not deny God.
• Do not blaspheme God.
• Do not murder.
• Do not engage in illicit sexual relations.
• Do not steal.
• Do not eat from a live animal.
• Establish courts/legal system to ensure obedience to the law.

The seven laws consist of six that are negative (don’t do this) and one that is positive (do this). These seven laws or commandments are “considered by rabbinic [Jewish] tradition as the minimal moral duties required by the Bible on all men” (the sons of Noah). They are held to be derived from “divine demands addressed to Adam and Noah...and are thus regarded as universal.”

Not trying to put anyone under law – Cf. Romans 6:14 – just passing along information that interests me.

An examination, 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.

• An Examination of the New King James Version -- "...Thomas Nelson initially proposed a mere language update of the Authorised Version (though this certainly was not the result, as shall become obvious)."
• Cf Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform 2005 edition with 1904 Greek Orthodox Bible -- "The following collation comparing the Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform 2005 edition and the Antoniades 1904/1912 Patriarchal edition was prepared electronically, with complete checking and verification by Maurice A. Robinson and Jussi Ala-Konni."
• Defendere Propitiationis -- "A liberal Christian culture is...endangering the central act of Christian redemption and compromising the perfections of God."
• Defending Substitution: a Resolution for the Southern Baptist Convention -- "We cannot say it too strongly: there is no salvation without full and final atonement for sin."
• Faith in America to Protest SBC 2017 -- "...Faith in America (FIA), a pro-LGBT advocacy group, plans to protest the 2017 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention being held next week in Phoenix, AZ."
• Farmer's Same-Sex Marriage Views Got Him Barred From Local Market -- "The married father of five told Fox News that his farm serves and employs members of the local LGBTQ community, but he nonetheless expressed his opposition to marriage equality twice on Facebook, once in August and again in December."
• KJV- The Impossibility of the Contrary -- "...the King James Version of the Bible can more consistently function as final authority for English speaking peoples in accordance with principles of presuppositional apologetics."
• Love in Romans -- "In the first eleven chapters of Romans, when the word the word love is used it is always talking about God loving people.  There is only one exception (in some English translations there are 2 exceptions). With no exceptions, in the last five chapters the word love always refers to people loving other people."
• The Pastor’s Personal Life: A Source of Power in the Pulpit -- "The day you lose your godliness is the day you lose your power in pastoral preaching."
• We tried the regional burger chain many people say is the best in America to see if it lives up to the hype -- "With more than 790 locations across 10 states, Whataburger is a Southern fast-food powerhouse."
• What about the New King James Version? -- "The NKJV makes thousands of unnecessary changes. There are an estimated 100,000 changes, averaging 80 per page."
• Why You Will Join the Wrong Church -- "But these assumptions reveal a deep and unthinking commitment to consumerism: only if the perks of membership outweigh its inconveniences will we think it’s worth it to stick it out."

A Good Conscience, by Philpot

“Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.” 1 Timothy 1:19

We find that, in the Apostle’s time, there were characters who held faith, or rather what they called faith, and put away “good conscience.” He mentions by name, “Hymeneus and Alexander, whom he had delivered unto Satan,” that is, excommunicated them out of the church, as heretics and blasphemers. But if to have put good conscience away, stamps a man as unfit for the visible Church of God, it behooves us to search whether we have this weapon at our side, and in our hand.

What does the Apostle, then, mean by “a good conscience?” I believe he means a conscience alive in God’s fear, a spiritual conscience, a tender conscience, what he calls, in another part, “a pure conscience;” “holding faith in a pure conscience,” that is, purified from ignorance, from guilt, from the power of sin, “a conscience void of offence toward God and men.” Wherever, then, there is living faith in the soul, there will be united with it “a good conscience.” The Lord never sends forth a soldier to fight his battles with the weapon of faith only; he puts faith in one hand and “a good conscience” in the other. And he that goes forth with what he thinks to be faith, and casts aside “a good conscience,” will manifest himself to be one of those characters, who, “concerning faith make shipwreck.”

But why is it called “a good conscience?” Because it comes down from God, who is the Author of all good, the Giver of “every good gift, and every perfect gift.” There is none good but he, and there is nothing good but what he himself implants and communicates. This weapon of a good conscience, that the Lord arms his soldiers with, works with faith, as well as proves the sincerity of faith, and tests its genuineness and reality. Faith, without a good conscience, is dead. It bears upon it the mark of nature, and however high it may rise in confidence, or however it may seem to abound in good works, it is not the faith of God’s elect, of which the end is the salvation of the soul.

But it may be asked, How does a good conscience work with faith? What is the connection between these two weapons, and how do they mutually support and strengthen each other? In this way. What faith believes, good conscience feels; what faith receives, good conscience holds; what faith embraces, good conscience rivets fast; when faith is weak, good conscience is feeble; and when faith is strong, good conscience is active. They grow and they wane together, and like two stems from one root together do they flourish and fade. He then alone wars the good warfare, who goes forth with faith in the one hand, and “good conscience” in the other; faith strengthening conscience, and conscience strengthening faith; each doing their separate office, but still tending to one end; each accomplishing the work which the Lord has appointed, and yet each fighting the Lord’s battles, and bringing the soldier safe and victorious over his enemy.

By J. C. Philpot

The Vincentian Canon

The so-called Vincentian Canon was formulated by Vincent of the monastery of Lérins in his Commonitorium (written circa AD 434, under the pseudonym Peregrinus) to “put down in writing the things which I have truthfully received from the holy Fathers.”[i] The Vincentian Canon, stated simplistically, asserts that proper Christian belief is that which has been believed everywhere, always, and by all.[ii]

Taken literally, there are obviously no Christian beliefs that have been believed everywhere, always, and by all. If so, can the Vincentian Canon be of any use whatsoever? I want to give three examples of how we might apply the Vincentian Canon.

1. Salvation by grace through faith is believed everywhere, always, and by all. Some may add other ideas to or with it, but they nevertheless hold salvation by grace through faith as basic. Should we not hold that which is universally agreed upon and discard the rest?

2. Believers’ baptism is believed everywhere, always, and by all. Some may accept infant baptism as well, but they nevertheless hold that believers’ baptism is true. Should we not hold that which is universally agreed upon and discard the rest?

3. Baptism by immersion is believed everywhere, always, and by all. Some also allow for sprinkling and pouring, but they nevertheless hold immersion as a true form of baptism. Should we not hold that which is universally agreed upon and discard the rest?

I am not a proponent of the Vincentian Canon, but wonder what it might look like if we apply it to some of our beliefs.[iii] In the end we default to Sola Scriptura – what the Scriptures agree upon – rather than the Vincentian Canon – what everybody everywhere always agrees upon. Were I earnestly trying to prove believers’ baptism, for example, I would make my argument from Scripture rather than what everyone is agreed upon.

---

[i] Commonitory: calling to mind, admonition

[ii] In Latin, quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est. Chapter 2.[6.] “Moreover, in the Catholic Church itself, all possible care must be taken, that we hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all. For that is truly and in the strictest sense Catholic, which, as the name itself and the reason of the thing declare, comprehends all universally. This rule we shall observe if we follow universality, antiquity, consent.” Look also HERE. This seems to be somewhat of a theory of the lowest common denominator for church practice.

[iii] What would the results of the Vincentian Canon look like if applied to historical dissenting anti-paedobaptist churches?

LORD, Lord and lord

Question: Why is the word Lord printed in different ways in the Bible? For example, Psalm 38:15 says, “For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.” The first appearance is in capitals and the second starts with a capital letter followed by small letters. What is the reason for this?

Answer: The passage in Psalm 38:15 uses two print styles, but the Bible actually distinguishes the English word “lord” in three different ways. Sometimes it is in “small caps” or all capital letters (Lord or LORD).[i] Sometimes only the first letter is capitalized (Lord). Sometimes all letters are lowercase (lord). Isaiah 19:4 is one verse that uses all three. “And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts.” [bold emphasis mine]

The first “lord” in Isaiah 19:4 is a translation of adon, as well as the second “Lord.” The all lowercase spelling “lord” is used of a human lord/master/ruler. “Lord” beginning with a capital letter denotes the use of adon or adonai in reference to God. The third use of “Lord” in Isaiah 19:4 is a translation of the Hebrew word YHWH/Yahweh/ JHVH/Jehovah. So in Psalm 38:15 we have, “For in thee, O Lord [JHVH], do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord [Adonai] my God [Elohim].”[ii] In Isaiah 19:4 we have “And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord [Adon] ; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord [Adon], the Lord [JHVH] of hosts.”

This original language name in Isaiah 19:4 can be illustrated with The Names of God Bible (© 2011 by Baker Publishing Group). It transliterates[iii] “the Lord, the Lord of hosts” as “Adonay Yahweh Tsebaoth.”

So the general rule of usage in the Old Testament is:

• lord (all lowercase) – a human master or ruler
• Lord (capital followed by lowercase) – the divine master or ruler, God
• Lord (small caps or uppercase) – God, translating his name Jehovah or Yahweh (or the shortened form Jah or Yah)

Disclaimer: This is a general rule, but there are exceptions to the rule.

History

The name “Tetragrammaton” (four letters) refers to the four Hebrew letters יהוה‎ name for God,[iv] now most commonly transliterated into Latin letters as YHWH. According to Jewish practice the Tetragrammaton was not pronounced but read aloud as Adonai or Elohim. This practice was transferred into translations of the Bible, and hence our English typography Lord was generally used to designate the Tetragrammaton, i.e. JHVH or Jehovah. There are a few exceptions that necessitated its use – in English (usually) as “Jehovah.”[v] The King James Bible has 4 such exceptions (Exodus 6:3, Psalm 83:18, Isaiah 12:2, and Isaiah 26:4).[vi]

Usage

According to The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon[vii] at Bible Study Tools, King James Bible word usage of YHWH totals 6519 – Lord 6510, God 4, JEHOVAH 4,[viii] variant 1.

According to The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon at Bible Study Tools, King James Bible word usage of Jah/Yah (a shortened form of YHWH/Jehovah) totals 49 – Lord 48, JAH 1.

According to The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon at Bible Study Tools, King James Bible word usage of adonai totals 434 – Lord 431, lord 2, God 1.

According to The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon at Bible Study Tools, King James Bible word usage of adon totals 335 – lord 197, master(s) 105, Lord 31, owner 1, sir 1.

New Testament

The common words in the New Testament are Lord for kurios (κυρίος) and God for theos (θεὸς).

I hope this helps, and I hope the small caps formatting turns out OK on the blog!

---

[i] This may vary according to the printer – especially for individuals – but the usual print style is what is called “small caps”. Small caps typography (small capitals) is short uppercase/capital letters designed to substitute for and blend with lowercase text. In the practice of spelling Lord in the Bible, this begins with one full uppercase or capital letter (L), followed by three “small caps” (ord). Printers unable to use small caps typography will use all capitals instead (LORD).

[ii] In the Old Testament when “God” is used, it is usually (though not always) a translation of the Hebrew word “Elohim.”

[iii] Transliterate: to change (letters, words, etc.) into corresponding characters of another alphabet or language.

[iv] Jod (י), He (ה), Vau (ו), He (ה) in the King James Bible – see Psalm 119 headings for the transliteration of the letters.

[v] It has been transferred into English as Jehovah, Yahweh, Yehowah, and various other ways.

[vi] Isaiah 26:4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord [JAH] JEHOVAH [YHWH] is everlasting strength:

[vii] The Hebrew lexicon is Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon.

[viii] Not counting the cases in Genesis 22:14, Exodus 17:15 and Judges 6:24.

The Johnson Amendment

About the Johnson Amendment - "Repealing the Johnson Amendment will have no impact upon what my church (or most churches) do. It is an empty gesture."

The so-called Johnson Amendment originated with Lyndon Johnson, as a senator. He believed that a tax-exempt foundation financially supported his opponent in a tough election. After he was elected, Johnson proposed an amendment to the bill which eventually became the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. That amendment provides that 501(c)(3) organizations may "not participate in, or intervene in ...any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office."

Title 26 U.S. Code § 2522 (a) 2 - Charitable and similar gifts:

(2) a corporation, or trust, or community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), including the encouragement of art and the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, which is not disqualified for tax exemption under section 501(c)(3) by reason of attempting to influence legislation, and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office;

HERE is an IRS bulletin opinion on it, from 2007:

There has been much said and written about the so-called Johnson Amendment, from the first time Donald Trump promised he would "destroy it". It generated a lot of talk and a lot of heat, but in the end Bart Barber is probably right. Nevertheless, I favor getting rid of the Johnson Amendment. Trump didn't quite do what he promised. Section 2 of his Presidential Executive Order Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty addresses it.

"Respecting Religious and Political Speech. All executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall, to the greatest extent practicable and to the extent permitted by law, respect and protect the freedom of persons and organizations to engage in religious and political speech. In particular, the Secretary of the Treasury shall ensure, to the extent permitted by law, that the Department of the Treasury does not take any adverse action against any individual, house of worship, or other religious organization on the basis that such individual or organization speaks or has spoken about moral or political issues from a religious perspective, where speech of similar character has, consistent with law, not ordinarily been treated as participation or intervention in a political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) a candidate for public office by the Department of the Treasury. As used in this section, the term "adverse action" means the imposition of any tax or tax penalty; the delay or denial of tax-exempt status; the disallowance of tax deductions for contributions made to entities exempted from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of title 26, United States Code; or any other action that makes unavailable or denies any tax deduction, exemption, credit, or benefit."

I have two thoughts about the government penalizing political speech in churches.

• Biblically, churches should not endorse candidates. We have a higher calling, and are to be partisans for the kingdom of heaven rather than political parties.
• Legally, it is a matter of freedom of speech and freedom of religion should be nobody's business whether or not a church does it. The government should butt out.

Before the Johnson amendment, churches were both free in their speech and tax exempt. It's not like the Johnson amendment first created the idea of tax exemption for churches. The decision should be an internal issue for churches, and the government should stay out of it. Political and religious speech is just the kind of speech the First Amendment is intended to protect, and the government has not been beckoned to intercede when the lines of political and religious speech are blurred. Let a church rather than the government determine who to endorse or whether to endorse. Let that church reap the benefits or suffer the consequences of its choice. 

It is amusing to me that many religiously-minded who are on the left politically rail against politics in the pulpit, while plastering it all over their social media.  On his blog of Pastor Wade Burleson of Emmanuel BC, Enid, Oklahoma cleverly captured the irony of it all: "In our day of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms, a pastor would have to be blind and deaf not to know the preferences and personal biases of church members, whether it be about politics, entertainment or religion." What he says regarding the pastor knowing the preferences and biases of the church members is also true of the church members knowing about the pastor's. While "carefully guarding" the pulpit from endorsing politicians, many are not all that careful otherwise!

Churches having their own voices independent from the government's oversight -- whether I like that voice or not, and whether or not they use it wisely -- is more important than the tax issue.

Linked below is a "middle view" on the Johnson Amendment: "We should limit political activity by churches—but not speech from the pulpit...repeal the Johnson Amendment with respect to things that cost no money, and leave it in place for the things that do."

Don't repeal the Johnson Amendment, fix it

Turn Your Radio On

“I wrote ‘Turn Your Radio On’ in 1937, and it was published in 1938. At this time radio was relatively new to the rural people, especially gospel music programs. I had become alert to the necessity of creating song titles, themes, and plots, and frequently people would call me and say, ‘Turn your radio on, Albert, they’re singing one of your songs on such-and-such a station.’ It finally dawned on me to use their quote, ‘Turn your radio on,’ as a theme for a religious originated song, and this was the beginning of ‘Turn Your Radio On’ as we know it.” – Albert E. Brumley

Transubstantiation: A Roman Miracle?

A pretty maid, a Protestant,

Was to a Papist wed;

To love all Bible truths and tales,

Quite early she’d been bred.

It sorely grieved her husband’s heart

That she would not comply

And join the Mother Church of Rome

And heretics deny.

So day by day he flattered her,

But still she saw no good

Would ever come from bowing down

To idols made of wood;

The mass, the host, the miracles,

Were made but to deceive;

And transubstantiation, too,

She’d never dare believe.

He went to see his clergyman

And told him his sad tale:

“My wife’s an unbeliever, sir,

You can, perhaps, prevail;

For all your Romish miracles

My wife has strong aversion,

To really work a miracle

May lead to her conversion.”

The priest went with the gentleman –

He thought to gain a prize.

He said, “I will convert her, sir,

And open both her eyes.”

So when they came into the house,

The husband loudly cried,

“The priest has come to dine with us!”

“He’s welcome,” she replied.

And when, at last, the meal was o’er,

The priest at once began

To teach his hostess all about

The sinful state of man;

The greatness of the Saviour’s love,

Which Christians can’t deny,

To give Himself a Sacrifice

And for their sins to die.

“I will return tomorrow, lass,

Prepare some bread and wine;

The sacramental miracle

Will stop your soul’s decline.”

“I'll bake the bread,” the lady said.

“You may,” he did reply,

“And when you’ve seen this miracle,

Convinced you’ll be, say I.”

The priest did come accordingly,

The bread and wine did bless.

The lady asked, “Sir, is it changed?”

The priest answered, “Yes;

It’s changed from common bread and wine

To truly flesh and blood;

I tell you, lass, this power of mine

Has changed it into God!”

So having blessed the bread and wine,

To eat they did prepare;

The lady said unto the priest,

“I warn you to take care,

For half an ounce of arsenic

Was mixed right in the batter,

But since you have its nature changed,

It cannot really matter.”

The priest anon was struck real dumb –

He looked as pale as death.

The bread and wine fell from his hands

And he did gasp for breath.

“Bring me my horse!” the priest cried,

“This is a cursed home!”

The dame replied, “Begone; ’tis you

Who shares the curse of Rome.”

The husband, too, he sat surprised,

And not a word did say.

At length he spoke, “My dear,” said he,

“The priest has run away;

To gulp such mummery and tripe,

I’m not, for sure, quite able;

I’ll go with you, and will renounce

This Roman Catholic Fable.”             

Author Unknown; The earliest incident I’ve found so far is in The United Empire Minstrel: a Selection of the Best National, Constitutional and Loyal Orange Songs and Poems, William Shannon, Toronto: Henry Lowsell, 1852, pp. 202-204

Hell

The Bible teaches that there is a hell. Here are some facts about hell.

Hell is a place. It is a real place (not just an illustration or allegory). Described as beneath as opposed to heaven above. Cf. Proverbs 15:24, Isaiah 14:9. It is a place of torment, punishment. Cf. Luke 16:23, 28. It is a place of eternal fire (Hell cast into the lake of fire). Cf. Matthew 25:41-46, Mark 9:43-45, Revelation 20:13-15. The torments of hell shows to us just how bad our sin is, if God be just. We are all guilty. God does not leave the guilty unpunished. The guilt is punished in Christ or in hell.

Hell follows death (for the unbeliever). There is no soul sleep, no limbo, no purgatory. Cf. Psalm 16:10, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 . Immediately after death the rich man was in hell, according to Luke 16.

Hell is loss. It is the loss of life, the loss of opportunity, the loss of all. Cf. Mark 8:36, Matthew 18:11. (In death the Christian gains, Philippians 1:21 .)

Hell demonstrates the need for the gospel message. Because of the reality of sin, death and hell, we need a real answer. The gospel is the answer. Cf. 2 Timothy 1:10. Hell (along with the love of Christ) should motivate us to preach the gospel.

Hell shows us how bad the cross was. Jesus suffered hell for his people on the cross. God set forth Jesus as a sacrifice to atone for sins, to declare his righteousness and his justice. Cf. Romans 3:25-26.

Hell points us to the greatness of God’s grace and the power of the resurrection. Jesus died for our sins and rose again for our justification (Romans 4:25). He owns the keys of death and hell (Revelation 1:18). The way to heaven is open. Jesus Christ is the way (John 14:6).

The sad irony of it all

It's best not to let your girlfriend call when you're on date night with your wife. Police say a McKinney (Texas) peace officer stabbed his wife in the stomach during date night. At one point in the evening, the husband received a text message from an unfamiliar number, and his wife called the number. A woman answered "Hey, babe" and then hung up when confronted about it.

What a Day That Will Be

1. There is coming a day, When no heartaches shall come,
No more clouds in the sky No more tears to dim the eye;
All is peace forever more On that happy golden shore:
What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus: What a day that will be, When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face, The One who saved my by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand, And leads me through the Promised Land:
What a day, glorious day that will be.

2. There'll be no sorrow there, No more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no pain, No more parting over there;
And forever I will be, With the One who died for me:
What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus:

What a Day That Will Be, Jim Hill, 1965

Two spiritual truths

Two spiritual truths and their consequence:

There is a God.
You are not Him.
Trust Him.

The song that you sing, and other music 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 if possible.)

"The song that you sing does you the most good." -- Frank Stamps

"Where words leave off, music begins." -- Heinrich Heine

"It is not sufficient to offer the empty vessel of our joy unto God, or our singing voice in musical tune only; but also it is required that we fill our joyful voice with holy matter and good purpose, whereby God only may be reasonably praised." -- David Dickson

"Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies." -- Edward Bulwer-Lytton

"A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence." -- Leopold Stokowski

"There is a sound that comes from gospel music that doesn't come from anything else. It is a sound of peace. It is a sound of, 'I'm going to make it through all of this." -- Yolanda Adams

"I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music." -- Johann Sebastian Bach

"Without music, life would be a blank to me." -- Jane Austen

"If music be the food of love, play on." -- William Shakespeare

"Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us." -- Martin Luther

"Music is the shorthand of emotion." -- Leo Tolstoy

"The music of the Gospel leads us home." -- Frederick W. Faber

"If you cannot teach me to fly, teach me to sing." -- From Peter Pan

Worshipping God Together, and other music links

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

• Worshipping God Together Through Song -- "One of the greatest privileges we have as a congregation is to praise God together in song."
• “There Are More Singings Now Than Ever Before”: Hugh McGraw Addresses the Harpeth Valley Singers -- "However, the old tradition is still carried on just like our grandfathers carried it on before us, and I don’t think that will ever change."
• The Story of the Speer Ladies -- "Lena Brock Speer was never known as anything less than the foremost matron of gospel music.  To all of her fans and peers, she was simply “Mom”."
• Sisters In Song; Women Hymn Writers by Leslie Clay -- Google Book online
• Rosa Nell Speer Powell Passes Away -- "Rosa Nell was known for her excellence in convention-style piano playing, and played weekly at the First Church of the Nazarene in Decherd, Tennessee, until shortly before her death."
• Praise in the Congregation -- "True praise can only and ever be found as it is first given to men as a token of the presence of HIS SPIRIT.  Only the SPIRIT of GOD can cause men to render true praise."
• Obituary for Hugh Winfred McGraw -- "There wasn't a Sacred Harp singing he didn't enjoy traveling to and made it a priority to always be attending one!"
• In the Footsteps of Lee Andrew McGraw -- "Lee was an active singer and leader by the early 1900s."
• How Should We Sing -- "In my own opinion, a strong case can indeed be built for not using musical instruments in the assembly of the saints...Yet..."
• Gospel Gothic radio show -- "Gospel Gothic explores faith through the themes of Americana music. Listen is as we talk about sin, grace, and redemption as we intertwine religion and Americana."
• Cana’s Voice Takes Center Stage at National Day of Prayer Dinner -- "StowTown Records’ fast-rising powerhouse  group was honored to sing during a special performance May 2, as the featured musical act  for The National Day of Prayer Dinner at the Reagan Building in Washington D.C."
• An American in Paris: Sacred Harp France 2017 -- "When counting on fingers, French and Americans differ. Where an American would hold up index-middle-ring fingers for 1-2-3, the French extend thumb-index-middle fingers."