Agoraphobia

agoraphobia - noun: a fear of being in public places, open spaces, or in crowds.

Great wisdom, power and grace

How great the wisdom, power and grace,
Which in redemption shine!
The heavenly host with joy confess
The work is all divine.

Before His feet they cast their crowns,
Those crowns which Jesus gave,
And, with ten thousand tongues,
Proclaim His power to save.

They tell the triumphs of His cross,
The sufferings which He bore;
How low He stooped, how high He rose,
And rose to stoop no more.

With them let us our voices raise,
And still the song renew;
Salvation well deserves the praise
Of men, and angels, too.

Benjamin Beddome (1717-1795)
Published posthumously in Hymns Adapted to Public Worship, 1817

Missing 3 years

Shirley Hunt has been missing three years. We appreciate all the thoughts, prayers and help of everyone during this period. The Lord knows what happened; we hope someday we will know.

Around the Web

"...some 'conservative' pundits supporting the repeal of the ban on gays in the military [are]...they're smarter than the Creator...Those of us who believe that God created male and female and that sex outside marriage – adultery, fornication, and homosexuality – is wrong and harmful, are just not being intelligent." -- Smarter than God, commentary by Robert Knight

"Either the government knows how to stop the oil spill or they don't. If they know how to stop it, then why have they let thousands of barrels of oil per day keep gushing out...If they don't know, then what is all this political grandstanding about keeping their boot on the neck of BP..." -- Oil and Snake Oil, commentary by Thomas Sowell

Careful whom you ask about the Obama agenda: North Carolina Representative Bob Etheridge goes "postal" and sings The Who's "Who Are You" tune

[Add on: "Over one hundred thousand South Carolina voters put a vote in Alvin Greene's column without so much as hearing a peep from the man. That is the cold, hard, disturbing truth of the matter...
...
Like the idea of a Congressman not actually reading a bill before voting upon it." -- The 'Name Game' in South Carolina by Kay Daly]

Occam's razor

Occam's razor or Ockham's razor. noun: The maxim that the simplest of explanations is more likely to be correct.

[After William of Ockham (c. 1288-1348), a logician and theologian, who is credited with the idea.]

From Word-A-Day: Ockham's razor states that "entities should not be multiplied needlessly". It's also called the principle of parsimony. It's the idea that other things being equal, among two theories the simpler one is preferable. Why razor? Because Ockham's razor shaves away unnecessary assumptions. Ockham's razor has applications in fields as diverse as medicine, religion, crime, and literature. Medical students are told, for example, "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras."

David's fall

David's fall, 2 Samuel 11:27

How David, when by sin deceived,
From bad to worse went on!
For when the Holy Spirit's grieved,
Our strength and guard are gone.

His eye on Bathsheba once fixed,
With poison filled his soul;
He ventured on adultery next,
And murder crowned the whole.

So from a spark of fire at first,
That has not been descried;
A dreadful flame has often burst,
And ravaged far and wide.

When sin deceives it hardens too,
For though he vainly fought
To hide his crimes from public view,
Of God he little thought.

He neither would, or could repent,
No true compunction felt;
'Till God in mercy Nathan sent,
His stubborn heart to melt.

The parable held forth a fact,
Designed his case to show;
But though the picture was exact,
Himself he did not know.

"Thou art the man," the prophet said,
That word his slumber broke;
And when he owned his sin, and prayed,
The Lord forgiveness spoke.

Let those who think they stand, beware,
For David stood before;
Nor let the fallen soul despair,
For mercy can restore.

John Newton (1725-1807)
Olney Hymns, 1779

Separate Baptist book

Found the following book online at Google books. It might prove interesting to folks interested in Baptist history. History of the Separate Baptist Church: with a narrative of other denominations, Morgan Scott, Indianapolis, IN: Hollenbeck Press, 1901.

I am presently reading W.H. Whitsitt: The Man and the Controversy, by James H. Slatton. I will hope to get together a little review of it in the near future, Lord willing. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Baptist history, Baptist controversy, Landmarkism and/or the origins of Baptists. I think Landmarkers and anti-landmarkers alike will be surprised at some of the things revealed in it. Slatton used letters and a diary of Whitsitt, which were previously unavailable to researchers.

Baptist quotes

"You tried and troubled saints, remember your God knows your weakness and your needs, and has promised that His grace will be sufficient at all times. Let us give Him all the praise." -— C. W. Bond, Island City, Oregon

"I learned as a young man, that there was never anything so pressing that it could not wait until all the saints were brought to agreement." -- Stanley Phillips, Quitman, Mississippi

"Wherever there are three or more baptized members of a regular Baptist church or churches covenanted together to hold and teach, and are governed by the New Testament, there is a Church of Christ." -- J. R. Graves

"We [Baptists] make in our Sabbath service almost every thing of the head, and leave little for the heart. The sermon is not only the main thing, but in the view of most, about the only thing for which to go to the house of God. The singing and reading and praying, are a kind of scaffolding built around the sermon. We hire a man to preach for us,—-to do our praying and reading in the church; and a choir to do our singing, and what is left for us but to be mere recipients or critics?

"The sermon is for the intellect; the singing is for the taste, and what is there for the heart? Where is the worship?" -- Samuel Graves, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1873

Preaching quote

"The whole concept of 'preaching' as necessarily involving taking a particular text and then developing it for a half hour or more is more a learned activity than one which is directed by NT example." -- Mike McInnis

The Unnamed Women

An excerpt from "The Unnamed Women":

The hand that might have drawn aside
The veil, which from unloving sight
Those shrinking forms avails to hide,
With tender care has wrapped it tight.

He would not have the sullied name
Once fondly spoken in a home,
A mark for strangers' righteous blame,
Branded through every age to come.

And thus we only speak of them
As those on whom His mercies meet --
"She whom the Lord would not condemn,"
And "She who bathed with tears His feet"

Thy guilt and shame on Him must lie;
Then search the past thy guilt to see,
Instead, this sight shall meet thine eye,—
Thy Saviour on the cross for thee!

"The Unnamed Women", Elizabeth Rundle Charles, in Songs Old and New (1887), pp. 46-52

The traditional month of marriage

...not so traditional now.

Taking time away from solving the financial and oil spill crises, President Barack Obama declared June 2010 as National Prostitute, Adulterer, Pedophile and Polygamist month, calling it an important chapter in the movement for fairness and equality on behalf of the prostitute, adulterer, pedophile and polygamist (PAPP) community. PAPP Americans have enriched and strengthened the fabric of our national life. From business leaders and professors to athletes and first responders, PAPP individuals have achieved success and prominence in every discipline. They are our mothers and fathers, our sons and daughters, and our friends and neighbors.

Wait. Where did this news feed come from? Oops; Sorry about that. It is a different group of personal sexual choices -- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender -- that the President is recognizing this month.

Sin does not cease to be sin just because a President declares it to be so. Furthermore, "...all sexual behavior – married heterosexual conduct, adulterous heterosexuality, bestiality, necrophilia, homosexuality, pedophilia, coprophilia, polyamory...is chosen behavior...It has nothing to do with unalterable, unchangeable, immutable characteristics...A person's natural state is that of male or female. From there, people choose what kind of sexual behavior, if any, to participate in." (Peter Heck)

Wake up, America!

Psalm 81:16

Ps. 81:16

"Be true to truth, but not turbulent and scornful. Restore such as are fallen; help them up again with all the bowels of Christ. Set the broken disjointed bones with the grace of the gospel. Confident Christian! Despise not weak saints; you may come to wish to be in the condition of the most despised of them. Be faithful to others’ infirmities, but realizing especially your own. Visit sick beds and deserted souls much; they are excellent scholars in experience." -- Excerpt from Honey out of The Rock by Thomas Willcox

Can a pedobaptist church be a valid church?

Bart Barber: "Can a pedobaptist church be a valid New Testament church? To that I would say, eventually not. I conclude from Christ's admonition to the Ephesian church in Revelation 2 that there is a probationary warning period during which a church is sinning in ways that disqualify it from being a church, but during which Christ patiently calls the church to repentance and awaits their obedience before actually 'removing their lampstand' so to speak. I conclude this from the fact that the Ephesian church itself was already guilty, but Christ had not yet removed their lampstand (but was merely warning that He would surely do so soon if they would not repent).

"Pedobaptist churches are in sin against God. They are in sin that disqualifies them from being a valid church. Has Christ yet executed judgment against them, or are they in His probationary period? I don't know how to answer that question. I suspect that hundreds of years is long enough."

From comments on Bart's blog post "Baptist Identity" Influences in My Life

People and politicians

Received in e-mail, original source unknown:
One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, "I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The florist was pleased and left the shop. When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a Thank You card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a policeman comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, "I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing community service this week." The policeman was happy and left the shop. The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a Thank You card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Then a Congressman came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, "I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week." The Congressman was very happy and left the shop. The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut.

That illustrates one of the fundamental differences between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.

College for all

As you finish high school and get ready for college:

"The notion that a four-year degree is essential for real success is being challenged by a growing number of economists, policy analysts and academics. They say more Americans should consider other options such as technical training or two-year schools, which have been embraced in Europe for decades.

"As evidence, experts cite rising student debt, stagnant graduation rates and a struggling job market flooded with overqualified degree-holders. They pose a fundamental question: Do too many students go to college?" -- From College for all? Experts say not necessarily by Alan Scher Zagier

Big singing near

May 29 and 30 (d.v.), the spring session of the 110th Annual Southwest Texas Convention will be held at the Bethel Primitive Baptist Church's meeting house, on FM 713, McMahan, Texas. McMahan is a community located between Bastrop and Luling, and east of Lockhart. Click on the link for more info. The Cooper (blue book) will be used.

Flesh and spirit

HYMN 143, C. M.
Flesh and spirit.

What diff'rent powers of grace and sin
Attend our mortal state
I hate the thoughts that work within,
And do the works I hate.

Now I complain, and groan, and die,
While sin and Satan reign;
Now raise my songs of triumph high,
For grace prevails again.

So darkness struggles with the light
Till perfect day arise;
Water and fire maintain the fight,
Until the weaker dies.

Thus will the flesh and spirit strive,
And vex and break my peace;
But I shall quit this mortal life,
And sin for ever cease.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book II, 1707

Locum

locum. noun: A person filling in for another, especially for a doctor or clergyman. From Latin locum tenens (holding the place)

Beauty of creation

Sometimes in this busy world we don't take the time to slow down and breathe in the beauty of God's creation. Last night about 9:30 p.m. I went outside at my Mother's house. Her house sits on a hill, and to the south is a creek bottom. The night was dark but a dim light from a hazy quarter moon. Looking down the hill to the south gave something of the impression of a bowl or maybe a amphitheatre. The trees made a sort of semi-circle around an open bit of field, and I could vaguely make them out. Against this backdrop God had dozens of his little lightning bugs turning their lights on and off. The scene made it appear they were in the trees, but I really couldn't tell. A light went on and off here and there, then seemed almost electric at times when dozens would light up almost simultaneously.

What we call lightning bugs are lampyridae, known to many as fireflies. This one little bit of God's creation alone makes us stand in awe. The mathematical impossibilities of just this one creature evolving are mind boggling. And it is just one.

The book of creation

The book of creation.

The book of nature open lies,
With much instruction stored;
But till the Lord anoints our eyes
We cannot read a word.

Philosophers have pored in vain,
And guessed, from age to age;
For reason's eye could ne'er attain
To understand a page.

Though to each star they give a name,
Its size and motions teach;
The truths which all the stars proclaim,
Their wisdom cannot reach.

With skill to measure earth and sea;
And weigh the subtle air;
They cannot, LORD, discover thee
Though present everywhere.

The knowledge of the saints excels
The wisdom of the schools;
To them his secrets God reveals,
Though men account them fools.

To them the sun and stars on high,
The flow'rs that paint the field,
And all the artless birds that fly,
Divine instruction yield.

The creatures on their senses press,
As witnesses to prove
Their Savior's pow'r, and faithfulness,
His providence and love.

Thus may we study nature's book
To make us wise indeed!
And pity those who only look
At what they cannot read.

John Newton (1725-1807)
Olney Hymns, 1779