Dear Bro. George,
The exhortation “Distraction” [June issue], by Bro. Michael Atkin, is a good one.
However, I have one problem with it. The question is asked, “What strategy would an adversary use to test our dedication to the things of the Truth?” And part of the answer offered is: “Encourage mothers to rush around to sports activities, music lessons and such like.”
I understand the point Bro. Michael is trying to get across, but music lessons should not have been classed as a distraction. I wrote to the Tidings some months ago about the necessity of learning music for the benefit of our ecclesias. The future of our singing will be in jeopardy if the children are not taught music now. As I asked, who will be there to play an instrument if the young people are not encouraged to learn music? You cannot just hum along and expect God to be pleased.
God’s name must be glorified; we are taught this in many verses in the Psalms and elsewhere. Musical instruments were used almost 100 percent of the time when singing to Almighty God.
Those who disagree should ask themselves this simple question: Where would all the wonderful choirs and CDs come from if there were no musicians?
Love in our Lord,
Bro. Tim Drepaul (Brooklyn, NY)
Dear Bro. Tim,
You have raised a good point. But I think the proper answer is to be found in balance and moderation.
Just before the last sentence you cite, Bro. Michael had said the following: “Keep them busy with hundreds of details of daily living.” And just after that same sentence, he had said: “With their schedules full of activity, their homes will become frantic…”
Bro. Michael was not condemning — not even discouraging — music lessons, any more than sports activities. Nor was he condemning or discouraging — as such — radio, television, crafts, magazines, or newspapers.
But he was warning against getting caught up in such a whirlwind of activities that all time for Bible reading and study, and for family-centered and ecclesia-based social activities, may be sacrificed. And that simply cannot be good — whether the all-consuming distraction be music or sports or movies or games, or even otherwise very worthwhile academic or business pursuits.
Even the study of music, well meaning as it might be, can become a “distraction” from a spiritual life if — like a black hole — it swallows up much of the time that could be devoted to other beneficial pursuits and activities.
America the Beautiful
Dear Bro. Booker,
Thank you for the thought-provoking editorial for the July edition. As a Canadian, I have always had a slight distaste for Miss Bates’ poem America the Beautiful… because the poem attributes to the United States something only God’s Kingdom of Israel has a right to declare, and something we as Christadelphians should be very careful about. God has never shed grace on a nation, only on individuals. The exception being of course the people of Israel. And America is and never has been like Israel…
Your points about respecting authorities as divinely ordained is entirely correct and appropriate, unless the law contravenes a commandment of Christ…
Indeed, the poem perpetuates a myth… The United States has perpetuated a myth of its uniqueness as a “city on a hill” that all the huddled masses strive to enter, when in fact only a portion of the “masses” sought its shores. And anyway, most didn’t emigrate to the US for freedom of religion, but economic prosperity, the religious dissidents of England notwithstanding.
Bro. Glenn Lea
Berlin, Germany (Esslingen Ecclesia)
Dear Bro. Glenn,
I would take mild exception to the statement “God has never shed grace on a nation” — excepting, as you say, the people of Israel. In the general sense of the word, God has indeed bestowed “grace” (gifts, blessings) on all of mankind — “the evil and the good… the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt. 5:45). Furthermore, God has sent special blessings upon peoples (presumably nations as well as individuals) who particularly “bless” Abraham and his seed (Gen. 12:1-3).
Now, such “grace” or “blessings” as are described here do not translate directly into eternal life. And that may be your main point. Still, it is a well-recognized and well-acknowledged idea that those nations that have bestowed “blessings” upon Israel have themselves been “blessed” by God. This has been true of the British Empire, and it has also been true of the United States of America. Politically speaking, there would not be a nation of Israel today had it not been for the financial and military support of the United States.
Of course, other nations have played a part in this same drama — by helping the people and the nation of Israel — including your own homeland of Canada. This leads me to the second point to which I might, again, take mild exception: I see no evidence that “the United States has perpetuated a myth of its uniqueness as a ‘city on a hill’.” Other nations have also sought to uphold the ideals of freedom of religion, and freedom of opportunity, and — to the extent they have succeeded — they have also been a blessing to others and to themselves.
And I will freely admit, as I did in the editorial, that America has never been “a perfect light” — what, in this world, is perfect? Still, beautiful sentiments — even when very imperfectly carried out, as in our nation’s history — may nevertheless inspire us, who truly believe, to the higher ideals… just as the imperfect types of the Old Testament (men like Jacob, or Samson, or Solomon) may point to the perfect antitype, the Lord Jesus Christ.
George
And again… Dear Bro. George,
I just want to thank you for your outstanding editoral “America the Beautiful”. I happen to be a Christadelphian who loves her country in spite of the fact that we are not perfect. You did an excellent job of using Miss Bates’ poem and weaving in the spiritual applications for us. For most of us patriotism is an instinctive emotion and we can use this special feeling to be thankful for all our blessings and be “value-added” citizens in every way we can. Nations in scripture come under special blessings or cursings according to their deportment, and we are even told about many of the nations that will reappear or survive to the kingdom age. Thus we see that nations are of much concern to the Lord. Thanks for this needed input.
Love to you and Barbara,
Sis. Ellen Styles (Ann Arbor, MI)
And finally… Dear Bro. George,
I was moved by your editorial on the poem and song, America The Beautiful, to look up another poem, written by Bro. William Tunstall of the Worcester, MA, Ecclesia, that paraphrased it. It was sung to the same tune at each opening session of Wilbraham Bible School from 1947 until the school relocated to another location (it is now known as the Eastern Christadelphian Bible School). This song reminds me of how we are in this world, but not of it, but are aliens and exiles in our country. While we should be grateful for all the bounty that our God showers upon us, we can be even more thankful that we have been given an opportunity to obtain citizenship in the true Land of Promise.
We’ve come again to Wilbraham To seek God’s holy ways, Where kindred spirits fellowship In thankful prayer and praise. We’ve come again to Bible school, Away from sin and care, To find refreshing holiness In smiles we’re meeting there.
We’ve come again to Wilbraham, Where shady trees and lawns Conspire to bring tranquility To evenings and to dawns. We’ve come again to Wilbraham Our faith and hope to share, And finding love preeminent, Meet angels unaware.
Chorus:
Oh Wilbraham, oh Bible school,
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood,
Till Christ shall come for thee!
The Bible school committee wrote in the first Wilbraham Wayfarer Souvenir Issue: “During eight days we were separated from the world, in the pleasant company of those of like precious faith, under conditions which reminded us of God’s promise of joy and peace…”
The committee also wrote that “faithful ones” will “attain to permanent membership in Christ’s Household: citizens, [yes, even] kings and priests, in God’s Kingdom on earth.”
Your sister in Christ,
Melinda Flatley (Columbus, Ohio)
Bruce Metzger
Dear Bro. George,
I was struck by your acknowledgement of the accomplishments of Bruce Metzger under “Current Events” in the June issue. Like you, I find his scholarly work on the New Testament text helpful. I am also drawn to him because he was born and educated in the Lancaster County (PA) area, and built his early library using many of the same sources that I have found beneficial over the years, particularly “a secondhand bookshop located in the countryside of Lancaster County near the village of Blue Ball”.
Dr. Metzger will always be associated with Bible translation, having been involved with the publication of the Revised Standard Version (RSV) and, as you mentioned, the general editor of the NRSV. While some may disagree with the principles that guided the translators as they worked on these revisions, I share an example of their work, made necessary by changes in language over time.
2 Corinthians 11 contains a list of the persecutions Paul suffered as a result of his apostleship. Paul tells us (v. 25), “Once I was stoned.” (!) Under Dr. Metzger’s editorship this was revised to read, “Once I received a stoning.”
Thanks for your article.
Bro. Ken Wubbels (Lancaster, PA)
Simon and the cross
Dear Bro. Wesley (Booker),
Thank you for your July article [“Unlikely Conversions: Simon of Cyrene”].
You seem to suggest that Simon carried the cross alone during the final stage of the journey. This interpretation is consistent with the first three gospel records:
- “As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross” (Matt. 27:32).
- “A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross” (Mark 15:21).
- “As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus” (Luke 23:26).
But John’s record is different: “And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha” (John 19:17).
This seems to imply that the Lord carried the cross the entire distance. May I suggest this version of the events, consistent with all four accounts:
Jesus carried the cross, unassisted for the first part of the journey. For the concluding portion, Simon picked up the back end of the cross, helping the Master after his diminished strength became, as you suggest, no longer sufficient for the task.
This adds fresh significance to the exhortation: “If any man would come after me (‘behind me’ from the previous verse), let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24).
We are each urged to make Christ’s cross our own, to take up the back end, with the king still bearing the major share of the weight.
Quite a different picture from that of a procession of individuals each carrying a cross themselves, unaided by the Savior.
God be with you.
Your brother in Christ, Philip Jones (Calgary, AB)
Dear Bro. Philip,
Thanks for your thoughts, and — yes — they seem very reasonable… and exhortational as well.
Wesley
Preaching from a County Jail
In the past two months Thomas Reed began to write to me from the Orange County Jail. He found a copy of Exploring the Bible and did it right away, as much as he could. However, he had found a defective book. The pages for Lesson #15 and #16 were double printed so he could not do those lessons; it is no wonder someone discarded the book. Thomas went through and finished the whole book, except for those lessons. I sent him a new book and he was able to finish the course. All the while he was writing Bible-based poetry and sending it to me. I found he had much of his old belief in his poetry so I would type it up and send it back for him to change it. He did too. Now he has asked to read What the Bible Teaches, by Harry Tennant. I explained to him that I would be delighted to send it to him, but it first had to be approved by Deputy Guerrero in the Orange County Jail system. I emailed Deputy Guerrero and he replied that, if the book meets their standards, then it is okay. He was happy to hear that Thomas was responding to the study. This week I will be mailing What the Bible Teaches to Thomas.
Now I want to share with you a part of Thomas Reed’s last letter:
“What does Psalm 118:24 tell us? ‘This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.’ For the past couple of weeks every day I wake up, I sing that in my head 10 times. Then I sing, ‘Lord I lift your name on high’, and it just keeps going. My days become very beautiful and challenging. Why challenging? I challenge anyone here to show me in their Bible that there is a ‘Devil’ or ‘Satan’ that is not just a mere mortal or an angel doing God’s will.
“I start by saying: ‘Remember when you were five or six years old and you found out that there really wasn’t a Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy? Your parents or older siblings decided it was time for you to learn the truth. Well, now I’m telling you there is no supernatural being that makes us or tempts anyone to sin. If you can prove to me — from the scriptures — that I’m wrong, I will do 500 push-ups “on-call” (that means whenever they want them – no more than 25 at a time). You have 72 hours.’
“I now have society’s so called ‘Bad Guys’ trying to prove God’s word wrong. A month ago I would have taken that bet!
“What’s wrong with this world is people’s pride and reluctance to let someone else — that is, God — take control of their lives. I’m turning their arrogance against them to their ‘unknowing’ advantage. As they search the scriptures, they are getting closer to God. I firmly believe that any rational human being that truly reads and absorbs the scriptures cannot deny that Christ is the Son of the One and only God.
“Once they give up on this bogeyman ‘Devil/Satan’ thing, then I will have them dig deeper and show me where it says that we go to heaven when we die. Same bet!”
This inmate is amazing. He is still in the county jail and has been sentenced to six years, but I don’t know where they will send him yet. He is using his time wisely now to learn more of God.
Love in Christ,
Sis. Marilyn Seagoe (San Francisco Peninsula, CA)
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One