Sun 21st Jan
Sunday I did so well with my sabbath off the computer that I did not even check on the cricket score. I was not at my wide awake best in church but we had special visitors there and to lunch, missionary members who work in a very hard field. It was a joy to have them and their four well behaved children who are a credit to their parents and a good advert for home schooling. Great time over our tandoori chicken lunch with conversation ranging far and wide but especially on Islam and mission, race and politics.
Mon 22 Jan
My dental extractions at Ealing Hospital proved worse in anticipation than actuality. There in 30 minutes by bus. Seen 15 minutes late for half an hour to extract three teeth or parts of three on the right of the mouth. One left to do on the left I will not now have such dread over especially if I have the same dentist next time. Young, female and efficient. The only pain was the local anaesthetic being injected. Extractions accomplished with stitches to stop bleeding. Home within three hours of leaving. Cooking sausage and been casserole now in the slow cooker for dinner.
Tues 23 Jan
Excellent Ealing Lunchtime Talk by Gethin Jones, his second in his series of the Bible in 80 minutes. Today, Gen 2-3, The Fall. Cooked park casserole which is enhanced by apple cooked therein.
Wed 24 Jan
A most enjoyable pastoral visit of two and a half hours with our elderly Kenyan member. He has a masters in linguistics and would like to borrow my academic papers from the Yorkshire Dialect Society.
Blessed in house group on 1 Sam 9-10. Tried not to be led down bypath meadow by donkeys.
Thur 25 Jan
Hand held scanner arrived and once again a product without a manual in box or online. Arranged contract to have two new windows replacing the only ones not double glazed. Cooked spaghetti carbonara. Evening at the Drayton Court. Burns Night with six different whiskys and four matching cheeses.
Fri 26 Jan
I honestly report this has been the morning after the night before, unusual for me. Ealing Hospital Eye OPD. With travel over three and a half hours. All is as before. No change for better or worse which is what I expected.
Drayton High School PTA quiz. We had two tables from our church. About 100 parents, students and friends. Out table was last but one in the scores. Credit to the quiz masters for being original and with rounds the students would be better at than we oldies. But two rounds on pop music was too much. My general criticism of quizzes, local or in the media.is the they are wholly secular and dominated by popular culture. I want literature questions that do not concentrate on modernity, cinema, music that is from before the 1970s, pop or classical, history, geography, politics etc.
Sat 27 Jun
Katy drove me to The Evangelical Library, Bounds Green for my first day of volunteering since September last. She insists I do not drive at present. In the evening it was walk, tube and bus home to see the end of the amazing Newport County 1 Spurs 1. Will I get a ticket for the replay at Wembley?
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Donkeys
140 verses in ESV. 1Sam 9-10 started me thinking.
1 Samuel 9:3 - Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.”
1 Samuel 9:5 - When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us.”
1 Samuel 9:20 - As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?”
1 Samuel 10:2 - When you depart from me today, you will meet two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now your father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’
1 Samuel 10:14 - Saul's uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To seek the donkeys. And when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”
1 Samuel 10:16 - And Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him anything.
All we like donkeys have gone astray? Yes but there are significant donkeys to be found. (Pun?)
Of Ishmael, Genesis 16:12 - He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”
then
Gen 49;14 Issachar is a strong donkey,
crouching between the sheepfolds.
15 He saw that a resting place was good,
and that the land was pleasant,
so he bowed his shoulder to bear,
and became a servant at forced labour.
The most famous early donkey -
Numbers 22:21 - So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
Numbers 22:22 - But God's anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him.
Numbers 22:23 - And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road.
Numbers 22:25 - And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he struck her again.
Numbers 22:27 - When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
Numbers 22:28 - Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
Numbers 22:29 - And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.”
Numbers 22:30 - And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”
Numbers 22:32 - And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkeythese three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me.
Numbers 22:33 - The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.”
Then Samson
Judges 15:15 - And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men.
Judges 15:16 - And Samson said,“With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey have I struck down a thousand men.”
Which has lead to
1 Samuel 9:3 - Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.”
1 Samuel 9:5 - When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us.”
1 Samuel 9:20 - As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?”
1 Samuel 10:2 - When you depart from me today, you will meet two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now your father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’
1 Samuel 10:14 - Saul's uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To seek the donkeys. And when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”
1 Samuel 10:16 - And Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him anything.
All we like donkeys have gone astray? Yes but there are significant donkeys to be found. (Pun?)
Of Ishmael, Genesis 16:12 - He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”
then
Gen 49;14 Issachar is a strong donkey,
crouching between the sheepfolds.
15 He saw that a resting place was good,
and that the land was pleasant,
so he bowed his shoulder to bear,
and became a servant at forced labour.
The most famous early donkey -
Numbers 22:21 - So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
Numbers 22:22 - But God's anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him.
Numbers 22:23 - And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road.
Numbers 22:25 - And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he struck her again.
Numbers 22:27 - When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
Numbers 22:28 - Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
Numbers 22:29 - And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.”
Numbers 22:30 - And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”
Numbers 22:32 - And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkeythese three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me.
Numbers 22:33 - The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.”
Then Samson
Judges 15:15 - And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men.
Judges 15:16 - And Samson said,“With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey have I struck down a thousand men.”
Which has lead to
The 1836 edition of a classic joke book titled “Joe Miller’s Jests with Copious Additions” included an instance of the tale in which the “jawbone of an ass” referred to the jawbone of a boastful individual: 2A young fellow, not quite so wise as Solomon, eating some Cheshire cheese full of mites, one night at the tavern: Now, said he, have I done as much as Sampson, for I have slain my thousands and my ten thousands. Yes, answered one of the company, and with the same weapon too, the jawbone of an ass.
and HENRY WATTERSON ON OSCAR WILDE
One night Oscar Wilde was in Washington, and there were many senators and congressmen present. The long-haired aesthetic was delivering himself of an eloquent tirade against the invasion of the sacred domain of art by the meaner herd of trades-people and miscellaneous nobodies, and finally, rising to an Alpine height of scorn exclaimed:“Ay, all of you here are Philistines—mere Philistines!”
“What does Oscar call us?” asked Henry Watterson of John Sherman, who sat in front.
“He calls us Philistines,” said Sherman, softly.
“I see,” said Watterson, “we are Philistines, and that, I reckon, is why we are being assaulted with the jawbone of an ass.”
But back to the Bible.
Messiah shall come
Zechariah 9:9 - Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Fulfilled
Matthew 21:2 - saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.
Matthew 21:5 - “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
Matthew 21:7 - They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them
Reprise
2 Peter 2:16 - but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.
After the six verses in our Bible study I have cited the 21 others which are of significance IMO.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
The changing world (41) Dec 1975 to Jan 76
Dec 1st Bulmers staying with us.
3rd Gills from Vom called.
4th Bulmers left.
6th Our cook Rimkat not at work as her had had fever.
7th Baptismal service for 82.
8th TEE book on evangelism being edited. Katy at choir rehearsal.
10th Rachel now sleeping through without 2am feed.
11th Book editing going well. Katy conducted her school concert.
15th Muslim holiday. Book editing . Weather windy and cool.
16th Visit from Brian Boddy and David Molyneux of faith and Farm who were taking Lilian Blenko with her loads from Kwalla.
18th Paul and Janet Baxter visited from Jos and stayed.
19th Rimkat unreliable in work and will have to go
20th We found David pounding a dead bat with a stone to see if it had blood in it.
21st Two hour carol service,
22nd Took Baxters to see retired pastor Bali, the first Langtang pastor.
23rd To Jos to get a new TEE book from the publisher but it is not ready. The typesetting and printing were done by SIM?ECWA bookshops.
24th Dry grass around the house caught fire but no threat to us. Started cooking the Christmas chicken and found a snake in the kitchen.
25th A day of surprises starting with rain at 4am. That is not expected until Easter. Then back to sleep only to be awakened an hour later by carol singers and Jonathan opening his stocking. Christmas service with 2000 there lasted 3 hours so lunch at 2:45.
26th Pumped up the boys presents of space hoppers.
30th Our first drive south of the Venue to holiday at the Boers of CRC in Baissa on the Mambila Plateau. Over 200 miles. Ferry across Benue. Ibi. Wukari. Rafin Kada. Dnga. Marraba.
31st Really enjoying our stay with the Boers. Visited Abong on the Cameroon border. John and I enjoyed cigars together and we all saw in the new year with sherry. With the reformed one finds proper Christian liberty.
Jan 1st Went with John to the installation of a local evangelist. That is a church leader who is not an ordained pastor. Our families enjoyed visiting a local river.
2nd Picnic lunch in Baissa forest.
4th Boers breed rabbits for meat and we really enjoyed rabbit stew.
5th Left Baissa laden with fruit. At the Benue the ferry was over the other side and we were at the end of a queue. It looked as if we would be stretched to get on the next crossing. As the boat came in and unloaded the vehicles, a Peugeot with one white passenger jumped the queue and got on first. I was livid. There we were in the midday hear with two children and a baby and an expat had jumped the queue. If it had been a rich Nigerian in a big car I would have accepted it as local behaviour but I was not going to tolerated this from a European. I went down to the ferry and started remonstrate with the white man. He was Italian from a construction firm. He said it was their ferry. I told him he was talking rot as the ferry with his company's name was idle in the water nearby. he quickly moved away from me to the far side of his vehicle fearing I think that he might be thrown into the river and the crocodiles. I would have done no such thing but I was happy he was frightened. Then the ferry operator came. I told him what I thought in Hausa. He said to bring my car. He squeezed it on with the back hanging over the edge of the boat. Katy was embarrassed at us jumping the queue. I was happy to have got the family out of the noontime sun and across the river. The Italian kept far away from our vehicle. This is the only time I recall getting really angry, showing temper and it working to our advantage.
Jan 6 To Panama to confer with David Molyneux about his starting Daffo TEE today, then to Vom for Rachel's triple vaccine and Jos shopping.
Jan 7 From Jos back to Langtang
8th To Kwalla starting EBS there. Travel on Honda on very sandy road. Started selling Hausa books at my classes, not the TEE textbooks but other Christian books.
12th Honda to Boi via Kabwir then to Mwari in the Boi landcover for enthusiastic first TEE teachers class. Overnight Boi.
13th Boi to Foron for TEE chat with Enid Crane then Jos and home to Langtang.
15th kabwir for TEE.
16th Initial Langtang TEE teachers meeting. Ten men to take eleven classes.
19th To Jos where I was pleased to see John Ross of Qua Ibo mission for good Reformed fellowship.
20th TEE preliminary meetings with SIM, Anglicans and Southern Baptists. I spoke on history of theological education.
21st TEE Association of Nigeria formed. I am vice-chairman and on panel for Hausa books.23rd New Hausa TEE books available for distribution. Peter Clark arrived back from across the desert with a new Landrover from UK.
24th Visited Liberty Dam with the Rosses.
25th Took boys to Hillcrest School for Sunday School. Katy to St Pirans evening service.
26th Back to Langtang dropping Christine Potter at Mangu.
27th Work on TEE registers and questions from the book on prayer.
29th To Panama. 200 students enrolled there. To Jos for TEE committee then home.
30th To Kwalla for TEE in the new landrover over the very rough road.
31st Hot and sticky. Walked with the boys to the market.
3rd Gills from Vom called.
4th Bulmers left.
6th Our cook Rimkat not at work as her had had fever.
7th Baptismal service for 82.
8th TEE book on evangelism being edited. Katy at choir rehearsal.
10th Rachel now sleeping through without 2am feed.
11th Book editing going well. Katy conducted her school concert.
15th Muslim holiday. Book editing . Weather windy and cool.
16th Visit from Brian Boddy and David Molyneux of faith and Farm who were taking Lilian Blenko with her loads from Kwalla.
18th Paul and Janet Baxter visited from Jos and stayed.
19th Rimkat unreliable in work and will have to go
20th We found David pounding a dead bat with a stone to see if it had blood in it.
21st Two hour carol service,
22nd Took Baxters to see retired pastor Bali, the first Langtang pastor.
23rd To Jos to get a new TEE book from the publisher but it is not ready. The typesetting and printing were done by SIM?ECWA bookshops.
24th Dry grass around the house caught fire but no threat to us. Started cooking the Christmas chicken and found a snake in the kitchen.
25th A day of surprises starting with rain at 4am. That is not expected until Easter. Then back to sleep only to be awakened an hour later by carol singers and Jonathan opening his stocking. Christmas service with 2000 there lasted 3 hours so lunch at 2:45.
26th Pumped up the boys presents of space hoppers.
30th Our first drive south of the Venue to holiday at the Boers of CRC in Baissa on the Mambila Plateau. Over 200 miles. Ferry across Benue. Ibi. Wukari. Rafin Kada. Dnga. Marraba.
31st Really enjoying our stay with the Boers. Visited Abong on the Cameroon border. John and I enjoyed cigars together and we all saw in the new year with sherry. With the reformed one finds proper Christian liberty.
Jan 1st Went with John to the installation of a local evangelist. That is a church leader who is not an ordained pastor. Our families enjoyed visiting a local river.
2nd Picnic lunch in Baissa forest.
4th Boers breed rabbits for meat and we really enjoyed rabbit stew.
5th Left Baissa laden with fruit. At the Benue the ferry was over the other side and we were at the end of a queue. It looked as if we would be stretched to get on the next crossing. As the boat came in and unloaded the vehicles, a Peugeot with one white passenger jumped the queue and got on first. I was livid. There we were in the midday hear with two children and a baby and an expat had jumped the queue. If it had been a rich Nigerian in a big car I would have accepted it as local behaviour but I was not going to tolerated this from a European. I went down to the ferry and started remonstrate with the white man. He was Italian from a construction firm. He said it was their ferry. I told him he was talking rot as the ferry with his company's name was idle in the water nearby. he quickly moved away from me to the far side of his vehicle fearing I think that he might be thrown into the river and the crocodiles. I would have done no such thing but I was happy he was frightened. Then the ferry operator came. I told him what I thought in Hausa. He said to bring my car. He squeezed it on with the back hanging over the edge of the boat. Katy was embarrassed at us jumping the queue. I was happy to have got the family out of the noontime sun and across the river. The Italian kept far away from our vehicle. This is the only time I recall getting really angry, showing temper and it working to our advantage.
Jan 6 To Panama to confer with David Molyneux about his starting Daffo TEE today, then to Vom for Rachel's triple vaccine and Jos shopping.
Jan 7 From Jos back to Langtang
8th To Kwalla starting EBS there. Travel on Honda on very sandy road. Started selling Hausa books at my classes, not the TEE textbooks but other Christian books.
12th Honda to Boi via Kabwir then to Mwari in the Boi landcover for enthusiastic first TEE teachers class. Overnight Boi.
13th Boi to Foron for TEE chat with Enid Crane then Jos and home to Langtang.
15th kabwir for TEE.
16th Initial Langtang TEE teachers meeting. Ten men to take eleven classes.
19th To Jos where I was pleased to see John Ross of Qua Ibo mission for good Reformed fellowship.
20th TEE preliminary meetings with SIM, Anglicans and Southern Baptists. I spoke on history of theological education.
21st TEE Association of Nigeria formed. I am vice-chairman and on panel for Hausa books.23rd New Hausa TEE books available for distribution. Peter Clark arrived back from across the desert with a new Landrover from UK.
24th Visited Liberty Dam with the Rosses.
25th Took boys to Hillcrest School for Sunday School. Katy to St Pirans evening service.
26th Back to Langtang dropping Christine Potter at Mangu.
27th Work on TEE registers and questions from the book on prayer.
29th To Panama. 200 students enrolled there. To Jos for TEE committee then home.
30th To Kwalla for TEE in the new landrover over the very rough road.
31st Hot and sticky. Walked with the boys to the market.
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
An upside down world
'When I think what an aid tobacco is to friendship and Christian patience, I have sometimes regretted that I never began to smoke.'- Gresham Machen@jg_machen
Reading this it struck me that no-one would say this today. The world has changed. Look at old films or TV recordings and see how pervasive was tobacco, the ubiquitous smoke. In the first episode of The Crown the king's valet lights the cigarette, takes an initial puff and hands it to his majesty. The king is told he is dying of lung cancer with only one lung remaining yet his doctor does not advise him to stop smoking. Time has changed everything.
Could I think of any such dramatic change? I found one.An activity that has gone from criminality to social approval in my lifetime, an even more radical change. I illustrate this with quotes from two very respectable figures in the arts who lived before the era of so called same sex marriage.
The middle age of buggers is not to be contemplated without horror.--Virginia Woolf
Everything is controlled by the sods. The country is riddled with homosexuals who are teaching the world how to behave--a spectacle of revolting hypocrisy.--Sir Thomas Beecham
The world is indeed upside down. An actor cannot portray Churchill enjoying a cigar on the stage and an open air preacher dare not quote Leviticus.
Monday, January 22, 2018
The right to protest to be curtailed as a pro-choice virtue?
| Ealing Council has voted for a public consultation on plans to ban protests outside a Marie Stopes abortion clinic using a public spaces protection order (PSPO). The Good Counsel Network has been present for over 23 years outside the clinic without the police ever needing to intervene. 23 years takes us back to 1995. I worked down the road from this leading abortion provider between 1993 and 1998. The abortions started before that IIRC and there have been various protests outside. I joined in in peaceful protest before 1993. The only law breaking I recall is when a protester trespassed inside to clinic but I cannot recap if this was merely a civil offence of trespass or a criminal charge of something more. I will be responding to the public consultation as I regard the imposition of a PSPO as an unwarranted restriction on the free speech of pro-life protesters. I believe the pro-lifers have been slandered in media coverage. It has been said that they intimidate women coming to the clinic and that they block the road. 23 years and the police never needed so why a PSPO demanded? The police can deal with intimidation if it happens. Where is the evidence other than the subjective views of those happy with abortion provision? The local paper has reported accusations of the road being blocked. Nonsense. Have you seen how wide it is? Of course images of unborn children that may be aborted are shocking. But that is the point. The child in the womb is a living person not a mere extension of the mother's body over which she has absolute rights. Does the presence of the protesters distress those coming to the clinic? I hope so. Abortion kills babies. That is distressing. The pro-choicers say it does not murder babies. If that is true then the pro-lifers are talking nonsense and can be ignored. But of course they do distress women wanting abortion and rightly so. They are also able to offer alternatives to abortion. Does Marie Stopes do that or are they there for the money? The local paper has been a keen advocate of the pro-abortion local MP. It failed to report the case of a man who came to abort, received a leaflet from protesters, fled the clinic and friends who had brought her and now is the happy mother of a three year old. So the protesters have saved life. But the local paper will not report it. I also note that no councillor protested against the proposed restriction when it was debated in council.There are times I regret I lost my seat on the council in 1998. I would have spoken out unlike the present silent Conservative councillors. I have no regrets that I resigned from their party soon after I lost my seat for they have stopped being the party of the family and Christian ethics. Obviously no local councillors have the Christian ethics of Rees-Mogg. |
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Diary w/e 20 jan 18
Sunday 14 Jan
We had a very memorable morning service. In the middle of his sermon on Mat 3, Jesus's baptism, Paul stopped and called for help. An elderly member had slumped in her chair. Paul led in prayer for her as our medically qualified members came to her aid, one consultant cardiologist and three nurses. Strong men carried the unconscious lady out on the chair in which she was seated. later one came back and said it was a faint not a stroke. Paul finished the sermon and as we left the patient was in an attending ambulance. In the evening we learnt she was resting at home and had not needed hospital admission.
I cooked chicken jambalaya for lunch with eight visitors. We were the appointed members for lunchtime hospitality. Four of our eight were family who brought some of their own food so we had roast pork too. With Katy providing three deserts it was a feast.
Evening service at Dean Hall. Paul gave a memorable children's talk on foundations before Gethin preached what IIRC was his 11th and penultimate. sermon on 1 John
Mon 15 Jan
Good news at the leg ulcer clinic. Ulcers healed both legs and they are the same size, that is, after about 15 years the lymphoma post-cellutis has gone.
After ridiculous insurance quotes for USA I have found a firm that will exclude pre-existing conditions for a fraction of the price that others quote.
Tues 16 Jan
I have found that two of my work experience students became pharmacists. I did not encourage them but it is satisfying to know I helped two young British Asian ladies become professionals.
Another good news day. Car insurers who have not refunded our excess from March and not corresponded since June have apologised with £150 ex gratia compensation and seem hopeful about the excess. I had threatened never to renew with them.
Excellent Ealing Lunchtime talk at the Town Hall. Gethin Jones first talk of four on the Bible in 80 minutes. So we had creation. The world is divided between the oneists and the twists. We considered creation, climax and call and how we respond as oneists or twoists. Do you see a distinction between creator and creation or is it all one?
Pastoral visit to a member struggling with memory loss/dementia. Her faiths is an encouragement to any visitor.
Wed 17 Jan
U3A history here on India and Partition. We will do it again next month as we want more research on India before the Raj as the source of the conflict together with the rise of Sikhism. Encouraging house group on 1 Sam 8 . God is the king to reign over us.
Th 18 Jan
Started to get quotes for replacing our only two windows that are not double glazed. Ealing Hospital dentistry says I should have four teeth out and it will be at least two extraction appointments. I am having this in hospital as I am on anti-coagulants. The advantage to me is no fees payable in hospital unlike the local NHS dentist. Excellent lunch at Cafe Rouge , Ruislip with Littles, a vegetable tagine.
Fri 19 Jan
New blinds sorted by the installers. Two out of five were dropping when raised. Our excellent plumber serviced our central heating. I never knew he was from Yorkshire. He is from Rotherham but does not want to own up to it. Sad and a very sad reason nothing to do with real Tykes.
It took a while to calculate but I have the evidence that this house should not be placed in council tax band F and have put in an official appeal for reduction back to band E. When I found out where to do it the Valuation Office Agency were very helpful over the phone and reckon I have a good case using the official government figures for a property like this in 1991 when the valuation banding was done.
Third quote for two new windows.
Sat 20 Jan
Kept waiting an hour due to inefficient booking in at Central Middlesex. Urologist offered botox injections which not without drawbacks but would get me off two drugs so I will give it a go. Doctor, Afghan, nurse Ghana and Sri Lanka. Car insurance cheaper to move providers via the Meerkats - over 20% cheaper. Cooked butter chicken for dinner.
We had a very memorable morning service. In the middle of his sermon on Mat 3, Jesus's baptism, Paul stopped and called for help. An elderly member had slumped in her chair. Paul led in prayer for her as our medically qualified members came to her aid, one consultant cardiologist and three nurses. Strong men carried the unconscious lady out on the chair in which she was seated. later one came back and said it was a faint not a stroke. Paul finished the sermon and as we left the patient was in an attending ambulance. In the evening we learnt she was resting at home and had not needed hospital admission.
I cooked chicken jambalaya for lunch with eight visitors. We were the appointed members for lunchtime hospitality. Four of our eight were family who brought some of their own food so we had roast pork too. With Katy providing three deserts it was a feast.
Evening service at Dean Hall. Paul gave a memorable children's talk on foundations before Gethin preached what IIRC was his 11th and penultimate. sermon on 1 John
Mon 15 Jan
Good news at the leg ulcer clinic. Ulcers healed both legs and they are the same size, that is, after about 15 years the lymphoma post-cellutis has gone.
After ridiculous insurance quotes for USA I have found a firm that will exclude pre-existing conditions for a fraction of the price that others quote.
Tues 16 Jan
I have found that two of my work experience students became pharmacists. I did not encourage them but it is satisfying to know I helped two young British Asian ladies become professionals.
Another good news day. Car insurers who have not refunded our excess from March and not corresponded since June have apologised with £150 ex gratia compensation and seem hopeful about the excess. I had threatened never to renew with them.
Excellent Ealing Lunchtime talk at the Town Hall. Gethin Jones first talk of four on the Bible in 80 minutes. So we had creation. The world is divided between the oneists and the twists. We considered creation, climax and call and how we respond as oneists or twoists. Do you see a distinction between creator and creation or is it all one?
Pastoral visit to a member struggling with memory loss/dementia. Her faiths is an encouragement to any visitor.
Wed 17 Jan
U3A history here on India and Partition. We will do it again next month as we want more research on India before the Raj as the source of the conflict together with the rise of Sikhism. Encouraging house group on 1 Sam 8 . God is the king to reign over us.
Th 18 Jan
Started to get quotes for replacing our only two windows that are not double glazed. Ealing Hospital dentistry says I should have four teeth out and it will be at least two extraction appointments. I am having this in hospital as I am on anti-coagulants. The advantage to me is no fees payable in hospital unlike the local NHS dentist. Excellent lunch at Cafe Rouge , Ruislip with Littles, a vegetable tagine.
Fri 19 Jan
New blinds sorted by the installers. Two out of five were dropping when raised. Our excellent plumber serviced our central heating. I never knew he was from Yorkshire. He is from Rotherham but does not want to own up to it. Sad and a very sad reason nothing to do with real Tykes.
It took a while to calculate but I have the evidence that this house should not be placed in council tax band F and have put in an official appeal for reduction back to band E. When I found out where to do it the Valuation Office Agency were very helpful over the phone and reckon I have a good case using the official government figures for a property like this in 1991 when the valuation banding was done.
Third quote for two new windows.
Sat 20 Jan
Kept waiting an hour due to inefficient booking in at Central Middlesex. Urologist offered botox injections which not without drawbacks but would get me off two drugs so I will give it a go. Doctor, Afghan, nurse Ghana and Sri Lanka. Car insurance cheaper to move providers via the Meerkats - over 20% cheaper. Cooked butter chicken for dinner.
RELATIONSHIPS AND SEX EDUCATION: A GUIDE TO THE CALL FOR EVIDENCE
I am doing this. | |
Dear marriage supporter,
Today we launch our guide on responding to the call for evidence on Relationships and Sex Education and PSHE in England.
The guide summarises why the call for evidence is important and how to respond, and provides some points you may wish to consider in your answers.
You can help protect children
Please share the link with parents and other interested parties. It is vital that many people speak up to protect the teaching of marriage, the role of parents and the innocence of young children.
In particular, we believe that parents should have the right to withdraw primary school age children from Relationships Education classes.
We also believe they should be consulted on the materials to be used by the school, or at the very least have the right to review them before lessons begin.
Equally importantly, marriage should be taught in secondary schools as the ‘gold-standard’ for adult relationships, not simply one option amongst many.
The deadline for responses to the consultation is Monday 12th February. Please do respond.
| |
Yours sincerely,
Thomas Pascoe
Campaign Director Coalition for Marriage (C4M) |
Friday, January 19, 2018
The changing world (40) Nov 1975
Nov 1st A day of visitors for us in Langtang. Calcotts from Vom with her parents too, Maurice Cottom, Gindiri, and Tom Owens from Jos. Tom was our boss.
2nd Preached . A Youth Service Corps young woman came to chat after the service.
3rd Hot but dry so OK.
4th Rimkat the cook off ill.
5th To Jos on Hinda for its service.
6th Working on the guide for TEE teachers. Visited Rimkat our cook in hospital. Greeted Indian doctor and dentist there
7th Langtand district will have 10 TEE centres.
8th Spoke on Eph.2 at local primary school's Fellowship of Christian Students.
9th Farewell service for local bible school students.
10th To Jos on Hand. TEE manuscript not finished typesetting.
12th To Kabwir where there will be 6 TEE centres.
13th Working out calendars to TEE classes.
14th Started work on TEE book on evangelism.Katy to the local secondary school to teach the choir.
Most church singing is from Gospel Bells in English or the Hausa hymnbook. It is dated and not great. But at the Kuru Government secondary near Vom they had a Welsh music teacher who conducted a very able choir so it an be done.
15th 150+at local primary school's Fellowship of Christian Students.
16th David did poo in his pants and said his brother had put it there!
17th Katy and David miserable with colds but she still made a Christmas pudding.
8th WORKING ON TEE BOOKS, THE EVAGELISM ONE THEN THE TEACHERS GUIDE FOR THE TEE BOOK ON PRAYER.
19TH JONATHAN HAPPY WITH TOY TRACTOR ETC FOR HIS FIFTH BIRTHDAY. WE NOW HAVE A LADA FOR OUR CAR. DROVE FAMILY TO VOM VIA JABWIR AND PANYAM FOR POST-NATAL. JOS OVERNIGHT.
20th Christmas shopping in Jos. The boys to the zoo with the Clarks. Back to sticky Langtang with our three asleep en route - over 100 miles of good road.
21st Triggs staying with us. David not co-operating with potty training. katy at school choir.
22nd Over 200 at the primary school FCS.
23rg Rachel dedication service. Local practice. baptism IPC Ealing seven years later. Reading my favourite historical novel, Descant from the Hills by Yorkshireman Stanhope White, colonial era DO in Gwoza. I met him later in Yorkshire. Greeted local RC priest who seems a fine man. Irish of course. He says the difference between their missionary priests and Protestant missionaries is that they get fat on the field and we get fat on leave.
24th Working on TEE evangelism book. Triggs still here on holiday.
25th To Jos for what I thought was a course on audio-visuals but turned out to be on visualaids so I missed the second part.
26th back to sticky Langtang with a drum of petrol. Buy while one can.
27th Work on evangelism book. I am translating into Hausa.
28th School principal requests Katy do a Christmas concert.
29th Tom Owens here overnight. He is a gifted expositor, a former veterinary surgeon.
30th Tom preaching at Lagtang ordination but I was up to Bukuru for the end of a TEE course there.
2nd Preached . A Youth Service Corps young woman came to chat after the service.
3rd Hot but dry so OK.
4th Rimkat the cook off ill.
5th To Jos on Hinda for its service.
6th Working on the guide for TEE teachers. Visited Rimkat our cook in hospital. Greeted Indian doctor and dentist there
7th Langtand district will have 10 TEE centres.
8th Spoke on Eph.2 at local primary school's Fellowship of Christian Students.
9th Farewell service for local bible school students.
10th To Jos on Hand. TEE manuscript not finished typesetting.
12th To Kabwir where there will be 6 TEE centres.
13th Working out calendars to TEE classes.
14th Started work on TEE book on evangelism.Katy to the local secondary school to teach the choir.
Most church singing is from Gospel Bells in English or the Hausa hymnbook. It is dated and not great. But at the Kuru Government secondary near Vom they had a Welsh music teacher who conducted a very able choir so it an be done.
15th 150+at local primary school's Fellowship of Christian Students.
16th David did poo in his pants and said his brother had put it there!
17th Katy and David miserable with colds but she still made a Christmas pudding.
8th WORKING ON TEE BOOKS, THE EVAGELISM ONE THEN THE TEACHERS GUIDE FOR THE TEE BOOK ON PRAYER.
19TH JONATHAN HAPPY WITH TOY TRACTOR ETC FOR HIS FIFTH BIRTHDAY. WE NOW HAVE A LADA FOR OUR CAR. DROVE FAMILY TO VOM VIA JABWIR AND PANYAM FOR POST-NATAL. JOS OVERNIGHT.
20th Christmas shopping in Jos. The boys to the zoo with the Clarks. Back to sticky Langtang with our three asleep en route - over 100 miles of good road.
21st Triggs staying with us. David not co-operating with potty training. katy at school choir.
22nd Over 200 at the primary school FCS.
23rg Rachel dedication service. Local practice. baptism IPC Ealing seven years later. Reading my favourite historical novel, Descant from the Hills by Yorkshireman Stanhope White, colonial era DO in Gwoza. I met him later in Yorkshire. Greeted local RC priest who seems a fine man. Irish of course. He says the difference between their missionary priests and Protestant missionaries is that they get fat on the field and we get fat on leave.
24th Working on TEE evangelism book. Triggs still here on holiday.
25th To Jos for what I thought was a course on audio-visuals but turned out to be on visualaids so I missed the second part.
26th back to sticky Langtang with a drum of petrol. Buy while one can.
27th Work on evangelism book. I am translating into Hausa.
28th School principal requests Katy do a Christmas concert.
29th Tom Owens here overnight. He is a gifted expositor, a former veterinary surgeon.
30th Tom preaching at Lagtang ordination but I was up to Bukuru for the end of a TEE course there.
Thursday, January 18, 2018
The changing world (39) Sep - Oct 1975
4th Lunch at Kabwir with radishes. TEE planning there. To Boi overnight in Zamko landcover. The road, or rather track there very rough.
5th Landcover broke down and I had to walk and taxi back to Langtang after meeting with Lere leaders concerning TEE.
6th With Pater Clark and Brian Boddy to repair and retrieve the landcover.
8th To Vom for Katy's antenatal then Miango working on TEE manuscript.
10th Foron and Fobir TEE teachers meeting at Bukuru. Staying in Jos.
12th Fobir district church council in a car which stuck in the mud.
13th Back to Langtang which feels sticky after Plateau.
14th Church in Hausa in the morning. Lunch at Zamko with Clarks. Preached at Langttang.
15th Marmalide making. Gardening here a flop.
18th To Vom in anticipation of new arrival.
19th Bible school committee in Jos approved the TEE plans. Complimented on my Hausa .
20th Reading John Boer's work on the history of SUM. Papers for his doctoral thesis from Amsterdam.
21 Katy's waters broke 6:30 By 9:30 contractions so into private ward at Vom with me out again to look after the boys.
22 3:45am woken with news of 7ib 4oz Rachel Joy.All announcements sent. Boys missing their mother.
23rd Rachel feeding well. Jonathan thrilled but David wants his mother home.
26th To Jos for Nigeria Evangelical Fellowship TEE committee. Appointed to lead Hausa translation of the next book chichis on evangelism. These books were a co-operative venture in simple English for Africa.
27th To Panama for TEE on motorbike. To Jos in a trust taxi then Vom by car. To Mango to get a TEE MS on NT introduction then back to Vom.
29th To Panama on Honda then to daft for TEE but dave up part way as mud was impeding the Honda. Panama pastor keen to start TEE.
30th Katy out of hospital and we moved to the luxury of the Anglican's St Piran's vicarage in Jos.
Oct 1st Murtala the head of state announces civilian rule planned for 1979. Saw this on vicarage TV our first in Nigeria.
Oct 2 Katy not well but we have a good cook.
Oct 3 Good reception at Foron DCC with TEE plans.
4th Registered the birth in Jos.
5th Took boys to our Jos church wither 2000 there.
6th Muslim public holiday. Completed TEE book on NT intro so ready for printers or rather type setting.
7th Packing at the vicar for return of Dominys. Move to SUM HQ, a step down..
9th Back home to Langtang via Panama DCC.
12th 96F and sticky.
13th To Boi bt landcover then cycle to Marti. hard ride but enthusiastic men for TEE.
14th backhoe to Langtang then returned to landcover to zamko in exchange for our car.
15th David Molyneux of Faith and farm visited. he would like to transfer to TEE.
17th To Panama. Leaders agreed 16 centres for TEE with one teacher per centre. Teachers are evangelists or pastors and I and Enid Crane will teach the teachers.
18th To Daffo where four centres and two teachers are planned.
20th David's third birthday. Clarks came to celebrate. Local boys can be troublesome when they come to play and one toy car is missing.
22nd Working on TEE teachers guidebook.
31 Dry season brings less humidity now.
5th Landcover broke down and I had to walk and taxi back to Langtang after meeting with Lere leaders concerning TEE.
6th With Pater Clark and Brian Boddy to repair and retrieve the landcover.
8th To Vom for Katy's antenatal then Miango working on TEE manuscript.
10th Foron and Fobir TEE teachers meeting at Bukuru. Staying in Jos.
12th Fobir district church council in a car which stuck in the mud.
13th Back to Langtang which feels sticky after Plateau.
14th Church in Hausa in the morning. Lunch at Zamko with Clarks. Preached at Langttang.
15th Marmalide making. Gardening here a flop.
18th To Vom in anticipation of new arrival.
19th Bible school committee in Jos approved the TEE plans. Complimented on my Hausa .
20th Reading John Boer's work on the history of SUM. Papers for his doctoral thesis from Amsterdam.
21 Katy's waters broke 6:30 By 9:30 contractions so into private ward at Vom with me out again to look after the boys.
22 3:45am woken with news of 7ib 4oz Rachel Joy.All announcements sent. Boys missing their mother.
23rd Rachel feeding well. Jonathan thrilled but David wants his mother home.
26th To Jos for Nigeria Evangelical Fellowship TEE committee. Appointed to lead Hausa translation of the next book chichis on evangelism. These books were a co-operative venture in simple English for Africa.
27th To Panama for TEE on motorbike. To Jos in a trust taxi then Vom by car. To Mango to get a TEE MS on NT introduction then back to Vom.
29th To Panama on Honda then to daft for TEE but dave up part way as mud was impeding the Honda. Panama pastor keen to start TEE.
30th Katy out of hospital and we moved to the luxury of the Anglican's St Piran's vicarage in Jos.
Oct 1st Murtala the head of state announces civilian rule planned for 1979. Saw this on vicarage TV our first in Nigeria.
Oct 2 Katy not well but we have a good cook.
Oct 3 Good reception at Foron DCC with TEE plans.
4th Registered the birth in Jos.
5th Took boys to our Jos church wither 2000 there.
6th Muslim public holiday. Completed TEE book on NT intro so ready for printers or rather type setting.
7th Packing at the vicar for return of Dominys. Move to SUM HQ, a step down..
9th Back home to Langtang via Panama DCC.
12th 96F and sticky.
13th To Boi bt landcover then cycle to Marti. hard ride but enthusiastic men for TEE.
14th backhoe to Langtang then returned to landcover to zamko in exchange for our car.
15th David Molyneux of Faith and farm visited. he would like to transfer to TEE.
17th To Panama. Leaders agreed 16 centres for TEE with one teacher per centre. Teachers are evangelists or pastors and I and Enid Crane will teach the teachers.
18th To Daffo where four centres and two teachers are planned.
20th David's third birthday. Clarks came to celebrate. Local boys can be troublesome when they come to play and one toy car is missing.
22nd Working on TEE teachers guidebook.
31 Dry season brings less humidity now.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
National Archive distorted history
From Christian Voice
Freed slaves aboard HMS Daphne – but The National Archive pretended the British were tra
The National Archive has withdrawn a series of displays at its headquarters after accusations it distorted history.
But the story allows us to mention an auspicious period in British history.
Historian Tony Adler had said the UK government official archive was ’empire bashing’.
The archive, based in Kew in west London, at first rejected the complaint. Later, it backed down and withdrew its entire display, entitled ‘Empire and Colonialism’.
HMS Daphne’s sister ship, HMS Dryad (1866) – together they struck fear into the hearts of Arab slave traders.
National Archive lacked ‘due impartiality’
The National Archive admitted it was presenting a view of Britain’s colonial history without ‘due impartiality’ in its exhibition at its Keeper’s Gallery visitor centre.
Central to the accusation was an accompanying early photograph captioned ‘East African slaves taken aboard HMS Daphne from a dhow 1 November 1868.’ A subtext implied they were victims of cruel British imperialists. The exhibition claimed that British rule over its colonies was ‘profoundly oppressive’.
However, journalist Robert Hardman said the exhibition curators made a serious mistake. The poor souls on HMS Daphne were not victims of oppressive British slave-trading. On the contrary, the Royal Navy had just rescued them from an Arab slave ship.
HMS Daphne incurred traders’ wrath
Another view on board HMS Daphne
Captain George Sullivan kept a record. This confirms he was a small but committed part of an aggressive program to eradicate the slave trade in the Indian Ocean. The campaign freed thousands of enslaved East Africans. Moreover, a number of British sailors lost their lives.
Admiral Ballard spoke of HMS Daphne seventy years later, in July 1938: ‘Each of her commissions lasted four years, and her ever recurring appearance at so many successive slave running seasons earned a tradition of wrath at the mention of her name among the merchants in that line of business’.
Following feeding, washing and attendance by the ship’s doctor, the former slaves shown in this early photograph were put ashore in the Seychelles to begin a new life of liberty. But the reality did not suit the anti-British narrative of the National Archives.
Christians abolished slavery
William Wilberforce (1759-1833). Portrait by Anton Hickel (Wilberforce House, Hull, UK)
Above all, the National Archive failed to mention the prolonged and ultimately successful anti- slavery campaign by William Wilberforce. Firstly, the MP abolished the slave trade. The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act became law on 25th March 1807.
On his death-bed Wilberforce heard that slavery itself would be abolished in Britain and its colonies. Parliament passed the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833. As a result, thirty years later, HMS Daphne, launched in 1866, was rescuing slaves from Arabs in the Indian Ocean.
Furthermore, we do not hesitate to mention the religious context. It was his Evangelical Christian faith which drove Wilberforce to see all men as equal.
His friends in the ‘Clapham Sect’ were equally passionate to build the Kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth. They will have been well aware of this scripture condemning the slave trade:
Exodus 21:16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
Islam is a religion of oppression
In contrast, Islam, the religion of the Arab slave traders, was happy with slavery from its inception and still is today. Muhammad himself was a slave owner and trader. Muslims were the prime slave-traders along the East African coast. The Royal Navy should be proud of confronting them. The truth is, it was the Christian heritage of this United Kingdom which animated such a robust response to Muslim wickedness.
Our history as a trading nation has not always been that good, and our trade policy far less than fair. Nevertheless, HMS Daphne’s story is heartening, and the National Archive and British people as a whole should give God the glory for it.
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