Friday, December 31, 2021

"A Revolution that Began in the Hearts and Minds of the American People" - by President John Adams

John Adams, an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father served as the second president of the United States, serving from 1797 to 1801. 
John Adams died on July 4, 1826, the same day his good friend Thomas Jefferson also died. 

Eight years before his death, John Adams wrote a personal reflection on the American Revolution

In his written analysis, Adams made an important observation on how the American Revolution began.

“But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American War? The Revolution was effected before the war was commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people, a change in the religious sentiments of their duties and obligations.”

Read again the last line of the quotation. John Adams states the American Revolution began “in the minds and hearts” of the American people through “a change in their religious sentiments.”

According to John Adams, this change began on January 30, 1750.

The Revolution of Hearts and Minds Begins


On that day, Jonathan Mayhew (b. 1720 – d. 1766), the pastor of West Church (Congregational) in Boston, Massachusetts, published a sermon he preached entitled “Discourse Concerning the Unlimited Submission and Non-Resistance to Higher Authorities.”

John Adams credits this sermon as the spark that lit the Revolutionary flame in the minds and hearts of the colonists. He said that this message was “read by everybody.”

There were two major points that Rev. Jonathan Mayhew made in his sermon:
1. First, in the introduction, Jonathan Mayhew traces the rise of oppressive and tyrannical governments from the days of Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel (6th century BC) to the English monarchy in the mid-1700s. Mayhew then writes:

“There can be nothing great and good where tyranny’s influence reaches. For which reason it becomes every friend to truth and humankind; every lover of God and the Christian religion, to bear a part in opposing this hateful monster.”

In other words, according to Rev. Mayhew, it was the moral and religious duty for every lover of good and truth to oppose tyranny within one’s government.

2. Second, in the body of his message, Mayhew argued that mankind is bound to a Higher Law than that of government’s law. The American people, Mayhew said, are required to obey their government’s law only when it is in agreement with Higher Law. Indeed, Rev. Mayhew argued, if the government violates Higher Law, “we are bound to throw off our allegiance” and “to resist.”
But what was this Higher Law to which the American people were bound?

Richard Maybury, in the July 1987 edition of The Free Market, published by Ludwig von Misis Institute, summarizes this Higher Law with two principles:

    1. Do all you have agreed to do, and
    2. Do not encroach on other persons or their property.


These are the two common principles on which all major religions and philosophies agree.

Thus, this Higher Law is often called “Common Law.” Every political philosophy or religion may express these two principles differently, but they have a common belief in them.

Doing what you promise to do (Contractual Law) and not encroaching on other persons or their property (Common Law) is what brings about the Common Good.

The AIM of All Political Actions Is the Common Good


All political action aims at either conservation or change.

Conservatives and liberals all desire the common good. The conservative believes it is best to conserve the laws or institutions that are achieving the common good and the liberal believes in abolishing or removing the laws or institutions that are not achieving the common good.

That is why conservatism and liberalism are relative terms.

The American Revolutionaries were called liberals by the British Parliament. They wished to change the laws for the colonists’ common good. But today, Americans who desire to conserve the principles of our Founding Fathers are called conservatives.

One generation’s conservative is another generation’s liberal.

No American should fall into “party lines.” We all need a Revolution of the Higher Good in our hearts and minds.

Common law was the law to which the American colonists were dedicated, and it was the law that the politicians and bureaucrats were breaking. The government was encroaching, so the colonists overthrew their government. They committed treason.

This is what the American Revolution was all about – treason. And this treason was regarded as moral, ethical, and right in every way.

The great legal scholar Sir William Blackstone once wrote:

“This law of nature, being coeval with mankind and dictated by God himself, is of course superior in obligation to any other…no human laws are of any validity if contrary to this.”

The Americans were not fighting the British during the American Revolution. The Americans were British. But the British colonists (the Americans) had an awakening of the heart and mind to Higher Law, the basis of all human rights.

The pamphlets the colonists passed out were often subtitled “The Rights of Englishmen!” The colonists were enforcing this Higher Law. No king, no parliament, no governing body, is greater than the individual.

“All men are created equal,” wrote Thomas Jefferson.

Thus, the eternal and immutable Higher Law states that all governing authority has special rights or privileges and no governing authority may encroach on the property or persons of others.

The Reasons for the American Revolution  


In 18th century England, there existed unlimited government control and the taxation of everything and everybody. There were no free markets and no free enterprise. Unless a person had government ties, no person could “get ahead” in life.

Richard Maybury gives us the history of the Pine Tree Flag flown by American warships during the Revolution. He asks, “Why would the colonists put a pine tree on their battle flag?” Then he answers:

“The (British) government had enacted a regulation saying no colonist could cut down tall, straight trees; these trees were to be reserved for masts on Navy ships. This meant the best, most valuable trees on a person’s land had, in effect, been confiscated by the government.

When a government tree inspector would come through the forest to select and mark the best trees, colonists would follow him. These inspectors were highly trained experts, good at identifying the best trees for Navy ships – the Navy ships that were constantly pursuing smuggling ships.

When the government’s lumberjacks then came through the forest to collect the marked trees, they would find the trees had already been cut and sold – for use on the smuggling ships.

One of these ships was THE LIBERTY, owned by John Hancock. Hancock was a successful wine merchant known throughout the colonies as “The Prince of Smugglers.” His reputation eventually earned him the honor of being the first to sign the Declaration of Independence.

Unfortunately, as the story of the Pine Tree illustrates, America did not remain beyond the reach of government. As the colonists’ wealth increased, politicians began making more and more efforts to steal – “tax” – this wealth. More and more bureaucrats and troops were sent to the colonies to enforce laws and shut down down the underground economy.

The colonists’ reaction was dramatic. The infamous Stamp Tax, for instance, was greeted by armed rebellion; tax collectors were tarred and feathered, a procedure that usually resulted in death. When John Hancock was arrested, the people rioted and the government’s agents barely escaped with their lives.” (Richard Maybury, The Free Market, July 1987, published by Ludwig von Misis Institute).

May God enable a religious reformation in the hearts and minds of the American people. The Higher Good is found in the Common Law, principles coeval with man. It is the duty of all good and religious men and women to resist the laws of government that encroach on persons or their property and give rise to tyranny.

Wade Burleson

P.S - I continue to work toward the opening of a new website on 02.02.2022. Thank you for your patience.

45 comments:

Christiane said...

Hope REX RAY is doing well these days.

WADE, I wish you fair winds and calm seas on your new venture. Journey always towards the 'Light' (ref. St. John's Gospel).

Tom said...

Wade,

The question you have not answered is why does God allow tyranny, i.e. Locusts, to devour the land. What message is God trying to convey to the "Saints" that are know by His Name?

What other signs are there? Is Climate Change a sign that the "Saints" have turned away from God? Are the Saints participating in "God Like Solutions" to overcome the lack of consistent "rain" because the God of Heaven has closed up the heavens such that there is no rain to water the planted crops? Has God sent pestilence among His People because they have turned away from Him. Is this pestilence just limited to God's people, or does this pestilence impact all the peoples of the Earth?

Is the "Church," God's people of this present era, able to see the Signs that God has and still is putting before us so that we will recognise our collective iniquities against God because of these signs and cause us to humble ourselves and repent of our sins.

What I am hearing from the "Church" is their claim of "complete righteousness" in their eyes and their indignation that God is not hearing their demands of Him to stop our respective discomforts that we are presently enduring.

Can the Church perceive that it is their sins that are causing the heavens to be shut up, the locusts who are devouring the land and the pestilence spreading throughout the people of the world?

I wonder what would happen if the "Church People" collectively humbled themselves and fell onto their knees and repented of their efforts to act God Like in controlling our respective environment so that we do not feel the pain of God's judgement of us.

What I have been told by a pastor is that God's words of correction in the Old Testament no longer applies to the New Covenant People who are identified as "Christians."

I wonder what would happen if we allowed our eyes to see the truth of the Matter.

Shalom

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

AH, AT LONG LAST! :)

It’s interesting that the American Revolution started because of a preacher’s sermon.

Looking forward to 2-2-22! It gets nearer every day.

CHRISTIANE,

My grandson, Sam, fell in love with Anna, a girl in their church choir. They married and have a baby that’s a chunk of ‘lead’. Judy loves to hold him.
They’ve been staying with us a month now. He’s converting a large van into a ‘house’ for them to live in. Anna uses a computer to advise large companies how to pay their taxes.
Years ago, he lived with me. At three in the morning, a sheriff woke me saying they’d arrested a man in my back yard and were looking for another.
Sam woke hearing a noise and walked out the back of the house hearing: “PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!”

Tom, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN SMOKING?

Rex Ray said...

Tom,

Maybe I should explain my reply to you.

Your comment had NOTHING to do with the American Revolution, but showed your vast knowledge of how God in the past, punished his people to make them do right.

Google states that “Shalom” is used by Jews that means peace.

You’re the only person on Wade’s Post that uses that word. I believe you’re proud you’re a Jew and wants everyone to know you’re a Jew.

WHY IS THAT? Do you believe you’re going to heaven only because of God’s promise to Abraham about his descendants?

Would you explain what John 3:16 means to you?

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (NLT)

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

You said, we are to resist the laws of government that encroach on persons…

Would that include a government that has doubled the price of gas and other things?

Unknown said...

Rex, I don't understand why Christians are bothered by those of the Jewish Faith? Jesus said the Father and the Son are one. He also said that"No one gets to the Father except through the Son." If they are one in the same, can the reverse not also be true that "No one gets to the Son except through the Father?" God is both and therefore, eternal life shouldn't be contingent on believing only in Jesus Christ. I may be wrong, but it just makes sense to me.

Tom said...

Rex, you asked, “Tom, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN SMOKING?”

Perhaps you should explain, “What Smoke and Mirrors presentations you have believed, is the Gospel Truth?

You also made this comment, “Your comment had NOTHING to do with the American Revolution, but showed your vast knowledge of how God in the past, punished his people to make them do right.”

Are you suggesting that God does not stop the rain, or send locusts or pestilence because “Christians” have turned away from God and are acting God like in the things that they try to do to “fix” the resulting impacts on their life style.

If you believe that God will not try and turn His people who are called by His Name back into relationship with Him, then I am afraid that your understanding of God’s grace to allow you to exercise your free will choices with respect to your relationship with Him is misguided to say the least.

What the 1750 published sermon show me upon reading it this morning, my time, was that Jonathan Mayhew did not recognise that God would allow the Englishmen in the Americas at that time to be oppressed by the Government of England because they had turned away from God and were acting God like in what they were doing. Jonathan did not suggest to his congregation that they needed to repent before God because of their sins as a means of turning away the oppression that they were being faced with.

The same is also true for the USA and Australia today. People in both countries have turned away from God’s Grace and are trying themselves to fix the Climate Change, to fix the tyranny that is rampant in both countries because of the two party system in both and trying to overcome/stop the pestilence, without seeking God as to how we can resolve our present circumstances which is not looking that Good.

All the kings of the nations of the world will assemble soon at Armageddon, probably within the next 20-25 years, because of how our respective countries treated the Israelite people living within our lands.

Jesus taught that all of the law hinged upon two fundamental commandments, 1. to Love God and 2. to love our neighbour as ourself. The Israelites have been our neighbours while living in our countries. I do not think that we have treated them well at all.

Rex your approach to anyone, who you think is a “Jew,” only drives them away with your prescriptive approach to getting into heaven, the whim of the Goats who know the law but who do not have the heart of God to Bless the peoples around them, without an eye on the supposed beneficial outcome that they want.

We have had this discussion re John 3:16 before, to which I responded with a similar scripture, i.e. John 6:28-29, and because I would not parrot your “views” you ditched me as a lost cause.

Rex, I am not Jewish. What you post in the comments section of Wades Blog only tends to turn me off from what Wade Blogs. Over the years I have enjoyed His Blogs, but your repeated off topic stories do leave me cold.

Shalom

Rex Ray said...

Unknown,
Words in [ ] are by me.

Your first mistake is believing “the Father and the Son are one” because:

“Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us…” (Genesis 1:26 NLT)

Unknown, who do you think God was talking to other than his Son?

Also, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT)

Unknown, you ask why Christians are bothered by those of the Jewish Faith?

“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they [Jews] rejected him.” (John 1:19-11 NLT)

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets, and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you [Jews] wouldn’t let me.” (Matthew 23:37 NLT)

Tom, just read your comment. I will reply later since it’s past time to go to bed.

Christiane said...

Hello REX RAY,

glad you checked in and are still doing 'okay' -

I, for one, really have enjoyed all of your wonderful stories that may have been 'off topic' but THEN, if you take the longer perspective, maybe not. Your stories are a window into a kind of folk wisdom rich in faith and experience and family, and that seems to me to be also a part of what Wade writes about. (Although I disagree with both you and Wade on many political and religion topics, I appreciate the focus on what is 'shared' and what brings folks together . . . and a sense of humor like yours is much needed in this world and has very often made my day. :)


Don't worry if the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity seems 'mysterious' as it IS a 'mystery' beyond what any of our human minds can envision. In my faith, like Tom, we also see Our Lord as God, in the context of the Holy Trinity. But I have heard many a non-Catholic say that Jesus Christ is NOT God, but instead He is 'the son of God'. I believe this is because only certain 'verses' in sacred Scripture are emphasized by some people, and not others. And that leads to different 'takes' on this great Christian mystery, yes. None of us understand the 'whole' of it. The Church has 'tried' to clarify the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity, but it remains a sacred mystery connected to the great Paschal mysteries of Our Lord, by which we are saved . . . in short, the Holy Spirit 'goes where He wills' and God 'saves whom He wants to save' and we cannot know nor 'define' nor put into a 'box' the ways of God that are far above our own understanding . . . so we 'trust' in Him. This works for me.

Your stories are wonderful. I'm a great fan. Never stop writing them. :)
Stay safe and warm and well. Hope Judy is also doing the same. God Bless.


Rex Ray said...

Tom,

You said you were not Jewish. I thought you were because you ended your comments with “Shalom”:

Shalom - Wikipedia
“Shalom by itself is a very common abbreviation and it is used in Modern Israeli Hebrew as a greeting.”

You said: “Jonathan Mayhew did not recognize that God would allow the Englishmen in the Americas at that time to be oppressed by the Government of England because they had turned away from God and were acting God like in what they were doing. Jonathan did not suggest to his congregation that they needed to repent before God because of their sins as a means of turning away the oppression that they were being faced with.”

That statement makes me believe you’re still smoking something.

CHRISTIANE,

THANKS

Tom said...

Rex,

It seem that you believe that all the Englishmen in the Americas around 1750 were very righteous men, which I find hard to believe. This is also the impression that I am hearing from “Christian” USA citizens, at this present time, who believe that their righteousness is legendary in the eyes of God and as such that God would not allow them to suffer because the rains did not come in their due seasons, or the land was oppressed by locusts consuming all of the goodness in the land or that pestilence roamed willy-nilly all over the earth. There are none so blind of their sins as those who believe they are righteous in the eyes of God and as such they have no need to repent of their sins.

Now how you would know whether or not I was smoking something is beyond me as we have never crossed paths physically in person such that we would know exactly what the other person would do or smoke or drink, is beyond me to understand, but you like to put people down with such false arguments against their personhood or beliefs or understanding.

My observations of fellow “Christians” is that they are demanding that God remove all of the oppressive goings on that are happening around the world at this present time so that they are not affected by these things.

Rex, we all need to repent of the various sins that we commit. Perhaps God will hear us from heaven as we repent and heal our land.

Instead of defending the undefendable, perhaps if you prayerfully considered what I might post on this blog’s comment section, then you may begin to comprehend what it is that I am suggesting.

Now Rex, I do not need to hear your twaddle about why I might be wrong as you seem to have made up your mind that I am a Jew and as such I deserve to hear your understanding of the “should’ve statements” that will get me into heaven by your mythology of muttering a few platitudes taken from the scripture without going through a heart transformation at the same time.

Goodbye Rex. May the Lord continue his drawing of you into His Loving Embrace as you accept His terms of peace which requires repentance on our part.

Unknown said...

I love this President. May the Lord Jesus Christ bless us all.

Rex Ray said...

Tom,

Your philosophy of sin and repentance would be great, if you’d lived hundreds of years ago.

Unknown,

You’re loving our President puts you in the minority as his ‘approval rating’ has dropped from 33% to 30%.

May the Lord help us.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

When I count my blessings, I count you twice.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dipper_Ice_Arena

This tells how an abandoned World War II aircraft hangar was moved to Fairbanks, Alaska. It tells that my twin brother, Hez, wrote a book, “The Big Dipper; A Dream is Born. Below is in chapter six:
DISASTER STRIKES
Six high school boys and I started clearing the snow off an abandoned World War II aircraft hangar that was 55 feet high, 150 feet wide, and 200 feet long. It was to be disassembled and moved 150 miles to Fairbanks, Alaska to be used for recreation. Snow hid large holes in the roof.
Doug’s screams ripped our hearts out. They ricocheted off the hangar’s beams, and escaped out the snowy tarmac to be lost in the Alaska wilderness. They were the most terrifying sounds I’ve ever heard. He’d fallen through a hole and his shoe was caught in a brace 12 feet below.
“Someone grab my ankles and lower me down!” Barney did, and the others lowered us.
Doug said, “Hurry coach, my shoe’s coming off!”
Coach needs one more foot!
“His shoe slipped off, and I grabbed his ankle.”
LATER
Doug said, “Coach, when my foot slipped out of my shoe, I knew I was a goner! I’ll never know how you caught my ankle.”
I said, “The Lord has been good to us! This experience is over, but it will last us the rest of our lives!”

Rex Ray said...

Tom,

If that story doesn’t light your fire, your wood is wet.

Tom said...

Rex, you have told many stories about moving the abandoned aircraft hanger to Fairbanks over the years. I am guessing that the story must goes back nearly 60 years.

The stories I like to hear are of: -

people who live in countries where they can go to jail for even suggesting that a person changes their religion from another religion to Christianity. The have been killed for less as well. Their churches have been burned down and the pastors have been brutally beaten by their neighbours who live in the same village.

of people who enable the churches in third world countries to help people recover from the economic hardships that have come about through the pandemic by restocking their livestock that had to be sold so that their families could eat.

These pastors need help to bless the people with whom they rub shoulders with on a daily basis irrespective of the "God" that the people who they are blessing might worship. I have been involved for over 25 years in blessing the people in the church where my heart is.

They know that they need to keep a short account with God of their iniquities. They pray before they even have a cup of tea confessing their sins and praising God for His goodness to the point where the cup of tea has gone cold.

The Bible tells us to not Grieve the Holy Spirit as the Holy Spirit cannot forgive us of our trespass against the Holy Spirit. That Rex is New Testament teaching.

There is teaching of the Man who pleaded for forgiveness for his debt but who could not forgive a fellow compatriot of a lesser debt that was owed to him meant that the forgiveness that he had received was taken from him and he was then thrown into jail until he was able to repay all of his debt.

It seems to me that you love the idea of OSAS and you do not feel the need to humble yourself for the transgression that you commit on a daily basis.

God has put in place a mechanism whereby His people can be reconciled with Him if they have turned away from God by their decisions and choices and that He will then heal their land when they repent.

Rex if you cannot accept my council to repent of acting God Like in what you do, then that is an issue that you should take up with God before you make silly put downs of people who you disagree with concerning the need to repent of our sins.

Goodbye Rex

Neil Cameron (One Salient Oversight) said...

Tom,

Rex Ray is in his 80s. I've determined via a number of conversations here that he isn't always cognizant of certain arguments and will often jump to conclusions about people. 1 Timothy 5.1 should probably apply here.

Rex Ray said...

Neil,

Thanks for mentioning 1 Timothy 5:1. In less than two months, I’ll be 90. I asked Jesus to save me when I was 10.

Tom,

My father was a preacher and was in World War I, and a chaplain in World War II. He said if people wanted advice, they’ll ask you. You seem obsessed with giving advice and counseling. Are you a Catholic Priest?

You remind me of the seventh sin that God hates: “A person that sows discord in a family.” (Proverbs 6:19 NLT)

Rex Ray said...

All Scripture is from the NLT. Everything in [ ] is by Rex Ray
Google: “Martin Luther believed the Book of James had built on the foundation of Jesus Christ with straw.”
“Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)
[This was the last words that John wrote, but James in his Book mentioned God 51 times and Jesus only 5.]
“Jesus’ brothers said to him…show yourself to the world! For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.” (John 7:3-4)
[I believe James was chosen to be the pastor of the Jerusalem church by politics; he was the brother of Jesus. James missed the teachings of Jesus. He wrote: “…But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.” (James 2:13)
[Paul did not believe the Law of Moses had anything to do with being saved:] “Oh foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you?...Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? ...I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.” (Galatians 3:1-5)
[Paul asked who had changed them to believe in obeying the law of Moses is answered:] “…others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation…” (2 Corinthians 3:1) [I believe the letters came from the church of James] And: “…some so-call Christians; false ones really; who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations.” (Galatians 2:4) [The church of James?)
[Paul confronts Peter.] “But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. (Galatians 2:11-12)

Rex Ray said...

“When we arrived, the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us warmly. The next day Paul went with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present. After greeting them, Paul gave detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry.
After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, “You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the law of Moses very seriously. But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem [his church] have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They’ve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children. What should we do? They [his church] will certainly hear that you have come.” (Acts 21:17-22)
[This meant Paul’s life was in danger. In the same breath, they had the solution as they had one day to come up with a plan.]

Rex Ray said...

“Here’s what we want you to do. We have four men here who have completed their vows. Go with them to the Temple and join them in the purification ceremony, paying for them to have their heads ritually shaved. Then everyone will know that the rumors are all false and that you yourself observe the Jewish laws.” (Acts 21:23-24)
“Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned…” (2 Corinthians 11:24-25) [The Jewish leaders are in the Temple that want to kill Paul. If James’s church kills Paul, the Christian Gentiles will revolt because Paul was their ‘hero’. But if the Jewish leaders kill Paul, James can say Paul believed in the Jewish Laws because he was taking Jewish vows when killed.]
“So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men…the seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. (Acts 21:27)
[Paul’s purification ceremony would end on the seventh day. James planned for Jewish leaders to recognize Paul, but they didn’t with his head shaved. Six days passed without the Jews from Asia recognizing Paul. How did they recognize him on his last day unless they were told by someone?]
“They grabbed him, yelling, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who preaches against our people everywhere and tells everybody to disobey the Jewish laws…The whole city was rocked by these accusations, and a great riot followed. Paul was grabbed and dragged out of the Temple…As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately called out his soldiers and officers and ran down among the crowd. When the mob saw the commander and troops coming, they stopped beating Paul.” (Acts 21:26-32)
[Paul Appears before Felix.]
“…The high priest arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor…Paul said…these men cannot prove the things they are accusing me of doing.” (Acts 24:1-13)
“After two years…because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.” (Acts 24:27)
[Paul names Timothy, Luke, and Mark (2 Timothy 4:9-11) as the only ones that visited him in jail which made him realize why James and his elders skipped his trial, and he wrote:]
“The first time I was brought before the judge, [Felix] no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them.” (2 Timothy 4:16)
[This was one of Paul’s last prayers. It was similar to the one he heard Stephen pray and the same crime had been done by the ones that called him, “Dear Brother” in Acts 21:20.]
[Google: “On June 29, 67 AD, Paul the Apostle was beheaded by a Roman soldier. He was condemned to death for preaching the “Good News” about Jesus Christ.”]
[This fulfilled the prophecy of Agabus who said: “So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.” Acts 21:11]

Rex Ray said...

Neil,

Do you think I should accept the council of Tom?

Neil Cameron (One Salient Oversight) said...

Tom has some very useful things to say. He's not your enemy.

Rex Ray said...

Tom,

Maybe you’d like this story. I was named after my uncle, Rex Ray, who was a missionary in China 30 years and Korea 8 years.

In China after Communist took over, they tied wires around the thumbs of three Christian men. Then they tied the wires to a tree so their arms were over their heads. (Their body weight was not on their thumbs, but it was uncomfortable.)

Communist told them when they denied Jesus, they’d be free.

Hours later, one man denied Jesus and they let him go. Several hours later he broke out in a rash which was not too uncommon, but he believed Jesus was punishing him.

He went back and asked to have his thumbs tied again. The Communist decided all Christians were crazy and let them go.

Rex Ray said...

When my twin brother and I were 20, we were going to college at Denton, Texas. He was taking 19 hours credit, and I was taking 12 because I was working 40 hours a week at Swift Armor meat packing plant in Fort Worth, Texas which was 40 miles away. I had buss tickets there and rode a city bus to work. When I got off work at mid-night, there was not any busses anywhere, and I had to hitch-hike.

After several months, I’d saved enough money to buy a cheap car. A newspaper had a car for sale for cash only that was a GREAT buy. I hitch-hiked to the address. A man (I’ll name X) said the car wasn’t there, but he’d drive me there. His car’s front seat had so much stuff, I had to ride in the back with his young daughter. (She never said a word.) I don’t know how old she was, but when she stood on the seat, her head was two feet shorter than the back of the seat.)

While driving, X, talked how much fun it was to have sex with Blacks. “The color doesn’t rub off.” X said he had to make a stop, and went into a building.

While waiting, his daughter wanted to sit in my lap, and I didn’t mind. But it wasn’t long until she started trying to un-zip my britches. I pushed her off. She stood up and pulled her dress over her head making her necked. I jumped out of the car and started running.
I believe now the man was watching, and if I’d abused his daughter, he’d demand my money or threatened me with the police, He may have had a gun.

“It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.” (Luke 17: 2) I believe X qualifies.

Rileydogbarks said...

What is one way for a "church" to repent? For it's people to oppose tyranny.
What is one way for people to experience grace? Free people under tyranny.
When does revolution becomes necessary? When all possible means through man's political systems have been exhausted under the Lordship and influence of Jesus.

Rex Ray said...

Rileydogbarks,

“What is one way for a church to repent?”
To preach Jesus if it’s not.

“What is one way for people to experience grace?
Ask Jesus to save them.

“When does revolution becomes necessary?”
When a government becomes a dictator as Hitler.

Rileydogbarks said...

Rex Ray, totally agree with your rebuttal. I was assuming that the church was already doing that. I was thinking more along the lines of community impact in the cultural time a church finds itself in.

Christiane said...

In the case of a dictator like Hitler, one thinks of the Lutheran martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who wrote THIS:


"“” We now know that we have been taken up and borne in the humanity of Jesus, and therefore that new nature we now enjoy means that we too must bear the sins and sorrows of others. The incarnate Lord makes His followers the brothers and sisters of all humanity. The “philanthropy” of God (Titus 3:4) revealed in the Incarnation is the ground of Christian love toward all on earth that bear the name of human. The form of Christ incarnate makes the Church into the body of Christ. All the sorrows of humanity falls upon that form, and only through that form can they be borne. The earthly form of Christ is the form that died on the cross. The image of God is the image of Christ crucified. It is to this image that the life of the disciples must be conformed: in other words, they must be conformed to his death (Phil. 3:10; Rom. 6:4). The Christian life is a life of crucifixion.”
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)


Yes, I can see Hitler being best confronted by Jesus Christ and Him Crucified in the way that Bonhoeffer describes the importance of Our Lord's Incarnation. As to 'revolution' when folks wish to 'rise up' against the 'enemy' and look to the ways of men to do this, I have a problem with that: the 'ways' of Our Lord in overcoming evil are NOT the ways of men, no. The pain of THIS WORLD needs a healer, not a warrior; a Physician, not a prosecutor; and most certainly it needs to make some sense of the terrible sadness in our world that is so broken and in so much pain . . . . .

revolution? I think modern Christian people looked around at the 'pain of the world' and when the Church took its eyes off of 'Jesus Christ crucified', the Church stopped making sense to many folks who still saw the sadness of this world, a great sadness which ONLY finds its meaning in the Presence of the Crucified One.
That our hearts are pierced with sorrow in the way of the 'misericordiae' seems only bearable in that Presence of Him Who is Himself, the 'Mercy' of God.

An example is this:
in seeing an open display of wounded people 'acting out' their pain publicly in shocking ways,
do we see only their bad behaviors and respond with contempt for them;
or
do we, in Christ's Name, let ourselves see beyond the 'acting out' into the pain being expressed and to allow ourselves to have some compassion for what these people have endured that their behavior has become such evidence of a deep, unhealed wounded soul with no better voice than a behavioral display of their pain 'on their own terms'??????

We are unable many times to 'see' beyond the surface of the suffering; we only see the 'bad' behaviors that erupt out of frustration and pain sometimes too deep for words. We 'judge'. But that was NOT Our Lord's way, no.

People need to be careful before they take up the sword against the 'enemies' of God. There is only ONE 'enemy' and the weapons against satan are far more powerful than a sword . . . they are the fruit of the Holy Spirit lived out in the lives of those who follow Christ. The fruit of the Holy Spirit brings a calm into the storm. Then, comes the only kind of healing possible in our broken world, as people look upon the One Who is lifted up, and experience the grace of the spirit of repentence which God pours out on their souls.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

You said, “Then comes the only kind of healing possible…as people look upon the One Who is lifted up, and experience the grace of the spirit of repentance which God pours out on their souls.”

YES! Jesus was lifted up at Calvary. “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT)

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

I’ve forgotten if I’ve told this story, so I’ll tell it now.

When I was 15, there were a lot of us swimming in Red River. Our Dad, Dave Ray, had returned from being a Chaplain in World War II. He stayed on the front the whole war and never lost in wrestling. His 210 pounds was solid muscle and he was strong as an ox. He was our hero.

I crossed the river where it was deep, narrow, and fast. I swam with the current and it was easy. Dad decided to join me but was down-river and tried to swim upstream. The river got wide, and the current took him farther away.

I followed on the bank. We were about 200 yards from the others. I was admiring how he could swim so long and hard until he commanded, “HELP ME!” He was exhausted. No one could hear him but me. I ran upstream to where the current would take me to him. He thought I was running away. He called: “PLEASE HELP ME!”

He kept his hand on my shoulder. He could have sunk me like a bug, but he didn’t apply much pressure. I started angling downstream to the bank a hundred yards away. In a panic, he yelled, “GO TO THE BANK!” (It was 50 feet upstream.) I yelled back, “I AM!”
When we reached the bank, he laid on the sand a long time. Finally, he said. “I wouldn’t have made it without you.”

Christiane said...

I love this story, REX RAY.

Your stories 'put light on' so many important values: of faith, and 'family' and yes, of survival in difficult times. You have a gift of writing in this way and it is a blessing to be able to read and benefit from these stories. Thank you for the good they bring to people who need reminders of what is the 'best' of 'who we are' as Americans. I 'get it'.

I may not agree with you politically, no. But your stories 'transcend' the mundane cares of this world and speak of human 'hope' and 'faith', and yes also of 'love' especially in the familial sense. The importance of this cannot be under-valued, nor should it be, in a time when 'divisions' in our country are being aggravated by many who would see us go the way of loyalty to a dictator instead of our great American tradition of freedom guaranteed to us in the US Constitution. That is how much good I see in your stories, yes. Keep writing them, REX RAY. Stay well and God Bless!

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

Rex Ray Cowboy Missionary in Kwangsi
Edited by Rex Russell Ray, son of Dave Ray, who is the brother of Rex Ray
Stories by my father, Dave, are marked “A”. Those by me are “B”. Both are in italics

My uncle’s 200-page manuscript starts with:

“I was born November 11,1885. My parents were Hez Ray from Kentucky, and Mary Dee Reeves Ray from Tennessee. I was the oldest of my five brothers and two sisters. I grew up on a thousand-acre ranch near Caddo Oklahoma which was Indian Territory at the time. I learned to ride horses and do a man’s job caring for livestock at an early age.”

CHRISTIANE,
I’ve condensed my uncle’s 200-page manuscript to 38 pages. Until today, there wasn’t a picture of him in my writings. I don’t know how my uncle’s picture got on my cellphone, but today, I asked my grandson, Sam, if he could add it to the front page. He has an engineering degree. He and his wife are living with us until he converts a large vehicle into a ‘house’ they plan to live in. They have a six-month-old baby that Judy loves.

P.S. Sorry, but my uncle's picture won't show up.

Rex Ray said...

His picture shows him sleeping on the ground, with his movie camara on his chest.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

His picture looks like he is in his 80’s. This is written:

“Japan put a blockade around the seacoast of China which cut off our hospital supplies from Hong Kong which was about 200 miles. I decided to run their blockade to get medical supplies.

While we were waiting to get on the bus, Jap planes attacked. I jumped in a ditch on my stomach. Their bullets hit all around me. I had a vision of being found with bullet holes in my back, so I rolled over and watched them. They finally left. THANK YOU, LORD.

Christiane said...

That is a remarkable story, REX RAY. The way you tell it, I can picture the man turning over in the ditch. Yes, thank God he was saved from being shot.

Big snow here!

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

“A big snow.” I’ve forgotten where you live. Is it in the mountains of California?

I’m looking forward to 2-2-22, and wondering how Wade’s Post will be different.

Christiane said...

Hey REX RAY,

no, no 'mountains of Cali'

I got caught in the 'snowmageddon' 'bombcyclone' on the East Coast! It's really quite beautiful, the snow, but I fear for those who must drive in it, as roads are very slick. Am stayin' home until the roads are safe.

I hope Texas has no power problems this winter. How is it where you are?

YES, I do look forward to seeing Wade's new posts when they begin in February.
I wish him well and hope very much that he goes forward in a good direction. I'm glad he put up the archives of his old posts for his readers to reference. I know that took time and much work to do.

If you have PBS 'Masterpiece Theatre', I can recommend the new version of 'All Creatures Great and Small'. It's a beautiful production.

Have you seen the movie 'Don't Look Up!'??? (I can't decide if it's a horror movie or some kind of satire . . . . probably both. Not my cup of tea though.

You take care and keep writing those stories. I'm all 'vaccinated' now including the Moderna Booster, so maybe I can stay out of trouble a while longer, God willing. You stay safe. Wonderful you will have your grandson and his wife and baby living on your land. That will be such a joy for you and for Judy!




Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

I don’t think I’ve told this story:
Our parents went to Germany where they’d teach in American schools. Dad was already there and we followed on a ship that was so slow it took 17 days to cross.

My brother and I were bored until we hit a small storm. A spray of water splashed the deck that made it slick. The sides of the ship went up and down. No one knew we were having fun taking turns sliding about 50 feet from side to side on our leather shoes. When the ship rolled, we’d push off from the high railing and slide to the lower railing. When that railing went up, we slid to the other side.

After an hour, the ship rolled on a huge wave. The railing I pushed off was so high, I hit the lower railing going so fast I flipped over with my knees on the rail. I was bent at my waist gripping the center of the railing while looking at freezing water 20 feet below.

Those were the longest seconds of my life. When the ship rolled the other direction, I was able to stand up. That ended the fun, and we never told anyone.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

I forgot to say we were 15-years-old.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,
Another story:

My wife, Belle, and I’d been married two months. We were the only teachers with my mother and father in an elementary school in King Cove, Alaska. Its location is where the Aleutian Chain starts. We all lived in the schoolhouse.

My brother and I had killed a 300-pound Grizzley near Fairbanks the month before. I wanted to shoot a Kodiak bear. The largest Kodiak ever killed was in that area. It weighed 1,656 pounds and stood almost 10 feet tall. It’d taken 4 shots to kill the Grizzley; I wondered how many it’d take for a Kodiak.

Every Saturday, I’d go hunting, but never saw a bear. They were angry with me coming in after dark. Dad said, “I’m going with Rex tomorrow, and we’ll be back before dark.” He’d taught us never to say “I can’t”. (CAN’T NEVER DID ANYTHING)

Dad and I had shotguns, and I had the 30-06 I’d shot the Grizzley. I also had a 20-power spotting-scope. It was hard walking on tundra for many hours in a large valley. Every so often I’d search the area with the scope. Finally, saw a bear a couple of miles away. We couldn’t go very fast because Dad’s bad knee started hurting. By the time we got there, it started getting dark. (I’d forgotten to wind my watch.) Pretty soon, you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.

Dad asked if I knew the way back. “I think so.” We could see the outline of mountains against the sky, and we needed to go in the valley between two of them. I chose one. Soon we found a bear trail that led to that valley. (A bear trail has two trails with tall grass in the middle as their legs are far apart.) We felt the trail with our feet, and prayed the bears were asleep.

Dad was hurting so much, he held on to my shoulder and used his shotgun as a crutch. We finally saw lights of King Cove that look like heaven! I recognized the area and cautioned Dad there were deep holes of water. It was 38 degrees.

Soon, I stepped into one with two guns strapped on my back. I reached out and caught tall grass. My arms were horizonal like I was nailed to a cross. Dad fell on top of me. His feet were on the bank with his stomach pushing my head under water.

When I ran out of air, I’d strain to get a breath and yell, “GET OFF ME, DADDY!” He’d yell back, “I CAN’T!” That went on for a long time before he managed to scoot back off my head. It was after mid-night when we got home. That was our last hunt together.

Christiane said...

GREAT stories, Rex Ray

Isn't it strange how much of our youth we can remember, but at much older age, we can't recall what we had for breakfast in the morning???

My memories of being twelve years old are so vivid, I can still name all the kids in my seventh grade class and their positions that they sat at in the classroom. But I still struggle to remember the names of the children I last taught before I retired some years back.

Your memory is a gift, and your stories are the proof of this.

I'm not a fan of hunting myself, unless for food, but I'm sure glad those bears didn't get you and your father. I told my Coast Guard son to stay away 'from them bears' when he was stationed in Alaska. He listened. :)

Christiane said...

Glad the bears didn't get you and your father, REX RAY. :)

Great stories!

Raiyan Sakib said...

Small Non-denominational Christian Churches Riverside CA: GraceWorld Christian Fellowship

https://graceworldchristianfellowship.com/