Cheap religion may

 

            give one a moral life;

 

It cannot

 

            give one eternal life.           

 

– eab, 12/31/09

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DECEMBER WOODS

December’s woods are cool woods. 

Woods are never cold –

Cold is impersonal. 

Woods have nature’s mold.

 

December’s woods are gray woods;

Gray – or are they brown?

Perhaps somewhere in between

The true hue can be found.

 

December’s woods are straight woods,

Bare and tall and straight.

Like the masts of sail boats,

Resting at harbor’s gate.

 

December’s woods are wet woods. 

Whither snow or sleet or rain,

They paint the trees darker shades,

Until sun blesses them again.

 

December’s woods are quiet woods,

Calm, tranquil, serene.

Palmates and pinnates rustle no more.

The twigs are all clean. [1]

          – eab, 12/30/77

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^[1] For some years December was my hunting month.

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William Orcutt Cushing

Ring the bells of Heaven! There is joy today,
For a soul, returning from the wild!
See, the Father meets him out upon the way,
Welcoming His weary, wandering child.

Refrain

Glory! Glory! How the angels sing:
Glory! Glory! How the loud harps ring!
’Tis the ransomed army, like a mighty sea,
Pealing forth the anthem of the free.

Ring the bells of Heaven! There is joy today,
For the wanderer now is reconciled;
Yes, a soul is rescued from his sinful way,
And is born anew a ransomed child.

Ring the bells of Heaven! Spread the feast today!
Angels, swell the glad triumphant strain!
Tell the joyful tidings, bear it far away!
For a precious soul is born again.

William Orcutt Cushing was born this date 12/31/1823, Hingham, Massachusetts.   He penned some 300 or more hymns and/or Gospel Songs.  These include “When He Cometh” “Under His Wings” and “Hiding in Thee.”  Cushing died 10/19/1902, at Lis­bon Cen­ter, New York.

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Love of Holiness

It is too easy to know the:

            Language,

            Looks,

            Life-style of holiness

and not know the Love of holiness.

 

– eab, 4/85

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M. M. S. B.

M Many a joyful hour have I spent,

A Alone with you in sweet content.

R Reasons I may not be able to express,

T Things mean a lot, while others mean less.

H Having you as a major part of life,

A And here are a few reasons, Dear wife.

 

M Mostly, I like the way that you look,

A And I relish your taste, as a good cook.

E Enough you are to make home, of a nook.

 

S Seasons as they pass on their way round,

C Can scarce diminish the pearl I’ve found;

A As you wash, sew, and clean all the day,

R Rewarded by love and ideals that can’t decay,

B Believing, as you do, in motherhood,

R Relieved I am for our sons’ good. 

O Of the women I see or know,

U Unchallenged you stand; the rest below.

G Graceful, and kind, loving, and good,

H Having more talents than many could.

 

B Because of these fine traits I see,

R Remote the chances that you wed me,

Y Yet thankful I am that you are mine,

A And Honey I wish you a life that’s fine;

N Now, and evermore, may you happy be.

                – eab, 12/26/68

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R T Williams – married this date, Dec. 26, 1906

If one does not believe in the eradication of sin in the heart he does not believe in holiness. – R.T. (Roy Tilman) Williams, Sanctification – Experience and Ethics (KC: Nazarene Pub. House, 1928), 18.

It is quite easy to change one’s theory to suit his experience. – R.T. (Roy Tilman) Williams, Sanctification – Experience and Ethics (KC: Nazarene Pub. House, 1928), 19.

Regeneration is salvation from the voluntary commission of sin; sanctification is

salvation from the being of sin. – R.T. (Roy Tilman) Williams, Sanctification – Experience and Ethics (KC: Nazarene Pub. House, 1928), 22.

Man sanctifies himself through consecration.  God sanctifies him by the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. – R.T. (Roy Tilman) Williams, Sanctification – Experience and Ethics (KC: Nazarene Pub. House, 1928), 25.

All would like to have perfect love, greater power, more joy…but few seemingly are willing to die to self and sin. – R.T. (Roy Tilman) Williams, Sanctification – Experience and Ethics (KC: Nazarene Pub. House, 1928), 28.

R T Williams on this date 12/26/1906, married Eunice Harvey.  They were married in Texas.  Williams was a leading voice in the Church of the Nazarene.

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Why was Christ born?

Christ,

 

Born once

 

that man may be twice born.

 

– eab, 12/80

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THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS

The Christ of Christmas is the same all year.

The Savior of Seasons is always very near.

The Lamb will lead you, from day to day,

And the Joy of Jesus can be yours all the way.

The Son will shine the whole year round;

If the Prince of Peace your soul has found.

So may He be King of your kingdom,

And may His joy be yours:

As you commemorate the Gift of God,

And your happiness, as an angel, soars. [1]     

                – eab, 12/65           

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^[1] This is Bryan’s first card.  Printed at God’s Bible School by my old roommate and friend, Paul Zehr, Berne IN.  We roomed when he was a college junior and I was a high school junior.

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John Byrom – gave this, Dec. 25, 1845

Christians, awake, salute the happy morn
Whereon the Savior of the world was born.
Rise to adore the mystery of love
Which hosts of angels chanted from above,
With them the joyful tidings first begun
Of God incarnate and the virgin’s Son.

Then to the watchful shepherds it was told,
Who heard th’angelic herald’s voice, “Behold,
I bring good tidings of a Savior’s birth
To you and all the nations of the earth;
This day hath God fulfilled His promised Word;
This day is born a Savior, Christ the Lord.”

He spoke; and straightaway the celestial choir
In hymns of joy, unknown before, conspire;
The praises of redeeming love they sang,
And Heav’n’s whole orb with alleluias rang.
God’s highest glory was their anthem still,
Peace on the earth and unto men good will.

To Bethl’hem straight th’enlightened shepherds ran
To see the wonder God had wrought for man
And found, with Joseph and the blessèd maid,
Her Son, the Savior, in a manger laid;
Then to their flocks, still praising God, return,
And their glad hearts with holy rapture burn.

Like Mary let us ponder in our mind
God’s wondrous love in saving lost mankind!
Trace we the Babe, who hath retrieved our loss,
From His poor manger to His bitter cross,
Tread in His steps, assisted by His grace,
Till man’s first heav’nly state again takes place.

Then may we hope, th’angelic hosts among,
To sing, redeemed, a glad triumphal song.
He that was born upon this joyful day
Around us all His glory shall display.
Saved by His love, incessantly we sing
Eternal praise to Heav’n’s almighty King.

John Byrom on this date, 12/25/1845 gave his daughter Dolly the present of the carol “Christians, Awake, Salute the Happy Morn.”  Byrom was born 2/29/1691 at Old Sham­bles, Man­ches­ter, Eng­land.  He passed from this life 9/26/1763, in the same town.

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Easy or Hard – Now or Later

The easy road

 

Leads to the hardest place – hell

 

The hard road

 

Leads to the easiest place – heaven. 

 

 -eab, 12/8/09

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