Alaska bought from Russia

ON THIS DATE

USA bought Alaska from Russia 3/30/1867, being one of the greatest real estate deals – both in space & best price per square mile – of all time.  It was purchased for 7.2 million or about $0.02 (2 cents) per acre.

A move was afoot for this USA – Russian sale before the uncivil war.  Following it, Eduard Stekl, Russian’s envoy to Washington, negotiated the talks. Of the $7.2 million one source says $165,000 (a lot of money in that day) was used to bribe some U.S. senators & newspapermen.  It is said to have passed senate by one vote & was called “Seward’s Follie” “Seward’s Icebox” – a term you may have to explain to some.

The Russians had discovered the Alaska mainland in an expedition led by Vitus Bering (a Dane) in 1741.  The first Russian settlement was established 8/14/1784 & the first Russian Orthodox Church in the west was started 1795 (in Kodiak). It wasn’t until 2/22/1825, that Russia & Britain established the Alaska/Canada boundary. A quote heard in 1985 & one that has few exceptions is, “Every man that visits Alaska either returns or always wants to.”  The following was written while in AK some years ago:

Pointed  Trees

To humanly count the pointed trees,

Guarding just one cool, Alaskan stream,

Could take a life-time, if you please,

(And t’would be a nightmare – not a dream).

 

Trees are there whom no man has yet seen,

All awkwardly pointing to the sky,

An odd blend of black, gray, and green,

Silent, except for the wind’s sad cry.

 

From seedling to youth, to great old age,

They stand rooted in the northern sod,

Of wonders they’re just on more page,

Mute life, glorifying their high God.

– eab,  9/16/06

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Oswald Smith Quote

“The United States spent more on gum in one year

than she spent on Missions.”

– Oswald J Smith, from his book The Revival We Need

> Result of this quote? Have only chewed gum on plane’s descent since about 1968 <

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Ada Fitzgerald Whiddington – died

ON THIS DATE

Ada Ann Fitzgerald Whiddington died, 3/14/1933, at Hendon, England.  She was born in 1855 in England (both exact date & exact location unknown) to Mr & Mrs Robert Fitzgerald.  She married Mark Whiddington & they were blessed with a son, Richard, who reportedly became Cavendish Professor of Physics at Cambridge University.  Ada is thought to have been associated with the Keswick Convention.

This lady is one of many souls who felt inspired to write the desires of their honest souls. One could wish to know more about her, her background, her times but those are left in history’s shadow. What we do have are these words set to music by the famous Canadian turned American A B Simpson (born, PEI, 1843).   

Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted; Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard;

Not I, but Christ, in every look and action, Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.

Refrain

O to be saved from myself, dear Lord, O to be lost in Thee,

O that it might be no more I, But Christ, that lives in me.

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Civilla Durfee Martin – died

ON THIS DATE 

Civilla Durfee Martin died 3/9/1948 at Atlanta, GA.  She was born 8/21/1869 at Jordan, Nova Scotia, Canada.  She was the daughter of James & Irene (Harding) Holden & became a school teacher.  Later she married Walter Stillman Martin, a Harvard graduate, who was a preacher & a musician.

 She left a history of one of her song favorites:

“I was confined to a sick bed in a Bible school in Lestershire [now Johnson City], NY husband was spending several weeks at the school, making a songbook for the president of the school. God Will Take Care of You was written one Sunday afternoon while my husband went to a preaching appointment. When he returned I gave the words to him. He immediately sat down to his little Bilhorn organ and wrote the music. That evening he and two of the teachers sang the completed song. It was then printed in the songbook he was compiling for the school.

 

Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you;

Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you.

Refrain

God will take care of you, Through every day, over all the way;

He will take care of you, God will take care of you.

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Oswald Smith Quote

“You can go to a seminary and learn how to preach sermons,

but you will have to go to God to get messages.”

– Oswald J Smith, from his book Consuming Fire

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Sir Grenfell Quote

 

“Faith is not a denial of reason; it is a corollary of finality in relation with the infinite.”

– Sir Wilfred Grenfell, MD from his book What Christ Means to Me

 

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Puddle

PUDDLE   [1]    

When you see a puddle that’s ruddy,  

Don’t contemptuously call it “muddy”

Unless its near-by-buddy

Is clear.

It may be the “ruddy season,”

Or have another reason

Why to your eye it’s not pleasin’,

My dear.

– eab, 2/8/06

[1] Written after seeing a puddle walking on large flat acreage behind the Kingston church.

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Shea – born

ON THIS DATE

George Beverly Shea was born 2/1/1909 in Winchester, Ontario, Canada.  He grew up at 555 Main Street just west of the Wesleyan Methodist Church his father, Adam I Shea, pastored.  He was named Beverly after the famous Methodist preacher and author, Beverly Carrardine, who often visited the Shea parsonage. He sang as a young man in that church and later at Houghton College (New York). 

 Canadians like to tell about the first time he and Billy Graham came to Toronto; the street banner said in big letters George Beverly Shea Singing and underneath in smaller letters Billy Graham speaking.  It is estimated he sang the Gospel to more people than anyone else in the world.  He wrote the words to “The Wonder of It All,” the music to “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” and two books (with Fred Bauer) Then Sings My Soul, and Songs That Lift the Heart.  Shea died 4/16/2013

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Oswald J Smith – converted

ON THIS DATE

Oswald J Smith was converted to Christ #OnThisDate 1/28/1906.  He went on to become the founder of Peoples Church of Toronto and a promoter of the Faith Promise concept for raising mission funds.  (His church literally gave millions to missions.)  The evangelist when Smith was converted was R. A. Torrey (Reuben Archer Torrey) and the location was Toronto.  It happened to be Torrey’s birthday (b.1856) – so they shared BDs: Torrey physically, and Smith spiritually.

Smith quotes:

You can go to a seminary and learn how to preach sermons but you will have to go to God to get messages.

It is when there is no revival that it is difficult to get men to enter the ministry or to go to the mission field…

Judgment awaits us, judgment or revival…   – all from his book Consuming Fire.

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Author of “Gentle Mary laid her Child” – born

ON THIS DATE

Joseph Simpson Cook was born 12/4/1859 in County Durham, England.  He emigrated as a youth to Canada where he was educated at the Wesleyan College, McGill University, Montréal.  He was an ordained Methodist minister and later served in the United Church of Canada.  Of the songs he wrote “Gentle Mary Laid Her Child” (1919) is the best known.  Cook died 5/27/1933 in Toronto, Canada.

 

Gentle Mary laid her Child Lowly in a manger; There He lay, the undefiled, To the world a Stranger.

Such a Babe in such a place, Can he be the saviour? Ask the saved of all the race Who have found His favour.

Angels sang about His birth, Wise men sought and found Him; Heaven’s star shone brightly forth Glory all around Him.

Shepherds saw the wondrous sight, Heard the angels singing; All the plains were lit that night, All the hills were ringing.

Gentle Mary laid her Child Lowly in a manger; He is still the undefiled, But no more a Stranger.

Son of God of humble birth, Beautiful the story; Praise His Name in all the earth, Hail! the King of Glory!

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