John Bowring, Sir – death, Nov. 12, 1872

Watchman, tell us of the night,
What its signs of promise are.
Traveler, o’er yon mountain’s height,
See that glory beaming star.
Watchman, does its beauteous ray
Aught of joy or hope foretell?
Traveler, yes—it brings the day,
Promised day of Israel.

Watchman, tell us of the night;
Higher yet that star ascends.
Traveler, blessedness and light,
Peace and truth its course portends.
Watchman, will its beams alone
Gild the spot that gave them birth?
Traveler, ages are its own;
See, it bursts o’er all the earth.

Watchman, tell us of the night,
For the morning seems to dawn.
Traveler, darkness takes its flight,
Doubt and terror are withdrawn.
Watchman, let thy wanderings cease;
Hie thee to thy quiet home.
Traveler, lo! the Prince of Peace,
Lo! the Son of God is come!

John Bowring [Sir] died this date, 11/23/1872, at Devon, England.  His trade/ manufacture was in woolen goods.  It was so extensive that it increased his natural abilities in languages.  One report has him flu­ent in over twenty (20) lan­guages and speaking eighty (80) more.  Another report would place his speaking skills as high as a hundred (100) languages with a limited knowledge of up to two hundred (200).  In either case he had a phenomenal God–given strength and seems could carry on business in following named tongues: Boheman, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish. 

He served twice in Parliament, held several high government positions to foreign countries including being the governor of Hong Kong, and was knight by Queen Victoria.  In addition to all the worldly fame he had a deep interest in God as the above hymn shows and as his additional twenty (20) some others show.  His more famous one is “In the Cross of Christ I Glory” – see 10/17/2009 of this blog.

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John Bowring, Sir – birth, Oct. 17, 1792

In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o’er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.

When the woes of life o’ertake me,
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me,
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.

Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.

In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o’er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.

John Bowring, Sir, was born this date, 10/17/1792, at Exeter in Devon, England.  He was a statesman, was active in Parliament and then governor of Hong Kong.  He was knighted by the Queen 1854.

Bowring was a linguist – mastered five (5) languages by age sixteen (16) and could converse an hundred (100) languages before he died – try to imagine that.  John was also a merchant, a theologian, and the author of a total of sixteen (16) volumes.  Sir Bowring however is best known for this good hymn “In the Cross of Christ I Glory.”

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George Boone – arrived in America, Oct. 10, 1717

An Englishman named George Boone on this date, 10/10/1717, arrived with his family at Philadelphia, PA.  They were Quakers (Society of Friends) arriving at the “capital” of American “Quakerism.”  They had departed from England (Devon) on August 17^th. 

His son, Squire Boone and Sarah Morgan’s marriage was “decently accomplished” by Quaker ceremony the seventh month, twenty-third day in 1720 (7/23/1720).  Their sixth son, Daniel, was the famous “Daniel Boone,” born 11/2/1734. 

Daniel was so successive in understanding Indians because of his grandparents and parents’ Quaker faith.  Friends (Quakers) treated Indians fairly and traded with them and thus Daniel got to learn Indian ways from peaceful Pennsylvania Red men.

It is sadly true that Daniel killed his share of Indians but sources will show that he did not enjoy this carnage and that he also saved Indian life.  This all started 10/10/1717 – ought to be easy to remember 10, 10, 17, 17.

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