“The Free Kirk, the Wee Kirk,The Kirk without the Steeple.””The Auld Kirk, the Cauld Kirk,The Kirk without the People.”(A popular Scots rhyme at the time of 1843 Disruption)
Santa Lucia
A beautiful and wealthy Sicilian who was martyred during the persecutions of Diocletian, Lucia of Syracuse (c. 304) was known as the patron of light. For her, Advent was always a celebration of the approach of Light and Life. Interestingly, her feast day, held on December 13, is one of the shortest and darkest days of the year. Thus, a …
Merry Eleventary X3
Gëzuar Krishtlindja–Albanian Een Plesierige Kerfees–Afrikaans Schenorhavor Dzenount–Armenian Chestita Koleda, весела коледа–Bulgarian Felices Pascuas–Catalonian Srecan Bozic–Croatian Vesele Vanoce–Czech Glaedelig Jul–Danish Zalig Kerstfeest–Dutch Roomsaid Joulu Puhi–Estonian Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah–Farsi Hauskaa Joulu–Finnish Vrolijke Kerstmis–Flemish Joyeux Noel–French Nodlaig Nait Cugat–Gaelic Frohliche Weihnachten–German Kala Christooyenna, Καλά Χριστούγεννα–Greek Mele Kalikimaka–Hawaiian Khag Same’ach, חג שמח–Hebrew Boldog Karacsony–Hungarian Buon Natale–Italian Meri Kurisumasu–Japanese Selamat Hari Krismas–Malay Kung …
Snopsing Chalmers on the “Gap Theory”
It is often asserted that the Scottish reformer, educator, and pastor, Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847), was one of the originators of the so-called “Genesis Gap Theory” as a part of his effort to harmonize the ideas of evolution and creation. S…
Reading Chalmers
I am often asked by friends and students how to begin a serious study of the life and work of Thomas Chalmers. This is at least partly because I can hardly ever give a lecture, preach a sermon, write an essay, or post a blog without me…
Leslie Printice: Pro-Life Pioneer
Leslie Printice was a young widow in New York City when she first became active in the pro-life movement. A member of Gardiner Spring’s congregation at the prominent Brick Presbyterian Church, she was encouraged by his sermons on child-killing to take a bold and active stand. She organized several meetings in her midtown Manhattan brownstone of doctors, lawyers, politicians, judges, …
Over the Cliff
So what exactly is this frightening “fiscal cliff” that it seems everyone is fretting over? Very simply, it is the possibility that the federal government will be forced to cut it’s $1.1 trillion budget deficit by about $500 billion this next year. In other words, it is the horrific specter of our magistrates having to cut their projected program increases! …
Why I Won’t Be Shopping on Black Friday
1. I just don’t believe shopping should be a contact sport. 2. I don’t do crowds. 3. Nothing I want is ever on sale (Have you ever actually seen a first edition Chalmers book at WalMart? Nope, me either). 4. I don’t do lines. 5. Turkey sandwiches await at home. 6. I don’t do malls. 7. I’d rather read. 8. …
Five Kernels of Corn
The first few winters in the New World were treacherous for the new colonists. In the Plymouth colony, the settlers died in droves from both sickness and starvation. In this bit of historic verse by Hezekiah Butterworth, the necessity of rationing the meager food resources is described alongside the abundant moral reserves of the people. Long a part of the …
Planned Parenthood: Buying Influence
Spending more than $12 million in the 2012 election, Planned Parenthood is now poised to really cash in–with an unprecedented level of new influence. Already the most pro-abortion administration in history, the Obama regime is likely to plunge our nation into even greater depths of brazen brutalitarianism. Of course, we’ve seen this sort of thing before–and it wasn’t pretty: “Woe …
Veterans Day
“At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month,” in Winston Churchill’s immortal declaration, “silence fell across the battlefields of Europe.” Thus, the First World War came to an end. Three years later, President Warren Harding dedicated the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery and declared that on this day “those who have offered …
Missing Sleep Unnecessarily
Although the campaign for president in 1888 was quite heated, the Republican candidate remained remarkably calm throughout the long ordeal. The grandson of a former president, Benjamin Harrison knew only too well the ebb and flow of politics and popular opinion, and simply refused to allow the process to disrupt his emotional equilibrium. On election night his chief interest seemed …
The Genius of the Electoral College
“Every word of the Constitution ultimately decides a question between power and liberty.” James Madison The Founding Fathers would more than likely be surprised by the current controversy over the Electoral College provisions of the Constitution. Indeed, it was one of the least controversial provisions of the new compact during the divisive debate for ratification. According to Alexander Hamilton writing …