Table of Contents:
1. COMMENTARY: “A TARNISHED CITY UPON A HILL”
by Rick Marschall, Managing Editor, Rare Jewel Magazine
2. WEBSTER’S 1828 DICTIONARY SAYS…!
How the Founders defined “COLONY”
3. BEST OF RARE JEWEL MAGAZINE
“The Great Experiment 101: The Essential Role of Christianity in America”
by Tim Ewing, Founder, Rare Jewel Magazine
4. BEST OF THE REST
RJM recommended reading: recent news articles for Christian Patriots
(headlines and links provided below)
5. OPPOSING ARGUMENTS
Discerning the truth—two articles regarding the civilian casualties in
Haditha, Iraq...same incident, two completely different stories.
(headlines and links provided below)
1. A TARNISHED CITY UPON A HILL
by Rick Marschall
Managing Editor, Rare Jewel Magazine
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” -- Isaiah 5:20,21
In our print magazine, my column was called “The Upper Room,” alluding to the wind the Holy Spirit that we should all covet in our lives, to bring wisdom and guidance. In the Book of Acts – formally, “The Acts of the Apostles,” the group who gathered and waited in that upper room were, frankly, frightened, confused, babbling fools. But the wind of the Holy Ghost swept on them, and brought tongues as of fire on them; they spoke with astonishing wisdom and understanding; and then was born a people who had vision and boldness. Having already received a Commission from Christ, His followers in the upper room received an equipping.
It was not presumption but petition that led me to call the column “The Upper Room.” We need to gather, as in that upper room in Jerusalem, to await the wisdom, the understanding, the empowerment, of the Holy Spirit as we do our work here on earth. I will continue to exhort and invite readers to join me in the metaphorical upper room in the future.
But for columns where we address secular, popular-culture, and political issues specifically – that is, as we deal with the prognosis of the patient known as the United States – I am going to file these thoughts under the rubric “A Tarnished City Upon a Hill.” It is, of course, a reference to the famous words of John Winthrop, most notably the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, wrote, in “A Modell of Christian Charity,” during his voyage to America on the ship Arbella:
“For we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword throughout the world.”
His phrase has come down to us (in our lifetimes most eloquently by Ronald Reagan) as “a shining city upon a hill” – and that shining city, for all the world to see, admire, and imitate, is America. It is obvious from my choice of twisted words that I am no longer sure that the old metaphor is applicable any more. Oh, the world sees us still. Whether it admires us should be of secondary concern; de Tocqueville, a century and a half ago, witnessed the awe-struck admiration of freedom-loving, reformist, republican-minded, pious patriots – as he was; as others were around the world, each to his own cultural context – for the American Experiment. Yet even if no other nation followed us, we should feel secure in the Founders’ consecration of this land as a place built on biblical principles, guided by Christian traditions.
Whether other nations follow our model, or imitate us (according to their own lights) might similarly be a topic of indifference to us… until we consider that America, that shining city upon a hill, well, might not be as shiny as she used to be. I take second-seat to no one in my love for this land and a reverence for our traditions. I do believe that, truly, America was set apart and blessed by God in a manner unique in history. But to the extent I am correct – and to the extent that readers might reflexively resent criticisms of our culture – I say that God’s anointing gives us special reason to be especially critical.
We should hold America to a higher standard because God graced with higher standards.
As to whether it is the duty of a Christian patriot to sound the alarm, even at the risk of nit-picking… another metaphor: the bright-faced baby, lovely to look at, growing strong and displaying admirable traits, is America. We Christian patriots, cultural traditionalists, are the proud parents. If that baby is taken from our arms, kidnapped, abused, dirtied, brought to low habits and losing self-respect… how many of us, in that situation, would stand by to excuse and ignore every indignity, and smilingly say, “That’s my baby! Isn’t he just beautiful?”
No, we should not wrap ourselves in flags when the flag comes to represent a culture where God is denied and Christ is mocked. Neither should we treat scraps of paper – offensive, bigoted court decisions – as if they were shackles and chains on our freedom. God forbid that we see, when we look in the national mirror, decent citizens laying down and placing the muddy boot of cultural degeneracy on our faces.
If you too are troubled that the United States is not just threatened by a culture war, or just engaged in one, but losing one; if you think it’s not just time to install a warning-bell, but to be ringing it from its frame; then join this debate. Please don’t just read, but interact. I will share your ideas and reactions – let us learn from each other what works, and what doesn’t work, in our common goal of rescuing this culture. May I say: to burnish bright what has become tarnished.
I close with words from Theodore Roosevelt:
“We, here in America, hold in our hands the hope of the world, the fate of the coming years. Shame and disgrace will be ours if in our eyes the light of high resolve is dimmed; if we trail in the dust the golden hopes of mankind.”
[Editor’s note: Next column: the cancerous relationship between media and politics.]
[1] Read Winthrop’s entire discourse at:
http://www.winthropsociety.org/doc_charity.php
2. WEBSTER’S 1828 DICTIONARY SAYS…!
How the Founders defined “COLONY”:
COLONY, n.
1. A company or body of people transplanted from their mother country to a remote province or country to cultivate and inhabit it, and remaining subject to the jurisdiction of the parent state; as the British colonies in America or the Indies; the Spanish colonies in South America. When such settlements cease to be subject to the parent state, they are no longer denominated colonies. The first settlers of New England were the best of Englishmen, well educated, devout Christians, and zealous lovers of liberty. There was never a colony formed of better materials.
[In 1828, Noah Webster published America’s first English dictionary, titled, “An American Dictionary of the English Language - with pronouncing vocabularies of Scripture, classical and geographical names.” This 26-year project, begun during Thomas Jefferson’s first term as President, contained 70,000 entries and 12,000 new definitions. For the first time in the history of the English language a standardized spelling for vocabulary words was provided.]
3. BEST OF RARE JEWEL MAGAZINE
“The Great Experiment 101: The Essential Role of Christianity in America”
by Tim Ewing, Founder, Rare Jewel Magazine
200 years after Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor John Winthrop penned “A Model of Christian Charity”, Alexis de Tocqueville confirmed the prophetic nature of Winthrop’s famous statement, “For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill.”
Alexis de Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America” provides a unique opportunity to see early America through the eyes of an objective “outsider” – the visiting Frenchman’s view of the factors responsible for the American character. Just 55 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the United States of America already had astounded the world with its growth in population, economy, freedom, and prosperity. According to de Tocqueville, America, relative to Europe, was “…much superior in civilization, industry, and power.”
Read the entire article from a past edition of Rare Jewel Magazine at:
http://www.rarejewelmag.com/articles/view_by_group.asp?group=2005-03%20(Mar/Apr):%20Christophobia#id_440
4. BEST OF THE REST
RJM recommended reading: recent news articles for Christian Patriots
National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers???
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54576
NJ lawmaker wants halt to GOP's runaway spending…
http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/03/nj_lawmaker_wants_halt_to_gops.php
Former Navy chaplain vows to continue appeal as civilian…
http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/03/former_navy_chaplain_vows_to_c.php
Dungy Makes Super Bowl Stop…
[Comments by 2007 Super Bowl victor, Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy from one year ago—just six weeks after his oldest son’s tragic death]
http://www.aia.com/news.aspx?newsitem=101
5. OPPOSING ARGUMENTS
Discerning the truth—two articles regarding the civilian casualties in Haditha, Iraq...same incident, two completely different stories. (headlines and links provided below)
In Haditha, Memories of a Massacre
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/26/AR2006052602069.html
Marine Commander Faces Politically Charged “Haditha” Prosecution
http://www.thomasmore.org/news.html?NewsID=533
