Desiderata

 

Go quietly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they, too, have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others you may become bitter or vain, for there will always be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of our time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery; but let this not blind you to what virtue there is.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune, but do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here, and whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God. And what-ever your labors and aspiration, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

ANONYMOUS

Guardian of Truth XL: 11 p. 13
June 6, 1996

From Tarsus to Mount Ararat (5) Eight Days Journey Through Four Millennial of History

By Ferrell Jenkins

Northeast of Van we took highway E99 toward Dogubayazit (pronounced doe-BYE-a-zit). We stopped to look at a beautiful waterfall at Muradiye. Some of the guide books say that this road is bad, but we found it to be one of the best we traveled. This may be because it is used by the military who patrol the area. For several miles the road runs parallel to the Iranian border. In the highest elevation it was cold and there was snow along the highway  we stopped for Curtis and Kyle to throw some snow-balls. The highest elevation was 8,668 feet. The region seems to receive much rain and is ideal for herding sheep. The lushness of the grass re-minded me of Wales.

As we came down to an elevation of 5200 feet, our first view of Mount Ararat was disappointing because the mountain was covered with dark clouds. We continued through Dogubayazit east a few miles to the Sim-Er Hotel on the Iran transit road.

We were the only guests in the hotel that night so we got the best rooms available with wonderful views of the mountain. Some of the explorers who have searched for the ark have stayed here including former astronaut Jim Irwin, whose autographed photo of his moon walk hung beside the reception desk.

Mount Ararat: Did the Ark Land Here?

Shortly after our arrival the clouds began to move away from the mountain and we had a clear view for excellent photos. The terrain around Mount Ararat (Agri Dag in Turkish) is bleak and this makes the mountain all the more impressive. Mount Ararat is known locally as Buyuk Agri (Greater Ararat) and is nearly 17,000 feet high. Snow covered the top third of the peak. The mountain is connected to Kucuk Agri (Lesser Ararat), a lower mountain which is under 13,000 feet high, by a ridge seven miles long.

The keeper of the hotel offered the services of one of his workers, Mustafa, to direct us to places of interest in the area. We headed toward the Iranian border and made beautiful photos of the now-cleared mountain. Some clouds hang around the top of the mountain most of the time, but they move constantly making every photo unique. When we came to gates across the road we turned north on a dirt road. We were at the border of Iran and only authorized vehicles, like the TIR trucks, continue east. Mustafa asked some shepherd boys for directions and we continued to see a huge crater which was made when a meteor hit the earth in 1920. More interesting at the moment was the fact that we were surrounded by Turkish soldiers with their guns pointed toward Iran.

We asked Mustafa, who was able to speak both Turkish and Kurdish but little English, to take us to a place about 17 miles south of the summit of Mount Ararat about two miles from the Iranian border, at an elevation of about 5,200 feet, where some explorers have sought the ark for the past 35 years. We saw there a formation of 515 feet by 138 feet in a stream-lined “boat shape.” Several “Archeologists,” including David Fasold, Ron Wyatt and Marvin Steffins, have been initially convinced by their investigations that this site holds promise. The Learning Channel broadcast a film July 31, 1995, about the work of Fasold, Wyatt, and John Baumgardner. The following statement was added at the end of the film: “In 1992 the boat-shaped object was finally declared an official archaeological site by the Turkish Government. The site will be excavated in the summer of 1995.” We saw no indication of any excavations when we visited on June 18.

Both William H. Shea and Clifford L. Burdick wrote articles in the Creation Research Society Quarterly about this site in September 1976. Dr. John Morris of the Institute for Creation Research, who has headed a number of expeditions in search of Noah’s ark, cites Dr. John Baumgardner, a geophysicist, who disproved the hypothesis that this formation might be the ark and found nothing of archaeological significance (Impact, Sept. 1992). Baumgardner wrote an article about the “boat formation” in 1986 in which he stated that a man-made, boat-shaped object containing an organized pattern of metal underground, with location and dimensions consistent with those of the biblical ark had been found (“Noah’s Ark-Have We Found It?”, Mission Journal, May 1986). I have not yet located any more recent statements by Baumgardner.

When we returned to the hotel and cleaned up, we gathered in one of the rooms for a period of worship and study. Curtis directed our thoughts in a study about Noah and the ark. We looked at, and commented on, numerous passages which make reference to these subjects (e.g., Gen.6-9; Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 17:26-27; Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:18-21; 2 Pet. 2:5; 3:6).

The ark could have landed any-where in Urartu, the mountains of Ararat. Traditions seem always to seek the highest point. One must re-member that Agri Dagi is a large volcano which last erupted in 1840. Some have suggested that the ark, had it been hidden in the glaciers of this area, could not have survived. Discussion of the universality of the flood traditions and a history of efforts to locate the ark must wait for another time, place, or person to develop.

We Saw a Rainbow at

Mount Ararat

Kyle commented about what a wonderful trip we had enjoyed and especially how exciting it was to see Mount Ararat. He said the only thing more exciting would be to see a rain-bow. Curtis and I opined, “That would be exciting.” An hour or so later I heard Kyle yell, “There’s a rainbow!” There was. We rushed out to photo-graph it, and I am pleased to write that I got a fairly good shot.

“And God said, `This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to re-member the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. And God said to Noah, This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth’ (Gen. 9:12-17).

Agri Dagi may not be the exact place the ark landed, but the land of beginning again for Noah, Ham, Shem, and Japheth was certainly in the region we had traveled through today  the mountains of Ararat.

During the night, I woke up about 12:30 a.m. and looked out toward the mountain. The sky was clear and star-studded; it reminded me of the night I climbed Mount Sinai. The shepherds were already moving their sheep to pasture by about 4:30 a.m. Before 5 a.m. the sun peeked over the mountain to herald a new day. The temperature outside my window was 51 degrees. In the hotel lobby was a display of rocks that had been brought from the mountain. There were also several fossilized sea shells in the collection. The men said these also came from Mount Ararat!

On the eighth day we drove north along the west side of the mountain to Igdir. This gave us an opportunity to see more of the mountain. Efforts to climb the mountain, which are presently not permitted, begin on the north side of the mountain. We were able to see into Armenia, part of the former Soviet Union.

Upon the return to Dogubayazit we encountered some rain. When we turned west on highway E80 toward Agri and Erzurum, Mount Ararat was covered with black clouds and rain. We had enjoyed a wonderful visit of the area.

A Satisfying Journey Completed

We decided to spend our last night in eastern Turkey at Erzurum, a much more modern town than we had seen for several days. The next morning we said goodbye to our rental car, in which we had traveled 1600 miles, at the airport and headed for Istanbul via Ankara. Shortly before landing in Ankara we saw the Halys River which marked the western boundary of the ancient Hittite Empire. In Istanbul we had time to visit the modern Galleria mall near our hotel. It looked just like any new mall at home; it even had a food court with McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Baskin Robins. We were nearly home!

Traveling with Curtis and Kyle was a real pleasure. Kyle was keeping a journal in preparation for a college course he was taking. Curtis, with his special interest in and knowledge of church history as well as biblical history, provided innumerable insights throughout the trip. The adventure continues in our minds and hearts.

Guardian of Truth XL: 10 p. 18-19
May 16, 1996

Divine Authority and the Scriptures

By Connie W. Adams

God the Father, sent Jesus into the world who was “Immanuel, God with us.” God speaks to us in these last days in his Son and we dare not refuse him. To do so is to refuse the one who sent him. Jesus chose apostles and trained them while he was yet with them. After his ascension, as promise a, fife sent the Holy Spirit to teach, guide, remind, and show them things to come. They went forth and preached under that guidance using not words given by human wisdom but those chosen by the Spirit. Paul said his wards were “the commandments of the Lord.”

These apostles not only spoke by the Spirit’s direction, they also wrote letters to local churches and individuals instructing them in the will of the Lord. In this they followed in the path of “holy men of old” who “spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21). Most of the New Testament was written by the apostles. The exceptions (Mark, Luke, James and Jude) were men in close association with the apostles of our Lord and were inspired to write as they did.

Search the Scriptures

Jesus said ‘Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). No doubt, Jesus made reference to the Messianic prophecies. But we also need to search the New Testament Scriptures to learn of Christ. They also testify of him. We do not know of Christ apart from the Scriptures. You cannot preach Christ without preaching the Scriptures.

Paul’s Writings and the Other Scriptures

Peter wrote of things written by “our beloved brother Paul” and said “according to the wisdom given unto him” he had written “in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction” (2 Pet. 3:15-16). First, notice that Peter states that Paul wrote “according to the wisdom given unto him.” He recognized that Paul was the source of what he wrote. Next, he speaks of his epistles in which were some things hard to be understood. I wonder if Peter had the Roman letter before him! Then, he said that the unlearned and unstable “wrest” or pervert, what Paul wrote, “as they do also the other scriptures.” “Other scriptures” not only shows that what Paul wrote was classified as Scripture, but it was in the same class with “other scriptures.” Then notice, that to be guilty of wresting Scripture, is to endanger the soul. They do it “to their own destruction.” Folks, there is no salvation apart from respecting and obeying the teaching of the Scriptures.

Paul summarized all of it in the statement “All scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished until all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Timothy had known “the holy scriptures” from a child (verse 15), but I am convinced that Paul while including the Old Testament, states a larger view in verse 16-17. The all-sufficiency of Scripture is set forth. Peter said, “According as his divine power hath given unto all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:3). What cannot be found in Scripture about life and godliness is not worth having.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians about the grace of God given him “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery: (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Eph. 3:2-5). What did God’s grace give Paul? By revelation he made known the divine plan which was a mystery in Old Testament times. This message was “revealed” to the “holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” Paul said he “wrote in a few words” so that when they would read what he wrote (that’s Scripture), they in turn would understand what Paul came to know by rev-elation.

That is why we must ever be a people of the book. “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11). Scripture came by divine revelation. That means it is authoritative. If I reject (or pervert) the Scripture, I do so to my own destruction. At the same time, I am guilty of rejecting the work of the Lord’s ambassadors. To do that is also to reject the Holy Spirit which directed them. To do that means that I have rejected the Christ who sent the Spirit to guide them. To reject him is to reject the Father who sent him. Yet, this is the process by which God has chosen to reveal his mind to us.

That is why it disturbs me to hear sermons from men who profess to belong to the Lord which contain very little Scripture. Dramatic stories may illustrate points but they are not on a par with Scripture. Certainly sermons ought to flow in orderly and logical fashion. There are times for illustration, for emphasis, for pointed exhortations. Yet, the Scriptures themselves are a rich storehouse of such material. When religious journalism becomes more concerned with a polished literary work with a minimum of Scripture, maybe even just one verse, than with instruction in and defense of the truth of God in a world gone mad with sin and error, then it is time to remind all who will listen that gospel preaching is Bible preaching. It is sickening to hear so-called gospel preachers mimicking the dramatic and sensational denominational preachers who fill the religious radio stations or the religious channels on television. Or who obviously have filled their libraries and their minds with the excitement of some new and cute way to say it. It is but a short step from that to belittling faithful servants of the Lord who are working hard to instill in the minds of their hearers what the word of God teaches. If you want to preach practical things, then preach the Scriptures. Do you want to speak of Jesus? Then “Search the scriptures” for they “testify” of him. Do you want to preach Christ? Then tell people what the apostles of Christ wrote as well as what he said while here.

May the Lord help us to respect the divine authority of the creator of us all. All too soon, we shall stand before him in judgment. The books will be opened, and another book, the book of life will stand open as well. The dead shall be judged out of those things that are written. May we all be prepared for that certain event.

Guardian of Truth XL: 11 p. 3-4
June 6, 1996

Grief Is A Long Journey

By Joyce Jamerson

Spring is a wonderful time, a time of renewal and promise. The signs of Spring are everywhere as one season releases itself to another. For the grieving, the seasons are almost unnoticeable for in sorrow, one seems to be observing life instead of really living it. As time drags on, birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions bring back the sting of death and remind us all too effectively of the one missing, teaching us again of our own mortality.

The book of 2 Corinthians opens and closes with mentions of comfort. How do we comfort the grieving? What can possibly be said to a parent whose child has committed suicide? To a godly man or woman who has suddenly lost a mate of many years? To those who lose children either by accident, illness, or an interrupted pregnancy? To those whose mates have Alzheimers and although they are adequately cared for in a chosen facility, the grieving process has al-ready begun? To the chronically or terminally ill?

When we comfort others, or others comfort us, it is God working through us to do his will. In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul says, “God is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in, all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Some time ago, the one leading our thoughts at the Lord’s table spoke of angels ministering unto Jesus after he prayed in the garden. It struck me then how we too, have been ministered to by angels, in being the recipients of so many encouraging and helpful acts since the very sudden death of our daughter Jill.

Our God Specializes in Comfort

As many of you know, our only daughter collapsed after a volleyball game early in her sophomore year at Florida College, due to the hemorrhage of a malignant brain tumor. At that time her father was teaching in Romania. Just before Frank left for Romania, many prayers were offered for his protection and for our family with special mention being given to Jill since she was still young and needed her father’s counsel. After her sudden death, I remember wondering why God chose not to answer this prayer. It occurred to me sometime later that protection doesn’t always mean life. Jill has been protected from having to suffer many things. But, in our grief, we at first can focus only on our pain. The grieving need time to think, to discuss, to pray, and to wonder why without being misunderstood.

Allow the Expression of Sorrow or Frustration

Grief will only be prolonged if held in and more serious problems may surface. Denying we are grieving may impress others, but hidden grief usually manifests itself in other, sometimes more serious, ways. Writing to a pen pal who knew of our situation but was not a close family friend was very beneficial to me. She listened to all my agonies and frustrations and wisely made comforting comments, offering no solutions and refraining from reminding me how it could have been worse. Telling us how blessed we are only increases guilt feelings, for, in the early stages, we are operating strictly on emotion instead of logic. Another friend diligently called me to see what kind of day I was having. One day she said, “Joyce, I don’t know what you’re going through, but I won’t let you go through it alone.” How special those words were and still are.

Sorting Out the Emotions

of Grief is a Challenge!

Anger, fear and sadness add up to a lot of stress. Responses are some-times unpredictable. One of our sons recently told me he had not shed tears in quite a while, but just recently while leading the invitation song, the tears came and he thought, “Now where did that come from?” Please understand that tears may not always be for the lost loved one, but emotion expressed through tears  tears of gratitude, empathy, or just being overwhelmed with the care and concern of others. An emotional response may even be triggered by someone offering condolences but one should not feel guilty for having “caused” a response. Tears are such a wonderful cleansing relief, but we seem to be afraid of them.

Great care must be taken, however, to save the griever public embarrassment, if possible. Especially when the grief is fresh, avoid asking, “how are you really?” It’s very beneficial to be able to ventilate, but the griever must be able to choose the time and the duration. Make short, kind comments, realizing that especially at first, timing is important. If you receive a cheery response from the griever, accept it as a time when they prefer to look at things positively. It is important, however, that this one knows you will take the time to listen whenever he or she is ready. Listen  and avoid preaching, recognizing that there are times when it’s just not possible to smile and say “fine” when asked, “How are you?” That is actually a very stinging question to the newly grieved, and I’m trying to train my-self to avoid that question, substituting something more positive that requires no response. “It’s so good to see you. I’m so glad you were able to come. You look great!

Think twice about saying, “I know how you feel.” Do you really? Have you lost a child? mate? parent? One well meaning person told Frank that he knew what it was like to lose a child, for he could read about David in the Bible. We had read about David too, but that doesn’t begin to compare with losing our own child. Our parenting had come to an abrupt halt when Jill died. In our grief, we also mourned for ourselves for the things that will never be. We cannot possibly have a full understanding of a situation until we have been there. As many times as I have heard my dad speak of World War II and the time he spent in Germany separated from his family, I still have only a slight idea of what he went through while in the service. There is no timetable for grief. We cannot and have no right to insist that someone grieve on our schedule. Many give the impression that after a given amount of time we should be over this! Grief should not be an occupation, but neither does it mean we will never think of the deceased again.

Some of our family asked how it made us feel to hear Jill’s name mentioned. Don’t we usually like to hear our children mentioned? It warmed our hearts to receive so many cards and letters, especially those who mentioned Jill’s influence on them in a special way, or some kind thing she had done. We found that the most lasting and touching comfort came from those who were not afraid to briefly express their grief to us … openly and honestly.

Reminders of the deceased do not always bring sorrows. Some things bring smiles and joy. The strains of Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” have been used on countless television commercials in the last couple of years, as have portions of the William Tell Overture. As assistant drum major her senior year, Jill directed parts of “Appalachian Spring” on field with the Lakeland High marching band, as well as performing the William Tell Overture with the concert band. Certain music will always remind us of her and her talent.

Whether we are dealing with the grief of illness or death, our own attitudes about death and dying reflect our ability to help others. It’s relatively easy to say a few words about prayer and the hope of heaven, but it takes courage to listen, really listen. I became painfully aware of how inadequate we usually are in this area. Frank and I found it very beneficial to attend a seminar for the grieving, for we were all grieving together and did not feel inhibited in expressing our feelings to those around us. In addition, I stay in touch with some other mothers who have lost children. This is how the organization known as “Compassionate Friends” originated. In reality, all Christians should be known as compassionate friends.

Timothy Kenny, in his book, Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome* states “ignorance and fear are simply not good enough excuses for turning your back on other people when they need you most. Friends made uncomfortable by tragedy miss the opportunity to do good for themselves as well as for those suffering loss. We should all make the effort to step across the line of discomfort, reach out to someone who might be alone in their circumstances. It can make a world of difference for the person in need and might really make you feel good about yourself.”

In the spring of 1994, after Jill died in September of 1993, we lost several older members at the congregation where we worship. One in particular was very difficult, in that she had suffered a series of “medical complications” that compounded rather that alleviated problems. We knew and she knew that she was going to die. This wonderful woman made it easy for those around her to comfort her. One young Christian worked at the hospital and had many opportunities to visit with and pray with her. The knowledge and comfort gained from this experience was invaluable to both parties, but never would have taken place without the courage of the young Christian. Another member recently developed cancer. Instead of withdrawing and feeling sorry for herself, she kept us all informed of her progress, explaining sometimes in detail the medical procedures that were being used and the hope for recovery. Her expression “either way, it’s going to be fine” was an uplifting light to many of us. Hope was abundant, a joy for us and a wonderful aid to a speedy recovery. She has just received word of her clean bill of health.

When we are uneasy about what to say (and at some time, we all are) don’t say anything. Just be there. The most important thing we can bring to our friends is ourselves. Our presence will speak volumes. Perhaps the day will come when we can speak of death and dying with the same ease as other phases of life. We who are grieving can help those around us to accomplish that ease, by being gently verbal about our losses, and as we speak, help others to understand. We will always have the ill and the grieving. In order to heal, they need to speak. Will we listen? They’ll need to be heard … will we turn away?

*Timothy Kenny, Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Thunders Mouth Press (New York: Thunders Mouth Press, 1994).

Guardian of Truth XL: 10 p. 16-17
May 16, 1996