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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The Prayer of Humble Access defended

This post is the result of genuine provocation. One of the comments that followed Fr. Kirby's erudite article about the use of Missal and Prayer Book, ruffled my feathers. They were not ruffled by the writer of the comment, but rather by what he described:

I've often thought that the continuing Churches (at least in the UK) 'talk' a lot about the BCP and but rarely use it. You always see it mentioned on websites but of the three continuing Churches I've been to in the UK none of them use the 1662 or 1928 (UK) BCP for Mass - it's all been English Missal. One Priest told me that he'd reluctantly printed the Prayer of Humble Access for devotional use in the Mass booklets but refused to say it himself. Personally, I find this disappointing.

Well, at least this priest is good enough to let the prayer appear in print, even if he feels compelled to denounce it as, no doubt, "too Protestant." Inasmuch as the content of the Prayer of Humble Access was drawn largely from prayers said by the priest in older Latin Missals, prayers of the same kind as "Lord Jesus Christ...regard not my sins, but the Faith of thy Church..." the burden of proof weighs heavily on anyone who thinks its content to be an innovation of the 16th century.

To some degree this seems like a problem more intense in England than in other countries. The Anglo-Catholics in that country have reason to feel that their Book of Common Prayer (1662) is not quite as rich in its Eucharistic expression as it ought to be. The same comment closed with these words: "Knowing the American BCP, I can't think why you'd want to use anything else." Indeed, the Eucharistic celebration from the Missal in the United States is, in practice, simply an embellishment of the Book of Common Prayer 1928 edition. Nonetheless, I cannot understand why some of the English Anglo-Catholics inflict the Novus Ordo on their congregations, as if selecting an inferior liturgy is the solution; and for that matter, one with all the charm we might well imagine from a revision of Shakespeare produced by a committee. In such a nightmare, "Even a dog is obeyed in office" (King Lear) is replaced with, "The barking dog gets his way." How much more serious the real life problem of replacing "And with they spirit" (Et cum spritu tuo) with, "And also with you." If the English Anglo-Catholics want a richer liturgical expression, they need not abandon the Book of Common Prayer tradition altogether, especially not in favor of something about as uplifting as the financial page of the Times of London.

That is, unless the idea is to reject Anglicanism itself in favor of a Roman brand of Christianity that does not "out-Catholic," but merely "out-Romans," Rome. I fear such to be the case even in the thinking of a man as learned and accomplished as Fr. John Hunwicke, whose theories on the most important aspect of the Mass I have criticized. Just as many converts to the Orthodox Church have deluded themselves into thinking that they have found a way to cut themselves off from all stain of their western ancestry, I fear such Anglo-Catholics are self-loathing Anglicans, due no doubt to the failure of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion. The solution, however, is to Continue with us, not to cultivate Roman affectations. And, as my Orthodox brother, David Bentley Hart, has observed about the converts to the Orthodox Church, that they labor so industriously to reject anything western that they end up rejecting the actual teaching of Orthodoxy, these self-loathing Anglicans finish their endeavors by rejecting what is truly Catholic by the standard of Scripture and Antiquity. As we have observed many times, Quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est, is replaced with the Doctrinal Development theory Newman espoused. "The Faith once delivered to the saints" is not good enough for them, so they embrace innovations, some of which Rome itself discarded in recent decades, having learned from us.

For the Prayer of Humble Access to be treated with either contempt or embarrassment by any Anglican is, however, a new low in theological illiteracy. Perhaps this prayer is considered to be lacking in decorum, like celebrating the Masse 1 in a surplice-the unforgivable sin for which any priest is, no doubt, condemned to everlasting Hell (that, and failure to wear black socks). That is, maybe the UK cleric mentioned in the comment is embarrassed by the Prayer of Humble Access the same way I would be embarrassed by my crazy Uncle Ernest, but simply because it is not in the Tridentine Mass rather than for its content. However, to defend the prayer, it must be looked at for its theological meaning, which is very deep and truly Catholic. Therefore, we will assume that the embarrassment this cleric has expressed (which makes me embarrassed for him), has to do with his own want of theological understanding rather than a matter of his own bad taste.

Let us analyze the Prayer of Humble Access and see the richness of the theology contained therein.

We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy...

Anyone who seeks a religion that is affirming of his life style and choices, or even of himself, cannot appreciate our service of Holy Communion at all. Neither can he appreciate our Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. Throughout all our public prayers we confess that we are sinners, and supplicate to be forgiven. Often, it takes even more of God's grace for the religious person to know he is a sinner than it does for a notorious backslider or completely unchurched man who is suddenly converted. Too often, the religious man can be like the Pharisee in the parable, and actually think the same way. "God, I thank Thee I am not as other men are." (Luke 18:11) What C.S. Lewis once wrote rings true:

But are we really to believe that on each of us there lies something which if not taken off us, will in fact break us? It is very difficult. No man has any natural knowledge of his own inner state and I think that at the beginning we probably find it much easier to understand and believe this about other people than about ourselves. 2

In addition, that expression, "We are not worthy to gather up the crumbs under thy table," is from the Gospel of Matthew.

And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. (Matt. 15:22-28)

Although we are no longer Gentiles, but children of the Covenant baptized into Christ, we do not forget that we are here by grace rather than merit. In terms that John the Baptist would approve, we say these words to remind ourselves "that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." (Matt. 3:9) Only by his mercy do we come into his presence, never by any righteousness of our own.

I hope the English cleric in question does not consider the realistic appraisal of our sinful state to be "too Protestant" for him; if so, he does not stand alongside the great saints of the Church, East and West. If so, he distances himself from St.Paul who wrote, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." (I Tim. 1:15) Nor does he stand alongside any of the true believers in the Communion of the Church of Rome today; he distances himself from Pope Benedict XVI, who knows himself to stand only by God's mercy and grace. If this is "too Protestant" for the English priest, so is all Christianity throughout all time.

...Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

The words "so to eat...and to drink" have everything to do with why we, as Anglicans, call the Mass "Holy Communion." The Anglican emphasis on receiving the Sacrament must not be thought of in terms of the worn out charge of Cranmer's apparent "Receptionism," which later was repeated by Richard Hooker. As we have seen already in posts on this blog, what these men wrote was not a rejection of the Real Presence, but rather the view that it is immaterial when and how the elements are fully consecrated; when they are received, having been consecrated at the altar,3 they are the Body and Blood of Christ. This adds to the guilt of those who receive them in an unworthy manner; but for those who receive them with "hearty repentance and true faith" they are eternal life and health.

Here I quote from my sermon for the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity written in 2007.

"But, this other part they [contemporary Episcopalians] cut out, '…that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his Body, and our souls washed through his most precious Blood…' [this] offends the modern mind, because the modern mind cannot comprehend- as well I understand and sympathize- how the body could be sinful...The general resurrection of the dead on the last day will destroy that last enemy to be destroyed, death. So says the Bible, as we find in St. Paul’s first letter to those in Corinth...The Law of Moses teaches us that if a man so much as touched the dead body of any person, he was unclean and had to bring his sin offering to be cleansed...

"The body, as it is now, is affected by sin because it will die, and death itself is unclean. Death is not natural at all in the philosophical and theological sense. Death is the consequence of sin, not a good and natural part of God’s creation, but the last enemy of God and man that will be destroyed at Christ’s coming. So, how do we understand those words from our Prayer of Humble Access? '…that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his Body, and our souls washed through his most precious Blood…' We must think about what we are about to do. After the sermon you will confess that you are a sinner like everybody else. The General Confession is the opposite of the proud Pharisee’s prayer. He thanked God that he was not like other men, like the sinners; that is because he deceived himself. But we will confess the very opposite: We will confess the truth, seeking to be cleansed by God through the Absolution (if we come with 'hearty repentance and true faith'), and so will approach, will draw near to take into ourselves the very body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember his words:

"Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever (John 6: 54-58).”

"By eating this bread and drinking this cup our sinful bodies are made clean by his body, and our souls are washed through his most precious blood of the New Covenant. Springing from his Incarnation, from the Word made flesh, is this sacrament by which we feed on Christ, the Bread of Life, the food of eternal life"

This Sacrament that is "generally necessary to salvation," as taught in our Catechism, gives us this food and drink, His Body and Blood to cleanse us from our mortal uncleanness; so when saying these words, we ought to look to his coming again on the Last Day when we rise pure from the defilement of sin and death.

When we say the Prayer of Humble Access, let us say it boldly and in strong voice for all the world to hear. It is good, solid, Biblical and quite Vincentian. It expresses our sure and certain hope of the resurrection on the Last Day, the Divine promise that comes to us through the salvation Christ purchased for us on the cross when he gave his life, poured out his soul unto death, and thus took away the sins of the world; so that, at his rising, he could overcome death, and at his coming again destroy it forever. I am not ashamed to say these words, but grateful that I may pray them and mean them.

1. And remember, whereas the term "Holy Communion" is from the Bible and is rich in theological meaning, the word "Mass" means, to translate it freely, nothing more significant than "time to leave." Middle English masse, from Old English mæsse, from Vulgar Latin messa, from Late Latin missa, from Latin, feminine past participle of mittere, -to send away, dismiss. But the term "Holy Communion" is from I Cor. 10:16. I insist, there is no comparison. For Heaven's sake, call it the service of Holy Communion-we are Anglicans after all.

2. Miserable offenders from God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics, C. S. Lewis, Walter Hooper (Editor), Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Reprint edition (October 1994; original copyright 1970 by the Trustees of the Estate of C. S. Lewis).

3. The actual issue is settled in the rubrics themselves, commanding reverent treatment of whatever "remain of that which was consecrated."

Sandra McColl said...

"When we say the Prayer of Humble Access, let us say it boldly and in strong voice for all to hear."

I trust 'we' in this sentence is your brother priests. After all, the 1662 rubric reads: 'Then shall the Priest, kneeling down at the Lord's Table, say in the name of all them that shall receive the Communion this Prayer following.' And, yes, you should say it loudly enough for all in whose name it is said to hear.

Fr. D. said...

Just a note: as I understand it and have observed first hand, the "official" Church of England Anglo Catholics do mostly use the Novus Ordo Roman Missal. However those within the ACC mostly use the English Missal. Circa 1890? It has been re-printed in both the Peoples' and Altar editions.
Somewhat understandable given the jumbled and ambiguous order for Holy Communion in the 1662 BCP.
Fr. D.

poetreader said...

Wonderful exposition of one of the finest prayers of the Anglican tradition!

Actually, Sandra, I'm very thankful for the local custom in my parish that encourages the Congregation to join with the priest in saying the prayer, and find myself a bit annoyed by the insistence that this is wrong. I knew one bishop who would interrupt the service to turn and declare, "THIS IS MY PART!" if the people joined in. I also know a priest who tends to omit the Humble Access for fear people might join in saying it. Frankly, I find both attitudes to be rather unliturgical.

However, it is very clear that Cranmer's intent was that it be the people's prayer, not merely the priest's. The 1662 makes this very clear indeed, in using the same wording for both General Confession and Humble Access, instructing the priest or one of the ministers to say these prayers "...in the name of all those that are minded to receive..." or "in the name of all them that shall receive...". The expectation at first was that not everyone would have a Prayer Book (they were, and, besides, not all could read) and would not therefore know the text. After centuries of use, most of us do know the text by heart, and Prayer Books are readily available. I value the chance to say these words for myself.

Alice C. Linsley said...

The Prayer of Humble Access is one of the brightet gems in the BCP. It is the glowing equivalent of the Orthodox prayer before reception of the elements which speaks of the thief crucified beside Jesus, who seeking mercy, was promised that he would enter Paradise that very day.

This is yet another example of how Anglican obsession with things Roman, either pro or con, leads to loss of objectivity and strange thinking.

Fr. Robert Hart said...

Clarification: In the Episcopal Church in America, back when it was still really the Episcopal Church (1958 to be exact), the General Convention voted to allow congregations to join in if the rector and people were so minded (as well as the Thanksgiving at the end). This was established lawfully long before the modern problems set in. This is not the custom at St. Benedict's; but, I would not mind if it were.

However, when the celebrant alone speaks outloud it is still the people's prayer.

Rather than focusing on this rubrical point, I hope most of the comments that follow will be about the prayer itself and what it means, and any related liturgical and theological thoughts.

Shaughn said...

Fr. Hart,

If you want a fun project, trace where the Prayer of Humble Access is in the various liturgies. In the 1928 BCP, for example, it's plopped down at the end of the various Eucharistic Prayers -- after the Institution, after the Epiclesis. We have no doubt that when "our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood," we are dealing with elements that have changed somehow in their status, their very being.

In the 1552 BCP (gag), it falls just after the Sanctus et Benedictus. Well, really it's the Sanctus sine Benedictione, but nevermind that. The point is, it's there before the Institution, and there just flat out isn't an invocation of the Word and Holy Spirit. In such an arrangement, I think, we are never meant to think that any change whatsoever--not in status and certainly not in material--has taken place here.

This is, incidentally, where the prayer lies in the 1662 BCP. No wonder they think it's too Protestant. It's in a position where the effect of its words has been purposefully diminished. There's been no Institution. There's been no Invocation. There's been no Word and Holy Spirit. It's still bread, and it's still wine, and for all we know, based on the structure of the liturgy, that's all it's ever going to be.

Our 1928 BCP, by placing the Prayer of Humble Access after the Eucharistic Prayers, acknowledges that a change has taken place.

We in America, consequently, have a very different understanding of what this prayer does than they do. Or so I think.

(And to think--I learned the importance of this wandering prayer from a TEC Bishop. How sheepish he looked when I asked him where it was in Rite I, where it has been, frankly, censored!)

My .02, anyway. Peace.

Oh, incidentally, I was speaking with the rector of one of the few remaining '28 BCP parishes in the Diocese of Georgia, for whom I have a great deal of respect, and he said to me, "By the way, if you ever find yourself in a parish that doesn't say the Prayer of Humble Access and the Thanksgiving with the celebrant, don't start. It diminishes the importance of everything else the congregation says together -- The Confession, the Lord's Prayer, the Sanctus, the Gloria in Excelsis." Sounds like quite reasonable logic to me.

Fr. Robert Hart said...

I have made a "poetic" addition to the last paragraph: "For all the world to hear..." That is, this is what we pray and believe.

Canon Tallis said...

I believe that the origin of the Prayer of Humble Access was the Mozarabic Liturgy. That would make it quite ancient indeed and very Catholic. I have used it both in the position it is in 1662 and in our American book and have no trouble with it in either place.

On the other hand, it is not quite true to say that in the United States a missal service "is, in practice, simply an embellishment of the Book of Common Prayer 1928 edition." In many, if not most, places this is quite true, but I have known too many places where any resemblance to the form of the prayer book service does not exist.

As for the use of the Novus Ordo in England, this is simply a logical extension of the mentality of the English Church Union and the SSPP about liturgy in general. Roman was ok and "catholic," but anything English and Anglican is nothing but 'prot.' And I think that you, Father Hart, are exactly right that its roots lie in English and Anglican self loathing. Unfortunately, too many American Anglicans have taken on themselves a great deal of the same Anglican self-loathing and want nothing to do with anything that truly smacks of antiquity but which does not have the more recent blessing of the Roman See.

In the meantime Benedict XVI is seeking a Roman equivalent of Tudor and Elizabethan English for their next version of a vernacular liturgy. Indeed with his frequent choice of vestments and the way he has cleaned up the Sistine Chapel make him look and sound like someone attempting to win the approval of the Alcuin Club and the Anglican Society. Indeed, he - if no other - has learned from us.

+DM said...

If I may just clarify the use of liturgies in the ACC's Diocese of the United Kingdom.
The general structure of the Mass is the same whether the English Missal or the Anglican Missal are used (most if not all of our congregations have and use both here). I have celebrated the Eucharist, and been present at celebrations at which the, American 1928 Canon, the 1549 Canon and the Gregorian Canon have been used.
Although those who use the English Missal tend to only use the Gregorian Canon when doing so. This Sunday (Whitsunday) I shall be using, in my Church in Canterbury, the 1549 Canon to celebrate the Book of Common Prayer's Anniversary.
The 1662 and the 1928 (English) Books of Common Prayer are not authorised in the ACC.

Fr. Robert Hart said...

The 1662 and the 1928 (English) Books of Common Prayer are not authorised in the ACC..
He means English as in England-the Church of England's 1928 was very controversial.

John A. Hollister said...

Fr. Hart wrote, about a previous comment that the 1662 and the English "Proposed" Book of Common Prayer of 1928 are not used in ACC congregations in England: "He means English as in England -- the Church of England's 1928 was very controversial."

Well, the "Proposed Book" was sufficiently controversial among non-Anglicans in Parliament that Parliament refused to pass the act that would have authorized its use in the C of E. However, the English Bishops authorized it nevertheless.

Also, it is the basis for both the South African BCP of 1954 and the Church of India's BCP of 1963, both of which are authorized for use in the ACC.

John A. Hollister+

Sandra McColl said...

The 1928 book contains some improvements, in the form of reintroductions of the Benedictus qui venit and Agnus Dei into HC and explicit prayers for the departed (which, I believe, is one of the things that most offended Parliament). It also, however, while leaving the 1662 version untouched, some namby pamby 'alternatives': a Solemnization of Matrimony in which the bride does not promise obedience, and a pacifist Alternative Morning/Evening Prayer in which 'Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only Thou, O God' becomes 'Because there is none other that ruleth the world, but only thou, O God'. In my experience, however, I have never encountered Alternative Morning/Evening Prayer.

Fr. Robert Hart said...

When it comes to the American BCP, I would favor using the 1896 edition. The 1928 edition was already weak and compromised. The Venite should not exist as a replacement for the 95th Psalm. The Venite was created to make the Morning Prayer a lot "nicer" than what is in the last few verses of the 95th Psalm. Also some of the readings are clipped, including the Epistle for Easter. The ideal American BCP is an older edition; in 1928 they were already getting a little, as Sandra says, "namby-pamby."

Fr Odhran-Mary TFSC said...

The Prayer of Humble Access was derived from the Order of Communion (1548), was used in 1549 and has appeared in each (except one brief one) revision of the BCP since then. The prayer flies in the face of Romanist or Continental Protestant statements that the Mass in the CofE had changed its intent in the real consecration of bread and wine.
A person who is not in favor if this prayer is foolish.

Fr. D. said...

"the General Convention voted to allow congregations to join in if the rector and people were so minded"

I realize that this does not directly relate to this thread, however, a tripartate "General Convention" should never have been allowed to "vote" as to whether the people may or may not join the priest in reciting that prayer or any other for that matter! All like matters are to be decided in the College of Bishops with advice from the House of Clergy. Congregationalism is the devil's playground!
Fr. D.

poetreader said...

I think that's more or less right, but needs some fine tuning.

1. In the Episcopal Church, which was the Anglican presence in the US until the recent unpleasantnesses, General Convention is the authority designated (with full consent of the House of Bishops) to make Prayer Book revisions, and therefore to interpret rubrics. Whether this was ideal or not, it was the proper procedure, according to written standards.

2. "Congregationalism" isn't the issue. This was a decision made to be effective in the whole jurisdiction. A true Congregationalist abhors such a notion. Arguably one could say that is is more 'democratic' than a truly Catholic polity really permits. Also arguably, one could say that it is closer to a Presbyterian polity than to an episcopal.

That said, it does appear that the bishop and the college of bishops should bear the major liturgocal responsibility (though wisdom would require that they consider the thinking of both clergy and laity in the process of making decisions).

Fr. Robert Hart said...

The General Convention in 1958 is where the House of Bishops alone voted on the matter (because it was liturgical).

The prayer comes from the "secret prayers" of the priest, but the words fit perfectly the whole idea of "...my sacrifice and yours..." Bishop McClean, Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic States, ACC, has the people join in at his home parish in Maryland. Liturgical practices, as along as they are lawful, I am content to leave to the bishop of each diocese.

The rule for someone visiting a church is simple: Don't jump in speaking out loud unless you hear the congregation doing so. That is, of course, unless one is visiting to be the celebrant. In that case, simply accept the custom of the parish, or you will have made an issue out of something for no useful reason, which itself is disruptive of the liturgy.

Fr Matthew Kirby said...

A fact which is important for Continuers in the liturgical question being discussed, whether the prayer is to be audibly recited by the priest or the whole congregation, is that the 1962 Canadian BCP is most naturally interpreted to direct the latter, the 1928 American to direct the former. And both BCPs are made the standard in the Affirmation of St Louis.

And Alice is right, the prayer of humble access is very similar in basic intent and concept to an EO liturgical prayer directed to be said by all before communicating.

Let us not forget that according to EO thinking the whole congregation's triple-Amen at the end of the Consecration completes the Consecration, so that even that part of the liturgy Westerners conceive as most specific to the presider is in fact considered really shared with and finally actualised by the congregation. Much more, then, is the prayer we are discussing not excluded by any Catholic doctrine from being a shared prayer.

Sandra McColl said...

I don't care what other folk do as long as I don't have to . . .

stjohns said...

The English Anglo-Catholics are uncomfortable with the Prayer of Humble Access because a) it was composed entirely by Thomas Cranmer (one of their bete noirs), and b) reflects certain elements of Reformed theology (e.g., the word "righteousness"). Additionally, the idea that reception of Holy Communion provides forgiveness of sins probably seems abhorrent to many old-line Roman Catholics (and possibly their Anglo-Papalist sympathizers?), for whom sacramental Confession was absolutely essential before reception of Holy Communion in the Mass. In this paradigm, because of the requirement for sacramental Confession prior to Mass, there simply is no (mortal) sin present in the communicant to be "washed through his most precious blood," nor a sinful body to be "made clean by his body." Moreover, many modern Anglican liturgists (such as Massey Shepherd) view Cranmer's poetic license with the separate functions of Christ's body and blood (corresponding, respectively, to body and soul) as mistakenly adhering to a bizarre medieval theory about the separate functions of the consecrated bread and the wine. Hence their removal of this phrase from revised liturgies such as the 1979 American BCP.

The 1549 BCP's placement of this prayer and the confession, absolution, and comfortable words just before the reception of HC is probably the best theologically. I also think Cranmer's version of the prayer in 1549 is superior theologically, if not poetically: "Graunte us therefore (gracious lorde) so to eate the fleshe of thy dere sonne Jesus Christ, and to drynke his bloud in these holy Misteries, that we may continually dwell in hym, and he in us, that our synfull bodyes make bee made cleane by his body, and our soules washed through hys most precious bloud. Amen."

Fr. Robert Hart said...

Of course, for reasons I have given above, I am certain that the cleansing of our sinful bodies by his body will be realized when we rise from the dead. Then our bodies will not be sinful, and literally will become tahor, that is clean (the Bible does not use the word kosher, but rather, tahor).

stjohns said...

While some have drawn a comparison between the Prayer of Humble Access and the Eastern Orthodox equivalent in the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, as an Anglican I have to admit that the latter is a much richer expression of various Biblical truths and matters than Cranmer's Prayer of Humble Access (perhaps reflecting the difference between the Eastern and Western Church traditions as much as anything else). Here's the Prayer of St. John Chrysostom in his liturgy:

"I believe, O Lord, and I confess that thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that this is truly thine own immaculate Body, and that this is truly thine own precious Blood. Wherefore I pray thee, have mercy upon me and forgive my transgressions both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge and of ignorance; and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of thine immaculate Mysteries, unto remission of my sins and unto life everlasting. Amen. Of thy Mystic Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant; for I will not speak of thy Mystery to thine enemies, neither will I give thee a kiss as did Judas; but like the thief will I confess thee: Remember me, O Lord, in thy Kingdom. Not unto judgement nor unto condemnation be my partaking of thy Holy Mysteries, O Lord, but unto the healing of soul and body."

Fr Matthew Kirby said...

The English Anglo-Catholics are uncomfortable with the Prayer of Humble Access because a) it was composed entirely by Thomas Cranmer (one of their bete noirs), and b) reflects certain elements of Reformed theology (e.g., the word "righteousness")."Not trusting in our own righteousness" is not a concept exclusive to the Reformed tradition, but common to the whole Catholic tradition. No Church teaches we are to trust in a justification sourced in ourselves, or to base our "worthiness" to receive the Body of God the Son on what would have to be a perfect internal purity, if not for grace. Not the RCC and its Tridentine formulation, not the EOC, not anybody.

As for "Cranmer's poetic license", it is manifestly just what stjohns says it is, poetic licence, not an attempt to limit the benefits of the Body to our bodies or the Blood to the soul. Compare Proverbs 10.1: "A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother." Does this mean that Mum will not be happy if her son is wise or that Dad will have no sorrow if his son is foolish. I think not. The language of liturgy is, like poetry, crafted to communicate truth with a rhythm that is pleasing to the ear and memorable.

Anonymous said...

I am a very low church anglican, a United Methodist clergy, and I have always used The Prayer of Humble Access". I now find out that my coleagues refer to it as that "worm" prayer and will not use it. I am glad to find this defense of this great prayer!


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Monday, September 10, 2012

Common Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs (male)
The Common Chaffinch is a bird with a very large distribution. They can be found throughout Europe, large patches of western Asia, and north Africa and the Middle East. They have also been introduced to Australia and New Zealand, and are occasionally found in southeast Asia and even in the United States. There are many different location-based subspecies.

The males of the species are easy to identify-- they have white barred wings, a red chest, and a bright blue cap. Females are less colorful, and sport hints of green. Their name comes from "Chaff Finch," because they are fond of pecking out different grains to eat.

Most of the Common Chaffinches live in resident populations. Only those that live in colder regions will migrate to warmer climates during the winter. Migrating flocks can sometimes become quite large, though most of the time the birds live in very small groups or in pairs.

Breeding time brings about courtships displays from the males. After mating, the males leaves and the female nests in a tree fork. She will lay up to four eggs which take only two weeks to incubate and another two weeks for the chicks to fledge. Interestingly, the young Chaffinches are fed insects rather than seeds, though seeds will be their primary food source as adults.

IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Europe, parts of Africa and Asia
Size :  Length up to 6in (16cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Fringillidae -- Genus : Fringilla -- Species : F. coelebs

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Hands-On With One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 At SMASH! 2015

Frank Inglese of SnapThirty writes:

Bandai Namco Entertainment has a fairly sizeable presence at most, if not all, good pop culture conventions, and that includes Sydney’s very own SMASH! (Sydney Manga and Anime Show). The convention plays host to an abundance of great upcoming additions to Japanese pop culture and there’s nothing more loved in Japanese pop culture than that of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece; a series that has been running since 1997 and still continues to run in the modern age of Anime and Manga.

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Meerut ccs Exam results 2015 ba private

ccs ba private results 2015

Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut ccs  ba private results 2015 had been declared along with MBBS, BA, B.Sc, B.Com exam 2015 result on its official website  CCS University Meerut had announced  the result of MBBS, MSC, BDS, BA, B.Sc, B.Com  courses. Meerut university is a public university. CCS University is located in Meerut city (Utter Pradesh). […]

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Home Dealers Calendar Articles Fine Art Database About AFA Login/Register
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3 bedroom home for rent
513 13 Pl, Vero Beach, FL 32960

  • 3 bed
  • 2 bath
  • $625/mo.
  • 1,102 ft2

Map of 513 13 Pl, Vero Beach...

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VB4299- Condo 3 Bedroom 2 Bath, Tile Floors, Stainless Steel Appliances, Washer & Dryer, Nice Patio, Best Location in Complex. DIRECTIONS: 6th Avenue to 13th Place to end , Go to Right at End of Parking Lot. Unit is in the Left Building around the Back.

Apartable Overview

This residence is a 3 bedroom place listed for $625 per month. The apartment complex is located in Vero Beach. The property features pool and will be vacated April 17, 2012.

This listing is no longer active as of November 1st, 2013.

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Price $625
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This app was removed from the App Store.

ACUC 2012 HD

ACUC 2012 HD

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The 2012 America's Credit Union Conference app has all the essentials you need to navigate the conference. App features include:
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MSN Cricket

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The ultimate Cricket App for iPhone. This is every cricket fan’s dream come true. It is designed to deliver cricket scores and other details to your iPhone. You can see live scores and get ball-by-ball text commentary every 30 seconds. You will receive alerts about upcoming matches as match fixtures get updated to the default calendar. You can view current match news and results. You can get info on cricket stadiums. You can share this with your friends on Facebook and other social media sites.

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What's the Saying? Witty level 11 Tips and Strategies

What's the Saying?
By: Candywriter
Genre: Word

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This video walkthrough demonstrates how to beat Witty level 11 without any power ups. Uploaded on AppAnswers official channel at June 1, 2013.

Still need help to finish What's the Saying? witty level 11?

I will update this post with more tips and tricks, so please bookmark this page and keep on checking in!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask for extra help in the comments section.

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Visit What's the Saying? walkthrough page for level videos, tutorials, cheats and more.

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By: Toast - Apps and Software LLC

Welcome to the walkthrough for the iOS game Ninjascape, if you are looking for ways to make it to the next level, and to improve gaming experience as a master player, you've come to the right place. Here you will find Ninjascape tips, tricks and guides, as well as the opportunity to share your own discoveries to help others move on and beat the game.

If you can’t find the answer to your question you are welcome to post it in the comments section below. This way others who know the answer can help you by sharing their own tips and advices.

Ninjascape game app is developed by Toast and available on iTunes and Google Play. For more details on the app, check out our review.

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  • Category: Arcade
  • Updated: May 29, 2011

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Brandenburg Concerto No. 2

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عن Brandenburg Concerto No. 2

The Brandenburg Concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV 1046–1051, original title: Six Concerts à plusieurs instruments) are a collection of six instrumental works presented by Bach to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, in 1721 (though probably composed earlier). They are widely regarded as some of the best orchestral compositions of the Baroque era.
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Monday, November 15, 2010

Two St. Alberts - The Cheese Factory - Working the Land - In Memoriam

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Albert the Great , bishop, teacher, theologian, and patron saint of scientists. While he is now known best as the teacher and defender of St. Thomas Aquinas, in his day St. Albert was the better-known scholar. He is renowned as the first Catholic to "baptize" the works of Aristotle, and his work paved the way for Aquinas' theology.

The modern claim that the medieval Church was somehow anti-science does not hold up when examining the works of St. Albert, who built on the foundations of classical scientific knowledge with his well-documented observations and experiments. In addition to writing treatises on almost every field of knowledge, he somehow found time to serve as the Bishop of Regensburg (our present Holy Father's former university), Dominican provincial, Papal legate, and official theologian to the Council of Lyons, while also teaching at several universities and helping preach the Crusades.

We now know him as "the Great," although he originally gained this appellation by accident. His family name, De Groot, was translated into Latin as Magnus. When his writings appeared under the name Albertus Magnus, readers assumed that this was because of his great reputation, and the name stuck.

Although he was not officially canonized until 1930, St. Albert is a Doctor of the Church, and is known as "Doctor Universalis", the "teacher of all that there is to know" (

The name Albert, an Old Saxon name meaning "noble and bright", is shared by at least nine other saints and beati, including the sainted bishop Albert of Liege, who, I discovered, is the patron of the parish where eastern Ontario's wonderful cheeses (and curds) are made [they were served everywhere with every meal during our visit!]

Here is a brief account of St. Albert of Liege on the occasion of the parish visitation this past weekend and yesterday's Confirmations:

Fichier:Archduke Albert with His Patron Saint, Albert of Louvain by P.P. Rubens (1640).jpg

St. Albert, cardinal, bishop of Liège, d. 1192 or 1193, was a son of Godfrey III, Count of Louvain, and brother of Henry I, Duke of Lorraine and Brabant, and was chosen Bishop of Liège in 1191 by the suffrages of both people and chapter.

The Emperor Henry VI violently intruded his own venal choice into the see, and Albert journeyed to Rome to appeal to Celestine III, who ordained him deacon, created him cardinal, and sent him away with gifts of great value and a letter of recommendation to the Archbishop of Rheims, where he was ordained priest and consecrated bishop.

Outside that city, soon after, he was set upon by eight German knights of the Emperor's following, who took advantage of the confiding kindness of the saintly bishop, and stabbed him to death.

The date of his martyrdom is given variously as 24 November, 1193 (Moroni), 23 November, 1192 (Hoefer), while the Bollandists, placing it in the latter year, give 21 November as its precise date, this being also the day on which the saint's feast is kept.

His body reposed at Rheims until 1612, when it was transferred by the Archduke Albert of Austria to the church of the Carmelite convent, which he had just founded at Brussels. The relics of this strenuous defender of ecclesiastical liberty were, by permission of the Holy See, shared with the cathedral of Liège, in 1822.

* * * * * *

From Thursday evening until noon Sunday, Abbe Daniel Berniquez and I were engaged in the Canonical Visitation of Paroisse Ste. Euphemie, Casselman and Paroisse St. Albert in the town with the same name.

A fuller report on these visits, with photos will follow, in French, later this week. Meantime, we can't omit photos, during this week in which the Church honours two saintly Alberts, of the cheese co-op in St-Albert and the children confirmed there yesterday morning:

The confirmands pose with Pastor abbe Joseph-Lin Eveillard in the sacristy before Mass

Founded in 1894, the factory has been a co-operative for over 60 years

Parishioners pose with their pastor in front of the cheese factory store

* * * * * *

The visit to St. Albert and Casselman put me in touch with the life of the farmers in our archdiocese. This come across particularly when "les cultivateurs" come forward to receive Holy Communion or give greetings after Mass with their large hands that have worked the land.

Abbe Daniel and I took some time on Friday afternoon, between engagements, to walk around St. Albert. We were in awe as we watched the hundreds of Canada geese flying in formation southward for winter climes.

We cast our gazes down to the farmers' fields with their deep furrows cut into lands being prepared for next year's plantings; and spontaneously the refrain from the psalmist came to both of our minds, "those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy!"

In a way, that is how we see our own ministry in reaching out to members of communities that were once solidly committed to the practice of the faith but whose successor generations practice hardly at all. The challenges of the "new evangelization" are truly here among us!

How, we were asked often, and we ask ourselves, can we prepare the ground for active Catholic lives of faith in the children being initiated into the sacramental life of the church when traditional supports are hard to find, even non-existent?

Our meetings with the elderly, with high school and elementary pupils, their teachers, the members of parish committees--all this energy is directed to making the Lord better known, so that he may be loved more completely and followed more closely in joy.

Musing in such a vein, I was struck when reading the Holy Father's Angelus address of yesterday, in which, on a Sunday that consitutes Italy's Thanksgiving Day, he spoke of re-emerging interest in agriculture.

Herewith part of the Pope's message:

"This Is the Moment for the Reevaluation of Agriculture"

In the second reading in today's liturgy the Apostle Paul stresses the importance of work in a person's life. This aspect is also recalled by the "Day of Thanksgiving," which is traditionally celebrated in Italy on this second Sunday of November as a day of giving thanks to God at the end of the harvest season.

Even if the in other geographical areas the times of cultivation are naturally different, today I would like to follow the lead of the words of St. Paul for some reflections, especially on agricultural work.

The current economic crisis, which has also been addressed recently in the meeting of the so-called Group of 20, must be taken in all its seriousness: It has numerous causes and sends a powerful message about the need for a profound revision of the model of global economic development (cf. "Caritas in Veritate," No. 21). It's an acute symptom that is added to other more grave and already well-known ones, such as the continued imbalance between wealth and poverty, the scandal of hunger, the ecological emergency and the problem of unemployment, which has now become general. In this context a strategic re-launching of agriculture appears decisive.

In fact, the process of industrialization has sometimes overshadowed the agricultural sector, which, while it too has drawn benefit from modern technologies, has nevertheless lost importance, with notable consequences, even at the cultural level. I believe that this is the moment for the reevaluation of agriculture, not in a nostalgic sense, but as an indispensable resource for the future.

In the current economic situation, the temptation for the more dynamic economies is that of chasing after advantageous alliances that, nevertheless, can have harmful effects for poorer states, prolonging situations of extreme mass poverty of men and women and using up the earth's natural resources, entrusted to man by God the Creator -- as Genesis says -- that he might cultivate and protect it (cf. 2:15). Moreover, despite the crisis, in countries that have long been industrialized, lifestyles marked by unsustainable consumption -- which have damaging effects for the environment and the poor -- still continue.

It is necessary, then, to point in a truly unified way to a new balance between agriculture, industry and services, so that development be sustainable, and no one go without bread and work, and so that air and water and the other primary resources be preserved as universal goods (cf. "Caritas in veritate," 27).

To this end, it is essential to cultivate and spread a conscious ethic that is adequate to the challenges of the present time: Everyone should educate themselves in more wise and responsible consumption; personal responsibility along with the social dimension of rural activities, based on perennial values, such as hospitality, solidarity, the sharing of the toil of labor, should be promoted.

Not a few young people have already chosen this path; many graduates return to dedicate themselves to the agricultural enterprise feeling that they are responding not only to a personal and family need, but also to a "sign of the times," to a concrete sensibility for the "common good."

Let us pray to the Virgin Mary that these reflections can serve as a stimulus to the international community, while we give our thanks to God for the fruits of the earth and the work of man.

* * * * * *

In the month of remembering the dead, I recall today my own father (born Cupids, NL, January 22, 1906-died, Montreal, QC, November 15, 1970), who was called home by the Lord forty years ago today.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.

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Is oversharing unethical?

Posted by Kevin Hartnett  July 3, 2013 10:25 AM

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We call it TMI, but philosopher Anita Allen thinks it might be something else as well: unethical.

In a paper published earlier this year in the Alabama Law Review, Allen, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, works through the ethical implications of sharing details from your private life over social media. You might think that what you share with whom is matter of personal preference, but Allen appeals to some of western civilization’s most influential philosophers to argue that oversharing might just be unethical.

It’s a strong claim, for sure, and Allen is aware she’s arguing uphill. “How could we be duty-bound to withhold information about ourselves?” she asks at one point in the paper.

The answer to that question goes back to the philosopher Immanuel Kant. Kant claimed that we have two kinds of duties—one to other people and the other to ourselves. Of the latter, he argued, we are obligated to respect ourselves and take care of ourselves so that we remain free, rational people. In this view it’s not just inadvisable to be a drunk, but also unethical, too, because you have less power to pursue your own rational interests when you’re inebriated.

So, how does publicizing your private life online violate a duty of self-respect? Allen explains by using the example of former New York congressman Anthony Weiner, who was forced to resign his office following revelations that he’d sent lewd pictures of himself to young women over Twitter. As Allen sees it, Weiner’s “oversharing” cost him his dignity and self-respect, and changed the way other people acted towards him such that he was less able to function as a free person. She says similar problems crop up when your coworkers know too much about your medical problems: They might take you less seriously as a person, which makes it harder for you to pursue your self-interest in the workplace.

The premise of Allen’s argument is itself quite controversial. “Many prominent philosophers,” she notes, “flatly reject the notion that anyone has a duty to himself or to herself.” In our culture, too, we’re inclined to take a less strict view of things. We may frown on the decision to consume large, sugary beverages, but most people wouldn’t go so far as to call that decision wrong, or to say that it should be illegal.

But even if you don’t fully agree with Allen, her argument is still useful as a way to locate exactly what happens when other people know a lot—or maybe too much—about you.

This blog is not written or edited by Boston.com or the Boston Globe.
The author is solely responsible for the content.

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About brainiac Brainiac is the daily blog of the Globe's Sunday Ideas section, covering news and delights from the worlds of art, science, literature, history, design, and more. You can follow us on Twitter @GlobeIdeas.
Brainiac blogger Kevin Hartnett is a writer in Columbia, South Carolina. He can be reached here.

Leon Neyfakh is the staff writer for Ideas. Amanda Katz is the deputy Ideas editor. Stephen Heuser is the Ideas editor.

Guest blogger Simon Waxman is Managing Editor of Boston Review and has written for WBUR, Alternet, McSweeney's, Jacobin, and others.

Guest blogger Elizabeth Manus is a writer living in New York City. She has been a book review editor at the Boston Phoenix, and a columnist for The New York Observer and Metro.

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Guest blogger Joshua Glenn is a Boston-based writer, publisher, and freelance semiotician. He was the original Brainiac blogger, and is currently editor of the blog HiLobrow, publisher of a series of Radium Age science fiction novels, and co-author/co-editor of several books, including the story collection "Significant Objects" and the kids' field guide to life "Unbored."

Guest blogger Ruth Graham is a freelance journalist in New Hampshire, and a frequent Ideas contributor. She is a former features editor for the New York Sun, and has written for publications including Slate and the Wall Street Journal.

Joshua Rothman is a graduate student and Teaching Fellow in the Harvard English department, and an Instructor in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He teaches novels and political writing.

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Campaign 2010

Sep 28, 2012

DCCC Statement on $3.2 Million Chamber of Commerce Ad Buy in California

With California Tea Party Republicans on the verge of defeat, the US Chamber of Commerce has released false and misleading advertising to reward them for an agenda that protects big corporations that outsource jobs and tax breaks for millionaires. The latest Cook Political Report wrote, “If there is one place House Republican strategists are particularly concerned about a downturn in Romney's fortunes nationally, it is California. Pollsters on both sides privately point to a top-of-the-ticket drag that is making life extremely difficult…”
“The Tea Party Republicans’ majority is in jeopardy and California Republicans are on the ropes so now millionaires, insurance companies and special interests are going to try to bail them out,” said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “These California Tea Party Republicans have relentlessly protected millionaires and special interests at the expense of Medicare and the middle class, so it comes as no surprise that the millionaires and special interests will try to come to their rescue. While these outside groups can try to re-arrange the deck chairs on the Titanic, the ship for these California Tea Party Republicans will still sink.”

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Feb 14, 2013 8:00am PST
the president's call to action to congress on gun control, nra ceo wayne lapierre is expected to give his decision on the state of the union tonight. hold on to your hats, it's going to be a doozy. he writes hurricanes, tornadoes, riots, terrorists, gangs, lone criminals, these are perils we are sure to face, not just maybe, it's not paranoia to buy a gun, it's survival. >> the republican party, if they were smart, their leaders today would condemn it, but they're not smart, they're scared. they're going to get hammered in future elections if they allow this clown to continue to lead them around by their nose. >> joining me now to talk more is wyoming's republican senator john barrasso also a member of the gop leadership team and chair of the republican policy center. we showed there harry reid talking this morning from the floor. i want to show this what harry reid is describing what's going on in our nation's capital. >> this isn't high school. getting ready for a football game. or some play being produced in high school. we're trying to confirm somebody to run the defenses of our count
Feb 14, 2013 10:00pm PST
list joins me on wayne lapierre's response to the state of the union address. >>> and in the "rewrite" republicans rewrite their philosophy on taxes. y roadside assistance is there 24/7. oh dear, i got a flat tire. hmmm. uh... yeah, can you find a take where it's a bit more dramatic on that last line, yeah? yeah i got it right here. someone help me!!! i have a flat tire!!! well it's good... good for me. what do you think? geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. all stations come over to mithis is for real this time. step seven point two one two. verify and lock. command is locked. five seconds. three, two, one. standing by for capture. the most innovative software on the planet... dragon is captured. is connecting today's leading companies to places beyond it. siemens. answers. is moving backward. [ engine turns over, tires squeal ] and you'll find advanced safety technology like an available heads-up display on the 2013 lexus gs. there's no going back. but they haven't experienced extra strength bayer advanced aspirin. in fact, in a recent surv
Feb 13, 2013 10:00pm PST
amendment rights are and second amendment. i think we ought to have votes. >> wayne lapierre has announced he will respond to the president's state-of-the-union address tomorrow. where else? at the national wild turkey federation convention. nra board member and paranoid mad man ted nugent said this about president obama just a few months ago. >> if barack obama becomes the president in november, again, i will either be dead or in jail by this time next year. >> nugent was, as usual, lying, of course. he is neither dead nor in jail. but that lie earned nugent a secret service investigation for possibly threatening the president. and it earned him an invitation to the last night's address, and the newest nut, steve stockman, democratic congressman, jim langevin, who was paralyzed from a shooting, told reporters that it was an odd choice for a member of congress to invite somebody who threatened the life of the president. ted nugent who never breaks his part as a madman, then said he probably has crap for brains. nbc's luke russert took on the hopeless task of trying to make sense of what nu
Feb 25, 2013 10:00pm PST
about concealed weapons. a hint? wayne lapierre hates this decision. the developments in the gun control debate are coming up next. [ rosa ] i'm rosa and i quit smoking with chantix. when the doctor told me that i could smoke for the first week... i'm like...yeah, ok... little did i know that one week later i wasn't smoking. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems, tell your doctor if you have new or worse symptoms.
Feb 19, 2013 5:00pm PST
are taking issue with the nra's wayne lapierre, who made up a story recently that south brooklyn was a hellish world, where looters ran wild in the aftermath of super storm sandy. on facebook, ingrid writes the man lives in his own world of violence and an impending apocalypse. linda bauer calls it fearmongering, the nra's constant ploy to sell guns. and kevin says lapierre's level of paranoid delusion underscores the need for tighter gun control. you can go to our facebook now and join in on the conversation. and don't forget to like "the ed show" when you're there. we appreciate that. >>> "hubris," the book and the documentary by the same name have ripped open new information on the lead-up to the war in iraq. david corn is here for more tonight, and we'll be right back. old mop. but don't worry, he'll find someone else. ♪ who's that lady? ♪ who's that lady? ♪ sexy lady ♪ who's that lady? [ female announcer ] used mops can grow bacteria. swiffer wetjet starts with a clean pad every time, and its antibacterial cleaner kills bacteria mops can spread around. swiffer gives
Feb 19, 2013 8:00pm PST
, connecticut, which left 26 people dead, nra ceo wayne lapierre has pushed the narrative more guns means a safer america. gun rights activists have embraced this claim, with some going even further than that and capitalizing on the national discussion. a youth hockey league in fargo, north dakota, with players as young as 4 years old plans to give away 200 firearms in a raffle. it's a great fundraiser for them. the new hampshire association of chiefs of police is raffling off 31 firearms, including semiautomatic weapons. and the latest all around pizzas and deli in virginia beach, virginia, is offering 15% discount if you carry openly to the store or show them a concealed weapons permit. here is a happy customer posing with her son's semiautomatic rifle. it's fun for the whole family, isn't it, young and old. see, in virginia it's legal to carry a gun into banks, hospitals, stores, movie theaters, restaurants, and open carry is even allowed in bars. sounds like a great idea. let's see, guns and alcohol, mix them together, nothing is going to happen. here is what more guns have led to in
Feb 25, 2013 1:00pm PST
. >> thank you. >>> coming up, wayne lapierre and his goal of unlimited magazines for everyone. stay with us. [ coughs ] [ angry gibberish ] i took something for my sinuses, but i still have this cough. [ male announcer ] a lot of sinus products don't treat cough. they don't? [ male announcer ] nope, but alka seltzer plus severe sinus does it treats your worst sinus symptoms, plus that annoying cough. [ breathes deeply ] ♪ oh, what a relief it is! [ angry gibberish ] this is what it's like... paying full price for a hotel room. and this is what it's like getting a high-end hotel room for 45% off published prices... ... with travelocity's top secret hotels. ooo, tingly. >>> this could be the week for new gun legislation in congress with a bipartisan group of senators closing in on a bill to expand background checks for about 40% of gun sales that don't currently require them. not surprisingly, that doesn't fly in wayne lapierre's world where all access high-capacity magazines are the great equalizer. as he told the western hunting and conservative expo on saturday. >> the powerful elites, t
Feb 6, 2013 1:00pm PST
humor of wayne lapierre over the last few weeks. but here's a black comedian on this. >> you don't need gun control. we need bullet control. we need to control the bullets. that's right. i think all bullets should cost $5,000. $5,000. you know why? because if it costs $5,000, there'd be no more innocent bystanders. >> when even comedians and crooners like tony bennett are begging for action, are you becoming more optimistic that the nation is prepared now to do something substantive on this issue? >> well, i am. i'm hopeful at least. optimism may be a shallow virtue fair compared to hope. but i think the evidence is growing in line with people's sentiments across this nation who are simply fed up. we want common sense gun control. we want a president who uses his bul bully pulpit to talk about the disregard of common sense for those people who are promoting, you know, the loud and vigilant and aggressive no holds barred approach to guns. the nra has to be brought into line here. most americans think we want to protect the second amendment. we don't want to undermine it, but at the same
Feb 11, 2013 7:00pm PST
-drenched lobbyist wayne lapierre, i have not made the list. in fact no one from msnbc has made the list, but nbc is on the list, and maybe we can presume that everybody picking up a paycheck is on the list. and that would put me on that guy on the list. but i don't want to be on the list with that guy. so i will just have to wait patiently for the nra to put me on the enemy's list. and when and if they do, i hope they don't put me on the anti-gun journalist section of the list, and they probably won't. it just doesn't a single journalist, just cartoonists, that is where you find frank rich, e.j. dionne, and the columnist, jimmy breslin, from whom every newspaper columnist has learned a thing or two. i want to be on the fun section of the list, where albert brooks is, it is by far the longest section of the list and includes more friends of mine than any other part of the list. norman lear, spike lee, rob lowe, madonna. okay, i don't really know her, i just met her a long time ago. you get the idea, this is the fun group. this is where you want to be on the list. here is hoping the next time the
Feb 14, 2013 7:00am PST
proposals in a new op-ed titled "stand and fight." wayne lapierre lays out his plan and explains his case for why owning a gun is not about paranoia but survival. saying after hurricane sandy we saw the hellish world. and here with some of the reaction to that on "morning joe." >> it's about money. >> of course. >> he ain't crazy. >> he works for the gun manufacturers. >> and the gun manufacturers making lots of money. so it sounds crazy, but what he's doing is very simple. trying to scare americans and appealing to their racist side. >> yeah. >> the boogieman. >> joining me right now is msnbc political analyst and columnist for the hill karen finney and john brabender. >> good morning. >> do you agree? are there racial overtones here? >> well, i hope that isn't the intent. and i'm going to take it that it is not. but i really think the whole problem really started tuesday night with the president's speech where i believe he is leveraging terrible tragedies that have happened in this country, playing on emotions that makes good tv and standing ovations, but offered no leadership, no ideas
Feb 27, 2013 3:00pm PST
or the right to own a gun? i think the answer is obvious, then again so does wayne lapierre. [♪ theme music ♪] >> michael: guns and voting were the dominate themes in washington today and we'll get to both in a minute but first let's quickly update you on where we stand with the sequester. the white house did make a move today. they invited congressional leadership to meet with the president on friday to try to find a way around the $85 billion in mandatory cuts. you might be saying friday isn't that locking the barn after the horse is out? turns out president obama can order the cuts any time on march 1st. so washington's deadline for a deal is now 11:59 pm friday night, and should a deal get done, i'm sure they will use up every last minute. chuck hagel wasn't exactly radiant his first day on the job. >> budget, sequestration, i don't need to dwell on all of the good news there. that's a reality. we need to figure this out. >> we certainly do. jack lew was confirmed as treasury secretary today. now to the news on guns and capitol hill where emotions are running h
Feb 5, 2013 1:00pm PST
. you have reflected you have long been a supporter of then ra. given the comments of people like wayne lapierre who opposes background checks, is it your view, sir, that republicans like yourself are maybe beginning to rethink their allegiance to the gun lobby? >> well, what we're doing here today i think reflects common sense common ground and what's right for america -- >> but does it, sir, reflect republicans like yourself beginning to realize that some of the things that have been coming from the leadership of the nra are simply nonsensical and nonrepresentative of the vast majority of its own membership? >> look, i think the nra through the years has done a lot of good thing, and i'm proud of my membership in the nra. now, that said, i'm a businessman turned public servant, and i focus on that which i can get done, and we look for common ground, and that's why elijah and i are working so well together, representative carolyn maloney out of new york, pat meehan out of pennsylvania, one a demeanor, one a republican. we said what's right for america? we weren't focusing on trying to
Feb 27, 2013 9:00am PST
the vast majority of gun owners in america do not think like wayne lapierre and the nra. it's a good thing. i think the other thing that's clear to me is that even though i was raised in a very avid sportsman household where my father was a big hunter and i'm in a state where that is a very important part of our culture, i know the majority of people want us to have background checks on a universal basis. they are working on bipartisan efforts to get a bill ready that can pass. what i'm worried about is somebody will say no to universal background checks. it will be a terrible thing for our country and worse for the republican party. >> thank you to senator claire mccaskill. we'll be sure to ask you more about the republican party. i don't think we figured out exactly what is going on with them quite yet. we appreciate your time. >> thank you. >>> we will have more for you after the break. [ female announcer ] what makes you walk a little taller? where does goddess begin? it begins with your skin... revealed by venus for a confident glow the whole world will notice. venus & olay -- gently
Feb 28, 2013 1:00pm PST
picture on the website is in the middle of two other speakers, the nra's david keene and wayne lapierre. there is the image. so, katie, are you telling me that the future of conservatism is best represented by these two men but not by chris christie? >> well, i think that there's some truth to the fact that conservatives are attracted to people that stick to their guns and both palin and lapierre are people who, no pun intended i guess, but they both stick to their guns. and christie is someone who i always admired. however, i think that currently right now he has a bit of a branding problem, so, for example, let's say taylor swift were to become a rapper, she would probably lose a great deal of her base and she would have a hard time making friends in nashville. and i think that might be something similar to what's going on with christie, so a lot of conservatives felt very strongly and passionately for him but because of some of the decisions he's made recently with regard to spending and voting for some pork, they're seeing him a little bit differently now and he has more of a brandi
Feb 21, 2013 6:00am PST
: yeah. that's an interesting -- what do you think, congressman? >> i think wayne lapierre is going to revoke your nra membership for that. but i think you make a very good point, which is the requirements that we have for so many other things we don't apply to guns. the gun industry is treated very differently -- >> stephanie: just look at the seat belt laws, all of that stuff -- it just is incredible where people think you can't have any regulation on guns who's only purpose is to kill right? >> well, yes. well it's also for sport -- >> stephanie: well that's usually killing something. >> or target practice. >> people go for target practice, but you make an interesting point about the way we treat guns differently than other things that are far less dangerous, but now it is just such a struggle to get universal background checks that that's where we ought to put our focus. >> stephanie: you are right. nothing is always -- what does the president always say, let perfect be the enemy of good. this is where we have gotten the bar so low that we go okay if we can
Feb 13, 2013 1:00pm PST
. as for the nra, the gun lobby's outspoken wayne lapierre is holding a news conference to respond to the state of the union speech. as for the justice department study, the nra is not saying how it it got it. wolf? >> do we expect there to be separate votes on gun control, one on the magazines, one on assault-type weapons, one on universal background checks or are they going to try to wrap it up into comprehensive piece of legislation? >> i think that's undecided at this point. harry reid is a big gun enthusiast and what that office is saying right now whatever coming out of the judiciary committee, they are looking at an assault-weapons ban, high-capacity magazines and universal background checks will get a vote. there will be a vote on some of these measures. there will be amendments avow lowed. as for the president, he called for a vote and it looks like he'll get them. >> separate votes but -- >> he'll get votes. >> we'll see what he can achieve on these sensitive issues. jim acosta, thanks very much. >>> president obama hit the road today. >>> also, another day on a hot ship overflowing w
Feb 26, 2013 6:00am PST
of races trying to counter the money from the nra. >> yep. >> stephanie: i saw another clip of wayne lapierre speaking somewhere yesterday. [ cuckoo clock chimes ] >> stephanie: that guy is a poster child for too crazy to have a gun. and here are my thoughts. okay. twenty-nine minutes after the hour. matt breen from the advocate here to talk about -- this is big news. twenty-nine minutes after the hour. right back on the "stephanie miller show." ♪ going to do the young turks. i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they know that i'm not bs'ing them with some hidden agenda, actually supporting one party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know that i'm going to be the first one to call them out. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us. don't let it get to you. ♪ ♪ try mach3 sensitive, with three high-definition blades. a closer shave in a single stroke for less irritation, even on sensitive s
Feb 28, 2013 6:00am PST
there are these horrific tragedies like newtown, gun sales go up. >> stephanie: yeah we were saying that wayne lapierre does not even speak for nra members he speaks for the gun-buying lobby. 61% of americans want stricter gun control laws. did you see that sandy hook parent -- >> oh, yesterday he was testifying before -- >> stephanie: oh. holding the picture and crying. how are you a human and not -- and he was talking about banning assault weapons. how horrific was that to have to listen to him talk about the specific injuries his son suffered, and how he died and you know -- literally it's just heart breaking. [♪ "world news tonight" theme ♪] >> stephanie: oh another edition of you are not helping. >> okay. >> stephanie: idaho lawmakers force all adults into militias to protect gun rights. there's a problem solver. you will be shocked to know it's a republican lawmaker jim. he has proposed -- he feared the u.s. supreme court would change the definition of the second amendment and argued that the federal government could never take away people's guns if the idaho constitution
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The Knight of Infinite Resignation

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Judge Vilhelm

He loves her.

They walk together down their usual lane, one morning in June. Elm trees, still the paler green of new foliage, shade their path. He speaks to her of Xenophon's Oeconomicus; she makes pointed comments from the perspective of Ischomachus's wife. Sunlight catches in her eyes each time she laughs, and he thinks that he has never loved her more, has never loved anything more than her.

He pauses at the corner, stopping her movement with the gentlest of touches on her arm. "You must never lose that smile, you know," he says, quite serious. "I should never forgive myself if you lost it on my account."

"Silly man," she says, and the smile softens. "You must know by now that you are its cause, and always will be."

You are too young to speak of eternity, he thinks, but says nothing. When he cups her face and bends down for a kiss, her lips feel wonderfully soft, like kissing a sun-warmed rose. He pulls away, still holding her face, and laughs at the ridiculous metaphors of his love-struck mind.

It begins to rain -- no mere sprinkling but a sudden torrent, the sort of summer storm that pours from the sky with the rumble of constant thunder, soaking them through. They feel drenched to the bone by the time they have run back to Regine's house, giggling and panting for breath. Once they huddle by the entrance, half-sheltered by the eaves, Regine's expression shifts suddenly. Her eyes are wider, expectant, tremulous; Søren can see through them her awareness of the soaked summer dress that clings to her skin translucently. He glances downward, just once, and flushes when he sees the reddish tips visible on her breasts. Regine's lips are parted, soft, mutely asking a question.

He realizes that he knows the answer. Gently, carefully, he pulls off his rain-sodden coat and wraps it around her, pretending not to see the disappointment in her eyes. "We must keep you from catching a chill," he says, and opens the door to let them in. He loves her, and he knows his duty.

By August, the engagement is over.

Constantin Constantius

He loved her.

They lie in his bed together, on their sides, face to face, naked as children. He knows, without looking, that every part of her is beautiful; were he a painter, he could devote years to the study of each limb. But he is no painter, and so he closes his eyes and tells her how lovely she looks. He knows, without opening his eyes, that she thinks his words lies.

Everything felt so easy, the first time. All he wanted was to give her delight, and her gasps and sighs each time he touched her skin were thanks enough. Alone in her house for the afternoon, they had taken tea together, leaning their faces closer with each sip. He had kissed her, tasting the hint of lemon on her tongue, and threaded his hand through her hair -- soft, so soft. "I could hold you like this all day," he said, and meant it.

She kissed him again. "I should not mind that at all, I think. But -- Søren, we are alone. No one will disturb us for hours."

He had frowned a moment at the non-sequitur, then understood. "You would like me to . . . approach you as a man approaches his wife?"

"Yes, my husband to be," she said, formally, with a tender crinkle at the corner of her eyes. "That is precisely what I would like."

"I see." He had followed her to her bedroom, then unlaced her corset with care, slipping it off with the shift underneath. Each time a new inch of skin was exposed, he kissed it, marveling at its smoothness. Only when she stood before him, nude, did he remove his own clothing with quick efficiency. "I have not . . ." he began, then trailed off.

"Then we will learn together," Regine said. She showed him where to touch her, when to stroke gently or firmly; he suppressed a flinch when her fingers touched his manhood, unaccustomed to another's touch, but focused on the simple physical sensations until he hardened in response.

After the coupling had finished, Regine's face resembled a love-drunk goddess's, a deeper and more peaceful joy than he had ever seen. He continued to watch her face as she nestled into the pillows, drinking in every detail and committing them to memory. "I shall never forget you as you are right now," he said to her, so quietly he could barely hear his own words.

Indeed, he has not forgotten. Like a ghost hovering above her face, the memory of that joy haunts him, perfect in all the ways this moment is not. He tries to repeat the motions that made her breast arch with desire -- strokes her hips, kisses her neck -- but the touches feel artificial, a tale told third-hand. Stripped of the revelation and newness of that first encounter, she sees him truly, and she sees that all his pleasure in the love-making derived solely from hers.

He envisions their future before him, for a moment -- the wedding night and beyond, countless moments tainted and unendurable by comparison to that perfect hour. Repetition is impossible, and that memory of bliss will never recur. Perhaps it never even existed outside his memory.

By August, the engagement is over.

Johannes the Seducer

She loves him.

Perhaps the shadow she has seen in him only increases her love, brews it thick with desperation. Perhaps she has deceived herself about him, imagining him a lover greater than he himself could be. Perhaps he was the deceived, thinking she had the wit to recognize the doubts that echo unspoken in every conversation.

They meet, still, every morning. Søren knows that Regine is no less lovely, no less clever, but each day he dreads the encounters. He knows how this morning will play out, just like every other. He will greet her at the corner, and the delight in her eyes will pierce him like a poisoned weapon. He will make conversation with her, chattering about music and literature, and she will reply, speaking as freely and easily as if they had been married for ten years. He will respond without thinking about his response, focused on all that is wrong, and on and on the conversation will go, until it ends with a painfully guilty sense of relief.

This morning, though, something in his mind says, enough. He lifts his melancholy spirit like a babe from his breast, setting it aside and apart. When he glimpses Regine, he thinks only of possibilities and change; he directs his mind to the interesting, and not to the good.

"You're very beautiful today," he tells her, and he means it. Perhaps the blush of exertion on her cheeks had been there every morning, but today he sees it anew, a mark of change. He strokes a finger up and down one of the ringlets framing her pretty face, teasing at it so it begins to split apart.

"Stop that, Søren," she says -- still smiling, but with a hint of annoyance. He ignores her. Instead, he plays with the ringlet until it dissolves into tangles, wondering when she will pull away from his touch. "I mean it," she says crossly. "Stop." Still, he notes, she does not move. Her hair under his fingers feels pleasingly soft.

Just as the last ember of sympathy in her eyes is about to vanish, he releases her hair and kisses her forehead lightly. "Forgive me if I find you too touchable to resist."

As soon as he says the word "touchable," hope shines visibly from her face, utterly erasing any irritation. He marvels at the ease of the transformation, and at how completely she has given him the power to control it. This new game -- this cold, incisive place inside him -- has transformed an ordinary walk into a fascinating revelation of character. He wonders what else it could do.

Søren knows, of course, that this cruelty is transitory. Soon, even eliciting her love will become tiresome, and he will move to a new cruelty: the merciful cruelty of endings, which has its own dark fascination.

By August, the engagement is over.

Johannes de Silentio

He loves her.

The weight of his love crushes him, a yoke on his shoulders that feels unbearable when he considers it, so he attempts not to consider it. He rereads the Symposium and cannot find himself in the light banter; he rereads Goethe and scorns the shallowness of its passions.

He turns to the Bible, hoping to take solace in the tale of Isaac and Rebekah. Long ago, so long ago, he met a grey-eyed young woman taking tea with her friends, and fancied himself like Isaac glimpsing Rebekah in the field. This time, though, he continues on, reading the tale of how Isaac's wife impassioned him so deeply that fear of death could not keep him from her embrace. I am no Isaac, he tells himself. If anything, she is the Isaac in our tale -- she the one who seeks out my touch, even when we both know it to be foolishness. She is my Isaac.

So he looks at a different tale.

Once upon a time, a man named Abraham loved his son Isaac dearly, more than his wife or lands or life itself. This love was a good and virtuous thing, the love of a father for his son, his long-awaited heir. What Abraham desired and what duty demanded were happily aligned, and only one thing countered them: the immutable, irrational word of God. Yet Abraham took his son to kill him on a mountain.

Søren tries to understand what sort of man would do such a thing, and whether he is that sort of man. Nothing could be more terrible than losing Regine. Nothing could feel more impossible than a life as the husband she deserves.

He avoids Regine for a week, to see if removing himself from her would make the sacrifice easier, but only when he sees her again does he truly understand. A sacrifice like this cannot be made easier, or its value is lessened; only if he destroys her in the fullness of his love will the gift be perfect.

He is a monster, he knows, but perhaps he was a monster from the first moment he set eyes on a grey-eyed girl and decided to court her, knowing the melancholy of his mind, knowing the disinterest of his loins. Yet even that cruelty pales in comparison to this, for only now can he destroy her while knowing that no one will ever be so dear to him; no one will ever be so beloved.

She is his Isaac, but he is no Abraham. Abraham kept his faith, even with the knife pressed to his son's throat, that all he desired would still come to pass. Søren knows his faith is not so strong; yet in his hand, the knife grows heavy.

By August, the engagement is over.

Søren Kierkegaard

He loves her.

He writes books for her, and as he writes he knows that they will endure for generations. All of them are about him; none of them are about him.

He writes letters to her, and says he does not love her, and knows she knows he lies.

He never stops thinking about her as his wife -- his spouse, his beloved, his own -- and when he hears of her marriage to another, his first thought is bafflement, that she should be able to do such a thing. But Schlegel is a fine man, an ordinary man, and he cannot touch the ageless Regine in Søren's mind.

He hears the rumors swirling around him, naming him a seducer, a villain. He welcomes them, just as he welcomes the rumors that his affections never faltered. They free him from new feigned attachments, from the charade of dances and flirtations and matchmaking parents. Purity of heart is to will one thing, he writes, and it matters not what the girls think his "one thing" is, so long as they know it not to be them.

He loves her. Such an easy statement to make, so full of ambiguities that anyone could approve. But he is not himself -- just as he is not the writer of any of his books -- and she is not Regine. She is his muse, his love, his wife, but she is all these things because she is no flesh-and-blood woman. She has no desires, no disappointment; she will never confront him with her nakedness or her impatience. She is his everything, his one perfect thing, and by giving her away he has preserved her for infinity.


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Archiver > QUAKER-ROOTS > 2003-04 > 1049864425

From: "Jay & Carol Menges" <>
Subject: Re: [Q-R] Quaker/Indian Marriages(?)
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2003 23:00:25 -0600
References: <NEBBKBPMKLACDELNKOALGEGDDAAA.jap@highstream.net>

Hi Jeff (and a few others who are dealing with this thread),

This probably isn't all that helpful but I'm extracting information from
a book about the last of the Delaware Indian chiefs, Charles JOURNEYCAKE /
JOHNNYCAKE (of the Wolf Clan), who is said to be "the first Delaware
[Indian] and probably the first person to be immersed in Kansas" into the
Baptist Church.
His father's surname in Ohio was JOHNNYCAKE although I believe he also
had an Indian name.
The Delawares, themselves, were given that name for the tribe by the
English. They weren't too thrilled about it at first until they were told
they were named after their river and a great English general, Lord De La
Warr--and then they liked it. Their Indian tribal name is Lenni Lenape.
This book is concerned with Moravians and Methodists and then, mostly,
Baptists who worked very hard to bring in early Indian converts to
Christianity. The book relates the famous issues regarding William PENN's
bargain with the Delawares but there's no indication of any of them marrying
Quakers. Whether they did or not, I don't know because they were fairly
chased out of Pennsylvania into Ohio and beyond by other American settlers
(not the Quakers, I believe).
Several Delaware Indian men married captive white girls, and I believe
some white men married Indian women. The book only goes into these details
as far as the particular families involved are concerned. Abraham WILLIAMS
is one of the Delaware men who married a "white captive girl," Mary
CASTLEMAN, in Abt 1796 nr Sandusky, Huron (Erie), Ohio. As you can see,
some of the names chosen, or however they were taken up by the Indians, as
new surnames were pretty standard English/American varieties.
I don't have a wealth of expertise on these things but am merely
studying some of the history, especially now as I'm reading this
family history.

--Carol Menges

> - Has knowledge of an early Quaker marrying an Indian?
> - Knows anything about Indians adopting English names?
> - Has an early "brickwall" where the maiden name is a common English name
> such as "Smith", "Jones", "Taylor", etc.

This thread:


text:
TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2000-01 > 0948548114

From: "Bob Bass" <>
Subject: Re: TMG-L: UK word Evidence
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2000 08:35:14 -0500

>Main problem is that the author is an academic historian.

You have brought ups something that I feel is hurting modern genealogy. We
have become too academic! I say this from the viewpoint of a college
professor. I heard recently that genealogy is the second largest hobby. I
suspect the average modern genealogist are non-academic, at least in the
language and history fields. Why is this a problem? (excuse me Ms Mill
while I pick on you) Personally I to not always enjoy reading NGS Quarterly,
it is often difficult reading, due to its very high academic standards.

I have noted in the class room if we use a text written at a high academic
level the students do not study as much, even the great ones, compared to
when one is used that is written on a more 'worldly' level. I then contend
that when the average modern day genealogist reads an academic genealogy
they MAY become discouraged and abandon ALL academic standards. I further
speculate, this is why we see so many undocumented or poorly documented

I suggest it is time to lower the academic bar, thereby encouraging better
genealogy. For instance, I cannot understand why my ggggrandfather lived
and raised his children in middle Tennessee in the 1820's when he worked on
a ship. He was a yeoman<G>. The one exception to lowering the bar is
documenting sources. I moved to TMG because of its documentation ability
and have fallen in love with its research features. The only trouble with
modern documentation standards is they are very complex and difficult for
most people to understand. This is illustrated by the number of threads on
this group relating to sources. It is imperative we develop an easy to use
and understand method of documenting sources.

Ms. Mills' book has taken great strides in that direction. The problem is,
I use "EVIDENCE ...." like I suspect most of you do, I look for the example
that exactly fits. What happens when their is no example? Well we should
study her section on formatting citations, but we do not, we grab something,
however inappropriate, and adjust it so it look good and hope for the best.

I was once told, and it is still true, "never bring up a trouble area
unless you have a possible solution". I brought up what I feel is a
problem. I must admit I do not have a solution, I can only hope that among
the great minds which visit here can brainstorm and produce the solution.

Bob Bass, Ph.D.
The Red-Neck Genealogist

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