Other Church

IN MAKING A SHORT CONTRIBUTION TO THE EARLY HISTORY OF GLASTONBURY ABBEY I feel that I need offer no apology, as the old Tor itself, although 20 or 25 miles distant as the crow flies, is visible from my windows, and invites the attempt. More often than not it is draped in the mists that sweep up the Severn Sea from the north-west and lies half hid in the mirage of the moorlands. To write about the birth of Glastonbury is to write about a creation that has sprung from the sea, that has grown up silently in the weird marshes and meres of the “sea-moor-saetas,” and that loves to entangle itself in the magic mists of antiquity. Must we always adhere to the litcra scripta in speaking of Glastonbury? It is the land of legend, romantic figures, and shadowy heroes, and there is sometimes more substance to be found in these, especially when place names, topography, dedications, and the consentanea vox of antiquity confirm them, than in the litera scripta of the monastic scriptorium, where the greatest efforts of the Benedictine pens were directed to invent, to simulate, and to forge, so that the detective genius of a Stubbs can hardly winnow the true record from the false. No, we must ransack many storehouses to know and understand this ancient Somerset monastery, not the least or most unimportant of them being those of memories and magic associations that sway men’s feelings and enlist their eternal sympathies. Unlike any other monastery it has handed down from the earliest times the record of a national faith and the lamp of Christian revelation dimmed at times by errors and obscured by the turmoil of national changes, still enduring, with vitality of its own, through British, Saxon, and Norman times. Occasionally we look through a mist and magnify accordingly, idealising what may have been commonplace, but the spirit of the place invites it. And so let it be!

THE substance of the following work was originally published as miscellaneous papers in a monthly periodical during the year 1839, and collected at the close of the series as a separate tractate. The present republication has been suggested by the favourable reception and speedy sale of the first rough sketch already presented to the public. During those intervals of time when the writer has found himself released from other engagements, he has endeavoured, to the best of his ability, to gather up the precious fragments which remain in the works of historians of acknowledged authority respecting the primitive Church of Britain, that no part of so valuable a treasure might be lost. If nothing more has been effected than merely collecting and arranging the materials of our early Church history, and placing them in a light best calculated to convey instruction, it will be a satisfaction to have exerted even the feeblest effort.

The particular period of history discussed in the following pages is one of considerable interest to the ecclesiastical student, em­bracing as it does an account of the rise and progress of the infant Church of our country, and the triumphs of the faith over druidical mythology and Roman paganism. From the title of his work, it will be perceived that the writer has confined himself almost entirely to the Church history of this early period, and has only indirectly referred to its civil and political, with a view to illustrate its ecclesiastical affairs. Of the invasion of Britain under Julius Caesar, and again under Claudius—its struggles for liberty under Caractacus, Boadicea, and others— the rise of the British tyrants—the desertion of the island by the Romans—the irruption of the Picts and Scots—and the establishment of the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons, much has already appeared in the volumes of those who have written expressly on the civil and military transactions of Britain.

The origin and true nature of our social and political institutions must ever form a subject of peculiar interest for the study and reflection of every Englishman; but to the Christian who believes that the Church is the divinely appointed channel for conveying the precious gifts promised by God to his people, its introduction into his native land must be a matter of no common importance. He looks back on its earliest dawn with pleasing retrospection, watches its progress with intense solicitude, and at every step feels a personal interest in all the vicissitudes of its eventful history.

DID YOU KNOW the Pope titles himself “the Good Shepherd”? Since Jesus pro-claimed he was the Good Shepherd, (John. 10:11 and 14) we recognize this as a blasphemy that Our Lord will not take lightly. Zech. 11:17 warns:
“ Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.” (Compare Matt. 6:22-23, Luke. 11:34-36)

DID YOU KNOW Daniel prophesied: “…the ROBBERS OF THY PEOPLE shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.[?]” (11:14) Jeremiah identified them in 23:30: “Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that STEAL MY WORDS every one from his neighbour.” (Emphasis mine)

DID YOU KNOW Jesus said: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites![?] for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” (Mat. 23:27)

DID YOU KNOW when the high priest, Ananias, commanded the apostle Paul to be struck in the face, Paul answered, “God shall smite thee, thou whited wall….”[?] (Compare with Eze. 13:10-16)

DID YOU KNOW Job censured the arrogant pretensions to superior know-ledge of his friends and advisors in 13:4-5? His advice?
“But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. (What’s interesting here is that “forgers” means “plasterers,” see p.472 of the Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Do these kind of men comprise part of the group that build the “wall” with “un-tempered mortar”?)

The picture on the front of this tract depicts the visit of the Duchess of Kent, to the Vatican. It is now twelve months since her Royal Highness became a convert to Rome. She was the first member of the Royal Family to do so.

This event, provoked some Roman Catholic Clergy to comment with some jubilation, that the Duchess of Kent’s conversion signalled the conversion of the British Throne back to Vatican Rule! They may be a little bit premature in their celebrations; But there is no doubt that there is a move in our Nation both Politically and Religiously, and this move is leading us back in to the Roman Fold.

Rome has a tradition that those who are non-Catholics and especially if they are women, that they must dress in black if they are having an audience with the Pope. This no doubt is to convey their inferiority to the Pope, who claims to be Christ’s earthly representative.

When anyone, whether they be Royalty or not, who submit to the authority of the Pope they are upholding one of the great errors of the Church of Rome; which is the Doctrine of Papal Infallibility and the Papal claims that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ. There is a clear lesson to be learned. No one can turn away from the truth without being engulfed in a greater error.

Papal Infallibility is not only unscripturable but it is also repugnant. But the claim that the Pope is Christ’s Vicar, is blasphemous. No one who has had a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, (who is the real Vicar of Christ) could ever countenance such a blasphemy.

We were all saddened by the Duchess of Kent’s conversion to Roman Catholicism; but when you consider the attitude of her former church; which was the Church of England, and the comments which emanate from its leaders. It is all too obvious that they have already one foot in Rome.

1. The Church of Arimathea and its Roman offshoot

JULIUS CAESAR RAIDED BRITAIN IN BC 55 AND BC 54 and then the Islanders were left in peace by the Romans until they came again in AD 43 during the reign of Emperor Claudius, . th is time to conquer Britain.

Joseph of Arimathea arrived in Marseilles about AD 35 with Lazarus, Mary, Magdalene, Martha, her handmaiden Marcella and Maximin, a disciple. From there they travelled to Britain where Joseph preached the Gospel.

The Bible gives us the following information about Joseph of Arimathea. He was a rich man, a disciple of Jesus but secretly for fear of the Jews, a good man and righteous person , a respected member of the Jewish Council (Sanhedrin) who had not consented to the purpose and deed of the Council in condemning Jesus to death. He went to Pilate secretly after the death of Jesus and asked that he might take the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him leave to do this. With the help of Nicodemus, who brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, they took the body of Jesus and bound it in cloths with the spices, as was the burial custom of the Jews. The body was placed in the unused tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. The Talmud confirms the eastern tradition that Joseph was the uncle of Mary, the mother of Jesus.(Ref 12).

According to Whitehead (Ref 6), Cornish tradition states that Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy tin merchant shipping tin from the Isles while a resident of Judea.

Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, his sister Mary, who wiped the feet of Jesus with ointment and her hair, and their sister Martha, were loved by Jesus.

IN THE ARTICLE “THE EARLY CHURCH IN BRITAIN” OF 30 SEPTEMBER 1992, on pages 6 and 7, the author referred to the report by Frederick Haberman, (Ref 1 p. 141), which tells of the twenty ninth chapter of Acts which is in the Turkish Archives at Istanbul.

Several paragraphs from the twenty ninth chapter of Acts give indications that St. Paul went to Britain. These are quoted below for conveniences:-

“And Paul, full of the blessings of Christ, and abounding in the Spirit, departed out of Rome, determining to go into Spain; for he had a long time purposed to journey thitherwards, and he was minded to go from thence into Britain. For he had heard in Phoenicia that certain of the children of Israel, about the time of the Assyrian captivity, had escaped by sea to the “isles afar off” as spoken by the prophet, and called by the Romans Britain”.

“And they departed out of Spain, and Paul and his company finding a ship in Armorica sailing into Britain, they went therein and passing along the south coast, they reached a port called Raphinus”.

“And on the morrow he came and stood on Mount Lud; and the people thronged at the gate, and assembled in the Broadway, and he preached Christ unto them,and many believed the word and the testimony of Jesus Christ”.

THE PURPORT OF THE FOLLOWING PAGES is to exhibit, in one view, the various features of the ancient Church of Cymru during its metro-political existence. A work of this nature was always desirable, but the want of it was never, perhaps, so much felt as now, when ecclesiastical antiquities are so generally canvassed among Christians.

It is true that we are already in possession of several treatises relative to the religion of our Catholic ancestors; and the learned authors who bequeathed them to us ought not to be mentioned except in terms of respect and gratitude. Still we are free to confess that their researches are not of a form sufficiently systematical, plain, and comprehensive, to suit the cravings and capacities of the ordinary reader. Subjects of main interest only, such as the origin, government, or independence of the Church, have been expressly investigated, whilst particulars, apparently of minor importance, have been left wholly untouched, or but incidentally and subserviently noticed.

Some of the writers may have conducted themselves also more as advocates in support of their respective positions, than as candid and impartial historians. Some have couched their facts and opinions in a language inaccessible to the community at large. And all have more or less confounded the character of the Cambrian with that of its sister Churches in the northern and southern provinces of Britain.

Further, those who have endeavoured to describe the historical progress of early Christianity in
the island, have either stopped with the mission of Augustine, or else deviated in an Anglican direction, overlooking afterwards not only the distinctive character, but even the very existence of the Church of Wales.

Hence it was necessary, that, whosoever wished to be fairly acquainted with any of its details, should cull his information, by a laborious process, from different and scattered fields. These considerations denote that the accounts which hitherto we have of the ancient British Church are far from complete. The present volume is therefore intended, not by any means to supersede them, but in some measure to supply their deficiencies, and that with especial reference to Cymru.

The Church of the Cymry is selected, not merely because former writers have delineated it less correctly than its neighbours, but rather inasmuch as it was the original, and therefore the legitimate communion of the land. For thus may be truly applied to that people as a Church, what was said of them as a nation: “No one has any right to the isle of Prydain but the tribe of the Cymry, for they first settled in it,” i.e. as Christians. Possessing the primary see, their archbishops could justly claim patriarchal jurisdiction over all the dioceses in the island.

I AM A CHRISTIAN. I MUST ALSO STATE THAT I AM TOLERANT OF OTHER RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, and I am committed to the right of people to have and practice whatever religious belief they so choose. Freedom of thought, conscience, belief and speech is fundamental to traditional European communities. I oppose religious intolerance, just as I oppose political tyranny and the suffocating encroachment of world government. Although Europe has suffered from times of political and religious oppression, Western civilization from its classical roots in Greece and Rome to modern Europe has been the most ardent defender of freedom of thought and conscience. It is no accident that the most isolated pocket of ancient Europeans, Iceland, has the longest standing parliament in the world.
I seldom delve into religious matters, as I don’t have the honour of being a pastor or priest. However, policies of the Christian churches are critical to the well-being of European Americans as the overwhelming majority of Europeans are Christian as I am. Organized Christian churches have dramatic influence on our society, especially in America. On some matters, I feel I must speak out both as a Christian and as a European American.

THIS little book cannot claim to be either “high-church” or low-church.” It is written in the belief that both those party terms are becoming obsolete, and that the Churchman of the future will be content to be a faithful Christian, and an honest man, thinking highly of the Church and lowly of himself. The writer hopes, however, that it will be found to have a certain breadth, since one cannot have a real Catholicism without catholicity; and if there is a word in it which is not Evangelical, he would wish it withdrawn by this preface. He has kept in mind, throughout, the friendly cheer which comes to us in these happier days from our separated fellow-countrymen on the one side and from the Orthodox Churches of the East on the other ; nor has he been forgetful of the debt we owe both to the Roman Church of earlier days, which sent the Gospel to our Western Islands, and with it the service-books from which our own is so largely derived, and also
to the Lutheran and other Reformers, who won for us some part of our Christian freedom. “Excellent courage our fathers bore.” Only to those on each side he would plead that, if anything in these pages displeases them, they should remember the other side. Everyman’s History of the Prayer Book is written for Everyman; and, after all, the Master whom we are each trying to follow is above all our divisions, rebuking our uncharities, and blessing every step we take along that Gospel way which is narrow to us only because we come so far short of God’s infinite breadth.

Everyman’s History of the Prayer Book is for Everyman, endeavouring to present that amount of matter which Everyman ought to know something about. The author has already written a very small introduction to the subject, called The Prayer Book, What it is, and he has avoided repeating from that little work more than seemed necessary, so that it may be taken, with one or two pamphlets, as a manner of appendix, completing what he has tried to say.

AN INVOCATION OF OR PRAYER TO ANYONE LESS THAN GOD ALMIGHTY IS A HERESY AND A BLASPHEMY which, ns St. Peter has told us, above shall bring “swift destruction,” and after the events of the night of our Lord’s arrest and trial no one should know better the truth of that than St. Peter himself. Did we not see this exemplified quite recently in the National Life of France, that poor Country now lying under the heel of the NAZI Devil-ridden regime? On France’s last day of National Prayer she called upon her relics and idols to deliver her from the oncoming Hordes of Germans soldiery. We quote the actual report, taken from the Dublin Standard, of the prayers used in Paris on that day:—

Led by the Cardinal and her Prime Ministers, France invoked in a mighty act of Faith all the great leaders of that Christian past which has made her. High on the shoulders of boy scouts the priceless reliquaries of the Crown of Thorns and of St. Louis (King Louis 9th died 1270) the King were carried over the heads of the faithful, whilst from the pulpit a mitred Prelate implored, his arms outstretched to heaven, all the Saints of France, in a paroxysm of beseeching faith:—‘Come thou our Lady and thou St. Michael, thou St. Genevieve who protected Paris; thou Louis, model of all Monarchs, thou Joan of Arc, Liberator of our territory, thou simple Cure d’Ars, and little Theresa, who have sprung from our homesteads, come to our help, all of you, Saints of France.’

THIS SMALL VOLUME is sent forth by its author, with the earnest hope that it may afford some little infor­mation concerning a spot most dear to the Antiquarian, and deeply interesting to many whom the facility of modern travelling annually conveys to behold these noble and celebrated Ruins.

Much of its material was originally delivered at Glastonbury in the form of a Lecture. And as some brief and truthful narrative of the Abbey was greatly needed and demanded, it was earnestly requested that it might be published as a sort of Historical Guide.

Yielding to these solicitations, although conscious of many defects, the writer is thereby released from any apology for publishing these memoranda, which might have been considerably extended, if the antiquated documents and charters belonging to Glastonbury Abbey had been incorporated. These curious and ancient records are reserved, together with the writings of John of Glaston, Eyton, and others, for a larger work.

LAODICEA ON THE LYCUS, LOCATED AT THE CROSSROADS OF IMPORTANT TRADE ROUTES, WAS ONCE A PROSPEROUS CITY, famous for its black wool, banking services, and medical achievements. In the times of late antiquity, it had a large Jewish community and a significant congregation of Christians. St. John mentioned Laodicea as one of the Seven Churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation

Geography

Laodicea is situated on a hill between fertile valleys irrigated by the waters of Asopus (tr. Gümüşçay) and Kapros (tr. Başlıçay) streams. They are the tributaries of the Lycus River, now known as Çürüksu Çayı, which flows on the north-eastern side of the hill. This river gave Laodicea its cognomen – ad Lycum – meaning in the River Lycus. It distinguishes this city from other Laodiceas founded by Antiochus II.

Laodicea was founded on an important trade route, leading to this city from Sardis through Philadelphia. In its neighbourhood, there are many important ancient cities. Just 10 km to the north of Laodicea, there is the famous Roman spa of Hierapolis. Colossae, known from the Epistle to the Colossians written by St. Paul, is 14.5 km to the east. The city of Tripolis on the Meander is located on the road to Sardis, 26 km to the north-west of Laodicea.

.

WAS THE APOSTLE PETER THE FIRST BISHOP OF YORK? Many will say of course not, he was the first Bishop of Rome! While the fact that he was never first Bishop of Rome has been satisfactorily proved from Scripture and extant records and documents, but up to now very few were aware that there is good evidence that the Apostle Peter was in fact the first Bishop of York!

This lost information has been brought to light by, until recently, the unpublished book of the late Comyns Beaumont, “The Great Deception”. Comyns Beaumont, in his book produces overwhelming evidence that Peter was York’s first bishop.

From the very beginning of the Christian area York was a major centre of the Christian Church in the Culdee tradition. At one time the Diocese of York extended all the way to the Isle of Man, to include all of Scotland and on to the capital of Norway.

EARLY AMERICA LIVED BY LAW. At Jamestown in 1607, Captain John Smith opened the Bible and dispensed justice.

On the frontier, from the foothills of the Blue Ridge, down into Tennessee, over into Kentucky, and up into the Ohio, Virginians lived by the Law. There were few courts and almost no jails. People studied the Law. The Law was judge. The obedient enforced the law. Justice reigned.

Where outlaws appeared the “+” superimposed on “P” carved into a tree or chalked on a wall, reminded the outlaw that the “Law” was not done away with and that violations would be punished. Every man was expected to be a Christian and every Christian man was expected to be a Phinehas
Priest[1]. Law violators paid the penalty laid down by the Bible in the “judgments”.

Criminals were rare. So rare that their existence was carefully noted.

The Revolution

When the Revolution broke out ministers of The Church of England as well as the royal judges scampered back to England.

Land disputes in Piedmont Virginia were settled by a judge who was selected by his neighbours – Charles Lynch.

LYNCHBURG IS A CITY OF CHURCH STEEPLES. THIS IS THE WAY IT HAS BEEN SINCE IT RECEIVED ITS CHARTER IN 1786, and the way it has been described by travellers over the last two centuries. Churches everywhere with a God-fearing population to fill them.

There is also another Lynchburg. In the 1920’s, Lynchburg was said to have had more whorehouses, gambling joints, and booze establishments than any other city east of the Mississippi.

Billy Sunday Comes To Town

Billy Sunday came to town. He couldn’t believe what he saw. He vowed that he wouldn’t leave Lynchburg until it changed.

Putting action to his words he rented the fairgrounds near where Timberlake Road and the Airport Road meet, set up a tent, put sawdust on the ground, and started to preach – sunny days, rainy days, cold-wet-snowy-winter days, sweltering hot summer days – Billy Sunday preached under that big tent. He preached all the things the establishment churches didn’t preach. Sometimes he preached to a handful, at other times he preached to overflowing crowds.

One at a time, non-establishment Lynchburgers (and some establishment ones) walked the sawdust trail and accepted God’s Commandments to rule their lives. Gradually people stopped going to whorehouses, saloons, and gambling joints. One at a time these establishments closed up for the lack of customers. When Billy Sunday left Lynchburg, Lynchburg had changed. While “establishment Lynchburg” was the same, the rest had changed. Lynchburg was different.

OVER EIGHTY YEARS ago there took place in the city of Dublin the infamous Easter Rebellion. Members of the Irish Republican Army and the Marxist Citizen Army knowing that the British Army was involved in a life-and-death struggle with Germany in the Great War, seized the General Post Office and surrounding area in Central Dublin and proclaimed an “Irish Republic”. What is not so well known and what in this ecumenical age has become suppressed history, is the fact that the Irish Republican revolutionaries and murderers had received the Papal Blessing on their actions. For the aim, then as now in the 1990’s was to create an all-Ireland state with Roman Catholicism as the State Religion.

SINCE THE EARLY 1930’S THE SCOFIELD REFERENCE BIBLE HAS BEEN PROMOTED AS THE SOURCE FOR INTERPRETING REVELATION AND THE END TIMES. Almost all the current Dispensationalist theology is derived from his teaching and his Reference Bible.  Following is a transcript of a speech about Cyrus I Scofield by Rev. Nord Davis. (Most grammar and spelling errors that may occur are most likely on the part of the transcriber so forgive it’s form.)

The Pope of Prophecy Perversion

I am going to talk about a certain man everybody knows. His name is Cyrus I. Scofield. The man who wrote the Scofield Bible. The Bible that Christian brethren read so frequently and with which they have made up their current doctrine. Which has changed the thrust of America since the middle 1800’s.

This is going to be of controversial content and because it is controversial in content I will pick one of the Bibles most controversial characters to quote – the prophet Jeremiah. He preached, he warned, he exposed false preaching of his day and all to no avail. And he and his Israel people went right into captivity. The very captivity about which he had been warning

CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ACCEPT GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORIZATION FOR FINANCIAL GAIN, for permission to assemble, etc., are then controlled by the state. They invariably become tools of the government, carrying out the agenda of rulers and spreading state propaganda. Church members themselves often demand their church obtain state recognition in order for their tithes and offerings to be deductible from their personal income tax reports.

The classification 501(c)(3) is a tax exempt status for religious or charitable organizations in the United States. While this article repeatedly refers to this particular classification, the warning crosses international boundaries. Any religious organization that is recognized as such by the national government comes under the control of that government. It is then an arm of the state and must comply with state policy or lose the desired recognition.

In August, 2007, KSLA News 12 out of Shreveport, Louisiana, reported on a shocking new tactic used by the United States government in its ongoing destruction of the U.S. Constitution. It was reported that the government had begun training pastors and religious leaders to influence the populace to comply with government demands, stating: “KSLA News 12 has discovered that [in the event of a disaster] the clergy would help the government with potentially their biggest problem: Us.”

The United States was founded with the deliberate intent of having a country without a king and ensuring the freedom to have a church without a pope. Consequently, the “separation of church and state” has long been a governing principle of laws and policy within the U.S. It is extremely portentous for the government to reach out to religious leaders in an attempt to control the citizenry. Revelation 13 warns of a despotic power that would seek to enforce its own agenda over the entire world:

THE TESTIMONY OF SISTER CHARLOTTE IS DISTURBING AND SHOCKING, but provides important insights into the worst of convent life as well as the dynamics of Romanism. It testifies with others such as “Maria Monk” and “The Martyr in Black The Life Story of Sister Justina” (Lord willing, both of these will be on the site one day) as well as the testimonies of former priests such as Chiniquy (The Priest, the Woman and the Confessional), Fresenborg (Thirty Years in Hell), and Hogan (Auricular Confession and Popish Nunneries). Sis. Charlotte’s testimony seems incredible but only because most people do not know the history of the Romish religion. One of our readers said this about Sis. Charlotte’s testimony–
Thank you for printing this testimony, I have been so troubled by what I have read and I can believe what she said because I worked as a waitress. And the priest and nuns would come in [and] order drinks while wearing the habit. I had a friend that confronted one of the priests and boy what a big blow up that was. He tried to get her fired and then they really started coming in with the habit on and getting drunk. We told them that it didn’t look good for children to see them drinking especially when they were godly people (in the children’s eyes.) It was very eye opening to say the least. So I can understand some of what the woman said. I would really like to pray for those other nuns. thank you for your site and information. SR

Here’s an excerpt from a modern day Roman cloistered nun:
(http://www.passionistnuns.org/vocationstories/findinglove/). This quote is supposed to make a convent sound good but read between the lines and you get a hollow feeling…
Being a Passionist Nun: I had always desired to enter more deeply into the mystery of Jesus’ love for us in His sacred Passion. Where better than a Passionist Monastery where one takes a vow to promote devotion to and grateful remembrance of the Passion of Jesus? Flowing out of this main vow we take four other vows: Chastity, Poverty, Obedience and Enclosure. Prayer, penance, poverty, silence and solitude are a very important part of our spirit handed down to us by our Holy Founder, St. Paul of the Cross. Also, a deep love for our Spouse, Jesus in the Eucharist [a cracker Romans call “Jesus”]; devotion to our Immaculate Mother and fidelity to the Magisterium of the church attracted me to this hidden way of life, where prayer knows no bounds.
I think a lot of these women feel empty and want to get close to God. They think they have to “leave the world” for a religious life and of course the priests and nuns are happy to suggest joining a religious order. Not, “Get washed in the blood of the Lamb and born again,” but “Join our convent or monastery”.

THE ACTS OF UNIFORMITY ARE INCIDENTS IN A GREAT MOVEMENT. They are far from being the most important of its incidents. Their importance has perhaps been exaggerated, and their purport is commonly misunderstood. My object is to place them in their true relation to other incidents. It is useless to study them apart; they cannot be understood except as details of a connected history. I shall confine myself, however, to a narrow, question: assuming the general history, I shall ask how the several Acts of Uniformity come into it, with what purpose and with what ultimate effect. To study immediate effects would be to engage in too wide an inquiry.

We owe thanks to the men who drafted the statutes of the sixteenth century for their long argumentative preambles. These are invaluable as showing the occasion and purpose of the Acts. We shall not go to them for an uncoloured record of facts—their unsupported assertions will hardly, indeed, be taken as evidence for facts at all; but they tell us to what facts the legislator wished to call attention, and in what light he would have them regarded. The preamble of the first Act of Uniformity is among the most illuminating, and with its help we can assemble the facts in relation to which the purport of the Act must be determined.

We are in the year 1548. Important changes in matters of religion had taken place; greater changes were in prospect. The processions before High Mass on Sundays and Festivals, conspicuous and popular ceremonies, had been stopped on rather flimsy grounds, and a Litany in English substituted—the “English Procession,” as it was called. Many images in the churches had been destroyed, as superstitious; the censing of those remaining had ceased.

THE BIBLE FROM ITS OUTSET is a love story as the writers of this short booklet we believe that there are three main topics in scripture, the first topic is who God is, the second is who His people are and the third is the relationship between the two of them.
Today very few preachers make it clear to their listeners who His people are according to scripture. Not realising that the old testament books are really the new concealed and the new testament is the old revealed. We At The Truth Sets Free believe fundamentally what Malachi 3 v 6 declares ‘I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed’.
Isn’t it amazing that right there in this key passage of scripture Yahweh is defensive of Jacob. This very scripture is dynamite when we begin a study on the bride and the bridegroom.
To understand scripture its prophesies and fulfilment this topic is central and it can’t be understood without Yahweh’s law concerning the husband and wife.

….can claim apostolic foundation, unbroken continuity, and scriptural authority as the sole basis of its rule of faith and its form of government

The Rev. G. H. Nicholson, Burghfield rectory, Nr. Reading, Berks, England

(The Burghfield Parish Church is on the cover of this publication)

Some Glimpses of its Earliest History may be gathered from. the words of the following GREAT AUTHORITIES IN BYGONE CENTURIES.

Tertullian. A.D. 155-222. The Church’s first great genius after the Apostles wrote “The extremities of Spain, the various parts of Gaul, the regions of Britain which have never been penetrated by Roman arms have received the religion of Christ.” (Tertullian Def. Fidel, p. 179).

Eusebius. A.D. 260-340. The Church’s first great historian, wrote: “The Apostles passed beyond the ocean to the isles called the Britannic Isles.” (De Demonstratione Evangelii, Lib. Ill).

St. Dorotheus. Bishop of Tyre. A.D. 303 said: “Aristobulus, whom Paul saluted writing to the Romans (Romans ch 16. v. 10) was Bishop of Britain” (Synopsis de Apostol. Synops 23 “Aristobulus”). He also mentions by name another Disciple as visiting Britain. Simon Zelotes preached Christ through all Mauretania, and Afric the less. At length he was crucified at Brittania, slain and buried.” (Synopsis de Apostol. Synops. 9. “Simon Zelotes.”)

MY objects in writing this little book are to contribute a modicum of help to the movement in favour of vacation schools and school. excursions which has become so marked a feature of recent educational development, and to further the study of local history as part of the school curriculum, so far as the regulations of the Board of Education, at present, admit.

It is, happily, unnecessary to expatiate upon the benefits, mental and physical, which may be reaped by our children (evidenced by the excellent results already attained) by the judicious use of vacation schools and school journeys and excursions, because the subject has been thoroughly dealt with in vol. xii; of the series of Special Reports on Educational Subjects, issued in 1907 by the Board of Education.

With regard to the study of local history, there are, I believe, two methods which, combined, may enable school authorities and teachers to get good results. A book dealing with the subject can be selected as the continuous reader, which, supplemented by reference to large scale map by the teacher’s own comments, will give the children a general idea of the history of the country round about them, and, perhaps, though this depends more on the teacher than on the book, they may gather a little enthusiasm for the subject and some desire to know more about it.

The notion that there are interesting things to be found out about the towns, villages, and countryside by looking into their past story, having thus got into the children’s minds, excursions, under the power given by the Board for a Limited number of outdoor lessons in the course of each year, may be made to places of interest within a few miles of the school. The result will be that the children, coming into actual contact with existing historical monuments, handling, seeing, sketching, and measuring them (for they should be encouraged to do all these; of course, to do them in intelligent fashion), will apply the ideas got from the book to the concrete objects before them; and the end of all education, the development of their powers of observation, of putting two and two together, of drawing inferences, of weighing evidence, will be greatly furthered.

The following pages cannot supply more than an outline sketch of Durham history, and, perhaps, I may be allowed to suggest that Durham teachers would find help in this work of teaching local history if they were to get a first-hand acquaintance with, by visiting, again and again, the ancient churches- and buildings in their immediate neighbourhoods, and were also to read such a book as Parker’s Introduction to Gothic Architecture, with his glossary of Gothic Architecture at hand for reference, and Boutell’s English Heraldry. Then they might go on to digest what is to be found in Surtees’ History of Durham and Billing’s Architectural Antiquities of Durham about the places visited.

ITS LITERARY AND HISTORICAL INTEREST. On the western coast of Scotland, near the “bold juttings of the Ross of Mull, lies a little island, only two and one-half miles long, by one and one-half broad, with but a few hundred acres of arable land,and nothing in its scenery or position to arrest the attention of the traveller. And yet of that bleak islet, Dr. Johnson, who never spake any thing good of Scotland that he could avoid, was constrained to write, “That man is little to be envied, whose patriotism would not gain force on the plains of Marathon, or whose piety would not grow warmer among the ruins of Iona”.[1]

There must have been something very marvellous in the history of a Scottish island, which would compel the burly dictator of English literature to place it, in relation to religion, beside Marathon in relation to patriotism. We may be very sure that only the undeniable truth of history could have extorted such a tribute from such a man.

What then has woven such a spell of interest around this storm-swept island in the Atlantic?Johnson himself gives it in the same passage when he says, “We were now treading that illustrious island, which was once the luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge and the blessings of religion.” Wordsworth also gives it, in his sonnets on this island, which he calls the “Glory of the West.”

THIS MANUSCRIPT IS PUBLISHED in order that it might be demonstrated beyond any peradventure of a doubt that the Jewish problem is not in any sense a creation of modern bigotry. An alertness to the anti-Christian and aggressive activities of Jewish politicians and religionists has prevailed down through the centuries. It is neither a Catholic nor Protestant attitude. The Popes were compelled to speak firmly concerning the Jewish problem, and Martin Luther, the chief founder of Protestantism, wrote a book entitled “The Jews and Their Lies,” which is as strong as any statement ever issued by any Pope or leader in the Catholic Church.

Among Catholics the most recent, frank statement that has been made concerning the Jewish problem was made by Father Charles E. Coughlin, the noted radio priest of Royal Oak, Michigan. He published “The Protocols of the Learned. Elders of Zion”* which outlines the Jewish plot. He made numerous addresses over the radio in which he levelled pointed accusations at certain unrighteous Jews. He immediately became the victim of great persecution, slander and libel, and the organized Jews of America did not rest until he was removed from the radio.

The enemies of Father Coughlin tried to represent him as a modern villain and bigot, but the content of this brochure demonstrates that Father Coughlin was only experiencing some of the reactions that had been experienced by the Popes down through the centuries as well as by Martin Luther and other great Protestant leaders.

THE ORIGINAL TWELVE APOSTLES ARE NAMED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT as Simon (Peter), Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Levi (or Matthew), James (the less), Jude (perhaps also named Thaddeus or Lebbaeus), Simon (the Zealot or Cananean) and Judas Iscariot. It is obvious that they fall into two main groups: those who were former disciples of John the Baptist and those who were members of Jesus’s extended family. Of the former group are Simon Peter, his brother Andrew, Philip, and probably Bartholomew and Thomas. Family

3 members are Jesus’s brothers James (the less), Jude, Simon the Zealot and Matthew/Levi, along with his cousins, James and John the sons of Zebedee. Judas Iscariot could be in either group as he is described as the ‘son of Simon’ and it is not clear if this means that he is a son of Simon Peter, Simon the Zealot (Cananean) or some other Simon that we don’t know about.

Thus at least six, possibly seven, of the original twelve were family members. However, there is one important name missing from the list of apostles and this is Jesus’s other brother Joses (or Joseph) who, like James the less, is definitely named as being a son of both Mary and Alpheus. Why should he alone not have been included in the twelve?

It seems to us that the answer to this question is hinted at in several places in the New Testament, most specifically in the Crucifixion story. When Jesus is being tried by Pilate, the latter is clearly willing to release him, making use of an alleged custom among the Jews that a prisoner of their choice should be freed at the Passover. However, the crowd shout out for someone called Barabbas, with the result that he, instead of Jesus, is released.

LONG AGO, IN THE DAYS WHEN CAMELS CARRIED THEIR PRECIOUS CARGOES OVER THE SPICE ROUTES – the spice- merchants divided the world among themselves[1]. Each spice-merchant then created franchises within his allotted territory and hired kings to manage them. Each franchised king raised his own personal banner to mark off “his country” from the franchise of another.

He built castles and garrisoned them with soldiers to keep and police what
he had been assigned. Each king had to guarantee that the merchant’s goods would be safely transported and delivered to their destination and that the slaves that came with the king’s franchise did their allotted work. Each king permitted to keep a percentage of the take as his income.

The job of king was “the good life” and so it had many applicants. Each applicant bid against other applicants, each making all sorts of concessions to get the job.

On occasion, the people of the land, tired of being slaves, listened to their ancient god and demanded rights that had been taken from them by the king and his spice-merchant employer. Such revolts were expected reoccurring events and so preparations had been made to deal with them.
“Trade-priests” were the first line of defence. It was their job to bless that which the gods cursed. They were paid to say that the king and his employer were right and the people were wrong. This blessing of the priests was meant to keep the slaves happy and less likely to object to their slavery[2].

All religions have two basic creeds.

Christianity has two basic creeds. The first is THE WORD – God’s Laws, statutes, and judgments. The second is “TRADE-CHRISTIANITY. “Trade-Christianity” sells Indulgences to permit merchants to violate God’s “Laws. Statutes, and Judgments”. sellers are called “Baal-priests” by the faithful[1].

Trade-Christianity” actively censors the 70% of the Bible dealing with government which might hinder the merchant paymaster and his trade. “Trade-priests” do what they are paid to do, and Christians despise them for it.

Trade Religion in Virginia

Before the Revolution, almost everyone in Virginia was Episcopalian – “Church of England.” The king was its head. He appointed bishops and they appointed ministers. There were Presbyterian and Baptist dissenters, but their lives were hard. Very hard. One of my grandfathers preached to his congregation from the barred window of the jail at Bowling Green. A grandmother who married a Baptist preacher was disinherited and her name stricken from the family Bible.

Dissenter Beliefs

Dissenters read the 70% of the Bible that deals with government and discovered that they were being deprived of specific basic rights promised them by their God. The king’s own Episcopalian priests said that only the king entitled to these rights. Dissenters quoted the Bible and insisted that Christ was their only king, that the King of England had stolen their “God-given rights” and made monopolies for himself – that taxes were wrong, and that black slavery was evil – that neither the Blacks nor the Indians should even be allowed in Virginia. The king’s church insisted that the king had the right to do as he liked.