Another Treasure

I received another treasure in the mail today - finally. I purchased a Holy Bible from Great Britain - one that was printed, "By the will of Philip, Lord Wharton, 1696". The Bible itself is copyright 1891. Here is a web site that explains who Lord Philip Wharton was. He was a Puritan who died in 1696 and, in his will, left monies to pay for the printing and distribution of Bibles to those who would memorize a certain number of Psalms, as listed inside the front cover. Evidently, all the Bibles that this estate has given out have the same inside front cover message.

Imagine receiving a Bible because of the express wishes of someone who passed away in 1696 - it's as if Lord Philip is rejoicing in Heaven whenever someone is blessed in this way.

Here are pictures of the Bible. As usual, for a clearer, bigger view - or to say it in the new Bloggie language, "embiggen" - just click on the image, especially on the last picture of the Bible, which shows the inside front cover with the inscription.

Inside the Bible was another treasure. A church newsletter from June and July 1965 from Brierfield Congregational Church in England. I'll put up the scans so you can read the entire thing, which reminds me so much of the church in Jan Karon's books, however, I want to bring to your attention a paragraph at the end of "The Minister's Notes", that is a quote from a Rev. A.E. Gould, BA, BD circa May 1965:
"We must learn to take our faith in the supremacy, the omnipotence of God out of the realm of doctrinal orthodoxy, and apply it to this situation where men's hearts often fail them for fear of what may be coming on earth; to be able to say, with quiet confidence that, even in the present world of tumultuous change, God is in control, that, even if men in their sin and stupidity press the fateful button that may unleash nuclear war, even so God's redeeming purpose in Jesus Christ will not be wrecked. Even if this vaunted affluent civilization of ours goes the way of the twenty-one previous civilizations we are still able to lift our hearts in praise to God Who sites above the water floods, Who is not at the mercy of the mushroom cloud, Who takes up the isles as a little thing, and Who can make even the wrath of man to praise Him."

I can just picture an elderly Vera Grimshaw, who, I will assume, received the Bible as a gift in Sunday school at a young age in 1916. She is in church on a warm day in June or July 1965 with her lovely Bible and I'm sure she has on a suitable hat and appropriate church outfit for that time. Pillbox hats, like Jackie O's were still the rage. The Beatles had become a worldwide phenomenon and in the US, Lyndon B. Johnson was President. World War II was 20 years in the past, which, in today's context, would be like 1988 - not that long ago, still fresh in the minds of adults of that time. I was 9 years in 1965, a time I am quite fond of remembering, albeit with rose colored glasses. Please note that the little Gift envelope is still attached, so Miss Grimshaw (could she have been Mrs. Something Else - wouldn't she have added that to the Bible?) did not see fit to give a Gift that day, or she used some other means of conveying it.

I came to the conclusion today that, when we picture the perfect place where we'd like to live, if we are truthful, there is no place that is perfect, except when we go back in time to our childhood. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, "there's no place like home" is very true. But even that, no matter how wonderful it might have been (or, for some, something they'd rather forget), it still is not perfect. Home is Heaven for the Christian, and, looking at our world today, that lovely passage from Minister's speech in 1965 is as appropos today as then.

My heart longs for Heaven as that is the only perfect place. Meanwhile, I will enjoy these sweet treasures that come my way in this life. What could be more perfect in THIS life than the Word of God.

Have a lovely and peace-filled weekend.