I don’t want to keep going on about this – really I don’t. But it’s exactly as I said right from the word go – Justin Welby is just like the rest. The BBC News Website quotes him as saying;
‘Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said on Friday night the Church of England would now drop its opposition to same-sex marriage, as Parliament had spoken.
“The law’s changed; we accept the situation,” he told the BBC.’
No Justin we don’t accept the situation. ‘Parliament had spoken’ Justin said. But hadn’t God already spoken. The Word of God for the Archbishop is clearly of no consequence. As I’ve said many times this isn’t about ‘having a go at Gays’ or intolerance, the issues are much bigger than that. The Archbishop has put the Word of God to one side and replaced it with the word of men. That is the issue. Do we accept the word of men, or the Word of God?
Here’s how crazy the logic is. In the same BBC piece a CofE Vicar said;
‘Mr Cain, who plans to marry his partner in the summer, said he would do so whether the Church (and the Bible) approved or not (the Bible doesn’t).
“It is more important to do what is right than to be frightened into not doing what I believe to be true.’
But Mr Cain, I believe it’s false. So where does that leave us. Clearly we need a more sure word, an objective Truth. I wonder where we could find such a thing? Surprise surprise! In the Bible Mr Cain. Why is Mr Cain a minister when he doesn’t believe any of it.
Just because Archbishop Welby and his politically correct Godless mates accept it – some of us don’t. Just because Same-sex marriage is now legal, that doesn’t make it right. To do that, Parliament will need to change the Word of God. If it were possible they would. Don’t underestimate the wiles of Satan, he will make every effort to sideline the Bible, and with the help of the Archbishop. Historically, not an unusual occurrence! Don’t think it will stop here.
Thankfully Jesus said ‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.’ (Mat 24.35)
At midnight tonight same-sex marriage will become legal in England and Wales. I know we are supposed to give up on this issue and treat same-sex marriage as normal. The problem is for anyone that takes the Bible seriously for what it actually is, the Word of God, this is not possible.
With a new empowerment, emboldened by an Anti-Christian State so-called tolerance will be meted out on Christians or anyone else that refuses to bow down and worship this manifestation of Baal.
However strong this latest rebellion against the Lordship and Kingly rule of Jesus Christ, it will ultimately fail. In that last day,
‘at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Php 2:10 & 11)
But while we are in Gospel days and while there is still time, Repent and Believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15).
It’s in the very distant past for most of us and way before our time. But with the many ‘celebrations’ or commemorations of the First World War this year, other more localised memorials easily pass us by. One of these memorials is to ‘The Incomparable 29th Division‘. On my way home from church yesterday morning I came upon four soldiers dressed in FFW uniform marching by the side of the road. After a double take – not a normal sight on a busy duel-carriageway – right in front of me were a number of people gathering round a monument in the centre of the approaching (large) roundabout. I’ve passed this monument hundreds of times and not given it a second thought, but as home was not too far away, I quickly collected my camera and made my way back to the scene. By the time I got back there were a good few more people gathered, about twenty or so in FFW uniform and a number of old soldiers from the various branches of The British Legion – complete with Banners – and a few others. I reckon about fifty or so all together.
King George V inspects the 29th Division at Dunchurch, 21 March 1915. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The history is King George V inspected the troops on this spot in 1915 before going off to Gallipoli where many of them met their death – and maker. Someone I think said there were 20,000 troops there. Info below says total losses for the division were 94,000. An incredible figure. A good number of people in the picture then, probably never came back. All of them young men. The tragedy of war.
One of the old soldiers said to me ‘we promised to remember them and that’s what we will do’. I admire that. I’ll not pass that monument in quite the same way again. Below are a few of my pictures from yesterday. Some more historical info follows after my pictures.
The following text about the Memorial and some of the associated history is from Waymarking.com.
Long Description:
The Marker commemorates the The Incomparable 29th Division formed in the First World War. It reads as follows:
‘THE INCOMPARABLE 29TH DIVISION’
The 29th Division of the British Army assembled here between December 1914 and early March 1915. Many were billeted locally.
The members of the Division came largely from the north of England, Ireland, Scotland and South Wales and only a few came from the Midlands.
On the 12th March 1915, prior to their departure for Gallipoli, in Turkey, H.M. King George V reviewed his troops here at Knightlow Hill.
The Division served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front in France and Belgium thoughout the Great War. When the Armistice brought hositilies to an end on 11th November 1918 the Division moved to the Rhine.
The total casualities suffered by this single Division were 94,000. It won 27 Victoria Crosses.
The Division landed at Cape Helles in Gallipoli on 25th April 1915 under heavy fire from the Turkish Army. They fought throughout the campaign until the evacuation of Suvla on the night of 19th/20th December 1915.
Their brave efforts earned them the name ‘The Incomparable 29th’.
The Division served in France and Belgium and was involved in the first day’s fighting of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916.
In 1917 it played its part at Arras and Ypres.
In 1918 it was still in action fighting at Estaires, Messines and Hazebrouck. In the same year it helped to lead the advance to victory, capturing OutterSteene Ridge, Ploegsteert and Hill 63. It was present at the final advance in Flanders, fighting again AT Ypres.
The Division was disbanded on 15th March 1919.
A Memorial Service to commemorate the Anniversary of the landing of the 29th Division on Gallipoli was held on 25th April 1993.
The event was initiated by James F. Pawsey, the Member of Parliament for Rugby and Kenilworth, and F.G. Watson, O.B.E., MM, the Chairman of Warwickshire County Council.
THE MEMORIAL
Money was raised by public subscription following a local wish to commemorate KING GEORGE V’s review of the troops and their brave action with the 29th Division.
The Memorial was designed by Bridgman and Sons of Lichfield and erected late in 1920 at the cost of £646.
It has an overall height of 12.3mtrs.
The Memorial was unveiled by the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Lord Craven, and handed over to the Chairman of Warwickshire County Council, Lord Algernon Percy, on Tuesday, 24th May, 1921 before a crowd estimated to be over 7,000.
DUNCHURCH AVENUE
An avenue of elms planted in the early eighteenth century extended for an unbroken length of six miles over Dunsmore Heath on either side of the London road (now the A45).
Many elms were blown down during the severe gales of 1916. In the interests of safety the Duke of Buccleugh wanted to fell the remainder of the trees.
So in 1917 Warwickshire County Council formed the ‘Dunchurch Avenue Committee’. Successful negotiations with the Duke resulted in the rights for the verges and trees being conveyed to the County Council, who undertook to replant the avenue.
There was also a strong local wish to commemorate in some way the King’s review of the troops and the Division’s brave efforts during the war. The committee invited subscriptions for a Memorial Monument to the 29th Division and the replanting of the avenue. The Duke of Buccleugh donated £720 to the fund and the freehold of the land for the Memorial.
During the autumn and winter of 1920/21 two miles of lime trees at the Coventry end of the Avenue and elms and beeches at the London end were planted by Messrs. Dicksons of Chester: 444 trees at a cost of £664 2s 0d.
In 1953 Kew Gardens were consulted about disease in the elms. In October that year the Committee agreed to replace the dying elms with limes (Tilia x euchlora).
A second carriageway was added in the late 1950s and some of the trees felled. The Ministry of Transport’s replanting was agreed with the Committee.
The Dunchurch Avenue Committee DAC met for the last time in 1973. The trees were inspected and 70 new limes were planted on the east side of the Memorial.
In 1985 some trees were felled to accommodate a roundabout.
In March 1993 two lime trees 6.5mtrs in height were planted as part of the scheme to enhance the setting of the Memorial.’
John Samson has stood in on the Dividing Line while James White is away. His broadcast on Limited Atonement or more preferably Particular Redemption is well worth a listen.
There were a number of reminders that echoed my own grappling with this doctrine. What clinched it for me was a combination of The High Priestly prayer (John 17: 1-26) and the specific Stones on the Breastplate worn over the heart by the High Priest. As John Samson so rightly said – once you see it, you see it everywhere. At the time I was asking a lot of ministers about this and the best advice came from Stuart Olyott when he said ‘you need to see it for yourself’. In other words, you need to search the Scriptures!
It took me a lot longer than the 9 months it took John though! At the time I was involved in an Open-Air preaching ministry and needed to sort out the question – what do we say to people? To cut a long story short: Particular Redemption means we can offer a full Gospel of absolute certainty. Praise God Jesus came and completed the work and not some sort of half-hearted effort that saves no-one.
And so we are able to say with confidence ‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’. Romans 10:13
I just started reading Paul Cook’s book Fire From Heaven: Times of Extraordinary Revival (book link) and I recalled a lecture he gave way back in 1980 on Augustus Toplady ‘The Saintly Sinner’. I looked for it on my Website but couldn’t find it. After some searching I realised it was uploaded but the link was missing and it wasn’t even listed. Anyway, it’s now fixed and available for download.
I have great memories of Paul and his ministry. The lecture on Toplady will not disappoint. FYI, Paul Cook is married to the author Faith Cook.
Go here to download. Visit my website for full listing of lectures.
Here’s the first verse of Toplady’s ‘A debtor to mercy alone’
A debtor to mercy alone,
Of covenant mercy I sing,
Nor fear, with God’s righteousness on,
My person and off’rings to bring.
The terrors of law and of God
With me can have nothing to do;
My Savior’s obedience and blood
Hide all my transgressions from view.
Gary Brady brought the lecture last evening on: “The Samuels Petto (1624-1711) and Peto (1809-1889)”
It was a pleasure to see Gary again and to hear his lecture.
It was a bit different to what we would normally have, but it made me realise how God moves and orders people for the good of the Church. There was quite an excerpt from the MP Samuel Peto from the opening of ‘The Metropolitan Tabernacle‘ where C H Spurgeon was the minister. He donated the first £5000 to the Tabernacle. [If I can get hold of the speech section I’ll update the post] How things have changed. To find an MP willing to stand publicly for the Gospel in such a profoundly spiritual and exclusive [Jesus is the Only way of Salvation] manner would be quite a task these days! He had a profound and true understanding of the Gospel – it seemed to me anyway. Samuel Peto was an Engineer, a Builder, an MP, a Businessman, an Entrepreneur, a Philanthropist and much more. He built the Houses of Parliament. He gave away thousands of pounds – millions in our day – to missions and the cause of Christ.
The first Petto made me think of the thousands of ministers that labour in complete obscurity in their own location for the Glory of God. Forgotten or completely unknown by us generally, but not forgotten by God. Quite encouraging. Yet some of those obscure or forgotten ministers were men of great ability. Well known, some of them in their day. This Petto wrote many books, his most well-known(?) and best was on the Mosaic Covenant – recently reprinted. There has also been a recent booklet by Michael Brown on Samuel Petto – Gary quoted from this. [See below for link]
Gary began his lecture by making the point how quickly people, even good and able people, disappear into obscurity.
