FINISHED
Today’s Reading: John 19
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
The view from the Garden Tomb area toward what many believe to be Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, where Jesus was crucified. You can see in the rock formation what looks to be a skull.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: John 19:30
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
For readers who’ve been with me since we began, you know that we’ve completed the first three books of the Bible and that we are about to start Numbers. We’ve read of hundreds of animal sacrifices (they were used for food as well) and now these three words, “It is finished.” We could view again the video posted here some days ago which showed that, after Jesus’ death, God no longer accepted the animal sacrifices presented in the Temple (click here to view). Jesus proclaimed from the Cross that His Sacrifice for the sins of the whole world was complete. In Chapter 19 alone, there are 20 references listed in my Thomas Nelson Study Bible which indicate fulfilled prophecy by Jesus as He hung on the Cross. No wonder that soon after His death, thousands of Jews would believe in Jesus as the final Sacrifice for sin. Jesus’ task in His suffering and death for sin was “finished,” but His triumph was not. As He told His disciples, after three days He would rise again. The victory celebration of His resurrection continues to this day. Amen! Amen!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your “amazing grace,” as the hymn says, “that saved a wretch like me.” I sing that most beloved hymn now as I pray. Because of the fact that You finished Your Sacrifice, I know that I can add nothing to that Sacrifice by my own efforts. I simply accept that fact. Help me to share the finished work of the Cross with someone today. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
In the early days of exercising the call of God to be a Pastor, I rejoiced in the growth of the congregation. Rather than counting attendance at the services, I would count the precious people who partook of the remembrance elements of the Body and Blood of Jesus. The reason the Apostle quoted Jesus saying, “This do in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), was because, “It is finished.” As I will shortly read Numbers, I keep this fact constantly in mind. Hallelujah!
Yours because “It is finished,”
David
NOVEMBER
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
John Greenleaf Whittier (1872)
“Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
reclothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence, praise.
In simple trust like theirs who heard
beside the Syrian sea
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word
rise up and follow thee.
O Sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love!
Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace.
Breathe through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm!”
John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet Robert Burns.
Whittier was born at Haverhill, Massachusetts, Dec. 17, 1807. He began life as a farm-boy and shoemaker, and subsequently became a successful journalist, editor and poet. In 1828 he became editor of the American Manufacturer (Boston), in 1830 of the New England Review, and in 1836 (on becoming Secretary to the American Anti-Slavery Society) of the Pennsylvania Freeman. He was also for some time, beginning with 1847, the corresponding editor of the National Era. In 1840 he removed to Amesbury, Massachusetts, where most of his later works were written. At the time of [1890] he lived alternately at Amesbury and Boston. His first poetical piece was printed in the Newburyport Free Press in 1824. Since then his publications were numerous—Voices of Freedom, 1833; Songs of Labour, and other Poems, 1850; Ballads and other Poems, London, 1844; The Panorama, and other Poems, 1856; In War Time, 1863; Occasional Poems, 1865; Poetical Works, 1869; Complete Poetical Works, 1876; The Bay of the Seven Islands, and other Poems, 1883, &c.
John Greenleaf Whittier passed away in Hampton Falls, NH, September 7, 1892.
121 years after his death, Whittier wins award posthumously.
He’s been dead 121 years, but John Greenleaf Whittier is still winning awards.The New England Academy of Journalists has posthumously honored Quaker poet and abolitionist Whittier with its Yankee Quill Award for his historical contribution to journalism and civic life in 19th century New England.
The honor coincides with the 325th anniversary of the John Greenleaf Whittier Homestead in Haverhill, which was built in 1688 by Whittier’s great-great grandfather, Thomas Whittier.
The Yankee Quill Award was established in 1960 to recognize the special lifetime contribution of New England journalists to their profession. It is the highest individual journalism honor in New England. A special historic category was created for the pioneers of journalism in 2003.
“Whittier is very deserving of this award as he and his friend and associate, William Lloyd Garrison spent much of their lives fighting to abolish slavery in this county,” said Gus Reusch, curator of the Whittier Museum and Homestead.
Garrison, the prominent American abolitionist, speaker and journalist, posthumously received the Yankee Quill’s historic recognition award several years ago. Now it’s Whittier’s turn.
Garrison, while serving as editor of The Free Press, was the first to publish a Whittier poem (“The Exile’s Departure’’) in 1826, and encouraged Whittier to write for and edit newspapers for a living.
Under Garrison’s encouragement Whittier joined the abolitionist cause and edited newspapers in Boston and Hartford.
“Both Garrison and Whittier fought slavery for most of their active lives and they did so at their own peril,” Reusch said. “Both escaped mobs — Garrison in Boston, and Whittier in Philadelphia, where in 1838 he was editor of the ‘Pennsylvania Freeman.’
“One of Whittier’s famous sayings was ‘no slave upon our land’ and that’s what he fought for,’” Reusch said.
Whittier was born in Haverhill in 1807 to John and Abigail Whittier and lived on the homestead for 29 years. Called “Greenleaf” by those in the household, Whittier also lived at the homestead with sister Mary Whittier, his brother, Matthew Franklin Whittier, and younger sister Elizabeth Whittier. Also living there were his uncle Moses Whittier and his aunt Mercy Evans Hussey.
At age 21, Whittier got involved with the anti-slavery society. At the time he arranged for Garrison to give a speech at the East Parish Meeting House on Middle Road.
“Whittier liked what he heard and he and Garrison joined forces,” Reusch said. “At one point while he was away his mother sent him a letter saying his Uncle Moses died, his father died, and Mary married and moved away and there were no men left to run the farm, so he returned for three years. He never liked farming. He wanted to be on the road with Garrison to end slavery.”
Whittier sold the homestead in 1836 and bought a four-room house in Amesbury.
“He wanted his mother and his family to be safe and close to the Quaker meeting house and made sure the property had no farm so he could get away with Garrison and keep on with the abolitionist movement,” Reusch said. “Whittier was the first to edit anti-slavery newspapers, which was unheard of in those days. It put him and Garrison in danger all the time.”
Reusch said Whittier and Garrison began their fight against slavery in the 1830s and continued it until the Civil War, about 30 years in all, going from city to city with Garrison giving strong abolitionist speeches.
“Whittier did the anti-slavery newspapers and poems, while Garrison was the public speaker,” Reusch said. “They went everywhere, including Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Concord, N.H., where Whittier got into big trouble.”
The abolitionists brought George Thompson of England to this country and in Concord, N.H., he gave a very fiery anti-slavery speech, but it wasn’t appreciated as the mob came after him and Whittier, who was with him, Reusch said.
“They escaped the mob and Whittier had to hide Thompson until he left on a ship to England,” he said. “At that time we had clothing mills along the river that used cheap cotton from down south and it was cheap just as long as they had slaves to do the hard work. The mill owners and workers didn’t want to end slavery as it would have meant the price of cotton would have gone way up.”
Whittier spent his later years at his home in Amesbury, where he wrote his most financially successful poem, “Snow-Bound” — his reminiscence of being a 10-year-old boy at the homestead during the big December blizzard of 1818.
Contemporary journalists receiving the Yankee Quill Award this year are: James Rousmaniere, recently retired editor and president of the Keene, N.H., Sentinel; Christine Chinlund, managing editor of the Boston Globe; Eliot White, publisher of the Meriden, Conn., Record-Journal, and Peter B. Lord, longtime environmental reporter and editor for the Providence Journal who passed away last year.
Awards will be presented at the annual dinner meeting of the New England Academy of Journalists on Oct. 10 at the Crowne Plaze Hotel in Natick.
Cynthia Costello, president of the Whittier Home Association in Amesbury, said the New England Academy of Journalists agreed to present Whittier’s awards to both the Whittier Home Museum in Amesbury and the Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill. The Whittier Home Museum will hold its fourth annual “Celebrating John Greenleaf Whittier” fundraiser and auction on Sept. 21 at the Maudslay Arts Center in Newburyport. For more information, visit http://www.whittierhome.org. For more information about the Whittier Birthplace, visit http://www.johngreenleafwhittier.com.
https://www.hgazette.com/news/local_news/121-years-after-death-whittier-wins-award/article_2879f3cd-ae31-5eb1-a488-e1bd62854e97.html
121 years after his death, Whittier wins award posthumously.
https://www.hgazette.com/news/local_news/121-years-after-death-whittier-wins-award/article_2879f3cd-ae31-5eb1-a488-e1bd62854e97.html
Thank you for this hymn and bio Beverlee. so inspiring.
I will be praying for your EMG and a date for your surgery.
Thank you Sally! 💮
Thank You, Lord, for dying for us. Thank You for living for us. In Jesus’s name, amen
Amen Rob. 🙏
Thank You Jesus! ✝️️
Amen, thank you for you wonderful contributions thus far. May God , with your help, continue the good work .
How do we even begin to thank you, Lord Jesus for your sacrifice for us?
May our lives be an offering of praise and thanks unto You! Lead us and guide us each day, in a closer walk with You.
Enjoyed the poem and bio., Beverlee. Thank you! Continuing to pray for you. Thinking of and praying also for Doreen, Eleanor and Edward
Thank you Luisa. 💮
Continued prayers for Eleanor and Edward.
Amen to all comments above. Thinking of Beverlee’s appointment tomorrow. Praying. Thank You Jesus. Blessings all.
Thank you Doreen.💮
My next appt is the EMG Dec 5th.
God bless ALL. I shall remember December 5th next.
Thank you Blessed.💮