Nov-12-Minging

Well, good morning and welcome to WhisperingWord's frugal scrapings and observations on this morning's news for Friday November 12th-2010 :: Well time is a pressing today so this morning frugal news will indeed be just that! Yet. amongst the many stories of yet another day on topside of planet earth, the one that really caught my eye was the Ming Vase sale. Well actually, it was a Quianlong vase. But I tell you, it angered me.

The BBC reports that: "A vase found in a house-clearance in London has been sold for £43m, thought to be a record for any Chinese artwork. The 18th Century Qianlong porcelain piece had been estimated to fetch up to £1.2m for the brother and sister who inherited it. "The sister had to go out of the room and have a breath of fresh air," said Helen Porter from Bainbridges auction house in Ruislip, north-west London. The vase is yellow and sky blue in colour with a fish motif on the front. The buyer - who is thought to have come from the Chinese mainland - paid £43m, with an additional premium of £8.6m to go to the auctioneer. The family who inherited the piece "had no idea what they had", Ms Porter said. "They were hopeful but they didn't dare believe until the hammer went down." It is thought the vase left China in about 1860, and belonged to one family for about 70 years.

OK. Now this raises a number of issues for me. Here's but two of them::
The first is how a bloody vase is worth £43 simply because we say it is! The value of this tiny piece of porcelain is very simply 'what somebody was willing to pay for it.' There is slight intrinsic value in the piece, but not £43 million pounds worth! The second issue is the sheer immorality of paying £43 million for a vase when people will die tonight because of lack of food, yes people will die in depression TODAY, because they cannot find a job or feed their family. This £43 million could have significantly impacted the lives of not a few human beings today. No, this purchase, is nothing but an obscene crime against humanity.

A greater crime however, and I mean this, is when the church put bricks and mortar, programs and policies before its own blood bought brethren. Yes, Christians today will fall off the back of the luxury cruise ship of western Christianity and disappear into the distance, never to be seen again. Sometimes the sucking waves will be simply lack of finance, lack of hope, lack of love, but whatever, it will suck them down to the depths of their own personal hell. I tell you, when the church allows these people to disappear into the fading white phosphorescence of a darkened sea, yet still pours money into keeping the lights on in vast edifices of entertainment, then it com mitts sin, not only against a seemingly silent Christ who surely stares aghast at the staggering sight of all the sinking souls amongst His own redeemed people, but it sins against itself. Yes, whilst maintaining it's lying promotion it's own happy head shot of its heavily made up complexion, all in smiling and pastel colours, in the background, away from the cameras, this sin causes its own broken bowels to hang down from its own scabby arse, its loose and ungripping sphincter unable to hold in the whole maggot eaten mess of it, while the Lord of the flies hungrily circles, singing around the piled high skubula. I tell you, the offence of a the purchase of a £43 million vase, is nothing compared to the offensive self killing shittiness which THE CHURCH OF THE TARE AND NOT THE WHEAT, involves itself in every single day.
May God have mercy upon us.


James 2:15-17
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. NKJV

Oh and finally - Here are a few verse from the Bible use by 'The Church of The Tare and Not The Wheat.' It's Called The Alternative Ending Bible

Matthew 14:25-35
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
31 but the Lord said “No” and walked on by as Peter was eaten alive by the foaming waters and sucked beneath the big and pounding waves.
32 And when Jesus got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 Then those who were in the boat just stared at Jesus and were aghast!"
34 “Well”, he said, “There’s work to do. Row on!”
35 So they did. And eventually, all those questions they had about Peter: why he was left to drown? What his secret sins could have been and the like? Were all eventually sunk deep beneath their calmer waters, along with 'the rock', whose bloated body was now made food for all those other fishes in the sea that also had no money in their mouths.

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Oct-31-Of Carrots & Calebs

Key Word:- DARE

Title:- Of Carrots and Calebs

Joel 2:28,29
“And it shall come to pass afterward. That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days…..”

Lieth Anderson in the forward to a very informative church planting resource book called ‘Into The Future,’ talks about what he calls his ‘recurring fantasy.’ In it, he imagines himself ‘walking down the streets of heaven and having a stranger come up to him and say “Excuse me. Someone told me you lived on earth at the beginning of the twenty first century, you know, back when God was doing His great thing in the church, back when the gospel was spreading everywhere. Is that true? Where you there? What was it like? What was your part?” I wonder if Maybe Mr Anderson is maturing into a dreamy old Caleb?

My circle of life experience has put me into contact with many older men at the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the next and so far, and I can only speak for myself, it has not been an overwhelmingly enlivening experience, for they have been more like carrots than Caleb’s! You know, just old “stick in the muds” with weird hair styles, funny coloured clothes and an odd smells about them. Apart from a couple, there has been nothing to aspire to. I mean nothing.

I imagine Caleb of old however, especially in his 80's, to be a man the young guys respected and wouldn’t dare to mess with. A man they longed to emulate, Indeed, me thinks that the effect of even the presence of such an old warrior like Caleb, would shape your knees substantially. Do you know what I mean?

Caleb’s grip on grace would bring you to your knees in thankfulness and adoration of God Most High; Caleb’s grip on his sword would make your knees knock together should he even allow his fierce hand to brush against it in some kind gesticulation; Caleb’s grip on the greatness of God, would make your knees shake and his grip on the fire of God, reflected in his excited eyes at the coming conflict and victory, would warm you so much that it would be as though on a winters night you had sat too close to the blazing fire in an open hearth. Caleb would burn you friends. Caleb would excite you. Caleb would move you, make you be the man you could be, even the man you should be! If you could be with Caleb then I know you would want to be like Caleb, I guarantee it, for Caleb is a powerful old dreamer that looks to the heights, and rather than cry, “Give me my pension,” he sees his possession and booms in believing faith, “Give me my mountain!” Then, by fierce conflict, he seizes it from the foe and in so doing, teaches us youngsters how to fight and win, how to be and how to become more than conquerors. Caleb has a different spirit within him you see. Always has had, always will.

Unfortunately in our pews, as the old century now slowly slips away forever, all I have seen is row upon row of carrots! I do not wish to be mean, but we all know, and the devil knows, that there is little menacing to his kingdom, about a carrot! Tell me friend. How can our young men have victorious visions, if our old men don’t dare to dream, the dreams of God? Oh carrots my carrots, my eyes weep in secret for your pride; my eyes weep bitterly and run down with tears for the young that have been taken captive and have had their eyes gouged out by you musty old vegetables. May God forgive you for this and may God help us who have allowed it to happen. I would like to blame the cabbage patch women for the planting of carrot like men but I cannot for it is the ministers who are the most complicit for planting these rows of vegetables.

Young friend, if that fantastic question in the fantasy of Mr Anderson will ever be asked of you in heaven, wouldn’t it be great, if along with Leith Anderson you could reply with a gleeful smile, “Yes I was there. God did wonderfully amazing things. Let me tell you my exciting share!” Go on young brothers and sisters, dream a little; do some ‘visioneering;’ yourself and go believe and go achieve some great things with God! Ignore the carrots, for they are rotting in the ground even now and if you can, go seek out the few remaining blacksmiths who might still tool you up real good. If God’s grace permits, become a Caleb yourself for God help us! We could do with a few I can tell you!

P.S. Don’t believe the old wives tale that ‘carrots are good for your eyesight.’ I tell you, it’s just not true.

Listen:- Hear and give ear: Do not be proud, For the LORD has spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains, And while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness. But if you will not hear it, My soul will weep in secret for your pride; My eyes will weep bitterly And run down with tears, Because the LORD's flock has been taken captive. Jeremiah 13:15-17

Pray: - Oh Lord, Oh God, Oh Jesus. Please! Where are the aged warriors that can teach Your soldiers war? Oh God where are the dreamers of old? Lord, deliver us from our present blind and pitiful patriarchs, those most comfortable and careful carrots, that we may not die in the wilderness and rot in the ground along with them. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Oct-05-The Rise of Daddyism

Now three times in the New Testament we find the word, ABBA, Daddy, Poppa, Pappa, Father, and one of those three times we see it used in the mouth of Jesus. In pleading and pitiful terms, during the darkest hours of His passion in the garden, Jesus moves into the very circle of holy fatherly intimacy and pleads Mark 14:36 "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will." NKJV. When you read these verses, you feel that it is intimately holy, almost embarrassing to read, yes, it is like coming in on a love scene between a man and his wife, like seeing a mother cosset her dying child in her arms, like the last goodbye at a hospital bed, for the depth of intimacy is such that it makes you feel out of place, an intruder on unique love, yes, it makes you want to leave the room as you seem to encroach on a deep and personal holy intimacy that is not yours to gain sustenance from. It is personal, it is unique, it is not for you, and for you to stay would make you nothing but a perverted voyeur.

So with us, the use of ABBA, Daddy, poppa, father, is also a unique and personal experience, it is holy, it has depth, is has meaning, yes, it is a key to closeness that only experience allows the use thereof. In other words, there is a time and place for the use of this most holy and intimate of words.

So then, such public misuse if this term, of 'Daddy, and all other 'Daddyisms', is indicative of immaturity, and in the mouth of the so called mature, it might also bear the marks of falsehood. Yes, such public use of Daddysim by men on a platform, by men in public, is like a teenager groping in public, like married folk that should really get a room, like X factor contestants gushing over Simon Cowel, yes, like little loons that need to take life more seriously, yes, public 'Daddyisms', for men especially, is something that makes them look silly. Now hear me now, for our Master and greatest man that has ever lived, the last Adam Jesus, the first new man Jesus, uses this term in deepest intimacy, in both private and in public, on the former it is a depth of of personal intimacy, in the latter, I suspect, was a level of shared intimacy with his most closest of friends. So should we, especially in our culture. When men so publicly flaunt this most intimate of terms, to the watching world of men, it is silly, soppy, unattractive.

Real men are Romantic. In the right place. Real men are vulnerable. With their lover and their friend. Real men don't act like love sick pimply teenagers, gushing like an X Factor loon on the public stage, snogging in public like pitiful prat, way out of their emotional depth. Daddy, Papa, are terms of right expressions, keys of deepest intimacy, whose best use is in private, for I tell you, the Holy Spirit and the adoption birthed in us, like young gulls, fat fledglings searching for sustenance, will CRY OUT ABBA, DADDY, PAPPA...This will happen, it must. But where it happens and how, is a mark of our real possession of the same and indicative of our maturity in God. Grow up men. Grow up! Save your 'Daddyisms' for the sacred places.

None of these things are the answer to our malady. NONE! The only answer is CONVERSIONS. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THEM! Yes, and we need them now. All the farting around over therapeutic deism dressed up in a goaty beard and carrying a pint of lager will not do the job. We need conversions NOW. This means we need to get back to the BASIC PREACHING ON THE FULL GOSPEL TO PAGANS! WE NEED TO GET OUT THERE. Let us not miss this simple answer. Without God convicting people of sin through the preaching of His word, and the preaching of the Word taking place in the WORLD then we are doomed. No amount of 'Father Hearting' it, no amount of 'Father Wound Healing', no amount of parenting classes, no amount of 'how society in the sixties got us here', no amount how to become a better husband, no amount of ANYTHING EXCEPT CONVERSIONS will stop the two monsters of demographic certainty and statistical inevitability in bringing a final desolation upon the church.

I applaud, no I most honestly and humbly bow in admiration to EVERY EFFORT MADE in this area, however, do not be misled, UNLESS WE GET CONVICTION AND CONVERSIONS WE ARE DOWNRIGHT BLOODY DEAD.

Oct-01-The Kingdom of God

I have been troubled all the more recently with talk and expressions of the Kingdom of God. For example, there is work that is done in the local church, giving that is done to the local church and then work that is 'for the kingdom' and giving that is 'to the kingdom.' The latter always being that more worthy and that more spiritual. But jsut what is this kindom?

When I look at the kingdom, you know, it is at it's core, there seems to be a bunch of people from different denominations all getting along with one another, around the lowest common denominator that will give them grounds for connection. Even if that lowest common denominator is God the Holy Spirit, or rather, the 'move of the spirit'. That is the Kingdom. Now, you've missed the important word. For it is not God, nor the Spirit, nor kingdom, No, don't miss that word I used: CONNECTION. Yes, the kingdom of God is good connections with the right kind of people.

Let's bypass, the words, kingdom and unity and being one and fellowship for they are too confusing, the Kingdom is CONNECTION or better still...Networking with the right kind of people, people who will stand by you, be your friend, support you, financially and otherwise and even make sure you get a job. The Kingdom of God is CONNECTIVE NETWORKING. It is both who you know and how much you have got to give. Friends and money. If you do not think this is the case, then see how far you get in the 'Kingdom' with no connections and no money. I tell you how far you will get.....you won't get far.

All other CONNECTIVE NETWORKING organisations work better than the Kingdom, simply be case they are totally up front about their raison d'etre. There is nothing dressed up about it, nothing forced, nothing nasty, no suspicion. Their connective Networks are honest, they are about friends and money. Nothing else. Friends and money. Tell me, what is your 'expression' of the Kingdom of God about really? Is all about who you know?

Sep-28-Professional Pulpit Monkeys - or - Prophet?

First Published in July 2009---

The heartland of Middle England, that last notch on the worn out Bible belt which like Ezekiel's sash, has been long since left rotted in the ground has it's spiritual centre around Tunbridge Wells.

There in those heartlands, whenever any innovation is brought to the table, some slightly out of the box thinking maybe, or some un-parochial project, then the phrase often brought to bear so often on the budding thought is 'No you can't do that, this is after all Tunbridge Wells.' This little phrase is repeated in such a manner in that it kills faith by presenting itself as a reasonable excuse for not being different, for not trying something new and something un-parochial . 'This is Tunbridge Wells' is in fact not 'an excuse for not being innovative' but rather, it is an indictment of unbelief, apathy, pleasant and plastic respectability and of course, cowardice. Don't get me wrong, I'm not so much talking about the place but rather, that state of mind which is Tunbridge Wells, the state of mind which is the Laodicean church in England.

I tell you now, it is the professional minister that is responsible for this state of mind and state of affairs in the church, yes it is the hired pulpit monkey, grinning like Bruce Forsyth, dancing for the crowds and chanting 'nice to see - to see you nice' to the increasingly mostly feminine following (and that includes the men) that are responsible for all this bland niceness! So let me ask you my good friends, if I ever get professional, take me outside and beat the pious platitudes out of me, for I shall have fallen from grace and got out of the race whilst still pretending to be a runner in it!

There is something about churches like Bruce Forsyth that make me wretch, make me puke, make me want to pack my bags. To that end I am most assuredly like Christ and I thank God for that! No I am not professional, I am prophetic and the difference in those two words my friends, if you still are my friends, will always produce a separation, will always call for churches to be more like Bruce Willis than like Bruce Forsyth. If you like Bruce Forsyth Christianity, then my message is not for you. No, please go somewhere else, for there are lots of nice places for the respectable Christian to still go and get a good food feeding. Your welcome to them but frankly, Cow and Gate never did me any good and especially so when its served up by a pulpit monkey, a hired hand to make the sin smell nice, to stop the boat a-rockin' and to make sure God is accessible. Can you imagine having the arrogance of suggesting we can make God 'more accessible!' No, prophets don't do nice.

Christians should be Davidic. A little fella with a sling and a handful of smooth stones called God, grace, growth, goodness guts and glory! When we have gone down to the battle and asked some questions about the Philistine monsters all still allowed to be mocking God and have received the same rebuke that David did we should still mange to retain a couple more important stones to give us the courage to run at the foe in the name of Jesus and faithfully proclaim his sure and swift demise. Yes stick around, for I have a few bloody heads we want to flash before your frightened faces yet.

No, I am not a professional, for a professional would never hew the enemy in pieces, only a prophet has the power and dreadful determination to do that. I want to be more like Bruce Willis rather than like Bruce Forsythe. No, I don't do nice. You can go somewhere else for that. Ah but truth and grace, fighting and forgiveness, sacrifice and salvation, yes I do them, I long for them, I want live in them.

If you want nice, then go find yourself a professional paid up pulpit monkey. If you want prophetic, then be prepared to be challenged to change on every level of your life. Yes, you will need to grow up and get a bit more thick skinned and if you can't do that, then best you go join the mothers union and bake some fairy cakes.

Oh and please don't send me any emails, please just stop all the talking and do some walking. Show me the money Jerry! Show me the Money! If you can't do that then please, with the greatest of respect, just shut the heck on up.

Meanwhile - I hope you are ready to are ready to DARE TO LISTEN!

Jul-04-The Rozzers Are Coming

Well, yesterday in London just 40 years after the first 'Gay Pride' march of just 2000 people, it was estimated that 1 million folk marched in the Capital City. From all walks of life and all social institutions, political, military, etc, LGBT had their members marching. Some of course were mincing and mucking about, but make no mistake about it, despite its colourful effervescence, this was a march, which sill had great political purpose.

Peter Tatchel, activist, politician and writer remarked in the Guardian that "In the last 40 years, queer people have become more visible than ever before and most of the public are relaxed about same-sex relationships. All homophobic laws have been repealed, apart from the ban on same-sex civil marriage. Positive images of LGBT life abound on television. Politicians and entertainers are openly gay. The police are serious, at last, about tackling homophobic and transphobic hate crimes. Gayness is no longer classified as an illness.....At this pace of progress, homophobic prejudice and discrimination are doomed." Of course, he is correct and for that some congratulations regarding their achievement are needed.

Christianity of course, like a frightened puppy, is mostly quivering in its own pee regarding these massive political LGBT gains. (And they are!) Good grief even Sir Cliff Richard, UK Christendoms long leading light on celibate asexualism, has called on the Church of England to update its views on same-sex marriages, arguing that all judgements on sexuality should be left to God. "I think the Church must come round and see people as they are now. Gone are the days when we assumed loving relationships would be solely between men and women. It seems to me that commitment is the issue, and if anyone comes to me and says: 'This is my partner; we are committed to each other', then I don't care what their sexuality is. I'm not going to judge; I'll leave that to God."

The Gay Liberation Front rooted in America, and fruited in a few new forms over here, believed that "heterosexuality was a remnant of cultural inhibition and felt that change would not come about unless the current social institutions were dismantled and rebuilt without defined sexual roles. To do this the GLF was intent on transforming the idea of the biological family and clan and making it more akin to a loose affiliation of members without biological subtexts." You see, the overall view from the LGBT community is that they problem is totally with a homophobic society, so society needs purging of all homophobia. Again Peter Tatchel writes in the Guardian that "The police are serious, at last, about tackling homophobic and transphobic hate crimes." So make no mistake about this, Bible Believers, and proclaimers of Biblical truth, will be seen as societies homophobes who must be purged. The Police in the thorough application of so called homophobic hate crime law, will see to it that this is done. Yes watch out now, look, even Boris Johnson, the mayor of London and previous political supporter of Section 28 said "I am pleased to support our city's pride celebrations and proud of London's reputation as a place where you can be yourself..."From poet laureates to politicians and pop stars to rugby players, there's an increasing confidence to be open about your sexuality...."Nowhere is this more evident than in London, which is home to one of the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities in the world....."Everybody has the right to live their life as they wish, free from persecution and abuse, and my office is working with the community, the police and other partners to ensure that, irrespective of sexuality, all Londoners are able to participate fully in the life of the capital." Society has declared that Bible proclaimers are committing hate crimes and mark my words, the 'Rozzers' will be round....

So, what can we say to the current success story of the LGBT communities political agenda. Well, we have to say that they have mightily achieved their goals and congratulations are in order.

Or we can say this, that according to the Bible, 'success' of the GLF fruit and the GLBT community is nothing short of the terrible testimony concerning the Judgment of God upon us.

So, to the LGBT community I say "Congratulations." To the pee ridden puppy quivering in the corner I am sending a little girl to come and stroke you and say 'there, there, there..."and to the Nation as a whole, yes to great Britain long since dominished, I am send my deepest condolences, for God has deserted you and pronounced a calamitous judgement upon you.

Please accept my commiserations.

Rom 1:21-32 NKJV

21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Jan-11-Of Pig Sties & Palaces

Of Pigsties & Palaces

The Elect Lady—Selina, Countess of Huntingdon. 1707-1791

The grey dawn broke over the residence of the Selina, Countess of Huntingdon. Job like in her life's experiences, this illness looked as though it could be her last. Her personal chaplain George Whitfield, who had preached in all of her houses to most of her noble friends, now moved purposefully towards the window. Cracking it open, the voices below of (1)thousands of admirers came prayerfully to the end of their petitioning hymn:

Uphold this star in thy right hand
Crown her endeavors with success;
Among the great ones may she stand,
A witness of thy righteousness,
Till many nobles join Thy train And triumph in the lamb that's slain.

Eighteenth century England was a hard and brutal world to live in. Alcohol and poverty proved a malevolent mix for the masses of the lower classes. There was many a highway man roaming the heaths along the roads into London. Poverty, inequality and drunkenness became a heady cocktail for violence. However, it was not only Whitfield and Wesley that feared not the mobs whilst loving the masses and preaching Christ to the forgotten and poverty stricken. Selina, since her conversion, had become very active and compassionate amongst the poor, visiting them and praying for them in their sickness with such love and concern that when they died, they left their children to her as a legacy that they might be cared for by the Countess!

However, it must be remembered that not only did Selina care for the lowly, but also cared for the high and the mighty. Selina was a regular visitor to the Royal Court, even appealing at one point directly to the king concerning the lifestyle of the then Archbishop and his wife. Her witness indeed was to both to pig sties and palaces. However Selina was more than a kind benefactor. She was a woman of great vision, zeal, courage, continuance, sacrifice, understanding, and discernment. Though an unfortunate participatory in the Calvinistic and Armenian controversy raging at the time between Wesley and Whitfield, they both had nevertheless preached in her pulpits and at her college, along with other famous Evangelical preachers of the day such as such as, Fletcher, Harris, and Toplady. From her thorough theological comprehension, the Countess was a Calvinist of ardent fervor, and was no stranger to fighting for her beliefs. She was very courageous concerning her beliefs. The Upper Class did not mingle with the minions in education, society, health or amenities. The Evangelical preachers call to conviction, confession and repentance may have been well understood and received by the masses, but on the whole it was rejected by the nobility. Indeed the then Duchess of Buckingham did not believe that people with 'blue blood' had to listen to such humiliating truths. Sneering at the then growing sect of the Methodists she wrote, (2) "Their doctrines are most repulsive and strongly tinctured with impertinence and disrespect towards their superiors, in perpetually endeavoring to level all ranks, and do away with distinctions. It is monstrous to be told that you have a heart as sinful as the common wretches that crawl the earth….." It took a woman of courage like Selina to place the claims of Christ before such people. (3)She used to say she thanked God for the letter 'M' in 1 Cor 1:26 "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." NKJV (4) "It is estimated that through the tireless efforts of the Countess of Huntingdon no less than 200 chapels and mission stations were opened. In 1828 forty years after her death, there were some 35,000 people regularly attending these places of worship, cared for by 72 officiating ministers."

Though at the time Oxford and Cambridge were still the only places where men could train for the ministry, Trevecca house near Talgarth in Breconshire was set up by the Countess and had more than 150 preachers passing through it, dispatching them all over England and even to the Americas! Indeed Missionaries sent to the southern state of Georgia in 1772, though there primarily to preach to the Indians and set up a (5)college for the Indian nations became instrumental along with Whitfield, in the conversion of many Africans then in the south. Following their emancipation some 2000 are reported to have left for Sierra Leone in 1792. (6) At least half of them were associated with the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion. A group of Connexion churches still exist today in Sierra Leone and are in fellowship with the remaining Chapels of the Connexion in England. Paul had his (7) Lydia, and Whitfield his Countess. Maybe today many pastors are still in need of godly and powerful patronage? Possibly we should be praying that more fish shall be caught, and found to have (8) money in their mouths, and mercy in their gills. (9) "The story is told of a bishop who complained about the Countess's Ministers who had created some kind of sensation in his diocese. His majesty offered a solution -"Make bishops of them-- make bishops of them." The prelate replied: "that might be done, but please your Majesty, we cannot make a bishop of Lady Huntingdon." At that point the Queen interposed, "It would be a lucky circumstance if you could, for she puts you all to shame."

***********************************************************

Sources:-

(1) Gilbert w Kirby, The Elect Lady (The Trustees of the Connexion. Stanley L Hunt (printers) Ltd, Northants England 1972) 29

(2)Ibid, 18.

(3)She was thankful that the text did not read: not any nobles are called as opposed to not Many nobles are called. Gilbert w Kirby, The Elect Lady (The Trustees of the Connexion. Stanley L Hunt (printers) Ltd, Northants England 1972) 54

(4)Ibid, 59

(5)Ibid, 60

(6)Acts 16:14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. NIV

(7)Acts 16:40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left. NIV

(8)Matthew 17:27 "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours." NIV

(9)Gilbert w Kirby, The Elect Lady (The Trustees of the Connexion. Stanley L Hunt (printers) Ltd, Northants England 1972) 36