To “Wegsing” Someone

There is an interesting word in the Church here. In Afrikaans: wegsing. "Ek gaan jou wegsing." "I shall sing you away." This is a technique which is routinely used in Black and Coloured Churches, to move things along if people lose track of time. Usually, it is not the minister who initiates the wegsing, but the people. OBSERVATION: This is not to say that services are short. Two to four hours would be usual. I have also seen it used as a technique for overcoming disruptions.

Conveniences (Not)

In South Africa, some parts are not as advanced as one might think, given all the progressive legislation. Anyway, one place that I regularly visit has outdoor "conveniences" -- which is, the bushes. But last week, I arrived to find that the conveniences had been destroyed in a veld fire. Here is the photo, with one mysteriously surviving aloe. For a European, to find that this has happened to one's conveniences, one surveys the scene with a certain sense of ... loss.

Death, Philosophically

This morning, I had an article published: Death Philosophically. I begin: "The philosophical debate about death, whatever one might believe about it oneself, is most basically defined in terms of whether our present life is related to an afterlife, or not." OBSERVATION: There is only so much that philosophy can say about this. However, my approach would seem to keep Christian views very much in the running.

A Different Look

Last year, I reported two incidents of suspected sabotage to the police, to one of my vehicles. "Suspected" means: maybe so, maybe not, but very unusual any which way. At the time, this was merely noted in a kind of police journal. But since then, the history of my life somewhat changed the perspective. Yesterday, police upgraded this to a criminal case. OBSERVATION: Earlier this month, without thinking, I commented to a police officer: "I could have been killed." In that moment, the two incidents took on a different look.

Awkward Apologies

More often than not, I think, apologies are quite simple. However, one often encounters the kind of apology which would mean getting serious with God, in order to do it. Imagine that you should lose your temper, grabbing someone by the throat and throwing them against a wall. You look around, and you see witnesses. This way and that, you persuade the witnesses to shut up. But now your conscience accuses you. You feel that you should apologise. On the one hand, this could make everything good -- it could be a wonderful release. On the other hand, your apology could turn into an admission of guilt and bring criminal charges ... OBSERVATION: I think that this is a huge social problem, too. If one has widespread corruption in society, how does one ever go into reverse without everyone being endangered?

Payment For Sin

I attended this service in a farm labourer's cottage on Saturday, in the Eastern Cape. The preacher said concerning the deceased, who had suffered greatly: “He has paid (hy't geboet) for his sin!” He said that he would pray for forgiveness for his widow (with the white hat), because she had asked God: “Why did you do this?” OBSERVATION: In city ministry, there would surely be heavy fallout from such preaching. Reaction in the country was: “Well done! He laid it on the line!” However, I think that there was some grace in these words, too, as the deceased had asked God for forgiveness before he died. That is, his payment was now complete, and past. Notice the African colours: neons green, orange, blue, and purple -- and a little girl in pink.

Mahindra Alfa

This is a wide angle shot of my Mahindra Alfa on a bridge between Caledon and Tesselaarsdal. The manufacturers advertise it with the words: "Prosperity now comes on 3 wheels." It has a 436cc diesel engine. It has four forward gears and four reverse gears. It carries more than half a ton. Its top speed is little over 50km/h, but in the city one seldom requires more. OBSERVATION: It is very robust, and well designed for servicing.

Not To Worry

In one of the raids on my personal papers (see elsewhere on this blog), raiders dropped a single financial statement as they left. It was probably the most interesting financial statement of them all: my first full financial year in urban ministry (we used to calculate from January till December then). Notice the monthly deficits in particular: up to 55.6% a month. This is way beyond what a typical Church treasurer would call disaster. Yet with two months of the year to go here, my handwritten notes read: "CAN MAKE A SURPLUS" -- which is an actual (not budget) surplus. OBSERVATION: We never had anything like it again -- and in years to come, I always said that God would provide, and that we were not to worry about bad months or exigencies. This piece of history explains why. At least, it explains what my experience had to do with it, and I hope that this will serve as an encouragement to those who experience the same now. A 20% deficit? A 50% deficit?  Trust God. You may click on the image to enlarge.

A Successful Essay

I blogged last week that an article I wrote on mind was rising in the rankings. I was pleased to see that it finally reached no. 1 (for a while) in both the Top of the Pops and the Classics of the Philosophical Society of England's sister publication Philosophical Investigations (see the image). In fact it reached no. 1 in the Classics a while back, but this didn't reflect in the rankings. OBSERVATION: I have written two other essays for Philosophical Investigations, one of which may be described as "popular philosophy", the other "speculative philosophy". The essay on mind was more substantial, which is the kind of philosophy I much prefer. Another more serious essay of mine is scheduled for publication this coming Monday.

Gossip vs. Focus

A member of another, nearby Church once made an appointment to see me. She wanted to transfer her membership to our Church. I asked her why. She said: “Over there, it’s gossip, gossip, gossip! What people wear. What people do. In your Church, the Spirit is there.” OBSERVATION: I believe the gossip wouldn’t exist if the focus were truly on Jesus Christ, and on what the Spirit is doing. I myself deliberately seek to nurture such a focus, starting with the very first words I speak every time I lead a service.

Edible Succulent

I photographed this flower in our local Green Point Urban Park this week. To rural folks, the succulent, which has large flat leaves, is known for staving off hunger. In other words, it is edible. It is a very common plant, sometimes called Pig's Ear. OBSERVATION: But Wikipedia calls it "allegedly edible", and warns: "It is best to regard all species [Cotyledon] as dangerous." In other words, you had better know your plant lore before you try it. You may click on the photo to enlarge.

Solar Imitations

Last night I built a small solar lighting system to light up two rooms for farm labourers. I built my own "African" regulators (two of them), which cost me R6.25 (US51¢) each. The cheapest solar regulators I find on the Internet are R139 ($11.42) each. One wires a regulator between a solar panel and battery. OBSERVATION: My solar systems are in high demand. However, I have only made them free, as special favours. Beware of cheap imitations! They may look promising, but they tend to have weak spots. One local product boasts "25 000 hours life span", which sounds good. However, when one does the sums with the specifications on the box, it will light up three rooms for one hour a day, and likely kill the battery way too soon.

POSTSCRIPT: I have added a photo of the delivery: two lights for two rooms.

Disappointed?

A Church secretary asked me once: "Don't you ever get disappointed with people? I mean, so you could chuck it all in?" My answer was this: "By and large, no. Not even in hard times. If I were to worry about every skew look I got, or every negative figure in the financial statements, and so on, I might easily get disappointed or disheartened. Some ministers do. But the Church is God's work, and one cannot be disappointed in God."

Rolling Blackouts

I took this photo of Cape Town last night, from my home. It is a common sight: the inner city has power, while surrounding suburbs are in the dark due to load shedding (more usually called rolling blackouts). OBSERVATION: Many people are fundamentally affected by the load shedding. I claim to have a “bomb proof” office, so that I am little affected -- except through the way in which others are affected: shops closed, communications down, and so on. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 350k.

Cat Among Pigeons

This is a re-post, six years old. It describes what I think to be an important principle in the Church. No matter what one may adduce for or against something, the matter may sometimes be decided rather by the general well-being of the Body: "We invited a guest preacher to our Church while I was away. Some were deeply impressed by him, while others were repulsed. Now we have a pro-lobby who want him back, and an anti-lobby who are strongly opposed. Neither wants to yield. Part of the problem was that he committed to a certain time period, then way over-stepped it. Several people walked out. I have been instructed to speak to him to reach a solution that is congenial to all. Personally, I feel that if a guest preacher has the effect of a cat among pigeons, I don't want to see him again. However, the Church is not run on personal opinion." OBSERVATION: Paul introduced a similar principle in 1 Corinthians 11:16.

Weekend Smokeout

Wife E. and I spent the weekend at our small cottage east of Cape Town, seeking to make the shell of a house more habitable. The photo shows the attic getting smoked out by the wood-fired stove downstairs (often called a Dover Stove, although this one is a local Desert Fire). OBSERVATION: Such stoves smoke for a short while when they are first lit, but not for the duration. They are marvellous appliances, because they are always "firing on all cylinders", with all hot plates and oven available all the time -- unlike an electric stove where one switches various things on and off.

Repeated Raids

Tonight I added my signature to a report I made earlier in the month, to police. Since May 2013, my office, vehicles, and property have been raided at least eight times. Eleven times, if one counts pairs of raids as two. Six raids appeared to be professional jobs, targeting only my personal papers, letters, and so on. I have lost masses of information. The latest raid took thousands of my late wife's papers, too. It is possible that the five remaining raids may be put down to "common crime", since they included the theft of valuables, and destruction. OBSERVATION: While it may sound confusing to blog readers, there is a "picture".

Sharing Awkward Situations

I have had a personal policy in ministry: If anything happens which could possibly compromise or harm your ministry, report it to the Church leadership without delay. Here's one example: I was driving without displaying my license. The traffic police issued a fine. I paid the fine almost immediately, but the payment got lost in the system. A warrant was issued for my arrest. They soon found my payment, but the warrant was still in the works. So I reported to the Church leadership. OBSERVATION: In my experience, such disclosures have always been received in a good spirit, in trust, and in confidence by my Church leadership (in a Congregational Church, the diaconate), without exception.

Aspects Of Mind

Speaking of philosophy, it is good to see my essay on Aspects of Mind entering both the Top of the Pops and the Classics this week, of Philosophical Investigations. I think the essay offers something which is both fundamental and original in the philosophy of mind. Basically, it says that the mind cannot grasp objects, but only relationships. Far from being philosophical moonshine, this can be demonstrated, and potentially explains a number of things. OBSERVATION: Some might ask how this may be reconciled with Biblical teaching. In this regard, many theologians hold that the afterlife is about resurrection, not continuation. This means that it matters little what philosophers have to say about the soul or mind -- although my own view might favour the theologians.

The (Non) Necessity Of Literacy

The Philosophical Society of England's sister publication Philosophical Investigations (of which I am an administrator) would seem to be in the avant garde. First of all, it publishes weekly, which few (if any) other such publications do. This can be done now with the Internet, where it was virtually impossible with the old print media. Philosophical Investigations is also expanding the limits of articulated thought. Kyame Gyekye puts the classic view like this: “Literacy is a necessary condition for philosophising.” Not so with the new publication, which adds picture posts, and (as of this week) cartoons, which reflect a more recent view of articulated thought. However, about two thirds of the material continues as the printed word. 

We Are The Poor

My American seminary once asked me to do a survey. What were local Churches doing for the poor? I first asked an elder of a local Church: “What does your Church do for the poor?” He looked perplexed. He said: “We are the poor!” More recently I heard an American preacher say: “We are God’s hands.” Which is to say, all of us, on the planet. Yet millions of hands are empty. They have nothing to give, and there are none to receive. Part of my required reading in seminary was the book “God of the Empty-Handed.” I interpreted the empty-handed as me (and so, I imagine, did the author). American students interpreted the empty-handed as the poor. OBSERVATION: What does one have left to give, then? I have seen that the gift of faith can light up any life.

Three Metres Of Chain

This morning I walked into a hardware store, and asked for three metres of light chain. Here is how the transaction went: ▫ "Three metres of chain please. This one." I point to the bottom shelf. ▪ An assistant replies: "Right away, sir," and walks away and vanishes. After an age, another assistant appears: "He says you want some chain, sir?" ▫ I say: "Three metres, please. This one," and point to the bottom shelf. ▪ "Oh, the yardstick is gone, sir." He searches for the yardstick, but can't find it. He vanishes into the back of the store for an age. When he reappears: "I'll have to use my arms, sir. What length?" ▫ "Three metres, please." ▪ "Er, this one?" He points to the top shelf. ▫ "That one." I point to the bottom shelf. ▪ He tries to cut the chain with a chain cutter, but: "The chain cutter is jammed, sir. I'll have to try this." It is a stubby pair of cutters. He applies all his strength, but the cutters won't work. He puts the chain and cutters on the floor, and jumps on them. Both chain and cutters go flying across the floor. But now he's lost the partially cut link. He searches again for the yardstick, but doesn't find it. "I'll use my arms, sir. Ah, here's that link." He tries again to cut the chain. "I'm sorry, sir, but this won't work. I'll try an angle grinder." He disappears into the workshop for an age, then walks out again: "The angle grinder is missing, sir. I'll have to borrow one from Tool Hire over there." He walks across to Tool Hire, obtaining permission to take one out. Then he disappears into the workshop again. One hears the angle grinder starting up, then a scream. The other assistant asks: "What's he up to?" ▫ I say: "He's cutting the chain with an angle grinder." ▪ He coolly walks out of the workshop with a smile: "Your chain, sir." ▫ I say: "Thank you very much." ▪ "Always at your service, sir." OBSERVATION: Out of curiosity I measured the chain: 3.07 metres. It all climaxed in a till that wouldn't work.

POSTSCRIPT: Afterwards I needed to cut the chain in three places.  I did it with a Swiss knife, in the shortest of time.

New (Dated) Camera

I recently blogged that my Leica V-Lux 30 camera expired. If one is happy to buy a previous generation camera (and can find one), one can buy an excellent new camera at low cost. Yesterday I bought a $400 compact Lumix (or $550 for the equivalent Leica) for $200. It is a handy little camera, built with Leica hardware. Out of nine cameras in its generation, it outclassed all but one (Sony) for features, and all but two (Pentax and Sony) for image quality. However, photos are clearly not as good as those of its bulkier siblings, such as the Leica V-Lux 30. I took the photo of a pencil tip this morning (click on it to enlarge).

Goedverwacht Cottage

I took this photo at the old Moravian mission station Goedverwacht, about two hours north of Cape Town. This is typical of the old cottages there. The village was established as a cattle farm in 1810 by Hendrik Schalk Burger, a farmer. He bequethed the farm to his slave Maniesa and her descendants, who by and large still have ownership of the village today. At the last count, there were about 2 000 residents, overwhelmingly Afrikaans speaking. The Moravian Church is elsewhere on this blog.

Dual Aspects Of Leadership Meetings

There is a tendency in Churches for the leadership to discuss business in its monthly meetings, at the expense of the all-important spiritual aspects. In my own two major pastorates, leadership meetings (or rather, servant meetings) were dominated by business when I started. Business was thought to be pressing, while spiritual things tended to be moved to the end of the meetings, when time was tight and they received no proper attention. In both of these pastorates therefore, we separated the business and spiritual aspects of the Church, creating an agenda which always began with the spiritual. OBSERVATION: One needs this basic structure, I think, to escape the "tyranny of the urgent".

Omar al-Bashir

Some might have followed the news that the South African High Court ordered the arrest of an African president, but he escaped through a South African military base (he was wanted by the International Criminal Court). This represents the basic branches of government in conflict (judicial, executive, and legislative). This particular case forced a revelation. Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu reportedly said that the episode spoke volumes about South Africa's moral fabric. If we understand the High Court decision as representing justice (by authorities), and the president's escape as an evasive manoeuvre (by authorities), this dynamic has become commonplace in South Africa, from the lowest to the highest levels. I have personal experience of it. OBSERVATION: However, I do not think that one can fairly say that South Africa is "corrupt", unless one refers to something good with badness in it. From coast to coast, one finds good, incorruptible people. Even within the same organisations, one finds both good and bad.

Asking For Raises (Not)

Many ministers struggle as to whether they should ask for a raise. Or, more usually, I think, whether they should state their basic needs. My own approach has been not to ask, even if sacrifices must be made. Therefore I have not asked. In fact I have twice asked for reductions in my salary (once granted, once refused), but that is another story. I will ask for something, however, if it has been promised to me. OBSERVATION: Not that modesty in the area of one's salary is any help to a minister. People come with daft accusations anyway. Gossip often targets this area of a minister's life. Under the best of circumstances, I think that a minister would have a designated advocate in such matters. Many denominations have ground rules about ministers' salaries.

A Tribute

These were, in a sense, two of our most important members during my urban ministry: Michael and Chimwemwe Jalasi. They were little known, and completely self-effacing, yet I was able to trace twelve new members and adherents directly to them. Indirectly, more. That is impressive recruitment. Michael was the one-hundredth new member during my urban ministry. He died not long after this photo was taken. I was at his deathbed, and I joined his family in mourning, in Imizamo Yethu. OBSERVATION: Not seldom, it is "unseen" members like Michael and Chimwemwe who have a larger impact on a Church.

Farewell Leica

2½ years after I bought it, and 15 000 photos later, my Leica V-Lux 30 camera has all but given up the ghost. It only works intermittently now. Would I buy another Leica? Yes, if money were no object, or if cameras didn't turn into expendable goods in my hands. I should be surprised that it lasted this long. Here are some of the photos that I took. Clockwise from the top left: township lighting, the Karoo semi-desert, the ill-fated Eihatsu Maru, wedding belles, flowers in the Karoo, and a Sotho girl. You may click on the photos to enlarge.

Happy Birthday

Son M. is celebrating his birthday today. The state declared a State of Emergency when he was born. I drove home from the Provincial Hospital on Port Elizabeth's main boulevard, to see it lined with troop carriers. OBSERVATION: He was rather in too much of a hurry to get into the world, and caused his mother great affliction. He himself went into distress, with his heart rate falling to forty. In the emergency, I was ordered out of the birthing room. He was born with the help of foreceps, and had the marks to prove it. And that was only his first day.

Unsuitable For Office

How does one tell the Church that someone is unsuitable for Church office? In a Catholic Church, or an Anglican Church, that might be accepted, but not in a Congregational Church. There is a culture of needing to know, based on spiritual equality. Yet that may conflict with a minister's need to be discreet. Part of a minister's effectiveness is his or her silence. Say, for instance, that someone has committed a dark sin. They can only talk about it, and be helped, if it will remain private. What then, if someone should nominate that same person for Church office? Or supposing that the person concerned is in office already. At the moment, someone I said was unsuitable for Church office is doing time. Which is far from saying that every person who is unsuitable for office should be doing time, or that one will always be right about suitability.

Country Surprise

Once in a while, one encounters the truly absurd. There is a marred, narrow track which runs past our country cottage. I have driven the full length of it only once, and wife E. had her doubts then that I would succeed. One seldom sees anything on it but cows. Last week, however, a flood damaged the village's main bridge. They closed the main road, and with the help of a grader rerouted it past our cottage (this shows a rejuvenated road). The whole world seemed to drive past -- several school buses included, with cheering, waving children apparently excited to be taking a different route.

Growth Factors

In a Church meeting recently, a minister asked the congregation how many people had "come up" in the Church through Youth ministry. It could have been half the congregation -- it came as a surprise. One of my own surprises was to discover that one-third of my congregation had been in counselling with me. OBSERVATION: The ways in which Churches are thus built may be quite diverse -- and in these two cases, hardly known.

Cultural Blunder

I have usually taken a theological or spiritual approach to the merits of a diverse Church leadership (see, for example, A Bad Sign). This week a minister shared a completely different perspective with me -- a practical one. He had made a cultural blunder, he said, and had caused offence without even realising it. A diverse Church leadership, he said, draws one's attention to such things. Or to put it very simply, with a diverse Church leadership, one can love one's congregation better.

Nobantu Restaurant

2½ years ago, I took this photo in Nobantu Restaurant on Cape Town's Grand Parade. At the time, these two generous plates of food cost R25 / $2 each, which would be unthinkable in most restaurants. The restaurant is enormously popular, and it seems clear why: Apart from African prices, it is painted in African colours (see the wall), it has African food (see the plates), not to speak of African portions (ditto), African layout (see the position of the table), African decor, and so on. It seems just like ... home. Where else would one find this in the inner city? I have seen only one restaurant like it, in Long Street. OBSERVATION: This is one of the few restaurants I have seen which serves tripe. That's a cousin-in-law at the other side of the table -- or in Africa, a sister.

Pipe Sabotage

The water supply on my property was sabotaged -- the pipe in and the pipes out (see the photo). This is not all that happened -- there is a darker side to it, but I shall let the police do their work and not add comments from the gallery. Anyway, it all appears to "harmonise" with a bigger picture. OBSERVATION: One imagines that this is how a president must feel when informed that the nation's main line has been blown up.

Intercepting Communications

South Africa is a very strange mix of complete freedoms and awful restrictions -- sometimes freedoms where there should be restrictions, and sometimes restrictions where there should be freedoms. My attorney contacted me this week with the position on recording other people. It is very interesting: "Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act of 2002 (RICA). Any person, other than a law enforcement officer, may intercept any communication if he or she is a party to the communication, unless such communication is intercepted by any such person for purposes of committing an offence."

Recommendation

I learnt something new yesterday. I didn't know it. While I was assistant minister of Sea Point Congregational Church, in 1983, the secretary Mrs. Nora Sulston not only recommended me for minister of St. David's Congregational Church (Port Elizabeth), but engineered the call. She is in this photo fourth from the right at the back. OBSERVATION: Nora was the wife of Rev. Ted Sulston. The only person still living in this photo is my mother, at the back centre. I was at the deathbeds of a quarter of these women, including Nora Sulston. She was radiant when she died.

Conviction Of Sin

As a minister, I have continually said that the greatest blessing one can desire is the conviction of sin. Jesus said that when the Spirit comes, "He will convict the world concerning sin ..." This implies, too, that the conviction of sin is no mere conclusion that one has messed up, but it is a supernatural encounter. OBSERVATION: This is where spiritual life begins. One may seek spiritual blessing through ardour or devotion or any number of things, but I would think that the conviction of sin is top of the list.

Hymns And Choruses

In two of my Churches, choruses were introduced to the worship, where there were only hymns before. In both cases, this was welcomed, and choruses are sung to this day. However, throughout my ministr(ies) -- every Sunday -- I have retained hymns. Yesterday I spoke to a (retired) minister who did the same. While he wouldn't include, he said, See the Golden Orb of Day, hymns are rich in content and tradition. Many choruses, he said, "have nothing in them". OBSERVATION: Yet there are reasons why choruses have become popular, and it is not only because they are trendy. One finds a different kind of worship in the choruses, for one thing.

Pact On Calling

Wife E. and I entered an arranged relationship, which grew into love -- and marriage. This meant negotiating a range of things at the start, which E. called doing everything backwards. An important pact we made with each other was to support one another's calling from God -- and this we have done. If this has meant staying up till the morning hours, or cancelling other activities, poring over academic difficulties, making one another coffee or tea, or even buying a new computer (see yesterday's post), we have done it. I myself have considered it a God-given obligation -- and privilege. OBSERVATION: That's our "profile picture" on the right. In fact I think it would be good for all couples not just to drift into marriage, but to give things thoughtful attention first -- and many do.

Responses

I received various responses to my first post yesterday. I received a warning that I was in great personal danger and I had better believe it. Then someone wrote to me that such things are well known to insiders (but I have said enough on my own, and will not add to the subject without compelling reason). Someone sent me some Bible verses: "The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned." Psalm 34:19-22. And this morning I got offered some meaningful back-up. OBSERVATION: I deleted yesterday's post, but I soon decided that this was wrong -- wrong for me, and wrong for society -- and I put it back up again.
.
NOTE: Interestingly, interest in my blog from the former Soviet bloc has surged (currently 50% of readers).

Lenovo Android

Wife E.'s netbook computer went on the blink yesterday, in the middle of two undergraduate courses. A technician said it would take 21 days to repair. I decided to fix it myself -- but I knew there was trouble before I started, when a little SMD IC dropped out (a dual MOSFET). So I bought E. a Lenovo A10 running Android. As a Christmas present, I said. But if it was a Christmas present, she asked, then where was the wrapping? OBSERVATION: It must be the cheapest computer in town, but performs in amazing ways. However, it took us an hour to work out how to boot it up the first time (a sequential combination of key-presses), and it wasn't in the instructions.

250 000 Page Views

My blog last night logged one-quarter-million page views. But it is more. For one thing, this count (on the right) began only half way through the blog's life. It has had both highs and lows, in personal terms. After running for six years, it became Southern Africa's most authoritative Religion blog, and probably still is. Some real good came about, too, through this blog: Churches were supplied with materials, ministries were transformed, and much besides. On the other hand, my blog has experienced deep lows, such as that reflected in the last post (since deleted -- a warning I received). An unseen advantage of my blog was daily training in writing, which has seen some of my writing prominently published, most recently last week.

Most Read Posts

It's interesting to see which posts are most popular (or notorious) on a blog. I often wouldn't have guessed it in advance. During the past month it has been, by broad characterisation: theology of leadership, worship styles, everyday ministry, corruption, and pastoral counselling.

Top Of The Pops

A week after publication, my most recent article on African Philosophy reached the Top of the Pops' no. 1 in the Society's sister publication Philosophical Investigations. An editor writes that it is "a classic". An article on Gestures has been a late starter -- after nearly two months, it has just entered the Top of the Pops for the first time at no. 3. An older article on Mind has had enduring appeal, and is "bubbling under" after entering the Top of the Pops a few times.

Mystery Photo

This is a mystery photo. It probably pictures a meeting of ministers. Here are my own observations: That may be the Congregational minister Rev. W. H. Richards seated far left. This would place the photo in the early 1900's. I may further recognise two Presbyterian ministers: Rev. Robert Whyte in front of the table far left, and Rev. William Thompson behind the table second from the right. OBSERVATION: Rev. Richards was described as "a gracious man, gentle in spirit". He struggled with "crippling" finances, yet greatly advanced the women's work and youth work. You may click on the photo to enlarge.

Church (Not Business) Reports

In the morning, I shall probably be attending what we call, in the Congregational Church, a Church Meeting. In the Congregational Church one typically begins such meetings with reports. Unlike business meetings, the purpose is to bear testimony to the Lord's activity in His Church. If any report is merely a business report or news report -- even primarily a business report or news report -- one has lost the plot. OBSERVATION: There is good reason for starting Church Meetings with such "testimony". In the New Testament, one finds that decisions were taken after just such reports. For example Acts 15: "The whole assembly fell silent as they listened [to what] God had done ... Then the apostles decided." Personally, I feel that God-centred reports change something before decisions are made.

Car Repairs

Once in a while I visit a minister friend (in the foreground), who with a friend services or repairs my car / automobile for what seems a nominal sum. Before he entered the ministry, he was an engineer. He is here working on a rather big piece that he pulled out of my car this morning. This is not in fact an advertisement for a new toothpaste. That is a torch / flashlight which one holds in one's teeth. OBSERVATION: He received his theological training at the same college that my father was at, in England.

Psalm 35 (A Ministry Perspective)

Yesterday I posted verses from Psalm 35 without comment. They have proved to be surprisingly popular. Today, here is what they represent. One would not think that the world works this way, when one starts out in ministry -- namely, that deep care for others is (sometimes) rewarded with evil, or that evil can (sometimes) arise out of nothing, without cause. It is a reality. At the same time, this Psalm declares that, even where evil is "too strong" for one (which it may be), the Lord Himself addresses it in time, to the extent that one exults in His salvation.

And my soul shall rejoice in the Lord;
It shall exult in His salvation.
All my bones will say, “Lord, who is like You,
Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him,
And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”
Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me of things that I do not know.
They repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled my soul with fasting,
And my prayer kept returning to my bosom.
I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.
But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They slandered me without ceasing.
Like godless jesters at a feast,
They gnashed at me with their teeth.

Temperance, Culturally

I once asked the General Secretary of a Church in the Pacific why they had dismissed a printer for turning up at work, on time, yet somewhat "under the weather". I saw him that morning. He was not drunk. It seemed extreme. The General Secretary said: In our culture, we consume what we have. We have not been brought up with tinned foods and refrigerators and so on. We have been taught no restraint. When it comes to drink, too, we know no restraint. This is why this man's behaviour was so serious.

Preaching Temperance

I preached on a text -- Titus 2 -- which contained some words about temperance. But every time I mentioned temperance, the congregation laughed. I explained: "Alcohol was a problem in those days, according to the history books -- I don't know whether it still is." More laughter. I mentioned it to another minister. He said: "In my Church laughter is banned, never mind alcohol!" OBSERVATION: Personally, I interpret temperance as moderation, although in some cases (and some cultures, perhaps) abstinence would be advisable.

Pluto Mission

I am following the mission to Pluto with interest. Johns Hopkins University is posting unprocessed images as they become available, and are doing it much faster than news services. The latest so called 1X1 mode exposure (shown here) is four days old. Here Pluto is ten pixels across it -- a pixel count which is now beginning to grow appreciably. OBSERVATION: Processed photos show a lot more than this, and tend to be the ones which make the news.
.
NOTE: Looking at a processed photo of Pluto on 10 June 2015, I have predicted that Pluto has rings. I hope they will call them the Scarborough rings, if I am right.

Meiringspoort Waterfall

Here's another photo I took in Meiringspoort, which has been described as "soaring cliff walls with spectacular rock formations". I needed to pass through here just over a week ago. The road through Meiringspoort crosses the Groot River twenty-five times. OBSERVATION: One obtains an idea of the height of the waterfall by comparing the size of wife E. at the bottom left. You may click on the photo to enlarge.

Americans

There is a description of Americans (which is, citizens of the USA) which one hears often in our Afrikaans communities here: bitter onbeskof. One hears this so often that it would seem to be about synonymous with the term "American". I tell people that Americans are in fact gentle, generous people, albeit a little politicised, and materially overloaded. Onbeskof means literally, "insolent" (perhaps in the context, "rude"), while bitter means "grievously". OBSERVATION: It surely has much to do with Hollywood.

Children Paying Respects

In our Coloured and Black communities, one finds something we generally do not see in our White community. Before this coffin left the house, children lined up to view the body. I didn't see whether they did, but I know of other occasions. Notice the children on the right of this photo, too, dressed in their finest. OBSERVATION: I have conducted many funerals: several Coloured and Black funerals where there was a viewing of the body, but not one White funeral (however, a viewing of the body at some White deathbeds). I myself have encouraged parents to bring their children to funerals.

Seeing God

Yesterday a little boy in Church exclaimed, on having glimpsed the minister: "I saw God!" I myself once visited a home, and a little boy opened the door. He ran back inside shouting: "Mommy, Mommy, the Lord Jesus is here!"