Ladies and gentlemen, here, at long last, is the March issue of The Pickwick Portfolio! (Applause and much cheering) Many thanks to our dear editor Mr. Snodgrass. And a warm welcome to our newest member Mr. Winstint! Thank you all for your patience!!
-Mr. Sam Weller
Publisher
The
Pickwick Portfolio
March
2015
In this issue:
- “Ancient Rome: Did She Fall Because of Trouble
Within or Without?” by Sam Weller……2
- “Character Traits of an Ideal Canadian” by
Theodore Winstint……………………………………….3
- “Description of a Beach in Florida” by
Augustus Snodgrass…………………………………………….4
- “Fun Things Almanac” by Nathaniel
Winkle……………………………………………………………………4
- “All Aboard on the Underground Railroad” by
Augustus Snodgrass……………………………….5
- “Mountain Vacation Versus Seashore Vacation”
by Theodore Winstint……………………7
- “Set of Historical Fiction Letters” by Tracy
Tupman………………………………………………………..8
- “The History of Chocolate” by Augustus
Snodgrass………………………………………………………11
- Quotes to Note –
“Ability” compiled by Augustus Snodgrass……………………………………….13
- Story Time – “The
Foreign Devil” by Theodore Winstint……………………………………………….14
- Poet’s Corner –
“A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow……………………………..15
EDITOR’S NOTE
This paper is part of a club
called “The Pickwick Club.” “The Pickwick Portfolio,” as this
paper is called, is designed for the good of the readers. Its purpose
is to serve as a paper of news, entertainment, and fun. Please take
special note of “Character Traits of an Ideal Canadian” on page
three, “Mountain Vacation Versus Seashore Vacation” on page
seven, and “The Foreign Devil” in the Story Time section on page
fourteen, as it is written by our new member, Theodore Winstint. Also
take note of our new section in this paper: Quotes to Note on page
thirteen.
Sincerely,
Augustus Snodgrass
READ, LAUGH, ENJOY!
-2-
ANCIENT
ROME: DID SHE FALL BECAUSE OF TROUBLE WITHIN OR WITHOUT?
by
Sam Weller
Ancient Rome was one of the largest empires in
the world and one of the most well known; however, the Roman Empire
did eventually fall. There are many different reasons and theories
as to why Rome fell. One theory is that “Rome eventually fell as an
empire due to moral decline within rather than enemy invasion from
without,” so we are going to examine some moral issues that Ancient
Rome had, to help us decide if this theory could be true. By looking
at the pagan religions, the Roman's small regard for human life, and
the frivolous lifestyle lead by the wealthy class, we will look at
the effect these problems may have had on the Roman Empire's fall.First, we will look at the many pagan religions in Ancient Rome. The Roman Empire was very large, encompassing many peoples and lands, and therefore all those people brought their religions with them.
Many of these gods were cruel and vulgar, encouraging horrific and unmentionable worship practices. People in Rome were surrounded by statues, temples, and altars to these gods. They also were entertained by games held in the god's honour, such as the famous gladiatorial games in the coliseum. People switched from god to god, as if they were the latest trend. These things most likely did not help the people retain traits like respect, loyalty, and purity.
Next, we will look at the Roman's small regard for human life. Rome was very successful in all her wars; she was built on it. Every child was reared in the mindset that this was something to be proud of, and the Romans found much glory and pride in their military skills. With many wars, come many captives, and many captives mean many slaves. The Romans were surrounded by slaves, and thought nothing of owning a human being. The more rebellious slaves were sent to gladiatorial school, where they were trained to fight, and later were killed by the hundreds for the entertainment of others. Clearly the Romans were losing their conscience and sense of equality, as well as their respect for human life.
Finally, we will look at the frivolous lifestyle lead by the wealthy class. The wealthy class, or the patricians (as they were known in early Rome), who were the leaders, threw lavish parties, and lived in absolute luxury. They didn't want to change anything. They were perfectly happy sitting in luxury’s lap, building new palaces for their own pleasure, or unneeded structures like temples and such that would give them credit. Besides, Rome was invincible, right? None cared if there were small attacks on their borders: nothing would happen. To the wealthy, everyone was below them; their troubles could wait. Because of this, not many helpful changes were made, money was swallowed up, and deaf ears were turned to important problems.
Having looked at the effects of many pagan religions, the Roman's small regard for human life, and the frivolous lifestyle the wealthy lead, we can say that the theory at the beginning of this paper was true; these were some causes of Rome's fall. The many pagan religions did not encourage loyalty,
respect, or true devotion. The sense of pride and sometimes even enjoyment in killing and war, as well as the many slaves, and the treatment of them, suggests that the Romans were becoming immune to all forms of conscience, and were fast losing their respect for life. The luxurious life the wealthy rulers lead encouraged them to forget about the others around them, use as much money as they needed, and ignore the important and fast growing troubles that surrounded them. Rome's moral decline was turning them into a prideful, selfish, and self confident (but slowly weakening) empire. Then again, is our society doing much better?
-3-
CHARACTER TRAITS
OF AN IDEAL CANADIAN
by Theodore
Winstint
What would Canada be like if nobody worked, if there was just
dishonesty in everything we did? Canada would not be the wonderful
country it is today; however, if we do not watch out and take care
that we keep these good character traits, our country will decline
financially and morally, and Canada might become history. Three of
many important character traits for an ideal Canadian are honesty, a
will to work, and respect.One of the character traits of a Canadian is honesty. The majority of Canadians are honest, and most people can be trusted. A great example of that is the way the Amish sell some of their produce. They put their products on their front lawn with a box for the money. They label their products so people know how much to pay, and the Amish trust whoever buys something that they will give them the amount they owe. No one would steal the money in the box. Another great characteristic to have as a Canadian is the willingness to work. Working men to provide for their families is a great trait for a country’s people to have. Women, if necessary, can also be very helpful at a workplace. By people working, the Canadian industry grows, and therefore Canadians benefit from their own work in more ways than one. A nation full of lazy people is very harmful to a country. Respect is another great character trait. There are many people to respect in Canada, but there are also things to respect. For example, respecting other’s property, respecting people’s privacy, respecting authority, like the Prime Minister, the Premier, the police, and other regional counselors…These all require our respect.
Honesty is important. The willingness to work is important. The most important character trait for an ideal Canadian, however, is respect. Respect for each other will result in honesty towards others. Respecting our boss and co-workers will result in being on time at work every day. Therefore, striving for honesty is significant, because the other characteristics will come along easier.
-4-
DESCRIPTION OF A
BEACH IN FLORIDA
by Augustus
Snodgrass
God has made the world very beautiful. Seated on the porch on a
comfortably rough beach chair, I enjoy the freshest, reddest, and
juiciest grapefruit I have ever had. Below me, the lush, grassy
garden seems to invite me for a stroll on the cool and soft carpet of
grass. A stork stalks around the palms and bright pink and red
flowers. Would I be closer I would hear the hum of the bumblebees
covered in pollen. Through all this beauty towards the right I see
the pool where I will soon be swimming to my heart’s content.
Beyond all this I also see the beautiful, white foaming waves
crashing onto the sandy beach. The smell of the salt water matches
this amazing sight, as I cannot help but think of my Creator who
created all this.
FUN
THINGS ALMANAC
compiled
by Nathaniel Winkle
TRY A TIP- Put a piece of newspaper at the bottom of
the kitchen trash bin to absorb food juices.
- Paper cut? Try applying some Chap Stick to
soothe the cut.
- Is dipping your Oreo cookie a mess? Stick
a fork through the cream part and dunk away!
- Do you carry so many keys that it's hard
to find the one you are looking for right
now? Try painting the keys different
colours of nail polish for easier finding.
Tom asks Joe, "Do you know what déjà vu is?" Joe answers, "I think I've heard of it before.”
Teacher: "Susan, please go to the map and find North America."
Susan: "Here it is."
Teacher: “Correct. Now, class, who discovered America?"
Class: "Susan!"
What is it that no man wants, but no man wants to lose?(A lawsuit)
What can travel the world in a corner?(A stamp)
Feed me and I live, yet give me a drink and I die. What am I?(Fire)
DIDN’T YOU KNOW?: BIBLE EDITION
- John the Baptist wore clothing made from
camel hair (Matthew 3:1-4).
- In ancient Israel, men closed a deal by
exchanging sandals (Ruth 4:7).
- Centuries before scientists proved it,
Isaiah indicated that the world was round (Isaiah 40:22).
- Abraham had two nephews named Uz and Buz
(Genesis 22:21).
- The name "Jesus" is mentioned
1,281 times in the Bible.
-5-
ALL ABOARD ON THE
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
by Augustus
Snodgrass
To be beaten and treated like an animal, to be spoken at harshly,
to do a grown woman’s job at age five...Slaves in the 18th
and 19th century had to experience these things. Would
Harriet Tubman be able to abolish this great cruelty?There were two main events leading up to Harriet Tubman establishing the Underground Railroad. A violent and daring attack on slavery occurred aboard a slave ship, the Amistad, when slaves were still being brought over from Africa. Harriet Tubman, a runaway slave herself, received a serious head injury as a child when her master threw a metal weight at her, because she would not help hold a slave that had tried to run away.
Not only were there events leading up to the Underground Railroad, there were also many people involved. John Brown launched a massive slave revolt on the federal arsenal in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. It was unsuccessful, but it did inspire others who were undecided about slavery. Frederick Douglass was a famous abolitionist and antislavery lecturer. Henry “Box” Brown, as he came to be called, was a slave that had been shipped to the Vigilance Committee’s office in a shipping crate. Inspired by Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stow wrote the book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, published in 1852. William Still managed to meet every escaping runaway that was going on to Canada and recorded their names and stories in a notebook. James Miller McKim was one of the busiest “station masters” in the Underground Railroad. All of these people, and many others, were individually important in the anti-slavery movement until it was finally abolished.
Many people had different goals that they thought the Underground Railroad would accomplish. One wanted to regain peace with the South. The other wanted to destroy the government so they could gain control. Harriet Tubman, though, had only one goal: to destroy slavery completely! That was her one and only mission for life.
Soon, the South began complaining to the government that their property was slowly disappearing only because of one small woman that was leading them away. The Fugitive Slave Act was established in 1852. This stated that if anyone helped a runaway escape, that person would be accused and punished for a crime. Also, slaves would not be safe anymore in the North until they were across the middle of Niagara Falls into Canada. Their masters could claim them at any time even if they were found in the northern anti-slave states. This made it more difficult for Harriet Tubman and runaways to escape, for no longer could they show their faces safely in the North.
Because of the Fugitive Slave Act, traveling was getting more dangerous and difficult. Some safety measures had to be set up. The members of the Underground Railroad decided to use “railroad language”. That way, it would not make any sense to an eavesdropping stranger. For example, the houses at which runaways would stay were called “stations.” The owners of the abolitionist houses where fugitives would stay were called “station masters.” The people leading the group of fugitives, as was Harriet Tubman, were called “conductors.” The runaways were called “passengers.” These and some other expressions were used to fool any overhearing slave catchers.
The “stations” and “station masters” were well equipped in case of danger. “A friend with friends” was the secret code that was whispered through the door once arrived at a “station,” just for safety that it was not a stranger. The “stations” usually had secret, built-in, underground passageways just in case slave catchers should demand to search the house. These and other safety measures saved many “station masters” and runaways alike in that perilous time.
After Abraham Lincoln was elected president in November of 1860, the members of the Underground Railroad were hoping that there would soon be no more need for the extreme caution they were taking. Little did they know how much longer it would take until their dream would be fulfilled.
On December 6, 1865, another step toward Harriet Tubman’s dream of a country without slavery was taken. President Lincoln had signed the 13th Amendment. This did not make all slaves free, but it was an act of the government taking a turn for the abolitionists.
Now the abolitionists’ courage was boosted one notch higher. More and more slaves were escaping from the plantations, causing tension between the North and the South. As a result, the Civil War broke out.
Harriet Tubman, black herself, encouraged other fellow blacks to fight with her in the Civil War. Many successful battles, including the raid up South Carolina’s Combahee River, were fought by Negros and led by Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman and many others also spoke strongly for the women’s suffrage movement. Even though Harriet was not given the credit for winning some battles, she and her soldiers were not discouraged.
The Underground Railroad was a success. Harriet Tubman led over 1,000 slaves to freedom in all her life. She never lost a single “passenger” in the nineteen trips that she traveled across the United States. Harriet Tubman was determined to fulfill the words that were once written more than sixty years before on July 4, 1776 in the Declaration of Independence. “...For all men are created equal...that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...”
-7-
MOUNTAIN
VACATION VERSUS SEASHORE VACATION
by
Theodore Winstint
For a vacation I prefer the mountains to the
seashore. The seashore is beautiful with its crashing waves and
wonderfully white sand. In pleasant weather, one will see many people
swimming in the water. Others will enjoy their time by playing
various games on the beach, such as volleyball or badminton. Some,
however, may choose to simply lie in the sun and get a beautiful
beach tan. The seashore is a wonderful place to spend one’s
vacation as it also allows one to absorb more iodine by the inhaling
much of the seaside air. Nevertheless, my personal preference is
still the mountains. Visiting the mountains is always extraordinarily
exciting, especially the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The excitement
starts with the drive there. Approaching the mountains, one will be
able to spot the snowy peaks in the distance. As the time goes by,
one will be entering the foothills, which are sort of the beginning
of this wonderful mountain range. A few more minutes and one will
find himself amidst the majestic and rugged mountains. Various
activities occupy one’s stay in the mountains. During the winter
months, many people take the opportunity to go skiing on a nearby
mountain. In summer, many places are available for hiking. Depending
on one’s preference for a long and hard hike or just a short hike,
there are many choices. Other fun activities include canoeing or
kayaking. However, the wonderful magnificence of God’s creation is
what attracts me most to the mountains. One cannot stop gazing at
these complex “rocks” jutting out the earth. The mountains have a
special magnificence for me that the seashore does not have.
-8-
SET
OF HISTORICAL FICTION LETTERS
by
Tracy Tupman
This set of historical fiction letters is
designed as a peak into the past, and as a window into the lives of
three historic Canadians.
A LETTER FROM A SCOTTISH IMMIGRANT COAL MINER IN BRITISH COLUMBIA TO HIS SISTER BACK HOME
Dear Cassandra,
Forgive me, dear sister, for not writing sooner. I have been awfully busy ever since we left Scotland, but I am so glad that we came! Let me tell you of our journey to Canada, and how Ella, the children, and I are doing now.
The first thing we did after leaving Fife, and reaching Liverpool, was to board our ship that was off to Canada. Oh, what a voyage! Our cabin under deck was cramped for the five of us, and with John being five, Eliza four, and Edward two, you can see how we had our hands full! Those toddlers wanted to stick every little dirty object into their mouths, and Ella was constantly seasick. It seemed to take forever to get to Montreal, and let me tell you, we were relieved to get off that boat and back on solid ground, but another journey still lay before us. We found out that the mine we were headed for was still all the way across the continent - in British Colombia!
We hopped on a train car pulled by that smoking monster of an engine across railway, the – what do they call it? – oh yes, the “National Dream”. Fortunately, in their wanderings about the constricted train car, John and Eliza made some friends, including a young gentleman who had a special way of entertaining them. Usually, Edward slept. But sometimes he bawled until we thought we’d all go mad!
Finally, we reached the mining town. I got a shift from midnight to eight o’clock in the morning. The work is hard and dirty, but it’s a steady paycheck, and not the occasional money I got from farm work or coal mining back in Scotland. Just last month, we finally got ourselves a real little house, just perfect for the six of us. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that Ella is pregnant! With a doctor in town, the chances of her losing this one like we did the other two are so much slimmer.
Now, when I come home, Ella runs me a nice hot bath, then I have some breakfast, sleep for a few hours, and by evening am ready to host guests or be a guest. Then, I grab another four hours of sleep before going out to the mine. Almost every night is that way. When it is not, Ella and I share stories from home with the children before snuggling them into bed. It is so wonderful, being here with a roof over our heads, food in our bellies, listening to the steady breathing of the children. Really, Cassy, you and Jody and your little one should come and join us.
Hoping to hear from you,
Your brother Robert Trotter
A LETTER FROM A FARMER STRUGGLING WITH THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND “DUST BOWL” TO THE PRIME MINISTER, BEGGING FOR IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL RELIEF FROM THE GOVERNMENT. MANY PEOPLE WROTE LETTERS TO THE PRIME MINISTER ASKING FOR HELP DURING THIS HARD TIME.
Dear Mr. Bennett:
I am in deep truble. I cant grow nothin in this dust and the drout has bin 6 months and my wife and children ar starving. I owe the bank a lot and dey are want to take the farm so I need releef for now. If you could just get the bank off my back for a year, I’m sher the drout will end and we’ll be fine agin and I can pay them, right now I just need releef. I have sum cows and we are living on ther little milk and killed one last week but they are getting thin and I don’t have much grain left for them or the family. I hav 5 little ones, and one is not weened, now we are giving her most of the milk there is only 3 litres a day so that at least she is fine because my wife isn’t making any more. 3 of the yung ones are school-age, but the mother won’t let them to school anymore for fear they’ll get caught in a dust storm and they are very sad and really want to learn. I wish they could; that way no man is going to trick you into buying or selling something for more or less than its worth. I am teaching them a bit, tho, when I am not trying to keep the cows together. The wife can’t do sums or read. Only 10 cows left, and don’t know how we going to last much longer unless you give us sum releef . I want to keep just 2, a bull and a cow so I can make a new herd once this blasted drout ends. Like I said, I need the releef now and ther will be 2 votes for you in the next election my wife and me. I no that you are a good man, so please help us. I’m depending on your help.
Sincerely,
James Thomas
Saskatchewan
(Note: Spelling and grammatical errors were intentional.)
WRITTEN BY A FICTIONAL THOMAS SMITH OF ONTARIO, A SOLDIER WHO IS SIXTEEN YEARS OLD, FROM FRANCE DURING WORLD WAR I
December 8, 1914
A stinking trench in France
Dear Mother, Father, and Vanessa,
I’m really sorry that I snuck off and enlisted without you saying I could, Father. It just felt like all the other boys were getting in. I must admit that I was longing for some adventure. Doing nothing but
working in the fields, I was bored, but let me tell you, I would give anything now, even a life-time behind a plow, to get out of this primitive ditch that I’m living in right now. Why, you ask?
First of all, there is dirt everywhere. The walls and floors are made of mud, and there are no roofs to prevent the rain from adding to the mess. It’s a constant struggle to try to find a way to keep my feet dry; most of the men already have something called “trench foot” from always wet feet, which makes their feet slowly rot away. I’m scared I might have it anyways. What I do have for sure, we all have. Hang those rotten body lice! Body lice are these ridiculous pale-looking little critters that have got a taste for your blood; basically, they’re leeches. Every few days all the soldiers strip down to our underwear with a partner, and we scrape ‘em off each other using bayonets. On top of it all, I’ve got a mean cough, but everyone seems to have that too. At least I don’t have a fever like some do.
It’s so cold here. You know, I’m really thankful to the Salvation Army, because they sent us all some little packages that just really help! I got the paper, envelope, and so forth for this letter in my package. It even had clean socks and a warm hat! Boy, you have no idea how these little “care packages” cheered us all up. And now I can brush my teeth at least once a day, carefully wrapping the toothbrush in my one clean hanky once I’m done. You have no clue how great it is to have a clean mouth until you haven’t been able to brush your teeth for two months.
To try to get out of the shin-deep water, I sometimes burrow into the walls with a shovel. I never go too deep, though, or my digging will reach – well, let’s just say someone who used to be alive. If I just don’t look out over no man’s land or dig too deep, I don’t have to think about death. I’m not scared of dying, though. Really, I’ll be just fine. I’ll come home, and together we’ll laugh away all thoughts of war, because I think for sure that I think I will positively make it home, really.
Anyways, there isn’t much else to write about; I don’t think that there is any impending action, as we have been told that we’re pretty much settled for winter. I might as well play a round of cards with Clark before I hit the sack.
With all my love,
Thomas
THE HISTORY OF
CHOCOLATE
by Augustus
Snodgrass
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I ask you to find the defendant
guilty. Guilty of the crime of being so tempting, so seductive, so
delicious, that even the strongest of the strong cannot resist.
Honorable judges, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls: what is this
decadence that melts in your mouth? It washes over your taste buds.
It’s smooth, silky texture rolls around your tongue. The first bite
addictively tastes like another and allusively attempts to quench
your craving. Can you guess what I’ve described? If you guessed
“chocolate,” you are correct. I urge you to convict chocolate
“guilty” as charged. Okay, so I know I’m being a little over
dramatic, but haven’t you ever wondered, especially if you are a
chocoholic like me, where such an amazing product even came from?
Chocolate has not always been what it is now; it has definitely come
a long, long way. The whole world has participated in the development
of chocolate, whether by growing the cacao tree that produce the
beans, to processing the cacao beans and adding other ingredients, to
probably like most of us, simply eating it! The life of chocolate
could be divided into three parts: its birth and infancy; its
childhood, when it was brought to the other part of the world; and
finally, its maturity, what we could call “The Modern Age of
Chocolate” of today.Derived from different sources, chocolate’s birth varies from 1900 B.C. to about A.D. 500. The earliest form of chocolate known was an unsweetened, bitter, and sacred drink used by the Maya people in the sixth century. About seven hundred years later, the Aztecs used it in the same way, adding spices to it such as corn meal or even hot chili peppers! In this way, chocolate, a bitter, sacred drink, lay dormant for at least a thousand years.
The trigger point for the chocolate industry to erupt happened when Cortes, a Spanish New World explorer, brought back some cacao beans to Spain. He suggested that the bitter drink be mixed with sugar, and, promptly, chocolate became a hit, but was only consumed by nobility. Spain kept this variation a secret for almost a whole century before the chocolate fever finally erupted and spread throughout all over Europe and the United States. In the next years, chocolate variations were constantly being invented among those being Casparus van Houten’s, a Dutch chemist, who created solid chocolate. Finally, the first milk chocolate was invented in 1839! With the rising of this new addition to the chocolate industry, chocolate’s popularity skyrocketed! Consequently, chocolate producers like Cadbury, Nestle, Ghirardelli, and Hershey arose and still flourish today.
Thus, milk chocolate increased the yearly production of chocolate and is the definite favorite today, comprising about half of all the chocolate consumed. And, even now, consumption is still increasing worldwide. A 2012 report has shown several countries and their enormous per capita consumption, with Switzerland being the highest at 11.9 kilograms per person per year! The modern age of chocolate today trends a little less towards milk chocolate than before and more towards dark chocolate with its recently discovered health benefits including lowering your blood pressure; increasing blood flow to the brain; and being loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals; which leads away from the sugar saturated milk chocolate with its high glycemic index, high calories, and empty nutrition. This brings us somewhat full circle back to the very early Mayan chocolate with its bitter taste.
And so, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, whether you are a milk chocolate lover or a dark chocolate lover like me, I implore you that chocolate is neither evil nor sinful and is, in fact, a nearly perfect food in nature. But I can’t defend, nor can I resist. And I’ll bet you can’t either!
-13-
QUOTES TO NOTE
ABILITY
compiled by
Augustus Snodgrass
“A genius
can't be forced; nor can you make an ape an alderman.”
– Thomas Somerville
“Ability
hits the mark where presumption overshoots and diffidence falls
short.”
– John Henry Newman
“Ability
is a poor man's wealth.”
– M. Wren
“Ability
is of little account without opportunity.”
– Napoleon Bonaparte
“Ability
may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”
– John Wooden
“Ability
will never catch up with the demand for it.”
– Malcolm S. Forbes
“All
endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last
plan, endure the last hours toil. The fight to the finish spirit is
the one characteristic we must possess if we are to face the future
as finishers.”
– Anonymous
“Analyzing
what you haven't got as well as what you have is a necessary
ingredient of a career.”
– Grace Moor
“Aptitude
found in the understanding and is often inherited. Genius coming from
reason and imagination, rarely.”
– Samuel Taylor Coleridge
“As life
is action and passion, it is required of a man that he should share
the passion and action of his time, at the peril of being not to have
lived.”
– Oliver Wendell Holmes
“As we
advance in life we learn the limits of our abilities.”
– James A. Froude
“Big jobs
usually go to the men who prove their ability to outgrow small ones.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson"Since it is so likely that children will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage."
- C. S. Lewis
-14-
STORY TIME
THE FOREIGN DEVIL
by Theodore
Winstint
Ai-weh-deh wore Chinese clothes, but her facial
complexion and brown hair colour told a different story. She lived
among the Chinese as one of them, but still, she was different.
Ai-we-deh owned the Inn of Eight Happinesses in Yangcheng, China. It
was known among the mule drivers that her inn was where there was
good food to eat and a clean, warm place to sleep, plus a bonus of a
story during supper. The stories were from the Bible, and this way
Ai-weh-deh, also known as Gladys Aylward back in her home country of
England, was able to tell more Chinese people about Jesus and His
miracles. One of His greatest miracles was from her own experiences.
The fact that she was in China was a miracle in itself. When she
applied to the China Inland Mission to go to China as a missionary,
they told her that she could not go because she did not know the
language well enough. However, Gladys was determined to go, and thus
she set out on her own. This journey was filled with individual
miracles. She had to go through Siberia and over Japan, and then
finally, after many hardships and hindrances, she arrived in China;
however, she still did not know their language and did not know how
to get to her friend missionary with whom she had been corresponding.
Gladys had a magnitude of faith that is unbelievable. She knew that
she was supposed to spread the Gospel in China, but she had no idea
how she would do it and how she would even learn their language;
however, God saw her faith, and He worked everything out so that
Gladys arrived safely at Mrs. Lawson’s inn in Yangcheng. Here she
began to learn the Chinese language from the cook and Jennie Lawson.
When Mrs. Lawson died eight months after Gladys arrived, Gladys was
at a loss what to do, because the inn was not making enough income
for her to live off of. She trusted God to lead her where he wanted
her to go, and He did. She became the foot inspector for the area
around Yangcheng. This job earned more income, but it also gave
Gladys the opportunity to witness to the people while she was
unbinding and massaging the women’s feet. Another act of faith was
when Gladys helped suppress a riot in the Yangcheng prison. The men
in the prison were running around with axes and were killing each
other. Gladys went in there and just stood and looked at the men.
They did not notice her until one of the men came running straight at
her with an ax. Then he stopped a few feet in front of her and just
looked at her. All the other men became curious and stopped running
around and killing each other. Gladys talked to them, and they all
quieted down. From that point on, she was no longer called the
“foreign devil,” but Ai-weh-deh, which means “the Virtuous
One.” Ai-weh-deh experienced God’s help through her faith many
more times. Although she was a small woman in size, her faith could
move mountains.-15-
POET’S CORNER
A PSALM OF LIFE
by Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow
Tell me
not, in mournful numbers,
Life
is but an empty dream!
For the
soul is dead that slumbers,
And
things are not what they seem.
Life is
real! Life is earnest!
And
the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou
art, to dust returnest,
Was
not spoken of the soul.
Not
enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is
our destined end or way;
But to
act, that each to-morrow
Find
us farther than to-day.
Art is
long, and Time is fleeting,
And
our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still,
like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral
marches to the grave.
In the
world’s broad field of battle,
In
the bivouac of Life,
Be not
like dumb, driven cattle!
Be
a hero in the strife! Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!
Let
the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,—
act in the living Present!
Heart
within, and God o’erhead!
Lives of
great men all remind us
We
can make our lives sublime,
And,
departing, leave behind us
Footprints
on the sands of time;
Footprints,
that perhaps another,
Sailing
o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn
and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing,
shall take heart again.
Let us,
then, be up and doing,
With
a heart for any fate;
Still
achieving, still pursuing,
Learn
to labor and to wait.
I love your blog!
ReplyDelete~Kathryn
hobbitsandhippogriffs.blogspot.com
Why thank you! Please do visit again!
DeleteMr. S.W.