The Mouse on the Mayflower

One Wrong Decision

Jenny was so happy about the house they had found.
For once in her life ’twas on the right side of town.
She unpacked her things with such great ease.
As she watched her new curtains blow in the breeze.

How wonderful it was to have her own room.
School would be starting, she’d have friends over soon.
There’d be sleep-over’s, and parties; she was so happy
It’s just the way she wanted her life to be.

On the first day of school, everything went great.
She made new friends and even got a date!
She thought, “I want to be popular and I’m going to be,
Because I just got a date with the star of the team!”

To be known in this school you had to have a clout,
And dating this guy would sure help her out.
There was only one problem stopping her fate.
Her parents had said she was too young to date.

“Well I just won’t tell them the entire truth.
They won’t know the difference; what’s there to lose?”
Jenny asked to stay with her friends that night.
Her parents frowned but said, “All right.”

Excited, she got ready for the big event
But as she rushed around like she had no sense,
She began to feel guilty about all the lies,
But what’s a pizza, a party, and a moonlight ride?

Well the pizza was good, and the party was great,
But the moonlight ride would have to wait.
For Jeff was half drunk by this time.
But he kissed her and said that he was just fine.

Then the room filled with smoked and Jeff took a puff.
Jenny couldn’t believe he was smoking that stuff.
Now Jeff was ready to ride to the point
But only after he’d smoked another joint.

They jumped in the car for the moonlight ride,
Not thinking that he was too drunk to drive.
They finally made it to the point at last,
And Jeff started trying to make a pass.

A pass is not what Jenny wanted at all
(and by a pass, I don’t mean playing football.)
“Perhaps my parents were right….maybe I am too young.
Boy, how could I ever, ever be so dumb.”

With all of her might, she pushed Jeff say away:
“Please take me home, I don’t want to stay.”
Jeff cranked up the engine and floored the gas.
In a matter of seconds they were going too fast.

As Jeff drove on in a fit of wild anger,
Jenny knew that her life was in danger.
She begged and pleaded for him to slow down,
But he just got faster as they neared the town.

“Just let me get home! I’ll confess that I lied.
I really went out for a moonlight ride.”
Then all of a sudden, she saw a big flash.
“Oh God, Please help us! We’re going to crash!”

She doesn’t remember the force of impact.
Just that everything all of a sudden went black.
She felt someone remove her from the twisted rubble,
And heard, “Call an ambulance! These kids are in trouble!”

Voices she heard . . . a few words at best.
But she knew there were two cars involved in the wreck.
Then wondered to herself if Jeff was all right,
And if the people in the other car was alive.

She awoke in the hospital to faces so sad.
“You’ve been in a wreck and it looks pretty bad.”
These voices echoed inside her head,
As they gently told her that Jeff was dead.

They said “Jenny, we’ve done all we can do.
But it looks like we’re going to lose you too.”
“But the people in the other car!? “Jenny cried.
“We’re sorry, Jenny, they also died.”

Jenny prayed, “God, forgive me for what I’ve done
I only wanted to have just one night of fun.”
Tell those people’s family, I’ve made their lives dim,
And wish I could return their families to them.”

“Tell Mom and Dad I’m sorry I lied,
And that it’s my fault so many have died.
Oh, nurse, won’t you please tell them that for me?”
The nurse just stood there — she never agreed.

But took Jenny’s hand with tears in her eyes.
And a few moments later Jenny died.
A man asked the nurse, “Why didn’t you do your best
To bid that girl her one last request?”

She looked at the man with eyes so sad.
“Because the people in the other car were her mom and dad.”

America Dark Vision

posted without comment.

The USS America

From my inbox





THE USS AMERICA - WHETHER TO ABONDON SHIP?

The fame of the Ttanic was that it was thought to be unsinkable; the Titanic's fame today is that it sank.


Many on board the USS America today believe it is time to head for the lifeboats, that we hit a fatal iceberg of November 6, 2012. Questions today include whether it might be possible for states to pull out of the Union? Or what if one hundred million conservatives moved to help guide the futures of countries like Canada or Australia?

On that 1912 maiden Titanic voyage was the Scottish evangelist, John Harper. His wife had died and Harper and his daughter, Nana, were traveling to Chicago where he was to become the pastor of the Moody Church. As the boat began to sink, he put Nana in a lifeboat, than ran throughout the ship, yelling "Women, children, and unsaved into the lifeboats!" He gave his lifejacket to another passenger. Survivors from that tragedy report that Harper floating on the icy waters called, "Man, are you saved?" A man cried back, "No I’m not!" Harper pleaded, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved!" The waters carried him away and when he returned he said, "Are you saved now?" The man called, "No, I cannot honestly say that I am!" Harper repeated, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Soon, John Harper went down but the other man survived. Later he shared, "There, alone in the night, and with two miles of water under me, I believed. I am John Harper’s last convert."

As passengers of the USS America today, how many will abandon ship? If we have met that fatal iceberg, how many will perish?

The Titanic exhibit includes a wall of names. One passenger list is long and one is short, the longer list has the names of the lost, the shorter list is of the saved - no third list. The Bible has like another wall of the broad way of the lost, versus the few who find the narrow way to heaven. Is not John Harper’s message clear?

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). What is the opposite of believing? - to trust in anything else for your destiny except Jesus Christ. What is the opposite of “saved”?- to be lost forever!

With these dangers poising before us, which list has your name on it today? Have you been rescued by the One whose Spirit comes to warn you of a certain end, the One who suffered in your place to take the penalty for your sin? Would your name be like chiseled forever on the wrong list? Friend, there is still time to heed the words of the great Scottish evangelist to trust in the Lord, and as if to move your name from the long list to the saved. Will you put your life into the hands of the great Rescuer from your sin, or would you resist as to hang onto the debris of a sinking ship and try to save yourself? Now is still your chance to move your name to safety.

And to the believers, while the values and security of our nation have been sinking all around you, what will you do when your time has become surely short? John Harper was never distracted from his mission for God.

Christian Democrats -

From my Inbox

CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS - or more importantly, who are you before God? (some “in-house” considerations).

In disappointment, I wonder whatever is DEDICATION TO CHRIST but to DEFECT FROM CHRISTIANS? I'm not angry nor to judge motives, knowing anyone can misread situations. We all do. Already, serious choices are quickly affecting the body of Christ, and not without warning. Are you aware of the new assault against Hobby Lobby? The problem explained:
"The Obama administration told a federal court today that the Christian business Hobby Lobby must obey the HHS mandate that forces religious companies to pay for drugs for women that may cause abortions."

God wants to know, a rhetorical question: Can anyone be for Jesus while living against Him? Or as Jesus asked, can we live for money, thinking we are living for God? Can disciples love life, choosing death to the unborn? Do we support the body of Christ while destroying people's godly values or their financial future?

This election is past, so let it rest, but the future is before us. Living in a culture of many watered down churches, faith is being put to the test. In a similar position as imposed upon Hobby Lobby of your financial future or your convictions, what will you do? Facing sure consequences ahead of us from the new definitions of "hate speech", what will you do? Friend, Daniel's character was determined because he had purposed to live for God BEFORE he faced the challenges of Babylon. Forced between ungodly values and God, he knew exactly what to do.

While we might not care to thank our brothers in Christ for our national leaders today, we thank God! While the pressures are building against Christians in the new America, believer friend, these become our opportunities to bring glory to God through the resolve to make righteous choices.

Daniel was never a Bible hero because he failed to choose for God. When tempted to wander and compromise the inspired Word of God, what will you do? And if you have been deceived, why must you be deceived again? The challenges are coming so what will you do? If you messed up in the past, then today can mark a new beginning in your life. Here we are on earth now but standing before God in one of His tomorrows. So why not determine today, what will you do?

Chuck

2012 Election Thoughts

From my inbox

HOW TO RESPOND: Reading 1 & 2 Peter, how were believers to respond to extremely ungodly leaders like Nero? These are not Books of complaining but to emphasize our own godly responses.

“And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings.” (Dan. 2:21). The election of a president is not a misfortune or an accident, it is a divine appointment. 

“to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” (Dan. 4:17b). The might of the Babylonian empire swallowed up Israel but the God of Israel is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! History is His-story!

“till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” (Daniel 4:25b)

“And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” (Dan. 4:35)

“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” (Psalm 75:6-7)

God raises up rulers, good and bad! He put Pharaoh in power. “And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.” (Ex. 9:16). Yet God holds nations responsible for their actions. When leaders turn from God, God moves in judgment against that nation. 

Even proud and sinful Nebuchadnezzar was used as a servant of God. “I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me. And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.” (Jer. 27:5-7)

We like to blame elected officials for our problems, but nations get the governments that they deserve. Every one of us is responsible to influence our nation.

In "Why Democracies Fail": "Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largesse (lar-jis - a gift generously given) out of the public treasure. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefit from the public treasury, with the result that democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, always to be followed by a dictatorship, and then a monarchy."

Thanks Bro. Chuck

For Pop Drinkers

Five Reasons to Vote Against Obama

This video came via ... Bro. Fred Boyer along time friend from my PCBBC days.

PF Missions Giving 2011 ~ 12 SBC

- - Pastor Hallmark’s Remarks - -

Looking over our last year Faith Promise giving, from October to September. We gave $18,617.00 to our missions program, and regular missions support to our 14 missionaries families at this time was  $16,400. with a difference of $1,817.


Praise the Lord, we will be able to send each family an additional $100.00 for Christmas.

Twenty Years a Canadian, but ....

always a Texan.

On September 30, 1992 I became a Canadian Citizen. Having been in Canada since 1983 and having our youngest son, Andrew born in Abbotsford, B.C. I took Canadian citizenship.

49 Years ago Today

September 15, 1963 was a Sunday and it was the third Sunday that I had attended the West Erwin Street Baptist Church here in Tyler, Texas. It was also the Sunday the Holy Spirit of God brought conviction into my heart that I was lost and on my way to hell, a sinner condemned before a holy and righteous God. However, that Sunday morning as the Holy Spirit brought conviction that I was lost, He also did a work of grace in my heart, as for that Sunday I repented of my sin and trusted Jesus Christ to be my personal Saviour.

Yes, sir. Today is my spiritual birthday.

Jeffery Neil Halllmark

Our Sending Church 30th Anniversary

The Hallmarks are blessed to be sent out under the authority of Greater Vancouver Baptist Church.

ON our Travels

We had a great two and one half days in Paris.

Having a great holiday in London

Greetings From London, England

The Hallmark's

The Conversion of a Soul to Christ

20 years after Ruby Ridge, there's forgiveness

Sara Weaver: 'I forgave those that pulled the trigger'

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     Next story in US news Study: Least religious states also the stingiest with charity

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Having a great time on our holidays, we traveled 2,454 miles from Prince George, BC to Tyler, Texas in just under 50 hours. What a great trip, Nic was very excited as we got closer and closer to Tyler.


Regena and I will be in the East Texas area till Tuesday August 21 when we fly to London, England. We will keep posting as to the events we are involved in take place.

I have now added the app of Magic Jack to my wireless phone, in which I can used with WiFi without adding to my phone minutes, trusting it will work for Europe as well.

My MJ phone # is 903 483 1492 it is a Kilgore, Texas number so if you are colling from the States and have a long distance plan you can call us.

If you call and I don't answer, leave a voice message. It goes to my hotmail account and will email me that I have a recording, and will play the recording.

We are having a great time and looking forward to spending some time with Andrew and his family there in Germany.

God Bless,

Thanks for your prayers for the Hallmarks

I am back, for awhile

Greetings from the TRUE NORTH STRONG AND FREE... Canada

Since the first week of July, our lives have been "swifter than a weaver's shuttle..."1 with Revival meeting in Hinton, AB, trip to Castlegar, BC to pick up grandsons, to 'three day Bible club' at Rainbow Park, then two weeks of back to back Camp Yes, one Jrs. the other Teens. Now Camp Yes is held at Point Roberts, WA which is 802 kms from my house. Made the trip 4 times in a 13 day period, along with little sleep during the week. Teaching and Preaching both weekends, sure takes a lot of God's grace and power.

Now Regena and I are preparing to drive to the 'holy land'2 then a flight to London, England. Then a Euro-Star to Paris, and a Euro-rail to Germany to visit our son, Andrew and his family. Our return flight to the US of A is Tuesday September the eleventh.

Spruceland Baptist has a missionary, and two preachers filling in for my absent.

So pray for us as we travel, we hit the road on August 13 and return at the end of September. I will try to keep up with BP in our travels.

Bro. Jeff Hallmark

1. Job 7:6
2. East Texas

Three Day Bible Club

Jonah and the Whale

Our three day bible club begins on Wednesday morning at 10 and goes to noon.

Our workers are ready, bring on the children.

Sleeping At Harvest

Closed this evening service with this poem. I have it in one of my bibles and I don't remember the composer, to give him credit.



Souls are Dying

Too long I've laid me down to sleep, and prayed the Lord my soul to keep.
I should awake before I die, and realize time is passing by;
And rise and go and tell the lost, despite my plans despite the cost.

Too long I've laid me down to sleep, while multitudes about me weep;
And other cries of dark despair, for no one ever seems to care.
My life is short, and soon I'll stand, with sinner's bloods upon my hand;
Unless I wake before I die, and realize time is passing me by.

Men, keep working on our homes.

“We are surrounded by foreign, hostle 

and home shattering influences in our 

world today. The supportive elements of society 

no longer feed and shade us. The Christian’s 

home must blossom in a field of weeds.”

H. G. Hendricks

In a twinkle of an eye ...

We just don't know when it will happen, now do we???

Monday Missions - Great Commission

The Great Commission -

Matthew 28:18-20

Mark 16:15, 16

Luke 24:46 - 48

John 20:21

Acts 1:8


MAKE disciples by leading people to repentance and faith.

MARK disciples by baptism and membership

MATURE disciples by follow-up and sound instructions from the Word of God.

Pray for your Missionary families around the world.

Dear Uncle Sam it's our 145th Birthday

Thanks to the Mak family for bring this video to my attention.




Video little old but still good.

Just One Hour

What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
Matthew 26:40


20 minutes - Bible Reading


25 minutes - Prayer
  ~  Praise
  ~  Confession
  ~  Intercession
  ~  Petition
  ~  Thanksgiving


15 minutes - Memorization, Meditation, Singing & Worship


Sweet Hour of Prayer
by William W. Walford

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare,
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight.
This robe of flesh I’ll drop, and rise
To seize the everlasting prize,
And shout, while passing through the air,
“Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”

Do It On Your Own

When you were born your parents brought you to church ... When you were married, your beloved brought you to church ... When you die, your friends will bring you to church ... Why not try coming to church on your own sometimes?

Teen Video Consumption

Presented by: OnlineCollege.org

NOT ALL YOUNG ADULTS LEAVE

from my inbox   jnh



5 REASONS WHY NOT ALL YOUNG ADULTS LEAVE THE CHURCH [EXCERPTS]

Recently, 20-year-old Bailey, a student at a local college, heard her professor of comparative religion tell the class, "The Christian faith uses terms like sanctification, justification, and propitiation. But church members have no idea what these terms mean."


Bailey raised her hand and said, "Professor, they do in my church." A few days later, this same prof, who seems to be making a career of misrepresenting believers, told the class, "There are 66 books in the Christian Bible. But only the professionals can name them all."


Bailey said, "Sir, in my church, even the children can name the books of the Bible." Bailey demonstrates why not everyone raised in the church strays or drops out altogether when they reach young adulthood.


[When] asked about their withdrawal, dropouts said they were too busy, churches too irrelevant, Christians too judgmental, leaders too hypocritical, and denominations too political.


I suspect the dropouts omitted one huge factor for their non-attendance in church: the heart is a rebel. The temptation to renege on life's commitments - even those we feel strongest about is continually present, not always complicated, and ever a concern for even the most faithful of believers.


From all I know and have observed, here is why they stayed. Five reasons why many young people raised in the church never drop out:


1) A genuine, personal relationship with Jesus Christ: Now, those with a personal relationship with a particular church or youth group or student minister cannot be counted on to stay.

2) A solid foundation: Young adults like Bailey who grow up with strong roots in the doctrines of the Bible cannot be easily pulled off course by errant professors or pleasure-seeking friends.

This "solid foundation" is no mystery and does not have to be complicated. It's simply the result of discipling young believers, teaching them, in the words of our Lord, "to observe all the things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20).

3) The security of supportive friends: No group on the planet is as vulnerable to peer influence as young people. While this is generally viewed as a negative, it can be made to work for us. Young people reach their friends for Christ. (In contrast, churches with no youth at all find it nearly impossible to begin a ministry to them.)

4) Great role models: Once or twice during those college years, when professors or my reading material caused me to question my Christian faith, the Scriptures, and even the existence of God, nothing pulled me back from the brink like looking around at the sharp men and women in my church who were devoutly following Jesus Christ. Before I learned how to study the evidence for the faith myself, these were my proofs that God is real and Christ is alive and the gospel is true.

In fact, as I compared the Christian men and women I knew with the typical miserable atheistic philosophy major or the professor who prided himself on his agnosticism, there was no question which I would prefer to model my life after.

5) No viable alternative: Young adults are not stupid. They can see the church has problems.

However, as they think the matter through, they frequently come to the same conclusion as the Apostle Peter. When our Lord noticed the crowd leaving because they'd found His teachings difficult, Jesus said to the disciples, "Well, how about you? Will you go away too?"

Simon Peter said,"Lord, where would we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:66-68).

That one fact more than anything else may account for believers through the ages hanging tough with the Lord's church when times were hard, temptations strong, questions proliferated, and the enemy was active.

(Dr. Joe McKeever, "5 Reasons Why Not All Young Adults Leave the Church," Crosswalk.com, April 24, 2012).

Delight In the Will of God

Adult SS Lesson June 3rd

Delight In The Will of God (attitude) Ps. 40:8 37:4

The Christian can know the Will of God for his life, but not succeed in it by having the wrong attitude. In order to be successful and please God, we must “delight to do” His Will.

Christ delight in the Will of God (Phil 2:5; Heb 12:2)

Peter’s attitude is expressed in I Peter 1:6-8 speaking of that which we may suffer – rejoice… “with joy unspeakable and full of glory”.

James says to “count it all joy” even though doing God’s will may bring trials, testings and hardship

(James 1:2)

Paul’s’ attitude toward the Will of God was one of delight or joy inspite of all he went through he had a positive attitude. Acts 20:24; Phil 3:8, 13-15 and Phil 4:13

The Hebrew writer tells us abut attitude in a) be content v.5,  b) have grace in your heart v. 8, c) give the sacrifice of praise v. 15, d) obey v. 17,  e) be mature v. 21           Hebrews 13:5-21

According to Romans 12:1, 2 we are to offer ourselves willingly as a living sacrifice to do the will of God. Our attitude must be to conform to God’s will which is good, acceptable and perfect and not to the world.

Three key areas where our attitude effects our doing the will of God ( I Peter 5:5-10):

1. Our attitude toward men, v.5

            Submit to those men over your spiritual welfare (Hebrews 13:7, 17; I Thess. 5:12, 13

            Submit yourselves to one another ( Eph. 5:21)

            Be clothed with humility ( Col. 3:12, 13; Acts 20:19, 20 )

2. Our attitude toward God vs. 6, 7

            Humble yourself before God ( Ps. 75:5-7; I Peter 5:6)

            Seek to please God, not men ( Ps. 55:22; I Peter 5:7; Gal. 1:10)

3. Our attitude toward our ministry vs. 8, 9

            Be sober (sober-minded)                                 Be vigilant (watchful)

                        For error in doctrine – Acts 20:31                    For the return of Christ – I Cor. 16:13

                        In Prayer – Col. 4:2                             In your ministry against the Devil – I Thess. 5:6

The results – the God of all grace will a) make you perfect (mature), b) establish you, c) strengthen you and d) settle you.

A bad attitude will wipe your mind out and you will never succeed in “all the will of God”. On the other hand David was a man after God’s own heart and he said “I delight to do thy will, O my God”. He always had the proper attitude towards God and His will.

copy & paste should fit one 8.5 x 11

 

Red Friday

Support our Troops

Leaning on Jesus

I have noticed that people who have suffered a great deal have been brought into a closer loving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Someone has expressed it like this:

Is there no other way open, God,
Except through sorrow, pain, and loss,
To stamp Christ's likeness on my soul—
No other way except the cross?

And then a voice stills all my soul
As stilled the waves of Galilee,
"Can'st thou not bear the furnace heat
If midst the flames I walk with thee?

"I bore the cross. I know its weight.
I drank the cup I hold for thee.
Can'st thou not follow where I lead?
I'll give thee strength. Lean hard on Me."

—Author unknown

You see, suffering brings an individual into a loving relationship with Christ. And it causes him to look forward to that day when he will be brought into the presence of the Lord Jesus who will give him the crown of life.

From My Studies - JNH

Oh, the 4:30 AM wake up call ...

...it was one of our teens, "Pastor, your van is parked in front of our house". "Really my grandpa look out the window and saw it, and I went out and looked at it myself. The faded letters 'Castlegar Baptist Church', are on the side."

Sure enough, my van had been stolen, and the thief parked in right in front of one of our teens. The teen is up early every morning to deliver papers, and there was my van. Now they live on a crescent with three 'walk ways' from that crescent, and there have been a number of stolen cars and trucks left there on their street.

I was laughing after the teen called me, and for the rest of the day, telling the story. And using it to tell of the humor of our Lord. I mean of all the places to drop off a stolen van, right in front of someone who knows the van and owner.

A strange witnessing story, but hey, for the furtherance of the gospel. AMEN!!!

Support our Troops

Heard this as a child in East Texas

A Great Lesson to Learn

First Babtist Church in Texas

Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists are part of a larger sub-group of Baptists that is commonly referred to as "anti-mission" Baptists. This sub-group includes the Duck River and Kindred Baptists, Old Regular Baptists, some Regular Baptists and some United Baptists. Only a minuscule minority of Primitive Baptists adhere to this doctrine, primarily churches in Northern Alabama and Texas.^[1]

Baptists seem to have first appeared in North America in the early 17th century. Through the influence of the Philadelphia Baptist Association (org. 1707), the influx of members to the churches from the Great Awakenings, and the union of the disparate Regular and Separate Baptists, by the early 19th century Baptists would become an important American denomination. This growth was not without its pangs, and by 1820 these Baptists were embroiled in an intense and sometimes bitter "missions" controversy. Much of the controversy centered around the newly formed Baptist Board of Foreign Missions.

Elder Daniel Parker (1781–1844) was one of the earlier ministers to speak out against the "missions" movement. In 1820, he released a booklet entitled "A Public Address to the Baptist Society, and Friends of Religion in General, on the Principle and Practice of the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions for the United States of America." The Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, organized at Philadelphia in 1814, is best known as the Triennial Convention, but its official name was the "General Missionary Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States." Objections by Baptists to the Convention were based on both soteriology and ecclesiology. Parker was a strict Predestinarian, but his chief objections in the booklet are based on ecclesiology - for example, "They have violated the right or government of the Church of Christ in forming themselves into a body and acting without of the union." Several important preachers on the east coast led in the "anti-missions" movement, but Elder Parker was the leader on the frontier, and probably spoke best to the common man.

It appears that during this time, Parker was also formulating views on God and man that he would first release in his Views on the Two Seeds (1826). Parker taught that all persons are either of the "good seed" of God or of the "bad seed" of Satan (the children of the good seed are roughly equivalent to the "elect" of Calvinism, and those of the bad seed similar to the "non-elect"), and were predestined that way from the beginning. Therefore mission activity was not only unbiblical, but as a practical matter useless, since the "decision" was already made prior to birth. Many consider his theory a type of Manichaeism.^{[citation needed]}

It seems that Parker spread his "two seeds" far and wide, and a goodly number of the "anti-missions" movement accepted his doctrine, though it never achieved anything near majority status. In 1834, Daniel Parker and others migrated to the Texas frontier. Texas was still part of Mexico and the government would allow no organization of Protestant (non-Catholic) churches in the region. Elder Parker determined to organize a church before he arrived in Texas. The Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church was constituted July 26, 1833 in Illinois. It still exists today, near Elkhart, Texas, though as "Primitive" rather than "Two-Seed."

Daniel Parker's name is almost synonymous with "anti-missions", but he was one of the important frontier preachers in Texas, leading in the organization of about nine churches in the eastern part of the state.

After the "missionary" and "anti-missionary" controversy brought division among Baptists, the "anti-missionaries" were called by names such as Old School, Old Regular, Predestinarian, and Primitive (as well as the pejorative "hardshells"). The Two-Seed churches were often connected with the Primitive Baptists and seem to have been so until late in the 19th century. By that time, most Primitive Baptists had excluded the "Two-Seeders" for holding heretical doctrines. Though they hold much in common with Primitive Baptists and often are so identified by outsiders, the Two-Seed churches do not consider themselves Primitive Baptists. Remnants of Two-Seed doctrine can still be heard among a few Primitive Baptists, if one knows what to listen for. The current status (2003) of the Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists appears to be four remaining churches (two in Texas, and one each in Indiana and Tennessee) with approximately 80 members. Two of the churches participate together in the Trinity River Association and two are independent.

American novelist Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. prominently alludes to the sect in his early novel God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, when the title character claims that he is a member.

When I pastored in Palestine, Texas (just north of Elkhart)  I remember talking with a 80 something year old lady while sitting on her porch.




Note the spelling of Baptist.












This building was again repaired in 1996.

Happy Atheist Day

Q: What do you get when you cross a Jehovah's Witness with an atheist?

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A: Someone who knocks on your door for no reason.

Men's Retreat

Please pray for this Men's Retreat and all those involved.
March 30, 31

Red Friday

My Minister – Right or Wrong

I have a minister. Time was when he was a good minister. I pronounced him great. This I did because I liked him.

His sermons were wonderful – as long as I liked him.

His speech was passing fair – as long as I liked him.

He was a hard worker – as long as I liked him.

He was the man for the job – as long as I liked him.

In fact, I was strong for him – as long as I liked him.

But my minister offended me one day.  Whether he knew it or not, I do not know. Since that day my minister has ceased to be a good minister – he is just an ordinary one.

His sermons are not so wonderful – since he offended me.

His speech is of no account – since he offended me.

His faults are more prominent - since he offended me.

He is not hard worker – since he offended me.

He is not the man for the job – since he offended me.

In fact, I’m trying to oust him – since he offended me.

Many times our estimate of a minister is to determined in a large measure by personal likes or dislikes. Individual feeling, whether we realize it or not, colour our judgment. Liking a minister, we like his work. Disliking a minister be cannot please us. God help us to rise above the little petty things, and see men and issues in their clear light!!!

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 Pray for you Pastor daily.