QUARANTINE BLOG # 182

September 28, 2020

We begin this Monday with one from our “You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me Department.”  New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority has officially banned pooping on its subways, buses and transit facilities.  The New York Post writes, “The dirty deed is already barred under current rules, which subject any rider to a $100 fine for ‘create[ing] a nuisance, hazard, or unsanitary condition (including, but not limited to, spitting or urinating).’  But the rule change will specifically add ‘defecating’ to the list of bodily expulsions.”  The MTA has to pass a do not poop rule?  You’ve got to be kidding me!

👉  Tomorrow is National Coffee Day.  I’m letting all of you drinkers of the brown nectar know early so you can sign up for free coffee.  Lots of places are giving a free cup: some are doing it through their phone apps: 7-Eleven, Circle K, and Love’s Travel Stops.  At Huddle House, Krispy Kreme, and Wawa just come in and get it.  At Starbucks you have to enter a contest.  Drink up.

👉  Today is Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year in Judaism.  Its central themes are atonement and repentance.  Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a day-long fast and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services.

Sandy Koufax, the Hall of Fame pitcher for the Los Angels Dodgers, decided not to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur.  Hall of Fame first baseman Hank Greenberg, nearly three decades earlier, refused to play baseball on Yom Kippur, even though the Tigers were in the middle of a pennant race, and he was leading the league in RBIs.  When Greenberg arrived in synagogue on Yom Kippur, the service stopped suddenly, and the congregation gave an embarrassed Greenberg a standing ovation.

On Yom Kippur, October 6, 1973, a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria attacked Israel.  The United States and the Soviet Union initiated massive resupply efforts to their respective allies during the war, which began with a successful Egyptian crossing of the Suez Canal.  Egyptian forces advanced virtually unopposed into the Sinai Peninsula.  After three days, Israel had mobilized most of its forces and halted the Egyptian offensive, resulting in a military stalemate.  Israeli forces had pushed the Syrians back from the Golan Heights, and then launched a four-day counter-offensive.  By October 24, the Israelis had improved their positions considerably and completed their encirclement of Egypt’s Third Army and the city of Suez.  A cease-fire was imposed cooperatively on October 25 to end the war.

👉  President Donald Trump announced Circuit Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Amy Coney Barrett, as his nominee to fill the empty seat on the U.S. Supreme Court Bench.  Yesterday he acknowledged that the confirmation of Barrett may not go “smoothly.”  Joe Biden implored the Senate to hold off on voting on her nomination until after the Nov. 3 election to “let the people decide.”

The Democratic nominee is right, and the people have already decided – 232 years ago.  On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.  Hello, Joe!  The Constitution of the United States, Article 2, Section 2, Clause 2 states, “[The President] shall have Power ... to nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint ... Judges of the supreme Court ...”  Donald J. Trump is the president of the United States.  Period.

👉  On September 28, 1941, the Boston Red Sox’s Ted Williams – the Splendid Splinter – played a double-header against the Philadelphia Athletics on the last day of the regular season and got six hits in eight trips to the plate, to boost his batting average to .406 and became the first player in nearly a dozen years to hit .400.  No major leaguer since Williams has hit .400.

Williams played his last game exactly 19 years later on September 28, 1960, and retired with a lifetime batting average of .344.  His achievements are all the more impressive because his career was interrupted twice for military service: Williams was a Marine Corps pilot during World War II and the Korean War and as a result missed a total of nearly five seasons from baseball.

👉  Speaking of baseball, the coronavirus shortened season has come to an end and the playoffs – expanded from the usual 10 teams to 16 – are about to begin.  The Pittsburgh Pirates won the first draft pick for 2021.  The rest of the winners for the first round, best-of-three series are: for the American League No. 1 Rays vs. No. 8 Blue Jays, No. 2 A’ vs. No. 7 White Sox, No. 3 Twins vs. No. 6 Astros, No. 4 Indians vs. No. 5 Yankees, and for the National League No. 1 Dodgers vs. No. 8 Brewers, No. 2 Braves vs. No. 7 Reds, No. 3 Cubs vs. No. 6 Marlins, No. 4 Padres vs. No. 5 Cardinals.  This round begins tomorrow.

👉  And now three signs of the times.

👉  Today’s message from the Crawfordville pulpit: “Elijah, God’s Man (Part 1):  http://davidsisler.com/christian/ElijahGodsManPart1.mp3.

👉  What can exhausted pastors do to relax on Sunday nights after a hard day’s work? Baptist preacher Robert Lowry went home to his wife and three sons and wrote hymns.  Born in Pennsylvania in 1826, he pastored churches in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Lowry gained a reputation for keen biblical scholarship and powerful, picturesque preaching.

hen gospel song editor William Bradbury died in 1868, Lowry was chosen to replace him as a publisher of Sunday school music.  He’s best known, however, for his own gospel songs, including: “Nothing but the Blood,” “Shall We Gather at the River?” “All the Way My Savior Leads Me,” “I Need Thee Every Hour,” and
“Marching to Zion.”

“Christ Arose!,” was written one evening during the Easter season of 1874 while Lowry was engaged in his devotions.  He became deeply impressed with Luke 24:6-8, especially the words of the angel at the tomb of Christ: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!”

The words and music began forming together in his mind. Going to the little pump organ in his home, Lowry soon completed what was to become one of our greatest resurrection hymns.

Low in the grave He lay
Jesus, my Savior
Waiting the coming day
Jesus, my Lord
Vainly they watch His bed
Jesus, my Savior
Vainly they seal the dead
Jesus, my Lord
Death cannot his prey
Jesus, my Savior (My Savior)
He tore the bars away
Jesus, my Lord
Up from the grave He arose (He arose)
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes (He arose)
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Here is a beautiful acapella rendition by Michael Eldridge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGNCIL4uIqY.

For a very different, but equally moving version by Voice Of Eden, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fs760h4yI4.

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