Whilin' Away the Hours

Unorganized and random musings
about the Adamic covenant.

The first man to refer to the "covenant of works" was an English scholar named Dudley Fenner writing in 1585.

Steve Schlissel says Adam was created into the Edenic covenant. Charles Hodge, on the other hand, states that God entered into covenant with Adam after he was created.

Of Gen. 1:26 Calvin writes," 'Let us make man.' Although the tense here used is the future, all must acknowledge that this is the language of one apparently deliberating. Hitherto God has been introduced simply as commanding; now, when he approaches the most excellent of all his works, he enters into consultation...
And hence we infer what was the end for which all things were created; namely, that none of the conveniences and necessaries of life might be wanting to men. In the very order of the creation the paternal solicitude of God for man is conspicuous, because he furnished the world with all things needful, and even with an immense profusion of wealth, before he formed man. Thus man was rich before he was born." Then, on Gen. 1:28, "Subdue it. He confirms what he had before said respecting dominion. Man had already been created with this condition, that he should subject the earth to himself; but now, at length, he is put in possession of his right, when he hears what has been given to him by the Lord:"

I think I would agree with Schlissel, that Adam was created into the covenant.

What of the obedience required as a condition of the covenant? Was it for the purpose of earning life as some say?
Of Gen. 2:16 Calvin writes, "In the meantime, he [Paul] does not deny that God, from the beginning, imposed a law upon man, for the purpose of maintaining the right due to himself." It seems to me that Adam's obedience was for the purpose of Maintaining a right relationship with God. But just a few paragraphs further, Calvin introduces the idea of Adam's attainment of heaven: Gen. 2:16, "But it is asked, what kind of death God means in this place? It appears to me, that the definition of this death is to be sought from its opposite; we must, I say, remember from what kind of life man fell. He was, in every respect, happy; his life, therefore, had alike respect to his body and his soul, since in his soul a right judgment and a proper government of the affections prevailed, there also life reigned; in his body there was no defect, wherefore he was wholly free from death. His earthly life truly would have been temporal; yet he would have passed into heaven without death, and without injury."

Where does the concept of temporal earthly life come from? The WCF 7:2 says that life was promised to Adam. Where? I see death promised to an already living, immortal Adam. Shaw, in his commentary on the WCF says that life was implied in the threat of death. Ok but that's ALL the confession says. It doesn't detail an earned translation into heaven similar to Elijah when he was taken up. I don't see the source of the concept.

Calvin, in Institutes 4.14.18 describes the tree of life: "Of the former class we have an example, in his giving the tree of life to Adam and Eve, as an earnest of immortality, that they might feel confident of the promise as often as they ate of the fruit." And, returning to his commentary on Gen.3:22, "Wherefore, that he might understand himself to be deprived of his former life, a solemn excommunication is added; not that the Lord would cut him off from all hope of salvation, but, by taking away what he had given, would cause man to seek new assistance elsewhere. ...It is indeed certain, that man would not have been able, had he even devoured the whole tree, to enjoy life against the will of God; but God, out of respect to his own institution, connects life with the external sign, till the promise should be taken away from it; for there never was any intrinsic efficacy in the tree; but God made it life-giving, so far as he had sealed his grace to man in the use of it, as, in truths he represents nothing to us with false signs, but always speaks to us, as they say, with effect. In short, God resolved to wrest out of the hands of man that which was the occasion or ground of confidence, lest he should form for himself a vain hope of the perpetuity of the life which he had lost."

He is describing a sacrament and suggests that Adam & Eve were already partaking of it. In Gen. 3:22 God's word confirms that the thing signified is truly conferred. So, it seems to me that Adam's obedience was a condition for maintenance of what he already had.

Where is the case for "earning" immortality?

I'm off until Monday!
My lab work is finished for the week. What a good feeling.
We won't have Thanksgiving until Friday due to my husband's work schedule. So! I can catch up on cleaning & laundry & grocery shopping over the next two days. I also have to get the huge grass spider out of the bathtub in the hall bathroom before my mom comes to stay with us for Thanksgiving. If I tell my husband about the spider, he will kill it. I, on the other hand, have given it drinks of water for several days while I gather the courage to catch the beast & put it out. The trouble is...it's snowing again so if I put it out it will die anyway. If it doesn't warm up in the next day or two, maybe I'll put it in the garage.

The Ossuary
of James, the brother of Jesus, may contain bone fragments after all according to this article. Oded Golan, the owner of the ossuary, said he plans to send the bone fragments for DNA analysis eventually. The article goes on to say that the results would not prove James to be the brother of Jesus since there are no known "relics" of Christ's earthly family. As I asked once before, what about the human blood from the shroud of Turrin?

The thought of a match (or rather, a half match) is mind boggling. I tend to believe that the shroud could very well be authentic though I am far, far too Protestant to view it with anything more than wonder & curiosity. But, since there is no explanation for the negative image on the cloth other than an hypothesized, extremely intense energy surge similar to the radiation which left images on the sidewalks of Hiroshima, the cloth bears witness of the resurrection of Christ. Therefore, a DNA match would be astounding. Would God permit such a thing?

Worship today...
Was, well, sort of funny. My husband & I, my mother-in-law, my sis-in-law, her husband and their 6 kids all attend church together. Our clan occupies a significant section of seating, off to the side but near the front and usually the same each week. It is customary for our nieces & nephews to vie for position next to Uncle Clifowd & Aunt Bob. This morning, 3 yr. old Will was sitting next to me. Will is an imp; a charming, mischievious, happy little imp. And this morning, Will discovered that other women have breasts besides his mom who is breastfeeding his little brother. Throughout the sermon, Will would reach over, pat me in the appropriate place and, flashing his beatific smile, proclaim "boobie!" I don't think I heard much of the sermon today... Later, as the elders were preparing to serve Communion, I was lightly scratching a bare patch of skin on Will's back between his pull-over shirt and the top of his pants. I stopped in anticipation of the Supper but Will wasn't ready for me to stop. With greatly exaggerated motions, he grabbed my hand and placing it on his back turned around, bent over & pulled down his pants! LOL! I barely managed to choke back the guffaw and the harder I tried not to laugh, the worse it became. I wish our clan sat at the back of the church! I just know my shaking shoulders were a curiosity for several rows back.

Gotta love that William!

I have a new computer!
My old one was 3 years old and, according to my husband, in need of replacing. He researched and came very close to buying me a Dell. But he finally decided on an emachine...for a lot less $ than a Dell! I have:
384 mg ram, 40 gb hd, dvd, cd/rw, pentium celeron 1.8 ghz and a 17" flat screen monitor. Combined with our DSL, this computer is so much faster than my old one! Now, I just have to figure out Windows XP. Shouldn't be too hard since it's designed for idjits!

We'll be giving my old computer to my 6 neices & nephews to play with.

Speaking of WYSO
I haven't listened yet, but there is an Interview With The Vampire, er... I mean, John Shelby Spong featured today. WYSO - always entertaining!

YAY!
It snowed! The first snow of the season tiptoed in during the pre-dawn hours and covered all the brownness left by summer drought in fresh white. What relief for my parched eyes! Angus, the proper Scots dog, is leaping for joy while Eleven, his Royal Catness, is in our bed warmly curled in sleep. Fish, well...Fish bellied up last night so he doesn't care. Merry & Pippin Parakeet have not uttered a syllable of opinion about the first snow, rather, they are discussing WYSO's radio program, Excursions.

Creep me out!
Pentagon to Track American Consumer Purchases

My Kroger Plus Card suddenly seems ominous and invasive!
They know how many boxes of LifeSaver Popsicles I purchase! Gulp!

Institutes translations
I've noticed that most of the authors I read quote from the Institutes as translated by Ford Lewis Battles. All I find online is Henry Beveridge. Why is Battles preferred? Does anyone know of an online source for the Battles translation? I've searched without success.

Further thoughts
on the sacramental nature of the church. Archpriest George Florovsky wrote, "The unity of the Church is effected through the sacraments: Baptism and the Eucharist are the two "social sacraments" of the Church, and in them the true meaning of Christian "togetherness" is continually revealed and sealed. Or even more emphatically, the sacraments constitute the Church. Only in the sacraments does the Christian Community pass beyond the purely human measure and become the Church."

Keith Mathison, in his book Given For You, quotes Institutes 4.17.38:
"Thirdly, The Lord intended it to be a kind of exhortation, than which no other could urge or animate us more strongly, both to purity and holiness of life, and also to charity, peace, and concord. For the Lord there communicates his body so that he may become altogether one with us, and we with him. Moreover, since he has only one body of which he makes us all to be partakers, we must necessarily, by this participation, all become one body. This unity is represented by the bread which is exhibited in the sacrament. As it is composed of many grains, so mingled together, that one cannot be distinguished from another; so ought our minds to be so cordially united, as not to allow of any dissension or division. This I prefer giving in the words of Paul: 'The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread' (1 Cor. 10:15, 16)..."

He then comments: "It is clear that, in Calvin's thought, communion with Christ cannot be separated from the communion of the saints. This union with Christ and corresponding union with the brethren must be "impressed and engraved upon our minds." This will not happen until this truth is regularly proclaimed from our pulpits. (emphasis added)

Go Keith!

This is way too much pressure!
My business accountant is coming over tomorrow morning to go over the books. I've got to get the congealed popsicle juice off my keyboard!

Ekklesia
Courtesy of my Orthodox cyber-friend, Wayne, here is a quote from The catholicity of the Church by Archpriest George Florovsky. I like so much of what he says!

(Wayne, an Amazon gift certificate will do...)

"The Greek name ekklesia adopted by the primitive Christians to denote the New Reality, in which they were aware they shared, presumed and suggested a very definite conception of what the Church really was. Adopted under an obvious influence of the Septuagint use, this word stressed first of all the organic continuity of the two Covenants. The Christian existence was conceived in the sacred perspective of the Messianic preparation and fulfilment (Heb. 1:1-2). A very definite theology of history was thereby implied. The Church was the true Israel, the new Chosen People of God, "A chosen generation, a holy nation, a peculiar people" (1 Pet. 2:9). Or rather, it was the faithful Remnant, selected out of the unresponsive People of old (Luke 12:32 "little flock" seems to mean precisely the "remnant," reconstituted and redeemed, and reconsecrated). And all nations of the earth, Greeks and Barbarians, were to be coopted and grafted into this new People of God by the call of God (this was the main theme of St. Paul in Romans and Galatians, cf. Ephesians ch. 2).

Already in the Old Testament the word ekklisía (a rendering in Greek of the Hebrew Qahal) did imply a special emphasis on the ultimate unity of the Chosen People, conceived as a sacred whole, and this unity was rooted more in the mystery of the divine election than in any "natural" features. This emphasis could only be confirmed by the supplementary influence of the Hellenistic use of the word ekklesía meaning usually an assembly of the sovereign people in a city, a general congregation of all regular citizens. Applied to the new Christian existence, the word kept its traditional connotation. The Church was both the People and the City. A special stress has been put on the organic unity of Christians.

Christianity from the very beginning existed as a corporate reality, as a community. To be Christian meant just to belong to the community. Nobody could be Christian by himself, as an isolated individual, but only together with "the brethren," in a "togetherness" with them. Personal conviction or even a rule of life still do not make one a Christian. Christian existence presumes and implies an incorporation, a membership in the community. This must be qualified at once: in the Apostolic community, i.e. in communion with the Twelve and their message. The Christian "community" was gathered and constituted by Jesus Himself "in the days of His flesh," and it was given by Him at least a provisional constitution by the election and the appointment of the Twelve, to whom He gave the name (or rather the title) of His "messengers" or "ambassadors" (See Luke 6:13: "whom also He named apostles"). For a "sending forth" of the Twelve was not only a mission, but precisely a commission, for which they were invested with a "power" (Mark 3:15; Matt. 10:1; Luke 9:1). In any case as the appointed "witnesses" of the Lord (Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8) the Twelve alone were entitled to secure the continuity both of the Christian message and of the community life. Therefore communion with the Apostles was a basic note of the primitive "Church of God" in Jerusalem (Acts 2:42: koinonía).

Christianity means a "common life," a life in common. Christians have to regard themselves as "brethren" (in fact this was one of their first names), as members of one corporation, closely linked together. And therefore charity had to be the first mark and the first proof as well as the token of this fellowship. We are entitled to say: Christianity is a community, a corporation, a fellowship, a brotherhood, a "society," coetus fideliuim. And surely, as a first approximation, such a description could be of help. But obviously it requires a further qualification, and something crucial is missing here. One has to ask: in what exactly this unity and togetherness of the many is based and rooted? what is the power that brings many together and joins them one with another? Is this merely a social instinct, some power of social cohesion, an impetus of mutual affection, or any other natural attraction? Is this unity based simply on unanimity, on identity of views or convictions? Briefly, is the Christian Community, the Church, merely a human society, a society of men? Surely, the clear evidence of the New Testament takes us far beyond this purely human level. Christians are united not only among themselves, but first of all they are one — in Christ, and only this communion with Christ makes the communion of men first possible — in Him. The centre of unity is the Lord and the power that effects and enacts the unity is the Spirit. Christians are constituted into this unity by divine design; by the Will and Power of God. Their unity comes from above. They are one only in Christ, as those who had been born anew in Him, "Rooted and built up in Him" (Col. 2:7), who by One Spirit have been "Baptized into One Body" (1 Cor. 12:13). The Church of God has been established and constituted by God through Jesus Christ, Our Lord: "she is His own creation by water and the word." Thus there is no human society, but rather a "Divine Society," not a secular community, which would have been still "of this world," still commensurable with other human groups, but a sacred community, which is intrinsically "not of this world," not even of "this aeon," but of the "aeon to come."

Moreover, Christ Himself belongs to this community, as its Head, not only as its Lord or Master. Christ is not above or outside of the Church. The Church is in Him. The Church is not merely a community of those who believe in Christ and walk in His steps or in His commandments. She is a community of those who abide and dwell in Him, and in whom He Himself is abiding and dwelling by the Spirit. Christians are set apart, "born anew" and re-created, they are given not only a new pattern of life, but rather a new principle: the new Life in the Lord by the Spirit. They are a "peculiar People," "the People of God's own possession." The point is that the Christian Community, the ekklesía, is a sacramental community: communio in sacris, a "fellowship in holy things," i.e. in the Holy Spirit, or even communio sanctorum (sanctorum being taken as neuter rather than masculine — perhaps that was the original meaning of the phrase). The unity of the Church is effected through the sacraments: Baptism and the Eucharist are the two "social sacraments" of the Church, and in them the true meaning of Christian "togetherness" is continually revealed and sealed. Or even more emphatically, the sacraments constitute the Church. Only in the sacraments does the Christian Community pass beyond the purely human measure and become the Church. Therefore "the right administration of the sacraments" belongs to the essence of the Church (to her esse). Sacraments must be "worthily" received indeed, therefore they cannot be separated or divorced from the inner effort and spiritual attitude of believers. Baptism is to be preceded by repentance and faith. A personal relation between an aspirant and his Lord must be first established by the hearing and the receiving of the Word, of the message of salvation. And again an oath of allegiance to God and His Christ is a pre-requisite and indispensable condition of the administration of the sacrament (the first meaning of the word sacramentum was precisely "the (military) oath.") A catechumen is already "enrolled" among the brethren on the basis of his faith. Again, the baptismal gift is appropriated, received and kept, by faith and faithfulness, by the steadfast standing in the faith and the promises. And yet sacraments are not merely signs of a professed faith, but rather effective signs of the saving Grace — not only symbols of human aspiration and loyalty, but the outward symbols of the divine action. In them our human existence is linked to, or rather raised up to, the Divine Life, by the Spirit, the giver of life.

The Church as a whole is a sacred (or consecrated) community, distinguished thereby from "the (profane) world." She is the Holy Church. St. Paul obviously uses the terms "Church" and "saints" as co-extensive and synonymous. It is remarkable that in the New Testament the name "saint" is almost exclusively used in the plural, saintliness being social in its intrinsic meaning. For the name refers not to any human achievement, but to a gift, to sanctification or consecration. Holiness comes from the Holy One, i.e. only from God. To be holy for a man means to share the Divine Life. Holiness is available to individuals only in the community, or rather in the "fellowship of the Holy Spirit." The "communion of saints" is a pleonasm. One can be a "saint" only in the communion."

Putting together some pieces

Like a game of connect the dots for straw-stuffed noggins.
I'm slowly unscrambling my understanding of Calvin's already/not yet "modus salutis" (quickening of the Spirit and union with Christ) and his teaching on baptismal efficacy.

With the help of the discussion of the quote from Calvin's Antidote to the Council of Trent on Joel's blog: The banner of the Reformation - justification, for Calvin, was not a one time imputational event but a benefit received as we abide in Christ, the Vine. We receive justification as we remain in Him since only in Him is justification found.

Another piece of the puzzle is found in this quote from an essay by Peter J. Leithart: "How can Paul attribute justification and sanctification to baptism when he everywhere attributes justification to "faith, without the works of the Law"? We can go a ways to answering this question by taking more seriously the biblical claim that the church is the "body of Christ." Because this is true, being joined to the church also means being joined to Christ. Christ is the holy one, and His Body is the holy people, the "saints" ("holy ones") claimed as God's peculiar possession. By His resurrection, the Father vindicated or justified the Son (Rom. 4:25), and by union with the body of the Justified Christ, we are justified (ie., counted as covenant-keepers).

None of this means that baptism guarantees eternal salvation. One consecrated as a saint may renounce God's claim on him; one can be cut off from the people whom the Lord regards as covenant-keepers, and entire churches may be snuffed out, cut from the vine. But those who live out of their baptism, faithful to the Lord in His Body, may be assured they are sanctified and justified."
Baptism and the Church

Mark Horne's blog entry "Why would a "forensic" declaration be inherently irreversible" provides a final, thoughtful conclusion: [from the Belgic Confession, Article 22] "Therefore we justly say with Paul, that we are justified by faith alone, or by faith apart from works. However, to speak more clearly, we do not mean that faith itself justifies us, for it is only an instrument with which we embrace Christ our righteousness. But Jesus Christ, imputing to us all His merits, and so many holy works which He has done for us and in our stead, is our righteousness. And faith is an instrument that keeps us in communion with Him in all His benefits, which, when they become ours, are more than sufficient to acquit us of our sins." (boldface added). As Mark points out in his blog entry, it is persevering faith - a gift of the Spirit, which "keeps" us justified. But, as the Confession says, it is not faith itself which justifies; it is Christ!

I think I am beginning to understand the already/not yet nature of salvation Calvin sets forth. True Calvinism emphasizes our covenantal relationship with God. The strong focus on eternal decree so common among "Calvinists" misses out on the relational aspect of remaining in Christ. Baptism, as G.I. Williamson put it, "is the inception, the beginning, of union with Christ." But it is a conditional beginning, one which grows & develops but in no way negates election. Perhaps it could be said that it is moment by moment already but teleologicaly not yet? What say you?

Ever had one of those days?

What's your mostest favoritest tear jerking movie scene?
For me, the biggest tear jerking scene ever is from "To Kill A Mockingbird" when Atticus Finch walks down the courtroom isle: He has just defended Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. Robinson has been found guilty in spite of irrefutable evidence to the contrary. Now, the courtroom has emptied except for the "colored" section in the balcony. They, Tom Robinson's neighbors and friends, are in rapt attention as Atticus gathers his papers and pensively walks down the isle to the door. One by one, but with gathering momentum, the people in the balcony silently stand...Rev. Sykes alerts Scout, Atticus' daughter, to stand in his honor:

"Miss Jean Louise, stand up, your father's passin'."

Sob. What honor...to stand in the face of ridicule & hatred. What fortitude...to stand, unashamed, before opposition!

Yipppeeee
I fixed my ftp problems for real this time! Me! Mrs. Computer Illiterate! All I had to do was....well, never mind. It's too embarrassing.

Filched from Mike

"God will not suffer man to have the knowledge of things to come; for if he had prescience
of his prosperity he would be careless; and understanding of his adversity he would be senseless."

You are Augustine!
You love to study tough issues and don't mind it if you lose sleep over them.
Everyone loves you and wants to talk to you and hear your views, you even get things like "nice debating
with you." Yep, you are super smart, even if you are still trying to figure it all out. You're also
very honest, something people admire, even when you do stupid things.

What theologian are you?

A creation of Henderson

Uhh, umm, uh, er...no one's ever said, "nice debating with you" to me, never, not once.

I love Calvin
In reading Joel's blog today, once again I am amazed by Calvin. I'm really sorry that Calvinism has come to mean salvation by 5 points alone. What an impoverishment of Calvinism! But, it's a hopelessly entrenched euphemism, I'm afraid.

I'm learning to love the ambiguity I sometimes find in Calvin. Recently, I was pondering the Reformed ordo salutis typically described as a chain model beginning with regeneration and ending in glorification. In the course of searching for information, I found a lecture series by Richard Gaffin, Ordo Salutis and Historia Salutis, in which Gaffin explained Calvin's position as being more of a "modus salutis" containing only two links: the quickening of the Spirit and union with Christ. Union with Christ is not the ground of justification but it is the context of justification as well as sanctification and glorification - all of them existing in an already/not yet fashion.

Calvin says: "We must now see in what way we become possessed of the blessings which God has bestowed on his only-begotten Son, not for private use, but to enrich the poor and needy...on the other hand, we are said to be ingrafted into him and clothed with him, all which he possesses being, as I have said, nothing to us until we become one with him. ...And although it is true that we obtain this by faith, yet since we see that all do not indiscriminately embrace the offer of Christ which is made by the gospel, the very nature of the case teaches us to ascend higher, and inquire into the secret efficacy of the Spirit, to which it is owing that we enjoy Christ and all his blessings." Institutes Book 3, 1:1

Gasp!
No, I must be dreaming! Did I really fix my ftp? Me?
SNORK!

FTP problems...
I'll need to get my ftp connections working before I can post again.

If you have a little spare time
And you'd like to hear a really great sermon go to COPC Sermons and listen to the July 14 sermon. It rocks. The first Scripture reading, recorded earlier in the service, is by one of our elders, Mike Colucci and the sermon is by our pastor, Charles Jackson.

News!
It was confirmed to me today that I have lodging in Monroe with the parents of a woman from my church if I can swing the Auburn Avenue Pastors Conference in January! As it stands now, a group of about 6 from my church are planning to attend the conference. ROAD TRIP!!!

It's embarrassing
I just watched "Beauty and the Beast" for the first time. I almost never watch TV but tonight we were having bad storms so I turned the TV on for weather reports and there it was...I was caught up in it almost immediately (except for the 5 min. of movie per 10 min. of commercial...grrr). Here's the embarrassing part: I got teary eyed at the end. Sheesh.

Saturday night we went out for dinner & a movie. I finally got to see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". I had to wipe my eyes during that movie too but for very different reasons! Favorite line: [Greek father to Celtic future son-in-law] When my people were writing philosophy, your people were still swinging from trees! LOL!

New Testament Circumcision
Col. 2:11-12: "In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead."
"NT circumcision is baptism...So, you can have this exchange of terminology between Old and New Testament because they have the same meaning. They were signs and are signs and seals of the very same thing - the very same thing that circumcision was a sign and seal of: the righteousness of faith that belongs to those that are cleansed, renewed, made new creatures, like Abraham...so is baptism. ...a motion picture of the invisible reality of the inception, the beginning of union with God, cleansing, justification and so on...and in it, the recipient is wholly passive."
Rev G. I. Williamson transcribed from his lecture series "A Study of the Westminster Standards".

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here's a cookie recipe from my father-in-law - the retired nuclear physicist:

Ingredients:
1. 532.35 cm3 gluten
2. 4.9 cm3 NaHCO
3. 4.9 cm3 refined halite
4. 236.6 cm3 partially hydrogenated tallow triglyceride
5. 177.45 cm3 crystalline C12H22O11
6. 177.45 cm3 unrefined C12H22O11
7. 4.9 cm3 methyl ether of protocatechuic aldehyde
8. Two calcium carbonate-encapsulated avian albumen-coated protein
9. 473.2 cm3 theobroma cacao
10. 236.6 cm3 de-encapsulated legume meats (sieve size #10)

To a 2L jacketed round reactor vessel (reactor #1), with an overall heat transfer coefficient of about 100 Btu/F-ft2-hr, add ingredients one, two and three with constant agitation.

In a second 2L reactor vessel with a radial flow impeller operating at 100 rpm, add ingredients four, five, six, and seven until the mixture is homogeneous.

To reactor #2, add ingredient eight, followed by three equal volumes of the homogeneous mixture in reactor #1. Additionally, add ingredient nine and ten slowly, with constant agitation.

Care must be taken at this point in the reaction to control any thermal increase that may be the result of exothermic reaction.

Using a screw extrude attached to a #4 nodulizer, place the mixture piece-meal on a 316SS sheet (300 x 600 mm).

Heat in a 460K oven for a period of time that is in agreement with Frank & Johnston's first order rate expression (see JACOS, 21, 55), or until golden brown.

Once the reaction is complete, place the sheet on a 25C heat-transfer table, allowing the product to come to equilibrium.

Sounds good but does anyone have 4.9 cm3 of methyl ether of protocatechuic aldehyde I could borrow? It's late and the chemist's shop is closed for the evening.

If...
If you drop the "h" from Elvish, what to you get?

"When I look out into your eyes out there,
When I look out into your faces,
You know what I see?
I see a little bit of Elvis
In each and every one of you out there.
Lemme tell ya...
Weeeeeeeeeellllllll...

Elvis is everywhere
Elvis is everything
Elvis is everybody
Elvis is still the king
Man o man
What I want you to see
Is that the big E's
Inside of you and me
Elvis is everywhere, man!
He's in everything.
He's in everybody...
Elvis is in your jeans.
He's in your cheesburgers
Elvis is in Nutty Buddies!
Elvis is in your mom!
He's in everybody.
He's in the young, the old,
the fat, the skinny,
the white, the black
the brown and the blue
people got Elvis in 'em too
Elvis is in everybody out there.
Everybody's got Elvis in them!
Everybody except one person that is...
Yeah, one person!
The evil opposite of Elvis.
The Anti-Elvis
Anti-Elvis got no Elvis in 'em,
lemme tell ya.

Michael J. Fox has no Elvis in him.

And Elvis is in Joan Rivers
but he's trying to get out, man!
He's trying to get out!
Listen up Joanie Baby!
Elvis is everywhere
Elvis is everything
Elvis is everybody
Elvis is still the king
Man o man
What I want you to see
Is that the big E's
Inside of you and me
Man, there's a lot of unexplained phenomenon
out there in the world.
Lot of things people say
What the heck's going on?
Let me tell ya!
Who built the pyramids?
ELVIS!
Who built Stonehenge?
ELVIS!
Yeah, man you see guys
walking down the street
pushing shopping carts
and you think they're talking to allah,
they're talking to themself.
Man, no they're talking to ELVIS!
ELVIS! ELVIS!
You know whats going on in that Bermuda Triangle?
Down in the Bermuda Traingle
Elvis needs boats.
Elvis needs boats.
Elvis Elvis Elvis
Elvis Elvis Elvis
Elvis needs boats.
Aahh! The Sailing Elvis!
Captain Elvis!
Commodore Elvis it is.
Yeah man, you know people from outer space,
people from outer space they come up to me.
They don't look like like Doctor Spock.
They don't look like Klingons,
all that Star Trek jive.
They look like Elvis.
ELVIS!
Everybody in outer space looks like Elvis.
Cause Elvis is a perfect being.
We are all moving in perfect peace and harmony towards Elvisness
Soon all will become Elvis.
Everything everywhere will be Elvis.
Why do you think they call it evolution anyway?
It's really Elvislution!
Elvislution!
Elvis is everywhere
Elvis is everything
Elvis is everybody
Elvis is still the king
Man o man
What I want you to see
Is that the big E's
Inside of you and me
That's right ladies and gentlemen,
The time has come!
Time has come to talk
To that little bit of Elvis inside of you.
Talk to it!
Call it up!
Say "Elvis, heal me!"
"Save me, Elvis!"
"Make me be born again
in the perfect Elvis light"
That's right!
You've got that Elvis inside of ya
and he's talkin to ya
He says he wants you to sing!
Everybody's got to sing like the king!
Like the king
Get that leg going now
Get your lip too.
Not no fool Billy Idol lip either
Everybody!
Yeah, we're rockin now!
Elvis is with us.
He's with us and he's speaking to us.
He says "Peoples!"
"Peoples!"
"Everybody!"
"Everybody got to sing!"
Elvis is everywhere
Elvis is everything
Elvis is everybody
Elvis is still the king
Man o man
What I want you to see
Is that the big E's
Inside of you and me
Elvis is everywhere
Elvis is everything
Elvis is everybody
Elvis is still the king
Man o man
What I want you to see
Is that the big E's
Inside of you and me. Elvis!" by Mojo Nixon

Sunday Dinner
Last summer, my husband and I determined to have people over for Sunday dinner after church at least once a month. We have not been consistent, but we've not done too badly. Making a nice dinner for guests is a lot of work. I always try to get as much done on Saturday as possible but there are always last minute things left for Sunday. Just before dinner is served chaos usually erupts in the kitchen and I am left wondering where my Sabbath day rest went. But, I received a little tune up today. Consider:

“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

Hmmm, I'm supposed to provide a Sabbath rest for others! Wow. What planet have I been living on?

My creative sister
Many thanks to Valerie for her renovations to my blog. She is truly a creative lady! She's also a dangerous ax murderer...so invite her into your template but beware of inviting her into your home! BOO Ha ha ha!!!

Steve Camp's open letter to the church
Steve Camp has delivered a powerful critique of the "Come Together & Worship Tour" sponsored by Chevrolet.

Come together?

Maybe I should ditch Greek and take up Elvish

Galadriel

If I were a character in The Lord of the Rings, I would be Galadriel, Elf, Queen of Lothlorien, wife of Celeborn and grandmother of Arwen.

In the movie, I am played by Cate Blanchett.

Who would you be?
Zovakware Lord of the Rings Test with Perseus Web Survey Software

MERF
Middle East Reformed Fellowship is one of my favorite missions. The October update just arrived and I thought I'd relay some of the news.

MERF's annual International Counsil meeting of representatives from Support and Field Committees was held on October 15 & 16. The MERF-Iran representative, who could not pose for the group photo because of the danger of being identified, reported that there is a growing underground Iranian church in spite of the fact that Iran is second only to Saudi Arabia in it's relentless oppression & persecution of the church. The good news is that in the last 18 months no believers have been tortured or killed.

The Iraqi church representative delivered a passionate plea, calling on God's people to pray that the threatened war would not take place. He said," Iraq's Complex religious and ethnic make-up needs peace and the stability of law and order and not a war, which would undoubtedly lead to major massacres and immense additional sufferings for the entire population, including the Christian minority which enjoys the protection of the present government."

Victor Atallah writes, " Brethren, at this time when the world seems to be speedily moving to an era of fear, hatred, violence and wars, mostly focused on what seems to be an unending conflict with Muslim zealots, it is time for us all to stop and think God's thoughts after Him. What better would the Lord have us do than take the Gospel, His "power unto salvation" to these millions who desparatly need to be liberated from the evil grip of man's religions? What more joy can we experience than seeing the love of our self-giving God conquer the self-seeking hate of the kingdom of darkness expressed in religious fanaticism?"

I want to see God's kingdom reclaim it's lost Middle Eastern territory. I'm afraid that if we pursue war with Iraq, Arabic people will think of it as a war of Christian aggression. The "great satan" rides again.

The Bride of Christ
Last week, I was involved in a discussion about the role of the church in personal sanctification. In the course of the discussion, a contrast was made between an individualistic approach to sanctification (private prayer & Bible study) and a corporate view in which the outward means (ministry of the Word, the sacraments and prayer) were emphasized.

One of the passages of Scripture I considered to help support the corporate view was Paul's instruction about the properly functioning body in Eph. 4 . As I thought over the passage, a tangential idea took shape: sanctification shouldn't be considered an exclusively personal endeavor or be pursued exclusively for reasons of personal holiness. Sanctification should be sought in order to sanctify the bride of Christ! Suddenly, I'm seeing sanctification as a symbiotic process among the varied "parts" to be carried on as a single organism - the body of Christ which is being renewed. Corporate sanctification comports nicely with the WCF Ch.26.

This business has been rolling around in my head for several days. Today, I read two nice pieces dealing with the subject. One was Mark Horne's blog (Nov. 4) which was a great perspective on how God has given each one of us to the congregation. The other was A Short Credo on Justification" by Doug Wilson which contained this sentence: "I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ, an organic covenant body, is also justified, sanctified, regenerated, and elect."

What a day it will be, the day the bride is presented to her Groom!

"Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

'Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure'—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints."