AthanasiusIris' Archives, March 2018

by Iris Holt, Church Warden Emerita

ATHANASIUS (ath'a-na'shi-us)

c. 300-37 Born in Alexandria, Egypt, and became Bishop of that city in 328. Though claim in to be its one true bishop as long as he lived, he suffered five exiles, due to the fierce theological and political quarrels of his lifetime. One of the most decisive thinkers in all Christian history, he was the champion of the eternal divinity of Jesus Christ, against the followers of Arius, who even had the Emperor Constantine on their side in his later years. Athanasius was a courageous and resourceful man of action, as well as a brilliant thinker. His view of the eternal Saviour hood of Chris became the regnant view of Christians fro the late Fourth Century on.

The Ship

The Church sails unharmed through all perils. The
word, "Nave," comes from the Latin word for “ship."

Isaac WattsPhillips Brooks, 1835-1893  

WATTS, Rev. Isaac (wots)

1674-1748, Congregationalist. The eldest of nine children, Isaac Watts, was born on July 17, 1674 in Southampton, England. He was taught Latin, Greek an Hebrew by the rector of All Saints Church in Southampton. In 1690 he went to the nonconformist Stoke Newington Academy, and while there became a member of the Independent congregation at Girdlers' Hall in preference to the Church of England. Dissatisfied with the traditional hymn of the day, he spent two years (1694-1695) in Southampton writing his own hymns, published 1707-1709 as "Hymns and Spiritual Songs”. In 1702 Watts became pastor of an Independent church in Mark Lane but in 1712 was stricken by a fever that left him an invalid. For the last thirty-six years of his life he lived at the home of Sir Thomas Abney. He wrote essays, catechisms, textbooks and a variety of other works He died in 1748, and a monument in his honour was erected in Westminster Abbey

Joy to the World! the Lord Is Come:1719

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross:1719

WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSSWhen I survey

 
The noted critic Matthew Arnold said of the two and a half century old Christian hymn "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" that it was "the greatest hymn in the English language." He held such admiration for it that he sang and quoted it on his death bed. Written in 1707 by Isaac Watts the hymn was inspired by the words of the Apostle Paul as recorded in Galatians 6:14, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

Humour

When a twelve year old took a critical look at our Lord's work and concluded, 'It's just as well Jesus isn’t living now. They'd never crucify him. They'd just put him on probation for six months and that would have spoiled all his plans.’

D. Nimmo
 

Iris Holt, 25/02/2018